‘Ash Grey And The Gull Glides On’ is the new album by Scottish composers Andrew Wasylyk and Tommy Perman.The pair have orbited each others worlds for a number of years through audio-visual collaborations spanning record releases, films and sound installations.

Wasylyk’s cinematic compositions have been nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year Award and been awarded BBC Radio 6 Music’s Gideon Coe’s Album of the Year. He has collaborated with former National Poet for Scotland, Liz Lochhead, and written soundtracks for Radio 4. Perman’s work as a musician and DJ has taken him across the world, with numerous record releases under his own name and with experimental group/arts collective FOUND, alongside visual works at the Sydney Opera House and National Museum of Scotland.

‘Ash Grey And The Gull Glides On’ is the pair’s first collaborative album as a duo.The record is rooted in Perman's ambient-acid-house grooves and multi-textural percussion built from sampling the knocks, clangs and creaks of Wasylyk’s upright piano.These are woven through a palette of drum machines, rolling transcendental piano motifs, fluttering synthesisers, saxophones swells and hymnal choral vocals.

Approaching the meditative ten-song collection,Tommy posted Andrew three envelopes containing ‘Recording Instructions’, ‘Tempo Cards’ and ‘Chord Cards’. Nodding towards the Fluxus instructions of Yoko Ono’s Grapefruit and the environmental cues of Perman and Wasylyk’s collaboration on Sing the Gloaming (‘If it’s wet outside: 100bpm. If it’s dry outside: 70bpm’) the cards inspired exploration and improvisations which were then cut up and collaged.

The spirit of this project channels through ‘Communal Imagination’ as Wasylyk’s trademark airy piano chords float above Perman’s juddering rhythms, conjuring a Balaeric abstraction of Basil Kirchin.The group brass and stuttering echoes of ‘Root Grow Emerge’ are accompanied by field recordings of Tommy’s children playing and reciting cyclical chants. ‘Blessing Of The Banners’ slowly unspools through spiritual cinematic jazz patterns into a hymn of hope, whilst ‘Spec Of Dust Becomes A Beam’ ignites into an expansive, kosmiche four-to-the-floor crescendo.

A sense of warmth, openness and curiosity floods through ‘Ash Grey And The Gull Glides On’.A document of forward-thinking artistic union from a pair at the height of their imaginations, perched over the Tay estuary.

“So leave us as you found us, walk with us or around us, you might find nothing to see here, but come tomorrow we’ll still be here,” warmly warns Aidan Moffat (Arab Strap) over ascending chords on the album’s closing track ‘Be the Hammer’: a mantra of quiet defiance from idiosyncratic composers in full flight. Liminal, illuminating ideas landing where melody meets rhythm: ‘Ash Grey And The Gull Glides On’ is a place where community, love and goodness prevail. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Climb Like A Floating Vapour
2. Communal Imagination
3. Root Grow Emerge
4. Blessing Of The Banners
5. The Unbearable Sound Of The Roses
6. Spec Of Dust Becomes A Beam
7. Unrepeatable Air
8. Remain In Memory Full Of Light
9. Ash Grey And The Gull Glides On
10. Be The Hammer (feat. Aidan Moffat)

The ethereal third album from Texas’s slowcore first wavers. A lethargic, sparse, and autumnal album, 'The Golden Band' is where The American Analog Set developed the courage to drive 40 KPH on the autobahn. Issued on Emperor Jones in 1999, this 25th anniversary Numero edition has been remastered from the original tapes and flawlessly reproduced in a gorgeous tip on sleeve. When are you quitting the scene?

TRACK LISTING

1. Weather Report
2. Good Friend Is Always Around
3. It's All About Us
4. A Schoolboy's Charm
5. The Wait
6. New Drifters I
7. New Drifters II
8. New Drifters III
9. New Drifters IV
10. Golden Band
11. I Must Soon Quit The Scene
12. Will The Real Danny Radnor Please Stand?

ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 2ND AT 5PM WE WELCOME THE BUG CLUB FOR AN INSTORE SIGNING SESSION. SO POP IN AND GET A COPY OF THE LP/CD PERSONALLY SIGNED BY THE BAND.

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON THE DAY WE ALSO HAVE NON-PERSONALISED SIGNED COPIES AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER. 

The way you’re saying it, “prolific” isn’t the right word for The Bug Club. You’ve got to say it with the trademark Welsh lilt and pay due homage to this inimitable band’s origins in the renowned hit factory of Caldicot, South Wales. Do that, and you’re about right with how to summarize a group who’ve released ten singles, two albums, two EPs, three things nobody knew how to describe, and an album under a different band’s name, all since 2021, and while playing 200+ gigs a year.

Initially comprising the songwriting core of Sam Willmett (vocals/guitar) and Tilly Harris (vocals/bass) with Dan Matthew (drums), The Bug Club started plying their trade in 2016. They were signed by UK label Bingo Records in Autumn of 2020. BBC 6 Music’s Marc Riley was an early champion, hammering the single, booking the band in for a session as soon as it was allowed, and rightfully praising songwriters capable of singing the whole alphabet in a two-minute song and making it work.

Third LP On The Intricate Inner Workings Of The System - their first for Sub Pop - sees the band serve up a beefy slab of their speciality Modern-Lovers-meets-Nuggets garage rock. There’s B-52’s call-and-response fun mixed with AC/DC power chord grunt. Leaning towards fast-paced punk, opening double salvo “War Movies” and “Quality Pints” sets out the stall: duel vocal piss-taking, surreal takes on everyday topics that go full circle and become profound, riffs all day long and then all the next day too. “Quality Pints” deals with the pressing concerns of any conscientious touring outfit, taking to heart the rule of the three R’s as penned by renowned fellow pints fan Mark E. Smith of The Fall. Repetition, repetition, repetition. If it’s that important, which it is, it’s worth saying again. “War Movies” dresses distorted chugging with a comprehensive ‘best of’ list for the genre, with Sam Willmett offering a solo casually chucked out in a way that will make your dad promptly give up any resurgent guitar playing ambitions. And “A Bit Like James Bond” tackles the UK’s sleaziest undercover export at the same time as the embarrassing ego problem that besets much of its population - but it’s only heavy(ish) in the fun, loads-of-riffs sense. 

TRACK LISTING

1. War Movies
2. Quality Pints
3. Pop Single
4. Best Looking Strangers In The Cemetery
5. A Bit Like James Bond
6. We Don't Care About That
7. Lonsdale Slipons
8. Better Than Good
9. Actual Pain
10. Cold. Hard. Love.
11. The Intricate Inner Workings Of The System

Strut proudly presents a special edition repress of the groundbreaking ‘Nigeria 70’ compilation, now available on translucent green vinyl 3LP to celebrate the label’s 25th Anniversary.

First released in 2001, Nigeria 70 was a pioneering compilation that delved deeply into Lagos' vibrant music scene, where local artists blended highlife and traditional rhythms with soul, funk, rock, and jazz. While Western audiences were already acquainted with Fela Kuti, this album highlighted other influential Nigerian musicians and bandleaders of the '70s: Joni Haastrup, Peter King, Segun Bucknor, Bala Miller, Blo, King Sunny Ade, Tunji Oyelana, and many more. Subsequent volumes continued to explore the rich landscape of Afrobeat, juju, funk, and soul, unearthing a treasure trove of Nigerian tracks.

‘Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970’s Funky Lagos’ showcases the vibrant diversity of the Lagos scene, reflecting the eclectic musical influences of the time. The compilation includes elements of psychedelic rock, from the heavily fuzzed-out sounds of Ofo & the Black Company's "Allah Wakbarr" to BLO's hauntingly serene "Chant to Mother Earth." The influence of late 1970s and early 80s disco can be heard in tracks like Joni Haastrup's 1977 "Greetings" and Shina Williams & His African Percussionists' 1984 electro-funk track "Agboju Logun," all while maintaining a strong Afrobeat foundation.

Beloved by collectors and dancefloor enthusiasts, Nigeria 70 is rich with soul, humanity, and a broad spectrum of the region's musical talent. It has inspired a new wave of labels and releases, introducing the 1970s Lagos scene to a new generation of soul, funk, and dance music fans.

This special edition of ‘Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970’s Funky Lagos’ features the original artwork and liner notes, pressed on translucent green vinyl across 3LPs.

TRACK LISTING

1. Orlando Julius & His Afro Sounders – Alo Mi Alo (Parts 1 & 2 )
2. Segun Bucknor & His Revolution – La La La
3. Lijadu Sisters – Orere Elejigbo
4. Peter King – Shango
5. Sahara All Stars Band Jos – Enjoy Yourself
6. Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa 70 – Jeun Ko Ku (Chop 'N' Quench)
7. Tunji Oyelana & The Benders – Ifa
8. Ofo The Black Company – Allah Wakbarr
9. The Funkees – Dancing Time
10. Monomono– Tire Loma Da Nigbehin
11. Bala Miller & The Great Music Pyrameeds Of Afrika – Ikon Allah
12. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes – Akayan Ekassa
13. Shina Williams & His African Percussionists – Agboju Logun
14. Gasper Lawal – Kita Kita
15. King Sunny Ade & His African Beats – Ja Fun Mi (Instrumental)

Unearthed from the neolithic tar that eventually swathes all history, Aerial M’s early-98 Peel Session is once again among us. Compared to the studio takes, played strictly and singly by Aerial/Papa M-astermind David Pajo, these versions swing from the necks of road-burned players, breathing more bestially than their canonical cousins, glinting ‘pon the dark metallic roots that fed all of Pajo’s best guitar lines, winding thru time immemorial.

TRACK LISTING

1. Skrag Theme
2. Vivea
3. Safeless

"Ensoulment" is THE THE's eagerly awaited 8th studio album and their first long-player since "NakedSelf" in 2000. It delivers 12 new tracks that range from sharp social and political insights to intimate personal narratives.

To celebrate the release, this strictly limited 7” Vinyl Single will be made available, featuring a track from the album: " Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake". This single also includes an exclusive B-side, a previously unreleased track that will only be available in this strictly limited release, a true collector's item.

TRACK LISTING

Side A:
Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake

Side B:
Frozen Clouds

I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True is a tale of writing songs and playing in bands as a conduit to a world its author could once have barely imagined -- a world of major labels, luxury tour buses, and sold-out theaters, but also one of alcohol, drugs, and a low-level rock n roll Babylon. Beginning with Wynn's childhood in California in the 60s and 70s, the book builds to a crescendo with the formation of the first incarnation of The Dream Syndicate in 1981 as an antidote to the prepackaged pop music of the era. It charts the highs and lows of the band's early years at the forefront of the Paisley Underground scene alongside Green On Red, Rain Parade, and The Bangles; the seismic impact of their debut album, The Days Of Wine And Roses; the spiraling chaos of the sessions for the follow-up, Medicine Show; the dissolution of the band s first line-up and the launch of a second phase of The Dream Syndicate with Out Of The Grey and Ghost Stories; and more, culminating with the release of the landmark live album Live At Raji's.

This is Wynn's story, but it also features some of the biggest and most colorful characters of the period, offering a detailed field guide to the music business that manages to both glorify and demystify in equal measure. And, ultimately, it's a tale of redemption, with music as a vehicle for artistic and personal transformation and transcendence.

The Modulations released their album It’s Rough Out Here in 1975. This album featured the singles “Rough Out Here”, “I Can’t Fight Your Love”, and the title track. The singles received considerable airplay and managed to chart on Billboard’s R&B single chart. The Modulations recorded extensively with MFSB, the house band of the famed record label Philadelphia International. These sessions yielded to this album, which is considered a gem of 1970s soul music. The group reached the pinnacle of its career with an appearance on Don Cornelius’ popular TV show Soul Train in 1976.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Rough Out Here
2. Head On Collision With Heartbreak
3. Love At Last
4. I'll Always Love You

Side B
1. I'm Hopelessly In Love
2. I Can’t Fight Your Love
3. Worth Your Weight In Gold
4. Those Were The Best Days Of My Life
5. Share What You Got, Keep What You Need

This is the repeated call and the rallying chorus of the nearly 40-minute centerpiece to composer and percussionist Asher Gamedze’s new album Constitution. The expansive double album, a minoritarian fellowship in breath, is Gamedze’s follow-up to 2023’s Turbulence and Pulse (IARC0057), and his first with The Black Lungs. The album – recorded in one day at Cape Town’s Sound and Motion Studios – is an elaboration of the possibilities of autonomous constitution in and through polyrhythmic, modal, large ensemble music.

On Constitution, the power of the question, the possibility of an improvised answer and the celebration of being together exists not in the solo but in the group, the ensemble. Here The Black Lungs collectively explore and deconstruct the conceptual, tonal, and atonal possibilities of themes which are at once of old and new dreams - curious and instantiative, melancholic and emergent.


“The Black Lungs is inspired by the revolutionary thought and practice of the Black Consciousness Movement. In particular, the relationship between antagonism – constituting a united front of all the oppressed against white supremacy and racial capitalism – and the possibilities for resistance and elaboration - the creative militant capacities of those assembled – enabled and unleashed by that process of constitution.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Find Each Other
2. Determining Facts
3. Antagonism
4. Elaboration
5. Constitution
6. Destitution
7. High Land, New Home
8. Melancholia
9. Deposition: A Song For The Dialectician 

'Remind Me' is the first definitive retrospective of an icon of 1970s and ‘80s soul, jazz and disco, Patrice Rushen, covering her peerless 6-year career with Elektra / Asylum from 1978 to 1984.

Joining Elektra after three albums with jazz label Prestige, Patrice had shown prodigious talent at an early age and had first broken through after winning a competition to perform at the Monterrey Jazz Festival of 1972. By the time of the recordings on this collection, she had become a prolific and in-demand session musician and arranger on the West coast, appearing on over 80 recordings for other artists. She joined the Elektra / Asylum roster in 1978 as they launched a pop / jazz division alongside visionaries like Donald Byrd and Grover Washington, Jr. “The idea was to create music that was good for commercial radio / R&B,” Patrice explains. “We were all making sophisticated dance music, essentially.”

Drawing on some of the leading musicians in L.A. like saxophonist Gerald Albright, drummer “Ndugu” Chancler and bassman Freddie Washington and keeping an open minded approach from her training in classical, jazz and soundtrack scores, Patrice’s music was a different, more intricate proposition to many of the soul artists of the time. “L.A. musicians were not so locked into tradition,” she continues. “None of us were accustomed to limitation and the record label left us to take our own direction.”

Early classics like ‘Music Of The Earth’ and ‘Let’s Sing A Song Of Love’ were among Patrice’s first as a lead vocalist before her ‘Pizzazz’ album landed in 1979, featuring the unique disco of ‘Haven’t You Heard’ and one of her greatest ballads, ‘Settle For My Love’. “Although ballads make you feel more vulnerable as an artist because they are often personal, I think listeners relate to that sincerity,” she reflects. By now, Patrice’s records were supremely arranged and produced as her confidence as an all-round writer, producer, arranger and performer grew. Slick dancefloor anthem ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ and the ‘Posh’ album in 1980 led to her landmark album ‘Straight From The Heart’ two years later. Receiving little support from her label, Patrice and her production team personally funded a promo campaign for the first single from it, ‘Forget Me Nots’. It went on to peak at no. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album was later Grammy-nominated, while the track became a timeless anthem and popular sample, inspiring Will Smith’s theme for the film ‘Men In Black’ and George Michael’s ‘Fastlove’.

Patrice’s final album for Elektra, ‘Now’ kept the bar high with sparse, synth-led songs including ‘Feel So Real’ and ‘To Each His Own’. It concluded a golden era creatively for Patrice which remains revered by soul and disco aficionados the world over

TRACK LISTING

A1. Music Of The Earth
A2. Let’s Sing A Song Of Love
A3. When I Found You
B1. Haven’t You Heard (12” Version)
B2. Givin’ It Up Is Givin’ Up With DJ Rogers
C1. Forget Me Nots (12” Version)
C2. Look Up! (Long Version)
C3. Where There Is Love
D1. Never Gonna Give You Up (Won’t Let You Be) (Long Version)
D2. Number One (12” Version)
E1. All We Need
E2 Remind Me (LP Version)
E3. Settle For My Love
F1. Feels So Real (Won’T Let Go) (12” Version)
F2. To Each His Own

The Softies, comprised of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia, embody timeless themes of friendship and self-discovery through their minimalist pop soundworld. Since their formation in 1994, they've created uncluttered and fearlessly vulnerable music, contrasting with prevailing trends. The Bed I Made, The Softies’ first new studio album in 24 years, showcases growth while reflecting on life's complexities with lyrics drawn from real experiences.

Despite individual pursuits and personal losses, Melberg and Sbragia reunite, channeling grief and rejuvenation into an album that captures the essence of their enduring friendship and offers hope and renewal amid life's challenges. Through their perfectly-paired harmonies and telepathic playing, they navigate the present, past, and future, offering a poignant continuation of their musical legacy, resonating like time spent with an old friend who knows you best.

TRACK LISTING

Go Back In Time
I Said What I Said
To You From Me
Tiny Flame
When I Started Loving You
Just Someone
California Highway 99
Dial Tone
The Bed I Made
23rd Birthday
Sigh Sigh Sigh
Headphones
Foot Path
Don’t Fall Apart

Sharon Van Etten’s Are We There turns ten this year and reasserts itself as a one of her most powerful and timeless collections. It is clear from the opening chords that we are witnessing a new awareness, a sign of Van Etten in full stride, writing, producing, and performing from a place that seems almost mythical, were it not so touchable and real. Always direct, and never shying
away even from the most personally painful narratives, many of the songs deal with seemingly impossible decisions, anticipation, and then resolution. Amidst all that brutal honesty, Van Etten finds moments of levity, as she always does: 'Every Time the Sun Comes Up', now pressed to 7” for the first time, started out as a lark but lifts the album at its close, completes the world she’s let us into, and resets us gently for whatever might follow.

It has, since then, become an indelible staple of Van Etten’s live shows. This new 7” edition features that live rendition getting the studio recording treatment fans have clamored for since it materialized. And the b-side, a live
recording from the iconic Sydney Opera House, proves the song’s shapeshifting.

TRACK LISTING

1. Every Time The Sun Comes Up (Alternate Version)
2. Every Time The Sun Comes Up (Live At Sydney Opera House)

2010 compilation from the Electronic duo, Thievery Corporation. The album is a collection of tracks specially selected by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton for longtime fans and for music lovers who have heard of Thievery Corporation but may have never listened to the band. It Takes a Thief features 'Lebanese Blonde,' the beautiful track used on the Grammy award-winning Garden State Soundtrack, as well as 'Sound the Alarm', the funk-infused track that has become a staple opening track for the band's live shows. First time ever available on vinyl. This vinyl release is part of a larger lead up to a 2025 box set celebrating the band’s 30th anniversary.

TRACK LISTING

Side A:
1. Amerimacka
2. Lebanese Blonde
3. Facing East
4. Holographic Universe

Side B:
5. Shadows Of Ourselves
6. Sound The Alarm
7. Until The Morning
8. Sweet Tides

Side C:
9. Satyam Shivam Sundaram
10. All That We Perceive
11. Air Batucada
12. Exilio (Rewound)

Side D:
13. Vampires
14. Warning Shots
15. The Richest Man In Babylon
16. The Passing Stars

Formed in 1975, Throbbing Gristle, aka Chris Carter, Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson (1955-2010), Cosey Fanni Tutti, and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (1950-2020), fully delivered on punk’s failed promise to explore extreme culture as a way of sabotaging systems of control. Their impact on music, culture, and the arts has been immeasurable and still felt today.

Having reformed in 2004, Throbbing Gristle’s 'The Third Mind Movements' initially emerged as an exclusive release only available on the band’s last ever American tour in 2009, before they split again in 2010. As the title implies, the album delves into the established connections between Throbbing Gristle and William S. Burroughs, particularly through the beloved cut-up technique, famously pioneered by Burroughs and Brion Gysin in ‘The Third Mind’. The album travels through manipulated, time-stretched, and distorted samples, with rhythmical breakbeats and hypnotic oscillations of electronics.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Man From Nowhere
2. PreMature
3. Secluded
4. Perception Is The Only Reality
5. Not That I Am
6. The Third Mind: First Movement
7. The Third Mind: Second Movement
8. The Third Mind: Third Movement

The Auditorium, Vol. 1 marks a groundbreaking collaboration between legendary hip-hop artist Common and iconic producer Pete Rock, blending years of individual success into a powerful joint effort. Common, a versatile talent known for his 15 albums, significant acting roles, and a collection of major awards including an Oscar and three Grammys, teams up with Pete Rock, whose influential production skills have shaped hits for artists from Nas to Madonna. Their paths, intertwined through decades of hip-hop evolution, have led them to this historic full-length partnership, showcasing their refined mastery over the genre.

In this album, Common and Pete Rock capture the essence of their seasoned artistry without compromising the soul of their craft. The project breathes life into hip-hop's rich legacy while forging its future, offering listeners a unique blend of thoughtful lyricism and innovative beats. Recorded amidst the nostalgia of their earlier successes and the excitement of new creative breakthroughs, The Auditorium, Vol. 1 not only redefines the boundaries of hip-hop but invites audiences into a profound musical journey. With its intricate compositions and deep, resonant themes, this album promises an auditory experience that is as intellectually engaging as it is emotionally compelling, urging listeners to dive deep into its layers and appreciate the genius at play. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Dreamin’
2. Chi-Town Do It
3. This Man’s Arms
4. We’re On Our Way
5. Fortunate
6. So Many People (featuring Bilal)
7. Wise Up
8. A GOD (There Is) (featuring Jennifer Hudson)
9. Stellar
10. Lonesome
11. All Kind Of Ideas (featuring Pete Rock)
12. When The Sun Shines Again (featuring Posdnuos Of De La Soul)
13. Everything’s So Grand (featuring PJ)
14. Now And Then
15. Outro 

With their new album 'Rhapsody, the extraordinary vocalists fedayo Gatling, Dennis Bailey, and George Marage are able to fully explore the entire range of music that influenced them. The follow-up to their acclaimed 2021 release 'Look Up!', the record is a dive into a lesser-known but hugely important era in the evolution of gospel music.

Starting in the mid-1960s, local gospel groups and singers began incorporating elements of popular soul and funk styles and in 2006, Chicago-based reissue label Numero Group released Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal. HGT's longtime friend and mentor Eli.

"Paperboy Reed" approached the group with the idea of digging through the Numero catalog and recording some of the gospel funk material, reinterpreted in their own way from the high-energy, old-school soul of "God's Been Good to Me" to the hip-hop-inflected "Get Involved."

The Harlem Gospel Travelers story began when Gatling and Marage met while studying under Reed's tutelage. The group put out their debut LP, 'He's On Time', to rave reviews in 2019, earning them high profile fans like Elton John and landing them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz. Originally a quartet, they brought in Bailey and reconfigured as a trio prior to recording Look Up!, their first album of all original material.

At a moment when the world is reconsidering the concepts of genre and category and who's allowed to participate in which traditions, HGT are squarely on the cultural pulse.

"We always found it difficult to stay in this one lane of what people think gospel is supposed to be," says Gatling. "This record allowed us to hear people that were innovators in their own time, pushing how gospel music sounded, and now we've created this project that is message-wise gospel, but the feeling and the sound can be whatever you want it to be."

TRACK LISTING

1. We Don't Love Enough
2. Ever Since
3. God's Love
4. God's Been Good To Me
5. Get Involved
6. Somebody's Watching You
7. How Can I Lose
8. Jesus Rhapsody, Pt. 1
9. Have You Tried Jesus
10. Searching For The Truth

For the past decade, Spirit Of The Beehive have honed an aesthetic like no other. They’ve chopped up samples, chewed them up, spit them back out again, baby birded it. Across four albums and a smattering of EPs, Zack Schwartz, Corey Wichlin, and Rivka Ravede have fully solidified their stance as some of rock’s weirdest and best deconstructionists. 2018’s 'Hypnic Jerks' was a study in noise punk sampledelia. It was a breakthrough for the band. Frank Ocean became a fan, spinning “fell asleep with a vision,” on Blonded Radio. 2021’s ENTERTAINMENT DEATH, was nasty dream pop by way of K-Mart realism and hitting the channel search setting on an old TV set.

Their last release, 2023’s 'i’m so lucky', explored the breakup between Schwartz and Ravede, setting the stage and emotional territory for the band’s fifth record, 'YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING'. This latest offering is the most crystallized version of the band’s aesthetic, a continued meditation on the end of relationships and the unsteadiness that follows. It is a meticulous, beautiful, and quietly heartbreaking collection of songs. More often than not, it sounds like listening to a walkman from inside of a hurricane, like the YouTube videos you’d watch in bed for 18 hours straight after you break your wrist from a skateboarding accident.

The goal in making 'YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING' was to soften out some of the edges. “Less hard left turns,” says Wichlin. “We wanted to make something intentionally less antagonistic,” he jokes. In practice, this means the record has slightly fewer drastic arrangement changes, and it is more stripped down. Take 'I’VE BEEN EVIL', one of the newest songs on the record, as one such offering. It is straightforward in that its tempo is consistent, in that the song keeps us in the same place. It does not digress. It holds itself steady, with bleary-eyed guitars and hushed vocals. The song is weary, the song is a whisper. The utterance “I’ve been evil,” is like the shrug of a shoulder, a so what, ha ha.

Less straightforward is the sublime 'LET THE VIRGIN DRIVE', a genuinely frightening pop track that anchors itself on fucked up Japanese City pop samples and a demented news clip of someone screaming. The song was originally written around the time the band was touring 'ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH', and took a few years to fully flesh itself out. It is like staring into the sun, like waking up in a body bag “It’s about unrequited love and making up a situation or whole life in your head,” says Schwartz of its thematic underpinning, “The other person finally ‘sees you’ and your ‘problems are solved,’ but they aren’t, really.” The song hiccups and warbles — you can hear the tape hiss, the instability, how it kind of feels like the whole song might get sucked into a black hole’s event horizon. “Heaven is a lie/cause you are earthly/and you’re alive,” Schwartz sings at the song’s outset.

'YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING' is a record of provocations. It wants you to think it is just normal rock ‘n’ roll music. That it is purely pleasure oriented. But beneath these intentions is a collection of songs that are as complex as ever. The Ravede-led 'FOUND A BODY', is a downtempo smoke cloud of variegated synths. “Found a body,” she sings “No one can touch me.” 'SUN SWEPT THE EVENING RED', starts out disconcertingly chipper, before breaking down into an assault of sludged out guitars, auto-tuned vocals, a flurry of strings. Like all SPIRIT records, it is music made by three distinct voices, written independently and then assembled together. Despite being written all over the globe, with Ravede in Portugal and Schwartz and Wichlin back in Philadelphia, the trio arrived at the same themes: that of the brutality of coming to terms with reality, that of what it means to lie to protect yourself and your heart. Schwartz says he writes songs more or less in a stream of consciousness. The band listens to very little outside music when working. The result is a record that very much is its own world. Where chaos is carefully organised, where being able to ever actually chill out is totally illusory, a trick mirror.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Disruption (Featuring Mspaint)
2. Stranger Alive
3. The Cut Depicts The Cut
4. Let The Virgin Drive
5. Sorry Pore Injector
6. Found A Body
7. Sun Swept The Evening Red
8. Something’s Ending
9. I’ve Been Evil
10. 1/500
11. Duplicate Spotted
12. Earth Kit

Formed in 1987 Fruitbat and Jim Bob, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine burst onto the scene with their signature style of punk-pop infused with samples, drum machines, and social commentary.

Hot on the heels of their No. 1 album '1992 The Love Album', which propelled the band to pop stardom, Carter USM returned with 'Post Historic Monsters'. To move away from the sound they had become known for, the band explored new musical styles with Jim Bob beginning to write more personal lyrics. The results were met with critical acclaim, and the album climbed to No. 5 on the UK album charts.

This new edition features the complete album newly remastered on CD 1, including the singles 'Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over' and 'Lenny And Terrence'. CD 2 features rarities, B-sides, and the single 'Glam Rock Cops', whilst CD 3 boasts a new live album 'Up Pompey! - Live In Portsmouth' recorded on tour in 1993. Completing the set is a DVD featuring promo videos, Top Of The Pops appearances, plus a recently unearthed recording of the band playing at their spiritual home, Brixton Academy, during the Post Historic Monsters tour. All appearing on DVD for the first time and accompanied by exclusive new commentary by Jim Bob and Fruitbat.

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklist:
1. 2 Million Years B.C.
2. The Music That Nobody Likes
3. Mid Day Crisis
4. Cheer Up, It Might Never Happen
5. Stuff The Jubilee!
6. A Bachelor For Baden Powell
7. Spoilsports Personality Of The Year
8. Suicide Isn’t Painless
9. Being Here
10. Evil
11. Sing Fat Lady Sing
12. Travis
13. Lean On Me I Won’t Fall Over
14. Lenny And Terence
15. Under The Thumb And Over The Moon
16. Glam Rock Cops
17. Hit
18. Always The Bridesmaid Never The Bride
19. Her Song
20. Commercial Fucking Suicide (Part 1)
21. Stuff The Jubilee (1977)


CD1: Post Historic Monsters (2024 Remaster):
1. 2 Million Years B.C.
2. The Music That Nobody Likes
3. Mid Day Crisis
4. Cheer Up, It Might Never Happen
5. Stuff The Jubilee!
6. A Bachelor For Baden Powell
7. Spoilsports Personality Of The Year
8. Suicide Isn’t Painless
9. Being Here
10. Evil
11. Sing Fat Lady Sing
12. Travis
13. Lean On Me I Won’t Fall Over
14. Lenny And Terence
15. Under The Thumb And Over The Moon

CD2: Singles & B-Sides:
1. Lean On Me I Won’t Fall Over (Radio Version)
2. Hit
3. Always The Bridesmaid Never The Bride
4. Lenny And Terence (Sexy Daytime Radio Mix)
5. Her Song
6. Commercial Fucking Suicide (Part 1)
7. Stuff The Jubilee! (Extra Special Radio Only Version)
8. Glam Rock Cops
9. Glam Rock Cops (Kojak Dub)
10 .Glam Rock Cops (Regan And Carter Mix)
11. Glam Rock Cops (Sweeney Instrumental)

CD3: Up Pompey! – Live In Portsmouth:
1. 2 Million Years B.C.
2. Spoilsports Personality Of The Year
3. Mid Day Crisis
4. My Second To Last Will And Testament
5. Rubbish
6. Cheer Up, It Might Never Happen
7. A Bachelor For Baden Powell
8. Say It With Flowers
9. Do Re Me, So Far So Good
10 .The Only Living Boy In New Cross
11. The Taking Of Peckham 123
12. Travis
13. After The Watershed (Early Learning The Hard Way)
14. Bloodsport For All
15. Lean On Me I Won’t Fall Over
16. Lenny And Terence
17. Suicide Isn’t Painless
18. Sheriff Fatman
19. Stuff The Jubilee!
20. G. I. Blues.

DVD: Live At Brixton Academy ‘93: The Official Bootleg

One year after the release of their studio album ‘Pink Color Surgery’, The Psychotic Monks return to us more assertive than ever with ‘Talking Through Repetition’. Renowned for their fiery, experimental and emotionally charged live performances, The Psychotic Monks decided to share the vital essence of their music to a wider audience by recording their current live set.

Recorded between shows in Dijon and Dunkerque during the bands 2023 tour, the live set (of track taken from ‘Pink Colour Surgery’) was recorded in one take at the legendary La Frette studios (Nick Cave, Arctic Monkeys), and once again stylishly produced by accomplice Daniel Fox (Gilla Band, Lambrini Girls, Sprints) and mastered by Jamie Hyland (CASKRÉ).

TRACK LISTING

01. All That Fall

02. Crash

03. Décors
04. Location.memory
05. Post-Post-
06. Smile, Imagerie

At the start of 2024, Acid Jazz announced a long-term collaboration with cult club troupe The Ballistic Brothers.

After a sell-out 7” of the classic ‘Blacker’, and a series of digital releases, came the reissued ‘London Hooligan Soul’ in April.

Originally consisting of Ashley Beedle, Rocky and Diesel of X-Press 2, with contributions from keyboard player Uschi Classen - David Hill of Nuphonic would join for Volume 2 - each member has had storied roles in UK club music.

The Ballistic Brothers are a unique product of time and place. A place where a generation of clubbers sought the many routes and possibilities of the burgeoning London dance scene.

’ The Ballistic Brothers vs. The Eccentric Afros (Vol. 1)’, originally released on the ‘On Delancy Street’ label in 1994 was a club smash. It sat somewhere between a mini album and a 12” EP. The reality is - a lot like 'London Hooligan Soul' - it was its own thing.

For the first time, it will be presented in a full-spine outer sleeve, with a beautiful recreation of the original graphics by The Unknown, and the music restored and remastered from the original master DATs.

TRACK LISTING

1. Nyx 2
2. Gangstalene
3. Ushi’s Groove
4. And It Goes Like
This
5. MCF 2870
6. Blacker
7. Valley Of The Afro
Temple
8. Grover’s Return

Almost forty years after it was initially released, 'The Moon and the Melodies' by Cocteau Twins and Harold Budd is being reissued on vinyl for the first time – remastered, from the original tapes, by Robin Guthrie himself.

'The Moon and the Melodies' is a singular record within the Cocteau Twins’ catalogue – unusually ethereal, even by their standards, and largely instrumental, guided by the free-form improvisations of Harold Budd, an ambient pioneer who had drifted into their orbit as if by divine intervention. Building on the atmospheric bliss of Victorialand, released earlier the same year, it signaled a possible future for the trio, yet it was a path they’d never take again.

Over the ensuing years, 'The Moon and the Melodies' has attracted a passionate fan base. Its most atmospheric tracks routinely turn up in ambient DJ sets. ‘Sea, Swallow Me’ is one of the Cocteau Twins’ most streamed songs on Spotify, having found a new life on TikTok, where it serves as the soundtrack to innumerable expressions of hard-to-express melancholy.

For such a low-key affair, the album casts a long shadow – but Raymonde believes the record’s uniqueness stems directly from its humble, unpremeditated origins. “It captured a moment in time between friends that are enjoying making music together. Really, that’s the essence of it.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Sea, Swallow Me
2. Memory Gongs
3. Why Do You Love Me?
4. Eyes Are Mosaics
5. She Will Destroy You
6. The Ghost Has No Home
7. Bloody And Blunt
8. Ooze Out And Away, Onehow 

After spending years out of print, The Prodigy have re-pressed their fourth album in time for its 20th anniversary

TRACK LISTING

1. Spitfire
2. Girls
3. Memphis Bells
4. Get Up Get Off
5. Hotride
6. Wake Up Call
7. Action Radar
8. Medusa's Path
9. Phoenix
10. You'll Be UNDER MY WHEELS
11. The Way It Is
12. Shoot Down

SPECIAL EDITION SIGNED BY BILLY CHILDISH & TED KESSLER.

BOUND IN LIME GREEN LINEN BOARDS, WITH FOILED TITLES DESIGNED BY BILLY AND HOUSED IN A CUSTOM KRAFT PAPER SOLANDER BOX WITH FOUR-COLOUR INSIDE PAINTING.

THIS EDITION ALSO INCLUDES AN EXCLUSIVE VINYL AND SIGNED WOODCUT PRINT BY BILLY CHILDISH.

STRICTLY LIMITED TO JUST 500 COPIES.

In 1977, 17-year-old Steven Hamper was a stonemason in the dockyards of Chatham, Kent. His heart, however, beat in sync with the punk rock tremors of the era, seduced by its celebration of amateurism. So, in a gesture of revolutionary defiance, he took a 3lb club hammer and smashed his hand, vowing to never work again. In doing so, Steven Hamper metamorphosed into Billy Childish, a true renaissance man.

Childish has since remained steadfastly true to punk's DIY cred, becoming one of the most recognisable and authentic voices in whichever artistic endeavour he undertakes. He has released over one hundred and fifty albums of raw rock and roll, punk, blues and folk, written many volumes of searing poetry as well as several autobiographical novels. But what he is perhaps best known for in recent years is his painting, for which he is now critically, commercially and internationally feted. He hasn't changed course in any of his disciplines, though. The world just caught up with the sheer volume of his brutally honest work.

To Ease My Troubled Mind is a mosaic portrait collated over a year of interviews with Childish, as well as with close family, ex-girlfriends, bandmembers past and present, friends, foes, collaborators, even his therapist. It is an unflinching, yet frequently spiritual and funny portrait of an artist whose obstacle-strewn upbringing formed the backbone of his work: raised in a broken home and abused as a child, Childish was an undiagnosed dyslexic in remedial class at school who is nevertheless now Britain's most prolific and uncompromising creative force.

In 1977, 17-year-old Steven Hamper was a stonemason in the dockyards of Chatham, Kent. His heart, however, beat in sync with the punk rock tremors of the era, seduced by its celebration of amateurism. So, in a gesture of revolutionary defiance, he took a 3lb club hammer and smashed his hand, vowing to never work again. In doing so, Steven Hamper metamorphosed into Billy Childish, a true renaissance man.

Childish has since remained steadfastly true to punk's DIY cred, becoming one of the most recognisable and authentic voices in whichever artistic endeavour he undertakes. He has released over one hundred and fifty albums of raw rock and roll, punk, blues and folk, written many volumes of searing poetry as well as several autobiographical novels. But what he is perhaps best known for in recent years is his painting, for which he is now critically, commercially and internationally feted. He hasn't changed course in any of his disciplines, though. The world just caught up with the sheer volume of his brutally honest work.

To Ease My Troubled Mind is a mosaic portrait collated over a year of interviews with Childish, as well as with close family, ex-girlfriends, bandmembers past and present, friends, foes, collaborators, even his therapist. It is an unflinching, yet frequently spiritual and funny portrait of an artist whose obstacle-strewn upbringing formed the backbone of his work: raised in a broken home and abused as a child, Childish was an undiagnosed dyslexic in remedial class at school who is nevertheless now Britain's most prolific and uncompromising creative force.

Bad vibes, habits, and breath collide on this ten-song pile up on the freeway to nowhere. Melting neo-grunge, swamprock, and noise punk in a cauldron of drug-addled psychosis, 1985’s 'You Get What You Deserve' continues Australia’s prison-as-country tradition of unhinged lunacy in the face of cultural isolation. Nuke nostalgia, femme fatale sharpshooters, demolition derbies, and a vacation at Hell Beach await.

TRACK LISTING

1. Hell Beach
2. If It’s The Last Thing I Do
3. Bad Priest
4. Demolition Derby
5. It Came Out Of The Sky
6. Atom Bomb Baby
7. Go Baby Go
8. Psycho Cook Supreme
9. Lead Foot
10. Murderess In A Purple Dress

Produced by Josh Kaufman (The Hold Steady, Bonny Light Horsemen), 'In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain' brings a potent new energy to the elegantly composed folk/indie-rock of Blind Pilot. In a profound step forward for the band, their fourth full-length - and first since 'And Then Like Lions' (2016) - unfolds with an exquisite fluidity, fully harnessing the chemistry they’ve shown in sharing stages with The Shins, Andrew Bird, and Gregory Alan Isakov and on festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.

TRACK LISTING

1. Jacaranda
2. Brave
3. Pocket Knife
4. Don’t You Know
5. Just A Bird
6. Coming Back
7. Faces Of Light
8. One Drop
9. Lucky
10. Bitter Water
11. Believe Me

The Faint has always been perceived as a series of paradoxes: Nebraskans trafficking in electro pop anthems; a five-person outfit who insist on songwriting democracy; punk rockers laying down their guitars for a decidedly untypical kind of punk rock.

Things that don’t make sense at first often make sense later. In the creation of art, when the process is left up to the subconscious mind, when there is no preconceived concept, patterns still always emerge. Themes and recurring images, blurred in the moment, later become clear.

This is the case with The Faint’s sixth album 'Doom Abuse', an unexpected but also inevitable addition to their compellingly unusual catalog of music.

TRACK LISTING

1. Help In The Head
2. Mental Radio
3. Evil Voices
4. Salt My Doom
5. Animal Needs
6. Loss Of Head
7. Dress Code
8. Scapegoat
9. Your Stranger
10. Lesson From The Darkness
11. Unseen Hand
12. Damage Control

Their classic debut, expanded and back on vinyl! The Muffs burst onto the California music scene at the beginning of the ’90s, and after a few independent singles and EPs, they were quickly snapped up by Warner Bros. Records. Entering the studio with David Katznelson and Rob Cavallo (who would go on the helm records from Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, and more), The Muffs roared from speakers across the country in 1993.

According to renowned critic Jim DeRogatis, “You’d have to reach all the way back to Blondie’s Plastic Letters to find punkish power pop this endearing.” The quartet rips through the album’s 16 tracks, ranging from and an Angry Samoans cover, to the college radio smash, “Lucky Guy.” In addition, alt-rock superstar Jon Spencer (Pussy Galore and his own Blues Explosion) adds some theremin and The Godfather Of Exotica Korla Pandit’s Hammond Organ makes an appearance. Even the beverage Fruitopia caught the buzz, using the album’s “Everywhere I Go” in a popular television campaign.

This expanded reissue, now on double color vinyl contains the classic original album, and adds a whopping 10 bonus tracks making their vinyl debut: a radio remix of “Lucky Guy,” a version of “Everywhere I Go” which was only available on the cassette of The Muffs album, and 8 demos from the band’s vocalist and lead guitarist, Kim Shattuck. Released with full cooperation from the band, the double-LP contains liner notes from Shattuck and bassist Ronnie Barnett, and features photos and other ephemera from their personal archives. Omnivore Recordings is proud to present this expanded classic on LP. It’s time to go back to where it all started. It’s time for The Muffs.

TRACK LISTING

Lucky Guy
Saying Goodbye
Everywhere I Go
Better Than Me
From Your Girl
Not Like Me
Baby Go Round
North Pole
Big Mouth
Every Single Thing
Don't Waste Another Day
Stupid Jerk
Another Day
Eye To Eye
I Need You
All For Nothing
Lucky Guy (radio Remix)
Everywhere I Go (cassette Version)
All For Nothing (4-track Demo)
Do You Want Her (4-track Demo)
I Don't Expect It (4-track Demo)
My Face (4-track Demo)
Something On My Mind (4-track Demo)
Ethyl My Love (4-track Demo)
Not Like Me (4-track Demo)
Saying Goodbye To Phil (4-track Demo)

Tommy Boy reissues exclusive limited edition pressing of Afrika Bambatta & Soulsonic Force's "Planet Rock"Considered one of founding fathers of rap, Afrika Bambaataa has long been considered a revolutionary, both within the music business and beyond

Raised in the South Bronx, Afrika Bambaataa made his name as a DJ, rapper and songwriter, eventually becoming the foremost DJ, event organizer and promoter of the large block parties that rocked the neighbourhood during the mid- to- late 70's. Leading into the 80's, Bambaataa had found acclaim for releasing countless genre-defining tracks, infusing Hip Hop and Electronic elements into a sound that would influence other artists for years to come.

With the groundbreaking release of Soulsonic Force assisted, "Planet Rock," in 1982, Afrika Bambaataa forever cemented his place in the history books as one of the most revered and innovative artists of his time. Since its release, "Planet Rock" has gone on to be recognized as one of the earliest Hip Hop hits and remains one of the genres most pioneering recordings. A long- time favourite amongst break-dancers, DJ's and music lovers alike, "Planet Rock" was ranked by Rolling Stone magazine at #240 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and has received Gold certification by the RIAA. Originally released in 1986 as a collection of previous singles, this highly sought after record has long since been out of production, until now. Ranked at #84 by Slant Magazine on their, "Best Albums of the 1980s" list and was also included in the book, "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracks:
Planet Rock (Original Twelve- Inch Version)
Looking For The Perfect Beat (Original Twelve- Inch Version)
Renegades Of Funk (Remix)
Frantic Situation (Frantic Mix)
Who You Funkin' With? (feat. Melle Mel)
Go-Go Pop (feat. Trouble Funk)
They Made A Mistake (Performed By M.C. G.L.O.B.E. And Pow Wow)

CD Tracks:
Planet Rock (Original Twelve- Inch Version
Looking For The Perfect Beat (Original Twelve- Inch Version)
Renegades Of Funk (Remix)
Frantic Situation (Frantic Mix)
Who You Funkin' With? (feat Melle Mel)
Go- Go Pop (feat. Trouble Funk)
They Made A Mistake (Performed By M.C. G.L.O.B.E. And Pow Wow)

Fourth Drawer Down is a compilation album by the Scottish post-punk and new wave band the Associates, released in October 1981. It compiles the A- and B-sides from the six singles the band released that year. The songs that appeared on Fourth Drawer Down had a notably darker and more experimental edge than their debut studio album The Affectionate Punch. The album was well received by music critics, with reviewers commenting on the band's increased experimentalism. Alastair McKay of Uncut called Fourth Drawer Down "an extraordinary document on which the sense of mystery deepens, and the commitment to sonic experiment becomes more pronounced."

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Worth it alone for the opening song... What a tune!!

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. White Car In Germany
2. A Girl Named Property
3. Kitchen Person
4. Q Quarters

Side B
1. Tell Me Easter's On Friday
2. The Associate
3. Message Oblique Speech
4. An Even Whiter Car

The Faint has always been perceived as a series of paradoxes: Nebraskans trafficking in electro pop anthems; a five-person outfit who insist on songwriting democracy; punk rockers laying down their guitars for a decidedly untypical kind of punk rock.

After touring tirelessly throughout the world on the heels of 2004’s Wet From Birth, the band returned to their native Omaha; renovating a building and creating a studio where they would write, record, and produce their fifth LP, Fasciinatiion, entirely on their own.

With Fasciinatiion, The Faint gave the world the realest representation of themselves to date. Imbued equally with the musical instincts and perspectives of each band member, “It’s all The Faint,” lead singer Todd Fink explains. “There’s no outside anything. It’s exactly what five people in The Faint could agree on. Or come close.”.

TRACK LISTING

1. Get Seduced
2. The Geeks Were Right
3. Machine In The Ghost
4. Fulcrum & Lever
5. Psycho
6. Mirror Error
7. I Treat You Wrong
8. Forever Growing Centipedes
9. Fish In A Womb
10. A Battle Hymn For Children

It’s abundantly clear from the first bars of their 5th studio album Through Other Reflection, that this is, and could only ever be, The Soundcarriers. From the enchanting vocal duets of folk-bidden Chanteuses Leonore Wheatley and Dorian Conway; to the precise bass lines of Paul Isherwood and the limber, jazz-cool, Hal Blaine-esque drums of his his co-songwriter Adam Cann; from the fairy-like flutes, 60s-garage guitars and organ sounds pilfered from the archives of exotica - listening to the Soundcarriers resembles a rediscovery of all the most prized, esoteric corners of the 1960s, all bundled up, warped and refracted through the quartet’s astutely modern cultural lens. Channelling Tropicalia, Middle Eastern psychedelic Jazz/Funk, The French Library sounds of Nino Nardini, and a whole host of lavish obscurites beside, Through Other Reflection delivers another sonic adventure from one of the most unique and distinctive voices of British Psychedelia.

After an 8 year wait for their album 4 - 2022’s Wilds - it thankfully didn’t take so long for the follow-up this time round. In many ways, this feels like a companion to Wilds; recording again at their Nottingham warehouse studio, Through Other Reflection retains that same organic glow, all the passions and imperfections of a tightly clipped unit jamming out these living, breathing pop-art nuggets as if straight onto the acetate.”We wanted to keep an air of spontaneity with this album and not get too bogged with the recording process”, explains Cann, “It was more a case of getting the songs as tightly written and arranged as possible first so we could get them down quickly in the studio. It always takes longer than you think”

Less packed with strident pop hooks as its predecessor however, the music of Through… has been given extra licence to breathe, stretch out, and wander more uncharted terrains. While gleaming psych-pop of tracks like ‘The City Was’, or ‘Already Over’ confidently carry on from where they left off, from the album’s 2nd track ‘Always’, the trip becomes a little less predictable. Starting out as a smoky Procol Harum-meets-French-Psych organ ballad, the music drifts, as if of its own accord into an eerie, garage trance that lingers, cycles, and hypnotises, growing ever stranger, reaching ever-further away from its point of conception.

And almost every track on Through Other Reflections holds that outer-body moment, where the band fix themselves on a limber, lysergic groove, lose all grip on time and reality, and melt themselves away into a liquid state of blind euphoria. There are sequences on this record that feel more like rituals than songs, built upon a single hypnotic rhythm which, like the centre of a vortex, pulling everything under its beatific command. Take the finale to ‘What We Found’ for instance, sounding like a ghostly march across the psychedelic moors, or ‘Feel The Way’, where a single athletic drum-loop rises and rises, growing ever more urgent and suspenseful underneath its frantic harpsichords and rasping flutes.

Full of such rich stylisms as these, The Soundcarriers showcase themselves as abstract storytellers par excellence by virtue of their textures and arrangements alone. Resembling Romantic composer Maurice Ravel, but if he had just a four-piece rock band at his disposal, Through Other Reflects is rich with detail; there’s shakers, rattles, clarinets, booming drums; there’s synthesiser swarms, chiming xylophones, vintage organs and experimental Cluster & Eno-esque ambiences. Within all this nuance the music flows like some undisclosed narrative swathed in a magnetic secrecy. “It almost comes across like a story in some ways”, says Cann of the album, “the music is quite sectional with elements of exotica and cinematic type layers, it's a good balance of grooves, tunes and weirdness”. No more is this “epic cinematic feel” heard more proudly than on short instrumental ‘Sonya’s Lament” - its innate, hauntological atmospheres befitting a Peter Strickland soundtrack, or the classics of Lex Baxter, the so-called ‘Founder of Exotica’ himself.

On the other hand, providing a greasier undercurrent to all these bucolic sounds is a leaning towards a more “direct” lyricism referencing more “external concerns. Laying down the first tracks for the album in the wintry gloom of pre-lockdown 2020, and drawing inspiration from time spent in Berlin, Through Other Reflections returns to some of the post-apocalyptic futurism explored in 2014’s Entropicalia - a loose concept album inspired by J.G Ballard’s The Drowned World. “The songs explore a disillusionment with the way things are going particularly after 40 years of neoliberalism”, says Cann, “They follow that folk-song tradition of wanting to escape to an imagined time, but here it’s more urban than pastoral. The first couple of ideas I came up with when doing some music in Berlin and had some time to wander aimlessly. And think the atmosphere seeped in, particularly on The City Was and Already Over.

He continues, “One aspect of the title, ‘Through Other Reflections’ is about synthesis and layers of influence. How things can be filtered through other things and change the perspective. This is something you get in cities as well.” Though, as with everything The Soundcarriers make, “It can mean anything. It also just sounds kind of cool.”

TRACK LISTING

1. The City Was
2. Always
3. Comet 4
4. Behind The Fire
5. Feel The Way
6. Sonya's Lament
7. Already Over
8. What We Found
9. With Us For Now
10. Wider Arcs
11. The Return 

'Vomitorium' is the new album from ever-evolving Eindhoven band Radar Men From The Moon. Due out August 16th on Fuzz Club, it's an eight-track collection of abrasive experimental punk that unleashes their latest line-up and musical incarnation in typically confrontational form. Revelling in cathartic excess and a bludgeoning intensity, they power through 90s industrial electronics, discordant noise-rock and the darkest post-punk extremes. "The album features eight mental landscapes, all with an entrance and an exit, just like a vomitorium of a Roman theatre", Radar Men From The Moon write: "Power structures that are constantly aroused and working against each other." On this recording, the band is made up of founding members Glenn Peeters (guitar) and Tony Lathouwers (drums), alongside second drummer Joep Schmitz, Bram Van Zuijlen (guitar/synths), Niek Manders (bass) and new vocalist Niels Koster. 'Vomitorium' is the band's eighth full-length in an extensive, shape-shifting discography that has also seen collaborations with the likes of Gnod (as Temple ov BBV), The Cosmic Dead and 10 000 Russos.

TRACK LISTING

1. Speech Of The Hammer
2. Psychic Warfare Now!
3. Vomitorium
4. Liberation
5. Altered States
6. My Body Is An Event
7. Confusion
8. Open Door To Vices

Across the last 15 years, Ryan Gustafson of The Dead Tongues has emerged as one of modern folk’s most distinct voices. As idiosyncratic and spectral as the songs have sometimes been, Gustafson has always tied his visions and verses to the kinds of hooks you tuck away like talismans, pulled out in case of emergency. Dust, Unsung Passage, Desert: The Dead Tongues’ albums remain some of the more compelling and curious works in their field on this side of a century. The latest edition to The Dead Tongues’ catalog, the song-centric and magnetic Body of Light and the discursive and wonderfully elliptical I Am a Cloud, is 16 complete tunes split across interweaving and disparate albums.

The albums feature performances by Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Bon Iver), Mat Davidson (Twain), Matt Douglas (The Mountain Goats), Joe Westerlund (Califone, Megafaun), Jeff Ratner (Bing and Ruth), and more. Gustafson wanted to dedicate the studio time to not just recording songs but also making something new, with new improvisations.

The two albums, released digitally as distinct standalone releases, join together in the physical format as a beautiful, deluxe, double album. The 2LP package features a meticulously embossed cover, and gorgeous custom inner-sleeves for each album.

TRACK LISTING

Body Of Light:
Body Of Light
Dirt For A Dying Sun
Dreamer
Fading Away
Daylily
Moonshadow
Wolves
Big Nothing
Hard Times, Sore Eyes

I Am A Cloud:
Lightning
I'm A Cloud Now
Formations
A Bridge
Where Love All Happened
Letters Of Returning
Even Here, Even Now

The Decemberists know that the psychology of a culture at war is complex; that historical archetypes can inform the masses on current events far better than the evening news; and, perhaps most importantly, that life is ultimately a spectacular and colorful pageant

They remind us that, on any given day, we might rub shoulders with rogue spies and runaway prostitutes, child monarchs and vengeful mariners, boy ghosts, couples contemplating suicide, cannibals and drowning angels. This existence is indeed a spectacle to be revered.In August of 2004, Rachel Blumberg, Jenny Conlee, Chris Funk, Colin Meloy, and Nate Query set up shop at a former Baptist church in Portland, Oregon. With co-producer Chris Walla at the controls, the five musicians collectively known as The Decemberists emerged three weeks later with the bulk of the work completed for Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars - March 22, 2005), their most ambitious and realized effort to date.Features: 5 extra songs and incredible packaging - double lp in a gatefold with a 20 page color booklet.

TRACK LISTING

The Infanta
We Both Go Down Together
Eli, The Barrow Boy
The Sporting Life
The Bagman's Gambit
From My Own True Love (Lost At Sea)
Military Wives
The Engine Driver
On The Bus Mall
The Mariner's Revenge Song
Of Angels And Angles
Bandit Queen (w/ DT)
Bridges & Balloons
Constantinople
Kingdom Of Spain
Bandit Queen

Paul Weller's 2003 compilation "Fly On The Wall" is a triple vinyl compilation that includes b-sides, remixes, and rarities from Paul's time at Go! Discs and subsequently Island Records between 1991 and 2001.

The compilation has been unavailable since its original release. Notable tracks include "The Loved," "Fly On The Wall," and "The Riverbank." The set also includes Weller's take on classic tunes like Lennon's "Sexy Sadie" and "Instant Karma," and Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," as well as a blistering version of Crosby Stills Nash & Young's "Ohio." It also features a remix of "Wild Wood" by Portishead.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
Here's A New Thing
That Spiritual Feeling
Into Tomorrow
Arrival Time
Fly On The Wall

Side 2
All Year Round
Ends Of The Earth
This Is No Time
Wild Wood (Portishead Remix)

Side 3
Kosmos (Lynch Mob Bonus Beats Remix)
The Loved
It's A New Day Baby
A Year Late

Side 4
So You Want To Be A Dancer
Everything Has A Price To Pay
Helioscentric
The Riverbank

Side 5
Feelin' Alright
Ohio
Black Sheep Boy
Sexy Sadie
I Shall Be Released
I'd Rather Go Blind

Side 6
My Whole World Is Falling Down
Aint No Love In The Heart Of The City
Waiting For An Angel
Bang Bang
Instant Karma
Don't Let Me Down

'"Cloudcuckooland" is the debut album by British band the Lightning Seeds, originally released in 1990. Features their hit single 'Pure', which entered the top 40 in the United States at the time.

Second album from the Lightning Seeds, originally released in 1992. Produced by Ian Broudie and Simon Rodgers, the album features hits 'Sense', co-written with long time writing partner Terry Hall and 'Flaming Sword', co-written with Paul Simpson. The album also features 'Life of Riley', which was used as the Goal of the Month music on Match of the Day.

Excursions in Gwoka vol. 2 is another adventurous outing for the Beauty & the Beat label that takes them ever deeper into the gwoka scene of Guadeloupe. it is the celebrated carnival outfit Akiyo who are in focus here with two tracks taken from second and supremely hard-to-find long player, Mouvman, in 1993. 'Deboule' is a real heater with bustling drum funk and chatting tribal vocals all run through with synth wizardry from Marie-Galante Jacques-Marie Basses. 'Blo' is just as steamy and intern with percussion, whistles and big beats all making quite the impact. Breakplus adds a London twist to 'Deboule' while CW adds a cosmic air to 'Blo.'

TRACK LISTING

Deboule
Blo
Deboule (Beakplus’ Broken Tribute Remix)
Blo (CW Edit)

A Tribe Called Quest weren't rap's biggest hit makers, but their signature numbers indeed fill this collection with style, eclecticism, and laid-back but deliberate flow; indeed, the group's stature seems to have grown since its 1998 breakup. The continued importance of their music and ideals for many hip-hop fans will only be enhanced by Anthology's 18 tracks (Q-Tip's recent hit "Vivrant Thing," from the Violator album is a bonus track).

Those unfamiliar with Tribe's achievement should have their heads and booties set into motion by the fellas' many moods, from the playful "Check the Rhime" and "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" to trenchant commentaries such as "Description of a Fool" and "Sucka Nigga." And with its inclusion here, the somewhat rare and all-the-way out "If the Papes Come" will doubtless re-establish itself as an underground favourite.​

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Check The Rhime
Bonita Applebum
Award Tour
Can I Kick It?
Scenario

Side B
Buggin' Out
If The Papes Come
Electric Relaxation
Jazz (We've Got)
I Left My Wallet In El Segundo

Side C
Hot Sex
Oh My God
Stressed Out
Luck Of Lucien
Description Of A Fool

Side D
Keeping It Moving
Find A Way
Sucka Nigga
Vivrant Thing

In 1991, A Tribe Called Quest released The Low End Theory, a groundbreaking album that solidified their status as hip-hop legends. Building on the jazz-infused sound of their debut, the album featured sparse grooves and expertly chosen bass samples, with jazz bassist Ron Carter contributing to 'Verses from the Abstract.' DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad's minimalistic approach allowed Q-Tip and Phife Dawg's lyrical prowess to shine, showcasing their clever wordplay, humor, and social commentary. Tracks like 'Butter' and 'The Infamous Date Rape' addressed misogyny, while 'Rap Promoter' and 'Show Business' critiqued the music industry.

The album's production is consistently smooth, with standout tracks such as 'Check The Rhime' and 'Jazz (We've Got).' The posse cut 'Scenario,' featuring Leaders of the New School, is a legendary closer. The album's influence on hip-hop is undeniable, inspiring future artists like Kendrick Lamar and Outkast. The Low End Theory remains relevant and refreshing, a testament to Tribe's creativity and unflappable style. It's a masterful blend of thought-provoking lyrics and impeccable production, making it one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Excursions
Buggin' Out
Rap Promoter
Butter

Side B
Verses From The Abstract
Show Business
Vibes And Stuff

Side C
Infamous Date Rape
Check The Rhime
Everything Is Fair

Side D
Jazz (We've Got)
Skypager
What?
Scenario

On 9 August, 2024, Merge Records reissues David Kilgour’s A Feather in the Engine, remastered and pressed on vinyl for the very first time. Originally released in 2002, A Feather in the Engine followed two full-band efforts 1997’s David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights and The Clean’s 2001 album Getaway and is thus almost startling in its intimacy.

Recorded at home and mostly alone (The Verlaines’ Graeme Downes provides lush string arrangements), Kilgour once called A Feather in the Engine “the most solo LP I’ve made.” Interpolating his genius for guitar pop through acoustic guitars and gorgeous instrumentals, its melodies unfold gently, suggesting that the 13 songs here, written over the course of four years, were searching Kilgour as much as he was searching them.

The dichotomy between A Feather in the Engine’s pop songs and instrumentals fascinates the ear, drawing the listener closer and closer to Kilgour’s virtuosic guitar playing when his lyrics aren’t imparting his breezy charm. The depth of style he achieves the psych pop of “Today Is Gonna Be Mine,” the Velvet Underground-esque churn of “All the Rest,” the chamber folk of “The Perfect Watch” is daunting; listening to it now, every song feels capable of generating a dozen playlists, or like the spawning point of a new microgenre.

Perhaps anomalous upon release, it’s A Feather in the Engine’s instrumentals that feel weightiest in this regard now. “Sept. 98” and “Backwards Forwards,” respectively the opening and closing tracks of the album, are elegant, pastoral epics that call out into the yawning expanse, presaging the simmering ambient country of William Tyler and SUSS, while “Instra 2” pushes out the boundaries of Eastern-influenced psychedelia.

Lovingly remastered (and in some cases remixed) from the original tapes by Tom Bell at Port Chalmers Recording Services, the vinyl reissue of A Feather in the Engine is a crucial opportunity to rediscover one of David Kilgour’s best records, a handcrafted gem that perfects guitar pop’s past while pointing to its future, idiosyncratic in its making and tantalizing in its potential. There is good reason for David Kilgour to be your favourite musician’s favourite musician. A Feather in the Engine is good reason for him to become yours.

TRACK LISTING

Side A:
1. Sept. 98
2. Slippery Slide
3. All The Rest
4. The Perfect Watch
5. Instra 2
6. I Lost My Train

Side B:
7. Time To Run
8. Today Is Gonna Be Mine
9. I Caught You
10. Instra 2 Reprise
11. Wooden Shed
12. Which One
13. Backwards Forwards

First ever official vinyl release of the 2001 The Smashing Pumpkins’ Rotten Apples Greatest Hits collection, featuring the hit singles “Today,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “1979,” “Tonight, Tonight” and many more!

TRACK LISTING

Side 1:
Siva
Rhinocerous
Drown
Cherub Rock

Side 2:
Today
Disarm
Landslide
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
1979

Side 3:
Zero
Tonight, Tonight
Eye
Ava Adore
Perfect

Side 4:
The Everlasting Gaze
Stand Inside Your Love
Real Love
Untitled

For their 26th album, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard swap the widescreen concepts of their recent albums for the intimacy of six good friends collaborating on the most bonhomie-laden set they’ve yet committed to wax. For Flight b741, bandleader Stu Mackenzie says King Gizzard “wanted to make something that was primal, instinctual, more ‘from the gut’ – just people in a room, doing what feels right. We wanted to make something fun.”

Tapping into the country-fried 70s American rock on which they were all raised – along with the ornery garage-rock roots from which their mighty discography sprang – Flight b741 is lightning caught inside a bottle. Across its 10 ragged, glorious barnburners, King Gizzard flesh out rough skeletons of songs with their inspired improvisations, inimitable grooves and a unique pass-the-mic approach to vocals that saw every member of the band raise their voice and sing. “We’re having a lot of fun, but we’re often singing about some pretty heavy shit,” Mackenzie adds, “and probably hitting on some deeper, more universal themes than usual. It’s not a sci-fi record, it’s about life and stuff. But the record is like a really fun weekend with your mates, you know? Like, proper fun.”

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A
A1. Mirage City
A2. Antarctica
A3. Raw Feel
A4. Field Of Vision
A5. Hog Calling Contest

SIDE B
B1. Le Risque
B2. Flight B741
B3. Sad Pilot
B4. Rats In The Sky
B5. Daily Blues

Contains new specially prepared liner notes by Penguin Guide to Jazz 's writer Brian Morton.

In 1960, and after recording the music to be issued on The Avant Garde (with Don Cherry), and the all- time classic My Favorite Things , Coltrane embarked on the making of Coltrane Plays the Blues, a thematic LP consisting of six tunes based on the blues.

'Blues for Bechet', one of the two tracks on which Coltrane plays soprano sax, is an obvious dedication to the man who brought the instrument to jazz, the great Sidney Bechet. Pianist McCoy Tyner sits out on 'Blues to Bechet ' and 'Blues to You', reducing the quartet to a trio on these two tracks.

"A powerful session. As for the phrase 'plays the blues' in the title, that's not an indicator that the tunes are conventional blues (they aren't). It's more indicative of a bluesy sensibility." - AllMusic, 4.5 STARS (Richie Unterberger)

TRACK LISTING

Blues To Elvin
Blues To Bechet
Blues To You
Blues To Elvin
Mr. Day
Mr. Syms
Mr. Knight
Blues To You

By 1955, Sinatra's ubiquitous presence as an entertainer had completely abolished all memories of his struggles in the early '50s. He began the year by touring Australia for the first time, and less than a week after returning, he would be back in Capitol's KHJ Studios to begin recording one of his most treasured albums, In the Wee Small Hours , a concept album which would enter the Billboardcharts on May 28, 1955. It would rise to #2 and remain on the chart for a total of 33 weeks and in 1984 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

"One great talent who has had the recognition he deserved is Frank Sinatra. There's nobody in the world like Frank, and I have great admiration for a whole bunch of singers. He was as great when he retired as he was twenty years earlier. When you've got it, you've got it--that's it." - Buddy Rich

TRACK LISTING

In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
Mood Indigo
Glad To Be Unhappy
I Get Along Without You Very Well
Deep In A Dream
I See Your Face Before Me
Can't We Be Friends
When Your Lover Has Gone
What Is This Thing Called Love?
Last Night When We Were Young
I'll Be Around
Ill Wind
It Never Entered My Mind
Dancing On The Ceiling
I'll Never Be The Same
This Love Of Mine
Stormy Weather

The Funeral Pudding originally came out as a CD-only release on the Dutch label Brinkman to promote Thinking Fellers Union Local 282’s 1994 European tour. For the domestic release, the band chose Chicago’s Ajax Records—which had already released two TFUL282 singles in 1990—to press a 12-inch mini-LP.

Comprising a selection of songs masterfully recorded and produced by Greg Freeman right after the sessions that yielded 1993’s Admonishing The Bishops EP, The Funeral Pudding could be thought of as a sister release to that EP; indeed, the band originally considered combining tracks from both sessions into a single album. Had it been released, that record would’ve followed the pattern of the previous album in which the band’s pop and avant-garde leanings are yoked together cheek by jowl. Instead, Admonishing showcases the band at its most accessible while The Funeral Pudding flaunts their more expansive, abrasive and absurdist side without forfeiting the earlier EP’s miraculously high standards for songwriting and sonic clarity.

What makes The Funeral Pudding a unique feather in the Fellers’ cap is that most of the tracks are sung by bassist Anne Eickelberg and guitarist Hugh Swarts—a notable departure from the Davies / Hageman vocal dominance on most of the other albums. With Eickelberg’s soaring vocals leading the proceedings, tracks like “Waited Too Long” and “Heavy Head” are some of the most beloved in the band’s discography. And “23 Kings Crossing” is a whiplashinducing psych / prog stunner that adds another metric ton to the burden of proof demonstrating that TFUL282 was creating some of the most thrilling, enduring and sonically autonomous music of its era.

TRACK LISTING

1. Waited Too Long
2. Flames Up
3. Firing Squad
4. Traffic Mule
5. 23 Kings Crossing
6. Heavy Head
7. Give Me Back My Golden Arm
8. Sidewinder
9. The Invitation

The Masonics are still the Kings Of Medway Beat, and are known for being 'the best Rhythm and Beat combo since The Milkshakes', and there's a very good reason for that…

With Mickey Hampshire (The Milkshakes, Mickey And The Salty Seadogs, Mickey And Ludella, Mick Hampshire), Bruce Brand (The Pop Rivets, The Milkshakes, Auntie Vegetable, Thee Headcoats, The Kravin' "A"s, The Clique, Dutronc, The Voo-Dooms and more) and John Gibbs (The Wildebeests, The Kaisers), this Medway-based trio have got enough rhythm 'n' beat and rock 'n' roll in their blood streams to power any rocket!

When punk rock started to fizzle out many of the UK's disaffected youths had already moved sideways into Modernism and fell in love with The Jam. Inspired by Paul Weller's song writing skills Thin Air started out life as Out of Order and supported The Jam at the Bristol Locarno in 1980 (on the day of John Lennon's death), Thin Air were never an authentic Mod band appealing to a strictly Mod audience, they were a Jam influenced, power pop outfit concentrating on writing edgy yet commercial, catchy pop rock music. Enjoy the sound of the underground 42 years later than you should have.

Animated by themes of interconnection and symbiosis, Cosmo's expansive musical imagination is rooted in practices of listening-both to human and morethan- human sound worlds. Eye To The Ear, Cosmo's most accomplished creation to date-as producer, composer, performer and songwriter-makes it clear that the living world is a noisy and musical place with the power to change the way we think, feel, and imagine.

The second studio album from UK Alternative artist Cosmo Sheldrake. Following 2018's Much Much How How And I which has sold over 100,000 units globally and embarked 250m streams on DSPs, Cosmo continues to take the listener onto a journey into his musical world with a brand new 21 song release.

TRACK LISTING

1. Gnort Or Gnortle
2. Stop The Music
3. Marvellous Clouds
4. I Did And I Don't And I Do
5. Old Ocean
6. By Being With You
7. I Stitched My Mind Back To My Body
8. The Feet Are The Link
9. Half Past Three
10. I To The Maybe Go
11. Tea For Seventeen
12. Breathe Round Corners
13. Run
14. But Once A Child
15. Shiny Is The View
16. The Snapping Of Shrimp
17. More Than A Mountain
18. Lichens
19. Flora's Pond
20. Interdimensional
21. Does The Swallow Dream Of Flying

Renowned composer Simon Fisher Turner presents his brand new album Instability of the Signal, released via Mute.

Recorded by Simon Fisher Turner and Music Producers Guild Awards winner Francine Perry, this 13-track album is an intricate exploration of sound, inspired by the creative minds of Breda Beban, Hrvoje Horvatic, and poet Harold Pinter, whose verses, 'Democracy' and 'The Special Relationship’, feature on the record. It pulls together four strands of Fisher Turner's sonic experimentation, which he identifies as Slivers, Sounds, Strings, and Singing. The 'slivers' are tiny snippets of audio he used as source material for the tracks, all originally created by Salford Electronics (aka David Padbury), and reworked by Fisher Turner into foundations for entire tracks. The record also includes beautiful string arrangements by the Elysian Collective, who have toured with Pulp and feature on the latest releases from The Last Dinner Party and Pet Shop Boys.

Like Fisher Turner's long and varied career, Instability of The Signal is an accumulation of experience, effervescent memories, sounds and textures. It contains hidden learnings. It is about how restorative singing of ourselves and to ourselves can be but is also a document of times and places delivered in beautifully impressionistic palettes of sounds and voices. It is also another document of Fisher Turner's remarkable life and unshakeable curiosity about sound.

TRACK LISTING

Barefeet
Turning Slowly
She Lowers Her Arms
I Can’t Hear Anything
Thrashing It Out
Fishscales
Boymanduet
Toast
Democracy
Tape Ends
The “Special Relationship”

'Heaven Born And Ever Bright' is the third studio album by British rock band Cardiacs. It was produced by Tim Smith, engineered by David Murder and mixed by both. Due to Rough Trade going bankrupt soon after the album's release, it was scarce until reissued in 1995 by the Alphabet Business Concern.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Alphabet Business Concern (Home Of Fadeless Splendour)
2. She Is Hiding Behind The Shed
3. March
4. Goodbye Grace
5. Anything I Can't Eat
6. Helen And Heaven
7. Bodysbad
8. For Good And All
9. Core
10. Day Is Gone
11. Snakes-A-Sleeping

The music of Brigitte Calls Me Baby is equal parts elegant time warp and up-close exploration of our modern-day neuroses. The Chicago-based five-piece emerged in early 2023 and soon scored a breakout hit with 'Impressively Average' - a sublimely shimmering anthem, setting the band on a swift rise that’s recently included embarking on a headline tour with sold-out dates across the US. Having opened for The Strokes, Last Dinner Party and Muse, the band has been featured in the Sunday Times “Breaking Act” and NME’s Radar Spotlight series. Now, with their debut LP 'The Future Is Our Way Out', Brigitte Calls Me Baby share a body of work that ingeniously spans genres and eras, merging the lavish romanticism of mid-century pop with the frenetic energy and spiky intensity of early-millennium indie-rock. Centered on lead singer Wes Leavins’ hypnotically crooning vocal work, the result is a rare convergence of sophistication and style and unabashed sincerity.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Future Is Our Way Out
2. Pink Palace
3. Eddie My Love
4. Fine Dining
5. I Wanna Die In The Suburbs
6. Too Easy
7. Palm Of Your Hand
8. Impressively Average
9. We Were Never Alive
10. You Are Only Made Of Dreams
11. Always Be Fine 

Recorded as part of the same daydreaming puzzle as Unwishing Well, Still Clouds at Noon brings out the slowcore/sadcore elements that drift through The Reds, Pinks & Purples’ melancholy catalogue. Donaldson names '90s hometown San Francisco acts such as American Music Club and the more obscure Timco as pivotal to his guitar playing and development as a songwriter, both of which shine bright here. The slower tempo ballads on Still Clouds… often culminate in heavy fuzz drenched codas and showcase the more abstract poetic side of Donaldson’s lyricism. There’s an inherent pop-sensibility always at work though, with ear-worm melodies appearing over intoxicating circular riffs.

Formerly a Bandcamp only digital release, this white vinyl version is remastered and adds two unreleased tracks, one featuring Mark Monnone from Australian pop-legends The Lucksmiths on bass. Edition of 500.

TRACK LISTING

1. All Night
2. Happiness All Around
3. Violent Pictures
4. The Future's Just More Of The Same
5. Walking-Away World
6. Still Clouds At Noon
7. Everything You Ever Loved
8. Walk Through Any Wall
9. The House They Went Past
10. Writing Songs

Vanishing Twin’s seminal LP, The Age Of Immunology, receives a Ltd edition pressing on Yellow vinyl, paired with matching sleeve art. As essential take on psych-pop futurism and a must for fans of Broadcast, Sun Ra and Ennio Morricone.

Establishing the band as innovators in their field, the record was declared “a masterpiece” by The Line Of Best Fit, while The Quietus asserted Vanishing Twin as “one of the most original and exciting acts of the moment”.

This was the group’s first LP for Fire Records, at the time of recording the band’s evolving lineup consisted of songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist Cathy Lucas, drummer Valentina Magaletti, bassist Susumu Mukai, synth/guitar player Phil MFU and visual artist/film maker Elliott Arndt on flute and percussion.

The album was produced by Lucas in a number of non-standard, non-studio settings. ‘KRK (At Home In Strange Places)’ summons up the spirit of Sun Ra’s Lanquidity and Broadcast And The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults Of The Radio and was simply recorded on an iPhone during a live set which crackled with psychic connectivity on the Croatian island of Krk. The magical Morricone-esque lounge of ‘You Are Not an Island’, the blissed-out Jean-Claude Vannier style arrangement of ‘Invisible World’ and burbling sci fi funk ode to a 1972 cult French animation, ‘Planète Sauvage’, were all recorded in nighttime sessions in an abandoned mill in Sudbury.

TRACK LISTING

1. KRK (At Home In Strange Places)
2. Wise Children
3. Cryonic Suspension May Save Your Life
4. You Are Not An Island
5. The Age Of Immunology
6. Magician’s Success
7. Planète Sauvage
8. Backstroke
9. Invisible World
10. Language Is A City (Let Me Out!)

Bonus Tracks: Download ONLY
1. The Age Of Immunology (Version)
2. Magician’s Success (Live)
3. Backstroke (Live)
4. Language Is A City (Let Me Out!) (Live)
5. You Are Not An Island (Version)
6. Cryonic Suspension May Save Your Life (Extended Life Version)

On the jazz standard "A Night in Tunisia" composed by Dizzy Gillespie in 1942, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, realised this album with a legendary ensemble the lineup includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass.

Recorded on August 7 and 14, 1960 this album is one of the most celebrated for the powerful solos and intricate arrangements, epitomizing the hard bop style. Blakey's versions of "A Night in Tunisia" are renowned for their intense energy and complexity, the piece itself features a distinctive Afro- Cuban rhythm in the introduction and the main theme, transitioning into straight-ahead swing for the improvisational sections. In summary, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' renditions of "A Night in Tunisia" are celebrated for their dynamic interpretation, technical proficiency, and influential impact on the jazz genre.

Their recordings are a testament to the enduring legacy of both Blakey and Gillespie in the world of jazz. His band, the Jazz Messengers, served as a springboard for many future jazz stars.

TRACK LISTING

A Night In Tunisia
Sincerely Diana
So Tired
Yama
Kozo's Waltz

RIYL: Anticon, TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Modest Mouse. First album in 5 years, following AOKOHIO (Joyful Noise Recordings). Self released on Waterlines, the new record label from Anticon co-founder, Yoni Wolf.

For nearly three decades, WHY? have thrived in subverting expectations. Across seven unpredictable and adventurous studio albums, the band led by Cincinnati songwriter Yoni Wolf has stretched the fringes of psychedelic pop, hip-hop, and electronic music. No matter the genre experiments and thematic departures, their discography is remarkably consistent, anchored by Wolf's disarming lyrical transparency. His writing is provocative, self-lacerating, and always considered, coming from a place of blunt emotional openness.

The Well I Fell Into, the eighth full-length from WHY?, is Wolf at his most cohesive and poignant. An autopsy of heartbreak, the album charts the ups and downs of a devastating breakup while trading bitterness for healing. Self-released on Waterlines, Wolf's new label that follows in the footsteps of Anticon, the trailblazing artist-run collective he co-founded, its 14 tracks stand as the band's prettiest and most immediate work yet.

TRACK LISTING

1. Lauderdale Detour
2. Marigold
3. Brand New
4. G-dzillah G’dolah
5. When We Do The Dance
6. Jump
7. Later At The Loon
8. Nis(s)an Dreams, Pt. 1
9. The Letters, Etc.
10. What’s Me?
11. Sin Imperial
12. Atreyu
13. Versa Go!
14. Sending Out A Pamphlet. 

This beautifully packaged compilation includes liner notes by Tom Colebrooke and excerpts from Tom and Alexis’ interview of Mike Maguire, one of the pioneers of Goa trance. Check the liner notes for more info about the early Goa history!

A little town in India, which was a haven to a bunch of hippie outcasts, was throwing outdoor parties since the day those freaks put their flag down. What was once a gathering around live music blew up into a rave as electronic music started to appear, paving the way to what would eventually become Goa trance.

Full Circle, the duo of Alexis Le-Tan and Joakim, started 10 years ago when Alexis accidentally discovered that some of his old Goa trance records he was about to sell sounded great when played at the wrong speed: 33rpm instead of 45rpm. He called his long-time friend and collaborator Joakim to work on edits of those tracks that became the sound signature of this DJ duo - a slow, heavy and trippy sound that would eventually infiltrate the fringes of the underground club scene via like-minded DJs such as Vladimir Ivkovic, Jane Fitz, Ivan Smagghe and many more.

10 years later and a bunch of releases and remixes behind them, Full Circle decided to tell the story of how this Goa sound came to life. At a time when Trance has made a major comeback and infiltrated many sub-genres of club music, it felt right to look back at where it all started - going full circle, when the seeds of tripped out dance music were being sown.

After all, there are countless compilations about Balearism, the Italian Cosmic scene, The Loft, The Paradise Garage etc but none about the roots of this Goa sound (except for the "Gonzo Goa" compilation, also released this month! - Ed).

This is a compilation of the best tunes played by the pioneer Goa DJs like Laurent, Goa Gil, Mike Maguire amongst others, between the late 80s and early 90s. Proto-house, new beat, early techno, industrial, with a distinct psychedelic tone, a few arpeggios here and there, acid lines, chopped up vocals, all elements of what would later constitute a genre of its own.

TRACK LISTING

Front Line Assembly - Enemy Number One
Joi - A Desert Storm
Agrumh. - Petite Fugue
Clock Dva - Sound Mirror
A2l - Come On
Van Belle - Dreams Final Dance
Syntech - Discontented
Cccp - Orient Express Pogo Mix
Cabaret Voltaire - Here To Go Little Dub
Bleep - Mr Barth In The Sahara
3 Times 6 - You Can Run Razormaid Mix

Wow, a Swedish timewarp! And how cool is that? You can reference who you please. But when a band comes along with a great pop sensibility but then warps and distorts it through a shogazery (yep) haze (with nods and doffed caps to the Cocteaus, the Valentines and erm Chapterhouse) then you've got to give them respect. There's low-fi bedroom drum-machines and a liberal use of fuzz and drone adding depth and texture, but, as ever it's the good old tunes that will get you. Think Creation / Sarah for wistful 60s sweetness, add a twist of Mary Chain for the cool quotient and you've got one mega pop LP for those of us old enough to remember, and anyone else who likes their melodies served with mystery and magic!

TRACK LISTING

Too Soon
Where Damage Isn't Already Done
Keen On Boys
Why Won't You Talk About It?
It's Been Eight Years
Bus
Slottet #2
1995
Against The Tide
Strange Things Will Happen
Your Father
Ewan
Lost And Found

Light in the Attic Records, in cooperation with Laurie Anderson, proudly announces the inaugural title in their ongoing Lou Reed Archive Series: Words & Music, May 1965.

“To hear a tape containing their earliest demos, recorded on May 11, 1965, and locked away until now, is to hear traces of things rarely associated with The Velvet Underground: blues and folk, earthy and traditional, uncertain and hesitant… yet bristling with that rusty, caustic, Lou Reed spirit. It is a revelation.” – Will Hodgkinson, MOJO'.

Released in tandem with the late artist’s 80th birthday celebrations, the album offers an extraordinary, unvarnished, and plainly poignant insight into one of America’s true poet-songwriters. Capturing Reed in his formative years, this previously unreleased collection of songs—penned by a young Lou Reed, recorded to tape with the help of future bandmate John Cale, and mailed to himself as a “poor man’s copyright”—remained sealed in its original envelope and unopened for nearly 50 years. Its contents embody some of the most vital, groundbreaking contributions to American popular music committed to tape in the 20th century. Through examination of these songs rooted firmly in the folk tradition, we see clearly Lou’s lasting influence on the development of modern American music – from punk to art-rock and everything in between. A true time capsule, these recordings not only memorialize the nascent sparks of what would become the seeds of the incredibly influential Velvet Underground; they also cement Reed as a true observer with an innate talent for synthesizing and distilling the world around him into pure sonic poetry.

Featuring contributions from Reed’s future bandmate, John Cale, Words & Music, May 1965 presents in their entirety the earliest-known recordings of such historic songs as “Heroin,” “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and “Pale Blue Eyes”—all of which Reed would eventually record and make indelibly influential with the Velvet Underground. Also included are several more previously-unreleased compositions that offer additional insight into Reed’s creative process and early influences. Produced by Laurie Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Hal Willner, and Matt Sullivan, the album features newly-remastered audio from the original tape by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer, John Baldwin. Rounding out the package are new liner notes from acclaimed journalist and author, Greil Marcus, plus in-depth archival notes from Don Fleming and Jason Stern, who oversee the Lou Reed Archive, while the release has been designed by multi-GRAMMY®-winning artist Masaki Koike.

● All tracks previously unreleased.
● Produced in partnership with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive.
● Inaugural release in Light in the Attic’s Lou Reed Archive Series.
● Features the earliest-known recordings of “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Pale Blue Eyes" and “Heroin" as made famous by The Velvet Underground.
● Includes seven unheard Lou Reed compositions.
● Remastered from the original analog tapes by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer John Baldwin.
● Package designed by multi-GRAMMY®-winning artist Masaki Koike.
● Vinyl pressed at RTI.
● LP available on Standard Black Wax plus a Special Limited Color Edition.
● LP & CD include booklets featuring lyrics, archival photos, and liner notes by Greil Marcus, Don Fleming and Jason Stern (LP: 20-pgs, CD: 60-pgs)
● CD & Cassette include six unheard tracks recorded between 1958 and 1964, including early demos, a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” and a doo-wop serenade recorded in ‘58 when the legendary singer-songwriter was just sixteen-years-old

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: This is an amazing find and incredible document of one of the greatest song writers of the 20th century. Lou Reed's widow Laurie Anderson feels these home recordings need to be preserved and though Lou had just hooked up with John Cale there is none of their arty explosive, scuzz and sleaze here; these are just pure songs, surprisingly in the folk idiom (though this is 1965 and it's just an acoustic guitar so it clearly makes sense), simply laid down as works in progress. If you're a Lou Reed fan, (and who isn't?), this is a must!

TRACK LISTING

I'm Waiting For The Man - May 1965 Demo
Men Of Good Fortune - May 1965 Demo
Heroin - May 1965 Demo
Too Late - May 1965 Demo
Buttercup Song - May 1965 Demo
Walk Alone - May 1965 Demo
Buzz Buzz Buzz - May 1965 Demo
Pale Blue Eyes - May 1965 Demo
Stockpile - May 1965 Demo
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams - May 1965 Demo
I'm Waiting For The Man - May 1965 Alternate Version (CD/Cassette Only)
Gee Whiz - 1958 Rehearsal (CD/Cassette Only)
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down - 1963/64 Home Recording (CD/Cassette Only)
Michael, Row The Boat Ashore - 1963/64 Home Recording (CD/Cassette Only)
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Partial) - 1963/64 Home Recording (CD/Cassette Only)
W & X, Y, Z Blues - 1963/64 Home Recording (CD/Cassette Only)
Lou's 12-Bar Instrumental - 1963/64 Home Recording (CD/Cassette Only)

Rose-tinted, fizzy electrics from Peach who seems to grasp the vintage hues and fruity feels of yesterday via four incredibly delicious tracks of smiley faced house and techno. A heady record that ignites the senses and stokes the fires in your belly; sure to have you scouring the hills, forests, warehouses and caves for some e-fuelled, free party pleasure that'll have you jiving till sunrise. TIP! 

TRACK LISTING

A Pretty Planet
Charmed
Sugar N Spice Deeper Dub
Sugar N Spice Rollin Dub

'Elliott was one of the best songwriters of our day and a formidable musician.' - Beck'There's an undercurrent of real sadness in a lot of his music ... and that's just really the way he was.' - Steve Drozd, Flaming Lips'I'm the wrong kind of person to be really big and famous.' - Elliott Smith, speaking in 1997In 2003, Steven 'Elliott' Smith died from two stab wounds to the heart. To this day, the autopsy evidence remains inconclusive as to whether the wounds were self-inflicted or the result of homicide.

Either way, this tragic end to Elliott's short-lived though prodigiously talented life became the dark denouement of a story riddled with depression, mental illness, addiction and chronic substance abuse. Yet it is also a story of worldwide critical acclaim, of Oscar nominations and of some of the finest recorded music of the late twentieth century. Now, two decades after Elliott's death, Shooting Star seeks to encapsulate the many complexities of this shy, funny, engaging, enigmatic musician and his desperately troubled soul.

With contributions from those closest to Elliott who have not previously spoken about their friend, this masterful biography places the singer-songwriter's vulnerabilities and decline within the broader context of all that he achieved: the sheer, stark beauty of the records he made and the resounding impact they went on to have across a whole spectrum of contemporary music. This is the definitive account of Elliott Smith - a once-in-a-generation artist.

Just 300 copies of this club-ready 7″ single from the Soopastole Edits stable exist, so you’ll have to move fast to secure a copy. Jalepeno Records’ regular Soopasoul is at the control, using his trusty scalpel to deliver two hot-to-trot interpretations of a lesser-known cut from the “Sex Machine” sessions.

On side A, you’ll find “Shake Your Money Maker (Part 1)”, where Maceo Parker’s killer saxophone solos rise above Soopasoul’s slightly tightened up version of the JB’s killer groove.

Flip to the B-side for more sax solos and a groove that mines some of the original track’s more percussive sections for hip-swinging, toe-tapping thrills.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Shake Your Money Maker (part 1)
B1. Shake Your Money Maker (part 2)

"Ensoulment" is THE THE's eagerly awaited 8th studio album and their first long-player since "NakedSelf" in 2000. It delivers 12 new tracks that range from sharp social and political insights to intimate personal narratives.

To celebrate the release, this strictly limited 7” Vinyl Single will be made available, featuring a track from the album: "Linoleum Smooth To The Stockinged Foot". This single also includes an exclusive B-side, a previously unreleased track that will only be available in this strictly limited release, a true collector's item.

TRACK LISTING

Side A:
Linoleum Smooth To The Stockinged Foot

Side B:
Mycelium Muse

Introducing The Stooges ‘Now Playing’ - From the yearning of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" to the rebellious anthem "No Fun," this tracklist captures the raw energy of punk and garage rock.

Tracks like "T.V. Eye" and "Dirt" highlight their unique fusion of high energy and gritty lyrics, making a lasting impact on rock enthusiasts globally. 

The Velvet Underground's ‘Now Playing’ tracklist features iconic songs like "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll" in their full-length versions, showcasing the band's signature blend of rock, folk, and experimental sound. 

"The Remedy," is I G Culture's latest album under Likwid Continutal Space Motion, Culture draws parallels between the complex world of fungi and London's Underground dance music scene. Both are intricate networks that thrive beneath the surface, connecting diverse elements and influencing one another. The London dance music scene, like fungi, encompasses a variety of styles and genres, from drum and bass to Garage Dance Subcultures may go unnoticed to the casual observer but are musical corner stones in our society. Dance floors and clubs serve as spaces for communal healing, allowing people to let go of daily stresses and connect through music and dance. I G Culture's "The Remedy" celebrates this vibrant underground culture and highlights the interconnectedness of all musical styles. Through his innovative production and thematic depth, he underscores the transformative power of dance music, emphasizing its role in promoting well-being and unity. The idea of Fungi also is expressed in the artwork by Amsterdams 'Machine' with IG's direction, who used fungi in an original collage revealing a secret world.

TRACK LISTING

Touch Down
Vanguard Ft. Tyrone Isaac Stuart
Rocking
Finesse Ft. Allysha Joy
Levs Ft. Tyone Isaac Stuart
Medulla Oblongata Ft. Rara Zulu
Dj President Believe
Givin Up Ft. Allysha Joy
Dance High
Solo
Salty
Reason Ft. Tyrone Isaac Stuart
The Score
The Remedy
The Journey
Travellin Ft. Oliver Night
Finesse Jam Down Version
Givin Up Ft. Allysha Joy Remixed By Shall I Bruk It

The Ethiopian Brothers transport you to a vibrant fusion world where Ethiopian jazz, Afro drums and funk all collide. Released in 1972, this single showcases the band's mastery of traditional Ethiopian rhythms intertwined with elements of Western funk and soul. 'Ashadwa' exudes infectious energy and is driven by lively brass sections and mesmerizing vocals weaved into the dynamic arrangements next to wah way guitars and steamy sax. It is a real dancefloor heater while a version comes on the flip without the vocals.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Ashadwa (part 1)
B1. Ashadwa (part 2)

The long-awaited re-press of the popular edition released in limited quantities in 2017! UK DJ/Producer Soopasoul re-edits two songs, "I Got The" from Labi Siffre's extremely rare 1975 album and Banbarra's popular funk number "Shack Up" released in the same year! In particular, "I Got The" did not exist in 7 inches at the time, and the 2006 7-inch reprint is priced at tens of thousands of yen, so don't miss it!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Labi Siffre - I Got The (New New Super Heavy Funk Edit)
B1. Banbarra - Shack Up (New New Super Heavy Funk Edit)

Originally released in 1993 as part of their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 'CREAM' epitomises the group's raw energy and streetwise storytelling, blending gritty lyricism with a haunting piano loop. Reflecting the harsh realities of inner-city life along with its infectious hook and vivid verses, it remains a standout track in the Wu-Tang Clan's legendary discography, revered by fans and critics alike for its authenticity and impact. For the B-side we get 'As Long As I've Got You' by The Charmels, a 1967 soul masterpiece that exudes timeless elegance and emotional depth and became the inspiration for Wu-Tang's groundbreaking hit.

TRACK LISTING

A1. The Wu Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M
B1. The Charmels - As Long As I've Got You

Off the back of their three releases in 2023, The Trip present their first remix EP. Inviting some of their favourite artists including Spray, Aldonna, Liquid Earth and Adam Collins, each have taken it in turn to remix a track from their back catalog on Tessellate. Got all bases covered here, a bit of tribal, bit of more techy stuff, some prog and some acid thrown in for good measure.

TRACK LISTING

1. Fantazia (Spray Remix)
2. Don't Panic (Aldonna Remix)
3. Big Buzz (Liquid Earth Remix)
4. For The Record (Adam Collins Backspin Remix)

Beautiful and evocative and recorded in his home-town of Liverpool between March 2016 and June 2017, the album is the culmination of four years of hard work. Equal to his finest moments, Adiós Señor Pussycat will undoubtedly only further cement his reputation as one of this generations greatest songwriters.

Since a self-imposed hiatus in 2008, Michael Head has been working with a fluid concept of an ever-rotating band format to provide a flexible platform for the range of his new live and recorded works.

‘Under the guise of Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band in 2013, they released their sought-after debut EP, Artorius Revisited, and followed this with a double A sided 7”, Velvets In The Dark / Koala Bears in 2015.

A soulful and poetic genius, fate, bad luck and circumstance and often conspired to deny him his rightful dues. Loved and lauded by fellow artists and critics alike, he started out in the early 1980s with The Pale Fountains, with whom he recorded a brace of acclaimed albums, Pacific Street (1984) and …From Across The Kitchen Table (1985). He subsequently formed Shack with his brother John and went on to record five albums over almost twenty years including the much loved and acclaimed Waterpistol and HMS Fable in 1999 which saw the band briefly flirt with chart success and hailed from the cover of the NME as “our greatest songwriter”

He also released, what is often regarded as his classic album, The Magical World Of The Strands under the name of Michael Head & The Strands in 1997, and with Shack currently on hiatus he has been performing under the Red Elastic Band guise for the past few years.

The album features the following musicians:
Michael Head - Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Steve Powell - Electric & Acoustic Guitars
Phil Murphy - Drums
Tom Powell - Bass Guitar
Nina - Piano
Dan Rogers - Electric Guitar
Rod Skipp - Cello
Dewi Tudor Jones - Violin
Helen Tonge - Viola
Martin Smith - Trumpet
Andy Diagram - Trumpet
Simon James - Saxophone
Steve Powell, Joanne Head, Phil Murphy, Mary McCombs - Backing Vocals
Michael Head, Phil Murphy, Karina Townsend - Percussion

TRACK LISTING

1. Picasso
2. Overjoyed
3. Picklock
4. Winter Turns To Spring
5. Workin' Family
6. 4&4 Still Makes 8
7. Queen Of All Saints
8. Josephine
9. Lavender Way
10. Rumer
11. Wild Mountain Thyme
12. What's The Difference
13. Adios Amigo

Tetsu Shibuya, better known as simply Tetsu or Brisa is a Japanese producer and DJ known for works on the iconic Japanese Jazzy Sport imprint, King Street sub-label Nite Grooves and his own Brisa Music. Leading the EP is title-track 'Stir', in collaboration with Turbojazz Brisa delivers a classic slice of deep house built upon layers of bright stab sequences and loose organic percussion. Detroit's beloved Jon Dixon turns his hand to 'Stir' next, encapsulating the soul of his hometown in reshaping fragments of the original composition. The original of 'Reverie' opens the B-side, laying down a broken rhythm, low-pitched vocal hooks and elongated bass grooves for a more bruk tinged feel. Byron The Aquarius then extracts the core of 'Reverie' and spins it into bumpy, subtly nuanced house workout. Lastly the third original 'Flux' rounds out the release, shifting deeper in funkinfused realms with a playful plucked bass groove and heavily swung drums.

TRACK LISTING

Stir (feat Turbojazz)
Stir (feat Turbojazz) (Jon Dixon Remix)
Reverie
Reverie (Byron The Aquarius Remix)
Flux

The album features an array of guests including Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan, Midlake's Tim Smith, Isobel Campbell, and Ed Harcourt, amongst others.

Commenting on the album, Marshall says... "During a time when the world seemed to teeter off its axis, and I grappled with personal illness and losses, music became my lifeline once more. Like a soothing medication, each note and lyric offered a glimmer of hope in the midst of darkness. Collaborating on the tracks felt like a shared journey through the universal language of music, allowing me to find my voice amidst the chaos. The title, On The Edge Of A Lost And Lonely World, felt deeply fitting then and continues to resonate now, embodying the essence of this profound musical exploration. I truly believe this album represents my finest work yet, a testament to resilience and the power of art to illuminate even the darkest of times."

TRACK LISTING

1. The Beginning Ft Carl Hancock Rux
2. Too Many Rivals Ft Tim Smith 
3. The Immortal Ft Ed Harcourt
4. This Holding Pattern Ft James Cox
5. Brother Ft Dave Gahan
6. Born To Be Ft Peter Hayes
7. Keep Me Safe Ft Rachel Fannan
8. Dark Side Of Your Window Ft James Allan
9. Love You More Ft Isobel Campbell
10. The End Ft Madman Butterfly

As Alex Izenberg was piecing together the sweeping, psychedelic opuses on his full-band debut Alex Izenberg & The Exiles, the Los Angeles artist was focused on a simple goal: making something built to last. At the heart of his songs are bold ideas that take inspiration from the heady musings of philosopher Alan Watts, the multi-layered storytelling of King Crimson, and the imagistic vistas of Fleet Foxes. While the subject matter may feel esoteric—“My unconscious named the tongue/Of the lights of closed eyes” goes a characteristic lyric—Izenberg and his band let the music drift pleasantly to earth. The melodies are romantic and warm, and the arrangements are invitingly expansive, making expert use of a new ensemble formed around the strongest songs of his career.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Gospel Of Exiles
2. An Obscured Odyssey
3. The Wraith Behind Our Eyes
4. Drinking The Dusk Away
5. Dreams Of Déjà Vu
6. Threaded Dances
7. Only The Moon Knows
8. Pareidolia
9. United States (of Mind)
10. Apophenia
11. As The Dawn Serenades The Dark

Released in April 1983, second album “The Luxury Gap” featured the Top 5 hits “Temptation” and “Come Live With Me”, as well as “Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry” and “Let Me Go”. The album was certified Platinum in February 1984 for sales of over 300,000.

TRACK LISTING

1. Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry
2. Who'll Stop The Rain
3. Let Me Go
4. Key To The World
5. Temptation
6. Come Live With Me
7. Lady Ice And Mr Hex
8. We Live So Fast
9. The Best Kept Secret

The company and orchestra of Cabaret, including Self Esteem and Jake Shears, perform a very special live performance at the BBC’s Maida Vale studios.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
Wilkommen
Don't Tell Mama

Side 2
I Don't Care Much
Cabaret

Sprints ‘The Back Catalogue’ sees their early work collected together for the first time. The band’s 2020 debut single The Cheek won them early support from BBC 6music legend Steve Lamacq, DIY and NME among others. 2021’s ‘Manifesto’ EP saw the band develop sonically and politically, with title single ‘Manifesto’ quickly becoming a fan favourite. This marked the beginning of a fruitful working relationship with Gilla Band’s Daniel Fox producing. Driven by experience, tough political climates and social and economic uncertainty - their music is honest, often politically charged and authentic. Sprints’ vital, visceral next step came with 2022‘s ‘A Modern Job’ EP to critical acclaim, including widespread radio and streaming playlisting for lead single ‘How Does The Story Go?’. ‘The Back Catalogue’ marks the end of one chapter in Sprints story and beginning of the next. Charting the rise of the band from their formation in 2019 to the present day, it takes listeners on a journey through the highs and lows of elation to anxiety at trademark breakneck speed. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Drones
2. Swimming
3. The Cheek
4. Ashley
5. Manifesto
6. Modern Job
7. Delia Smith
8. I'm In A Band
9. How Does The Story Go?
10. Little Fix

Zy The Way hails from Taiwan and are a jazz ensemble that interlaces their dynamic sounds with ancient Chinese poetry compiled by Confucius. They also bring in more contemporary compositions which results in an utterly original sound and great gateway to some of the world's oldest literary works. They recently finished a debut full-length album and now the single 'Blue Collar' from it comes on limited edition vinyl. The track tells the ancient tale of young scholars in love with a powerful narrative and moving melodies. The one and only DJ Spinna steps up on the flip to offer his own classy deep-house remix.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
Ten Acres

Side 2
Ten Acres (MdCL Remix)

Large group session featuring deep spiritual modal jazz and new age ambient synthesizer pads.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: He's not shy of a new album is he, our Greg? Anyway, The Glass Frog partially eschews his more ambient fare for the group ensemble style of flowing jazzy jams and solos akimbo. Lovely stuff, and a further cementing Foat's deserved reputation as one of the eminent musicians of this generation.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sea Of Tranquility
2. The Glass Frog
3. Foals Of Epona
4. Novilunium
5. Clusters
6. My Love Has Green Eyes
7. O Sacrum Convivium!

A vibrant kaleidoscope of sound, colour and emotion, British multi-hyphenate James Alexander Bright's new album 'Cool Cool' is set for release on 26th July via Athens Of The North. A dynamic set of urgent funkers, gentle soul ballads, head-nodders, fuzzy folkers and straight-up disco bangers span 10 songs that soundtrack fertile daydreams, esoteric dancefloors, languorous reflection, and wild excursions in nature and beyond.

James' voice, pitched somewhere between Eddie Chacon, Beck and Michael McDonald, takes a confident lead on this new record. Whether tenderly caressing on the title track's beautiful soul minimalism or deployed passionately on boogie machine 'Straight Line'; it's an immediately recognisable signature. Impressive multi-instrumentalism sees him perform on guitar, bass, keys, programming, percussion, production and myriad quirky effects; across song subjects that cover searching for truth, imagining the distant future, teen nostalgia, relaxation exploration, aspirations of freedom, and classic tales of love and romance.

"'Straight Line' started out as a wonky homage to 80s & 90s radio", says James. "It's based on the memory of meeting someone you want to stay up all night listening to music with". Disco highlight 'Your Love' is"based on the feeling of love and chasing it. It has a certain kinetic charm but holds a melancholic note also". Similarly, on soulful paean to romance 'Fall For You' James explains"You know when you've loved. To love is a magical thing whether it's an experience, an object, or a person; we've all loved and lost".

"'Cool Cool' is the most stripped back song I've ever written,"he confesses."Recorded in one afternoon with no special effects or production tricks, it feels quite timeless". In contrast the uninhibited 'Aguas Blancas' flexes with exuberance. James explains"It's a homage to one of my favourite beaches on the island of Ibiza. I was imagining being there as I made this. What's not to like about big waves, a buzzing beach shack bar, and nudity?".

As always with James' music, what started as a solo endeavour organically morphed into more of a family affair. Initially written and recorded at his home studio in the rolling hills of the Hampshire countryside, the tracks on 'Cool Cool' were completed in sessions with regular collaborator Peter Lyons in East London and Linkwood at Athens Of The North in Edinburgh. Old friends and new contribute vocals (Kerry Leatham and Katharine Alice), drums (Gillan McLaughlin and Joris Feiertag), and synths (Reuben Vaun Smith on 'Aguas Blancas'), plus collaborations with Wolverhampton electronic duo Letherette on 'I Feel Alive' and Ugandan/Nottingham singer-songwriter and guitarist Daudi Matsiko on 'Hear'.

James says"Some of these people I was in bands with as a kid, which is a pretty magical thing. I've been a fan of Letherette for years so it was a buzz when I asked Andrew to work on some tracks together and he was really into it. When Daudi shared a guitar part he wasn't sure what to do with on his Instagram stories, I messaged him to say "I'll make a track out of this!" and that then became 'Hear'".

The past six years has seen James release a veritable treasure trove of music: 'Mallorca' and 'Strange Folk' EPs, debut album 'Headroom', joyous second 'Float', an album of collaborations and reworks with cosmic Americana-disco DJ/producer duo Flying Mojito Bros, and a new project with Groove Armada's Tom Findlay as Bright & Findlay.

James balances music alongside the creative duality of a job in illustration and the responsibilities and constraints that come with raising a young family. Utilising any spare moment to write and record new ideas, his creative output under various projects had been relentless. Turning his back on apathetic major label offers in his early 20s, he's released through cult DIY label Tape Club Records, German stalwart !K7 Music and now with Scottish tastemaker Athens Of The North, presenting an evolving vision of a sound that has touched on everything from outsider art-rock to machine funk, mystic folk to experimental jazz.

TRACK LISTING

1. Straight Line
2. Your Love
3. Fall For You
4. Cool Cool
5. Catch My Breath
6. Aguas Blancas
7. I Feel Alive (feat. Letherette)
8. YSYSYS
9. Fuzzy Yellow Magic
10. Hear (feat. Daudi Matsiko)

TMTCH stumbled into existence onstage at the Alternative Country Festival, Electric Ballroom, Camden on Easter Sunday in 1984; after a long afternoon busking and drinking in a Hammersmith subway. They knew three chords and a hundred songs all of which sounded a bit the same, a frenzied skiffle that was exciting to jump around and drink snakebite to. If they thought about longevity at all, a lifespan of 40 days seemed most likely. It’s forty years later and they are still running. Since those early days, and without much of a game plan other than always stepping onward, TMTCH have released around 20 albums plus many side projects, bootlegs, curios and an unknown number of T shirts. They’ve toured constantly, whether in dingy pub backrooms or Grand Ballrooms and Festival Stages. From Cairo to Reykjavik and all points in between, the TMTCH roadshow has shambled and thrilled through the decades, always passionate, always literate, occasionally dishevelled.

Forty years of recording has spawned a vast back catalogue, well represented here by songs from each album, style and era; a tapestry of human stories and vibrant characters. So there are the fast sprints like early folk hoedown ‘Ironmasters’, the frantic shanty ‘Raising Hell’ and the amphetamine punk blues of ‘Going Back to Coventry’. Then there are the waltzing folk ballads, from their impassioned version of the anti war standard ‘Green Fields Of France’ to the bitter regret of ‘The Bells’ and the righteous testimony of ‘Our Day’. Elsewhere there are anthems galore; ‘The Crest’ a swirling gaelic chant, ‘Rosettes’, a fast marching assault of drums, fiddles and mandolins; historical epics such as ‘Ghosts Of Cable Street’, ‘Shirt of Blue’ and ‘The Colours’; romantic ballads like the wistful ‘Parted From You’ and ‘Island in The Rain’.

All the eras are here; from the wiry lo fi of the first album, through the eighties into full blown MTV ready multi trackers with vast charging drums; the initial simplicity of their recipe deepening and darkening. And then on through the nineties, noughties and tens; always the double pronged vocals drifting between harmony and unison, always the celtic, folk and country tones vying for attention, the emotive fiddle, the top end mandolin above the thundering rhythm section. On through bouffant hair, spiky hair, dyed hair, thin hair and hats; on through Grunge, Baggy, Madchester, Rave, Britpop. On through the Miner’s Strike, Poll Tax, New Labour, Iraq and Brexit. On through marriage, children, loss and revival. Forty years at the working end of rock and roll is a feat achieved by very few bands. It requires tremendous chemistry, a deep catalogue; both panoramic and miniature, a vital and irrepressible energy, all of which is on resplendent display in this sprawling 3 disc compilation. But most of all it requires an intense resilience, something that TMTCH possess in spades. Forty years on the run; was ever a band so aptly named? 

TRACK LISTING

Ghosts Of Cable Street
The Eye
Wishing Well
Raising Hell
Bounty Hunter
Going Back To Coventry
Sirens
Nightbird
Shirt Of Blue
A Place In The Sun
Island In The Rain
Singing Elvis
The Lion And The Unicorn
Smugglers
Gold Rush
Night Ferry
The Crest
Rain, Steam And Speed
Our Day
King Street Serenade
Beast Of Brechfa
Kingdom Of The Blind
Rivertown
Great Expectations
Company Town
Devil On The Wind
Red Rocks Of Spain
Scavengers
Overseas
Rosettes
The Bells
Billy Morgan
A Map Of Morocco
The Colours
Parted From You
Green Fields Of France
Ironmasters
Walkin’ Talkin’
A Night To Remember
Red Kite Rising

Adored alt-pop duo Cults announce their fifth studio album TO THE GHOSTS out July 26 via IMPERIAL. The NY-based duo compromised of multi-instrumentalists Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion, confidently and clearly perfect their vision with the cinematic new album.

To the Ghosts was meticulously crafted; the earliest ideas dated back to the pandemic when they wrote music on weekdays from 10am-5pm with no deadlines or distractions. The album was written and recorded in Brian’s apartment; in 2022 they traveled to Los Angeles to collaborate with longtime producer and trusted creative confidant Shane Stoneback, because “nobody can read our minds like he can,” jests Madeline. To the Ghosts was co-produced by Cults & Shane Stoneback, mixed by John Congleton, and mastered by Heba Kadry NYC.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Hazy emotional pop pieces, swimming with soul and bolstered with tastefully applied modern production techniques, Cults' fifth LP is their most dynamically rich yet. Wistful, hook-laiden and brimming with melodic beauty.

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A
A1. Crybaby
A2. Left My Keys
A3. Onions
A4. Crystal
A5. Leave Home
A6. Eat It Cold

SIDE B
B1. Honey
B2. Knots
B3. Behave
B4. Open Water
B5. Cells
B6. You're In Love With Yourself
B7. Hung The Moon

X CLUB. is the production duo of Ben Clarke and Jesse Morath. Founded in Brisbane / Meanjin Australia’s warehouse scene and exported to London and beyond, their music is inspired by early 90s techno all the way through to future-facing drum’n’bass, with X CLUB carving out a space entirely of their own thanks to their authentic and eclectic take on high impact dance music.

With releases on labels such as Steel City Dance Discs, SPANDAU20 / CROWDS, 99CTS Records and Stay On Sight, X CLUB. have seen their records reach global audiences with frequent touring across the UK, Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

"New World Expression" by X CLUB. is the third release on their own label Hide The Junk, and finds the pair leaning more into house music than ever before, but still with the same distinctive X CLUB. edge. These tracks have been key moments to their sets over the start of 2024, going from demos in the studio to on the road club test in a matter of days, to being pressed onto fresh 12” wax for their most loyal fans within a matter of weeks. This EP is tried and tested house & techno that fans and DJ's alike have come to know and expect in X CLUB.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Peak time chest thumpers for those who like a fast techno romp. X Club have quickly concocted their own high energy formula which is addictive, energizing and quickly immerses you into their unique techno-pool. A record I imagine, is getting absolutely hammered by DJ Rush right now...

TRACK LISTING

A1. New World Expression
A2. 1000 Faces
B1. This Subwoofer Addiction Is Getting Out Of Hand
B2. You’re On My Mind All Day

An incredible, uplifting joint from New Zealand soul artist Arjuna Oakes. His second release on the Albert’s Favourites imprint overflows with the clear enjoyment of the band featuring legendary Nathan Haines. We’d say there’s a reasonable nod to D'Angelo’s essential Spanish Joint within these grooves.

The b-side delivers a vinyl exclusive – a downtempo, moody little number with an emotional drive that is deeply compelling – one to get lost inside.

TRACK LISTING

A1. The Love That I Feel
B1. Mallet Groove

Long serving Star Creature vet Temu offers up sone extended versions and new additions to his fledging Tugboat volume. Electro-funk / boogie / modern funk versions of some well known hits (the clues in the titles!) - all given that squelchy, wavy, box bedroom jam vibe from the man like T. 

Limited import copies. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Loose Joints, Kraftwek, The Jones Girls, Kano and more are given a stylish and tasteful, boogie-based renovation by Star Creature stalwart Temu.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1.Love Dancing
2.Robots
3.Ready Or Not

Side 2
1. Rule The World
2. Funk Over Egypt
3. Can't Hold Back

Whisper it quietly, but Andrew Meecham’s ninth album as The Emperor Machine, Island Boogie, may well be the long-serving producer’s strongest set to date. Of course, all his albums ripple with vintage synth sounds, colourful lead lines, dub-flecked electronic disco grooves and lashings of cosmic intent, but this one just feels a little more special.

Island Boogie is certainly special. Meecham’s “most personal” full-length to date, it was inspired by his experiences at the Rotation Garden Party – a beloved micro-festival promoted by a group of friends (including sometime Bizarre Inc and Chicken Lips partner Dean Meredith), renowned for the quality of its custom-built Klipschorn soundsystem. “The album’s title sums up the vibe that you get from Rotation,” he explains. “It may be held in a landlocked venue but it gives a wonderful sense of isolation – it is an audiophile paradise.”

Meecham road-tested rough versions of the album’s eight tracks at Rotation 2023, with the feedback and dancefloor reaction guiding the sound and arrangement of the final mixes. Fittingly, Meecham will return to the event to showcase the album at Rotation 2024 this July. Given the inspiration he’s drawn from previous editions of the festival, that will be a very special occasion.

Musically, Island Boogie offers the most fully functioning and expertly constructed expression of The Emperor Machine sound yet, a style Meecham describes as “electronic cosmic disco-boogie”. It’s a sound that takes cues from early ‘80s NYC punk-funk and dub disco, vintage electro, proto-house and left-of-centre synth-boogie, but one that’s instantly recognisable to those who have followed Meecham’s career over the last three decades.

Island Boogie also sees Meecham continue his blossoming working relationship with Severine Mouletin, whose stylish and distinctive vocals previously graced his popular ‘Dance Por Amor’ and ‘Your Own Style’ singles. Here Mouletin features on four tracks: the acid-flecked retro-futurist wave-boogie of ‘La Cassette’ (featuring additional percussion by Rupert Brown); the infectious, bleep-sporting headiness of recent single ‘Devoilez-Vous’; and the squelchy analogue synth-funk of ‘Wanna Pop With You’ and ‘Vas-y-Le Chat’.

Meecham also finds space for a cover of Fox’s 1976 pop-rock classic ‘S-s-s-single Bed’, one of the Stafford-based artist’s all-time favourites. His version, featuring headline-grabbing lead vocals by Michelle Bee and guitar from Dave Atherton, re-imagines the track as a subtly Chic-influenced slab of infectious electro-pop rich in kaleidoscopic synth sounds, sing-along choruses and shuffling drums.

The instrumental foundations of the classic Emperor Machine sound come to the fore on the album’s three other cuts. There’s the jazz-funk-flecked warmth of the LP-opening title track; the sparse squelches, bleeps, TB-303 style bass and brightly coloured electronics of ‘Walk The Dog’; and the exotic, slow-motion cosmic electronica of ‘Cha Murrah Etem’, a warm but poignant affair dedicated to his late father. Heady and intoxicating, with hints of Balearica and digital reggae, it offers a fittingly beautiful and tactile conclusion to Meecham’s most expressive and accessible album yet. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: The Emperor Machine (Andrew Meecham) is known for creating a beautifully Balearic fusion of funk, synth-pop and Scandi disco, so it's no massive surprise that that's part of what's on offer here. That's doing it a disservice though, because 'Island Boogie' is exactly the sort of rhythmic, synth-forward disco that turns a man into a disco appreciator. Believe me, I was that guy. Brilliant, propulsive beachtime groovers.

TRACK LISTING

1. Island Boogie
2. La Cassette Feat. Séverine Mouletin
3. Dévoilez-Vous Feat. Séverine Mouletin
4. Walk The Dog
5. S-S-S Single Bed Feat. Michelle Bee
6. Wanna Pop With You Feat. Séverine Mouletin
7. Vas-y Le Chat Feat. Séverine Mouletin
8. Cha Murrah Etem
9. S-S-S Single Bed Feat. Michelle Bee (Radio Edit) 

Killer, retrotastic journey into the original BLEEP sound by Dawn Of The Underground. As authentic as you like, it encapsulates that '88-'91 vibe: sub-woofer tweaking, dark, jacking machine funk. Originally pioneered in Sheffield by artists such as Unique 3, Nexus 21, Nightmares on Wax and Original Clique.

All the delicious tropes are included and correct - deep square bass tones, eerie leads, manipulated vocal samples, occassional breaks; Dawn of The Underground have faithfully recreated the addictive sounds of the era; which somehow manages to still sound vaguely futuristic some thirty years after its original conception.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Essential record for fans of that original Sheffield bleep sound. Dawn Of The Underworld give you those Jive Turkey feels with five tracks that absolute nail this classic UK rave prototype style.

TRACK LISTING

A1. The Anniss Effect (Reincarnation Mix)
A2. Warped Sequences
B1. Arena
B2. Arena (Spartan Mix)
B3. The Anniss Effect (92 Revived Original Mix)

The journey to creating 'Wild God’ began with sweeping epic ‘Frogs’. The first lines Cave penned for the album were powerfully evocative, referencing the first murder in the Bible, Cain’s slaying of Abel. He wrote, “Ushering in the week he knelt down and crushed his brother’s head in with a bone/It’s my great privilege to walk you home.” This striking couplet became the opening lines to the song, and set the tone for the imagery and themes that followed.

Cave says, “The sheer exuberance of a song like ‘Frogs’, it just puts a big fucking smile on my face.”

TRACK LISTING

A1. Frogs
B1. Frogs (Instrumental)

Almost 35 years on, The Chameleons return once again, to one of Manchester’s most iconic venues, playing the original set they played that evening...

The atmospheric post-vocalist/bassist Mark Burgess began with the Cliches, guitarists Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding arrived from the Years, and drummer John Lever (who quickly replaced founding member Brian Schofield) originated with the Politicians. After establishing themselves with a series of high-profile BBC sessions, the Chameleons signed to Epic and debuted with the EP Nostalgia, a tense, moody set produced by Steve Lillywhite which featured the single 'In Shreds.'.... The quartet was soon released from its contract with Epic, but then signed to Statik and returned in 1983 with the band's first full-length effort, Script of the Bridge. What Does Anything Mean? Basically followed in 1985, and with it came a new reliance on stylish production; following its release, the Chameleons signed to Geffen and emerged the following year with Strange Times. The dark, complex record proved to be the Chameleons' finale, however, when they split following the sudden death of manager Tony Fletcher; while Burgess and Lever continued on in the Sun & the Moon, Smithies and Fielding later reunited in the Reegs. In 1993, Burgess surfaced with his proper solo album Zima Junction. He and his band the Sons of God toured America the following year.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: There's no mistaking The Chameleons, and they're in fine fettle here, smashing through a perfectly performed set of classics and sounding every bit the band we remember at Manchester's iconic Ritz.

TRACK LISTING

LP & 7" Tracklist:
Silence Sea & Sky
Pleasure & Pain
Here Today
Intrigue In Tangiers
Singing Rule Britannia
Return Of The Roughnecks
Perfume Garden
Less Than Human
Nostalgia
Second Skin
One Flesh
Home Is Where The Heart Is
PS Goodbye
In Shreds
A Person Isn’t Safe

7”
Looking Inwardly
Don’t Fall

CD Tracklist:
Silence Sea & Sky
Pleasure & Pain
Here Today
Intrigue In Tangiers
Singing Rule Britannia
Return Of The
Roughnecks
Perfume Garden
Less Than Human
Nostalgia
Second Skin
One Flesh
Home Is Where The Heart Is
PS Goodbye
In Shreds
A Person Isn’t Safe
Looking Inwardly
Don’t Fall

Precocious Neophyte is the shoegaze/dreampop project of South Korean singer songwriter Jeehye Ham.

After gaining recognition both in the Korean indie scene and abroad as vocalist/guitarist of Vidulgi OoyoO (shoegaze/post rock) and guitarist of JuckJuck Grunzie(noise/psychedelic), Ham relocated to Chicago where she began experimenting with home recording. In 2019, she released an EP comprised of intimate acoustic compositions under the name Sophysoon.

With Home in the Desert, Ham embraces the solitary action and lo-fi aesthetics of home recording to create a fuzzier, more expansive sound, inspired by the organized noise of bands she grew up with in Korea's indie scene. Home in the Desert, written and recorded in her apartment between 2021-2022, developed out of Ham's attempts to envision how skeletal guitar lines might sound when performed live at ear-splitting volumes by a full band. “I never expected that I would make loud music again, but one day I took my guitar out and started jamming on my own.“

As its title suggests, Precocious Neophyte's debut release negotiates the impossible longings for perpetual spaces and times of home. In doing so, Ham fills unstable distances with what KEXP calls "ethereal vocals and soaring melodies," and cradles the insecurities of isolation in overdrive warmth and many layers of distorted guitars.

TRACK LISTING

1. From My Tiny Room
2. My Electronic Idol
3. Traveler
4. AIWA
5. Yasik (Midnight Meal)
6. Girls On The Bed
7. Korean Lesson 7 At Home (Where Is Michael?)
8. Golden Eyes
9. Dreaming Alone Or Together (Bonus Track)
10. My Electronic Idol (Alternative Mix)

In 1984, pop came out of the closet - even if not all of the artists felt that they could - and, in the process, charted the course of the rest of the decade. In 1984: The Year Pop Went Queer, writer and musician Ian Wade charts where these artists, including Queen, George Michael, David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Madonna - who all enjoyed chart success in 1984 - were during that epoch-making year. It studies the impact these groundbreaking musicians had before, during and after on the gay community and popular culture, and it demonstrates how they were able to break down barriers, raise consciousness and set in motion the first nascent ripples in a pond that are still being felt today. As a backdrop, it explores the strides made in the name of the cause and how the wider surrounding culture reacted with equal parts glee, bafflement and disgust.

Newly signed to SO Recordings and with a debut album proper in hand, The Joy Hotel have become a word-of-mouth success story in the Scottish DIY scene, and have since taken their live show across the UK and Europe, playing festivals including Hidden Door, Doune the Rabbit Hole, Connect, TRNSMT, Twisterella, Latitude, Sound City and The Great Escape.

The band spent eleven days at Rockfield, the legendary studio in Monmouth, Wales, recording live-to-tape. When they left, they had a sound. It is often contradictory, in that it combines the songwriting sensibilities of pop and country with arrangements reminiscent of the psychedelic scene of the 60s, six-part vocal harmonies with elements of noise rock, beautiful balladry with a sense of humour, and a cinematic quality. The result of those eleven days is debut album 'Ceremony', a record that searches for the profound in the seemingly routine, and reaches out with arms wide open to wring celebration out of each moment.

TRACK LISTING

1. I Decline
2. Forever Tender Blue
3. First Joy
4. Jeremiah
5. Black Balloon
6. Rapid Eye Movement
7. Old Man's Eyes
8. While You're Young
9. No Use
10. Twenty Three (A Comedy) - Part 1
11. Twenty Three (A Comedy) - Part 2
12. Killing Time
13. Small Mercy

Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Originally released in 1983, Seven and the Ragged Tiger was the final Duran album with the original five members (until 2004). This third album was the first of Duran's to reach #1 in the UK charts. 'The Reflex' was remixed by Nile Rodgers and released as the third single on the album, it became the first US and second UK #1 single.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. The Reflex
2. New Moon On Monday
3. (I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement
4. I Take The Dice
5. Of Crime And Passion

Side 2
1. Union Of The Snake
2. Shadows On Your Side
3. Tiger Tiger
4. The Seventh Stranger

After a 12-year hibernation, Beachwood Sparks emerges with "Across The River Of Stars", a transcendent and succinct sonic odyssey - Under the guiding hand of Chris Robinson, the band's revival showcases their growth and musical maturity.

From their indie roots to this celestial return, the album bridges the past and present, offering a journey through cosmic and earthy landscapes. Within it's nine songs Across The River Of Stars invites listeners to rediscover Beachwood Sparks.

TRACK LISTING

My Love My Love
Torn In Two
Falling Forever
Gentle Samurai
Gem
Faded Glory
Dolphin Dance
High Noon
Wild Swans

This limited-edition white 7” release features the studio version of 'Sinner' on the A-side and an energetic live take from Melkweg, Amsterdam of 'Sinner' on the B-side.

A livid document. Recorded in pastpresentfuture tense. In 2010, highly influential/ inspirational noise/psych revolutionaries The Telescopes gave a rare and memorable glimpse of their classic debut ‘Taste’. Which stormed the independent charts over twenty years ago, sending waves beyond the realm of natural vision that resonate still. Within moments of them walking onstage, I forget where I am and what year it is.. Immediately I'm hit by a tidal wave of noise, which sets the tone for the rest of the show... the relentless energy that Stephen injects into his performance. He is in no way a conventional front man, and his onstage demeanor is just as I imagine it would have been 20 years ago. Stephen is free to leave the stage and stumble around, dragging the mike stand behind him and colliding with anyone foolish enough to stand too close. He curls up in a fetal ball or rolls around the floor, frequently getting tangled up in his microphone cable. The anger, fear and frustration that he exudes can be uncomfortable. Stephen looks genuinely tormented and I believe this is his way of dealing with traumatic events in his life. I have not seen a performance this cathartic since Michael Gira fronting Swans.

As the final song, "Suicide", heads towards its ear-splitting climax, I begin to wonder what Stephen has in mind to finish the set. He picks up a bottle and I'm worried that he is going to do himself some serious harm, but instead he calmly leaves the room, while the noise inside gradually diminishes to a single piece of feedback. Much of the excitement here comes not from actions themselves but the tension of not knowing. It reminds me that there was a time when gigs were often confrontational, and dangerous for both audience and performer. Today's live shows are often very safe in comparison. Rebellious Jukebox Crashing in with 'There Is No Floor' the band perfectly captured the noise assault of the early material and it was great to see that Stephen Lawrie had lost none of his venom in the preceding years. Clearly these songs still meant everything to him as he screamed them out whilst rolling around the floor. Fucking great. I look forward to new Telescopes material. Gig Junkies

A new album is underway, featuring material recorded at the Brian Jonestown Massacre studio in Berlin. The latest EP sold out immediately. And “Taste”, first aired on a 1989 BBC1 session for John Peel, is due for an April reissue on the Bomp! label, along with the crucial EP “The Perfect Needle”.

TRACK LISTING

There Is No Floor
Sadness Pale
Threadbare
Violence (live)
Please, Before You Go
Suicide (live)

MC Duke aka The Darkest Knight EP Picture Disc

Subbase honors the great MC Duke, Kashif Adham, a true legend in the music scene and the godfather of UK Rap.

This incredible limited edition tribute vinyl picture disc celebrates MC Duke's legacy. He began working with Suburban Base in the early '90s and became the most prolific artist on their sister imprint, Boogie Times, before they collaborated with his own label, Hard Disk. This stunning picture disc features some of his rarest releases from Hard Disk, which have never been reissued since their original pressings in the '90s. Together, Duke and Suburban base meticulously planned and remastered these amazing tracks before Duke's unfortunate passing. He was so excited for collectors to enjoy these tunes once again.

MC Duke's unparalleled talent and unwavering dedication to music throughout his life solidified his status as a true legend in the UK music scene. He made significant contributions to UK music, from hip-hop and rap to hardcore and jungle. Let’s remember the man and his music!

This 4 track EP includes all tracks from "The Darkest Knight" plus the promo only white label "My Sound" (HD7) which has sold for as much as £95 on discogs although none have been available for over four years since 2020.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Serious 
A2. My Sound 
B1. The Journey 
B2. The Darkest Knight 

Numero’s Hottest Sounds Around trio gathers castaway late ’70s grooves from across the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman’s Trinidadian Semp concern delivered Wilfred Luckie’s wobbly 'My Thing' and the Hamilton Brothers’ calypso-disco smash 'Music Makes The World Go 'Round' in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn’s G.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook’s Doobies-inspired 'Stay Away From Music' for the cruise ship curious. All three are housed in a custom Numero sleeve inspired by Edward Seaga’s Caribbean music manufacturing and distribution powerhouse WIRL (West Indies Records Ltd.)

TRACK LISTING

1. Music Makes The World Go 'Round
2. Music Makes The World Go 'Round (Instrumental)

The post punk explosion of the late 1970s/early 1980s is regarded as one of the most exciting periods of music making explorations in Bristol. Half a century later (gulp!) the period is now being revisited, seen as being even more relevant as there is the 2020s surge of new acts reviving and mining the seam of the genre. Many of the original Bristol bands in question had either been featured on or been rocket fuelled inspired by the success of a local label's 1980 compilation album of bands from the city on 'Avon Calling', that was lauded, championed and played to death by John Peel. He rated the compilation of Bristol bands above those from Manchester and Liverpool, stating on air "this really is the standard by which others should be judged in the future. It really is superb with not a bad track on it."

That local label releasing it was Heartbeat Records, run by Simon Edwards (who also ran Riot City). Heartbeat was part of a coterie of Bristol indie's, such as Fried Egg, Wavelength and Recreational (the latter operating out of another central destination for music lovers, the Revolver record shop). The emergent labels were tapping into the range of musical talent responding to the challenges of a new decade, the Thatcher government tearing down hard fought for certainties and securities, allied to the impact of punk that had shifted the shape of the musical landscape so dramatically. The quasi-psychedelic, archly poetic Essential Bop even got as far as being praised to the skies in the NME by Paul Morley. Art Objects 'a beat combo fronted by a poet' became the better-known Blue Aeroplanes, and Electric Guitars somewhat incongruously signed to Stiff and - sadly - stiffed. Latif Gardez from Gardez Darkx signed with EMI and later Virgin. He would release two albums under the name Mystery Slang. Tim Norfolk from the artful, wacky and tight-fitting Shoes For Industry went on to become a member of The Insects and worked with Massive Attack.

What cannot be ignored all this time on when listening to so much of the Explosion album is the quality - the sheer attack of Art Objects, the angular extremities of Electric Guitars along with the caustic sneer of Fishfood. Then there is the more hipster Danceteria driven, percussive and horny frenetic grooves of Animal Magic, in marked variance to the loose-limbed, guitarless Scream & Dance. This is all contrasting with more electronic vox ultra uber cool mensch and darker elements of Europeans (featuring later Specimen and Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist, John Klein), Creature Beat and Colortapes (who had Mike Fewins, ex of The Cortinas, in their line-up).

Much can be found in the sheer lyricism of so many of the songs and groups. Glaxo Babies even recently performed in Bristol in their current iteration, Dan Catsis being the sole original member. The Objects/Aeroplanes main man Gerard Langley regarded the band in their heyday as the 'cornerstone of the Bristol scene' placing them above The Pop Group (usually ranked as being top dogs by national media, though Essential Bop regarded them as 'beatnik fascists') in that status. For Langley the Glaxos were 'both sophisticated and primitive, they were basically pre-post-punk punk. They were real man, and I loved them'. The Explosion album is the tip of the iceberg of the treasure trove of goodies from the era. Archive label owner Mike Darby, who compiled it, makes that plain: "There's easily enough for a great volume two.''

TRACK LISTING

1. Art Objects - Hard Objects
2. Glaxo Babies - Christine Keeler
3. Animal Magic - Standard Man
4. Electric Guitars - Beat Me Hollow (Demo)
5. Creature Beat - She Won't Dance
6. Shoes For Industry - Jerusalem
7. Europeans - Europeans
8. Essential Bop - Croaked
9. Gardez Darkx - Bliss
10. Fishfood - Modern Dance Craze
11. Colortapes - Cold Anger
12. Scream & Dance - In Rhythm