Mondo is proud to present the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers' cult-classic The Big Lebowski, in honor of the film's 20th Anniversary. It features songs by Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Nina Simone, The Gipsy Kings, Townes Van Zandt and many more.
STAFF PICKS
VINYL REISSUES
Filling in the gaps in your record collection? Look no further with these staff approved vinyl reissues.
Issued in 1975, this is the articulation of Zambia’s Zamrock ethos. While other albums - Rikki Ililonga’s Zambia, WITCH’s Lazy Bones!! - are competitors, it’s hard to best this album as it covers each major quadrant of the Zamrock whole: it came from the mines; its musicians were anti-colonial freedom fighters, it envelops Zambian folk music traditions, and it rocks - hard. Amanaz were serious, and they made a serious stab at an album. They titled their album Africa, according to original band member Keith Kabwe, “because of how it was shared and how its inhabitants were butchered and enslaved, its resources stolen… all the atrocities slave drivers committed.“ Thus, their “Kale,” a blues sung in Nyanja, that traced the continent’s arc from slavery to Zambia’s independence closes the album. Kabwe and rhythm guitarist John Kanyepa have a winsome softness to their vocals, which sit politely aside the feral growl of drummer Watson Baldwin Lungu, bassist Jerry Mausala and bandleader/lead guitarist Isaac Mpofu.
Africa’s vibe ranges from anxious (“Amanaz”) to escapist (“Easy Street”) to straight-up pissed-off. On the “History of Man,” his voice whiskey-burned, his distorted guitar buzzing like swarming hornets, Mpofu indicts his species. There’s a darkness to Africa not found on any other Zamrock records, and a melancholy drifts throughout, specifically on Mpofu’s more restrained “Khala My Friend,” which stands as an effective, bleak situation for the Zambian everyman, the average citizen of a struggling, new nation, who might have had relatives in conflict-torn countries on the horizon, who might have been struggling to find his next meal, who might have seen a bleaker future than his president promised. Then there’s the clear Velvet Underground-influence on the nostalgic “Sunday Morning,” which, as Kabwe recalls, was the first song written for the album, back in 1968, when Velvet Undergound and Nico was a new release - and the underground funk of “Making The Scene.” The album also tackles traditional Zambian music and early-‘60s rock – punctuated, of course by Kanyepa’s wah-wah and Mpofu’s fuzz guitars. But every time Amanaz get too deep, too violent, they come back with an accessible song and woo their listener back to the groove. “Green Apple” is a civil song, featuring Kanyepa’s sighing guitar. It is a perfectly arranged album, from the dichotomy of Mpofu’s and Kanyepa’s lead and rhythm guitars, to the vocal harmonies, to the rhythm section’s sense of space and time, which allows Africa’s funk to build. Inexplicably, Africa was given two separate mixes and two separate presses: one version is dry, with the vocals and drums mixed loud, the other slathered in reverb, with the vocals and drums disappearing into the mix, and with the guitar solos mixed much louder. We’ve presented them both here as they each have their appeal: it’s up to the listener to pick the one he or she prefers. This is a highpoint of the Zamrock scene and we hope that this can be seen as its definitive reissue
Africa’s vibe ranges from anxious (“Amanaz”) to escapist (“Easy Street”) to straight-up pissed-off. On the “History of Man,” his voice whiskey-burned, his distorted guitar buzzing like swarming hornets, Mpofu indicts his species. There’s a darkness to Africa not found on any other Zamrock records, and a melancholy drifts throughout, specifically on Mpofu’s more restrained “Khala My Friend,” which stands as an effective, bleak situation for the Zambian everyman, the average citizen of a struggling, new nation, who might have had relatives in conflict-torn countries on the horizon, who might have been struggling to find his next meal, who might have seen a bleaker future than his president promised. Then there’s the clear Velvet Underground-influence on the nostalgic “Sunday Morning,” which, as Kabwe recalls, was the first song written for the album, back in 1968, when Velvet Undergound and Nico was a new release - and the underground funk of “Making The Scene.” The album also tackles traditional Zambian music and early-‘60s rock – punctuated, of course by Kanyepa’s wah-wah and Mpofu’s fuzz guitars. But every time Amanaz get too deep, too violent, they come back with an accessible song and woo their listener back to the groove. “Green Apple” is a civil song, featuring Kanyepa’s sighing guitar. It is a perfectly arranged album, from the dichotomy of Mpofu’s and Kanyepa’s lead and rhythm guitars, to the vocal harmonies, to the rhythm section’s sense of space and time, which allows Africa’s funk to build. Inexplicably, Africa was given two separate mixes and two separate presses: one version is dry, with the vocals and drums mixed loud, the other slathered in reverb, with the vocals and drums disappearing into the mix, and with the guitar solos mixed much louder. We’ve presented them both here as they each have their appeal: it’s up to the listener to pick the one he or she prefers. This is a highpoint of the Zamrock scene and we hope that this can be seen as its definitive reissue
Various Artists
Those Shocking Shaking Days - Indonesia Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock And Funk 1970-1978
Now-Again
Now-Again deliver the first ever compilation to assess the incredible psychedelic rock, funk and progressive scene of 1970s Jakarta!
Whilst some collectors fiend for the incredibly rare LPs from the likes of Sharkmove and their later incarnation Giant Step, very little is known about Indonesian rock music - until now. Now-Again Records has teamed up with local musicians and experts to provide a fascinating in-depth look at the flourishing of progressive psychedelic music in early 1970s Indonesia, where fiercely independent musicians criticised the military dictatorship, raised awareness of drug abuse and much more - all to the glorious sound of the fuzz guitar and some of the most ambitious arrangements you’ll ever hear.
Whilst some collectors fiend for the incredibly rare LPs from the likes of Sharkmove and their later incarnation Giant Step, very little is known about Indonesian rock music - until now. Now-Again Records has teamed up with local musicians and experts to provide a fascinating in-depth look at the flourishing of progressive psychedelic music in early 1970s Indonesia, where fiercely independent musicians criticised the military dictatorship, raised awareness of drug abuse and much more - all to the glorious sound of the fuzz guitar and some of the most ambitious arrangements you’ll ever hear.
FORMAT INFORMATION
3xLP Info: Limited triple vinyl pressing in six-panel triple gatefold sleeve with 16-page full colour booklet.
Gram Parsons debut solo album, originally released in 1973.
Fresh from stints with the International Submarine Band, the Flying Burrito Bros and the Byrds and after hipping the Stones to country music, the godfather of Cosmic Americana picked up Emmylou Harris and Elvis's backing band and cut his solo debut. With more of an emphasis of ballads than on previous records, "GP" inspired countless teary-eyed troubadours with classics like "She" and the gorgeous "A Song For You".
Contains the additional 7" vinyl with the tracks:
a) She
b) That's all it took.
Fresh from stints with the International Submarine Band, the Flying Burrito Bros and the Byrds and after hipping the Stones to country music, the godfather of Cosmic Americana picked up Emmylou Harris and Elvis's backing band and cut his solo debut. With more of an emphasis of ballads than on previous records, "GP" inspired countless teary-eyed troubadours with classics like "She" and the gorgeous "A Song For You".
Contains the additional 7" vinyl with the tracks:
a) She
b) That's all it took.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: 180 gram Black Vinyl +7".
Back in stock
I am Kloot is the second album of the band by the same name. Their music is haunting, melodic and smooth. This second piece yielded five singles, including the hits “Life in a Day” and “3 Feet Tall”. It’s much more than just a standard rock album as it’s expanse their dark and fractured sound. Songs like “From Your Favourite Sky” and “Proof” are just brilliant and shows how they developed after their first release from two years earlier. It’s all a bit more streamlined than before but that’s the strength of the band. John Bramwell is a fine songwriter who created this beautiful marvel.
I am Kloot was as one of the most interesting bands of its time. Formed from the ashes of The Mouth they stood up and released some very successful releases
Gatefold sleeve including insert.
Limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies
on transparent vinyl.
I am Kloot was as one of the most interesting bands of its time. Formed from the ashes of The Mouth they stood up and released some very successful releases
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: 180 gram audiophile vinyl.Gatefold sleeve including insert.
Limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies
on transparent vinyl.
In the 1980s, after ThVirgin Records turned away from reggae, The Diamonds had another career boost through recordings for perceptive producer Gussie Clarke, who issued popular albums such as "Changes" and "The Root Is There". The album "Backstage" was another fine set for Gussie, recorded at Dynamic Sounds studio in Kingston and issued in extended-play style, with each of the album's six conscious late-roots tracks mixed to include dubs. Nice up!
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: Always got a lot of time for The Mighty Diamonds, and when you get the vocal and dub versions playing thru seamlessly, it's yet another reason to smile.
As with so many other sophomore albums released under the shadow of such an epochal debut (witness The Stone Roses, Clash etc), "Adventure" is an unfairly maligned gem ripe for 'lost classic' status. Many of the longer instrumental passages are gone, replaced by a slightly more polished production and keyboards. Nonetheless there are some amazing songs present here, the catchy "Glory", live favourite "Foxhole" which almost swaggers, and probably their most undervalued song, "Carried Away", a gorgeous ballad led by tremelo guitar and organ with loads of those truly heartstopping chord changes.
'Americana is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band the Offspring and is being repressed on translucent red vinyl! The original was a major success, debuting at number six on the Billboard 200 and is the band's second bestselling album to their 1994 breakout Smash. Americana has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, with over 9 million copies certified, while achieving 5x platinum status alone in the United States for 5 million copies shipped. The album contains the hit singles "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)", "Why Don't You Get a Job?" and "The Kids Aren't Alright". Deluxe, limited package features a lenticular cover, and a limited sticker sheet contacting art from the package.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Translucent red vinyl
The hyper-chromatic music of Matt Cutler marks him out as a true impressionist; as Lone, he drizzles brightly coloured melody through his tracks with all the reflexive skill of a master painter daubing inks and pigment across paper. On Cutler's fifth Lone album, Reality Testing, released on R&S, he sends notes and chords rippling delicately into space before allowing them to disperse, each oozing beautifully away into the background fabric of the music. Combined with rhythms that ebb and flow, shifting from propulsive club constructions to beatific coastal hip-hop, it's a sensuous, immersive, heady experience, and easily his most accomplished and self-contained work to date.
"I was listening to a lot of Detroit techno and old Chicago house that had the same grain and dirtiness to it as a lot of the hip hop I was listening to," says Cutler of the genesis for Reality Testing. "That was the real spark - I wanted to make an album that had both hip hop and house beats, but that weren't completely different from each other, that shared the same sort of vibe. I love the idea of two things sat side by side, but instead of it seeming like they're complete opposites, [it's more that] those two things could almost be the same thing."
"I was listening to a lot of Detroit techno and old Chicago house that had the same grain and dirtiness to it as a lot of the hip hop I was listening to," says Cutler of the genesis for Reality Testing. "That was the real spark - I wanted to make an album that had both hip hop and house beats, but that weren't completely different from each other, that shared the same sort of vibe. I love the idea of two things sat side by side, but instead of it seeming like they're complete opposites, [it's more that] those two things could almost be the same thing."
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Indies exclusive clear vinyl.
This reissue marks the 10th anniversary of the release of their seminal Self Titled album. This special re-issue includes two never-before-heard outtakes from the Self Titled recording sessions: Baltimore, and Watersider... included on a 7” with the LP (180G), and as bonus tracks on CD.
Cherished by fans and critics alike, this fifteen track opus by the Catskill Mountain based band of brothers boasts classics like Frankie’s Gun, Wonderful Life, Whisky In My Whisky and Don’t Wake The Scarecrow, and remains one of the most influential works of this century's indie-folk-rock revival.
Hailing from upstate New York's Catskills Mountains, the Felice Brothers look like their entire approach was based on staring long and hard at the Band's second album cover: Beards, white shirts, hats and ill-fitting suits. The comparisons to Big Pink/Basement-era Dylan are also inevitable.
Yet this second album proper from the three siblings and their bass player Christmas (an ex-travelling dice player, apparently) is so chock full of whiskey-soaked, ramshackle bonhomie that it'd be a hard-hearted music critic indeed who didn't succumb to the charms contained therein. The group have somehow taken Americana and wrung out some more good times. It's time to visit the bar again…
With most of the numbers croaked out by brother Ian, whose vocal chords draw most of the Zimmerman comparisons, this is a collection of songs that are equal parts travelogue, shaggy dog story, drunken lament and filched traditional fare. They're all captured in gloriously scratchy lo-fi (complete with ambient chat, phone conversations and other audio verite) as befits a band whose last recordings were supposedly completed in a chicken coup on a two-track.
Like Dylan, their self-mythologising puts them not in the modern age, but somewhere in the early part of the last century. Jaunty, piano-led ballads like Greatest Show On Earth or Take This Bread are lifted by parping brass and rollicking choruses, like a night out in a riverfront bar, filled with unfaithful women and gun-toting men (guns are mentioned in just about every song) bent on drunken revenge. Elsewhere the waltz time of Ruby Mae approaches a Tom Waits-like pathos. Whiskey In My Whiskey sounds like a murder ballad that's centuries old.
Yet all these tales are shot through with a red-eyed humour that sounds as authentic as their beards. This is how they manage to convince the listener. Frankie's Gun! With it's truck driving narrative and wheezing accordion is particularly hilarious. Rather than some studious authenticity, they sound like they're just having a good time. And that's just about the only recommendation you need to seek out this fine album…
Cherished by fans and critics alike, this fifteen track opus by the Catskill Mountain based band of brothers boasts classics like Frankie’s Gun, Wonderful Life, Whisky In My Whisky and Don’t Wake The Scarecrow, and remains one of the most influential works of this century's indie-folk-rock revival.
Hailing from upstate New York's Catskills Mountains, the Felice Brothers look like their entire approach was based on staring long and hard at the Band's second album cover: Beards, white shirts, hats and ill-fitting suits. The comparisons to Big Pink/Basement-era Dylan are also inevitable.
Yet this second album proper from the three siblings and their bass player Christmas (an ex-travelling dice player, apparently) is so chock full of whiskey-soaked, ramshackle bonhomie that it'd be a hard-hearted music critic indeed who didn't succumb to the charms contained therein. The group have somehow taken Americana and wrung out some more good times. It's time to visit the bar again…
With most of the numbers croaked out by brother Ian, whose vocal chords draw most of the Zimmerman comparisons, this is a collection of songs that are equal parts travelogue, shaggy dog story, drunken lament and filched traditional fare. They're all captured in gloriously scratchy lo-fi (complete with ambient chat, phone conversations and other audio verite) as befits a band whose last recordings were supposedly completed in a chicken coup on a two-track.
Like Dylan, their self-mythologising puts them not in the modern age, but somewhere in the early part of the last century. Jaunty, piano-led ballads like Greatest Show On Earth or Take This Bread are lifted by parping brass and rollicking choruses, like a night out in a riverfront bar, filled with unfaithful women and gun-toting men (guns are mentioned in just about every song) bent on drunken revenge. Elsewhere the waltz time of Ruby Mae approaches a Tom Waits-like pathos. Whiskey In My Whiskey sounds like a murder ballad that's centuries old.
Yet all these tales are shot through with a red-eyed humour that sounds as authentic as their beards. This is how they manage to convince the listener. Frankie's Gun! With it's truck driving narrative and wheezing accordion is particularly hilarious. Rather than some studious authenticity, they sound like they're just having a good time. And that's just about the only recommendation you need to seek out this fine album…
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: LP with 7".
This soul meets spiritual jazz album by vibes and marimba master Emile Normand is a super rare treat. Never released commercially until now, the LP features super covers of Yusef Lateef, Horace Silver and Jorge Ben. Recorded in 1968 only for internal use on CBC radio stations this grail for jazz collectors is released for the first time ever 47 years on. Standout tracks include ‘Morning’, ‘Mas Que Nada’ and ‘Senor Blues’.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: East meets West on this gorgeous jazz LP from Emile Normand and co. Originally available for radio use only, and out of press ever since, the LP incorporates shades of bossa, exotica and spiritual into ten instrumental tracks.FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: Pressed on 180gm Vinyl.
With a voice that elicits images of an original female super power, Mattiel Brown offers an album of raucous retro rock and soul, balanced with a gritty contemporary lean. Mattiel is a vocalist who commands her honest lyrics with authority and confidence, perhaps a product of growing up an only child on a 5 acre farm in rural Georgia. Heavily influenced by her creative mom and her moms somewhat limited album collection of Donovan, Peter Paul and Mary, and The Monkees, she found a musical sanctuary. Later, as she learned to drive, her car stereo was filled with the sounds of Jack White, and on those solo rides to work, she learned to hone and strengthen her voice, by singing along and dissecting parts of each song.
Mattiels voice is a driving force and stands out over the instruments in every song throughout the album. She clearly belts out the music, while occasionally cloaked in haze and voice effects. With many of the songs seeming like an old western shoot em up companion, 60s doo wop, or possibly a theme from James Bond, she embraces a specific style not usually appreciated by the masses. It is a distinctive album speaking her creative musical conviction, but its old school undertones, in a world of experimental music and sound exploration, could narrow her audience and may get lost to buzz worthy listeners. However, her extraordinary vocal talent is the focal point of each track.
Mattiels voice is a driving force and stands out over the instruments in every song throughout the album. She clearly belts out the music, while occasionally cloaked in haze and voice effects. With many of the songs seeming like an old western shoot em up companion, 60s doo wop, or possibly a theme from James Bond, she embraces a specific style not usually appreciated by the masses. It is a distinctive album speaking her creative musical conviction, but its old school undertones, in a world of experimental music and sound exploration, could narrow her audience and may get lost to buzz worthy listeners. However, her extraordinary vocal talent is the focal point of each track.
Released in late 1968, the second Pearls Before Swine record continued to deliver music with a preternatural sense of what the youth of America wanted to hear. ‘One Nation Underground’ had been a surprise hit when released in 1967 by the hipster free jazz indie label ESP, receiving an incredible organic response, with continuous underground radio play and sales. Coming from obscurity in Florida into a position of speaking to people everywhere, Tom Rapp and his bandmates felt emboldened to embark upon an evolved piece of record making.
The music of ‘Balaklava’ strips away the manic, post-garage band diversity of the first album, instead grounding the production around Tom Rapp’s guitar and singing, with the touches of instrumental colour all the more dramatic and striking. Producer Richard Alderson utilized breathy sweeps of reverb, sound effects, tape manipulation and spoken word recordings along with an array of instrumental overdubs including banjo, marimba, organ, clavinet, flute, English horn and strings (played by the band along with New York jazz session players Bill Salter and Al Schackman, plus The Fugs’ Lee Crabree and legendary saxophonist Joe Farrell, with Selwart Clarke and Warren Smith contributing string arrangements) to reach for the universal space sought in Tom Rapp’s meditative, existential songs.
The message writ between the leaves of ‘Balaklava’ - War No More - is elegantly written. From the implication of the title (Balaklava was the site of the battle at which Britain’s notorious Charge of the Light Brigade resulted in heavy casualties for no visible gain), the epigraph from Santayana, the dedication to Pvt Edward D Slovik, (the only US soldier to have been tried and executed for desertion since the Civil War) and the use of Breughel the Elder’s ‘The Triumph Of Death’ on the cover, the message is plain, without ever being directly stated - the world is a beautiful place but for the scourge of man at war. Musically, the message is conveyed with one or two passing lyrical references, letting Tom Rapp’s use of literary reference and allegory dwell on the transcendence of love and pastoral beauty in life, achieving a stinging impact, as much by what isn’t said as what is. This sets ‘Balaklava’ apart from much of other protest music from the Vietnam era - and it has allowed it to age gracefully into the 21st Century.
Like ‘One Nation Underground’ before it, ‘Balaklava’ celebrates 50 years of life in stunning fashion. Original producer Richard Alderson has remastered the album, restoring the precision of the original mix - and, in the process, revealing fantastically dynamic performances and dispersing the haze of the years that had gathered over latter-day editions of ‘Balaklava’. The music and message it intended to deliver to the world are still needed, the peace still sought. The fight to understand and to change is still ongoing. And so, ‘Balaklava’ has fresh purpose after all this time.
Tom Rapp passed away while this album was being readied for re-release. While he spent the majority of his life working as a lawyer who practiced humanist, equalrights law - “60s law,” as he put it - for the benefit of many underrepresented people, his name will best be remembered and will forever be synonymous with the music of Pearls Before Swine. We are grateful to help in pushing this music forward toward the eternity it deserves. It goes without saying that this anniversary restoration of Balaklava is dedicated to Tom’s memory. May he rest in peacefulness and live in the positivity that Pearls Before Swine bring to all who hear their music.
The music of ‘Balaklava’ strips away the manic, post-garage band diversity of the first album, instead grounding the production around Tom Rapp’s guitar and singing, with the touches of instrumental colour all the more dramatic and striking. Producer Richard Alderson utilized breathy sweeps of reverb, sound effects, tape manipulation and spoken word recordings along with an array of instrumental overdubs including banjo, marimba, organ, clavinet, flute, English horn and strings (played by the band along with New York jazz session players Bill Salter and Al Schackman, plus The Fugs’ Lee Crabree and legendary saxophonist Joe Farrell, with Selwart Clarke and Warren Smith contributing string arrangements) to reach for the universal space sought in Tom Rapp’s meditative, existential songs.
The message writ between the leaves of ‘Balaklava’ - War No More - is elegantly written. From the implication of the title (Balaklava was the site of the battle at which Britain’s notorious Charge of the Light Brigade resulted in heavy casualties for no visible gain), the epigraph from Santayana, the dedication to Pvt Edward D Slovik, (the only US soldier to have been tried and executed for desertion since the Civil War) and the use of Breughel the Elder’s ‘The Triumph Of Death’ on the cover, the message is plain, without ever being directly stated - the world is a beautiful place but for the scourge of man at war. Musically, the message is conveyed with one or two passing lyrical references, letting Tom Rapp’s use of literary reference and allegory dwell on the transcendence of love and pastoral beauty in life, achieving a stinging impact, as much by what isn’t said as what is. This sets ‘Balaklava’ apart from much of other protest music from the Vietnam era - and it has allowed it to age gracefully into the 21st Century.
Like ‘One Nation Underground’ before it, ‘Balaklava’ celebrates 50 years of life in stunning fashion. Original producer Richard Alderson has remastered the album, restoring the precision of the original mix - and, in the process, revealing fantastically dynamic performances and dispersing the haze of the years that had gathered over latter-day editions of ‘Balaklava’. The music and message it intended to deliver to the world are still needed, the peace still sought. The fight to understand and to change is still ongoing. And so, ‘Balaklava’ has fresh purpose after all this time.
Tom Rapp passed away while this album was being readied for re-release. While he spent the majority of his life working as a lawyer who practiced humanist, equalrights law - “60s law,” as he put it - for the benefit of many underrepresented people, his name will best be remembered and will forever be synonymous with the music of Pearls Before Swine. We are grateful to help in pushing this music forward toward the eternity it deserves. It goes without saying that this anniversary restoration of Balaklava is dedicated to Tom’s memory. May he rest in peacefulness and live in the positivity that Pearls Before Swine bring to all who hear their music.
Neutral Milk Hotel is Elephant 6 co-founder Jeff Mangum, Julian Koster (of Music Tapes), Scott Spillane (of the Gerbils) and Jeremy Barnes (of Beirut, A Hawk and a Hacksaw). In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is one of the best-selling Merge titles of all time. In addition, annually, the album charts among the top vinyl titles sold industry wide in the USA. Originally released in 1998, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was named Best Album of the ‘90s by Magnet Magazine. Album rated 10.0 via Pitchfork at reissue (2005).
Despite his status as a key figure in the history of Japanese ambient music, Hiroshi Yoshimura remains tragically under-known outside of his home country. Empire of Signs, a new imprint co-helmed by Maxwell August Croy and Spencer Doran, seeks to rememdy this with a much needed reissue of Yoshimura’s debut 'Music for Nine Post Cards'. Available for the first time outside Japan, this new reissue comes in collaboration with Hiroshi’s widow Yoko Yoshimura, with more reissues of Hiroshi’s works to follow in the future.
Working initially as a conceptual artist, the musical side of Yoshimura’s artistic practice came to prominence in the post-Fluxus scene of late 1970s Tokyo alongside Akio Suzuki and Takehisa Kosugi, taking many subsequent turns within Japan’s bubble economy afterward. His sound works took on many forms – commissioned fashion runway scores, soundtracking perfume, soundscapes for pre-fab houses, train station sound design – all existing not as side work but as logical extensions of his philosophy of sound. His work strived for serenity as an ideal, and this approach can be felt strongly on 'Music for Nine Post Cards.'
Home recorded on a minimal setup of keyboard and Fender Rhodes, 'Music for Nine Post Cards' was Yoshimura’s first concrete collection of music, initially a demo recording given to the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art to be played within the building’s architecture. This was not background music in the prior Japanese “BGM” sense of the word, but “environmental music”, the literal translation of the Japanese term kankyō ongaku [環境音楽] given to Brian Eno’s “ambient” music when it arrived in late 70’s Japan.
Yoshimura, along with his musical co-traveler Satoshi Ashikawa, searched for a new dialog between sound and space: music not as an external absolute, but as something that interlocks with a physical environment and shifts the listener’s experience within it. Erik Satie’s furniture music, R. Murray Schafer’s concept of the soundscape and Eno’s ambience all greatly informed their work, but the specific form of tranquil stasis presented on releases like 'Nine Post Cards' is still difficult to place within a specific tradition, remaining elusive and idiosyncratic despite the economy of its construction. This record offers the perfect introduction to Hiroshi’s unique and beautiful worldview: it’s one that can be listened to – and lived in – endlessly.
Working initially as a conceptual artist, the musical side of Yoshimura’s artistic practice came to prominence in the post-Fluxus scene of late 1970s Tokyo alongside Akio Suzuki and Takehisa Kosugi, taking many subsequent turns within Japan’s bubble economy afterward. His sound works took on many forms – commissioned fashion runway scores, soundtracking perfume, soundscapes for pre-fab houses, train station sound design – all existing not as side work but as logical extensions of his philosophy of sound. His work strived for serenity as an ideal, and this approach can be felt strongly on 'Music for Nine Post Cards.'
Home recorded on a minimal setup of keyboard and Fender Rhodes, 'Music for Nine Post Cards' was Yoshimura’s first concrete collection of music, initially a demo recording given to the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art to be played within the building’s architecture. This was not background music in the prior Japanese “BGM” sense of the word, but “environmental music”, the literal translation of the Japanese term kankyō ongaku [環境音楽] given to Brian Eno’s “ambient” music when it arrived in late 70’s Japan.
Yoshimura, along with his musical co-traveler Satoshi Ashikawa, searched for a new dialog between sound and space: music not as an external absolute, but as something that interlocks with a physical environment and shifts the listener’s experience within it. Erik Satie’s furniture music, R. Murray Schafer’s concept of the soundscape and Eno’s ambience all greatly informed their work, but the specific form of tranquil stasis presented on releases like 'Nine Post Cards' is still difficult to place within a specific tradition, remaining elusive and idiosyncratic despite the economy of its construction. This record offers the perfect introduction to Hiroshi’s unique and beautiful worldview: it’s one that can be listened to – and lived in – endlessly.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Consider yourself fortunate. Unless you were a) extremely lucky, or b) had a healthy lottery win, an original copy of this Japanese ambient gem would have been way out of reach. Lucky for us then, that new imprint Empire Of Sign have reached out to Hiroshi's widow and laid the path for a whole host of reissues, beginning with this beauty. A landmark on its 1982 release, the beauty of 'Music For Nine Postcards' stands almost unmatched after 35 years.FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: Full reproduction of the original LP jacket and original liner notes in both Japanese and English.
Out of print since 2001, a classic trunk records release gets a rare repress. Naïve and pastoral space music at its very best!
As a TV obsessed child, the Clangers was my favourite programme on the box, so you can imagine how excited I was when this came in!
What an unbelievable recording. The entire unreleased score for the entire Clangers TV series - that's music for all 26 episodes. It grows organically (as does the series) from small and simple phrases to complex passages of pure pastoral space music. It all climaxes with the awesome "Harmony Of The Spheres". The running order is exactly as it ran with all 26 episodes and includes some SFX, Tiny Clanger and Oliver Postgate's timeless introduction. This CD also comes with the unique and sweet "Clangers Opera" compiled by Oliver Postgate, an adventure on the Clangers planet starring the Iron Chicken. The CD booklet includes rare photos, early Clangers Sketches and a Libretto for the Clangers Opera written by Oliver Postgate.
As a TV obsessed child, the Clangers was my favourite programme on the box, so you can imagine how excited I was when this came in!
What an unbelievable recording. The entire unreleased score for the entire Clangers TV series - that's music for all 26 episodes. It grows organically (as does the series) from small and simple phrases to complex passages of pure pastoral space music. It all climaxes with the awesome "Harmony Of The Spheres". The running order is exactly as it ran with all 26 episodes and includes some SFX, Tiny Clanger and Oliver Postgate's timeless introduction. This CD also comes with the unique and sweet "Clangers Opera" compiled by Oliver Postgate, an adventure on the Clangers planet starring the Iron Chicken. The CD booklet includes rare photos, early Clangers Sketches and a Libretto for the Clangers Opera written by Oliver Postgate.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: Vinyl repress!!!!
Arguably one of the most acclaimed and loved bands of the past 20 years, by both fans and their musical peers alike, The Beta Band formed in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1996. Innovative and singular, their unique musical and aesthetic approach to everything they did set them far apart from their musical contemporaries. Together for a relatively short period of time, the three albums and three EPs they released between 1996 and 2004 would nonetheless help define them as one of the most exciting and cherished bands of their generation.
“Heroes to Zeros” is the third and final studio album by The Beta Band released in 2004. It was mixed by famed producer Nigel Godrich and rose to number 18 in the UK charts.
LP+CD edition with solid purple vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeve.
Ltd LP Info: LP+CD edition with one black vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeve. CD included.
CD Info: CD edition in 2-panel digipack.
“Heroes to Zeros” is the third and final studio album by The Beta Band released in 2004. It was mixed by famed producer Nigel Godrich and rose to number 18 in the UK charts.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited colored edition – 1000 copies available worldwide.LP+CD edition with solid purple vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeve.
Ltd LP Info: LP+CD edition with one black vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeve. CD included.
CD Info: CD edition in 2-panel digipack.
High Jazz launched last year with a ace reissue of Ambiance's legendary fusion masterpiece "(Gida Gida) Tight & Tidy", now the label continue their journey through the group's discography with a timely reissue of debut LP "Ebun". Led by Nigerian born saxophonist, flutist, and clarinettist Daoud Abubakar Balewa, the Californian group fused elements of spiritual jazz, funk, soul, Afro and Latin into an intoxicating brew, packed with melody, movement and chiefly groove. Impossible to find in its original private pressing, this faultless LP is finally available again, fully licensed and remastered, with original artwork.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: High Jazz continue to treat us like royalty with their superb reissues, returning to the cultly adored West Coast fusion group Ambiance and their impossible to find debut. Dynamic, harmonious and expressionistic, this is A-grade jazz-funk on a spiritual tip.
UMC are proud to announce the final batch of Siouxsie and the Banshees vinyl reissues. Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
Hyaena is a fabulously textured and psychedelic offering born out of experimentation – Sioux and Severin’s lyrics contrastingly bleak. The departure of McGeoch sees Robert Smith cement his roots in Banshees history with his only studio offering. Single releases ‘Swimming Horses’, ‘Dazzle’ and ‘Overground’ ably demonstrate the darker underbelly of pop at a time where the charts are brimming with sugar coated hits.
Hyaena is a fabulously textured and psychedelic offering born out of experimentation – Sioux and Severin’s lyrics contrastingly bleak. The departure of McGeoch sees Robert Smith cement his roots in Banshees history with his only studio offering. Single releases ‘Swimming Horses’, ‘Dazzle’ and ‘Overground’ ably demonstrate the darker underbelly of pop at a time where the charts are brimming with sugar coated hits.
UMC are proud to announce the final batch of Siouxsie and the Banshees vinyl reissues. Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
The Banshees’ third studio album landed in summer 1980 and introduced two new members ‘Budgie’ on drums and ‘McGeoch’ on guitar. Kaleidoscope would give the group their first hit album peaking at No’5 in the charts. Hits such as ‘Happy House’ and ‘Christine’ are atmospheric and dripping with sarcasm, the album swirls with synths and programmed drum loops for the first time.
The Banshees’ third studio album landed in summer 1980 and introduced two new members ‘Budgie’ on drums and ‘McGeoch’ on guitar. Kaleidoscope would give the group their first hit album peaking at No’5 in the charts. Hits such as ‘Happy House’ and ‘Christine’ are atmospheric and dripping with sarcasm, the album swirls with synths and programmed drum loops for the first time.
UMC are proud to announce the final batch of Siouxsie and the Banshees vinyl reissues. Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
Peepshow was seen as both a critical and commercial success, Siouxsie Sioux’s voice trickling with fresh nuances, orchestration and perfected unpredictability. The Banshees for the first time were now a quintet, Klein and McCarrick joining the ranks alongside Budgie and the ever present and impervious Severin. Peepshow proved their best album in years! Singles ‘Peek-a-Boo’, ‘The Killing Jar’ and ‘The Last Beat of my Heart’ have often been cited as influencing factors in the modern pop era.
Peepshow was seen as both a critical and commercial success, Siouxsie Sioux’s voice trickling with fresh nuances, orchestration and perfected unpredictability. The Banshees for the first time were now a quintet, Klein and McCarrick joining the ranks alongside Budgie and the ever present and impervious Severin. Peepshow proved their best album in years! Singles ‘Peek-a-Boo’, ‘The Killing Jar’ and ‘The Last Beat of my Heart’ have often been cited as influencing factors in the modern pop era.
UMC are proud to announce the final batch of Siouxsie and the Banshees vinyl reissues. Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
The 11th and final studio album from Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Rapture was also as fresh and innovative as the first. How the Banshees are able to remain vital and celebrated after almost two decades is down to their ever evolving and metamorphic spirit. Only ever released on gatefold 2xLP vinyl outside of the UK, The Rapture’s artwork has been reimagined and designed to rightly reflect this final Banshees offering.
The 11th and final studio album from Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Rapture was also as fresh and innovative as the first. How the Banshees are able to remain vital and celebrated after almost two decades is down to their ever evolving and metamorphic spirit. Only ever released on gatefold 2xLP vinyl outside of the UK, The Rapture’s artwork has been reimagined and designed to rightly reflect this final Banshees offering.
Teenage Fanclub reissue two more of their classic albums on vinyl – Man-Made and Shadows. Both packaged in faithful re-productions of the original vinyl artwork and available on heavyweight 180g single vinyl.
The band have also selected rarities, favourites and tracks previously unavailable on vinyl to include on a 7” with each album. These 7” singles each feature two tracks and are only available with the initial pressing of each album.
The band have also selected rarities, favourites and tracks previously unavailable on vinyl to include on a 7” with each album. These 7” singles each feature two tracks and are only available with the initial pressing of each album.
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: 180g vinyl. Comes with bonus 7".
Teenage Fanclub reissue two more of their classic albums on vinyl – Man-Made and Shadows. Both packaged in faithful re-productions of the original vinyl artwork and available on heavyweight 180g single vinyl.
The band have also selected rarities, favourites and tracks previously unavailable on vinyl to include on a 7” with each album. These 7” singles each feature two tracks and are only available with the initial pressing of each album.
The band have also selected rarities, favourites and tracks previously unavailable on vinyl to include on a 7” with each album. These 7” singles each feature two tracks and are only available with the initial pressing of each album.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: 180g vinyl. Comes with bonus 7".
This Mortal Coil was the given name of a strictly-studio project that spawned three albums, conceived and produced by one-time 4AD founder Ivo Watts-Russell.
Over the span of eight years he, along with Blackwing Studios house engineer/ co-producer, John Fryer, and a rotating cast of musicians, created original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; introducing a new audience to the talents of a previous generation including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman, amongst others.
This Mortal Coil’s debut album It’ll End In Tears (1984) forged the template; helping to crystallise 4AD’s emerging signature sound whilst shining a light on some of their stable with Cocteau Twins, Colourbox, Dead Can Dance and The Wolfgang Press all involved. The line-up was completed by arranger Martin McCarrick, violinist Gini Ball, Howard Devoto of Buzzcocks / Magazine fame and Cindytalk’s Gordon Sharp.
Pitchfork recently named it one of the best Dream Pop albums ever, a moment which “catalysed 4AD’s ascendance from the stilted poetics of goth rock to the kings of gauzy transcendence.”
Deluxe CD Info: This deluxe CD edition is manufactured by the Ichikudo company in Japan, packaged in striking gatefold paper sleeve, printed to the highest standard. Originally made available as part of a highly limited boxset back in 2011, this new version differs by being UHQCDs (Ultimate High Quality Compact Disc) rather than HDCDs (High Definition Compatible Digital).
Over the span of eight years he, along with Blackwing Studios house engineer/ co-producer, John Fryer, and a rotating cast of musicians, created original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; introducing a new audience to the talents of a previous generation including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman, amongst others.
This Mortal Coil’s debut album It’ll End In Tears (1984) forged the template; helping to crystallise 4AD’s emerging signature sound whilst shining a light on some of their stable with Cocteau Twins, Colourbox, Dead Can Dance and The Wolfgang Press all involved. The line-up was completed by arranger Martin McCarrick, violinist Gini Ball, Howard Devoto of Buzzcocks / Magazine fame and Cindytalk’s Gordon Sharp.
Pitchfork recently named it one of the best Dream Pop albums ever, a moment which “catalysed 4AD’s ascendance from the stilted poetics of goth rock to the kings of gauzy transcendence.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: The new deluxe vinyl version differs from the original release with its artwork reimagined by Ivo Watts-Russell and Vaughan Oliver (4AD’s long-time visual partner). Presented in beautiful, hand finished and high-gloss gatefold sleeve, using remastered audio made from the original analogue studio tapes by the late, great John Dent.Deluxe CD Info: This deluxe CD edition is manufactured by the Ichikudo company in Japan, packaged in striking gatefold paper sleeve, printed to the highest standard. Originally made available as part of a highly limited boxset back in 2011, this new version differs by being UHQCDs (Ultimate High Quality Compact Disc) rather than HDCDs (High Definition Compatible Digital).
This Mortal Coil was the given name of a strictly-studio project that spawned three albums, conceived and produced by one-time 4AD founder Ivo Watts-Russell.
Over the span of eight years he, along with Blackwing Studios house engineer/ co-producer, John Fryer, and a rotating cast of musicians, created original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; introducing a new audience to the talents of a previous generation including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman, amongst others.
Released two years after their debut album, This Mortal Coil’s Filigree & Shadow (1986) was no less ornate than its predecessor; a double album with each of its four sides a self-contained unit.
New faces joined the cast for this record, including a variety of singers Ivo handpicked like Alison Limerick, Jeanette, Dominic Appleton (Breathless), sisters Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski (Sunset Gun), and Richenel.
An intense listen, The Quietus called it “tortured yet oddly euphoric… (music which) could easily rip flimsy souls apart.”
Deluxe CD Info: This deluxe CD edition is manufactured by the Ichikudo company in Japan, packaged in striking gatefold paper sleeve, printed to the highest standard. Originally made available as part of a highly limited boxset back in 2011, this new version differs by being UHQCDs (Ultimate High Quality Compact Disc) rather than HDCDs (High Definition Compatible Digital).
Over the span of eight years he, along with Blackwing Studios house engineer/ co-producer, John Fryer, and a rotating cast of musicians, created original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; introducing a new audience to the talents of a previous generation including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman, amongst others.
Released two years after their debut album, This Mortal Coil’s Filigree & Shadow (1986) was no less ornate than its predecessor; a double album with each of its four sides a self-contained unit.
New faces joined the cast for this record, including a variety of singers Ivo handpicked like Alison Limerick, Jeanette, Dominic Appleton (Breathless), sisters Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski (Sunset Gun), and Richenel.
An intense listen, The Quietus called it “tortured yet oddly euphoric… (music which) could easily rip flimsy souls apart.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: The new deluxe vinyl version differs from the original release with its artwork reimagined by Ivo Watts-Russell and Vaughan Oliver (4AD’s long-time visual partner). Presented in beautiful, hand finished and high-gloss gatefold sleeve, using remastered audio made from the original analogue studio tapes by the late, great John Dent.Deluxe CD Info: This deluxe CD edition is manufactured by the Ichikudo company in Japan, packaged in striking gatefold paper sleeve, printed to the highest standard. Originally made available as part of a highly limited boxset back in 2011, this new version differs by being UHQCDs (Ultimate High Quality Compact Disc) rather than HDCDs (High Definition Compatible Digital).
This Mortal Coil was the given name of a strictly-studio project that spawned three albums, conceived and produced by one-time 4AD founder Ivo Watts-Russell.
Over the span of eight years he, along with Blackwing Studios house engineer/ co-producer, John Fryer, and a rotating cast of musicians, created original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; introducing a new audience to the talents of a previous generation including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman, amongst others.
Landing at the start of a new decade, after much had happened in both producer Ivo Watts-Russell’s life and with his 4AD label, the final part of the This Mortal Coil trilogy, Blood (1991), felt like a perfect conclusion.
Meticulously orchestrated, vocalists Alison Limerick, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski return from the second album with Caroline Crawley (Shelleyan Orphan / Babacar) and 4AD signees Heidi Berry, Kim Deal (Pixies / The Breeders), Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses / The Breeders / Belly) and Pieter Nooten all enlisted.
“Shedding some of its chillier post-punk components, blossoming into material airy and gorgeous. Covers — many from the psychedelic era — still dominate the material, but they are largely indistinguishable from the originals, so seamless is (it’s) indelible tone. Blood is a treasure.” Consequence of Sound
Deluxe CD Info: This deluxe CD edition is manufactured by the Ichikudo company in Japan, packaged in striking gatefold paper sleeve, printed to the highest standard. Originally made available as part of a highly limited boxset back in 2011, this new version differs by being UHQCDs (Ultimate High Quality Compact Disc) rather than HDCDs (High Definition Compatible Digital).
Over the span of eight years he, along with Blackwing Studios house engineer/ co-producer, John Fryer, and a rotating cast of musicians, created original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; introducing a new audience to the talents of a previous generation including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman, amongst others.
Landing at the start of a new decade, after much had happened in both producer Ivo Watts-Russell’s life and with his 4AD label, the final part of the This Mortal Coil trilogy, Blood (1991), felt like a perfect conclusion.
Meticulously orchestrated, vocalists Alison Limerick, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski return from the second album with Caroline Crawley (Shelleyan Orphan / Babacar) and 4AD signees Heidi Berry, Kim Deal (Pixies / The Breeders), Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses / The Breeders / Belly) and Pieter Nooten all enlisted.
“Shedding some of its chillier post-punk components, blossoming into material airy and gorgeous. Covers — many from the psychedelic era — still dominate the material, but they are largely indistinguishable from the originals, so seamless is (it’s) indelible tone. Blood is a treasure.” Consequence of Sound
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: The new deluxe vinyl version differs from the original release with its artwork reimagined by Ivo Watts-Russell and Vaughan Oliver (4AD’s long-time visual partner). Presented in beautiful, hand finished and high-gloss gatefold sleeve, using remastered audio made from the original analogue studio tapes by the late, great John Dent.Deluxe CD Info: This deluxe CD edition is manufactured by the Ichikudo company in Japan, packaged in striking gatefold paper sleeve, printed to the highest standard. Originally made available as part of a highly limited boxset back in 2011, this new version differs by being UHQCDs (Ultimate High Quality Compact Disc) rather than HDCDs (High Definition Compatible Digital).
Deluxe is double vinyl – one-disc clear vinyl and the second disc Magenta. The first vinyl is exactly the same as the USA stock (same label and inner sleeve) and the second is the new product which is what you see on the product image below. This package does also include a 12 x 12 print.
Hopeton Brown, better known as Scientist, has been a pioneering figure in the world of dub for 40 years. His early love of electronics proved fruitful when (still a teenager) he was hired at King Tubby’s studio in Kingston. Brown quickly ascended the ranks and became heir to Tubby’s throne, producing imaginative and technically impressive mixes that solidified his forward-looking nickname.
Originally released in 1981, "In The Kingdom Of Dub" remains one of the best early LPs in Scientist’s long career. Produced by Roy Cousins at Channel One and featuring Sly & Robbie along with members of The Revolutionaries, The Aggrovators and The Soul Syndicate, the album offers a wide range of arresting rhythms, bold effect drops and exquisitely melodic bass. From “18 Drumalie Avenue Dub” (a reference to King Tubby’s address) to “Burning Sun Dub,” Scientist lays down a veritable roadmap of dub - filled with disintegrating echoes of satiny organ and textural guitar - firmly cementing his place as one of the true innovators in Jamaican popular music.
Originally released in 1981, "In The Kingdom Of Dub" remains one of the best early LPs in Scientist’s long career. Produced by Roy Cousins at Channel One and featuring Sly & Robbie along with members of The Revolutionaries, The Aggrovators and The Soul Syndicate, the album offers a wide range of arresting rhythms, bold effect drops and exquisitely melodic bass. From “18 Drumalie Avenue Dub” (a reference to King Tubby’s address) to “Burning Sun Dub,” Scientist lays down a veritable roadmap of dub - filled with disintegrating echoes of satiny organ and textural guitar - firmly cementing his place as one of the true innovators in Jamaican popular music.
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: I've recently been beating myself up loads about not picking up a VGC 2nd hand copy of this for about twenty quid a few months back. Now I can relax with a brand new mint condition one for the same price! Chalice!The Extraordinary ambient / minimal masterpiece made just using the sounds of crickets. Sounds like heaven. Or beautiful death. Or angels singing. Or a choir in the worlds most amazing cathedral. Well let’s hear what Tom Waits has to say: I heard a recording recently of crickets slowed way down. It sounds like a choir, it sounds like angel music. Something sparkling, celestial with full harmony and bass parts - you wouldn't believe it. It's like a sweeping chorus of heaven, and it's just slowed down, they didn't manipulate the tape at all… …and there's something to be said for slowing down the world. A few years ago (2014 to be precise) I was alerted to a strange recording on-line. I think it was on Mixcloud, but it might have been Soundcloud. I can’t remember exactly which cloud, but I do remember other more important things: the recording was called God’s Chorus and millions of people had listened to it. And thousands of those millions of people had left comments. Some had praised the mesmerising, angelic sounds, (“OMG it’s actually angels singing!”) some deciding that this may indeed be the music you hear as you die and your soul rises to heaven. Others more cynical thought it was a total hoax, all made up, just a musical con. Some had their own theories about how it was made and why it sounded so incredible, some had educated ideas and many just didn’t care as they loved it so very much. There was also a name associated to the creation of God’s Chorus; Jim Wilson. I listened. I listened more. I found myself immediately intrigued. And within a couple of days had licensed the recording. I believed it would really suit being on vinyl and not just on a cloud waiting for more comments.
The story behind the God’s Chorus recording is short and simple. It begins with the aforementioned Jim Wilson, a song writer, musician and enthusiast for Native American sound, nature, ambiance and the new age. Jim had recorded the crickets. He then recorded more crickets. He then took one of these cricket recordings, slowed it right down (just like Basil Kirchin would) and then simply played the slowed down recording over the top of the normal speed version. If you want to get technical “the sound created is a simple diatonic 7-note scale chord progression and melody with a multi-layered structure.
The story behind the God’s Chorus recording is short and simple. It begins with the aforementioned Jim Wilson, a song writer, musician and enthusiast for Native American sound, nature, ambiance and the new age. Jim had recorded the crickets. He then recorded more crickets. He then took one of these cricket recordings, slowed it right down (just like Basil Kirchin would) and then simply played the slowed down recording over the top of the normal speed version. If you want to get technical “the sound created is a simple diatonic 7-note scale chord progression and melody with a multi-layered structure.
Late 2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus. To celebrate, Beggars Arkive is reissuing six records from the band’s catalogue on limited edition coloured vinyl.
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
Burning From The Inside was Bauhaus’ fourth album and was the last of their studio albums of this era, released just after the band’s breakup in 1983. This was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
Burning From The Inside was Bauhaus’ fourth album and was the last of their studio albums of this era, released just after the band’s breakup in 1983. This was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Blue vinyl LP.
Late 2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus. To celebrate, Beggars Arkive is reissuing six records from the band’s catalogue on limited edition coloured vinyl.
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
A “best-of” collection of songs. Contains the studio version of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”. All Music described it as “an excellent single-disc overview of the group's brief career, containing all of their essential songs, from "In the Flat Field" and "Bela Lugosi's Dead" to "Ziggy Stardust" and "Burning from the Inside…it's nice that there's finally a thorough single-disc retrospective of the groundbreaking goth quartet” and Pitchfork said it is “a fine retrospective of the material that both Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson claim was a “major influence” of their music.”
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
A “best-of” collection of songs. Contains the studio version of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”. All Music described it as “an excellent single-disc overview of the group's brief career, containing all of their essential songs, from "In the Flat Field" and "Bela Lugosi's Dead" to "Ziggy Stardust" and "Burning from the Inside…it's nice that there's finally a thorough single-disc retrospective of the groundbreaking goth quartet” and Pitchfork said it is “a fine retrospective of the material that both Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson claim was a “major influence” of their music.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Ruby coloured vinyl.
Next to SUSPIRIA, PROFONDO ROSSO has to be the jewel in the Goblin crown. Recorded in 1975, the score finds the band at the height of their creativity and features the incredible lineup of Simonetti, Morante, Pignatelli & Martino. Bass & drums are so tight on this record and provide the foundations for the entire score. Jazz, Prog and Rock signatures all fight for centre stage yet always manage to be precise, clear and perfectly executed. Synths and organs tinkle, wail and moan and more than provide the requisite chills and atmospherics. In addition, the album's prog wig-outs are legendary. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this score, it really set the stage for prog-infused synth scores and has influenced a generation. We are super proud to not only be re-issuing the full original soundtrack as it originally appeared in 1975 (and pressed by the same original pressing plant!), but we also have an entire disc of alternate tracks and takes on vinyl for the first time ever, pulled from the Cinevox archives and compiled by Fabio Capuzzo! Once again the whole package is rounded out by absolutely jaw dropping artwork from Randy Ortiz.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: The OG masters of prog soundtrackery Goblin here in all their fiery glory. Huge psychedelic prog build-ups, organs all over the shop. It's a classic OST from the undisputed masters of the genre.
Bentley Rhythm Ace formed in Birmingham in 1996 when ex Pop Will Eat Itself bassist Richard March and DJ Michael Stokes discovered a shared love of obscure, oddball and eccentric tunes. Utilising lo-fi cut and paste sampling techniques combined with analogue synths and some wild turntable action their debut EP was picked up by Fatboy Slim’s Brighton based Skint Records and released to widespread acclaim. The BRA live show added Fuzz Townshend on drums and James Atkin (ex EMF vocalist) on keyboards and the latter years of the 90s saw BRA firmly established as festival favourites with appearances at Glastonbury, Reading, V, T in the Park, Montreux Jazz and Fuji Rock amongst many others.
Their irreverent approach mixed with big beats, thundering bass, wild synths and esoteric samples proved to be a hit with fans and critics alike. 1998 saw Bentley Rhythm Ace crowned 'Best Dance Act' in that year’s NME awards. Their eponymous debut album was given a worldwide release after the Bentleys signed to Parlophone records and the band toured extensively in the UK, Europe, Japan, Australia and USA. As well as releasing a highly regarded DJ mix album on Ministry of Sound, and releasing a second album for Parlophone (featuring vocals from Black Grape / Ruthless Rap Assassins frontman Kermit), BRA also produced well received remixes for the Beastie Boys and Supergrass as well as soundtracking several TV shows and adverts. This "21st Birthday - Bonus Tracks Edition" of the album has been compiled by Richard March of the band and includes the original 11 track album along with 2 bonus tracks remastered and repressed to vinyl for the first time in almost two decades! Presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, complete with original artwork and comprehensive sleeve notes for all thirteen tracks written for this release by Richard March. One of the nineties genuinely credible and highly UK centric acts, file next to: Freddie Fresh, The Chems, Leftfield and Propellerheads - a band to be celebrated!
Their irreverent approach mixed with big beats, thundering bass, wild synths and esoteric samples proved to be a hit with fans and critics alike. 1998 saw Bentley Rhythm Ace crowned 'Best Dance Act' in that year’s NME awards. Their eponymous debut album was given a worldwide release after the Bentleys signed to Parlophone records and the band toured extensively in the UK, Europe, Japan, Australia and USA. As well as releasing a highly regarded DJ mix album on Ministry of Sound, and releasing a second album for Parlophone (featuring vocals from Black Grape / Ruthless Rap Assassins frontman Kermit), BRA also produced well received remixes for the Beastie Boys and Supergrass as well as soundtracking several TV shows and adverts. This "21st Birthday - Bonus Tracks Edition" of the album has been compiled by Richard March of the band and includes the original 11 track album along with 2 bonus tracks remastered and repressed to vinyl for the first time in almost two decades! Presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, complete with original artwork and comprehensive sleeve notes for all thirteen tracks written for this release by Richard March. One of the nineties genuinely credible and highly UK centric acts, file next to: Freddie Fresh, The Chems, Leftfield and Propellerheads - a band to be celebrated!
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: Another classic from the golden years of breaks, TV advertising and high budget A&R. The landscape's changed somewhat since this came out in 1997 - but thankfully the content still rocks!
Despite an incredibly short recording career Joy Division remarkably have stood the test of time in terms of influential British bands. Their dark, brooding sound has inspired more artists than could be listed and their continued adoration today is testament to the forward thinking yet inward projected music and lyricism of a young band on the brink of success yet unsure of how to deal with it. With the sad passing of Ian Curtis, from the ashes rose New Order; the same core band but with a new fresh approach to their chosen career path. Loud, colourful and full of life.
‘Total’ is a chronological look at the two bands most important tracks, covering Joy Division staples such as 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', and the resonating 'Atmosphere'. New Order bring to the table 'Blue Monday', 'Bizarre Love Triangle' and 'True Faith'. Also included is a brand new never released New Order track ‘Hellbent’.
Mastered for vinyl by Frank Arkwright from his 2011 remasters.
‘Total’ is a chronological look at the two bands most important tracks, covering Joy Division staples such as 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', and the resonating 'Atmosphere'. New Order bring to the table 'Blue Monday', 'Bizarre Love Triangle' and 'True Faith'. Also included is a brand new never released New Order track ‘Hellbent’.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: Originally released in June 2011 on CD, available on vinyl for the very first time.Mastered for vinyl by Frank Arkwright from his 2011 remasters.
30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Pixies’ Debut EP and Album, Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa, includes Bonus 1986 Radio Concert Live From The Fallout Shelter
“An unparalleled example of rule-smashing innovation in independent music.” Pitchfork
“Smack in between hardcore punk and alternative, their secret weapon was leaping from sweet to screaming, driving a spike into Eighties rock.” Rolling Stone
“Surfer Rosa quickly cemented itself as a must-have album (and) 30 years on, its aged into timelessness rather than becoming a period piece.” The Quietus
It’s been thirty years since the release of Surfer Rosa – a record made up of rage, religion, gore, incest and superheroes named Tony – a debut album so good that it’s since seen as a masterpiece. A year prior came Come On Pilgrim, an eight-track mini-album released in 1987 which contained cuts culled from their first ever studio session, where they famously recorded seventeen tracks in just three days (in full, this session makes up the band’s much bootlegged and now officially released The Purple Tape).
These formative records showed the Pixies to be an alien breed; four oddball outsiders from Boston blending US underground thrash rock, indie surf pop and Spanish-language flamenco with the Biblical mythology of Frances’s childhood. They would go on to record another masterpiece in 1989’s Doolittle but it’s the gruesome glory of Surfer Rosa, and the ruined sexuality of its cover image (a topless flamenco dancer in a crumbling Mexican bar) that set a fresh blueprint for an indie rock dynamism that not only planted the seeds of grunge (Kurt Cobain would admit that he was trying to imitate the record while writing Nevermind) but of much of the best rock music made since.
To celebrate this milestone, Pixies are playing fi ve sold-out intimate shows at London’s Roundhouse this October and preceding them is the release of Come On Pilgrim… It’s Surfer Rosa, the thirtieth anniversary edition which contains Come On Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa and Live From The Fallout Shelter, a concert-cum-session that first aired in late-1986 on WJUL in Lowell, MA.
In addition to both a three CD and three LP edition, there’s also a super-limited and stunning deluxe clothbound hardbook three LP version, which will be a must for all fans. Like all other Pixies sleeves, Vaughan Oliver returns as designer, stunningly reinterpreting his original artwork with Simon Larbalestier’s iconic photographs remaining these record’s crowning glory.
3xDeluxe LP Info: Clothbound Hardbook.
Clear Vinyl.
Lyric Booklet.
Art Book & Download Card of Live From The Fallout Shelter Included.
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
3xCD Info: Hardbook Wallet Case with Lyric Booklet.
“An unparalleled example of rule-smashing innovation in independent music.” Pitchfork
“Smack in between hardcore punk and alternative, their secret weapon was leaping from sweet to screaming, driving a spike into Eighties rock.” Rolling Stone
“Surfer Rosa quickly cemented itself as a must-have album (and) 30 years on, its aged into timelessness rather than becoming a period piece.” The Quietus
It’s been thirty years since the release of Surfer Rosa – a record made up of rage, religion, gore, incest and superheroes named Tony – a debut album so good that it’s since seen as a masterpiece. A year prior came Come On Pilgrim, an eight-track mini-album released in 1987 which contained cuts culled from their first ever studio session, where they famously recorded seventeen tracks in just three days (in full, this session makes up the band’s much bootlegged and now officially released The Purple Tape).
These formative records showed the Pixies to be an alien breed; four oddball outsiders from Boston blending US underground thrash rock, indie surf pop and Spanish-language flamenco with the Biblical mythology of Frances’s childhood. They would go on to record another masterpiece in 1989’s Doolittle but it’s the gruesome glory of Surfer Rosa, and the ruined sexuality of its cover image (a topless flamenco dancer in a crumbling Mexican bar) that set a fresh blueprint for an indie rock dynamism that not only planted the seeds of grunge (Kurt Cobain would admit that he was trying to imitate the record while writing Nevermind) but of much of the best rock music made since.
To celebrate this milestone, Pixies are playing fi ve sold-out intimate shows at London’s Roundhouse this October and preceding them is the release of Come On Pilgrim… It’s Surfer Rosa, the thirtieth anniversary edition which contains Come On Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa and Live From The Fallout Shelter, a concert-cum-session that first aired in late-1986 on WJUL in Lowell, MA.
In addition to both a three CD and three LP edition, there’s also a super-limited and stunning deluxe clothbound hardbook three LP version, which will be a must for all fans. Like all other Pixies sleeves, Vaughan Oliver returns as designer, stunningly reinterpreting his original artwork with Simon Larbalestier’s iconic photographs remaining these record’s crowning glory.
FORMAT INFORMATION
3xColoured LP Info: Wide Spine Cover, Gold Vinyl, Download Card of Live From The Fallout Shelter Included.3xDeluxe LP Info: Clothbound Hardbook.
Clear Vinyl.
Lyric Booklet.
Art Book & Download Card of Live From The Fallout Shelter Included.
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
3xCD Info: Hardbook Wallet Case with Lyric Booklet.
DAVID BOWIE ‘GLASTONBURY 2000’ documents Bowie’s legendary Sunday night headline performance on 25th June at the most famous festival on earth. The legendary full performance released for the first time including many of David’s greatest hits and never before seen footage.
All formats feature David’s diary, originally written for Time Out, which documents him preparing for the show in his own inimitable manner. In addition to newly mastered audio and upgraded video DAVID BOWIE ‘GLASTONBURY 2000’ features new artwork from Jonathan Barnbrook (who worked with Bowie on the sleeves for Heathen, The Next Day & ★) and notes from the renowned author and Bowie fan Caitlin Moran who reviewed the show for The Times.
All formats feature David’s diary, originally written for Time Out, which documents him preparing for the show in his own inimitable manner. In addition to newly mastered audio and upgraded video DAVID BOWIE ‘GLASTONBURY 2000’ features new artwork from Jonathan Barnbrook (who worked with Bowie on the sleeves for Heathen, The Next Day & ★) and notes from the renowned author and Bowie fan Caitlin Moran who reviewed the show for The Times.
The Rough Trade Singles collects The Fall's four singles recorded for this influential label in 1980 and 1983 – How I Wrote 'Elastic Man' / City Hobgoblins, Totally Wired / Putta Block, The Man Whose Head Expanded / Ludd Gang and Kicker Conspiracy – none of which appeared on any of the band's studio LPs. With 7-inches being the era's vehicle for buzzing communiqués, The Fall would use the format for short-form, standalone works rather than as mere promotional devices for forthcoming albums.
"Totally Wired" is often cited (and rightfully so) as The Fall's most infectious tune – an amphetamine-fueled anthem with stuttering nods to forebears, yet too incisive to have been made by anyone else. "How I Wrote 'Elastic Man'" is another mad hoedown, one reimagined for the post-punk age. While the playful rhythm machine on "The Man Whose Head Expanded" almost suggests danceability, Mark E. Smith's idiosyncratic shriek on "Kicker Conspiracy" pierces through the twin drumming of Paul Hanley and Karl Burns and the group's unpredictable / unmistakable racket. Together these songs remain some of the absolute best material The Fall would ever release.
Liner notes by Brian Turner.
"Totally Wired" is often cited (and rightfully so) as The Fall's most infectious tune – an amphetamine-fueled anthem with stuttering nods to forebears, yet too incisive to have been made by anyone else. "How I Wrote 'Elastic Man'" is another mad hoedown, one reimagined for the post-punk age. While the playful rhythm machine on "The Man Whose Head Expanded" almost suggests danceability, Mark E. Smith's idiosyncratic shriek on "Kicker Conspiracy" pierces through the twin drumming of Paul Hanley and Karl Burns and the group's unpredictable / unmistakable racket. Together these songs remain some of the absolute best material The Fall would ever release.
Liner notes by Brian Turner.
Devotion: Songs About Rivers and Spirits and Children is a limited-edition deluxe box set which includes remastered reissues of the classic Hiss albums Bad Debt, Poor Moon, and Haw as well as Virgo Fool, a rarities compilation that will only be available physically as part of this collection. Both the 4-CD and 4-LP sets are housed in a cloth-wrapped, foil-stamped slipcase and feature original iconographic artwork by Sam Smith, an exclusive foldout poster, full lyrics, and new liner notes by New Yorker writer Amanda Petrusich and MOJO editor John Mulvey.
What struck me about Hiss Golden Messenger—and my absorption in these early records was instantaneous—is that Taylor’s songs are completely and unfailingly honest about how stupid and frustrating it is to be a person. But then, of course, he finds magnificence anyway: “Hallelujah anyhow” is how he put it later. Amanda Petrusich. “Even on his most raw and unadorned album, Bad Debt, or on his most troubled, Haw, Taylor is still striving for that next level. Sometimes the epiphanies arrive through lyrical graft; “I’m trying to learn,” he vows, emblematically, on “Sufferer (Love My Conqueror).”
Sometimes, they manifest musically, as if the collective endeavour of a band can provide consolation, for both the participants and the listeners, in even the darkest of times. It’s these imperatives, I think, that have made me turn to Hiss Golden Messenger records more than any others over the past decade; Taylor’s issues are all too understandable, but his creative solutions to them are almost mystically uplifting to a non-musician like myself. His music articulates an untethered spiritual meaning, one which can make sense to those of us who have no coherent system of belief. On these albums, you can hear a mission, a compassionate vision, being improvised and fleshed out exponentially, as Taylor’s sense of community and his place in it grows with every release. Also, they really fucking swing”.
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
4xCD Box Set Info: 4CD set is cloth-wrapped slipcase box with matte foil stamping. CDs in LP-style debossed wallets + lyric inserts + foldout poster.
What struck me about Hiss Golden Messenger—and my absorption in these early records was instantaneous—is that Taylor’s songs are completely and unfailingly honest about how stupid and frustrating it is to be a person. But then, of course, he finds magnificence anyway: “Hallelujah anyhow” is how he put it later. Amanda Petrusich. “Even on his most raw and unadorned album, Bad Debt, or on his most troubled, Haw, Taylor is still striving for that next level. Sometimes the epiphanies arrive through lyrical graft; “I’m trying to learn,” he vows, emblematically, on “Sufferer (Love My Conqueror).”
Sometimes, they manifest musically, as if the collective endeavour of a band can provide consolation, for both the participants and the listeners, in even the darkest of times. It’s these imperatives, I think, that have made me turn to Hiss Golden Messenger records more than any others over the past decade; Taylor’s issues are all too understandable, but his creative solutions to them are almost mystically uplifting to a non-musician like myself. His music articulates an untethered spiritual meaning, one which can make sense to those of us who have no coherent system of belief. On these albums, you can hear a mission, a compassionate vision, being improvised and fleshed out exponentially, as Taylor’s sense of community and his place in it grows with every release. Also, they really fucking swing”.
FORMAT INFORMATION
4xLP Box Set Info: 4LP set is cloth-wrapped slipcase box with matte foil stamping. LPs in debossed jackets + lyric inserts + foldout poster.FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
4xCD Box Set Info: 4CD set is cloth-wrapped slipcase box with matte foil stamping. CDs in LP-style debossed wallets + lyric inserts + foldout poster.
For those who purchased much of Bush's earlier catalog because of its depth, quality, and vision, Aerial will sound exactly like what it is, a new Kate Bush record: full of her obsessions, lushly romantic paeans to things mundane and cosmic, and her ability to add dimension and transfer emotion though song. The set is spread over two discs. The first, A Sea of Honey, is a collection of songs, arranged for everything from full-on rock band to solo piano. The second, A Sky of Honey, is a conceptual suite. It was produced by Bush with engineering and mixing by longtime collaborator Del Palmer.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLP Info: Double heavyweight vinyl.
"Includes Never Before Issued Instrumentals! Comes Packaged In A Gatefold Jacket With A 28-Page Booklet! Earth Rot is visionary composer/ arranger/ producer David Axelrod’s third album, and the last of his Capitol trilogy. Recorded as a concept album about the decrepit state of the environment in 1970 Los Angeles, and scheduled for release on the first Earth Day, it features choral vocals and marks a departure for Axelrod’s signature sound, which would take on a jazzier feel in the 1970s. This definitive version of Earth Rot, overseen by Now-Again’s Eothen Alapatt in conjunction with Axelrod’s Estate, fulfills a request Axelrod made while alive – to see the instrumentals of this album, never beforereleased, issued. They see release here as the second LP in a 2LP set. This is an audiophile reissue, with the vocal version lacquered directly from Axelrod’s original master tapes at Capitol Records by Ron McMaster. The master was approved by Axelrod’s son Michael, who adapted ancient lyrics for the album in one of three collaborative projects he did with his father. Contains a 28 page booklet that delves into Axelrod’s incredible life and music, replete with never before published photos and an interview.
Genre-busting album that takes onboard the 21st Century psychedelia that is inspired by bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Mercury Rev and Spiritualized and then mixes it with leftfield electronic beats and noises. This is their second album and is massive leap from the warm electronica sound that was the hallmark of their first album, the music here can be best descibed as drawn out widescreen and the addition of vocals achieves a psychedelic lyricism more usually associated with bands such as The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev. The reviews were stunning and it was Jockey Slut's album of the month, making this an album that you'll be hearing about for a long time!!
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: White vinyl.
Melt Yourself Down’s self-titled debut album is the sound of Cairo 1957, Cologne 1972, New York 1978, and London 2013. The group is the brainchild of Pete Wareham (Acoustic Ladyland, Polar Bear), who’s roped in a distinguished crew of brilliant musicians, including Kushal Gaya (Zun Zun Egui), Shabaka Hutchings (Sons Of Kemet, Heliocentrics), Tom Skinner (Hello Skinny, Mulatu Astatke), Ruth Goller (Acoustic Ladyland, Rokia Traoré), and Satin Singh (Fela!)/ Together they make a primal, tribal stew of horns and drums and unhinged vocals that bring to mind the Bristol-based punk-jazz craziness of Rip, Rig & Panic, Pig Pag etc.
Vinyl comes with CD version of the album enclosed.
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: White vinyl.Vinyl comes with CD version of the album enclosed.
Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes provides a comprehensive overview of The Violent Femmes historic recording career – beginning with tracks from their legendary debut up until their 2000 release, Freak Magnet. The compilation includes the original studio recordings for hit singles such as “Blister In The Sun,” “American Music,” “Gone Daddy Gone,” amongst others, and is a must have for both new listeners and devoted fans alike.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: 'Coke bottle clear' vinyl.
Solar guided improvisations of unbridled cacophony! Recorded in ‘73 and rejected by tin-eared major label execs in ‘75, "Crystal Spears" (or “Crystal Clear” as it appears on the tape box) subsumes a cathartic brawl between Minimoog and Yamaha combo organ, with percussionists providing tonal textures, and plaintive oboe colliding with roaring electronic keyboards over waes of rollicking marimba, devilishly chattering below the fray. "Crystal Spears" is Ra’s once lost aural cinematheque! Intended for release in 1975 by ABC/Impulse!, "Crystal Spears" was ultimately rejected by the label, perhaps the new group of execs just didn’t 'hear' what was going on on these recordings. Certainly for the uninitiated, this is not jazz as they know it but unbridled cacophony...or is it? Modern Harmonic presents the first legitimate LP release of Crystal Spears, pressed on colored vinyl and with liner notes by Ra-ficionado Brother Cleve!
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: Funny, despite the above claiming it a 'difficult' and 'cacophonous' listen - I actually really like this one! Such is the joy of Sun Ra - every fan seems to like a different facet of his personality and sound.FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Includes poster.
The Flaming Lips are proud to announce a limited release of “The Mushroom Tapes” for black Friday’s Record store day. These legendary tracks were the demos recorded for the Priest Driven Ambulance album, with the classic band line-up featuring Jonathan Donahue from Mercury Rev on guitar. Originally recorded by Donahue & remastered by Dave Fridmann & the Flaming Lips, they give a great insight into the creative process of the band. This is the first time The Mushroom Tapes will have been available as a stand-alone release & first ever time these tracks have been available on vinyl. The title is Strictly limited to 4000 units worldwide.
Another destined to be classic dub album from the master blaster, Mad Professor's had a busy fuckin' year boss! This album sees Perry's prodigy explore the West African and Caribbean folklore character Anansi - the god of stories and tales and taking the form of a spider! As usual, the Prof's hi-definition, 16 track digital recordings sound super clean and high fidelity, with rich percussion lines, big horns and flanging keyboard / guitar hooks.
Drafted in are legendary museos Black Steel, who contributes on a variety of instruments; Horseman on drums; and backing vocals from one time Trojan recording artist legend Delroy Williams - backing singer to Desmond Dekker and Prince Buster! Frankie Paul and Vivian Jones also drop some vocal parts while Derek Litchmore takes charge on sax.
At this point you're either on board or you're not, but I personally wouldn't wanna be left in the water when all this action's happening on ship! YET ANOTHER monstrous addition to this artist's legacy. Recommended.
Drafted in are legendary museos Black Steel, who contributes on a variety of instruments; Horseman on drums; and backing vocals from one time Trojan recording artist legend Delroy Williams - backing singer to Desmond Dekker and Prince Buster! Frankie Paul and Vivian Jones also drop some vocal parts while Derek Litchmore takes charge on sax.
At this point you're either on board or you're not, but I personally wouldn't wanna be left in the water when all this action's happening on ship! YET ANOTHER monstrous addition to this artist's legacy. Recommended.
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: Ridiculously strong one from the Prof here. I know we've had loads this year but they really do seem to be getting better and better. Slightly mystic, with less trad arrangements and a bit more rainforest voodoo littered throughout this LP, with it's 'Anani' concept obviousl a huge influence. Massive TIP one this one folks!
Snail Mail’s full-length debut album, Lush, is a debut for the record books — a refreshing marvel of songwriting and technical composition, that’s both cohesive and explosive — Her voice rises and falls with electricity throughout, spinning with bold excitement and new beginnings at every turn.
Lush feels at times like an emotional rollercoaster, only fitting for Jordan’s explosive, dynamic personality. Growing up in Baltimore suburb Ellicot City, Jordan began her classical guitar training at age five, and a decade later wrote her first audacious songs as Snail Mail. Around that time, Jordan started frequenting local shows in Baltimore, where she formed close friendships within the local scene, the impetus for her to form a band. By the time she was sixteen, she had already released her debut EP, Habit, on local punk label Sister Polygon Records.
Lush feels at times like an emotional rollercoaster, only fitting for Jordan’s explosive, dynamic personality. Growing up in Baltimore suburb Ellicot City, Jordan began her classical guitar training at age five, and a decade later wrote her first audacious songs as Snail Mail. Around that time, Jordan started frequenting local shows in Baltimore, where she formed close friendships within the local scene, the impetus for her to form a band. By the time she was sixteen, she had already released her debut EP, Habit, on local punk label Sister Polygon Records.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Superbly upbeat anthems, soaring melodic vox and highly refined writing for a DEBUT album. Unbelievable really, but true. 'Lush' is exactly that, a beautifully emotive and brilliantly constructed ride.
The mightily hip crew at Afrosynth records, headed up by all round gee DJ Okapi, stick two fingers up at the current cold snap and get yer pan sizzling with this South African disco scorcher. The title track ‘Dance’, written by Belgian composer Frank Degrijse, was released by Night Force and became a Hi-NRG hit throughout Europe in 1980, prompting excessive amyl abuse, lycra and sweatbands. This kind of funny business wasn't gonna cut it with the South African crowd however, so the SA pressing was released with permission at a slower tempo, Baldelli style. Suddenly, what was a pink hued pumper becomes an uplifting synth boogie hit with massive Balearic appeal. If that wasn't enough to have you beating our door down, those fine folks at Afrosynth serve up four tracks by Music Team’s in-house production crew the Tom Cats - including dub reworkings of recent Afrosynth releases ‘Burnin Beat’ and ‘Searchin’, here released as ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Search For Love’ respectively. Synth-heavy oddities ‘You Are My Fire’ and ‘Shake Shake’ make up the rest of the tracklist.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Acey pacey fab! The Afrosynth hot streak remains intact thanks to a hot reissue of the slowed down SA edition of Night Force's Ni-NRG slammer "Dance". Chugging away with maximum bottom end thrust, the cut carries all and sundry towards its climactic, feel good chorus. Cosmic, Balearic and Boogie fans need to know...
Arguably one of the most acclaimed and loved bands of the past 20 years, by both fans and their musical peers alike, The Beta Band formed in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1996. Innovative and singular, their unique musical and aesthetic approach to everything they did set them far apart from their musical contemporaries. Together for a relatively short period of time, the three albums and three EPs they released between 1996 and 2004 would nonetheless help define them as one of the most exciting and cherished bands of their generation.
After a short hiatus the band gradually gravitated back into the studio and recruited noted UK producer Colin Emmanuel, aka C-Swing, to oversee the process of “Hot Shots II” which was released in mid 2001. Notoriously the band had intended to release "Squares", which featured a sample from the Günter Kallmann Choir's 1970 version of Wallace Collection's "Daydream", as the lead single. However after filming the music video and taking the single to radio it suddenly transpired that another single "Daydream in Blue" by I Monster featuring the sample from Günter Kallmann Choir recording was also to be released at the same time causing the band to release "Broke" instead. Touring extensively and supporting Radiohead in August 2002, they made No. 3 on Q magazine's list of "50 Bands to See Before You Die".
2xLP Info: Regular black vinyl 2LP.
After a short hiatus the band gradually gravitated back into the studio and recruited noted UK producer Colin Emmanuel, aka C-Swing, to oversee the process of “Hot Shots II” which was released in mid 2001. Notoriously the band had intended to release "Squares", which featured a sample from the Günter Kallmann Choir's 1970 version of Wallace Collection's "Daydream", as the lead single. However after filming the music video and taking the single to radio it suddenly transpired that another single "Daydream in Blue" by I Monster featuring the sample from Günter Kallmann Choir recording was also to be released at the same time causing the band to release "Broke" instead. Touring extensively and supporting Radiohead in August 2002, they made No. 3 on Q magazine's list of "50 Bands to See Before You Die".
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: A killer second (full-length) outing from The Beta Band sees Mason & Co. straying away slightly from the longing indie of their debut (and first three EP's) into anthemic minimalist acousticry, dancefloor rhythms and throbbing background electronics, whilst still retaining their melodic thread.FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: 2LP+CD limited colored edition in gatefold sleeve. One golden vinyl and one silver vinyl, both with printed inner-sleeves. CD included.2xLP Info: Regular black vinyl 2LP.
An album about crossing physical and metaphorical borders that has never been timelier: Calexico’s classic album “The Black Light“ turns 20. This limited celebratory anniversary edition includes all new artwork by Victor Gastelum, extensive linernotes, and 11 bonus tracks.
What was surprising about The Black Light (and what set its architects apart from their indie rock peers) was the album’s unusual willingness to wade into the rapids of American and Mexican culture, fully immersing itself midstream. From the outset, with ‘Gypsy’s Curse’, the record combines guitar twang and flamenco flourishes; and by its end, almost an hour later, it’s contrived a skillful and instinctive union of smoky bar room jazz, arthouse indie rock, and compelling mariachi brass in ‘Frontera’. If Calexico falls short as a name, it’s only in the fact that - alongside their mining of Mexico’s fertile musical past - Joey Burns and John Convertino weren’t just digging into California’s songbook...they were unearthing America’s too.
2xColoured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
What was surprising about The Black Light (and what set its architects apart from their indie rock peers) was the album’s unusual willingness to wade into the rapids of American and Mexican culture, fully immersing itself midstream. From the outset, with ‘Gypsy’s Curse’, the record combines guitar twang and flamenco flourishes; and by its end, almost an hour later, it’s contrived a skillful and instinctive union of smoky bar room jazz, arthouse indie rock, and compelling mariachi brass in ‘Frontera’. If Calexico falls short as a name, it’s only in the fact that - alongside their mining of Mexico’s fertile musical past - Joey Burns and John Convertino weren’t just digging into California’s songbook...they were unearthing America’s too.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Calexico's uniquely Calexican second outing gets a twenty year reissue (20 years!!), including outtakes, special mixes and heaps of their Americana-lite acoustic fusion. A fitting testament to a band at the peak of their game, and certainly one that's held it's own over time.FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: 180g clear vinyl, packaged in a gatefold cover with an embossed silver logo and a large format 8-page booklet.2xColoured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
UK post-punk pioneers Bauhaus' immensely influential “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” – originally released in 1979 – is considered the original gothic rock record.
The first official vinyl reissue of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” and first release of complete recording session (including 3 previously unreleased tracks), mastered by Mandy Parnell.
The live version of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was in iconic 1983 film The Hunger. It has been covered by Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack and Nouvelle Vague.
The first official vinyl reissue of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” and first release of complete recording session (including 3 previously unreleased tracks), mastered by Mandy Parnell.
The live version of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was in iconic 1983 film The Hunger. It has been covered by Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack and Nouvelle Vague.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: A seminal recording from one of the forbears of the gothic rock movement seeing such a resurgence at the moment. The Bela sessions includes the (almost) titular lead track (worth the entrance price alone) and three more unreleased gems. Essential.
Late 2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus. To celebrate, Beggars Arkive is reissuing six records from the band’s catalogue on limited edition coloured vinyl.
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
The Sky’s Gone Out is the band’s third album and was released in 1992 and was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes.
“one of the top 10 essential goth albums” – Alternative press
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
The Sky’s Gone Out is the band’s third album and was released in 1992 and was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes.
“one of the top 10 essential goth albums” – Alternative press
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Violet coloured vinyl.
Released in the same year as Synthesis over on KPM, 1974’s Synthesizer and Percussion is its essential companion piece. “This record features the many distinctive sounds of the ARP Synthesizer plus percussion in various moods and tempos” is the even more underwhelming than usual library record sales pitch for Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett’s second collection of what is basically minimal G-funk, with overtones of primitive acid house. This is ridiculously good.
This is one of Hawkshaw and Bennett’s wilder joints and aeons ahead of its time. Bennett’s tough drums provide the underpinnings for the prominent bass, keys and bubbling synths high up in the mix, alongside Hawkshaw’s deranged clavinet-funk-rock. There are heavenly break loops galore.
Opener "Mon Amour" is ultra-smooth funk, all inter-weaving melodic lines whilst the seminal "Oddball" is an incredible hard electro strut with a knocking break. "Mile High Swinger" is a tranquil Spaghetti Western whistling theme over double tempo rhythmic movement and the pulsating "Auto Pilot" has a percussive groove elevated by electric piano and synthesizer. Check "Driving Force”, “Home Run” and "Pacesetter" for electroid prog-funk dripped in acid squelch.
All five final tracks are beatless synth workouts, because they can.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Synthesizer and Percussion comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.
This is one of Hawkshaw and Bennett’s wilder joints and aeons ahead of its time. Bennett’s tough drums provide the underpinnings for the prominent bass, keys and bubbling synths high up in the mix, alongside Hawkshaw’s deranged clavinet-funk-rock. There are heavenly break loops galore.
Opener "Mon Amour" is ultra-smooth funk, all inter-weaving melodic lines whilst the seminal "Oddball" is an incredible hard electro strut with a knocking break. "Mile High Swinger" is a tranquil Spaghetti Western whistling theme over double tempo rhythmic movement and the pulsating "Auto Pilot" has a percussive groove elevated by electric piano and synthesizer. Check "Driving Force”, “Home Run” and "Pacesetter" for electroid prog-funk dripped in acid squelch.
All five final tracks are beatless synth workouts, because they can.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Synthesizer and Percussion comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: 180 gram vinyl edition.
WRWTFWW Records is proud to announce the highly anticipated official reissue of holy grail album MKWAJU by acclaimed Japanese percussionist Midori Takada's MKWAJU ensemble, sourced from the original masters and available in two versions: a vinyl LP cut at Emil Berliner Studios (formerly the in-house recording department of Deutsche Grammophon) and a digipack CD.
Originally recorded in February and March 1981 and released by fabled Japanese avant-garde label Better Days (home of Ryuichi Sakamato's debut album, Yasuaki Shimizu's Kakashi, Colored Music self-titled LP and many more) MKWAJU is the fruit of the collaboration between Takada's crew and world-famous composer/musical director Joe Hisaishi, the man behind most of of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli anime soundtracks and over 100 other films scores, including Takeshi Kitano's Sonatine, Hana-Bi, and Kikujiro. The ensemble's transcendental wonder is, in fact, the first-ever Midori Takada album and the first-ever Joe Hisaishi-produced album. Historic.
Led by Midori Takada on marimba, gong, vibraphone, and tom tom, MKWAJU is an inventive and riveting take on Eastern and Western minimalist traditions, African rhythms, and early electronica. Drawing from its jazz-rooted polyrhythmic improvisations in the most inventive ways, the album covers a wide spectrum of sounds, from colorful dance floor-ready percussion pieces that stand somewhere between proto-techno and experimental synth-pop, to cinematic ambient landscapes and ethereal drone delicacies. The feverishly sought-after full-length is a stepping-stone in Midori Takada's career and an all-around pioneering album.
Alongside Takada and Hisaishi (who not only produced the album but also played synthesizers), personnel on MKWAJU includes famed Japanese musicians Yoji Sadanari and Hideki Matsutake of KI-Motion fame, Junko Arase (heard on Satoshi Ashikawa's legendary Still Way - Wave Notation 2), and Pecker (whose stacked resume boasts collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Jun Fukamachi).
Originally recorded in February and March 1981 and released by fabled Japanese avant-garde label Better Days (home of Ryuichi Sakamato's debut album, Yasuaki Shimizu's Kakashi, Colored Music self-titled LP and many more) MKWAJU is the fruit of the collaboration between Takada's crew and world-famous composer/musical director Joe Hisaishi, the man behind most of of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli anime soundtracks and over 100 other films scores, including Takeshi Kitano's Sonatine, Hana-Bi, and Kikujiro. The ensemble's transcendental wonder is, in fact, the first-ever Midori Takada album and the first-ever Joe Hisaishi-produced album. Historic.
Led by Midori Takada on marimba, gong, vibraphone, and tom tom, MKWAJU is an inventive and riveting take on Eastern and Western minimalist traditions, African rhythms, and early electronica. Drawing from its jazz-rooted polyrhythmic improvisations in the most inventive ways, the album covers a wide spectrum of sounds, from colorful dance floor-ready percussion pieces that stand somewhere between proto-techno and experimental synth-pop, to cinematic ambient landscapes and ethereal drone delicacies. The feverishly sought-after full-length is a stepping-stone in Midori Takada's career and an all-around pioneering album.
Alongside Takada and Hisaishi (who not only produced the album but also played synthesizers), personnel on MKWAJU includes famed Japanese musicians Yoji Sadanari and Hideki Matsutake of KI-Motion fame, Junko Arase (heard on Satoshi Ashikawa's legendary Still Way - Wave Notation 2), and Pecker (whose stacked resume boasts collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Jun Fukamachi).
“Beach Fossils has purpose and economy. It’s built on cleanly picked single notes stacked over complementary bass patterns and unobtrusive drums.” PITCHFORK // “Piercing post-punk guitar lines are tossed off casually, while Mr. Payseur realizes he doesn’t need to go further than his own subconscious to disappear.” THE NEW YORK TIMES // Beach Fossils’ self titled debut album is a seminal release from the halcyon days of Brooklyn’s underground music scene. Songwriter and composer Dustin Payseur’s home recorded masterpiece captures the naïveté of youth, the anxiety of routine, and the joy of infatuation, though a track list full of layered guitars and heartfelt lyrics. Beach Fossils take inspiration from 60’s jangle pop, 70’s kraut rock, 80’s post punk, to create a sound uniquely their own with this first record, causing a ripple effect on the sound of indie music in the years that followed it.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited edition green vinyl pressing
“These tunes create an interesting dichotomy-- joyous lyrics delivered solemnly… carefully arranged in the way a jazz or classical piece might be.” PITCHFORK // “On What a Pleasure, the carefree, lazy summer day beach pop sound of Beach Fossils has remained intact, just with refinements.” CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND // Brooklyn bedroom pop pioneers Beach Fossils’ stand out EP, What a Pleasure, is being reissued for the first time since it’s 2011 release! Songwriter and composer Dustin Payseur’s upbeat follow up to his band’s self titled debut is a refined exploration of dreamy guitar sounds, lush synth arrangements, and confessional songwriting. Born out of late night jams with his bandmates and long time collaborator Jack Tatum (Wild Nothing), What a Pleasure expanded on Beach Fossils’ sonic landscape and resulted in some of Payseur’s most memorable tracks. The EP has gradually become a cult classic among fans of the band, and many of its songs still work their way into Beach Fossils’ live sets today.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited edition yellow vinyl pressing.
“Clash the Truth is Payseur evolving, the band shifting in a direction that’s probably unlike what they previously imagined themselves moving toward.” CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND // “Beach Fossils have found a balance that’s better than anyone could have hoped for.” EXCLAIM // Beach Fossils’ sophomore album, Clash the Truth, is modern post-punk triumph that’s left a lasting impression on the music scene it was born out of. After releasing their self titled debut and the beloved EP, What a Pleasure, songwriter and composer Dustin Payseur began recording dissonant and introspective demos reflecting on his southern upbringing and young adulthood in New York. The tracks that would eventually make up Clash the Truth involved Payseur taking his songwriting in a new direction, employing jagged instrumentals, existential lyrics, and socially conscious subject matter. The darker themes of Clash the Truth still come out vibrant through bright guitar tones, locomotive drumming, and Payseur’s inventive home recording techniques. Referencing the sounds of Factory Records releases, New York’s no wave scene, and 90’s avant-pop, Beach Fossils expanded their sound past the perimeters of bedroom dream pop.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Limited clear pink vinyl pressing.
For the last decade, and almost secretly, Carwyn Ellis records have meant the greatest news for people who love pop with no labels, nor affiliations. People who, after a record-hunting afternoon, enthusiasticly arrives back home with findings like Françoise Hardy LPs from the Vogue era, Arthur Verocai, Broadcast reissues, an Alessandro Alessandroni soundtrack, Meic Stevens' "Outlander" and an original, mint condition, O'Jays' "Back Stabbers" LP.
Ellis has proved to be plenty of tools and talent to sum up, in forty minutes, all the magic of the best pop music recorded in the last fifty years, very well absorved and excitingly mixed, and steeped by a magic and pastoral halo from his native Wales.
Before Edwyn Collins decided that Carwyn had received much less attenction than what he deserved, and supported in his label AED two wonderful records like "Good Music" (2012) and "Temari" (2014), Ellis had already recorded the "Magic Lantern Show" EP (2009), the acclaimed by Shindig magazine, "Box" (2010); and this first album, "Cookie Zoo" (2008).
A debut, after his thirties, where we can find all his personal universe. "Cookie Zoo" is linked to "Dere Mewn", one of the most beautiful songs recorded in the United Kingdom in the last decade. An unique flower living in a botanical garden, filled with brilliant songs of all possible colours.
Ellis has proved to be plenty of tools and talent to sum up, in forty minutes, all the magic of the best pop music recorded in the last fifty years, very well absorved and excitingly mixed, and steeped by a magic and pastoral halo from his native Wales.
Before Edwyn Collins decided that Carwyn had received much less attenction than what he deserved, and supported in his label AED two wonderful records like "Good Music" (2012) and "Temari" (2014), Ellis had already recorded the "Magic Lantern Show" EP (2009), the acclaimed by Shindig magazine, "Box" (2010); and this first album, "Cookie Zoo" (2008).
A debut, after his thirties, where we can find all his personal universe. "Cookie Zoo" is linked to "Dere Mewn", one of the most beautiful songs recorded in the United Kingdom in the last decade. An unique flower living in a botanical garden, filled with brilliant songs of all possible colours.
STAFF COMMENTS
Laura says: I can't believe it's 10 years since this album came out. I remember trying to track down a vinyl copy, after buying "Sound" on 7" (still one of my favourite singles of all time). At the time it was only available in Japan and out of my price range, so I'm delighted to finally get my hands on it. It's a gem of a record: gentle, intricate, melodic pop. Perfect!
New edition of the second B12 album, originally released by Warp in 1996. It continues the sleek, Detroit-inspired sci-fi techno moves of their "Electro-Soma" era, but ties the tracks to a playful concept in which the tracks are presented as an educational soundtrack designed by the 22nd-century company B12 Systems. Housed in an evocative Designer’s Republic sleeve based on a classic Trevor Webb airbrush painting, the sleevenotes riff on a dystopian future society looking back at the primitive past and includes references to such genre touchstones as Blade Runner, Philip K. Dick and Star Wars. For the new vinyl edition the original 'B12 technology times' sleevenote has been re-designed as a standalone booklet insert, and there is an A5 sticker sheet of future corporate logos from the Time Tourist universe. The download card includes 4 previously unheard alternate versions of tracks from the album.
2xColoured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: UK space-techno enthusiasts B12 return with more of their indelible sound. Existing in the same star cluster as Martin Bond's Reel By Real project, "Time Tourist" nails that serene, interstella atmosphere perfectly; elevating all listeners into the stars and onboard the spacecraft.FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Comes with booklet, sticker sheet and d/l card including 4 previously unheard alternate versions.2xColoured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Continuing the Cape Verde series Mar & Sol bring this fantastic masterpiece of an LP ”Nha D’stine” from the legendary singer Américo Brito and his band Djarama. Originally recorded in 1983 and released on a private press by Américo Brito, this masterpiece of sunkissed groove and uplifting energy has been long out of press, so props to Mar & Sol for bringing it back into reach for us minions!
Characterized by explosive keyboards, limber basslines, those irresistible rhythms unique to Cabo Verde and Américo Brito's infectious vocals, this is a a sunshine stunner you will undoubtedly cherish now and in 20 years.
Characterized by explosive keyboards, limber basslines, those irresistible rhythms unique to Cabo Verde and Américo Brito's infectious vocals, this is a a sunshine stunner you will undoubtedly cherish now and in 20 years.
STAFF COMMENTS
Sil says: Soulful as they come. This is blissful world music that radiates warmth and positive energy without the bloody patchouli essential oil being rubbed all over your face. Seriously essential repress for those of you who know!FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Includes insert.
The legendary and unimitable Kate Bush is proud to announce the breakout release of some of her most Iconic work as part of her massively anticipated 2018 reissue campaign. This includes the breakout re-release of her fifth, and arguably most commercially successful studio album ‘Hounds of Love’. The album includes the lead single and number on hit ‘Running up that Hill’, and also other hit singles such as ‘Cloudbusting’ and ‘Hounds of Love’. The Studio Album has been fully remastered by Kate and James Guthrie.
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.
The legendary and unimitable Kate Bush is proud announce the breakout release of some of her most Iconic work as part of her massively anticipated 2018 reissue campaign. This includes the breakout re-release of her seventh Studio album which includes singles such as ‘Rubberband Girl ‘ and ‘Eat the Music’ and ‘The Red Shoes’. The Studio album is considered to one of Kate’s more collaborative pieces, with features from artists such as Prince, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. The album has been fully remastered by Kate and James Guthrie.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLP Info: 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.
Oddments is KG&TLW’s fourth studio album released in 2014. It features a collection of “odd” songs recorded between 2007-2014 and was originally limited to 500 copies. The 2018 reissue features a re-designed gatefold of original artwork by Jason Galea, and comes on grimace purple coloured vinyl.
‘Eyes Like The Sky’ is the band’s second full-length album released in 2013 and originally limited to 500 copies. A cult Western audio book, the album tells a story of the American Frontier. The reissue features new artwork re-imagined by Jason Galea and comes on Halloween orange coloured vinyl.
UMC / Virgin EMI present vinyl editions of the seminal Brian Eno albums ‘Discreet Music, ‘Music For Films, ‘Music For Airports’ and ‘On Land’.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
STAFF COMMENTS
Sil says: An all time classic. A pioneer with no need for an introduction. I managed to condition my son for his first 4 years of his life to go to sleep listening to this album and now 8 years old he stills requests it. I owe Eno a lot.FORMAT INFORMATION
2xDeluxe LP Info: Deluxe, limited edition 2LP heavyweight vinyl, remastered at half-speed for 45RPM, in gatefold sleeve with Obi spine strip, Abbey Road Certificate of authenticity and download voucher.LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
UMC / Virgin EMI present vinyl editions of the seminal Brian Eno albums ‘Discreet Music, ‘Music For Films, ‘Music For Airports’ and ‘On Land’.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xDeluxe LP Info: Deluxe, limited edition 2LP heavyweight vinyl, remastered at half-speed for 45RPM, in gatefold sleeve with Obi spine strip, Abbey Road Certificate of authenticity and download voucher.LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
UMC / Virgin EMI present vinyl editions of the seminal Brian Eno albums ‘Discreet Music, ‘Music For Films, ‘Music For Airports’ and ‘On Land’.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xDeluxe LP Info: Deluxe, limited edition 2LP heavyweight vinyl, remastered at half-speed for 45RPM, in gatefold sleeve with Obi spine strip, Abbey Road Certificate of authenticity and download voucher.LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
UMC / Virgin EMI present vinyl editions of the seminal Brian Eno albums ‘Discreet Music, ‘Music For Films, ‘Music For Airports’ and ‘On Land’.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
Although originally released interspersed with other albums and thus not fully sequential, these landmark records chart 4 key points in a fascinating journey that saw Eno explore generative music, found-sound ‘non instruments’, studio experimentation, ‘figurative music’ and–most notably–building upon Erik Satie’s concept of ‘furniture music’, eventually coining the now vernacular-standard term ‘ambient’.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xDeluxe LP Info: Deluxe, limited edition 2LP heavyweight vinyl, remastered at half-speed for 45RPM, in gatefold sleeve with Obi spine strip, Abbey Road Certificate of authenticity and download voucher.LP Info: Standard 1 LP vinyl, remastered at normal speed for 33 RPM.
UMC release the Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (50th Anniversary Edition).
Recorded between March and July of 1968 at Olympic Sound Studios in London, mixed at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, Beggars Banquet was the first Stones album produced by Jimmy Miller, and marks the start of what is considered their most prolific album era. Beggars Banquet has a special place in the history of the band, as it is the final album completed with the original lineup of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.
The limited edition vinyl package will come in gatefold jacket, with a bonus 12” of their hit single “Sympathy For the Devil” in Mono cut at 45rpm, backed with an etching of the original ‘toilet’ cover. Also included is a replica of the rare Japanese bonus flexi disc containing a phone interview with Mick Jagger from 1968, and a download code for the album plus interview. The landmark album has been newly mastered by Grammy Award® winning engineer Bob Ludwig, lacquers cut at Abbey Road and pressed on 180g vinyl (download code included).
Recorded between March and July of 1968 at Olympic Sound Studios in London, mixed at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, Beggars Banquet was the first Stones album produced by Jimmy Miller, and marks the start of what is considered their most prolific album era. Beggars Banquet has a special place in the history of the band, as it is the final album completed with the original lineup of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.
The limited edition vinyl package will come in gatefold jacket, with a bonus 12” of their hit single “Sympathy For the Devil” in Mono cut at 45rpm, backed with an etching of the original ‘toilet’ cover. Also included is a replica of the rare Japanese bonus flexi disc containing a phone interview with Mick Jagger from 1968, and a download code for the album plus interview. The landmark album has been newly mastered by Grammy Award® winning engineer Bob Ludwig, lacquers cut at Abbey Road and pressed on 180g vinyl (download code included).
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xDeluxe LP Info: Includes bonus 12", and flexi disc.
Nonesuch reissues on vinyl Steve Reich’s 1989 classic album Different Trains / Electric Counterpoint. On the Grammy-winning piece Different Trains, performed by Kronos Quartet, Reich evokes his American childhood during World War II while also addressing the Holocaust. The New York Times declared it ‘A work of such originality that ‘breakthrough’ seems the only possible description.’ Legendary guitarist Pat Metheny performs Electric Counterpoint.
Steve Reich has been called ‘our greatest living composer’ (New York Times) and ‘the most original musical thinker of our time’ (New Yorker). His path has embraced not only Western Classical music, but the structures, harmonies, and rhythms of non-Western and American vernacular music, particularly jazz. ‘There’s just a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history and Steve Reich is one of them,’ states the Guardian. In April 2009 Steve Reich was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his composition Double Sextet. Nonesuch has released twenty-four Steve Reich albums, beginning in 1985 with The Desert Music and including two box sets; his most recent album was Pulse / Quartet (2018).
‘There’s just a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical History and Steve Reich is one of them.’ – Guardian.
‘Reich’s late-career masterpiece. The piece found a new tenor for Reich – clear-eyed, anguished, searching – that suited him. He wasn’t a minimalist upstart anymore; he was a moral conscience, albeit as earthbound and lost as the rest of us.’ – Pitchfork, 100 Best Albums of the 1980s.
Steve Reich has been called ‘our greatest living composer’ (New York Times) and ‘the most original musical thinker of our time’ (New Yorker). His path has embraced not only Western Classical music, but the structures, harmonies, and rhythms of non-Western and American vernacular music, particularly jazz. ‘There’s just a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history and Steve Reich is one of them,’ states the Guardian. In April 2009 Steve Reich was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his composition Double Sextet. Nonesuch has released twenty-four Steve Reich albums, beginning in 1985 with The Desert Music and including two box sets; his most recent album was Pulse / Quartet (2018).
‘There’s just a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical History and Steve Reich is one of them.’ – Guardian.
‘Reich’s late-career masterpiece. The piece found a new tenor for Reich – clear-eyed, anguished, searching – that suited him. He wasn’t a minimalist upstart anymore; he was a moral conscience, albeit as earthbound and lost as the rest of us.’ – Pitchfork, 100 Best Albums of the 1980s.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: The two finest moments in the whole Reich catalogue, the propulsive and engaging "Different Trains" and the uber-Balearic guitar composition "Electric Counterpoint" (Pat Methany ladies and gentlemen) on one record - this is essential!FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: Heavyweight 140 gram high-performance vinyl.
In November 1968, millions of double LPs were shipped to record stores worldwide ahead of that tumultuous year’s most anticipated music event: the November 22nd release of The BEATLES (soon to be better known as ‘The White Album’). With their ninth studio album, The Beatles took the world on a whole new trip, side one blasting off with the exhilarating rush of a screaming jet escorting Paul McCartney’s punchy, exuberant vocals on “Back In The U.S.S.R.” “Dear Prudence” came next, John Lennon warmly beckoning his friend and all of us to “look around.” George Harrison imparted timeless wisdom in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” singing, “With every mistake we must surely be learning.” Ringo Starr’s “Don’t Pass Me By” marked his first solo songwriting credit on a Beatles album. For 50 years, ‘The White Album’ has invited its listeners to venture forth and explore the breadth and ambition of its music, delighting and inspiring each new generation in turn.
For it’s 50th anniversary, The Beatles release a suite of lavishly presented ‘White Album’ packages. The album’s 30 tracks are newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell in stereo and 5.1 surround audio, joined by 27 early acoustic demos and 50 session takes, most of which are previously unreleased in any form.
“We had left Sgt. Pepper’s band to play in his sunny Elysian Fields and were now striding out in new directions without a map,” says Paul McCartney in his written introduction for the new ‘White Album’ releases.
This is the first time The BEATLES (‘White Album’) has been remixed and presented with additional demos and session recordings. The album’s sweeping new edition follows 2017’s universally acclaimed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Anniversary Edition releases. To create the new stereo and 5.1 surround audio mixes for ‘The White Album,’ Martin and Okell worked with an expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists at Abbey Road Studios in London. All the new ‘White Album’ releases include Martin’s new stereo album mix, sourced directly from the original four-track and eight-track session tapes. Martin’s new mix is guided by the album’s original stereo mix produced by his father, George Martin.
“In remixing ‘The White Album,’ we’ve tried to bring you as close as possible to The Beatles in the studio,” explains Giles Martin in his written introduction for the new edition. “We’ve peeled back the layers of the ‘Glass Onion’ with the hope of immersing old and new listeners into one of the most diverse and inspiring albums ever made.”
The minimalist artwork for ‘The White Album’ was created by artist Richard Hamilton, one of Britain’s leading figures in the creation and rise of pop art. The top-loading gatefold sleeve’s stark white exterior had ‘The BEATLES’ embossed on the front and printed on the spine with the album’s catalogue number. Early copies of ‘The White Album’ were also individually numbered on the front, which has also been done for the new edition’s Super Deluxe package. The set’s six CDs and Blu-ray disc are housed in a slipsleeved 164-page hardbound book, with pull-out reproductions of the original album’s four glossy color portrait photographs of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as well as the album’s large fold-out poster with a photo collage on one side and lyrics on the other. The beautiful book is illustrated with rare photographs, reproductions of handwritten and notated lyrics, previously unpublished photos of recording sheets and tape boxes, and reproduced original ‘White Album’ print ads. The book’s comprehensive written pieces include new introductions by Paul McCartney and Giles Martin, and in-depth chapters covering track-by-track details and session notes reflecting The Beatles’ year between the release of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and recording sessions for ‘The White Album,’ the band’s July 28 1968 “Mad Day Out” photo shoot in locations around London, the album artwork, the lead-up and execution of the album’s blockbuster release, and its far-ranging influence, written by Beatles historian, author and radio producer Kevin Howlett; journalist and author John Harris; and Tate Britain’s Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Andrew Wilson.
The Deluxe 3CD is presented in an embossed digipak with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, plus a 24-page booklet abridged from the Super Deluxe book. Presented in a lift-top box with a four-page booklet, the limited edition Deluxe 4LP vinyl set presents the 2LP album in a faithful, embossed reproduction of its original gatefold sleeve with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, paired with the 2LP Esher Demos in an embossed gatefold sleeve.
Much of the initial songwriting for ‘The White Album’ was done in Rishikesh, India between February and April 1968, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr joined a course at the Maharishi’s Academy of Transcendental Meditation. In a postcard to Ringo, who had returned to England before the others, John wrote, “we’ve got about two L.P.s worth of songs now so get your drums out.”
During the last week of May, The Beatles gathered at George’s house in Esher, Surrey, where they recorded acoustic demos for 27 songs. Known as the Esher Demos, all 27 recordings are included in the new edition’s Deluxe and Super Deluxe packages, sourced from the original four-track tapes. Twenty-one of the demoed songs were recorded during the subsequent studio sessions, and 19 were ultimately finished and included on ‘The White Album.’
The Beatles’ studio sessions for The BEATLES (‘White Album’) began on May 30, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios. In the 20 weeks that followed, The Beatles devoted most of their time to sessions there for the new album, with some recording also done at Trident Studios. The final session for the album took place at Abbey Road on October 16, a 24-hour marathon with producer George Martin to sequence the double album’s four sides and to complete edits and cross-fades between its songs. The Beatles’ approach to recording for ‘The White Album’ was quite different from what they had done for ‘Sgt. Pepper.’ Rather than layering individually overdubbed parts on a multi-track tape, many of the ‘White Album’ session takes were recorded to four-track and eight-track tape as group performances with a live lead vocal. The Beatles often recorded take after take for a song, as evidenced by the Super Deluxe set’s Take 102 for “Not Guilty,” a song that was not included on the album. This live-take recording style resulted in a less intricately structured, more unbridled album that would shift the course of rock music and cut a path for punk and indie rock.
The Beatles’ newly adopted method of recording all through the night was time consuming and exhausting for their producer, George Martin. Martin had other duties, including his management of AIR (Associated Independent Recording), and he had also composed the orchestral score for The Beatles’ animated feature film, Yellow Submarine, released in July 1968. After the first three months of ‘White Album’ sessions, Martin took a three-week holiday from the studio, entrusting the control room to his young assistant Chris Thomas and balance engineer Ken Scott. Scott had taken the place of engineer Geoff Emerick, who left the sessions in mid-July. On August 22, Ringo Starr also left the sessions, returning 11 days later to find his drum kit adorned with flowers from his bandmates. While the sessions’ four and a half months of long hours and many takes did spark occasional friction in the studio, the session recordings reveal the closeness, camaraderie, and collaborative strengths within the band, as well as with George Martin.
The BEATLES (‘White Album’) was the first Beatles album to be released on the group’s own Apple Records label. Issued in both stereo and mono for the U.K. and in stereo for the U.S., the double album was an immediate bestseller, entering the British chart at number one and remaining there for eight of the 22 weeks it was listed. ‘The White Album’ also debuted at number one on the U.S. chart, holding the top spot for nine weeks of its initial 65-week chart run. In his glowing ‘White Album’ review for Rolling Stone, the magazine’s co-founder Jann Wenner declared: “It is the best album they have ever released, and only The Beatles are capable of making a better one.” In the U.S., ‘The White Album’ is 19-times platinum-certified by the RIAA and in 2000, it was inducted into the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY® Hall of Fame, recognizing “recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance.”
The 180-gram 4LP vinyl box set (limited edition) pairs the 2018 stereo album mix with the 27 Esher Demos.
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
2xLP Info: 2018 stereo mix.
180-gram 2LP vinyl in gatefold sleeve with faithfully replicated original artwork.
3xDeluxe CD Info: 2018 stereo album mix + Esher Demos
The 3CD pairs the 2018 stereo album mix with the 27 Esher Demos.
Box set Info: Super Deluxe: The comprehensive, individually numbered 7-disc and digital audio collections feature:
CDs 1 & 2: The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 stereo album mix
CD3: Esher Demos
- Esher Demo tracks 1 through 19 sequenced in order of the finished song’s placement on ‘The White Album.’ Tracks 20-27 were not included on the album.
CDs 4, 5 & 6: Sessions
- 50 additional recordings, most previously unreleased, from ‘White Album’ studio sessions; all newly mixed from the four-track
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
For it’s 50th anniversary, The Beatles release a suite of lavishly presented ‘White Album’ packages. The album’s 30 tracks are newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell in stereo and 5.1 surround audio, joined by 27 early acoustic demos and 50 session takes, most of which are previously unreleased in any form.
“We had left Sgt. Pepper’s band to play in his sunny Elysian Fields and were now striding out in new directions without a map,” says Paul McCartney in his written introduction for the new ‘White Album’ releases.
This is the first time The BEATLES (‘White Album’) has been remixed and presented with additional demos and session recordings. The album’s sweeping new edition follows 2017’s universally acclaimed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Anniversary Edition releases. To create the new stereo and 5.1 surround audio mixes for ‘The White Album,’ Martin and Okell worked with an expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists at Abbey Road Studios in London. All the new ‘White Album’ releases include Martin’s new stereo album mix, sourced directly from the original four-track and eight-track session tapes. Martin’s new mix is guided by the album’s original stereo mix produced by his father, George Martin.
“In remixing ‘The White Album,’ we’ve tried to bring you as close as possible to The Beatles in the studio,” explains Giles Martin in his written introduction for the new edition. “We’ve peeled back the layers of the ‘Glass Onion’ with the hope of immersing old and new listeners into one of the most diverse and inspiring albums ever made.”
The minimalist artwork for ‘The White Album’ was created by artist Richard Hamilton, one of Britain’s leading figures in the creation and rise of pop art. The top-loading gatefold sleeve’s stark white exterior had ‘The BEATLES’ embossed on the front and printed on the spine with the album’s catalogue number. Early copies of ‘The White Album’ were also individually numbered on the front, which has also been done for the new edition’s Super Deluxe package. The set’s six CDs and Blu-ray disc are housed in a slipsleeved 164-page hardbound book, with pull-out reproductions of the original album’s four glossy color portrait photographs of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as well as the album’s large fold-out poster with a photo collage on one side and lyrics on the other. The beautiful book is illustrated with rare photographs, reproductions of handwritten and notated lyrics, previously unpublished photos of recording sheets and tape boxes, and reproduced original ‘White Album’ print ads. The book’s comprehensive written pieces include new introductions by Paul McCartney and Giles Martin, and in-depth chapters covering track-by-track details and session notes reflecting The Beatles’ year between the release of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and recording sessions for ‘The White Album,’ the band’s July 28 1968 “Mad Day Out” photo shoot in locations around London, the album artwork, the lead-up and execution of the album’s blockbuster release, and its far-ranging influence, written by Beatles historian, author and radio producer Kevin Howlett; journalist and author John Harris; and Tate Britain’s Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Andrew Wilson.
The Deluxe 3CD is presented in an embossed digipak with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, plus a 24-page booklet abridged from the Super Deluxe book. Presented in a lift-top box with a four-page booklet, the limited edition Deluxe 4LP vinyl set presents the 2LP album in a faithful, embossed reproduction of its original gatefold sleeve with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, paired with the 2LP Esher Demos in an embossed gatefold sleeve.
Much of the initial songwriting for ‘The White Album’ was done in Rishikesh, India between February and April 1968, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr joined a course at the Maharishi’s Academy of Transcendental Meditation. In a postcard to Ringo, who had returned to England before the others, John wrote, “we’ve got about two L.P.s worth of songs now so get your drums out.”
During the last week of May, The Beatles gathered at George’s house in Esher, Surrey, where they recorded acoustic demos for 27 songs. Known as the Esher Demos, all 27 recordings are included in the new edition’s Deluxe and Super Deluxe packages, sourced from the original four-track tapes. Twenty-one of the demoed songs were recorded during the subsequent studio sessions, and 19 were ultimately finished and included on ‘The White Album.’
The Beatles’ studio sessions for The BEATLES (‘White Album’) began on May 30, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios. In the 20 weeks that followed, The Beatles devoted most of their time to sessions there for the new album, with some recording also done at Trident Studios. The final session for the album took place at Abbey Road on October 16, a 24-hour marathon with producer George Martin to sequence the double album’s four sides and to complete edits and cross-fades between its songs. The Beatles’ approach to recording for ‘The White Album’ was quite different from what they had done for ‘Sgt. Pepper.’ Rather than layering individually overdubbed parts on a multi-track tape, many of the ‘White Album’ session takes were recorded to four-track and eight-track tape as group performances with a live lead vocal. The Beatles often recorded take after take for a song, as evidenced by the Super Deluxe set’s Take 102 for “Not Guilty,” a song that was not included on the album. This live-take recording style resulted in a less intricately structured, more unbridled album that would shift the course of rock music and cut a path for punk and indie rock.
The Beatles’ newly adopted method of recording all through the night was time consuming and exhausting for their producer, George Martin. Martin had other duties, including his management of AIR (Associated Independent Recording), and he had also composed the orchestral score for The Beatles’ animated feature film, Yellow Submarine, released in July 1968. After the first three months of ‘White Album’ sessions, Martin took a three-week holiday from the studio, entrusting the control room to his young assistant Chris Thomas and balance engineer Ken Scott. Scott had taken the place of engineer Geoff Emerick, who left the sessions in mid-July. On August 22, Ringo Starr also left the sessions, returning 11 days later to find his drum kit adorned with flowers from his bandmates. While the sessions’ four and a half months of long hours and many takes did spark occasional friction in the studio, the session recordings reveal the closeness, camaraderie, and collaborative strengths within the band, as well as with George Martin.
The BEATLES (‘White Album’) was the first Beatles album to be released on the group’s own Apple Records label. Issued in both stereo and mono for the U.K. and in stereo for the U.S., the double album was an immediate bestseller, entering the British chart at number one and remaining there for eight of the 22 weeks it was listed. ‘The White Album’ also debuted at number one on the U.S. chart, holding the top spot for nine weeks of its initial 65-week chart run. In his glowing ‘White Album’ review for Rolling Stone, the magazine’s co-founder Jann Wenner declared: “It is the best album they have ever released, and only The Beatles are capable of making a better one.” In the U.S., ‘The White Album’ is 19-times platinum-certified by the RIAA and in 2000, it was inducted into the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY® Hall of Fame, recognizing “recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
4xDeluxe LP Info: 2018 stereo album mix + Esher DemosThe 180-gram 4LP vinyl box set (limited edition) pairs the 2018 stereo album mix with the 27 Esher Demos.
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
2xLP Info: 2018 stereo mix.
180-gram 2LP vinyl in gatefold sleeve with faithfully replicated original artwork.
3xDeluxe CD Info: 2018 stereo album mix + Esher Demos
The 3CD pairs the 2018 stereo album mix with the 27 Esher Demos.
Box set Info: Super Deluxe: The comprehensive, individually numbered 7-disc and digital audio collections feature:
CDs 1 & 2: The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 stereo album mix
CD3: Esher Demos
- Esher Demo tracks 1 through 19 sequenced in order of the finished song’s placement on ‘The White Album.’ Tracks 20-27 were not included on the album.
CDs 4, 5 & 6: Sessions
- 50 additional recordings, most previously unreleased, from ‘White Album’ studio sessions; all newly mixed from the four-track
FREE SHIPPING This item has FREE UK shipping!
As some of you may or may not know, for the past few years, as a holiday tradition, Sufjan has embarked on an extraordinary experiment to record an annual Christmas EP. It started in 2001, the year of Epiphanies, and continued onward (skipping only 2004), culminating into an odd and idiosyncratic catalog of music that has only existed in the Asthmatic Kitty archives (and on a number of file sharing sites). The recording process took place every December, for one week, usually at home, provoking collaborations with friends, roommates, and musical peers. Armed with a Reader's Digest Christmas Songbook (and a mug of hot cider) Sufjan & friends concocted a musical fruit cake year after year, implementing every musical instrument they could find lying around the house: banjo, oboe, Casiotone, wood flute, a buzzy guitar, hand claps, sleigh bells, Hammond organ, and some tree tinsel. Did we mention sleigh bells? It doesn't take much to capture that Creepy Christmas Feeling, does it? Recorded, mixed and mastered at home, the EPs themselves were often assembled in the kitchen, stapled together, and sent out with stickers and stamps to loved ones across the globe, year after year. Recording traditional favourites alongside unique originals, Sufjan has, over the course of five years, constructed an odd, impressive, and compelling collection of Christmas hits (and some misses) that will either warm your heart or make you throw up eggnog all over the bath mat (depending on your constitution). Asthmatic Kitty now releases ALL of the material (newly mixed and mastered) in one generous box set.
FORMAT INFORMATION
5xLP Box Set Info: 5 LP box set.
New label Concentric Circles open their account with a vinyl release of Carola Baer's "The Story of Valery", which is comprised of music from a one-off demo cassette found in a thrift store. Beautiful personal & emotionally resonant drum computer mantras in the key of Dead Can Dance, The Cocteau Twins and classic 4AD.
The discovery of a cassette of Carola Baer's early 90s private home recordings was like finding a needle in a haystack. Made as a one-off mixtape of newly recorded songs, and given to a long-since
forgotten recipient, this cassette was found in 2017 at a Goodwill "bins" location in Portland, Oregon. These chaotic, by-the-pound thrift stores contain 1000's of unsorted items in constant flux, which are only available for the public to buy for a limited time before they are discarded. The prospect that this obscure relic would be rescued from its untimely fate is nothing short of a miracle. As this tape was the only one in existence, with no back up versions of many of the songs, it's more than likely that this
music would have been lost forever.
"The Story of Valerie" is made up of songs culled from that cassette, with a few additional tracks from the time, and is the first time Carola Baer's solo material has been heard by the public. The intense emotion of the music is brought upon by the primary themes of the album: the cruelty of humanity, isolated life as a British immigrant in the US, and the pain of doomed relationships. Despite being inspired by classic 4AD acts like Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins, Baer's home recordings have a sound and style that is uniquely her own. Many of the tracks feel like musical exorcisms, with Baer's spine tingling voice soaring above minimal arrangements for Yamaha DX-7 and Casio CZ-101 synthesizers. Like finding a stranger’s diary, the listener is granted access to music that is emotionally raw and deeply personal.
The discovery of a cassette of Carola Baer's early 90s private home recordings was like finding a needle in a haystack. Made as a one-off mixtape of newly recorded songs, and given to a long-since
forgotten recipient, this cassette was found in 2017 at a Goodwill "bins" location in Portland, Oregon. These chaotic, by-the-pound thrift stores contain 1000's of unsorted items in constant flux, which are only available for the public to buy for a limited time before they are discarded. The prospect that this obscure relic would be rescued from its untimely fate is nothing short of a miracle. As this tape was the only one in existence, with no back up versions of many of the songs, it's more than likely that this
music would have been lost forever.
"The Story of Valerie" is made up of songs culled from that cassette, with a few additional tracks from the time, and is the first time Carola Baer's solo material has been heard by the public. The intense emotion of the music is brought upon by the primary themes of the album: the cruelty of humanity, isolated life as a British immigrant in the US, and the pain of doomed relationships. Despite being inspired by classic 4AD acts like Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins, Baer's home recordings have a sound and style that is uniquely her own. Many of the tracks feel like musical exorcisms, with Baer's spine tingling voice soaring above minimal arrangements for Yamaha DX-7 and Casio CZ-101 synthesizers. Like finding a stranger’s diary, the listener is granted access to music that is emotionally raw and deeply personal.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Even without the totally improbable and wonderfully romantic backstory (one off cassette found among thousands in a thrift shop bin), Carola Baer's "The Story Of Valerie" is irresistible. Mournful, melodic, epic and unique, Baer takes the bedroom synth pop stylings of the Cocteau's and twists it into something entirely her own. Be thankful that this one got saved from the tip.
Pivotal, iconic, groundbreaking & pioneering, the third part of Jeff Mills and Rob Hood's "Waveform Tranmission" series is given a limited re-run. When this originally came out in 1994 on Tresor it sounded fierce, uncompromising and unique - and perfectly encapsulated the spirit and energy across the German capital following the collapse of the Berlin Wall. As such Jeff and Rob became heros and flagbearers for the techno sound in Europe, miles away from their home in Detroit (who would take much, much longer to embrace the sound outside the select group of DJs, producers and dancers which were involved in the scene).
The unrelenting tempos, machine-code drums and alien frequencies would soundtrack many a 48-hour weekend as the punk spirited, electronically-guided party spirit came into blossom throughout the 90s.
An absolute masterpiece which every home should posses. Limited to 1500 hand numbered copies - this is one techno album you can't be without!
The unrelenting tempos, machine-code drums and alien frequencies would soundtrack many a 48-hour weekend as the punk spirited, electronically-guided party spirit came into blossom throughout the 90s.
An absolute masterpiece which every home should posses. Limited to 1500 hand numbered copies - this is one techno album you can't be without!
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: They don't make 'em like this anymore... Boundry dissolving militancy from the Wizard. One of his most uncompromising and arresting releases in his catalogue.FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: This repress is a stamped and hand-numbered edition, limited to 1500 units.
‘Peng!’ is the band’s 1992 debut album.
Often noted as being one of the most influential and original bands of the 90s, Stereolab were formed by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier in London in 1990 and released 13 studio albums, 15 EPs and numerous singles. Simon Reynolds commented in Rolling Stone that the group’s early records form “an endlessly seductive body of work that sounds always the same, always different.”
Theirs is a rich, overflowing palette, readily able to blur the gulf between Os Mutantes and the BBC Radiophonic Orchestra; merge Krzysztof Komeda with the Velvet Underground, Francoise Hardy with Neu! and Burt Bacharach with Esquivel. A deluxe blend, in other words, with ingredients plucked assiduously from pop’s coolest outposts: 50’s lounge, Rive Gauche chanson, Brazilian tropicalia, North American art rock, East European film music, Krautrock. hi-fi test recordings, mood music and more. Somehow they distil these apparently incongruent components into an ageless exotica that is all their own.
Often noted as being one of the most influential and original bands of the 90s, Stereolab were formed by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier in London in 1990 and released 13 studio albums, 15 EPs and numerous singles. Simon Reynolds commented in Rolling Stone that the group’s early records form “an endlessly seductive body of work that sounds always the same, always different.”
Theirs is a rich, overflowing palette, readily able to blur the gulf between Os Mutantes and the BBC Radiophonic Orchestra; merge Krzysztof Komeda with the Velvet Underground, Francoise Hardy with Neu! and Burt Bacharach with Esquivel. A deluxe blend, in other words, with ingredients plucked assiduously from pop’s coolest outposts: 50’s lounge, Rive Gauche chanson, Brazilian tropicalia, North American art rock, East European film music, Krautrock. hi-fi test recordings, mood music and more. Somehow they distil these apparently incongruent components into an ageless exotica that is all their own.
‘The Groop Played Space Age Batchelor Pad Music’ is an 8-track mini album, released in 1993.
Often noted as being one of the most influential and original bands of the 90s, Stereolab were formed by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier in London in 1990 and released 13 studio albums, 15 EPs and numerous singles. Simon Reynolds commented in Rolling Stone that the group’s early records form “an endlessly seductive body of work that sounds always the same, always different.”
Theirs is a rich, overflowing palette, readily able to blur the gulf between Os Mutantes and the BBC Radiophonic Orchestra; merge Krzysztof Komeda with the Velvet Underground, Francoise Hardy with Neu! and Burt Bacharach with Esquivel. A deluxe blend, in other words, with ingredients plucked assiduously from pop’s coolest outposts: 50’s lounge, Rive Gauche chanson, Brazilian tropicalia, North American art rock, East European film music, Krautrock. hi-fi test recordings, mood music and more. Somehow they distil these apparently incongruent components into an ageless exotica that is all their own.
Often noted as being one of the most influential and original bands of the 90s, Stereolab were formed by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier in London in 1990 and released 13 studio albums, 15 EPs and numerous singles. Simon Reynolds commented in Rolling Stone that the group’s early records form “an endlessly seductive body of work that sounds always the same, always different.”
Theirs is a rich, overflowing palette, readily able to blur the gulf between Os Mutantes and the BBC Radiophonic Orchestra; merge Krzysztof Komeda with the Velvet Underground, Francoise Hardy with Neu! and Burt Bacharach with Esquivel. A deluxe blend, in other words, with ingredients plucked assiduously from pop’s coolest outposts: 50’s lounge, Rive Gauche chanson, Brazilian tropicalia, North American art rock, East European film music, Krautrock. hi-fi test recordings, mood music and more. Somehow they distil these apparently incongruent components into an ageless exotica that is all their own.
Montreal based Desire is blissed out Euro disco featuring Johnny Jewel on synth and guitars, (Chromatics, Glass Candy) Nate Walker on drums, (Chromatics) and hot as glass, Montreal singer, Megan-Louise. What sets Johnny Jewel's great production style apart from so many others is his reluctance to use computers and new equipment in both production and live performance, thus giving the music and analog quality that is infinitely more arresting than most contemporary disco counterparts. Features the hit song "Under Your Spell" which was on the Original Soundtrack for 2011's Drive (film featuring Ryan Gosling).
Before releasing a string of albums on the El Paraiso label and hitting upon their trademark sound of soft, warm and even jazz-tinged psychedelic rock, Papir released their first and perhaps most experimental record to the world in a limited pressing of only 250 copies. Even in their early days, the Copenhagen trio Christoffer Brøchmann Christensen, Nicklas Sørensen and Christian Becher Clausen were virtuosos in their art of hypnotizing rock, and their debut record is a testament to the group’s early devotion to krautrock. Incorporating haunting, industrial sounds, keyboards and otherworldly guitar sounds into their tapestry of sound, Papir gives a glimpse into the band’s early days where a certain weird joy in experimentation was palatable.
Hints of the blissful psychedelia the band is now known for shine through in intervals, only to collide against beeps and loops, submerging and emerging while unexpected sounds assail the listener. Papir is a beautiful and highly unique record in the band’s catalog that will be appreciated by the band’s current fans as well as krautrock enthusiasts. Papir’s first studio album is a powerful statement that established the band immediately as one of the most creative psychedelic forces in the European scene. Stickman Records is reissuing the record for the first time on vinyl since 2010.
Hints of the blissful psychedelia the band is now known for shine through in intervals, only to collide against beeps and loops, submerging and emerging while unexpected sounds assail the listener. Papir is a beautiful and highly unique record in the band’s catalog that will be appreciated by the band’s current fans as well as krautrock enthusiasts. Papir’s first studio album is a powerful statement that established the band immediately as one of the most creative psychedelic forces in the European scene. Stickman Records is reissuing the record for the first time on vinyl since 2010.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: 180 gram neon yellow vinyl including download code.
Essential psychedelic cumbia album.
At the beginning of the year 1966, in the Amazonian city Pucallpa of Peru, the merchant and musician Juan Wong Paredes decided to form a group to share and play some upbeat music throughout the city.
Wong Paredes, of Chinese ancestry, enjoyed playing music with his accordion, especially at the Peruvian jungle parties known as "tahuampas". After finishing a stretch of military service, his son Juan Wong Popolizio decided to collaborate with his father's band, and was joined by his friend Noe Fachín, who took on the lead guitar and composing duties.
Popolizio and Fachín worked together to select six young natives from the area who shared their same love for exotic music, rhythms and modern tracks that filtered in directly from the Colombian and Brazilian borders. All together, these members became one of the best psychedelic cumbia bands ever: Juaneco y Su Combo.
The members of the band included Juan Wong Popilizio as the official director, keyboard player, and musical arranger of the group, Noe Fachín as the lead guitar, and Wilindoro Cacique as the main vocalist as well as the guiro and tambourine player. They were joined by Walter Domínguez on bass guitar, Rosendo Hidalgo on drums, Wilberto Murrieta on second guitar, Juvencio Pinchi on percussions, and Jairo Aguilar Tejada on the bongo.
In 1972, they were signed by Infopesa and recorded their first LP: The classic "El Gran Cacique". This LP, named eponymously after the nickname of the leader of the band, featured a timeless version of the Brazilian toada "Mulher Rendeira" with vocals from Wilindoro Cacique, becoming an instant hit. "Vacilando con Ayahuasca," an instrumental cumbia composed by Noe Fachín, was also recorded for this album, and it featured some sexy hypnotic vocals from Infopesa´s secretary.
Nowadays, "El Gran Cacique" is considered one of the world´s essential cumbia records, and after 46 years since its first press this iconic LP returns as zestful as ever in a special vinyl reissue that will surely reignite the psychedelic craze one more time.
This limited vinyl release was remastered from the original analog tapes at Infopesa's studio by Aldo Montalvo under the direction of Juan Ricardo and Alberto Maraví, who produced and oversaw the original mastering of the record in 1972. It's packaged with an artwork that uses the original cover of the LP reinterpreted by well-known Peruvian collage master Yerko Zlatar.
At the beginning of the year 1966, in the Amazonian city Pucallpa of Peru, the merchant and musician Juan Wong Paredes decided to form a group to share and play some upbeat music throughout the city.
Wong Paredes, of Chinese ancestry, enjoyed playing music with his accordion, especially at the Peruvian jungle parties known as "tahuampas". After finishing a stretch of military service, his son Juan Wong Popolizio decided to collaborate with his father's band, and was joined by his friend Noe Fachín, who took on the lead guitar and composing duties.
Popolizio and Fachín worked together to select six young natives from the area who shared their same love for exotic music, rhythms and modern tracks that filtered in directly from the Colombian and Brazilian borders. All together, these members became one of the best psychedelic cumbia bands ever: Juaneco y Su Combo.
The members of the band included Juan Wong Popilizio as the official director, keyboard player, and musical arranger of the group, Noe Fachín as the lead guitar, and Wilindoro Cacique as the main vocalist as well as the guiro and tambourine player. They were joined by Walter Domínguez on bass guitar, Rosendo Hidalgo on drums, Wilberto Murrieta on second guitar, Juvencio Pinchi on percussions, and Jairo Aguilar Tejada on the bongo.
In 1972, they were signed by Infopesa and recorded their first LP: The classic "El Gran Cacique". This LP, named eponymously after the nickname of the leader of the band, featured a timeless version of the Brazilian toada "Mulher Rendeira" with vocals from Wilindoro Cacique, becoming an instant hit. "Vacilando con Ayahuasca," an instrumental cumbia composed by Noe Fachín, was also recorded for this album, and it featured some sexy hypnotic vocals from Infopesa´s secretary.
Nowadays, "El Gran Cacique" is considered one of the world´s essential cumbia records, and after 46 years since its first press this iconic LP returns as zestful as ever in a special vinyl reissue that will surely reignite the psychedelic craze one more time.
This limited vinyl release was remastered from the original analog tapes at Infopesa's studio by Aldo Montalvo under the direction of Juan Ricardo and Alberto Maraví, who produced and oversaw the original mastering of the record in 1972. It's packaged with an artwork that uses the original cover of the LP reinterpreted by well-known Peruvian collage master Yerko Zlatar.
WRWTFWW continue to RWTFTW this week with the first official reissue of crazy J-wave grail "Lingua Franca-1" by Kyoto crew EP-4. Originally released in 1983, this sampler mashing, distorto-clashing, gear grinding stormer is essential listening for fans of Liquid Liquid, PiL, Talking Heads, Colored Music, Grauzone, David Bowie, Yello.
Straight from the delirious minds of unconventional geniuses Kaoru Sato (who had previously released an album as R.N.A. Organism on legendary Osaka label Vanity Records) and Yuji "Banana" Kawashima, "Lingua Franca-1" is a seamless voyage of spellbinding mutant funk grooves, joyful post-punk explorations, synth fantasies, sexy distortions, and fluid cool-no-sweat vocals. Constantly mutating in an almost biological way (similarly to Colored Music’s self-titled album), always mysterious and seductive, sometimes reminiscing of a freaky cross between PiL, Liquid Liquid, Bowie and Yello, EP-4’s debut is hard to label, although "Debonair Wave" could be a legitimate way to describe this Japan’s best-kept-secret of an album.
Defying the rules wasn’t limited to sonic experimentations for band leader Kaoru Sato. To promote Lingua Franca-1, he and his crew plastered gigantic (illegal) billboards all over Shibuya and Harajuku, announcing performances in four different cities on odd hours of the same day (May 5th 1983). Other of his notable antics included originally sub-titling the album Death to the Emperor Showa causing a controversy (which led to censorship and a title-change), trying to release two albums on the same day without the concerned labels being aware of the plan or, in the R.N.A. Organism days, fooling Vanity Records into believing the demo he sent them came from a foreign band (it worked). Unique personality, unique music!
Straight from the delirious minds of unconventional geniuses Kaoru Sato (who had previously released an album as R.N.A. Organism on legendary Osaka label Vanity Records) and Yuji "Banana" Kawashima, "Lingua Franca-1" is a seamless voyage of spellbinding mutant funk grooves, joyful post-punk explorations, synth fantasies, sexy distortions, and fluid cool-no-sweat vocals. Constantly mutating in an almost biological way (similarly to Colored Music’s self-titled album), always mysterious and seductive, sometimes reminiscing of a freaky cross between PiL, Liquid Liquid, Bowie and Yello, EP-4’s debut is hard to label, although "Debonair Wave" could be a legitimate way to describe this Japan’s best-kept-secret of an album.
Defying the rules wasn’t limited to sonic experimentations for band leader Kaoru Sato. To promote Lingua Franca-1, he and his crew plastered gigantic (illegal) billboards all over Shibuya and Harajuku, announcing performances in four different cities on odd hours of the same day (May 5th 1983). Other of his notable antics included originally sub-titling the album Death to the Emperor Showa causing a controversy (which led to censorship and a title-change), trying to release two albums on the same day without the concerned labels being aware of the plan or, in the R.N.A. Organism days, fooling Vanity Records into believing the demo he sent them came from a foreign band (it worked). Unique personality, unique music!
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: Vinyl housed in heavy 350gsm sleeve.
Brilliant self-released, private-press jazz/soul LP from 1975, recorded at Sunset Sound studios in LA. This is the super-rare debut album from SpaceArk, a band of brothers on an interstellar voyage to discover “electrifying new sounds”. It’s another one of those private press treasures - a dynamic group of talents seizing the moment and making magic in an astounding 12-hour turnaround.
A powerful western drama set in the savage Eden of 1880s Australia; "The Proposition" is an elemental story of family conflict and primal violence, destructive love and divided loyalties. Featuring an international superstar cast including Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson and Danny Huston, it is directed by John Hillcoat from a specially commissioned script by the globally acclaimed singer-songwriter Nick Cave. 'Because of Nick's narrative songwriting, the characters are so vivid,' says Hillcoat. 'I knew something really good would come out of it.' Cave has also composed the film's soundtrack in conjunction with Warren Ellis, his longtime Bad Seeds collaborator and multi-instrumentalist frontman of The Dirty Three. Incorporating soft chamber pieces, ghostly moodscapes and whispered laments, these 16 tracks are as starkly beautiful as the landscape of the film. Story and music are closely intertwined.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Gold vinyl (limited to 750 units in the UK).
This is the first time the complete score to The Conversation has been released on vinyl. The film itself was originally released in 1974 and a 7” demo of the theme was sent out as promotional material by Paramount (PAA-0305), but a USA stock edition was never issued. In Japan the same music was also issued on a 7” at about the same time (JET-2273), with a picture sleeve, but until now nothing else has ever been pressed on vinyl.
Jonny Trunk’s little obsession with this music began after I’d caught the film, late night, sometime in the mid 1990s. Musically it’s an exceptional example of the “new minimalism” in film music of the period, marking a departure (for some) from big scores to smaller, more economic ensemble sounds.
The film was written, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and is still a thrilling journey into sound, mind and murder. Heavily influenced by Antonioni’s Blow-Up (and not, as some thought, by Watergate), Coppola wanted to fuse the concept of Blow-Up with “the world of audio surveillance”. The story centres around Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a mac-wearing professional wire-tapper and clandestine bugger who gets unusually consumed by a conversation he’s been paid to record. Caul is a loner, an obsessive-compulsive character with numerous neuroses that play out brilliantly throughout the film. And as he slowly pieces together the conversation fragments and forms his own story around it, his world falls apart.
Sonically this movie – all about sound - is groundbreaking in many ways, with actual “sound design” provided by the legendary Walter Murch - the man who actually invented the term in the first place.
For the music, Coppola wisely chose a young David Shire, his brother in law. Shire’s deceptively simple piano theme (composed because of no budget for big orchestra) is one of tragic beauty, brilliantly capturing Caul’s loneliness, his slightly disturbed nature and this trip into darkness. The melody has both sweet and sour tones, feeling a little like a slow ragtime, which both develops and retreats throughout the film; there are even trips into avant-garde territory with electro-acoustic flourishes and concrète. The solo, agitated figure of Caul, wearing his distinctive transparent mac, is made all the more raw and poignant by the score - the sparse and curiously emotional compositions are unlike any others I can think of from the period.
The soundtrack for The Conversation proved to be a major break for Shire, his career really taking off from this musical point. His next score was to be the underground classic Taking Of Pelham 123, followed up later ironically by All The Presidents Men - a thriller about the Watergate scandal.
The Conversation went on to win several awards and nominations, and has become a classic of the “New Hollywood” movement. Hopefully now this music may become part of the renewed interest in old film soundtracks.
Jonny Trunk’s little obsession with this music began after I’d caught the film, late night, sometime in the mid 1990s. Musically it’s an exceptional example of the “new minimalism” in film music of the period, marking a departure (for some) from big scores to smaller, more economic ensemble sounds.
The film was written, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and is still a thrilling journey into sound, mind and murder. Heavily influenced by Antonioni’s Blow-Up (and not, as some thought, by Watergate), Coppola wanted to fuse the concept of Blow-Up with “the world of audio surveillance”. The story centres around Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a mac-wearing professional wire-tapper and clandestine bugger who gets unusually consumed by a conversation he’s been paid to record. Caul is a loner, an obsessive-compulsive character with numerous neuroses that play out brilliantly throughout the film. And as he slowly pieces together the conversation fragments and forms his own story around it, his world falls apart.
Sonically this movie – all about sound - is groundbreaking in many ways, with actual “sound design” provided by the legendary Walter Murch - the man who actually invented the term in the first place.
For the music, Coppola wisely chose a young David Shire, his brother in law. Shire’s deceptively simple piano theme (composed because of no budget for big orchestra) is one of tragic beauty, brilliantly capturing Caul’s loneliness, his slightly disturbed nature and this trip into darkness. The melody has both sweet and sour tones, feeling a little like a slow ragtime, which both develops and retreats throughout the film; there are even trips into avant-garde territory with electro-acoustic flourishes and concrète. The solo, agitated figure of Caul, wearing his distinctive transparent mac, is made all the more raw and poignant by the score - the sparse and curiously emotional compositions are unlike any others I can think of from the period.
The soundtrack for The Conversation proved to be a major break for Shire, his career really taking off from this musical point. His next score was to be the underground classic Taking Of Pelham 123, followed up later ironically by All The Presidents Men - a thriller about the Watergate scandal.
The Conversation went on to win several awards and nominations, and has become a classic of the “New Hollywood” movement. Hopefully now this music may become part of the renewed interest in old film soundtracks.
The Disco Demands series started sometime in the early 2000s - I couldn't give you an exact year because it didn't feel like a big deal, so I never noted it. I simply wanted to put out a compilation of some records I really liked and maybe make a little of the money back I was spending on them. Buy some food and stuff. There's always been Disco comps around of course but there was rarely anything that strayed too far from the standards.. the same songs kept appearing over and over again, or the comps would feature records you could pick up anywhere for little money. I've never seen the point in that. I gave up judging a record on its value or rarity a long time ago but surely there's more to disco than Exodus, Martin Circus, Mass Production and all those Salsoul, West End and bloody Prelude records. So it was a nice surprise to find that there were other people out there who thought the same way.
Volume 1 was pretty straightforward - just some nice records, with the only edit being an instrumental of Disco Socks; a strange, thinly veiled reference to the disco sucks movement. Then on Volume 2 I included a few of my edits and introduced the cover up concept to the disco world. That caused a bit of controversy, which of course I loved. And so it continued for five volumes.
What we have here then is the full series, give or take one or two cuts, all remastered, many re-re-edited, with lots of nice naked pictures to boot. For those who've asked since day one "will there be vinyl" I can finally say yes, you're holding it!
Volume 1 was pretty straightforward - just some nice records, with the only edit being an instrumental of Disco Socks; a strange, thinly veiled reference to the disco sucks movement. Then on Volume 2 I included a few of my edits and introduced the cover up concept to the disco world. That caused a bit of controversy, which of course I loved. And so it continued for five volumes.
What we have here then is the full series, give or take one or two cuts, all remastered, many re-re-edited, with lots of nice naked pictures to boot. For those who've asked since day one "will there be vinyl" I can finally say yes, you're holding it!
'I Want To Be With You…But Sometimes Life Becomes Too Real…I Want To See The Things In My Heart I Know I Feel'.
The opening track is a love song written from the perspective of the camera, asking to be held up to see the world through the eyes of its user. Chromatics’ dense electronics are anchored by the intimacy of Ruth Radelet’s vocals. Framed by negative space, this is pop music from the blurry hours. She softly sings, 'I write a song in my head, pretend that I’m lying in your arms'. The music is minimal & bare, layered with sparse percussion. The Camera EP features unreleased material, including a haunting take on Dear Tommy’s title track & the midnight mood of "Flashback To Forever".
Ltd 12" Info: Ivory white vinyl.
The opening track is a love song written from the perspective of the camera, asking to be held up to see the world through the eyes of its user. Chromatics’ dense electronics are anchored by the intimacy of Ruth Radelet’s vocals. Framed by negative space, this is pop music from the blurry hours. She softly sings, 'I write a song in my head, pretend that I’m lying in your arms'. The music is minimal & bare, layered with sparse percussion. The Camera EP features unreleased material, including a haunting take on Dear Tommy’s title track & the midnight mood of "Flashback To Forever".
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: Chromatics turn their daze to the auto-tuned neo-tropicalia-R'n'B that seams to be the commercial sound of the Summer and deliver it in effortless style.FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: 3rd Edition pressed on 180-gram cherry red vinyl.Ltd 12" Info: Ivory white vinyl.
This was the follow up to the "Healer/Witness" white label 12 inch & the last recordings Chromatics made before Ruth Radelet joined the band. Archival reissue originally recorded 2004-2005 in Portland. Out of print for over a decade, this new LP version includes unreleased outtakes & alternate mixes from the original tapes. Recorded during the first experimental studio period for Chromatics that would eventually become the sound of the "Night Drive" album.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Gatefold LP pressed on 180-gram ivory vinyl.
Glitz, gloss, glamour and grit from the mean streets of NYC here, as Chromatics' cinematic synth chanson "Lady" gets plucked off "Kill For Love" and slapped on a maxi Pink Champagne coloured vinyl. A perfect combination of pulsating bass, trembling synth keys and soft focus vocals, "Lady" is vintage IDIB, especially when that stomping beat comes in. The "Looking For Love (Instrumental)" is a killer bit of moody and hypnotic Italo heat for warm ups and rub downs, while the synthetic grandeur of "Lady" comes through fully via the instrumental version. The B-side features the unreleased “Lady” (On Film) which contains the 3rd vocal verse that was never released on “Kill For Love,” plus the extended 15 minute disco version of “Looking For Love”, a frankly epic addition to any Italo collection.
FORMAT INFORMATION
12" Info: Pink champagne coloured vinyl.
Persian-American cryptic electronic ingenue Farah can’t be solved or explained. She makes dreamy, archly somber disco tunes that somehow sound both spontaneous & immaculate, painstaking & off-the-cuff. Crooning laconically — sometimes in English, sometimes in Farsi, but always with the taste of a woman too cool to betray anything as vulgar as emotion. “Come, come, come, come, come, come, come” she commands on “The Only Ones”, the chant a wanton incantation. It’s difficult to tell if the majestic synths that swirl around her are in harmony with the spirit or its counterpoint.
B-Side “Baby Girl” delves into a chorus of Persian idiom: “Dooset daram,” she sings, or “I love you” in the Iranian expression. The song has the air of enigma — another of Farah’s dance floor mysteries. The instrumental tracks that bookend the record are its atmospheric framing device. Enter the maze.
B-Side “Baby Girl” delves into a chorus of Persian idiom: “Dooset daram,” she sings, or “I love you” in the Iranian expression. The song has the air of enigma — another of Farah’s dance floor mysteries. The instrumental tracks that bookend the record are its atmospheric framing device. Enter the maze.
FORMAT INFORMATION
12" Info: 180-gram pink champagne vinyl.
The neon lights that decorate a dive bar’s window cast a vivid reflection in rainwater on the pavement outside, as steam rises from deep beneath the ground. A slow pan across the scene, past alleys cast in shadow, twilit corners & glass doorways streaked with the mist of humid bodies fuming inside: the camera catches the denizens of an unnamed city, studying faces heavy with secrets too sad to bear. Cut to the motorway. Sleek cars barrel through the night. Sirens moan. Engines rev. You’re behind the wheel, over the edge as the credits roll.
This film does not exist — but the soundtrack does. Symmetry is Johnny Jewel & Nat Walker, & Themes For an Imaginary Film is their two-hour cinematic opus pokus, a sprawling score for a movie that screens only in your mind. A “conceptual tangent between Glass Candy, Chromatics, Mirage, & Desire’s more abstract sides,” as Jewel himself describes the project, Symmetry is a vigorous, electric, restless exploration of ideas on the bleeding edge of instrumental sound. Analog synthesizers roll and crest, drums collide, keys cascade clear & crystalline. These themes evoke the phantasmic images that inspired them: urgent and ethereal, sinister & romantic. It’s a neo-noir epic of pink fog & femme fatales hidden behind rain drenched windshields after dark.
This film does not exist — but the soundtrack does. Symmetry is Johnny Jewel & Nat Walker, & Themes For an Imaginary Film is their two-hour cinematic opus pokus, a sprawling score for a movie that screens only in your mind. A “conceptual tangent between Glass Candy, Chromatics, Mirage, & Desire’s more abstract sides,” as Jewel himself describes the project, Symmetry is a vigorous, electric, restless exploration of ideas on the bleeding edge of instrumental sound. Analog synthesizers roll and crest, drums collide, keys cascade clear & crystalline. These themes evoke the phantasmic images that inspired them: urgent and ethereal, sinister & romantic. It’s a neo-noir epic of pink fog & femme fatales hidden behind rain drenched windshields after dark.
To kick off the start of a year-long 40th anniversary campaign, we are reissuing four of OMD's albums on 180g vinyl. They will all be half speed mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and housed in original packaging.
Architecture & Morality is the band's third studio album which reached #3 in the UK chart and features top 5 singles 'Souvenir', 'Joan of Arc' and 'Maid of Orleans'.
Architecture & Morality is the band's third studio album which reached #3 in the UK chart and features top 5 singles 'Souvenir', 'Joan of Arc' and 'Maid of Orleans'.
STAFF COMMENTS
Andy says: Beautiful album which includes three stunning singles in Joan Of Arc, Maid of Orleans and of course,Souvenir.FORMAT INFORMATION
LP includes MP3 Download Code.
To kick off the start of a year-long 40th anniversary campaign, we are reissuing four of OMD's albums on 180g vinyl. They will all be half speed mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and housed in original packaging.
The self-titled album, Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark, features hit singles 'Electricity' and 'Messages'.
The self-titled album, Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark, features hit singles 'Electricity' and 'Messages'.
To kick off the start of a year-long 40th anniversary campaign, we are reissuing four of OMD's albums on 180g vinyl. They will all be half speed mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and housed in original packaging.
Organisation is the band's second studio album which reached #6 in the UK chart and features top 10 single 'Enola Gay'.
Organisation is the band's second studio album which reached #6 in the UK chart and features top 10 single 'Enola Gay'.
To kick off the start of a year-long 40th anniversary campaign, we are reissuing four of OMD's albums on 180g vinyl. They will all be half speed mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and housed in original packaging.
Released in 1983, Dazzle Ships is the band's third studio album which reached #5 in the UK chart and features singles 'Genetic Engineering' and 'Telegraph'.
Released in 1983, Dazzle Ships is the band's third studio album which reached #5 in the UK chart and features singles 'Genetic Engineering' and 'Telegraph'.
This is the original Arcade Fire demo EP recorded in August 2003 in a barn in Maine, and featuring an earlier line up of the band (Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Dane Mills, Brendan Reed and Myles Broscoe). It was produced by Richard Reed Parry, Win and Régine, and was originally only available at shows.
The EP features an early version of fan favourite “No Cars Go”.
The EP features an early version of fan favourite “No Cars Go”.
Finally back in print on CD and vinyl after being sold out for more than a decade! The original single-LP version, released in 2007 on Elektrohasch, has been selling for ridiculous prices on Discogs and eBay. Even the CDs are much sought after collectors items almost impossible to find - until now. For the first time out on glorious double vinyl with a 20 minute bonus track recorded live at the Roadburn Festival in 2007. Remastered by Jonas Munk.
Imagine a tidal wave sweeping up from the 1960s through the 1970s; then cresting in the 1990s before finally crashing on a present shore – that's what Causa Sui's ”Free Ride” sounds like. This is the 'heavy psych' LP of the Causa Sui catalogue – one out of only two albums they recorded with a lead singer, this is most direct-sounding collection of tracks the band has done to date. You'll find the sonic experimentation and curious song structures that also defines later Causa Sui records (just listen to those echo-treated flutes in ”Passing Breeze”), but what really ties this record together is an unashamed appreciation of the Grande Rock of the previous four decades. One can literally feel how the young lads has been absorbing endless amounts of Blue Cheer, Zeppelin, Mudhoney, Sabbath and Kyuss before cooking up these seven tracks. There's no shortage of killer riffs and Bonham-esque grooves.
The culmination is the epic breathtaking acid-rock finale that takes up the ENTIRE second platter: the 15-minute ”Newborn Road” and the 20-minute extended live version of the band's signature track ”El Paraiso” - captured in front of a mesmerized crowd at Roadburn on the very day Free Ride was released. It's impossible not feel swept away by the Hendrixian glory of these two cuts, as they fly from tranquil noodlings to the most thunderous peaks. This is the kind of album where you drop the needle and ride it all the way to the end, as if overwhelmed by an awesome natural force.
Imagine a tidal wave sweeping up from the 1960s through the 1970s; then cresting in the 1990s before finally crashing on a present shore – that's what Causa Sui's ”Free Ride” sounds like. This is the 'heavy psych' LP of the Causa Sui catalogue – one out of only two albums they recorded with a lead singer, this is most direct-sounding collection of tracks the band has done to date. You'll find the sonic experimentation and curious song structures that also defines later Causa Sui records (just listen to those echo-treated flutes in ”Passing Breeze”), but what really ties this record together is an unashamed appreciation of the Grande Rock of the previous four decades. One can literally feel how the young lads has been absorbing endless amounts of Blue Cheer, Zeppelin, Mudhoney, Sabbath and Kyuss before cooking up these seven tracks. There's no shortage of killer riffs and Bonham-esque grooves.
The culmination is the epic breathtaking acid-rock finale that takes up the ENTIRE second platter: the 15-minute ”Newborn Road” and the 20-minute extended live version of the band's signature track ”El Paraiso” - captured in front of a mesmerized crowd at Roadburn on the very day Free Ride was released. It's impossible not feel swept away by the Hendrixian glory of these two cuts, as they fly from tranquil noodlings to the most thunderous peaks. This is the kind of album where you drop the needle and ride it all the way to the end, as if overwhelmed by an awesome natural force.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLP includes MP3 Download Code.
Taylor recorded this spiritually devastating, austere antecedent to the widely celebrated Hiss Golden Messenger albums Haw (2013) and Poor Moon (2011) direct to a portable cassette recorder at the kitchen table of his pine-entwined home in rural Piedmont North Carolina in 2010. It was the dead of winter and the pit of the financial crisis, a moment when the dire ramifications of debt—in its economic, political, and personal senses—had assumed a rank immediacy and terror for many working people around the world, not least of all in the American South.
Taylor, his one-year old boy Elijah sleeping in the next room, was compelled to chart the sacred valences of debt, doubt, and family in fresh ways, in the process stripping bare and reinventing his songwriting idiom. In his own words: Bad Debt comes from ten dense acres of oak, cedar, and apple trees in Pittsboro, North Carolina, directly south of the Haw River. The house where it was made was built in the early 1970s by a hippie cohort that settled along Brooks Branch; though this may sound like some kind of brag, I offer this to explain just how cold it was during the fall and winter when this record was conceived. Most hippies— except for the most famous one, of course, and probably a few others—are shit carpenters. The record is about my God: that is, whether I have one, and whether there is a place for me in this world. I don’t go to church, and I am not saved. I can party too. I can do a saxophone now and again, bang the drum. Bad Debt was my revelation, and there are many for whom I’ll never make a record better than this one. Ruminating on the riddle of faith, a firstborn son, and thorny existential questions large and small, the album laid the lyrical and compositional foundations for HGM’s critically acclaimed releases to come.
Half of these domestic devotional songs appear elsewhere in the HGM discography in radically reinvented arrangements and permutations—Taylor’s writing practice revealed itself following Bad Debt as essentially iterative, the deliberate enunciation and re-articulation of koans—but they exist here in germinal, psalmic purity and economy, as unadorned and plain and perfectly ragged as the cedar floorboards in that Brooks Branch cabin. Bad Debt remastered by Chris Boerner at Kitchen Mastering. Artwork reimagined by Sam Smith (Lateness of Dancers).
Taylor, his one-year old boy Elijah sleeping in the next room, was compelled to chart the sacred valences of debt, doubt, and family in fresh ways, in the process stripping bare and reinventing his songwriting idiom. In his own words: Bad Debt comes from ten dense acres of oak, cedar, and apple trees in Pittsboro, North Carolina, directly south of the Haw River. The house where it was made was built in the early 1970s by a hippie cohort that settled along Brooks Branch; though this may sound like some kind of brag, I offer this to explain just how cold it was during the fall and winter when this record was conceived. Most hippies— except for the most famous one, of course, and probably a few others—are shit carpenters. The record is about my God: that is, whether I have one, and whether there is a place for me in this world. I don’t go to church, and I am not saved. I can party too. I can do a saxophone now and again, bang the drum. Bad Debt was my revelation, and there are many for whom I’ll never make a record better than this one. Ruminating on the riddle of faith, a firstborn son, and thorny existential questions large and small, the album laid the lyrical and compositional foundations for HGM’s critically acclaimed releases to come.
Half of these domestic devotional songs appear elsewhere in the HGM discography in radically reinvented arrangements and permutations—Taylor’s writing practice revealed itself following Bad Debt as essentially iterative, the deliberate enunciation and re-articulation of koans—but they exist here in germinal, psalmic purity and economy, as unadorned and plain and perfectly ragged as the cedar floorboards in that Brooks Branch cabin. Bad Debt remastered by Chris Boerner at Kitchen Mastering. Artwork reimagined by Sam Smith (Lateness of Dancers).
Haw is the name of a river, a modest tributary of the Cape Fear, flowing rocky and swift through 110 miles of Piedmont North Carolina, wending Southeasterly past abandoned and repurposed textile mills, rickety hippie homesteads, and red-clay farmland fringed with pine forests. Haw is also one of a few names for a small Siouan tribe that once resided in the river’s valley and may have alternately known themselves as the Saxapahaw or Sissipahaw. M.C. Taylor, who wrote these songs, once lived hard by the Haw with his wife Abigail and their son Elijah, but he doesn’t live there anymore. Having followed the slipstream to the relative bustle of nearby Durham, North Carolina, he has composed a new clutch of tunes that conjure the half-remembered dreams of peace promised by our pasts.
Taylor’s writing and singing here achieve a tenebrous clarity, invoking— and occasionally challenging—a intermingling cast of prophetic characters both sacred and profane: Daniel, Elijah, the Apostles, and the Son of Man, sure, but also the Peacock Fiddle Band, Mississippi John Hurt, and by implication, Lew Welch, Waylon Jennings, Michael Hurley, and our friend Jefferson Currie II. Say whatever prayer you want: to Jehovah or Yahowah, or Red Rose Nantahala. More than ever before, the supporting players of Hiss Golden Messenger feature as tellers of the tale. Each episode earns a meticulously turned ensemble statement.
Taylor’s writing and singing here achieve a tenebrous clarity, invoking— and occasionally challenging—a intermingling cast of prophetic characters both sacred and profane: Daniel, Elijah, the Apostles, and the Son of Man, sure, but also the Peacock Fiddle Band, Mississippi John Hurt, and by implication, Lew Welch, Waylon Jennings, Michael Hurley, and our friend Jefferson Currie II. Say whatever prayer you want: to Jehovah or Yahowah, or Red Rose Nantahala. More than ever before, the supporting players of Hiss Golden Messenger feature as tellers of the tale. Each episode earns a meticulously turned ensemble statement.
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Composed and arranged by Head Messenger M.C. Taylor at his home in the rural Piedmont mill town of Pittsboro and recorded with longtime collaborator Scott Hirsch in New York, California and North Carolina, Poor Moon offers a moving culmination of the spiritually-charged song cycle commenced on the critically acclaimed album Bad Debt. Treading a red-clay road between Bad Debt and Country Hai East Cotton in sound and sentiment, it is the first fully electric ensemble recording since the highly limited Hiss Golden Messenger live release Root Work in 2010.
Featuring contributions from Terry Lonergan, Nathan Bowles (Black Twig Pickers; Pelt), Hans Chew (D. Charles Speer & the Helix), Matt Cunitz (Brightblack Morning Light), Tom Heyman (The Court & Spark), and others, Poor Moon represents both an elaboration and inversion of previous Hiss Golden Messenger efforts, proposing an America at perpetual sundown, wracked by devotion, wrecked by celebration. Named in homage to the Canned Heat track penned by the immortal Blind Owl, Poor Moon conjures the unsteady experience of soul at home in the wild, and it stands as a captivating document of Southern songcraft. Poor Moon remastered by Chris Boerner at Kitchen Mastering. Artwork reimagined by Sam Smith (Lateness of Dancers).
Featuring contributions from Terry Lonergan, Nathan Bowles (Black Twig Pickers; Pelt), Hans Chew (D. Charles Speer & the Helix), Matt Cunitz (Brightblack Morning Light), Tom Heyman (The Court & Spark), and others, Poor Moon represents both an elaboration and inversion of previous Hiss Golden Messenger efforts, proposing an America at perpetual sundown, wracked by devotion, wrecked by celebration. Named in homage to the Canned Heat track penned by the immortal Blind Owl, Poor Moon conjures the unsteady experience of soul at home in the wild, and it stands as a captivating document of Southern songcraft. Poor Moon remastered by Chris Boerner at Kitchen Mastering. Artwork reimagined by Sam Smith (Lateness of Dancers).
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Long out of print re-release of this classic Sugar Minott album on Soul Jazz Records, bringing together the best of his classic material recorded at Studio One in the 1970s. Lincoln Sugar Minott was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1956. He grew up in a poor area of West Kingston and from an early age developed a love of reggae music and the music of Studio One in particular. As a teenager, he became selector for Sound of Silence Keystone and Gathering of Youth local soundsystems. By the late 1970s Minott had risen to become one of the biggest stars in Jamaican music.
Sugar Minott began his career at Studio One. After auditioning in front of Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd in the early 1970s, he became the first artist to record new songs over classic rhythms, singing over original Studio One tapes - the significance of which led directly to the birth of dancehall, as Channel One, Joe Gibbs and hundreds of other Jamaican producers quickly began releasing their own material based on these same classic Studio One rhythms replayed by Sly and Robbie, The Aggrovators, Soul Syndicate, Roots Radics and many others.
'I knew Studio One spiritually before I knew Studio One physically. You know I grew up beside a dancehall and Sir Coxsone’s sound used to play there from when I was a boy. So from that influence you know I used to love Studio One sound so much, I became a sound selector. So that was my first involvement with getting to know Studio One music like The Heptones, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, the whole works and that was my life from a youth.'
After Sugar Minott’s debut many other artists followed suit at the label such as Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Lone Ranger and Michigan & Smiley leading to one of the most creative periods for the label. This is the first retrospective of Sugar Minott at the label and most of these recordings have never been widely available outside Jamaica. Sugar Minott went on to a huge career in reggae and is today one of the biggest stars in Jamaican music. He set up his own Black Roots / Youth Promotions label releasing music by Barry Brown, Michael Palmer, Tenor Saw, Barrington Levy, Horace Andy, Garnett Silk, Junior Delgado, Yami Bolo, Junior Reid and many more.
Sugar Minott went on to work for numerous Jamaican producers. His "Good Thing Going", produced by Donovan Germain, became a Number One hit in the UK and led to the rise of Lovers Rock. This album includes classic cuts as well as super-rare singles, all of which have been digitally re-mastered for this release.
Sugar Minott began his career at Studio One. After auditioning in front of Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd in the early 1970s, he became the first artist to record new songs over classic rhythms, singing over original Studio One tapes - the significance of which led directly to the birth of dancehall, as Channel One, Joe Gibbs and hundreds of other Jamaican producers quickly began releasing their own material based on these same classic Studio One rhythms replayed by Sly and Robbie, The Aggrovators, Soul Syndicate, Roots Radics and many others.
'I knew Studio One spiritually before I knew Studio One physically. You know I grew up beside a dancehall and Sir Coxsone’s sound used to play there from when I was a boy. So from that influence you know I used to love Studio One sound so much, I became a sound selector. So that was my first involvement with getting to know Studio One music like The Heptones, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, the whole works and that was my life from a youth.'
After Sugar Minott’s debut many other artists followed suit at the label such as Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Lone Ranger and Michigan & Smiley leading to one of the most creative periods for the label. This is the first retrospective of Sugar Minott at the label and most of these recordings have never been widely available outside Jamaica. Sugar Minott went on to a huge career in reggae and is today one of the biggest stars in Jamaican music. He set up his own Black Roots / Youth Promotions label releasing music by Barry Brown, Michael Palmer, Tenor Saw, Barrington Levy, Horace Andy, Garnett Silk, Junior Delgado, Yami Bolo, Junior Reid and many more.
Sugar Minott went on to work for numerous Jamaican producers. His "Good Thing Going", produced by Donovan Germain, became a Number One hit in the UK and led to the rise of Lovers Rock. This album includes classic cuts as well as super-rare singles, all of which have been digitally re-mastered for this release.
Faitiche is ten years old. October 2008 saw the release of Ursula Bogner - Recordings 1969-1988, for which the label was created. While working as a scientist in the pharmaceuticals sector, Ursula Bogner experimented with electronic music, undiscovered, for over three decades. When Jan Jelinek first heard Bogner’s work in 2008, he was enthusiastic. The resulting album, compiled by Jelinek from Bogner’s extensive oeuvre, is being reissued in a remastered version (LP/digital) to mark the label’s tenth anniversary. The new version also includes four bonus tracks that were previously only available on a vinyl 7" single.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: Limited edition, remastered, gatefold vinyl with four bonus tracks and download code to Mark Faitiche's 10th anniversary.
Marti Caine's infamous Point Of View is a groovy blend of slow-mo funk, dark disco and precise pop. Originally released on BBC Records in 1981, it has attracted a considerable cult following this century. The odd charity shop score aside, it has been impossible to find a copy for less than eye-watering sums (often selling for over £200) and, as such, it's an honour to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this sublime record. Featuring expert liner notes written by Bill Brewster - perhaps the record's most notable champion - this lovingly curated release is limited to just 500 copies.
Marti Caine was a popular UK TV entertainer in the late 1970s onwards and Point Of View presented her with an opportunity to proceed in a hip direction by working with British R&B heavyweight Barry Blue. His legendary reputation was secured with a string of great records, among them the first three Heatwave albums, the Balearic hit "Afro Dizzi Act" by Cry Cisco and the cult smash "Breakin' In" by Javaroo. However, despite the array of talent working on the album, Point Of View sank without trace at the time. It's something that Blue attributes to the bizarre way BBC Records worked, and he entertainingly expands upon this within the liner notes.
Musically, the highlights are many and memorable. Its most notorious track is the sublime soul stepper "Love The Way You Love Me", the reason most people covet this album so profoundly. However, from the dark dubby disco of "Snowbird City" to the moody ballad "Love Is Running Through Me", the lesser heralded tracks are nothing short of exquisite. Indeed, the chugging elegance of sleazy disco opener "Can I Speak To The World Please?" showcases a string-drenched strutting-funk that would've been enviable the world over. It's that good.
The outlandish artwork - presenting a striking, green-eyed Marti treating a tiger to a headlock - has been faithfully restored and is arguably worth the price of admission alone. With access to the original tape transfers, Simon Francis' sensitive mastering elevates the sound throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g. Sadly, Marti died of lymphatic cancer at the tragically early age of 50 in 1995, so is not here to experience what we hope will be a long overdue reappraisal of the hitherto underheard genius of Marti Caine, the singer.
STAFF COMMENTS
Millie says: Marti Caine slaying it with this groovy disco and funk-filled reissue of Point of View. Featuring the legendary track ‘Love The Way You Love Me’ which is an anthem in itself. This Be With release is super limited so don’t hesitate.
This era defining, pop classic includes debut single ‘Small Town Boy’, a huge global hit, which continues to resonate with today’s LGBT+ generation and remains a dance-floor staple. To celebrate the 35 year anniversary of Bronski Beat forming ‘The Age Of Consent’ has been remastered and expanded.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Undeniable pop powerhouse Bronski Beat operated where high emotion met Hi-NRG, and "The Age Of Consent" remains an essential piece of 80s pop / poppers history. I'm off to enjoy a Smalltown Boy moment...FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited edition pink vinyl in gatefold sleeve including new sleeve notes from Jimmy Somerville, Mike Thorne and Paul Flynn. Package also includes 2 x CD of album and 20 bonus tracks (previously unreleased).
Grinderman was formed as the side project of Nick Cave and members of The Bad Seeds (Warren, Ellis, Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos). This, their seminal, self-titled debut album was originally released on CD and LP in 2007 and revisited the rudimentary, powerful sound of Cave’s former band, The Birthday Party, with the lyrical and musical content differing from his work with The Bad Seeds as he explored alternative ways of working. The songs were written on guitar (an instrument Cave rarely plays), giving them an urgency and raw feel that drew acclaim from critics and fans alike. The album (which hasn’t been available on vinyl since its original 2007 release) is re-issued here with a limited run of green vinyl in a gatefold sleeve and includes the singles ‘No Pussy Blues’ and ‘Get It On’.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Green vinyl (limited to 750 in the UK).
Late 2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus. To celebrate, Beggars Arkive is reissuing six records from the band’s catalogue on limited edition coloured vinyl.
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more. They remain a huge cult concern, periodically reforming to wow their legions of dedicated followers.
In The Flat Field is the band’s debut studio album, released by 4AD and considered to be one of the very first “goth” albums.
This was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes.
“this record’s influence on the impending goth scene cannot be underestimated or denied” – Drowned In Sound
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more. They remain a huge cult concern, periodically reforming to wow their legions of dedicated followers.
In The Flat Field is the band’s debut studio album, released by 4AD and considered to be one of the very first “goth” albums.
This was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes.
“this record’s influence on the impending goth scene cannot be underestimated or denied” – Drowned In Sound
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Bronze coloured vinyl.
Late 2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus. To celebrate, Beggars Arkive is reissuing six records from the band’s catalogue on limited edition coloured vinyl.
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
Mask is the band’s second album, and was released by Beggars Banquet in 1981. This album is mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes
“their second album and masterpiece…..a record that stretched out their aural madness in every direction possible with pure noise and the space of dub clashing against each other.” – Louder Than War
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the "founding fathers of goth" tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, In the Flat Field, came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then "moved upstairs" to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, they’ve been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more.
Mask is the band’s second album, and was released by Beggars Banquet in 1981. This album is mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes
“their second album and masterpiece…..a record that stretched out their aural madness in every direction possible with pure noise and the space of dub clashing against each other.” – Louder Than War
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Yellow coloured vinyl.
• The first comprehensive Best Of collection spanning Jansch’s 5-decade-long career, compiled by Bernard Butler and the Bert Jansch estate
• Presented chronologically, the collection begins by drawing from his prolific 1960s period, during which he released six albums between 1965 and 1969
• This collection plucks tracks including the seminal song ‘Needle of Death’ (famously covered by Neil Young) and the achingly beautiful ‘Angie’
• Includes the track ‘Black Water Side’, the foundations of which were taken by Led Zeppelin for their later release ‘Black Mountain Side’
• Just A Simple Soul reminds us of Bert Jansch’s enduring legacy and his influence across the musical spectrum. As Bernard Butler eloquently puts it; “Bert lived and breathed the sound of the guitar and its endless possibilities for communication, storytelling, conversation, emotional dialogue. We have a life’s work here, and what a life Bert Jansch has given us.”
“But as for acoustic guitar, Bert Jansch is on the same level as Jimi [Hendrix]. That first record of his is epic.” – Neil Young.
• Presented chronologically, the collection begins by drawing from his prolific 1960s period, during which he released six albums between 1965 and 1969
• This collection plucks tracks including the seminal song ‘Needle of Death’ (famously covered by Neil Young) and the achingly beautiful ‘Angie’
• Includes the track ‘Black Water Side’, the foundations of which were taken by Led Zeppelin for their later release ‘Black Mountain Side’
• Just A Simple Soul reminds us of Bert Jansch’s enduring legacy and his influence across the musical spectrum. As Bernard Butler eloquently puts it; “Bert lived and breathed the sound of the guitar and its endless possibilities for communication, storytelling, conversation, emotional dialogue. We have a life’s work here, and what a life Bert Jansch has given us.”
“But as for acoustic guitar, Bert Jansch is on the same level as Jimi [Hendrix]. That first record of his is epic.” – Neil Young.
Brilliant tracks like 'É Necessário', 'Verão Carioca', 'Venha Dormir Em Casa' or 'Musica para Betinha' make it one of the strongest albums to come out of Brazil in the 1970s. Presented in facsimile artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl.
Tim Maia was born in 1942 in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro and started his musical career at an early age, along with close friends such as Roberto Carlos or Jorge Ben. Carlos would eventually help him to get a deal for his first single at CBS. During the 70s Maia started to incorporate soul and funk elements into his style. After a two-year period involvement in the Racional cult in Brazil, Maia's funky style was still at its best when he released this album in 1977. It was his first and only recording for Som Livre, the legendary label that became extremely popular due to the many soap operas soundtracks in its extensive catalogue.
This self titled LP deserves to be shortlisted among Maia's top records. It features killer tunes like the anthemic 'É Necessário', undoubtedly one of the best songs in his career, and also boogie gems such as 'Verão Carioca' or 'Venha dormir em casa' that show obvious influences by some of the biggest American soul artists of the time. It also contains intimate vocal delights as in the lovely smooth tune 'Musica para Betinha' or even straight funky instrumentals like 'Flores belas'. The string arrangements, wah wah guitars, horns, deep vocals make this recording a milestone in the so-called "Black Movement" in Rio, where artists like Toni Tornado, Banda Black Rio and Maia himself were bringing in the funky sounds of America and mixing them with local rhythms like samba.
Tim Maia was born in 1942 in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro and started his musical career at an early age, along with close friends such as Roberto Carlos or Jorge Ben. Carlos would eventually help him to get a deal for his first single at CBS. During the 70s Maia started to incorporate soul and funk elements into his style. After a two-year period involvement in the Racional cult in Brazil, Maia's funky style was still at its best when he released this album in 1977. It was his first and only recording for Som Livre, the legendary label that became extremely popular due to the many soap operas soundtracks in its extensive catalogue.
This self titled LP deserves to be shortlisted among Maia's top records. It features killer tunes like the anthemic 'É Necessário', undoubtedly one of the best songs in his career, and also boogie gems such as 'Verão Carioca' or 'Venha dormir em casa' that show obvious influences by some of the biggest American soul artists of the time. It also contains intimate vocal delights as in the lovely smooth tune 'Musica para Betinha' or even straight funky instrumentals like 'Flores belas'. The string arrangements, wah wah guitars, horns, deep vocals make this recording a milestone in the so-called "Black Movement" in Rio, where artists like Toni Tornado, Banda Black Rio and Maia himself were bringing in the funky sounds of America and mixing them with local rhythms like samba.
'Cubist Blues' is considered as one of the best recordings Alan Vega ever did. The combination of 3 great talents, Alan, Alex Chilton and Ben Vaughn, who decided to spend 2 nights in a recording studio and just follow their instincts, their inspiration, and combine the experience they acquired during their impressive careers gives a surprising and amazing result.
* New liner notes interviewing Alan Vega & Ben Vaughn
* Remastered from original tapes
* 2xLP housed in a deluxe gatefold Stoughton tip-on jacket
* LP includes download card for full album
* CD includes download card for live show at Trans Musicales, France, Dec. 7th, 1996
The unlikely union of Suicide's Alan Vega, Big Star's Alex Chilton, and singer-songwriter Ben Vaughn happened in December 1994 in a fog of cigarette smoke at two barely-lit, all-night improv sessions at Dessau Studios in New York. What transpired was the group's only release, a brilliant album called Cubist Blues.
Some kind of alchemy happened. The elements are disparate–Vega, known for Suicide's grinding, pre-industrial drone, Chilton for his ultra-melodic FM rock, and Vaughn for his outsider art. Put together, what came out was something totally unexpected, a long, mesmeric incantation built on Elvis-meets-Ian Curtis vocals, rockabilly guitar, growling synths, and metronomic drums.
A jam session at heart–albeit a very productive one–the songs took shape as they were recorded. "I showed up with lyrics for one song and figured we would see what happened," says Vega, recalling the first night in the brand new liner notes. "Little did I know, we would record for hours and hours. By the last song, my brain was burning up. I literally felt myself on fire. I was depleted. Yet, we could have gone on and on."
So-called supergroups get a bad rap for not equaling the sum of their parts. Vega, Chilton, and Vaughn add up to something from a place beyond any of them. Originally released by Henry Rollins on his 2.13.61 label via Thirsty Ear, the album failed to find any sort of audience–remarkable, considering its players, but reflective of the lull following Kurt Cobain's death and the collapse of the all-conquering grunge sound. The group played two live shows and then promptly went their separate ways. "At the time, I didn't fully realize how unique the Cubist Blues experience was," says Ben Vaughn now. "Looking back, it was magic to work with those guys."
Timeless, groundbreaking in sound even now, this is a chance to hear a woefully overlooked album that–had it not been so–might have re-shaped the next decade of music.
* New liner notes interviewing Alan Vega & Ben Vaughn
* Remastered from original tapes
* 2xLP housed in a deluxe gatefold Stoughton tip-on jacket
* LP includes download card for full album
* CD includes download card for live show at Trans Musicales, France, Dec. 7th, 1996
The unlikely union of Suicide's Alan Vega, Big Star's Alex Chilton, and singer-songwriter Ben Vaughn happened in December 1994 in a fog of cigarette smoke at two barely-lit, all-night improv sessions at Dessau Studios in New York. What transpired was the group's only release, a brilliant album called Cubist Blues.
Some kind of alchemy happened. The elements are disparate–Vega, known for Suicide's grinding, pre-industrial drone, Chilton for his ultra-melodic FM rock, and Vaughn for his outsider art. Put together, what came out was something totally unexpected, a long, mesmeric incantation built on Elvis-meets-Ian Curtis vocals, rockabilly guitar, growling synths, and metronomic drums.
A jam session at heart–albeit a very productive one–the songs took shape as they were recorded. "I showed up with lyrics for one song and figured we would see what happened," says Vega, recalling the first night in the brand new liner notes. "Little did I know, we would record for hours and hours. By the last song, my brain was burning up. I literally felt myself on fire. I was depleted. Yet, we could have gone on and on."
So-called supergroups get a bad rap for not equaling the sum of their parts. Vega, Chilton, and Vaughn add up to something from a place beyond any of them. Originally released by Henry Rollins on his 2.13.61 label via Thirsty Ear, the album failed to find any sort of audience–remarkable, considering its players, but reflective of the lull following Kurt Cobain's death and the collapse of the all-conquering grunge sound. The group played two live shows and then promptly went their separate ways. "At the time, I didn't fully realize how unique the Cubist Blues experience was," says Ben Vaughn now. "Looking back, it was magic to work with those guys."
Timeless, groundbreaking in sound even now, this is a chance to hear a woefully overlooked album that–had it not been so–might have re-shaped the next decade of music.
Not since it first appeared on vinyl in 2001 has The Charlatans’ 7th studio album ‘Wonderland’ been readily available, now almost after an 18 year absence ‘Wonderland’ has been re-pressed on 2 x 180g vinyl featuring original artwork and indie classics ‘Love Is The Key’ and ‘A Man Needs To Be Told’. With SoV download code.
Up At The Lake is the eighth studio album from Indie pioneers The Charlatans - which pretty much went under the radar upon its release in 2004 and is, still today, one of the more undiscovered and rewarding albums by The Charlatans.
Pressed onto 180g vinyl for the first time since its original release and with the correct vinyl side splits of Side A 6-songs and Side B 6-songs (as confirmed by Tim Burgees himself) along with the original artwork and download code, makes this an essential purchase for any Charlatans fan.
Pressed onto 180g vinyl for the first time since its original release and with the correct vinyl side splits of Side A 6-songs and Side B 6-songs (as confirmed by Tim Burgees himself) along with the original artwork and download code, makes this an essential purchase for any Charlatans fan.
Originally out in 1983, Love Power is co-produced by Fabian Cooke (from Itopia) and Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes, with assistance from Prince Douglas. Cooke plays most of the instruments himself, with his drumming centre-stage, though Ras Menelik puts in a brilliant shift on congas, and backing vocals are by Sugar Minott and the Love Joys. Cooke’s own well-crafted compositions are joined by covers of Irene Cara and the Four Tops, infectiously bridging roots, lovers and synthy, soulful eighties boogie.
Betrayed is solid-gold, signature Wackies. He’s My God is a tasty sip of low-slung, grooving gospel-reggae. Evoking Michael Jackson, the jamming album-closer Drums is top-notch disco-reggae, opportunely poised for revival.
Terrific stuff, full of personality, charm and in-ting hybridity.
Betrayed is solid-gold, signature Wackies. He’s My God is a tasty sip of low-slung, grooving gospel-reggae. Evoking Michael Jackson, the jamming album-closer Drums is top-notch disco-reggae, opportunely poised for revival.
Terrific stuff, full of personality, charm and in-ting hybridity.
STAFF COMMENTS
Martin says: What do I always say? If it's got Wackies name on it - just buy it! This lover's rock / disco-reggae flavoured offering is a bit different from his deep rooted dread but equally addictive!
“Give Me Your Love” by Sylvia Striplin is an iconic album of the early 80s and was first released on Uno Melodic Records, a label belonging to jazz and soul legend Roy Ayers. Sylvia previously sang with Aquarian Dream as lead on “You’re A Star” before joining Roy as a member of the group Eighties Ladies. “Give Me Your Love” is soul, disco, boogie and ‘rare groove’ all in one. This is an album of timeless gems which on both LP and CD has exchanged hands for hundreds of UK Pounds in both original and reissue formats. These are signature tracks from a golden era of music.
Following on from the phenomenal success of the RSD 2018 white vinyl edition of David Sylvian's album from 1999, we now present the album on 180gram black vinyl for the first time. Now expanded with the addition of four non-album tracks, "The Scent of Magnolia", "Albuquerque (Dobro #6)", "Cover Me With Flowers" and "Aparna and Nimisha ( Dobro #5)".
The artwork differs from the RSD edition and features a photograph by David's ex-partner Ingrid, plus some rare photographs by Anton Corbijn.
The artwork differs from the RSD edition and features a photograph by David's ex-partner Ingrid, plus some rare photographs by Anton Corbijn.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: 180 gram black vinyl.
“From the ominous, post-punkish pulse and clang of opener ‘Monkey’, to the decidedly punky frustration of ‘Everybody’s Song’ and the unapologetic riffing of ‘California’, ‘The Great Destroyer’ pushes the band's sound on to thrilling new vistas” - The Guardian
Formed in 1993, Low are a trio from Duluth, Minnesota comprised of guitarist/vocalist Alan Sparhawk, percussionist/vocalist Mimi Parker and bassist Zak Sally.
Initially garnering attention as leaders of the ‘90s slowcore movement, Low went on to develop a sonic repertoire that incorporated pop, R&B and dissonant rock ‘n’ roll. With this kind of storied history, most people thought they had Low pegged. But then they turned in ‘The Great Destroyer’.
The band’s seventh full-length album, ‘The Great Destroyer’ is fascinating in that it blends the band’s austere melodies (‘On the Edge Of’, ‘Silver Rider’) with an aggressive guitar onslaught (‘Monkey’, ‘Everybody’s Song’) and even melds Low’s varied styles together into a single song (‘When I Go Deaf’).
Co-produced by Low and David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev), ‘The Great Destroyer’ was a welcome surprise and, in the end, a rock ‘n’ roll revelation.
Formed in 1993, Low are a trio from Duluth, Minnesota comprised of guitarist/vocalist Alan Sparhawk, percussionist/vocalist Mimi Parker and bassist Zak Sally.
Initially garnering attention as leaders of the ‘90s slowcore movement, Low went on to develop a sonic repertoire that incorporated pop, R&B and dissonant rock ‘n’ roll. With this kind of storied history, most people thought they had Low pegged. But then they turned in ‘The Great Destroyer’.
The band’s seventh full-length album, ‘The Great Destroyer’ is fascinating in that it blends the band’s austere melodies (‘On the Edge Of’, ‘Silver Rider’) with an aggressive guitar onslaught (‘Monkey’, ‘Everybody’s Song’) and even melds Low’s varied styles together into a single song (‘When I Go Deaf’).
Co-produced by Low and David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev), ‘The Great Destroyer’ was a welcome surprise and, in the end, a rock ‘n’ roll revelation.
Righteous expensive: Motohiko Hamase's 1986 album "Reminiscence" scores a decent prize at online vinyl selling platforms and it is worth every coin!
It's a perfect 'refuge from nasty reality', as the glorious British 20jazzfunkgreats blog once said, and it comes from a man that knows his trade: bass play - an artisan on which he also already wrote many theoretical books in his more than four decades long career.
In the 1970's Hamase was no stranger to Tokyo's vibrant jazz scene. Together with jazz pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto and jazz-rock guitar-ist Kazumi Watanabe he played in the Isao Suzuki Sextet and was part of their classic landmark jazz-funk album "Ako's Dream" from 1976.
In the following years he also participated on records like Mikio Masuda's latin-funk-jazz gem "Moon Stone" or Japanese female jazz singer, actress, and essayist Minami Yasuda's last album "Moritato". In the early 1980's his work shifted from pure jazz to electronic and ambient spheres and he started to compose his own music around his deeply emotional bass play.
From 1985 to 1993, Hamase released five solo albums. just recently Studio Mule dropped his first one, "Intaglio", in a new recording that sounds as stunning as the original release from 1986.
Now the previously mentioned "Reminiscence", his second work for the celebrated defunct Japanese new age record label Shi Zen, follows in a fresh shape on Studio Mule.
As the original, it features deeply touching moments of sheer pristine perfection and distributes Hamase's inner emotional landscape with a bewitching bass performance. a soothingly beauty of an album, that reflects Hamase's search for spaces of melancholy.
A rhizome of soundscapes that capture, settle and sound elusive while simultaneously being awe-inspiring. As for "Intaglio", the 66-year old artist gathered again some befriended musicians, rented a studio, staged his gear and recorded most of the original "Reminiscence" material new, while keeping the moving musical story arc of the original album alive in a fresh wrapping.
The result is a dazzling, blue mood seething, strongly hypnotic long-player, full of personality and hybrid ambient electronic jazz spheres that open doors to unheard sound universes and that perfectly work for all those stress-relieved souls that love the disclosure of the mind and seek for a 'refuge from nasty reality'.
It's a perfect 'refuge from nasty reality', as the glorious British 20jazzfunkgreats blog once said, and it comes from a man that knows his trade: bass play - an artisan on which he also already wrote many theoretical books in his more than four decades long career.
In the 1970's Hamase was no stranger to Tokyo's vibrant jazz scene. Together with jazz pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto and jazz-rock guitar-ist Kazumi Watanabe he played in the Isao Suzuki Sextet and was part of their classic landmark jazz-funk album "Ako's Dream" from 1976.
In the following years he also participated on records like Mikio Masuda's latin-funk-jazz gem "Moon Stone" or Japanese female jazz singer, actress, and essayist Minami Yasuda's last album "Moritato". In the early 1980's his work shifted from pure jazz to electronic and ambient spheres and he started to compose his own music around his deeply emotional bass play.
From 1985 to 1993, Hamase released five solo albums. just recently Studio Mule dropped his first one, "Intaglio", in a new recording that sounds as stunning as the original release from 1986.
Now the previously mentioned "Reminiscence", his second work for the celebrated defunct Japanese new age record label Shi Zen, follows in a fresh shape on Studio Mule.
As the original, it features deeply touching moments of sheer pristine perfection and distributes Hamase's inner emotional landscape with a bewitching bass performance. a soothingly beauty of an album, that reflects Hamase's search for spaces of melancholy.
A rhizome of soundscapes that capture, settle and sound elusive while simultaneously being awe-inspiring. As for "Intaglio", the 66-year old artist gathered again some befriended musicians, rented a studio, staged his gear and recorded most of the original "Reminiscence" material new, while keeping the moving musical story arc of the original album alive in a fresh wrapping.
The result is a dazzling, blue mood seething, strongly hypnotic long-player, full of personality and hybrid ambient electronic jazz spheres that open doors to unheard sound universes and that perfectly work for all those stress-relieved souls that love the disclosure of the mind and seek for a 'refuge from nasty reality'.
I Am Kurious Oranj is The Fall’s eleventh studio album. Released by Beggars Banquet 30 years ago, in 1988, it contains some of their most loved songs including “Cab It Up!”, “New Big Prinz” and “Jerusalem” which takes its lyrics from a poem by William Blake.
The album was written as the soundtrack to an avant-garde ballet titled I Am Curious, Orange, produced by the experimental Michael Clark Company and performed in London with The Fall playing live. As it said in the original ballet program, replicated inside this reissue, “Mark E. Smith is a history buff and admirer of Michael Clark, and I Am Curious, Orange spawned the idea of a thematic delving into the foibles and little-known psyche of William of Orange.”
According to Mark E. Smith in his book, Renegade, “We adapted the title from a Swedish porno film--I am Curious, Yellow. I was trying to make the point that we all share some kind of common knowledge that’s within ourselves; that comes out in all sorts of things. Some people call it a gene pool. It’s as if you already know subconsciously about historical incidents. You don’t have to have been taught it. It’s in-built. At the time I wanted to put this across, basically as a loose explanation of what was happening in Belfast: it’s in the head and bones and there’s nothing you can do about it. I was on a roll at the time. I’m rarely short of ideas, and I’m not into preserving them much, either. If it’s in your head and you’ve got the right people around you them there’s no better time to tell the story.”
The album was written as the soundtrack to an avant-garde ballet titled I Am Curious, Orange, produced by the experimental Michael Clark Company and performed in London with The Fall playing live. As it said in the original ballet program, replicated inside this reissue, “Mark E. Smith is a history buff and admirer of Michael Clark, and I Am Curious, Orange spawned the idea of a thematic delving into the foibles and little-known psyche of William of Orange.”
According to Mark E. Smith in his book, Renegade, “We adapted the title from a Swedish porno film--I am Curious, Yellow. I was trying to make the point that we all share some kind of common knowledge that’s within ourselves; that comes out in all sorts of things. Some people call it a gene pool. It’s as if you already know subconsciously about historical incidents. You don’t have to have been taught it. It’s in-built. At the time I wanted to put this across, basically as a loose explanation of what was happening in Belfast: it’s in the head and bones and there’s nothing you can do about it. I was on a roll at the time. I’m rarely short of ideas, and I’m not into preserving them much, either. If it’s in your head and you’ve got the right people around you them there’s no better time to tell the story.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Orange coloured vinyl. Contains the replica of original programme of the ballet play performed at Sadler Wells Theatre.
The classic debut from the Shaolin gang circa 1993 is one of the most important rap albums of all time, wrestling the initiative back from the West Coast gangsta crews and G-funk sound and taking hip hop to rawer, dirtier place altogether. The RZA's mix of kung fu movie samples and twisted soul loops gives a unique backing to the en masse duelling of Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Genius, Masta Killa et al. "Bring Back Da Ruckus" sets their stall out and things continue at a neck-breaking pace through the graceful "Can It All Be So Simple", the complexity of "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'", threatening "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit", the scarily prescient "CREAM", Meth's evil signature theme, all the way through to "Protect Ya Neck" and "Tearz". Sheer brilliance.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Yellow coloured LP Vinyl with download code insert.
Amy's sublime second LP is now permanently available as a Half Speed Master edition. The album was cut from high-resolution digital transfers from the best known analogue tapes by Abbey Road mastering engineer Miles Showell, one of the foremost practitioners of this artisan process in the world today. Only minimal sympathetic equalisation was applied to the transfers to keep everything as pure as possible. Also, as this is a vinyl-only release, Miles did not apply any digital limiting. This is added to almost all digital releases to make them appear to be loud and is responsible for the so-called “loudness war” and in almost every case is anything but natural and pure sounding.
What we said 10 years ago:
Three years on from her debut "Frank" and all the acclaim she got back then, 2006 sees Amy Winehouse back at the centre of media attention with its follow up, and especially inspirational new single "Rehab" which kicks things off here too. Bracketed in with the nu-soul singers back then, Amy always had more of a jazz edge to her songs, and especially her voice which sounded like it should be coming from a 50-year-old black American singer, not a skinny white Londoner. With "Back To Black" she takes a trawl through the sound of 60s soul, girl group pop and the kind of laid back torch song crooning favoured by the mafioso of old, all given a totally modern twist by her smart confessional lyrics. This all comes backed by The Dap-Kings and features lush orchestration too, with production by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. ESSENTIAL!!!
This 2LP 10th anniversary vinyl set contains all the tracks from Deluxe Edition CD, the original album plus many of which appear on vinyl for the first time. 2LP in gatefold sleeve with two inner picture bags.
What we said 10 years ago:
Three years on from her debut "Frank" and all the acclaim she got back then, 2006 sees Amy Winehouse back at the centre of media attention with its follow up, and especially inspirational new single "Rehab" which kicks things off here too. Bracketed in with the nu-soul singers back then, Amy always had more of a jazz edge to her songs, and especially her voice which sounded like it should be coming from a 50-year-old black American singer, not a skinny white Londoner. With "Back To Black" she takes a trawl through the sound of 60s soul, girl group pop and the kind of laid back torch song crooning favoured by the mafioso of old, all given a totally modern twist by her smart confessional lyrics. This all comes backed by The Dap-Kings and features lush orchestration too, with production by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. ESSENTIAL!!!
This 2LP 10th anniversary vinyl set contains all the tracks from Deluxe Edition CD, the original album plus many of which appear on vinyl for the first time. 2LP in gatefold sleeve with two inner picture bags.
The unbelievably prolific Haruomi Hosono is one of the major architects of modern Japanese pop music. With his encyclopedic knowledge of music and boundless curiosity for new sounds, Hosono is the auteur of his own idiosyncratic musical world, putting his unmistakable stamp on hundreds of recordings as an artist, session player, songwriter and producer.
Hosono House is debut solo album by Japanese musician Hosono, released on May 25, 1973. Besides Hosono, this album also features performances by the group "Caramel Mama" (featuring Hosono's fellow Happy End member Shigeru Suzuki). Hosono wanted to emulate The Band's Music from Big Pink and James Taylor's One Man Dog. With this album, recording equipment technology had evolved enough for domestic recordings of good quality to be feasible, and going to the center of the city to reach a recording studio was somewhat inconvenient. The album was recorded for five hours every afternoon in a 144 square foot large bedroom in Hosono's residence in Sayama, Japan (with a 16-track mixing console in his living room). The instruments were recorded unprocessed from the amplifiers in a small room, leading to the album's unique sound. Hosono continued to develop the tropical style of Hosono House in his following works, Tropical Dandy and Bon Voyage co..
Hosono House is debut solo album by Japanese musician Hosono, released on May 25, 1973. Besides Hosono, this album also features performances by the group "Caramel Mama" (featuring Hosono's fellow Happy End member Shigeru Suzuki). Hosono wanted to emulate The Band's Music from Big Pink and James Taylor's One Man Dog. With this album, recording equipment technology had evolved enough for domestic recordings of good quality to be feasible, and going to the center of the city to reach a recording studio was somewhat inconvenient. The album was recorded for five hours every afternoon in a 144 square foot large bedroom in Hosono's residence in Sayama, Japan (with a 16-track mixing console in his living room). The instruments were recorded unprocessed from the amplifiers in a small room, leading to the album's unique sound. Hosono continued to develop the tropical style of Hosono House in his following works, Tropical Dandy and Bon Voyage co..
Fifteen years and four stone ago I used to hang out at Manchester's Retro Bar, a cheap n cheerful scenester haunt with a proper sleazy basement. Amongst other attractions on offer there was a night called Barbed Wire Kisses run by the infamous Jake Barnes. An acolyte of the Dark Wired Sound, Jake introduced me to many a musical oddity, but none were as strange, terrifying and totally irresistible as Frank Tovey's Fad Gadget. The first signing to Mute, Tovey operated at the foremost fringe of the UK's DIY electronic movement, composing lust-songs for drum machine and synth from his 80s bedsit. Bursting onto the scene like an electronic Iggy Pop with a penchant for uncompromising performance art, Tovey spent the next two decades auto-asphyxiated by the microphone lead, covered in tar and feather while shaving his pubic hair - all on stage.
Despite his best efforts to outweird anyone and everyone, these challenging antics did nothing to distract from the music, and a quick listen to the soundclips here should tell you exactly why. Wasting no time on the foreplay, "Fireside Favourites" dances from the skewed white funk of "Pedestrian" through the low slung growl of "State Of The Nation" to the unhinged electro pop of "Salt Late City Sunday". Then comes the unstoppable, unparallelled sleaze synth hit "Coitus Interruptus". Not only was this the first Fad Gadget track I ever heard, it has remained my favourite ever since, and a constant feature in my record box. The titular "Fireside Favourite" closes the side with a completely batshit and utterly hilarious pub-rock piss take.
I could keep going, maybe mention the serrated post punk of "Newsreel", the uncompromising techno of "Insecticide", medicated storytelling of "The Box" or cinematic scuzz of "Arch Of The Aorta", but ultimately, words will never do this justice. The finest moment in the Fad Gadget repetoire, and arguably the best synth pop record ever made, this is an essential item folks. Now available on orange vinyl.
Despite his best efforts to outweird anyone and everyone, these challenging antics did nothing to distract from the music, and a quick listen to the soundclips here should tell you exactly why. Wasting no time on the foreplay, "Fireside Favourites" dances from the skewed white funk of "Pedestrian" through the low slung growl of "State Of The Nation" to the unhinged electro pop of "Salt Late City Sunday". Then comes the unstoppable, unparallelled sleaze synth hit "Coitus Interruptus". Not only was this the first Fad Gadget track I ever heard, it has remained my favourite ever since, and a constant feature in my record box. The titular "Fireside Favourite" closes the side with a completely batshit and utterly hilarious pub-rock piss take.
I could keep going, maybe mention the serrated post punk of "Newsreel", the uncompromising techno of "Insecticide", medicated storytelling of "The Box" or cinematic scuzz of "Arch Of The Aorta", but ultimately, words will never do this justice. The finest moment in the Fad Gadget repetoire, and arguably the best synth pop record ever made, this is an essential item folks. Now available on orange vinyl.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: I love my job. Today I got to listen to my favourite Fad Gadget record, from start to finish, at punishing volume. Bedsit synth's most uncompromising figure, Frank Tovey is a legend around my gaff, and his debut LP is also his best. Twisted, tongue in cheek lyricism set to infectious (and infected) synth grooves, "Fireside Favourite" balances the funk and punk spirit in the most visceral fashion.FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited edition of 500 on orange vinyl.
Arguably one of the most acclaimed and loved bands of the past 20 years, by both fans and their musical peers alike, The Beta Band formed in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1996. Innovative and singular, their unique musical and aesthetic approach to everything they did set them far apart from their musical contemporaries. Together for a relatively short period of time, the three albums and three EPs they released between 1996 and 2004 would nonetheless help define them as one of the most exciting and cherished bands of their generation.
Released in 1999, the album “The Beta Band” followed the critically acclaimed compilation “The Three E.P.'s” (1998). With high anticipation for The Beta Band, the band originally planned to record the album in four separate continents, but financial constraints slimmed the recording locations down; however, the album was still recorded in a variety of locations and pulling inspiration from sources as diverse as Jamaican reggae, Disney's movie “The Black Hole” and Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart".
The band also originally intended the album to contain a bonus disc of two long form ambient pieces, ‘Happiness and Colour’ and ‘The Hut’, both of which lasted over 20 minutes and represented the band's desire to "make a record of sound as a description for something like happiness, where a distinct first part gives way to a distinct second part”. However, the band and label ultimately decided to remove these tracks from the album prior to release.
2xLtd LP Info: 2LP+CD edition with two black vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeves. CD included.
2xCD Info: 2CD edition in 3-panel digisleeve with 24-page stapled booklet.
Released in 1999, the album “The Beta Band” followed the critically acclaimed compilation “The Three E.P.'s” (1998). With high anticipation for The Beta Band, the band originally planned to record the album in four separate continents, but financial constraints slimmed the recording locations down; however, the album was still recorded in a variety of locations and pulling inspiration from sources as diverse as Jamaican reggae, Disney's movie “The Black Hole” and Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart".
The band also originally intended the album to contain a bonus disc of two long form ambient pieces, ‘Happiness and Colour’ and ‘The Hut’, both of which lasted over 20 minutes and represented the band's desire to "make a record of sound as a description for something like happiness, where a distinct first part gives way to a distinct second part”. However, the band and label ultimately decided to remove these tracks from the album prior to release.
FORMAT INFORMATION
3xDeluxe LP Info: Deluxe 3LP+2CD edition with double black vinyl album in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeves and CD included, plus a single black vinyl bonus EP in single sleeve with 3mm spine, printed inner-sleeve and CD included. Both vinyl sleeves are hold together with an obi strip.2xLtd LP Info: 2LP+CD edition with two black vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeves. CD included.
2xCD Info: 2CD edition in 3-panel digisleeve with 24-page stapled booklet.
Originally released in 1994, Jeff Buckley's solo debut "Grace" is now considered by many to be one of the best albums of the 90s. "Grace" displays a dazzling array of influences from an artist still developing his craft.
Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Gold & purple coloured LP Vinyl.Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Produced by Ethan Johns and co-produced by Angelo, the twelve-song album is fast-paced. Lyrically shocking at times, the album appropriately reflects the last eighteen months of the guys' lives; over-indulgence, debauchery and general fast-living. But that's where the cliches end, because who else is marrying f**ck-off Southern blues / boogie with intelligent, niftilly-played, NYC new wave? No-one, and that's why this lot are so adored. They've got the spirit, the attitude, and now with this set of songs weighing in even stronger than last year's, they've really proved themselves musically. Where's the beards though?!
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Double album, pressed on clear vinyl. Includes download code insert.
A Certain Ratio ‘The Graveyard & The Ballroom’: A Certain Ratio's debut release, ‘The Graveyard And The Ballroom’ originally came out on Factory Records in December 1979. Classic Pop call it an “astonishing opening salvo” and this new edition of the album is available on special edition orange vinyl with coloured PVC sleeve.
Television are pleased to announce ‘Marquee Moon (Deluxe Audio)’. The legendary band Television were part of the ’70s New York City underground rock scene, where they were among the first bands to play the punk rock and new wave venue CBGB. Richard Hell left the band in 1975 before the recording of Marquee Moon to be replaced by Fred Smith.
Marquee Moon was released to widespread critical acclaim in February 1977 and has since been viewed as one of the greatest albums of all time and continues to open eyes to the ways the Verlaine and Lloyd utilised electric guitar creatively within punk rock.
Marquee Moon 2LP deluxe vinyl will be released on 5th October on blue vinyl with the original album plus an additional LP of bonus tracks that featured on the 2003 remastered CD.
Marquee Moon was released to widespread critical acclaim in February 1977 and has since been viewed as one of the greatest albums of all time and continues to open eyes to the ways the Verlaine and Lloyd utilised electric guitar creatively within punk rock.
Marquee Moon 2LP deluxe vinyl will be released on 5th October on blue vinyl with the original album plus an additional LP of bonus tracks that featured on the 2003 remastered CD.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Limited edition double blue coloured vinyl.
John Lennon's second solo album was also his masterpiece. Produced by Phil Spector and with an apperarance by fellow ex-Beatle George, it has two world classics in the title track and "Jealous Guy" but that's only half the story. The whole LP is brilliant. Not one duffer. And the out-takes on this special edition show just what a glorious band Lennon had for the sessions. It;s a classic.
STAFF COMMENTS
Andy says: John Lennon's timeless classic gets beautifully remastered with an extra LP providing a time capsule back to 1970/71 and the whole recording process. It;s incredible.FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLP Info: 2LP 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl edition.
Six years after his groundbreaking debut LP "Entroducing", Josh Davis (AKA DJ Shadow) came back with a follow up, "The Private Press". Containing everything you'd want from a DJ Shadow LP, the fifteen track LP zips through crazy B-boy breaks, audacious cut ups, sublime hip hop instrumentals, oddball samples, quirky downbeat and leftfield rock weirdness. It was released on June 4, 2002, by MCA Records to widespread acclaim from critics. This double LP reissue has been printed on 180gm heavyweight vinyl, in a triple gatefold package. It also comes complete with a download code.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Around the time Tricky emerged as a solo artist, independent of the Massive Attack collective, he was asked to describe his music. “If you want to dance to it, go ahead. If you want to sit in a darkened room and let it fill your head with strange thoughts, that’s fine too”.
‘Trip Hop’, a term Tricky soon grew to despise, has become so omnipresent over the years, that it’s easy to forget how outside the mainstream it once was. Tricky’s 1995 debut 'Maxinquaye' is one of those albums that brought the music to the forefront, entering the UK charts at #2 on its release despite a shocking lack of airplay, and ending up topping many, many year-end lists.
But despite its being a harbinger of one of the most prevalent music styles of the 90s, it exists outside of trends and time and still stands as a powerhouse of musical innovation almost 20 years on. Featuring vocalists Martina Topley-Bird and Alison Goldfrapp.
‘Trip Hop’, a term Tricky soon grew to despise, has become so omnipresent over the years, that it’s easy to forget how outside the mainstream it once was. Tricky’s 1995 debut 'Maxinquaye' is one of those albums that brought the music to the forefront, entering the UK charts at #2 on its release despite a shocking lack of airplay, and ending up topping many, many year-end lists.
But despite its being a harbinger of one of the most prevalent music styles of the 90s, it exists outside of trends and time and still stands as a powerhouse of musical innovation almost 20 years on. Featuring vocalists Martina Topley-Bird and Alison Goldfrapp.
The late Arthur Russell wrote and played disco non-anthems, solo pieces for cello and voice and tender pop in the late 70s through the 80s. He was a musician of eclectic training with a great ear for dance rhythms and heavy atonality. "Calling Out Of Context" is the record that Arthur Russell was working on for Rough Trade during the last 5 years of his life. It incorporates all the many facets of Arthur's distinctive and diverse music and as such, it was a fitting finale to an incredible legacy. Melodic, innovative and sonically unique, the tracks on this LP are a dreamlike testimony to the genius of NY's Downtown visionary.
Love were an LA based psychedelic pop band led by the bonafide genius Arthur Lee. They occupy a place in pop culture similar to The Velvet Underground in that although they were nailed on brilliant and even released a record hitherto and still to this day regarded as one of the best albums ever made (Forever Changes) they never really got their due in their late 60's heyday.
Released in 1970, this compilation contains 13 singles from the band’s albums that were released between 1966-1970. Only here wlll you find the first post- Forever Changes stand-alone, Your Mind And We Belong Together, which few people realise is an absolute classic, bizarrely overlooked. There's also two superb songs from the similarly undervalued Four Sail which followed in 1969.
Released in 1970, this compilation contains 13 singles from the band’s albums that were released between 1966-1970. Only here wlll you find the first post- Forever Changes stand-alone, Your Mind And We Belong Together, which few people realise is an absolute classic, bizarrely overlooked. There's also two superb songs from the similarly undervalued Four Sail which followed in 1969.
STAFF COMMENTS
Andy says: The perfect introduction to one of the 60's greatest ever bands! Essential.
Platinum with no features - J Cole ladies and gentlemen. After the success of '2014 Forest Hills Drive', Cole did it again with the powerhouse "4 Your Eyez Only", a response to the endless cycle of police brutality and discrimination which has been on a steady increase over the past decade. One of the first responders to the murder of Michael Brown, Cole embarked on using his fame and position, something he's struggled with since "Friday Night Lights", to stand up against systematic oppression. Powerful and provocative, "4 Your Eyez Only" is a modern classic.
As the legendary Art Ensemble Of Chicago celebrates its 50th anniversary, Soul Jazz Records release a new, fully re-mastered edition of the group’s seminal 1970 album ‘Les Stances à Sophie’, which features the great singer Fontella Bass on the opening track ‘Theme de Yoyo’, a stunning 9-min opus that continues to startle and compel new audiences today.
Drawing upon the mutual soul and funk background of Bass and her then husband Lester Bowie with all the power of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago’s collective musicianship on board, ‘Theme de Yoyo’ is powerfully funky, soulful and free at the same time, a classic fusion of black music styles.
The Art Ensemble explored many areas of popular black music during their career. For instance, their ‘Ancient to the Future: Tribute to the Masters’ album covered songs by artists such as James Brown, Fela Kuti and Jimi Hendrix. This however, remains a pinnacle moment in their exploration of black dance music.
The Art Ensemble Of Chicago are one of the most important and radical jazz groups to come out of the USA.
‘Les Stances à Sophie’ was recorded in Paris in 1970 and features regular Art Ensemble members (Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Flavors) alongside newly recruited drummer Don Moye and guest Fontella Bass on vocals and piano.
Fontella Bass already had a successful career as a soul singer - ‘Rescue Me’ was her biggest hit in the Sixties. She and Lester Bowie first met in St Louis while working with legendary rhythm and blues producer Oliver Sain. Vocals (and lyrics), alongside a constant drum and bass beat, were new elements to the music of the Art Ensemble at this time.
Musicians such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane spearheaded the free jazz movement at the start of the 1960s. Far from simply defining a musical concept, they also began to redefine the concept of the African-American musician in society. A new period of self-respect and spirituality among musicians paralleled the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, encouraging self-determination and empowerment in every African-American musician.
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) was formed in Chicago in 1965 by Muhal Richard Abrams with members including future Art Ensemble of Chicago members Bowie, Jarman, Mitchell and Flavors, as well as others including Anthony Braxton and Amina Claudine Myers. The AACM explored experimental music and began promoting concerts, teaching music and Black history and offering spiritual guidance to youngsters in the Chicago community.
Out of this The Art Ensemble was formed in 1968 and in June 1969 the group headed for France. ‘Les Stances á Sophie’ was originally released on EMI France in 1970 and later in the US on Nessa Records. Soul Jazz Records first released the album in 2000. Now ten years out of print, they are releasing it once more in this new fully re-mastered edition.
‘Les Stances á Sophie’ came about when Israeli film director Moshe Misrahi befriended the group and asked them to record a soundtrack to a (then unmade) French New Wave film of the same name. During a two-year period in France the group recorded an astonishing amount of music - over fifteen albums recorded for various labels such as BYG, Freedom, Nessa, Arista and EMI - before returning to America in 1971 to continue their journey.
The Art Ensemble Of Chicago’s musical soundtrack remains perhaps the definitive release from this period, a stunning exploration of radical jazz music and, with with the rare addition of vocalist Fontella Bass on ‘Theme De Yoyo’, an unashamedly powerful celebration of Great Black Music.
Drawing upon the mutual soul and funk background of Bass and her then husband Lester Bowie with all the power of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago’s collective musicianship on board, ‘Theme de Yoyo’ is powerfully funky, soulful and free at the same time, a classic fusion of black music styles.
The Art Ensemble explored many areas of popular black music during their career. For instance, their ‘Ancient to the Future: Tribute to the Masters’ album covered songs by artists such as James Brown, Fela Kuti and Jimi Hendrix. This however, remains a pinnacle moment in their exploration of black dance music.
The Art Ensemble Of Chicago are one of the most important and radical jazz groups to come out of the USA.
‘Les Stances à Sophie’ was recorded in Paris in 1970 and features regular Art Ensemble members (Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Flavors) alongside newly recruited drummer Don Moye and guest Fontella Bass on vocals and piano.
Fontella Bass already had a successful career as a soul singer - ‘Rescue Me’ was her biggest hit in the Sixties. She and Lester Bowie first met in St Louis while working with legendary rhythm and blues producer Oliver Sain. Vocals (and lyrics), alongside a constant drum and bass beat, were new elements to the music of the Art Ensemble at this time.
Musicians such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane spearheaded the free jazz movement at the start of the 1960s. Far from simply defining a musical concept, they also began to redefine the concept of the African-American musician in society. A new period of self-respect and spirituality among musicians paralleled the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, encouraging self-determination and empowerment in every African-American musician.
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) was formed in Chicago in 1965 by Muhal Richard Abrams with members including future Art Ensemble of Chicago members Bowie, Jarman, Mitchell and Flavors, as well as others including Anthony Braxton and Amina Claudine Myers. The AACM explored experimental music and began promoting concerts, teaching music and Black history and offering spiritual guidance to youngsters in the Chicago community.
Out of this The Art Ensemble was formed in 1968 and in June 1969 the group headed for France. ‘Les Stances á Sophie’ was originally released on EMI France in 1970 and later in the US on Nessa Records. Soul Jazz Records first released the album in 2000. Now ten years out of print, they are releasing it once more in this new fully re-mastered edition.
‘Les Stances á Sophie’ came about when Israeli film director Moshe Misrahi befriended the group and asked them to record a soundtrack to a (then unmade) French New Wave film of the same name. During a two-year period in France the group recorded an astonishing amount of music - over fifteen albums recorded for various labels such as BYG, Freedom, Nessa, Arista and EMI - before returning to America in 1971 to continue their journey.
The Art Ensemble Of Chicago’s musical soundtrack remains perhaps the definitive release from this period, a stunning exploration of radical jazz music and, with with the rare addition of vocalist Fontella Bass on ‘Theme De Yoyo’, an unashamedly powerful celebration of Great Black Music.
The first official live album from Causa Sui, recorded in the early summer of 2013 at midnight, headlining the outdoor festival Freak Valley in Netphen, Germany. This full 90 minute Causa Sui set comes hot of the heels of last years acclaimed studio effort Euporie Tide, and is a condensed manifestation of the low-end heavy side of the band. This show presents the band in elemental quartet mode and features a wide palette of cuts from the entire catalog. From the band's signature cut ”El Paraiso” from their 2005 debut, through revamps of the more translucent Summer Sessions material, straight up to virgin jams, fresh from the rehearsal room.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: One disc blue, one disc red vinyl..
Zenit is a jazz ensemble from Krems in Lower Austria, founded in 1976 by Hannes Treiber and Willi Langer. Their music was celebrated locally, but to reduce them to their local fame would be a shame: After all, their first two LPs, "Stimmungswechsel" (Change of Moods) and "Früchte" (Fruits), quickly gained them a much wider audience of discerning listeners. Arguably, however, Zenit’s third and final LP "Straight Ahead" is the most special of their records. It initially came out in 1986 on the producer’s label Spray Records, and is today one of the hardest-to-find Austrian jazz records. Its centrepiece is the infectious slow-motion disco piece “Waiting,” with vocals by American jazz singer Linda Sharrock. Effortlessly bringing together pop, soul and new age vibes, this is a record that is as unique as it is difficult to date. Does it sound like from the 80s? We’re not sure. To our minds at least, it could also be from the future.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: A reissue for the Balearic beards, deep diggers and YouTubers here, as the third album from Austria's Jazz fusion outfit Zenit gets a reissue. Loved by Harvey for the slo mo cool of climax "Waitin'", lusted after by a generation of diggers who met on the IF forum, and now known to pretty much anyone who uses Autoplay - this is straight up algo-rhythm!
BBE bring us the next instalment in their J Jazz Masterclass Series: ‘East Plants’ by Takeo Moriyama, one of Japan’s finest jazz drummers. A genuine ‘under the radar’ album known only to a handful of Japanese jazz collectors, ‘East Plants’ is now available once more, reissued for the first time as a double 180g LP, with exact reproductions of the original artwork, obi strip and insert. It also comes with the original notes fully translated. ‘
Originally released in 1983 on the Japanese VAP label, ‘East Plants’ is an essential album in the J Jazz canon. It’s an album that distils several key characteristics of Moriyama’s music: clearly articulated and inventive rhythms, open yet orderly arrangements, and an accessible groove balanced with a graceful control.
‘East Plants’ features no piano, just percussion, bass and reeds. From the luxurious raga-like build of the album’s hypnotic title track and the fierce post-bop workout of ‘Fields’, to the stately modal track ‘Kaze’ ( as featured on the sell-out BBE compilation, ‘J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1968-1984’), the album was, until now, a rarely acknowledged masterpiece. ‘East Plants’ shows Moriyama’s quintet at their most transcendent: delicate layers of percussion by Yoji Sadanari, a warm and pliant bass from Hideki Mochizuki, with colour and texture provided by the eloquent reed work of Shuichi Enomoto and Toshiko Inoue. And, overseeing it all, Moriyama’s discreet yet commanding drumming.
The BBE J Jazz Masterclass Series is curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden and is dedicated to presenting the very finest in Japanese jazz. The series will feature rare, long-lost and unreleased material presented in the highest quality reproductions of the original releases, fully licensed and authorised.
Originally released in 1983 on the Japanese VAP label, ‘East Plants’ is an essential album in the J Jazz canon. It’s an album that distils several key characteristics of Moriyama’s music: clearly articulated and inventive rhythms, open yet orderly arrangements, and an accessible groove balanced with a graceful control.
‘East Plants’ features no piano, just percussion, bass and reeds. From the luxurious raga-like build of the album’s hypnotic title track and the fierce post-bop workout of ‘Fields’, to the stately modal track ‘Kaze’ ( as featured on the sell-out BBE compilation, ‘J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1968-1984’), the album was, until now, a rarely acknowledged masterpiece. ‘East Plants’ shows Moriyama’s quintet at their most transcendent: delicate layers of percussion by Yoji Sadanari, a warm and pliant bass from Hideki Mochizuki, with colour and texture provided by the eloquent reed work of Shuichi Enomoto and Toshiko Inoue. And, overseeing it all, Moriyama’s discreet yet commanding drumming.
The BBE J Jazz Masterclass Series is curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden and is dedicated to presenting the very finest in Japanese jazz. The series will feature rare, long-lost and unreleased material presented in the highest quality reproductions of the original releases, fully licensed and authorised.
On an unassuming cassette, just labelled ‘Robert Rental’ in green Dymo tape, these demos have lain unheard for years amongst his family’s treasured possessions, cared-for artefacts of a life cut short far too soon.
These songs, which Robert recorded in his council flat in Battersea in 1980, provide an enticing glimpse into his all-too-infrequent solo work. On most occasions, Robert worked with Thomas Leer, Daniel Miller or other collaborators. These are rough recordings, tape hiss still in evidence, but his creativity shines through the murk, like uncut diamonds.
With these recordings Robert appears to be moving towards more recognisable song structures than most of his earlier work, which could be wildly experimental and would often involve found recordings taped directly off television.
We know 2 of these tracks from their later re-recording for the Mute Records single ‘Double Heart’ late in 1980. Robert spoke to friends of his frustration at being unable to replicate his sound in a commercial studio – it was these demos’ sound that he wanted to recreate. Sometimes having only access to the most rudimentary of equipment can hone the creative talent into something sharper and more focused – necessity is the mother of invention, indeed.
Simon Dell, 2018.
I am humbled and ecstatic to be entrusted with this music and able to aid getting these songs out into the world. I have now listened to them countless times and feel they are so, so much more than just an interesting archival release, but rather a small, fully formed body of wondrous songs that deserve to be heard and enjoyed by as many people as possible. In this current era where so much music is so completely focused on the production, with the result that often the soul is sucked out of it, it’s a pleasant shock to discover that a forgotten tape from nearly 40 years ago can be the freshest and most refreshing sounding thing ever.
These songs, which Robert recorded in his council flat in Battersea in 1980, provide an enticing glimpse into his all-too-infrequent solo work. On most occasions, Robert worked with Thomas Leer, Daniel Miller or other collaborators. These are rough recordings, tape hiss still in evidence, but his creativity shines through the murk, like uncut diamonds.
With these recordings Robert appears to be moving towards more recognisable song structures than most of his earlier work, which could be wildly experimental and would often involve found recordings taped directly off television.
We know 2 of these tracks from their later re-recording for the Mute Records single ‘Double Heart’ late in 1980. Robert spoke to friends of his frustration at being unable to replicate his sound in a commercial studio – it was these demos’ sound that he wanted to recreate. Sometimes having only access to the most rudimentary of equipment can hone the creative talent into something sharper and more focused – necessity is the mother of invention, indeed.
Simon Dell, 2018.
I am humbled and ecstatic to be entrusted with this music and able to aid getting these songs out into the world. I have now listened to them countless times and feel they are so, so much more than just an interesting archival release, but rather a small, fully formed body of wondrous songs that deserve to be heard and enjoyed by as many people as possible. In this current era where so much music is so completely focused on the production, with the result that often the soul is sucked out of it, it’s a pleasant shock to discover that a forgotten tape from nearly 40 years ago can be the freshest and most refreshing sounding thing ever.
Remastered edition of a compilation of Stereolab’s first three singles, first issued in 1992.
Although Switched On is much more guitar driven than some of their later releases, it still employs the same Krautrock grooves and bubbling analogue synths, and of course Laetitia Sadier’s cooler than cool vocals are ever present.
Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Although Switched On is much more guitar driven than some of their later releases, it still employs the same Krautrock grooves and bubbling analogue synths, and of course Laetitia Sadier’s cooler than cool vocals are ever present.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited clear vinyl.Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Remastered edition of a compilation of Stereolab singles and rarities, first issued in 1998.
25 tracks including the music from the New York Sculpture Exhibition "Music For The Amorphous Body Study Center", along with various other hard to find tracks.
3xColoured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
25 tracks including the music from the New York Sculpture Exhibition "Music For The Amorphous Body Study Center", along with various other hard to find tracks.
FORMAT INFORMATION
3xColoured LP Info: Limited clear vinyl.3xColoured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Punk pioneer, singer, songwriter, recording artist, activist, musical and political inspiration for a generation and mighty diamond Joe Strummer was the most charismatic and passionate frontman to emerge from the punk explosion of the late seventies.
After Joe’s untimely death in December 2002 it was discovered that Joe had been quite an archivist of his own work, having barns full of writings and tapes stored in his back garden. There are now over 20,000 items in the Joe Strummer Archive. The archiving of this material and compiling of ‘Joe Strummer 001’ was overseen by Joe’s widow Luce and Robert Gordon McHarg III.
All tracks were restored and mastered by Grammy Award winner Peter J. Moore at the E. Room in Toronto Canada. On-going through cassettes and recording tapes it was discovered that Joe was rather frugal and keen on hiding tracks. On cassettes he would leave 20 minutes between songs. On the 1” 8 track recordings it was discovered there were hidden tracks superimposed onto each other. For example tracks 1-4 were taken by one song and tracks 5-8 by two other songs which were thought when played back to be caused by tape denigration until the tapes went to Peter J Moore who was able to separate one song from another.
The box set has the same content as the CD set and is pressed on audiophile quality 180g vinyl. The box set's accompanying book also included in the Deluxe CD features rarely seen and previously unpublished memorabilia from Joe’s personal collection as well as historical press reviews and technical notes about the albums. The cover of all formats is taken from Joe’s 1990 Californian driving license.
The artwork was curated by Robert Gordon McHarg III who previously worked on the Clash ‘Sound System’ box set with Paul Simonon, the John Cooper Clarke compilation ‘Anthologia’ and curated the Black Market Clash Exhibition.
Gordon says, “The idea behind the book is that it’s an A4 notebook done as if Joe had designed it himself, telling his story. Hopefully it is an insight into his workings and includes hand written lyrics with personal notes and scribbles.”
After Joe’s untimely death in December 2002 it was discovered that Joe had been quite an archivist of his own work, having barns full of writings and tapes stored in his back garden. There are now over 20,000 items in the Joe Strummer Archive. The archiving of this material and compiling of ‘Joe Strummer 001’ was overseen by Joe’s widow Luce and Robert Gordon McHarg III.
All tracks were restored and mastered by Grammy Award winner Peter J. Moore at the E. Room in Toronto Canada. On-going through cassettes and recording tapes it was discovered that Joe was rather frugal and keen on hiding tracks. On cassettes he would leave 20 minutes between songs. On the 1” 8 track recordings it was discovered there were hidden tracks superimposed onto each other. For example tracks 1-4 were taken by one song and tracks 5-8 by two other songs which were thought when played back to be caused by tape denigration until the tapes went to Peter J Moore who was able to separate one song from another.
The box set has the same content as the CD set and is pressed on audiophile quality 180g vinyl. The box set's accompanying book also included in the Deluxe CD features rarely seen and previously unpublished memorabilia from Joe’s personal collection as well as historical press reviews and technical notes about the albums. The cover of all formats is taken from Joe’s 1990 Californian driving license.
The artwork was curated by Robert Gordon McHarg III who previously worked on the Clash ‘Sound System’ box set with Paul Simonon, the John Cooper Clarke compilation ‘Anthologia’ and curated the Black Market Clash Exhibition.
Gordon says, “The idea behind the book is that it’s an A4 notebook done as if Joe had designed it himself, telling his story. Hopefully it is an insight into his workings and includes hand written lyrics with personal notes and scribbles.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
Box set Info: Limited edition Deluxe Box set: Quadruple heavyweight Vinyl, 7” vinyl single, cassette, A4 Book, enamel badge, envelope containing a screen print, a high quality image of Joe, two original art prints, and a sticker sheet.
Upon examining the eventful life of Can bassist Holger Czukay, one might conclude that this intrepid musician was a loner. His turbulent career exuded an enduring eccentricity governed by a boundless free spirit. Yet Czukay, who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 79, constantly emphasized that his creativity was always contingent upon a musical partner, whether that was a skin-and-bones counterpart or an anonymous manifestation that interacted with him through radio waves or, as happened later, the internet. Nonetheless, most of his partners were of flesh and blood.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast: Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates… the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective ‘CINEMA’ to mark the occasion of Holger’s 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger’s music in order to make it accessible once again.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast: Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates… the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective ‘CINEMA’ to mark the occasion of Holger’s 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger’s music in order to make it accessible once again.
Upon examining the eventful life of Can bassist Holger Czukay, one might conclude that this intrepid musician was a loner. His turbulent career exuded an enduring eccentricity governed by a boundless free spirit. Yet Czukay, who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 79, constantly emphasized that his creativity was always contingent upon a musical partner, whether that was a skin-and-bones counterpart or an anonymous manifestation that interacted with him through radio waves or, as happened later, the internet. Nonetheless, most of his partners were of flesh and blood.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast: Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates… the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective ‘CINEMA’ to mark the occasion of Holger’s 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger’s music in order to make it accessible once again.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast: Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates… the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective ‘CINEMA’ to mark the occasion of Holger’s 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger’s music in order to make it accessible once again.
Upon examining the eventful life of Can bassist Holger Czukay, one might conclude that this intrepid musician was a loner. His turbulent career exuded an enduring eccentricity governed by a boundless free spirit. Yet Czukay, who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 79, constantly emphasized that his creativity was always contingent upon a musical partner, whether that was a skin-and-bones counterpart or an anonymous manifestation that interacted with him through radio waves or, as happened later, the internet. Nonetheless, most of his partners were of flesh and blood.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast: Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates… the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective ‘CINEMA’ to mark the occasion of Holger’s 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger’s music in order to make it accessible once again.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast: Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates… the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective ‘CINEMA’ to mark the occasion of Holger’s 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger’s music in order to make it accessible once again.
Kalita Records keep their hot streak molten with a first, frankly definitive discography of Carrie Cleveland, an expanded version of her 1978 album ‘Looking Up’, including both the issue and promotional versions of her single ‘Make Love To Me’, and the previously unknown sweet soul single ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’.
Privately arranged, recorded and produced by Carrie and her husband Bill as a labour of love in their backyard studio in 1978, ‘Looking Up’ is one of the most in-demand soul/disco LPs in existence, sought-after in particular for their track ‘Love Will Set You Free’. In addition, the promotional version of Carrie’s single ‘Make Love To Me’ is one of the best and rarest sweet soul records to have emerged out of the West Coast soul scene, and her single ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ is until today virtually unknown even to the most seasoned of collectors, with even Carrie herself unsure if it was ever released. With the album originally pressed in a limited run of just 1000 with 500 copies of each single, original copies of Carrie’s records deservingly command eye-watering figures on the second-hand market. Kalita now satisfy the thirst with the first ever official reissue of her entire discography.
The Kalita vinyl reissue consists of both the expanded album and a bonus 7” single, and is housed in a gatefold sleeve. The CD is accompanied by a mini-poster. Both the vinyl and CD releases include extensive interview-based liner notes and never before seen photos, detailing Carrie and Bills’ life and musical career.
CD Info: Includes mini poster
Privately arranged, recorded and produced by Carrie and her husband Bill as a labour of love in their backyard studio in 1978, ‘Looking Up’ is one of the most in-demand soul/disco LPs in existence, sought-after in particular for their track ‘Love Will Set You Free’. In addition, the promotional version of Carrie’s single ‘Make Love To Me’ is one of the best and rarest sweet soul records to have emerged out of the West Coast soul scene, and her single ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ is until today virtually unknown even to the most seasoned of collectors, with even Carrie herself unsure if it was ever released. With the album originally pressed in a limited run of just 1000 with 500 copies of each single, original copies of Carrie’s records deservingly command eye-watering figures on the second-hand market. Kalita now satisfy the thirst with the first ever official reissue of her entire discography.
The Kalita vinyl reissue consists of both the expanded album and a bonus 7” single, and is housed in a gatefold sleeve. The CD is accompanied by a mini-poster. Both the vinyl and CD releases include extensive interview-based liner notes and never before seen photos, detailing Carrie and Bills’ life and musical career.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Another slice of sweet, sweet soul from the Kalita stable, who put a wealth of Carrie Cleveland material (both released and otherwise) in this excellent retrospective collection.FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Includes bonus 7"CD Info: Includes mini poster
An incredible mix of cosmic new wave, unconventional disco, avant-garde synth pop, and hybrid electronic funk, Colored Music is enchantingly unique, a sort of experimental and magnetizing take on David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy with a psychedelic Haruomi Hosono touch.
From the groovy post-punk glam title track to the proto-house dance floor killer "Heartbeat", Ichiko Hashimoto and Atsuo Fujimoto hit all the right (and sometimes not-exactly-right-but-truly-genius) notes to create the odd and beautiful, an unparalleled audio escape to the best elsewhere you can think of.
Also playing on the album are celebrated musicians Mansaku Kimura, Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami (Pacific, KI-Motion by MKWAJU ensemble, collaborations with Jun Fukamachi, Yasuaki Shimizu, Haruomi Hosono…) Kiyohiko Semba, Tamio "Doyo" Kawabata, and Tatsuhiko Hizawa.
CD Info: Digipack, Liner Notes (English & Japanese) by Chee Shimizu, + Sticker.
From the groovy post-punk glam title track to the proto-house dance floor killer "Heartbeat", Ichiko Hashimoto and Atsuo Fujimoto hit all the right (and sometimes not-exactly-right-but-truly-genius) notes to create the odd and beautiful, an unparalleled audio escape to the best elsewhere you can think of.
Also playing on the album are celebrated musicians Mansaku Kimura, Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami (Pacific, KI-Motion by MKWAJU ensemble, collaborations with Jun Fukamachi, Yasuaki Shimizu, Haruomi Hosono…) Kiyohiko Semba, Tamio "Doyo" Kawabata, and Tatsuhiko Hizawa.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: WRWTFWW continue to mine the rich seam of underground Japanese gems with an ace reissue of Colored Music's self titled LP. Fusing glam, art-rock, avant pop, synth wave and twisted disco, the duo created a unique album for thinking, dreaming and dancing.FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd LP Info: 140g Vinyl, Stoughton Tip-On Sleeve, Liner Notes (English & Japanese) by Chee Shimizu, + Sticker.CD Info: Digipack, Liner Notes (English & Japanese) by Chee Shimizu, + Sticker.
Olev Muska
Laulik Elektroonik - Explorations In Estonian Electronic Folk Music, The First Years 1979-1983
Frotee
"Laulik-elektroonik" LP by an ex-pat Estonian musician Olev Muska is the new release of Estonian archival label Frotee Records. The compilation subtitled as "Explorations in Estonian Electronic Folk Music - The First Years, 1979-1983" brings together all Muska's Estonian-themed songs recorded prior to his debut album from 1985, "Old Estonian Waltzes". It includes previously unreleased material and tracks from limited edition tapes and 7" single. For its 10th release, Frotee has expanded its scope and is now also offering insights into quality music by Estonians all over the world.
Olev Muska was born to a family of expatriate Estonians in Australia. From 1979 onwards he recorded unique versions of Estonian folk songs on various electronic music instruments at his home studio. As Muska was into contemporary experimental music and also bored with the conservative take on Estonian culture prevalent in the activities of the Australian ex-pat community, he decided to combine these two influences to create his unique brand of electronic Estonian folk music. As Muska had access to more advanced musical equipment, he achieved a level of quality in his arrangements that would not have been possible in Soviet Estonia. He managed to create surprisingly amazing Estonian minimal wave with his group Elektrio but wasn't ashamed to make medley of Estonian themes with cheesy-sounding small Casio synthesizer either. His early versions of some folk songs, like "Kaera-Jaan" or "Saaremaa", are less crazy than on his debut LP and as such a welcome addition to Frotee's collection of Balearic sounds.
Although Muska was not a stranger to the contemporary Australian underground music scene, he continued to record with a couple of close friends and performed only at local Estonian events. Thus Olev Muska has been a well kept secret amongst Estonian music fans, one that remained entirely unknown to Australian record collectors until Chris Bonato from Left Ear Records introduced "Old Estonian Waltzes" LP to a wider audience. Left Ear Records has now licensed "Karjapoisi lugu" off the 1985 LP for their Australian underground music compilation "Antipodean Anomalies".
Olev Muska was born to a family of expatriate Estonians in Australia. From 1979 onwards he recorded unique versions of Estonian folk songs on various electronic music instruments at his home studio. As Muska was into contemporary experimental music and also bored with the conservative take on Estonian culture prevalent in the activities of the Australian ex-pat community, he decided to combine these two influences to create his unique brand of electronic Estonian folk music. As Muska had access to more advanced musical equipment, he achieved a level of quality in his arrangements that would not have been possible in Soviet Estonia. He managed to create surprisingly amazing Estonian minimal wave with his group Elektrio but wasn't ashamed to make medley of Estonian themes with cheesy-sounding small Casio synthesizer either. His early versions of some folk songs, like "Kaera-Jaan" or "Saaremaa", are less crazy than on his debut LP and as such a welcome addition to Frotee's collection of Balearic sounds.
Although Muska was not a stranger to the contemporary Australian underground music scene, he continued to record with a couple of close friends and performed only at local Estonian events. Thus Olev Muska has been a well kept secret amongst Estonian music fans, one that remained entirely unknown to Australian record collectors until Chris Bonato from Left Ear Records introduced "Old Estonian Waltzes" LP to a wider audience. Left Ear Records has now licensed "Karjapoisi lugu" off the 1985 LP for their Australian underground music compilation "Antipodean Anomalies".
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Frotee's journeys through the backpages of Estonian music turns the spotlights of Estonian musicians based elsewhere with a wonky set of electronics from Autralian Estonian Olev Muska.
MC5 only released three albums, but they were ferocious, adventurous, and confrontational enough to secure the group’s place as one of the greatest rock ’n’ roll bands ever. Singer Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson came together as the MC5 in 1965. The band performed for several years before making its first record. This year is the 50th anniversary of the recording of the band’s incendiary debut, Kick Out The Jams, which was recorded live over two nights at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom in October 1968. To celebrate, MC5 will release Total Assault: 50th Anniversary Collection, a limited-edition boxed set that features all three of the band’s albums pressed on coloured vinyl.
It includes Kick Out The Jams (red vinyl), Back In The USA (white vinyl) and High Time (blue vinyl). The albums come in sleeves that faithfully re-create the original releases, including gatefolds for Kick Out The Jams and High Times. All three are housed in a hard slipcase with new art and previously unseen photographs by world renowned photographer Raeanne Rubenstein. The music on TOTAL ASSAULT shows why the MC5 is held is such high regard today with indelible tracks like “Kick Out The Jams,” “Human Being Lawnmower” and “Sister Anne.”
It includes Kick Out The Jams (red vinyl), Back In The USA (white vinyl) and High Time (blue vinyl). The albums come in sleeves that faithfully re-create the original releases, including gatefolds for Kick Out The Jams and High Times. All three are housed in a hard slipcase with new art and previously unseen photographs by world renowned photographer Raeanne Rubenstein. The music on TOTAL ASSAULT shows why the MC5 is held is such high regard today with indelible tracks like “Kick Out The Jams,” “Human Being Lawnmower” and “Sister Anne.”
FORMAT INFORMATION
3xLP Box Set Info: Triple coloured LP's (Red / White / Blue) housed in a hard slipcase.
Strut present a brand-new edition of Oneness of Juju’s Afro-jazz classic ‘African Rhythms’, originally released on Black Fire in 1975 and first reissued on Strut in 2002.
For bandleader James “Plunky” Branch, ‘African Rhythms’ marked a significant return to his home town of Richmond, Virginia after a politically charged five years based on the East and West coasts. His personal journey had taken him from activism at Columbia University to San Francisco where Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba used theatre to “resurrect” Afro-Americans with a new African identity. The first incarnation of Plunky’s band, Juju, drew attention to the struggle in South Africa under apartheid, layering heavy Afro rhythms under uncompromising avant garde jazz.
Back in Richmond, Plunky tapped into the mid-Atlantic preference for Southern R&B and gospel: “Juju had always been blues-based and it was a natural progression to add R&B and dance rhythms. It didn’t change our message.” Produced by Jimmy Gray of Black Fire Records, the new sessions included the title track (“We wanted a song to dance to with a message – ‘you are dancing to African rhythms’”), the positive message of ‘Don’t Give Up’ and political commentary on ‘Liberation Dues’.
Originally just a regional hit on the East coast and in Washington DC specifically, the album gradually spread, influencing the nascent DC go-go scene. The UK revived the album during the rare groove era of the late ‘80s and the title track has since become a soul-jazz favourite worldwide.
Remastered from the original sessions and featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this new repress also features Part 1 and Part 2 of the original 45 version of ‘African Rhythms’ and the previously unheard ‘Afrobeat’, recently unearthed from the original tapes.
For bandleader James “Plunky” Branch, ‘African Rhythms’ marked a significant return to his home town of Richmond, Virginia after a politically charged five years based on the East and West coasts. His personal journey had taken him from activism at Columbia University to San Francisco where Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba used theatre to “resurrect” Afro-Americans with a new African identity. The first incarnation of Plunky’s band, Juju, drew attention to the struggle in South Africa under apartheid, layering heavy Afro rhythms under uncompromising avant garde jazz.
Back in Richmond, Plunky tapped into the mid-Atlantic preference for Southern R&B and gospel: “Juju had always been blues-based and it was a natural progression to add R&B and dance rhythms. It didn’t change our message.” Produced by Jimmy Gray of Black Fire Records, the new sessions included the title track (“We wanted a song to dance to with a message – ‘you are dancing to African rhythms’”), the positive message of ‘Don’t Give Up’ and political commentary on ‘Liberation Dues’.
Originally just a regional hit on the East coast and in Washington DC specifically, the album gradually spread, influencing the nascent DC go-go scene. The UK revived the album during the rare groove era of the late ‘80s and the title track has since become a soul-jazz favourite worldwide.
Remastered from the original sessions and featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this new repress also features Part 1 and Part 2 of the original 45 version of ‘African Rhythms’ and the previously unheard ‘Afrobeat’, recently unearthed from the original tapes.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Jeepers! Oneness of Juju's Afrocentric jazz-funk great "African Rhythms" gets a nicely remastered, repackaged reissue from the fine folks at Strut. Quality stuff...
For the few people lucky enough to have heard the entire album in the five decades since its release, the mythical Popera Cosmic LP is now considered to be France’s first dedicated psychedelic album and the shrouded blueprint for the hugely influential Gallic concept album phenomenon that followed, including Serge Gainsbourg’s ‘Histoire De Melody Nelson’ and Gérard Manset’s ‘La Mort D’Orion’.
Spearheaded by François Wertheimer (songwriter for Vangelis, Barbara and Byg Records), composed with future Jodorowsky soundtracker and genius all-rounder Guy Skornik and based on an embryonic concept co-conspired by a teenage Jean-Michel Jarre, this instantly-deleted 1969 recording is a true essential for any outernationalradicalised record collection. With credentials that mark the birth of the cosmic funk (later disco) that helped shape the influential sound of France today, this album also includes the first pressed instrumentals by members of Space Art, some of the best orch rock arrangements by William Sheller (Lux Aeterna, Eriotissimo) and orchestrator Paul Piot (Jean Rollin), as well as sitar psych benchmarks courtesy of uber legend Serge Franklin - all pinned down by the rhythm section that would later be known to prog aficionados as Alice.
Subtitled ‘Les Esclaves’ (The Slaves), this street theatre / rock opera (influenced by the work of Julien Beck’s Living Theatre) now celebrates its 50th birthday standing firmly as a sonic tome to the birth of the no-no era (that rebuked France’s ‘yé-yé’ hamster wheel) leading directly to the thematic progressive network of Wakhévitch, Manset and Magma while comprising an inter-Gallic intergalactic super group from the early annals of France’s pop psych revolution. Imagine a rock opera where the cast of Mister Freedom perform ‘Clash Of The Titans’ at the foot of The Holy Mountain - then pinch yourself.
Spearheaded by François Wertheimer (songwriter for Vangelis, Barbara and Byg Records), composed with future Jodorowsky soundtracker and genius all-rounder Guy Skornik and based on an embryonic concept co-conspired by a teenage Jean-Michel Jarre, this instantly-deleted 1969 recording is a true essential for any outernationalradicalised record collection. With credentials that mark the birth of the cosmic funk (later disco) that helped shape the influential sound of France today, this album also includes the first pressed instrumentals by members of Space Art, some of the best orch rock arrangements by William Sheller (Lux Aeterna, Eriotissimo) and orchestrator Paul Piot (Jean Rollin), as well as sitar psych benchmarks courtesy of uber legend Serge Franklin - all pinned down by the rhythm section that would later be known to prog aficionados as Alice.
Subtitled ‘Les Esclaves’ (The Slaves), this street theatre / rock opera (influenced by the work of Julien Beck’s Living Theatre) now celebrates its 50th birthday standing firmly as a sonic tome to the birth of the no-no era (that rebuked France’s ‘yé-yé’ hamster wheel) leading directly to the thematic progressive network of Wakhévitch, Manset and Magma while comprising an inter-Gallic intergalactic super group from the early annals of France’s pop psych revolution. Imagine a rock opera where the cast of Mister Freedom perform ‘Clash Of The Titans’ at the foot of The Holy Mountain - then pinch yourself.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Screwball psych-Francais reissued by the digging brains at Finders Keepers - lunatic street theatre meets rock opera as a shadowy no-no flip to the ye-ye movement.
Thee Headcoats were mainly Billy Childish (Git/Vox) Bruce Brand (Drums) and Johnny Johnson (bass), they formed in 1989 after Billy's previous band Thee Mighty Caesers gave up the ghost. By 1992 they had already released something like 6 albums and 15 singles.Lots more releases followed including this great LP In Tweed We Trust originally released in 1996, the follow up to the equally great Conundrum. Thee Headcoats carried on touring and releasing records in every corner of the world until mid 2000 when they called it a day. During the '90's I must have seen them 60 times, I even went over to Japan with them in 1993. There was something really natural about them, no bullshit. We did the 'We hate The Fuckin' NME' single after NME journo Johnny Cigarettes walked out of their gig in Archway after insisting that he should get in for free as he was from the NME and then reviewing Thee Headcoatees by saying their was no girls in the band (he left before they came onstage!!).
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Limited Lp Pressing On Duck Egg Blue Vinyl To Match The Cover
Blitzen Trapper is the Portland, Oregon-based experimental country and folk rock band, who in 2008 released Furr, its breakthrough album and label debut for Sub Pop. The record was met with universal acclaim, earning praise from the likes of The Guardian, Pitchfork, Paste, AV Club, and Rolling Stone, who in its four-star review called the album “an engaging album full of rootsy beauty.” The album would earn the no. 13 spot on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Albums of 2008 later that year.
For the newly remastered and expanded deluxe edition of Furr, Blitzen Trapper have compiled over two LPs worth of material: the original album and twelve rare and previously unreleased tunes. The added songs are from the same recordings that become Furr, with the exception of the “Live at KCRW” tracks, which were recorded during the Furr tour. The songs “War is Placebo,” “Booksmart Baby,” and “Maybe Baby” appeared as limited-edition singles for Record Store Day in 2009 and 2011. This reissue also features new liner notes from Eric Earley reflecting on the album, as well as a track-by-track description of the bonus songs, and a Q&A with the stage and screen actor Rainn Wilson (of The Office fame).
“It's difficult to remember exactly where my head was in those days, recording Furr in a leaky, dilapidated, pre-boom Portland building, all but condemned, where the migrant workers congregated at the curb outside hoping to get picked up by desperate contractors, the dealers working the opposite corner, two blocks up the Burnside bridge running with pitched tents and sleeping bags all the way to the West Side Mission, the black river sliding by beneath. For those in the know enough at the time to have heard it when Sub Pop first released Furr in 2008, listeners had to have been underwhelmed by the hit and miss production, the furry overdriven vocals and perilous sounding dubs, all industry-standard production fare now. But the songs must have shone through the noise even then. The stand-out title track recorded on a nearly defunct cassette four-track in one take and mixed on a couple-hundred-dollar PC was almost an afterthought at the time, but its message was real enough: that life consists of change and growth, love and transformation.
For the newly remastered and expanded deluxe edition of Furr, Blitzen Trapper have compiled over two LPs worth of material: the original album and twelve rare and previously unreleased tunes. The added songs are from the same recordings that become Furr, with the exception of the “Live at KCRW” tracks, which were recorded during the Furr tour. The songs “War is Placebo,” “Booksmart Baby,” and “Maybe Baby” appeared as limited-edition singles for Record Store Day in 2009 and 2011. This reissue also features new liner notes from Eric Earley reflecting on the album, as well as a track-by-track description of the bonus songs, and a Q&A with the stage and screen actor Rainn Wilson (of The Office fame).
“It's difficult to remember exactly where my head was in those days, recording Furr in a leaky, dilapidated, pre-boom Portland building, all but condemned, where the migrant workers congregated at the curb outside hoping to get picked up by desperate contractors, the dealers working the opposite corner, two blocks up the Burnside bridge running with pitched tents and sleeping bags all the way to the West Side Mission, the black river sliding by beneath. For those in the know enough at the time to have heard it when Sub Pop first released Furr in 2008, listeners had to have been underwhelmed by the hit and miss production, the furry overdriven vocals and perilous sounding dubs, all industry-standard production fare now. But the songs must have shone through the noise even then. The stand-out title track recorded on a nearly defunct cassette four-track in one take and mixed on a couple-hundred-dollar PC was almost an afterthought at the time, but its message was real enough: that life consists of change and growth, love and transformation.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Loser edition Clear vinyl and gold swirl!
Following the release of FELT’s first five albums in February, the band’s reissue campaign continues with the second half of their discography. During the ‘80s Felt recorded ten albums and ten singles for the Cherry Red and Creation labels. This gorgeously-produced series explores the work of one of the greatest indie groups in recent memory.
CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Limited edition vinyl featuring the original front cover artwork.CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
Following the release of FELT’s first five albums in February, the band’s reissue campaign continues with the second half of their discography. During the ‘80s Felt recorded ten albums and ten singles for the Cherry Red and Creation labels. This gorgeously-produced series explores the work of one of the greatest indie groups in recent memory.
CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Limited edition vinyl featuring the original front cover artwork.CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
Following the release of FELT’s first five albums in February, the band’s reissue campaign continues with the second half of their discography. During the ‘80s Felt recorded ten albums and ten singles for the Cherry Red and Creation labels. This gorgeously-produced series explores the work of one of the greatest indie groups in recent memory.
CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Limited edition vinyl featuring the original front cover artwork.CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
Following the release of FELT’s first five albums in February, the band’s reissue campaign continues with the second half of their discography. During the ‘80s Felt recorded ten albums and ten singles for the Cherry Red and Creation labels. This gorgeously-produced series explores the work of one of the greatest indie groups in recent memory.
CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Limited edition vinyl featuring the original front cover artwork.CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
Following the release of FELT’s first five albums in February, the band’s reissue campaign continues with the second half of their discography. During the ‘80s Felt recorded ten albums and ten singles for the Cherry Red and Creation labels. This gorgeously-produced series explores the work of one of the greatest indie groups in recent memory.
CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP Info: Limited edition vinyl featuring the original front cover artwork.CD & 7" Info: The CD version comes in a bespoke 7” box, complete with various ephemera consisting of: the original album in a special gatefold sleeve - long deleted 7” vinyl single pertaining to the original year of the album’s release – reproduction gig flyers – double-sided wall poster – and four button lapel badges for displaying with pride!
Arguably one of the most acclaimed and loved bands of the past 20 years, by both fans and their musical peers alike, The Beta Band formed in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1996. Innovative and singular, their unique musical and aesthetic approach to everything they did set them far apart from their musical contemporaries. Together for a relatively short period of time, the three albums and three EPs they released between 1996 and 2004 would nonetheless help define them as one of the most exciting and cherished bands of their generation.
After acquiring the Beta Band’s catalogue last year, Because Music will reissue their releases, starting on September 14th with a deluxe vinyl edition gathering in a slipcase the EPs ‘Champion Versions’, ‘The Patty Patty Sound’ and ‘Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos’ with remastered tracks and coloured vinyls, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1998 compilation. Because Music will release at the same time a double CD Best-Of compiling all their best hits and a live show recorded at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire (London) in 2004.
NUMBERED SLIPCASE featuring ‘Champion Versions’ EP (red vinyl 12” in single sleeve), ‘The Patty Patty Sound’ EP (double yellow 12” vinyl ) and ‘Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos’ EP (blue 12” vinyl in single sleeve).
CD included in clear plastic sleeve with flap (includes all tracks)
After acquiring the Beta Band’s catalogue last year, Because Music will reissue their releases, starting on September 14th with a deluxe vinyl edition gathering in a slipcase the EPs ‘Champion Versions’, ‘The Patty Patty Sound’ and ‘Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos’ with remastered tracks and coloured vinyls, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1998 compilation. Because Music will release at the same time a double CD Best-Of compiling all their best hits and a live show recorded at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire (London) in 2004.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Ltd Box Set Info: 4x12” EP + CD.NUMBERED SLIPCASE featuring ‘Champion Versions’ EP (red vinyl 12” in single sleeve), ‘The Patty Patty Sound’ EP (double yellow 12” vinyl ) and ‘Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos’ EP (blue 12” vinyl in single sleeve).
CD included in clear plastic sleeve with flap (includes all tracks)
Now ain't this summat spesh.... A re-vamped selection of Dennis Brown songs recorded and produced at Jammy's and now remixed and remastered with a selection of new vocalists, deejays and toasters adding ad-libed lines and improvisations to the original compositions!
The A-list selection of vocalists includes Protoje, Dre Island, Alborosie, Romain Virgo, Agent Sasco and more (no Chronix though?! - ed). Some of Dennis Brown’s finest performances for King Jammys, remixed and refreshed with 21st century flavor, the album also includes a newly remastered solo feature for Dennis Brown, “You Satisfy My Soul” (a King Jammy personal favorite). The vinyl LP includes the special bonus addition of the Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley feature "Can’t Keep (A Good Man Down)" backed with "Can’t Keep Version".
King Jammy is one of reggae’s most prolific and innovative producers, with "Tracks Of Life" he shows himself strong once again. Part tribute and part greatest hits, this album will win new listeners and inspire fans to dig into the original songs. The album is a blend of raw and vibrant vocal performances revisiting vintage Dennis Brown from the King Jammy catalogue.
The A-list selection of vocalists includes Protoje, Dre Island, Alborosie, Romain Virgo, Agent Sasco and more (no Chronix though?! - ed). Some of Dennis Brown’s finest performances for King Jammys, remixed and refreshed with 21st century flavor, the album also includes a newly remastered solo feature for Dennis Brown, “You Satisfy My Soul” (a King Jammy personal favorite). The vinyl LP includes the special bonus addition of the Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley feature "Can’t Keep (A Good Man Down)" backed with "Can’t Keep Version".
King Jammy is one of reggae’s most prolific and innovative producers, with "Tracks Of Life" he shows himself strong once again. Part tribute and part greatest hits, this album will win new listeners and inspire fans to dig into the original songs. The album is a blend of raw and vibrant vocal performances revisiting vintage Dennis Brown from the King Jammy catalogue.
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: One of my favourite reggae producers of the 80's, maybe ever, shines a light on the incredible vocal talent currently spearheading Jamaica's roots n culture renaissance.
‘Mission Of Dead Souls’: The final performance of Throbbing Gristle before their initial breakup, at the Kezar Pavillion, San Francisco on 29 May 1981. Remastered. Following the release of this album and public statement by Throbbing Gristle of ‘This Mission Is Terminated’ the legend of the band began and influence upon generations started to be felt.
Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Unavailable on vinyl since the early 1990s, pressed here on white vinyl, recreating the original sleeve and using a silver ink with a new inner sleeve with photos and a passage by Jon Savage.Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
‘Heathen Earth’: A live document of a performance by TG to a small and invited audience on 16 February 1980. Uses re-mastering from 2011. Neither an insight into TG’s recording process nor private live show, ‘Heathen Earth’ is its own entity and exists as a document and testament to a group of people at the height of their creative powers, recorded just over a year before they disbanded and terminated the mission.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Blue vinyl in gatefold sleeve, echoing the first pressing of the album from 1980, of which there were only 750 copies pressed. Subsequent pressings have all been on black vinyl. Also contains an 8 page 12” booklet entitled ‘Industrial News’. Vinyl format also contains a high definition download code for the tracks featured on the 2CD set’s second disc.
Released in 1980, Heartattack and Vine was Waits’ final album on Elektra Asylum and it built on the raw blues approach of Blue Valentine with the incendiary title track, the funky, organ driven “Downtown” and the stomping NOLA blues of “Mr. Siegal”. This album also contains some of Waits most popular ballads, including “Jersey Girl” which was famously a hit for Bruce Springsteen. “On the Nickle” is a moving song about the homeless people who lived on 5th street in downtown LA, and “Ruby’s Arms” is a beautiful song with a lovely Bach-like melody.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: RSD stores exclusive clear vinyl edition.
In A Priest Driven Ambulance (With Silver Sunshine Stares) is a concept album surrounding Wayne Coyne’s fascination with religion, and was released in 1990.
All of the music on vinyl has been remastered from original sources by the band’s longtime musical foil and producer, David Fridmann, with help from the Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Michael Ivins, with lacquers cut at Sterling Sound. Additionally, the studio albums – which have been out of print for years – have been restored to their original cover art.
All of the music on vinyl has been remastered from original sources by the band’s longtime musical foil and producer, David Fridmann, with help from the Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Michael Ivins, with lacquers cut at Sterling Sound. Additionally, the studio albums – which have been out of print for years – have been restored to their original cover art.
Death Trippin’ At Sunrise: Rarities, B-Sides & Flexi-discs is a new rarities collection, packed with the music originally released on singles, flexis and various compilations. It includes their Sub Pop single “Drug Machine In Heaven”, “Stychnine/Peace, Love And Understanding” and a cover of “After The Gold Rush” from a 1989 Neil Young tribute album. A number of the tracks on the rarities compilation are making their first appearance on vinyl.
All of the music on vinyl has been remastered from original sources by the band’s longtime musical foil and producer, David Fridmann, with help from the Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Michael Ivins, with lacquers cut at Sterling Sound. Additionally, the studio albums – which have been out of print for years – have been restored to their original cover art.
All of the music on vinyl has been remastered from original sources by the band’s longtime musical foil and producer, David Fridmann, with help from the Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Michael Ivins, with lacquers cut at Sterling Sound. Additionally, the studio albums – which have been out of print for years – have been restored to their original cover art.
Siouxsie And The Banshees – The Scream debuted in November 1978 born out of part sweet suburbia and part grey Orwellian uber state. The Scream was unlike anything else released that year.
Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
A Kiss in the Dreamhouse brought with it a new musical direction, with the addition of strings and rampant guitarist John McGeoch the Banshees were able to exploit the potential of the studio to full effect.
Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
‘Journey Through A Body’: Recorded as a piece of art for and in the studios of Italian National Radio RAI in Rome March 1981. Remastered. On the recommendation of Robert Wyatt, RAI originally commissioned Cosey Fanni Tutti to create a sound work based on the theme of ‘A Journey Through The Body’. It became a Throbbing Gristle project which was later broadcast by RAI. This was the last studio recording by Throbbing Gristle. It was recorded in five days, a day per body section. No tracks were re-recorded or added to after their day. Each track was mixed immediately after recording. No tracks were pre-planned; all tracks were invented directly to tape.
on silver vinyl with foil blocked cover and featuring photos from the session.
Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Unavailable on vinyl since 1983 and now repressedon silver vinyl with foil blocked cover and featuring photos from the session.
Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
The tenth studio album from the Banshees only reinforced the belief that nothing outside of their world was of real concern. Produced by Stephen Hague, one might say an odd choice, given that grunge was soon to be thrust into the mainstream. Forever evolving and experimenting - Superstition would become yet another offering of unique songs to treasure.
Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Superstition has been expanded and cut over three sides for the first time with a special Vinyl etching on Side Four. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
Remastered from the original ¼” tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road studios, London. Superstition has been expanded and cut over three sides for the first time with a special Vinyl etching on Side Four. Both artwork and audio have personally been overseen and orchestrated by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: Double LP with etched side D.
“Songs of Experience was supposed to have a different feel than Song of Innocence. You see, music is a great outlet. And regardless of what the titles say, and as close as I wanted it to be to William Blake, what was going on in my life took precedence.” – David Axelrod. Songs of Experience is visionary composer/arranger/producer David Axelrod’s second album; it was recorded after the death of his beloved son Scott. Experience is an ominous affair, an album concerned with mortality and spirituality – the solitary, pastoral musings of William Blake set to the urban bombast of a full Los Angeles orchestra, with Wrecking Crew vets grounding the proceedings with dark funk.
This is the next Now-Again issue in a series of reissues centered around Axelrod’s Capitol Trilogy – Song of Innocence, Songs of Experience and Earth Rot – which will see release through 2018. LP Contains oversized, 28 page booklet that delves into Axelrod’s incredible life and music, replete with never before published photos and an interview with Axelrod by Eothen Alapatt and Wax Poetics’ Brian Digenti. (CD 32 page booklet) “There are very few people who see the Grand Picture of the Universe and understand the Nothingness that it all comes from. There are even fewer who can express these ideas through music - David could do it all.”
This is the next Now-Again issue in a series of reissues centered around Axelrod’s Capitol Trilogy – Song of Innocence, Songs of Experience and Earth Rot – which will see release through 2018. LP Contains oversized, 28 page booklet that delves into Axelrod’s incredible life and music, replete with never before published photos and an interview with Axelrod by Eothen Alapatt and Wax Poetics’ Brian Digenti. (CD 32 page booklet) “There are very few people who see the Grand Picture of the Universe and understand the Nothingness that it all comes from. There are even fewer who can express these ideas through music - David could do it all.”
Tired of reading the words ‘classic’, ‘masterpiece’, ‘missing link’, ‘cult’, in every press release? Just trust us on this one: We have no choice but to use those words and urge you to (re)discover one of the ultimate Afro-Disco lost classics.
How could such a masterpiece stay in obscurity for so long? Well, no one knows where N’Draman is. He’s presumed dead, and so is Mr Patrick (not me), the label owner, an ex-football player who turned his focus into fashion after suffering a career ending injury. Selling jeans from an outlet in Monrovia (Liberia), he only ventured in the music business for a short period of time, releasing a handful of incredible albums on his Cosmic Sounds imprint.
The word on the street was that Nigerian legend William Onyeabor was somehow involved with the production of the album, or maybe playing synths on it. Both were inaccurate, although N’Draman Blintch’s previous and first record "Cikamele", was indeed recorded at Willfilms, Onyeabor’s studio. And some of the musicians playing here were also key members in his pool of session musicians.
"Cosmic Sounds" is many things: Psychedelic, politically engaged, funky to death, full of synths, with an artwork to die for, a perfect crossover of African and Western culture: Music for the body and soul, Cosmic disco before the genre even existed. Did DJ Danielle Baldelli hear it? Was it ever played by Larry Levan or Mancuso? In a pre-internet era, it’s unlikely but not impossible.
Both artwork and audio have restored by specialists, and liner notes were written by Temitope Kogbe, Afro-Funk expert who runs the Odion Livingston label, founded with legendary producer Odion Iruoje. 38 years after its original release, the world is finally ready to hear "Cosmic Sounds" in all its glory.
How could such a masterpiece stay in obscurity for so long? Well, no one knows where N’Draman is. He’s presumed dead, and so is Mr Patrick (not me), the label owner, an ex-football player who turned his focus into fashion after suffering a career ending injury. Selling jeans from an outlet in Monrovia (Liberia), he only ventured in the music business for a short period of time, releasing a handful of incredible albums on his Cosmic Sounds imprint.
The word on the street was that Nigerian legend William Onyeabor was somehow involved with the production of the album, or maybe playing synths on it. Both were inaccurate, although N’Draman Blintch’s previous and first record "Cikamele", was indeed recorded at Willfilms, Onyeabor’s studio. And some of the musicians playing here were also key members in his pool of session musicians.
"Cosmic Sounds" is many things: Psychedelic, politically engaged, funky to death, full of synths, with an artwork to die for, a perfect crossover of African and Western culture: Music for the body and soul, Cosmic disco before the genre even existed. Did DJ Danielle Baldelli hear it? Was it ever played by Larry Levan or Mancuso? In a pre-internet era, it’s unlikely but not impossible.
Both artwork and audio have restored by specialists, and liner notes were written by Temitope Kogbe, Afro-Funk expert who runs the Odion Livingston label, founded with legendary producer Odion Iruoje. 38 years after its original release, the world is finally ready to hear "Cosmic Sounds" in all its glory.
Rain & Shine give out a hefty holler of "Church!" and take us all a little bit higher with the first ever official re-release of The Nelson Family's Gospel classic from 1986. An enduring and seriously in demand LP, "Filled With His Spirit" is an essential purchase for any serious collectors of Gospel. Quality from end-to-end, the LP including the cuts "Thank You Lord" (firm favorite of Floating Points and Skymark), title track "Filled With His Spirit" and "Everlasting Love".
“In 1978 America’s Billboard Magazine voted Wigan Casino the World’s Best Disco. Over 4-million soul fans passed through the Casino doors, it really was a wonderful time.” - Russ Winstanley
While other clubs may be able to argue they were the birthplace of Northern Soul in the UK, few can claim to have the same popularity or influence as the mighty Wigan Casino. The venue became a Mecca for fans of rare, imported soul records, with a passionate, dedicated fanbase. No-one could have predicted the club’s enormity and impact on Northern Soul. Perhaps it was a combination of circumstances: the untimely demise of the Golden Torch in Stoke-On-Trent, the escape from the workplace that the “scene” offered, a sense of belonging, and something your parents couldn’t begin to understand!
This new LP album, presented on 180g heavyweight audiophile vinyl with sleeve notes, collects some of the classic tracks that were played at the famous club from 1973-81 including exclusive songs not on the 2013 CD edition (CHARLY661X).
It features a host of legendary artists including The Ringleaders, The Jerms, Ohio Players, Blanch Carter, The Inspirations, The Young Savages, Little Richie, Maurice Williams, Ron Holden, The Combinations, The C.O.D.’s and more.
While other clubs may be able to argue they were the birthplace of Northern Soul in the UK, few can claim to have the same popularity or influence as the mighty Wigan Casino. The venue became a Mecca for fans of rare, imported soul records, with a passionate, dedicated fanbase. No-one could have predicted the club’s enormity and impact on Northern Soul. Perhaps it was a combination of circumstances: the untimely demise of the Golden Torch in Stoke-On-Trent, the escape from the workplace that the “scene” offered, a sense of belonging, and something your parents couldn’t begin to understand!
This new LP album, presented on 180g heavyweight audiophile vinyl with sleeve notes, collects some of the classic tracks that were played at the famous club from 1973-81 including exclusive songs not on the 2013 CD edition (CHARLY661X).
It features a host of legendary artists including The Ringleaders, The Jerms, Ohio Players, Blanch Carter, The Inspirations, The Young Savages, Little Richie, Maurice Williams, Ron Holden, The Combinations, The C.O.D.’s and more.
An incredible session from the legendary Tribe Records scene — an equal effort from leader Doug Hammond and keyboardist David Durrah, who contributes some ground-breaking Fender Rhodes and moog work to the set! Hammond handles drums plus a bit of vocals and synthesizer on the session — working alongside Durrah in a groove that mixes electric and acoustic instrumentation into a totally righteous sound with lots of heavy Afro Jazz leanings. A number of tracks feature great vocals from Hammond — righteous, and with a beautifully soulful message-oriented approach — and a few other tracks, such as the classic “Space I” and “Space II”, feature a sparer all-electric sound. The whole thing’s wonderful — skittishly rhythmic, warmly flowing, and righteously beautiful. Titles include “Sea Of Nurnen”, “Fidalgo Detour”, “Reflections”, “Space II”, and “For Real”.
(Dusty Groove, Inc.)
(Dusty Groove, Inc.)
Released in 2006 as a follow-up to Sufjan Stevens’ 2005 Illinois, Asthmatic Kitty Records is finally releasing Avalanche on vinyl. Initially conceived as part of a double album version of Illinois, Avalanche instead became a “companion” (a polite word for “b-sides”) to Illinois. Since its release, fans have had mixed reactions. “3 versions of Chicago?!?! Enough already,” wrote ‘biografiend” on Sputnik. But “cravenmonket,” who gave the album 4.5 stars on rateyourmusic, suggests that we all “stop thinking of The Avalanche as more Illinois. It actually owes more to Michigan.” Cravenmonket may be right. Take “The Mistress Witch” or “Saul Bellow,” both of which could have lived on the 2003 Michigan as much as on Illinois. One can hear Sufjan’s 2004 Enjoy Your Rabbit in “The Undivided Self.” And the band jam on “Springfield” looks forward to 2010’s All Delighted People. Then there’s “Pittsfield,” which, at least lyrically, foreshadows the more personal themes of 2015’s Carrie & Lowell.
All that to say, a vinyl release of Avalanche is long overdue. Complete with all 21 songs from the original release, including the three versions of “Chicago” (you’re welcome, biografiend).
All that to say, a vinyl release of Avalanche is long overdue. Complete with all 21 songs from the original release, including the three versions of “Chicago” (you’re welcome, biografiend).
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xColoured LP Info: Limited edition coloured vinyl. Avalanche white hatchback orange double LP.
Mac DeMarco’s breakthrough sophomore album, Salad Days – released on April Fools’, 2014 – garnered widespread critical acclaim, landing on over 30 Year End lists. It was the album that catapulted DeMarco from “loveable slacker” to “mature songwriter with a gaptoothed grin,” all at the tender age of 23. DeMarco’s demos for Salad Days, originally included in an expanded edition of the album only available on Captured Tracks Mail Order site, peel back the curtain of said artist, who, up until then, may have been more known for his raucous live shows than his genuine talent as a songwriter and craftsman. This collection of demos and sketches as well as previously unreleased instrumental demos offer a rare insight into Mac’s world and process.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Captured Tracks Tenth Anniversary Edition, Pressed on White Vinyl. Limited to 5000 copies.
Mac DeMarco’s second album, 2, cleaned up the songwriter’s warped take on soft rock and brought it to a broader audience. Given DeMarco’s affinity for keeping things lo-fi—2 was the first time he’d bothered to record demos—it’s revealing to hear these songs in their most embryonic form. The performances here are a little looser and the sound a little hazier than on the actual LP, lending an atmosphere of dreamy vulnerability, especially to ballads like “Annie” and the Lennon-esque “Sherrill.”
Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Captured Tracks Tenth Anniversary Edition, Pressed on Green Vinyl. Limited to 5000 copies worldwide.Coloured LP includes MP3 Download Code.
The one and only LP release from X-Ray Spex and its irrepressible frontwoman Poly Styrene has been deemed by everybody from Greil Marcus to Robert Christgau to Spin to Mojo as one of the greatest punk albums ever made, yet, somehow, this is its first vinyl reissue (and you can tell because prices for the used vinyl are insane)! And we've done it right; besides the colored vinyl, we've reproduced the inner lyric sheet, where you can read Poly's brilliant observations about the plastic, corporate nature of modern society. All of which she sings in a passionate yowl all her own (with Lora Logic among others backing on saxophone); this is not only one of the most penetratingly observant punk records, it's also one of the most passionate, and, surprisingly enough, catchy.
FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Clear vinyl!
Faust stand among the most influential creative forces to have emerged from Germany in the late ’60s and early ’70s. Along with Can, Agitation Free, Neu! and others, Faust rejected the Anglo-American norms of rock ’n’ roll dubbed by the UK press with the semi-derogatory term “krautrock.” Faust would reach near-mythical status through a series of classic albums recorded between 1970 and 1973 at their secluded Wümme studio. As Dave Segalwrites in the liner notes, “There’s no consensus about which Faust album represents their zenith. But a survey of the group’s fans would likely find the collage-heavy messterpiece The Faust Tapes triumphing.
Its freewheeling, jump-cut nature and unlikely earworm Moments conspire for more what-the-fuck epiphanies per minute than just about any other record about which Krautrocksampler author Julian Cope has raved.” Comprised of twenty odd tape-manipulation experiments and freak-out jams, The Faust Tapes stashes away some of the band’s best-known songs. “Flashback Caruso,” with its delicate acoustic guitar and Rudolf Sosna’s airy vocals, could easily have appeared on So Far or Faust IV , while on “J’ai Mal Aux Dents,” Jean-Hervé Peron’s playful lyrics and this ecstatic, era-defining riff perfectly represent Faust’s magical mischievousness. This first-time US release of The Faust Tapes on vinyl reproduces the original sleeve design, featuring artwork by Bridget Riley
Its freewheeling, jump-cut nature and unlikely earworm Moments conspire for more what-the-fuck epiphanies per minute than just about any other record about which Krautrocksampler author Julian Cope has raved.” Comprised of twenty odd tape-manipulation experiments and freak-out jams, The Faust Tapes stashes away some of the band’s best-known songs. “Flashback Caruso,” with its delicate acoustic guitar and Rudolf Sosna’s airy vocals, could easily have appeared on So Far or Faust IV , while on “J’ai Mal Aux Dents,” Jean-Hervé Peron’s playful lyrics and this ecstatic, era-defining riff perfectly represent Faust’s magical mischievousness. This first-time US release of The Faust Tapes on vinyl reproduces the original sleeve design, featuring artwork by Bridget Riley
FORMAT INFORMATION
LP includes MP3 Download Code.
Digable Planets
Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space) - 25th Anniversary Edition
Modern Classics
At a time when hip-hop was determined to snap your neck, a young, hip trio from Brooklyn (by way of Seattle, Philly, and Brazil) conspired on an uncommonly smooth new sound and freaky way of speak, a titanically chill expression of Black bohemia loaded with jazz idiom and a subversive Marxist bent—and pushed it worldwide via an undeniable crossover hit.
Digable Planets’ 1993 debut, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), unexpected to all involved, produced a massive radio hit in “Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”, which won the 1994 Grammy for Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group. Unduly lumped into an “alternative rap” subgenre they chafed at, the Dig Plans were dismissed by some as one-hit wonders, coming out of nowhere; but the Digable Planets concept, and what became Reachin’, had been in the works for close to five years, as group leader Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler wrote music and soaked up game in multiple cities, navigating the industry of hip-hop’s golden age.
In the end, Butler, Mary Anne “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira, and Craig “Doodlebug” Irving came together to create a seamlessly articulated vision of urbane hiphop cool with an uncommonly literary bent that subtly pushed the hip-hop genre’s frames of reference and added breadth to rap music’s burgeoning political philosophy. Drawing on inspiration from Butler’s jazzbo father, the Black Panthers, Jose Luis-Borges, the Last Poets, and Jimi Hendrix, Reachin’ posited a theory of “universal beats”, narrated by three unearthly MC’s that had “split to Earth to resurrect the funk”, assuming curious, arthropodic aliases—a nod to the natural collective action of the insect world. In just four years the crew would record two beloved and ambitious LPs before disbanding.
Out of print on wax domestically since 1993, Reachin’ captures one of the last gasps of rap music’s jazzy, upbeat adolescence in the early 90’s—those warm, blissed-out grooves every bit as slick as when they were laid way back when. Put this on, roll up with your crew and bug out again with the insect tribe.
Digable Planets’ 1993 debut, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), unexpected to all involved, produced a massive radio hit in “Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”, which won the 1994 Grammy for Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group. Unduly lumped into an “alternative rap” subgenre they chafed at, the Dig Plans were dismissed by some as one-hit wonders, coming out of nowhere; but the Digable Planets concept, and what became Reachin’, had been in the works for close to five years, as group leader Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler wrote music and soaked up game in multiple cities, navigating the industry of hip-hop’s golden age.
In the end, Butler, Mary Anne “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira, and Craig “Doodlebug” Irving came together to create a seamlessly articulated vision of urbane hiphop cool with an uncommonly literary bent that subtly pushed the hip-hop genre’s frames of reference and added breadth to rap music’s burgeoning political philosophy. Drawing on inspiration from Butler’s jazzbo father, the Black Panthers, Jose Luis-Borges, the Last Poets, and Jimi Hendrix, Reachin’ posited a theory of “universal beats”, narrated by three unearthly MC’s that had “split to Earth to resurrect the funk”, assuming curious, arthropodic aliases—a nod to the natural collective action of the insect world. In just four years the crew would record two beloved and ambitious LPs before disbanding.
Out of print on wax domestically since 1993, Reachin’ captures one of the last gasps of rap music’s jazzy, upbeat adolescence in the early 90’s—those warm, blissed-out grooves every bit as slick as when they were laid way back when. Put this on, roll up with your crew and bug out again with the insect tribe.
The last album with Rob Dean, Gentlemen Take Polaroids was also unquestionably the album in which Japan truly found its own unique voice and aesthetic approach. The glam influences still hung heavy, particularly from Roxy Music, but now the band found itself starting to affect others in turn. Even the back cover photo says as much -- looking cool in glossy, elegant nightwear, the quintet had a clear impact on Duran Duran, to the point where Nick Rhodes obviously was trying to be Sylvian in appearance. Musically, meanwhile, the swooning, hyper elegant Euro-disco sheen of Quiet Life was polished to an even finer edge throughout, the title track and the obvious descendant of "Quiet Life" itself, "Methods of Dance," in particular sheer standouts. Sylvian's sighing, luscious croon is in full effect on both, and the arrangements are astonishing, Karn's fretless purring between Jansen's crisp, inventive, and varied drumming, Barbieri's icy keyboards filling out the corners. What makes Gentlemen Take Polaroids even more of a success is how the group, having reached such a polished peak, kept driving behind it, transforming their exquisite pop into something even more artistic and unique. "Swing," in particular, is an astounding showcase for the Karn/Jansen team; snaky funk at once dramatic and precisely chilled, brass section blasts adding just enough wry, precise sleaze, Sylvian delivering with focus and intensity while not raising his voice at all. "Nightporter," meanwhile, is a hyper ballad and then some; a slow-paced semi-waltz with Barbieri's piano taking the lead throughout with wonderful results. Further hints of the future come with the album closing "Taking Islands In Africa," which Sylvian co-wrote with future regular collaborator Ryuchi Sakamato, and which wraps up the whole experience with a gliding, supple grace. - AllMusic.
A Half Speed Mastered edition of Japan's fourth album from 1980. Mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road. Features the single "Gentlemen Take Polaroids". This record was cut using a specialist technique known as half-speed mastering. This artisan process results in cuts that have superior high frequency response (treble) and solid and stable stereo images. In short, a very high quality master that helps to create a very high quality record. In addition to this, we will release this album as a double 45 RPM half-speed mastered edition. This is the ultimate for high quality reproduction as the faster the replay speed of the record, the higher the potential quality. Also, the shorter side times allow the level recorded to the master lacquer discs to be increased thereby improving the signal to noise ratio.
LP Info: Standard 180gram 1LP.
A Half Speed Mastered edition of Japan's fourth album from 1980. Mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road. Features the single "Gentlemen Take Polaroids". This record was cut using a specialist technique known as half-speed mastering. This artisan process results in cuts that have superior high frequency response (treble) and solid and stable stereo images. In short, a very high quality master that helps to create a very high quality record. In addition to this, we will release this album as a double 45 RPM half-speed mastered edition. This is the ultimate for high quality reproduction as the faster the replay speed of the record, the higher the potential quality. Also, the shorter side times allow the level recorded to the master lacquer discs to be increased thereby improving the signal to noise ratio.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: Half speed mastered edition. 2LP sets on 180gram vinyl, which play at 45rpm for enhanced fidelity.LP Info: Standard 180gram 1LP.
Partially growing out of their success in the country they were named after, as well as growing friendship and affiliation with such bands as Yellow Magic Orchestra, Japan, on Tin Drum, made its most unique, challenging, and striking album. It was also the final full studio effort from the group, and what a way to bow out -- there was practically no resemblance to the trash glam flailers on Adolescent Sex anymore. Rather than repeat the sheer restraint on Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Tin Drum is an album of energy, Sylvian's singing still the decadently joyful thing it is, but the arrangements and performances tight, full, and active. The fusion of exquisite funk courtesy of Karn and Jansen's joined-at-the-hip rhythm section and a range of Asian music influences, from instrumentation to subject matter, combined with an even wider use of technological approaches to create the dramatic, sly songs on offer. Only the Talking Heads showed the same attempt at reach and variety at the time, at least in the Western rock world, but Japan arguably outstripped the New York band with its sheer sense of theatrical style. To top it all off, the band was more popular than ever, with "Ghosts," an appropriately haunting ballad notable for its utterly minimal arrangement, almost entirely eschewing beats for Barbieri's textures and Jansen's work on marimba, becoming a Top Ten hit in the U.K. The wound-up dancefloor art grooves of "The Art of Parties" and especially "Visions of China," the latter featuring what has to be Karnand Jansen's eternal highlight performance (check out Jansen's jaw-dropping drum break) were also notable efforts. Meanwhile, the evocation of Chinese culture in general continued with such songs as "Canton," a slightly martial, stately march with clear inspiration from the country's classical music tradition, and the concluding "Cantonese Boy." - Allmusic.
A Half Speed Mastered edition of Japan's 5th studio album from 1981. Mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road studios. Features the singles "The Art Of Parties" and "Ghosts". This record was cut using a specialist technique known as half-speed mastering. This artisan process results in cuts that have superior high frequency response (treble) and solid and stable stereo images. In short, a very high quality master that helps to create a very high quality record. In addition to this, we will release this album as a double 45 RPM half-speed mastered edition. This is the ultimate for high quality reproduction as the faster the replay speed of the record, the higher the potential quality. Also, the shorter side times allow the level recorded to the master lacquer discs to be increased thereby improving the signal to noise ratio.
LP Info: Standard 180gram 1LP.
A Half Speed Mastered edition of Japan's 5th studio album from 1981. Mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road studios. Features the singles "The Art Of Parties" and "Ghosts". This record was cut using a specialist technique known as half-speed mastering. This artisan process results in cuts that have superior high frequency response (treble) and solid and stable stereo images. In short, a very high quality master that helps to create a very high quality record. In addition to this, we will release this album as a double 45 RPM half-speed mastered edition. This is the ultimate for high quality reproduction as the faster the replay speed of the record, the higher the potential quality. Also, the shorter side times allow the level recorded to the master lacquer discs to be increased thereby improving the signal to noise ratio.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLtd LP Info: Half speed mastered edition. 2LP sets on 180gram vinyl, which play at 45rpm for enhanced fidelity.LP Info: Standard 180gram 1LP.
On August 24, The Marley Family, Island Records, and UMC celebrate 40 years of "Kaya", Bob Marley & The Wailers’ historic March 1978 release. This most special anniversary edition to date will feature Stephen 'Ragga' Marley’s exciting and vibrant new "Kaya 40" mixes of all ten tracks from the original album alongside its original mixes in 2CD and 180-gram 2LP configurations.
Bob Marley’s artistic legacy forever endures, and the 40th anniversary edition of "Kaya" only serves to reinforce just how much we all share the shelter of this special music.
Bob Marley’s artistic legacy forever endures, and the 40th anniversary edition of "Kaya" only serves to reinforce just how much we all share the shelter of this special music.
FORMAT INFORMATION
2xLP Info: Two disc set featuring new, 'Kaya 40' mixes on one disc and the original album set on the other.
25 years after its initial release, Julee Cruise’s sophomore album The Voice of Love is being issued for the first time on vinyl as a deluxe 2xLP, and returning to print on CD.
In 1992, after the release of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, and Julee Cruise returned to the studio with new compositions as well as the intent to craft previously instrumental score-based material from Fire Walk With Me and Wild at Heart into Julee Cruise songs. The result was 1993’s final studio album The Voice of Love, a gorgeous ethereal album, which like her debut “Floating Into The Night” had a dreamlike, cinematic feel to it.
“In the studio, David would always say ‘[sing] like an angel, like an angel…” Cruise remembers.
In 1992, after the release of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, and Julee Cruise returned to the studio with new compositions as well as the intent to craft previously instrumental score-based material from Fire Walk With Me and Wild at Heart into Julee Cruise songs. The result was 1993’s final studio album The Voice of Love, a gorgeous ethereal album, which like her debut “Floating Into The Night” had a dreamlike, cinematic feel to it.
“In the studio, David would always say ‘[sing] like an angel, like an angel…” Cruise remembers.
Having already been nominated for a Swedish Grammy with their debut EP, Diamond Waves, their full-length 2015 debut on Rocket Recordings, Horse Dance, marked out a territory in which beguiling repetition could sashay with sweet pop suss, melodic flourishes with experimental intensity, and it was summarily rapturously received on arrival, making new fans and earning them appearances at Roskilde Festival and Eindhoven Psych Lab. Their second effort Mirage, which follows a mere year after its predecessor, sees the band sculpting sprawling, hypnotic jams into elegant nocturnal serenades. “We agree on not remembering very much about how these tracks came about, that all of them were written on the road and that most of them came fully formed” note the band. “Most were really long to begin with, but we found it relieving to break away a bit from the mandatory psych jams a little bit. We also just realised that none of them were written in daylight, which might be why memory is so elusive.” Indeed, this hypnagogic approach seems to fit well with the primary inspiration for the five-piece, which centred on ‘the state where dreams, visions and the present are entwined’ .Mirage sees the band taking a chic tradition of avant-pop that extends all the way from Serge Gainsbourg and Françoise Hardy to Broadcast and Saint Etienne, and warping it mercilessly to their own darker ends. Whilst the brooding yet sultry ‘Sister Green Eyes’ is no less than a sharp slice of velveteen motorik-pop and ‘Looking For You’ reinvents three-chord garage-rock attack with mighty finesse, The Liberation are just as comfortable dealing out the heavy-lidded and electronically-driven ‘In Madrid’ or the dive in the hallucinatory deep end of ‘Circular Motion’, on which they’re aided and abetted by Lay Llamas’ Nicola Guinta. The seductive splendour of these ten songs åmake manifest a parallel world of disorientation and deliverance in which one would be a fool not to want to languish adrift . Fresh excitement for the band lies in wait, courtesy of a UK tour with Goat and an appearance at Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Driven and mesmerising psychedelic loops, snarling basses and full on funky-psych freakouts. Sweetly sung vocals contrast perfectly to the experimental backdrop, breaking out into moments of profound serenity. A perfectly measured combination, and just another essential part of this enthralling collection.FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Purple & Green Swirl Effect Vinyl repress.
The debut album from accomplished guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell, formerly of Drive By Truckers, is reissued with four unreleased tracks from the original recording sessions. The addition of those extra songs finds ‘Sirens Of The Ditch’ clocking in at 15 total tracks.
‘Sirens Of The Ditch’’s mystical quality can be partially attributed to the FAME recording studio (Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman, Otis Redding) in Isbell’s hometown of Muscle Shoals, AL, where the album was recorded.
Co-produced by Isbell and Patterson Hood (Drive By Truckers), ‘Sirens Of The Ditch’ features Isbell singing lead vocals and playing guitar throughout, joined by Shonna Tucker (formerly of Drive By Truckers) on bass and Brad Morgan (Drive By Truckers) on drums. Several musicians pop in for cameos including Spooner Oldham and David Hood (Patterson’s father) on ‘Down In A Hole’, John Neff (formerly of Drive By Truckers) on ‘Dress Blues’ and Patterson himself guests on ‘Shotgun Wedding’.
“A strong debut, full of the kind of confident, charismatic songwriting that just can’t be taught.” - Pitckfork
‘Sirens Of The Ditch’’s mystical quality can be partially attributed to the FAME recording studio (Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman, Otis Redding) in Isbell’s hometown of Muscle Shoals, AL, where the album was recorded.
Co-produced by Isbell and Patterson Hood (Drive By Truckers), ‘Sirens Of The Ditch’ features Isbell singing lead vocals and playing guitar throughout, joined by Shonna Tucker (formerly of Drive By Truckers) on bass and Brad Morgan (Drive By Truckers) on drums. Several musicians pop in for cameos including Spooner Oldham and David Hood (Patterson’s father) on ‘Down In A Hole’, John Neff (formerly of Drive By Truckers) on ‘Dress Blues’ and Patterson himself guests on ‘Shotgun Wedding’.
“A strong debut, full of the kind of confident, charismatic songwriting that just can’t be taught.” - Pitckfork
Reduced
Gnod
Just Say No To The Psycho Right-Wing Capitalist Fascist Industrial Death Machine
Rocket Recordings
Considering the current political climate, Gnod's newest outing was never going to be a particularly cheery affair. 'Just Say No To The Psycho Right-Wing Capitalist Fascist Industrial Death Machine' is indeed political, it is wrought and angry, and it installs everything you would expect from a Gnod album, and adds to it exponentially. 'Bodies For Money' sets out as a state of intent from the off with a screaming pillar of feedback before launching headfirst into a barrage of percussion and punishing guitar. Settling slightly to leave sonic headroom for an angry muted voice is as symbolic as it is effective, giving the impression of fighting against the tide of noise and crushing weight of the background.
'People' begins much more unceremonoiusly, pitching a looped vocal abstraction against rich and guttoral bass guitar and driving percussion. More akin to the aggressive Krautrock of their earlier years, but injected with a satisfying grit and industrious drive. The vocal segments are layered and amplified, giving the impression of a growing force speaking towards one end. This is music for protest, a soundtrack for forced disillusionment, a call to arms and it is as rousing as it is brilliant.
The clanging of 'Paper Error' quickly becomes one of the more melodic points on the album, eschewing vocal snippets and ambient swells for a deft stoner-rock passage, before twisting and tunring into a rawkous and molten grinding thump. It's towering conclusion is inched upon you, like a frog boiling in water without jumping out.
'Real Man' is rich in thunderous sub-bass, and propelled by galloping drums and a snarling monologue half-sung about our hero, the man in a dirty grey suit with a bag full of beers. Claging old-school punk littered with instrumental passages and cataclysmic breakdowns, screaming and feedback twisted and rolled into a voracious wall of noise and force.
The epic closer 'Stick In The Wheel' grows from a vocal refusal of convention, accompanied by rhythmic guitar stabs and dark-ambient synth work, the constantly propulsive and militaristic rhythm perfectly befits the conventions of the previous numbers, acting as an anchor for the political tumult that preceeds it, before breaking down into a psychedelic and metallic distillation of rage into an eastern-tinged opium den percussive head-nodder.
A driven and direct assault on the troubles of today, and a bold, bracing barrage of musical magma. Caustic, loud and captivating to the end.
'People' begins much more unceremonoiusly, pitching a looped vocal abstraction against rich and guttoral bass guitar and driving percussion. More akin to the aggressive Krautrock of their earlier years, but injected with a satisfying grit and industrious drive. The vocal segments are layered and amplified, giving the impression of a growing force speaking towards one end. This is music for protest, a soundtrack for forced disillusionment, a call to arms and it is as rousing as it is brilliant.
The clanging of 'Paper Error' quickly becomes one of the more melodic points on the album, eschewing vocal snippets and ambient swells for a deft stoner-rock passage, before twisting and tunring into a rawkous and molten grinding thump. It's towering conclusion is inched upon you, like a frog boiling in water without jumping out.
'Real Man' is rich in thunderous sub-bass, and propelled by galloping drums and a snarling monologue half-sung about our hero, the man in a dirty grey suit with a bag full of beers. Claging old-school punk littered with instrumental passages and cataclysmic breakdowns, screaming and feedback twisted and rolled into a voracious wall of noise and force.
The epic closer 'Stick In The Wheel' grows from a vocal refusal of convention, accompanied by rhythmic guitar stabs and dark-ambient synth work, the constantly propulsive and militaristic rhythm perfectly befits the conventions of the previous numbers, acting as an anchor for the political tumult that preceeds it, before breaking down into a psychedelic and metallic distillation of rage into an eastern-tinged opium den percussive head-nodder.
A driven and direct assault on the troubles of today, and a bold, bracing barrage of musical magma. Caustic, loud and captivating to the end.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Brilliance as ever from Manchester noise-rock-drone-psych stalwarts Gnod. Brilliantly musical, stunningly direct and absolutely unmissable.FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Black with Red Stripe repress.
Chapel Perilous exists whereby the supernatural converges with the everyday - whatever one’s definition of reality, this psychological realm serves to prove it endlessly subjective and changeable. Robert Anton Wilson may have laid claim to the modern use of this phrase - as in his 1977 tome ‘Cosmic Trigger’ - yet there can be few musical outfits in the here and now more worthy of carrying on its tradition than Gnod. In more than a decade on the planet this singular Salford-birthed entity have married intrepid musical exploration with psychic fearlessness - not to mention a tendency to leave any tag or bracket one attempts to place on them utterly redundant. In a sense, the latest adventure bearing this title evolved both from the lengthy European tour that the band embarked upon in the wake of their stripped-down and paint-stripping 2017 opus Just Say No The Psycho Right-Wing Capitalist Fascist Industrial Death Machine.
Yet recording in Supernova studio in Eindhoven under the auspices of Bob De Wit, the band found themselves free not only to lay down two tumultuous tracks that they had been honing and hammering into shape on the road - the pulverising fifteen-minute opener ‘Donovan’s Daughters’ and the bracingly brutal ‘Uncle Frank Says Turn It Down’ - but to sculpt more abstract material, utilising dubbed-out repetition, furious riff-driven rancour, bleak soundscapes and off-the-map experimentation to create an intimidating and invigorating tableau of dystopian dread and unflinching intensity. Always working purely on their own instincts and co-ordinates, Gnod’s pathway into unchartered territory continues to move firmly on with nary a care for the sanity of anyone in their surroundings. Chapel Perilous is a still more indomitable chapter in a transcendental travelogue from an iconoclastic institution that only gathers momentum with the passing of time. Wherever Gnod go in 2018 and beyond, expect reality to be reinvented anew, whatever the consequences
Yet recording in Supernova studio in Eindhoven under the auspices of Bob De Wit, the band found themselves free not only to lay down two tumultuous tracks that they had been honing and hammering into shape on the road - the pulverising fifteen-minute opener ‘Donovan’s Daughters’ and the bracingly brutal ‘Uncle Frank Says Turn It Down’ - but to sculpt more abstract material, utilising dubbed-out repetition, furious riff-driven rancour, bleak soundscapes and off-the-map experimentation to create an intimidating and invigorating tableau of dystopian dread and unflinching intensity. Always working purely on their own instincts and co-ordinates, Gnod’s pathway into unchartered territory continues to move firmly on with nary a care for the sanity of anyone in their surroundings. Chapel Perilous is a still more indomitable chapter in a transcendental travelogue from an iconoclastic institution that only gathers momentum with the passing of time. Wherever Gnod go in 2018 and beyond, expect reality to be reinvented anew, whatever the consequences
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Gnod once again ripping everyone a new one with a heady mix of metallic drone, psychedelic ambience and visceral spoken-word musings, incisive cut-throat guitar lines and hypnotic scree. Classic, unbelievable Gnod. Killer.FORMAT INFORMATION
Coloured LP Info: Teal Blue repress.
Zero 7 were formed in 1997 by producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. In 2001 their debut album "Simple Things" was released selling over a million copies to date and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Zero 7 were also nominated as Best Newcomer at the Brit Awards 2001. "Simple Things" peaked at no.28 in the UK album chart and spent 89 weeks on the chart. Stateside, the album hit no.4 on the Billboard Dance / Electronic album chart and stayed on that chart for 52 weeks.
Singles taken from the original album included ‘I Have Seen’ featuring Mozez, ‘Destiny’ featuring Sia & Sophie Barker, "In the Waiting Line" featuring Sophie Barker and "Distractions" featuring Sia. The LP has been out of print for almost two decades and second-hand copies of the original pressing are changing hands on Ebay and Discogs for upwards of £100!
Singles taken from the original album included ‘I Have Seen’ featuring Mozez, ‘Destiny’ featuring Sia & Sophie Barker, "In the Waiting Line" featuring Sophie Barker and "Distractions" featuring Sia. The LP has been out of print for almost two decades and second-hand copies of the original pressing are changing hands on Ebay and Discogs for upwards of £100!
STAFF COMMENTS
Andy says: Beautiful, lushly produced downtempo grooves topped with sweet melodies, somewhat akin to French masters Air but with soul and jazz flavours, this is a timeless classic, and every home should have one!FORMAT INFORMATION
2xCD Info: Special edition with an extra 11 tracks.
An absolute classic from 1981. Budgie’s tribal drums and John McGeoch’s swirling guitars provide the perfect backdrop for Siouxsie’s distinctive vocals.
This is one of four albums released by taken from the Siouxsie And The Banshees extensive studio catalog, each album appearing as it should on glorious 180-gram black vinyl.
This is one of four albums released by taken from the Siouxsie And The Banshees extensive studio catalog, each album appearing as it should on glorious 180-gram black vinyl.