BE WITH RECORDS - Forced Exposure

$42.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 8/11/2023

First time vinyl issue. Lost soul phenomenon Lewis Taylor's Numb finally arrives on double vinyl. One of UK soul's most fascinating artists, most enigmatic figures and most under-appreciated talents, Andrew Lewis Taylor is a prodigious multi-instrumentalist and eclectic polymath. Numb is Taylor's sixth album, initially released on his own label Slow Reality (an anagram of his name) and licensed to Be With for this physical edition. Lewis wrote and recorded these ten brand new tracks after a 17-year break from making music, although the album came together over a two-year period. Numb marks a return to the darker, more mysterious side of his output: "Brian Wilson-channels-Smokey Robinson atmospheres," as Mojo put it recently. In June 2021, news emerged out of the blue that he was readying new music alongside Sabina Smyth with whom he had worked first time around. On Numb, Lewis deftly balances stark, soul-bearing lyrics with moody mid-tempo pop-soul sheen. He deals candidly with depression, mental turmoil, even thoughts of suicide -- clearly more personal than Taylor's earlier songs. The music is rich, warm, and layered, with infectious melodies and hooks that stick with you. Triumphant dubwise horns ring out yet, almost instantly, "Final Hour" takes on a dark, downbeat vibe. Woven around delicate yet insistent piano and subtle strings over a killer bassline, the title track "Numb" is a good example of the lyrical themes throughout the album. "Feels So Good" is sophisticated '90s-sounding soul of the highest order. The music and vocals feel simultaneously optimistic and despondent. "Apathy" is a mini-epic, a symphonic-soul gem which builds and glides and, eventually, soars. "Worried Mind" is another slow-builder, creeping out the gate in a sketchy, discordant fashion before climbing to half-crescendo but never quite breaking free of its disorientating restraint. The brighter "Please" presents a more hopeful mood. "Brave Heart" quietly struts from step one, as Lewis's falsetto swaggers over a downtempo backdrop with ace echoey drums, beautiful strings and serene electric guitar. "Is It Cool" answers its own (non-) question with a spellbinding deep soul that oscillates between a restrained, barely-there backdrop and a lushly full musical accompaniment of acoustic and electric guitar and organ over bass and slick drums. "Nearer" is a magical, soul-stirring ballad in which Lewis sings of reaching a sweet salvation and achieving a peace of mind. "Being Broken" places Lewis's gorgeous voice high in the mix and the wordless falsetto and melodies invite you to ponder what Pet Sounds might sound like if it were refashioned as a dubby 21st century electronic soul album. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry.

$42.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 3/24/2023

Balearic believers rejoice! Japanese tropical-fusioneers Coastlines are back with Coastlines 2. The follow-up to their classic debut (BEWITH 080LP, 2020), this is the sound of Coastlines' global influences. If the dedication to intricate sonic details is particularly Japanese, the overarching feel captures the sprawling grandeur of the international Balearic community. As they put it, Coastlines 2 presents "a more precise and beautifully polished magic hour." Takumi Kaneko and Masanori Ikeda don't radically alter their sumptuous template with this second LP. Yet with a more focused flow from first track to last, this is an even stronger album than their first. One thing that hasn't changed is the use of instrumentals instead of words to express their themes; namely, "the emotional expression of being soaked." Opener "Tenderly" is appropriately titled, a gentle Latin shuffle easing you back into the Coastlines sound. Their über-horizontal take on Hawkshaw & Bennett's "Mile High Swinger" evokes cocktails-by-the-pool as the sun slowly sets. The blunted deep jazz-funk swing of "Alicia" is a rearranged reimagining of the Gabor Szabo song from his classic Jazz Raga LP (1967). As the sun goes down, "Combustione Lenta" displays a beautiful new side of Coastlines, with "Moments In Love" vibes and melancholic guitar arcs. The piano-laden early morning wonder of "Night Cruise" is a sophisticated '80s instrumental soul groove. "Waves And Rays" is all undulating acid waves and lighthouse light. A chopped-and-screwed steel drum G-Funk with soaring synths and nods toward the squelchy machine soul of Mtume and Jam & Lewis. The bouncy future-boogie cosmic chug of "Sky Island" represents the beginning of the sunrise, casting images of '80s Japanese fusion. "Area Code 868" is the strutting staccato sound of Joe Sample waking up in the Caribbean to craft his piano funk drenched in sunshine. Accordingly, the tentative, naive melodies of "Sand Steps" represent that vivid feeling first thing in the morning, as you step on to the sandy beach in the sunshine and take a deep breath. The emotional, organ-piano-steel drum-driven "Song For My Mother" is a slo-mo show of sincere gratitude to all the great mothers. "Yasmin's Theme" is Coastlines' Brazilian homage, propelled laconically by the carnival beat of batucada's big bass surdo drum and complemented by sweeps of warm keys and radiant vocal harmonies. Blissful beatless closer "Asafuji" conjures a scene from a wonderful morning spent with the people of Shizuoka, the symbolic mountain of Japan, Mt Fuji and its inhabitants. It sounds like Dâm-Funk jamming with Sabres Of Paradise. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios. Pressed by Record Industry.

$31.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 3/3/2023

Reissue, originally released in 1979 on Mistlur Records in Sweden. Nyanser is widely considered Thomas Almvqvist's masterpiece. With his adventurous, virtuoso guitar technique to the fore, the album explores a unique path through world music, folk, jazz, and acoustic experimentation, whilst retaining a very personal vision. The majority of the album is a solo exercise with Thomas playing Rhodes, flute, synthesizer, and percussion as well as his idiosyncratic guitar on all tracks. Alongside Thomas in the studio were an array of young, experimental Swedish musicians in the nascent stages of their careers including the much-lauded Swedish composer Ann-Sofi Söderqvist, vocalist Turid Lundqvist, and perhaps the key contributor to the album, Hans Peter Andersson, whose alto, tenor and baritone saxophone contributions shift the album from into the realms of jazz, most notably on "Horisont" and "E.M." The whole ensemble comes together on the centerpiece of the album, the joyous aquatic harmony of "Coral Reef". The album presents a very visual aesthetic, each track evoking images of landscapes and far-flung corners of the earth. Almvqvist himself considered the visual aspect of his sound very important, describing his approach as "picture music." Nyanser is considered one of the earliest examples of a fusion of world music, jazz, and folk traditions, certainly from a Scandinavian artist. Despite its impact on release being minimal outside of those aficionados tuned into such sounds, over the years the album has become something of a "lost" cult classic and a fine example of the experimentalism going on in Scandinavian music at the time. The English translation of nyanser -- "shades" -- is a particularly apt description of the sounds contained within. Thomas very sadly passed away in 2008 at the age of 55. Be With Records hope this reissue will go some way to bringing his unique output to a wider audience and secure the legacy he deserves as one of Sweden's great guitarists and musical visionaries. It sounds sensational. Audio remastered from the original analog tapes. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Pete Norman. Artwork restored at Be With HQ. Includes new insert with liner notes and original photos.

$32.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 2/17/2023

Steve Moore's Lovelock is back with Washington Park, a gorgeous suite of instrumental lounge music that can only be described as synth exotica. A real departure for Steve, this is a more mellow, soothing sound and can be regarded as Lovelock's response to these dystopian times. New York-based multi-instrumentalist/producer/film composer Steve Moore is probably best known for his synthesizer and bass guitar work as Zombi, together with Anthony Paterra. Yet his Lovelock alias has been quietly blowing minds and warming hearts for a decade plus now. His latest effort, Washington Park, was not initially meant to be a Lovelock album. But after posting little snippets of his work, Steve had an epiphany that this could be the new Lovelock. Washington Park creeped out in a very low-key, early lockdown fashion and there wasn't much of a reaction. Gentle opener "It Means Love" grooves along in the laconic style, conjuring carousel innocence and complimented by dreamy, spiritual sax and syrupy synth strings over a digi-soul beats. Title-track "Washington Park" glides smoothly in much the same vein, almost like a slightly more acidic, squelchier version of the preceding track with more insistent organ. Swoon. Closing out Side A, steady ambient gem "We'll See" is all gorgeous, soft pads with plaintive guitar and organ giving way to soaring digital strings over that metronomic drum machine soul. The eerily brilliant "Seduction" is a track which starts like a minimalist slice of Tommy Guerrero-esque guitar and drum machine soul but soon takes on a more menacing bent as Steve leans into his long-held predilection for horror by creating a slow-mo haunted house jam. The tempo (and temperature) rises with "Center Square", a Latin rhythm section and a sensual sax rubbing up against hot and heavy organ and string action. To round things off, the ominous creeping groove of "Rhythm 77" feels like exotica-in-excelsis. Steve used all his old Roland beat boxes (CR-78, Rhythm 77 and Rhythm 330, Rhythm Arranger) plus a Chamberlin Rhythmate for all the percussion. Basslines were usually performed with his Moog Source or Minitaur and for pads and brass he used his Sequential Prophet 600 and Roland Juno 60. Strings came via a variety of old stringers -- Korg Polysix, Elka Rhapsody, Crumar Orchestrator, and Solina String Ensemble -- and he also used his Fender Strat and Yamaha Custom saxophone. Mastering for vinyl overseen by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Blaston of Alchemy Mastering at AIR Studios. Pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

$32.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 2/17/2023

Reissue, originally released in 1983. Fly Me To The Sun is a breathtaking German library gem from the hallowed Coloursound label. It features two Polish composers, Andrzej Marko and André Mikola. Outré synth-funk. Almost blindingly luminous with positive vibes and radiant optimism, Fly Me To The Sun is a collection of funky, sun-dappled compositions for synthesizer and live instruments like drums, bass, and guitar. A dope blend of beatbox driven future jazz and electro pop. The wonderfully sleaze-adjacent opener "Dhamma" includes some grandiose piano chords amid floating ambient sounds a la Steve Hillage with slick drums entering the fray at a languid pace. "Circulation" sounds like Bowie ran into Chaz Jankel during an extended stay in Los Angeles, the Thin White Duke emerging out of a studio at 6am, bleary-eyed and clutching this filthy, bleepy instrumental of sonic smut. "Magic Scenery" is as delicate and astounding as the title suggests, a deep ambient movement conjuring halcyon images of rolling fields with abundant fauna and flora. Cool, slo-mo breaks adorn the strutting melancholy of "Longing for Tomorrow" and "Nocturnal Flowers" to close out Side A. Skip the title track, which opens up Side B, and head straight to "Birth of a Butterfly" for a slice of creeping digi-dub-soul niceness. This should've been front-and-center of that Personal Space compilation a decade ago. Raising both the tempo and the temperature, "Riding on a Sunbeam" continues in the mesmerizing cosmic funk style before "Osmosis", one of the clear stand-outs, presents a fine vintage synth solo over a mellow funky rubberband beat. The closing track, "Solar Heating", warms things up with slapped bass and bold drum machine beats and the synth lends sci-fi vibes to the dark dub-funk-reggae rhythm. As David Hollander, in Unusual Sounds: The Hidden History of Library Music, states, Coloursound was "founded in 1979 by composer, music lawyer, and vibraphonist Gunter Greffenius. A Munich-based library with a reputation for releasing innovative and ambitious music, it catered largely to the market for experimental sounds, its first release was 1980's Biomechanoid, an abstract synthesizer excursion by Joel Vandroogenbroeck, of the pioneering kosmische band Brainticket. The record -- complete with imposing, anonymous title and unearthly H.R. Giger cover art -- set the tone for the label's progressive leanings. The label's catalogue stands as a tribute to the unfettered creative license that libraries were able to provide to forward-thinking musicians who, frustrated by the whims and constraints of the commercial scene, found complete freedom in the world of production music." Sourced from original analog tapes. Remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis.

$32.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 2/17/2023

Reissue, originally released in 1986. Emotionally, crafted by Brainislave Zivkovic and Andre Tschaskowski for Coloursound, is arguably the most beautiful library album ever produced. A start-to-finish masterpiece of powerfully melodic music for reflection and introspection. Branislave Zivkovic handles the majority of Side A. Opener "Morning Light" evokes exactly that feeling, with a gorgeous and plaintive acoustic guitar solo combining with alto flute to stunning effect. Its immediate counterpoint, "Sundown", in no less arresting but brings with it an after-dark drama of almost Lynchian proportions, again drawing upon guitar and flute but with a slightly more melancholic, even sinister edge, also calling to mind Ry Cooder's score for Paris, Texas. It truly captivates when the strings arrive. The reflective cello solo with swelling strings at the heart of "Pastoral Walk 1" ensure this track is aptly titled, with parts two and three adding more agitation -- via keys and percussive elements -- to great effect. "In The Garden 1" presents an elegiac cello solo whilst its second part elevates the romance. The four-part "Soft Thoughts" suite invites further introspection via reflective alto flute and guitar. Fans of The Durutti Column will need to seek this. Andre Tschaskowski enters proceedings with three tracks at the end of the Side A. All of them aces in the pack. "Grief", whilst sorrowful, uplifts in its second half through beautiful keys. Equally hopeful are the two-part "Personal Mood" sketches, both dreamy exercises in optimistic ambience. Tschaskowski controls the entirety of Side B. "Woodland Mood", with its pastoral flute and cor anglais and "Reminiscence", with its classical, emotional strings, both beguile. The piano and strings-heavy "Sentimental View" suite is one of the most beautiful, atmospheric things you will ever hear, particularly its second part. "Moonset 1" with it's wonderful Joe Pass-esque guitar is tense yet easy, the beauty elevated further with the introduction of strings and horns. The more restrained "Moonset 2" is pared back to its divine, sweeping essence and should surely have been sampled by now. To close out an album of almost impossible refinement, the brief 2-part "Emotional Tension" salvo brings both increased stress before resolving itself and the LP with a piano motif and atmosphere of serenity. Blessed relief. Sourced from the original analog tapes. Remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis.

$32.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 2/17/2023

Reissue, originally released in 1986. Heads have been after Otakar Olsaník and Jan Martis's Advanced Process for a long time. That's because "coincidentally-cosmic disco" packed with spaced-out, smacky-synth dynamite tends to become sought-after. Originally slipping out on the mighty Coloursound, the label described the sound as "contemporary synthesizer underscores played by computers; depicting future technologies in today's process." If they'd just added "acid-drenched", they'd have been closer to nailing it. The A-Side is beatless and perfect. "Atomic Plant 1" is a pulsing synth epic and could've easily soundtracked a stylish '80s thriller, a narcotically enhanced meeting between John Carpenter and Steve "Lovelock" Moore. "Atomic Plant 2" adds extra squelch and proper early computer synth squiggles. The third part "Fusion Point" showcases a dramatic and insistent industrial mood via a gripping sequencer pattern mixed with effects and accents. The trio of "Nuclear Radiation" tracks veer majestically from a hypnotic sequencer pattern with a heavy dramatic tune to hectic patterns without much of a tune, managing nevertheless to maintain a hold on the listener. The drums enter proceedings on Side B and they're absolutely outstanding. Coming on like a slicker, heavier Johnny Jewel production, "Regulators 1" marries the smoothest head-nod beat you can wish for, with a murky mechanical rhythm and phasing effects. After the stunning beatless version ("Regulators 2") the slo-mo "Data Load" sounds like its wading through the heaviest k-hole. "Modem" is a brief and breezy funky bass and synth squiggle wonder, of the beatless variety. "Robot Masters" sounds like something those Daft Parisians would've sampled on Discovery. An up-tempo, optimistic track with propulsive rhythms with dramatic synths. The breathless "Digiheart" double bill rounds things out, one with a dynamic driving rhythm and more slick-as-hell beats and the other without drums. Sourced from original analog tapes. Remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis.

$32.00 IN STOCK

Reissue, originally released in 1971. Blue Butterfly, one of the absolute stunners on the revered Selected Sound, is finally available for all the beat-heads. Heavyweight library funk with a psychedelic touch, the super in-demand Blue Butterfly features Hardy's Jet Band, Orchestra Klaus Wuesthoff, Jan Troysen Band, and Orchestra Gary Pacific. For many aficionados, this is the best Selected Sound release. Loaded with fuzzy wah-wah guitar, deep flute-lines atop soulful psych-rock breakbeats, and huge organ action, its uncompromising funk will blow you away. Sampled for many hip-hop beats and dropped by well-known rare groove DJs around the world, one jewel in particular from this glorious German vault needs little introduction. The intro to Orchestra Gary Pacific's mesmeric "Soft Wind" rides the crispest drum break you've perhaps never heard alongside a smooth, deep bass line from the heavens. It featured notoriously on the beloved Dusty Fingers comps of the '90s and was brilliantly sampled by Pacewon for his eternal "Sunroof Top". Beyond this mini-masterpiece, the other killer tracks offer brilliance in abundance. Hardy's Jet Band take control of the full A side, and it's full of dynamic psych-funk bombs. Hard, "big city" industrial groovers. In particular, the initial one-two of "Sorry, Doc!" and "Wind It Up" provide thrilling funky-blues rock instrumentals showcasing relentless guitars, flutes, sax, and organ, the latter containing gorgeous, hypnotic breakdowns. The title track, "Blue Butterfly" is a real deep strut of a track with fantastic soloing from guitar and flute over crisp drums whilst the highway banger "What You Call To Be Free" certainly sounds a lot like unbridled, rhythmical liberty. On the flip, the ghost-riding "Lady In Space" is a string-drenched acid-western foxtrot. "Pop Happening" by Jan Troysen Band is a heavy, druggy psych-fuzz organ groover whilst their slow beat-organ-flute gem "A Blue Message" is a gorgeous psych floater conjuring deeply strange frontier lands. Preceding their monster "Soft Wind", the soulful, up-tempo groover "Ghetto Gap" by Orchestra Gary Pacific contains solo piano and flute whilst closing out the set is the free-and-easy samba beat of "So Far". Founded in the late '60s by German composer and musician Klaus Netzle (who recorded under the alias Claude Larson for Sonoton) Selected Sound began as a production music company specializing in jazz, orchestral and electronic recordings. You can't miss those early LPs in their iconic glossy metallic copper sleeves with minimal German typography. Remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. Richard Robinson reproduced the glossy metallic (iconic) original Selected Sound sleeve.

$32.00 IN STOCK

Reissue, originally released in 1973. Tonio Rubio's Rhythms is a stone-cold killer, a heavyweight library breaks LP and the inaugural release in Be With's new partnership with legendary French library label Tele Music. For this extremely special 50 year anniversary reissue, Be With Records reproduced the classic Tele Music sleeve with a full color insert featuring rare photographs, fresh liner notes, and personal memories of Tonio from the likes of Jean-Claude Vannier, Jean-Claude Petit, and Janko Nilovic. Sumptuous opener "Latin Leitmotiv" is all funky phasing effects and a killer montuno, with what sounds like piano and bass in tandem, stoking straight up Latin fire. The gritty hard funk of blaxploitation groove "Red Medium" is dripping in wah-wah attitude and head-nod oddness. The atmospheric, exotica-tinged "Dead Slow" emulates the languid, sensual Afro groove of Quincy Jones's wild masterpiece "Gula Matari" whilst the proggy, electric jazz fusion epic "Rock 73" is 9+ minutes of moody, rolling menace. But the real highlight of this cult classic -- and why it has long been so desirable -- is the devastating, deep, hypnotic minimalist groove of "Bass In Action N°1". Very much in conversation with Quincy's rendition of "Hummin'", the loping, rumbling bassline and sweet electric piano over clean, crisp drums making it one of those tracks that sounds like a hip-hop beat 20 years ahead of time. "Bass In Action N°2" features Tonio's own vocal scat performance. Antonio "Tonio" Rubio Garcia got his start playing the double bass in jazz clubs. In 1962, Tonio joined the Golden Stars, the first backing band of France's teenage idol Johnny Hallyday. A genius musician with a unique guitar sound, he played on standards of French chanson including Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot's "Bonnie and Clyde", Françoise Hardy's "Tous les Garçons et les Filles", Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin's "Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus", and Serge and Charlotte Gainsbourg's infamous "Lemon Incest". Jean-Claude Vannier remembers Tonio as "a secretive, mysterious man, with an endearing personality, albeit difficult to reach out to. His virtuosity as a bass player allowed me to write very innovative basslines, because he was able to play any of my eccentricities!" Remastered by Simon Francis.

$32.00 NOT IN STOCK

With Panorama, Frank Maston pays homage to the classic era of library records and Italian soundtracks of the '70s. A blissed-out, grooving collection of filmic cues, it continues the unique brilliance of Tulips (BEWITH 087LP, 2020) and Darkland (BEWITH 096LP, 2021). Elegant and easy, subtle and stylish, breezy and beautiful; this is his Maston-piece. Commissioned by legendary label KPM, Panorama cements Maston as a master of modern classics and the most mesmeric of contemporary composers. In early 2020, Be With suggested to Frank that he should make a KPM record. He wasn't aware that they were still putting out new library records -- but he was super keen. Frank was visiting family in his hometown of LA in March 2020 when the world ground to a halt so the KPM project arrived at a fortuitous moment. Having fantasized about committing to a record with no distractions, with a proper budget, access to his gear and space to work in -- to really dig in and try to write and arrange the best work he could possibly make -- it was a real "be careful what you wish for" moment. He spent seven months on it, working almost every day. Maston had already been making library-influenced music so when KPM outlined the criteria for the tracks it was exactly what he had been doing all along. He thought the best approach would be to make a follow-up to Tulips that had a parallel life as a KPM record. Maston's sleek retro-groove instrumentals emulate the classic KPM "Greensleeve" reel-to-reel recordings that provided mood-setting music for mid-century cinema, television, and radio programs. Apparently in close conversation with the John Cameron-Keith Mansfield KPM pastoral masterclass Voices In Harmony (BEWITH 041LP), Maston's Panorama could be heard as that record's funky follow-up. Another reference point from the hallowed library would be Francis Coppieter's wonderful Piano Viberations. Features vocals by Molly Lewis, Eli Ghersinu of L'éclair, Pedrum of Allah Las/Paint, and more. Mastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman, and pressed at Record Industry.

$32.00 IN STOCK

They say: "Contemporary synthesizer sounds illustrating wide open space activities, environment and research." Be With Records say: Panoramic proto-techno underwater-electro library dynamite. One of the hardest pulls on the seminal Coloursound, Open Space Motion (Underscores) isn't just regarded as one of the best releases from library-funk overlord Klaus Weiss. It's one of the very best library records ever. As cult as it gets when it comes to library music, the Klaus Weiss sound was built on top of sometimes funky, sometimes frenetic, but always hard-hitting drums. And yet! Open Space Motion departs from his drum-heavy approach by being completely... beatless! That's right, the virtuoso beat smith, Mr "drumcrazy of Deutschland", a man known for snapping necks at will, crafted one of the most horizontally sumptuous, elegantly sweeping electronic masterpieces, sans-drums, a good decade before chill-out rooms became a thing. It features organic instruments married to pulsing synth bass atop brilliantly subdued yet irresistibly funky percussion. Possessing a very special vibe, that's at once futuristic yet cinematic, it overflows with atmosphere. The highlights -- unsurprisingly -- are many. The very first track -- the unstoppable "Wide Open Space Motion" -- is a sinister, string-fried electro bomb that rides an unrelenting bass loop. "Incessant Efforts" is more reflective, with pastoral yet probing flutes atop strutting synth chords and head-nod percussion that really swings. The heavenly, uber-kosmiche "Pink Sails" hovers over swirling neon-synthy-strings and yet more unobtrusive percussion. The beautiful "Transiency" is a dramatic piano-led underscore, its creeping unease created by patient strings, unhurried percussion and some wonderfully strident keys. "Driving Sequences" is perhaps the key tune here, and if the Detroit crew weren't listening to this staggering piece then, well, imagine if they *were*. The bubbling rhythms of "Southern Mentality", at first ominous, give way to a more optimistic vibe as the movement progresses. The lush, gorgeous "Bows" is deep-sea slow-motion magic whilst the bright-eyed "Outset" feels as fresh as the dawn, and no less beautiful. How these tracks haven't been gobbled up by sample-driven producers is beyond us. Equally calming is the sweeping majesty of "Constellation", again conjuring images of being at one with and fully beguiled by the wonders of nature, of space, of underwater worlds. "Changing Directions" is another fidgety, propulsive non-Detroit beatless bomb. As with all our library music re-issues, the audio for Open Space Motion comes from the original analog tapes. Remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. Richard Robinson has brought the original Coloursound sleeve back to life in all its metallic silver glory.

$32.00 IN STOCK

Reissue, originally released on Vertigo in 1974. Under The Sun is the follow-up to the astonishing Roots and contains yet more absolutely essential Nucleus material. Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. Under The Sun opens with the crisp, medium tempo "In Procession". It's a typically inventive Carr track with layers of dramatic, riff-led themes and repeating brass blasts. Bryan Spring's "The Addison Trip" is a moody funk piece, with Kieran White guesting on wordless vocals. Roger Sutton contributes some fine bass guitar on this track, particularly the great solo at around the two-minute mark. The excellently-named cool, jazzy ballad "Pastoral Graffiti" paints bucolic pictures with its mellow sonics, plaintive horns and Bob Bertles's flute. Sutton's superb, bass-driven "New Life" brings a different dynamic. Horns, guitar, and electric piano swirl over the head-nod bass motif and a killer Ken Shaw guitar solo. A false fade out halfway through brings in a new bass riff that's picked up by the whole ensemble as Carr wah-wah noodles over the top. The gorgeous, laidback "A Taste of Sarsaparilla" is exactly that -- closing out the first side with a cute blast of what is to come over on the killer flip. The whole of Under The Sun's second side is a suite of three "Themes" written by Ian Carr. The up-tempo first theme "Sarsaparilla" is comfortably one of Nucleus's best. What would've been a cluttered mess in the hands of most is instead an effortless lesson in clarity and zing. Between Geoff Castle's electric piano solo, the relentless funky drumming and more wild wah-wah trumpet from Carr, Nucleus show you how it's done. The languid groove of second theme "Feast Alfresco" is much more typical of "classic" Nucleus and sounds like something that might've been on Roots. The darker "Rites of Man", the third and final theme, is a slow build to a solid bass and electric piano riff, shored up by some tricky brass. Remastered from the original Vertigo master tapes. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Pete Norman.

$32.00 IN STOCK

Reissue, originally released on Vertigo in 1975. Another thrilling, funky-prog jazzy-rock fusion beauty from Ian Carr's Nucleus. Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. Alleycat was the last Nucleus album recorded for the Vertigo label. It was again meticulously produced by Jon Hiseman and is every bit as sinuous as anything else the group had recorded. As far as riff-laden accidental cop-funk goes, there's so much energy coursing through the music that at times it sounds like a live recording. It's pretty unbeatable. Up-tempo opener "Phaideaux Corner" is a funk-flavored opus with a groove that simply swaggers. This trademark Roger Sutton piece benefits from Trevor Tomkins's percussive expertise and some excellent sax and keyboard soloing. Check out Geoff Castle on squelchy, stabbing Moog duties. Ian Carr's elegantly laidback title track is a lengthy suite of magisterial themes. Typically complex, it still gets you hooked and is just riddled with the funk. Carr builds up his initially "straight" trumpet solo with later use of echo to mesmeric effect. And there's some excellent wah-wah guitar shredding by Ken Shaw too. The second side opens with the killer "Splat" and finds Nucleus really ripping it up. A fat, funky bass guitar riff introduces us to the track and stays with us until the end. The often-mangled bass groove is pushed along by rattling drums and percussion, dropping out for some restful moments of spacey calm, and along the way picking up some lengthy keyboard noodling by Castle. "You Can't Be Sure" is a gentle jam with Shaw on 12-string acoustic guitar, together with Carr's muted trumpet and some marvelous fretless work from Sutton. The album closes with Bob Bertles's galloping "Nosegay", written perhaps as a response to some of the faster Mahavishnu Orchestra pieces. It's an example of well-crafted jazz-rock that doesn't compromise any of its jazziness, yet it still very definitely rocks. Remastered from the original Vertigo master tapes. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Pete Norman.

$35.50 IN STOCK

Reissue, originally released on Vertigo in 1973. Labyrinth is dark, brooding, beat-heavy, melancholic mood music courtesy of Ian Carr and the Nucleus crew. A favorite of Madlib, it goes without saying that this is one magnificent record. Originally released on Vertigo in 1973, Labyrinth was never re-pressed and of course those 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. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. At this point Carr had parted ways with guitarist Alan Holdsworth and as a result the Nucleus sound found itself returning to the core elements of groove and melody. Carr had become bolder and more self-confident in his compositions and it shows in the sheer ambition of Labyrinth, composed by Carr and with lyrics written by his wife Sandy. Originally a live performance by an augmented Nucleus, some of the expanded cast were brought back for the recording sessions, including vocalist Norma Winstone. Labyrinth is presented as a suite, based on the ancient Greek legend of the Minotaur with musical instruments representing the various elements of the mythology. According to the LP's original sleeve notes, the bass clarinet represents the tragic element, the trumpet represents the heroic element and the voice represents the human element. The rest of the musicians represent the two societies of Athens and Crete and their comments on the story as it unfolds. The album opens with the experimental, sumptuously dissonant "Origins", teasing strands of atmospheric bass clarinet introduce the first theme before swiftly fading out with a startling blast of staccato fanfares and big drums. The album soon finds its rhythm as it alights on the spell-binding and groove-friendly "Bull-Dance", with subtle trumpet melodies, compelling rhythms, a psych-rock vibe, and tight soloing. And of course, there's Norma Winstone's stunning wordless vocals, that also take the lead in the next track "Ariadne", a spacey-jazz song with beautiful piano, flute, and clarinet. You might recognize a snatch of it being looped by Madlib on Quasimoto's "Astro Travellin". The first part of the improvised "Arena" closes out the first side of the album, a short experimental piece with piano and horns. The powerful second part of "Arena" swiftly builds, with vocal melodies, piano, and horns. It comes on like an alternate take on "Bull-Dance", noisier, with a looser rhythm. The triumphant, shuffling Latin-jam "Exultation" leans on more scintillating vocals from Winstone, and a chunky counter melody from the rhythm section. The haunting, twelve minute "Naxos", is an incredible way to close out this remarkable record. Remastered from the original Vertigo master tapes. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Pete Norman. Gatefold sleeve.

$29.50 LOW STOCK LEVEL

2022 repress. Be With Records present the first ever officially licensed vinyl reissue of Buari's self-titled album, originally released on RCA in 1975. A surefire Afro-funk classic, long treasured by collectors across the globe, the fantastic self-titled LP from Ghanaian singing/percussion sensation Sidiku Buari nevertheless remains a criminally hard-to find gem. This super-rare album boasts an all-star cast of top funk instrumentalists playing alongside Buari as he blends heavy African rhythms with American soul-funk grooves. The arrangements and the playing are incredibly tight and the album is stacked with killer tracks including "Advice From Father" (sampled brilliantly by Kenny Dope) and "Ku Ka Maria", with its intense, neck-snapping breaks and funky drumming from legend Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. Purdie is in the pocket for the entirety of this stunning LP -- the drumming is just straight out of hand; so varied yet so precise. It's not hard to fathom why these tracks have always been huge on the b-boy/breaking scene. Other standouts include the wonderful disco-tinged Afro monsters "Karam Bani" and "Iro Le Pa" plus the cool laidback groove of "Them Yebtheyet". With access to the original analog tape transfers, the stellar mastering by Simon Francis elevates the sound throughout and. 180 gram vinyl.

$38.50 IN STOCK

With the cosmic-disco-drenched Burning Feeling, Steve Moore's high-gloss Lovelock project conjured one of the most slept-on albums of last decade. Chunky, neon-lit synths and crashing, spacey guitars ride chugging Italo basslines and smooth-yet-shuddering drums to thrilling effect. Finally appearing on vinyl for the first time, ten years after its original release. This is the sound of "Big Room Smooth". Be With Records was well aware of Lovelock by way of the rather ace "Don't Turn Away (From My Love)" from the 2008 compilation Cosmic Balearic Beats on Eskimo Recordings. According to Steve "Lovelock is an outlet for me to explore my more pop-oriented ideas, whether it's disco, lounge, soft rock or whatever I try next. When I started the project in 2006, I was listening to a lot of Italo disco so it felt natural to explore those sounds." As well as the spacier end of disco, Steve was also listening to Laura Brannigan, Abba/Frida, S.O.S. Band, Alan Parsons and Jan Hammer at the time. Burning Feeling was written and recorded in Nyack, NY between 2006 and 2008. A couple of tracks made it onto some compilations and, after a few years of failed negotiations, the album eventually came out on CD in 2012 on Internasjonal, the label run by Prins Thomas and Kai Fraeger. The monumental, MDMA-rich title track opens the album and sets the mood. The fizzing, dramatic synth riff refrain intoxicates, before cavernous slo-mo house drums enter the party to devastating effect. It's followed by the hypnotic, prog-Balearic mood piece "The Fog". Dizzying synths never detract from the overall smoothness; this is vital, classy cosmic disco. Pink Floyd-on-pingers languid space-funk makes up "Don't Turn Away (From My Love)". The beautiful, faintly creepy synth-prog of "South Beach Sunrise" closes out the first LP with swathes of lush keys and horns. The synth nexus that is "New Age Of Christ" provides a melodic take on soundtrack Italo. "Maybe Tonight" bubbles up through, swirling into a spiraling blast of sun-kissed, feel-good Balearo-pop. Swarming synth melodies, warm vocals and earnest guitar solos make it one of the album's most immediate hits. The mysterious "Barbara" graces the enormous power-pop-meets-Italo jam "Love Reaction" before closer "Deco District" luxuriates in what Matt Anniss described as a "grandiose combination of poodle-perm campery and rush-inducing arpeggiated synthesizer lines." Steve worked with Be With's audio engineer Simon Francis to remaster Burning Feeling from the original mixes especially for this double vinyl release. Steve also commissioned new artwork from designer Kane Banner.

$29.50 IN STOCK

Be With Family member Kenny Dickenson's lovely score to French-Vietnamese artist Mai Hua's 2020 documentary film Les Rivières. If you enjoy the more minimal, intimate piano of the likes of Nils Frahm or John Carroll Kirby's solo work, you're certain to fall for this beautiful album. Taking six years to make, Mai's film explores what happened when she brought her dying grandmother to France, pulling together four generations of women from the same family. Kenny's score accompanies all the pretty things, sad things, dirty, beautiful, happy, broken and reborn moments of these women's experiences. The whole score is built around delicate, sparkling piano motifs. At times they're joined by cello and complemented with ambient chords and other flourishes. When it comes to describing the end results, Kenny's happy to wear his influences on his sleeve: "When the director and I sat down for the creative meetings early in the process, we watched Wolf Children, a Japanese animation film by Mamoru Hosoda. The amazing soundtrack by Masakatsu Takagi was a launching point for me and thereafter I leaned into more modern classical composers -- Reich, Sakamoto, Glass as well as Jon Hassell's Fourth World output. Richard Reed Parry's Music for Heart and Breath was a good early touchstone for me and Mark Hollis' sparse, considered and deliberate approach was a constant presence. Also labels like Ghostly, ASIP and the ubiquitous Erased Tapes should probably get a nod here too..." There's the occasional Yann Tiersen moment in there too. Out of sheer necessity the collaboration between Kenny and Mai continued beyond this initial creative direction. With Kenny speaking neither French nor Vietnamese, Mai acted as translator, a process that naturally led to discussing the film beyond just what was being said in the footage. Kenny composed much of the music in London, at the same time that Mai was shooting and editing. As the film took shape and the music also evolved, another challenge presented itself when Kenny relocated to Los Angeles part way through, resulting in Arnulf Lindners beautiful cello taking on new shapes- multi sampled, played and manipulated by Kenny into new compositions. The album also includes a new piece "Pour Marthe" that Kenny composed in memory of Mai's grandmother who died after the film was finished. Vinyl mastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman, and pressed at Record Industry. The sleeve follows the film's poster and other promotional material, including Lucile Gomez's illustration.

$38.50 NOT IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of DJ Quik's Rhythm-Al-Ism, originally released in 1998. DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With his fourth album Rhythm-Al-Ism he created his masterpiece, a perfect hip-hop album. A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He's released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he's also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik's tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton's more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues. Released in 1998 on Profile, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the closest Quik ever got to making a commercial splash. "You'z A Ganxta" and "Hand in Hand" made radio waves across the country and the less radio-friendly tracks like "Medley For A 'V'" were bumping out of car stereos. Combining his soulful, jazzy P-Funk/G-Funk beats with his effortlessly smooth flow, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the quintessential West Coast Party. Squelchy synths, bouncy bass, monstrously knocking drums and freaky keys - this is peaking acidic party-rap, straight out the gate. Dripping with wit and good humor. A real swing to the vibe. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Original picture sleeve and insert.

$38.50 NOT IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of DJ Quik's Safe And Sound, originally released in 1995. Complete with "Tanqueray", the hidden track from the original CD release. DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With 1995's Safe + Sound, he scaled new levels of musical magnificence with his signature new age P-Funk/laconic G-Funk. A quintessential, sun-scorched LA album, this is pretty much essential. A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He's released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he's also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik's tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton's more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues. By the time of his third album DJ Quik was a household name on the West Coast -- California's premier rapper/producer not named Andre Young. Released on Profile in 1995, Safe + Sound was certified gold. Less reliant on samples and more focused on live instruments, it elevated him from producer to fully-fledged composer. This sound -- the quick, winding basslines, tinny high hats, smooth instrumental solos, soulful pipes, and Roger Troutman's talkbox -- defined him. This is an album of full-blown masterpieces. Rich soundscapes and masterfully arranged orchestrations with dense layers of sounds, intricate rhythms, and well-balanced songwriting. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry.

$29.50 IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of Klaus Weiss Rhythm And Sounds' Sound Inventions, originally released in 1979. From the notoriously strong mind of Niagara drummer/library-funk overlord Klaus Weiss, Sound Inventions is loaded with tripped out studio funk-freakery, mad samples, and swaggering abstract funk grooves. From dramatic deep disco with dark Italo/Moroder leanings to heavy German funk breaks, this is absolutely sensational. Absolute synth-and-string-drenched magic. Born in 1942 in Gevelsberg, Germany, Klaus Weiss began his career as a jazz drummer at sixteen (with a group called the Jazzopators) before working with the internationally successful '60s groups the Klaus Doldinger Quartet and the Erwin Lehn Big Band. In 1965 he formed his own trio, the first of many groups to bear his name, and as his renown as a bandleader grew over the next decade it naturally led to working in production music. About as cult as it gets when it comes to library music legends (German or otherwise), he produced essential records on German library labels Coloursound, Selected Sound, and Sonoton, as well as making two essential entries in the Conroy catalog. Collections of music in the trademark Klaus Weiss sound of electronics unsurprisingly built on top of sometimes funky, sometimes frenetic, but always hard-hitting drums. Sound Inventions is one of those library records with a hefty track list, 22 in total, but they're all pretty stunning. That's not something you can often say and picking out the highlights is almost impossible. If pushed, go towards the tough teutonic funk of "Drumcrazy", the by turns juddering and sweeping majesty of the title track "Sound Inventions", the aquatic serenity of "Glide", the elegant strut of "Greenwich Street", the muted, eerie cosmic-funk of "Air Space", the squelchy acid-clavs of "Rhythm Function", the calming, melodic "Waves", the stuttering proto-Timbaland sensation that is "Rainbows" and the percussive funk-fueled workout of "A Few Cuts". Founded in the late '60s by German composer and musician Klaus Netzle, Selected Sound began as a production music company specializing in jazz, orchestral and electronic recordings. You can't miss those early LPs in their iconic glossy metallic copper sleeves with minimal German typography. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis from audio from the original tapes. Richard Robinson reproduced the original Selected Sound sleeve.

$29.50 IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of Sammy Burdson's Background Action, originally released in 1975. Classic library breaks and beats set of super-heavyweight espionage-funk. Rare and sought-after for many years now, this is one of those cult library LPs that rarely turns up on even the deepest dig. Sammy Burdson was one of the many, many aliases of the mighty Austrian composer, arranger and conductor, Gerhard Narholz. Founder of adored library label Sonoton in 1965, and a classically trained composer, his work runs from easy listening through pop, jazz and electronic, to avant-garde. Background Action's first side is all Blaxploitation wah-wah, funky clav and heavy, heavy drums. It's top-quality takes on the sort of hard-knocking psychedelic sleuth-funk that the library labels gave us in spades. However, the real killers are over on side B. Styles upon styles upon styles. The trio of swish "Water Pollution" variations are pure gold. The two-part mid-tempo b-boy drumathon "News Background" is nothing short of epic whilst the sensational "Kabul Trip A" and "Kabul Trip B" are two different takes on some tough funk, street jazz style with some dope organ, bass and drum sounds. In short, this is a must for both DJs and producers. The British library label with those instantly recognizable "orangey-red" sleeves, Conroy began releasing production music in 1965. A sub-label of Berry Music Co, its catalog typified the library industry's strange mixture of tradition and experimentation from the start. Conroy's early releases included work by big band stalwarts like Eddie Warner as well as early electronic recordings by the likes of Belgian experimental pioneer Arséne Souffriau. With Berry Music Co working as a distribution partner to the German library label Sonoton, it was through the Conroy that a great deal of German library music found its way into the UK market. Conroy stopped putting out new music in the 1980s, but its history and its catalog offer an excellent window into the trends and eccentricities of a highly unique industry at the height of its international appeal. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis from audio from the original tapes. Richard Robinson reproduced the original Conroy sleeve.

$29.50 IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of Dramatic Tempi / Larry Robbins Background Rhythms, originally released in 1975. Classic library breaks and beats set of heavy drums and louche funk. The first side, "Dramatic Tempi", is made up of four tracks each from Sammy Burdson and Klaus Weiss. Sammy Burdson was one of the many, many aliases of the mighty Austrian composer, arranger and conductor, Gerhard Narholz. Klaus Weiss produced essential records on German library labels Coloursound, Selected Sound, and Sonoton, as well as making two essential entries in the Conroy catalog. The second side is both titled and also credited to Larry Robbins Background Rhythms. Who Larry was is unknown, but it's not too much of a stretch to think it might be another incarnation of Gerhard Narholz. First up from "Dramatic Tempi" are the phased, gargantuan hip-hop beats of Sammy Burdson's impeccable "Pop Waves". The magnificently titled "Cyclodrom" is a beast of booming bass and wah wah guitars over frenetic funk drums. "Devils Drive" is dramatic, blaxploitation street funk with rolling, pounding drums. "Crime Ways" is an acid-squelch, slow-pace neck-snapper. Klaus Weiss starts by asking "Is It Hip" with clean, skipping drums, booming bass, and proto-hip-hop bells, layered beneath laconic and melodic guitar shredding. "The Camp", propelled by jazzy guitar à la Joe Pass over fast drum and conga breaks, gives way to the dark guitars and cymbal crashes of "Tomorrow". It sounds like an early New Order jam session. Closing out a pretty startling side of library greatness, "Rhythm Trip" presents early stuttering funk before easin' on in to a jazzy, soulful groove; all breezy guitar and warm keys. Larry Robbins Background Rhythms is a lighter, poppier affair, but it's not without its drum-heavy bangers. "Vox Pop" and "Pop Phase" each have clean, open-ish drum breaks, ripe for sampling or more daring DJ sets. "Pop Twang" is a short and sweet beat-heavy number that gives way to the fantastically out-there "Canned Pop". The final seven tracks are a set of 1-to-2 minute "Percussion Takes". The British library label with those instantly recognizable "orangey-red" sleeves, Conroy began releasing production music in 1965. A sub-label of Berry Music Co, its catalog typified the library industry's strange mixture of tradition and experimentation from the start. Conroy's early releases included work by big band stalwarts like Eddie Warner as well as early electronic recordings by the likes of Belgian experimental pioneer Arséne Souffriau. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis from audio from the original tapes. Richard Robinson reproduced the original Conroy sleeve.

$38.50 IN STOCK

Innercity Griots, the second album from Freestyle Fellowship, is perhaps the essential West Coast left-field rap album of the early '90s. Released in 1993 on 4th & Broadway, it's a towering, progressive hip-hop masterpiece that expanded rap's boundaries through lyrical elevation and production innovation. Their talent was ahead of everybody else by light years. This is pure b-boy jazz. Be With reissue includes "Pure Thought" from the CD version of the album. Freestyle Fellowship were some of the earliest technically dazzling rappers to come out of California. Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Aceyalone and Self Jupiter -- along with DJ Kiilu -- forged their famed lyrical dexterity in the ultra-competitive crucible of the Good Life Cafe. Founded in Leimert Park, South Central LA in December 1989, this earthy health-food store and cafe was where the city's finest microphone fiends would gather to showcase their freestyle skills at the Thursday night open-mic. Innercity Griots has been described as the Rosetta Stone for rap styles. The group's dense, vibrant wordplay and enviable interplay quickly earned the attention and respect of the city's hip-hop underground. Frenetically trading acrobatic rhymes with agility and grace, the Fellowship used their voices as instruments like true virtuosos, spraying improvised raps like a Coltrane sax solo. With the bulk of the album's production handled by The Earthquake Brothers, and Bambawar, Daddy-O, and Edman taking over for some of the tracks, Innercity Griots dances between organic and programmed music, largely forgoing sampling and instead built around live jazz jams. The likes of Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay" and Miles Davis's "Black Comedy" were used more as templates for house band The Underground Railroad Band to spiral out from. As Pitchfork noted in their recent 9.0 review of this classic album, "Freestyle Fellowship embodied the style and spirit of jazz on a molecular level. They shared the effortless cool and tough countenance of the great bebop players from the '50s without verging into jazz-rap parody." The unusual approach to the music was matched by the Fellowship's lyrics. Eschewing the tired rap tropes of the time, this multifaceted album instead explores their ruminations on greed and homelessness, weed, sex, survival, insecurity and tribalism. Remastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman.

$29.50 LOW STOCK LEVEL

2023 repress. Be With Records present a reissue of Willie Hutch's Season For Love, originally released in 1970. A monumental force firmly rooted in the soul canon, Willie Hutch is most notable for recording two of the best Blaxploitation soundtracks, The Mack and Foxy Brown. Yet his legacy is much greater. Outside of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, Hutch was arguably Motown's top male solo artist of the '70s. Prior to his association with Gordy et al, Hutch crafted his opening statements for RCA, two vital LPs. Often-overlooked, his second album Season For Love is a must for all deep soul fans and has been sought-after by collectors of different stripes for decades. Whereas his debut featured thundering, gritty numbers, Hutch treats you to a mellower soul here -- sumptuous, warm and string-led. He compared his approach to that of Otis Redding and there are definite parallels; from the raspy, rough-hewn vocals that tend to roam between sweet and deeply impassioned to the horn-heavy, emphatic sonic backdrops. With flawless originals presented alongside a few well-chosen classics (his stunning cover of "Wichita Lineman" arguably bests the original's splendor), it's easy to see why sample-based musicians have been falling over themselves to plunder from this album. Witness the sweeping strings that grace "The Magic Of Love" and the heartbreaking "Walking On My Love"; the mellifluous guitar work on the contemplative instrumental "The Shortest Distance" and gorgeous single "When A Boy Falls In Love". Whilst the arrangements and playing are subtly jaw-dropping throughout, Hutch's uncontrived voice has a certain warmth to match a Nat "King" Cole and a purity of tone that even recalls the great Sam Cooke. Indeed, a few numbers are almost in a jazz vocal territory reminiscent of artists Lou Rawls. That's not to say that others lack the righteous energy and undeniable groove of Willie's later sound. Remarkably consistent throughout -- a rare commodity for many '70s soul albums -- the lack of one signature song likely hindered its progress. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. Original artwork. 180 gram vinyl.

$18.00 IN STOCK

Another Thought was the first collection of Arthur Russell's music to be released after his death in 1992. Released on CD by Point Music in 1993 it marked the beginning of nearly 30 years of work to let the world hear the enormous archive of unreleased recordings Arthur left behind. Be With Records revisits this first compilation. This is the only place where you can hear some of Arthur's most recognizable music, like the title track "Another Thought", "A Little Lost", "This Is How We Walk On The Moon", "Keeping Up" and the woozy disco of "In The Light Of The Miracle" and "My Tiger, My Timing". Though technically a compilation, the whole of Another Thought comes together as a consistent, coherent, wonderful album. Janette Beckman reproduced her iconic photograph of Arthur in his newspaper boat hat for the sleeve. Tom Lee gave permission to include his liner notes from the original CD booklet, together with Arthur's lyrics. Another Thought is absolutely essential for even the most casual Arthur Russell collection. In fact, it's essential for any fan of non-obvious pop music. CD version comes in triple-fold digipack with insert and original liner notes.