Big Bend’s new album is a monument to listening through the veil of time and space. Ohio native and primary songwriter, Nathan Phillips, built upon ensemble jam sessions he hosted at a residency in Australia and collaged those recordings alongside co-producer Shahzad Ismaily to make Last Circle in a Slowdown.

Reflective, hi-fi, and elemental, the folk-meets-freeform sonics evoke rich 90s acoustic rock and the British post pop songwriting of Mark Hollis and David Sylvian. Lyrical observations of nature’s mystery and modes of regeneration consider the looming chance all things could move in any direction.

TRACK LISTING

Wheeling
The Exit
Last Circle In A Slowdown
Fast Moon
Same Hour
Cistern
At The Door
Rolling Chair
Terrey

In 1994, UK ambient pioneers O Yuki Conjugate recorded their landmark Equator album. To mark the 30th anniversary of this musical milestone, many of the same personnel – Roger Horberry (co-founder of O Yuki Conjugate), Dan Mudford (ex-Sons of Silence and co-creator of the Shaun of the Dead soundtrack), Joe Lamb (ex-Sons of Silence) and Malcolm McGeorge – came together to make New Meridian, reflecting the range of influences they’ve picked up over the intervening years.

Generously described as “almost like normal music”, the eight tracks of New Meridian feature instrumentation ranging from classic analogue to actual wooden logs. The result takes you on a rain-drenched, open-top ride from Electronica Avenue to the drone caverns of Uranus, with various Fourth World ambi-dub diversions along the way. File under: duress.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Dark Blue Trees 00:03:07
A2 Spiral Jetty 00:04:38
A3 Cold Stars 00:05:04
A4 Hiraeth 00:04:56
A5 Left Home 00:04:57
B1 Below Mono 00:05:43
B2 Fogou 00:06:32
B3 The Chasmic 00:09:40

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

Get ready to embark on a hypnotic journey as Full Circle presents the highly anticipated re-release of Danny J Lewis' iconic track, "Spend The Night," accompanied by a brand new Archie Hamilton remix that brings a fresh new perspective to the classic garage anthem. Not to mention not one but two mesmerizing dub versions by H-Man and DJL VIP. These carefully crafted dubs take the original masterpiece to new heights, offering unique perspectives on the timeless classic.

TRACK LISTING

A1. H-Man Dub
A2. Archie Hamilton Remix
B1. VIP Dub
B2. Disco Dub

"She and Me Fall Together in Free Death" is probably the most approachable, largely "musical" album that NWW has released since Rock N' Roll Station . It's also one of his strangest concepts, a marriage of trance inducing Krautrock grooves with a traditional jazz standard and some jarringly atonal musique concrete. Side A is the 20- minute title track: a slow-motion jam reminiscent of of one of Can's sidelong tracks on Tago Mago or the more avant-garde grooves of Tony Conrad and Faust's Outside the Dream Syndicate. The propulsive Jaki Liebezeit drumbeat is the foundation for a long jam session with what sounds like a dijderidoo and layers of guitar feedback. It's a massive, heavy sound, the kind that Julian Cope would devote a whole chapter to in his "Kratrocksampler". Side B is one long piece with three distinct movements. Beginning with those familiar, World Serpent-trademark windchimes, the listener is quickly ushered into Staple- ton's singing debut (!) in a rendition of the oft- covered traditional jazz ballad " Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair " This was a favorite of the recently deceased Nina Simone, and also of the avant- jazz screamer Patty Waters. Nurse With Wound's version is backed by cello drones, repetitive guitar strums and tambourine, sounding very much like The Velvet Un- derground's " Venus in Furs ". It's such a treat to hear Steven Stapleton's multitracked vocals cover this classic song, and this eerie version rates as one of my favorites. This song and the title track prove to the naysayers that Nurse With Wound is equally adept at rock n' roll songcraft as he is at demented sound collages. The creepy jazz cover seques into "Chicken Con- cret (For Missy E)", a truly warped tape-edit job that juxtaposes chicken squawks and sythesized birdcalls with random bleeps, speaker hiccups and gongs.

Could this be Steven Stapleton 's tribute to Timbaland and Missy Elliott's incomparable use of musique concrete techniques on their major label hip- hop anthems? Hard to say, but I like to think so. Side B ends with the hyper-sexualized "Gusset Typing", in which a mutated woman's voice describes her masturbation and orgasm in in- timate, anatomical detail. Her monologue is set against an intense rhythmic throbbing that builds as she reaches her climax. At the end, she blows her load and the record ends. This certainly qualifies as an active listening experience, and it's also a great make-out rec

TRACK LISTING

1. She And Me Fall Together Like Free Death
2. Black Is The Color Of My True Loves Hair
3. Chicken Concret 
4. Gusset Typing
5.She And Me Fall Together Like Free Death (Phosphorous Mix) 
6. Chicken Korma
7. Fine Writin'
8. She And Me Fall Together In Free Death (Funereal Mix)
9. Yellowed
10. Seeting Red
11. Black

Tel Aviv's Elado has put out a fine run of eight releases in just two years on the likes of GAMM, Barefoot Beats and Bonfido Disques, but for his next move, he branches out with his own reissue label. Its aim is to "focus on uncovering lost gems" with the original paired with his own remixes. The first one is a 1983 private press from the Canadian pair OUI. 'Circle Of Love' is a big disco banger with flashy synth work and rugged arps, with a pair of Elado's mixes making it even more dancefloor ready. 'You Make Me High' is a more sentimental 80s pop sound. A fine start to life for this new label.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: One for fans of euro pop soundalikes and big, borderline cheesy disco tunes. This 12" has got it all - 3 versions plus a bonus number for those who like it extra kitschy, what more could you ask for!

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. Circle Of Love (Elado Remix)
2. Circle Of Love (Original)

Side 2
1. Circle Of Love (Elado Remix Instrumental)
2. You Make Me High

Berlin based drummer, composer and producer Janek van Laak was born in the fashion-fuelled metropolis of Düsseldorf in 1995, and briefly spent time as a toddler in the music loving municipality of Leipzig before settling in the country’s capital in 1998 whilst it was in the midst of its post Berlin Wall cultural explosion.

Under the influence of his punk loving father and cabaret / comedy performing mother, Janek moved from singing in his school choir to learning to play drums and piano. Now, as well as producing music under his own name, Janek is also one of the founding members of the Neukölln based outfit Liquid Brain Orchestra, and one half of off-kilter duo Tutu Amuse with guitarist, vocalist and actor Rosa Landers.

Janek’s debut solo album “Circle Of Madness” is a record that is best described by himself as a snapshot of “something at some point” and encourages the listener to “stay curious while trying to maintain a balanced and non toxic relationship with perfectionism on this discovery of new land through music, channelling self expression and learning”.

The album opener “a little GOLD” encourages all of those feelings with delicate synths and percussion making way for fuzzy guitars and wordless vocals that anticipate the wide ranging, diverse and experimental sounds to follow.

“Here To Slay” is something of a statement of intent and features the rasping, bold vocals of Australian artist Madeleine Rose to great effect. The horn section takes centre stage on the sinister “Saints Blow” which, like the percussive frenzy of “Daiamondo”, which highlights the voice of Japanese singer and multi-instrumentalist Shiomi Kawaguchi, was a track originally sketched for the Tutu Amuse and Liquid Brain Orchestra projects respectively. On other tracks, Janek takes on lead vocals himself, such as the evocative “Above Your Head” with its almost Latin feel.

Elsewhere, the instrumentation tells the story with Janek’s drums vying for attention against percussion, horns and electronics on “Sloppy Dreams” and “Left 4 Dead” and there are sweeter, softer moments too such as on the shimmering “Glintstones”, the guitar led “The Last Stylebender” and the moody “Garlic Brown Junior”. And then there are the singles. The Afro-jazz inflected “The Killah Gorilla” - a piece that takes its name from the U.S. Ultimate Fighting Championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) professional, Jared ‘The Killa Gorilla’ Cannonier; and “OCTAPUSSY” - a ten minute epic that begins with a delicate interplay between dreamy keys and drum rolls which are then joined by silky guitars to create an effortless modern fusion sound.

With “Circle Of Madness”, Janek intends to continually push musical boundaries and possibilities. Look out for him on the road, pushing those boundaries with his upcoming live shows. 

TRACK LISTING

1 – A Little GOLD
2 - Here To Slay Feat. Madeleine Rose
3 - Saints Blow
4 - Above Your Head
5 - Daiamondo Feat. Shiomi Kawaguchi
6 - Sloppy Dreams
7 - Left 4 Dead
8 - Glintstones
9 - The Last Stylebender
10 - The Killah Gorilla
11 - OCTAPUSSY
12 - Garlic Brown Junior 

SP:MC returns with another 12" on his own imprint Declassified Records. This, his fifth release continues to explore the UKG framework - whilst incorporating his influences & previous work in dubstep & jungle / D&B. The A side 'It's Over Now' is an upbeat affair, reminiscent of much-played track 'All Night' on Declassified 003. Tight snappy drums, soulful stabs with cheeky splices of an old R&B acapella. Not forgetting that trademark chest shaking low-end! The B side 'Full Circle' welcomes the first guest to the label - dubstep pioneer DJ Youngsta. A decade on from their last collaboration on the legendary Tempa label, the two pick up where they left off with a deep tribal cut - harking back the the formative years of the dubstep genre. Echoes of dub techno & Horsepower Productions are clearly evident here.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Tight and weighty UKG flavours by a producer who knows how to engineer bass brilliantly.

TRACK LISTING

A. It's Over Now
B. Full Circle Ft. Youngsta 

Taken from "Escandalo" by Perez Prado & Don Alfio, "Circle" was written by Mario Rusca and performed by some amazing musicians such as Tullio De Piscopo, Hugo Heredia and Pino Presti.

Perez Prado is Pantaleon Perez Prado, the younger brother of the "King of Mambo" who came to Europe in the 50s and recorded several albums with Unifunk.

"Circle" is a strong track with a killer groove and it's not hard to imagine it as the perfect score for a car chase.

On the B-side we have Gerardo Frisina with an edit of "Circle".

TRACK LISTING

1. Circle
2. Circle (Gerardo Friosina Re-edit)

Building on the success of their first releases featuring Cornel Campbell, the Swiss producer duo "The Circle of Confusion" is set to drop a new single on Rocafort Records, featuring none other than English old-school reggae singer Wayne Paul.

Active in the 90's and 2000's within the London label Big Dada, the artist of Jamaican origin sank into alcohol and drugs, before rising from his ashes fifteen years later. Now he's back with a powerful message of hope on this track called " Soul Of A Lion ". Wayne's soulful voice blends perfectly with the modern reggae feel created by The Circle Of Confusion.

An 80s roots-oriented sound mixed with a crusty digital edge backed with a dope dub track makes the perfect 45 for reggae heads.

TRACK LISTING

1. Soul Of A Lion (feat. Wayne Paul)
2. Soul Of A Lion (Dub Mix) [feat. Wayne Paul]

Richard Dawson is the diminutive Geordie troubadour whose moving songs have been described as state-of-the-nation addresses, even — or perhaps especially — when he’s singing about pre-medieval peasants. Circle are the genre-straddling pioneers of The New Wave Of Finnish Heavy Metal, known for wearing spandex or dead fish onstage and singing in a made-up language.

Together they are… Richard Dawson & Circle! Today, we are pleased to announce news of their collaborative album Henki, due November 26th via Weird World. Their epic joint record might seem a departure to those who are most familiar with Dawson from recent solo albums like 2017’s Peasant and 2020 (released in 2019). In fact, Henki fits comfortably into the bigger picture of two acts who have always strived for uninhibited originality.

Dawson explains the album’s title: “The word 'henki' roughly translates as 'spirit'. It's a very rich word, supple in its meaning in the same way as the Geordie 'canny'; difficult to pin down.” True to its name, while Henki is influenced, in part by heavy-metal bands, it does not sound like any metal album you will have heard before. For one thing, few metal albums are filled with songs about plants. Inspired by Circle’s guitarist Janne Westerlund instructing the group during recording to be less straightforward and more “like a plant”, each of Henki’s seven tracks deal with special plants throughout history.

As mutual fans of each other, Circle and Dawson originally hit off it via Twitter, which led to Dawson being invited to accompany Circle for their set at Helsinki’s Sideways Festival in 2019. Dawson recalls the moment: “It was like being a teenager and suddenly being asked to go onstage with Iron Maiden. That’s how important this band are to me”. Having pulled that off, they started exchanging demos before they finally got in a room together to set off on their journey proper. Most of the recording took place in Pori - a fine jewel of a city on Finland's balmy west coast - across several visits, the last being in late January 2020 just as Covid-19 first reached Europe. From there they had to finish Henki remotely - via waves of pure thought beamed across the dark dividing oceans betwixt them, and email.

Easily the greatest flora-themed hypno-folk-metal record you’ll hear this year, Henki adds an electrifying new chapter to the remarkable story of each act, and marks the beginning of a beautiful partnership. Circle, described as "the world’s greatest band - in every category” are Pekka Jääskeläinen (guitar), Julius Jääskeläinen (guitar), Jussi Lehtisalo (bass, voice), Mika Rättö (keyboard, voice), Tomi Leppänen (drums) and Janne Westerlund (guitar, voice). Richard Dawson plays guitar and vocals. Henki was mixed by Antti Uusimäki and mastered by Christian Wright.

Texan Roky Erickson was one of the true mind-blowing pioneers of psychedelic music. The original leader of the Austin-based 13th Floor Elevators formed in 1965, Erickson and band invented a brand new style of rock & roll, one that was slightly unhinged while it explored the consciousness-expanding influence of LSD on music. After three years, the group imploded with mental issues and legal challenges, ending with Erickson being incarcerated for several years in the Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Rusk, Texas. When he was released in the early ’70s the musician continued on his own trail, recording songs that had come to him in his far-flung cerebral wanderings. Erickson, who passed away May 31, 2019, is now celebrated on this 12-track tribute to one of the most original rockers ever.

The participants range the whole world of modern music, and each chose one of Erickson’s originals to stamp their own imprint on. They include Lucinda Williams, Billy F Gibbons, The Black Angels, Margo Price, Mosshart Sexton (Alison Mosshart & Charlie Sexton), Neko Case, Mark Lanegan & Lynn Castle, Jeff Tweedy, Gary Clark Jr & Eve Monsees, Ty Segall, Chelsea Wolfe, and Brogan Bentley. With the full support of the Roky Erickson estate, the album is produced by Bill Bentley, executive producer of the 1990 Roky Erickson tribute album Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye on Sire Records, with associate producers Matt Sullivan, co-founder/co-owner of Light in the Attic, and Wyatt Bentley.

The songs range from Erickson’s debut iconic original, “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” recorded when he was a member first in The Spades and then the 13th Floor Elevators during the early ‘60s in Austin, to some of Erickson’s later songs, like “If You Have Ghosts,” which heard him exploring some of the outer limits of the human psyche. Each new recording is a stunning modern take on the sound that Roky Erickson gave the world over a half-century of writing, recording and touring. No one has ever equaled those explorations.
This truly is the music of the spheres, as Erickson once sang about his sound, as seen through the eyes and ears of those who are united in their love and respect for a person who dedicated his life to rock & roll. Roky Erickson, through the trials and tribulations of a man both imbued with greatness and haunted by darkness, never quit in his quest to share with others what he heard and saw. As he sang on the 13th Floor Elevators last recording, “May the circle remain unbroken.”

TRACK LISTING

Billy F Gibbons - (I've Got) Levitation
Mosshart Sexton - Starry Eyes
Jeff Tweedy - For You (I'd Do Anything)
Lynn Castle & Mark Lanegan - Clear Night For Love
The Black Angels - Don't Fall Down
Neko Case - Be And Bring Me Home
Margo Price - Red Temple Prayer (Two-Headed Dog)
Gary Clark Jr. & Eve Monsees - Roller Coaster
Ty Segall - Night Of The Vampire
Lucinda Williams - You're Gonna Miss Me
Chelsea Wolfe - If You Have Ghosts
Brogan Bentley - May The Circle Remain Unbroken

Second Circle return with a special one-off album of music by Belgian producer soFa, German musician Houschyar and the legendary Turkish drummer and percussionist Okay Temiz.

SC019 – Şelale (LP) is the result of a string of sessions that began in Istanbul during 2018, when soFa spontaneously teamed up with friend Houschyar for a series of smoky jams in the young producer's 5th floor apartment. They would meet again a few months later, with a plan to finish the EP, and whilst having lunch, the two decided to pay a spontaneous visit to Okay Temiz, with whom soFa had worked previously.

Welcoming the pair in the percussion workshop (Atölye) where he spends most of his days, Temiz was excited by their demos and the three of them began to jam around the tracks, with Temiz utilizing a number of his own homebuilt instruments. The duo had now become a trio, it seems, and back in their home studio the jams would be edited and reworked; with Okay adding further overdubbing and contributions to the tracks.

Probably best known as a member of The Don Cherry Trio, for his own band Oriental Wind and for numerous collaborations with some of the best Jazz musicians in the world, Okay Temiz is considered to be one of the most innovative and outstanding musical figures in Turkey and beyond. A professional musician since 1955, Temiz's career began in Jazz and traditional Turkish music, but he became increasingly fascinated with the possibilities of electronic and self-built instruments, which he would experiment within different forms. During the late 70ties Temiz also developed a special love for Brazilian instruments such as the Berimbau and Cuica, both of which are omnipresent on this album.

In this latest collaboration, Okay Temiz weaves his percussive magic through six diverse psychedelic synthesizer and drum computer jams, alongside two exciting young producers. Şelale is mixed by Dusseldorf studio wizard Gordon Pohl.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Ritimsiz
A2. Der Wunsch Service
A3. Taksi
B1. Selale
B2. Kapu Ska
B3. Rhythm Is The Mother

The second full-length LP from Jungle Brown, ‘Full Circle’, drops on Mr Bongo and features collaborations with Sampa The Great, Fliptrix (High Focus) and Terri Walker amongst other super-talents. The trio - Ric Flo, MAEAR & Tony Bones - have spent the last two years redefining soulful hip-hop - the sound is bigger, more thought-provoking, and it has matured with a rich soulful underpinning. They have also entered territories fans are yet to hear as they glide effortlessly over Tony Bones’ productions that introduce trap and house into their repertoire. The project is an eclectic array of their influences, twisted and blended together to create a ground-breaking release for UK music.

TRACK LISTING

Keep It Movin
Wicked Ft Fliptrix
Ikoja Ft Elde
Huami Ft Terri Walker
Sometimes Ft Ruby
Wayside
Time Ticks
U&I
We On Ft Sampa The Great
Situationships Ft K. Waltz
Custom Made Ft Ayo The Yung African Pioneer

Their NEW album, in full, iconic KPM cover is a return to the laidback jazz-funk that helped Alan and Brian demonstrate their library chops. The album is classic Hawkshaw/Bennett. It swings, it grooves, moves and thrills with a flair these two have perfected over years.

Alan Hawkshaw (piano/Hammond) and Shadow’s drummer Brian Bennett are responsible for some of the slickest, funkiest and most sought-after library records ever made in the UK, particularly ones recorded on the legendary KPM label. Their work has now become the go-to place for sampling in music today. Artists such as Dilla, Nas, and the xx, right through to the billion selling Kanye & Drake have taken Hawkshaw’s and Bennett’s immaculate beat-driven soundscapes for their own usage.

Their new album, in full, iconic KPM cover is a return to the laidback jazz-funk that helped Alan and Brian demonstrate their library chops. The album is classic Hawkshaw/Bennett. It swings, it grooves, moves and thrills with a flair these two have perfected over years.

Standout tracks such as "Hole In One", "In The Clouds", "Interchange", "Oasis", "On The Nile" and "Corcovado" are no mere excursions in nostalgia, for they carry lots of deft studio work that many a producer would give their right arm for. Hawkshaw’s arrangements allow the drums, guitar, bass, strings, Hammond, flute and brass to swirl elegantly around the 12 original tracks; a masterclass in recording.

Cut by Pete Norman, housed in a beautifully designed Richard Robinson sleeve and pressed at 180g by Record Industry in Holland, this release has been afforded the care and attention it rightly deserves. Essential.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: The kings of the KPM library scene, groove barons Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett hit the studio together for the first time in years and treat us to an eagerly anticipated LP of new material. As you'd expect from this pair of heroes, it's a far out and funky affair. KPM x BeWith for the win!!!

TRACK LISTING

Flying
Hole In One
Reignited
Straight Up
Serengeti
Open Road
In The Clouds
Corcovado
On The Nile
Marrakech
Oasis
Midnight Jazz

Nu-Balearica refracted back through a rose tinted lens here as Giuseppe Leonardi deploys some truly enchanted vibrations to the Second Circle label. "Unsinn" kicks us, sounding like an Adrian Sherwood number if the UK dub head had resided on some tropical island and drank LSD for breakfast. "Kannibalentanz" follows suit and performs a steel bongo ritual on said island, the hypnotic percussion lines drawing us ever-closer to the magical core - a lone, squelching synthesizer. "Orpheus" sees new terrains explored with moxie, it's novel, beguiling lines hinting at the unexpected nature lying ahead - only to be met by a choir of throat-singers and delicate female utterances - lovely stuff! "Every Tree And Creature" takes us gleefully into the nighttime, a blanket of warm pads placed over our receptive bodies as twinkling keyboard parts highlight the starry skies. Finally, "All Blue" almost soundtracks the sunrise, as if the whole EP has taken us through an entire Earth cycle, ready to start all over again....

TRACK LISTING

1. Unsinn
2. Kannibalentanz
3. Orpheus
4. Every Tree And Creature
5. All Blue 

Searing platter of krautrock with scorching doses of The Stooges & Judas Priest. Another ripper from this legendary Finnish horde!

Circle are the very definition of genre-defying, a rare feat for any band, but effortlessly achieved by this prolific Finnish collective. Circle's latest album Terminal is pure hedonistic pleasure.

Never content on staying the same, they have created an idiosyncratic cocktail of sonic fusions, conjuring an impulsive, dizzying energy that stirs a spirit of curiosity within the listener, and has the ability to possess all who encounter them.

Whilst many would run out of creative steam (certainly after 30+ albums), Circle continue to boldly explore sonic soundscapes, venturing curiously into terrains of Stooges-esque swagger, trance-inducing kraut rock mantras, beautiful electronic ambience, psychedelic rock noodling, arena storming AOR weirdness, 70s prog rock extravagance, glam pop pomp, and of course their core sound, heavy metal, not to mention other peculiar and daring sounds that simply cannot be pigeon-holed.

Terminal is gloriously fruitful in tones, shapes, colours and sounds. Eccentric, accessible, delightful and thrilling.

Within fifteen years, this shy and emotional American woman has become one of the most famous indie rock artists, hailed by the press that quit altogether comparing her to PJ Harvey and Bjork. Her strong personality, refusal of everything fashionable, and integrity, have always made her stand apart from cliches. She has made a perfect progression since her first effort, Flight Safety (1999), and released a string of absolutely gorgeous albums- Over the Sun (2004), Yann Tiersen & Shannon Wright (2004), Let in the Light (2007), In Film Sound (2013), just to name a few. Each one of them exploring different layers of uncompromising songs.

From dark, violent sounds to soft, intimate pop melodies, they create a challenging and unconventional environment, enhanced by the barebones production of Steve Albini on a couple of occurences. Her new album, Division, was patiently crafted in Europe thanks to critically-acclaimed contemporary pianist Katia Labeque (a big fan of Shannon Wright) who invited the American songwriter in her studio in Rome. There, Shannon Wright wrote three songs in a couple of days, inspired by the beautiful instruments and the general mood that ignited her mind and heart. Months of intense work between Rome, Paris and Atlanta with French producer David Chalmin followed, giving birth to the new sounds that haunted Shannon Wright's mind. Living up to her reputation, she wrote, composed and played most of the parts (some drums included) with both extraordinary talent and singularity.

Of all of the Class A synth jams contained within James Holden’s monumental album proclamation ‘The Inheritors’, the tape-softened fuzziness of ‘Circle Of Fifths’ may not seem like the most obvious single candidate, but in these three not-on-the-album alternative interpretations we see the foreboding-filled interlude assume surprising new proportions.

The modestly titled lead ‘Tool’ version is more of a deep-and-dirty primal club freakout that brings the lunatic gibbering of the mysterious Shimble right to the forefront, to overwhelmingly disorientating effect.

The ‘Dub’, meanwhile, transposes the pagan aesthetic of the album for the communal ritual of the club dancefloor, whilst the final, bonus, ‘Gibbersolo’ lets Shimble’s Gollum-esque madness rip in a more than a little disturbing accapella form.

Soft Circle is Hisham Bharoocha, one of the founding members of Providence noise bands Lightning Bolt and Black Dice as well as distorted dance group Pixeltan.

He also serves as Boredoms’ musical director in the USA – most notably on the ‘77 Boadrum’ performance.

Now he brings us an epic adventure of rhythmic drums and looped-out guitars.

One of a kind amazingness, much like Ravi Shankar meets ESG in space.

Approximately the seventh full length Circle release this year - is an hour-long snapshot of the band's recent tour of the USA. The concert (recorded in September in Charlottesville, Virginia) thunders and wobbles onwards with unprocessed authenticity. The recording effectively captures the full spectrum of Circle's contemporary live expression, revealing to us a glimpse of the spiritual landscapes of the most astonishing speedkraut pioneers of our times. There's an abundance of ritualistic rumbling to be discovered between the twitchy hard rock show opener "Uusi Uhraus" and "Kaappikellon Kummitus", the ravishing Rättö Ja Lehtisalo cover song that closes the album. Rakennus displays the joy of playing music in its most pure form.

A prime side of old school hardcore beef (a badly chosen metaphor for a veggie to use, but there you go.) You need this kids!!!!

Originally out in 2000 on the Mush label, this leftfield hip hop LP gets re-released by Leaf. Boom Bip teams up with Clouddead's lyricist Doseone to push the boundaries of hip hop as far as they can. Makes the likes of Anti Pop Consortium sound mainstream! And i'm sorry if i've got the title of the track that i've MP3'd wrong... when you get the LP you'll understand why!

Everything recorded by this little heard but highly respected psycedelic / freakbeat group from 1969. All tracks are from the original Columbia mastertapes including the current club faves "Hold On" and "Dream On My Mind".