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Gong

Bright Spirit

    'Bright Spirit' marks the third instalment in a trilogy that began with The 'Universe Also Collapses' (2019) and continued with 'Unending Ascending' (2023).

    Recorded with long-time collaborator Frank Byng in his South London studio, 'Bright Spirit' sees Gong at their experimental best, more adventurous and more open to the dream than ever.

    And dreams are central here. Not just as lyrical imagery, but as a way of thinking - where psychedelia, love, and the thin membrane between worlds feed into the music. The opener, 'Dream Of Mine', unfurls like a transmission from the inbetween, its midsection blooming into harmonies and an angular melody that feels like a key turning in a long-awaited lock. Frontman Kavus Torabi describes it as a moment everything has been pointing toward, a flash of clarity inside the swirl.

    Elsewhere, there's tenderness - unexpected perhaps, but unmistakably Gong, 'Fragrance Of Paradise' being Torabi's first- ever love song. 'The Wonderment' finds Gong in deeply meditative form, a mystical and explorative journey both inwards and outwards, timeless and expansive, another piece of the kaleidoscopic puzzle that makes up 'Bright Spirit'.

    'Bright Spirit' is Gong now: still glowing from the furnace of Daevid Allen's vision, still mischievous, still tuned to the frequencies between the waking world and whatever sings behind it.

    TRACK LISTING

    1. Dream Of Mine
    2. Mantivule
    3. The Wonderment
    4. Stars In Heaven
    5. Fragrance Of Paradise
    6. Relish The Possibility
    7. Eternal Hand

    Paul Draper

    Mansun Retold

      With 'Mansun Retold', Paul Draper tears open the pages of his own history, revisiting some of the most powerful songs from Mansun's catalogue & rebuilding them from the ground up. Recorded at The Loft Studios in Surrey, 'Mansun Retold' was coproduced with Paul "PDub" Walton (The Cure, U2, Bjork, Massive Attack, Oasis) & features a string quartet led & arranged by Audrey Riley (Muse, Coldplay, Nick Cave) with drums from Julian Fenton, Mansun's own drummer during their early days. Draper handles acoustic bass, acoustic lead & rhythm guitar & piano - his instantly recognisable songwriting retold for the modern day.

      From the eerie calm of 'Dark Mavis' to the brutal honesty of 'I Can Only Disappoint U', Draper approaches the 11 songs of 'Mansun Retold' like unfinished business that meant one thing then & another entirely now. 'Mansun Retold' is Draper 's most sonically ambitious solo project to date.

      "I picked some of my favourite songs that I had written during my time in Mansun, ones that I also felt could be interpreted by a full unplugged acoustic band & reimagined in a more mature way for a new audience as well as existing fans." - Paul Draper

      In the late '90s, Mansun carved out their own corner of British music with albums like 'Attack Of The Grey Lantern' (a UK No.1), 'Six' & 'Little Kix' - works that built a loyal & enduring cult following with Draper at the heart of the chaos. Nearly three decades later, he's revisiting that world & meeting his younger self across the years.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. I've Seen The Top Of The Mountain (Retold)
      2. Disgusting (Retold)
      3. I Can Only Disappoint U (Retold)
      4. Until The Next Life (Retold)
      5. Naked Twister (Retold)
      6. The Chad Who Loved Me (Retold)
      7. Wide Open Space (Retold)
      8. Dark Mavis (Retold)
      9. Comes As No Surprise (Retold)
      10. Mansun's Only Love Song (Retold)
      11. When The Wind Blows (Retold)

      Tangerine Dream

      50 Years Of Phaedra : At The Barbican

        What began as an experimental session at Richard Branson's Manor Studios in Oxfordshire became a seismic event in modern sound. Using the Moog sequencer for the first time, Tangerine Dream - then comprised of Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke & Peter Baumann - crafted 'Phaedra', an album that shimmered with innovation, mystery & a palpable sense of discovery.

        Half a century later, Tangerine Dream returned to London's Barbican to honour that landmark work - reimagining it for a new era. Across its three vinyl LPs, '50 Years Of Phaedra: At The Barbican' captures this transcendent live performance, in which the current line- up - Thorsten Quaeschning, Hoshiko Yamane & Paul Frick - revisit the spirit of 'Phaedra' with the very tools that Froese & his collaborators helped pioneer.

        TRACK LISTING

        1. Phaedra Suite Initial Applause
        2. Sequent C, 2024
        3. Movements Of A Visionary, 2024
        4. Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares, 2024
        5. Hippolytos Session - Part 1
        6. Hippolytos Session - Part 2
        7. Hippolytos Session - Part 3
        8. Hippolytos Session - Part 4
        9. Hippolytos Session - Part 5
        10. Hippolytos Session - Part 6
        11. Hippolytos Session - Part 7
        12. Phaedra 2024
        13. Hippolytos Session - Part 8
        14. Phaedra Suite Applause & Words
        15. Happy Ending
        16. Sorceror Theme
        17. You Are Always On Time
        18. Dolphin Dance
        19. Rare Bird
        20. Continuum
        21. Los Santos City Map
        22. Logos (Velvet) 
        23. Portico 
        24. White Eagle
        25. Raum 
        26. Encore Break 
        27. Phaedra 2022
        28. Closing Words

        Oceansize

        Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up (15th Anniversary Edition) - National Album Day 2025 Edition

          Painstakingly remastered & presented across three black vinyl LPs, this anniversary edition includes around 30 minutes of previously unheard material - six bonus tracks, three of which feature newly recorded vocals by Mike Vennart, offering a rare glimpse into alternate futures that never came to pass. Far from studio offcuts, these are fullyformed works, some of which now sound eerily prophetic.

          "A band that never repeated themselves, yet always sounded like nobody else." Prog Magazine

          Self- produced & fiercely unfiltered, 'Self Preserved...' was Oceansize at their most direct. From the lurching menace of "Build Us A Rocket Then..." to the ethereal drift of "Pine," the album pushes extremes in both aggression & atmosphere. Alongside core members Mike Vennart, Gambler, Steve Durose, Mark Heron & Steve Hodson, the record features guest vocals from Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro) & the haunting presence of Claire Lemmon (Sidi Bou Said, ex-Cardiacs).

          "Oceansize didn't just blur genre lines - they exploded them." Drowned in Sound

          Though Oceansize disbanded shortly after its release, their influence has only grown. Praised for their commitment to artistic evolution, the band quietly redefined the postrock & prog lexicon for a generation. 'Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up' stands not as an epilogue, but as a final, formidable statement.

          This 15-year anniversary edition of 'Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up' is presented as a gatefold package with 3 black vinyl LPs. Includes newly remastered audio & six bonus tracks, three of which with newly recorded vocals by Mike Vennart.

          TRACK LISTING

          Part Cardiac ( 04:10 )
          SuperImposer ( 04:14 )
          Build Us A Rocket Then ( 04:00 )
          Oscar Acceptance Speech ( 08:54 )
          Ransoms ( 04:06 )
          A Penny's Weight ( 03:37 )
          Silent / Transparent ( 08:29 )
          It's My Tail & I'll Chase It If I Want To ( 03:34 )
          Pine ( 04:55 )
          SuperImposter ( 05:26 )
          Cloak ( 03:41 )
          To The Zoo ( 07:20 )
          Cheeseus ( 04:32 )
          As Devils Do ( 04:05 )
          Perfect Timing ( 02:26 )
          The Day After The Duke ( 06:50 )
          Sport Axe ( 07:59 )

          Crippled Black Phoenix

          I, Vigilante - 2025 Reissue

            U.K. progressive post-rock supergroup Crippled Black Phoenix is a musical collective that has featured nearly 30 members in its rotating roster. The constant driving force is multi- instrumentalist Justin Greaves (Electric Wizard, Iron Monkey Se Delan), who formed the band in 2004 with Mogwai bassist Dominic Aitchison. Creating what they describe as "endtime ballads" to signify both the slightly macabre nature of their songs & the unusual blend of styles as the final evolution in music. The band have made live shows a focus by performing in unusual venues across the world as well as using Victorian- era instruments in tandem with more modern instruments, often involving more than a dozen members onstage.

            In 2006, Crippled Black Phoenix released their first album, 'A Love Of Shared Disasters', followed in 2009 by 'The Resurrectionists' & 'Night Raider', but it was their fourth album released in 2010 on Invada Records - 'I, Vigilante' - an album of uncompromising soundscapes that garnered the band & album widespread critical acclaim within the media worldwide.

            On 'I, Vigilante', CBP create songs that feel both sky-crackingly epic & intimate at the same time. 'We Forgotten Who We Are' is an 11 minute thundering storm which powers through sections of head- nodding chugging guitars to a sunrise of happy melody & back, 'Fantastic Justice' is a staggering display of songwriting, with twists & turns that make the band sound like a mini orchestra - horns, strings, crashes & swoons with Greaves the dark conductor. The spoken- word opening to 'Bastogne Blues' is perfectly evocative for a genuinely troubled song, CBP's command of bleakness is at its strongest here; cinematic doesn't come close to describing the song's emotional resonance. When 'I, Vigilante' threatens to disintegrate into a black hole of misery, a faithfully screaming version of Journey's 'Of A Lifetime' shows a sense of humour & some sweet guitar tones.

            TRACK LISTING

            1. Troublemaker
            2. We Forgotten Who We Are
            3. Fantastic Justice
            4. Bastogne Blues
            5. Of A Lifetime
            6. Burning Bridges

            Gong

            I See You - 10th Anniversary Edition

              Few albums in Gong's discography capture the band's whimsical, irreverent take on life's complexities & the enigma of death as vividly as 2014's 'I See You'. Now, the legendary psychedelic collective mark a decade since the release with a brand- new 10th Anniversary Edition on Kscope.

              "A triumph of creativity, imagination & spirit." Classic Rock Magazine

              This milestone reissue celebrates not only the existential beauty of Gong's music, but also the enduring legacy of frontman & visionary Daevid Allen, whose boundless creativity continues to resonate with fans worldwide. 'I See You' was the final studio album featuring Daevid Allen before his passing in 2015 & stands as a testament to his vibrant spirit & revolutionary ethos. Infused with the anarchic energy that defined Gong's origins in the 1968 Paris counterculture movement, 'I See You' takes its place as one of the finest gems in the band's heroic catalogue.

              The album has been remixed from the original multi-track recordings by Frank Byng, producer & sound engineer of the last four Gong albums.

              "As impish & perverse as ever" Uncut

              For 'I See You', Allen was joined by his son Orlando Allen on drums & members of the current line-up: guitarist & frontman Kavus Torabi (formerly of Cardiacs), horn player Ian East, Dave Sturt (the sonic manipulator) on bass & the Brazilian Fabio Golfetti, weaving his own lysergic patterns on guitar. The result is an impressive, multi-layered & irrepressible world, populated with a series of dazzling musical gems - melodically rich, lyrically engaging & musically refreshed.

              "It's extraordinary that Allen's work continues to be so... extraordinary" Record Collector

              TRACK LISTING

              I See You ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 03:21 )
              Occupy ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 02:53 )
              When God Shakes Hands With The Devil ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 05:36 )
              The Eternal Wheel Spins ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 07:09 )
              Syllabub ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 04:30 )
              This Revolution ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 03:56 )
              You See Me ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 02:45 )
              Zion My T-Shirt ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 07:01 )
              Pixielation ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 04:49 )
              A Brew Of Special Tea ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 01:23 )
              Thank You ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 10:19 )
              Shakti Yoni & Dingo Virgin ( 2024 Remaster ) ( 09:19 )

              Mansun

              Little Kix (RSD24 EDITION)

                THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

                IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.



                Oceansize

                Home & Minor (RSD24 EDITION)

                  THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

                  IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.



                  Anchoress

                  Art Of Losing - Expanded Edition

                    It was crowned Album of the Year by Prog Magazine, and was also named as one of The Sunday Times' seven "must- hear" Albums of 2021. The judges of the Welsh Music Prize recently joined the chorus of praise, shortlisting the selfproduced album for the prestigious award. The record features the BBC 6 Music playlisted singles 'Show Your Face' & 'The Art of Losing', as well as a showstopping duet 'The Exchange' with James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) and drums from Sterling Campbell (David Bowie, Duran Duran).

                    The Art of Losing successfully transformed its wall-to-wall critical acclaim into a #1 spot on the iTunes album chart, and racked up "album of the week" plaudits everywhere from The Sunday Times, The Line of Best Fit, Mail on Sunday, and The Telegraph, as well a coveted place in The Guardian and Mojo's Albums of the Month.

                    Produced and written by Davies, The Art Of Losing ambitiously navigates the topic of loss in all its forms and was written and recorded during an unfeasibly busy few years as Davies found solace and purpose in a range of projects whilst navigating her griefs. Most recently this came via the 2020 release of her collaborative album In Memory of My Feelings with Bernard Butler, duetting with the Manic Street Preachers on Resistance Is Futile, and being personally invited by The Cure's Robert Smith to perform at his Meltdown Festival. She also brought a new generation of ears to legendary Scottish rock band Simple Minds, where she spent much of the last five years appearing on Big Music (2015) and Walk Between Worlds (2018).

                    TRACK LISTING

                    Moon Rise ( Prelude ) ( 02:51 )
                    Let It Hurt ( 03:37 )
                    The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield]
                    Show Your Face ( 04:27 )
                    The Art Of Losing ( 04:07 )
                    All Farewells Should Be Sudden ( 05:02 )
                    All Shall Be Well ( 01:39 )
                    Unravel ( 04:05 )
                    Paris ( 02:01 )
                    5am ( 04:02 )
                    The Heart Is A Lonesome Hunter ( 04:06 )
                    My Confessor ( 03:56 )
                    With The Boys ( 05:57 )
                    Moon ( An End ) ( 02:52 )
                    Show Your Face (Piano Version)
                    Let It Hurt (String Quartet Version)
                    All Farewells Should Be Sudden (Acoustic Version)
                    The Art Of Losing (Acoustic Lounge Version)
                    The Exchange (Solo Piano Version)

                    Paul Draper

                    Cult Leader Tactics

                      'Cult Leader Tactics' is a self-help manual on how to become a complete cult in the music industry & is his first solo album since 2017's much- lauded 'Spooky Action'.

                      'Cult Leader Tactics' offers a satirical analysis of the self- help manual genre. A guide on how you can get to the top of your chosen profession, or ahead in life & in affairs of the heart, by acting in a Machiavellian manner, employing dirty tricks or 'Cult Leader Tactics' to achieve your life goals. After experiencing these types of human behaviours & themes, the album arrives at the conclusion that the only true answer in life is love.

                      Paul plays most of the instruments on the album, including lead vocals, guitar & various Moogs & synthesisers. An album produced with long-time collaborator & acclaimed producer Paul 'P-Dub' Walton (Massive Attack, The Cure, Bjork) at Loft Studios, it also includes guest appearances from Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson & Gam of the band 'Sweat' as well as featuring a 288- person C.L.T. Lockdown Choir.

                      'Cult Leader Tactics' offers a selection of Paul's most focused & ambitious work so far, a brilliantly dark commentary on an industry he is all too aware of.

                      TRACK LISTING

                      1. Cult Leader Tactics ( 04:07 )
                      2. Internationalle ( 03:23 )
                      3. Dirty Trix ( 03:48 )
                      4. Cult Leader Tactics In E-Flat Minor ( 01:32 )
                      5. You've Got No Life Skills, Baby ! ( 03:57 )
                      6. U Killed My Fish ( 03:44 )
                      1. Everyone Becomes A Problem Eventually ( 03:31 )
                      2. Annie ( 04:22 )
                      3. Talkin' Behind My Back ( 02:59 )
                      4. Omega Man ( Feat Steven Wilson ) ( 04:07 )
                      5. Lyin' Bout Who U Sleep With ( 05:01 )

                      Bonus 7" W/ Indies Exclusive LP
                      1. Omega Man ( Feat Steven Wilson ) ( Extended Mix ) ( 06:09 )
                      2. Annie ( Acoustic Version ) ( 03:31 )

                      The Anchoress

                      The Art Of Losing

                        'The Art of Losing' is the second album from Welsh multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies), following up on her critically acclaimed debut album, 'Confessions of A Romance Novelist', which was named amongst the Guardian critics' Albums of the Year, won HMV's Welsh Album of the Year, Best Newcomer at the PROG awards, and a nomination for the Welsh Music Prize. Written and produced by Davies, the new album features guest performances from James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) and drums from Sterling Campbell (David Bowie, Duran Duran) along with the mixing talents of Dave Eringa (Manics, Wilko Johnson) and grammy-award winner Mario McNulty (David Bowie, Prince, Laurie Anderson).

                        'The Art Of Losing' ambitiously navigates the topic of loss in all its forms and was written and recorded during an unfeasibly busy few years as Davies found solace and purpose in a range of projects whilst navigating her griefs. Most recently this came via the release of her collaborative album 'In Memory of My Feelings' with Bernard Butler (on Pete Paphides' label Needle Mythology), duetting with the Manic Street Preachers on 'Resistance Is Futile', and being personally invited by The Cure's Robert Smith to perform at his Meltdown Festival. She also brought a new generation of ears to legendary Scottish rock band Simple Minds, where she spent much of the last five years appearing on the 'Big Music' (2015) and 'Walk Between Worlds' (2018) albums. 

                        STAFF COMMENTS

                        Barry says: 'The Art Of Losing' shows a superb grasp of melody and drive while still retaining the more nuanced songwriting and groove, reminiscent of recent shop hitters, The International Teachers of Pop or the superb new Róisín Murphy LP. Davies maintains the quality of her previous outing, pushing things a little further and that little bit more danceable. Superb.

                        TRACK LISTING

                        CD
                        1. Moon Rise ( Prelude ) ( 02:51 )
                        2. Let It Hurt ( 03:37 )
                        3. The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield
                        4. Show Your Face ( 04:27 )
                        5. The Art Of Losing ( 04:07 )
                        6. All Farewells Should Be Sudden ( 05:02 )
                        7. All Shall Be Well ( 01:39 )
                        8. Unravel ( 04:05 )
                        9. Paris ( 02:01 )
                        10. 5AM ( 04:02 )
                        11. The Heart Is A Lonesome Hunter ( 04:06 )
                        12. My Confessor ( 03:56 )
                        13. With The Boys ( 05:57 )
                        14. Moon ( An End ) ( 02:52 )


                        LP X 2
                        1. Moon Rise ( Prelude ) ( 02:51 )
                        2. Let It Hurt ( 03:37 )
                        3. The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield
                        1. Show Your Face ( 04:27 )
                        2. The Art Of Losing ( 04:07 )
                        3. All Farewells Should Be Sudden ( 05:02 )
                        4. All Shall Be Well ( 01:39 )
                        1. Unravel ( 04:05 )
                        2. Paris ( 02:01 )
                        3. 5AM ( 04:02 )
                        4. The Heart Is A Lonesome Hunter ( 04:06 )
                        1. My Confessor ( 03:56 )
                        2. With The Boys ( 05:57 )
                        3. Moon ( An End ) ( 02:52 )

                        LP X 2 + 7"
                        1. Moon Rise ( Prelude ) ( 02:51 )
                        2. Let It Hurt ( 03:37 )
                        3. The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield
                        1. Show Your Face ( 04:27 )
                        2. The Art Of Losing ( 04:07 )
                        3. All Farewells Should Be Sudden ( 05:02 )
                        4. All Shall Be Well ( 01:39 )
                        1. Unravel ( 04:05 )
                        2. Paris ( 02:01 )
                        3. 5AM ( 04:02 )
                        4. The Heart Is A Lonesome Hunter ( 04:06 )
                        1. My Confessor ( 03:56 )
                        2. With The Boys ( 05:57 )
                        3. Moon ( An End ) ( 02:52 )
                        1. Unravel ( 7" Mix ) ( 03:34 )
                        1. Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky ( 03:09 )


                        3 CD Set
                        1. Moon Rise ( Prelude ) ( 02:51 )
                        2. Let It Hurt ( 03:37 )
                        3. The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield
                        4. Show Your Face
                        5. The Art Of Losing ( 04:07 )
                        6. All Farewells Should Be Sudden ( 05:02 )
                        7. All Shall Be Well ( 01:39 )
                        8. Unravel ( 04:05 )
                        9. Paris ( 02:01 )
                        10. 5AM ( 04:02 )
                        11. The Heart Is A Lonesome Hunter ( 04:06 )
                        12. My Confessor ( 03:56 )
                        13. With The Boys ( 05:57 )
                        14. Moon ( An End )
                        1. Show Your Face ( Original Keys Demo ) ( 04:24 )
                        2. The Art Of Losing ( P Dub Alt Mix ) ( 04:06 )
                        3. Unravel ( P Dub Alt Mix ) ( 04:04 )
                        4. The Heart Is A Lonesome Hunter ( Original Demo Version ) ( 04:01 )
                        5. Show Your Face ( P Dub Alt Mix ) ( 04:24 )
                        6. With The Boys ( Original Demo Version ) ( 05:34 )
                        7. All Shall Be Well ( Instrumental Version ) ( 01:41 )
                        8. Paris ( Instrumental Version ) ( 01:56 )
                        9. Unravel ( Original String Demo ) ( 03:28 )
                        10. The Exchange (Dictaphone Writing Demo)
                        11. Let It Hurt ( Dictaphone Writing Demo ) ( 01:57 )
                        1. The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield (Hinako Omori Remix)
                        2. Unravel ( Cross Bone T Remix ) ( 04:32 )
                        3. Show Your Face ( Worriedaboutsatan Remix ) ( 04:59 )
                        4. The Art Of Losing ( Jermaine Soul Remix ) ( 04:33 )
                        5. The Exchange Feat. James Dean Bradfield (Jermaine Soul Remix)

                        Paul Draper

                        Grey House

                          As the frontman and songwriter of one of the most iconic bands of the late ‘90s, the creative force that brought the classic hit single “Wide Open Space” and the Number 1 album ‘Attack Of The Grey Lantern’ with Mansun, and now more recently as a solo artist with his top 20 charting album ‘Spooky Action’, Paul Draper’s talent precedes him. As well as showing that his songwriting prowess is as strong as ever, Draper’s solo album also proved that the legion of Mansun fans who started the annual Mansun Convention and an online petition for Paul to write a new album following the band’s split in 2003 are still just as engaged in 2017.

                          This limited edition 7" features two of the fan favourites from ‘Spooky Action’ and is pressed on silver coloured vinyl.

                          “A growling electro-rock odyssey built on a grand scale. This has an impressive heft” - 8/10 UNCUT

                          TRACK LISTING

                          Grey House (7” Edit)
                          Who’s Wearing The Trousers ? (7” Edit)

                          Old Fire

                          Songs From The Haunted South

                          The pet project of Texas based programmer John Mark Lapham, - of The Earlies and 4AD band The Late Cord fame - Old Fire joins a world-class roster that includes the likes of Steven Wilson, The Pineapple Thief, Anathema, Nordic Giants and The Anchoress. Taking nearly a decade to make, Songs From The Haunted South has been a labour of love for Lapham.

                          Born from an album concept for a 4AD project with singer Micah P. Hinson (The Late Cord), the album was originally intended to feature different singers and musicians recording songs that were both covers and originals. After parting ways with Micah, Lapham remained determined to realize his vision for the album and sought voices he considered special or fitted the inspiration.

                          The first piece of the puzzle fell in to place after meeting the former owner of 4AD, Ivo Watts Russell, who introduced Lapham to singer/songwriter, Tom Rapp - who recorded a string of haunting albums in the late 60s and 70s under the name Pearls Before Swine. The vocals Rapp provided formed the basis of the track Shadows. In the following years, guest vocals were recorded by Sara Lowes (The Earlies), DM Stith, Christopher Barnes (Gem Club), Rebekka Karijord, and Alex Maas (Black Angels).

                          The project also features a myriad of exceptional musicians including Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive) - Guitar, Thor Harris (Swans) - Drums, Christian Madden - Rhodes piano & Organ and Semay Wu (Cello).

                          The 13 track album contains a selection of songs that in one way or another are dedications to people, some dead and some still living. Musically, inspirations range from ambient artists such as Brian Eno and Stars of the Lid to Psychedelic Rock, traditional Country and early 4AD.

                          Sitting alongside the original Old Fire compositions are a selection of intriguing cover versions. Lapham uniquely interprets songs by Psychic TV (The Orchids), Low (Laser Beam), Ian William Craig (A Sight Grip, A Gentle Hold), Jason Molina (It's Easier Now), Camberwell Now (Know How) and Shearwater (Helix).

                          Songs From The Haunted South' was produced by John Mark Lapham, mixed by JM Lapham and Mark Kuykendall, and was mastered by Ian Hawgood.

                          The powerful cover art was designed by UK's Grammy Award winning designer Vaughan Oliver, famed for his work with artists such as Mojave 3, Lush, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, The Breeders, This Mortal Coil, Pixies, Throwing Muses in addition to artists such as David Sylvian and Bush. The cover shot taken in 1958 features Lapham's father during bivouac camping basic training in the foothills of the Ozarks, at Fort Chaffee.

                          STAFF COMMENTS

                          Barry says:

                          TRACK LISTING

                          Old Fire 3
                          Along Came A Sadness
                          Helix
                          Know How
                          It's Easier Now
                          A Stranger In The Family
                          Bloodchild
                          Faust
                          Shadows
                          A Slight Grip, A Gentle Hold
                          Laser Beam
                          The Orchids
                          Deadhouse Dream


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