Fontaines DC, Massive Attack and Young Fathers have announced the pre-order release of an exclusive, limited edition vinyl record in support of Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) emergency operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

*The 12” vinyl only release, features material from Fontaines DC, and Massive Attack/Young Fathers, and a ceasefire sleeve design by 3D of Massive Attack. 

The reverse sleeve of the 12” features words written on a hospital whiteboard in Gaza by Doctors Without Borders medic Dr Mahmoud Abu Nujaila – words which went viral on global social media - depicting the desperation of medical professionals and civilians in Gaza. Tragically, Dr Nujaila was killed in a strike a few weeks later.

"WHOEVER STAYS
UNTIL THE END
WILL TELL THE STORY,

WE DID WHAT WE COULD.
REMEMBER US"

Despite repeated deadly attacks on its staff, medics, surgeons, and aid conveys, Doctors Without Borders volunteers continue to offer critical support to the civilians of Gaza.

Fontaines DC, Massive Attack and Young Fathers have donated their music in full support of the incredible Doctors Without Borders staff working in Gaza today, as a statement for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank, and in solidarity with the Palestinian people living under a brutal military occupation.

Fontaines DC, Massive Attack & Young Fathers will donate 100% of the profits from this promotional venture to Médecins Sans Frontières (UK - charity number: 1026588) emergency operations in Gaza and the West Bank. The total donation is expected to be in excess of £150,000.

3D (Massive Attack) said: "The hourly scenes of horror in Gaza, with hospitals and schools bombed to dust and innocent civilians, journalists and doctors killed in unspeakable numbers has been made so much worse by more than ten weeks of abject political failure.
We're in awe of the Doctors Without Borders medics who place their lives on the line to help innocent civilians in Gaza. The ceasefire EP is a tribute to them, and their incredible ongoing work in truly indescribable circumstances. We stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine”

Fontaines DC said: “Fontaines DC join millions across the world in demanding an immediate ceasefire and a permanent end to Israel's brutal occupation of Palestine. Since October, Doctors Without Borders have been on the ground in Gaza, where every human is an IDF target, risking their lives to give vital care to the thousands injured by Israel's indiscriminate attacks on the starving and defenceless. We feel utterly helpless in what we can do at this point however we do hope our small contribution to this record can raise some desperately needed funds for Doctors Without Borders in Gaza. Ceasefire Now. Free Palestine”

Natalie Roberts, MSF Executive Director said: “After more than two months of war, Israel’s unrelenting and indiscriminate strikes on Gaza have caused unprecedented and catastrophic levels of civilian harm. Nowhere is safe. Hospitals that are overflowing with the sick and wounded are coming under fire or being raided by Israeli forces, killing doctors, health workers, colleagues. Our teams continue to do what they can without even the basic guarantees of safety. We desperately want to do more, but for that we need an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
Huge thanks to Massive Attack, Fontaines DC and Young Fathers for all their support.”

*Copies have been packed using different combinations of coloured vinyl and sleeves. All orders are selected at random.

Another amazing Dirty Blends edition with three tracks of heavy jak beat and OG Chicago warehouse flavours.

The A side kicks off with Kincaid presenting a dark and menacing composition played and created with blood and sweat behind the vintage music boxes to come with this 12 minute cranium splitter - "Circuit Collapse".

Cliff Solomon honors the timeless work of originators Boyd Jarvis & Timmy Regisford with an '85 flavoured exercise of proto-house entitled "Battle Cry". With drum machines you'd associate more with the boogie genre, plus expert keyboard sections and sound effects, this retrograded house track will definitely devastate today's dancefloor leaving people scratching their heads as to its origin.

The Jak and Lex Lathan collaborate on "The Call (On The Edge)". recorded at Nation HQ and perhaps the most twisted and discordant offering out of the three. Warped vox, detuned synths and deranged licks smothering a straight up jak beat rhythm. Seriously wild stuff for the more adventurous DJ and dancer - TIP! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Dirty Blends can do no wrong in my book at the moment. There's no one out there daring to take on the dark passion of jak beat with such authority. With each release they seem to get closer to the spirit of Ron Hardy... if you don't know - get to know.

TRACK LISTING

A1. William Kincaid - Circuit Collapse
B1. Cliff Solomon- Battle Cry
B2. The Jak & Lex Lathan - The Call (On The Edge)

Kenyan folk artist Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno and Man Power met while both artists in residence at the esteemed Glasshouse International Centre for Music and offer us something truly original here at M.A.D Records. Music has the power to bring people together and this is a shining example, Kenyan folk and electronic music from the North East of England - what’s not to like. On the flip label bosses Make A Dance offer up two remixes.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: There's simply no stopping Make A Dance as they quickly ratchet up the releases. Number eight sees north east maverick Man Power team up with Kenyan based Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno for an exotic and richly scented double header. As usually, the MAD crew are on hand with a high voltage remix. Great label that you need to get to know!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Lou Land
A2. Battle Hil
B1. Battle Hill - Make A Dance Remix
B2. Battle Hill - M.A.D Dub Mix

Battle Of Armagideon is one of the essential albums by Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters. Perry's technique as a mixer and producer will get to you in many ways. “I'm a Madman” is the best-known album track, wherein Perry acknowledged his lunatic persona. The Spin Alternative Record Guide deemed the album Perry's best of the 1980s. Lee 'Scratch' Perry was a pioneer in dub music and worked together with artists such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, The Clash and The Beastie Boys.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Introducing Myself
2. Drum Song
3. Grooving
4. All Things Are Possible
5. Show Me That River
6. Time Marches On (In/Out Mix)

Side B
1. I Am A Madman
2. The Joker
3. Happy Birthday
4. Sexy Lady
5. Time Marches On

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning 'brother' and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.

Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, "Butterfly" (1975) and "The Battle of Disco" (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of "The Battle of Disco" was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.

For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection.

TRACK LISTING

A. Call And Go (18:40)
B. Washa (19:40)

Before hitting twenty, Tymon Dogg had made a single with pre-Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, recorded with Paul McCartney for Apple Records (running off with the tapes when he sensed they were 'too saccharine'), made a second single for The Moody Blues' label Threshold and then seemingly lost all faith in normal music business machinations.

So he wandered, busking at tube stations and encountering "Woody", who acted as Tymon's roadie and, when trade was slow, Tymon would teach him a few chords.

After being assaulted by police, Tymon won a £500 settlement, with which he recorded an album, singing and playing every instrument himself. Dwelling somewhere between avant-garde folk, Weimar cabaret and with an eerie sense of punk's D-I-Y ethos, the 1975 album failed to sell in appreciable numbers.

By then, "Woody" was known as Joe Strummer and had formed The 101'ers with Elgin Avenue friends and squat-mates. Tymon sporadically played songs with the band, including his "Dog Dirt On Your Shoe" (the only known recording of which is included here), a forerunner to punk expression if there ever were one.

Finding himself in NYC years later, Tymon was ushered into the studio by Mick Jones to record the first song completed for Sandinista!, "Lose This Skin", possibly the most polarising song on the album. Tymon became a de facto studio member of The Clash through Combat Rock and later joined The Mescaleros.

But in 1982, Tymon recorded Battle Of Wills, the last release on Dick O'Dell's Y Records, home to The Slits, Sun Ra, The Pop Group, Shriekback and others, reissued here with added studio rarities and a 1980 live set. The sole Tymon Dogg album released by an outside label, it got somewhat lost in the collapse of Y, yet it's a singular work: perfectly executed and fiercely unique. Tymon's vocals transcend the limits of 'rock' music, weaving their way through a seemingly disconnected array of parts - incongruous tabla, unsettlingly upfront violin parts, minimal folk drumming. It feels like an exemplar of some obscure, ages-old musical tradition rather than what it is - a conceptually original work by an artist of rare talent. Unavailable for forty years, the album has been expanded to include a seven-song 1980 live set and six rare studio tracks. With one exception, this extra material has never been available on vinyl, more than half of it was never released at all. Tymon's archives contain bountiful rare and unheard material, and this expanded edition of Battle Of Wills is the first of several planned archival releases.

TRACK LISTING

1-01 Firefishes
1-02 Once You Know
1-03 Safeway People
1-04 Locks & Bolts & Hinges
1-05 Battle Of Wills
1-06 Sirens
1-07 Brandy Love
1-08 Too Far To Touch The Ground
1-09 Low Down Dirty Weakness
1-10 Get Your Hands Off Me
1-11 Legal Thief
1-12 Golden Rain

2-01 Indestructible
2-02 Cold Wind Blows
2-03 Oil.
2-04 Guantanamo.
2-05 Lose This Skin (2009 Version)
2-06 Travelling Man (Re-Visited)
2-07 Get Your Hands Of Me (Live)
2-08 Indestructible (Live)
2-09 The Wheel Of Life And Death (Live)
2-10 Johnny Is A Wanderer (Live)
2-11 Safeway People (Live)
2-12 Lose This Skin (Live)
2-13 Dog Dirt On Your Shoe (Live)

A collaboration between Massive Attack’s Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja and Ukrainian artist Slava Vakarchuk, the frontman of Ukraine’s most popular rock band Okean Elzy. Vakarchuck has performed 179 impromptu shows for civilians and soldiers across Ukraine since the invasion began 12 months ago. The track, “Obiymy (Legacy of War Mix)”, was re-worked by Del Naja and Euan Dickinson in March last year and is now released through his Battle Box label. In April we’ll see a vinyl release featuring a B-side “Field Recordings / 2022” in a gatefold sleeve press by Deepgrooves, the world’s most eco-friendly vinyl plant. 

All profits go to the Legacy of War Foundation; an international charity providing support to civilians affected by conflict, founded by Giles Duley - a photographer, writer, campaigner and UN Global Advocate. Duley shot all photography for the digital and vinyl release, which was then designed by Robert Del Naja. Legacy of War Foundation will be partnering with UNITED24, a global fundraising platform, (launched by president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in May 2022) to help restore destroyed homes in Kyiv Oblast, under the Rebuild Ukraine program.

About Legacy of War Foundation:
Legacy of War Foundation was set up to do things differently: operating localised, beneficiary-led projects to support civilians affected by conflict and raising awareness of the lasting impact of war without big offices, international teams or unnecessary overheads. Founded in 2017, the Foundation now runs projects around the world including its innovative land transfer and sustainable agriculture program Land for Women in Rwanda, refugee support in Lebanon, and an extensive Ukraine crisis response supporting marginalised groups with specialist evacuation support, shelters and humanitarian aid.

www.legacyofwarfoundation.com / @legacyofwarfoundation

A note about proceeds:

Legacy of War Foundation will use the proceeds from the single to partner with UNITED24’s Rebuild Ukraine program, which aims to restore residential buildings in the Kyiv Oblast damaged during the Russian invasion. This program will enable 4237 Ukrainians to return to their homes in Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel, Buzove and Mila.

UNITED24 was launched by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main venue for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine.

TRACK LISTING

A. Obiymy (Legacy Of War Mix)
B. Field Recordings : 2022 

Little Roy was born in Witfield Town, Kingston, Jamaica. He launched his career in the rocksteady age, recording singles for Coxone Dodd, Prince Buster and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, who brought in The Wailers to help out on the session. Little Roy is a legend in the reggae scene and described as “one of the great singers from Jamaican music’s classic era in the 1960s and 70s”.

‘Battle For Seattle’ is ten Nirvana songs covered by Little Roy in a reggae style, picked carefully from Nirvana’s three studio albums and singles. The timing of the original release coincided with the 20 year anniversary of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’, which was released in September 1991. And this is a timely reissue as it's now the 30th anniversary year. The Nirvana songs have been carefully chosen and adapted with the World’s best reggae players by producer Prince Fatty including Wailers guitarist Junior Marvin.

‘Battle For Seattle’ has had the thumbs-up from the original Nirvana camp and from many of their friends. The cover artwork comes from Charles Peterson, the man responsible for Nirvana's 'Bleach' album cover shot, who helped define the look of Sub Pop and Seattle internationally.

TRACK LISTING

1. Polly
2. Dive
3. On A Plain
4. Heart-Shaped Box
5. Very Ape
6. About A Girl
7. Son Of A Gun
8. Come As You Are
9. Sliver
10. Lithium

The Battle For Hearts & Minds is Savvy, AKA Asaviour's long anticipated LP, featuring guest appearances from a range of artist & musicians DJ IQ, Aisha Zoe, Lisa Luxx, Ben Maron, Malcolm Carson, Therealdemo, Aisha Zoe, Dj Madhandz, Joh1st, Jade America, and more… In Savvy’s words: “It’s a look at the state of the world: at our battle for power, control, for sanity & clarity. “ I guess I’m questioning: what’s your battle? What are you dealing with? Why’s this the case? …The lyrics in the tracks relate to these questions in complex ways. They’re split between logic and emotion.”

Throughout the LP we see Savvy’s own personal and political musings. The lyrics open us up to ideas in order to provide us with food for thought, to open begin to open up our own questions, provoke new thoughts and ideas. Simply, to open our minds. The album begins with the words of spoken word artist, Lisa Luxx which pre empt the tone for this musical journey. She states: “ The world has stalled”., between tracks she guides the listener through the album. Her poetry connects the recurring themes between the tracks and works in dialogue with them.

Savvy’s new LP has become both a vessel for knowledge and also a place to inspire. Interestingly, the album is a return from a long hiatus, after years of a love and hate relationship with hip hop, In the end, staying true to his original love for music, he has created a body of work that transcends mundane questions of value and claims of status to offer us a piece that is undoubtedly human. Giving a critical (albeit, uncensored) look at our flaws, our nature, our manipulation, our hopes, fears, successes, our love, hate, namely, our contradictions. He is asking the listener to follow him on this journey of questioning our own humanity and what we do with it. What we can do to better ourselves as individuals and as a society as a whole. And how we can win this battle over our hearts and minds, to achieve… What, exactly? You’ll have to listen to find out. 

TRACK LISTING

Intro
T.B.F.H.A.M
The Only Way I Know
In The Pursuit Of...
Change
The Abyss - Skit
Mind Over Matter
Climax
Saving Grace
A Warrior Knows - Skit
Forfeit
Third Times A Charm
The Hour Of The Wolf (Huddwink)
Divine Resolution
Survival - Skit
Endurance
Goodnight
Outro
Refreshment

‘Battle Lines’, the new album from Grammywinning duo Bob Moses, is set for release on Domino.

‘Battle Lines’ follows the band’s acclaimed debut album, ‘Days Gone By’, which featured their worldwide hit ‘Tearing Me Up’. The band recorded the new album in Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon, after writing and testing out new material on the road. Inspired by their time playing raves and rock clubs all over the globe since the release of ‘Days Gone By’, Battle Lines takes a harder look at the world in which they find themselves.

TRACK LISTING

Heaven Only Knows
Battle Lines
Back Down
Eye For An Eye
The Only Thing We Know
Nothing But You
Enough To Believe
Listen To Me
Selling Me Sympathy
Don’t Hold Back
Fallen From Your Arms

One of the biggest bands on the planet are back! With 5 million albums sold in the UK to date, The Killers return with ‘Battle Born’ – their first studio album since 2008’s million selling ‘Day & Age’. The highly anticipated new album has all the sonic characteristics expected from world class rock band and promises the same excitement and energy invoked by ‘Hot Fuss’ back in 2004.

With an intuitive understanding of melody and dynamics, Nancy Elizabeth brings a refreshingly Northern turn of phrase to her debut album, "Battle And Victory". The Lancashire-born singer's down-to-earth songs are brought to life by her warm and unaffected voice. Unpretentious but effortlessly ambitious, Nancy turns the retro, less-is-more aesthetic of the current acoustic revival on its head. Not content with writing and singing all the songs herself, the 23-year-old also plays most of the instruments, including guitar, khim, Indian harmonium, Appalachian dulcimer and bouzouki, amongst many others. The album was recorded in a 17th Century white stone cottage in the remote Welsh countryside, and a village hall outside Manchester, resulting in an intimate, uncontrived gem of a record. Using a minimum of recording equipment, the heartfelt honesty of her songs is revealed, extending to grander, more complex arrangements when the occasion calls, and bringing in friends to add cello, horns and percussion. While her work is never in thrall to any particular artist or genre, Nancy's music calls to mind aspects of artists as diverse as The Incredible String Band, Talk Talk and Led Zeppelin.

Produced by Gareth Jones (Interpol, Wire, The Futureheads, Nick Cave), the explosive dynamics of "Children" provide a further teaser of the sounds of the debut album that will follow in August.

"Tendency" is the second release for Battle on Transgressive Records, following the single "Demons", which sold out its 1500-only limited pressing in half a day, and the first fruits from sessions for their 'Debut Album of the Year' contender, recorded with Gareth Jones (Wire, The Futureheads, Nick Cave, Interpol and Einsturzende Neubauten) who has seamlessly managed to accommodate the epic scope of Battle's songwriting with their edgy and experimental tendencies, creating a track that you feel you've known your whole life, yet feel compelled to listen to repeatedly.

This platter is all you need to throw your own Northwest-style teen-dance party! After hitting big with the Kingsmen's "Louie, Louie" Jerden Records unleashed a passel of Northwest pounders (over 125 records from '63-'66, including the original battle of the bands LP), chronicalling what might have been the hottest U.S. teen scene of the '60s. Sonics, Counts, Bandits, Don & the Goodtimes, Live Five, Mercy Boys, Dimensions, Bards and many more.

Some of the raunchiest '60s rock and roll to ever peel the paint from your walls came screaming out of the Northwest in the mid-'60s, and Jerden Records was there to capture the top acts on tape, with the Sonics and Don and the Goodtimes leading the charge and hundreds more following fast behind. With 25 more tracks from the Jerden vaults, all in that inimitable savage, guitar and organ driven '60s Northwest fuzz-punk style! Features stellar fidelity from the original master tapes, ultra-rare photos, and liner notes by Northwest music expert Neal Skok. The Sonics, the Scotsmen, Don and The Goodtimes, the Raymarks, the Jesters, the Nu-dimensions and many more.