LP version. Black Truffle presents a tenth anniversary reissue of Oren Ambarchi's Quixotism, originally released on Editions Mego in 2014. Recorded with a multitude of collaborators in Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA, Quixotism presents the fruit of two years of work in the form of a single, LP-length piece in five parts. Quixotism takes the driving rhythmic aspect of works such as "Sagittarian Domain" to new levels, with the entirety of this long-form work built on a foundation of pulsing double-time electronic percussion provided by Thomas Brinkmann. Beginning as almost subliminal propulsion behind cavernous orchestral textures and John Tilbury's delicate piano interjections, the percussive elements (elaborated on by Ambarchi and Matt Chamberlain) slowly inch into the foreground of the piece before suddenly breaking out into a polyrhythmic shuffle around the halfway mark, and joined by master Japanese tabla player U-zhaan for the piece's final, beautiful passages. The pulse acts as thread leading the listener through a heterogeneous variety of acoustic spaces, from the concert hall in which the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra were recorded to the intimacy of Crys Cole's contact-mic textures. Ambarchi's guitar itself ranges over this wide variety of acoustic spaces, from airless, clipped tones to swirling, reverberated fog. Within the complex web Ambarchi spins over the piece's steadily pulsing foundation, elements approach and recede in a non-linear fashion, even as the piece plots an overall course from the grey, almost Nono-esque reverberated space of its opening section to the crisp foreground presence of Jim O'Rourke's synth and Evyind Kang's strings in its final moments. Formally indebted to the side-long workouts of classic Cologne techno, the long-form works of composers such as Éliane Radigue and the organic push and pull of improvised performance, Quixotism is constantly in motion, yet its transitions happen slowly and steadily, often nearly imperceptible, the diverse elements which make up the piece succeeding one another with the logic of a dream. At the time of its first release, Quixotism was clearly a summation of Ambarchi's work in the years leading up to it. Now, listening back a decade later, it also seems like an arrow pointing to the future, suggesting paths that would be explored further in works to come: the pulsating guitar layers of "Hubris," the album-length collaboration with Jim O'Rourke and U-zhaan on "Hence," "Shebang"'s joyous layering and percussive drive. Now sounding better than ever in a new remaster by Joe Talia, the time is ripe to rediscover its quixotic charms.
LP version. Wewantsounds presents the release of one of Japan's most coveted albums of the '70s, Mangekyou by singer-songwriter Yoshiko Sai. Produced in 1975 by Master musician Yuji Ohno, the album features Yoshiko Sai's superbly crafted songs and crystal-clear voice over Ohno's lush, funky sound and breezy arrangements. A strong buzz has been growing around the album over the years and original copies now change hands for large sums of money. This is the first time Mangekyou is available outside of Japan, featuring remastered audio, original artwork and a four-page insert including new liner notes by Paul Bowler. Yoshiko Sai holds a unique status in the Japanese music landscape. The Japanese singer songwriter made a strong impression with her blend of ethereal melodies, poetic lyrics and crystalline singing. A private, almost enigmatic artist, Sai only made four highly praised albums during the '70s and all but retired from the music industry in 1979, which adds to the mystic surrounding her persona. Only thanks to the persistence of Japanese guitarist Jojo Hiroshige from the noise group Hijokaidan did she come out of retirement to record new material in the 2000s. She was originally noticed by key record labels and swiftly signed to Black Records/Teichiku. This led to the recording of Mangekyou ("Kaleidoscope"), in the Spring of 1975. While she penned all the material for Mangekyou, the arrangements were assigned to Ace producer Yuji Ohno, one of the top arrangers in Tokyo at the time. Ohno helped craft the album's superb funk sound and also played keyboards. The album displays Sai's unique craftmanship when it comes to songwriting and alternates between mid and up-tempo songs such as "Yoru No Sei" (Night Spirit) and "Fuyu No Chikadou" (Winter Underpass) and more atmospheric ballads such as "Tsubaki Wa Ochita Kaya" (Did The Camellia Fall?) or "Yukionna" (Snow Woman). It's worth noting Ohno blended his rich arrangements with elements of Japanese traditional music, with the use of such instruments as the Shakuhachi (bamboo flute), Tsuzumi (hand drum), and Biwa (wooden lute), giving the music its unique twist. All in all, listening to Mangekyou is a unique experience and it's easy to see why the album and Yoshiko Sai garnered such a cult following over the years.
LP version. Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp's latest album, Ventre Unique, is a dynamic exploration that seamlessly blends folk, krautrock, post-punk, and African rhythms, delivering an emotionally charged yet exuberant listening experience. Helmed by Geneva-based Vincent Bertholet, the orchestra's ever-evolving lineup and distinctive sound pay homage to both African music traditions and avant-garde artist Marcel Duchamp, while pushing the boundaries of contemporary music. Recorded over ten days in the outskirts of Paris at Studio Midilive, the album features an eclectic international cast of 12 musicians. The result is a beautifully organic sound that balances Bertholet's simple, loop-based compositions with intricate arrangements of marimba, horns, strings, and angular guitars. Ventre Unique is the group's sixth album and follows their acclaimed 2021 release, We're Ok But We're Lost Anyway (BJR 073LP). While their previous work captured the disarray of the world during the pandemic, Ventre Unique reflects on shared human experiences, inviting listeners to find common ground through music.
LP version. "Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley returns to Dark Entries with From Behind, a collection of grooving and ecstatic covers of '60s garage and soul cuts. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley's friends and family to uncover the singular artist's lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. From Behind reveals yet another facet of Cowley's myriad influences; garage and soul. As a tripped-out teenage music freak who arrived in '60s San Francisco, it should come as no surprise that these psychedelic sounds, both heady and visceral, infuse Cowley's oeuvre. Recorded during Cowley's most productive period, '80-'82, these tracks show the master flexing his virtuosity while paying loving tribute to the songs that shaped him. A rough draft of Loverde's 'Iko Iko' contorts the jaunty Dixie Cups classic into a slithering, monstrous bathhouse groover, the song's signature claps draped in cavernous reverb. An unexpected hi-NRG cover of The Doors' '20th Century Fox' has Paul Parker on vocals, ironically twisting the original's overt heterosexuality. Via Cowley's vocoder, The Who's 'Shakin' All Over' is transformed into a haunting meditation on the loss of bodily autonomy that AIDS inflicts, while the Moody Blues' 'Ride My See Saw' appears in instrumental, amped up and synthesized for dancefloor impact. There are also instrumental demo versions of The Seeds' 'Pushin' Too Hard' and The Electric Prunes' 'Too Much To Dream (Last Night),' which later appeared on Paul Parker releases. Things close out with a swinging version of the Four Tops' Motown classic 'Baby I Need Your Loving,' Cowley later reimagined for R&B artist Carl Carlton. The record comes housed in a sleeve designed by Gwenaël Rattke and includes an insert with photos and liner notes written by Louis Niebur."
Berlin-based duo Training team up with bassist Ruth Goller for their new album Threads to Knot. Frenetic free-jazz is sitting next to post-rock riffs and looming microtonal atmospheres. The record was written in a truly collaborative effort, adapting the concept of "cadavre exquis," the popular drawing game: One person would start writing a few notes before passing it on to the next, revealing only the very last note, with which the composition continues. Training is comprised of drummer Max Andrzejewski and sax player Johannes Schleiermacher, whose last album Three Seconds saw them collaborate with Deerhoof guitarist John Dieterich. Ruth Goller, who has been hailed by the Guardian for her "thunderous bass-guitar hooks" has made waves with the release of her second album Skyllumina. She's also known as a live performer with Kit Downes, Alabaster de Plume, and Melt Yourself Down, among others.
Astral travel with Cybotron into the meta-narrative of the Parallel Shift, a new sonic fiction that raises many questions about military science of the near-future and the possibility of other worlds.
The very first reissue of the cult 11-track EP street album from year 2000 by DJ Mehdi, collecting his Espionnage adventures. DJ Mehdi was the one building bridges between French hip hop and electro, and became a key composer, producer and DJ. He was a game changer in himself, helping both French rap and electro scenes to rise in the late '90s and early 2000s. Presented in crystal-clear color vinyl. Printed clear PVC outer sleeve, printed spineless sleeve, printed inner sleeve, with marketing frontsticker. Featuring collaborations with Feadz, The Cambridge Circus, Rocé, Dany Dan, Zdar, Karlito, and Rohff.
2024 repress, originally released 1998. Juan Atkins's Infiniti project combines raw tactility and puristic elegance on Skynet, where slinking grooves mask chaotic frequencies and roughly-hewn structure. Alongside fellow Detroit legend Terrence Dixon, who appears on several tracks, Atkins exposes the life and emotion in machines, outputting a biomorphic atmosphere of industrial soul. The ongoing importance of this album is indisputable, essential both to techno and to Tresor.
Growing up on the north Atlantic-island of Iceland bestows one with an unusual and often intense relationship with light and color: Summers come with endless days, Winters with scant sunlight yet increased sightings of the Aurora Borealis; the mysterious and awe-inspiring glow across the sky. Channeling these energies, Exos comes to Tresor with his Green Light EP, a five-track collection of the sort of spectrally rich techno synonymous with the Northman's 27-year career. Across the EP, the five tracks fizz and pulsate driving ever forward, making the release's title a three-way play on words referencing the continuous travelling of photons, the verdant warping of the Northern Lights, and the universal color for Go, for forward propulsion. Smart wordplay can also be found in titles like "Grátt Silfur," a term in Íslenska (literally "grey sliver") which signifies a tension between two parties, further extending the color metaphor and dark/light dichotomy found elsewhere. Green Light EP continues 2024's blazing return from an artist who, similar to his output, is never stagnant: ever changing form yet ever moving forward.
"Mammoth is a grabber right out of the gate, every step they take is unleashed with deadly economical precision. They may flash on Lynyrd Skynyrd and other vintage southern rock traditions but the brilliant way the vocals are recorded and the to-the-point interlocking guitar moves will fire up anybody into any sort of hard rock. They can rip it up with hot leads, probably jammed out on these songs at live shows but lucky us, they laid them down for all times here with the sort of thought-out unified force and construction that screams hit radio. Loads of personality, accessible, produced and mixed with the clarity of classic rock that never loses its perfectly deployed impact. The uncluttered arrangements leave plenty of space, crafted with the kind of balanced mojo in the mix where every detail adds to the whole. Down and dirty but also achieving a universal pop-friendly appeal! The Mammoth LP was recorded in 1981 at Relayer Studios in DeLand, Florida with the two guitars, bass and drums quartet line-up sounding like it could have been a decade earlier. Buzz Fetters on lead guitar, Bill Abell on rhythm guitar, Joey Costa on bass, and Ron Herman on drums, with everybody contributing to the vocals. Rather than having a strong up front emotive singer the lead vocals here are multi-tracked and integrated into the songs with plenty of attitude but also a genre-transcending presence, you can imagine the vocal ambience working in punk, glam, even psychedelic contexts. Mammoth have a sound informed by roots music but it is really in the rear-view mirror the way they roll. The songwriting here is terrific, they have a way of saying things that comes off as sincere but not too serious. You get plenty of in-your-face hard rock action but also several melodic tracks that have a more reflective charm to round out the trip. These guys keep it real, whether they're being bad ass or vulnerable they express themselves with 100% genuine feeling as contagious and life-affirming as it gets!"
Toy Tonics presents the second EP by Lars Dales from Dam Swindle with multi-instrumentalist Lorenz Rhode aka Sound Support. Their first EP Higher on Toy Tonic last year reached number one of Beatport House music charts and this follow up probably will be similarly successful as it has the same high quality of music and dancefloor catchiness every DJ dreams of. The new Everybody Knows EP consists of four extremely groove infected house music tracks that connect the good things of '90s house with the indie disco of the 2000s. Think of Daft Punk in the studio with Kerri Chandler and LCD Soundsystem and you got the sound! Dutch house wizzard Lars Dales (who also runs HEIST records) and keyboarder and super producer Lorenz Rhode (recently worked also with Purple Disco Machine) connected through their mutual love for dance music. After years of having worked together on several projects, such as the Dam Swindle liveshow, they finally got around to making more and more music together to release their amazing tracks under the name of Sound Support: A perfect name because these tracks really support every DJs set.
LP version. In 2019, Elephant9 released two double live albums, Psychedelic Backfire I and II, the latter with guest guitarist Reine Fiske, whose favorite guitarist happened to be Terje Rypdal. With both albums out of print, Catching Fire is a most welcome addition to their discography. Recorded at a remarkable concert from 2017 in Oslo, Rypdal would turn 70 later in the year. David Fricke makes some interesting references to classic live albums in his liner notes, and Rune Grammofon would like to add King Crimson´s underrated USA and numerous Pink Floyd 1970 live bootlegs into the equation, sharing the common energy level and sense of untamed intensity. That said, there are also stretches of calm at play here, especially in the 22-minute opener where Rypdal introduces himself with some trademark, glacier melodic lines. Rypdal is on fire throughout, adding some fierce rhythm work and abstract acrobatics from his toolbox. Ståle and Terje are sometimes so interlocked that it´s difficult to tell them apart. This is partly because the album is mixed to get a sense of being at the concert, by not overly trying to separate them, but primarily due to a common understanding stemming from Ståle being the guitarist´s "right hand" both in the studio and on stage for close to 30 years. Torstein and Nikolai is the most solid of rhythm sections, a well-oiled engine, finesse and power combined. Elephant9 established their reputation as a live powerhouse well before their album debut in 2008 and have since released six more studio albums as well as the live albums from 2019. Terje Rypdal´s musical history dates back to the early sixties as a teenage member of The Vanguards, and The Dream a few years later.
"Every copy of the November issue will come with a free CD of The Wire Tapper 66 attached to the cover. This latest edition of The Wire Tapper features a cover designed by Firpal and contains 16 new tracks by Boris Hauf, Rafael Anton Irisarri, and Niton. Featuring John Butcher, Masayoshi Fujita, Moor Mother, Schande, and more. On the cover: Marshall Allen. Inside the issue: Once Upon A Time In Lithuania, Frank Chickens, Water Damage. Invisible Jukebox: Pharmakon. Global Ear: Latvia. Unlimited Editions: Reading Group. Inner Sleeve: Eleni Poulou. Plus one page profiles of Kamilya Jubran, Flickers From The Fen, SEO, and Callahan & Witscher."
The unconscious and unknown must be really nice places. In any case, if you take the second album of Menelaos Tomasides under his given name as travelogue. A trip into dreamlike territory, yet concrete enough, a journey without target yet looking forward and looking back into familiar places, dreamhike both continues and departs from the style Menelaos has found earlier, in When the Moon Comes Through, or his more conceptual-intentional 31 Minuten works. As the album title -- which roughly translates to "dream hiking" but also hints on "walkabout" and "songlines" -- suggests, listeners are rambling between the real and the imaginary. From the bucolic border triangle of Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands to the buzzing streets of the capital of Cyprus, where Menelaos has lived for many years, the tracks are about real places, about real experiences and emotions yet interwoven with a dreamlike fabric. Something concrete that manifests in the genuine and special sound design of this records -- basically all of Menelaos' works -- is his really special treatment of dynamics and loudness. There are four-to-the-floor beats, there is wobbly bass, and dubby chords, even sublimated clarion calls. There is an immense energy in these tracks, the sheer materiality of low frequencies of a massive sound system manifested in a tiny room. Yet it is without any aggression, stripped bare of sonic pressure. It is quiet music no matter how high you turn up the volume. A rare treat, that requires exceptional skills and exceptional restraint and control on the technical side of music making. The elegant floating balance of control and playful experimentation manifests for example in a track that continues the ongoing collaboration with seasoned Cologne improviser Achim Fink on bass trumpet. The deep trip of dreamhike further manifests Menelaos as one of the truly independent voices of electronic Cologne and beyond. Somewhat alike in character and attitude probably to what late Pete Namlook has established for Frankfurt with his label Fax +49-69/450464 (though ultimately warmer and much less uncanny) Menelaos has found his very own sound and vision. Music that answers to no one but speaks to everyone. Uncompromising yet gentle to the core: kind sounds from a kind spirit, arguably the most extraordinary and valuable quality music can have these days.
This EP kicks off a run of four releases from different artists to mark the 200th outing of Will Saul's influential Aus Music. It is an era-defining label that has platformed some of the scene's brightest stars way before they broke out. Since launching in 2006, the label has remained dedicated to releasing club-ready music with a cultured edge from deep and melodic house to the earliest bass-driven post-dubstep fusions. Opener "Tropics" is a fully live disco workout created by some of New York's best session musicians. The perfect celebratory single kicks off the 200 series with irresistible bounce and funky basslines. Dancing keys overflow with feel-good vibes while the chords have subtle hints of a Marshall Jefferson classic. The stirring "Born Again" is a lush and sweeping groove packed with exuberant live musicianship, distant cosmic arps and splashing cymbals. Soaring up top are the beautifully pained and emotive vocals of Laura Roy, a Grammy-nominated talent who blends '70s folk and '90s R&B into her own style. After the instrumental version comes closer "Japanese Knives" with its paddy kick drums and organic hits, tumbling fills and heart-warming chord work. It's a classy house vibe for cosey and loved-up 'floors.
New music by The Mole. High Dreams contains four tracks, three originals and one remix from Circus Company favorite Dave Aju. The Mole savors dreaming and welcomes the mystical landscapes of the mind with High Dreams, a collection of up-tempo dance pieces inhabited by ghosts and welcoming creatures from the deeps. This unpretentious collection cuts straight with the rhythms, and carries long with the arrangements. Dancefloor sizzle. Subsonic rumble. Ghosts! Your body moving requisites lie within this simple plate of wax. Turn up your amps and bathe in it. The Mole is known for his "hits" and his "work" with many Top labels (Perlon, Kompakt, Wagon Repair, Maybe Tomorrow, Ostgut Ton) is played by many Top DJs. Only his third release with Circus Company, this EP is a reminder that the Mole is still at it, and a warning. Featuring Joli B & Danuel Tate.
2024 repress. "Back in 1997, David Pajo was a little over a half decade removed from the future sensation known as Slint, who released two albums over the course of a three-year existence; the second album came out when they band were already defunct. During the next five years, Pajo played with Palace Brothers, King Kong, Tortoise, The For Carnation, and Stereolab. All during that period, the idea of his own music was slowly simmering, building flavor like a good rage. When it broke, it was a 1996 7" single on Palace records, attributed to 'M' with no further edification -- but upon hearing it, there could be no doubt that this fucker was of the Slint lineage. So David jumped up to Drag City with a full length album, this time to be released under the name Aerial M. Two years after that, he came back with an album called Live From a Shark Cage, this time to be credited to Papa M, and Aerial M was heard of no more, until the 2024 release of their late-'90s Peel sesh. And now the album that started to continue it all is pressed anew on vinyl. Dig Aerial M."
The debut album from one of the most deeply emotive and spectral instrumentalists to emerge from Los Angeles in recent years. With Fortune's Mirror, guitarist Barry Archie Johnson claims his place as one of the most original and voices in the meditative music of today. Recorded, mixed and produced by Daniel Knowles. Mastered by Jeffrey Yellen at Ridgeline Sound. Album artwork by Liz Walsh.
"The new album/debut LP from Los Angeles by way of Ohio guitarist/flautist/songwriter Barry Archie Johnson sings out as a startling and gorgeous new voice in guitar centered landscapes. Barry's playing has the depth and patience of Segovia, Will Ackerman, Roy Montgomery, and Mary Halvorson but not only does he have his own voice, something alone which is almost intangibly improbable in the world of guitar music, he has a method of composition that defies easy emotional assignment. For instance, 'Half Smile,' the third track on the album could be a distant lament or an aching cry of gratitude... If anything, the songs on Fortune's Mirror almost mirror a baroque or Romantic era suite, keys and modalities and tension and instrumentation all carefully folding and unfolding together like branches. As unique and holistic as Barry's guitar playing is, there are deeper elements to his craft that emerge early in the record and escort us through the journey. He is a gifted flutist and he summons the same kind of beauty and mystery through the classical wind instrument as he does the steel strings... The penultimate track 'Outlaw's Wand' slowly morphs from a determined march into a free time almost adagio like pause of contemplation, then emerging back into a hypnotic waltz. The guitar fades away in ghostly fashion leading us into the final piece 'I'm Sure I'll See You Soon.' Here we are gifted with a meandering dialogue between Barry's guitar and the saxophone of the renowned Patrick Shiroishi, another shining light of the Los Angeles experimental music world. The song itself is simmering with gentle anticipation... Across nine compositions and in less time than it takes to drive from Pasadena to Burbank on a rainy day, Barry plants a flag in the ground and claims a piece of the sonic stratosphere for his own, a deeply emotive and spectral place where we can wander in our minds and don't want the journey to end." --William Tyler
Limited 2024 repress. Before the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975, unleashing a horrifying genocide, Cambodia had one of the most vibrant and exciting music scenes in Asia. With a mixture of traditional Khmer music and a myriad of western genres (from French and Latin music, to rock-and-roll, rhythm-and-blues, surf, psychedelia, soul, and many more) the few pre 75 Cambodian recordings that survived -- most of them were destroyed -- are enough to make anyone with a taste for good music shocked by the amazing quality of the sounds created during those golden years. Gathered on Cambodian Nuggets are some of the most talented and unique musicians from that amazing era with an explosive collection of tracks sure to blow the mind of the listener. A celebration of some of the best music ever made. Features Ros Serey Sothea, Yol Aularong, Pan Ron, Tet Somnang & Meas Samon, Houy Meas & Dara Chom Chan, Choun Malai, Sinn Sisamouth, Liev Tuk, Thra Kha Band, Yol Aularong & Liev Tuk, Eng Nary, and Baksey Cham Krong + Mol Kamach. Edition of 500.
"Primitive Art Group 1981-1986 is presented on gatefold 2LP, and is a combination of the group's only two albums, consisting of one LP of Five Tread cuts plus 'Cecil Likes to Dance' a never-before-released live recording from Thistle Hall (1984) and the full 1985 LP Future Jaw-Clap. This material that has been unavailable since mid-1980s. It is well documented that in the early '80s, New Zealand was awash with adventurous new music. Though sharing the kind of happy isolation and the DIY ethic with contemporaneous outfits like Flying Nun, South Indies, and Xpressway, one band cut a decidedly different path. The Primitive Art Group, formed in Wellington, devoted itself to collective improvisation coming out of a jazz tradition. With the line-up of Anthony Donaldson (drums), David Donaldson (bass), Neil Duncan (saxes), Stuart Porter (saxes), David Watson (guitar), and originally with Pam Grey (on cello), the group's relatively brief existence left a lasting impression on the New Zealand's free music scene. Musically, there was no precedent in New Zealand for their combination of noise, collective playing and compositional freedom. The band's five-year lifespan was non-stop activity: rehearsing, touring, the creation of Braille Records (their own record label which released ten LPs), dance and theater work, appearances at music festivals, and hosting two hugely influential national festivals of improvisation at Thistle Hall, Wellington. In 1984, Primitive Art Group spent a week making their first recording, an ambitious double LP, Five Tread, which had only a single pressing and sold-out locally. One year later they were back in the studio making their second album, Future Jaw-Clap. This outing contained tighter pieces, as the band widened its repertoire with nods to broader influences and antecedents. In 1986, The Primitive Art Group gave their last concert at the Wellington Town Hall, just a half mile from Rawa House and the legendary Thistle Hall where their first shows had taken place. The band's Braille Records' recordings have never been released outside of New Zealand, nor have ever been available digitally. The group's brief tenure has continued to inspire new generations of improvisers, but nothing has ever quite matched the visceral blast of the Primitive Art Group's arrival on the scene. Every member of the group has carried on doing creative work at the highest levels: scoring films, making art, mentoring, organizing, touring and always playing."
Steve Leach's Balearic beach-funk beast Ocean Potion, recorded with the Crystal Grass Orchestra is an absolutely ace, Ned Doheny-adjacent funky AOR/blue-eyed soul BBQ classic from 1976. A French-only release on Philips, it's a hugely immediate, pop-funk firecracker. It features a wonderfully lush, full orchestral sound throughout, underpinning Steve's gorgeous voice and an army of brilliant backing vocalists. The supporting cast is phenomenal and is arguably the salient reason this is such a fantastic record. Featuring legendary players from the French scene (think Arpadys, Voyage, Kongas, CCPP, Giant, Swing Family) such as Don Ray with his arranger-conductor hat on as well as synths, Marc Chantereau on percussion, Slim Pezin on guitar, André Ceccarelli on drums, Christian Padovan on bass, and Pierre Halation on flute. With these snakes behind the scenes, it remains a mystery how Ocean Potion is so relatively unknown. Hopefully, this long overdue reissue rectifies this and puts a stop to people dropping $200 on it. Triumphant, horn-forward opener "The Light Of The Mind" has that uniquely Ned Doheny fidgety funk feel with a fantastically irresistible chorus and great harmonies. Just magic. Coming off like something off The Beach Boy's Surf's Up or Holland is the brilliantly ominous, driving wall of sound of "Take Strength". Cavernous drums, urgent strings and a staggeringly good vocal performance make this a real highlight amongst an album of highlights. Glacial ballad "All Love's Children" has a deep New Orleans soul feel that truly soars whilst the breezy "Get Out In The Sun" owes a debt to "Crocodile Rock". It's pure pop for now people and wouldn't have been out of place on a late '70s Nick Lowe effort. Pastoral closer "I Meditate Each Day" is just beautiful, and likely the reason this reissue is giving you that special feeling. As ever, the audio for Ocean Potion has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve featuring a topless Steve reclining next to his piano on a flatbed truck on the beach has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.
2024 repress; 2004 release. King Tubby, the "Dub Master" who's output was as prolific as it is sought after and whose presence is surely missed. Jamaican Recordings take you on another dub excursion. This time through some essential cuts made for the producer/DJ Tappa Zukie. King Tubby always added something a little special to the tracks he worked on. Producers would often bring their already recorded tracks to his home studio at 18 Drummlie Avenue in the Kingston district of Waterhouse. The backing tracks which were laid at various other studios around Kingston. Like Channel 1 and Randy's Studio 17, would then be voiced/re-voiced at King Tubby's. Tubby and his team which included Prince Jammy and Philip Smart would be left to create the version cut. Having listened to the track it would be striped back to the bone of bass and drums and rebuilt. Sprinkling his magic over the track by dropping the bass in and out, adding echo and emphasizing various elements of the song. In some cases, dubbing the cut into something unrecognizable from its original sound. The tracks would be aired on Tubby's Hometown hi-fi sound system. Which acted much like a pre-release for the record to gauge the crowd's reaction, before the tracks would be unleased on the public. Another fine collection of Tubby Cuts, comprising work with Mr Tappa Zukie. Lost cuts to some of his own tracks like "First Street Rock", alongside productions he undertook with the great Prince Allah, Junior Ross, and the Spears. Also, the much-overlooked vocal group Knowledge. Some great rhythms, some great tracks, worked over by the greatest dub mixer of them all.
"Record Time No 2 hits the bargain bins and neglected corners of the local record store to find great records that are still affordable to average folks. And, as with the first issue, we dig into the back stories of these records and artists, with a focus on good writing. This time around we do a deep dive into the life and career of Ray (Rae) Bourbon, a pre-Stonewall drag artist and comedian; jazzman Charles Lloyd's 'wilderness' albums; Catalan folk legend and politico Lluis Llach; oddball rockers the Hampton Grease Band; finding the South African country music holy grail; Canadian cabaret rocker Louis Furey; the weird world of Polka; hard rocking should-have-been-huge Birtha; actor and music pusher Jack Webb; Sex Pistols and Pistols-inspired novelty records; patron saint of smart asses Rick Johnson; and more! Contributors this time are Tom Hyland, Owen Maercks, Stella Beratlis, Steve Silverstein, Nathanel Amar, Adam Taub, Nate Knaebel, Laurent Bigot, Mike Trouchon, Greg Pshaw, Johnny Sunshine, Dennis Worden, Fred De Vries, Stan Appleton, Billups Allen, and Todd Trick Knee, with guest appearances by Lali Donovan, Larry Hardy, Tony Coulter, and Dana Katharine. Edited by S Soriano."
UFO95
Backward Improvement 12"
Writing about techno is quite difficult without falling into cliché: there are only so many ways that you can say something about a music whose core elements are forged on deliberate repetition; where real talent is attributed to those who can find the perfect groove where nothing needs added or subtracted to hold the listener's attention for upwards of five minutes. Such tracks are the hallmark of Tresor's catalogue, and this joy in repetition can be found in works from Detroit, Berlin, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and more. And it is through this lens that Parisian artist, UFO95, focuses his output, resulting in Backward Improvement, an EP that sits perfectly in the spectrum of techno found in the Tresor chronology. The title itself makes an abstract reference to the influence of the classics of the genre, inspiring him to take a distinct less-is-more approach to production for this collection of stripped-down yet unrelenting techno chiseled from the live set which has fixed UFO95 as one of the next holdfasts for the future of the scene. Perhaps it is the fact the UFO95 only performs live that had led to such crisp and focused studio productions; each of the tracks showcase the artist's burgeoning talent for creating the essential foundations of techno; perfect, looping, instinctual grooves that are counterbalanced by an apprehensive tension from off-key tones. Backward Improvement marks the addition of a new name in the list of techno's best producers and proves that while the genre may now be in its 40th year there are yet sonic explorations to be made and variations that are worth unearthing.
Paste is the second album by Moin, released on the October 2022 via AD 93. The follow up to their well-received debut album Moot!, the record draws influences from alternative guitar music in its many forms, using electronic manipulations and sampling techniques to redefine it's context, not settling on any one style but moving through them in search of new connections. By exploring these relationships, Moin delivers another collage of the known and unknown, punctuated by words that are just out of reach.
2024 repress "'I never wanted to ever start a record label. Ever. But there is something about her voice I couldn't let go of. It's an actual voice. An actual beautiful voice. This one's a classic sounding voice. Not to mention her song writing, recording and guitar playing. Jessica Pratt's music feels like I have found a lost LP of an old forgotten mystical folk singer, that feeling of discovering a record all by myself: Without the help of friends or the Internet. Like Stevie Nicks singing over David Crosby demos, with the intimacy of a Sibylle Baier. I am in love with it. So much, that I saved up and threw all my money to get it into this world. I actually care about it, no matter which way the winds blow.' --Tim Presley, White Fence"
LP version. Yellow color vinyl. Broken Allures, the fifth LP from trio Jac Berrocal (Nurse With Wound collaborator), David Fenech, and Vincent Epplay (following releases on Blackest Ever Black, Akuphone, KlangGalerie), furthers their unique recording style with a musique concrète approach to mixing, characterized by the distinctive sound and technique of musicians and producers. Fenech and Epplay have paired with legendary French musician Berrocal, renowned for his collaborations with Nurse With Wound, Vince Taylor, Jaki Liebezeit, Pascal Comelade, Sunny Murray, and more. Broken Allures is arguably their most coherent and fully accomplished album to date. For this album, the trio has invited two fantastic musicians to compose with them: Cosey Fanni Tutti and Jah Wobble. Cosey Fanni Tutti (Throbbing Gristle, Chris & Cosey, COUM Transmissions) contributes vocals, cornet, and electric guitar in her unique style. She has also written lyrics for two tracks on the album and brings a radical touch to the instrumental track "Viva la Hacienda," which, in her own words, recalls her time recording with Throbbing Gristle. Jah Wobble (founding member of Public Image Limited, and collaborator with African Head Charge, Brian Eno, Björk, Holger Czukay, Jaki Liebezeit, Bill Laswell, Primal Scream, Evan Parker, Sinéad O'Connor, and more) plays a deep bass line on one track. He adds his signature industrial dub sound, with deep sub-bass frequencies.
Continuing his fruitful relationship with Discrepant after the third volume of his ongoing Organic Music Tape Series on Sucata Tapes, Tiago Sousa returns with two long-form pieces for organ with A Thousand Strings. A self-explanatory title in itself, A Thousand Strings drifts fluidly into a celestial realm of cascading melodies and cycling patterns that never feel forced or strict throughout its two hypnotic tracks. Pulsating with life and ecstatic abandon. Taking cues from the tradition of American minimalists like Steve Reich and, particularly, Terry Riley, the Portuguese composer's work flows with a life of his own, that, while acknowledging those influences, transcends them into his own signature. On the A side, "A Thousand Strings" goes seamlessly from intertwining crepuscular harmonies to ascending keyboard runs in the manner of "Persian Surgery Dervishes" finishing with a coda of rhythmic marimba-like pulses. On the flipside, "The Things Passed" creates this maze-like tapestry of melodies that seem to drift apart only to converge back again into its internal process before setting on sustained tones infused with a sense of longing. For all things passed. For what is yet to come. Recorded by Tiago Sousa and mastered by Rashad Becker.
2024 repress, replicate reissue. "Originally released in 1968 on the International Artists label. This is their third album, which is not a live album at all. The tracks were studio outtakes with fake applause added. Along with versions of the band's classics 'You're Gonna Miss Me' and 'Roller Coaster' this album contains five songs not included on their previous two studio albums: Bo Diddley's 'Before You Accuse Me,' Buddy Holly's 'I'm Gonna Love You Too,' Solomon Burke's classic 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love' and two original compositions ('You Gotta Take That Girl' and 'You Can't Hurt Me Anymore'). Ten tracks. Original artwork."
"After four studio albums and one compilation, the Hungarian megastars Omega were still much of an insider tip in the West. However, sales figures were noticeably rising, though far from going through the roof. In addition, the band had evolved, becoming more professional, both in their live performance and in their appearance. Those in charge at Bacillus/Bellaphon definitely meant to hold on to Omega, so in 1976 the contract with the quintet was extended till 1980. And the band, together with producer Peter Hauke, went to the Europasound Studios in Offenbach to record Time Robber. That LP was Omega's breakthrough in the West. To date, the album is said to have sold around two million copies. And this success was well deserved; for the first time, the Hungarians delivered a complex, self-contained work. Hopes were high for Skyrover. Omega came to Offenbach again and self-produced an exquisite successor of Time Robber, which was in no way inferior to its immensely successful predecessor. Quite a few Omega fans even consider Skyrover to be the better record, since the band elegantly merged the styles, which on Time Robber still appeared sometimes a bit stiff and side-by-side. 'Russian Winter' has become a live classic -- titled 'Lena' on the Hungarian LP version. With its Eastern European folklore references, the song stood out from the musical concept, and that's probably why it became a fan favorite."
German powerhouse labels Public Possession and Running Back team up to bring you a nostalgic tribute to '80s disco-synth-pop and Balkan self-pity. In a blend of cultural nostalgia and contemporary resonance, be-friended artists Krystal Klear and La Raf present their first collaborative record titled Boli Boli (It hurts, it hurts) this autumn. The record is a steamy homage to the '80s disco-synth-pop. La Raf's vocals equipped with Krystal Klear's sound remind us of the bittersweet memories of the bygone yet still beloved music-era from former Yugoslavia. The song came to life during a spontaneous creative outburst when Krystal and Raf reunited in a studio in London in 2023. Singer La Raf, a Croatian native based in Berlin, channeled the raw emotions of a not so recent break-up regret into the lyrics of "Boli Boli." Infused with Balkan self-pity, the song delivers a very personal experience of pain and regret, not as mere sorrow but as a confident, joyful indulgence in one's own grief. This emotional depth finds a perfect counterpart in Krystal Klear's talent for crafting melodies that evoke both happiness and melancholia. Together, they have created a track that is as introspective as it is danceable, offering its listeners a glimpse into a world where sadness is embraced with a sense of pride and joy, capturing the cultural tapestry of the Balkan region.
Mexican duo Lorelle Meets The Obsolete are putting out a limited-edition vinyl version of their Remezcla EP, expanded with two extra tracks. Pressed on neon green vinyl and limited to 250 copies, the EP features reworkings of six tracks from 2023's hugely acclaimed album Datura by SUUNS, Dälek, MEMORIALS, Invisible Dog (aka LA-based musician Adam Payne), and Immersion (aka Colin Newman of Wire and Malka Spigel of Minimal Compact). Ranging from indie-dance and avant-garde hip-hop to drone and celestial indie-pop, it's the perfect companion piece to the album. "The whole EP is kind of a 'pinch me' moment," says LMTO guitarist Alberto González. "The fascinating thing with remixes is that you never really know what to expect when you invite someone to collaborate. You sign up for the unknown. We are truly grateful for how everyone shapeshifted these songs. Now it's coming out on vinyl, it's like the EP is finally getting justice in every sense. I guess there's something about physical media that you can't beat. Daniel Castrejon's artwork is much more powerful once printed. All this work is all meant to be released physically. It's truly special and it also feels like a nice transition to what's coming next. All the period around Datura has been highly educational and transformative for us, so this is a nice way to wrap it up and embrace the next phase."
2024 Limited restock. "Bobo Jenkins's first recordings came out on the Chess, Fortune and Boxer labels in the 1950s. This 12 song LP compiles his 1970s output of incredibly raw and stripped-down blues. The tracks included were recorded using a revolving door of Detroit musicians during late night/all night sessions in Bobo's makeshift Detroit recording studio and record shop and were originally released on his own Big Star Records. It would come as no surprise to find out that bands like The Cramps and The Gories had copies of these singles in their collections. Release on purple splatter colored vinyl."
Dirt Bike Vacation -- for Worried Songs Records -- explores the sonic world of the late amateur guitar player, Charles 'Poppy Bob' Walker, through a captivating set of instrumental songs made in the mid-1980s. Recorded on a single-track, Marantz field recorder, the project is a transportive document of Walker's days spent as a meatpacking employee in Yuma, Arizona and the dailiness of that existence: driving to work, sitting in his backyard, walking around drunkenly, unwinding on the couch with a friend. These sketches, showing an experimental tendency, are surprisingly ahead of their time; some exhibit ad hoc tape delay, while others make use of primitive overdubbing. Not dissimilar to works such as Bruce Langhorne's The Hired Hand soundtrack, Walker's guitar playing is melodic, texturally rich and beautifully sober. On a musical tour from Nashville to Los Angeles, musician-archivist, Cameron Knowler, uncovered these songs from a series of dusty cassette tapes housed at a branch of the Yuma County Library. Originally tipped off by cryptic metadata entries found through an online finding aid, Knowler requested a sound sample and was immediately drawn in by their eerie, yet hopeful nature. Sorting through the index cards associated with these tapes, Knowler was able to gain a detailed sense of most recording's provenance, whereabouts and time: Walker's Datsun pickup truck chugging along boiling hot Interstate 80, the Marine Corps Air Station parking lot, the Eastern Wetlands on the banks of the Colorado River, a fishing trip to Martinez Lake. Trying to reduce the amount of his own subjectivities coloring the work, Cameron constructed titles and track sequences by borrowing information gleaned from Charles' handwritten notes. This proved no small task, as many notecards had to be deciphered and then coupled with their native tapes which needed extensive restoration treatments. The result is a project very much out of the blue, and one that is intensely personal to Knowler, having grown up in the same town under similar circumstances. In their current form, the tracks combine to create a sonic journey that boldly contributes to the traditions of acoustic guitar soli, archival digs and field recordings all the same; most importantly, it is a creative document which shows a day-in-the-life of a man grappling with the human experience under a ubiquitous Yuma sun.
Zel Zele presents the first-ever reissue of a cult classic from 1974, written, produced, and arranged by Anatolian rock pioneer Barış Manço, backed by his legendary Kurtalan Ekspres band. Sevil & Ayla's Bebek/Irgat is a highly sought-after Turkish folk and psychedelic single, sung by Yeşilçam stars Sevil & Ayla during the golden era of Anatolian rock music. A-side "Bebek" hardly needs an introduction, being a rare gem among crate diggers and beat enthusiasts. The track's strings and bass are a nod to the iconic groove of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," creating instant recognition. Sevil and Ayla's haunting vocals add a moody twist, narrating the tragic tale of a crazed mother over losing her baby to an eagle. On the B-side, "Irgat" is an underrated rider's groove with an incredible break and keyboard solo, perfect for keeping the dance floor swinging.
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Quixotism (10th Anniversary Remaster) CD
Quixotism (10th Anniversary Remaster) LP
Impossible Light (Color Vinyl) LP
La Grande Accumulation LP
Let's Start Our Own Thing 12"
Espion EP (Clear Vinyl) LP
O Superman 2024 (Red Vinyl) 12"
Hardspace Volume Four 2LP
A Show Of Hands Vol. 1 LP
Thee Church Ov Acid House: Volume 3 12"
Intertextural Remixes 12"
Cafe Del Mar (Orbital & Michael Mayer Remixes) 12"
Feel The Rush Remixes 12"
Suicide Disco Vol. 2 Remixes LP
The American Metaphysical Circus LP
Records & Tea: The Best Of The Chefs And Lost Second Album 2LP
Dub Mix Up: Rare Dubs 1975-1979 LP
Sound System Rockers: Kingston Town 1969-1975 LP
Emergency At The Old Waldorf 1979 CD
Home Of The Blues: Don't Stop Lovin' Me (The Lost Memphis Masters Vol. 1 1960-1962) LP
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