“Following the demise of Nuphonic came Tirk Recordings, a label set up by Nuphonic’s other half, Sav Remzi. Still being sent brilliant music worthy of releasing Remzi set about building another label to be trusted, going for eclectic and often adventurous selection of tracks whether it was made on a Jupiter 8 or a Les Paul.

Starting with the post-punk funk of New Young Pony Club’s ‘Ice Cream’ and Fujiya Miyagi’s ‘Transparent Things’, and a brilliant compilation from disco perverters the Idjut Boys, Tirk hit the ground running. Venturing into new forms of music, but still seemingly near the edge of the zeitgeist of contemporary music, the label went on to bring together an international collection of maverick music makers.

In its 10 year history: Tom Findlay from Groove Armada has cropped up as Sugardaddy and Morten Sorensen; Greg Wilson has demonstrated why he is master of the edit; Richard Norris sent his Time And Space Machine into orbit; the Human League’s legendary producer Martin Rushent clearly showed that he still loved electronic music with ‘Itchy Hips’; Maurice Fulton continued to prove that his genius is a truly warped one; and original Blockhead Chaz Jankel wowed with previously unreleased tracks and a Todd Terje re-edit of his anthem ‘Glad To Know You’.

At the same time a new wave of producers / artists also found a home at Tirk. NYC’s Drrtyhaze; the SoCal grooves of Sorcerer; Sam Annand’s Architeq; The Love Supreme from Italy; modern day pop troubadours Tim Chad & Sherry; Space, the original galactic disco Frenchman in helmets; the sublime electronica of Acos Coolkas; and the vital energetic disco punk band Escort all continue to give Tirk a currency in the blurred boundaries and sounds of today’s underground music and night-life.

Good music will always be sought after, but it often needs a helping hand to find its audience. Quite what Louis Armstrong would make of Tirk is anyone’s guess but listening to this compilation and to the last ten years of the label, thank heavens there are still people like Sav helping connect the good stuff to our ears.” - Rob Wood (Music Concierge, Jockey Slut)

TRACK LISTING

Acos Coolkas - Free Flight (Instrumental)
Architeq - Birds Of Prey
Dennis Young - Walk
Sugardaddy - Love Honey (Electro)
Tantra - A Place Called Tarot
Hedford Vachal - Toys (Richard Sen Remix)
Chaz Jankel - Glad To Know You (Todd Terje Re-edit)
Arcade Lover - Fantasy Lines
Space - Carry On, Turn Me On
Klein And MBO - Dirty Talk (Greg Wilson Remix)
The Time And Space Machine - Set Phazer To Stun
Love And Money - Strange Kind Of Love (Haraket Remix)
Tim, Chad And Sherry - Rocket Tonight

The Diaphanoids come down heavy interiorly re-designed with an acid album full of 70s Kosmische flavours fuzzed-out guitars and motorik rhythms.

‘55th Dimension Nervous Meltdown’: Ultra sci-fi images on the VHS of your heart, braindrops falling from the head, a wall of noise, cosmic razorblade guitars, reverberated elevation, spherical soundwaves reversing, bodies mutate, thoughts escape then return, looking for visions in a supermarket fried chicken.

‘You Can’t Shine If You Don’t Burn’: Velvet drums, narcotic bass, guitar strings draw oblivion and bliss, any drug is candid, kiss the flame, silver missiles and nightingales, such a soulgasm.

‘How Can I Distinguish Sky From Earth If They Keep On Changing Their Place?’: Motorik, hallucinated guitars, acid ecstatic lava flow, roads widen, earth is soft, moon is inhuman, sun is balanced on a petal, colours change, the sky moved sideways.

‘Alltheconstellationsouttherearen’tworthapinpointofliquidlightinyoureyes’: A satellite of glittering oscillating keyboards, fluorescent dust, a crystal guitar, distant spiky lights, suspended on nothing, the milky way turns sour, shooting stars like vultures.

‘LSME’: The universe in and out of our bodies, still in the thin air, a swarm of synthesizers, oblique guitars, relentless pumping beat and abrasive bass, howling imploding abstractions.

‘The Blackest Sun’: Spatial cramps, fuzzed-out hiss, stuttering rhythms, astral bass, sidereal clangour, so far so high surfing on NEU jagged waves, to beam or not to beam, a space odd.

‘Our Own Private Elsewhere’: Reality is for those who can’t handle drugs, translucent guitars, phosphorescent bass, take a trip on Autobahn sick sick sick, carving miracles, this universe doesn’t really exist, come away with me.

‘These Nights Wear Three Heads, Five Arms And Ten Legs’: A sonic harassment, drums are random, bass is laconic and sinister, slashing duelling guitars, a vertigo with teeth, get a brainticket to Mind Central then queue up for the end of the world.

TRACK LISTING

1. 55th Dimension Nervous Meltdown
2. You Can't Shine If You Don’t Burn
3. How Can I Distinguish Sky From Earth If They Keep On Changing Their Place
4. Alltheconstellationsouttherearen'tworthapinpointofliquidlightinyoureyes
5. LSME
6. The Blackest Sun
7. Our Own Private Elsewhere
8. These Nights Wear Three Heads Five Arms And Ten Legs

Back in 2009, a group of Silver Jews and Lambchop members got together to form a new band. The Nashville residents called themselves Tim, Chad And Sherry, and self-released their debut album ‘Baby We Can Work It Out’ later that year.

Fast forward to 2012, and Tirk Records release a three track EP called ‘The Love I Make’, receiving support from BBC 6Music DJs Gideon Coe, Lauren Laverne, Nemone and most significantly Marc Riley, who invited frontman
Brian Kotzur and the rest of the band over for a live session on his show in 2013.

Kotzur is a man of many talents. As well as drumming for Silver Jews and fronting Tim, Chad And Sherry, he’s a longtime collaborator with cult filmmaker Harmony Korine, writing soundtracks and even appearing as characters like 'Buddy' in Korine’s wild geriatric romp ‘Trash Humpers’.

Tirk Records now present Tim, Chad And Sherry’s self titled second album, an oddly compelling mix of slinky, raucous rock, feet-dragging Dadaist grooves and uplifting melodious soul accentuated with electronics and subtle motorik drum machine rhythms. In describing their sound, the band says it best: “Psych dance. If Steely Dan, The Flaming Lips and R Kelly had a lovechild, you’d have Tim, Chad And Sherry.”

The album kicks off with the heartfelt Americana of ‘Baby We Can Work It Out’, followed by ‘The Love I Make’, before being hit by a splash of colour with the Latin-inspired ‘Yo Vivo Y Me Encanta’, where frontman Brian sings entirely in Spanish over chugging beats and offbeat guitar licks. ‘Rocket Tonight’ follows with subtle R&B flavours emanating through the vocal harmonies, suspended before the guitar and keys solos peel away into a noisy, harmonic crescendo.

‘Soft Country’ reigns in some of those twanging Americana influences once again to build a layered country-inspired epic. ‘Caller ID’ brings proceedings back down to earth with its grounded guitar and piano chops before ‘Come On Down’ introduces some hip-shaking, side-stepping momentum amidst radio interference, warbling organ riffs and crowd noise.

Next, we transcend into the electro-funk of ‘Beyond’, whilst ‘Love On The Dancefloor’ sounds like it could be a cosmic cover of a never-released Justin Timberlake track, before it tangents off into some rock-fuelled funk. ‘What You Need’ sees proceedings wind down with synths and wispy vocals permeating the field for a spaced out, smooth groove. ‘Don’t Disturb the Groove’ is the slow jam of the album, ending proceedings with warm and soulful vocals and a crystalline finish.

After their ‘Ranting & Raving’ and ‘Unraveling After The Lottery’ EPs, Tirk are proud to announce the debut album from maximalist Balearic indie band Free School.

The album sparks into motion with the aptly named ‘Theme From Free School’, a slow burning intro of drawn out pads and strange sounds layered over an enigmatic, distorted passage of spoken word. ‘Meet When The Moon Is Full’ is a galactic cruise through silken star belts, complete with an epic instrumental chorus and that fuzzy feeling. Track four is the 2011 single ‘Ranting & Raving’, but not as we know it. The new full string arrangement transforms the track into a billowing, spine tingling opus.

‘I’m Not Nintendo’ follows, taken from their EP earlier this year. As momentous and eccentric as ever. ‘Spring Brings New Technology’ is a subtler record that lingers fluidly around the senses. Equally suited to the twilight hours or a lazy sunny afternoon. The duo’s enthralling nine minute sound-movie piece ‘Lemon’ comes next. It’s a profound offering that pushes all the right emotive buttons. ‘Time Breaks’ introduces the first sung vocal element to the album. The building, low-slung groove references early Moby as much as it does early Cosmic Disco from the likes of Daniele Baldelli et al.

Up next, from the second EP, ‘Unraveling After The Lottery’ pounds away with the vivacity of a marching drum gala, amidst android vocal cuts, pulsing strings phrases and synth loops. ‘Iberico’ initiates with arcs of synthetic organs and chirping electronic detritus before the hardest beat on the album drops, then reinvigorates the arps and synths for a full bodied middle. The album ends with ‘Theme From Free School (Repirse)’, a beautifully rich cinematic experience, full of Vangelis undertones and progressive string movements. A wonderful end.

Pocket is the snappy moniker of NYC based Richard Jankovich, the principal creative mind behind the NY based electro-pop band Burnside Project and seasoned big-name remixer (Beck, Radiohead, Kristin Hersh, Of Montreal, Elk City, Joanna Newsom and many others). Tirk present Pocket’s debut album. It's a indie / pop menagerie, fusing electronic beats and sounds, driven guitar tones, soaring guest vocals and sumptuously eclectic harmonies.

The album kicks off with ‘Someone To Run Away From’, featuring Craid Wedren of Shudder To Think. Previous Tirk single 'Hear In Noiseville’ featuring Steve Kilbey follows. Up next it's ‘Jars Of Fireflys’ featuring Throwing Muses’ Tanya Donelly on vocals. Wisps of guitar effects and building electronic beats lead into this skewed pop track, enveloped in rhythmic textures. Menomena's Danny Seim steps up to lead the pack next on ‘Backwards From Ten’, a power house effort thanks to his drawl tones lifting the tension. ‘Surround Him With Love’ featuring Robyn Hitchcock begins with a mysterious tribal bongo rhythm before delving into another strong male led track. ‘The Way You Love Someone’ featuring ex-The Lotus Eaters’ Peter Coyle reverts the album back to its darker recess. Up next, Yuki Chikudate of Asobi Seksu brings her sensuous ear for melody to the track ‘Sampo’. Disco, shoegaze and 60s girl group nuances radiate lovingly from this unique slice of pop. Mark Burgess of The Chameleons features on ‘A Force Of Nature’, delivering a gritty, raw and thoroughly modern pop song. Easily one of the most vibrant extroverted recordings on the album.

Sal Principato, known for his extraordinary work with Liquid Liquid guests on the penultimate track, titled ‘Echo And Sway’. There’s some serious dancefloor tendencies afoot here, with Sal’s elastic vocal adding splashes of colour to the mix. The final act is an orchestral reprise of the opener ‘Someone To Run Away From’.

An accomplished album of multiple moods and many guests.

STAFF COMMENTS

Philippa says: Part indie-dance, part electro-dance, part dance-rock, this Tirk album includes guest vocals from Tanya Donelly (Breeders), Mark Burgess (Chameleons), Sal Principato (Liquid Liquid), Peter Coyle (Lotus Eaters), Robyn Hitchcock and many more.

Following his dazzling single ‘Pill Party In India’, The Time And Space Machine rides straight out the gate to deliver his second studio album for Tirk, titled ‘Taste The Lazer’. For those new to the fray, The Time And Space Machine is the solo output of Richard Norris, founding member of 90s cult dance outfit The Grid, and one part of DJ / production duo Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve with Erol Alkan.

The album kicks off with ‘Hiding In The Light’, an incandescent organ-fuelled intro littered with splashes and live drums that drive forthright into ‘Black Rainbow’, a track of equal vivacity, but with loads more vigour and breathy vocal lines above another tasteful organ riff. Up next is the single ‘Pill Party In India’, a twanging, bubbling excursion into the realms of exotica that's simply sublime. ‘Studio 23’ follows, with a stomping bass heavy groove and smoldering string moods underneath clack-clack percussion. ‘Outta My Head’ starts off clean before diving deep into smoky vocal passages, crunching rhythm guitar effects, dirty basslines and trippy polyrhythmic hi-hats.

Stepping off the gas for ‘Threshold’, Norris allows for a bit of Eastern-kissed downtime with his selection of worldly stringed instruments taking turns to solo around contemplative pad washes. Up next, ‘Explosions In The Sky’ and its joyous vocal hook add a playful touch to some of the devilishly melancholic moods on the album. ‘Magic Mountain’ irons out the creases further for a pleasant air-filled journey in to the seemingly chilled (for now) mind of The Time And Space Machine. Before the final curtain, we're dealt ‘Flow River Flow’, a spaced out vocal powerhouse with swathes of tremolo guitar and a funked up lounge bassline that’s just right. To finish the album we're met with a glorious awakening in the form of ‘Good Morning’. Its sunny tones and easy-going swing are lovely touches at the end of a dynamic album.

STAFF COMMENTS

Philippa says: More cosmic-disco, Balearic-rock and psychedelic grooves from Richard Norris in his Time And Space Machine guise.

Free School return to Tirk for their second EP, bringing the Balearic sounds of summer and the icy Kosmiche sounds of winter all in one sweeping hit. Free School are maximalist and minimalist all at once.

The band, hailing from Birmingham, like to compare themselves to Caribou, Orbital, Hot Chip, Fourtet, and Pet Shop Boys. ‘Unravelling After The Lottery’ is a dazzling example of Free School’s inclination towards smooth analogue tones, articulating the solid groove with lovely reverberated percussion. Mark E steps it up in his remix with deep, deep bass and some tasteful synth flourishes amidst the original's foundational elements to suburb effect.

’I’m Not Nintendo' is as pleasing as they come, with layer upon layer of loveliness and a hook that will stick with you for weeks. Nutaike's 'Magnavox Odyssey' remix takes things a little more visceral, working those harmonics and melodies for that warm fuzzy feeling.

These four lean, mean dance floor machines will warm the cockles of even the toughest crowds.

Pocket is the snappy moniker of NYC based Richard Jankovich. As the principal creative mind behind the based electro-pop band Burnside Project he is not just well versed in top notch original productions but also is an indemand remixer (Beck, Radiohead, Kristin Hersh, Of Montreal, Elk City, Joanna Newsom and many others).

His debut release on Tirk is the ever-so-tuneful ‘Here In Noiseville’. In this first single Richard pairs up with Steve Kilbey from the Australian rock band The Church. Steve adds his thoughtful and emotively melancholic vocal to the classic, quality synth-pop backing track. First up on the remix duties is sister-label Nang’s favourite German golden boy, Justus Köhncke. Justus takes things on the dancefloor route, by adding bigger synths and some Rushent-esque Linn drum. Both Justus’ vocal and dub versions are included. Next up, Italian Brioski fixates on the groove by adding his slap bass and driving groove.

Morton Sorenson returns to the Tirk fold with a stunning little 12" titled ‘The Burn Down EP’, and burn it down he does. Morten is in his early 20s and hails from a small fishing village in rural Norway. His dad encouraged a love of American house and disco in the impressionable Morton, and the rest of his sonic palette comes from his earthy Norwegian surroundings.

'Burn Down (Original)' is an exercise in uplifting, stripped back house music. Less is more here, the vibe stays rich and never loosens its grip. The rhythms skip on top of the beat and the vocal interludes make for a real vivid experience. The LPZ remix sits back a bit, the rhythms are solidly swung and the vocal appears more affluently in the mix. It's smooth and cool, and definitely fresh. With 'Owe That 2 U' sustained strings and a slo-mo shuffle build, then peel back to a hollowed out organ breakdown. A hauntingly affected vocal and clever edits ensue before dropping back into the beat, articulated now by the clack of a tough staccato synth.

Molly Wagger are a Scottish four piece consisting of lead singer Charlie Denholm, brother James on guitar, David Ayre on bass and Edward Hulme on guitar. The quartet write melancholy but thoughtful songs with a streak of cold Edinburgh winter running through them.

The lads spent several weeks last summer holed up in Muirhead studio, in the glorious and green region of Scotland recording the album under the watchful production hands of Sam Annand (of Architeq) and Robin Sutherland. Sam’s analog desk and space echoes are deployed (as well has his mercurial skill) to full effect.

DJs in the Sky take the resting dancer and peace seeking listener down a slower moving sonic path to a no less compelling place, nestling somewhere to the left of the dance floor. "Zen And The Art Of Disco Maintenance Chapter 1" features Architeq’s mix of Cruising Gangs’ seminal "Chinatown", which builds steadily into a quietly epic 303 and pads odyssey. Newcomers Marybeya join the fray, with the chugging, widescreen Balearic soundscapes of "Non Reciprocle". Highlight's of west coast electronic pioneer Sorcerer’s recent "Neon Leon" album, the spacey, bumping "Raydio", mixes tightly into Architeq’s "Mind Games", a rare vocal outing from him featuring none other than Ilja Rudman on mic duties. Space’s seminal "Carry On, Turn Me On" is here in it’s revamped Richard Norris version, retaining the simmering eroticism of the original whilst adding a layer of ethereal warmth. Foto's mix of D Pulse's "More" has managed just that, as an Aeroplane set favourite last year, and this runs deftly into the pulsing, shiny electronic disco of Acos Coolcas’ "Free Flight" (Ichisan remix).

After three well received 12” releases, The Love Supreme long player is finally here. The Love Supreme’s method of composition comes with a sonic laboratory ethos with equal measures of real instruments and vintage ‘electro-acoustic’ synthesizers. This can be seen on the pulsating opener "Elsewhere Once More", the arpegiated "Tiefferre" and the robo-tincan musings of "Alles Liebe". The early 1970s Krautrock pioneers Faust, Can and Amon Düül II, and the sounds of Tangerine Dream’s "Pink Years" period also weave their fabric through motorik tracks such as "Boy", "Rocquet" and "The Parrot". The production retains an Italian polish throughout, and the album’s peppier tracks hark back to early 1980s New York and all things CBGBs. "Gold Dust" and the highly accessible "Waiting For The Love" feature vocals from UK based Ben Smith (Fug, Nuphonic) and grooves and arrangements that wouldn’t be amiss on an early Blondie album. Single "Sugar" features a foot-stomping single note bass, underpinning Talking Heads rhythms and synthesizers, with Ben’s staccato, punchy, on-the-beat vocal just adding just enough flavour as to not interfere with the groove. Proceedings round off with a cover of the Bauhaus classic "Bela Lugosi’s Dead". NYC vocalist Lord does a fine job of capturing the spirit of Peter Murphy and of fronting The Love Supreme’s electro-ching backing.