Search "lunice+one+hunned" 29402 Items

CD | 2023 | US | Original (Big Crown)

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The Super OM 5E major improvements:
1. By means of computer simulations it has been possible to define the natural pivot point of the system with unprecedented accuracy while achieving an optimum oscillation balance. The result: improved linearity, higher channel separation and reduced distortion.

2. OM Super cartridges models have split pole PINs which reduces magnetic losses at the treble end. This technology extends the frequency range and improves phase linearity.

3. OM Super 5 cartridge body is manufactured from a Noryl (plastic & glass compound) which ensures high rigidity and freedom from resonances.

Optimal fit and sound reproduction
If your tonearm has a standard headshell or a cartridge mount, then step up to optimal sound reproduction with OM’s. A glance at anyone of these cartridges will reveal Ortofon's answer to perfect tonearm matching. Ingeniously tucked into the top of the mounting bracket is a tiny, removable weight-plate.

If your tonearm is an standard tonearm, just leave the weight-plate. If your tonearm is one of the low mass types, then simply remove the weight. The mass of your OM cartridge is now a mere 2.5g.

Super OM 5E features Elliptical stylus that provides balanced and distortion-free playback. Elliptical diamonds are able to follow the groove oscillations more accurately than spherical diamonds due to their contoured shape. This results in better tracking and less distortion.

Super OM 5 Technical data:
• Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec. - 4 mV
• Channel balance at 1 kHz - 1.5 dB
• Channel separation at 1 kHz - 22 dB
• Channel separation at 15 kHz - 15 dB
• Frequency response - 20-20.000 Hz + 3 / -3
• Tracking ability at 315Hz at recommended tracking force - 60 µm
• Compliance, dynamic, lateral - 20 µm/mN
• Stylus type - Elliptical
• Stylus tip radius - r/R 8/18 µm
• Tracking force range - 1.5-2.0 g (15-20 mN)
• Tracking force, recommended - 1.75 g (17.5 mN)
• Tracking angle - 20°
• Internal impedance, DC resistance - 1 kOhm
• Internal inductance - 580 mH
• Recommended load resistance - 47 kOhm
• Recommended load capacitance - 200-500 pF
• Cartridge colour, body/stylus - Black/Black
• Cartridge weight incl. extra weight - 5 g
• Cartridge weight excl. extra weight - 2.5 g
• Replacement stylus unit - Stylus 5 E, Stylus 10

Styli types and interchangeability
The OM 5s features a Spherical diamond. Spherical diamonds are the simplest and most robust diamonds. The OM 5E and Super OM 5E feature an Elliptical diamond.

In the development of OM cartridges, a major objective was to provide the music lover with the opportunity to optimize sound reproduction without having to replace the entire cartridge. Instead of being merely intended for replacement purposes following wear or damage, the OM 5 Series allows you to step up to better sound by simply upgrading the stylus.

Depending on your preference, styli for the OM 5 Series are easily interchanged and include: styli 3E, 5E, 10, 20, 30, 40 & 78 and D 25 M.

The new Ortofon OM 5 series encompasses three basic cartridges: OM 5S, OM 5E and Super OM 5E.
• The series is the lowest-mass range of moving magnet cartridges offered by Ortofon.
• The OM cartridges bodies have been designed to provide easy mounting and alignment on both top mount and bottom mount headshells.
• The OM 5 Series provides excellent compatibility when used in an assortment of playback systems and with a wide variety of phono preamps.

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Les Imprimes

Reverie

16,99 €*

Reverie Lucid Blue Vinyl Edition

Release: 2023 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Big Crown Records is proud to present the debut full length offering from Les Imprimés, Rêverie. The stirring and ethereal sounds of Les Imprimés have been making fans of anyone who hears them since their first 7" single hit the speakers. Morten Martens is the man behind the band. Born, raised, and working in Kristiansand, Norway, he keeps a low prole while making his heart felt, highly infectious, and unique music. This album is a long time coming for Martens and it is sure to make him a name to be reckoned with. The first thing you notice listening to Les Imprimés is the high level of musician-ship. Martens plays nearly every instrument on the recordings and handles the production and arranging. He has been making records for decades, winning a Spellemann Award (aka, the Norwegian Grammy) in 2006 for producing a HipHop album as well as getting nominations across three other genres. While awards and accolades speak to the level of his talent, this new album really shows who he is an artist on his own terms. Moving away from being a hired gun on the touring scene naturally led him to start doing more studio work. Slowly collecting gear and getting more experi-ence behind the boards he built his own studio on the island of Odderoya and was making a living playing with and recording other people's music. As the story goes, after those sessions would end he would work on his own project into the wee hours of the night. From these late night sessions, Les Imprimés was born and Rêverie began to take shape. However, "it wasn't until COVID, when things locked down, that I was really able to nd the time to focus on Les Imprimés" Morten says about creating and leading his own solo project. "It was a scary time. But I knew I had to do something with it." He took the sum of his inuences, combined them with his own vibe and got busy writing the music, playing the instruments, and singing the songs. "It's soul music, but I don't exactly have the soul voice," Morten explains humbly. "But I do it my own way, in a way that's mine. "It is his sound, his fingerprint, his sensibility, that makes his music hard to put in a box. The album showcases both Martens' range and his ability to make a cohesive album. The lead single "Falling Away" starts with a raw drum break and turns into a lushly arranged tune that paints the picture of love when it slips away. On "Still Here" he professes his resilience through life's twists and turns over a thundering track that puts a new spin on the B side ballad genre. Songs like "You" and "Our Love" mix tones from 60s and 70s Soul with arrangement nods to Doo Wop records while Martens' lyrics and delivery leave you singing the melodies long after they finish. "Love & Flowers" finds Martens in a moment of clarity with a song that ts the niche sub genre of happy break up tunes, the four on the floor track will move the dancefloor or while the message will resonate with anyone who put too much effort into the wrong situation in their lives. However, it is songs like "Muse" and "Chess" that really encapsulate the uniqueness of Les Imprimés as they push the boundaries of genre, one a profession of love for music and the other a cover of an electronic record respectively. Martens' lyrics, emotion, and delivery truly make the whole thing come together and stand out from any of his peers. There's an infectiousness and a pop sensibility in the writing that is done with the utmost class and taste giving Les Imprimés the rare quality of immediate attraction that only deepens the more you listen.

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Les Imprimes

LP | 2023 | US | Original (Big Crown)

26,99 €*

Banda Da Capital (Live In Brasília, 1976)

Release: 2023 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Som Imaginario

12" | 2023 | EU | Original (Far Out)

OST The Black Stone Affair

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Som Imaginário are the stuff of MPB mythos. Integral to Brazil’s Clube Da Esquina movement in the early 1970s, a heady blend of progressive rock, folk, psychedelia, jazz and traditional Brazilian rhythm flows through the three studio albums the band recorded between ‘70 and ‘73. Flying the countercultural freak-flag amid the context of military dictatorship, the Brazilian prog lords shared much of the sense of experimentation and bountiful fuzz bequeathed by their tropicalismo forbearers. But armed with genius composers, arrangers and stupendously high-level musicianship, Som Imaginário introduced a potent harmonic complexity to Brazilian popular music, which would inspire generations of artists to come.

On 4th October 1976, having finished a spell of recording and touring with Milton Nascimento, Som Imaginário performed a concert in celebration of Nature Day in Brasília. The recordings of the show would become “Banda Da Capital”, which, for the past half century, has laid dormant, waiting for its mystical power to be untapped.

In the band that day were original members Wagner Tiso and Fredera, joined by Nivaldo Ornelas, Paulinho Braga and Jamil Joanes. Operating within such a hugely creative and free-spirited scene meant line-up fluctuations were inevitable and former Som Imaginário members also include Laudir de Oliveira (who left to join Chicago), Nana Vasconcelos (who also moved to work in the US), Zé Rodrix, Robertinho Silva, Novelli and Toninho Horta.

Titled after the Belo Horizonte radio station where they would practice during their youth, the show opens with “Rádio Guarany”, an improvisation led by Paulinho Braga and Nivaldo Ornelas. The track morphs into Nivaldo Ornelas’ composition “Xa Mate”, which also opens Milton Nascimento’s Milagre dos Peixes ao Vivo album, featuring Som Imaginário and a 32 piece orchestra.

Having grown up together in Minas Gerais, composer, arranger and keyboard player Wagner Tiso had been another close musical partner of Milton Nascimento’s. Some of their work together includes many of Bituca’s most beloved albums, including Clube Da Esquina, Milton Nascimento (1970) and Maria Maria / Ultimo Trem, as well as Native Dancer: Nascimento’s album with Wayne Shorter.

Explaining the inspiration behind two of the tracks on Banda Da Capital “Igreja Majestosa” (written with Nivaldo Ornelas) and “Os Cafezais sem fim”, Tiso remincies:

“On Sundays I used to watch the coffee plantation workers entering the church. I´d see them working all week, in their humble, dirty clothes. But I was always enchanted by their immaculate dress on Sundays. Taken from a line in a poem by my father, which became the hymn of the city of Três Pontas, the song “the majestic church and the endless coffee plantations ” became sacred for me, because it came from something joyful, from the workers.”

One of the album's most tender moments is a beautiful rendition of the post-tropicalista folk-rock classic “Sabado”, written by Fredera for Som Imaginiaro’s debut album. The lyrics are typical of the “desbunde”: those on the Brazilian left whose response to authoritarianism was a politics of pacifist, often psychedelic, non-conformity (similar to that of “dropping out” in the US)...

“Eu quero o céu e vou com guizos nos sapatos / Minha roupa em farrapos coloridos vou rasgar / E vou dançar entre os cristais azuis do tempo e esquecer”

“I want the sky and will go with bells on my shoes / I will tear my clothes into colourful rags / And I will dance among the blue crystals of time to forget”.

Jamil Joanes, best known as a member of Banda Black Rio, is another Minas Gerais native. His composition for the album is “Imaginados”, a stunning unplugged guitar and vocal performance, highlighting Som Imaginário’s south-eastern home state’s influence on their sound.

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Whatatido Archive Group

LP | 2021 | EU | Original (Record Kicks)

Release: 2021 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves, Soundtracks

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For the first time ever, Record Kicks is pleased to announce the release of the long lost soundtrack by Whatitdo Archive Group to the Italian Cinematic Masterpiece "The Black Stone Affair'' on beautiful gatefold vinyl, CD and digital format on April 09 2021. Long thought to be lost alongside the movie itself by the production studio, the soundtrack's master reels were recently recovered and its audio meticulously restored and remastered by J.J. Golden in Ventura, CA.

The movie itself was understood to be unusual for its time: a globetrotting adventure/western-noir written and directed by aspiring visionary, Stefano Paradisi. Unfortunately for Paradisi, the tragic loss of his masterpiece during a fire also meant the end of his short lived career in movies. People who worked on the film have been cited as saying this film was very ambitious, set to be a turning point in Paradisi’s carrier putting him on the map alongside the likes of Sergio Leone and Antonioni.

While the movie never saw the light of day, the soundtrack by obscure band Whatitdo Archive Group has thankfully been recovered. The music itself is staggering to hear, each track evoking all the senses almost all at once. "The Black Stone Affair (Main Theme)" sets the story with its dizzying bassline

underneath a Morricone-esque harpsichord melody eventually all digressing into a psych-freakout of guitars swirling over what is the overarching motif groove of this iconic soundtrack.

We then get taken into the giallo-steeped melody of "Blood Chief". What can only be the theme of the antagonist, this cut offers crunchy drum breaks, reverb-drenched bongos and a sinister baritone guitar line that seems to be indicative of its character. "Ethiopian Airlines" transports the movie into exotic lands with its afro-centric rhythms and mysterious horn melody. The search is on for the elusive Black Stone, an artifact so coveted it had been hidden for decades for its fatal power of seduction. For fans of KPM and De Wolfe Music, "Il Furto Di Africo" definitely delivers a similar 'library' flavor popular at the time. Our ears are treated to an ambiguous sense of center. What were Whatitdo Archive Group thinking? There almost seems to be two key centers at once and a slithering flute line blending between both. We can only imagine that the Black Stone was successfully stolen from the small Italian village of Africo with this track.

What movie really is complete without a lounge-y Bossa number? "Italian Love Triangle" delivers that sun-soaked Mediterranean romance. Our cunning female lead, Lola, decides the only way she can acquire the Black Stone is to pit the trio of characters against each other with an erotic love triangle she carefully crafts to exploit the vulnerability of Blood Chief and Beaumont Jenkins. "Last Train to Budapest" finds our two male leads in a gun-wielding, high-stakes train chase through the dizzying mountains of Bosnia racing to Hungary's capital city. The music brilliantly calls upon the soundtrack's multiple melodic motifs to all collide into a single stressful heart-racing track sure to put a knot in your stomach. Probably the most unusual song appearing in this soundtrack is the French infused "L'amour au Centre de la Terre", an obvious yet tasteful homage to the composers' musical hero, Alain Goraguer. A lilting monologue is recited by who seems to be Lola, the tragic female lead in "The Black Stone Affair". Her passage speaks of the entangled romance she shares with the other two male leads and her plan to acquire the elusive Black Stone for herself. It's every man (and woman) for themselves! Paranoia and deceit has crept into the minds and motives of our conniving trio. No one can be trusted and false alliances are crumbling from within.

"The Black Stone Affair (Reprise)" evokes the characters' gut-wrenching feeling with its ever-rising key center. "Farewell Lola" is the saddening funeral dirge and exit of the aforementioned Lola. Sworn enemies Beaumont and Blood Chief stand silently outside the church and watch as Lola's casket is lowered into her untimely grave. This is merely an armistice between the remaining opponents, only to resume after paying their respects to their former 'lover'. A gory fight leaves Blood Chief standing. Beaumont is nowhere to be seen and only a cloud of dust slowly settles into the landscape as the mournful guitar and harmonica of "Beaumont's Lament" plays quietly in the distance. All is not lost. Triumphantly, Beaumont Jenkins stands tall, throws one last devastating blow to Blood Chief leaving him incapacitated. "The Return of Beaumont Jenkins" plays loudly in the face of Blood Chief desperately reaching for the stone only to realize it's a false! Our new hero, Beaumont Jenkins, sustained by Alessandro Alessandroni Jr.'s cinematic whistle, rides away victoriously into the night sky... the Black Stone hidden cleverly in his hat. End credits.

Steeped in obscurity, a cult following of crate-diggers and musical oddity collectors has been brewing over the mysterious releases of the Whatitdo Archive Group. Surfacing in 2009 from the high deserts of Reno, NV, USA, this recording collective focuses solely on curating, performing and preserving esoteric soundtrack, library and deep-groove collections. The personnel of the group consist of three musicians; each of them avid composers, recording engineers and obsessive record collectors. Alexander Korostinsky, Mark Sexton and Aaron Chiazza met in college and have been working together on producing music for over 10 years. (Both Korostinsky and Sexton also happen to write and perform in

critically-acclaimed soul group “The Sextones”). In 2015 they quietly released a small batch of lo-fi deep-groove demos recorded exclusively to cassette in an old garage. This became their first full length offering, Shit’s Dope, and it began to quickly spread across the internet piquing the interest of record collectors and DJs all over the world—a record Fleamarket Funk describes as “Falling in between some Headhunters and Lunar Funk 45s” and becoming a bestseller on Bandcamp of that year.

During this time, the Whatitdo Archive Group also began what is often hailed as a vital turning point in Reno music history; by hosting their famous “Whatitdo Wednesday” residency at a local venue. These packed performances drew the attention of not only live music-goers, but also the most accomplished jazz musicians in the area, often joining them on stage. Eventually, these shows stumbled into the arena of obscure performance art, where the band would facetiously distribute written and multiple choice tests during their performance for the audience to participate in.

After their residency came to a bittersweet end, the Whatitdo Archive Group refocused their attention on the wonderful world of 1970’s soul-jazz, where they wrote and recorded what would be their follow up 7” release, Crocker Way / Steve’s Romp. This limited edition 45rpm became a hot ticket item for UK record collectors who had been previous fans of WAG’s older lo-fi work. Crocker Way was also a featured track on BBC Radio 6. Shortly after producing Crocker Way / Steve’s Romp, the group again started production on their crown jewel of a record, a concept album that had been tossed around for several years beforehand but never executed. As band member Mark Sexton explains “We wanted to create an album that encompassed everything we love and admire about old Italian soundtrack scores, and bring that energy back into the spotlight”. The group spent 9 months of research, digging through their personal collections of dusty LP’s scrutinizing the work of Piccioni, Torossi, Roubaix, Alessandroni and of course Morricone, recording, mixing and working with over 24 skilled musicians. The Whatitdo Archive Group finally completed what would be their finest work to date, The Black Stone Affair. Recorded entirely in Korostinsky’s home studio, this record is a labor of love, dedication, appreciation and respect for the golden age of Italian Soundtrack and Library music.

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Marshall

Woburn III

469,00 €*

LP | 2024 | EU | Original (Escho)

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Woburn III is guaranteed to fill any space with immersive, home-shaking Marshall signature sound. Built-in Dynamic Loudness adjusts the tonal balance of the sound, ensuring your music sounds brilliant at every volume. Woburn III is ready for the future of Bluetooth technology and has been built ready to deliver next-generation Bluetooth features the moment they are available.

WOBURN III KEY FEATURES
• Re-engineered wider stereo soundstage
• Pair, play and turn it up
• Next-generation Bluetooth
• Iconic design that stands apart
• A more sustainable approach
• Connect and control

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS
• Reddot Design Award Winner 2023

RE-ENGINEERED WIDER STEREO SOUNDSTAGE
This generation of the home line-up has an even wider soundstage than before, delivering heavy Marshall signature sound that has been re-engineered for a more immersive experience. Generation III has tweeters angled outwards and updated waveguides to deliver a consistently solid sound that is so wide it chases you around the room.

PAIR, PLAY AND TURN IT UP
These speakers are straight to business, so you can just pair and play without the hassle of a complex set-up. You’ll find everything you need right there on the unit, including the Bluetooth pairing button, power switch, bass and treble controls and the control knob so you can easily control your music without ever picking up your device.

NEXT-GENERATION BLUETOOTH
Generation III is ready for the future of Bluetooth technology and has been built to deliver next-generation Bluetooth features the moment they are available. Over the Air (OTA) updates via the app ensure that your speaker is always up to date with the latest software and features.

ICONIC DESIGN THAT STANDS APART
Marshall has taken its signature rock ’n’ roll home speaker line-up and given it a stripped-back look that makes a loud statement. This iconic design knocks all other speakers off the shelf. Signature details such as the Marshall script and brass control knobs adorn each speaker, echoing the legacy of rock ’n’ roll.

A MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
The home line-up has music at heart and the environment in mind. While staying true to the iconic design that speaks to the brand’s heritage, this generation takes a more sustainable approach with a PVC-free build made from 70% recycled plastic and only vegan materials. Durable and solid, comprising of high-quality materials and components, you can trust that your speaker will last.

CONNECT AND CONTROL
With next-generation Bluetooth 5.2 and the 3.5 mm input, connecting to your speaker and listening to your music has never been so effortless. Download and connect to the Marshall Bluetooth app to access advanced settings and Over-the-Air (OTA) updates. While you can control the bass and treble on top of each speaker, you’ll also find additional controls in the app. Just connect to your speaker directly from your device and start listening.

WIRED CONNECTIVITY (3.5MM + RCA + HDMI)
With so many ways to connect to Woburn III, getting the right sound for listening to music or watching TV has never been so effortless. Connect to your speaker directly from your device using Bluetooth, RCA or 3.5 mm input. Woburn III also has an HDMI input, which allows you to connect Woburn III to your TV for a uniquely Marshall viewing experience.

PRODUCT DETAILS
POWER AMPLIFIERS:
• ONE 90 WATT CLASS D AMPLIFIER FOR THE WOOFER
• TWO 15W CLASS D AMPLIFIERS FOR THE MIDS
• TWO 15 WATT CLASS D AMPLIFIERS FOR THE TWEETERS

CONNECTIVITY:
• 3.5 MM INPUT
• RCA INPUT
• HDMI INPUT

TOP PANEL CONTROLS:
• SOURCE BUTTON
• VOLUME CONTROL KNOB
• BASS CONTROL KNOB
• TREBLE CONTROL KNOB
• PLAY/PAUSE BUTTON
• SKIP BACKWARD/FORWARD CONTROL KNOB
• POWER SWITCH

DIMENSIONS:
• 400 X 317 X 203 MM / 15.75 X 12.48 X 7.99 IN

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Fine

Rocky Top Ballds

LP | 2018 | US | Reissue (Fat Beats)

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Writing music, for singer-songwriter and producer Fine, “feels like being entrusted with a secret.” On Rocky Top Ballads, the Copenhagen-based musician’s debut album, these secrets take the form of minimalist compositions that search for glimpses of beauty in the everyday. Recorded, produced, and mixed by Fine, the album is a mystical soundtrack to a captivating songwriter’s explorations of process and intuition.

“The whole album is about the moments when you see a crack in something,” Fine explains, “where you briefly see another side of yourself or of someone you've known forever.”

Fine grew up in Denmark’s rural Northern Jutland; there, her father’s guitar and banjo playing formed the sonic backdrop of her childhood. In the years since, her musical curiosity has led her to work across a range of styles and sounds. In her early twenties, she became part of Danish electronic trio Chinah, which released three albums. You might also have caught her sampled vocals on the joyfully rollicking Two Shell song “Home,” from 2021. Then, last year, she — along with Erika de Casier and Smerz — co-wrote three songs for the massive, critically lauded K-pop group New Jeans. Fine is also a part of Clarissa Connelly Canons group back home in Denmark, and writes music under the moniker Coined with composer and songwriter Astrid Sonne.

But Rocky Top Ballads is a turn back towards a more personal, stream-of-consciousness songwriting style. Fine wrote and recorded these songs sporadically over the course of the last few years. In light of Chinah’s collaborative, piecemeal production style, Fine craved a more organic, intuitive process for these songs. Her work on the record combines sample-based production with the sounds of instruments she and her collaborators could hold in their hands, ones that inspired free-flowing improvisation: electric and acoustic guitar, even the Ensoniq keyboard that was in her childhood home. The resulting songs are equally inspired by the country and folk of her childhood, the hazy beauty of Mazzy Star, the avant-garde pop of Dean Blunt, and the songwriting of ’90s singer-songwriters like Suzanne Vega.

Fine describes her songwriting process as a “magical thinking method”: being in contact with the present moment and pretending as if she already knows the song she’s about to write. Many of the songs on Rocky Top Ballads use the original takes of Fine’s vocals, an attempt to capture a song’s initial essence and avoid disturbing the song’s generative idea as much as possible. You can hear that well-preserved spark on songs like “Losing Tennessee,” a minimalist and wistful reflection on the inherent loss and change of growing older. She wrote other tracks, like the piano-led “Whys” and the woozy “Coasting,” through a process of cutting and layering her improvisations, carefully merging multiple musical snippets into newly seamless compositions. And the stunning closing track “A Star” is the product of a slow process of evolution: beginning as an understated expression of sincerity before dissolving into a rich, distorted guitar-driven exploration.

As a songwriter and producer, Fine’s work often peers into the universes of experience that can be hidden inside a fragmentary moment. Sometimes she explores this literally — as in “Days Incomplete,” which she built off a short sample from “A Star.” This impulse — to zoom in, to recontextualize, to excavate — threads throughout her lyrics, too. What happens, her songs ask, when we pay close attention to those everyday images and physical realities we might otherwise ignore: the sky, the rain, the sun, the sea? On the spacious and swoony “Big Muzzy,” with its gentle sway and Cocteau Twins-inflected vocals, Fine sings about watching the “summer turn blue”; the grooving, propulsive “Remember The Heart” is a love letter to the sea where she grew up. In her airy voice, Fine traces meandering melodies that continually unspool with fresh insights.

A particular mantra guided Fine’s songwriting throughout the creation of Rocky Top Ballads: “Everything has potential.” In these songs, small moments are worthy of deep contemplation, and gentleness can evoke worlds of emotion. The resulting songs offer a gift of momentary pleasure, flowing and unhurried as a gentle breeze.

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Brownout

Fear Of A Brown Planet

29,99 €*

Release: 2018 / US – Reissue

Genre: Hip Hop, Organic Grooves

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Preorder shipping from 2024-11-15

Twenty-eight years ago, pissed-off twelve-year-olds around the universe discovered a new planet, a Black Planet. Public Enemy’s aggressive, Benihana beats and incendiary lyrics instilled fear among parents and teachers everywhere, even in the border town of Laredo, Texas, home of the future founders of the Latin-Funk-Soul-Breaks super group, Brownout. The band’s sixth full-length album (out May 25th) Fear of a Brown Planet is a musical manifesto inspired by Public Enemy’s music and revolutionary spirit.

Chuck D., the Bomb Squad, Flava Flav and the rest of the P.E. posse couldn’t possibly have expected that their golden-era hip hop albums would sow the seeds for countless Public Enemy sleeper cells, one that would emerge nearly three decades later in Austin, Texas. Greg Gonzalez (bass) remembers a kid back in junior high hipped him to the fact that Public Enemy’s “Bring the Noise” is built on James Brown samples, while a teenaged Beto Martinez (guitar) alternated between metal and hip-hop in his walk-man, and Adrian Quesada (guitar/keys) remembers falling in love with Public Enemy’s sound at an early age. “When I got into Hip hop, I was looking for this aggressive outlet . . . and I didn’t even understand what they were pissed off about, because I was twelve and lived in Laredo . . . but I loved it and I felt angry along with them.”

Joseph Abajian (Fat Beats’ owner) must have sensed the deep hip-hop well lying beneath the versatile band’s Latin-Funk veneer. “I thought their sound would work covering Public Enemy songs,” Abajian says, and, “it was good to know they were P.E. fans . . . We came up with a track listing and they went to work.” Despite the band’s eagerness to work on new original material (an album of original songs is slated for next year), they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pay homage to this iconic and influential posse.

Translating sample-based music to a live band turned out to be more of a challenge than they anticipated. Adrian tried to get inside the Bomb Squad’s [Public Enemy’s producers/beat-making team] head in order to find the inspiration to reinterpret P.E.’s songs: “imagine the Bomb Squad going back in time and getting the J.B.s [James Brown’s funky backing band] in the studio and setting up a couple analog synths and then playing those songs.” While some songs closely follow the original musical blueprint, others use the source breakbeats as jumping-off points later sweetened by Trombonist Mark “Speedy” Gonzales’ horn arrangements, synth wizardry courtesy of friend-of-the-band Peter Stopschinski, and DJ Trackstar’s turntable scratches. But don’t listen expecting to hear paint-by-numbers recreations of classic Public Enemy jams. “Our approach is never in the tribute sense,” Adrian explains. “We’ve always taken it and made it our own, whether it’s the Brown Sabbath thing or this Public Enemy thing.”

Coming off numerous tours as Brown Sabbath and even a stint backing the late legend Prince, Brownout is arguably the tightest and funkiest band on the road today and they’re psyched to bring this revolutionary music to the people. For a band without an overt political agenda, they collectively couldn’t resist the opportunity to play this music live, especially now. “If there’s any way that we can use the already political and protest nature [of P.E.’s music], we would like to try,” Beto says. “The album’s title, Fear of Brown Planet is definitely a relevant idea today and we’re not afraid to put it out there, because we want to speak out.” By reinterpreting these hip hop classics in their unique style and channeling the spirit of Public Enemy that first echoed around the world and captured their imaginations all those years ago, Brownout is doing exactly that.

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Marshall

Woburn III

549,00 €*

12" | 2022 | EU | Original (Soundway)

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Pigeon

Yagana

14,99 €*

LP | 1970 | EU | Reissue (Be With)

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves, Electronic & Dance

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Born out of an impromptu post-pub jam session in Margate, the 5-piece group Pigeon swoops onto the scene with their blistering debut EP Yagana.

As the tracks cross effortlessly between Afro-disco, grunge, no wave and jazz, the cohesive symbiotic relationship of the band members is obvious from the start. The powerful vocals of Guinean singer Falle Nioke are complemented by a wealth of talent from Graham Godfrey on drums, Steve Pringle on keys, Tom Dream on guitar and Josh Ludlow on bass.

Having moved to the UK from West Africa in 2018, Falle Nioke has recently been in the spotlight with EPs heavily supported by indie radio and BBC 6 Music playlisters. On Yagana, he continues to sing in a multitude of languages, but this time shifts towards a more organic musical direction, showcasing his incredible versatility as a vocalist.

This new path can be attributed to the pedigree of the rest of the group – veteran musicians Steve Pringle and Graham Godfrey are key members of Michael Kiwanuka’s band, the latter also performing with Little Simz, Cleo Sol and Sault, among others.

Furthermore, Tom Dream and Josh Ludlow are electronic artists in their own right – with a number of artistic projects in the works, as well as having performed together as ambient duo Soma World. Both used to play in metal and grunge bands in earlier years, an influence which has made its way into Pigeon’s distinctive sound.

The Yagana EP is an emotionally-charged offering, exploring themes of lust, saudade, homesickness, and hope for peace. The title track ‘Yagana’ translates to “it’s been a while”, and though its up-tempo disco rhythm and wild synth solos lend a cheerful disposition, the lyrics describe a melancholic yearning for Africa. Nioke sings in Susu, Wolof and Malinke – as he describes the struggle of being separated from one’s family, as well as hustling to support them financially from afar.

As a teenager, Nioke would train his voice by the great river Rio Nunez in Boké, among the remnants of the slave trade, pathways and crumbling buildings being swallowed up by the forest. While most Western teenagers grew up with traditional pets, Nioke disclosed to his band members that his closest animal friend in West Africa was the pigeon – and so the name of the group was chosen.

Moving through the record, ‘Nothing Grows’ follows on from the Afro-disco opener, bringing down the tempo and intensity. The heavily swung jazz rhythm is driven by the drums, while soft guitar tremolo picking and synth pads produce a delicate atmosphere over which the singer mournfully longs for a lost love.

But having lured the listener into a meditative and pensive state in ‘Nothing Grows’, feathers are suddenly ruffled by the entrance of “It’s You” - a sultry story of burning desire. Channelling grunge and elements of no wave, the song is defined by a rumbling bass that pulses alongside the kick, while an atonal synth riff and fuzzy guitar licks provide the minimal melody. Piercing through it all is the hypnotic spoken word of Nioke, switching between French and English, as he beckons – and at times even demands - a lover to enter his room.

Finally, ‘War (Jam)’ returns the record to its 4x4 disco pace, featuring rapid-fire hats and high-pitched guitar riffs seemingly nodding to Mugithi, a genre often associated with political commentary. This concept is built upon with lyrics sung in Susu, as Nioke condemns wars around the world and their ongoing futility, pleading for people to unite and create a better place. Running just over 7 minutes, ‘War (Jam)’ is an improvised long take which continuously evolves, allowing each musician an opportunity to shine.

Recorded in a single weekend, Pigeon’s Yagana EP is a clear testament to each member’s skilfulness and varied experiences, creating a fully-fledged being that is greater than the sum of its parts. With an opening hand like this, we await with bated breath to see what more the humble Pigeon can bring to the world.

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Nucleus

Elastic Rock

30,99 €*

Release: 1970 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Nucleus's Elastic Rock is undisputedly a milestone in Jazz-Rock. A beautiful and vital debut album, it was first released on Vertigo in 1970. Original copies are now very tricky to score and, like all the Nucleus records, it’s aged ridiculously well. This Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels. And the music has kept relevant. To steal a line from a review of our re-issue of Roots, when it comes to anything Nucleus “it’s basically already hip-hop”.

The very title Elastic Rock could be regarded as the group's MO, describing a melting point between their rock and jazz impulses. Indeed, housed in a memorable gatefold jacket designed by Roger Dean, the die cut molten teardrop shape on the front sleeve opens to reveal a fiery volcanic crater. On the back, Dean's drawing has Carr with saxophonist Brian Smith, guitarist Chris Spedding, drummer John Marshall, bassist Jeff Clyne and sax, oboe and pianist Karl Jenkins in a circle, the central core of a movement and the basis for its activity.

Recorded over four days in January 1970, Elastic Rock didn't sound like any other British jazz album. Exploding out the gate, "1916" opens with Marshall's frantic pounding before melancholic horns enter. The smooth title track, "Elastic Rock" is just a gorgeous electric blues track. Light drums, gentle melodic horns, piano and a solid bassline serve as the perfect bed for Spedding's graceful bluesy guitar melodies. The serene "Striation", a Clyne and Spedding collaboration, is led by bowed bass and is the epitome of calm before the late night laid back vibe of "Taranaki" breezes along sweetly and smoothly with great trumpet and tenor.

The truly emotional "Twisted Track" is elegant with horns, while guitar is gently played with drums and bass. Initially deeply soothing, it gradually builds with various solos and duets. "Crude Blues (Part 1)" features an excellent oboe part by Jenkins with laconic guitar helping out. "Part 2" is livelier, with a heavy backbeat and great wind parts. "1916 (Battle Of Boogaloo)" features a steady bassline and great call and response parts from the horn section.

The highly-charged centrepiece of the record, the mesmeric epic "Torrid Zone" features an hypnotic bassline and hi-hat with some of the ensemble's best soloing. Brilliantly encapsulating the jazz fusion aesthetic so desired by the group, the rhythm section is rock-influenced but magically retains a laid-back jazz vibe. Just perfection. Spacey jazz in the style of In a Silent Way, the semi-ambient "Stonescape" features smooth, muted brass, warm, smokey keys and a barely-there rhythm section. Heavenly.

The bubbling, fragile restraint of "Earth Mother" partially utilises the "Torrid Zone" bassline but takes the energy in a different direction with Marshall's frenetic drumming and Spedding's unpredictable riffing. Next comes the very idiosyncratic drum solo track by Marshall in the appropriately-titled "Speaking for Myself, Personally, in My Own Opinion, I Think." The album closes with the raucous "Persephones Jive", a track that ends the album frantically, riotously, just as it began.

This Be With edition of Elastic Rock has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at AIR Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The stunning die-cut gatefold sleeve has been restored in all its molten glory.

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Fusion Global Sounds 1970-1983

CD | 2022 | EU | Original (Favorite)

15,99 €*

LP | 2020 | EU | Original (Warner)

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice proudly present a brand new compilation series: Fusion Global Sounds. 9 rare and hidden tracks produced between 1970 and 1983 in various parts of the world. As a fine collector of Jazz-Funk and Fusion for many years, Charles Maurice selected some of his favorite forgotten productions, as he previously did for the AOR Global Sounds, French and Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilations series. This time, recordings come from Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Uruguay, Spain and France, from artists and bands mostly known in their local scenes. You'll hear here the best elements of the Fusion and Jazz-Funk genre: breezy vocal arrangements reminding Flora Purim in Return To Forever or George Duke's albums, sweet and virtuosic Fender Rhodes (kind of common thread of the comp), melodic spiral-shaped fuzzy synthesizers leads, or irresistible basslines, altogether bringing a unique groove to life. "Buster" is taken from the first and only album of the Swedish band, Sundance. The band from Gothenburg was formed around US trumpet player Stephen Frankevich (notably playing with Mahavishnu Orchestra) after he moved to Sweden. Cosmic, with razor-sharp rhythms, it naturally brings you to the second title, "Hello Mr. Ancuvis" by Renato Anselmi. One of the key players of the Swiss Jazz scene during the sixties and the seventies, Renato also had the chance to play with Harvey Mason or Alphonso Johnson. Funky, jazzy but still a bit breezy, here again sweet vocals nicely blend with uptempo Rhodes part. Also included is another title from Renato Anselmi, "Quiet Fire", a mellow Rhodes-driven ballad with funky accents, wide strings and guitar arrangements. "Tropical Island" by Zane Cronje, a South-African composer and arranger, was initially a track from a music library catalogue: dreamy, soaked in thorough synthesizers, we're only attached to the earth by the Guiro groove. You'll also hear this cosmic vibe in "Astral Dance" by French-American drummer and Jazz musician/composer Daniel Bechet, taken from Songs To My Father LP, dedicated to his father the famous Sax/Clarinet player Sydney Bechet. In this 4 minutes dope jam, keys, guitar and percussion will elevate your mind to another level of consciousness: deep! The 1860 Band was hailing from Wellington, New Zealand, playing mostly in bars, cafes and pubs - their name is taken from a tavern where they had an extended afternoon residency keeping the clients entertained. Their sole LP, now rare and sought-after, was a nice mix of Jazz-Funk and Disco grooves. Their amazing and groovy cover of "Keep That Same Old Feeling" by The Crusaders, brings the best of their playing. Otroshakers was formed around Hugo and Osvaldo Fattoruso, as a tribute project to their former band Los Shakers, some sort of copycat band of The Beatles with great success in Latin America. Listening to "Siempre Tu", you can almost hear The Beatles' psychedelic vocal of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Later joining Ringo Thielmann in the US, they formed the band OPA together, after having recorded for Airto's seminal album Fingers. Blending Jazz, South-American musical elements and Funk, their fusion quickly gained the respect of the NY musical scene. "Despertar" by Spanish drummer, singer and actor Pedro Ruy-Blas, is taken from Luna Llena, his great first Jazz-Funk album. The track is a funky piece with wah-wah expressive Rhodes, ending with a beautiful flute solo. "Prologue" by Dutch-French pianist Majoie Hajary (sometimes called the "Hindu pianist"), can be found on La Passion Selon Judas, a very unique religious album blending her own style with Psych, Funk and Jazz elements. Surely we could continue detailing stories of all these gems, but we guess that the best way to learn more about them, is to listen to Fusion Global Sounds, fully remastered from originals and whether your preference is for vinyl or CD formats.

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Lianne La Havas

Chico Mello / Helinho Brandão

Release: 2020 / EU – Original

Genre: Pop

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South London’s Lianne La Havas re-entered our musical consciousness at the end of February with her emotionally stirring soul-gem ‘Bittersweet’. This came in conjunction with an Annie Mac Hottest Record, a mind-blowing live show at the Barbican with the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Jules Buckley and an incredible Colors session – all of which helped put Lianne firmly back on the cultural map for 2020.

‘Lianne La Havas’, Lianne’s third album and her first in five years and is an album of startling beauty and insight—made entirely on her own terms which has been quite a journey. In one sense, geographically: La Havas spent a lot of time moving back and forth between the UK and the States working on writing and exploring her own identity. As a result, ‘Lianne La Havas’ feels spacious and luminous. Its sunbaked sounds recall, in places, the Brazilian singer, songwriter, and guitarist Milton Nascimento (on “Seven Times”). You might also hear the curveball chords of Joni Mitchell and Jaco Pastorious’s jazz explorations (“Green Papaya”), or the puttering drums and inviting warmth of golden-era Al Green (“Read My Mind”). And throughout the record, there’s a sense of empowerment that has its roots in the crisp ‘90s R&B of Destiny’s Child.

‘Lianne La Havas is ten songs that span the arc of a love relationship. The album’s opener, ‘Bittersweet’ functions as a kind of an overture, setting out what follows, before the giddy, love-struck rush of ‘Read My Mind’. If these first few songs suggest a flower opening its petals, that’s no coincidence: “What plays a big role in the album is the idea of the life cycle of plants and nature—equating this journey with a seasonal thing that blooms, thrives, goes away, and comes back even stronger,” La Havas says. Over the five years it took for the album to come together, she found herself watching the changing foliage outside her window in south London, struck by how she was growing and changing herself—not always comfortably. “A flower has to dry up and die in order to be reborn,” she says. “You have to get to the rock bottom to rebuild yourself.”

After relentless touring and promoting of her first two albums as well as personal and emotional events in her life, it was becoming increasingly difficult to find time, inspiration and confidence to get back in the studio for a follow up. As it came about, the recording process of album number three began in earnest by accident; returning from a glorious, sunny Glastonbury festival performance in June 2019, La Havas and her core band decided to see if they could nail their lithe live version of Radiohead’s ‘Weird Fishes’ in the studio. “I had the most wonderful, nourishing experience recording that,” she says, “And that’s where I decided: the rest of the album needs to be like this. It’s got to be my band, and I’ve got to do it in London, whenever people have time.” By October, she had all ten songs, and by December, everything was recorded—mainly in London, and also in Bath and New York. In keeping with the album’s intimate feel, everyone who contributed to the record is a trusted collaborator, including long-term songwriting ally Matt Hales, co-producer Beni Giles, and guest co-producer Mura Masa.

The confidence that La Havas has cultivated, both personally and creatively, is audible in the fact that ‘Lianne La Havas’ is a record that feels utterly real—a living, breathing thing. It hasn’t been polished to a squeak in favor of a “clean” recording; La Havas followed her gut on this album, going with what feels good.

Beauty never really goes by the book, and ‘Lianne La Havas’ is a breathtaking example of this. Now thirty years old, she is excited about playing these powerful songs live. “The best part is that I own them, and really believe in them,” she says. “And, you know, it’s me. So I can’t be afraid of doing what I do, and being who I am.”

‘Lianne La Havas’—an exquisite, rich, and tender expression of love, loss, and rebirth that marks a new era for the British artist.

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LP | 2024 | EU | Original (Black Truffle)

31,99 €*

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Black Truffle is thrilled to announce a reissue of Chico Mello and Helinho Brandão’s self-titled release from 1984, the first return to vinyl of this classic of Brazilian experimental music with its original cover art and complete track listing. An under-recognised figure whose work inhabits a singular terrain where radical new music techniques and music theatre meet musica popular brasileira, Mello has lived and worked in Berlin since the late 1980s. A student of Dieter Schnebel, Mello played in the 90s iteration of Arnold Dreyblatt’s Orchestra of Excited Strings alongside compatriot Silvia Ocougne, with whom he produced a radical and hilarious deconstruction of MPB classics on Musica Brasileira De(s)composta (an early and rather atypical release on Edition Wandelweiser).

On this release, his only recording predating his move to Europe, Mello works with the alto saxophonist Helinho Brandão, who appears to be otherwise unknown outside Brazil. The record’s six tracks range from solo saxophone improvisation to densely layered ensemble works bridging minimalism, acoustic sound art and a plaintive melodic sensibility that calls up Edu Lobo or Milton Nascimento. Beginning with a dramatic, dissonant wind and string surge from which emerge ominously pounding piano chords, opener ‘Água’ slowly builds in intensity, a halo of clustered vocal harmonies gradually closing in on Brandão’s squealing sax until the piece opens up to reveal a gorgeous passage of melodic singing. The piano accompaniment reduces to tolling bass notes as the voice begins a repeated incantation, suggesting a ritualistic atmosphere reminiscent of parts of Xenakis’ setting of Oresteia. Dissonant, sawing tremolos on the strings climb to a crescendo before disappearing into the sounds of water being poured and splashed into metal vessels, presented not as a field recording but as a percussive element performed by the ensemble. A child’s voice then appears, singing to piano accompaniment the same melody heard earlier in the piece. After a brief solo alto improvisation from Brandão, working with the guttural pops and fleeting melodic gestures of Braxton or Roscoe Mitchell, the remainder of the first side is dedicated to the leisurely unfolding of ‘Baiando’ over the course of twelve minutes. A trio for Brandão on soprano saxophone, Mello on a very period-appropriate phased nylon string guitar and Edu Dequech on bongos, the performance eases its way hypnotically through subtle variations on a set of rhythmic and melodic patterns, almost derailed at points by Brandão’s wild forays into extended technique but held together by Mello’s droning guitar notes.

The second side opens with another multi-part epic for a larger ensemble, ‘Matraca’, which makes use of strings, electric guitars and a wide range of South American percussion instruments. Rasping violin harmonics hover as drum hits, repeated guitar notes and triangle accompany a slowly descending bass glissando. A sudden change in direction introduces a thrumming, incessantly repeated bowed bass tone, beginning a series of episodes of minimalist phasing and pattern variation, the combinations of electric guitars and orchestral instruments giving the ensemble an ad hoc charm like the early Penguin Café Orchestra but with more percussive drive. Eventually the piece is overrun by a cacophony of the titular matracas (a kind of ratchet/cog rattle). Following a lyrical trio improvisation by Mello, Brandão and Gerson Kornin on bass, the final ‘Danca’ focuses entirely on Mello’s layered acoustic guitars and vocals, using this restricted palette to build up a haunting piece of almost orchestral density, reminiscent of the 70s work of Egberto Gismonti in how it thickens a folkish ambience with harmonic sophistication.

Arriving in a starkly beautiful gatefold sleeve and sounding better than ever in its new remaster, one might call the stunning music contained on Chico Mello/Helinho Brandão ahead of its time. But what (other than some of Mello’s own work) produced in the years since its initial release has really touched the organic fusion of minimalism, free improvisation, radical instrumental technique and popular song achieved here? Forty years after its first release, Chico Mello/Helinho Brandão remains music of the future.

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12" | 2024 | UK | Original (Dan Jet)

Danjet 005

15,99 €*

Release: 2024 / UK – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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As the winds of music blow, a wise heart navigates the spiral, finding wisdom in each of its twists and turns. As the releases of Dubblack’s catalogue pile up, the novelty and exploration for new music keeps on thriving. A brand-new record is approaching, as always available both on a 12” vinyl – limited to 300 copies – and in digital format, featuring the presence of two Masters from the Electronic Music scene: A2 Abd El Monim and Tocchitek. The two-track EP baptised “Dark Side” includes the gems “Euriale” and “Steno”; two expansive compositions that, also due to their length, masterly observe the task of narrating two complementary stories, each with its distinct moments, yet marked by a strong rhythmic temper. Both tracks are planned to share similar sonic elements: a pulsating 160 bpm kick drum, ghostly pads serving as an inevitable backdrop, and indispensable rhythmic details enriching the whole structure and arrangement. A2 Abd El Monim, born Alan Abd El Monim, is an Italian-Egyptian artist/composer. He expresses himself through the creation of music ranging from electronic to purely instrumental, and through the interaction between the arts. His poetics opens in a “dark” dimension that considers and interprets the facts through the notion of shadows and darkness but also through penombre. His “dark” vision stands as a filter through which he reads the world and its interactions, therefore using also the notion of light. His music has been performed in Festivals including Musica d’arte (Riccione – Italy), Luci d’Artista (Salerno – Italy), Gamo (Firenze – Italy), Spazio Musica (Cagliari – Italy), On Air – On site (Den Haag -Netherlands), Sound Spaces (Malmö – Sweden), etc. He composed songs for the solo exhibition “La pelle degli oggetti” and for works Lui&Lei by the artist Giovanni Oberti. In 2020 he undertook a collaboration with the poet Milo De Angelis , putting to music the lyric “A volte , sull’orlo della notte, si rimane sospesi”. He wrote music for several theatre performances by director Emily Tartamelli and has written music for several directors films including Reto Gelshorn, Enea Francia, Paola Piscitelli and Fabio Corbellini. He collaborated with the London based fashion brand B Dodi and was invited as an artist to participate in the collective exhibition “Instructions to Light-Keepers” (Milano – Italy). In March 2023, “Periodo Nero”, its interactive and generative installation music and video, was selected for the tribute to Picasso in the city of Florence, will be presented at the Certosa of Florence in September of the same year. In 2017 he won the International Competition of Composizione Silenzio Musica, in 2020 the diploma from President and Artistic Director of Winterreise International Composition Competition Moscow, in 2021 the Call For Scores banned by the Cultural Association Esecutori di Metallo su Carta. A2 Abd El Monim is signed to international label F.M.T Records and Dubblack Records, with which he regularly publishes his electronic music. Tocchitek is an underground Tekno producer and performer born in Milan, Italy. He started playing live in 2007 as part of the “Approdo Caronte” sound system based in Milan. His first significant appearance as a live performer was at a “Mayday Parade” in 2008 in Milan. In 2009, he joined the “r909 Records” chapters crew based in Milan, bringing his live set to many local club dance floors. Meanwhile, he collaborated and played with many crews around Europe, spreading his music in the free Underground Tekno movement. In 2021, in Milan, he launched “F.M.T Records”. Simplicity is often the hardest thing to achieve when producing this type of music, primarily designed for uncompromising dance-floors, but the duo successfully channels their message with purity and truthfulness. The visual aspects of layout and design are once again entrusted to Vittorio Valigi, who puts a greyscale spiral at the center of the cover. A spiral within which one an eye can be glimpsed – the eye of the musical soul of Dubblack harmoniously fused with that of A2 Abd El Monim and Tocchitek, who become worthy ambassadors of the Dubblack’s sonic mission.

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Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-Field Pop From The CD Age 1989-1996 2024 Repress

2LP | 2021 | EU | Reissue (Music From Memory)

Pierre-Alain Dahan & Mat Camison

Release: 2021 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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NO OBI VERSION

Music From Memory is excited to announce a special compilation that they’ve been working on for some time now; Mfm053 – VA – Heisei No Oto – Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996). Compiled by long-time friends of the label, Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato, Heisei No Oto delves into a world of music released almost exclusively on CD and brings together a fascinating selection of discoveries from a little known and overlooked part of Japan’s musical history. The last ten or so years have seen a global wave of interest in Japanese music encompassing ambient, jazz, new wave and pop records from the 1980s, some of which is increasingly considered the most innovative and visionary music of that time. Although some music from this period, in the form of ‘City Pop’ or ‘rare groove’ records, had been coveted by collectors and DJs for a number of years, most Japanese music from the time was little known outside and often even within Japan. Sometime around the mid 2000s, two Osaka record store owners, Eiji Taniguchi of Revelation Time and Norio Sato of Rare Groove, along with a handful of deep Japanese diggers such as Chee Shimizu of Organic Music records in Tokyo, began to explore beyond the typical ‘grooves’ or ‘breaks’. Much like their counterparts in Europe and the US, they began delving into home-grown ambient, jazz, new wave and pop records, discovering visionary music, often driven by synthesizers or drum computers, that broke beyond the typical confines of their genres. Spending tireless hours in local record stores and embarking on digging trips across the country, Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato, much like Chee Shimizu, have been at the forefront of unearthing and introducing many of the very Japanese records now loved and sought after around the world. Yet as YouTube algorithms and vinyl reissues would transport such music into the global consciousness and demand and therefore scarcity intensified for such records, so Eiji and Norio have recently begun to turn their attention to CDs. The title of the compilation Heisei No Oto refers to the sound of the Heisei era, which began in 1989 and corresponds to the reign of Emperor Akihito until his abdication in 2019. Marking the culmination of one of the most rapid economic growths in Japanese history, 1989 also coincided with the music industry’s final shift away from vinyl in favour of CDs. And, although compact discs were first introduced seven years earlier it wasn’t until late into the ‘80s that, beyond dance music labels, CDs became the exclusive format for major and independent labels in Japan and throughout the world. This however didn’t signal the end of the innovation in Japan. Many of those same musicians who have become known for their work in the ‘80s would continue to produce outstanding music well into the mid ‘90s, as greater innovation and advances in musical equipment allowed Japanese musicians and producers to refine and explore new sounds. While musicians such as the seminal Haruomi Hosono, whose productions feature on a number of tracks, would continue to push the boundaries of these new technologies, these technological advances also meant less established musicians were able to make use of increasingly affordable but state-of-the-art equipment. Including music by Haruomi Hosono as well as Yasuaki Shimizu, Toshifumi Hinata and Ichiko Hashimoto who have become known and loved around the world in recent years, Hesei No Oto also features Japanese pop star Yosui Inoue, producers Jun Sato and Keisuke Kikuchi in aaddition to less established artists from the contemporary, jazz, new wave, pop and dance music scenes. Bringing together a selection of tracks that seem to define these specific genres and in fact move fluidly between a number of them, the music on the compilation is again underscored by experimentations with synthesizers and drum computers though with something of a gentle Pop sensibility. Reimagined here then under the encompassing term ‘Left-field Pop’, this is an exciting chapter in Japanese musical history that has only just begun to be fully explored.

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Rythmiques

LP | 1973 | Reissue (Be With)

Fly By Night White Vinyl Edition

Release: 1973 / Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Part of Tele Music Reissue Campaign, 2023 first time reissue, 140g vinyl

Wow! Pierre-Alain Dahan & Mat Camison's Rythmiques is another iconic release in the hallowed Tele Music catalogue. First appearing in 1973, it features tense funk, blunted jazz and heavy breaks all the way. Considered the rightful sequel to Continental Pop Sound, it's a vital album for producers and DJs; and you can probably guess that RHYTHM is central to the record's presentation. And you can really taste what's rhythm, to borrow a phrase. French drummer, percussionist and composer Pierre-Alain Dahan was a key member of the legendary Arpadys, Disco & Co, Voyage, Tumblack (with Wally Badarou, Mallia et al!) and Jef Gilson Septet whilst his partner here, Mat Camison, was a pioneering synth LORD. So, you know this Be With reissue is absolutely crucial.

The album picks up from where Continental Pop Sound left us, opening with the tense, stabbing thriller-funk of "Rythmiques N° 4". The dubbier "Rythmiques N° 5" is no less electric and definitely has a spacey air of wonky funk about it with the slightly off-kilter rolling piano. "Rythmiques N° 6" is more percussive-focussed with a brilliantly hypnotic opening that really stretches the drama out. “Rythmique N° 7” alternates between fast-paced, skipping drums and slo-mo funk, always with the clavinet high up in the mix. Wicked. The dope jazz of “Rythmique N° 8” truly mesmerises with licks of electric piano, funky bass flourishes and varied percussion. “Rythmique N° 9” has great, sloppy-yet-hard intro drums which sound like something Daft Punk could've pilfered circa Human After All, punctuated by a guitar rock refrain that repeats til the end but is never overdone. The A-Side closes with the beautiful, melancholic "Piano + Piano", a reflective jazzy piano track which could easily open a wide-ranging set this autumn and many after it. Stunning.

Opening Side B, "Auto Rythmiques" is a hectic yet compelling funk workout but it's all about the frankly devastating breakbeats on “Rythmiques N° 10 & N° 11” with effortlessly twisted funk bass lines over open drum breaks and enough tension and rhythmic switch-ups to keep your neck-snapping and your mind lifted. Downright essential. Taking leave from the heavy funk break action, the pastoral "Océan Horizon" is perhaps an unfairly overlooked highlight. A gorgeous, softly-aquatic, ambient gem, it's gently percussive with warm, floaty keys decorating the mellow rhythmic bed. The mercifully brief "Super Carrousel" is harmless fun-fair-funk but perhaps best skipped over whilst the intriguingly titled "Gay Shopping" is another throwaway exercise in inexcusable jaunt whilst. To close out this memorable set, thankfully, we're left with "Suspense N° 1" to get us back on course with its unsurprisingly tense mix of urgent stringed instruments that flirt with rhythm and melody yet the longer the track goes on. Deep.

One of the very best French drummers ever, Pierre-Alain Dahan began his career at the Blue Note in Paris with Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon and Daniel Humair. Some start, eh?! He also participated in the recording of Serge Gainsbourg's cult album 'La Ballade de Melody Nelson' before going on to make countless KILLER library funk records and be a key member in the legendary Arpadys, Disco & Co, Voyage, Tumblack (with Wally Badarou, Sauveur Mallia et al), Jef Gilson Septet (alongside Henri Texier) and many more. Some pedigree.

The audio for Rythmiques has been remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the original, iconic Tele Music house sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

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Wendell Harrison

LP | 1990 | US | Reissue (Tidal Waves Music)

19,99 €*

We'll Talk About It Later

Release: 1990 / US – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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* North American White Vinyl Edition * Limited 180g White Vinyl Edition (500 copies) with obi strip * Rare 1990 Detroit Jazz Album by Tribe Founder Wendell Harrison * First Time ON Vinyl
Wendell Harrison was born in Detroit in 1942 where he began formal jazz studies for piano, clarinet and tenor saxophone. At 14, while still in high school, Harrison started performing & recording professionally with artists such as Marvin Gaye, Grant Green, Sun Ra, Hank Crawford … and many others. In 1971, Harrison began teaching music at Metro Arts (a multi-arts complex for youth) where he also connected with Marcus Belgrave, Harold McKinney and Phil Ranelin…soon after they formed the (now legendary) Afro-centric Tribe record label and artist collective. Tribe used the Metro Arts complex as a vehicle to convey a growing black political consciousness. Wendell Harrison also published the very popular Tribe magazine, a publication dedicated to local and national social and political issues, as well as featuring artistic contributions such as poetry and visual pieces. In 1978 Harrison and McKinney co-founded Rebirth, a non-profit jazz performance and education organization, in which many notable jazz artists have participated. Around the same time Wendell Harrison also created the Wenha record label and publishing company, which released many of his (now classic) recordings as well as those of other artists, such as Phil Ranelin, Doug Hammond and Reggie Fields (The Real ShooBeeDoo). In the early 1990s, Wendell Harrison was awarded the title of “Jazz Master” by Arts Midwest. This distinction led Harrison to collaborate with fellow honorees and gave him the chance to tour throughout the United States, Middle East and Africa. Even to this day Wendell Harrison's recordings for the Tribe, Wenha and Rebirth labels have a large worldwide fanbase. It is on Wehha in 1990 that Harrison released (and self-produced) the opus: ‘Fly By Night’ which we are proudly presenting you today. ‘Fly By Night’ is a monster of an album featuring an all-star line-up that includes Doug Hammond (Mingus, Lonnie Liston Smith) on drums, Kirk Lightsey (Chet Baker, Calvin Keys) on piano, Cecil McBee (John Hicks, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane) on bass, Jaribu Shahid (Sun Ra) on contrabass and Pamela Wise (Tribe) on Piano. Harrison is killing it here with this selected ensemble (guys he grew up with in Detroit in the late 50’s, when hard bop was the thing and Miles and Coltrane were the heroes of the day). This group of talented veterans are taking this classic album to unseen heights. On ‘Fly By Night’ the gloves come off…no more jazzy-funk or poppy-jazz. Wendell picks up his tenor for one tune but the remainder of the sessions he performs on clarinet. Wendell’s mastery coaxes the sweet piquant sound of the instrument and as it re-emerges in the contemporary jazz scene. The eight handpicked tunes demonstrate the fertile new directions Wendell Harrison has been working on, combing standards with a fresh new approach. On these amazing recordings (recorded at the Rebirth Studios in Detroit) the listener is invited to experience a synthesis of what has been and what is now. The record shows Wendell’s trademark proficiency. All of the above makes this incredible record both timeless and as relevant today as it was back when it was initially released. Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents ‘Fly By Night’ for the First Time on vinyl (the album was only released as a limited compact disc back in the early nineties). This unique record comes as a deluxe 180g White North American vinyl edition (strictly limited to 500 copies) with obi strip. This vinyl edition also features the original painted front cover artwork by Virgil Grady (known for his work with Tribe records) and back photography by acclaimed Detroit scene photographer & author Barbara Barefield, whose work has appeared in many renowned publications such as The New York Times, LA Times, People magazine and countless others.

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Nucleus

LP | 1971 | EU | Reissue (Be With)

30,99 €*

12" | 1982 | EU | Reissue (Be With)

Release: 1971 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Their masterpiece? With breaks for dayyyyyys and an almost ambient, heavy jazz atmosphere throughout, *this* is the apex of British jazz-rock fusion. We'll Talk About It Later was first released on Vertigo in 1971 and original copies are now very tricky to score. Like all the Nucleus records, it’s aged ridiculously well and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels. And the music has kept relevant. To steal a line from a review of our re-issue of Roots, when it comes to anything Nucleus “it’s basically already hip-hop”.

We'll Talk About It Later is arguably Nucleus's best album. Not only that, it's in the top 5 of all fusion albums. By the time Nucleus entered Trident Studios in September 1970 to record Elastic Rock's successor, they had already won a best group award at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Once again presented in a Roger Dean designed die-cut gatefold sleeve it continued to demonstrate the chemistry and interplay that worked so brilliantly on Elastic Rock; Carr's sumptuous trumpet and flügelhorn lines, Karl Jenkins's funk-filled electric keyboards, Chris Spedding's wah-wah guitar, Brian Smith's sax and the rhythmic foundation of drummer John Marshall and bassist Jeff Clyne.

The group work and insane musicianship Nucleus were famed for is in evidence from the off. The intensely funky "Song for the Bearded Lady" is absolute FIRE, blasting out the speakers to leave listeners floored. Counterpoint riffing segues into a spacious groove and a Carr trumpet solo demonstrating the influence of electric Miles from the period. The stop-start funk of "Sun Child" would appeal to Soft Machine devotees whilst the genuinely touching "Lullaby for a Lonely Child" is a lovely downtempo ballad. Featuring an understated, reflective horn line from Carr and Smith and atmospheric, shimmering bouzouki from Spedding, there's an exotic flavour which contributes to the bliss. The ominous, sleazy title track retains a swaggering menace and is not the only track to lend a sort of heavy stoner rock atmosphere. The guitars and bass are deep and low throughout, conjuring heavy psych moments to go with the actual jazz and even funk. To say this album was in conversation with Bitches Brew would not be overstating the sheer brain-frying brilliance.

The Weather Report-adjacent "Oasis" opens Side B, a colossal track featuring nearly 10 minutes of steadily building melodic horns, keys and choppy guitar riffs. So ace, it could easily go on for another 10. Mesmeric. Spedding adds unique vocals to the undeniable groove of "Ballad of Joe Pimp" whilst saxophonist Smith's duet with drummer Marshall at the conclusion of "Easter 1916" - inspired by the Yeats poem about the Irish nationalist uprising in Dublin - adopts the wildness of the most incendiary free jazz.

This Be With edition of We'll Talk About It Later has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at AIR Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The stunning die-cut sleeve has been restored with the original gatefold window pane depicting the Irish uprising in 1916. Incredible, timeless, guaranteed spine-chills.

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Swamp Children

Taste What's Rhythm

19,99 €*

So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously

Release: 1982 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Manchester's Avant-Jazzy-Funk outfit Swamp Children were enviably eclectic and Taste What's Rhythm is their mini masterpiece. Flitting gracefully through a feast of genres with consummate ease, the band were almost indefinable and, accordingly, nigh-on impossible to market. So whilst this cult EP, originally out in 1982 on Factory Benelux, remains in demand for those in the know, it has also glided under the radar of many otherwise clued-up heads for over 40 years. If you don't know, get to know...

The Taste Whats Rhythm EP was originally released in 1982 on Factory Benelux (an informal partnership between the legendary Manchester-based Factory Records and Belgium-based Les Disques du Crépuscule). With it's kaleidoscopic brightness, silky panache and superb execution, it remains one of the most startling documents of a remarkable time and place.

The EP opens with the oh-so-Balearic title track. "Taste Whats Rhythm" gently unfolds with a Spanish guitar, hazy, drifting vocals and sun-bleached Latin percussion. After this most sumptuous of intros, the tempo is raised, the rhythms grow in complexity as horns jostle amidst the restrained chaos quite wonderfully. And then it winds down again. Proper fluctuating rhythms and tempos throughout. I guess that was the point - taste the variety!

“You’ve Got Me Beat” is a *perfect* piece of post-punk pop-jazz. A mysterious, after dark jazz-dancer, the aching vocals serve as a touching, tender resignation to love. A guitar hook which seems to elegantly reference The Blackbyrds' "Rock Creek Park" and a flowing pulse from New York's No Wave scene. It still sounds so fresh all the years later.

Closing out this most perfect of EPs, the twisted synths and nimble rhythms of bass-heavy roller "Softly Saying Goodbye" combine to create a super-slinky gem; Brit-Funk of the highest order.

Swamp Children formed in Manchester in 1980, around core members Ann Quigley (vocals), Tony Quigley (bass, metalaphone, percussion), John Kirkham (electric & acoustic guitars, metalaphone, percussion), Ceri Evans (keyboards, bass, percussion, background vocals), Cliff Saffer (saxaphone, clarine) and Martin Moscrop (drums, percussion, trumpet). They initially practised at a rehearsal space shared with fellow post-punk funkers A Certain Ratio and Joy Division/New Order. Young and relatively inexperienced upon getting together, the ages of Swamp Children's members ranged from just 16 to 19. Talk about the brilliance of youth.

From the outset, Swamp Children shared DNA with A Certain Ratio. Martin Moscrop was a founder member of Ratio, while Ann provided artwork for them. Although the close association with ACR led some to assume that Swamp Children were simply a splinter group, the new band pursued a more overt latin and jazz tinged direction, at the same time adopting a post-punk attitude towards making music, influenced by the records they were listening to at the time: Miles Davis, Brazilian jazz fusion and heavy funk dancefloor sides.

The band made their live debut at Manchester's infamous Beach Club in May 1980. Thanks to a double-booking blunder another support band turned up and were turned away, having travelled all the way from Dublin for a string of British dates. The name of the unlucky band was U2...

With arrangements that emphasised Tony Quigley’s darkly-coloured basslines (and Ann Quigley’s impressionistic vocals as another instrument in the mix) Swamp Children possessed an easygoing grace and a bubbling energy which indicated that the band's true strength was as an ensemble. The band’s musical sophistication (a fusion of funk, jazz, and bossa nova) would prove to be a strong influence on later UK acts like Sade. Indeed, Swamp Children themselves later mutated into the more known and acclaimed latin jazz outfit Kalima.

Working directly with James Nice, custodian of Factory Benelux, means that the audio for this re-issue of the classic EP comes from the original tapes. Cut at 45 RPM and released in the house Be With disco sleeve, we’ve made sure this record is well up to the job of having a permanent place in every DJ’s bag. As far as we’re concerned, this is essential stuff.

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Atmosphere

CD | 2023 | US | Original (Rhymesayers)

16,99 €*

Eidetic Dark Green Vinyl Edition

Release: 2023 / US – Original

Genre: Hip Hop

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In their 25-plus years as a duo, Atmosphere's rapper Slug and producer Ant have built a legacy that is embedded in the fabric of underground hip-hop. Rising in the ranks of Minneapolis, their debut album, Overcast! was released in 1997. Presented as a flurry of vignettes, and paired with an unending touring schedule, the album was a springboard from which the group was able to become a fixture in the midwest music scene. It wasn't long before their songwriting evolved from telling inventive third-person tales to delivering introspective first-person eviscerations, and by the early 2000's Slug would jokingly birth the phrase "emo rap" in an interview before publications began running with the genre tag to describe them and others. In the decades since their debut, Atmosphere has maintained a course of rigorous output, releasing over two dozen studio albums, EP's and collaborative side projects in as many years. The venerated duo have built a legacy out of bringing honesty, humility and vulnerability to the forefront of their music. Slug has proven masterful at storytelling and writing compelling narratives, leaving a trail of his own influence while paying homage to the rappers and songwriters that helped shape him. Meanwhile, Ant has skillfully molded the soundtracks with inspiration from soul, funk, rock, reggae, and the wizardry of hip-hop's pioneering DJ's and producers, creating his own trademark sounds and providing the pulse for songs about life, love, stress and setbacks. At its essence, Atmosphere has been a musical shepherd, guiding generations of listeners through this thing called life. Their newest album, 2023's So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, captures perhaps some of Atmosphere's most personal work to date. The odyssey opens with a gentler approach than recent works, with the lead-off track "Okay" seemingly focused on comforting and reassuring the listener. As Slug raps over one of the most twinkling productions Ant has ever released, the song lays the groundwork for an album-length exercise in fumbling consciousness. Yet, as gently as the album begins, there's an unmistakable sense of unease from the outset that continues to evolve throughout the project, as Slug and Ant weave the listener through indistinct themes of insomnia and woe. From the subtle panic at the heart of songs like "Dotted Lines" to the overt anxiety of songs like "In My Head," the unease across tracks is unmistakable. Yet, as the tears might begin to well, they find resolve again through songs like "Still Life," whose hopeful outlook undercuts the tensity of the album. All the while, the rhythms on So Many Other Realities are some of the most inventive of Atmosphere's career. Ant's playful percussion on "In My Head" acts as a nice counterweight to the roiling writing, while the drum patterns on "Holding My Breath" and "Bigger Pictures" allow Slug to play with his flow to emphasize the anxiety driving the record. Where previous records in this most recent act of Atmosphere's career have been focused on emphasizing the parts of life that carry the most meaning_family, brotherhood, purpose_So Many Other Realities is an almost unnerving excavation of paranoia inspired by the general malaise of a pandemic weary society full of civil unrest. The tension in these songs is palpable, but the album's mere presence is a testament to the hope that has to underpin even the most stressed out epiphanies. The greatest risk Atmosphere has continued to take across their career is that of being vulnerable and unafraid. The world has inconceivably changed since Slug and Ant entered into the underground hip-hop scene, but despite the seismic shifts in music and culture, they've held strong to a foundation rooted in sly innovation and truth. The duo's relentless release & touring schedules only tell a piece of the story, but spending time with their records_whether you're a new fan or a longstanding listener_reveals a pair of friends who love to create and live for unabashed self-expression. Their bare reflections on life and the mundane traumas and joys that make living worthwhile are a gift, and that is Atmosphere's legacy in and of itself. If the music stopped tomorrow, the duo would go down as two quiet titans who changed the course of everyman rap forever.

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Benoit Pioulard

LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Morr Music)

Eidetic Black Vinyl Edition

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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American singer-songwriter, poet, and photographer Thomas Meluch, known musically as Benoît Pioulard, returns with his most structured and vocal release to date. Titled »Eidetic,« a word denoting the ability to recall mental images with extraordinarily rich precision, the album presents unprecedented clarity and vitality for Benoît Pioulard. To access its thematic ground, Meluch looked inward with an affinity towards the people he loves during a period marked by his move from Seattle to Brooklyn in 2019. The resulting work engages with the universe's unflinching mortality and, as he says, »the ways it has modified and improved my relationships, especially with family.« Embodied by the creek, leaves, and ferns of the cover photography — taken in Michigan’s Burchfield Park, where he and his dad used to hike and »muse on existence« — the music glistens and unfurls with the flow of life he’s come to know. »Eidetic« is the culmination of Meluch's craft both as a producer and writer. An evocative sonic vocabulary meets deft lyrical introspection, articulated with the nuance, vulnerability, and confidence of a longtime artist hitting a stride. Meluch has continually refined, redefined, and adjusted the focus of his gentle pop project over the last 20 years. Recorded primarily with guitar, tapes, and voice — and spanning labels with albums for Kranky, Morr Music, Beacon Sound, and Past Inside the Present — his catalog flows seamlessly between ambient improvisation and pop composition. Much like the analog photos that often accompany his releases, songs can feel dreamily softened and distant, and others beautifully vivid and detailed. 2021 full-length »Bloodless« found Meluch deep in droning decay, expressive yet wordless. With »Eidetic,« he swings back to sharpened forms. Lush banks of treated guitar and synth brush against hushed percussion; there is mist in the distance, but everything up close is intricately constructed and radiant. Meluch's voice is notably forward in the mix — a warm and calming tenor, a harmonic coo more than a whisper — ever-observant and actively processing. To record much of the album, Meluch filled a cabin in rural Maine with his usual setup of simple percussion, a couple of Fender electrics, and a parlor guitar made by his friend who does bespoke luthier work. The modest utility is what he knows best, and here he pushes the output to its most pristine potential. »Eidetic« opens in a swirl of familiar haze; »Margaret Murie« eases listeners in, as lush and verdant as the landscapes conserved by its famed namesake. With the setting established, Meluch, the narrator, enters the foreground with »Crux,« a tender piece written about finding new motivations in a new city. »We covet this rare green hue / Here at the farthest point from home,« he sings above a reassuring pattern of strums and percussion. Meluch's prose shines on the swiftly-moving »Nameless,« inspired by the neurological effects that came with the antiquated practice of manufacturing mercury mirrors; »folks would slowly go insane while looking into their own reflections every day,« he adds. The idea informs a series of surreal abstractions before everything drops out in the final minute, and we are left free-floating in eerie nothingness. Across the album, labyrinthine lyrical ponderings scatter with dazzling imagery, artfully blurring scenes from world history with Meluch's more personal, present-day. The propulsive and earnest »Thursday Night« catches his mind overly active and too stoned, riffing on black holes and songwriting itself. »Halve« references the splitting of the atom, what he considers »the beginning of man's downfall,« and the unrealized initiative proposed by the US government that would have created 'nuclear refuges' in its national parks. Meluch's loved ones weave throughout; »Tet« holds his father's experience in Vietnam and its lasting effects. »Lillian Isola« touches on his maternal grandmother's spinal curvature, and »Pastel Dust« navigates the wake of his cat, who died on New Year's Eve 2020. At first blush, Meluch's atmospheric and melodic sensibilities resonate purely in their own right. Upon closer meditation, his ability to render stories — many of which surround human tragedy, misfortune, and understanding — through the prism of his poetry makes »Eidetic« even more rewarding.

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Benoit Pioulard

LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Morr Music)

26,99 €*

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Goldring

G1006 Cartridge

279,00 €*

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The Goldring 1006 is designed for owners who want to get the very best from their systems at a budget price. This cartridge has an elliptical tip for improved high frequency clarity and a powerful magnet to ensure high sensitivity.

This hand-built cartridge features an elliptical stylus; its shape enables it to more accurately trace the highest frequency record grooves giving it the advantage over ordinary spherical types. The lightweight shank also gives the stylus a lower tip mass than cheaper metal bonded types lending the cartridge an improved transient response.

Low Mass Pocan® Body
The 1000 series uses a strong one piece body which holds the fixed parts securely in place. Made from a special type of ultra-rigid, glass reinforced polyester called Pocan, the body can be tightly bolted to the head shell for maximum efficiency and optimum sound quality. The user replaceable stylus carrier slots tightly into the body with a locating pin preventing unwanted vibrations which would otherwise colour the sound. An integral mu-metal can keeps the generator parts shielded from hum-inducing stray magnetic fields. Because Pocan has a high strength-to-mass ratio, the overall mass of the G1000 series cartridges is kept below 6.5 g. Low mass and moderate compliance keep the natural arm/cartridge resonance within safe limits for easy matching to a wide range of tonearms.

High Efficiency Magnetic Circuit
Finely etched mu-metal is laminated to form the pole pieces around which are fitted two formerless coils of four thousand turns each. This unique design reduces mass and also makes for a very efficient magnetic circuit producing a higher than average output. This construction also reduces the loss at high frequencies inherent in conventional designs, making for a smooth and extended frequency response.

Reduced Moving Mass
The 1000 series uses a unique ultra-low-mass, micro-miniature Alnico V magnet made to a tolerance that can be achieved by no other manufacturer worldwide. Welded to the magnet is a gold plated nickel tie-bar which provides an earth path for vinyl static charge build up and stabilses the cantilever in unwanted vibrational modes. The whole ultra-low-mass assembly is then mounted in a special butyl rubber polymer with optimised damping characteristics.

Expert Adjustment
The correct setting of stylus azimuth (or horizontal tracking angle) is essential for the maintenance of a proper stereo sound stage. Azimuth is the term used to describe the angle that the vertical centre-line of the stylus makes with the record surface and this must be exactly perpendicular to the record groove. This is not usually a user adjustable parameter on most budget decks and so it is vital that the cartridge leaves the factory with the azimuth precisely set. Badly adjusted azimuth can cause uneven channel balance and increased crosstalk between channels which would severely degrade the stereo image.

Specifications:
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz -20 kHz ±3 dB
• Channel Balance: within 2 dB @ 1 kHz
• Channel Separation: better than 25 dB @ 1 kHz
• Sensitivity: 6.5 mV ±1.5 dB, 1 kHz @ 5 cm/sec
• Static Compliance: 24 mm/N (lat); 16 mm/N (vert)
• Equivalent tip mass: 0.45 mg
• Vertical Tracking Angle: 24°
• Stylus Radius: Elliptical
• Stylus Type: Replaceable
• Load Resistance: 47 kΩ
• Load Capacitance: 150-200 pF
• Internal Inductance: 570 mH
• Internal Resistance: 660 Ω
• Cartridge Mass: 6.3 g
• Cartridge Mass (inc. fixings): 7.6 g
• Fixing Centre: 0.5" (12.7 mm)
• Playing Weight: 1.5 - 2.0 g (1.7 g nom.)
• Replacement Stylus: 1006 - D0

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Fusion Global Sounds 1970-1983

LP | 2022 | EU | Original (Favorite)

X1 (Pro-Ject Pick it S2 MM)

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice proudly present a brand new compilation series: Fusion Global Sounds.

9 rare and hidden tracks produced between 1970 and 1983 in various parts of the world. As a fine collector of Jazz-Funk and Fusion for many years, Charles Maurice selected some of his favorite forgotten productions, as he previously did for the AOR Global Sounds, French and Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilations series. This time, recordings come from Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Uruguay, Spain and France, from artists and bands mostly known in their local scenes. You'll hear here the best elements of the Fusion and Jazz-Funk genre: breezy vocal arrangements reminding Flora Purim in Return To Forever or George Duke's albums, sweet and virtuosic Fender Rhodes (kind of common thread of the comp), melodic spiral-shaped fuzzy synthesizers leads, or irresistible basslines, altogether bringing a unique groove to life. "Buster" is taken from the first and only album of the Swedish band, Sundance. The band from Gothenburg was formed around US trumpet player Stephen Frankevich (notably playing with Mahavishnu Orchestra) after he moved to Sweden. Cosmic, with razor-sharp rhythms, it naturally brings you to the second title, "Hello Mr. Ancuvis" by Renato Anselmi. One of the key players of the Swiss Jazz scene during the sixties and the seventies, Renato also had the chance to play with Harvey Mason or Alphonso Johnson. Funky, jazzy but still a bit breezy, here again sweet vocals nicely blend with uptempo Rhodes part. Also included is another title from Renato Anselmi, "Quiet Fire", a mellow Rhodes-driven ballad with funky accents, wide strings and guitar arrangements. "Tropical Island" by Zane Cronje, a South-African composer and arranger, was initially a track from a music library catalogue: dreamy, soaked in thorough synthesizers, we're only attached to the earth by the Guiro groove. You'll also hear this cosmic vibe in "Astral Dance" by French-American drummer and Jazz musician/composer Daniel Bechet, taken from Songs To My Father LP, dedicated to his father the famous Sax/Clarinet player Sydney Bechet. In this 4 minutes dope jam, keys, guitar and percussion will elevate your mind to another level of consciousness: deep! The 1860 Band was hailing from Wellington, New Zealand, playing mostly in bars, cafes and pubs - their name is taken from a tavern where they had an extended afternoon residency keeping the clients entertained. Their sole LP, now rare and sought-after, was a nice mix of Jazz-Funk and Disco grooves. Their amazing and groovy cover of "Keep That Same Old Feeling" by The Crusaders, brings the best of their playing. Otroshakers was formed around Hugo and Osvaldo Fattoruso, as a tribute project to their former band Los Shakers, some sort of copycat band of The Beatles with great success in Latin America. Listening to "Siempre Tu", you can almost hear The Beatles' psychedelic vocal of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Later joining Ringo Thielmann in the US, they formed the band OPA together, after having recorded for Airto's seminal album Fingers. Blending Jazz, South-American musical elements and Funk, their fusion quickly gained the respect of the NY musical scene. "Despertar" by Spanish drummer, singer and actor Pedro Ruy-Blas, is taken from Luna Llena, his great first Jazz-Funk album. The track is a funky piece with wah-wah expressive Rhodes, ending with a beautiful flute solo. "Prologue" by Dutch-French pianist Majoie Hajary (sometimes called the "Hindu pianist"), can be found on La Passion Selon Judas, a very unique religious album blending her own style with Psych, Funk and Jazz elements. Surely we could continue detailing stories of all these gems, but we guess that the best way to learn more about them, is to listen to Fusion Global Sounds, fully remastered from originals and whether your preference is for vinyl or CD formats.

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Pro-Ject

854,00 €*

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Pro-Ject‘s classic turntable design reimagined!

Real high-end features – True audiophile sound

The X1 is based on the same concept as the P1, but improved in every aspect thanks to modern materials and new production methods. Inside it houses a sophisticated DC/AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the quiet-running motor. For even further improved performance, the motor is decoupled from the main plinth using a new motor suspension system. In the X1, the motor drives a new, heavy, non-resonant Acryl platter via a sub-platter drive system and a premium grade main bearing for liquid smooth rotation.

The X1 is also better than its predecessors, thanks to the super-stiff, perfectly tempered Carbon/Alu sandwich construction tonearm. This new 8.6” tonearm design is incredibly light and stiff, with improved resistance to external interference. Finished as a one-piece, with no resonance-inducing headshell, the X1 can also be set for azimuth and VTA adjustment. The tonearm is then supplied with a TPE-damped counterweight, further reducing cartridge-tonearm resonances.

Supplied with a brand new Pro-Ject Pick it S2 MM cartridge, manufactured by the cartridge experts at Ortofon but voiced by the design team at Pro-Ject, it can be ready to play within a few minutes of unboxing. Also supplied in the box is our Connect-IT E RCA cables, a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable with superior shielding that’s optimized for turntable use. Lastly, height-adjustable feet in their Alu/ TPE sandwich construction are a very exclusive but necessary feature to level up the turntable and effectively isolate it from the surface it is place on. The X1‘s 8 layers of painting and the hand-polished finish guarantee its luxury appearance.

In the box:

X1 with Pick it S2 MM cartridge
Connect it E RCA Cable
Dust cover
Adapter for 7“ singles
Round drive belt for 78 r.p.m.
Power supply, allen key

Features
Speed control with electronic speed switch for ultimate speed stability
Carefully isolated motor for less vibration and noise
Sub-platter with extremely low 0.001mm bearing tolerances
Stainless steel platter-bearing with soft brass bushing and teflon mirrors for lowest rumble and noise, and a stable, accurate speed transmission
Resonance free, 1.5 kg heavy acryl platter
8,6” carbon/alu sandwich tonearm with best internal damping and TPE damped counterweight
Kardan ultra-low friction 4 pin point precision tonearm bearing
Ortofon Pick it S2 MM cartridge newly developed with Ortofon
Massive and heavy, precision CNC‘d MDF chassis
Luxury 8 layers of painting and hand-polished finish or real-wood, satin-waxed veneer
Super shielded, semi-symmetrical, low-capacitance Pro-Ject phono cables
Height adjustable, aluminium feet for massively reduced risk of acoustical feedback
Handmade in Europe

Technical Specifications
Speed 33, 45, 78 (electronic speed change)
Principle belt drive
Speed variance 33: 0.30% 45: 0.25%
Wow & flutter 33: 0.15% 45: 0.13%
Platter 20mm thick, 1.5 kg heavy acryl
Main bearing stainless steel/brass
Tonearm 8,6” carbon/aluminium sandwich
Effective arm length 218,5 mm
Overhang 18 mm
Effective tonearm mass 10,0g
Tracking force range 0 - 30mN
Included accessories 15volts DC /0,8A power supply, Dust cover, Connect it E Phono cable, feltmat
Power consumption 5,0 watts max /< 0.3 watt standby
Dimensions 415 x 125 x 335 mm (WxHxD)
Weight 7 kg net / 9.5 kg gross weight

Manual: https://www.project-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/X1-Manual.pdf

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2LP | 2021 | EU | Original (New Interplanetary Melodies / Kuro Jam)

Kimera Mendax Volume 2

31,99 €*

Stephan Mathieu & Ekkehard Ehlers

Release: 2021 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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After the success of volume 1 (2020), the label run by Simona Faraone and the Roman collective Kuro Jam relaunch with Kimera Mendax Volume 2 Double EP, a limited edition double colored vinyl (300 copies) that consolidates the “disco-graphic” collaboration between the two realities (nim / Kuro Jam Recordings).

The record accompanies the release of the final chapter of the homonymous cyberpunk comics saga and represents its original soundtrack.

Kimera Mendax is the title of the debut graphic novel of the team Kuro Jam, composed by the artists Enrico Carnevale (Inkiostro, Markosia), Mattia De Iulis (Marvel), Giulia D'Ottavi(Manfont), Stefano Garau (Editions Glénat, Mondadori), and by the screenwriter Gianluca Pernafelli.

The comic tells the story of a group of rebels who, from the underground of an esoteric Rome of the future (2048), struggle to neutralize the KX bio-operative system, a sort of invasive and all-encompassing social network, to which humanity is connected through robotic appendages. Vinyl records are the instrument of struggle for the “disconnected”: they try using music to awaken the natural human vibrations, atrophied by the massive use of technology. The final battle is a spectacular and liberating “sonic tsunami” in the heart of the Eternal City, a journey for the eyes... and the ears!

On the pages of the two volumes, there are tributes and quotes to Gurdjieff, Aphex Twin, Giordano Bruno, Lory D, and the underground rave culture of the early 90s, with a particular reference to the London scene.

In continuity with the EP KM vol.1, eight Italian musicians with different sensibilities were involved to make their interpretation and sound reinforcement of the story. This time the tracklist is truly cinematic, spanning across the four sides of the two colored vinyl records - on the labels, we find the two alchemical principles of Salt and Sulfur, in addition to Mercury that was used for the label of the first EP - flowing in 8 acts without solution of continuity, enriched by a Prelude and 4 Interludes that draw on the noises, music, and voices of the city of Rome.

The A Side begins with the Prelude, where a robotic voice introduces us to the KX bio-operating system, but it's silenced by strange disturbing frequencies: the “antisystem” sonic journey can begin. The first track of the disc is Massimo Amato's rarefied and dreamy “Later That Night”, followed by the dissonant “Antimente” by visual artist Tiziano Lucci, preceded by the screech of seagulls flying over the city of Rome in the first Interlude.

The B Side opens with a track by Milan based producer Giona Vinti (Hyena), inspired by one of the key characters from the comic: “Talamo, o la Memoria”. The second Interlude transports us into the electro-futurist dimension of T / Error with the solid “kx2048”. The third Interlude closes the side with the announcements -partly sampled, partly reconstructed - of the roman subway, imagining that in 2048 there will be alternative routes, passing through the Colosseum station.

The C Side explodes with the massive “Cyb(Moth)er” by Mattia Trani, with his electro-alias 051 Destroyer, who gives us an electro-techno pearl with drexciyane shades inspired by the character of Falena. MA Spaventi dedicates his liquid and melancholic "Tevere (Somewhere in Rome)” to the river, an emblem of the Roman metropolis, which incorporates recordings of the tenuous city watercourse.

In the D Side, we reach the emotional climax of the soundtrack. The brothers Fabrizio and Marco D'Arcangelo, masters of the IDM / Braindance scene, are inspired by the epic and kaleidoscopic battle of the latest comic strips for their glowing "Dive Reverse Universe Edit". The fourth Interlude is dominated by the distant melody of an accordion - the magic touch, here as in the oud of Interlude II, is provided by Greek musician Maria Arampatzi - which anticipates the theme of the only proper "song" of the record, "Orizzonti Perfetti". The song, co-produced with Halfcastle and masterfully interpreted by the powerful and unmistakable voice of NicoNote, lends the definitive missing piece to an articulated, complex, ambitious..., and a little crazy musical and visual project: the first original soundtrack of a graphic novel!

The record is a new, colorful, unmissable collector's art object, made precious by the gatefold cover signed by international star Elena Casagrande, Marvel and DC Comics designer - 2021 Eisner Award winner for her “Black Widow”! - and conceived as a maxi comic composed of boards signed by the artists of the Kuro Jam collective.

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Heroin

LP+12" | 2020 | EU | Original (Keplar)

25,99 €*

X1 (Pro-Ject Pick it S2 MM)

Release: 2020 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Between Christmas 2000 and New Year 2001 producers Ekkehard Ehlers and Stephan Mathieu recorded an album of warm, soft, delicately crackling electronic music in the space of that week. It was christened with the ambivalent title "Heroin" and was released on CD via the label Brombron in 2001 and later in 2003 re-issued on Kit Clayton's Orthlorng Musork on double-LP with remixes the pair had commissioned as expansions. 17 years later Heroin sees its first vinyl release to include all 13 tracks from the original CD track-list on this LP + 12“ set. The centerpiece "Herz" finally receives its long deserved vinyl treatment (side C, at 45rpm) and on the flip side Thomas Brinkmann contributes a mirror in a magnificent remix of that very piece on side D. Ehlers and Mathieu were both highly prolific solo artists during the period 2000-2004, and in just two years after the initial release of "Heroin" each had produced over half a dozen new solo recordings: among them the serial masterpiece Ehlers' "Plays" (Cornelius Cardew, Hurbert Fichte, John Cassavetes, Albert Ayler, Robert Johnson) released as 5 stunning LPs in a series on Staubgold, while Mathieu's 'Full Swing Edits' spread over five 10" records plus his album 'FrequencyLib' on Mille Plateaux, 'Die Entdeckung des Wetters' on Lucky Kitchen and ‘The Sad Mac’ on Atsushi Sasaki’s Headz label were greeted to critical acclaim. Both artists were expanding their conceptual sonic approaches in the glow of developing laptop technologies which would to these times in 2020 seem quite primitive, but these two in that period used the state-of-the-art to aid and abet their conceptual visions, while at times the duo used unorthodox experimentation - yet always had a distinctively melodic and musical form at its heart and soul. Ehlers can be seen as a conceptualist, as a meta-musician who interrogates the mediums and methods of sound production - reflecting on the conditions and possibilities of improvisation (e.g. "Plays Albert Ayler") and exploits ideas of mutation and distortion of popular aesthetics played out within a ghostly form of divine pop beauty in his project März. Mathieu, originally a drummer and co-founder of what has come to be known as the Berlin 'Echtzeitmusik' scene. His approach could be similarly described as working a critical analyst and researcher: Subtly and precisely working in the realm of processing as a method of intervening in melodious/harmonic analog sound sources. Ehlers and Mathieu may not think too much about their singular productions and publications outcomes, but instead concentrate on the process and musical personality that characterizes their gesture- style itself stays in the background - and they usher a music from small minimal sound sources coaching a patient music of slow intervention - much like a refraction of light than a concrete painting or a blurred photograph - beatus accident. And indeed, "Heroin" is an album that embraces the happy accident being made up of reduced, often very catchy and very direct micro hooks which seem laser-guided into a space accepting obvious melodic beauty in what feels like an observation of musics unfolding and revealing it's DNA, embed with for a kind of yearning for innocence and naiveté - as if Satie were on the jukebox in "The Crying of Lot 49". Not to say the music is "reduced", but rather: 'restricted' and born from acceptance of limitations, and the artists allowing the sounds to just "be.." with some incremental degrees of coercion. The album not only sounds like that of 2 producers who are both dreamers and scientists, but that Ehlers and Mathieu chose to work with these means in a dialogue together to reduce pop music to its musical/tonal core, it is not Pop music anymore, rather a ghostly pointilistic itteration of song. "Heroin" is located at this transition, around that point at which tracks, that were or could have become pop compositions, irrevocably slip into a static harmonic nirvana. We are invited to follow the arch of Heroin in a slow-motion morphine musical haze. Heroin sounded timeless when originally released and proof is that it remains so, one wishes that Ehlers and Mathieu would convene again for a week, a month or an entire year to continue this process of slow rumination, picking affectionately over the sounds they both love - and then maybe when everything is condensed, evaporated they would write more songs with those sonic refractive elements that remain.

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Pro-Ject

854,00 €*

LP | 2018 | EU | Original (Studio Rockers)

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The Last Poets

Understand What Black Is

37,99 €*

LP | 2015 | US | Original (NNA Tapes)

Release: 2018 / EU – Original

Genre: Reggae & Dancehall

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On the 50th anniversary of the band's inception at an event in Harlem, NY to commemorate Malcolm X's birthday on 19 May 1968, influential spoken word artists, poets and commentators The Last Poets are set to make a glorious and relevant return with their first album in over 20 years, 'Understand What Black Is'.
Produced by Ben Lamdin (Nostaglia 77) and Brighton legend Prince Fatty, whose speciality is traditional reggae and dub production's, 'Understand What Black Is' is a ten-track album which speaks of a revolutionary struggle defined by both race and identity, that has never sounded more relevant. Released on Studio Rockers, there will also be an accompanying single featuring remixes of the title track "Understand What Black Is" by Mala (South London collective Digital Mystikz) and UK Dance music innovators Dego and Kaidi.
Since the initial line-up of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain and Felipe Luciano formed in East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets have produced under various guises over the subsequent years. However, it was their seminal output, namely 1970's 'The Last Poets' under both Umar bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole that secured their legacy, becoming one of the most important influences in early hip hop.
Throughout the last 20 years, the band have remained largely on hiatus. But their influence could still be felt with their tracks being sampled by The Notorious B.I.G, NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.Dre and Snoop Dogg. Umar has recorded various solo albums and featured on Common and Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'The Corner'. Abiodun appeared on the Red Hot Organization's album, Stolen Moments which was named "Album of the Year" by Time. He also conducts weekly open house poetry readings, where he constructively critiques upcoming poets, helping to nurture them. He has also conducted classes at Columbia University, where he teaches creative writing.
The inauguration of Donald Trump as US President in 2016 inspired Hassan and Oyewole to resurrect the group to create a brand new record, modern and edgy, and deeply relevant and reflective of our times.
Tracks on 'Understand What Black Is' include 'How Many Bullets', which bridles with defiance as Oyewole works through a litany of injustices suffered by black people in the US: " You've Tried
To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'What I Want To See' describes a utopia - a refuge from hurt and those who'd make "our vision blurred, and our faith obscure", whilst the title track 'Understand What Black Is' aims to transcend ethnicity: "understand what black is….It's the source from which all things come...black is a hero, not a villain."
The album even takes reference from Prince's 2003 album of instrumentals, 'News', which Hassan drew comparisons from with his own childhood experiences: "That poem took me about a year to write….I just kept writing and writing but not getting too far and then I heard that album and the musicianship was amazing. I was left wondering if it was jazz, classical, rock or maybe something new but all those images that I write about came to me from listening to that album. I loved Prince in that movie Purple Rain because my father was a talented musician but he was into brutalising Mama at times and in the movie there's a Jerome and my name is Jerome, so it was like he was telling my life story as well."
The album acts as a body of work between individual members each speaking of their own personal journeys, but feeding into the much larger narrative of struggle and oppression, alongside a fervent hunger for social change. These are struggles and tests of personal resolve that have directly shaped and moulded the bands' unique sound over the course of an impressive 50 years, and their powerful and influential commentary remains as relevant as ever.

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Drainolith

Hysteria

12" | 1994 | UK | Reissue (Isla)

Release: 2015 / US – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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NNA is very proud to present our second release from Canadian hero Alexander Moskos’ Drainolith project. Following up 2012’s “Fighting!” full length LP (Spectrum Spools), “Hysteria” reaches new levels in the Draino sound world, resulting in his most fully realized record to date. Moskos has spent years marinating solo in the cold Northern underground, cutting his chops as lead axegrinder with Montreal-based noise punks AIDS Wolf, and most recently rolling with North American all-star clan Dan’l Boone. “Hysteria” is the result of nearly two years spent in various studios with producers and fellow ‘Boone brothers Nate Young (Wolf Eyes) and Neil Hagerty (Royal Trux), working diligently together to take a few steps beyond Trip Metal and extract the skeleton out of “rock”, inserting it into a newer, much weirder, humanoid skin. The epicenter of this sound rests humbly on the foundation of guitar and voice, two facets of sound that Moskos has carefully cultivated through years of experimentation and digestion from a wide array of musical influences. The relaxed, loose, and energetically electric technique of guitar playing is reinforced by Drainolith’s unrivaled tone, which has morphed throughout the years but now stands alone atop a mountain of shredders. It is ripe with Bluesy fuzziness and the humanity of Americana, while punctuated by the gritty stab of 80’s death metal, and further rounded out with a sprinkling of EVH-esque chorus zones and free jazz adventurousness. The result is a sound that pre-dates the internet in a fabulous way. Each note seems to leave behind a glistening impression like a spot of grease on a pizza box. A tone as unique as this is only bolstered by the vocal delivery, the literal voice of the Mind of Moskos. This beautifully cold, dripping baritone is unmistakable, it’s fried-yet-poetic articulation recalling a halfway point between a melting Dylan and a blazed Robert Ashley. Over-tired, over-wired, and over it. Moskos lets every word kerplunk into a mesmerizing puddle of observation, giving something as mundane as staring out the window or a Vancouver hotel foyer the poignancy of a published work. With guitar and voice at the core, the additional instrumentation on “Hysteria” is the bizarre glue that binds it all together, using the palette of electronics, keys, and haphazardly triggered beats and percussion in an intensely layered fashion to ensure maximum disorientation. The compositions are fully stacked, allowing little room for sparseness or tender moments. Tracks like “Qix” stagger forward in a deranged manner, it’s elastic percussion hearkening back to purple Nike foot-pounding of 2011’s “Where Are Ye Col. Leslie Groves?” cassette and the “one man band” era, for those of us fortunate enough to witness Drainolith’s live experience. Other tracks like “Joy Road” burn on patiently, disintegrating piece by piece into the ether of time amid a bed of Fender Rhodes eeriness... almost like a rare Canadian B-side to the Lizard King’s “An American Prayer”. Blues notions are confronted by Beastie-esque guitar stabs, smeared together with repetitive, angular riff rotations and flailing synth filigree, creating a densely-layered intensity that feels like the anxiety of standing in a rat’s nest of instrument cables and leaky pipe water in a moist basement. Pleasant melody is of little interest here, instead thriving on dissonance and reminding us of the OGs of post-punk, when rock met experimentation and abstraction head on, shoving a properlygreased square peg into a circular hole. While thematically cryptic, “Hysteria” drops rough clues to the heart of it’s content, filled withtales of Quebec biker wars, sinking into couches, Detroit street hassles, sneaker worship, sidewalk slush, sexual desire and seasonal affect disorder. At it’s heart, “Hysteria” is the product of a musician who has much love for the past, but also little interest in recreating it. It is a song cycle that reflects the complexities of our day to day world through the psyche of the modern jammer, fueled by the quintessentially Moskosian diet of caffeine and nicotine. Someone who isn’t content sitting stagnant in a crowd of tradition, and who acknowledges that radical ideas are necessary to propel things into the future.

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Off And Gone

14,99 €*

A2 Abd El Monim / Tocchitek

Release: 1994 / UK – Reissue

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Used Vinyl

Medium: Near Mint, Cover: Near Mint

Reissue of the 1994 debut from Phil Western and Dan Handrabur's 'Off & Gone' project. A hallucinating document of the pair's initial jam sessions and what would become the genesis of a fruitful collaboration between two key members of the West Coast electronic music scene of the 90s/00s. Four tracks of deep, psychedelic techno, including the now-classic 'Namlohssa'. Re-mastered from the original DAT tapes. From Dan Handrabur [Dreamdoktor, Shukar Collective & 1/2 of Off & Gone]: I met the late Phil Western in the fall of 1992 on a visit to his record store, Oddysey Imports. There was always good music playing there, so I ended up hanging out for many hours, almost every day. It was very clear we had similar taste in music, be it the new electronic wave at the time or older music like Eighties British guitar pop, and vintage rock, not to mention ambient and world beats. A mutual friend, Robert Shea [Map Music/ Discotext], suggested we get together and jam; there was a trend going on to bring one's favorite synth to a buddy's studio and tweak knobs. We ended up making a couple of tracks which we showed Robert, a man with many connections in the new music business, by that I mean independent, forward-thinking labels from around the globe. His reaction encouraged us to release them. At the time, I was working on making a CD of my own music and tracks I had made with other tech- heads. Somehow the two cuts fitted quite well into the vibe of Outersanctum's "Frequencies From The Edge Of The Tektonic Plate" which we released in April of 1993. Sensing the possibility of a collaboration, we decided to move my equipment to Phil's place [he lived in a more permissive part of Vancouver where it was ok to work at a louder level]. Armed with two Atari 1040st with midi and various synths, samplers, and drum machines, we started crafting what was to become our most important body of work of the mid-nineties, Off and Gone, Floatpoint and others. After a visit to Lopez island where Mike Kandel [1/2 of Exist Dance] had his studio, the three of us decided on the name [Off and Gone] and set a release date for our first EP. Needless to say, we were ecstatic about it since we were both very fond of the music Exist Dance was releasing. This was the incentive we needed and also a psychological push to work on more material. Our sessions were lengthy; there was not much talking and a lot of playing. Programming in Notator (now Logic Audio) was tedious but rewarding; mixes were tracked to DAT tape. Some gear without memory had to stay on for days until we were satisfied with the mixes. Occasional overheating and power outages were our biggest enemies and guests to the studio who carelessly pushed keys on synths, thus ruining arpeggios... We never used limiting or compression. We didn't own any of that gear, relying solely on the power of our sound generating devices. No audio editing was available back then, at least not to us. A few times, we snuck into Skinny Puppy's studio to play with their Pro Tools rig and track guitars and violin through the Eventide, which we resampled and used in tracks. At the time, we had the feeling of doing something important for the Vancouver electronic music scene, inspiring other musicians to build studios and strive to create new, interesting music, away from the industrial sound that defined the city for several years, for which we had the utmost respect. All the music we made together was purely for the joy of sound creation and a sincere love of dance and ambient music; without any desire for affirmation or commercial success. Throughout our relatively short but productive collaboration, there was a feeling of completing each other's ideas very easily, without arguments, in an almost telepathic way, something I personally have never experienced again with another musician.

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Dark Side

12" | 2024 | EU | Original (Dubblack)

13,99 €*

Reflections Transparent Green And Yellow Vinyl Edition

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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ASC

2x12" | 2024 | EU | Original (Spatial)

37,99 €*

Standing On A Giant Shoulders

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Fast approaching the label's two year anniversary, what better way to celebrate than with a double header of LP's from the stalwarts of the modern atmospheric scene. Fresh from his incredible album on Over/Shadow, ASC continues to find a new lease of life rekindling the atmospheric drum & bass scene of the 90's, slowing down the pace to reveal a depth that's just not achievable with higher tempos. Reflections is the culmination of ASC's work in the genre, picking up where others jumped off, and breathing new life into music with old school breaks and sensibilities at its core.

A1 - Still Motion Opening the album with the airy sounds of a lively coastline, Still Motion is a glorious, unique throwback gem which takes inspiration from elysian points in time in the history of atmospheric drum & bass. Snappy beats and eager kick drums contrast perfectly to the serenity of the keys and a warm, soothing bassline which rumbles along below, unleashing a deep three note melody which will be in your head all day from the first listen.

A2 - Glaciers Delicate beat work and timid bells introduce Glaciers, before jungly breaks take over and the depth of the piece takes shape with long, mournful strings punctuated by an emotive melody, boring its way into your soul. The track displays a dense, contemplative vibe that must be heard to comprehend, heavy with impact as you are compelled to release your own inner thoughts to slowly dance with ASC's intense production.

B1 - Mirage Another slice of intense atmospherics awaits with Mirage, beginning with crisp breaks and the sounds of water droplets plunging into the abyss. A cacophony of effects are splashed around the mix while melancholic pad work surrounds the ever-changing breaks, patient melodies waiting their turn to seize the moment. The distinctive ''feel my soul'' vocal sample delivers a simple message - this is a track from within.

B2 - Constellations Switching up the vibe is Constellations, opening with ASC serving up a barrage of detailed breakbeats that frolic merrily before soothing pads rise in the backdrop, joined by a serene female vocal sample and calming echoed effects. Mild intrigues its atop as our breaks are gradually and subtly layered with intricate detail towards a laid-back conclusion, offering a perfect mid-point breather to the LP.

C1 - Diffusion An eerie, continuous melody - slightly reminiscent of Tubular Bells - opens and punctuates Diffusion, leading into a typically punchy and energetic masterclass of edited breaks. Tense pad work provides a haunting backdrop to the track, while understated sub bass hides beneath a quadruple hit of low, tuneful tones. The distinctively pitched vocal sample complements the composition to create a truly unique slice of atmospheric drum & bass.

C2 - Dreams Utilising a detailed, zestful break previously heard in certain classics from the old Progression Sessions days, ASC showcases his superb editing skills to chop the break into something quite scintillating and new. Dreams is one of those tracks which has something fresh to offer the ear each time you listen, riddled with complexity yet also dancefloor friendly with some sumptuous pad work and whispered samples in the backdrop.

D1 - Frozen in Time A deeply atmospheric piece, Frozen in Time delivers a weighty break pattern which thumps its way into the foreground while a tense, endless melody reflexively grips your attention - and holds it. Building a dramatic, thoughtful vibe with long, washing synths and rising notes, ASC's aural storytelling prowess works in parallel to the nervous energy of the melody, creating a memorable slice of ethereal drum & bass.

D2 - Prototype Closing out the LP we have something suitably special with Prototype, taking inspiration from far & wide with an experimental feel, showcasing ASC's versatility and command of the apache break. Beats are edited and scattered like dense confetti in the mix, as a varied array of effects mingle around clouds of synths and deep basslines. A signature female vocal yearns ''take me away'' - Prototype, like the rest of the album before it, fulfills that desire in style. Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

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Seafood Sam

CD | 2024 | US | Original (Drink Sum Wtr)

16,99 €*

Standing On A Giant Shoulders

Release: 2024 / US – Original

Genre: Hip Hop

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Seafood Sam is a futuristic artifact. If that description might sound confusing at first, it matches the eclectic dualities found in true originals. With his effortless cool and timeless style, the North Long Beach native defies convention and exact comparison. He's a virtuosic rapper, a stop-you-in-your tracks singer, and a symphonic producer. Welcome to the lavish life of a laid-back transcontinental man of mystery, rolling in old school Cadillacs, eating caviar with a blade in his pocket, and making plays in vintage Pelle Pelle gear. A blaxploitation icon for the Instagram age, blessed with the bars of a `90s legend and 23rd century swagger. Seafood Sam is a true hero of modernity. On his full-length album debut for up-and-coming label drink sum wtr (Kari Faux, Deem Spencer, Aja Monet) debut, Standing on Giant Shoulders, Sam splits the difference between Snoop Dogg and D' Angelo, Curren$y and David Ruffin. The songs reveal a forward-thinking sensibility rooted in ancestral soul. He creates spiritual hymns for the streets that tap into universal ideals and irrepressible groove. In an era plagued by short-term thinking, his ambitions reveal a crate-digging depth of music history and a meticulous ear for detail. The giant shoulders in the album's title refer to James Brown, Bobby Brown, and Miles Davis - the holy trinity who inspired Sam's process. From the Godfather of Soul, Sam took a perfectionist's rigor and focus. The example of Bobby Brown lent an unshakeable confidence and self-belief. While the constant artistic left turns of the trumpeter that birthed Ccool offered an aspirational archetype. The story starts in the glory days of Long Beach hip-hop. As a young child, the G-Funk era soundtracked rides in Sam's father's car. Some of his earliest memories are trying to memorize Snoop's verse on "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang." Beyond gangsta rap, the LBC has historically doubled as a capital of lowrider soul and carwash oldies. At any intersection, you could hear Dogg Food or Brenton Wood, Warren G or Barbara Lynn. This too was absorbed via osmosis. It also just so happened that the art of performance was always in Sam's blood. So at family functions, he and his sister supplied entertainment by singing karaoke renditions of The Isley Brothers. While his Harlem Shake remains a thing of local lore. Long Beach is a culturally diverse mecca of skate parks and gang life, street fashion and tricky dance moves. This is the place that raised Sam on a diet of Wu-Tang and Nelly Furtado, Lil Bow Wow and Allen Iverson. He was the middle ground between his two older brothers: one who gangbanged, the other who graduated with a master's degree from UC-Santa Barbara. But it wasn't until the end of high school that Sam started to take rap seriously. Alongside long-time collaborators like Huey Briss and Reaper Mook, Sam's name began to make waves on the northside of the city, but he was partially distracted by a modeling career that paid the bills and took him all to way to walk in Paris' fashion week. The first turning point arrived with 2018's "Ramsey," a self-produced, slick-talk anthem with over 10,000,000 streams across all platforms. With each subsequent release, Sam showcased his peerless consistency, building buzz both online and in the city streets. Spin hailed his "smooth and unhurried cadences and understated lyricism_ that sounds like nothing else in Long Beach." Clash raved about Sam's "evolution as an artist, cruising through nostalgic production with slick, witty rhymes." The culmination arrives with Standing on Giant Shoulders. It's the evidence of a master, a young sensei in the model of Quincy Jones. All rhymes, singing, production, and arrangements were handled by Sam - with an assist from his close Long Beach kinsman Tom Kendall from the group Soular System. It's hard-edged and lyrical enough for disciples of Larry June and Roc Marciano, but orchestral and melodic enough for fans of Anderson .Paak and H.E.R.

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Seafood Sam

Tape | 2024 | US | Original (Drink Sum Wtr)

13,99 €*

Standing On A Giant Shoulders Forest Green Vinyl Edition

Release: 2024 / US – Original

Genre: Hip Hop

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Seafood Sam

LP | 2024 | US | Original (Drink Sum Wtr)

29,99 €*

Live In Roma 1980 Black Vinyl Edition

Release: 2024 / US – Original

Genre: Hip Hop

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Sun Ra

3LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Holidays)

74,99 €*

Subklinikal Leukotomy Aphrenia Spasmophilik Lyssophobo Asphyxia Sinister Lethal Anorex Black Vinyl Edition

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Edition of 500 copies, includes a 24-page booklet printed with silver ink on Fedrigoni Ultra Black paper.

Born Herman Poole Blount in Alabama during 1914, Sun Ra first emerged on the Chicago jazz scene during the late 1940s. One of the great avant-garde composers of his generation - leading the way on piano, organ, and (eventually) synthesizer - beginning in the mid-1950s and lasting until his death in 1993, led the Arkestra, a band through which a near countless number of important artists passed and collaborated with, and many remained for the duration of their careers, notably Marshall Allen, John Gilmore and June Tyson. Known for their wild costumes and theatrics, Ra’s eccentric image and claims that he was from Saturn was deeply political, imagining an alternate social order, history, and future for African Americans that rests as a pioneering force in the Afro-Futurist movement.

While Sun Ra and his Arkestra can best be located within the broader movements of avant-garde jazz - particularly as innovators of free and spiritual jazz in their evolving forms - the composer was notoriously hard to pin down on creative terms. He was a visionary titan whose work traversed nearly half of the 20th Century, continuously pushing the idiom of jazz at every turn, ingesting and incorporating the entire history African American music - the blues, R&B, soul, gospel, ragtime, hot jazz, swing, bebop, free jazz, and fusion, etc. - into his work, without any division or hierarchy, producing roughly 100 full lengths bear his name, beginning with 1957’s “Jazz By Sun Ra Vol.1”, and stretching well beyond his death in 1993. Despite how much was captured and released, remarkably, rare and previously unheard recordings continue to emerge and amaze.

Recorded live at Teatro Giulio Cesare on March 28, 1980, comprising an astounding 27 compositions, including the highly celebrated “Astro Black”, “Mr. Mystery”, “Romance of Two Planets”, “Space Is the Place”, “We Travel the Spaceways”, and “Calling Planet Earth”, over six vinyl sides. High among the greatest live gigs by the Arkestra captured on tape, carefully mastered by Matt Bordin at Outside Inside Studio, “Live in Rome 1980” is a near perfect snapshot of the band’s versatility and range, including many of their most notably and famous songs, as well as striking renditions of the Horace Henderson penned Benny Goodman number “Big John’s Special”, Fletcher Henderson’s “Yeah Man!”, and "Limehouse Blues”, displaying Ra’s willingness to address and rework the entire, diverse history of jazz in a single go.

Heard in its totality, perhaps what makes “Live in Rome 1980” most striking is the way in which the concert plays out. Roughly the first half encounters the band locked in some of the most out-there, free jazz fire that can be imagined, weaving a startling sense of interplay and furious energy into a brilliant tapestry of writhing sonority, the likes of which were only really achieved by this band. The second half, with only moments of exception that return to the furious energy of the first, is very different affair, easy toward the vocal standards, led by June Tyson’s vocals and the joyous collective chanting of the band, for which they have become so widely celebrated, threading the sounds of off-kilter big band swing with heavy grooves and imagines of outer space.

Recorded live at Teatro Giulio Cesare on March 28, 1980. Sun Ra: Piano, Keyboards, Vocals. Noel Scott: Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Percussion. Marshall Allen: Alto Saxophone, Flute, Oboe. Danny Ray Thompson: Baritone Saxophone, Flute. Chris Henderson, Eric “Samurai” Walker: Drums. Kenny Williams: Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Percussion. John Gilmore: Tenor Saxophone, Percussion. Michael Ray: Trumpet. June Tyson: Vocals. Mastered by Matt Bordin at Outside Inside Studio. Lacquer cut by Daniel Krieger at SST, Frankfurt am Main. All pictures by Paolo Ferraresi (Milano, Teatro Orfeo, March 26, 1980). All compositions by Sun Ra © Enterplanetary Koncepts (bmi) except where otherwise stated. Released under license from Sun Ra LLC.

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Korpses Katatonik

LP | 1983 | EU | Reissue (Infinite Fog)

29,99 €*

Gregor Schwellenbach, Hauschka, Daniel Brandt , Paul Frick, Lukas Vogel, Erol Sarp, John Kameel Farah - Steve Reich, Terry Riley

Release: 1983 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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* First time on vinyl the classic industrial record from 1983 * 40th-anniversary edition * Available on Black Vinyl and CD / Korpses Katatonik was a musical solo project of Zoe DeWitt during the years 1982 and 1983. Unlike DeWitt's later project Zero Kama, the work of Korpses Katatonik remains entirely within the realm of electronic music and shows an uncompromising experimental style comparable to that of other industrial bands like Throbbing Gristle, SPK, or Cabaret Voltaire. Like many other exponents of industrial culture Korpses Katatonik was inspired by dark psychiatry, pathological abnormalism, necrophilia, and other types of paraphilic aberration. These served as a metaphor for the dark side of a dehumanized society that seeks to maintain control by the suppression of anything that could be regarded as dark, sinister, deviant, or unpleasant from the viewpoint of popular mass culture. As a means of escape from this totalita rian pressure - thus a statement by Korpses Katatonik - there remains only self-destruction, murder, or the withdrawal into catatonic schizophrenia. Korpses Katatonik's first release was a Nekrophile Rekords cassette entitled subklinikal leukotomy aphrenia spasmophiik lyssophobo asphyxia sinister lethal anorex. The titles on the album were: shatok, schmertzlabor, enzephallik mortuor, nekom, kcok transzlant, kaltfleisch corporor, skarzisko and okzipital slash. The terminology of psychopathological disorders was used by Korpses Katatonik in a subversive way for its own poetic value and many of the rare vocals and track titles (as for example shatok, enzephallik mortuor and kaltfleisch corporor) were taken from writings of patients of Viennas famous psychiatrist hospital in Ma ria Gugging (dissolved in 2007). The title skarzisko refers to a national socialist concentration camp in the polish town Skarżysko-Kamienna. The upcoming influence of occultism within the postindustrial underground of the 1980s is finally reflected in the last track of Korpses Katatonik, Choronzon, which was published on the Nekrophile cassette compilation The Beast 666. This track, which refers to a ritual performed by Aleister Crowley and Victor Neuburg in the desert Sahara in 1909, anticipates the strong occult implications of Zoe DeWitt's musical follow-up project Zero Kama. In 2012 all recorded tracks by Korpses Katatonik have been released under the title Oeuvres complètes by the Viennese label Klanggalerie. Currently, the remastered album is reissued on IFP on Vinyl, CD, Tape, and ultra-limited collectors box. Recorded in 1982 by Michael Zoe Dewitt (synth, guitar, voice, tape loops) and mixed at the Institute for Composition and Electroacoustics at the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Wiener Konzerthaus studios). First published as audio cassette Nrc01 on Nekrophile Rekords in 1983. Remastered by Zoe Dewitt for Infinite Fog Records in 2022. Millions of dead humanoids walking your streets, remote-controlled Cadaver. The functions of the body, which are considered the highest definition of life, are nothing more than a sign that the totalitarian systems of political control are working as usual. In fact, Death, your own essence of the progress of civilization, came the moment you accepted your terms. Poison injections and 1800-volt circuit, as well as three isolation cell torture chambers are waiting for you if you don't want to. For the glory of Masz Murders and Terror Liaisonz, there can be nothing but bones and skulls. Burnt holes of the psyche and dezpar. In the same way that Corpus Sosial conceives Death, psychic and physical Disorder from the public consciousness, it itself is nothing but the unification of all this. And since the main characteristic of his propaganda bloc is to say the exact opposite of what he really represents, and to use Death, the last argument of all oppression, as an extensive lever, the most effective methods of the operation of expelling the stick will be equally with inverted strategies for choosing the current reality and gathering information to create artificial Malfunctions, as well as to use and fight off Death, multiplying its signs in order to increase the semantic value as an offensive counter-propaganda event. A reverse policy cannot and will not be a policy. Offensive subversion is not so much the destruction of the leading organizations as the actual ignoring of them by organizing one's own body. It's a reversal of your dictated reward/punishment law.

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Six Pianos / Keyboard Study # 1

LP | 2016 | DE | Original (Film)

2LP | 2022 | EU | Original (FKJ)

Release: 2016 / DE – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance, Classical Music

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Used Vinyl

Medium: Sealed, Cover: Near Mint

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FKJ

V I N C E N T

32,99 €*

Next Wave Acid Punx Deux - Chapter 2

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Pop

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„V I N C E N T“ ist FKJs zweites Album. Es markiert den Beginn eines neuen Kapitels für FKJ, der damit nach seinen Arbeiten als gefragter Produzent und zentrale Remix-Adresse für andere Künstler:innen wie PinkPantheress und Moses Sumney das nächste künstlerische Solo-Statement macht – nachdem er zuletzt schon ausverkaufte Konzerte in aller Welt mit seinen gefeierten „One-man-Shows“ verbuchen konnte. Kombiniert liegt auch die Zahl seiner Streams inzwischen im Milliardenbereich.

Das Konzept des „V I N C E N T“-Albums entstand während eines Soloabstechers nach Los Angeles, den er schon vor dem Jahr 2020 antrat. „Ich wohnte dort dann ganz allein in so einem Haus … und schaltete auch mein Telefon ab, um wirklich runterzukommen. Ich brauchte einfach etwas Abstand und Zeit für mich, weil ich herausfinden wollte, was ich eigentlich als nächstes machen wollte.“ Schon bald wurde ihm klar, dass er demjenigen Freiheitsgefühl nachspüren wollte, das man als Teenager hin und wieder spürt. „Damals habe ich einfach nur gespielt, es ging beim Musikmachen um nichts anderes. Ich hab über nichts nachgedacht“, so FKJ. Genau dieses Gefühl kommt schon im Eröffnungs- und dem Abschlusstitel der neuen LP durch: einerseits der Future Jazz von „Way Out“ – eigentlich ein verspielter Mini-Soundtrack: eine anmutige Pianomelodie, unterfüttert mit wilden Trap-Beats und ruhigen Streichern – und das fast wie ein Schlaflied wirkende „Stay A Child“. „Ich wollte einen Teil von dieser verlorenen Unschuld zurückholen … diesen Augenblick, wenn man einfach nur aus purem Vergnügen Musik macht.“

Wieder zurück im eigenen Home Studio auf den Philippinen angekommen, dort sogar ohne Wlan und zunehmend abgeriegelt durch internationale Lockdown-Maßnahmen, war FKJ nun tatsächlich abgeschnitten vom Rest der Welt. Was auch bedeutete: noch weniger Ablenkungen. Es war die ideale Gelegenheit, um ganz allein die endlosen Möglichkeiten der Musik zu erkunden. „Manchmal habe ich die ganze Nacht durch an den Songs gesessen und bin erst ins Bett gegangen, als schon wieder die Sonne aufging.“ Dieser unbefangene Ansatz war entscheidend: Basierend auf dieser Freiheit ist ein expressionistisches, wirklich berührendes Album entstanden, das man unmöglich einordnen kann. Auch versteckt sich FKJ nicht mehr hinter irgendwelchen grünen Zweigen, wie er es auf dem Cover seines Solodebüts getan hatte: Mit „V I N C E N T“ tritt FKJ heraus aus dem Schatten und zeigt sich, seine Stimme als Musiker, seinen Sound. Indem er Saxophon und Klavier aus Late Night Jazz-Sessions mit geerdetem Flüstergesang (à la Bon Ivers Frühwerk) und Gitarren à la Santana zusammenbringt, gibt er sogar dem schwierigen Begriff Chillout Music eine ganz neue Bedeutung.

Während weite Teile von „V I N C E N T“ vor allem romantisch klingen, geht’s ab und zu auch richtig sexy zu, dann wieder verträumt, den Kopf hoch oben in den Wolken – wie etwa bei „Us“, den er seiner Frau June widmet. „ihm“ kommt mit Nineties-Hip-Hop-Einschlag daher, wobei er jedoch immer weiter das Tempo drosselt und das Licht dimmt. Genau genommen doch nicht 100% solo eingespielt, hilft ((( O ))) schließlich beim Song „Brass Necklace“ aus – was ähnlich eindringlich klingt wie The Internet oder die Keys, wenn Stevie Wonder sie spielt. Zusammen mit Toro Y Moi setzt er für die Leadsingle „A Moment of Mystery“ auf astreine Space-Trip-Vibes, die tatsächlich aus nicht ganz nüchternen Parallelwelten stammen: Während der Arbeit in San Francisco tranken FKJ, Toro und dessen Keyboarder Tony eine Flüssigkeit, die Tony als „heiliges Wässerchen“ bezeichnete … „Wir teilten uns dann die ganze Flasche, was in einen ziemlichen Trip mündete“, erzählt FKJ und lacht. Zurück in der Realität, ist das Ergebnis dieses Trips eine sanfte Electro-Ode auf dauerhaftes Liebesglück. Vor allem ist es ein Track, der in Sachen Eingängigkeit und dezentem Prog-Faktor selbst Tame Impala in nichts nachsteht.

Auch Yukimi Nagano (Little Dragon) ist am Mikrofon zu hören – auf dem umwerfenden „Can’t Stop“ –, und mit „Let’s Live“, einem treibenden Technopop-Song, in dem Handclaps, Klavier und Vocals perfekt miteinander verschmelzen, besinnt sich FKJ noch einmal auf seine Anfangstage zurück, als seine Produktionen noch größtenteils ins Dance-Genre passten. Obwohl er immer wieder Kategorien aufsprengt und seine Stücke kontinuierlich mit neuen Ideen erweitert, wirken die Tracks nie aufgeblasen, nie zu dick aufgetragen. Trotz der Vielschichtigkeit wird einem nie schwindelig.

Insgesamt ist „V I N C E N T“ ein kleines Wunder. Es ist der Beweis, welche Magie entstehen kann, wenn man nur tief genug gräbt, Inspirationen lange genug reifen lässt. „Das war schon eine echte Herausforderung, diese Platte aufzunehmen“, sagt er abschließend. „Ich bin nun mal eigentlich ein Perfektionist – und das kann man nicht einfach so abschalten. Als ich es dann jedoch geschafft hatte und die Musik selbst tonangebend war, fühlte ich mich mit einem Mal vollkommen frei.“

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Curses

2LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Eskimo)

LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Astigmatic)

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Next Wave Acid Punx Deux is the second compilation for Eskimo Recordings compiled and curated by Berlin-based Musician and DJ Luca Venezia, aka Curses, to explore the darker side of club music. Spread across 3CDs and three 2LPs Next Wave Acid Punx Deux features a mammoth 49 tracks that join the dots between early industrial pioneers Throbbing Gristle, EBM legends like Nitzer Ebb and the post-punk experiments of people like Malcolm McLaren and Big Audio Dynamite with some of the most exciting artists around today, such as Boy Harsher, Nuovo Testamento and Years of Denial.

Where the first Next Wave Acid Punx compilation was a personal journey for Luca, a lockdown inspired exploration of his record collection to find the thread that ran through the music that had soundtracked much of his life, Deux is a celebration of that music let loose on the world, the thrill of music performed live, the smoke and strobe filled clubs you'll hear it in and the artists you'll find on those stages.

"After our enforced break, getting back out there and playing live again really brought home to me so much of what I love about the scene I'm in but also just how important live music has been and is to club culture over the years," Luca explains. "Too often we think of club nights and live gigs as these separate things, but throughout the years it's where the two meet, the friction that can cause, that you'll find the most vibrant scenes."

"There's an energy, an atmosphere that you get with live music, an unpredictability where at any moment something can go wrong or even better right in a way you never expect. I think about a live set we played at a Lebanese festival where our MPC drum machine froze up because of all the dust and sand trapped in the pads. We had to improvise half our set, jamming bass and guitar and pedal FX and vocals, embracing this surreal environment and experience, something that could only happen in the moment."

"With Next Wave Acid Punx Deux I wanted to celebrate those bands and artists, past and present who, to me, represent that spirit. Both full live bands and makeshift electronic duos alike, the kind of acts that you might have found wedged between DJs back in the day at The Hacienda in the 80s, Trash in the 00s or today at nights like Berlin's Milk ME, Exbtn in Paris, Night Terrors + Sc&p in London, New York City's Synthicide or Ukraine's Worn Pop.

So I've put this compilation together much like my favourite kind of night, going out to see some bands play, hitting up a club where live music and DJs blur together, before the serious business of the after party. On Chapter 1 you'll find bands like Vicious Pink, DAF and Cabaret Voltaire, some of these acts are more obscure than others, some flirted with pop and even the charts but they were all embracing new ways of working in the late 70s and 80s that both set them apart and set the scene for much of what we think of as club music.

Chapter 2 moves the night on, and this is the sound of the clubs I love to both play and just hang out in these days, clubs where the people involved put a lot more time into digging through the crates than working on their Instagram Reels. These are places where you're as likely to find a band on stage as you are a DJ, where 80's German electro pop by a band like Boytronic seamlessly flows into tracks like Silent Servant's Non Fiction. Timeless music that can be romantic, dreamlike and ethereal one moment, then veer into dark, industrial sounds the next.

Then finally we get to that part of the night where you probably should go home but if it's too late for good decisions there's still time for good music. Things are a bit wilder here, the drums a bit harder, the synths are more aggressive, tracks like The Hacker's Monopoly, Zanias' Tryptamine Palace or EVA's Industrial Hope that don't let up, don't let you go, just subjugate you to the beat and keep you there till you stumble out blinking into a new day."

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Tomasz Stanko Quintet

Wooden Music I

21,99 €*

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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It would appear that Polish jazz is a well-known subject through and through. Dozens of outstanding albums, biographies of the masters, hundreds of journal articles. As it turns out, it is still possible to find music that has been waiting for years to be discovered. On the 80th birthday of Tomasz Stańko, Astigmatic Records presents the first part of Wooden Music, a conceptual project created by the maestro and his legendary quintet, which has been stored in the archives of Radio Bremen for 50 years.

Tomasz Stańko was an exceptional Polish jazz trumpeter. He passed away in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of numerous releases, soundtracks, concert recordings and wild stories involving him. Before rising to the top, he honed his craft alongside Krzysztof Komeda and Andrzej Trzaskowski. In the mid-1960s, he appeared on Astigmatic and Polish Jazz Vol. 4 – the albums that were a creative manifesto for Polish jazz of those years. However, all this time he was constantly thinking about starting his own band.

In 1968 he completed the line-up – Janusz Stefański on drums, Bronisław Suchanek on double bass, Janusz Muniak on tenor saxophone and Zbigniew Seifert on alto saxophone, which he soon replaced with the violin. Stańko classified the quintet's output into three periods. The first, composed, is associated with Music for K, Stańko's publishing debut as a leader, which became a permanent entry in the canon of Polish jazz records. The second period is wooden music – it's the free jazz period, the least known in the quintet's history despite the fact that it spanned more than three years. The third and final period is linked to the release of the band's final album, the cult Purple Sun. However, the entire period between Music for K and Purple Sun is shrouded in mystery, as the band was mainly in Western Europe at the time. In the early 1970s, all the musicians take one-year visas. In between tours they live in Germany: first in a hippie commune in Wurtzburg, then in Darmstadt. They play in clubs on a day by day basis. The quintet is said to be distinguished from other bands by their ability to completely "burn" in the fire of improvisation. They lead their lives as a single organism, touring without wives or girlfriends. The compositions are blurred, the fascination with free music prevails. Short pieces and motives are the starting point for further performance. The ensemble does not plan, they just play. On 28 May 1972 they play at the Iserlohn jazz festival. JG Records would release this performance as Jazzmessage from Poland. The very music recorded there represents what the quintet called Wooden Music.

The foundation of wooden music is the sound of the double bass and the violin, but it soon becomes apparent that all instruments except for Tomasz Stańko's trumpet are wooden. A string orchestra is born, over which the metal trumpet can weave all sorts of hues accompanied by the saxophone. What fascinates the quintet in wooden music is the melody, rhythm and timbre - where these are usually just an element, they fill the entire piece in their case. Bronisław Suchanek, the last living member of the quintet, recalls:

"Wooden music is all about total improvisation. We used to arrive at a gig, start playing without really knowing where we were heading. The only thing that guided us was the common and mental compatibility, understanding, friendship and respect along this musical journey. Music was the first most important element to attribute to – it was free jazz in its purest form. If there are any moments that seem orchestrated it is because we played together for several years, evening after evening, going from club to club. We knew each other better than our parents knew us, we had total trust in each other – that's what made this music exist in the way it did."

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Tomasz Stanko's birthday, Astigmatic Records in cooperation with Tomasz Stańko Foundation and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute will be releasing two parts of Wooden Music: the first on 5th December 2022, and the second in the first half of 2023. Both albums released by Astigmatic Records add to the little-known history of the quintet, the most important episode in their lives, as the band's musicians used to refer to the late 1960s and early 1970s. Wooden Music I will be released via Astigmatic Records in digital, CD and LP versions; what's more, a limited red vinyl edition including a B2 poster designed by Natalia Łabędź will also be available. The pre-order of the LP will be launched on 4th November 2022.

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Mogadisco - Dancing In Mogadishu (Somalia '72-91)

2LP | 2019 | EU | Original (Analog Africa)

34,99 €*

Live In Roma 1980 Crystal Clear Red Vinyl Edition

Release: 2019 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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After being blown away by a few tunes – probably just as you will be after listening to this – Samy Ben Redjeb travelled to the infamous capital city of Somalia in November of 2016, making Analog Africa the frst music label to set foot in Mogadishu. On his arrival in Somalia Samy questioned the need for a vehicle full of armed chaperones casually toting Kalashnikovs, deemed necessary to accompany him to the radio station archive every morning, but then began ri?ing through piles of cassettes and listening to reel-to-reel tapes in the dusty archives of Radio Mogadishu, looking for music that ‘swam against the current’. The stars were aligned: an uncovered and unmarked pile of discarded recordings was discovered in a cluttered corner of the building. Colonel Abshir - the senior employee and protector of Radio Mogadishu’s archives - clarifed that the pile consisted mostly of music nobody had manage to identify, or music he described as being ‘mainly instrumental and strange music’. At the words ‘strange music’ Samy was hooked, the return ?ight to Tunisia was cancelled. The pile turned out to be a cornucopia of different sounds: radio jingles, background music and interludes for radio programmes, television shows and theatre plays. There were also a good number of disco tunes, some had been stripped of their lyrics, the interesting parts had been recorded multiple times then cut, taped together and spliced into a long groovy instrumental loop. Over the next three weeks, often in watermelon-, grapefruit-juice and shisha-fuelled night-time sessions behind the fortifed walls of Radio Mogadishu, Samy and the archive staff put together Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu - Somalia 1972–1991. Like everywhere in Africa during the 1970s, both men and women sported huge afros, bell-bottom trousers and platform shoes. James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations’ funk were the talk of the town.In 1977, Iftin Band were invited to perform at the Festac festival in Lagos where they represented Somalia at the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture. Not only did they come back with an award, but they also returned with Afrobeat. While Fela Kuti’s ‘Shakara’ had taken over the continent and was spreading like wildfre throughout Latin America, it was the track ‘Lady’ that would become the hit in Mogadishu. At the same time Bob Marley was busy kick-starting reggae-mania in Somalia, which became such a phenomenon that even the police and military bands began playing it. Some say that it was adopted so quickly because of the strong similarities with the traditional beat from the western region of Somalia, called Dhaanto. But then suddenly the trousers got tighter as the disco tsunami hit the country. Michael Jackson appeared with a new sound that would revolutionise Somalia’s live music scene. You couldn’t walk the streets of Mogadishu without seeing kids trying to moonwalk. ‘Somalia had several nightclubs and although most use DJs to play records, some hotels like Jubba, Al-Uruba and Al Jazeera showcased live bands such as Iftin and Shareero’ – so ran a quote from a 1981 article about the explosion of Mogadishu’s live music scene. The venues mentioned in that article were the luxury hotels that had been built to cover the growing demands of the tourist industry. The state-of-the-art hotel Al-Uruba, with its oriental ornaments and white plastered walls, was a wonder of modern architecture. All of Mogadishu’s top bands performed there at some point or another, and many of the songs presented in this compilation were created in such venues. Mogadisco was not Analog Africa’s easiest project. Tracking down the musicians – often in exile in the diaspora – to interview them and gather anecdotes of golden-era Mogadishu has been an undertaking that took three years. Tales of Dur-Dur Band’s kidnapping, movie soundtracks recorded in the basements of hotels, musicians getting electrocuted on stage, others jumping from one band to another under dramatic circumstances, and soul singers competing against each other, are all stories included in the massive booklet that accompanies the compilation - adorned with no less then 50 pictures from the `70s and ‚80s. As Colonel Abshir Hashi Ali, chief don at the Radio Mogadishu archive – someone who once wrestled a bomber wielding an unpinned hand-grenade to the ?oor – put it: ‘I have dedicated my life to this place. I’m doing this so it can get to the next generation; so that the culture, the heritage and the songs of Somalia don’t disappear.’

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Sun Ra

3LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Holidays)

79,99 €*

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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150 copies on crystal clear red vinyl, deluxe edition 3LP Box, silver print on deluxe Fedrigoni Ultra Black paper, released with the full approval of the Sun Ra Estate

Born Herman Poole Blount in Alabama during 1914, Sun Ra first emerged on the Chicago jazz scene during the late 1940s. One of the great avant-garde composers of his generation - leading the way on piano, organ, and (eventually) synthesizer - beginning in the mid-1950s and lasting until his death in 1993, led the Arkestra, a band through which a near countless number of important artists passed and collaborated with, and many remained for the duration of their careers, notably Marshall Allen, John Gilmore and June Tyson. Known for their wild costumes and theatrics, Ra’s eccentric image and claims that he was from Saturn was deeply political, imagining an alternate social order, history, and future for African Americans that rests as a pioneering force in the Afro-Futurist movement.

While Sun Ra and his Arkestra can best be located within the broader movements of avant-garde jazz - particularly as innovators of free and spiritual jazz in their evolving forms - the composer was notoriously hard to pin down on creative terms. He was a visionary titan whose work traversed nearly half of the 20th Century, continuously pushing the idiom of jazz at every turn, ingesting and incorporating the entire history African American music - the blues, R&B, soul, gospel, ragtime, hot jazz, swing, bebop, free jazz, and fusion, etc. - into his work, without any division or hierarchy, producing roughly 100 full lengths bear his name, beginning with 1957’s “Jazz By Sun Ra Vol.1”, and stretching well beyond his death in 1993. Despite how much was captured and released, remarkably, rare and previously unheard recordings continue to emerge and amaze.

Recorded live at Teatro Giulio Cesare on March 28, 1980, comprising an astounding 27 compositions, including the highly celebrated “Astro Black”, “Mr. Mystery”, “Romance of Two Planets”, “Space Is the Place”, “We Travel the Spaceways”, and “Calling Planet Earth”, over six vinyl sides. High among the greatest live gigs by the Arkestra captured on tape, carefully mastered by Matt Bordin at Outside Inside Studio, “Live in Rome 1980” is a near perfect snapshot of the band’s versatility and range, including many of their most notably and famous songs, as well as striking renditions of the Horace Henderson penned Benny Goodman number “Big John’s Special”, Fletcher Henderson’s “Yeah Man!”, and "Limehouse Blues”, displaying Ra’s willingness to address and rework the entire, diverse history of jazz in a single go.

Heard in its totality, perhaps what makes “Live in Rome 1980” most striking is the way in which the concert plays out. Roughly the first half encounters the band locked in some of the most out-there, free jazz fire that can be imagined, weaving a startling sense of interplay and furious energy into a brilliant tapestry of writhing sonority, the likes of which were only really achieved by this band. The second half, with only moments of exception that return to the furious energy of the first, is very different affair, easy toward the vocal standards, led by June Tyson’s vocals and the joyous collective chanting of the band, for which they have become so widely celebrated, threading the sounds of off-kilter big band swing with heavy grooves and imagines of outer space.

Recorded live at Teatro Giulio Cesare on March 28, 1980. Sun Ra: Piano, Keyboards, Vocals. Noel Scott: Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Percussion. Marshall Allen: Alto Saxophone, Flute, Oboe. Danny Ray Thompson: Baritone Saxophone, Flute. Chris Henderson, Eric “Samurai” Walker: Drums. Kenny Williams: Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Percussion. John Gilmore: Tenor Saxophone, Percussion. Michael Ray: Trumpet. June Tyson: Vocals. Mastered by Matt Bordin at Outside Inside Studio. Lacquer cut by Daniel Krieger at SST, Frankfurt am Main. All pictures by Paolo Ferraresi (Milano, Teatro Orfeo, March 26, 1980). All compositions by Sun Ra © Enterplanetary Koncepts (bmi) except where otherwise stated. Released under license from Sun Ra LLC.

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The Soul Of Congo - Treasures Of The Ngoma Label

3LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Planet Ilunga)

45,99 €*

12" | 2024 | UK | Original (Slacker 85)

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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The Soul of Congo is a compilation that spans the years from 1948 to 1963 as the Belgian Congo emerged from colonial subjugation into the first flower of Independence. Singers and players came to Congo’s capital Léopoldville, from all over Central Africa — from the streets of Brazzaville on the opposite shore of the Congo river to the vast plateau of Mbanza Congo in Angola, from the mineral rich areas of Lubumbashi (Elizabethville) in the Deep South to the lively docks of Kisangani (Stanleyville) in the northeast, from the rocky wastes of Mbandaka (Coquilhatville) in the West to the majestic forests of Bukavu (Costermansville) in the East.

Léopoldville became a cauldron of musical syncretism between the African rhythms that arrived with these musicians and the European, Caribbean and Cuban tunes that were popular in the big city. The new sounds were recorded for one of the big five Congo labels: Opika, Loningisa, Esengo, Olympia or Ngoma. None of the other Congolese labels better showcased the energy, variety & spirit of this era than the Ngoma label. The label was founded by the Greek Nicolas Jéronimidis in 1948. After his early death in 1951, it was further developed by Nikis Cavvadias and Alexandros Jéronimidis. During its existence, from 1948 until 1971, Ngoma made over 4500 recordings, creating a crucial cultural legacy. Now with Unesco declaring Congolese Rumba as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity as of December 2021, it is fitting they are restored to the ears of the world.

As the Ngoma label flourished, so too did the first big stars of this new sound: Manuel d’Oliveira from San Salvador, Antoine Kolosoy “Wendo’’ from Bandundu and Léon Bukasa from Katanga. The three of them are heavily featured in the Ngoma catalogue and in this compilation. Ngoma also provided a way for female singers, such as Martha Badibala, to rise to fame and inspire other women to dream of a life beyond taking care of the kids and husband. Futhermore, the label was keen to record traditional folkloric music, such as the songs by likembe player Antoine Mundanda. It also looked for fresh talent as far away as Brussels where they recorded Camerounian heartthrob Charles Lembe fronting a fierce quartet on some flashy adapted Cuban Guaracha rhythms. Instrumentalists like Antoine Kasongo (clarinet), Albino Kalombo (sax) and Tino Baroza (guitar) also made their mark through the Ngoma recordings.

Ngoma is also known for releasing Adou Elenga’s hit “Ata Ndele,” that criticized the white colonists. It led to his imprisonment and the song being quickly deleted from the catalogue after its release in 1954 (long sought after, a rare original copy has been found for this compilation). Angolan Paul Mwanga, too, was unstinting in his criticism of the colonials, and he was also active with authors’ rights associations. Frank Lassan was a singer who brought the romantic style of French crooners to Congolese popular culture, while guitar wizard Manoka De Saïo or “Maitre Colon Gentil” were flamboyant popular figures in the nightclub scene, captured on disc. Guitar prodigies like Antoine Nedule “Papa Noel” or Mose Se Sengo “Fan Fan” cut their teeth as teenagers in studio bands. The band names changed rapidly — Beguen Band, Jazz Mango, Jazz Venus, Dynamic Jazz, Affeinta Jazz, Mysterieux Jazz, Orchstre Novelty, Rumbanella Bande, Vedette Jazz, La Palma, Negrita Jazz — all of them are heard here.

Dedicated record collectors came together to make this compilation possible. From the USA, Belgium, Japan, Germany, France, Morocco, and The Netherlands, these generous fans of the music have pooled their collections for the compilation, assembled and annotated by Alastair Johnston who runs the Muzikifan website from California. He dedicates this release to Flemming Harrev from the reference website afrodisc.com who passed away in 2020. Legendary but unheard songs were tracked down, some emerging from dead stock in a forgotten Tanzanian record store. Experts who have made previous compilations were solicited for their advice and recommendations; liner notes, graduate theses, African periodicals, blogs and documents by authorities such as Jean-Pierre Nimy Nzonga, Sylvain Konko, Gary Stewart, Manda Tchebwa, and Michel Lonoh were scoured for clues.

There are 69 songs on the 3CD set and 42 on the 3LP set. Two of the LPs are distilled from the 3CD set, while the third “bonus” LP" has a different selection of songs by Léon Bukasa and others. While this is unusual, we felt there was so much great material, the vinyl collectors would enjoy an extra album of out-takes from the shortlist that was originally over four hours in length.

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Tres Mortimer

M1 City

18,99 €*

12" | 2023 | UK | Original (Lovemonk)

Release: 2024 / UK – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Kicking off ‘M1 City’ is the simplistic, but refined and booth-rattling ‘Work That Body’. A crisp M1 stab is the main character in this, amplified by thunderous and high energy drums.

Then there’s ‘Secrets’, a house jam inspired by the likes of MK that utilises TR-909 drums, a subtle rolling bassline, intimately whispered and soulfully sung vocal shots, and, of course, classic Korg M1 synth stabs. Together with dramatic contemporary builds, a highly danceable house smasher is formed.

‘No More’ is pure gasoline for the dancefloor. Très pairs another barrage of clean M1 stabs with a rousing vocal sample that leads into, with the help of a rolling snare, another highly effective house drop. Following the extremely saucy ‘Big Daddy’ skit, we’re dropped straight into ‘One Of Those Nights’, a show-stopping track complete with cutting, sharp stabs, a bulging bassy synth and a West Coast-esque synth sound.

‘Bitch I’m From Chicago’ feat. Gleebz is, as the title suggests, a dedication to the city where house music found its name. Batting off all the poser cities like LA and Miami in the sassy lyrics, it embodies the spirit of Chicago with hefty kick drums and weighty chord stabs.

At the tail end of the release, ‘Let Me Go’ and ‘Love’ (featuring vocalist 7000 (7K)), bring things to a rousing emotive close. Both tracks see Très put clean vocals over piano riffs, giving off differing moods – the former is euphoric, the latter melancholic. Synths bubble beneath, and each track funnels their own respective house grooves, resulting in two tracks fit for both the dancefloor and headphones.

Très Mortiner explains: “The M1 sound is classic. It automatically transports you back to those timeless house songs that never get old. For me, house music is all about connection. People experiencing a little moment of euphoria together when they hear a riff that they all know on the dance floor. That’s what it’s all about. With this project I wanted to tap into that 90s rave sound and spirit. I wanted it to sound like the OG Chicago rave scene.”

“M1 City is my first project to be released on vinyl. I think vinyl is very much alive. It’s essentially for music connoisseurs now. I don’t expect people to have a vinyl collection when all music is always available to everyone on their phones. Nevertheless, I love the idea of some random DJ finding this record in a shop in 10 years. Who knows what I’ll be producing then?”

Très Mortimer is a key figure in Chicago's house scene, steadily building a strong following with his no-nonsense, dancefloor-driven sound. Drawing inspiration from his Polish roots, Trés has signed with major labels like Mad Decent, Insomniac’s IN/Rotation, and Ministry of Sound, while also launching his own imprint, Optics Records. He made his mark with a clever rework of Zombies' 1968 hit ‘Time Of The Season’ (1M+ streams). Standout releases include his downtempo collaboration with plumpy, "BAMBU," and his latest single, "At Night I Think Of You," which was recently given a remix makeover by Seth Troxler and Nick Morgan.

Slacker 85, launched in 2023, is the record label behind ‘M1 City’. Founded by Seth Troxler, it aims to give a platform to "oddball, esoteric and diverse sounds," positioning itself as a counter to the polished, refined dance artists dominating the scene. Troxler, upon the label’s launch, declared that he wanted to create something for "the anti-hero, the kids who could have done it but didn’t care to try”—essentially, "the slacker." So far, it’s delivered a range of releases from artists like Jackmaster, Danny Daze, Dan McKie, and Andre Salmon, offering tracks rooted in house music's past but evolving within its present boundaries.

‘M1 City’, this ode to a piece of gear that consistently finds itself at the heart of house music history, highlights Très Mortimer’s respect for and knowledge of the scene and its key gear. Trè combines this admiration and inspiration of house music’s greats with a modern sensibility, resulting in eight tracks worthy of today’s dancefloors and today’s ravers.

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Gecko Turner

Somebody From Badajoz

LP | 1967 | EU | Reissue (Elpalmas Music)

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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With his new album, Gecko Turner confirms that he is a standout artist in the global groove scene, a must for the outernational sounds aficionados.

Somebody From Badajoz is the fifth studio album in his much lauded discography and his first in seven years, eagerly anticipated by both his fans and himself: "this business of dedicating yourself to music and making songs... it's a long game."

With the release of his first two, remarkable, albums, Guapapasea! (2003) and Chandalismo Ilustrado (2006), Gecko started cultivating what one astute journalist defined as Afro-maduran soul—the "maduran" bit referencing Extremadura, a region in central-western Spain.

Badajoz, Gecko's birthplace, is the biggest city in the area, on the border with Portugal, by the Guadiana River. It is a place that oozes history, where there is constant movement at the border, and people's character is friendly and open-minded with foreign habits.

Gecko's Afro-maduran soul isbuilt on Afro-American music and drenched in Brazilian, African, Latin American and Jamaican sounds. There are also echoes of a youth marked in equal parts by our man's admiration for the Beatles and the flamenco that could be heard everywhere in Badajoz in the seventies. It makes for a singular sound and a musical language of its own—spicy, succulent, full of nuances, but with a very personal flavour.

The album opens with the Nigerian talking drums of Twenty-twenty Vision, (neo) soul in a magical falsetto, carried by a sumptuous orchestral arrangement with a cinematic flavour: "I'd been thinking about doing something called 'Twenty-twenty Vision' for some time, making a play on words with the vision we have of the world after the year 2020 and the medical expression, which, in ophthalmological terms, means 'normal or complete vision.' Beyond that particular song, I think that's the mood of the album: a look at society in the twenties of the 21st century and the feelings and demons it produces."

It's followed by De Balde, a very special song born from a posthumously discovered lyric by the great writer Carlos Lencero, a regular collaborator of Camarón, Pata Negra, and Remedios Amaya, and also from Badajoz. While conceived as a fandango, Gecko has moulded it into his sound in such a seamless way it now seems as if the words could only have been written to be embraced by the percussion, brass, and backing vocals heard on the album. It's the only lyric on Somebody From Badajoz not written by Turner, still it sits rather comfortably with the rest, sharing the same emotivity and sensitivity, as well as the trademark humour and irony.

Other tracks see more protagonism for the rhythm.The beat-driven Ain't No Fun Preachin' to the Choir features Gecko's vocals walking the thin line between singing and talking over a phenomenal afro-disco-funk-infused trailblazer. In Am I Sad? it's impossible to not bob your head to the queen of Papatosina's mongrel rhythm, as close to the banks of the Guadiana river as it is to the shores of the Mississippi. Qué Siesta Tan Buena, He Babeao Y To! is an ode to the snooze in true Afro-Maduran fashion. And in Come And Try, the Caribbean influence is evident—lovers' rock that invites you to dance in good company.

In these songs, and throughout the album, for that matter, the musicians accompanying Gecko, who himself plays many of the instruments as well, shine brightly. All hailing from Extremadura, Javi Mojave (percussion), Álvaro Fdez 'Dr. Robelto' (bass), and Rafa Prieto (guitar) have been carrying him with delicate forcefulness since he started out as a solo artist. At the same time, the wonderful and essential voices of Deborah Ayo, Astrid Jones, Fani Ela Nsue, and Miriam Solís give the album a sunny variety of colours. And there are many more—a sensational group of musicians contributes dazzling harmonic bursts to many of the songs. The palette of sounds is very diverse and rich in textures and nuances, including, for example, the ngoni, bells, and various repurposed kitchen utensils.

The groove is always around, moving between the magical border sound of Everybody Knows Somebody From Badajoz and Little Dose, the silky soul of The Sibariteo Appreciation Society, and the exultant celebration of End Of The World (which surprisingly sees Gecko turning to the occasional use of autotune), a piece that could be used for the final credits of a Monty Python film and, in fact, closes the album.

Gecko Turner has done it again with Somebody From Badajoz, looking to the future without losing sight of the roots. In times of upheaval all over the globe, when people are looking for purity, he delivers a formidable piece of work: risky, optimistic in spite of everything, and with a decidedly bastard sound. Let's rejoice.

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Los Calvos

Estos Son Los Calvos

15,99 €*

LP | 2022 | EU | Original (Nonesuch)

Release: 1967 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Few have done as much for salsa in Venezuela as band-leader, composer and pianist Ray Pérez. He burst on to the scene in the mid-60s with his group Los Dementes, creating the blueprint for guaguanco, pachanga and boogaloo in Venezuela. When the name salsa began to be used as something of a catch-all-term he was still at the forefront, recording two hugely-popular salsa albums with Los Dementes in 1967. Remarkably, that very same year, he also recorded two albums with a brand new group, Los Calvos, that showed how as well as being the genre’s most visible band-leader, he was also pushing the nascent genre to its limits. Looking back, revered journalist Alfredo Churion states that Los Calvos were “one of the most innovative experiences in Venezuelan popular music.” Estos Son Los Calvos is the first of the two albums he made with Los Calvos. On it, he made a few alterations to the line-up that may seem minor, but created a completely new sound. For the first time, he recruited a drummer (unprecedented at the time for a salsa ensemble, which always used percussionists), he switched from the trombones of Los Dementes to the much harder, direct sound of trumpets, and he recruited Carlos Yanez, best known as El Negrito Calavén, as singer. Whereas Los Dementes had been aligned with the slightly pop sound of tropical orchestras, Los Calvos took an almost-jazz approach, allowing room for the musicians and vocalists to improvise, and they also took inspiration from the sounds of surf rock swirling around Caracas. The group’s drummer El Pavo amusingly once described the group’s sound as like “wearing a dinner suit with flip-flops”. Opening track “El Kenya” is the clearest example of that surf rock influence; it’s opening lines make clear its intentions: “una linda trigueña que me invitó a bailar el Kenya” (“a beautiful trigueña – tri-ethnic girl – invited me to dance the Kenya”). They are intent on creating their own dance craze, El Kenya. If the group had ever performed live, then maybe it would have taken off, as the song had all the credentials: rollicking montuno piano from Pérez, ingenious scatting and vocal improvs from Calavén, and a middle section where the drums and trumpets battle it out hard, with an audience screaming its appreciation throughout. It’s followed by ‘Mi Salsa Llego’, which Pérez had already recorded with Los Dementes; here, it’s a tougher beast, the sparser hits of the drums and trumpets giving a harder sound evocative of the times, with more and more people moving to the cities, and wanting a grittier, urban soundtrack. The secret weapon in Los Calvos was the fact that this was a group made up of some of Venezuela’s finest musicians, many of which, Pérez included, had working class roots. Music for them was as much a part of their day-to-day lives, as it was a profession, it was what they did. The legendary Frank “El Pavo” Hernandez was on drum kit, with revered names like Alfredo Padilla, Carlos “Nene” Quintero, Pedro García, Miguel Silva, Enrique Vazquez, Rafael Araujo and Luis Lewis, also involved in the group. Their versatility allowed Los Calvos to go from the slower, haunting groove of “Negrito Calavan”, a showcase for their singer to improvise, and on to “Bailemos Kenya”, another attempt by the group to create their own version of “The Twist”! Los Calvos never played live, but that was always the intention. Pérez was in demand by the record labels of the time and his deal with RCA Victor to make two albums as Los Calvos was only ever that. But the spirit of Los Calvos remained when Pérez then formed Los Kenya, whose name came from the opening track of this album, and whose line-up featured the same inventions as Los Calvos, with a drum kit, two trumpets and the same vocalists (for their second album, Carlín Rodríguez joined as a singer, and remained for Las Kenya). For this reason, Los Calvos would never have the same successes as Pérez’s other groups, though even Pérez has revealed in interviews that the two albums he made as Los Calvos are some of the most fun he ever had recording. With the price of originals for both albums ever increasing for vinyl collectors, this is a great chance to get hold of two of the heaviest salsa albums ever issued in the 60s, and an important moment in the life of Venezuela’s salsa king, Ray Pérez.

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Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder

Get On Board

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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“They were so solid. They meant what they said, they did what they did… here’s two guys, a guitar player and a harmonica player, and they could make it sound like a whole orchestra.” – Taj Mahal

“It was perfect. What else can you say?” – Ry Cooder

Nearly sixty years after they first played together, Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal, longtime friends and collaborators, reunite with an album of music from two Piedmont blues masters who have inspired them all their lives: GET ON BOARD: THE SONGS OF SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE, on Nonesuch Records.

With Taj Mahal on vocals, harmonica, guitar, and piano and Cooder on vocals, guitar, mandolin, and banjo – joined by Joachim Cooder on drums and bass – the duo recorded eleven songs drawn from recordings and live performances by Terry and McGhee, who they both first heard as teenagers in California.

Explaining where Terry and McGhee took him musically, Cooder says, “Down the road, away from Santa Monica. Where everything was good. ‘I have got to get out of here,’ was all I could think. What do you do, fourteen, eighteen years old? I was trapped. But that first record, Get on Board, the 10” on Folkways, was so wonderful, I could understand the guitar playing.”

Taj Mahal adds, “I started hearing them when I was about nineteen, and I wanted to go to these coffee houses, ‘cause I heard that these old guys were playing. I knew that there was a river out there somewhere that I could get into, and once I got in it, I’d be all right. They brought the whole package for me.”

Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder originally joined forces in 1965, forming The Rising Sons when Cooder was just seventeen. The band was signed to Columbia Records but an album was not released and the group disbanded a year later. The 1960s recording sessions, widely bootlegged, were finally issued officially in 1992. GET ON BOARD is Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder’s first recording together since then.

Harmonica player Sonny Terry and guitarist Brownie McGhee, both originally from the southeastern United States, had active solo careers as well as collaborating with some of the most celebrated musicians of their time. But they were best known for their forty-five-year partnership, which began in 1939 and included mesmerising live performances around the world and numerous acclaimed recordings.

Their Piedmont blues style became popular during the folk music revival of the 1940s and ’50s, centered in New York City’s flourishing club scene for jazz, boogie-woogie, blues and folk music. Terry and McGhee traveled in the same circles as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, and Josh White, among others in a rich mix of writers, actors and musicians. As a new generation emerging in the 1960’s drew inspiration from folk and blues, Terry and McGhee toured the world as the foremost exponents of the acoustic music of the Piedmont. They were named National Heritage Fellows in 1982 in recognition of their distinctive musical contributions and accomplishments.

“You got the south on steroids, when you got the music of the south, the culture of the south, the beauty of the south, through Brownie and Sonny,” Taj Mahal says. He describes McGhee as a “solid rhythm player. To really play behind the harp like that. He would set stuff up. He wasn’t making many notes. Sonny had all the notes, running around. But Brownie, he laid it down.” Cooder adds: “This thing of squeezing the thumb and first finger and a little bit of the second finger, which I still do. I’d forgotten where it came from. That’s what Brownie did. I saw him do that and said, ‘I think I can do that.’”

Taj Mahal calls Terry “a wizard harmonica player”. Cooder says, “Sonny had incredible rhythm for one thing. Making sounds with his voice and the harmonica so you couldn’t tell quite which was which. He was good at that.”

“We’ve been doing this a while,” Cooder says. “Perhaps we’ve earned the right to bring it back. Taj Mahal concludes. “We’re now the guys that we aspired toward when we were starting out. Here we are now… old timers. What a great opportunity, to really come full circle.”

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Dear Sunny Transculent Yellow Vinyl Edition

LP | 2021 | US | Original (Big Crown)

Release: 2021 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Big Crown Records is proud to present Dear Sunny... a compilation of Sunny & The Sunliners covers by Big Crown artists. Since the first time we heard "Should I Take You Home" by Sunny & The Sunliners, we have been avid fans. That record, which we were introduced to on MF Classy Chris' now legendary mixtape, The Time Is Right, set a lot of things in motion. It started of course with tracking down copies and collecting all of Sunny's records for our personal collections. That quickly turned into the desire to reissue some of his vast catalog on our label for the rest of the world to hear. We got in touch with Sunny and his son David and brought the idea to them. It took a lot of phone calls, a visit to their home in San Antonio, and three more years of calls and emails to convince them that our New York record label was a good place for them to entrust their music. After getting to know each other well enough Dave said, "You have been calling us non-stop for more than three years, you Must mean what you are saying" and with that, we signed a deal to do a reissue project on Big Crown. We then flew out to San Antonio again, this time with a scanner and a videographer. We sat down with Sunny to interview him, went through his vast collection of photos, and talked about his life and career. Sunny was even kind enough to let us film him performing acoustic versions of a few songs. We used all of that material for our 2017 compilation, Mr Brown Eyed Soul. That release is our highlight reel of Sunny's Soul tunes. Looking back at the response to that compilation, it is safe to say that we achieved our goal of connecting a whole new audience to Sunny's incredible music. We also made his rarest records readily available to collectors at a price that wouldn't empty their pockets. The concept for Dear SunnyâÇÝ came to us right after we signed the deal. We wanted our artists to cover his music as a tribute to him. Three years later we released the digital album on Sept 4th to coincide with Sunny's 77th birthday. The response has been nothing but love and now we are ready to press this up on vinyl with the addition of Liam Bailey's scorching cover of "Give Me Time". Everyone here stepped up to fill very big shoes doing these covers. Bobby Oroza teamed up with Cold Diamond & Mink and made a smashing version of "Should I Take You Home". The Shacks took on the anthemic "Smile Now, Cry Later" while Holy Hive covers "If I Could See You Now" building off the uptempo dance floor energy of the original. Paul & The Tall Trees bring a crooning vibe to "Rain Makes Me Blue" and Brainstory turned "Runaway" into a haunting ballad reminiscent of early Lee Hazelwood productions. Some of these turn out to be covers of covers. Bacao Rhythm & Steel B and takes on the funk collector's holy grail from Sunny, his cover of War's "Get Down" while 79.5 take Sunny's version of "My Dream" and change the vibe from a floating love song to theme music for the brokenhearted. Mr. Lee Fields does "The One Who's Hurting Is You" and the latest addition to the Big Crown Roster, Lizette and Quevin, do a rendition of the song that brought Sunny to Dick Clark's American Bandstand in 1963 and catapulted him to fame; his cover of Little Willie John's "Talk To Me". So as the letter begins, "Dear Sunny.." we hope that you enjoy this homage Sir. Thank you for all the music you have given all of us, it has been a pleasure to work with you and to get a chance to know you and your family. We will keep calling Dave every other week trying to get you in the studio with Leon to record some new material until it happens or you flat out tell us no...but all jokes aside, thank you Sunny. This was all really a dream come true for us. We hope everyone enjoys this homage to t he living legend, San Antonio's finest, Mr. Brown Eyed Soul, Sunny Ozuna as much as we do.

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Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-Field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996)

2CD | 2021 | EU | Original (Music From Memory)

LP | 2024 | Original (Circus Company)

Release: 2021 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Music From Memory is excited to announce a special compilation that they’ve been working on for some time now; Mfm053 – VA – Heisei No Oto – Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996). Compiled by long-time friends of the label, Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato, Heisei No Oto delves into a world of music released almost exclusively on CD and brings together a fascinating selection of discoveries from a little known and overlooked part of Japan’s musical history. The last ten or so years have seen a global wave of interest in Japanese music encompassing ambient, jazz, new wave and pop records from the 1980s, some of which is increasingly considered the most innovative and visionary music of that time. Although some music from this period, in the form of ‘City Pop’ or ‘rare groove’ records, had been coveted by collectors and DJs for a number of years, most Japanese music from the time was little known outside and often even within Japan. Sometime around the mid 2000s, two Osaka record store owners, Eiji Taniguchi of Revelation Time and Norio Sato of Rare Groove, along with a handful of deep Japanese diggers such as Chee Shimizu of Organic Music records in Tokyo, began to explore beyond the typical ‘grooves’ or ‘breaks’. Much like their counterparts in Europe and the US, they began delving into home-grown ambient, jazz, new wave and pop records, discovering visionary music, often driven by synthesizers or drum computers, that broke beyond the typical confines of their genres. Spending tireless hours in local record stores and embarking on digging trips across the country, Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato, much like Chee Shimizu, have been at the forefront of unearthing and introducing many of the very Japanese records now loved and sought after around the world. Yet as YouTube algorithms and vinyl reissues would transport such music into the global consciousness and demand and therefore scarcity intensified for such records, so Eiji and Norio have recently begun to turn their attention to CDs. The title of the compilation Heisei No Oto refers to the sound of the Heisei era, which began in 1989 and corresponds to the reign of Emperor Akihito until his abdication in 2019. Marking the culmination of one of the most rapid economic growths in Japanese history, 1989 also coincided with the music industry’s final shift away from vinyl in favour of CDs. And, although compact discs were first introduced seven years earlier it wasn’t until late into the ‘80s that, beyond dance music labels, CDs became the exclusive format for major and independent labels in Japan and throughout the world. This however didn’t signal the end of the innovation in Japan. Many of those same musicians who have become known for their work in the ‘80s would continue to produce outstanding music well into the mid ‘90s, as greater innovation and advances in musical equipment allowed Japanese musicians and producers to refine and explore new sounds. While musicians such as the seminal Haruomi Hosono, whose productions feature on a number of tracks, would continue to push the boundaries of these new technologies, these technological advances also meant less established musicians were able to make use of increasingly affordable but state-of-the-art equipment. Including music by Haruomi Hosono as well as Yasuaki Shimizu, Toshifumi Hinata and Ichiko Hashimoto who have become known and loved around the world in recent years, Hesei No Oto also features Japanese pop star Yosui Inoue, producers Jun Sato and Keisuke Kikuchi in aaddition to less established artists from the contemporary, jazz, new wave, pop and dance music scenes. Bringing together a selection of tracks that seem to define these specific genres and in fact move fluidly between a number of them, the music on the compilation is again underscored by experimentations with synthesizers and drum computers though with something of a gentle Pop sensibility. Reimagined here then under the encompassing term ‘Left-field Pop’, this is an exciting chapter in Japanese musical history that has only just begun to be fully explored. VA - Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996) is a 2xLP/2xCD that includes liner notes by Chee Shimizu and artwork by Hagihara Takuya and is released on February 28th.

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Rejoicer

This Is Reasonable

Release: 2024 / Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Yuval Havkin, also known as Rejoicer, is one of the foremost exponents of downtempo music, inspired by the fusion of jazz and hip-hop. His new album thus draws on his early influences while exploring the world of calm, melodic electronic music that borders on ambient.

This Is Reasonable has a chill-out feel to it, a record filled with melodies and atmospheres that, throughout its eleven tracks, conveys a sense of calm and floating, akin to ambient music. Stripped of the clichés of the genre, the album is built around subtle melodies and rich harmonies from keyboards and synths, which borrow as much from the spirit of jazz as from the inventions of electronica, whilst being supported by a gentle groove. This equilibrium is perfectly captured by Rejoicer's moniker, a term that evokes both the idleness of artificial paradises and a soft, caring form of spirituality.

Musical path
Yuval Havkin was born in Israel in 1985, and grew up in England before returning to his homeland. He began studying classical piano as a child, but was put off by such conservative teaching and turned to hip-hop and beatmaking in his teens. Throughout the 2000s, he learned his skills "on the job", working with musicians he met in Tel Aviv, a local scene that nurtured a sense of community and emulation. Back then, he was particularly impressed by the grooves and electronic inventions of Detroit producer Dabrye, who had a revelatory effect on him, before he discovered legendary musicians Madlib and Jay Dee aka J Dilla, who led him down the path of beatmaking.

Yuval Havkin's music career got off to a more serious start in the late 2000s with the creation of his own label, Raw Tapes, both based in Tel Aviv. Blending jazz, funk and hip hop, whilst still embracing pop influences, the label's productions showcased the richness of the new Israeli scene combining cool, elegance, playfulness, and a degree of research and inventiveness, thanks to the talent of artists and bands such as Duo Brothers, Maya Dunietz, iogi, Nitai Hershkovits, the Buttering Trio and Rejoicer, the artist's most personal project.

In 2018, Rejoicer's warm and engaging sounds caught the attention of the prestigious Los Angeles label Stones Throw, renowned for having signed his idols Madlib and J Dilla, not to mention Aloe Blacc and Peanut Butter Wolf (its founder). Two albums followed, Energy Dreams (2018) and Spiritual Sleaze (2020), both of which demonstrate his instrumental mastery, jazz culture and lush orchestrations. Both albums are on a par with more renown sampling prodigies of the beat scene, and gave him his first international recognition.

Now based between Los Angeles and Savyon, near Tel Aviv, this hyperactive and instinctive artist simultaneously pursues a career as a composer, musician and label owner, member of numerous bands and collective projects (Apifera, PlayDead, collaborations with Jimi Prasad and Avishai Cohen) while also offering his studios and production skills to other artists.

“Fela Kuti meets Aphex Twin”
This new Rejoicer album, which follows three earlier jazz-tinged records, marks a new and more personal musical direction for an artist who previously favored group work and collaborations. Following his meeting with Mathias Duchemin, founder of the Circus Company record label and a keen enthusiast of the new Israeli jazz scene, Yuval chose to delve into a more electronic and sequenced style of music, playing Prophet 6 and 8 synths, a Juno 60, a Minimoog and his Fender Rhodes keyboard, in contrast with the more organic sounds of his previous albums.

While a few tracks on this new album may sound like a laid-back version of some of the Warp label's early electronic classics by Aphex Twin or Boards of Canada, Yuval Havkin claims to have also been inspired by the great Fela Kuti, particularly in his search for harmonies between bass, keyboards and percussion, and by his elder trumpet-playing friend Avishai Cohen, a musician he particularly admires.

Beyond these various influences, This Is Reasonable is an album of compelling and bewitching melodies. The moods, peacefulness and sheer beauty of This Is Reasonable are, indeed, quite paradoxical, in stark contrast to the country's tragedies (the title explicitly refers to recent political disputes in Israel) and the war currently raging less than a hundred miles from his studio. A paradox fully embraced by the artist, who views his music as a response to the violence of our times.

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Cambridge Audio

AXA35

429,00 €*

2LP | 2024 | Original (Imbalance Computer Music)

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Integrated Stereo Amplifier with (Built-in) Phono-Stage

• 35 Watts Power per Channel – for detailed performance at all volumes, ideal for smaller/medium sized rooms
• Built-In Phono Stage – to plug & play a vinyl turntable
• Slim Timeless Design – classic hi-fi size, with Lunar Grey aluminium trim
• Tone Controls – fine-tune sound to compensate for room dynamics
• Digital Display – white LED, clearly shows; source, volume & menus
• Headphone Socket – full size socket for high-quality after-hours listening
• Front Aux Input – 3.5mm socket to easily connect compatible devices

Sound Comes First
Our AXA35 integrated amp offers 35 watts per channel and has a built-in moving magnet phono stage – perfect for vinyl enthusiasts. A white LED dot matrix display confirms listening source, and separate tone controls mean you can adjust the sound to suit your taste. There’s a large ¼” (6.35mm) headphone socket too, ideal for high-quality listening without disturbing those who might not share your great taste in music.

Your Journey into Sound
AXA35 is the ideal amp to begin listening to music and really appreciating it – hearing detail in familiar tunes you’ve previously missed. That’s down to the toroidal transformer it uses, a tech found higher up our range. Choose a pair of speakers to suit your taste, perhaps they’ve been in the family for years or maybe something from our SX Series.

Release the Wheels of Steel
The built-in phono stage is the ace up AXA35’s sleeve. It means that you can plug a turntable straight in without any extra kit. Moving magnet (MM) compatibility means AXA35 works with a wide variety of turntables – including that vintage one you’ve had your eye on. Soon you’ll be playing the records you’ve been saving for, and planning what to buy next.

Setting the Tone
With separate bass and treble controls, you can fine-tune AXA35’s sound to suit your taste, speakers and room dynamics. The volume level is shown on the LED dot matrix display, and with 35 watts per channel you’ll have plenty of kick for smaller to medium sized rooms.

Wired for Sound
AXA35 is a well-connected amp, with no less than 4 pairs of RCA inputs, plus a pair of phono sockets for a turntable and a pair of recording outputs. There’s a rear USB socket for technical upgrades. Hi-fi quality speaker binding posts (connectors), compatible for banana plugs, mean that thick cable connects securely for an authentic sound.

Designed for Life
As with the rest of AX Series, AXA35 shares our house-style of Lunar Grey minimalist fascia, black steel cabinet and ‘floating’ base. This timeless look enables an upgrade path through our range. A slim build, in the classic 430mm hi-fi width, also means that AXA35 can easily slot, and breathe new life, into a much-loved system.

Technical specifications:
• POWER OUTPUT: 35 Watts (into 8 Ohms)
• THD (UNWEIGHTED): <0.01% @ 1kHz, 80% of rated power <0.15% 20Hz - 20kHz, 80% of rated power
• FREQUENCY RESPONSE (-3DB): 5Hz - 50kHz
• S/N RATIO (REF 1W): >82dB (unweighted)
• INPUT IMPEDANCES: 47k ohms
• POWER AMP DAMPING FACTOR: > 50
• MAX. POWER CONSUMPTION: 260W
• BASS/TREBLE CONTROLS: Shelving, ultimate boost/cut +/- 10dB @ 100Hz and 10kHz
• STANDBY POWER CONSUMPTION: <0.5W
• INPUTS: 4x RCA, 1x Phono, 1 x 3.5mm Aux input (front panel)
• OUTPUTS: Speakers, Rec Out, USB 5V power
• DIMENSIONS (HXWXD): 83 x 430 x 335mm (3.3 x 16.9 x 13.2”)
• WEIGHT: 5.6kg (12.3lbs)
• IN THE BOX: AXA35 Integrated Amplifier, Power Cable, Remote Control, 2 x AAA Batteries

Go to Item

Monolake

Studio

33,99 €*

Luminous Rubble HHV Exclusive Blue Vinyl Edition

Release: 2024 / Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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My studio is my shelter, I feel comfortable there, surrounded by wonderful inspiring machines. A small cosy room where ideas emerge, mature, morph, and solidify into their final shape. 'Studio' is the result of spending time in that space. The album's intention is simple: Presenting a beautiful personal musical journey. The creative process in itself matters to me, the interaction with my instruments, the accidental discoveries, the successful execution of a vision and anything in between.
Most of the tracks on this album got revised countless times, and then even more, once I knew in which context and order I wanted to arrange them. I have been living with my music for months now, listening, thinking, changing, diving deeper and deeper into each piece.
I love albums, they are a beautiful long-form format where each part has its place, a journey from the start till the end. Each piece has its own story, its own flavour and history.
Some of them have been with me since a while already. There is material which I created years ago for installations and music derived from previous audiovisual works, all completely ripped apart and rearranged multiple times. During their creation my pieces often turn into something completely different, they repeatedly shift from one state to another until they become solid. What I consider a core element at the beginning might be later discarded completely, and a little detail in the background might become the essence.
Many explorations ended in the trash bin before the results had a chance to be part of 'Studio'. Things did not fall into place, did not feel right.
Other compositions had to fill the void instead, some created quickly in a rush of inspiration, some slowly, shy, questioning their significance. This album did not come into existence in a hurry, it took as long as it needed. I used the time to walk around my creations, to listen to them from the distance, physically, mentally, with friends, in all kinds of different contexts. I tried to understand what I just did. I started to see patterns, hidden motifs, things that were buried in between too many layers of sound. What is essential? What is ornament? I reduced, rearranged, added again.
The closer I got to the final state of 'Studio' the more clarity I found. The inherent doubts and the nagging voices from the inside got more quiet, and a sense of achievement started to manifest itself. More and more details just fell into place. And now it is done. After making electronic music since almost thirty years I don't care anymore about genres, about how to label things. It is music, my own personal music, and that's it. Call it electronica if you wish.
Process Notes
The music on this album has been constructed in Ableton Live. Most of the sounds have been created with my collection of beloved hardware synthesisers and effects, often further processed until something completely different did emerge. Sometimes I spend days in the studio just recording sounds or creating new presets, without already having a composition in mind. A few selected musical instruments contributed significantly to the palette of this album; a New England Digital Synclavier II, which also served as inspiration for the artwork, a Sequential Prophet VS, which is present on all Monolake albums since 1996, a Yamaha SY77, Linn Drum, and the Oberheim Xpander. And then there is Operator in Ableton Live, which I developed in 2004 and still love to use, and a lot of the other effects and instruments in the software. And of course my Granulator III instrument, and the PitchLoop89 audio effect. The final sonic world is often the result of radical processing of these elements, via filtering, pitch shifting, time stretching and other types of processing, both in Live and with my hardware. The good old Alesis Quadraverb deserves an honorary mention here, so does the AMS RMX 16.
Artwork
The cover combines a few complex elements. A composition of various lichen photographs, and a computational noise field that cuts rivers into the structure, where the inner artwork of the album shines through: The inside of the CD package and the gatefold vinyl cover shows a non-existing musical instrument, based on the user interface of the Synclavier II. I've always been fond of its futuristic button matrix with red LEDs, which conjures a sense of nostalgia for early computer systems. But I wanted more than just a photograph of it. Instead, I created a collage that not only consists of its existing controls but also integrated additional features it never possessed, though it might have in a subsequent iteration. In essence, I crafted a vision of a future that never materialized.
Geeky detail: When a Synclavier II is turned on, and the connected mainframe computer did not boot yet, the LEDs in the buttons light up in random patterns. The imaginary version of it does the same.

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Blockhead

LP | 2024 | US | Original (Def Presse)

34,99 €*

The Age Of Consent - 40th Anniversary Edition

Release: 2024 / US – Original

Genre: Hip Hop

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Limited to 200 copies.

It’s a producer’s dream: Being given access to a vast library of material to construct something completely new and exciting out of all of it—and when Blockhead’s at the controls, the results are a listener’s paradise, too. The New York City-based hip-hop production legend’s latest album, Luminous Rubble, is also the fifth release in the London-based label Def Pressé’s KPM Crate Diggers series, which hands the keys to the KPM Library’s storied collection—home to over 70 years of music and sound designs made for television, film, and radio—to some of the best behind the boards. The results are like witnessing a kid unleashed in a candy shop, as Blockhead unleashes his boundless creative mind on the KPM Library’s limitless potential—pure inspiration and joy, for your listening pleasure.

Luminous Rubble is the latest missive in a particularly busy period for underground hip-hop veteran Tony Simon, who’s spent the last decades lending his considerable talents to work from artists like Armand Hammer, billy woods, Murs, and Open Mike Eagle; in 2021, he released the critically acclaimed collab LP Garbology with rap legend and longtime collaborator Aesop Rock, just last year he unleashed his twelfth solo album, The Aux. Luminous Rubble had its origins in a chance meeting after a Hamburg show between Simon and a KPM rep, who explained the Crate Diggers conceit to him.

“For me, as a producer who uses samples, there’s nothing better than free rein,” Simon recalls. “I was like, ‘Are there any rules?’ And he said, ‘Just make whatever you want.’ That was so exciting for me. I don’t get that on my own releases, but in this case every sample is cleared and it’s all good.”

As is the case with many sample excavators, Simon already had a deep history with what the KPM library had to offer him as well—to the point where, while digging through the crates in the making of Luminous Rubble, he even came across records he’d sampled from in the past. “Their vault is the one I’m most familiar with,” he says with a laugh. “Back when I used to go record shopping a lot, I would pretty much buy any KPM record on sight. They were always a huge find at record stores. So to be able to tap into these records with no limitations was really nice.”

“The challenge for me was trying to boil down what I wanted to do,” Simon continues while discussing the genesis of Luminous Rubble, which came together over the course of 2022. “I thought about making an album of super-long songs, but it would’ve been a whole different undertaking. So I just went with what I knew, because it’s a foolproof approach to me.” Of course, Simon’s track record as Blockhead meant that the familiar path was tried and true—but as Luminous Rubble’s ten tracks prove, it’s foolish to assume that would mean any laurel-resting on his part.

“My music is always very quirky and melody-driven,” Simon states while talking about how he stretched his creative wings in the studio. “I took chances more than usual when it came to samples and how I used them for foundation.” Indeed, Luminous Rubble finds Simon using the KPM library’s vastness to craft new and engagingly twisted beat-driven shapes; “Dork Crystal” radiates a sinister ominousness, with streaks of strings rubbing against stabbing guitar chords, while a delightfully scuzzy horn line dances around a hi-hat shuffle in “Scumlord.” “There’s something dirty about the horn sample,” Simon explains while discussing the track’s title. “It reminds you of oil-slicked streets in an alley. I wanted to embrace that feeling.”

Glittering bells and a woozy gait to “Serious About My Fitness” makes the tune sound as if you’re sweating it out on the Stairmaster (in a good way), while there’s a distinct thousand-karat shine to “Oh You Fancy,” which nearly resembles a glitzed-out haunted house in its gilded spookiness. “It just sounds like royalty,” Simon exclaims, before going into greater detail about how the creative parameters of the Crate Diggers series proved its own inspiration.

“I’ve always appreciated working within limitations,” he says. “Having no boundaries can be overwhelming when it comes to the creative process. Working with these samples forced me to find middle ground in cases where I’d typically just walk away and look elsewhere.” After hearing Luminous Rubble, you’ll be happy he stuck around.

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Bronski Beat

CD+DVD | 2024 | Original (London)

40,99 €*

12" | 2019 | EU | Original (La Casa Tropical)

Release: 2024 / Original

Genre: Pop

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Synth pop trio Bronski Beat's 1984 debut The Age of Consent is a rarity in musical history - an album that both defined a generation and challenged the status quo. Its four singles, and particular lead single 'Smalltown Boy', have endured with astonishing resonance, offering home to all listeners dreaming of escape from their familiar surroundings and situations.

Every track on the album places the listener 'in the room': they are in it, living it, rolling inside each song's thematic meaning. Through the blue-eyed wonder of singer Jimmy Somerville's vocal pirouettes, they too take the punch of hate in 'Why?', question the bible with alongside a male voice choir on 'It Ain't Necessarily So', and watch the same crappy TV advertising on 'Junk'. They are part of the trade-off between lust and commerce in 'Love and Money' and the heated near climax of 'Need A Man Blues.'

40 years later and The Age of Consent remains as prescient and vital as ever as it did on its original release; truly transgressive - defiant, queer, and laden with hooks. To celebrate this important anniversary, London Records revisit the album across a series of expanded formats, uncovering sonic archival gems, new mixes, essays and more.

TRACKLISTING:

LIMITED 4CD+1DVD BOXSET

DISC ONE : THE AGE OF CONSENT - THE ALBUM PLUS
1. WHY?
2. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO
3. SCREAMING
4. NO MORE WAR
5. LOVE AND & MONEY
6. SMALLTOWN BOY
7. HEATWAVE
8. JUNK
9. NEED A MAN BLUES
10. I FEEL LOVE / JOHNNY REMEMBER ME
11. SMALLTOWN BOY (DJ 7" EDIT) - Bonus track
12. WHY? (REMIX) - Bonus track
13. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO (7" VERSION) - Bonus track
14. I FEEL LOVE (7" VERSION) WITH MARC ALMOND - Bonus track
15. RUN FROM LOVE (RADIO VERSION) - Bonus track
16. HARD RAIN (NME 7" VERSION) - Bonus track

DISC TWO : HUNDREDS & THOUSANDS - THE REMIX PLUS
1. HEATWAVE (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
2. WHY (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
3. RUN FROM LOVE (DOMINIC MAITA REMIX)
4. HARD RAIN (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
5. SMALLTOWN BOY (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
6. JUNK (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
7. LOVE AND MONEY (HUNDREDS & THOUSANDS REMIX) * - Bonus track
8. INFATUATION / MEMORIES - Bonus track
9. CLOSE TO THE EDGE - Bonus track
10. I FEEL LOVE (CAKE MIX) WITH MARC ALMOND - Bonus track
11. CADILLAC CAR (EXTENDED) - Bonus track

DISC THREE : CONSENT EXTENDED - THE 12 INCHES PLUS
1. SMALLTOWN BOY (12" VERSION)
2. WHY? (12" VERSION)
3. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO (12" VERSION)
4. I FEEL LOVE (12" VERSION) WITH MARC ALMOND
5. RUN FROM LOVE (US CLUB REMIX '85) *
6. SMALLTOWN BOY (US CLUB REMIX '84) *
7. RED DANCE
8. THE POTATO FIELDS
9. PUIT D'AMOUR
10. SIGNS (AND WONDERS)
11. I FEEL LOVE (FRUIT MIX)

DISC FOUR : IGNORE AT YOUR PERIL - THE RARITIES PLUS
1. SMALLTOWN BOY (CAPITAL RADIO SESSION, MAY '84) *
2. HEATWAVE (CAPITAL RADIO SESSION, MAY '84) *
3. HARD RAIN (CAPITAL RADIO SESSION, MAY '84 )*
4. WHY? (EARLY VERSION, MARCH '84) *
5. CRAZY MARAQUITTA (STUDIO SESSION) *
6. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO (EARLY VERSION) *
7. UPSIDE DOWN (STUDIO SESSION) *
8. SCREAMING (EARLY VERSION, MARCH '84) *
9. THE POWER OF THE GOLD (STUDIO SESSION) *
10. LOVE AND MONEY (EARLY VERSION) *
11. FIRST CHURCH (FEEL LOVE) (STUDIO SESSION) *
12. JUNK (EARLY VERSION 2) *
13. WALKING (STUDIO SESSION) *
14. NO MORE WAR (EARLY VERSION) *
15. GO (YOU & ME) (STUDIO SESSION) *
16. CLOSE TO THE EDGE (EARLY ALTERNATE EXTENDED MIX) *
17. HEATWAVE (EARLY VERSION) *
18. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS (STUDIO SESSION) *
19. SMALLTOWN BOY (EARLY VERSION, MARCH '84) *

DISC FIVE / DVD : THE FIRST CHAPTER - THE VIDEOS PLUS
OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEOS
1. SMALLTOWN BOY (RESTORED PROMO)
2. WHY? (RESTORED PROMO)
3. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO (RESTORED PROMO)
4. I FEEL LOVE (RESTORED PROMO) WITH MARC ALMOND
TOP OF THE POPS PERFORMANCES
5. SMALLTOWN BOY (BBC 'TOP OF THE POPS', JUNE '84)
6. WHY? (BBC 'TOP OF THE POPS', SEPTEMBER '84)
7. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO (BBC 'TOP OF THE POPS', DECEMBER '84)
8. I FEEL LOVE (BBC 'TOP OF THE POPS', APRIL '85) WITH MARC ALMOND
ORIGINAL TV ADVERTS
9. THE AGE OF CONSENT - TV ADVERT #1 (DECEMBER '84) *
10. THE AGE OF CONSENT - TV ADVERT #2 (JANUARY '85) *
* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

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Skyf Connection

Ten To Ten

18,99 €*

Release: 2019 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Skyf Connection (pronounced skAyf) was a short lived project by long time friends Anthony Mthembu and Enoch Nondala. At the time they were working for Annic Music, an independent label run by married couple Anne and Nic Blignaut. Although the label was known mostly for Zulu, Sotho, Tsonga and other traditional styles, they had a few Disco releases on the label including groups like Keith Hutchinson’s Focus and Enoch’s discovery Lena, who went on to have huge success under the name Ebony a few years later.
In 1984, when an artist didn’t show up for a booked session they decided to make use of the studio time and began working on a demo. At the time Anthony and Enoch had been playing for a year at a new club called Gamsho, located on a farm on the outskirts of Kliptown Soweto. Along with Blackie Sibisi, Sepate Mokoena and Elijah “chippa” Khumalo they made up the resident house band. Due to cultural boycotts and American artists refusing to perform in the country, locals took it upon themselves to fill the market with the American sound the crowds demanded. The demo they recorded at Blue Tree Studios was going to be their product they could use to promote their brand of the American sound. They then took the demo to Universal Studios where their friend and trusted engineer Jan “fast fingers” Smit was working. It would be here that they would polish their demo into something they could take to their bosses and have pressed. Equipped with a DX 7, Linn Drum and some Juno synthesizers they were on their way. Jan lived up to his name and programmed the drums, it is rumoured he could program in almost real time, a skill that translated to the local arcade where he held high scores on many machines. Enoch would be singing and playing guitar while Anthony would do all the Bass and Keyboards. The result was 4 funky party anthems with synth work like no other recording at the time. Their take on what they believed the crowd would want to hear at the beloved club they called home.
From start to finish the 4 tracks portray what would have been a standard night at the Gamshu. Although the club would open earlier and the standard hours of most clubs was 6 to 6 , the band would start playing at 10pm. With their standard set time and Anthony and Enoch unique view on what a Disco should be, they chose the motto Ten to Ten as the album title because those were the hours when they were the stars and Disco ruled the dance floor. To get to the club was a bit difficult, you needed to drive along an empty road where thieves waited for any patrons trying their luck walking after dark. Since there was no transport during the night, the safest way to get home was to wait till the next morning to walk home. Even though in the summer months of Johannesburg light begins to peek in just after 4am, crowds refused to leave and stayed enjoying good music and company until 10am. The lead off track “Let’s Freak Together” has powerful lyrics encouraging people to let go of their worries, put aside any differences and let the music bring everyone to freak and dance together. The whole album is about the joy we can all feel when we share the same moments and how music can bring people together in a unique way, a philosophy shared with the original nightclubs of 70s New York. This approach to music is where the name Skyf Connection comes from, translating from slang to mean the connection we create through sharing, in this case Music and good times.
Skyf Connection would go on to play at Gamsho till the club’s closure in 1986. In those years their popularity lead to being booked for private events like weddings and birthday parties, as well as gigs in some other venues like Mofolo Hall. They would share the stage with many artists through the years learning artist’s songs and providing support as a backing band. After the club closed Anthony would go on to join the house band at The Pelican, another famous club located in Orlando East, as well as dabbling with songwriting for artists like Phumi Maduna and helping Enoch on many projects through the years. Enoch would ditch live music altogether and immerse himself in studio work, starting full time as a house producer and A&R for the recently formed Ream Music. He would go on to produce hit albums for pop artists like Percy Kay and Makwerhu but made his mark discovering countless artists that would become stars in the traditional market. They would remain friends until Anthony’s passing in 2016 and although Anthony is no longer with us his spirit lives in the grooves he left on this one of a kind record. His wife Vinolia will be accepting his portion of the profits on his behalf.

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Jambú - E Os Míticos Sons Da Amazônia

2LP | 2019 | EU | Original (Analog Africa)

31,99 €*

LP | 2024 | EU | Original (Timec / Paris DJs)

Release: 2019 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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The city of Belém, in the Northern state of Pará in Brazil, has long been a hotbed of culture and musical innovation. Enveloped by the mystical wonder of the Amazonian forest and overlooking the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, Belém consists of a diverse culture as vibrant and broad as the Amazon itself. Amerindians, Europeans, Africans - and the myriad combinations between these people - would mingle, and ingeniously pioneer musical genres such as Carimbó, Samba-De-Cacete, Siriá, Bois-Bumbás and bambiá. Although left in the margins of history, these exotic and mysteriously different sounds would thrive in a parallel universe of their own.

I didn’t even know of the existence of that universe until an Australian DJ and producer by the name of Carlo Xavier dragged me deep into this whole new musical world. Ant it all began in Belém do Pará. Perched on a peninsula between the Bay of Guajará and the Guamá river, sculpted by water into ports, small deltas and peripheral areas, Belém had connected city dwellers with those deeper within the forest providing fertile ground for the development of a popular culture mirroring the mighty waters surrounding it. Through the continuous flow of culture, language and tradition, various rhythms were gathered here and transformed into new musical forms that were simultaneously traditional and modern.

Historically marginalized African religions like Umbanda, Candomblé and the Tambor de Mina, which had reached this side of the Atlantic through slaves from West Africa – especially from the Kingdom of Dahomey, currently the Republic of Benin – left an indelible stamp on the identity of Pará´s music. They would give birth to Lundun, Banguê and Carimbó, styles later modernised by Verequete, Orlando Pereira, Mestre Cupijó and Pinduca to great effect. The success of these pioneers would create a solid foundation for a myriad of modern bands in urban areas.

Known as the “Caribbean Port,” Belem had been receiving signal from radio stations from Colombia, Surinam, Guyana and the Caribbean islands - notably Cuba and the Dominican republic - since the 1940s. By the early 1960s, Disc jockeys breathlessly exchanged Caribbean records to add these frenetic, island sounds to liven up revelers. The competition was fierce as to who would be the first to bring unheard hits from these countries. The craze eventually reached local bands’ repertoires, and Belém’s suburbs got overtaken by merengue, leading to the creation of modern sounds such as Lambada and Guitarrada.

To reach a larger audience, the music needed to be broadcast. Radios began targeting the taste of mainstream audiences and played music known as “music for masses.” As the demand for this music grew, it led to the establishment of recording companies. Belém’s infant recording industry began when Rauland Belém Som Ltd was founded in the 1970s. It boosted a radio station, a recording studio, a music label and had a deep roster of popular artists across the carimbó, siriá, bolero and Brega genres.

Another important aspect in understanding how the musical tradition spread in Belém, are the aparelhagem sonora: the sound system culture of Pará. Beginning as simple gramophones connected to loudspeakers tied to light posts or trees, these sound systems livened up neighbourhood parties and family gatherings. The equipment evolved from amateur models into sophisticated versions, perfected over time through the wisdom of handymen. Today’s aparelhagens draw immense crowds, packing clubs with thousands of revelers in Belém’s peripheral neighbourhoods or inland towns in Pará.

The history of "Jambú e Os Míticos Sons Da Amazônia" is the history of an entire city in its full glory. With bustling night clubs providing the best sound systems and erotic live shows, gossip about the whereabouts of legendary bands, singers turned into movie stars, supreme craftiness, and the creativity of a class of musicians that didn’t hesitate to take a gamble, Jambú is an exhilarating, cinematic ride into the beauty and heart of what makes Pará’s little corner of the Amazon tick. The hip swaying, frantic percussion and big band brass of the mixture of carimbó with siriá, the mystical melodies of Amazonian drums, the hypnotizing cadence of the choirs, and the deep, musical reverence to Afro-Brazilian religions, provided the soundtrack for sweltering nights in the city’s club district.

The music and tales found in Jambú are stories of resilience, triumph against all odds, and, most importantly, of a city in the borders of the Amazon who has always known how to throw a damn good party.

“Jambú is a plant widely used in Amazonian and Paraense cuisine. Known for having an appetitestimulating effect, it is added to various dishes and salads but is most famously one of the main ingredients in Tucupi and Tacacá, two delicacies that have been immortalized in countless Carimbó songs. Chewing the leaves of the Jambú plant will leave a strong sensation of tingling on the tongue and lips. Indigenous communities have relied upon its anaesthetic qualities for centuries as an effective remedy against toothaches and as a cure for mouth and throat infections. A decade ago, a distillery from Belém discovered the euphoric effects of the Jambú plant when combined with distilled sugarcane based spirit - known as cachaça - and created the now legendary “Cachaça de Jambú“.

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Grant Phabao

Magic Kingdom

34,99 €*

LP | 2023 | UK | Original (Worried Songs)

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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The latest Paris DJs release is a kinda Library Funk album, produced by Grant Phabao with the help of friends Frank Biyong (Massak), RacecaR and Sake Smith (Seun Kuti, Les Frères Smith). The album is released as a 300 copies only limited edition LP, with a download code to access three exclusive, unreleased Paris DJs Soundsystem mixes, which were part of the creative process…

Way back in 2012 we were asked to do the George Clinton website, the kind of job you're proud to be offered. We were told we should work with a specific graphic guy from France, named Ben Hito. We thought "well another designer who never produced web images" but we contacted him anyway. He sent a handful of Amazing banners, totally on-point with pure P-Funk colors. So we asked him to do a few visuals for our Paris DJs' label releases. Very soon, we handed him the keys to all Paris DJs imagery. Carte Blanche. For 12 years now he's created more than 200 visuals for Paris DJs. With him we put out 45s, LPs, CD boxsets, CDs, T-shirts, stickers, magazines, flyers and even some beach towels.

Most of the time, Ben Hito has been illustrating our music. With the artists names, the titles and the tracks themselves for inspiration.

When we did our Afro, Funk & Hip Hop boxset compilations, he only had the titles and the music genres, for him to create something. Then we would publish the artwork and ask people to send music that would fit the specific theme and its visual interpretation. The results looked so cool, many artists wanted to be on those compilations and sent music our way.

Last year's "Le Son de la Ville Lumière" releases were quite something too. We only told Ben Hito we had a trilogy of Paris DJs compilation to put out, volumes 1, 2 and 3. The sleeves he designed are nothing short of extraordinary. Some of his most beautiful work ever. The music, a blend of reggae, funk, afrobeat and hip hop, is pure gold. We felt we had reached new heights.

Always on the path of re-invention, for this new Grant Phabao LP we tried something completely new. It was Ben Hito who contacted us with a poster he had drawn. He asked us to create a "luxurious, arabic-themed" music mix to illustrate his image. We tried to gather some contemporary productions with a musical arabic twist but failed. So we tried to go into the old school stuff, but what we had amassed we found out 'everybody' knew already. So we went in a totally different direction, and opted to construct a mix of instrumental, psychedelic grooves, from current artists, released on a vinyl 45 (7 inch), which we physically had in our collection. Many constraints but we had so many tunes on that precious little vinyl format, that we ended up cooking 3 one hour-long mixes, called "Magic Kingdom - Volumes 1, 2 & 3".

Strangely, we never had so much feedback on any of the 500 mixes we published on the Paris DJs podcast those last 15 years, than we had with this new trilogy, even though nearly nobody heard it, besides a happy few at the store, or at a special summer outdoor unannounced gig. Djouls prepared the selection of 45s and Grant Phabao did the mixing and mastering. At some point the latter said "I can do an album of instrumental tunes like those". To which the former replied "It's a good idea, and we already have a Ben Hito artwork for it that we never really used". And this is how Grant Phabao went into his studio and produced a brand new LP inspired by those 3 hours of magic psychedelic contemporary grooves, which themselves were inspired by a visual from poster artist Ben Hito! Of course this is purely dialoguing between our own selves, but doing things totally from the end was an incredible experience for us.

For fans of Brownout, The Cactus Channel, Calibro 35, El Michels Affair, Kelly Finnigan, Greg Foat, Serge Gainsbourg, Karate Boogaloo, Shawn Lee, Ocote Soul Sounds, Misha Panfilov, The Poets of Rhythm, Adrian Quesada, Skinshape, The Sorcerers, The Soul Surfers, Surprise Chef, The Traffic…

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Bob Martin

Seabrook

22,99 €*

Can't Buy A Thrill 200g Clarity Vinyl Uhqr 45rpm Vinyl Deluxe Limited Edition Box Set

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Bob Martin began what would become his final studio album in a beach front condominium in Seabrook, New Hampshire in May 2008. The recordings sat dormant for the next 13 years. This album began when James Endeacott of 1965 Records sent Jerry David DeCicca to Charlottesville, Virginia to meet Martin, hoping to reissue Martin’s 1972 debut on RCA Records, Midwest Farm Disaster. DeCicca, who had co-produced the final recordings of folk-funk, Heartworn Highways’ songwriter, Larry Jon Wilson, for 1965 Records (and later reissued by Drag City Records) had played the LP for Endeacott several months earlier. Midwest Farm Disaster is that rare album that feels joyful and yet full of sorrow; Martin’s Lowell, Massachusetts voice yearning with a backbeat from Nashville session musicians, Norman Putnam and Kenny Buttrey, the later fresh from his “Heart of Gold” session. The reissue never happened, as Martin was already in the process of rescuing his forgotten masterpiece for his own self-release. But Bob and Jerry’s breakfast led to Martin’s daughter, Tami, hiring DeCicca and engineer, Jake Housh, who also worked on the Wilson album, to capture her father in a similar manner. After Midwest Farm Disaster, a second album for RCA was under contract, but when a record executive there wanted Martin to put his girlfriend’s poetry to music, Bob bailed on the deal. Martin continued to tour around with a pickup band until advice from his father resonated, and he left the road to raise a family. Bob worked as an educator, teaching math and computers, and even founded a school in West Virginia that taught traditional art forms in Appalachia like fiddle playing and weaving. Bob returned to the studio in 1982 to record Last Chance Rider for the June Appal, a label that focused on music from Appalachia and had released albums by Nimrod Workman, Si Kahn, and Betty Smith. In the late-90’s, Bob returned with two self-released CDs, The River Turns The Wheel and Next to Nothin’ that continued capturing stories of people and places that exhale their own mythologies. He wrote novels, cared for his family, and taught, and played only the occasional gig. But it’s this album, Seabrook, that finds Bob at his most wise and wistful; the histories of Lowell and his own life hanging longest in his voice. New songs about the West Virginia coal mines (“Three Miles Beneath This Mountain”) and living in an extended stay motel (“Midway Motel”) sit beside new and more urgent interpretations of late period classics, like “My Father Painted Houses,” and, for the first time, one of his oldest songs he didn’t record for Midwest Farm Disaster called “Give Me Light”, along with “Stay Awhile Sunshine,” which he had been singing to his family for decades and features Gary Mallaber (“Tupelo Honey”) on vibraphone. After DeCicca and Housh returned from the beach with Bob, they all agreed to flesh out the songs with other instrumentation to present as a draft for what the new record could be with a little more money and time. This was the time when the epilogue of musicians’ work was still of interest to labels. Everyone with a guitar over 65 was still in the shadow of Rubin’s Cash, and recent records by Loretta Lynn, Charlie Louvin, Soloman Burke, and Candi Staton were both fashionable and profitable. But Martin wasn’t as well known and his classic debut was only licensed for a limited physical release, proving him a difficult sell. Labels passed or made unreasonable requests, and Bob eventually lost interest; instead, choosing to record a solo acoustic live album, Live at the Bull Run, and tour Europe for the first time. There were hiccups of hope, like a feature in No Depression and a song in the TV show, Justified, but the new recordings quickly began collecting dusk. In the meantime, DeCicca continued producing records for other older artists, like Ed Askew’s For the World (Tin Angel), two Chris Gantry releases (Drag City), Will Beeley’s Highways and Heart Attacks (Tompkins Square), and reissue projects for the Numero Group (Elyse Weinberg, Rob Galbraith). Then, in 2021, DeCicca received a call from Bob’s daughter, Tami, giving him permission to finish the album as Bob’s health was failing. Upon revisiting the tracks with Housh, the album needed very little tidying up and the songs were completed with DeCicca’s former bandmates, The Black Swans, who had previously played on the original mock up back in 2008. With new technology and a new perspective, the album was completed, but not before Martin’s health had deteriorated more. Bob Martin passed away September 21, 2022 at 80 years of age. Sadly, he never heard his final album.

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Steely Dan

Box | 1973 | US | Reissue (Analogue Productions)

201,99 €*

Release: 1973 / US – Reissue

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Analogue Productions are giving us the Ultimate Steely Dan experience. Their first seven classic albums are being released on Uhqr vinyl. You will never have had heard these recordings sounding so good, period! They are super deluxe packages with booklets, pressed on clarity vinyl using the best techniques to extract the maximum analogue information. They will be strictly Limited to 20,000/15,000 respectively worldwide. Expect huge demand. Pre-order now! The first two titles are due to ship in November/December with the rest to follow next year. Can't Buy A Thrill — Steely Dan's platinum-selling debut studio album now on Uhqr! Definitive reissue Ultra High Quality Record, the pinnacle of high-quality vinyl! 45 RPM LP release limited to 20,000 numbered copies Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman Pressed at Quality Record Pressings using 200-gram Clarity Vinyl® Purest possible pressing and most visually stunning presentation and packaging! Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing

Steely Dan's platinum-selling debut studio album Can't Buy A Thrill, released in November 1972, was a commercial success, peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard chart. It later appeared on many professional listings of the greatest albums, including Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000) and Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2003)

The album was written by band members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, recorded in August 1972 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles, and produced by Gary Katz. Its music features tight song structure and sounds from soft rock, folk rock, and pop, alongside philosophical, elliptical lyrics. Two songs recorded during the Can't Buy A Thrill sessions were left off the album and released as a single: "Dallas" b/w "Sail the Waterway." This is the only Steely Dan album to include David Palmer as a lead vocalist, having been recruited after Donald Fagen expressed concerns over singing live. Drummer Jim Hodder also chips in lead vocals on one song, "Midnite Cruiser" (sometimes spelled "Midnight Cruiser"), as well as singing the "Dallas" single. By the time recording of the next album began, the band and producer Gary Katz had convinced Fagen to assume the full lead vocalist role.

AllMusic gave the album 4.5 stars, with reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine praising the core duo Walter Becker and Donald Fagen as "remarkable craftsmen." Erlewine noted that "there are very few of the jazz flourishes that came to distinguish their (later) albums", but added that the first single from the album, "Do It Again," incorporates a tight Latin jazz beat, while the second single, "Reelin' In the Years," features jazzy guitar solos and harmonies.

Rolling Stone, in its review, said the debut album was a collection of some of the group's best jazz/rock songs.

"Two of Fagen's four (vocal solo) songs were the singles, ‘Do It Again' and ‘Reelin' In The Years,' the later starting off (and continues throughout) with a ripping solo by session player, Elliot Randall, and in fact, was rated by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page as his favourite guitar solo of all time. That's quite an endorsement. The song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Charts. ‘Do It Again' charted at No. 6, making it their second highest chart for a single. ‘Dirty Work,' another great song from the record features Palmer. The album is tight, with some of the best musicianship money can buy." — Rolling Stone

The album cover features a photomontage by Robert Lockart that includes an image of a line of prostitutes, standing in a red-light area from Rouen in France waiting for clients. The image was chosen because of its relevance to the album title. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen themselves commented on the album art in their liner notes to the reissued The Royal Scam, saying that The Royal Scam album possessed "the most hideous album cover of the seventies, bar none (excepting perhaps Can't Buy A Thrill)." The cover was banned in Francisco Franco's Spain and was replaced with a photograph of the band playing in concert.

After a brief battle with esophageal cancer, Walter Becker died on September 3, 2017 at the age of 67. Steely Dan has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001. VH1 ranked Steely Dan at No. 82 on their list of the 100 Greatest Musical Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone ranked them No. 15 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.

This stereo Uhqr reissue will be limited to 20,000 copies, with gold foil individually numbered jackets, housed in a premium slipcase with a wooden dowel spine.

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G-Shock

GBD-200UU-9ER

149,95 €*

Available Sizes: One Size

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G-Shock GBD-200UU-9ER - Features/Specifications:
• Bluetooth® Smart
The watch is equipped with energy-saving Bluetooth® technology, which offers power-saving data transfer at the push of a button. The watch can connect to a smartphone wirelessly via Bluetooth®, enabling access to a wide range of useful functions.
• Smartphone time
Local time will automatically be adjusted whenever the watch is connected with a smartphone.
• Super-Auto LED Light
If the ambient light fades, a turn of your wrist illuminates the watch display particularly brightly and in coulor.
• Shock-resistant
Shock-resistant construction protects against impact and vibration.
• Calorie consumption display
This function calculates the calories you have used and stores the result in the memory.
• Steptracker
The watch has a built-in 3-axis accelerometer that counts the steps you take and indicates the numbers on the display.
• Acceleration sensor
The motion sensor responds to acceleration and shows this as a speed on the display.
• Training Log
A training log stores the number of steps, calorie consumption as well as distance and lap times and helps to compare training units.
• Training Planner
The Training Planner supports your personal training goals and gives a signal by reaching predefined targets. For example, a specific calorie consumption or a certain work out time can be set in advance in order to control the workout individually.
• Training Analysis
This function shows training status, fitness level and training load as well as regeneration times. This information provides a good basis for planning further training sessions.
• World time function
Displays the current time in major cities and specific areas around the world.
• Stopwatch function - 1/100 sec. - 100 hours
Elapsed time, split time and final time are measured with 1/100-sec accuracy. The watch can measure times of up to 100 hours.
• Lap memory 100
Measured total, lap and split times can be stored in a memory with the date and can be displayed again later. A data set consists of: date, total, lap and split times. The memory has enough space for up to 100 data sets.
• 5 Timer - 1/1 Sec. - 60 Min. (with automatic repeat)
The count-down timer gives a signal by reaching the set time. The measuring capacity reaches up to 60 minutes. The timer can count back automatically again from the preset time. Five of these countdown alarms can be set independently.
• 4 daily alarms
The daily alarm reminds you about recurring events with an acoustic signal at the time you have set. This model has four independent alarms for flexible reminders of important appointments.
• Snooze feature
Each time you stop the alarm, it sounds again after a few minutes.
• Vibration alert
The vibration alarm discreetly reminds you of important appointments, without emitting a loud signal.
• Button tones on/off
The button tones for using the mode button can be turned off. This means that the watch no longer beeps when switching from one function to another. Preset alarm or countdown timers remain active when the button tones are deactivated.
• Phone Finder
Misplaced your smartphone? All it takes is the push of a button on your watch and the smartphone sounds an alarm.
• Incoming calls display
When you receive a call on your smartphone, a notification will appear on the watch display
• Incoming emails display
When you receive an email, the sender will appear on the display.
• Airplane Mode (Offline Mode)
At the touch of a button, the watch switches to offline mode. This means that you can disable the wireless or GPS receiver when in the air for the duration of the flight.
• 12/24-hour format
Times can be displayed in either a 12-hour or 24-hour format.
• Mineral glass
The tough mineral glass resists scratching.
• Resin case
The resin housing is the ideal everyday companion. It is durable, lightweight and relatively insensitive to cold, heat or other external influences.
• Resin band
Synthetic resin is the ideal material for wrist straps thanks to its extremely durable and flexible properties.
• Buckle
The bracelet is equipped with a buckle.
• 2 Years - 1 Battery
The battery supplies the watch with sufficient energy for approx. two years.
• Water resistance classification (20 bar)
Perfect for free diving without scuba gear: the watch is water resistant up to 20 bar according to ISO 22810.
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 48.4 x 45.9 x 15 mm
• Weight: approx. 58 g

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Teac

TN-4D-SE

499,00 €*

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New motor, developed exclusively for direct-drive turntables

The TN-4D-SE uses a sleek, brushless DC motor, offering crystal-locked speed accuracy, regulated by a computer-controlled feedback circuit and achieving low wow-and-flutter levels for a direct drive turntable, especially one with such a stylish, low-profile design.

Knife-edge, pivot-point tonearm bearings

In collaboration with SAEC Corporation, a world-famous, high-end tonearm manufacturer, the TN-4D's tonearm employs a knife-edge, pivot-point bearing. Unlike the case for tonearms with conventional bearings, any fine vertical movements encountered by this tonearm actually help in delivering a more dynamic sound with excellent resolution. The S-shaped tonearm also employs a universal headshell fitting, allowing users to quickly and easily swap cartridges/headshells, and supports a wide range of cartridge weights (from 14 - 23g).

Precision anti-skating and stylus-pressure adjustment

As you might expect, the tonearm is equipped with a counterweight, for precise stylus-pressure adjustment, and an anti-skating mechanism.

Pre-installed Oyster cartridge by SUMIKO

The TN-4D-SE comes with a well-regarded Oyster MM cartridge from SUMIKO – a legendary American cartridge manufacturer. Regardless of the type of music, the Oyster cartridge delivers a powerful but insightful performance.

Built-in PHONO EQ amplifier supporting MM cartridges

The TN-4D-SE comes with a built-in PHONO EQ amplifier that allows you to directly connect the turntable to the line-level inputs of your existing hi-fi system. The NJM8080 IC from New Japan Radio Corporation is employed for op-amp duties, bringing up the level of the tiny signals received via the cartridge up to LINE level strength without any loss of quality.

Die-cast aluminium platter

In conjunction with the newly-developed motor, the high inertia, die-cast aluminium platter helps to achieve better speed stability.

Insulating feet with excellent shock absorption

The insulating feet comprise a machined aluminium shell topped with a rubber cushion that is fixed to the high-density MDF plinth. Thanks to their excellent shock absorption characteristics the TN-4D-SE is very resistant to acoustic feedback.

2-speed turntable for 33-⅓ and 45 rpm

The TN-4D-SE supports 33-⅓ and 45 rpm for LP and EP records. Our insistence on quality engineering can even be seen in the construction of the rotary control for start-up/speed selection, formed of machined aluminium.

Features at a glance:
• Direct-drive analog turntable
• Crystal-locked speed stability, thanks to a new brushless DC motor with feedback control
• Die-cast aluminium platter
• Knife-edge, pivot-point tonearm base, designed by high-end tonearm manufacturer SAEC
• Multi-layer piano black or natural walnut veneer finish
• Built-in PHONO EQ amplifier for high-quality sound (PHONO/LINE switchable)
• Audiophile-grade NJM8080 op-amp used in PHONO EQ stage
• 2-speed drive offering 33-⅓ and 45 rpm
• Gold-plated oxidation-resistant output connectors
• Oyster MM cartridge by SUMIKO
• Shock-absorbing insulating feet
• GND terminal
• RoHS compliant
• Included Accessories
• Felt Mat
• EP Adapter
• Counter Weight
• Head-shell (SUMIKO Oyster installed)
• Platter
• Dust Cover
• Hinges × 2
• RCA Audio cable with GND terminal
• AC Adapter (GPE036W-24015)
• Owner's Manual (including Warranty Card)

TURNTABLE FEATURES
• Type: Manual
• Drive method: Direct-drive
• Speed: 33 rpm, 45 rpm
• Wow & flutter: ≤ 0.1%
• Built-in preamp: Yes
• S/N ratio: 67dB
• Cartridge: SUMIKO Oyster
• Cartridge type: MM
• Cartridge output: 4.0mV (1kHz)
• Tracking force: 2.3g
• Cartridge weight: 5.3g
• Including headshell: 15.3g
• Rec. cartridge weight: 4-13g
• Rec. cartridge weight (incl. headshell): 14-23g

AUDIO OUTPUTS
• Output level & impedance phono (MM): 4.0mV (1kHz)
• RCA: 1
• Output level & impedance RCA: 224mV (–13dBV)

ENERGY MANAGEMENT
• Power consumption (standby): 0.5W
• Power consumption: 2W
• AC adapter power
- Input: AC 100 V – AC 240 V, 50/60 Hz
- Output: DC 24 V, 1500 mA

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
• Product height: 11.7cm
• Product width: 42cm
• Product length: 35.6cm
• Product weight: 6.1kg
• Packsize height: 24cm
• Packsize width: 52.5cm
• Packsize length: 43.8cm

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Teac

TN-4D-SE

499,00 €*

3LP | 2022 | EU | Original (Cocoon)

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Sven Väth

Catharsis

33,99 €*

LP | 2021 | UK | Original (Outernational)

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Catharsis is Sven Väth's first solo album in almost 20 years, and the 50th album to be released on his incomparable label, Cocoon Recordings. Produced alongside Gregor Tresher, it arrives on 25 February 2022 and is a musical autobiography that charts Svens most extraordinary life in techno.

Without the West German-born Väth, techno would look, sound and feel very different. Since falling in love with electronic music and DJing in 1981, his dedication to the art has never faltered. He plays every party as if it were his last. His broad smile has connected with millions of people around the world. His colourful and curious character has imbued techno with a personality it was often lacking. His selections remain hugely unpredictable, despite the fact that he has been playing around the world for more than 40 years. To remain not only relevant but innovative after so long is a testament to Sven's ability to connect through music on a deeper level.

Technically, of course, he is a DJ who can play for thirty hours and not miss a beat. His track selections seem almost divine, and his aura is certainly otherworldly. But more than that, he is a ringleader who is able to mix the artful side of techno with the playful side of partying. Most famously he has done this for more than 20 years at his iconic Cocoon parties in Ibiza. They single-handedly introduced techno to the White Isle and have been its beating heart ever since. Under his charge, strict style guidelines and exaggerated pigeonholing no longer apply. Instead, he has perfected the art of playing far and wide while always remaining true to his own musical identity.

In the studio, Sven has always been just as unique. He has worked under several aliases but always brought a fresh perspective. Whether securing chart hits as part of OFF in the eighties, serving up brutalist techno and trance-tinged sounds in the nineties or crafting major label albums in the 2000s, his music has remained utterly forward-looking. That legacy continues with Catharsis as Sven teams up with highly respected producer Gregor Tresher for his latest long-form offering. Tresher has long been part of the Cocoon family and is a revered artist in his own right, when the two got together in the studio it was clear they had an instant connection and there would only be one person fit to co-author this LP.

It is a record inspired by Sven's interest in the physical and spiritual processes that take place when we dance. "They are realms into which we immerse ourselves to experience our own mysticism and ecstasy," he muses. "Dancing is a conversation between body and soul and it spiritually connects us with each other." Because of the pandemic, that is of course a feeling that we all missed out on for so long. "No dancing, no paradise!" says Sven. "My imagination for this record was fueled by the many cultural experiences and encounters I have had in my life. They gave me the strength to find a way, the way to myself." And that way to himself is through music, through purifying dancing rituals and the exchange of spiritual energies that are generated in the club.

The thirteen-track album explores all facets of Sven's sound. It opens with the stomping drums but sleek synths of 'What I Used To Play' and unfolds through deep and dirty rhythms like 'The Worm', subtly euphoric highs on 'The Inner Voice' and the bubbly tribalism of the title track. There is the impassioned call-to-arms that is 'Feiern', peak-time melodic workout 'Mystic Voices' and soothing electronic lullabies like 'Being In Love'. The second half of the album takes in many more twists and turns such as the exotic strings and driving drums of 'Butoh', the paranoid techno minimalism of 'nyx' and expansive synthscapes of ambient gem 'The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley' before things play out though rugged beats and emotive chords on 'We Are', which is named after the idea that we are what we think. "With our thoughts, we make the world.? says Sven.

Then comes the moody reflection of 'Silvi's Dream', which was written in French for Sven's girlfriend. Last but not least we have the immersive dream that is 'Panta Rhei', which completes a trio of electronica tunes on the album. Ambient music has been an integral part on almost every album Sven has written because it can bring a certain emotional deepness, a quality that Sven always has been looking for.

'Catharsis' is an adventurous album that captures the good times, the sad times and, most importantly, the times of hope.

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The Mallory-Hall Band

The Last Special

LP | 2021 | UK | Original (Outernational)

Release: 2021 / UK – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Outernational Sounds very proudly Presents The Mallory-Hall Band "Song of Soweto" & "The Last Special". Limited, fully licensed digital and vinyl reissues of two crucial South African sessions led by Charles Mallory and Al Hall, Jnr., featuring Kirk Lightsey, Marshall Royal, Rudolph Johnson, Billy Brooks and more! Essential companion pieces to Kirk Lightsey’s legendary ‘Habiba’. Featuring tracks: Song Of Soweto: Side A – ‘Song of Soweto’, ‘Hamba Samba’; Side B – ‘Cape Town Blues’, ‘Moroka Rock’, ‘The African Night’ The Last Special: Side A - ‘The Last Special’, ‘Princess of Joh’Burg’; Side B - ‘Amafu (Clouds)’, ‘Blue Mabone’ Never released outside South Africa, and out of print since 1974, Outernational Sounds presents two long-lost Johannesburg sessions from the Mallory-Hall Band – an all-star review of West Coast jazz stars who toured apartheid South Africa in the mid-1970s. Sanifu Al Hall, Jnr. is a musician’s musician. During a storied career stretching across six decades, Hall has recorded with the greats of the music including Freddie Hubbard, Doug Carn, and Johnny Hammond, and leads his own Cosmos Dwellerz Arkestra. But until recent years, the only records on which he had appeared as leader were a brace of rich, funky LPs, Song Of Soweto and The Last Special, issued only in South Africa under the moniker of The Mallory-Hall Band (named for Hall and his co-leader, guitarist Charles Mallory – musical director for Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Mallory was conductor for Dusty Springfield touring bands, and had worked with John Lee Hooker, Stevie Wonder, and many others). Neither LP had any wider release, and both have remained out of print since 1974. How did a young stalwart of the Los Angeles jazz scene end up in a recording studio in apartheid South Africa? Al Hall, Jnr. and Charles Mallory had arrived in South Africa as part of the touring band for the singer Lovelace Watkins. Sometimes billed as ‘the Black Sinatra’, the Detroit-born Watkins sang standards and ballroom classics on the Las Vegas circuit. He never made it big in the US, but in his 1970s heyday he was a huge star in southern Africa, and 1974 he hired a jazz big band to accompany him on a tour of South Africa – Hall and Mallory were part of the line-up, alongside Mastersounds bassist Monk Montgomery, pianist Kirk Lightsey, tenorist Rudolph Johnson, drummer Billy Brooks, and Marshall Royal, musical director of the Count Basie band. The tour was a huge success, and during downtime from performing, members of the group managed to independently record no fewer than three albums. Lightsey and Johnson’s stunning Habiba was the first (reissued as Outernational Sounds OTR.013), and it was followed by two crucial sessions led by Hall and Mallory – Song of Soweto and The Last Special, issued on the local IRC imprint. Visiting apartheid South Africa in 1974 was a controversial choice for any artist. Numerous artistic and cultural bodies around the world had already announced that their members would boycott the country in solidarity with the struggle against apartheid, and working in South Africa was severely frowned on by anti-apartheid activists everywhere. For a Black band, touring the country to play to mostly white audiences could have been seen by many both inside and outside South Africa as a questionable decision. ‘It was a batch of mixed reactions when I choose to visit South Africa whilst apartheid policies were in place,’ Hall recalls. ‘To me the choice was a simple one – “I wanna see for myself!” I also wanted to be a part of breaking down racial barriers, having been down some of the same roads in my own country.’ The albums were recorded by a twelve-piece band at Johannesburg’s Video Sounds Studios in December 1974, and feature the legendary pianist Kirk Lightsey, Black Jazz recording artist Rudolph Johnson, and the rest of the touring band. Both records are superbly arranged slabs of peak 1970s funky big band soul jazz, with tasteful Latin inflections and more than a nod to South Africa’s upful township jazz sound. They are the sonic traces left by a seasoned African American band who were touring South Africa in the depths of the apartheid era, and who immediately moved beyond the segregated hotels and ballrooms to build links with local South African players and audiences. Never previously available outside South Africa, Outernational Sounds’ new editions of Song of Soweto and The Last Special (alongside our edition of Kirk Lightsey’s Habiba) represents the first time these albums have been in print for nearly fifty years. Fully licensed from Gallo Records and pressed at Pallas in Germany from Gallo’s original masters, they feature new sleeve notes from Francis Gooding (The Wire) based on interviews with Al Hall, Jnr., and a reminiscence from pianist Kirk Lightsey.

Go to Item

The Mallory-Hall Band

Song Of Soweto

LP | 2021 | US | Original (Lovitt)

Release: 2021 / UK – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Go to Item

Soley

Mother Melancholia

25,99 €*

Life & Times Clear Vinyl Edition

Release: 2021 / US – Original

Genre: Pop

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Known for her delicate compositions, soaked in dream-like surrealism, Icelandic musician Sóley has attracted a huge following since launching her solo career back in 2010. Her 2012 single ‘Pretty Face’ went on to generate an enormous amount of buzz, and quickly became a viral sensation. Now, with three solo LPs under her belt, Sóley is preparing to debut a completely new sound via the release of her new concept album, Mother Melancholia, on October 22nd.

Described by the artist as "Nosferatu meets Thelma and Louise in a vampire church under the watchful eye of David Lynch", Mother Melancholia is the soundtrack to the end of the world as we know it. As a self-confessed news addict, Sóley became obsessed with the idea that the world is ending. Having surrounded herself with real-life stories of global warming and patriarchal politics she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was going to die. This feeling was so all encompassing that it sparked the idea for a new project. Could there be a soundtrack for the last days of humans on earth? How would that sound?

“I read books about possible dystopian worlds and started writing poems about irrational and in love characters who live in gray and cold imaginary loneliness. In each other’s burning arms. Walking in circles with no way out” she explains. “After all, the album reflects our life here and now. Our life and reality is a kind of dystopian world.”

Whilst writing the album, which serves as a tongue-in-cheek eulogy to our planet, Sóley began reading about ecofeminism, a branch of feminism which uses the concept of gender to analyse the relationship between humans and the natural world. Ecofeminism emphasizes that both women and nature must be respected but also separated. Since the beginning of time, the natural world has been synonymous with female identity, phrases like Mother Nature are commonplace. “The patriarchy views women as volatile and hysterical. Earth and women are either our saviours or our destroyers,” explains Sóley. “It’s so easy to abuse the earth, like the patriarchy has abused women since the dawn of time, then ask for forgiveness afterwards and promise they´ll never do it again”.

The new album sees Sóley move away from the indie-pop of her previous releases. She began by experimenting with writing songs on the accordion, allowing her a new sense of freedom in her writing. The process allowed her to broaden her horizons even further and experiment with a whole range of new and exciting sounds. “I bought myself a theremin as I was really excited about the unpitched sound and there is no perfect pitch during the end of days,” she laughs. “I also bought a mellotron, my first moog and a cello and taught myself how to play each of them. All of these new instruments are particularly suitable for the kinds of aesthetic inconveniences which I have learned to embrace.”

Album opener ‘Sunrise Skulls’, one of the most cinematic moments on the album, was inspired by the Me Too and SlutWalk movements and tells the story of a group of women who rise up and fight the patriarchy. ‘Blows Up’, a track that would be at home on any horror soundtrack, is a sarcastic love letter from the Earth to humans. Standout track ‘Desert’ is an incredibly moving song dedicated to the next generation. “It’s about the guilt you feel, as a mother, for having children and leaving them on the frontline. My daughter, for example, will take over this inevitable war” explains Sóley.

In true soundtrack style, the album flows through the end of the world in chronological order, closing with the Earth’s final moments. ‘Sundown’ is a dark piano ballad detailing human kind’s final day on Earth. “And everyday, I dig my own grave, and as I dive in you´ll hold my hand” she sings, over twinkling piano and swirling synths. We then hear the world end on ‘xxx’, a dark and swirling soundscape that swells before fading to silence. On ‘Elegía’ the silence then turns to the sound of the ocean, as we hear the Earth, like a woman finally free from a violent relationship, healing on her own.

Mother Melancholia is the mark of an artist confidently striding into more experimental territory. With a lengthy and successful career behind her, Sóley felt compelled to try something new and express the real her. The music might be shrouded in darkness but it’s a move that fills her with joy and freedom. “I hope that people not only enjoy the new sound, but also that Mother Melancholia might raise some questions in people, particularly women,” she says. “I’m under no illusions that this album will change the world but I hope that people can connect with the idea”.

Go to Item

Bubbha Thomas

LP | 1985 | US | Reissue (Tidal Waves Music)

32,99 €*

Life & Times Bone Colored Vinyl Edition

Release: 1985 / US – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Clear vinyl edition limited to 100 copies worldwide.

Houston’s reputation for developing first-class jazz acts is well-established, as a stream of young players has been distinguishing themselves for decades…among those musicians and mentors who stood tallest, Bubbha Thomas was no exception (and a major key-player) in this long tradition of talent.

Before becoming an artist and educator, Bubbha Thomas (born 1937) was a Fourth Ward kid who grew up in a music-filled household. In High School, he divided his time between music & basketball (he excelled at both) and studied with jazz legend Conrad “Prof” Johnson. “Prof” would later bring jazz glory to Texas with the Kashmere Stage Band, the group of teenagers who would win the “Best High School Stage Band In The Nation” prize in Mobile, Alabama in 1972 and who were anthologized in 2006 on Now-Again’s ‘Thunder Soul’ (which led to the 2010 Jamie Foxx documentary of the same name).

After finishing college, Bubbha got drafted in the service (he was a Korean War veteran) and would return to Houston in the early 1960s where he found work as a session drummer for the Duke and Peacock labels. Thomas drummed on recordings by O.V. Wright, Buddy Ace and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. He was playing his own stuff and backing luminaries such as R&B singer Chuck Jackson and homegrown legends like Lightnin’ Hopkins. Bubbha Thomas also teamed up with some of his equally legendary peers (like guitarist Melvin Sparks & organist Leon Spencer) and eventually established his own group, the Jazz Merchants.

Bubbha learned every style that was thrown at him and he played straight-ahead jazz with renowned artists before the political and social upheaval of the late 1960s led him to a path first charted by Coltrane and Sun Ra…the result of these newfound influences was the incredible spiritual jazz ensemble ‘The Lightmen’, who released four incredible recordings in the 1970s. Their first album ‘Free As You wanna be’ predates the deep-set, maverick jazz issued by the likes of Tribe and Strata East and is a harbinger of some of the best in the 1970s jazz underground. The Lightmen albums eventually fell out of print until 2017 when the Now-Again record label brought them back into circulation and generated new interest in Bubbha Thomas’ work.

Thomas had a storied career as a drummer and bandleader, but perhaps his most enduring work is that as a founder of Houston’s Summer Jazz Workshop, a remarkable program that nurtured upcoming talent for generations…we can’t begin to count the number of young people who benefitted from the exposure to music-arts because of Bubbha Thomas and what he meant to the Houston music community. In his career he earned five Grammy nominations and authored a pair of books. Next to this he was also a writer/editor for several local newspapers, ran one of the first Houston African American Television shows and he hosted a radio program on KYOK. Impressive to say the least!

Bubbha Thomas passed away in March 2020 at the age of 82. It was obvious he was a principled, fiery & wise person…and any anger he felt at America’s (and the world’s) injustices he met with music, intellect, activism and unity!

Next to his work with ‘’The Lightmen’’, Bubbha also released the fantastic (solo) album ‘Life & Times’ in 1985. ‘Life & Times’ (which we are proudly presenting you today) is particularly interesting to boogie-enthusiasts because of its high doses of funky twerks, solid grooves, crazy synth work, soulful vocals and excellent drum-beats courtesy of Mr. Thomas himself. You’ll quickly find yourself shaking hips the moment the needle hits the first track! The whole album is backed by a fantastic cast of all-star players and includes Howard Harris (Ruth Copeland), Dwight Sills (Bobby Lyle – TLC), Jerry McPherson (Donna Summer), Leo Polk (Kashmere Stage Band), John Gordon (Strata-East) and Jackie Simley (Queen Latifah – Lionel Richie). All of the above makes this LP an essential purchase for any self-respecting fan and collector.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic album (originally released in 1985 on Lightin’ Records). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition (500 copies) complete with the original artwork.

Go to Item

Bubbha Thomas

LP | 1985 | US | Reissue (Tidal Waves Music)

16,19 €* 26,99 € -40%

Life & Times Black Vinyl Edition

Release: 1985 / US – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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LImited to 100 copies on bone colored vinyl. Only at HHV.

Houston’s reputation for developing first-class jazz acts is well-established, as a stream of young players has been distinguishing themselves for decades…among those musicians and mentors who stood tallest, Bubbha Thomas was no exception (and a major key-player) in this long tradition of talent.

Before becoming an artist and educator, Bubbha Thomas (born 1937) was a Fourth Ward kid who grew up in a music-filled household. In High School, he divided his time between music & basketball (he excelled at both) and studied with jazz legend Conrad “Prof” Johnson. “Prof” would later bring jazz glory to Texas with the Kashmere Stage Band, the group of teenagers who would win the “Best High School Stage Band In The Nation” prize in Mobile, Alabama in 1972 and who were anthologized in 2006 on Now-Again’s ‘Thunder Soul’ (which led to the 2010 Jamie Foxx documentary of the same name).

After finishing college, Bubbha got drafted in the service (he was a Korean War veteran) and would return to Houston in the early 1960s where he found work as a session drummer for the Duke and Peacock labels. Thomas drummed on recordings by O.V. Wright, Buddy Ace and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. He was playing his own stuff and backing luminaries such as R&B singer Chuck Jackson and homegrown legends like Lightnin’ Hopkins. Bubbha Thomas also teamed up with some of his equally legendary peers (like guitarist Melvin Sparks & organist Leon Spencer) and eventually established his own group, the Jazz Merchants.

Bubbha learned every style that was thrown at him and he played straight-ahead jazz with renowned artists before the political and social upheaval of the late 1960s led him to a path first charted by Coltrane and Sun Ra…the result of these newfound influences was the incredible spiritual jazz ensemble ‘The Lightmen’, who released four incredible recordings in the 1970s. Their first album ‘Free As You wanna be’ predates the deep-set, maverick jazz issued by the likes of Tribe and Strata East and is a harbinger of some of the best in the 1970s jazz underground. The Lightmen albums eventually fell out of print until 2017 when the Now-Again record label brought them back into circulation and generated new interest in Bubbha Thomas’ work.

Thomas had a storied career as a drummer and bandleader, but perhaps his most enduring work is that as a founder of Houston’s Summer Jazz Workshop, a remarkable program that nurtured upcoming talent for generations…we can’t begin to count the number of young people who benefitted from the exposure to music-arts because of Bubbha Thomas and what he meant to the Houston music community. In his career he earned five Grammy nominations and authored a pair of books. Next to this he was also a writer/editor for several local newspapers, ran one of the first Houston African American Television shows and he hosted a radio program on KYOK. Impressive to say the least!

Bubbha Thomas passed away in March 2020 at the age of 82. It was obvious he was a principled, fiery & wise person…and any anger he felt at America’s (and the world’s) injustices he met with music, intellect, activism and unity!

Next to his work with ‘’The Lightmen’’, Bubbha also released the fantastic (solo) album ‘Life & Times’ in 1985. ‘Life & Times’ (which we are proudly presenting you today) is particularly interesting to boogie-enthusiasts because of its high doses of funky twerks, solid grooves, crazy synth work, soulful vocals and excellent drum-beats courtesy of Mr. Thomas himself. You’ll quickly find yourself shaking hips the moment the needle hits the first track! The whole album is backed by a fantastic cast of all-star players and includes Howard Harris (Ruth Copeland), Dwight Sills (Bobby Lyle – TLC), Jerry McPherson (Donna Summer), Leo Polk (Kashmere Stage Band), John Gordon (Strata-East) and Jackie Simley (Queen Latifah – Lionel Richie). All of the above makes this LP an essential purchase for any self-respecting fan and collector.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic album (originally released in 1985 on Lightin’ Records). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition complete with the original artwork.

Go to Item

Bubbha Thomas

LP | 1985 | US | Reissue (Tidal Waves Music)

Release: 1985 / US – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

Add to Cart Coming Soon Sold out Currently not available Not Enough Coins

Black vinyl edition limited to 500 copies worldwide.

Houston’s reputation for developing first-class jazz acts is well-established, as a stream of young players has been distinguishing themselves for decades…among those musicians and mentors who stood tallest, Bubbha Thomas was no exception (and a major key-player) in this long tradition of talent.

Before becoming an artist and educator, Bubbha Thomas (born 1937) was a Fourth Ward kid who grew up in a music-filled household. In High School, he divided his time between music & basketball (he excelled at both) and studied with jazz legend Conrad “Prof” Johnson. “Prof” would later bring jazz glory to Texas with the Kashmere Stage Band, the group of teenagers who would win the “Best High School Stage Band In The Nation” prize in Mobile, Alabama in 1972 and who were anthologized in 2006 on Now-Again’s ‘Thunder Soul’ (which led to the 2010 Jamie Foxx documentary of the same name).

After finishing college, Bubbha got drafted in the service (he was a Korean War veteran) and would return to Houston in the early 1960s where he found work as a session drummer for the Duke and Peacock labels. Thomas drummed on recordings by O.V. Wright, Buddy Ace and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. He was playing his own stuff and backing luminaries such as R&B singer Chuck Jackson and homegrown legends like Lightnin’ Hopkins. Bubbha Thomas also teamed up with some of his equally legendary peers (like guitarist Melvin Sparks & organist Leon Spencer) and eventually established his own group, the Jazz Merchants.

Bubbha learned every style that was thrown at him and he played straight-ahead jazz with renowned artists before the political and social upheaval of the late 1960s led him to a path first charted by Coltrane and Sun Ra…the result of these newfound influences was the incredible spiritual jazz ensemble ‘The Lightmen’, who released four incredible recordings in the 1970s. Their first album ‘Free As You wanna be’ predates the deep-set, maverick jazz issued by the likes of Tribe and Strata East and is a harbinger of some of the best in the 1970s jazz underground. The Lightmen albums eventually fell out of print until 2017 when the Now-Again record label brought them back into circulation and generated new interest in Bubbha Thomas’ work.

Thomas had a storied career as a drummer and bandleader, but perhaps his most enduring work is that as a founder of Houston’s Summer Jazz Workshop, a remarkable program that nurtured upcoming talent for generations…we can’t begin to count the number of young people who benefitted from the exposure to music-arts because of Bubbha Thomas and what he meant to the Houston music community. In his career he earned five Grammy nominations and authored a pair of books. Next to this he was also a writer/editor for several local newspapers, ran one of the first Houston African American Television shows and he hosted a radio program on KYOK. Impressive to say the least!

Bubbha Thomas passed away in March 2020 at the age of 82. It was obvious he was a principled, fiery & wise person…and any anger he felt at America’s (and the world’s) injustices he met with music, intellect, activism and unity!

Next to his work with ‘’The Lightmen’’, Bubbha also released the fantastic (solo) album ‘Life & Times’ in 1985. ‘Life & Times’ (which we are proudly presenting you today) is particularly interesting to boogie-enthusiasts because of its high doses of funky twerks, solid grooves, crazy synth work, soulful vocals and excellent drum-beats courtesy of Mr. Thomas himself. You’ll quickly find yourself shaking hips the moment the needle hits the first track! The whole album is backed by a fantastic cast of all-star players and includes Howard Harris (Ruth Copeland), Dwight Sills (Bobby Lyle – TLC), Jerry McPherson (Donna Summer), Leo Polk (Kashmere Stage Band), John Gordon (Strata-East) and Jackie Simley (Queen Latifah – Lionel Richie). All of the above makes this LP an essential purchase for any self-respecting fan and collector.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic album (originally released in 1985 on Lightin’ Records). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition (500 copies) complete with the original artwork.

Go to Item

Alto

Busker

339,00 €*

UNIT-4 Wireless+ Single Unit

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Preorder shipping from 2024-11-01

200W PREMIUM BATTERY POWERED PORTABLE PA

Premium Portable Sound
The Alto Professional Busker is the battery-operated PA for the active on-the-go musical performers who demand top-tier sound in a portable solution that will be at home on any stage. With its optimized woofer and tweeter pairing for 200 watts of output, Busker delivers clear, focused sound that makes your music shine in any environment. Connect your mics and line level instruments or devices with the integrated 3-channel mixer with easily accessible control knobs to dial-in volume without stopping the music.

Powerful and Polished Performances
Give your vocals or guitars some extra shine and polish with the built-in Alesis FX processing for world class sound in even the most intimate settings, complete with dedicated knobs to adjust amounts independently. Busker features Bluetooth on Channel 3 to wirelessly stream backing tracks from your smart device. Play rhythm tracks while you jam along or rehearse with your favorite metronome app to keep your fingers loose before showtime. While you have your smart device out, pull up the free Alto App for iOS and Android to quickly load your favorite configuration settings. An available 1/8th AUX input means you can connect your favorite sound sources like drum machines or groove boxes to keep you on beat with one simple connection.

Road-Tested, Always Ready to Roll
Busker is built to travel from gig to gig seamlessly with a compact footprint that retains enough heft to pump out tight, punchy sound. A rugged, durable exterior will stand up to the grind, while delivering the sound performance you can count on, night after night. Set it vertically on stage to enjoy accurate amplification, lay on an angle to project towards you, or pole mount it to keep your audience on their feet and immersed in your tunes. A dedicated XLR out enables a direct line to FOH or other destinations for those bigger gigs, all the while letting you enjoy your familiar custom-tailored sound up close and personally.

Long Lasting Battery
Maximize power in between charges with Battery Eco Mode, providing up to 24 hours of performance power. The Alto Professional Busker brings big sound to the best performers.

Your Way to Play and Perform Anywhere:
• 200W of powerful, portable sound with 6.5” (165mm) woofer and 1” (25mm) tweeter
• Free Alto App (iOS/Android) for remote configuration and control
• Bluetooth music streaming direct from your device
• Integrated 3-channel mixer with built-in Alesis FX
• 2 XLR/TRS “Combo” inputs (for mics, instruments, & line level sources)
• Aux input for non-Bluetooth devices
• XLR Line output
• Battery Eco Mode for increased performance up to 24 hours
• Compact, lightweight design that’s easy to transport
• Use standalone or on a pole with DSP Speaker
• Use modes for best sound
• Sit, Stand, or Expand Your Busker
• Link two Buskers wirelessly via Bluetooth for stereo playback
• Flexible horizontal and vertical monitor positions

TECH INFORMATION
Output Power
Eco Mode: 50 W (peak)
Standard Mode: 200 W (peak)

Drivers
Low-Frequency: 6.5” (165.1 mm) woofer
High-Frequency: 1.0” (25.4 mm) tweeter

Max SPL
106 dB

Frequency Response
60 Hz – 20 kHz

Connectors
(2) Combo XLR-1/4” (6.35 mm) Inputs (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) AUX Input
(1) USB Charging Port
(1) XLR Line Out
(1) RCA Line Out

Charge Port
5V, 2.1 A

Bluetooth Specifications
Profile: A2DP, AVRCP
Version: 5.0 Codec: SBC
Frequency: 2402 – 2480 MHz Maximum Transmission Power: 10 dBm Protocol: BLE Range: 100 ft. (30.5 m)

Battery
Type: 6.6 Ah, 12 V, Lithium Ion
Life: Eco Mode: up to 90 hours; Standard Mode: up to 30 hours Charging Time: 12 hours

Power
Connection: IEC
Voltage: 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 120 W; 220–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz; 120 W Fuse: 100–120 V, T1.6AL AC250 V; 220–240 V, T0.8AL AC250 V

Dimensions (height x width x depth)
11.8” x 8.6” x 10.0” 299 x 219 x 254 mm

Weight
11.9 lbs. 5.4 kg

Go to Item

AIAIAI

450,00 €*

The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle Sacd

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AIAIAI introduces world’s first professional wireless studio monitor

UNIT- 4 frees the music creation process with battery powered portability and ultra-low latency wireless audio.
With UNIT-4, what was previously confined to the traditional studio is now liberated in the hands of the creator, enabling them to break free from boundaries. Whether at home, on the road, or with friends, UNIT-4 allows for freedom of movement and increased opportunity for collaboration.

AIAIAI brings innovation in audio technology and acoustic design that packs professional studio monitor performance into a compact size of only 2.5kg. UNIT-4’s advanced wireless technology allows for wireless, uncompressed audio with only 16ms of latency. Three different modes of connection means complete versatility in one speaker with Wireless+ ultra-low latency, Bluetooth and cabled options. Designed from the inside out without using glue, UNIT-4 allows for total disassembly and component replacement, and is made from 100% recycled plastic.

The introduction of UNIT-4 is AIAIAI’s latest step in expanding its family of products using the W+ Link technology, which began with the introduction of the TMA-2 Wireless+ headphones in December of 2021. The W+ Link has been specifically developed for wireless audio with ultra-low latency in a stable and robust connection, designed for enhanced freedom for music making.

The UNIT-4 Wireless+ studio monitors allows creators to finally break free from the cable and expand their creative freedom. Experience unparalleled flexibility and truly liberating mobility in your creative process as a music producer. These studio monitors allow you to create and mix music with accurate sound representation and powerful performance wherever you are. Connect wirelessly to your devices and enjoy crystal clear audio without the hassle of cables.
Take control of your creativity and elevate your music to the next level with these wireless portable studio monitors.

The key features uniquely designed for enhanced freedom and set UNIT-4 apart from other speakers are the following:

Complete wireless freedom
• Battery powered with 20H+ of playback time
• W+ Link ultra low latency wireless audio for music creation - only 16ms of latency, uncompressed audio and robust connection
• Complete wireless freedom - both audio and power cables

Reference monitor performance
• 2 way active monitor featuring a 4 inch high-excursion woofer and 1 inch silk-dome tweeter
• Precision tonal accuracy over a flat +/-2dB frequency response from 50Hz to 20kHz
• Bass vent and boosting EQ tuned to provide a clean bass extension down to 40Hz
• Precise soundstage and point-source accuracy provided by the minimal front panel design, incorporating a directivity controlling tweeter waveguide
• Stage monitor design enables you to place the speaker upright or angled horizontally, to optimise your sound field in changing workspaces
• Shape UNIT-4’s sound to your environment or preference using the AIAIAI app customisable 5-band EQ

Portable, compact and rugged
• Size and weight of only 3 litres / 2.5kg
• Rear bass vent designed to be a comfortable carrying handle when on the move
• Removable steel grille provides sturdy protection for the woofer and tweeter

Connect to everything
• W+ Link - use the X02 transmitter for low latency wireless music creation
• Bluetooth 5.2 - listen to music from your Bluetooth enabled devices
• Cable - connect directly via 3.5mm mini-jack and 6.3mm balanced TRS inputs

Responsible design
• Main components produced from 100% recycled plastics, from post-consumer sources
• Designed for disassembly in a glue-free design - take the whole speaker apart using twoscrewdrivers
• Replace worn out components including battery and drive units
• Future-proofed for new technologies with upgradeable wireless electronics

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
• UNIT-4 Wireless+ Studio Monitor

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
UNIT-4 AUDIO
• Response: +/-2dB 50Hz-20kHz
• Low cut-off: 40Hz
• Peak SPL: 104dB
• Enclosure: Bass reflex
• Woofer: 4 inch high excursion
• Tweeter: 1 inch silk dome
• Crossover: 3kHz
• Amplifier: Class D 2x 80W peak
• DSP: Loudness adaptive bass EQ
• EQ adjustment: 5-band (AIAIAI app)

UNIT-4 AUDIO CONNECTIONS
• Low latency audio: AIAIAI W+ Link
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Analog inputs: 3.5mm aux / 6.3mm balanced

UNIT-4 POWER
• Battery playback time: 20 hours
• Charging time: 2 hours
• Battery capacity: 77Wh
• Power supply: 120-240VAC - 15VDC

Go to Item

Bruce Springsteen

CD | 1973 | US | Reissue (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab)

44,99 €*

LP | 2024 | UK | Original (Taxi Gauche)

Release: 1973 / US – Reissue

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Sacd: Mastered ON Mobile Fidelity's Renowned Mastering System: Numbered-edition Hybrid Sacd Plays With Expressive Clarity / Released only eight months after his exhilarating debut, Bruce Springsteen's The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle contains rousing dispatches from the boardwalk, the street, the beach, and the bedroom. It explodes with energy, dares to dream, teases with humour, crackles with tragedy, clings to hope, and overflows with discovery, youthfulness, and personality. It features an unforgettable cast of characters — corner boys, teenage hustlers, doomed lovers, jazz men, junk men, factory girls, fortune tellers, alley cats, pimps, escorts, and more — illuminated by vivid colour, breathtaking detail, and poetic action.

Musically, the heartfelt 1973 record is inhabited by sympathetic vignettes and cinematic arrangements steeped in rock 'n' roll, soul, jazz, and R&B. It finds the New Jersey native looking beyond the parameters of his preceding record and seeking to move on from environments he knows well (and chronicles here) by rushing headlong toward unknown territories, adventures, and people. Underpinned by the singer-guitarist's ambitious poetic enterprise and will to succeed, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is the album on which Springsteen becomes the Boss.

Mastered on Mobile Fidelity's renowned mastering system, pressed at RTI on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 7,500 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33rpm LP set is the definitive-sounding version of Springsteen's sophomore record. Benefitting from SuperVinyl’s nearly non-existent noise floor, superb groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle plays with a clarity, energy, presence, and openness that complement the expressiveness, dynamics, and scope of the seven restless songs that comprise a work Rolling Stone ranked the 345th Greatest Album of All Time.

Beyond the audiophile sonics that practically place you behind the console at 914 Sound Studios — listen to the separation between the instruments, natural decay of the notes, interplay within the widescreen soundstaging, and nothing-to-lose youthfulness of Springsteen’s voice — this reissue takes seriously this record’s influential merit by presenting it in packaging that underlines its status. Tucked in a beautiful slipcase, the LP is housed in a special foil-stamped jacket with faithful-to-the-original graphics. This reissue is made for listeners who prize sound quality and who want to engage themselves in everything involved with the invigorating set that busted Springsteen loose from the club circuit and landed him on the radio

Determined to liberate anyone within earshot and unafraid to come on strong, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle serves as the debut of the E Street Band — not only heard but seen for the first time by most of the public courtesy of the back-cover photograph. This is where saxophonist Clarence Clemons, organist-accordionist Danny Federici, and pianist David Sancious step out of the shadows — and drummer Vini Lopez and bassist Garry Tallent again stoke a fiery rhythmic engine that helps drive the untamed, reimagined big-band swing of “Kitty’s Back,” breathless R&B thrust of “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” and carefree dance steps of the funky “The E Street Shuffle.”

Of course, the main attraction remains a then-24-year-old visionary on the precipice of becoming a sensation and turning a then-bloated rock scene on its head. Recorded over three months while Springsteen and company were busy touring his debut LP, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle reflects the high-octane approach the vocalist embraced onstage and drifts away from the label-dictated acoustic-based frameworks of his debut. The set also witnesses Springsteen deepening his observational skills, with narratives such as the romantically tinged “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” and redemptive epic “Incident on 57th Street” mirroring changes taking place in the singer’s own life, small towns, and America at large.

A thrilling collision of memories, reflections, and composites — Sandy, Rosalita, and the latter’s parents are all based on actual people Springsteen knew, as is the community depicted in the opening track — the aptly titled The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle resonates decades on due to its truths, authenticity, and spirit. Those characteristics — as well as the fact that many of its lengthy songs come on as the equivalent of sweaty, feverish soul revue that won’t stop until you’ve been exhausted — also explain how this now-iconic album triumphed over the reservations of industry “experts” that both demanded Springsteen re-record it and instructed deejays not to play it. Yet there’d be no stopping a record that saw the past, present, and future, a band whose will would not be denied, and a phenomenon who was born to run. A never-ending invitation to act real cool and stay up all night, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle always feels alright.

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Laena Myers

Luv (Songs Of Yesterday)

21,99 €*

LP | 2023 | UK | Original (Lrk)

Release: 2024 / UK – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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On 23 February 2024 wildly creative free-form L.A. singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist Laena Myers is set to release her highly anticipated debut solo album, ‘luv (Songs Of Yesterday)’. Released on Taxi Gauche Records, the 11-track collection is the first to feature the genre-spanning composer, in-demand session player/singer and classically trained violinist putting her own name to her recordings.

Formerly known as Laena Geronimo and L.M.I. / Laena Myers-Ionita, Laena is perhaps best known as lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of critically-acclaimed and internationally touring rockers Feels, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. She’s also known for her time as bassist for goth-punk band Numb.er as well as the Motown-inspired pop outfit The Like, and as the go-to-violinist for a myriad of artists from the L.A. music scene and beyond - contributing to released recordings by John Frusciante, Jhené Aiko, Ty Segall, Shannon Lay and The Allah Las to name a few.

Describing herself as “An awkward, shy kid who played in the Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra of California and wore headphones blasting NIN, The Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth all the time”, Laena cut her teeth in a busking band, performing purely improvised

material on street corners in Hollywood and spent the entirety of her young adulthood as a supporting player in countless L.A. bands - at times as many as five simultaneously, while working full time and sleeping in her car during lunch breaks.

Inspired as much by the soft weight of Hope Sandoval and Patsy Cline’s dramatic powers, Patti Smith’s poetic punk and Nico’s avant-garde musings as she is by contemporaries like Angel Olsen, Aldous Harding and Cate LeBon, her musical roots run deep. She is the daughter of American drummer Alan Myers (devo, Skyline Electric, Jean Paul Yamamoto) and Romanian singer/songwriter and visual artist Greta Ionita (Babooshka).

As a solo artist, Laena's punk background of guitar-based songwriting and swagger merges with her innovative classical/experimental roots and love for singing ballads, and this is shown throughout ‘luv (Songs Of Yesterday’), leading to a depth of emotion that cuts to the heart of even the most hardened, revealing a more tender side to her vocal and lyrical prowess over lush string arrangements.

The album’s opening track ‘luv’, with it’s only lyrics “When I say I’m in love you best believe I mean love L.U.V.” is a nod to The Shangri-Las and New York Dolls, and was used to evocatively soundtrack fashion brand CELINE’s Spring 2020 campaign. “Half the songs on the album are about relationships in which I thought I was in love - true love - but it turned out to be something else”, Laena explains, “so ‘luv (Songs of Yesterday)’ seemed a fitting title: sounded like love, looked like love, but it wasn’t real love.”

“The overarching theme of the album is strength in vulnerability” Laena explains, “it’s a collection of songs that were too personal and dreamy for Feels, songs of haunted love, melancholy and hope, selected and woven together with instrumental segues and field recordings into a whole experience.”

The record’s first single, ‘Give ‘Em Hell’, written six months after her father passed away, is about keeping the flame alive and having the courage to believe in yourself. “We were very close” she says. “One night before I got on stage he stopped me and said “Give ‘em hell, kid”, and this phrase has become a mantra to me, to not hold back and give it my ALL. Many of these songs come from heavy times”, she continues, “but there is always the glimmer of a brighter tomorrow. Reach out when you need to, move through the gears and you’ll come out the other side.”

The songs contained in ‘luv (Songs Of Yesterday)’ are picked from over the course of a decade, written purely from a place of honest expression and filled with texture, depth, and meaning. They were recorded between tours mostly in sweltering summer bedrooms by friend and co-producer Scott Cornish (Angel Olsen, Big Thief, No Age), and mixed during the pandemic. The album features Laena’s vocals, guitar, bass, and violin playing and huge-sounding, lush string arrangements supplemented with drums and percussion by Nick Murray (Cate Le Bon, White Fence, Thee Oh Sees), synths by Jeff Fribourg (Numb.er, Froth), lap steel by Cole Berliner (Kamikaze Palm Tree), and sax by Gabe Flores (Grave Flowers Bongo Band), as well as field recordings — birds singing at daybreak, footsteps and bells making their way into a cave, the wind on a peak in Angeles National Forest.

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Gary Beals

The Melody Within

LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Soulbeats)

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Hip Hop

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Powerhouse R&B/Soul vocalist and Canadian Idol finalist. Gary Beals, is thrilled to be releasing his new album, The Melody Within. The Melody within is a musical journey that unfolds across two sides, much like a story that reveals new layers with each turn. The album is more than just a collection of songs; it's an emotional guide that beckons us to explore the depths of our own feelings and explores navigating emotions, self discovery, and nostalgia through soulful melodies. "This album serves as the aftermath to my previous album, "Bleed My Truth". It's a continuation of my musical journey, a fusion of soulful melodies and diverse influences that mirror both my personal and artistic evolution," said Gary Beals. "Each song is a chapter, a piece of my heart and soul, inviting listeners into my world of emotions, experiences and connection. It uncovers the melody that resides within. The anticipation is building as I look forward to sharing this collection of new music, and I hope it resonates deeply, offering a meaningful and memorable musical experience enriched with a multitude of emotions." With this new body of work, Gary had the opportunity to work with two talented primary producers,Beatchild (Drake, Justin Nozuka, Glen Lewis) and Myles "Losh'' Schwartz (Allan Rayman, Tobi, The Game, Pretty Lights). Additional production credits on the album include, Chris Guirguis, Frizzy Astro (Raz Fresco, Daniel Son), Jordan "Tempo" Farmer, Kobebeats (Rodwave, Kcamp, Sevyn),Sid Aakowa, Ty Danelley (Popcaan, Tory Lanez, Pressa) and Warren Williams, who all helped to shape the makings of the album while maintaining a consistent synergy. Side A of the album draws inspiration from the likes of Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, and James Brown, and pays homage to artists who have played an integral part in shaping Gary's musical roots. This side includes Gary's previously released singles, "Good People, Good Vibes" and "All of Me," and the album's title track "The Melody Within," that commends the process of self-discovery and introspection. Also included is the album's 5th single, "Self Revolution," which will be released on October 27th along with the official music video. On Side B, you'll encounter a fusion of R&B and pop elements while still staying true to the album's soulful essence. Included on this side, is Gary's third single "I Like That," featuring Jrdn and Kayo ,and the new single "How Do I Say (I Love You)," released September 22nd. "How Do I Say (I Love You)" dives into the inner conflict of conveying affection, showing vulnerability, and the bravery needed to expose one's heart to someone else. About Gary Beals: Two decades ago, Gary embarked on his musical journey when he, a small-town kid from Nova Scotia (now calling Toronto home), made a remarkable entrance onto the national stage as a part of Canada's inaugural season of Canadian Idol. This month marks the 20th anniversary of the finale where Gary was crowned as the "runner up" on the show. The experience ignited a transformative period of self-reflection and discovery that propelled Gary toward personal growth, shaping his life and musical career in lasting ways.
Fast forward through three albums and twenty years, Gary's work and talent have made a remarkable impact and received widespread critical acclaim. Among his accomplishments are debuting in the top 10 of the Canadian sales chart, being nominated for a Juno Award for "Best R&B/Soul Recording," winning an East Coast Music Award and seven African Nova Scotia Music Awards, as well as scoring nominations for an Urban Music Award and a Canadian Radio Music Award. These accomplishments led to his home province's Premier officially designating November 22nd as Gary Beals Day in acknowledgment of his achievements.
With his return, Gary is poised to make a positive impact on the ever-expanding global community as he prepares to release his new album The Melody Within. The album will stand as a tribute to the strength that resides within all of us and a reminder that true fulfillment comes not just from achieving goals, but from discovering the intricate beauty that lies within our own hearts and souls.
Craig Charles is a big supporter of Gary Beals and spun his single 'All Of Me' for three weeks in a row on his Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio Six
His first album, Gary Beals, entered the Canadian album charts at Number 10 and went on to sell 110,000 copies

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Franck & Damien

Juniper Road

25,99 €*

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Family is important. Feeling good, relaxed, loved, listened to, within a community of close friends who share the same vibe, the same interests, the same sensations. Franck & Damien love and share the amber sound of the lapsteel, the intoxicating slide, the roundness of the six-string and the freshness of the banjo. Blues, country music and folk-rock born in the barns of Laurel Canyon... Harmonies, warm voices, fortunate encounters… Simplicity, humility, sharing... Surfing, deserted beaches, California, wild Australia.

You would know the members of this merry band: Xavier Rudd, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Donavon Frankenreiter, John Butler Trio, Tash Sultana, John Mayer, Mason Jennings... Yes: family is essential. Between cousins or adopted children, we understand each other so well! What's more, we speak the same language: in this case, English, carried by melodious, laid-back, never-pressed voices on songs that are often gentle, often punchy, always powerful, always hard-hitting. Franck and Damien don't see their tribe that often: they're in Bordeaux, in their beloved Médoc, a land of vineyards, sandy strips, pristine waves and good vibes; the others are in Hawaii, Los Angeles or the Australian bush. But that's all right. The signs, the codes, the vibes are the same. So we decide to get together when we have to, when we feel like it. Why not in Los Angeles, where the duo love to recharge their batteries, between strolls down Sunset Boulevard and ballads recorded at sunset?

Here, for their second album after the warm You Can Find Your Way, it's Donavon Frankenreiter, surf prodigy and international icon of American folk, who has come along to enchant the nervous and captivating California, of which he himself is the embodiment. Feel alright with the high tide! Earlier, it was on the subtle, nonchalant acoustic live version of Home that Donavon’s bassist Matt Grundy slipped in with his sweet harmonica. And with good reason: the Piñon Hills local from San Bernardino is also the producer of this album! Not forgetting, on Spread Love, a visit from Joaco Terán, their freesurfer brother and Argentinian musician. For Juniper Road, the album of maturity, is also one of plenitude and serenity. Franck's voice is full and vibrant, the harmonies chiseled, the atmosphere warm and inviting.

Family is fundamental. So is luck. When they hear the story of Damien picking-up Franck hitchhiking on the side of the road, a meeting so fortuitous it seemed fated, their buddies are still laughing.

The duo complement each other so well, the osmosis and connivance so blatant, Franck's voice and guitar, Damien's string picking and percussion, that this anecdote, so real, sounds fabricated. Okay, it didn't take place on the Pacific Coast Highway in a Cadillac, but more likely in a Renault Clio on the road to Lacanau (a beach town in the South-West of France).

Just like the video for Home, which, like some of their other clips, was not shot in the USA, but in the Spanish desert of the Bardenas Reales.

Franck & Damien have never needed to prove their identity and legitimacy, especially through clichés. From now on, with this second twelve-track album polished in Matt's Super Bloom studio, Franck & Damien know exactly where they're going: back to their Anglo-Saxon and South American cousins who have long since adopted them, to continue touring and performing, distilling their road songs with messages as simple as they are rich and direct, like a true philosophy of life: love, friendship, sharing, fulfillment, such as on the energetic, raging Fire And Soul (much juicier than the Cranberries'), but also hope and melancholy, as on Another Way: an emotional tale of a sailor in perdition, supported by a round bass sound, acoustic drums and an electronic organ.

Not forgetting, of course, their sense of humor. Because behind their music, practiced with the seriousness and meticulousness that characterize them, Franck and Damien like (love) to have a laugh and make those around them and their audience laugh with (and at) them. In the video for California, the third in their mini-series of music videos developed in reverse chronology around four singles and following on from Home and Another Way, they appear as two-bit metalheads. Then, in Blind, dressed-up as priests. Never afraid of the right joke, the right disguise, the witty comeback that sticks out like a sore thumb, on and off stage.

Love, balance, fulfillment, good humor and family, of course. Family is fundamental. Franck and Damien's family continues to grow: Matt and Donavon, other artists with whom were shared songs and experiences on tour… Their audience too, getting bigger by the minute, drawn in by their groove but also by their personalities. Raise Your Voice for Franck and Damien!

Alain Gardinier

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Slow (Motion And Movement)

LP | 1980 | Reissue (Be With)

Mark Davidson & Parker Fishel

Release: 1980 / Reissue

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Welcome to library breaks *chopped 'n screwed*! Slow (Motion And Movement), originally released on Sonoton in 1980, is super-sought-after and full of crazy dubby, super SLLLLLOOOOWWWWW and super HEAVVVVVY library breaks. It's also home to blinding new age/synthy tracks that are equally great. It's really varied throughout, but all absolutely fantastic.

Slow features KPM/Bruton/Sonoton-legend John Fiddy, the mighty Sonoton founder and composer, arranger and conductor Gerhard Narholz in 2 of his best-loved guises - Sammy Burdson and Norman Candler (get it?) - as well as a couple of fine offerings from Antonio Campo.

Heavy opener "Slow Business 1" is veeeerrrrrrryyyyyy slooooooooow with the phased drums so beloved of Narholz but this time delivered by Campo, with a proud, deliberate piano melody and great bassline adorning the creeping rhythm. "Slow Business 2" is equally as slooooooow but without any melodic decoration. Just pure phased drums, folks! Get sampling. "Moody You" is Narholz's first track on the record and what a beauty it is. A languorous, insouciant, slo-mo guitar soul track with warm synths, electric piano and heavy drums. It sounds a wee bit like an erotic film score, and all the better for it. "Slow Groovement" is Campo's final contribution and it's definitely his best. It's an ace, moody-yet-melodic crime/blaxploitation track with gorgeous percussive elements, mellifluous Rhodes and twinkling piano over a fantastic bassline and drums with some great electric guitar soloing halfway through.

"Slow Reactor 1" is Narholz again, under his Burdson pseudonym, and it's him all the way, now, joined by John Fiddy for half the tracks. This one is a tense, phased, slo-mo thriller with mysterious percussive elements and ominous strings. "Threat To Research" contains mysterious, dramatic sounds and heaps of string-assisted tension whilst "Ion Exchanger" is replete with repetitive, strange accents and sounds; all half-tumbling drums and dead tense, again. Truly, a taut experience and ideal for adventurous sample-based beat-heads. "Wave Motions" is a real highlight and the first to feature John Fiddy. It's a beatless ambient banger with slowly changing sound waves. It sounds like Angelo Badalamenti would if he were crafting strung-out teutonic library madness in 1980. The A-Side closes with "Slow Motion Link" which is over waaaay too soon but just simply needs looping. Trust us. Phenomenally dope!

Flip over for "Scenic Vision 1" for here, ladies and gentlemen, we go sublime. It's an absolutely stunning ambient wonder, with slowly changing textures and colours that create a peaceful, gliding, tranquil atmosphere of sheer bliss. You will not want it to end. Whilst "Scenic Vision 2" adds a bass melody, "Scenic Vision 3" uses the same melody but renders it isolated and lonely in the background. Haunting, hypnotic and hyper-beautiful. "Study In Brown" is s a lengthier number, with room to stretch out, and features Fiddy back in the game. Again, a slow, isolated melody gradually segues - by way of Fiddy's mournful electric guitar solo - into a slow heavy rhythm with rumbling, groovy bass and stratospheric drums.

"Deja Vu 1" weaves swirling, disorientating magic. It's described on the original sleeve simply as "indefinite arpeggios inexplicable vision" and we can't put it any better ourselves. "Deja Vu 2" sounds like you've heard it before, it's "as above with melodic line" and really is fun. "Glistening Surface" sounds exactly as you'd expect, all frisson-inducing movements, slow waves and generally peaceful scenic sounds. This remarkable library record closes with "Laser Fight", blasting "utopian percussive sounds" that totally get under your skin like fireworks through your veins. A neat trick!

Established in Munich in 1965 by Gerard and Rotheide Narholz, Sonoton introduced library music to Germany. Initially intended to cater to the country's new TV market, the library also provided an avenue for Gerhard Narholz's astonishing musical prolificacy, and soon became a haven for a wide range of European composers and musicians. In 1969, Sonoton struck a deal with the British label Berry Music for international publishing rights, exposing its catalog to a worldwide audience; when Berry was bought out by EMI in 1973, Sonoton transitioned into a full-fledged international label, with successes in the library and commercial fields and many innovations to its credit. Now a worldwide operation with hundreds of producers and composers under its employ, Sonoton nonetheless remains an independently run business still helmed by its founders - a remarkable achievement in an era when nearly every other major library has been absorbed by a multinational conglomerate.

The audio for Slow (Motion And Movement) has been remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

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Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine

Thames & Hudson

89,99 €*

Spragga Benz, Rodney P & DJ Phantasy

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• The magnum opus on Bob Dylan’s life and career all Bob Dylan fans have been waiting for since the 60s. • More than 600 images, mostly never seen before. • The book spans Bob Dylan’s life from the early 40s to the Nobel Prize to today. • Essays written by the most illustrious cultural figures of our times, such as Joy Harjo, Michael and Griffin Ondaatje, Peter Carey, Amanda Petrusich, Lucy Sante, Ed Ruscha, and many more. • Created in collaboration with the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. • More than 20 foreign language editions will be released on the same date maximizing global PR

Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is the landmark magnum opus every Bob Dylan fan has been waiting for since the 60s: lavishly illustrated with hundreds of previously unseen photographs and spanning from Dylan’s childhood in Hibbing, Minnesota, to the Nobel Prize for Literature and beyond, this is a treasure trove that promises to be of vast interest to Bob Dylan musical fans as well as a broader cultural audience. This is a landmark publication for the ages that will be supported by a substantial PR & marketing plan and is slated to become a lead title for Fall 2023. Several years ago, a treasure trove containing some 6,000 original Bob Dylan manuscripts was revealed to exist. Their destination? Tulsa, Oklahoma. The documents, as essential as they are intriguing—draft lyrics, notebooks, and diverse ephemera — comprise one of the most important cultural archives in the modern world. Along with countless still and moving images and thousands of hours of riveting studio and live recordings, this priceless collection now resides at The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, just steps away from the archival home of Dylan’s early hero, Woody Guthrie. Nearly all the materials preserved at The Bob Dylan Center are unique, previously unavailable, and, in many cases, even previously unknown. As the official publication of The Bob Dylan Center, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is the first wide-angle look at the Dylan archive, a book that promises to be of vast interest to both the Nobel Laureate’s many musical fans and to a broader national and international audience as well. Edited by Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine focuses a close look at the full scope of Dylan’s working life, particularly from the dynamic perspective of his ongoing and shifting creative processes—his earliest home recordings in the mid-1950s right up through Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020), his most recent studio recording, and into the present day. The centerpiece of Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is a carefully curated selection of over 600 images including never-before-circulated draft lyrics, writings, photographs, drawings and other ephemera from the Dylan archive. With an introductory essay by Sean Wilentz and epilogue by Douglas Brinkley, the book features a surprising range of distinguished writers, artists, and musicians, including Joy Harjo, Greil Marcus, Michael Ondaatje, Gregory Pardlo, Amanda Petrusich, Tom Piazza, Lee Ranaldo, Alex Ross, Ed Ruscha, Lucy Sante, Greg Tate and many others. After experiencing the collection firsthand in Tulsa, each of the authors was asked to select a single item that beguiled or inspired them. The resulting essays, written specifically for this volume, shed new light on not only Dylan’s creative process, but also their own.

Authors: Mark Davidson is the Curator of the Bob Dylan Archive and the Director of Archives and Exhibits for American Song Archives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which manages the Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers. Mark earned his PhD in musicology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2015, with a dissertation titled “Recording the Nation: Folk Music and the Government in Roosevelt’s New Deal, 1936–1941.” In 2014, he earned his Master’s in Science in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, with a focus on archiving and library science. Mark has published numerous articles and essays on music, archiving, and Bob Dylan, including Blood in the Stacks: On the Nature of Archives in the Twenty-First Century, published in The World of Bob Dylan (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Parker Fishel is an archivist and researcher who was co-curator of the inaugural exhibitions at the Bob Dylan Center. Providing archival consulting for numerous musicians and estates under the aegis of Americana Music Productions, Fishel is also a co-founder of the improvised music archive Crossing Tones and a board member of the Hot Club Foundation. Highlights from his recording credits include Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969 (Third Man Records), a forthcoming box set inspired by the legendary Chelsea Hotel (Vinyl Me, Please), and several volumes of the Grammy Award–winning Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series

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Mygraine

12" | 2023 | UK | Original (Buttercuts)

13,99 €*

Guillaume de Machaut / Friedreich Melzer, Ernst Haefliger , Tenor • Prof. Jakob Stämpfli, Kurt Widmer , Bass / Ein Instrumentalensemble Der Schola Cantorum Basiliensis / August Wenzinger

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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"Alternative Hip Hop Artist Rebel ACA Channels his Pain in ""Migraine"" ft. Spragga Benz, Rodney P
LONDON - The word ""migraine"" can make you twinge, especially if you experience the pounding head, vertigo, and tinnitus associated with migraines. Imagine if you put all those feelings into music - that is what Rebel ACA did with his latest single, ""Migraine.""

Rebel ACA's new single flows through his twenty-year journey of advising on international tax by day and rapping and producing by night. Perhaps, the ACA stands for his accounting qualification.

Dropping in April, there will be two versions, an original version and a DJ Phantasy Remix of ""Migraine"" on streaming platforms. Depending on the version, ""Migraine"" is a musical representation of a severe headache. The drum and bass mix features a funky, constant drone throughout the track, while the original version is a funk-latent hip-hop song.

""I suffer very badly from migraines every week,"" said Rebel ACA. ""To me, it was logical to write a song about migraines. The lyrics talk about what it feels like by using synthesizers to bring out the feeling of a migraine.""

Joining Rebel ACA on the single is Spragga Benz and Rodney P. The duo shares their thoughts on using marijuana to cure a migraine. While Rebel ACA acknowledges he is not a medical doctor, studies have shown that smoking weed can reduce migraine pain.

""We talk about smoking weed to fight the migraine,"" he said. ""The lyrics revolve around what it feels like to have one in your head. Doctors have told me that migraines are caused by triggers like alcohol and getting f*cked up. Then you get a migraine and now you get more f*cked up on pills or weed to feel better."" This revolving cycle spirals throughout the single.

Born and raised in the UK, Rebel ACA experienced London's musical melting pot from birth. Hailing from northwest London, he was exposed to the rich Caribbean influence and massive underground music scene.

From squat parties to illegal raves, London's music was all mashed up, and Rebel ACA soaked up every genre and cultural influence. As a result, he is a successful singer/songwriter/producer who fuses hip hop, reggae, and indie sounds to create his unique style.

""Where I come from, the UK hip hop is like the 90s hip hop in America,"" he stated. ""There is a hip hop scene that talks about poetry. I'm trying to keep it real with my lyrics and talk about things that are important other than guns, money, and bitches.""

Rebel ACA's music is versatile but uniquely his own by utilizing numerous live instruments and coming in hard with a big boom-bap sound. The Rebel ACA sound is born by adding a funk influence on his tracks aligned with funky bass. On ""Migraine,"" he uses some vintage 70s French influence vibes to give the single a flavor of its own. There is nothing out there like ""Migraine.""

Rebel ACA records under Buttercuts Records, a company he owns and operates. The London-based production company has been ""bashing out buttery beats"" since 2000. Buttercuts Records is the go-to place for releasing hip hop, reggae, breaks, funk, soul, and folk records with a tongue-in-cheek attitude and marketing that surpasses witty wordplay.

As ""Migraine"" gains international attention, it is easy to understand how Rebel ACA combines old and new hip hop with effortless flows and brilliant lyrics. Maybe the world is ready for an international tax advisor who drops bars and vibes out to some wicked rhymes.

Make sure to stay connected to Rebel ACA on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B01IUCK482/rebel-aca

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rebel-aca/1086797152

Bandcamp: https://rebelaca.bandcamp.com/track/she-wants-to-love-me

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rebelaca-music

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ze2Yu0NUzfbXo6OqnOW22

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4IwpcbAaVJM57DnPgcZsBA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebel.aca

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La Messe De Nostre Dame. 9 Weltliche Werke = 9 Secular Works

LP | EU | Original (Archiv Produktion)

11,99 €*

LP | 2024 | UK | Original (Dell'Orso)

Release: EU – Original

Genre: Classical Music

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Used Vinyl

Medium: Near Mint, Cover: VG+

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Mark Van Hoen

Plan For A Miracle

Release: 2024 / UK – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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“I like to work with a variety of instruments and set ups,” says Mark Van Hoen, sometimes known as Locust or Autocreation but here working under his own name on the excellent Plan For A Miracle, his first physical release of solo music since 2018’s Invisible Threads. ”Sometimes it’s literally in my studio, with all the hardware electronics available. Sometimes the laptop, using software instruments. Some of the tracks on this record were recorded in the desert (Joshua Tree) using a 4-track tape machine and small modular synthesiser set up. Each track was recorded in different location using different instruments, which accounts for the distinction between each piece. It’s also about my own reaction to my environment, and what’s going on in my life at the time.”

The Croydon-born Van Hoen started musical life in the early 1990s, signing for R&S records in 1993 but developing his own, myriad and distinctive style across a range of releases on Touch, Editions Mego and other labels, using a battery of instruments, including analogue synthesizers and taking a number of different approaches to recording, rather than ploughing a single sonic furrow. He has worked on a number of collaborations, including with Nick Holton and Neil Halstead of Slowdive, under the moniker of Black Hearted Brother - their Stars Are Our Home was released in 2013. “I have known Neil Halstead since 1992,” says Van Hoen. “He shared a house with me for a couple of years, and the music I was making and listening to along with clubs

I was attending had an influence particularly on Pygmalion, the final Slowdive album on Creation.”

Each track on Plan For A Miracle does indeed sound like a world unto itself, a mini-environment, a weather condition, an ecosystem created for the moment. It’s a collection of tracks recorded over the past few years, released on Bandcamp - despite his apparent absence, Van Hoen works constantly. Opener “Climates”, in its exquisite limpidity, feels like a homage to Brian Eno, one of his most formative influences in his teen years, commencing with Music For Films, which he bought in 1979. “This Is For Them”, feels like a ghostlike throwback to early drum & bass or electronica, reminiscent of his own, earliest outings. “There have been a number of requests from labels to make some more music like my very early releases on R&S,” says Van Hoen. “This is part of ‘letting go ’and realising that there’s nothing less creative about going back to those styles again.”

“Pencil Of Spheres” is something else again, a magnificent, imaginary glass structure, shimmering, refracting, without visible means of suspension, a thing of impossible beauty. “Electric Lights” evokes an abandoned fairground, its lights still pulsating, its music lingering. “The Underpass”, meanwhile, insofar as it reminds of anything at all, is faintly reminiscent of Cluster or Neu’s! West German ambience, the urban mundane rendered magical, the sodium lights, the whitewashed walls. The reverberant, faintly oriental chimes of “Insight” transport us yet again, burgeoning and intensifying.

The landscapes, the skyscapes rendered on Plan For A Miracle feel unpopulated as a rule - but when he does introduce vocal elements, Van Hoen has a history of doing so to spectacular effect - think of “Real Love” from 1998’s Playing With Time, the seductive intonation of its title recurring throughout like a series of massive holograms, echoing, stuttering, breaking up, surging. Here, there are just the faintest of vocals, barely distinct, disquieting. “There’s been a bit of a game changer in recent times,” explains Van Hoen. “AI software that enables you to extract vocals and instrument parts from virtually any recording. That means sampling individual parts from existing sources is no longer limited to the original mix exposing certain parts soloed. The vocal parts I use are from multiple sources and often pitch shifted altered rhythmically and melodically.“ There’s further vocal chatter on “I Really Do”, proceeding at a faster pace as if giving chase, or being pursued - distant, enigmatic. “The Music”, meanwhile, its beat tolling, lost in its own fog of static, features a curious intonation, like the ghost of a lost Walker Brother.

Sadly, the album’s title is in reference to a personal tragedy on Van Hoen’s part - the loss of his wife. Titles such as “I Won’t Give Up”, which faintly reminds of another Eno masterpiece, Another Green World, in its nautical hurly-bury, or the pastoral strains of “Mrs Who”, heavily clouded with sadness, seem to allude to this. “In fact the record was recorded entirely

before she passed away,” says Van Hoen, “most of it before she even became very ill. The title was given to the album when it started to look like she wasn’t going to make it beyond a few months. It was something Osho said - “plan for a miracle” - so it was a statement of hope. Unfortunately it was not to be.” Although the album is non-thematic, non-specific in its atmospheres, sound paintings, elegant structures it most certainly stands as a magnificent monument to Osho’s memory.

-David Stubbs.

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Cocoon Compilation U 6x12" Purple Vinyl Edition

6LP | 2023 | Original (Cocoon)

96,99 €*

LP | 2024 | EU | Original (Alien Transistor)

Release: 2023 / Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Long-awaited, finally Cocoon Recordings is back with its renowned Cocoon Compilation. The iconic series continues with the 21st edition “Compilation U” and brings top-notch artists together as usual, providing zeitgeist and versatile sound. From deep and hypnotic techno beats to uplifting and euphoric melodies, there is something for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned clubber or a casual listener, this album is guaranteed to get your heart racing and your feet moving.

New Jackson conjures a beautiful beginning into existing with a spheric acidic micro house opener. Melancholic harmonies combine with spacy "Acid Jackson" vocoder parts while the bouncing sequence gives this track an exceptional unique mood. A musical journey that could go on forever. Next up is German house legend Ian Pooley. “DDG Talk” offers distinctive funk with a deep grooving rhythm. Synth parts ring out like tightly stretched rubber bands and you can literally hear Ian’s love for special analog curiosities. Complex modulations add to the charm of this piece and lead to a nifty production with a certain vintage charm. Sweet vibes that fit almost any moment. The impulsive deep tech track “Il Rotori”

then welcomes us to the circus ring and shows us the attraction of the virtuoso. Grinding hi-hats shake up and down alongside progressive sequences to form a cloud of happy frequencies. A sweet memory that lifts the energy of the moment and is reminiscent of a sunset on a beloved island.

DJ Tennis smoothly takes us to the next phase with a warm musical embrace. The bassline with Italian flavor grooves true to form, recalling the early 2000s. The perfect accompaniment for a sundowner. Shimmering zap sounds, hitting stabs, and energetic vocals that command us to “Take It, Take It” as we will for sure! Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic get things rolling with “Lacalute” serving hypnotic shaker patterns and a charismatic synthesizer sequence. Sven has already been playing this tune on heavy rotation since the beginning of the year. So, let’s head off on a thrilling trip with lightspeed. Get on the high-tension lift, next stop: peak time! The wild ride continues with a remarkable techno track from Michael Klein, primed to fill the main floor with a significant sound pressure level. “Time Warp” is a warehouse monster that offers a powerful bassline groove, a booming bass drum, and pulse-width synth madness, so time appears to move unpredictably.

Motoring on, a UK Rave 90s breakbeat rhythm – brought into the future with the perfect zeitgeist. Benjamin Damage is a hardware lover without a doubt, his machines seem to be an extension of his soul, which can be clearly heard in his sound. “Light” appears in wonderful harmony, and the blissful string sounds beam us out of the galaxy. Magical female vocal parts add the final touch, Benjamin did it again right down to the last detail. Balm for the soul from Levon Vincent, this tune is made for open air. The melancholic energy fluctuates between hope and summertime sadness but leaves us with a warm and fuzzy feeling. We reach a high energy level due to the radiant synth hook line and the pure 909 techno beat gains the underground feeling of the track in contrast to its comprehensiveness. Coming up next is “Cold Tuning” by Space Dimension Controller. It’s a timeless sci-fi saga, nostalgic and futuristic at the same time. Dreamy synth pads take us into another world and dimensions quickly rush by. A beautiful and touching atmosphere evolves, and the slightly off-key sensual string harmonies are predestined to generate emotions. A fast floating 808 kick expedites the spaceship beyond infinity. Mission accomplished!

Entering the final stage, no one less than Orlando Voorn spreads happiness all over. Orlando’s particular shuffle rhythm paired with alien reverbed synthesizer stabs form the basis of “Samurai”. But the outstanding feature is especially the noisy gritty bit-crushed synth hook line in connection with energetic and graceful vocal samples. As the penultimate, Marco Faraone & The Florentian Cabaret serve a playful and harmonious composition with 80s charm, which clearly stands out from their independent releases. Lovely organ sounds are layered with shimmering Roland-Jupiter-like synth pads, bringing everybody back together on the dance floor in the morning hours. To close things out, of course, we need an after-hour vibe provided by a stripped-down minimalistic groove from Fango. “Betta” invites you to close your eyes and let yourself go due to its hopeful carpet of sound and love designed to stimulate your soul. It’s a deep immersion in emotions and the perfect ending for this year's compilation.

Experience the magic for yourself, each track takes you on a journey through different emotions and moods, leaving you breathless and wanting more. From the moment you press play, you will be transported into a world filled with pulsating beats, hypnotic rhythms, and mind-bending soundscapes. But what makes this release truly special is its ability to surprise you at every turn. Just when you think you have heard it all, a new track comes along and blows your mind. Compilation U is a seamless blend of cutting-edge production and timeless musicality. “U” like ultimate music collection that will transport you into a world of pure sonic bliss.

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Organi

Babylonia

26,99 €*

Too Cute Pink Colored Vinyl Edition

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Pop

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Preorder shipping from 2024-11-29

Well-versed in vintage vernaculars, Oakland-based producer/musician Mike Walti is about to return with his sophomore offering under the Organi moniker – as new album “Babylonia” follows 2020’s “Parlez-vous Français?,” a landmark in vibe acquisition ever since.

Wyldwood Studios is a portal. It’s a secret gateway to analog spheres. Cross the threshold and you’ll feel the difference: you can pick any ol’ time, any place, any tongue or vibe, in fact. Hit the dancefloor in 1967, feel that plushy loveseat in the early 70s. It’s a welcoming place where better, saner vibes are still within reach. Fueled, at least in part, by those long-classic 12”s on the walls – just imagine the sepia-tinted countenance of Melody Nelson alongside actual Birkin sans wig, right next to Shadow’s immortal crate diggers, forever blurred –, and channeled through ancient time travel devices such as the MCI 416b only to arrive on classic 2-inch tape (mm1000 aka Ol’ Bessy), it’s a haven for all things organic, for all things imbued with that warm élan. Built and run by Oakland’s own Mike Walti, countless artists from many different genres have felt that flair, creating sonic spheres and moving back and forth along the malleable axis that is space-time. Capturing magic.

Emerging from this unique portal back in 2020, Walti’s aka Organi’s first studio album was a stunning answer to its titular question – “Parlez-vous Français?” It was a soothing, somewhat psychedelic trip so magnétique and alluring that it immediately brought back those bits of Franglais you never knew you remembered. Whereas the debut LP indeed felt like a spontané voyage to the French Riviera ca. 1968, its follow-up “Babylonia” is so much more than linguistic confusion and ancient Akkadian Rhythms. Using that hidden portal near Alameda’s finest port to access all kinds of remote regions and sonic spheres, it’s super tight and feels, well, decent, even though, just like the ol’ Babylon, it’s full of surprising tongues and dreams, schemes and melodies.

“Where do we go from here?,” someone asks in opening “Organii-“ – all majestically cinematic boom bap, buoyant bass, sick strings. A fittingly massive opener that feels like cracking open a cold one after long weeks at work (that ecstatic “ahhhh”), it perfectly sets the tone for another half hour of pure time traveling, globe-spanning bliss. Whereas that certain prédilection pour all things French makes “La Rockette” so tempting and tantalizing (think MalMalNonBien), the sophomore album’s Berlin-based guest singer Nana Lacrima soon takes us elsewhere: title track “Babylonia” spins ever so softly, like a magic lantern, with images of dreamier Stones Throw funksters or Savath y Savalas looming over the steady flow of an arrangement that washes you clean like an ancient, unpolluted River Euphrates or Brazil’s actual Amazon. A sexy Portuguese-flavored anthem, occasional guest singer Alix Koliha also enters the scene to add yet another layer of French chic to this Brazilian landscape. Next, we’re back at the Riviera, but the “Italiano” version of it, splendido sunsets and bell towers in the distance, the ragazze laughing and shaking it up, perhaps even some Portofino Gin so you can really feel that “me ne batto il belin,” as your fingers align form some half-serious “ma che vuoi?”

Tim Maia-penned “Padre Cicero” (1970) deals with the stunning transformation of the titular hero – “De reverendo a lutador,” and what a soaring, sensual hook –, and Organi’s take on Elephant Memory’s “Old Man Willow” (now an “Old Man Waltz”) perfectly underlines what Walti’s Wyldwood endeavor is all about: Easy-Going Experimental Dream Pop, fueled by Gainsbourg, Broadcast, Stereolab, etc.

Later on, even though something seems to be tres complique in “Remembering Anna,” it all sounds carefree like a spontaneous Friday afternoon with a bottle of fine wine. Right before the outro, key album guest Yea-Ming Chen (of Yea-Ming & The Rumors) returns to the mic, adding her dark and dusky trademark timbre to melancholy anthem “Pictures Of Your Face”. Reminiscent of Nico and Trish (rip & rip), it’s a track that’s both dark and strangely propelling, hypnotic and hip-shaking.

A third generation Bay Area native, Mike Walti aka Organi has been running Wyldwood Studios in Oakland CA for some 15+ years (recording artists like Tommy Guerrero, Spelling, Why?, Latyrx, Del, Dan The Automator, and Big Freedia, to name but a few). A multi-instrumentalist who’s obviously in love with the 60s/70s, he loves to work with analog equipment (“We just love us some analog!” “Just listen to those relays purr…”). Recorded and mixed by Mike Walti at Wyldwood, “Babylonia” will be released on vinyl/digital by Alien Transistor.

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Beatfoøt

LP | 2024 | Original (Life And Death)

LP | 2022 | CA | Original (Telephone Explosion)

Release: 2024 / Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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In a world of division, BEÃTFÓØT’s delayed second album is as an invitation to unite at a utopian celebration of life. Originally scheduled for release in October 2023 but postponed due to the ongoing Israel/Palestine war, the intrinsically-political ‘TOO CUTE’ has taken on more prominence than the Tel Aviv duo of Udi Naor and Adi Bronicki could have imagined.
“It's more urgent than ever for us to share this now, even though the album has been ready for a while,” says producer Naor. “BEÃTFÓØT are against any war, and believe that people should talk and not use violence - never,” he adds vehemently. “We feel the pain of Palestinians and Israeli loss of life, and are devastated by it. We hope the war will be finished soon and that peace and prosperity will come soon for both sides.”
While both Naor and vocalist Bronicki have been active in protests, charity work and community efforts over the past year - explicitly against the current government in Israel - such values of peace, acceptance, coexistence, inclusiveness and anti-hate from all sides are further instilled in the songs that form ‘TOO CUTE’.
“We're really trying to highlight that there are people here working tirelessly for a brighter future for our ill kids and our neighbour’s kids,” adds Naor, who is also co-founder of techno duo Red Axes. Having had to flee the country with his family, it’s through music that Naor and Bronicki have found hope.
In light of such conflict, the multi-layered yet sonically-bonkers record also enables escapism, which is needed more now than ever. Following their self-titled 2021 debut (released on DJ Tennis’ label Life and Death), ‘TOO CUTE’ is a refreshingly-ridiculous dark-rave rollercoaster which careers between hard-dance, big-beat, post-punk, techno, hyperpop, country and everything in between.
Things blast off at breakneck speed with the chaotic title track’s hyperpop snares, instantly-catchy lyrics (which feel ominously striking considering the war) and a stadium-ready chorus that erupts into rolling breakbeats, punishing EDM and even a nod to The Bloodhound Gang’s ‘The Magic Touch’. Somehow, we’re just three minutes into the record.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF)’ still bangs despite its silliness, like if Kero Kero Bonito got in the studio with will.i.am. Later, ‘LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)’s wittily satirical one-liners - “I just wanna get high with AI” - come thick and fast amid a barrage of glitches and guitars. ‘SUKC MY DIKC !!!’, meanwhile, pairs flute with pulsing hardstyle beats.
While their first record’s experimental explosion captured the pure carnage and energy of the BEÃTFÓØT universe in a conceptual fashion (though remaining polished in its own way), album two is primed to connect with a bigger audience thanks to its pop melodies, structures and songwriting.

Much of ‘TOO CUTE’ was written while the duo toured Europe for the first time, with rough sketches of tracks created in the moment during their incendiary live shows, and then recorded in planes and cars.
If their first record was a case of testing the vibes, album two is more assured and confident within their sonic world. “In the first album, we stepped into the club, metaphorically, and started making eye contact with everyone to figure out the energy,” Bronicki says. “But, this time round, I already had an idea of the story that I wanted to tell to these random people.”
And what is that story? “Radical silliness, or radical fun – that’s the essence of BEÃTFÓØT,” Naor confirms. “What we really want to do is goof around and have fun, and that brings out something very profound and honest,” he explains. A sense of nostalgic freedom is also at the album’s core, thanks to the removal of adult predetermined social constructs that decide how people should behave or look. “There’s a very honest and positive energy in holding onto your childlike wonder and trying to explore that with others,” Bronicki suggests, adding that “the adult world can be so wrong and angering”.
She feels this relates to both the album’s lyrics and the artistic state of mind that the duo always work to: “the goal is to feed a really thought-out and profound idea, but through a playful spoon,” she says. With this in mind, the recurring theme of ‘TOO CUTE’ stems from the duo’s “radical and lived experience of existing in a place that holds a lot of guilt and fear – because death is so imminent and prevalent in a very confronting way”. This is clearly represented on ‘FOOTYLICIOU$’, on which Bronicki screams “someone’s gonna die tonight!” before emphatically shouting “NOT ME!”
The album title is BEÃTFÓØT’s response to that: “We want to be a celebration of life, and that applies to all lives, of all backgrounds, including animals… that’s our guiding light,” Bronicki says.
“We create in the context of living in a country where the current government’s anti-democratic measures are limiting who is included in the celebration of life. Because different people are always being pushed out and excluded: whether it’s queers, Palestinians or people from different religions.”
BEÃTFÓØT - who have found a home among the LGBTQIA+ community - are fighting back against oppression. “We want everybody to come to the party and celebrate life together,” says Naor, setting out his and Bronicki’s mission… “and our goal is to widen that party as wide as it can go.”

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Fresh Pepper

33,99 €*

Descriptions Of An Unfolding Event

Release: 2022 / CA – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Beyond whatever mood is likely struggling to be sculpted by the house playlist, restaurants are full of their own natural music. Porcelain and cutlery clatter in bus bins like little medieval battlefields; the chatter of patrons smears into a single stormy texture; the kitchen staff hollers and chides as their own chosen music competes for the ear of anyone walking to the restroom; the churning and hissing of the dish steamer leads the assemblage of sounds that leak out from the back of house to and cling to a diner’s subconscious. The fact that restaurants employ so many hustling musicians, whose entire lives are centered around sonic sensitivity and awareness, is either grand irony or total synergy. Toronto outfit Fresh Pepper, led by longtime friends Andre Ethier and Joseph Shabason, playfully navigates the mental and emotional mark left on many musicians by such places. Their self-titled debut is less concerned with their service-industry traumas, doldrums, and setbacks than it is with creating a relatable space for album’s contributors to fully be themselves within the ease and freedom of having similar histories. Shabason, Ethier, and company recount their culinary past lives across eight jazzy and benevolent tracks that exude their authors’ sheer enjoyment of the creation process. Though the mental image of restaurant inner workings might trigger a mix of urgency, weariness, and yearning for a better livelihood, Fresh Pepper recolors these frazzled scenes with fondness and levity, exorcizing past workplace woes through skillful musicianship and an earnest, slightly bizarre sense of humor.

Fresh Pepper was played and assembled in-person during a gap between Covid waves, and the gleeful rarity of the occasion is palpable. Whatever brooding was stereotypical of artists and musicians pre-pandemic was not invited to this reunion. From the very beginning moments of Fresh Pepper, Shabason and Ethier guide their companions (a sort of super group of Toronto musicians from acts like Bernice, Beverly Glenn Copeland, and even Destroyer’s Dan Bejar himself) with breathy, hushed tones via saxophone and vocals respectively, casually traversing their own annexed corridor between smooth jazz, exploratory avant-indie, and subverted adult-contemporary. Mid-performance apologies are left unmuted in the mix, room-tones are evident in spacious moments, and the spirit of close collaboration is omnipresent. After a mini-parade of loose and glassy keys, the pensive funk highlight “Prep Cook in the Weeds” intros with the kind of furrowed-brow noir-smoothness of some yesteryear crime drama, buoyed by Ethier’s gently insightful musings. “Another fly lands on the clock,” he sings in a hushed tone through a half-smile, pointing wryly toward the relationship between wage-workers and timekeeping devices. “Flies on the hands of time,” he continues, resigning his sense of control, “the flies take the wheel.” Ethier’s slice-of-life lyricism and serene baritone delivery find a fitting counterpart in Dan Bejar who appears on “Seahorse Tranquilizer”. Where featured vocalists-- especially those as iconic as Bejar-- would threaten to out-charisma an album’s resident personalities, Ethier and Bejar heighten the charm of each other’s demeanor in a natural and relaxed way, leading to one of the gentlest moments of an already gentle affair.

Conversely, the track “Dishpit” is noticeably the most abstract chapter of the album, reminiscent of the factory-like, thankless, yet oddly contemplative corner of the kitchen after which it is named. The track begins with a toyish, motorik pulse that imparts the fraught motivation of a full sink during lunch rush with still more dishes on the way. Shabason’s saxophone spins in the mist and steam, disoriented but determined, rallying an equally bewildered percussionist behind it. On much of the album, Shabason’s playing assumes more practical form in contrast to the ambient impressionism of his solo output, but here his atonal fourth-world fingerprints are easily visible. Following all this, “Congee Around Me” again finds warmth in the chaos, imparting the same sense of peace within the jumble that characterizes Fresh Pepper. “Mushrooms in the frying pan,” opens Ethier, summarizing the album’s pathos, “throw another in, I’ll see you when I see you.” Album ender “The Worm” - fatigued and victorious, fluttery and decayed, sounds like a memory-rich bygone era that never really existed. Was that 1990-something? Did it really happen that way? Did the sunlight really look like it does through a camcorder, or has sunlight always been the same as it is now? Does it really matter if I couldn’t see it from the kitchen anyway?

It could be argued that the best art frames its subjects without any commentary, leaving as much room for the viewer to fill with their own experiences, shortcomings, and longings as possible. Fresh Pepper provides this kind of framing around a scenario so taken-for-granted that it becomes mythic under the slightest examination. In this sense, like so many projects that Shabason puts his sonic stamp on, Fresh Pepper conjures an unexpected slice of enlightenment from somewhat unnoticed circumstances. True to form, Fresh Pepper assures us not just that we are going to be okay, but that we are okay right here and now, overtired as we are amid the stainless steel, heat lamps, and spattering oil.

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Domotic

LP | 2022 | EU | Original (Kythibong)

21,99 €*

Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Stéphane Laporte's solo musical project, Domotic, is a fine example of longevity. Since Bye Bye, his first album released in 2002, the Parisian conscientiously digs a groove aligning on the same axis — which over time looks more like an orbit — the aesthetically perfect pop of the Beatles, psychedelic rock, Old School Ambient, the glorious electronica of the 90’s, the eccentricities of "library music" and the rigor of minimalism. However, it would be unwise to reduce the half-dozen albums and the handful of shorts signed by Domotic to these few influences, as the approach of each of his discs corresponds to an instrumentarium, a precise recording method and an associated concept. Moreover, it seems that for Domotic the construction process is just as important as the result obtained. It is perhaps this perpetual search for new technological and aesthetic experiences, governed by unusually high requirements, which leads him to produce pop as one would compose scholarly music. In the early 2000s, Laporte began to produce music through Pro Tools software by training as a sound engineer. In the evening, he tries his hand at recording synth sounds that will compose Bye Bye, his first record for the Active Suspension label. Three years later, Ask for Tiger, his second album, transposes his fine melodic triturations into song format and vocals make an entrance. There follows a period during which the Parisian will favor collaborations: Centenaire, post-folk rock project in the company of Aurélien Pottier and Damien Mingus, Karaocake, lo-fi pop duo with finely outdated keyboards, alongside Camille Chambon, and Egyptology, “synthetic-cosmic” pair with Olivier Lamm. On the sidelines of these various projects, Laporte returned to solo production, in 2013, with Before and After Silence, a lo-fi and rugged psychedelic pop album, followed by a series of compositions for art films and short films and instrumental albums, including two for the Antinote label under his own name, and a minimalist krautrock record for Gonzaï. His career and his various experiences have allowed the Parisian to refine the complex aesthetic identity of Domotic while multiplying the caps: multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger but also sound engineer and producer as he admirably showed by passing behind the console for Orval Carlos Sibelius’ Super Forma in 2013 and Forever Pavot’s La Pantoufle in 2017. Under a dark and deep blue cover with a design reminiscent of sound illustration records, Descriptions of an unfolding event immediately displays its content "Chords / Melodies / Textures / Rhythms / No words". Combining his passion for soundtracks, his talent for writing songs without words and a composition process inspired by both musical and aesthetic minimalism, Domotic develops on this new album themes reminiscent of François de Roubaix or Ennio Morricone's soundtracks. The endlessly pared down writing and composition are based on the simple repetition and changes of chord of layered melodic forms played on piano and synth and supported by vocals; these finely orchestrated melodic patterns are then gently mangled, as if subjected to a drift which would gradually modify their shape and texture. This second step consists in exploring the possibilities of disappearance of these precious variations into rich textural depths. A bit like the American visual artist Sol LeWitt whose work of wall drawings is based on the repetition of simple shapes constructing a true visual narrative. Laporte develops a musical development made up of thirteen pieces that function as so many perspectives, modulations and alterations of melodic patterns; this game of repetitions / variations / deteriorations accentuates the narrative dimension while creating a play-set of distorting sound mirrors, blurring the temporality and bringing out a certain nostalgia. As an assertive purist, Laporte has favored analog devices (pedals, magnetic tapes and spring reverb) for filtering his sounds, giving them subaquatic metallic nuances and offering them an organic unraveling. Imagine Vladimir Cosma grinded by Christian Fennesz or Broadcast granularized by Jan Jelinek; you're almost there, with the difference that Domotic, even in its most advanced dissolutions, likes to preserve a certain physicality to the sound which conveys powerful images. He thus poses side by side a piece with strong and clear instrumentation and its submerged false doppelganger, with degraded contours and resonance, and suggests to hear its melodic DNA through the hull of a submarine: the themes seem to liquefy, the rhythms are no more than a distant hydraulic punctuation and the blips evoke the sweeping of a sonar. If the majority of the titles of the pieces (Very Deep, Deeper Again, Through Phases, Suspension 2) reinforces this feeling of diving into deep waters, Laporte nevertheless allows himself a wink tribute to the composer Morton Feldman in the shape of a melodic madeleine, with the hit-like Morton, available in 2 versions, Pop Drums and Gamelan, which sounds like the credits of a 70s American soap opera, and its Asian version. Special mention to A willingness to fall asleep, a minimalist avatar in the form of an aquatic hypnosis session where a piano motif swims with timeless grace between an asthmatic oscillation and a spectral chorus drowned in reverb. An ambitious project initiated by Stéphane Laporte in 2017, Descriptions of an unfolding event crystallizes the vast musical inspirations and aesthetic concerns that have animated Domotic for several years. Before and After Silence (2013) and Smallville Tapes (2017) were already exploring this logic of “pop decomposition”, each in their own register and time; this new disc sees Laporte at the top of his melodic art navigating between minimalism, psychedelia and liquid experiments. And we envision Steve Reich and Ennio Morricone chatting with Jacques-Yves Cousteau on the Calypso deck...

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LP | 2018 | EU | Original (Paris DJs)

Release: 2018 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Limited edition of 250 copies only!
Only one copy per customer!
Access to groovy, funkin', rockin', psychedelic, revolutionary (etc.) African music as we've grown to like it at Paris DJs was not for everyone before the internet age. For Paris DJs co-founder Loik, it began in the early 80s when he met with a former Fela Kuti horn player, who introduced him to Afrobeat. When Loik arrived at Radio Nova in 1986 (he was radio programmer there between 1987 and 1997), he then discovered marvels of African Music (other than Fela), through the radio's vast record collection, which soon led to the word-famous "La Sono Mondiale" concept.
At the same time, Grant Phabao, in his late teens, discovered Congolese music through friends from Zaire. He gets access to Afrobeat in the mid-90s with a Fela Kuti CD gathering the "Zombie" and "He Miss Road" albums, which long-time friend Djouls brought back from his diggin' sessions in Paris. Many friends ripped and burned that CD, for sure. Then the legendary Daktaris album happened on Desco Records in 1998, followed by the beginning of the Antibalas, the Comet Records & Strut Records compilations in 2000, and soon after Soundway Records… the rest is history but that's roughly how African Music started for us at Paris DJs.
At this point we met online with Calumbinho on the Soulseek P2P network. Such a mind-bending experience… The man was sharing hundreds of full albums, all sorted by country, and had music from every corner of 1960s/70s/80s Africa! We asked for advice, he listed 50 records to begin with! All those records, digital files, influences & experience gathered together gave birth in 2006 to a series of mixes on the Paris DJs podcast, "African Mashed Potato Popcorn", blending old and new African music from all over the world. It was an instant smash, DJs from all over the world reaching out asking us to keep on focusing on this amazing music coming from Africa (or inspired by music from Africa).
Around that time, the Paris DJs crew met with musicians from Antibalas (Martín Perna, Duke Amayo / USA), and from the Poets Of Rhythm/Karl Hector bands (Ben Abarbanel-Wolff, Jan Whitefield / Germany). They had all played with Fela Kuti's guitar player Oghene Kologbo by then. The German guys had even started a band with him, the Afrobeat Academy, releasing an album together in 2007. Little did we know that from this point on, Kologbo and African music would grow to become a very important part of our lives.
We started collaborating with Samy Ben Redjeb from Analog Africa, Miles Cleret from Soundway or Quantic from Tru Thoughts, among many others very influential record collectors, for some exclusive mixes of rare afro/latin music on the Paris DJs podcast. In 2009 we co-organized the first Ebo Taylor show in Europe, with German musicians from the Afrobeat Academy/Whitefield Brothers/Jimi Tenor crew backing him along with Kologbo. Soon we helped open the Superfly Record Store and got our hands (and ears) on many rare, original African Records. Loik started recording Kologbo's second solo album "Africa Is The Future" (featuring Tony Allen and Pat Thomas!), Grant Phabao was producing his first afrofunk tunes, and all this new music was damn funky…
Phabao went on a trip to Benin and Ghana, where he ended up hooking up with Ben Abarbanel-Wolff, who was recording with Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas there. After a two-year period during which Grant Phabao and Djouls partnered with famous Irish-born, Paris-based producer Doctor L, and released with Cameroonian artist Franck Biyong no less than 16 digital albums and conceptual compilations, the Paris DJs label was born in 2012, with the addition of poster artist Ben Hito to the gang.
Five compilations in the "Tropical Grooves & Afrofunk International" series were released, with artists from all over the world, featuring the first tracks from the Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra project, with Grant Phabao at the controls and many guests from the now global African music scene adding their own, original touch. Most of those were compiled in the "Massive Hits From the Grant Phabao Factory" LP in 2015.
It was a long read, many years of learning and sharing back, but we wanted to tell how African music slowly but surely infiltrated its way into Paris DJs' daily life, which led to the Kologbo LP being released at the end of 2017, and to this Grant Phabao Afrofunk LP to be released june 2018, featuring 20 guests among which Tony Allen, Oghene Kologbo, Sandra Nkaké, RacecaR, members of Antibalas, The Breakestra, Brownout, Fela Kuti's Egypt 80, Jungle Fire, Les Frères Smith, Ebo Taylor's Afrobeat Academy, Osemako… coming from Paris, Berlin, Lagos, Washington, Austin or Los Angeles!

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AIAIAI

UNIT-4 Wireless+

799,99 €*

LP | 2001 | EU | Reissue (Be With)

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AIAIAI introduces world’s first professional wireless studio monitors

UNIT- 4 frees the music creation process with battery powered portability and ultra-low latency wireless audio.
With UNIT-4, what was previously confined to the traditional studio is now liberated in the hands of the creator, enabling them to break free from boundaries. Whether at home, on the road, or with friends, UNIT-4 allows for freedom of movement and increased opportunity for collaboration.

AIAIAI brings innovation in audio technology and acoustic design that packs professional studio monitor performance into a compact size of only 2.5kg. UNIT-4’s advanced wireless technology allows for wireless, uncompressed audio with only 16ms of latency. Three different modes of connection means complete versatility in one speaker with Wireless+ ultra-low latency, Bluetooth and cabled options. Designed from the inside out without using glue, UNIT-4 allows for total disassembly and component replacement, and is made from 100% recycled plastic.

The introduction of UNIT-4 is AIAIAI’s latest step in expanding its family of products using the W+ Link technology, which began with the introduction of the TMA-2 Wireless+ headphones in December of 2021. The W+ Link has been specifically developed for wireless audio with ultra-low latency in a stable and robust connection, designed for enhanced freedom for music making.

The UNIT-4 Wireless+ studio monitors allows creators to finally break free from the cable and expand their creative freedom. Experience unparalleled flexibility and truly liberating mobility in your creative process as a music producer. These studio monitors allow you to create and mix music with accurate sound representation and powerful performance wherever you are. Connect wirelessly to your devices and enjoy crystal clear audio without the hassle of cables.
Take control of your creativity and elevate your music to the next level with these wireless portable studio monitors.

The key features uniquely designed for enhanced freedom and set UNIT-4 apart from other speakers are the following:

Complete wireless freedom
• Battery powered with 20H+ of playback time
• W+ Link ultra low latency wireless audio for music creation - only 16ms of latency, uncompressed audio and robust connection
• Complete wireless freedom - both audio and power cables

Reference monitor performance
• 2 way active monitor featuring a 4 inch high-excursion woofer and 1 inch silk-dome tweeter
• Precision tonal accuracy over a flat +/-2dB frequency response from 50Hz to 20kHz
• Bass vent and boosting EQ tuned to provide a clean bass extension down to 40Hz
• Precise soundstage and point-source accuracy provided by the minimal front panel design, incorporating a directivity controlling tweeter waveguide
• Stage monitor design enables you to place the speaker upright or angled horizontally, to optimise your sound field in changing workspaces
• Shape UNIT-4’s sound to your environment or preference using the AIAIAI app customisable 5-band EQ

Portable, compact and rugged
• Size and weight of only 3 litres / 2.5kg
• Rear bass vent designed to be a comfortable carrying handle when on the move
• Removable steel grille provides sturdy protection for the woofer and tweeter

Connect to everything
• W+ Link - use the X02 transmitter for low latency wireless music creation
• Bluetooth 5.2 - listen to music from your Bluetooth enabled devices
• Cable - connect directly via 3.5mm mini-jack and 6.3mm balanced TRS inputs

Responsible design
• Main components produced from 100% recycled plastics, from post-consumer sources
• Designed for disassembly in a glue-free design - take the whole speaker apart using twoscrewdrivers
• Replace worn out components including battery and drive units
• Future-proofed for new technologies with upgradeable wireless electronics

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
• UNIT-4 Wireless+ Studio Monitor x2
• X02 W+ Link Transmitter
• Power supply x2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
UNIT-4 AUDIO
• Response: +/-2dB 50Hz-20kHz
• Low cut-off: 40Hz
• Peak SPL: 104dB
• Enclosure: Bass reflex
• Woofer: 4 inch high excursion
• Tweeter: 1 inch silk dome
• Crossover: 3kHz
• Amplifier: Class D 2x 80W peak
• DSP: Loudness adaptive bass EQ
• EQ adjustment: 5-band (AIAIAI app)

UNIT-4 AUDIO CONNECTIONS
• Low latency audio: AIAIAI W+ Link
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Analog inputs: 3.5mm aux / 6.3mm balanced

UNIT-4 POWER
• Battery playback time: 20 hours
• Charging time: 2 hours
• Battery capacity: 77Wh
• Power supply: 120-240VAC - 15VDC

X02 W+ LINK TRANSMITTER
• Latency: 16 ms
• Audio quality: Uncompressed
• Operating range: 12 m
• W+ Link connections: 2 devices

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Wally Badarou

Colors Of Silence

LP | 2023 | UK | Original (Lrk)

Release: 2001 / EU – Reissue

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Synth pioneer and musical polymath, Wally Badarou is a genius. But you know that already. A vinyl version of his majestic Colors Of Silence has been craved by the Balearic cognoscenti ever since its low-key 2001 release. Indeed, when we first started work on Be With, we asked some pals with exquisite taste what their dream release would be. We asked Balearic legend Moonboots and, without hesitation, he said Colors Of Silence by Wally Badarou. We didn't know Wally had made this album. And most still don't. But that's about to change.

Colors Of Silence is ostensibly a new age album. As ever though, Wally's sophisticated synth textures and expressive keyboard runs are so full of character, so full of life, that this work of art transcends any easy genre categorisation. It's simply stunning, throughout. It sounds like A.r.t. Wilson or Suzanne Kraft, with traces of Cfcf and Jonny Nash. But it was made a good decade earlier than the work of these modern giants. Sometimes, it doesn't seem far from some Larry Heard albums.

Island Records founder Chris Blackwell's friend Nathalie Delon asked Wally to provide music for the yoga DVD she was to release. Lack of time on both sides made them agree on using "quality demos" Wally had in his ideas bank. It's understandable why Colors Of Silence remains somewhat of a lost gem. As Wally explains: "Total lack of promotion made it an 'intimate' release, which was exactly what I was looking for: just a buzz-maker and time-buyer that would allow me to concentrate on the real thing as soon as I'd have time, which could also turn into a rare collecting item later, once the final versions made their way to success. You never know."

Over the years, Colors Of Silence has become a true cult record for the ambient/Balearic heads.

The beguiling but brief "Dance In The Dust" is the shuffling, hyper-percussive, hypnotic opener. It gives way to the deep serenity of "Amber Whispers". It's a gliding, divine, mini melodic masterpiece. It'll make you swoon in its extreme beauty. The bright and breezy "Where Were We" follows, a tropical, reggae-tinged bounce through the islands.

The uptempo groove is maintained on the keys-drizzled soca-funk of "The Lights Of Kinshasa" before Side A is rounded out with "Pictures Of You". It starts with stately, melancholic, unadorned piano and this alone would make for a beautiful song. But Wally always gives us that bit extra and he effortlessly introduces warm, dreamy pads and minimal, slo-mo percussion to augment a frankly stunning piece of work.

Ushering in Side B, Wally's mesmeric piano playing is to the fore again, in the intro to uber-chilled "Serendipity For Two". The playing becomes more mellifluous as the track progresses and adds warmth through exotic percussion, woodwind, sweeping synths and digi-drums. It has echoes of, er, Echoes. It segues seamlessly into the more propulsive, wavy "Smiles By The Millions". If you're not nodding and grinning along widely to the gently throbbing bassline underpinning this, we can't help you. The meditative "Higher Still" follows, cinematic in feel and ever so slightly sinister with the strings. It sounds particularly Badalamenti-esque, if you ask us.

That unmistakable, almost peculiar Badarou funk - so lyrical, so texturally rich and so rhythmically spacious - is all over "Oriental". Next up, "Days To Wonder" brings the serenity back, insistent yet melodic keys, as if played in a place of worship, coupled with birdsong, conjure a kind of instant nostalgia for halcyon days of youth. The contemplative "Dawn Of Europa" is a sombre, beatless, ambient journey whilst the glorious, too-brief "Crystal Falls" features soft percussion and sparkle before fully glistening with some gentle head-nod beats. Wally brings this incredible collection to a mellow, tender close with the graceful "Purple Lines".

There can be few artists more under-appreciated given their vast influence than Wally Badarou. His solo work practically defined the sound of the Balearic DJs of the 1980s, and thus the more sophisticated sound of dance culture thereafter. A synth specialist, Badarou was the long-time associate of Level 42. He was one of the Compass Point All Stars (with Sly and Robbie, Barry Reynolds, Mikey Chung and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson), the in-house recording team of Compass Point Studios responsible for a series of albums in the 1980s recorded by Grace Jones, Tom Tom Club, Mick Jagger, Black Uhuru, Gwen Guthrie, Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs. Badarou's keyboard playing could also be heard on albums by Robert Palmer, Marianne Faithfull, Herbie Hancock, M (Pop Muzik), Talking Heads, Manu Dibango and Miriam Makeba. He also produced Fela Kuti. Phew!

Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest possibly quality at Record Industry in Holland. Special thanks must go to Apiento from Test Pressing who first introduced us to Wally and facilitated all those early zoom meetings. It couldn't have happened without his help. Not least on pulling the art together, too, which features striking original photography by Mads Perch. Benji Roebuck of Roebuck Press did his thing brilliantly in art working the whole package to completion. All in all: essential.

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Aphrose

Roses

2LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Tonefloat)

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Aphrose reveals her sophomore album, 'Roses,' a captivating amalgamation of Neo-Soul and R&B, delving into the wellspring of ancestral strength and love.

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Aphrose, also known as Joanna Mohammed, unveils her sophomore album, establishing her as one of Toronto's best-kept musical treasures. Known for her commanding vocal prowess within her hometown, this gifted songwriter and vocalist is rapidly garnering global acclaim and accolades from both fans and music critics alike. Signed to independent Soul label LRK Records, 'Roses' remains firmly rooted in Aphrose's signature style characterized by resounding R&B vocals. However, it also embraces a softer, more introspective aura that brilliantly showcases her remarkable versatility in navigating diverse genres, moods, and musical approaches with remarkable finesse.

This album offers a little something for everyone, catering to enthusiasts of Neo-soul, traditional Soul, Hip Hop, and R&B. Produced by her longtime friends/collaborators at SafeSpaceship Music (Scott McCannell, Chino De Villa, Ben Macdonald), the album serves as a compelling testament to the collective creativity of Aphrose and this exceptional production trio, delivering a kaleidoscope of soundscapes, textures, rhythms, and grooves. 'Roses' weaves together both lighthearted and profound elements as Aphrose explores her life journey, delving into her familial past and present, grappling with the challenges of new motherhood, and contemplating her relationships with herself, her partner, and her friends. Across the 35-minute LP, Aphrose draws inspiration from Neo-soul icons like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, pays homage to Soul legends such as Aretha Franklin and MJ, and infuses contemporary R&B influences from artists like Frank Ocean, SiR, and SZA. The result is a sound that distinctly bears the 'Aphrose sound,' reflecting her deep admiration for her inspirations while imparting a refreshing twist to familiar genres.

The album commences with its title track, 'Roses,' which was released as a single on August 25th. This song sets the stage, invoking the strength of Aphrose's ancestors, particularly her late Grandmother Rose. Following suit is 'YaYa,' also released as a single on July 7th. This buoyant dance track whisks listeners back to the disco era of the late 70s and early 80s. The album's third track, 'Heavenly Father,' offers a brief interlude featuring a recording of Aphrose's Grandmother Rose engaged in prayer, setting the tone for the subsequent track, 'In The Time Of Sorrow.' This contemplative, chill piece captures Aphrose's musings on navigating a world often shrouded in fakery, while craving authenticity. 'Honey (Don't) Come Back' seamlessly transitions between two distinct musical personalities, commencing with a deep, almost Trap-like bass/drum beat before transforming into a spirited Funk/Soul jam—an anthem of empowerment encouraging the listener to leave a situationship that is no longer working. 'What You Don't See' strips the production down to its core, as Aphrose and guitarist/co-writer Heather Crawford craft an intimate ode to a friendship's sad ending.

The B-side opens with the evocative 'Weapons,' featuring a five-person choir including LRK label-mate Claire Davis, Nevon Sinclair (Daniel Caesar and Loony), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee and Alessia Cara), Lydia Persaud, and Marla Walters. The track is adorned with a stirring string arrangement courtesy of Jessica Deutsch. 'Chop The Cake' acts as a breather, interlude-style, easing the intensity. 'Soft Nuclear' channels the spirit of the early 2000s R&B movement, bearing traces of influence from Lucy Pearl. 'Good Love,' released as the first single off this body of work on May 19th, transports listeners to the 70s with its soulful resonance, drawing inspiration from the likes of Michael Jackson and Teddy Pendergrass. 'Higher' stands as Aphrose's tribute to Prince, capturing the essence of his music within its hook and production. The album's culmination arrives with 'ZAG,' an acronym derived from Aphrose's daughter's name, commencing with the sound of her daughter's heartbeat in-utero from a sonogram taken when Aphrose was pregnant. This heartfelt composition serves as a dedication to her daughter and all parents navigating the rollercoaster of parenthood, emphasizing the imperative of nurturing love to shape the future.
'Roses' stands as Aphrose's homage to her history—her Grandma Rose and the ancestral trailblazers who paved her path to the present life she enjoys; her current experiences—her self-discovery, her relationships with her partner and friends; and her aspirations for the future—her daughter and the generations to come. This album crystallizes these temporal dimensions, prompting introspection, celebration, laughter, and tears. 'Roses' is a musical odyssey that scrutinizes the multifaceted beauty of existence, inviting listeners to partake in this thing called life.

The radio world has taken notice of Aphrose's talent, with national Radio Capital's Italy Massimo Oldani spinning her latest single "YaYa" for the entire month of July on his show "Vibe." And both singles getting to number 10 in the UK soul chart.Additionally, Aphrose has received national radio play on renowned stations such as BBC in the UK, Rtve in Spain, and Radio France FIP.
Aphrose has also made CBC's Top 100 finalist list for their Searchlight competition.

Huey Morgan played "YaYa" the second track off the album on his BBC radio six show

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Soft Machine

Other Doors

38,99 €*

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Five years after the release of their last studio album, legendary UK musical institution, Soft Machine, return with a brand new CD/LP, Other Doors. Boasting new material and two numbers drawn from their extensive historical repertoire, Other Doors finds the band on their usual fiery form.

Featuring John Etheridge (guitars), Theo Travis, (saxes, flutes, Fender Rhodes piano, electronics), Fred Thelonious Baker (Fretless bass), John Marshall (drums), Other Doors also features two guest appearances from long-serving bassist Roy Babbington, who retired from the band in 2021.

Other Doors was recorded at Temple Music Studios, a facility owned by the late Jon Hiseman during July and August 2022. It’s a location of which the band is particularly fond, explains John Etheridge. “Working at Jon Hiseman’s studio was special, especially with Ru Lemer who is a brilliant engineer. He’s fantastically quick and that’s very good as we record mainly live in the studio. It’s come out really well and I think it sounds great.”

That ability to work quickly on takes as an ensemble has resulted in a fresh-sounding series of top-flight performances whose typically knotty and sometimes complex themes frequently give way to explosively discursive improvisations. As Theo Travis observes, “The interesting thing about recording free improvisations is you're not playing to a plan or a grid or a blueprint, so you don’t know what's coming, and you don't know what's coming until it's gone. At which moment you're thinking about the next thing.”

The album is brimming with that fast-moving creativity including the title track, whose outline was initially composed by John Etheridge in the Lake District during 2021’s lockdown. Crooked Usages’ ’ slow-weaving machinations and the prowling inquisitiveness pursued during Fell to Earth are similarly imbued with a dextrous yet melodic bite that defines much of the band’s approach. Within this framework, John Etheridge’s supple interrogations across the fretboard’s range coupled with Theo Travis' tightly focused sax and flute alongside his impressionistic keyboard washes encompass a musical language that can be as cerebral as it is emotionally direct.

The Visitor at the Window, The Stars Apart, and the elegiac Back in Season unfurl into more reflective states of being, variously contrasted by mediative percussion, flute, solo guitar, or swarms of electronica and echoing clusters of electric piano. All coalesce to build into the beguiling atmospherics which forms a vital layer within the Soft Machine sound world. It’s been a kind of tradition with the group to include new arrangements of older Soft Machine numbers from the band’s illustrious back catalogue. These have included numbers as varied as Chloe and the Pirates, Kings and Queens, Out-Bloody-Rageous, etc.

On Other Doors they’ve revisited the very first album, originally released in 1968, to include Kevin Ayers ‘Joy Of A Toy. Fred Baker, makes his studio debut with Soft Machine. A well-known figure on the Canterbury Scene not only is he the perfect choice for the group but he’s also is a long-term fan of the repertoire.“The way I look at it is that this is all great music which we’re continuing to preserve and keep alive as we play it but also we’re adding to it all the time,” he explains. The idea for revisiting the number was Theo Travis’ he says and has been part of the band’s live setlist for a while. “I’ve added some extra harmonies and other things to it, so it’s got my stamp as well as going back right down to Kevin Ayers's original. It somehow fitted in with all of the new material as well as the older tracks we do. It’s amazing the amount of young people coming along to gigs who are liking the wide range of music we play.” The album also contains Penny Hitch, a track originally heard on 1973’s Soft Machine Seven. This features the first of two appearances of Roy Babbington who provides the bass lines underpinning Karl Jenkins’ composition while Fred plays the sinuous lead melody on his fretless bass. The pair also worked together as a duo on Now! Is The Time, a number originally based on a theme Babbington brought into the sessions, with Fred and Roy both adding and expanding the scope of the piece.

If the album ushers in a new member in the shape of Fred Baker, it also acts as a fond farewell to drummer John Marshall, who joined Soft Machine midway through the recording of 1972’s Fifth. At the age of 81 Marshall has decided to retire making Other Doors his final studio album with the group. “I’ve known John since 1975 when I first joined Soft Machine and of course, we’ve worked through the years together intermittently ever since. His drumming always meant a lot to me,” says Etheridge. “We worked over three days in the studio and John played great. It sounds terrific.” Indeed, Marshall is on whip-cracking form throughout the album bringing his trademark musicality and decisive presence. With Other Doors, he brings his distinguished career to a rousing conclusion.

Intense, celebratory, and consistently impressive. Other Doors is the sound of a group determined to press forwards with an integrity and sense of purpose that’s quintessentially and definitively Soft Machine.

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Crosstown Rebels Presents Cr20 The Album: Unreleased Gems And Remixes

2LP | 2023 | UK | Original (Crosstown Rebels)

37,99 €*

LP | 2023 | UK | Original (Shapes Of Rhythm)

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Electronic & Dance

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Damian Lazarus celebrates 20 Years of his world-renowned Crosstown Rebels imprint with a special album project of unreleased cuts and fresh remixes, featuring material from Black Coﬀee, Maceo Plex, Art Department, Dennis Cruz and many more.

Undeniably one of the most influential record labels within underground dance music, releasing material from Laurent Garnier, Krust and Mathew Jonson to Rósìn Murphy, Deniz Kurtel, Francesca Lombardo and Jennifer Cardini while playing a pivotal part in the careers of artists like Maceo Plex, Jamie Jones, Art Department and Seth Troxler, Crosstown Rebels stands today as a hub and platform for flourishing projects across the electronic spectrum, including via sub-label Rebellion and across a long list of showcases across the globe. More than just your everyday label, the Crosstown Rebels legacy has grown alongside its founder in equal measure, with head honcho Damian Lazarus continually showcasing, championing and spotlighting artists from across the globe who share his radiant, experimental vision for house music and beyond. Ringing in a major milestone in style, 2023 will see the biggest twelve months to date as Lazarus and Crosstown mark the 20th Anniversary of the label with a series of projects set to be unveiled in the lead-up to summer, with ‘cr20 The Album’ set for release on 12th May 2023.

“20 years ago, I dreamed a dream of creating a family of like-minded, crazy individuals from all corners of the planet - releasing music to the world and making people dance. That dream was Crosstown Rebels, and this year we are 20. Over these years, I have forged beautiful friendships, discovered very talented artists and tried my best to help, advise and support some of the most colourful characters in dance music. Crosstown Rebels is more than a record label, it is family. So 2023 will mark the label’s 20th Anniversary. This is an opportunity for the Crosstown Rebels family, a global community of artists, DJs and creatives, and the label’s myriad of followers to celebrate this momentous milestone. There will be parties and events around the world. A killer compilation of exclusives and special remixes, a beautiful coﬀee table book, a short film, and a special launch event are planned to bring together the sights and sounds of the label’s unique and influential history. There’s lots to share, announce and reminisce. 20 years young.” - Damian Lazarus.

Comprised of six stellar, high-profile remixes of releases from the label’s catalogue, alongside two previously unreleased original gems, the eight-track package is a rich and exemplary showcase of the far-reaching corners of the Crosstown Rebels sound and also its globally connected family of artists and close friends.

Opening the package, Lazarus’ own 2020 collaboration ‘Into The Sun’ with regular Crosstown vocalist Jem Cooke is given a cosmic rework by Johannesburg’s Major League DJz, while Jamie Jones’ slick ‘Paradise 2011’ is stripped back and given a new lease of life by the hypnotic and heady sounds of Art Department. Opening the B-Side, Dennis Cruz brings his percussive Latin-infused signature sound palette to Chilean musician and producer Pier Bucci’s ‘Hay Consuelo’, before Audiojack’s ‘Feel Good’, another standout collaboration alongside Cooke, is taken into synth-led territories as Michael Mayer reaches for an evolving bed of captivating tones.

The second half of the project brings more excellently remixed material, both new and old, with GRAMMY-winning DJ/producer Black Coﬀee turning his hand to the label’s first release of 2023 in Made By Pete and Zoe Kypri’s emotive ‘Horizon Red’, unveiling reworked melodies and sparkling keys as he delivers an interpretation of a track which has featured as a staple in his sets. Next, the project welcomes Adam Ten & Yamagucci’s playful yet oﬀ-kilter and wonky ‘The K Dance’ which unveils itself as a production perfect for those late night hours and early afters, before Ellum boss Maceo Plex’s ‘Together (2011 Mix)’ brings another lost production to the mix with a driving and zipping ride through sugary synths and soaring leads. To close, Tibi Dabo turns his attention to Guti & Dubshape’s absorbing ‘Every Cow Has A Bird’, delivering a nimble minimal-led trip through lush pads and crisp percussion to round things out in style.

Alongside the album, the 20 Year celebrations will also welcome a 192-page hardback book, ’20 Years Of Magic, Madness and Music’, with words from renowned journalist and key underground music player Joe Muggs, and a feature-length documentary directed by acclaimed director David Terranova.

Crosstown has become known globally for throwing some of the world’s best parties, from the wondrous cultural journey of Day Zero Tulum to longstanding Music Week marathon Get Lost Miami. This ethos of creating magical dancefloor moments spills into the label’s 20 year celebration with its worldwide Get Lost tour, launched with Get Lost Miami, and followed by Bali, Tokyo, Ibiza, Dubai, Istanbul, Rome, Paris, London, Berlin and more, plus a special to-be-announced London showcase.

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Mldva & Cinar Timur

No.2 HHV Exclusive Curacao Colored Vinyl Edition

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Rock & Indie

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Shapes of Rhythm is proud to present the self-titled debut LP of Turkish psychedelic pop from Mldva & Çınar Timur. This record is a celebration of the classic music and culture typically of the 70s and 80s, but which also leans into western jazz funk and soul jazz moments. If you're into the Turkish music legends of the 70s and 80s such as Barış Manço and more recently Altın Gün or Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, you've come to the right place.
Mldva were formed in Krakow, Poland in 2013 as a DJ and production outfit. Under the influence of Greek and Turkish folk and psych-rock music they began to transform into a band, taking up instruments including the Saz which is one of the most recognisable trademarks of the Turkish sound. Two years later in 2015 they invited Turkish instrumentalist Çınar Timur to join them and this completes the line up on their debut. This electric album is packed with excellently-recorded expansive tracks which are full of energy, psychedelic deep grooves, hard-hitting breakbeats and everything else you'd expect with classic Turkish sounds.
The instrumental double-header of Neşat Erkaş' Zülüf Dökülmüş Yüze, moving into the time-honoured traditional Kozan Dağıis the perfect opening track. The introduction is an overture of sorts with two minutes of Çınar Timur's pondering guitar. This tees up the record perfectly before heading into a break-beat driven workout with the band matching Çınar's evocative and energetic riffing. The result is a tight sound and a heavy groove that sets the tone for what's to come.
With the band unveiled, Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Ağa, written by Barış Manço (a legend in Turkish popular music), hits a relaxed, deeper and more psychedelic groove, dominated by Wojciech Długosz's dreamy Rhodes piano, set against choppy wah-wah guitar licks that characterize that classic electric Turkish pop sound. We're introduced to Ulaş Çıbuk's vocals for the first time, telling the historic tale of a charitable village lord Mehmet Ağa from 19c Anatolia known for his generosity. He shared his fortune with people inneed and as a result, died penniless. This track also features the unique sound of Çınar's Mictrotonal electric guitar.
Bir Adım Öte is Mldva & Çınar Timur's magnificent mellow moment, marking the halfway point in their debut. The group shows that it's not all about the frenetic in a nod to western Soul-Jazz constructs. They showcase restraint, emotion and that joy in repetition of a wonderful guitar refrain. Not content with holding this down, Wojciech Długosz's Rhodes solo steps into a world that's US-influenced Soul jazzand is a lesson in reduction and feeling. Çınar Timur then takes a solo turn, keeping it western-influenced with an on the spot improvisation. When the three minutes of solos are over, we're brought back out of thedream and towards the East again.
Adımız Miskindir Bizim kicks off like a hip hop/funk crossover tune, until the chord changes muscle in, to remind you where you are in the world. As with other tracks on the debut, the tune is marked by recurring motifs, this time from Çınar's microtonal electric guitar. We've more solo Rhodes action, thist ime busier and more urgent. The lyrics–originally written by Yunus Emre – criticizevalues such as holding grudges that destroy ideas of love, friendship and peace among people which causes hostility. Adımız Miskindir Bizim concludes with an uplifting vocal vamp which switches it up unlike any of thetracks on the LP.
In Fesupanallah– made most popular by Erkin Koray – Ulaş Çıbuk sings about the simple subject ofbeing patient with never ending problems in life, and trying to find a solution for them. This cut takes a rhythmical side-step to the rest of the album. The kick drum maps out a solid four-four, but the vocals and guitar lines move around it to impose Fesupanallah as being the record's most traditionally Turkish-sounding cut.
The album's closing track Ölüm Allah'ın Emri (another Manço classic) was recorded live in the band's more familiar surroundings of Krakow's Cheder Cafe during 2020's Jewish Culture Festival. The lyrics tell the tale of someone who has accepted death but cannot accept the separation that comes with it. We open with a dreamy, psychedelic mood before progressing into a heavy-riffing rock feeling with probing synths. Ulaş delivers his vocals over the top of a stripped back, shuffling groove. As the track progresses towards a frenetic conclusion, drummer Szymon Piotrowski cuts loose, combining with Grzegorz Dąbek's synth lines.
Mldva & Çınar Timur's debut LP is not the sound of a band starting out. Taking time to hone their craft and let influences across the global spectrum of music mature, this is the result of years of jamming, gigging and collaborating. Now, after prestigious festival appearances and their place on Saz Power – an essential modern Turkish music compilation – they're making a lasting contribution to a rich, time-honored culture. Mldva & Çınar Timur releases Friday 30 June 2023 on limited edition vinyl LP and digital download/streaming services on Shapes of Rhythm. Global distribution by Kudos Records.

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