Piccadilly Records - Latest Arrivals

Sherlock Holmes Investigation - Investigation / It Ain't Right / Tramp

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:06:16 GMT

Carl “Sherlock” Holmes started gigging in the early 60s forming Carl Holmes & the Commanders with whom he recorded a full length album for Atlantic in 1962 entitled “Twist Party At The Roundtable”. Later on he recorded a couple of 45’s for the Parkway and Verve labels. In May of 1966 a pre-Experience Jimi Hendrix gigged with the group but never recorded with them. After a final 45 for the local Philly label Black Jack, the group disbanded and Carl formed the Sherlock Holmes Investigation a solid outfit backed by a strong rhythm section packed with congas, vibes, flute, organ and sax. Philly’s Sigma Sound Studio was the place they recorded their sole album and Curtis R. Staten’s CRS Records was the label that released it.

These two tunes are available on 45RPM single for the very first time. Finally, in March 2012 Tramp Records re-releases the sought after Investigation No.1 album, don't miss it!

Investigation

It Ain't Right

Eunice Davis - Get Your Enjoys / Go To Work Pretty Daddy / Jukebox Jam Series

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:57:55 GMT

Eunice Davis’ super slinky - and super risqué - vocals combine with a stuttering, off-kilter rhythm on this great and totally unique number cut in the mid-50s for the Deluxe subsidiary of King records. At the time, the talented Davis was working as one half of an in-house writing team for King, with Lowman ‘El’ Pauling, but she had also led a slew of releases herself, signing off her career with the regional hit, ‘Rock Little Daddy’ for Derby Records in New York. ‘Get Your Enjoys’ was sadly to be the only release for Deluxe and her career drifted into local obscurity soon after.

On the flip is ’Go To Work Pretty Daddy’, another transparently lewd ditty set to a brash, big city Jump Blues backing, this from Eunice Davis’ sole release for the Atlantic label.

Get Your Enjoys

Go To Work Pretty Daddy

Laura J Martin - The Hangman Tree / Tease Me / Squirrel Milk

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:56:55 GMT

With the release of Laura's new album we thought we'd draw your attention to these little gems, last few copies - grab em while you can!

'The Hangman Tree' perfectly showcases the musical tour de force that is Laura J Martin, whose spell-binding vocals gently harmonise to the sound of mandolins and harmonica before launching into a delightful and uplifting jamboree of xylophone, beats, handclaps, kazoos and flute. As with all of Laura's tracks, 'The Hangman Tree' was self-produced by her own fair hands, with the majority of instruments played by her also. Her voice is typically soft and willowy and reminiscent of classic UK folk voices such as Jackie McShee (Pentangle), Judy Dibble (Fairport Convention) and Vashti Bunyan. The B-side is a cover of Chaka Demus & Pliers reggae classic 'Tease Me' - a live favourite and a real treat for fans who look forward to Laura's sensuous yet playful version at her gigs.

The Hangman Tree

Tease Me

Various Artists - DJ Muro - Super Funky Jazz Breaks 2 / 11154

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:56:19 GMT

Muro sets off 2012 with a follow up to his great Super Funky Jazz Breaks mix from last year. As you'd expect it's all-the-way across the jazz board: Lord Finesse samples, jazz-funk cuts, soundtrack stuff, drum breaks, wailing saxes, Afro percussion, Andy Bey vocals and everything in between. Not much CTI or Blue Note to be had - kind of deeper. No tracklist!

Track 1

Track 5

Track 12

Prince Fatty Meets The Mutant Hifi - Transistor Cowboy / Son Of A Thousand Fathers / Mr Bongo

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:56:05 GMT

7" vinyl featuring tracks from Return of Gringo LP. Tracks include: Transistor Cowboy (featuring Alessandro Alessandroni) / Son of a Thousand Fathers

Prince Fatty Meets The Mutant Hifi in 'Return of Gringo!' is the fevered and frontal lobe-damaged brainchild of Nick Coplowe (The Mutant Hifi) and Mike Pelanconi (Prince Fatty), the result of years of plotting, planning, laughing and procrastinating. Put simply, it is a surf/ska/spaghetti western soundtrack album for a film that is yet to be made. Think Dick Dale jamming with the Skatalites with Morricone at the helm, including appearances from Alessandro Alessandroni (the original spaghetti western whistler) and you're in the right section at the record store, although it is possibly a very small section.

It's a quick draw shootout in a mexican standoff, pitting hard hitting ska against ripping surf riffs and outlaw bandito brass, the cold anarchic freedom of the wild west seen through a lomographic lens where the hot sun and scorching sand make sure that only the toughest survive, leaving their enemies to the flies, the prairie dogs and the vultures. It is the son of a thousand fathers, every one of them a bastard. Every gun sings it's own tune.

Transistor Cowboy

Son Of A Thousand Fathers

EP-4 - Lingua Franca EP / Brutal Music

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:53:18 GMT

The third installment in our Brutal 500 series. After an EP of personal favourites from Dom Thomas and a splatter of new productions from DJ Cherrystones we present a set of Japanese new wave movements from the obscure band EP-4.

This essential Japanese mutant funk crew emerged in 1980 out of Club Modern in Kyoto, mainly as a collaboration between Kaoru Sato and keyboardist / tape manipulator Banana Kawashima. Sato was the driving force behind the group, having just recorded an album under the name RNA Organism for Osaka's Vanity Records.

EP-4 offer a seamless mix of polyrhythmic arrangements that varyingly nods in the direction of the 80s downtown NY via concise Liquid Liquid grooves or the elaborately funky arrangements of Talking Heads. Building on a cool, nosweat-funk danceability, the group explores areas of sonically drenched experimentation. Skeletal grooves take on swelling layers of compressed and distorted guitar, synth, and vocoder. The vocals are distinctly post-Can and desolate in a PIL-damaged sense.

Included here are two post-punk clangers from their Lingua- Franca X album (1983), together with tracks from their impossibly rare Vanity press 7” from 1985.

Robothood Process

Tide Gauge

Coco

5.21

Hiem And Phil Oakey - 2AM - Inc. Toomy Disco & Fernando / Brioski / The Heels Of Love Remixes / Nang

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:51:33 GMT

Next up on Nang we have '2AM,' the new EP by Sheffield scenester producers Hiem along with another of the city's finest fellows, Sir Phil Oakey of The Human League.

The original track is a synth-pop powerhouse about those twilight club nights that you never wanted to end, complete with a epic guitar solo, computer blips and glistening synth rushes. Oakey is as accomplished as ever, bringing his signature tones to full effect and it's nothing short of sensational.

For this remixes only EP Nang have enlisted the skills of four producers to give us some cracking reworks. Fernando and Toomy Disco are first up, and they ramp up the tempo and vibe for a loose'n'live rework that's perfect for the dance floor. Hiem themselves give it a go with his '1984 Rework', bringing 80s power drums, Van Halen solos and some atmospheric subtleties to the table. Nang's Italian uber-cool-cat Brioski steps up next giving us the Italian angle with a brilliant walking bassline and luscious wide mix. The Heels of Love bring us frivolous percussion and stomping disco beats layered between emosh pads and slick keys. Ace.

2AM (Toomy Disco And Fernando Remix)

2AM (Hiem's 1984 Rework)

2AM (Brioski Remix)

2AM (The Heels Of Love Remix)

Jon Phonics - Grid Games EP / Prism

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:50:31 GMT

Fresh off the back of his debut appearance on vinyl with the 'Bruck Out' / 'The One' 7" on Chakra Sounds, the inaugural release on Prism comes courtesy of Jon Phonics. Jon has been making moves in a 2011 which has seen 'The One' getting plays from the likes of Kutmah and Morgan Zarate, being dropped to a packed tent at Sonar by B Bravo and appearing as the opening track on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Bubblers 7 as well as playing alongside Lone, Om Unit, Alex Nut and more.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Jon has completed the 'Grid Games' EP. This instrumental, progressive project is a nod to his more left field influences, forging elements of hip hop, 2-step and in his own words 'tropical um bongo bass music'. 'Grid Games' features three original tracks ('Jack Duckworth', 'Romes' and 'Double Vision'), each a collaboration with a different producer, plus remixes from Kidkanevil, Ghost Mutt and Pedestrian.

Jack Duckworth (Feat BUG)

Romes (Feat Pete Cannon)

Swamp Donkey (Feat S-Type) (Kidkanevil Mix)

Jack Duckworth (Feat BUG) (Ghost Mutt Mix)

Blue Rhythm Combo - BRC's Groove ONE PER PERSON / Jazzman

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:46:25 GMT

The Blue Rhythm Combo from Barbados produced some of the heaviest funk records to come out of the Caribbean in the early 70s - crossing the local Spouge rhythm with a heavy dose of American styled funk and soul. Their singles on the Merrydisc label have long been sought after by DJs for their unique musical blend and tight-as-a-whip rhythms that stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best party funk to come out of the United States.

This 7” triple pack brings together six of their heaviest tracks from the early to mid-‘70s, culled from their releases on the famed Merrydisc label and a later single on WIRL that showcases their later and more soulful sound. Complete with liner notes telling the story of the band and some unseen pics, this is as close to Caribbean funk as you’ll get without catching the plane and going there yourself.

Triple 7” 45rpm USA press, big centre hole, black vinyl

Take The Funky Feeling

BRC's Groove

Black Water Gold

Sister Jeanie

Various Artists - Spiritual Jazz Volume 2 - Europe / Jazzman

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:46:04 GMT

As the ‘60s progressed, cultural and political revolutions occurred both in the US and in Europe. Jazz was both a victim and a saviour, with radical developments in the music occurring in both continents. In the US, artists took control of their own musical destiny as small labels broke away from the mainstream, expressing new and creative visions of freedom and peace against a backdrop of civil unrest, repression and war. Be sure to check the first volume of this series, "Spiritual Jazz" In 60s Europe the jazz community forged ahead with a different revolution; that of breaking away from mere emulation of their American counterparts. A distinctive, European jazz sound began to develop that combined traditional music from across Europe and around the world with the creative freedom so abundant in American jazz. Over time the most forward-thinking creative talents of the post-Coltrane European jazz generation crafted and nurtured sophisticated and multi-faceted styles of jazz that were as radical as they were beautiful, giving modern jazz a characteristically European flavour.

THE MUSIC
A heady mix indeed; stirring jazz overtures with orchestra and choir, festival performances recorded live from the grassy heartlands of central Europe, modal montages inspired by pilgrimages to Asia and Africa, experiments in rhythm and sound where modern jazz meets traditional Balkan and Flamenco folk music. This is Spiritual Jazz – European style.

Erich Kleinschuster - Communion

Michael Garrick - Temple Dancer

Barney Wilen - Africa Freakout

Heikki Sarmanto - Duke And Trane

The Megaphonic Thrift - The Megaphonic Thrift / Club AC30

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:26:17 GMT

Their debut album delivered a white knuckle feedback drenched ride that saw the likes of Clash wax lyrical over its 'hypnotic textures, sprawling noise and violent haze with blistering riffs'.

Now The Megaphonic Thrift return with their second, eponymous album. Looking to move on from the marker set down by 'Decay Decoy' the result is an album that pushes at the edges of their previous noise assault at times but also reveals a softer and more delicate side.

Tune Your Mind

Raising Flags

Fire Walk With Everyone

The Cramps - File Under Sacred Music - Early Singles 1978-81 - 7" Box Set / Munster

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:29:05 GMT

Compilation of the The Cramps’ early singles plus some tracks from the same period that were never issued on that format.

The vinyl box-set contains six replica sleeves and four new sleeves especially designed for this edition, along with photos and memorabilia.

"I’ve no idea why The Cramps don’t seem to figure in a lot of alleged histories of punk or just plain music in general. This could be down to them being utterly unpigeonhole-able (is that even a word?) or just outright ignorance. Perhaps a bit of both but hey, let’s not concern ourselves with that. The band changed the face of culture. Period. Without bothering “the charts” or playing too many stadiums, their seismic effect on everything you hold dear will be felt for all time. This ancient knowledge – some of their grooviest gravy – is presented here for your delectation and delight. So get a crack-a-lackin’ with blasting these twisted hymns morning, noon and night. And while the ruckus is in full swing, pray to whoever might listen that Ivy will get around to compile the ultimate document of her undulating combo in commemoration of their services to entertainment. The bloody gears of this here rockin’ machine will be rolling way beyond the foreseeable future. Reasons outwith anyone’s control might mean that you can’t see the band anymore but no one – no how – will be able to make this thing stop. Meanwhile, dig into this feast for the little ghouls that understood all along or indeed anyone with a decent set of ears." Lindsay Hutton

Surfin Bird

Human Fly

Garbageman

Goo Goo Muck

Dr Dog - Be The Void / Anti

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:15:26 GMT

Beloved Philadelphia band Dr Dog are poised to release a staggering burst of vital rock ‘n’ roll with their new record ‘Be The Void’. The album is the raucous follow up to the group’s critically lauded ‘Shame Shame’. Having evolved from a band whose primary creative outlet was the album-making process into one that favoured the energy of their live performances, Dr Dog knew they wanted to document the new dynamic they had developed on the road.

Tracking live in the studio and turning up the guitars, the band have delivered a truly great cathartic rock ‘n’ roll album played with near reckless abandon and passion, blending their early punk-infused energy with the songwriting craft that made ‘Fate’ and ‘Shame Shame’ fan favourites.
From the rollicking re-imagined blues of the disc’s title track to the searing guitars of ‘Vampire’, the frenetic urgency of ‘Over Here Over There’ and the beautifully fuzzed out rock of ‘Warrior Man’, Dr Dog’s ‘Be The Void’ is a truly great rock ‘n’ roll record and the unmistakable sound of a band whose moment has arrived.

Dr Dog toured heavily in 2008 and have shared the stage with Wilco, The Strokes, The Raconteurs, and The Black Keys just to name a few.

Lonesome

That Old Black Hole

These Days

Various Artists - Pop Ambient 2012 / Kompakt

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

"Pop Ambient 2012" begins in an unusually new but nevertheless somehow familiar fashion. Mohn with "Manifesto" is the opening act. A manifest of slowness. A slowness that Jörg Burger and Wolfgang Voigt have taken up as new mission. Mohn is their new ambient-grunge-down-beat project. What follows is equally surprising: the old Kompakt swashbuckler Superpitcher is taking part for the very first time. His piece "Jackson" is borne by a slightly uncanny, spherical voice floating above a jazzy pop accord coolness and faintly 70s sequencer aesthetics. It is followed by Morek. "Pan" is a textbook example of a classical piece of pop ambient music. Magazine, the krauty electronic guerrilla from Cologne-Deutz, has tailored the piece "The Visitor's Bureau" we all know from Magazine 4 into a measure-made ambient frock.

Then comes Jörg 'Triola' Burger with a solo appearance. He delivers multifaceted, intricately woven Arabian Nights-style sounds, with effectively placed harmonic shifts reminiscent of Pink Floyd in the best of their phases. Enter the Pope of Ambient: Wolfgang Voigt masterfully continues his impressive creative ambient frenzy in "Rückverzauberung 5", not by stagnating on the usual planes but by further developing his new concept into a novel direction of abstract jazz. BVDUB is taking part for the third time - for a good reason. The Dutchman, who lives in China, leaves nothing to be desired with his sensitive musical signature, over and over again. Likewise, Marsen Jules constantly refines his bizarre, flickering sound constructions and even adds percussion drums that are atypical for ambient. Simon Scott is a newcomer to Pop Ambient but certainly no unknown face. The Englishman already impressed the scene a while ago on the Miasmah label. His contribution “ For Martha“ is a particularly good piece of classical pop ambient music that fits into this year’s compilation like an homage. A relaxing final appearance is provided by a good friend of the house: Axel 'The Field' Willner alias Loops Of Your Heart charms us with a light-footed, pleasantly filled guitar loop tempting us to press the Start button at the end of the CD / record.

Mohn - Manifesto

Morek - Pan

Marsen Jules - Swans Reflecting Elephants

Loops Of Your Heart - Riding The Bikes

Boy Friend - Egyptian Wrinkle - Bonus Disc Edition / Hell Yes!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Vinyl copies include a very limited edition, one sided 7" featuring an exclusive track!

And for a limited period both the vinyl and CD comes with a FREE 5 track CD bonus disc.

Boy Friend is best buds Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown. With a creative partnership that combines different stylistic preferences and attitude with a passion for fantasy, narratives and dreamy, lovesick lyrics, their song writing is led by strong lead vocal and guitar melodies layered in harmonies, ambiance, and thick atmospheric backdrops.

The two have collaborated on several projects together in their 15 year friendship, but it wasn't until the end of 2010 while going through the break-up from their last band Sleep∞Over that they regrouped to record their first EP as a duo. It was a heavily charged "break-up" album disguised in hazy undertones and big choruses. The following spring they recorded their Lovedropper 7", and by Summer of 2011 recorded their first full-length, entitled Egyptian Wrinkle, in a friend's house in north Austin surrounded by dogs, bongos, and plenty of warm Texan vibes.

“…cavernous, ghostly dream-pop vibes” – Gorilla vs. Bear.

“Egyptian Wrinkle comprises 10 tracks of such relentlessly haunting grace and ethereal force you have to marvel at their consistency, and also wonder what on earth it is that has happened in their young lives to make them make music like this.” – Guardian UK Band Of The Day.

“Egyptian Wrinkle” wistfully swirls together thick guitar and long-tail electronics like honey and milk over Sleepytime Tea.” - FADER.

“…the iridescent and sensual sounds the pair create are every bit as compelling and beautiful as anything their former band did, if not even more so” – Wears the Trousers.

Darryl says: 80s inspired ethereal dream pop from this female duo that bring to mind the Cocteau's, This Mortal Coil and a strong sense of retro 4AD. Recommended!!

Bad Dreams

Lovedropper

In Case

Egyptian Wrinkle

Mark Lanegan Band - Blues Funeral / 4AD

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

‘Blues Funeral’ is the new Mark Lanegan Band record, the first since 2004’s ‘Bubblegum’, recorded in Hollywood, California by Alain Johannes at his 11ad studio. In the mean time, he’s been busy working with the likes of Isobel Campbell, Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins and Soulsavers. Here, the music was played by Johannes and Jack Irons with appearances from Greg Dulli, Josh Homme et al.

The awesome ‘Gravedigger’s Song’ kicks things off, with it’s pounding, claustrophobic beats. The tempo slows for the next track ‘Bleeding Muddy Water’, with it’s soulful, pulsing groove. In fact, the whole album ‘grooves’ to varying degrees, from slow and soulful, to Kraut-ish metronomy, to almost funky – yes really! There’s a lot going on here, and it’s taken me a good few listens to get to grips with it, but as ever, Mark’s dark tales, delivered in his distinctive gravelly tones have won me over.

The Gravedigger's Song

Bleeding Muddy Water

Gray Goes Black

St. Louis Elegy

Riot In My House

Ode To Sad Disco

Phantasmagoria Blues

Quiver Syndrome

Harborview Hospital

Leviathan

Deep Black Vanishing Train

Tiny Grain Of Truth

Cocteau Twins - Stars And Topsoil - A Collection (1982-1990) / 4AD

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

‘Stars and Topsoil’, Cocteau Twins’ collection of the best of their 4AD years, is belatedly issued on vinyl. Perfectly suited to the format, there’s a greater cohesion to the tracks when they are split into four sides.

Following their ascent from alternative novices to universally acclaimed artists, ‘Stars and Topsoil’ is a fine testament to one of the most original bands to emerge in the last three decades. Over a career at 4AD that spanned six albums and seven eps, Cocteau Twins retained an intriguing uniqueness of style that defied comparison. Elizabeth Fraser (vocals), Robin Guthrie (guitars) and Simon Raymonde (bass guitar) were always fiercely protective of their privacy, preferring to let the music speak for itself; it spoke volumes and continues to do so.

From day one Cocteau Twins had something special; Liz’s glittering vocals, unintelligible and perfect, Robin’s edgy guitar, all grounded by Simon’s bass. This chronological collection is a fitting reminder of why Cocteau Twins are so important: musical visionaries who transcended convention yet achieved massive international success.

Andy says: Beautiful band, more influential than ever, with the current shoegaze revival showing no sign of abating. The sound of bliss!

Sugar Hiccup

Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops

Aikea-Guinea

Carolyn’s Fingers

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp / Jagjaguwar

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

The shimmering sound of Sharon Van Etten's Jagjaguwar debut album, 'Tramp', both defies and illuminates the unsteadiness of a life in flux. Throughout the 14 months of scattered recording sessions, Van Etten was without a home - crashing with friends and storing her possessions between varied locations. The only constant in Van Etten's life during this time was spent in Aaron Dessner's garage studio.

A two year journey brought her to that point of instability. Upon the release of epic (Ba Da Bing; 2010), Sharon Van Etten surprised the music world with a touching embrace. Having established herself as a reliable performer around New York, and coming off the release of her spartan first effort, 'Because I Was In Love' (Language of Stone; 2009), Van Etten created a short album of diverse songs connected by a shared goal of expanded sound and her unmistakable voice. Fans quickly picked favorites, discovered their choices changing, then changing yet again. That is the magic of epic; the intricate, understated record covered so much ground within its 33 minutes, it required more than an initial half hour to absorb. Since epic's release, she has opened the Pitchfork Music Festival, played The Hollywood Bowl with Neko Case and at Radio City Music Hall with The Antlers, sung on new records for Beirut and Ed Askew, and collaborated with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Megafaun on the Songs Of The South project.

Dessner, a member of The National, heard Van Etten early on, and in collaboration with Justin Vernon, performed a cover of "Love More" at the 2010 MusicNow Festival in Cincinnati. Van Etten heard about this and contacted him. Almost immediately they formed plans to work together, with Dessner offering both a location for Van Etten to record new songs, as well as the opinions of a wise producer.

Now, one year later, Van Etten unveils Tramp, an album showcasing an artist in full control of her powers. Tramp contains as much striking rock (the precise venom of "Serpents," the overwhelming power of "Ask"), as pious, minimal beauty (the earnest solemnity of "All I Can," the breathtaking "Kevins," "Joke or a Lie"); it can be as emotionally combative ("Give Out") as it can sultry ("Magic Chords"). Contributions from Matt Barrick (Walkmen), Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), Zach Condon (Beirut), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak), Julianna Barwick, and Dessner himself add a glowing sheen to the already substantial offering.

Van Etten has travelled far, and if her displacement took an emotional toll, she offset those setbacks with a powerfully articulated vision. And so, once again, each listener will discover their own moments along the way, and the debates as to the best song start anew.

Warsaw

Give Out

Serpents

Kevin's

Leo Zero - Acid Life / Leo Trax

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Leo Zero is probably best known for his remixes of global acts like Florence & The Machine, Bryan Ferry & Paul Welller. But prior to this he's spent many years on the underground house scene, running parties, record labels, DJing, and learning the ropes in the studio.

In fact scroll back 20+ years and Leo was there right at the birth of House and Techno... in 1986-87 spending his dinner money on the latest imports from Chicago and Detroit and listening to the first pirate radio shows spawning this brand new sound.

"My mates and I would listen religiously to Jazzy M: 'The Jacking Zone' on LWR... a pirate station we could barely pick up where we lived at the end of the Met tube line in Chesham... you had to try all sorts of ways to get the signal, wiring the radio up to the radiator always worked well ! "
We're talking 1986 here - no internet, no dance music press - House music was evolving out of Boogie and Electro track by track as the sounds got more and more stripped down and futuristic... record shops like Groove, Bluebird, Vinyl Zone and Trax were the only places to buy this stuff, and fanzines like Boy's Own had only just surfaced.
"We were always hunting for the most raw and wild tracks back then - we'd grown up with the electro compilations and DJ culture, and making rudimentary mix tapes.... a rule book didn't exist, it was just about getting the loudest most futuristic crazy noises out of these beatboxes - I lapped it up - Rhythm is Rhythm, Phuture, Marshall Jefferson, Fingers inc all became heroes - And when Larry Heard, Ron Wilson and Robert Owen's came over to London for the first time to perform live as Fingers inc, it was a life changing moment for me. My life was all about music from then on."
Two years later, the rest of the country had caught up, Acid House had kicked in, and Leo found himself in Ibiza right in the thick of it all. Cafe Del Mar, Amnesia, Ku, Es Paradis, Glory's, Exstasis, Summum, Angels and a newly opened Space all sowed the seeds for a decade club promoting back in London and all over the world with the legendary Faith and Soulsonic parties, the latter of which saw him host throwdowns for Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.
Around this time Leo also made his first auspicious waves in the production world, turning heads with his disco edit label Easter Bay, which counted DJ Harvey and Idjut Boys as fans. Leo has since gone on to form Dab Hands with Mark Wilkinson and Richard Searle in 2004, with the trio remixing Lou Reed and David Bowie’s “Satellite of Love” which gave them a top ten smash and a Miami buzz chart no.1. He’s also flexed his musical muscle as a member of psychedelic band A Mountain of One, writing and producing their first album ‘Collected Works’ in 2007.
Leo’s talent hasn’t ever been confined to music, either. He’s been involved in flyer/sleeve art for most of his natural life having worked with Junior Boys Own, Heavenly Records, Electric Stew, Dazed & Confused and Time Out.

So fast forward to today and Leo's many hours of flying time in various nighteries the world over have given him an instinctive idea of what makes a dancefloor kick. He now has his own boutique label Leo Trax and the first major release is Acid Life - a raw stripped down album made with old friend and Junior Boy's Own recordings singer Marcel, together they've stuck to what they know and love, good old fashioned house & techno in the traditional Chicago / Detroit style.

Eclectic is a word often used, but not always used in the right context. When referring to Leo Zero aka Leo Elstob ‘Eclectic’ he certainly is – from House to Disco – Boogie to Balearic via, Punk/Funk, and Mash-Up - Leo excels in all areas.

Let's Go

Body Music

Energy

The Room

Loops Of Your Heart - And Never Ending Nights / Magazine

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Please allow us the pleasure of introducing Axel Willner's (aka The Field) Loops Of Your Heart.

Hailing from Sweden, the man behind this record alone needs no introduction, as he is already well known in the electronic music scene for his project The Field. Loops Of Your Heart reflects Axel’s experience in Germany, where during his lengthy stays, his mantra-like arpeggiators contributed to the first manifestation of the sound of Cologne Tape, a group that formed while he was staying there. You can also hear this on the much sought after debut "Render".

Only a foreshadow for what was to about to come, Willner has been living in Berlin and letting his creativity go crazy. With an arsenal of special synthesizers and guitars he has put together "And Never Ending Nights". After touring worldwide with The Field for the last 10 years, "And Never Ending Nights" is like coming home again. You can hear German children speaking outside his studio in Berlin (on the track "Neukölln") and it is not only the track titles which tell of things that have come to an end and or are about to happen. The old German musical tradition of letting yourself go (Holger Czukay, You, Anima, Cluster, you name it) is in the air, and Willner breathes it. His highly personal approach to music and composition leads to nothing less then a matchless album that embodies beginning anew.

Little You, You Should Develop

Broken Bow

End

Lost In The Mirror

James Levy & The Blood Red Rose - Pray To Be Free / Heavenly

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Timing, it’s said, is everything. A boy drops out of college to fulfil his singer-songwriter destiny, loses his way despite experiencing highs among the lows, considers jacking it all in, which as happenstance has it, leads to him starting all over again. At which point, with nothing to lose, he produces the best work of his life, makes the right connections and stands to finally reap all that he has sewn. Destiny has finally come for James Levy.

Released on Heavenly under the name James Levy And The Blood Red Rose, Pray To Be Free is a gorgeous, romantic and yet playful collection of jaunty pop and bruised ballads, imbued with stunning vocals and wrapped in a variety of velvet strings, suave horns and other colours of the night. “A great traditional rock 'n' roll singer songwriter record,” reckons Heavenly head honcho Jeff Barrett (and he should know, having worked with several of the best). In Levy’s case, his aim was the kind of classic Serge Gainsbourg recorded in the ‘60s with Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin, or Lee Hazlewood’s similarly charged duets with Nancy Sinatra and Ann Margret. James’ good pal Allison Pierce (of The Pierces) provides the female vocal riposte to James’s manly desire in these sumptuous duels of love and war. Or as James says, “I tend to write about death and relationships, and the death of relationships, but I cannot tell you why."

Sneak Into My Room

Give Me Happiness

Cryin' To The River

Hung To Dry

The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know / Fat Cat

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

As made clear already by widely-spread preview track "Kill It In The Morning" and first single "Sick," The Twilight Sad's third full-length, No One Can Ever Know, marks a sonic shift for the band. Freshly inspired by a listening diet of Cabaret Voltaire, Can, Liars, Magazine, Autechre, and Public Image Limited, the band turn to a dark, synth-heavy sound for No One Can Ever Know; the resulting LP shares thematic and sonic space with the most innovative offerings from Depeche Mode, The Cure, or even Nine Inch Nails.

“Kilsyth’s most menacing return with this Andrew Weatherall produced single, a sparse riff rallying round James Graham’s typically soot-black vocals” - Q Magazine.

Alphabet

Dead City

Sick

Don't Move

Susumu Yokota - Dreamer / Lo Recordings

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Musical styles come and go, but Yokota reigns supreme in a universe of his own making. ‘Dreamer’ is instantly familiar and yet full of surprises and like all of Yokota’s best music, it leaves the listener in a state of wonder.

This is meditative music but miles away from new age wallpaper. Eastern flavours permeate many of the tracks, often mixed with free electronic noise, to create what John Hassell called ‘Fourth World Music’, capable of transporting the listener to a brand new world. Sounds that in other hands could have a disturbing effect are transformed into tools for opening the mind.

Within ‘popular’ music there are dew that make music with Yokota’s depth and ease. His music never sounds forced, fake or phoney, never trite or tentative, always fully formed and wholesome. So it comes as no surprise that his fans include Thom Yorke, Brian Eno and Philip Glass and that ‘Dreamer’ is another superb addition to the Yokota.

Will appeal to fans of Yokota’s LEAF period with album like Grinning Cat and Sakura.

For fans of : Brian Eno, Harold Budd and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Human Memory

Flitting Ray

Subconscious Globe

Inception

The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble - Mr Machine - Inc. Soul Clap Remix / K7

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

For this second Brandt Brauer Frick Remix EP, we asked three very special and hard-to-catch producers to give their own versions of the band's music. Ladies and Gentleman, welcome Horror Inc. AKA Marc Leclair AKA Akufen, Soulclap and Dollkraut!

Mi Corazon (Dollkrautis Rework)

Mi Corazon (Horror Inc. Echoes Of My Love Remix)

Pretend (Soul Clap Remix)

Matthew Bourne - Montauk Variations / The Leaf Label

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Matthew Bourne is the latest signing to The Leaf Label, and Montauk Variations is his first ever solo studio album.

A phenomenal live performer, Bourne brings a breathtaking physicality to the piano that, once witnessed, is hard to forget (try searching for ‘Matthew Bourne piano’ on YouTube).

A genuinely unique pianist and composer, whose music straddles jazz, classical and rock, Bourne uses every imaginable technique to wring the last drop of inspiration from his chosen instrument.

Montauk Variations represents something of a change of direction for him – an album of beautiful, lyrical solo piano compositions, punctuated by visceral percussive pieces.

The album was recorded in The Great Hall at Dartington College, Devon in May 2011, with additional recordings at St Margaret’s Rectory in Manchester and Rebel Elements studio close to his Yorkshire home.

A restless, endlessly exploratory musician, don’t expect him to stand still - this is the first in a series of albums under the ‘Matthew Bourne presents’ banner, with future releases to include an audio-visual project recorded with his beloved Memorymoog analogue synthesizer, and an album with vocalist Seaming To under the name Billy Moon.

Air

The Mystic

Phantasie

John Doe And The Sadies - Country Club / Yep Roc

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

In true honky tonk style, 'Country Club' is the bastard child of a drunken promise. A post show hang-out between X & the Knitters’ John Doe and The Sadies produced the idea to join forces to a make an album of country songs. Both rock n’ roll and country music are littered with the ghosts of broken promises, but this one was destined to become reality. Timeless sounds abound on 'Country Club', driven by Doe’s gorgeously rough-hewn vocals, the dueling thousand pound chops of the guitar-wielding Good brothers and The Sadies’ world class rhythm section of Mike Belitsky and Sean Dean.

Here, the Countrypolitan sound of late 1960s Nashville is filtered through the telecaster-based tonk of Bakersfield, CA and the results are simply stunning. Classic tunes by Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings stand alongside corkers by Tammy Wynette and Roger Miller, all of them getting unique treatments by Doe and The Sadies. The album also features four originals - three from The Sadies and one courtesy of the timeless pairing of John Doe and Exene Cervenka.

'On Country Club' Doe and The Sadies find the perfect blend of the reverent and the experimental, resulting in a slightly psychedelic brew that just might pass for straight if you’re not lookin’.

Press :
“This is the real deal country set that Los Angeles punk legend John Doe has threatened to make since 1985” - ROLLING STONE
“A casual, no-frills masterpiece.” - ALL MUSIC GUIDE
“If CBGB was ever inclined to open a Bakersfield branch, this quintet could serve as the house band.” - NO DEPRESSION

Lindstrom - Six Cups Of Rebel - Bonus Disc Edition / Smalltown Supersound

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Five… four… three… two… one…With the latest album from dance producer Hans-Peter Lindstrøm, Norway’s latest entry in the space race has been launched out of the wooded outskirts of Oslo. Six Cups Of Rebel, Lindstrøm’s fourth solo album, is a super-sized cosmic disco rocket that burns up a galaxy of eclectic influences in its wake, from Bach to Deep Purple, from Prog rock and arpeggiator disco to Acid House, while sounding sleek and utterly contemporary. He may worship at the temple of godlike European DJs from the 80s like Daniele Baldelli and Beppe Loda, but the relentless, occasionally monumental scale of Six Cups Of Rebel has the power to move mountains all by itself.

From the opening “No Release” – a five-minute coitus interruptus of cascading cathedral organ – to the pumping Detroit pistons of “Call Me Anytime” and the wah-wah stabs and fizzing 808 basslines of the title track, Six Cups Of Rebel acts like a star map of Lindstrøm’s own voyage to the outer limits of electronic music. When he holds back, as on the ten-minute “Hina”, it’s only to let rip with added propulsion, like a satellite using a planet’s orbit to push it to the next level.

No Release

Quiet Place To Live

Six Cups Of Rebel

Hina

Sun Glitters - High - Inc. Mmoths Remix / Music/Is/For/Losers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

It is easy to become a workaholic when your talent knows no limits. Having exploded onto every tastemaker website and blog in the past six months with his remixes, collaborations and bandcamp EPs, Luxembourg’s Victor Ferreira AKA Sun Glitters is a man with an already astonishingly adoring audience. While this eager fanbase grows by the day - due to early and excessive support from Pitchfork, Fader Magazine and XLR8R - now is the perfect time for the production whizz to release his most satisfying and accomplished work to a much wider audience. Marrying Burial inspired vocals to Flying Lotus influenced beats wrapped up in rousing Slowdive melodies, the hazily lush ‘High EP’ is an entire summer season shoegazing out over four melodic songs.

Title track ‘High’ sets things in motion, ebbing and flowing into colourful refrain, while ‘it takes me’ is an intense Mediterranean anthem and should be broken apart and examined by budding producers, for its ability to capture and sweep you along immediately is something to behold. ‘They Don’t Want To Let You Know’ bounces and sways, with its eerily atmospheric vocal manipulations offset against alluring blissful beats, it’s the standout track on the EP. The final song on the EP is a remix of ‘It Takes Me’ by the sensational Jack Colleran AKA Mmoths. His fresh and new approach to the field of production has had blogs the world over buzzing with excitement. With the entire internet on tenterhooks for his upcoming EP and with a recent Interpol remix to his name, you’ll be hearing a lot more about Moths in the coming months.

High

It Takes Me

They Don’t Want To Let You Know

It Takes Me (Mmoths Remix)

Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves Of Destiny - Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose / Mute

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

“Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose” was created with producer Ben Hiller (Blur / Elbow / Depeche Mode). It introduces one of the most self-assured new bands of the year, fronted by a pop polymath whose blend of psychedelia, glam rock and chain gang folk is quite unlike anything else you’re likely to hear in 2012.

Darryl says: Her debut on Mute Records sees BJH embrace all things indie-pop, psyche, and folk, showcasing her refreshingly kooky and wonderfully eccentric songwriting style.

Sweet Tooth Bird

Humble Digs

Dodecahedron

Atlas

Liliputt

Fucked Up - Year Of The Tiger / Matador

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Since 2006, Fucked Up have been releasing an annual 12” single on each Chinese New Year. Named after the beasts of the Chinese Zodiac, the sprawling, 10-15 minute-long epics have been among the band’s most acclaimed material and were the first releases to expose them to nonpunk audiences.

‘Year Of The Tiger’ is an anthemic progressive rock masterpiece featuring guests Jim Jarmusch, Annie- Claude Deschênes and Austra. It was produced by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells) during the sessions for last year’s critically acclaimed rock opera ‘David Comes To Life’.

The 15-minute long track features the band’s familiar layers of guitar and roaring vocals, taken to a new level with the addition of piano, Jarmusch’s dark recitations and Deschênes’ gorgeous crescendos. The B-side 'ONNO' is a 22- minute long palindromic drone.

The Time & Space Machine - Pill Party In India - Inc. Psychemagik Remix / Tirk

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

When it comes to being a man of many talents, there are few to equal Richard Norris. DJ, producer, musician, audiovisual artist, A&R man, author and journalist, his is a career of many twists and turns which have always seen him at the forefront of pushing new ideas forward and championing diversity and innovation, be it alongside Erol Alkan as part of The Wizard's Sleeve, or gone solo as the acclaimed Time & Space Machine.

Tirk released Richard’s debut as The Time & Space Machine in 2010. With the long awaited album imminent, the label have decided to do a special little single release of one of their faves to precede, alongside a brace of tasty remixes.

‘Pill Party In India’ is rich with the energetic twang of Americana, carried down a highway of fast-paced bongos and live drums with interludes of blips, wiggles and ghostly soundtrails. One remix comes from Psychemagik. A superb bit of work from the cosmic forest. The bass is chunky, mesmerizing sounds fly at you gloriously in superwide stereo and there's some cracking vocal samples added to great effect too. In addition, Mojo Filter delivers his Om Nama Shiva Remix. Think squelching acid basslines under traditional plucked Indian instrumentation, with strings and on-point production values and you're about there. This has to be heard to be believed.

Pill Party In India (Original)

Pill Party In India (Mojo Filter Shiva Remix)

Pill Party In India (Psychemagik Remix)

Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory / Wichita

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Following on from the singles compilation, ‘Turning On’, and their self-titled debut proper, Cloud Nothings return with their sophomore album, ‘Attack On Memory’.

Recorded with the legendary Steve Albini, this is the first time that the four-piece live band have recorded together (previously frontman Dylan Baldi played everything) and the results are their strongest album yet - higher fidelity, a track clocking in at almost nine minutes, an instrumental, and an overall more plaintive air.

Darryl says: No doubt helped by recording with Steve Albini, Cloud Nothings return with a mid 90s influenced post-hardcore sound. Spiralling guitars and a heavy thud of a rhythm section all topped off with some impressive raw vocals.

No Future/No Past

Wasted Days

Fall In

Stay Useless

Benjamin Damage & Doc Daneeka - They!Live / 50 Weapons

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

“They!Live”, Daneeka & Damage’s first album together, is a collection of Berlin inspired, UK-influenced funky, deep house and techno, all recorded in Berlin between late August and early November 2011. In that 50 Weapons tradition, much of the production aesthetic is miles ahead of the curve, yet the album retains a personal touch and sense of soul throughout (helped indefinitely by the vocals of Manchester’s own Abigail Wyles).

“No One” pairs a Burial-esque vocal manipulation to some cavernous, tribal beats. “Battleships” is next and opens with waves of bass drone before dropping into an emotive future-ballad with some beautifully delicate vocals from Miss Wyles. UKF snares rattles in the background but the overall mood is atmospheric, slow and melancholic. “Deaf Siren” and “Charlottenborg” are both club bangers; the former being tough, jacking (or is that percolating when referring to UKF?) and heavy while the latter is anthemic, epic and riddled with a dark euphoria. “Jugganaut” is a 4/4 techy romp with those thin, syncopated synth trills that seem to be en vogue right now. “Halo” sees more love-strewn balladry. Finallywe have two very different end of night wig-outs. “Elipsis Torment” in a speaker-clinging, head in the sub-woofers kinda vibe while “Bleach & Penicillin” is sheer end-of-night, feel-good exuberance.

No One (Feat Abigail Wyles)

Battleships (Feat Abigail Wyles)

Juggernaut

Various Artists - Voguing - Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City 1976 - 96 / Soul Jazz

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

The music on this 2CD / 2 double LPs features tracks that were the soundtrack to voguing, the dance style that erupted in New York City between 1988–1995. Voguing, where dancers choreographed movements and poses taken from fashion magazines such as Vogue, first emerged around 1988 in the extraordinary ‘house ball’ community of Harlem, New York. Here, African-American and Latino gay and transgender men competed against one another at ‘drag balls’ for the ‘realness’ of their drag,
their ability to walk on a fashion runway like a model - and for their dancing skills – out of which came ‘voguing’.

In 1990 voguing erupted into the mainstream when Madonna’s song ‘Vogue’ became number one in over 30 countries. The previous year ex-Sex Pistols’ svengali Malcolm McClaren had first brought voguing into the cultural milieu with his song ‘Deep In Vogue’, featuring the dancer Willi Ninja. In 1990 Jennie Livingstone’s film ‘Paris Is Burning’ also documented the house ballroom scene in its ascendant, the film a runaway success.

As voguing entered the mainstream, the ‘house ball’ scene came downtown, mixing with the fashion crowd of Manhattan. With this shift, voguing was first seen outside the ball scene at legendary dance clubs such as Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage and Junior Vasquez’s Sound Factory. Here also the music evolved from the pertinent classic disco tracks of the 1970s into a harder house sound as artists such as Masters At Work and Junior Vazquez produced music that perfectly complimented the ‘pop, dip and spin’ moves of voguing.

The album comes with extensive sleevenotes by Tim Lawrence, author of ‘Love Saves The Day: A History Of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-79’ and ‘Hold On To Your Dreams: Arthur Russell And The Downtown Music Scene, 1973-92’.

Inner Life - Moment Of My Life

Masters At Work - The Ha Dance (KenLou Mix)

George Kranz - Din Daa Daa

Junior Vasquez - X

Justice - On 'N' On - Inc. Rick Rubin / Video Village Remixes / Ed Banger / Because

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Latest single from the Parisian duo’s sophomore album ‘Audio Video Disco’, available on 12" and 10" formats, each with exclusive remixes.

For the 10" Video Village and legendary Def Jam head honcho Rick Rubin take on the remix challenge. AND we get the original version too, which sees Justice at their prog-electro best. It's a catchy pop track (vocals, tune chorus!), but with lashings of Jutice's pomp, prog time changes and beefy electro synths!On the remix tip Video Village take us down a softer route - soft-pop that is. They give the track a mellow, late 70s / early 80s vibe, taking it away from the dancefloor and into the beach bar - a sunshine special! To close, Rick Rubin 'ruins' (his words, not mine!) the track on two reworks (vocal, instrumental): It's a boom-bappin' funky chugger!

On 'N' On

On 'N' On (Video Village Remix)

On 'N' On (Ruined By Rick Rubin)

O F F Love - Probably Love / M=Maximal

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Autotune, echo and reverb - slow heart beats and minor chords. o F F Love‘s music is fragile.

Hidding behind a Ying Yang print scarf and transforming his voice, o F F Love is taking a distance. However he couldn’t be more direct in the way of sharing his feelings with his minimal productions and repetitions: not looking for perfection, but emotions. Mixing his obsessions for boy bands of the 90s (see the live video or the music video for 'Let U Know'), the vulnerability and extreme emotion in Arthur Russell and Panda Bear vocals, and the excessive use of autotune by current R&B artists, o F F Love creates a heart-rending minimal R&B. R&B in disguise floating between a kaleidoscope of ambient sounds and a more noisy cataclysm of emotions.

o F F Love released 2 EPs in 2011 ('Disenchanted Fairytale' and 'SECRET' under the name o F F), and played / performed in Europe supporting CocoRosie, How to Dress Well, Creep, Butterclock, oOoOO and Sin Fang, but also in some less conventional venues such a boxing ring, a bed, on top of a construction site for the opening of an art show in Berlin.

Be Around You

Always Fall

Close To U

Hannah Cohen - Child Bride / Bella Union

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

The feline visage and tear-soaked vocals of Hannah Cohen are captured in V Magazine and Vogue photographer Matthu Placek’s aqueous video for her debut single, “Child Bride”. An ascendant star of the New York scene, Cohen was first encouraged to pick up a guitar after falling in with a group of the city’s most-anointed musicians, including Grammy-award-winner Jesse Harris and cabaret artist Justin Bond. “For the past five years I have been mostly listening to Brazilian vinyl from the 60s and 70s,” the sultry artist says of her inspirations. “The classics like Caetano Veloso—his record Jóia is an absolute favorite of mine.” Cohen’s folk-infused songs and striking looks soon caught the attention of Antony and the Johnsons collaborator Thomas Bartlett; who has worked on this Cohen’s first album, an epic project comprising strings, guitar and lashings of heartbreak.

Laura says: We've managed to get our hands on some vinyl copies of this album ahead of it's proper release. It's a quite beautiful, haunting collection of folk-tinged songs.

Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters - Underrated Silence / Bureau B

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

The musicians: Ulrich Schnauss, born in Kiel in 1977, now residing in London, three solo albums released to date, Engineers keyboard player and an in-demand remixer (Mojave 3, Depeche Mode, Lunz/Roedelius, to name just a few). Mark Peters, born in Liverpool in 1975, bass player, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter in the British band Engineers, also three album releases to their name thus far.

The music: synthesizer, piano, guitar and drum computer, a reduced, yet bacchanal instrumental combination of ambient, electronica and shoegaze sounds. Transporting the sound of shoegazer aesthetics into an electronic context, this is how Ulrich Schnauss once described his artistic goal. Influenced by bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins and Chapterhouse on the one hand, yet wholly at ease with the electronica of bands like The Orb, Bionaut, Orbital, 808 State and unequivocally appreciative of veterans of the genre, Tangerine Dream or Manuel Gottsching for example. A brother in spirit of Robin Guthrie one might say, an apposite epithet for Schnauss. His collaborative partner Mark Peters might also be considered his soul brother. Through his band, Engineers, he has similarly found success in following the footsteps of his musical paragons. Engineers have released wonderful albums of dream pop, infused with the same spirit as the solo efforts of Schnauss.

The Messiah Is Falling

Long Distance Call

Forgotten

Yesterday Didn't Exist

Various Artists - Voguing - Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City 1976 - 96 LP1 / Soul Jazz

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks / Polyvinyl

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:31:19 GMT

‘Paralytic Stalks’ musical and lyrical directions are infinitely more personal than anything of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes has written since 2007’s ‘Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?’ (which was featured on 30 Best Album lists including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and has sold over 100,000 copies to date).

Recorded at Barnes’s home studio in Athens, GA, ‘Paralytic Stalks’ is a stimulating array of densely packed ideas presented with stunning agility. Each track feeds off the last in what seems a singular album-long movement that never allows you to rip your ears away. ‘Paralytic Stalks’ at times resembles modern classical with its intricate compositions, while at others echoes of neo-prog, pseudocountry, and 60s pop.

The album cover features new art from David Barnes (who recently published his debut art book ‘What’s Weird?’ on Polyvinyl).

Gelid Ascent

Spiteful Intervention

Dour Percentage

Piccadilly Records - Latest Arrivals

Sherlock Holmes Investigation - Investigation / It Ain't Right / Tramp

Eunice Davis - Get Your Enjoys / Go To Work Pretty Daddy / Jukebox Jam Series

Laura J Martin - The Hangman Tree / Tease Me / Squirrel Milk

Various Artists - DJ Muro - Super Funky Jazz Breaks 2 / 11154

Prince Fatty Meets The Mutant Hifi - Transistor Cowboy / Son Of A Thousand Fathers / Mr Bongo

EP-4 - Lingua Franca EP / Brutal Music

Hiem And Phil Oakey - 2AM - Inc. Toomy Disco & Fernando / Brioski / The Heels Of Love Remixes / Nang

Jon Phonics - Grid Games EP / Prism

Blue Rhythm Combo - BRC's Groove *ONE PER PERSON* / Jazzman

Various Artists - Spiritual Jazz Volume 2 - Europe / Jazzman

The Megaphonic Thrift - The Megaphonic Thrift / Club AC30

The Cramps - File Under Sacred Music - Early Singles 1978-81 - 7" Box Set / Munster

Dr Dog - Be The Void / Anti

Various Artists - Pop Ambient 2012 / Kompakt

Boy Friend - Egyptian Wrinkle - Bonus Disc Edition / Hell Yes!

Mark Lanegan Band - Blues Funeral / 4AD

Cocteau Twins - Stars And Topsoil - A Collection (1982-1990) / 4AD

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp / Jagjaguwar

Leo Zero - Acid Life / Leo Trax

Loops Of Your Heart - And Never Ending Nights / Magazine

James Levy & The Blood Red Rose - Pray To Be Free / Heavenly

The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know / Fat Cat

Susumu Yokota - Dreamer / Lo Recordings

The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble - Mr Machine - Inc. Soul Clap Remix / K7

Matthew Bourne - Montauk Variations / The Leaf Label

John Doe And The Sadies - Country Club / Yep Roc

Lindstrom - Six Cups Of Rebel - Bonus Disc Edition / Smalltown Supersound

Sun Glitters - High - Inc. Mmoths Remix / Music/Is/For/Losers

Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves Of Destiny - Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose / Mute

Fucked Up - Year Of The Tiger / Matador

The Time & Space Machine - Pill Party In India - Inc. Psychemagik Remix / Tirk

Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory / Wichita

Benjamin Damage & Doc Daneeka - They!Live / 50 Weapons

Various Artists - Voguing - Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City 1976 - 96 / Soul Jazz

Justice - On 'N' On - Inc. Rick Rubin / Video Village Remixes / Ed Banger / Because

O F F Love - Probably Love / M=Maximal

Hannah Cohen - Child Bride / Bella Union

Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters - Underrated Silence / Bureau B

Various Artists - Voguing - Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City 1976 - 96 LP1 / Soul Jazz

Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks / Polyvinyl

Blue Rhythm Combo - BRC's Groove ONE PER PERSON / Jazzman