O.Genesis present a super Limited 12" Pressing, exclusive to Piccadilly Records, of remixes from Tim Burgess' recent, critically acclaimed, album "Oh No, I Love You".

Seahawks delivers a stunning 11 minute remix of "A Gain//Stoned Alone Again Or (Seahawks Remix)", exclusive to 12", whilst on the flip Tandy Love aka Andy Votel brings his remix skills to "Hours".

TRACK LISTING

A – A Gain // Stone Alone Again Or (Seahawks Remix)
B – Hours // Tandy Love (Andy Votel Remix)

TRACK LISTING

A1. Love Me Tonight (moplen Edit)
A2. Love Me Tonight (original)
B1. I'm Ready For Your Love
B2. Baby Let Me Kiss You

'Profound Non-Event', the debut album by Sydney-based three piece Daily Toll, comprises 11 songs traversing three years of forged friendships, collaborative experimentation and a shared love of growing through words and song.

Those attuned to the ever-vibrant Australian underground may already be well familiar with Daily Toll, their consistent live presence since their inception in 2021 embroidered by a handful of (mostly) home-recorded, (mostly) digital self-releases that have steadily accumulated an appreciative following. Initially the project of self taught musician, poet & artist Kata Szász-Komlós(they/them) and Jasper Craig-Adams(he/him), and expended to a three piece with the more recent addition of friend Tom Stephens(he/him), Daily Toll represents the union of three unique creative dispositions, of relationships blooming through the push and pull of creative practice. Mapping the band’s existence through their recorded output is to bear witness to the flux of three people learning to respond to one another and gently ossify into a collective vision that at once calls to mind folk song intimacy, post-punk dynamics and the artful poeticism of an adjacent Flying Nun legacy.

If those earlier recordings reflect a band imagining themselves into being in real time, 'A Profound Non-Event' observes a clear shift in both conviction and approach. Recorded in just three days with Alex Bennett at the purely analogue Sound Recordings studio in Castlemaine and holing up at night in the century old cottage situated beside the studio, sheltering from the late-June wind and rain within walls littered with instruments and microphones, lighting fires to stay warm. Kata describes the experience as defined by “candle light and creative camaraderie”, an idyllic account of a collection of songs that glide with an undeniably warm, easy charm, evidenced in particular in the record’s second half as the tone turns increasingly introspective, the very sound of a cold evening’s drift into night. When contrasted with the moody swirl and sing-song bounce of the opening trio of tracks, there’s clear evidence of a band not simply in the process of becoming, but committed to finding their truth in that process.

Still, if Daily Toll display a reluctance to be wholly defined, then album centerpiece ‘Killincs‘ (positioned in the middle for a reason) might just be their Rosetta Stone. A verbose rumination on unsettled feelings of isolation and longing, exploring the challenges in making peace with one's decisions amidst the uncertainty of an often harsh world and the realisation that some things remain best unresolved - “I have the keys still, but I’ve buried the path”.

TRACK LISTING

1. Another World
2. Fleeting
3. I’m Bored
4. Easy Man
5. Killincs
6. My Sister’s Loom
7. Mountain Song
8. Belljar Convenience
9. Fated To Pretend
10. Waiting Game
11. A Light

'What's Not To Love?' is an album of music from John C. Reilly's vaudeville-inspired show where he embodies a character called Mister Romantic. Mister Romantic marks the Academy®, GRAMMY®, and TONY® award nominee’s most personal project to date. The show, which was created to foster empathy and love for one another, has been described by Vanity Fair as “fiercely funny,” while Theaterly hailed it as one of the best performances of 2024 following a one-night show in New York City. John is backed by a band of multi-time GRAMMY®-winners performing songs from the Great American Songbook as his character sets out on a mission to get someone (anyone!) to fall in love with him.

TRACK LISTING

1. Just Another Sucker On The Vine
2. Dream
3.La Vie En Rose
4.Johnsburg, Illinois
5.You Don’t Know Me
6.Falling In Love Again
7.I Guess I’ll Get The Papers And Go Home
8.Picture In A Frame
9.The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)
10.What’ll I Do?
11.Moonlight Serenade
12.I’ll Be Seeing You
13.Ragtime

When three of the most forward-thinking minds in electronic and alternative music collide, the result is bound to be expansive. Demise Of Love is the thrilling new project from Daniel Avery, James Greenwood's Ghost Culture, and Working Men’s Club—a studio collaboration forged from mutual admiration and an unrelenting drive to break new ground. Born from a shared desire to create something raw, boundary-pushing and deeply emotive, the trio entered the studio with no expectations, only a love for each other’s work and a fearless approach to sound. The result is a heady fusion of industrial dreamscapes, acid house intensity, and starkly beautiful melodies. Shaped by the combined creative forces of the trio’s masterful production and brooding presence, Demise Of Love carves out its own uncompromising space in electronic music.

TRACK LISTING

1. Strange Little Consequence
2. Carry The Blame
3. Be A Man
4. Like I Loved You

Adeen Records is back with its 'The Bird' series and this time Cad73 is the one at the buttons. First up he flips the age old classic 'Love and Happiness' into a smooth and seductive sound with lush chords and warming melodies. Flip it over and you will find a rework of 'How Can I Forget You' which becomes a Northern Soul great with big hooks and driving rhythms that will get big reactions in the club. Two different but equally effective and cultured cuts.

TRACK LISTING

Love & Happiness
How Can I Forget You

Coyote and Peaking Lights form a perfect pairing on this latest drop of bliss from Is It Balearic. They are artists who are drenched in dub influences and that comes to the fore on this direct collaboration which marries swirling dub with dreamy vocals and ghostly acid arpeggios to bring to mind a serene sunset after a long, hot and lazy day. 'Love Letters' is pure horizontal bliss, 'So Far Away' gets even slower and will drown you in synth succulence and Coyote's dub mix is laden with soothing delays and warm bass that transports you to an exotic world of weed-laced wonderment.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Coyote and Peaking Lights are here to carry you off into the sunset. A match made in balearic heaven...

TRACK LISTING

Love Letters
So Far Away
So Far Away (Coyote Dub Mix)

When a 23-year-old songwriter is heralded as a major new talent by an icon of British music, it’s time to take note. Noel Gallagher has not only championed the young Geordie, but he also produced and played guitar on his track ‘Where’s My Family Gone’. Cushin’s songs are full of astute observations and honest meditations about life’s day-to-day tribulations. But despite the weight of the subject matter, his music possesses a tangible sense of hope too. He’s the product of his upbringing in Newcastle, and fittingly the city is embracing him as one of their own.

TRACK LISTING

TRACKLIST TBA

Having spent much of 2024 doing what they do best, touring across the UK/Europe, and playing a 44 date national Australian tour supporting Grinspoon, it’s bewildering that Press Club had time to put the finishing touches on their new album.

'To All The Ones That I Love' was recorded at the band’s own studio in Footscray with guitarist Greg Rietwyk on production and mixing, before the album was mastered by Kris Crummett (Closure in Moscow, Dune Rats, Currents). Encapsulating the maturity of the band, the album offers the listener a ride through various genres and traverses themes of introspection, growth, change and learning from past mistakes. Lead singer Natalie Foster reflects on the new single, "Tightrope is about hitting that point where you’re done trying to fix things, becoming frustrated and numb taking on everybody else's thoughts, worries and expectations. It’s that feeling of barely holding it together, like you’re walking a tightrope on the edge of a breakdown. Musically, it's a bit of an ode to The Hives, written after meeting them at Hurricane festival in Germany." Uncharacteristic of their usual songwriting practices, 'Tightrope' was built around the guitar riff in the verse. It had a particular punctuation that sort of informed what the overall feel of the chorus was going to. “It was one of those songs that came together pretty organically on its own, we didn't have to bang our heads against our instruments for a week or anything.” Adds the band’s bassist Iain MacRae. Meanwhile, ‘Vacate’ was written with the intention of a long repetitive form, one that builds on itself the entire time. Sonically inspired by the atmospheric guitar parts played by Robert Fripp on ‘Heroes' by David Bowie, and the staccato deep lead guitar lines that appear across the New Order and Joy Division catalogues.

TRACK LISTING

1. I Am Everything
2. Wilt
3. Champagne & Nikes
4. Wasted Days
5. No Pressure
6. Vacate
7. To All The Ones That I Love
8. Tightrope
9. Staring At The Ceiling
10. Desolation

Wilco’s legendary 2011 album now on 2CD. Expanded to include all related single, EP and bonus tracks – plus a selection from The Loft's archive of live in-studio performances and previously unreleased alternate mixes and demos. Includes Wilco classics 'Art of Almost', 'Dawned on Me', 'Sunloathe' and many others.

TRACK LISTING

1. Art Of Almost
2. I Might
3. Sunloathe
4. Dawned On Me
5. Black Moon
6. Born Alone
7. Open Mind
8. Capitol City
9. Standing O
10. Rising Red Lung
11. WholeLove
12. One Sunday Morning
13. I Love My Label
14. Speak Into The Rose
15. Message From Mid-Bar
16. Sometimes It Happens
17. Black Moon (iTunes Session)
18. Born Alone (SiriusXM Session)
19. Dawned On Me (SiriusXM Session)
20. I Might (SiriusXM Session
21. Cruel To Be Kind (feat. Nick Lowe)
22. Art Of Almost (Demo)
23. Rising Red Lung (early Rough)
24. Sunloathe (early Rough)
25. WholeLove (iTunes Session)

“Disguise In Love” released in 1978, is the debut album of British punk poet John Cooper Clarke. Renowned for his quick-witted delivery and sharp humor, Clarke fuses punk rock with spoken word, resulting in a one-of-a-kind sonic experience. The album includes tracks such as “I Don’t Want To Be Nice,” “Valley of the Lost Women,” and “(I Married a) Monster from Outer Space,” highlighting Clarke’s talent for social commentary and dark comedy. Produced by Martin Hannett, known as one of the creators of the ‘Manchester sound’, the album captures the unrefined energy of the late ‘70s punk scene. “Disguise In Love” stands out not only for its incisive, observational poetry but also for its stripped-down and edgy musical accompaniment, solidifying its status as a pivotal work in Clarke’s career and a significant contribution to the punk genre.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. I Don't Want To Be Nice
2. Psycle Sluts
3. (I've Got A Brand New) Tracksuit
4. Teenage Werewolf
5. Readers Wives
6. Post-War Glamour Girl

Side B
1. (I Married A) Monster From Outer Space
2. Salome Maloney
3. Health Fanatic
4. Strange Bedfellows
5. Valley Of The Lost Women

Seasons Limited made a welcome return in 2024 and now keeps up that good momentum with another big single from French house mainstay Franck Roger with some fine vocals by Paul B. It's a super smooth sound with drum swaying back and forth, molten synth adding late night and tissue soul and the tender vocal adding intimacy and late night romance. Rocco Rodamaal steps up for remixes and first of all he pairs things back to a sedate, seductive deep house roll then fleshes out the drums with some dubby weight to finish!

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
"Your Love" (Main Mix)
"Your Love" (Instrumental Mix)

Side 2
"Your Love" (Rocco Rodamaal Remix)
"Your Love" (Rocco Rodamaal Dub Mix)

R&B duo THEY. — songwriter Drew Love and producer Dante Jones — have developed a smooth, future-facing sound for nearly a decade. In the early days, it was simple; two artists aligning on an appreciation for '90s R&B, new jack swing, and the height of soul-sampling hip-hop. Jones making beats and Love on the lines, a basic, balanced, and open-ended setup, free from major label expectations (which they'd feel on their 2017 breakout 'Nü Religion Hyena') and high-profile collaborations (explored on 2018's 'Fireside', 2020's 'The Amanda Tape', and 2023's 'Nü Moon'). They're proud of every stop along their story, while hindsight and a fresh perspective after signing to Secretly-affiliate label drink sum wtr have afforded them some distance to reflect on where THEY. goes next.

The answer is 'LOVE.JONES'. Here the duo exudes a whole new energy by reasserting their artistry in its most potent and pure form, just Love and Jones, making straight-fire, love-making music indebted to the golden neo-soul era that gave us the namesake 1997 film. “Forget the features, forget bringing in the big producers and writers. It's really just a return to our original dynamic," says Jones. Refined and reinvented, THEY. have arrived at their boldest work, a stacked, high-energy collection celebrating Black art, culture, and "the intense feelings of Black love."

TRACK LISTING

1. LOVE.JONES
2. Choosin'
3. Diamonds And Pearls
4. Rotation
5. *5 STAR*
6. Drive Thru
7. Never Change
8. Straight Up
9. Gemini
10. Can't Let Go

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

UV & Nenor link up once more and return to Fossils with three new edits that take the form of spaced-out deep cosmic chuggers. These are all classy tunes with an analogue edge, great deference to the classic synth sounds of days gone by but all with nice modern touches. 'Space Love' is a widescreen odyssey with sultry female vocals and a sweet theremin sound. On the flip, 'Shwag' has hazy pads and slowed down, rugged, sleazy drums and bass and then last of all comes 'GoGo Stomp' with another bubbly bottom end, squelchy bassline and weird but wonderful vocal sounds. A brilliantly high-grade addition to your record back.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Ohhhh yes. Cosmic and chuggy, but with vocals, this has all the right ingredients for me. Late night smoke machine tackle par excellence!

TRACK LISTING

Space Love
Shwag
GoGo Stomp

International music maverick, nug-finder extraordinaire and sonic sorcerer Skyrager is back. With his latest must-grab 12" release, cheekily titled 'Love Is The Massage', the maestro drops another dose of sublime grooves via his private HITD imprint. As always, these tracks are dug up from the deepest crates, lovingly reworked, and steeped in Skyrager's signature secret sauce. Across three dazzling cuts, expect a kaleidoscopic journey of love-fuelled disco bliss and relentless dancefloor energy. A-Side: 'Love Affair' kicks things off in grand, extended style. Clocking in at just under 14 minutes, this poppy, Euro-funk-infused boogie bomb takes up the entire side. Stripped-back drums, dreamy keys, smooth synths, and yearning vocals blend effortlessly-imagine Orange Juice meeting Serge Ponsar for a secret jam session. Things heat up with 'Love Is Good', a sun-soaked Caribbean-inspired gem. This soulful soca banger boasts pitch-perfect guitar and synth hooks, topped with a wonderfully playful and up-close vocal performance that steals the show making the cut a dancefloor anthem in waiting. Finally, 'Love Is Bad' closes out the EP with pure euphoria. This private-press AOR style disco groover oozes funky, laid-back cool. Anchored by a slinky bassline and shimmering, multi-tracked vocals, it's the kind of track you can't believe you haven't heard before. Add a stunning, risque psychedelic sleeve designed by longtime collaborator Luke Insect and you have a visual as well as sonic treat.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Psychemagik's alter ego Skyrager compiles some of his smoothest edits onto a 12" you don't want to miss. Effortlessly cool.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
Love Affair

Side 2
Love Is Good
Love Is Bad

In this post Sounds world, the boundaries of Post Punk have not only broadened but splintered. And over the course of (now) four releases, Index For Working Musik have seen to using the sprawling boundaries to great effect, flexing a polyglot of styles to convey the language of the moment. On 'Which Direction Goes The Beam', the murky, distant ambience that was 2023's 'Indexé' has been fleshed out, incorporating everything from the Brian Aldiss laced, ground lightning shudder of Dome, to the chamber-like arrangements of This Kind Of Punishment. There's even a candle flickering in the window for Think Fellers Union Local 282 that warmed these ears. And if you’re a fan of the great Dutch band, Trespassers W (who isn't?), the collective consciousness IFWM enunciates on here is a similar testament of a band growing more sure footed in the pursuit of not only knowing all the ways in, but carving a few of their own on the way out. And it's discerning releases like 'Which Direction Goes The Beam' that keep us in the hunt. Long may they forge

TRACK LISTING

1. Thursday’s Bells
2. 2x1
3. Fog (You Just Don’t Know)
4. X Says
5. 1898
6. Sparrows Hill
7. Sister
8. Halb Leib I
9. Brain Pan Farmer
10. Purple Born
11. Atahualpa
12. Pugilist

If you like your jazz mystical and spaced out then you're on the right page with this one. The Blackhole label returns with a sixth self-titled offering that is buy on sight. 'More Love Songs' has whimsical leads disappearing off into the cosmic ether over mic jazz-funk drums with some breezy vocals finishing it in style. 'Searching The Circle' then take off on another carefree and breezy groove with far-sighted melodies and gorgeous vocal harmonies that melt you to your core. Beautiful stuff.

TRACK LISTING

More Love Songs
Searching The Circle

The one and only Mr. K presents a two-sided treat here starting with Janice McClain's underrated 1983 disco track and featuring a smooth, laid-back groove that blends steppers vibes with mid-tempo Philly soul. Written by McClain's uncle Milt Tennant and Thom Page, it captures a classic sound that is further enhanced by McClain's heartfelt vocals. This edit trims the rare 12" version for a 7" debut with pristine sound and the B-side flips to a fresh take on 'Brazil', which was a 1975 hit by the Ritchie Family. Mr. K's edit extends the vamp section, offering a full, uninterrupted four minutes of irresistible disco joy.

TRACK LISTING

Giving My Love
Brazil

A majestic biography of two young geniuses who merged their talents to create one of the greatest bodies of music in history. John & Paul begins in 1957, when two teenagers in suburban Liverpool meet and decide to play rock n'roll together.

It ends twenty-three years later, when one of them is murdered. In between, we see them become global stars, create countless indelible songs, and play a central role in shaping the modern world. Lennon and McCartney were more than friends, rivals or collaborators.

They were intimates who both had the fabric of their world ruptured at a young age, and who longed to make emotional connections; with each other, and with audiences. The pop song was a vessel into which they poured feelings of grief and euphoria and everything in between. When they couldn't speak what they felt, they sang it.

After the break-up of their group, they maintained a musical dialogue at a distance, in songs full of recrimination, regret, and affection. Ian Leslie traces the twists and turns of their relationship through the music it produced and offers rich insights into the nature of creativity, collaboration and human connection. Drawing on recently released footage and recordings, this is a startlingly fresh take on two of the greatest icons in music history.

Leslie's majestic and wildly enjoyable biography will make us see and hear Lennon and McCartney anew.

Joe Meek. Wayward genius; the British Phil Spector,the first producer to treat the recording studio as an instrument; head of oneof the earliest independent record labels; creator of some of the mostincredibly influential pop music ever, including ‘Telstar’, the first Americannumber one single by a British band; and a man tormented by mental healthissues and financial battles. He was all these and more, as author Darryl W. Bullockreveals through numerous original interviews with friends and colleagues in hiscompelling biography of the legendary producer.

Love and Fury takes readers on a guided tour ofMeek’s fabled Holloway Road studio, examines the recordings issued during hislifetime, looks at the wealth of unreleased material he left behind - thelegendary Tea Chest tapes, rumoured to include recordings by David Bowie, MarcBolan, Ray Davies of the Kinks and others – and examines that events whichultimately led to murder and suicide.

Rosebay Music presents its 5th release: a collaborative effort from Submorphics & Zar. These 2 producers linked up in Manchester for an inspired afternoon in the studio before playing at iconic club night @hitandrunuk 'Another Level Of Love' is a timeless piece of D&B magic. Classic 90s strings, melancholic piano and a live bassline set the tone for aya dia’s grainy vocals to cut through the mix and straight into your soul. 'Western Times' is a deeper and subtler moment. A chopped-up Rhodes sample glides over woeful guitars and beautiful pads creating a hypnotic, cinematic atmosphere. Visionary music written for your deep winter nights.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Another Level Of Love (ft. Aya Dia)
B1. Western Times

A reimagined version of Evelyn 'Champagne' King's timeless classic, 'Love Come Down'. This iconic R&B anthem has been revamped for 2025 with a fresh collaboration featuring Evelyn, Ezel, and DJ Spen. Music lovers worldwide will delight in this renewed rendition, blending her authentic, powerful vocals with a track that is second to none.Evelyn's newly delivered vocals shine with the same energy and emotion as her original 1982 performance, showcasing her enduring talent. This release holds a special place in our hearts, and we're honored to share it with the World.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Ezel & DJ Spen Reproduction
A2. Ezel & DJ Spen Instrumental Reproduction
B1. Ezel & DJ Spen R&B Reproduction
B2. Ezel & DJ Spen R&B Instrumental Reproduction

Another high watermark of the disco genre given a timely repress with another truly iconic remix from the master Ron Hardy. Every home needs one! 

TRACK LISTING

A1 - Love & Happiness
B1 - Love & Happiness (Ron Hardy Edit)

Studio Barnhus proudly presents this debut full-length record from the Jimi Tenor & Freestyle Man project, the fruit of the joint labour of these two undisputed legends of electronic music. Building on their catalog of work for labels like Warp and Sähkö, these Finnish heroes have blessed Stockholm imprint Studio Barnhus with regular releases since 2017, this LP being the finest example thus far of their classic yet always fresh sound. Sumptuous, uplifting, delicate, tantalizing, vibrant and invigorating all at once. Magnificent! 

TRACK LISTING

A1. Sinus Amoris
A2. Stockholm
A3. Who’s Gonna Blink 
A4. Domus

B1. Schrödingers Love
B2. Little Flutist
B3. Party People 
B4. Dactylic Theme

Deep vocal dub techno RIYL Rhythm & Sound, Paul St. Hilaire, Hiss Is Bliss etc. Fathoms deep and super sensual. Gives me the same tingles as when I heard "See Me Jah" for the first time. Massive. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Another Channel pay tribute to Basic Channel's iconic dubwise side project - Rhythm & Sound - and do it plenty of justice. This is sublime modern dub with a rootsical vocal and detailed instrumentation throughout; not to mention the beautifully deep bass.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Nameless Woman Feat. Prince Morella
B1. Find A Way Feat. Marina P
B2. Version Of Love

Debut single from Manchester band Westside Cowboy on Nice Swan. Riding a thrilling lo-fi boxcar tuned to the melodic precision of Teenage Fanclub and held together with the slacker cool of Pavement, for most bands this would be enough, but not for Westside Cowboy. Just when you think you have them pinned, they career the entire thing into a brick wall of country, trad and early harmony-coated, major-key rock’n’roll. They call this process ‘Britainicana’.

Freshly signed to indie tastemakers Nice Swan (Chalk, Sports Team, Pip Blom) and teaming up with Mercury Music Prize winner Lewis Whiting of English Teacher on production duties, debut single ‘I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)’, starts with a frenetic caterwaul of the band name. It’s a flag in the sand moment.

A territorial statement. Rhythmic, rattling drums turn into a three-chord assault, with its crackling guitars soon igniting the combustible, chorus vocals of enigmatic co-vocalist Aoife Anson O’Connell.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: We're super excited here at Piccadilly about the release of this debut 7" single from slacker-country-jangle-popster Westside Cowboy. They've been growing a steady following around these parts with their frenetic live shows and we love 'em. WESTSIDE COWBOY! Yeeha!

TRACK LISTING

1. I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)
2. Slowly I’m Sure (Demo)

Four tracks from Nu Groove’s 2025 catalogue arrive on wax for the very first time, as the legendary NYC label continues to reinstate its cult status. The first two record box staples come from Marshall Jefferson & Steve Mac pres. Sleezy D, while the next two built for the underground come from Juliet Mendoza. Opening the collection, ‘In The Night’ and ‘Wanna Get Down’ see genre titans Marshall Jefferson and Steve Mac unite to showcase the sound of the late Sleezy D, a Chicago pioneer and close friend of Jefferson. The next two originals, ‘Juju Love’ and ‘In The Dark’, are presented by LA native and dance culture expert Juliet Mendoza, whose throwback sonics hold deep reverence for the 90s house scene.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Marshall Jefferson & Steve Mac Present Sleezy D 'In The Night’
A2. Marshall Jefferson & Steve Mac Present Sleezy D ‘Wanna Get Down’
B1. Juliet Mendoza ‘JuJu Love’
B2. Juliet Mendoza ‘In The Dark’

Father John Misty’s landmark 2015 sophomore album, I Love You, Honeybear, is back on vinyl, remastered and repackaged as a single LP (It was originally released as a double LP).

The now-classic album includes fan favorites “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins),” and the title track, “I Love You, Honeybear.” On release I Love You, Honeybear earned a Pitchfork Best New Music, a perfect score from Exclaim!, and rave reviews from NME, Mojo, Q, Spin, and more. It was hailed as one of the best albums of 2015 by Pitchfork, Billboard, The A.V. Club, NME, and Stereogum. I Love You, Honeybear was produced by Josh Tillman and Jonathan Wilson, and mixed by Phil Ek. This 2024 edition was remastered in 2024 by Adam Ayan at Ayan Mastering.

TRACK LISTING

1. I Love You, Honeybear
2. Chateau Lobby #4 (in C For Two Virgins)
3. True Affection
4. The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apt.
5. When You're Smiling And Astride Me
6. Nothing Good Ever Happens At The Goddamn Thirsty Crow
7. Strange Encounter
8. The Ideal Husband
9. Bored In The USA
10. Holy Shit
11. I Went To The Store One Day

Since its inception in 2010, A Love from Outer Space (ALFOS) has been a steady presence in the underground music scene, fostering a close-knit community with its regular, transformative dancefloor experiences.

Founded by the late Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston, both highly regarded DJs and producers, ALFOS was born out of a shared love for slower-paced music and quickly became a lasting and adventurous clubbing experience. Initially conceived as a response to the fast-paced mainstream scene, ALFOS took a different approach, maintaining a tempo of no more than 122 bpm.

The club night started in the intimate surroundings of The Waiting Room in North London, where its distinctive musical ethos found an immediate following. Over time, it evolved into a British clubbing institution, expanding to larger venues and eventually reaching an international audience.

ALFOS became known for its eclectic and hypnotic sound, blending everything from kosmische and house to dub and post-punk. The night developed a loyal following, with residencies at London's Phonox and Glasgow's Berkeley Suite, and it has taken its sound to various settings, from the Croatian coastline to the Golden Lion Pub in Todmorden.

Following Andrew Weatherall's passing in 2020, Sean Johnston has carried on the ALFOS legacy. During the pandemic, he launched the A Love from Outer Space Emergency Broadcast System, a series of livestreamed DJ sets that kept the community connected during a challenging time. These broadcasts were crucial in maintaining the ALFOS spirit when live events were paused, attracting a global audience and reinforcing the collective bond of the community.

This compilation reflects the music that has shaped ALFOS over the past 15 years while also hinting at its future. Compiled and mixed by Johnston, the 19-track album pays tribute to the club night’s rich history and its commitment to pushing musical boundaries forward.

Johnston explains, "The thing about ALFOS is that while we've always had one eye on the past, much of the music we play is forward-looking. This compilation seeks to captures that balance."

The album features a variety of exclusive tracks, including the sought-after Neville Watson remix of The Blow Monkeys and Brioski's "Call 626," alongside a wide range of sounds that both honour the past and embrace the future.

As ALFOS prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary, its influence remains strong, offering a space for music lovers to come together, slow down, and explore new sounds.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: One of the most legendary labels in the electronic music space, and a compilation that perfectly outlines their unique musical vision. Act quick on that Piccadilly exclusive version!

TRACK LISTING

Vinyl:
A1. Blow Monkeys - Save Me (Neville Watson's Dub)
A2. Cisco Cisco - If You Want Me (Jay Shepheard Remix)
A3. Bongo Entp. - Drømmen (SIRS Remix)
B1. Darlyn Vlys - Wuzu (Tyu Tribe Remix)
B2. Kimo - Whirl
B3. Discoscuro - Discoscuro
C1. Popular Tyre - Feel Like A Lazer Beam
C2. Class B Band - Repli-can (Edit)
C3. Bal5000 - Bleu Infini
D1. Phil Kieran - Find Love (Andrew Weatherall Remix)
D2. Das Komplex - 89
D3. Brioski - Calling 626 (Edit)

CD:
Disc 1 (Mixed)
1. The Blow Monkeys - Save Me (Neville Watson Remix)
2. Jonny Sender - Zhivago Zhivago
3. Cisco Cisco - If You Want Me (Jay Shepheard Remix)
4. Laars – None
5. Duncan Gray - Gone & Forgotten (feat Dominic Silvani)
6. Secret Circuit - JungleBones (Tiago Mix)
7. Bongo Entp. - Drømmen (SIRS Remix)
8. Feon - Round Earther
9. Darlyn Vlys - Wuzu (Tyu Tribe Remix)
10. Niv Ast - Jungle Marvin
11. Kimo – Whirl
12. Bal5000 - Bleu Infini
13. Discoscuro – Discoscuro
14. Popular Tyre - Feel Like A Lazer Beam
15. Class B Band - Repli-can
16. Phil Kieran - Find Love (Andrew Weatherall Remix)
17. Jazxing, Das Komplex - Neu Nostalgia (Das Komplex Remix)
18. Das Komplex – 89
19. Brioski - Calling 626

Disc 2 (Unmixed)
1. Blow Monkeys - Save Me (Neville Watson's Dub)
2. Cisco Cisco - If You Want Me (Jay Shepheard Remix)
3. Bongo Entp. - Drømmen (SIRS Remix)
4. Darlyn Vlys - Wuzu (Tyu Tribe Remix)
5. Kimo - Whirl
6. Discoscuro - Discoscuro
7. Popular Tyre - Feel Like A Lazer Beam
8. Class B Band - Repli-can (Edit)
9. Bal5000 - Bleu Infini
10. Phil Kieran - Find Love (Andrew Weatherall Remix)
11. Das Komplex - 89
12. Brioski - Calling 626 (Edit)

Sometime in 2005, a lone box of master tapes escaped an estate sale and made its way through a network of collectors, record dealers, and “junkers” into the hands of leading Ohio soul expert Dante Carfagna, who linked them to Columbus, Ohio’s mysterious Prix label (See: Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label). A bit of research turned up Prix proprietor George Beter, who identified most of the unlabelled material. All it took was an endless series of phone calls and letters and two fields trips in Columbus.

But one complete mystery wended its way onto our final Prix compilation. 'You and Me', a simple but irrepressible demo credited only to Penny & the Quarters, was found tacked onto a mixed studio reel. Our survey of every willing lifer left on the Columbus soul scene, including retired DJs, producers, and important local artists, produced not so much as a glimmer of recognition at the name Penny & the Quarters. Though we loved the song from the first play, it may’ve ended up a bit buried on our original compilation, as #18 of 19 tracks.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: Just in time for Valentines day, this absolute gem of a love song. Stripped back sweet, sweet soul.

TRACK LISTING

1. You And Me.
2. You Are Giving Me Some Other Love

Introducing the first single by modern soul ensemble, Leo Vidal & The Rayvelles with their answer to the west coast oldies sound, 'Haunted By Your Love'.

Leo Vidal, 70s soul singer hailing from rural Virginia debuts his flavour of east coast harmonies, crooning about lost love. The Rayvelles a.k.a. Fergal McBride & Tuck Nelson are the inspiration behind Echo Ray Studios, a London based recording studio channeling the soul of Motown to current day. Backing vocals by Los Angeles based singer Cassandra Dali & Londons own, Marietta Smith.

The B-Side features a remix by Call Sender, an international multi-instrumentalist duo who shone their distinct light onto this classic take, inviting another entrance to this haunting sound.

TRACK LISTING

1. Haunted By Your Love
2. Haunted By Your Love (Call Sender Dub Version)

Brooklyn Highs Edits are back with another killer 7-inch release, featuring two exclusive versions from Ilija Rudman—reimagining the work of one the greatest Soul Men a.k.a Black Moses. Limited edition, Buy or Cry!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Ilija Rudman - Higher Ground Mix Part I
B1. Ilija Rudman - Higher Ground Mix Part II

WOW. Released on Valentine's Day 2025, Be With Records are releasing the first time reissue of the first *ever* heart-shaped red vinyl 45. Extremely limited!

The smooth titan of blue-eyed soul, Bobby Caldwell transcended genre tags with consummate ease; he was a musical icon of real class and versatility, cherished the world over.

The originals of these red heart-shaped vinyl records go for stupid money - if you can find one in good condition. Here's your chance to snag a real collectors item for fans of Bobby and, well, LOVE, the world over.

The eternal 'What You Won't Do for Love' became a national anthem. It remains that way - perhaps even more so in the past year or two. It perfectly captured Bobby's ability to infuse a contagious groove with introspective and relatable lyrics. With its instantly recognisable horn riff and Caldwell's soulful delivery, this timeless, chiller anthem continues to captivate audiences and define his musical legacy.

A perennial favourite, it has been heavily sampled, such is its unique allure; Aaliyah sang over snatches of it on 'Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number' and you can hear Caldwell’s vocal sample used for the hook on Tupac’s posthumously released 'Do For Love'.

Bobby's dynamite 'Open Your Eyes' was immortalised by the eternal J Dilla in the hip-hop canon with his production of Common’s epochal 'The Light', which heavily samples the magical 'Open Your Eyes'. On a post paying tribute to Bobby in March 2023, Questlove claimed that he "got word Brother Bobby loved it". Bobby's original has seen new life even more recently from the likes of Dwele and Kendrick Lamar and deservingly so, as its insistent drums and staccato piano created a modern-soul classic.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Taking cues from the infamous Mayer Hawthorn heart shaped disc from yesteryear; local legends Be With reissue this schmoozy doozy from Bobby Caldwell - just in time for Valentine's Day!

TRACK LISTING

1. What You Won't Do For Love
2. Open Your Eyes 

Glitterbox continue their hot streak this week, pairing another MASSIVE disco classic with a fresh reinvention from one of the best in the game. If you're a fan of the world's most hedonistic genre, you'll no doubt have heard Debbie's divine vocals riding a relentless groove, either on 'High On Your Love', 'Undercover Lover' or this stormer right here. Originally released in 1979, "Don't You Want My Love' became an instant classic on the scene, raising every roof with its perfect blend of octaved bass, searing strings and diva vocals. With hot horns adding a touch of funk and killer percussion breaks switching up the sizzling 4/4 this is tops off, hands aloft, poppers au-go-go, scream-a-long brilliance - and it's been sending sweaty dance floors into ecstasy for four decades now. This 2017 reissue sees the stems added to Parisian edit prince Dimitri, who adds oof (not oeuf), oomph and ooh la la with fat bass frequencies, heat treated drums and a subtle use of delay. This isn't the kind of radical overhaul that strips the original of all its charm, this is a production expert turning everything up to 11 for modern DJ deployment. 

TRACK LISTING

A. Don't You Want My Love
B. Don't You Want My Love (Dimitri From Paris Re-Edit)

In case you haven't noticed, us hobbled veterans of the disk shop inquisition effing love disco. In fact, we buzz off disco so hard, we enjoy every one of its forms; be it slow and syrupy, French and frothy, slack, sleazy, smacked out or whizzed up - delivering a diva scream or a dubbed out instrumental. But deep down, what we love most is the kind of stomping uptempo assault which leaves you reeling in the middle of the dancefloor, love hearts fluttering across your vision. Enter Debbie Jacobs and here HUGE "Don't You Want My Love". Now Debbie has a bit of form here, and you may be aware of her equally incendiary "High On Your Love", but this particular platter thunders through smooth strings, wild clavinets, pumping bass and a killer clap-heavy 4/4, making moves like a dance floor UFO taking off. Then there's the vocal, soaring from the purest powerhouse contralto into massive mezzo-soprano, spinge-tingling and life affirming in every way. Alongside their reissue of the original, Glitterbox now hit us with a special remix package that features Joe Claussell’s 1986 Reel To Reel Edit - a disco extravaganza of a mix - and Cratebug’s house-infused and funk-laden More Love Remix. 

TRACK LISTING

A. Don’t You Want My Love (Joe Claussell’s 1986 Reel To Reel Edit)
AA. Don’t You Want My Love (Cratebug’s More Love Remix)

A swelling, string-drenched slice of soulful disco, Kyoto Jazz Massive co-founder Shuya Okino’s 2011 release ‘Still In Love’ remains a hugely in-demand cut for discerning selectors, thanks to its life-affirming vocal provided by Navasha Daya and lush instrumentation. Now Glitterbox Recordings deliver a specially curated 12” package of this record box essential, as this enduring modern-day classic is given a number of re-works from dance’s A-List. This package features mixes from true DJ’s DJ The Reflex, Berlin duo Kyodai, and house legend DJ Spen, which are joined by the blissful original, illustrating the versatility of a truly special record.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Marking their scorecard of 2021, the hottest stable in modern disco unleashes its first single of the year complete with an all star roster of remixers. Living room lockdown discos can now rejoice!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Still In Love (The Reflex Extended Revision)
A2. Still In Love (Kyodai Extended Remix)
B1. Still In Love
B2. Still In Love (DJ Spen Remix Long Version)

Kyle Falconer has always been a songwriter who has been inspired by a female muse. From his chart-topping success with The View through to his acclaimed solo career, his storytelling songs have explored the good times of love and lust; the bad times of regret and heartache; and stories of some of the larger-than-life characters who have stepped into his life, alongside some playful fictional narratives.

Recently crowned with the King Tuts’ Songwriting Award at the Scottish Music Awards, Kyle brings the best of those songs together with ‘The One I Love the Most’. The album is a collection of songs from his vast back catalogue, all of which are named after women and have been newly reworked in acoustic form.

Named after a lyric taken from The View fan favourite ‘5 Rebeccas’, ‘The One I Love The Most’ features songs spanning almost two decades: from the unrequited love of ‘Claudia’ (from the band’s #1 debut album ‘Hats Off To The Buskers’) through to the lovelorn ‘Dixie’ (the original of which featured on last year’s Top 10 return ‘Exorcism of Youth’).

Along the way, the album also reinvents highlights from his two solo albums ‘No Thank You’ and ‘No Love Songs For Laura’, which often tackled more complicated themes: ‘Laura’ shares regrets for his past behaviour and the impact it had on his then-partner and now-wife Laura Wilde, to the issues of gender identity addressed in ‘Kelly’. A far lighter moment comes with ‘Madonna’, a playful, celeb-heavy imagining of what the ideal afterlife might be like, while Manchester rapper PROSE adds his razor-sharp rhymes to an otherwise stripped-back ‘Lucy’.

The album’s lead single and brand new track ‘Angelina’ is an instant highlight. Dramatic percussion and sweeping string arrangements creates an intense cinematic atmosphere to match a story of a relationship which has been ruined by conflicting perceptions on what the truth really is.

Kyle says, “‘The One I Love The Most’ came from an idea I had after getting my own studio in Spain. I thought about all the girls' names I had written about and thought it would be a great romantic idea to put them all in one place and release the record for Valentine’s Day. I wanted to show the songs as they were without all the production and we captured the first essence of them.

It’s great to see the different feelings along the album and my ups and downs, from the childlike writing of ‘Claudia’ to the more in depth idea of ‘Kelly’ as I have seen and heard more of the world.”

‘The One I Love the Most’ was recorded at Kyle’s La Sierra Casa retreat near Alicante in Spain, with Kyle producing the project himself and performing all vocals and instruments except for contributions from Drew Palmer and Neeve Zahra. A scenic, escapist and intimate hub for creativity, La Sierra Casa hosts regular songwriting camps led by Kyle as well as a recording studio designed to achieve peak sound quality, workflow and productivity.

TRACK LISTING

1. Angelina
2. Grace
3. Dixie
4. Rebecca
5. Gem
6. Blondie
7. Lilly Anne
8. Laura
9. Lucy Featuring PROSE
10. Claudia
11. Kelly
12. Madonna

The idea for Midding was originally conceived by singer-guitarist Joe Woodward whilst writing and recording songs in his kitchen on a 4-track recorder, and over time eventually found help from like-minded friends, Elliot Roberts and Cam Wheeler. The three of them would spend their nights experimenting with cassette recording with the admirable if not challenging aim to recreate the symphonic sounds of Phil Spector on a DIY budget. With growing confidence and having amassed a small catalogue of songs, a few aborted attempts were made to get a live band together before they found help from a second guitarist, Eli Allison, who had recently relocated from Cornwall. As necessity would dictate, the first shows as a quartet made use of a drum machine, but the ideal formation for the band wasn’t truly complete until meeting Nia Abraham, whose live drumming would add a more physical quality to the band’s sound.

At the beginning of 2024, they began working more purposefully towards an end goal with the writing and recording of the five-song Nowhere Near Today EP. Though retaining some of their home recording practices, they also made use of a studio facility based in a disused shopping centre basement that was made available through SHIFT, a local artist collective connected to the band. The acquisition of an 8-track Tascam 488MKII, along with the natural reverb of SHIFT’s empty concrete space allowed for further opportunity to experiment with both cassette recording techniques and their still developing live sound, the two environments permitting an all-too-rare creative freedom. The process was transformative for the group, their Spector-inspired ambitions now taking on a more defined shape that skirted around the edges of psych, noise-rock and industrial-pop in a way that increasingly became their own.

For a debut EP, the results are impressively realised, a confluence of expansive tremolo guitars, a deliberately primordial rhythm section and a contrasting vulnerable vocal performance that’s both melodic and bracing. It’s a record born both of private experimentation and public performance, who they are on stage and what they express on record informing the other but still distinctly each their own thing, shifting then dovetailing like the waves of feedback that wash through Nowhere Near Today. Still a young band, it’s tomorrow they feel a lot closer to. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Clem’s Crime
2. Synth Love
3. Silver Skin
4. Good Boy
5. WILL NOT DANCE

Well, they don't get much better than this solid gold nugget lifted from the vaults of Miami's CAT Records (Another TK Disco subsidiary). Often sampled, re-edited and re-jigged but never bettered, Gwen McCrae's all time classic "All This Love I'm Giving" finally sees a timely repress, just as God intended, on a dinked 45 with all original artwork intact! This track has long been a staple of rare groove dances and sophisticated soul parties with discerning DJs and selectors clamoring for the original 45 at any cost. Packing more drama than a year's worth of Eastenders' cliffhangers, "All This Love I'm Giving" delivers a raw and soulful vocal from Gwen, a heavyweight synth bassline and a whole host of emphatic brass as it lays waste to the dancefloor in just under four minutes. Backed here with its original b-side slow jam "Maybe I'll Find Somebody New" this rare 45 has been re-mastered, re-pressed and brought back for 2021's dance-floors in conjunction and with the permission of TK Disco / Henry Stone Music, Miami USA.

TRACK LISTING

A1. All This Love That I'm Givin'
B1. Maybe I'll Find Sombody New

Six years after their second album 'Kingdoms in Colour' made them one of the hottest names in electronic music, Hertfordshire duo Maribou State return with their third full length album. 'Hallucinating Love' is worth the wait: it’s ambitious, packed with sublime anthemia, and is injected with restless energy, soaring strings and stunning guest vocals from long-standing collaborator Holly Walker and new friends like MOBO-nominated artist Andreya Triana. It evidences Maribou State’s evolving balance of intimacy and intricacy, as well as their knack for making epic sundown music. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Anthemic, triumphant bursts of shimmering synth swells and crescentic vocals build atop crisp, sampled percussion and funky bass loops. A beautifully celebratory collection of pieces featuring a host of superb guest vocalists too, making a very welcome return for Maribou State.

TRACK LISTING

1. Blackoak
2. Otherside
3. II Remember
4. All I Need
5. Dance On The World
6. Bloom
7. Peace Talk
8. Passing Clouds
9. Eko’s
10. Rolling Stone 

An unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary life-one forged through a poverty-stricken childhood in 'slummy, one-horse towns'; obsessive desire; bursts of comedy; and indispensable friendships, reflecting on the way art, music, and a deep connection to nature helped her on a singular journey to become a beloved, Grammy-nominated artist. Neko Case has long been revered as one of music's most influential artists, whose authenticity, lyrical storytelling, and sly wit have endeared her to a legion of critics, musicians, and lifelong fans. In The Harder I Fight The More I Love You, Case brings her trademark candour and precision to a memoir that traces her evolution from an invisible girl 'raised by two dogs and a space heater' in rural Washington state to her improbable emergence as an internationally-acclaimed talent.

In luminous, sharp-edged prose, Case shows readers what it's like to be left alone for hours and hours as a child, to take refuge in the woods around her home, and to channel the monotony and loneliness and joy that comes from music, camaraderie, and shared experience into art. The Harder I Fight The More I Love You is a rebellious meditation on identity and corruption, and a manifesto on how to make space for ourselves in this world, despite the obstacles we face.

Back in print for the first time in over 20 years, the compilation assembles more than two hours of hard to find and unreleased Yo La Tengo music from 1988 – 1995.

TRACK LISTING

1. Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
2. Demons
3. Fog Over Frisco
4. Too Late
5. Hanky Panky Nohow
6. Something To Do
7. Ultra-Powerful Short Wave Radio Picks Up Music From Venus
8. Up To You
9. Somebody's Baby
10. Walking Away From You
11. Artificial Heart
12. Cast A Shadow
13. I'm Set Free
14. Barnaby, Hardly Working
15. Some Kinda Fatigue
16. Speeding Motorcycle
17. Nutricia
18. Her Grandmother's Gift
19. From A Motel 6 # 2
20. Gooseneck Problem
21. Surfin' With The Shah
22. Ecstasy Blues
23. Too Much, Part 1
24. Blitzkrieg Bop
25. One Self: Fish Girl
26. Enough
27. Drum Solo
28. From A Motel 6 # 1
29. Too Much, Part 2
30. Sunsquashed

While 'Love You All Over Again' represents a considered, if free-flowing return to Tunng’s stylistic and aesthetic rudiments, it is also a reflection of the magical cohesion the band have come to realise over time, particularly on stage. “There’s a bizarre chemistry between us”, affirms Becky Jacobs, “which is quite extraordinary given that we’re all very different – especially now that we’ve got kids and live in different parts of the world. And our tastes in music are quite diverse, even if there are things that overlap. Tunng has always been about Mike and Sam at the centre, but there’s something about the six of us – it just works.” Genders agrees. “Chemistry is not just about the individual abilities of the people involved; it’s about facilitating ideas. We always bounce off each other – there are some Herculean email chains... Tunng has always been eclectic; it’s Mike’s production that makes everything coherent.”

Whether it’s that ineffable esprit de corps, the meticulous studio craft or simply a turn of the karmic wheel, 'Love You All Over Again', with its folk-hymnal intimacy, its glimmering lights and long shadows, its unforced fusion of soul and machine, feels like a Tunng album for today – something of a familiar comfort in uncertain times and, equally, a record for the ages. While, as Genders contents, this is not a pop album per se, it is, nonetheless, as melodically generous and lyrically bewitching as it is eccentric and startling, and in its highly detailed, genre-melding production, and in the preternaturally timeless, reverb-less blend of Genders’ and Jacobs’ voices (sporadically joined by Lindsay and the rest of the ensemble’s distinctive shanty choir), as captivating as anything in the band’s considerable canon. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: It's another big one for me this week, with the new Tunng LP. Ever since I first heard 'Good Arrows', i've been enamoured with their deeply melodic, glitchy folk grooves. Though 'Don't Know Why' is a more immediately cheerful prospect than the darkly (and unfathomably brilliant) 'Dead Club', it's got a stream of tentative, mournful unease among the shimmering guitar and gorgeous melodies.

TRACK LISTING

1. Everything Else
2. Didn’t Know Why
3. Sixes
4. Snails
5. Laundry
6. Drifting Memory Station
7. Deep Underneath
8. Levitate A Little
9. Yeekeys
10. Coat Hangers

"I love the idea of something being so romantic that it almost hurts," says C (for Chris) Duncan of the music he adores.

Glasgow's classically trained multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter honours that idea with tremendous reserves of panache and feeling on his fifth album, It's Only a Love Song, released through Bella Union on 24th January 2025. Flushed with swooning strings, enraptured images, classicist melodies and dreamy harmonies, it's a record of orchestral pop romanticism at its most sublime: one from the heart, warmed by a deep ache of constant yearning.

An expansive beauty of an album, the record is made all the more extraordinary by its homegrown gestation. Duncan wrote and played most of it himself at his home studio (he also did the artwork) in Helensburgh, an experience suited to his sense of care and craft. "If you want to spend ages working on one tiny sound and then do a broad sweep of something else, it doesn't matter because the time is yours. I'm not paying for studios, which works for me because I go from having intense periods of working to spending ages making a snare drum sound a bit nicer. It'll take days to do, but it's good."

The result is Duncan's most lush release, and a fresh peak in a dazzling creative arc. Born in Glasgow, he played in school bands before studying music composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. His haunting debut album, Architect (2015), banked a Mercury Music Prize nomination; its follow-up, the Twilight Zone-inspired The Midnight Sun (2016), reached the shortlist for the Scottish Album of the Year. A tour with Elbow then beckoned, after which Duncan recorded the richly melodic Health (2019) at Elbow's Salford studio with Craig Potter. Another entry on the shortlist for Scottish Album of the Year came accompanied by effusive reviews: throughout his career, Duncan has banked raves from The Guardian, NME, MOJO, Uncut and others, alongside much love from BBC Radio 6 Music.

Besides support slots with Belle & Sebastian and Elbow, Chris went on to fill sizable venues in his own name, including London's Union Chapel and Scala. Another career development beckoned in 2020 via a collaboration with Bella Union's Simon Raymonde for the Lost Horizons project on the song 'Circle', prefiguring the effortless-seeming breeziness of Alluvium. It's Only a Love Song is his next great leap forward, a heartfelt valentine to romance with its head in the heavens and its sweep in the cinema stalls. Alongside The Carpenters and Scott Walker, declared influences range from Michel Legrand to Bernstein's West Side Story and the films of Jacques Demy, whose The Umbrellas of Cherbourg boasts music to make hearts sing. "It's almost hyper-romantic, which I love," explains Chris: "That way in music where you get to a point where your heart can't actually take anymore." Radiant and rapturous, It's Only a Love Song takes you right there.

TRACK LISTING

It's Only A Love Song
Lucky Today
Triste Clair De Lune
Worry
The Space Between Us
Think About It
Delirium
Sadness
Surface Of A Fantasy
Reprise
Time And Again

Richard Barrett, the man like Parrot, fires up his Bitter End alias again for more soul-flecked, full fat house music. Always on point with his production, the track's are sonically plump and velumptuous, perfect for sound systems or a cruising around in a souped up Honda Civic. 

Following his work with Roisin Murphy we get another smattering of soulful house tracks (vocalist currently uncredited) that pump, sway and swing in all the right places. Recommended! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Bitter End brilliance with fizzy textures, high def bass and rich production that pours of the wax like Manuka honey.

TRACK LISTING

A. Adjustment->love
A. Rivers
B. Maladjustment->love
B.something Going Nowhere

No one edits a classic like Mr. K, as he has proven time and time again. Now the legendary studio craftsman is back and revisiting Paradise Garage and some of the club's legendary sounds. First up is TW Funkmasters' 'Love Money,' which was conceived by UK radio reggae jock Tony Williams and fuses Dennis Brown's reggae hit 'Money In My Pocket' with early rap influences. The dub version was embraced by New York's dance scene and became iconic at the 'Garage, with many homages coming later such as Larry Levan's Man Friday remake, 'Love Honey, Love Heartache.' On the flip, Janice McClain's 1979 Philly disco classic 'Smack Dab In The Middle' shines as Larry Levan's mix is reworked by Mr. K who turns up the jazzy groove with fresh breaks.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A super funky twosome from one of the masters of the edit, Mr K. This time we get a housey NYC bumper in the Funkmaster's 'Love Money' and the sultry lounge swing of 'Smack Dab In The Middle'. Classic tunes, great edits.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. "Love Money" (Mr K Edit)

Side 2
1. "Smack Dab In The Middle" (Mr K Edit)

Star Creature alumni Saucy Lady does a spot of moonlighting on Dippin', delivering the forth LP from this Boston-based boogie bug. Featuring a few cool collabs and some creative cover versions; its boogie-centred dynamics veer casually at times into house and pop-territories with assured confidence and style.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: A truly charismatic songstress and star operating within the new boogie and modern funk landscape. Much like Manchester's Sarah Bates or Glasgow's Hidden Groove / Tension, Saucy Lady runs the whole shebang herself - from vocals to drum hits to squelches and sirens. "Love Fest" is one of her strongest releases to date.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1.Falling In Love
2.What If? (feat Jay Mumford)
3.Break The Ice

Side 2
1.Silver Haze (feat Derrick McKenzie)
2.What You Won't Do For Love (feat Yam Who?)
3.Love Lock
4.Sao Paulo

Ex-Vöid - featuring Lan McArdle (Joanna Gruesome, Lanny) and Owen Williams (The Tubs) - return with their second LP: In Love Again. Joined by Laurie Foster (bass) and George Rothman (drums), the record sees the band flourish from a chaotic power punk group into a fully fledged pop behemoth. Taking in elements of shoegaze (Pinhead), country (Outline), 90s indie rock (In Love Again) and pretty much the entire history of guitar music, In Love Again reveals McArdle and Williams to be true students of perfect pop. The pair have been collaborating for a decade now, having played in Joanna Gruesome as teenagers, and In Love Again sees them both building on the sound they’ve honed together and embracing a new, unapologetic attitude towards songcraft. “We wanted to stop being cringed out by the idea of writing pop music. We’re a bit older now and not trying to remind everyone we come from hardcore/DIY scenes. It’s still there in our DNA but we wanted to see what might happen if we write the biggest bangers possible” says Williams. Backed by the tight-yet-raucous rhythm section of Foster and Rothman, In Love Again delivers as a huge pop album without sacrificing any of the hardcore propulsion that characterised the band’s first album. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Ex-Vöid sound is the sublime blend of McArdle and Williams’ vocals: close, folk- indebted harmonies which guide the listener through an onslaught of hooks. And while this is utilised to full effect on In Love Again, the album also sees McArdle make full use of their vocal range. Tunes like July and Sara reveal a set of pipes and knack for chorus-writing rarely heard in today’s indie scene. In keeping with their new sound, McArdle and Williams have taken a more autobiographical, nuanced approach to lyric writing this time around, a move influenced by touring with Waxahatchee. (The band also cover Lonely Girls by Lucinda Williams - one of Katie Crutchfield’s heroes). The hints of folk and country embedded in the tunes also stretch to this new lyrical approach- storytelling and heartbreak abound. This was helped by the fact both members had recently experienced a breakup while writing the album. “Obviously a super catastrophic breakup is useful to have,” McArdle says, “It means I can still be selfdeprecating and not super sincere. But also be like: I’m in pain.” Williams agrees: “It makes you go mental and while this is a cliche – it's definitely good for the band. And it’s interesting to compare, say, my breakup song Down The Drain to Lan’s July, because it’s two quite different perspectives but we’re each there on each other’s songs, harmonising or ripping guitar solos.” The band’s first LP, Bigger Than Before, received positive coverage in Pitchfork, SPIN, Stereogum and others. It received airtime on BBC Radio 6, and saw the band support/tour with acts such as Waxahatchee, Speedy Ortiz and Alvvays. Williams also fronts The Tubs - whose 2023 debut saw them touring internationally and receiving plaudits from Pitchfork, The Guardian and Iggy Pop. 

TRACK LISTING

A1 Swansea
A2 In Love Again
A3 July
A4 Nightmare
A5 Pinhead
B1 Lonely Girls
B2 Sara
B3 Strange Insinuation
B4 Down The Drain
B5 Outline

CTMF features Billy Childish, his wife Julie on bass & vovals and Wolf Howard on drums. Come September 2024, The CTMF found themselves in the studio, the tape machine running. Quick as you like Julie suggested they record three of her favourite 'hits' from The Yardbirds song book. Precision bass in hand, and taking lead vocals (with their 14 year old kid Atticus on backing vocals), The CTMF got to work, thus revealing these manly Yardbirds ditty's are gems for the female voice also. Top marks!

Dennis Anthony Thomas, better known as King Kong, is a renowned Jamaican singer known for tracks such as "Trouble Again" and "Legal We Legal". "Song of Love" is an iconic obscure track from King Kong's discography, released under Pisces Productions. This track is one of the era's most cherished anti-apartheid anthems, embodying the spirit of resistance and solidarity.

The lyrics of "Song of Love" capture the urgency and emotional depth of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. The song references then- President P.W. Botha, expressing a direct appeal for human rights and unity among South Africans. Through themes of harmony and love, King Kong emphasizes the resilience of people and the beauty of cultural solidarity.
In reggae's tradition of addressing political struggles, "Song of Love" resonates as an artistic and symbolic statement against apartheid.
The song captures the shared aspirations for peace and freedom, representing how the South African struggle echoed worldwide - including in Jamaica, where reggae artists like King Kong amplified these calls through music.

“Song of Love” is more than just a song; it’s a historical message and testament to reggae’s role in the global fight for human rights. King Kong’s “Song of Love” epitomizes a generation of reggae artists who leveraged music to advocate for justice, spreading messages of hope, resilience, and change that resonate to this day.

Originally released in 1989 Produced and Arranger by: R. (Briggs) Fergusen, S. Small, Y. (Polly) Linton Sleeve artwork by Parade Studio
Label artwork by Florian Weigel
Licensed courtesy of Dennis Anthony Thomas aka King Kong

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Mahoosive late 80s roots which resonates poignantly with our troubled present. The dub version is head shatteringly good too and, cut at 45rpm, will nice up the subwoofers.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Song Of Love
B1. Song Of Love (Version)

This gorgeous collection of never-before-seen artwork, behind-the-scenes photos, handwritten lyrics, exclusive commentary, and personal ephemera from Grammy Award-nominated artist Iron & Wine (aka Sam Beam) is a must-have collector’s item for every Iron & Wine fan. Accompanied by commentary from Sam himself, Love and Some Verses compiles the lyrics of more than 160 iconic Iron & Wine songs, capturing a distinctive musical legacy. Whether you're a devoted fan or a newcomer to the spellbinding world of Iron & Wine, within these pages you will form an intimate connection to the songs that have touched millions around the world.

American soulstress Phyllis Hyman gets two of her much loved anthems officially reissued.

'You Know How To Love Me' is a 7 and a half minute lesson in love. It's got that full bodied production of this golden era - layering strings seamlessly with a busty brass section and a flute line that even the most hardened can't help but smile at.

Couple this with Phyllis' sultry yet powerful vocals bolstered by a backing group containing, amongst others, the mighty Gwen Guthrie.

On the flip, 'Living Inside Your Love' hits you with a soul jam, heavy on the funk - complete with hands in the air chorus. Just as perfect to close out a set, as it is to warm up the floor.

Two essential tracks for any soul & disco aficionado!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: I've always loved "You Know How..."; even 'indie' Liam knows the words! An absolute classic. However, bucking the trend of disco B-sides usually being smoochy, (shite), slow burners, "Living Inside Your Love" is also completely essential. Making this entire record a joy for your record collection. Just gerrit!

TRACK LISTING

A1. You Know How To Love Me (Long Version)
B1. Living Inside Your Love

Introducing an essential reissue of this legendary SAM Records single Just How Sweet Is Your Love/I Found Love In You now on a 45 for the first time. These two tracks were originally released on the classic album Just How Sweet Is Your Love in 1980 which features other disco, boogie classics Free and Do Your Dance. Whilst the 12" version of this single is widely available, the 7" was only ever released on styrene. Demon Records Singles Club are delighted to present a 45 version now newly remastered by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering and housed in the legendary SAM Records house bag.

TRACK LISTING

A. Just How Sweet Is Your Love
B. I Found Love In You 

A classic in the realm of Disco, ‘Spread Love’ by Al Hudson & The Soul Partners was a standout record from their album ‘Spreading Love’, originally released in 1978 on ABC Records. Having been covered and sampled various times over the years, this sought-after masterpiece has now been officially licensed for the first time in 46 years and remastered on 12 inch, thanks to the team at South Steet Disco. The A-side features the full extended intro version from the original album, whilst the B-side houses the 1978 12 inch single version, jumping straight into the action.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Spread Love
B1. Spread Love (12 Inch Version)

On "Forgiveness", SLIM0 sets the scene with a scream tearing apart the silence. “Stars! I’m Coming!” introduces the Danish/Montegrinian/Iranian trio's debut album in mere 1:11 mins; it’s disruptive, energetic, almost scornful. The stage is filled with a multitude of characters at high pace, but are we witnessing a comedy or a tragedy? The opening soon gives way to a much gloomier mood throughout, revealing a full body of work conveyed through personal takes on classic rock tropes with SLIM0 as the omniscient narrator.

"Forgiveness" came to life through long live session jams and recordings melted into their rawest essence by the enigmatic artist and producer Aase Nielsen, who has closely collaborated with the group in forming their first full length release. Urgency, noise and desire characterise the musical and artistic expression on the record, where hardcore rock lives side by side with pop cultural references. On previous releases, SLIM0 have drawn upon choir, alternative indie, prog rock and grunge (EPs ‘Sol i øjet’ and ‘Lifespan’ as well as multiple singles). "Forgiveness" sees them cultivating all of these elements while stepping into an even meaner space, and which better place to go to for this than the world of punk, rock, doom.

TRACK LISTING

Stars I M Coming
Fear The World Alone
Trenches
Father
Di0r
Makaroni
Wind Of Lies
Lights On New Sun
Same Scene
I Have But One Heart
11 Gate 0
Cheap Ballerinas Little Black Dress
Lady In White Enter Spotlight
Feel The World Alone
I M Not In Love I M Alive
Strong Characters
Twenty Twenty Three Forgiveness

25 years on from the release of their debut LP A Nice Hot Bath With.., acclaimed English dance collective Crazy P returns with their ninth studio album, Any Signs of Love.

Written and recorded in 2023, before the untimely passing of beloved frontwoman Danielle Moore, Any Signs of Love, is Crazy P at their best, crystallising three decades of unforgettable live performances, solid friendship and above all, excellent tunes.

Masters at blending a range of classic references, from underground disco to Fleetwood Mac, and making it entirely their own, the band’s drive to continually evolve as songwriters, producers, and performers is witnessed across the album’s 10 glorious new tracks. Lead single ‘Human After All, is the perfect introduction - a feel-good, sultry groover, bedecked with italo-y arps, infectious piano hooks, and drenched in Balearic beats.

Their first album in five years, ‘Any Signs of Love,’ delivers everything fans expect from a band of their calibre—whose catalogue has built a loyal, multigenerational following and is equally at home soundtracking sweaty basement clubs, and outdoor raves, as it is on huge festival stages. From the anthemic ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Anything’, to the Italo-eque title track, and the psychedelic fruitiness of ‘Not Too Late’, Any Signs of Love contains all the core ingredients of the Crazy P magic: grooves galore, hooks, and the electrifying vocals of charismatic leader, Danielle Moore.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Thumping, Italo tinged bass throbs and snappy percussion loops, soaring synth sweeps and slowly blooming atmospheric tension, releasing in a cacophony of Danielle's beautifully rich, soaring vocal and flickering guitar stabs. Undeniably brilliant, and a true testament to the skill of the whole band. A beautiful end result, and a perfect legacy for Danielle to leave behind.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Any Signs Of Love
A2. Portals

B1. System Failure
B2. Not Too Late
B3. Love Is Power

C1. Mystify
C2. The Revolution Will Not Be Anything

D1. Human After All
D2. You Know How It Goes
D3. Strange Affair

THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 29TH 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 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30TH).

G. Love & Special Sauce’s legendary self-titled debut album has been remastered and newly expanded for its 30th anniversary. Along with the classic x14 trk original album, this expanded edition boasts a fourth side of rare versions & live tracks on Light Blue x2 LP Vinyl for the first time. 

The new album from Primal Scream - ‘Come Ahead’ produced by David Holmes, is currently causing an inferno for fans old and new. Black Science Orchestra have remixed lead track ‘Love Insurrection’ with a tight funky drummer back beat, parping pipes, rolling keys and wooshes of L.O.V.E. The release follows the white label of Terry Farley & Wade Teo’s take on album track ‘Ready To Go Home’ and is sure to follow it’s sold out status.

TRACK LISTING

A. Love Insurrection (Black Science Orchestra Vocal Remix)
B. Love Insurrection (Black Science Orchestra Dub) 

The Mysticisms crew is back with a fifth instalment in their Deplete series and this time it takes the form of music from one of the inspirations for the series itself, namely the not-so-well-known but nevertheless influential Digi Dub label. It was headed up by Lee Berwick and echoed the sound of South London squat parties in the 80s and early 90s. Berwick himself got into music production later on and built a studio around the AKAI sampler before hooking up with other like-minded people to create the LZ Diesel alias. Opener 'For The Love Of' is a timeless digi-stepper with dancehall stylings, super sweet vocals and bongos tumbling freely. 'Suicidial Dub' is more busy and percussive with screwy synth energy and 'Skunk Funk' is a slow-motion melon-melter.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Super strong set of speaker busting dub-step / dancehall hybrids that'll have yer teeth rattling out their sockets in no time.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. For The Love Of
2. Bad Boys

Side 2
1. Suicidal Dub
2. Skunk Funk

Released in November 1986, a few months after its parent album, Brotherhood, this track went on to become one of New Order's most loved songs of their whole oeuvre. This 12 inch features a beefed up remix that's quite different from the album version and is presented in one of Peter Saville's most beautiful sleeves.

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: A synth-pop classic and maybe New Order's greatest ever pop song.

TRACK LISTING

Bizarre Love Triangle
Bizarre Dub Triangle

After a hiatus from touring, Black Pumas returned to the road in 2024 in support of their acclaimed sophomore album Chronicles of a Diamond. Live From Brooklyn Paramount captures the "Electric Church" live experience created by Eric Burton, Adrian Quesada and their six-piece band. The 2xLP set features songs from both Chronicles and their million-selling debut, including the Grammy nominated "Colors", "Black Moon Rising”, "More Than A Love Song” & their version of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car."

TRACK LISTING

1 Fire (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
2 I’m Ready (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
3 Gemini Sun (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
4 Know You Better (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
5 Black Moon Rising (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
6 Tomorrow (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
7 Sauvignon (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
8 Ice Cream (Pay Phone) (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
9 More Than A Love Song (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
10 Confines (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
11 Chronicles Of A Diamond (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
12 Mrs. Postman (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
13 OCT 33 (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
14 Colors (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
15 Fast Car (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)
16 Rock And Roll (Live From Brooklyn Paramount)

Scruniversal hit gold once more with the fifth outing, this one from the label head Scruscru as well as Tony Lavurtz and DJ Pecan. This series is all about re-edits and reworks of old and rare records from Scru's friends' collections and first off is 'Pela Internet', a brilliantly sunny and percussive Brazilian number with great instrumentals and steamy Portuguese vocals. DJ Pecan steps up on the B-side with 'Marengo In Love' which is a more romantic sound for when the sun has gone down and you want to get up close and personal and gaze up at the stars while a sultry slow-motion funk groove unfolds.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: The sultry Marengo In Love is definitely the star of the show here and has us all swooning over that Art Of Noise sample...

TRACK LISTING

Tony Lavrutz & Scruscru - Pela Internet
DJ Pecan - Marengo In Love

This is Northumberland songwriter, poet, raconteur and old friend of Piccadilly Records, Peter Alexander Jobson's debut solo album and it's an absolute treat.

Recorded at his home studio and produced by Ben Christophers, the album is an extraordinary collection that blends genres as diverse as country-flavoured psychedelia and cocktail jazz with the spirit of the Northern variety circuit. His vocals answer the question: what if Serge Gainsbourg had been born in the North East of England? Inspirations include Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Scott Walker, blues and country legends like Robert Johnson and Hank Williams, and Northern entertainers of days past like Les Dawson and the great Jake Thackray.

Jobson made his name as bass guitarist and keyboard player in I Am Kloot. After six albums and 16 successful years together the cult trio of Jobson, drummer Andy Hargreaves and singer/guitarist John Bramwell broke up after a final triumphant performance at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the 2016 Meltdown Festival on London's South Bank. I Am Kloot were noted for their distinctive sound, the jazzy swing of Jobson and built a fervent following both in the UK and across Europe, culminating in a Mercury Music Prize nomination for their lavish fifth album, 'Sky At Night' - produced by Elbow's Guy Garvey and Craig Potter in 2010.

Heavily autobiographical in inspiration, the songs on 'Burn The Ration Books Of Love' are deeply rooted in Jobson's lived experience, and in his geographical roots in Northumberland, with its wild, windswept coastline, rugged hills and moors, and extensive agricultural farmland where his family have worked the land for generations.

TRACK LISTING

Holiday (Live)
Mountain
The Night Of The Fire
Taxi Supplies
Go Go
Foolish Boy
Please Please Please
Home
Kesta
Just 'Cause I'm Dead
Burn The Ration Books Of Love

Hounds Of Love invites you to not only listen, but to cross the boundaries of sensory experience into realms of imagination and possibility. Side A spawned four Top 40 hit singles in the UK, ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)’, ‘Cloudbusting’, ‘Hounds of Love’ and ‘The Big Sky’, some of the best-loved and most enduring compositions in Bush’s catalogue. On side B, a hallucinatory seven-part song cycle called The Ninth Wave broke away from the pop conventions of the era by using strange and vivid production techniques that plunge the listener into the psychological centre of a near-death experience. Poised and accessible, yet still experimental and complex, with Hounds Of Love Bush mastered the art of her studio-based songcraft, finally achieving full control of her creative process. When it came out in 1985, she was only 27 years old.

This book charts the emergence of Kate Bush in the early-to-mid-1980s as a courageous experimentalist, a singularly expressive recording artist and a visionary music producer. Track-by-track commentaries focus on the experience of the album from the listener’s point of view, drawing attention to the art and craft of Bush’s songwriting, production and sound design. It considers the vast impact and influence that Hounds Of Love has had on music cultures and creative practices through the years, underlining the artist’s importance as a barrier-smashing, template-defying, business-smart, record-breaking, never-compromising role model for artists everywhere.

This book charts the emergence of Kate Bush in the early-to-mid-1980s as a courageous experimentalist, a singularly expressive recording artist and a visionary music producer. Track-by-track commentaries focus on the experience of the album from the listener’s point of view, drawing attention to the art and craft of Bush’s songwriting and sound design. It considers the vast impact and influence that Hounds Of Love has had on music cultures and creative practices through the years, underlining the artist’s importance as a barrier-smashing, template-defying, business-smart, record-breaking, never-compromising role model for artists everywhere.

Continuing our quest to get all of the classic early AMT albums released on vinyl, we turn to 2004’s 'Mantra Of Love’, and with the help of Makoto Kawabata’s studio wizardry, we’ve made it possible.

This latest instalment in the ‘Acid Mothers Temple Vinyl Archives - First Time On Vinyl’ series (as with the three previous SOLD OUT releases in the series) have all been meticulously put together with the help of Makoto Kawabata with the original CD artwork recreated for these vinyl editions from archive photos stored in the vaults at the Acid Mothers Temple in Osaka, Japan and the original audio remastered by James Plotkin.

Here we have a new Disco Combine ready to plough the proverbial Disco fields. This time Dave Lee harvests some Disco/Funk gold with his mix of 'Dancin' For Your Love', a foot stompin' Rod Temperton style dancefloor rocket filled with soaring strings, rippling piano, vocal harmonies and killer bass action. Backed up by a cosmic Moog dub which doubles down on the delays and synths. On the flip Dave doths his cap to mid 80's NYC for some serious Proto House biz. Brimming with detuned cowbells, HOUSE basslines & proggy synth arpeggios under a Colonel Abrams-ish vocal. Think Serious Intention meeting Visual in Cultural Vibe's garage.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. Dancin’ For Your Love (Extended Disco Mix)
2. Dancin’ For Your Love (Space Moog Dub)

Side 2
1. Go This Way (Dubwise ’85)
2. Go This Way (Re-visualized Mix)

Be With Records reaching 10 years feels like a landmark worth celebrating. So we proudly present Joyride (the record) and Labour Of Love (the book) in one beautiful slipcase. We're not doing this for self-indulgent reasons. This book and record package was conceived as an opportunity to praise, shine a light on and above all else show gratitude to all the artists we've worked so closely with over the last 10 years. But not just the artists - all of the amazing people who form part of the wider Be With family.

Without question, this package represents the most exciting, daunting and rewarding thing that the label has ever put together. Some time in 2023, we had the idea that 2024 should feature some special releases, events and, well, "things". The "thing" is the very book and record you're reading about. Thanks to the brother Jim - writer and editor of the very thing - for suggesting we do a book. (I thought he was joking). Anyway, how could Be With do a book, shaped like a record sleeve and sized the same, without including a record inside to complete a very special package of "Be Withness"?

THE RECORD: JOYRIDE
10 tracks for 10 Years of Be With from 10 of our favourite artists we've ever worked with over the past decade. As a happily "all over the place" label, the music, accordingly, had to be varied in vibe and style.

We start with a gorgeous acoustic folk track from Thomas Almqvist. I first heard this when our dear friend Andre Allday - who first suggested and then facilitated the Nyanser reissue - played it during our release party for the record at the amazing Hosoi in Stockholm. As something to grab your attention from the off, it's a pretty good opener, I reckon - it'll stop you in your tracks.

We move into an almost totally "lost" Lewis Taylor track, known to and beloved by only his hardest of hardcore fans. Before now, it has only ever seen the light of day on some obscure late 90s CD of "lullabies" compiled by Joan Armatrading. Us neither!

Mic Murphy from Sass/The Mighty Soulmates/The System (!!!) allowed us to use an unreleased track from his mysterious late 90s period. He sent over 7 stunning tracks and, over breakfast one winter morning with my two sons, Rocco and Bruno, the 3 of us selected the track that made us bounce the most while chomping on our cereal.

In deep fall of 2023, myself and Steven (The Funky Paramedic™) had the great pleasure of visiting Tony Henry, leader of the legendary Manchester 80s soul-funk act 52nd Street (those who "put the dance into Factory") to speak some more about a forthcoming retrospective that's been in the works for 5 years now. Fear not - it's coming! Anyway, we went into Tony's amazing studio and he played us the track you hear, here. A demo originally meant for Phyllis Hyman (I mean, come on!), he's very kindly let us use it for this record. A thousand thank yous. It's sensational.

Side A closes out with an elegant exclusive from our favourite Japanese duo, Coastlines, a tropical jazz-funk-fusion track that only they can so effortlessly craft. Sublime.

Side B opens with another total exclusive, and the title track of this compilation. "Joyride" is like some kind of swinging, G-Funk library from the Californian master of modern cinematic soul - Maston. We love everything about this dude. Speaking of California, next up is possibly the coolest ex-pat Manc in all of the Golden State.

Kenny Dickenson's instant classic "Stupid Rain" knocked me out the first time I heard it. The way it starts as a beautifully ornate ambient piece before introducing the barest of pulses to then segue into a full slo-mo cosmic chugger just gets me every time. Man's a genius.

Our great friends from Wilco, Pat and John, comprise The Autumn Defense. Two of the nicest humans in the game and "Bluebirds Fall" is chiming folk-rock at its finest. What they do best and, beyond a tiny-run CD EP decades ago, this is the only way to own this majestic stunner.

Stimulator Jones is a Stones Throw artist who we've loved ever since the epochal "Soon Never Comes" graced our ears. We're putting out his archive beats and when I asked if he had anything fresh that hadn't yet found a home, he sent over a modern / spiritual jazz movement that just blew me away. It's here.

We round out the compilation with a staccato funk-rock track from a Prince alumnus, the one and only Andre Cymone. If this track isn't blasting from radio stations from Dublab to Gilles to NTS then there's no justice in the world.

Of course, as is our way, none of these tracks have ever appeared on vinyl before. This is the only way to own them on wax. Pretty cool. As ever, all we ever want to hear is music with soul and personality. And that's what's contained here. We think we've nailed it. We think you'll like it too.

THE BOOK: LABOUR OF LOVE
Created in conjunction with the editor and design team behind Disco Pogo, Labour Of Love is our first ever book and serves as a brilliantly rich and varied document of Be With's first 10 years. It surveys our entire catalogue with the artwork for every single release faithfully reproduced in full colour accompanied by Rob's inimitable reviews.

The book contains fresh, exclusive interviews with Ned Doheny, Leon Ware, Lewis Taylor, Tommy Guerrero, Wally Badarou, Steve Moore, Pete Fowler, Kimiko Kasai, Tony Henry (52nd Street), The Autumn Defense, Coastlines and The Mighty Soulmates.

There's also fantastic contributions from a whole host of well regarded fans of the label. We have Gilles Peterson on Ned, Trevor Jackson on Nucleus, Efficient Space on Steve Hiett and the joy of collaboration in a competitive industry, Bill Brewster on Marti Caine, Balearic Mike on Kylie and Lou Hayter on her beloved Air.

We explore the development of the Be With logo and also take an insider's look at the journey of a typical Be With record; from the mastering stage with Simon Francis, cutting it up with Cicely Balston, the artwork ordeals with Chris Stevenson, pressing matters with Record Industry, slinging product with ace distributors Word And Sound, stocking product with our favourite London record shop When Spaceships Appear and even packing records for direct orders with our very own Funky Paramedic.

There's also an irreverent look at the legendary Reissue Request Line over on Facebook, with many hints at things to come. 

TRACK LISTING

A1 Thomas Almqvist - Lullaby For Zak
A2 Lewis Taylor - Cherry Blossom
A3 Mic Murphy - Salon Du Chocolat
A4 52nd Street - I'd Fallen In Love (With The Wrong Kind)
A5 Coastlines - Hot Wind
B1 Maston - Joyride
B2 Kenny Dickenson - Stupid Rain
B3 The Autumn Defense - Bluebirds Fall
B4 Stimulator Jones - Aquarius-Pisces Cusp
B5 Andre Cymone - Sex Love Experience

Two iconic 80s Disco/Boogie anthems of the era are set for a re-release on 12-inch vinyl via RCA, with a fresh mix from Brooklyn-based producer, Mike Maurro.

Keni Burke - Risin' to the Top (A Mike Maurro Mix)

'’Risin’ to the Top’, originally released in 1982 on Burke’s third solo album, ‘Changes’, has become Burke’s most successful hit as a solo artist since departing from his former band, Five Stairsteppers. Countless producers have utilised the song as a choice sample for their own tracks with artists such as Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Madlib and more.

Maurro’s mix works the stems and gives the record some fresh guitar licks alongside new percussive elements, whilst maintaining a heavy lean into the sensual, laid-back swing of the original.'

Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King - I'm In Love (A Mike Maurro Mix)

'The flip side sees the release of Evelyn 'Champagne' King’s hit single ‘I’m In Love’, originally released in 1981 and taken from King’s fourth studio album of the same name. A feel-good, sing-a-long anthem, once again given a fresh feel thanks to Maurro’s new take on the record.

Both tracks serve as trump cards to whip up any dancefloor at the right time'

TRACK LISTING

A1. Keni Burke - Risin' To The Top (A Mike Maurro Mix)
B1. Evelyn 'Champagne' King - I'm In Love (A Mike Maurro Mix)

After 2 years of relentless touring in support of their critically acclaimed debut album, Thee Sacred Souls return with "Lucid Girl", the lead single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Got a Story to Tell.

Backed by a heavy beat and lavish arrangement, singer Josh Lane–displaying a soulfulness beyond his years–sings an empowering tale of a girl who has the clarity to put her needs before prospective suitors. B-side features "Losing Side of Love."

TRACK LISTING

Side A – Lucid Girl
Side B – Losing Side Of Love

Love Is A Flame In The Dark is the debut album by experimental songwriter Karl D’Silva. A raw labour of love, a towering spire of twisted steel, tenderness and becoming, it’s a body of songs that belies the virtuoso talents of an artist whose reputation has been built on collaborating with various avant garde underground luminaries. Self-recorded at home in Rotherham and pulsing with the conviction of a true believer, these songs burst out of their self-consciousness to meet life head on, bristling with energy, 10 glimpses of the human spirit in the darkness. Recorded throughout 2021 - 2023 and mixed in Leeds with engineer Ross Halden, D’Silva has constructed a Pop language for himself. Mutated songs that owe a small debt to the post-Industrial music of Cabaret Voltaire, Nine Inch Nails and Coil, they’re nonetheless powered by a vigorous tenderness, earnestness and D’Silva’s knack for melody. Each song is meticulously sound-designed, using synthesised sounds created from scratch married with D’Silva’s virtuoso playing on saxophone and guitar.

The songs on Love Is A Flame In The Dark are unabashed, earnest love letters to living, requiems for a world fading away and small gestures of solidarity in the face of entropy. Until now, D’Silva’s fingerprints could be found on live dates with Thurston Moore, Oren Ambarchi, Hardcore pioneers Siege and Rian Treanor as well as recordings by previous groups Trumpets Of Death and Drunk In Hell. Primarily associated with the alto saxophone in his improvisation work, Love Is A Flame In The Dark features a dizzying array of instrumentation, all played by D’Silva. D’Silva’s current membership of the group Vanishing may be a good touchstone for the dense, sonically thrilling world-building on the album but the most striking instrument, perhaps, is D’Silva’s voice. With a soulful, rasping timbre resulting from prolonged intubation as a new-born, his vocal is both fearless and tender. On the soaring, electronic body mover Wild Kiss, thundering percussion is in service to Karl’s voice full of desire, arching up into a flayed falsetto. It’s a trick repeated on Flowers Start To Cry, where it’s deployed against the backdrop of layers of ripping alto and thudding drum programming that recall Nine Inch Nails’ visceral production, if they were covering a Prince hit. These songs capture the essence of 2024’s Karl D’Silva music; pure physicality breaking down to reveal a shining, compassionate vulnerability.

The full breadth of Karl D’Silva’s instrumental prowess is in evidence from the off. On The Outside imagines blooming out of personal apocalypse with a soundscape of synth, saxophone worthy of any late 60s Free Jazz blower and crushing sound design. Entropy is planet-sized synth pop, Nowhere Left To Run uses midi-string orchestration to tell a story of light emerging from the dark. It’s a theme picked up throughout the album: The Butcher is a political parable, the narrator holding power to account with grotesque, brutal imagery. It’s on a track like Real Life that the true message emerges, however. D’Silva is peering through the layers of artifice, struggle and the fog of daily living to find a life full of energy, connection and light. Each song here is a route into this light, out of the darkness.

TRACK LISTING

1. On The Outside
2. Entropy
3. Wild Kiss
4. Flowers Start To Cry
5. The Crucible
6. Nowhere Left To Run
7. Real Life
8. Shine Brightly
9. The Butcher
10. Love Is A Flame In The Dark

New on Outta Sight, an official reissue of the Gloria Jones classic “Tainted Love”. The song originates from 1964, then made a household favourite from 1981 when made a hit by Soft Cell. Gloria’s 1965 release in the USA was originally a B-side to a non-hit, and it took ten years for it to be discovered in the UK where it was played on the Northern Soul scene. It’s the Motown-like rhythms and arrangements that made it relevant. Gloria re-recorded it herself in 1976, and while still not a hit, the song in NME’s Top 500 greatest of all time and Gloria dubbted ‘The Queen Of Northern Soul’. She was in a relationship with Marc Bolan at the time of his fatal accident.

This single is coupled with another northern soul favourite, the Holland/Dozier/Holland song “There’s A Ghost In My House” by Motown artist R. Dean Taylor. It was originally recorded in 1966 and reached No.3 in the UK Charts (1974). It was covered in their own inimitable style by The Fall in 1987.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: Two absolute killers here. I'm buying this for when I (in my dreams) buy a jukebox - a definite double A-side gem this.

TRACK LISTING

Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
R Dean Taylor - There's A Ghost In My House

In the age of streaming platforms and social media, stimulation is easy to come by. Real pleasure, however—the kind that feeds our soul rather than draining it—is in shockingly short supply. The second LP by THUS LOVE is full of that kind of nourishing euphoria. It swoons, shakes, and swaggers with a combination of grit and sensuality that’s been hard to locate in music lately. It’s called, fittingly, 'All Pleasure'.

The album came out of a period of dizzying growth and transformation for the group. When they began work on it, vocalist/guitarist Echo Mars and drummer Lu Racine were still reeling from the runaway success of their 2022 debut Memorial—a set of lush, elegant post-punk that brought praise from The FADER, the NME, and the Guardian—along with processing the departure of the founding bassist.

With 'All Pleasure', the band re-formed with new bassist Ally Juleen and guitarist/keyboardist Shane Blank. The group convened in a barn in the woods that Mars had transformed into a recording studio, and kept one rule at the forefront: “If it’s not joyful, don’t do it.” What emerged from that mission is a stunningly gorgeous album, full of big, arcing melodies and a range of kinky stylistic twists that will surprise listeners who know the group just for Memorial’s chorus-drenched 80sstyle psychedelia. 'Birthday Song' gives grungy glam rock with a transcendent hook that underlines Echo’s lyrical tribute to communal joy. 'Get Stable' transmutes existential panic into sharp-angled punk pop.

The anthemic title track is something like the album’s mission statement, paying tribute to the power of joyful creation. Mixed by Matthew Hall and Rich Costey and mastered by Bob Weston, 'All Pleasure' was recorded as live as possible, capturing the sheer infectious ecstasy that comes from sharing space together and making a divine racket. Put on 'All Pleasure', tap into the energy that THUS LOVE is putting out, and you just might find an escape.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Yep, BANG into this. An album made by a bunch of supremely talented musicians about being happy, filled with tons of huge riffs and incandescent hooks. Supremely uplifting, poppy stoner punk business. Ace.

TRACK LISTING

1. On The Floor
2. Birthday Song
3. Get Stable
4. All Pleasure
5. Face To Face
6. Lost In Translation
7. Show Me Patience
8. House On A Hill
9. Bread For Blood
10. Losing A Friend

You know it's going to be a heavy record when DJ / collector Mr Thing asks you to keep a look out for a copy on your next digging trip to Brazil

Add on top of that, being sampled by Madlib on the track 'Curls' on his Madvillain album!

Taken from Waldir Calmon's 'Waldir Calmon E Seus Multisons' album onCopacabana(1970), from looking at this unassuming record cover featuring a middle-aged man sporting an impressive pair of glasses you wouldn't expect it to become the fabric to one of the songs from the iconic 'Madvillain' album. But... like many things in life, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. 'Airport Love Theme', like its name suggests, falls into full- on lounge territory. It is feel- good music made to be the soundtrack for a utopian world that never really was. Yet behind the silky-smooth groove is an addictive earworm waiting to be heard.

'Afro Som' taken from the same album, pushes things in a different direction towards a sound that is more firmly rooted in the Brazilian tradition. This quirky 60's-breakbeat-funk groove is reminiscent of French artist Jean Jacques Perrey's 'E.V.A.', also from 1970, in its melody and backbeat, where the Moog synthesizer of Perrey is replaced with a more orchestrated sound by Calmon. This track is magical, cinematic and breakbeat-laden with a hidden unknown exoticism.

Waldir Calmon had an active career in music working from the '50s right up until his passing in 1982. His career started early, forming his first ensemble at the age of fourteen, originally working in bands in nightclubs and writing jingles. He progressed in the early '50s to a long- running career working in television. In addition to his television work, he had success with his recording vocation, mixing in the same musical circles as greats such as Tom Jobi , Joao Gilberto and Doris Monteiro.

TRACK LISTING

Airport Love Theme
Afro Som

“The title speaks for itself. Maudlin means emotionally sentimental. Tales, these songs are stories to me, about different times. Grief - there is much sadness and darkness in it, and Love - there is some light there too, a bit of joy, to frame the shadow.”

Mystery Tiime is the new musical project from Ayman Rostom aka The Maghreban.

For the first time in his diverse musical career, we hear him sing. The song writing came first, he had initially intended for other people to sing his songs about death & love, but they found them too personal. He had put down guide vocals for the demos and it soon became apparent that his raw and reflective voice was the only one that could tell these tales.

“Some people said it sounded like Robert Wyatt, I had never listened to his stuff before I started singing, it was a compliment, I mean he can’t sing either”.

Musically he explores his post punk side, a musical thread in his life that started at 10 as he found the melancholy of The Cure speak to him. Bauhaus, Tones on Tail Dub Mixes, SPK, The Creatures, Connie Plank Ultravox, Swamp Children and The Au Pairs followed later down the line.

The album is coming out on Vicious Charm, the new label from Damian Harris who said. “The album really took me by surprise, it’s just unlike anything else - authentic and captivating. It just kept calling me back… time and time again. These qualities are my criteria for signing an album, and here we are...”

TRACK LISTING

1. Don’t Cry
2. Long Distance Runner
3. A Cruel Trick
4. What Then
5. One Day
6. A Summer Sunday
7. Thank You Deeply
8. Nausea
9. Plughole Man
10. Not Your Fault
11. The Humour Is Not Lost On Me
12. Out Of Time

Today, Fashion Club, the alias of Los Angeles-based artist Pascal Stevenson, has announced her highly anticipated sophomore album, A Love You Cannot Shake, due out October 25th via Felte Records. Lead single “Forget,” the steamy art-pop track with country-inspired harmonies from Perfume Genius’ Mike Hadreas, is a conversation between Stevenson and her past self about the power of overcoming struggles. “It’s trying to love a version of myself that I’ve spent so long trying to distance from,” Stevenson says. “But it’s also a recognition that if I drift too far away from the version of myself that I see as really flawed, I might forget the things about myself that I felt I needed to change.”

Though A Love You Cannot Shake is the first album that explicitly addresses her transness, it’s not so much a “coming out” record or a confessional, straightforward tell-all as it is a tastefully abstract distillation of her personal experiences and identities into stirring vignettes that anyone can relate to. Whether it’s the search for self-worth in a society that only values humanity in its relation to capital (“Confusion”), the uncomfortably circular nature of self-growth (“Forget”) or the self-destructive urge to make up for “lost time” (“Ghost”), this LP is rooted in the universal truth that self-actualization is always worth pursuing. Tracks often begin from a place of discomfort and shame, but by the end, they tend to arrive at a more patient, hopeful frame of mind, as Stevenson cherishes the authenticity of a more amorphous emotionality.

TRACK LISTING

1. Faith
2. Confusion
3. Forget (feat. Perfume Genius)
4. Ghost (feat. Jay Som)
5. Enough
6. One Day
7. Ice Age
8. Deny
9. Rotten Mind (feat. Julie Byrne)
10. Deify

A very limited-edition collection of select remixes of Joe Goddard's brilliant album, Harmonics. Including East Coast Love Affair, Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy, Ray Mang and Black Science Orchestra. 

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1Follow You (Cosmodelica Vocal Remix)
2Progress (Black Science Orchestra Vocal Remix)

Side B
1Summon (East Coast Love Affair Mix)
2New World (Flow) (Ray Mang Remix)

Paul Tillman Smith is a significant figure within in the music community of Oakland/Berkeley, California. His connections and collaborations read like a who’s who of famous musicians. As leader of 70s Buddah Records group ‘Vitamin E’ and then onto ‘Bridge’, the subsequent band cut an album in 1981 for the CBS distributed Bang label that never saw the light of day. It was released by First Experience Records as a double LP and CD in 1999 and is recognised as being one of the finest unreleased discovery’s within its genre. IZIPHO SOUL are thrilled to release on a 7” for the first time two gems from this magnificent body of work. CRYING FOR LOVE written by Paul Tillman Smith and Michael Robinson is perfection personified, from the production through to the lyrical content - and of course the sublime vocals of Debravon Lewis (RIP) the tone of her voice will move you to tears. On the flip is LISTEN, penned by Paul Tillman Smith - a tour de force rendition by the late great Freddie Hughes with Sonny Lewis on sax, adding that extra touch of class.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Crying For Love
B1. Listen

Over a career that spans half a century, Zimmerman’s discography is a sonic memoir. A sprawling collection of records that have explored folk, 12-bar blues, full-band rock concertos and classical piano compositions, his work is also a tribute to the people, experiences and sounds that have shaped his life, amassing in a deeply personal and resonating songbook.

“After years of writing and filling a box with over 500 song sheets, I had finally found my path, my originality, my voice. It had become clear to me that songs of only one kind were worth spending time on: those which had a positive message and a peaceful vibration [...] Just poetry. Little hums that perhaps might lift us all above our daily worries and fears, little hums that try to make the world a better place to live in.” – Tucker Zimmerman

Despite sailing under the radar throughout most of his storied and multi-layered career, the 83-year-old native Californian has received praise from contemporaries like Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker (“Tucker Zimmerman is one of the greatest songwriters of all time,”) and even from one of the greats (David Bowie called Zimmerman, “too qualified for folk.”). Inspired by Lenker’s appreciation for his work, Zimmerman was brought to the States to record the album, with Big Thief (and collaborators Mat Davidson and Zach Burba) serving as his backing band. On many tracks, Lenker meets Zimmerman half-way, their vocals fusing together in a soothing harmony; Zimmerman’s beloved wife, Marie-Claire, who graces the album’s cover also joined the chorus line.

With 'Dance Of Love', listeners will find a multi-faceted and heartfelt record from a songwriter who has had a full and exciting life decorated with meaningful friendships, hard but valuable lessons, worldly experience, and ultimately, lots of love.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Beautifully warm country-adjacent ballads and folky psychedelic rock that's so perfectly matched to the whole vibe of Big Thief, that their involvement doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Zimmerman's work is evocative and beautiful, and a perfect listen for any fans of Adrienne Lenker or Big Thief.

TRACK LISTING

1. Old Folks Of Farmersville
2. Idiot’s Maze
3. Lorelei
4. The Season
5. Burial At Sea
6. They Don’t Say It (But It’s True)
7. Leave It On The Porch Outside
8. The Ram-a-lam-a-ding-dong Song
9. Don’t Go Crazy (Go In Peace)
10. Nobody Knows

Vind is 12 pieces written and performed by CTM and produced by Jakob Littauer.

The album consists of cello compositions with few exceptions - a daf enhancing the rhythm, a distant memory of the kora, a pensive flute or folly sounds. The softness of the acoustic instruments is counterplayed by concise compositions and hyperreal productions.

The music presents itself as part spirit, part form; the movement in the moment, repetition, anticipation, what happened and what is to come. It's a sensuous search into stretched out moments, captured and held in one’s hand for a little while. It finds play and devotion, love and light.

Dedicated to Jannis Noya Makrigiannis

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Beautifully experimental neo-classic LP for cellos. Exploring timbre and dynamics in a modernist way.

TRACK LISTING

Drama
Vind
Hold You
Summer
Getting Lost
Trance
Stairs Pt 1
Stairs Pt 2
Gate
Dance
Dante
For Jannis

The Voice of Love is a collection of British sophisti-pop and jazz-funk from the 1980s - ten songs ranging from unreleased demos to scarcely pressed 12”s attempt to define the scope of the British underground scene during that era.

The music presented on this release juxtaposes polished aesthetics with a punk ethos; while some bands sported sophisticated looks reminiscent of travel destinations and designer fashion, they also embraced gritty influences from iconic British acts like The Clash, Sex Pistols, and early Factory Records acts. This dynamic interplay between refinement and rebellion lies at the heart of the compilation. Artists like Jakatti, Berlin-Randazzo Band, and Xpertz offer a raw energy akin to Colourbox, Maximum Joy, and A Certain Ratio. Meanwhile, Inheritance, World Series, and Ocean evoke the sound of 52nd Street (Inheritance members went on to form that group) and Freeez (including After Eight’s notable "Southern Freeez" cover). The Goodbye Look and Sonjah & Ian introduce a smoother jazz-pop vibe, drawing inspiration from Sade and the sun-kissed allure of Ibiza.

Curated in collaboration with Michael Patricola, a pioneer in uncovering rare private pressings and obscure recordings, this project is a labor of love. This selection of long-elusive discoveries is a tender ode to the rainy melancholy of English adolescence.

TRACK LISTING

Sonjah Ian - Nothing In Your Pocket
The Goodbye Look - Half The Fun Of The Crime
Ocean - In Out Of Love
Inheritance - I Still Love You
World Series - Take My Love
Jakatti - Time Out
Berlin-randazzo Band - Shine On
Jakatti - The Voice
Xpertz - Lovers In London
After Eight - Southern Freeze

'East My Love', the resplendent, country-tinged 12th album by Current Joys, feels familiar. It’s meant to: the 12 songs contained within dive deep into the rich folklore of the American West to tell time-worn tales of love and trauma, heartbreak and spiritual renewal. Cast with a warm glow and finding Current Joys’ Nick Rattigan tapping into some of his lushest, most high-fidelity production to date, it’s the kind of album that listeners could see themselves within, and, hopefully, keep close when they’re most in need of reassurance or escapism. For Rattigan, though, it’s all that and more.

Rattigan wrote 'East My Love' alone in the woods in Tennessee, with no cell reception and nobody in earshot for miles. Composed three years before 'Love + Pop', the experimental pop double record he released in 2023 and 2024, the songs on 'East My Love' felt too raw to confront until he felt well and truly out from underneath the cloud that had been cast over him. Rattigan describes the songs as “landmines” that, for years, threatened to upend his carefully balanced mental state. “They were just triggers that would put me back in this emotional space, and I think eventually I got to a place where they were more comforting,” he recalls. “That’s what I hope people find out of the record – a solace from any anxieties or depressions.”

Along with that comfort comes pain, and an acknowledgement that any repair requires some level of breakage. Lead single “California Rain” acts like a tableau depicting Rattigan’s attempt to escape his demons, its placid lyrics a distinct counterpoint to the tidal-wave production: “Isn’t it nice to get away?/Clearing my head up, and dull away the pain.” It speaks to the album’s constant coin-toss between peace and chaos: “It’s like you’re trying to outrun your demons, but at a certain point, they become your friend, and you have to walk alongside them,” says Rattigan. “I feel like you don’t know that when you’re suppressing them – when you’re hiding them in the rain.”

At other points, Rattigan is more clear-eyed about the struggle of moving forward; opening track “Echoes of the Past,” aches with the acknowledgement that inner peace exists on a knife’s edge. “The world won’t end in blazing fire and brimstone – it’ll end from us not learning from our past and our mistakes,” says Rattigan. 

There’s a purity of catharsis that runs through these songs; written without pretense, they take base human needs and desires and fit them into a grander tradition of American songwriting that takes in everything from Willie Nelson to Bright Eyes. True to that, many of the songs on East My Love, due to their outside-looking-in perspective, play like standards. “Slowly Like The Wind,” a simple voice-and-guitar ballad, finds Rattigan reassuring his subject that “slowly like the wind” he’ll help push them in the right direction in times of need. On “Lullaby for the Lost,” which feels parched but emotionally rich, he urges himself to remember that “we’ll get oh so strong” despite the depths of despair he may be feeling in the moment. “I wanted it to be very slow and meditative, with these punctuations of lyrics that I really wanted to stick out. I felt like it was powerful to accentuate certain points, but also let the song be a meditative comfort to the listener.” That comfort can be traced back to an idea at the core of East My Love that Rattigan describes simply: “Everyone deserves peace of mind. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Echoes Of The Past
2. California Rain
3. Days Of Heaven
4. Never Seen A Rose
5. Lullaby For The Lost
6. Oh, Sister
7. They Shoot Horses
8. Slowly Like The Wind *
9. Tormenta
10. Sister Christian
11. East My Love
12. Feelin’ Groovy

*CD & Cassette Only

Love International and Test Pressing commemorate yet another cracking festival with the latest instalment in their collaborative compilation series for their LIXTP label. For The Sound Of Love International #006 they’ve chosen Jay Donaldson aka Palms Trax as their selector. He’s a regular at Love International.

The Berlin-based DJ, known for his eclectic sets and long-running NTS show "Cooking With Palms Trax," delivers a diverse selection of tracks gathered from his global journeys.

The album opens with Linda Waterfall’s Clarity. A fabulous flight of late 1970s spiritual jazz-influenced folk from the late Seattle-based singer / songwriter, who released her debut on Windham Hill.

Sebastian’s Follow My Heart is a soulful soft rocker, a sax-y seduction theme.

On Did It Have To Be Me, glorious gospel choir-like backing lifts Frank E. Jeffries Jr.’s cool croon, and the spirits of anyone lucky enough to be listening.

Two tracks travel from `90s South Africa. El Pedro’s La Luna is a pumping piece of S.A. bubblegum. Novidade’s Masingita features great guitar picking and warm, welcoming group vocals.

Dieta Berliner & Jean Baptiste’s Paula & Kaspar transports us back to Berlin and forwards to 2012. A B-side secret weapon from Dieta’s short-lived Pakalolo City Records.

Culled from a cult Canadian 45 Angelo Mallia’s Hideaway is cute, catchy tumbling TR-808- driven synth-pop.

A piece of plugged-in Belgian `80s prog-rock, Zardoz’s brilliant Brasilia Drums pits its titular percussion against big cosmic synths, and segues into a new age-y journey.

Danish keyboard virtuoso Gert Thrue shows off his chops on I Play The Body Electronic. Feeding everything through psychedelic phasing effects, and overdubbing some fab Fender Rhodes

In Trance 95 might be one of the better known acts here, since the Athens-based duo’s work has been collected on Veronica Vasicka’s Minimal Wave, and in the 2010s they also supported Depeche Mode. Their 1991 single, Warm Nights Driving On Wet Streets, is chunky chill out room gear.

Frenchman Alain Salvati is behind Flayer’s Wanna Get Back Your Love, which first appeared in 1983, oddly on an Italian 12. Rediscovered at the turn of the millennium it’s become a bona fide modern Balearic anthem.

The closing cut, Jeancky’s Variations Sur Protestation, kind of brings the album, musically, full circle. Returning to the late `70s with campfire congas, bongos, and gentle acoustic strumming.

The majority of the tracks included were self-released / privately pressed and in many cases the often mysterious artists’ only recorded outings. So, in putting this together Palms Trax has unearthed hidden gems, creating a magical, floor-filling journey through music.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Linda Waterfall - Clarity
A2. Sebastian - Follow My Heart
A3. Frank E Jeffries Jr - Did It Have To Be Me
B1. El Pedro - La Luna
B2. Novidade - Masingita
B3. Dieta Berliner Feat. Jean Baptiste - Paula & Kaspar (Club Mix)
C1. Angelo Mallia - Hideaway
C2. Zardoz - Brasilia Drums
C3. Gert Thrue - I Play The Body Electronic
D1. In Trance 95 - Warm Nights Driving On Wet Streets
D2. Flayer - Wanna Get Back Your Love
D3. Jeancky - Variations Sur Protestation

Two years on from the seductive disco deviance of his previous full length, Mystic Jungle returns to his home base Periodic Records with a two track 12” single titled “Words of Love". Masculine and feminine vocals interplay amidst textures of dreamy dub delirium, their tones smooth, yearning and androgynous as they plead over and over, repeating 'say you love me' like some spell of desperate romantic magic. Splatters of tropical island percussion move through starbound synth hooks, and sparkles of stellar vapor sooth the soul as moonlit organ chords ride equatorial riddims and chunky funky FM-bass riffs while all around, saxophonics blow like a humid mediterranean breeze. And on the flip, the extended version gives plenty of space over to club-minded dubwise drum intros, freely floating vocal layers, and seriously sun-scorched guitar solos that send waves of fire ripping through the air.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Disco-boogie from the ineffable Mystic Jungle. First new material for a while... form an orderly queue!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Words Of Love
B1. Words Of Love (Extended)

Forever Changes may be 57 years old at the time of this writing, but its hermetic fusion of the personal and the political feels more relevant than ever. It speaks to the present in ways that, say, a Jefferson Airplane record never could, whatever the parallels between the late '60s and our contemporary morass. Conceived as the last testament of a charismatic recluse who believed he was about to die, Forever Changes is one of the defining albums of an era. Here, Andrew Hultkrans explores the myriad depths of this bizarre and brilliant record. Charting bohemian Los Angeles' descent into chaos at the end of the 60's, he teases out the literary and mystical influences behind Arthur Lee's lyrics, and argues that Lee was both inspired and burdened by a powerful prophetic urge.

Our close friend and fellow Scot, now Ibiza resident, Pikes resident DJ and island favourite, 'For Mankind' (Russ Forman) had talked about doing a studio collaboration for some time. Last winter, we finally managed to get in the studio and make some music.

Drawn upon our mutual loves of house music, dub and weirdo dance music by the likes of African Head Charge, Larry Heard and Sun Ra. We also added sprinkles of influence from other oddball tracks that make up our more interesting sets. We spent hours just pulling and listening to records from all our collections and talking about music before hitting the studio.

What resulted from the session is a beautiful and exciting blend of everyone's taste - dreamy, minimal, almost techno synthscapes, New York oddball house that sounds like some lost Sleeping Bag test press to almost Música Popular Brasileira.

At one point Russ, (For Mankind) grabbed the mic and hit us with his best pidgin Spanish, this snowballed onto a few more tracks, so we felt it only right the LP should also bear his name. Russ' vocal came as a surprise to us all, loose, funky, wild and carefree, (like the man himself), with positivity and a message: This music is for everyone. We should all work together, help and contribute.

Our good friend Hanna (Philomenah) also brings her giant talent on Brazilian influenced 'I Can't wait', expect to hear a lot more from this Shetland-born singer on Athens of the North and elsewhere.

TRACK LISTING

1. Musica Para Todos Ullal De Da Coloms (feat. For Mankind)
2. Ullal De Da Coloms
3. Punta Moscarter
4. Xylocopa Violacea
5. The Morrígan Sings (feat. For Mankind)
6. Stay Above With Love (feat. For Mankind)
7. I Can't Wait (feat. Philomenah)
8. A Gradual Precipitation

The 2024 reissue of Sade’s “Soldier of Love” is a masterful revival of the band’s 2010 album, showcasing their timeless appeal and musical sophistication.

From the opening track, “The Moon and the Sky,” listeners are drawn into Sade’s signature blend of smooth jazz, soul, and R&B. The title track, “Soldier of Love,” remains a powerful anthem with its haunting lyrics and compelling rhythm. The reissue breathes new life into these tracks, highlighting the intricate instrumentation and Sade Adu’s velvety vocals.

“Morning Bird” and “Babyfather” continue to captivate with their emotional depth and lyrical beauty. The remastering process has brought out the nuances in these songs, making them feel fresh yet familiar. “Long Hard Road” and “Be That Easy” offer a more introspective vibe, with the enhanced audio quality allowing listeners to appreciate the subtlety of the arrangements.

Moving over to the second side, “Bring Me Home” and “In Another Time” are standouts, with the reissue emphasizing their lush production and poignant lyrics. “Skin” and “The Safest Place” close the album on a reflective note, rounding out the thoughtful decalogy nicely. 

The 2024 reissue of “Soldier of Love” is a testament to Sade’s enduring artistry. It not only preserves the essence of the original album but also elevates it, offering both longtime fans and new listeners a chance to experience the magic of Sade in a new light. This reissue is a must-have for any music enthusiast’s collection.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Reaching no. 4 when it was released, and the first album with a fresh line up joining Sade Adu after a long hiatus; "Soldier Of Love" is a brave and adventurous departure from their original vibe - taking on more pop and modern jazz concepts with their trademark sultry style.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. The Moon And The Sky
2. Soldier Of Love
3. Morning Bird
4. Babyfather
5. Long Hard Road

Side B
1. Be That Easy
2. Bring Me Home
3. In Another Time
4. Skin
5. The Safest Place

The 2024 vinyl reissue of Sade’s iconic album Love Deluxe is a masterful revival of a timeless classic. Originally released in 1992, this album has been a staple in the collections of soul and jazz enthusiasts for decades. The reissue, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, brings a new level of depth and warmth to the already lush and iconic soundscapes that Sade Adu and her band crafted over 30 years ago.

The album art, featuring the iconic black-and-white photograph of Sade, is beautifully reproduced, and the gatefold sleeve includes lyrics and additional artwork that fans will appreciate. The attention to detail in the presentation mirrors the care taken in the remastering process.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: From the ultra-warm sensuality of its opening track, through its funky and fiery core, a true classic in every sense of the word. Contains "Kiss Of Life" - sampled by MF Doom and more recently by DJ Absolutely Shit; the rest of the album is a deep soul lover's delight. One of those every-home-needs-one moments.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. No Ordinary Love
2. Feel No Pain
3. I Couldn’t Love You More
4. Like A Tattoo

Side B
1. Kiss Of Life
2. Cherish The Day
3. Pearls
4. Bulletproof Soul
5. Mermaid

Prepare to experience a true soul gem reimagined for the modern age with this special 7-inch reissue of Matt Covington’s classic, I'm So In Love With You. Originally released in 1983, this rare groove masterpiece captures the essence of early '80s R&B with its smooth, heartfelt vocals and lush instrumentation. Covington’s romantic delivery and the track's elegant arrangement have made it a coveted piece for collectors and soul aficionados alike, with the original pressing becoming increasingly hard to find over the years. For the first time ever, I’m So In Love With You is being reissued, allowing a new generation of listeners to discover its timeless charm. On the flip side, we’ve included Muhammad Ali, a standout cut from Covington’s self-titled album that resonates with soul, funk, and infectious energy. A favorite of acclaimed DJ Floating Points, Muhammad Ali pays tribute to the legendary boxer with a groove that’s as fierce as its namesake. Whether this has been sat in your wantlist for years or new to Matt Covington’s music, this 7-inch offers an essential addition to your collection. With its impeccable blend of silky soul and rhythmic punch, this reissue promises to become as cherished as the original release.

Professor Supercool’s "If You Love Somebody" is many things at once: an example of a special brand of British pop music, influenced by US-American soul more or less from the get-go, the Second Summer of Love, the conception of Balearic as a music genre, the cultural interchange of European dancefloors and DJs from across the pond and underground music marketing through the vessel of special one-time pressings. The mysterious Professor Supercool is actually a moniker for Dr. Rob of The Blow Monkeys’s fame, who produced the song with a veteran and legendary DJ of the Northern Soul scene The Real Hector - a resident at the famous Wag Club.

Originally a part of the band’s album "Spring Time For The World", it appeared first as a special For-Promotion-Only-12“ in 1989 with limited information as a trial ballon to avoid preconceptions. The fear was without reason. Like the band’s other big dancefloor record and Balearic fave "LA Passionara" a year later, it got played and supported by the DJs of its time. Next to Graeme Park at the Hacienda or Paul Oakenfold, it also got picked up by Mastermixer Tony Humphries and became a staple at his radio and club sets for KissFm respectively Club Zanzibar. While the vocal mix found its way on said album, the preferred 12“ instrumental version has never been released anywhere else up until now and made the record go for a substantial amount of Discogs dollars.

Expanded with an edit by Running Back's in-house DJ Gerd Janson that is supposed to work as a dub alternative to the vocal mix, the 12-inch contains the original plus a faithfully restored and remastered version of the in demand instrumental. If you love this record it is impossible to let it go!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Amazing late 80s bomb that straddles genres with charismatic belligerence. Part baggy rave bomb, part garage masterpiece, part proto-house Zanzibar anthem; and previously rare as white dog shit; "If You Love Somebody" sees a triumphant return with a fresh Gerd Janson edit to boot.

TRACK LISTING

A1. If You Love Somebody
B1. If You Love Somebody - Instrumental
B2. If You Love Somebody - Gerd Janson Edit

The Greatest Love follows the British trio’s critically acclaimed #1 selling album Californian Soil, which was released in 2021 and earned the band their second BRIT nomination for Best British Group. Arriving over a decade since the trio first entered our consciousness, the new album is a celebration; the sound of a band laying to rest the past and realising a newfound sense of freedom.

First single House embodies London Grammar’s new trajectory as frontwoman Hannah Reid delivers the uncompromising lyric: This is my place, my house, my rules. Speaking about the single Hannah said, “House is about drawing boundaries around yourself. When I hit my thirties, my mindset shifted, and I no longer felt like a victim of anything – it all felt within my power. I thought, making music should be fun, and we're gonna make that happen.”

Having first formed as teenagers at University, their seminal double-platinum selling debut If You Wait paved the way for what was to become a hugely successful career for the band, the rare longevity of which has firmly rooted London Grammar in British pop culture. Now over 10 years later, the band have sold more than 3 million albums world-wide, with two #1 selling records, 1 billion streams, an Ivor Novello and numerous BRIT Award nominations under their belts.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: London Grammar return for their 4th LP, and this one sees the band slide even further into smooth neo-pop, flickering crepuscular electronica and simmering soulful grooves. They are a band that continue to push forward, confidently and succesfully stepping outside the bounds of their established canon. A brilliant return.

Following last year’s JUNO award winning album 'When We Were That What Wept From The Sea', 'The Love It Took To Leave You' features 11 new pieces of emotionally scorching music.

The album was recorded over a week in 2023 at The Darling Foundry, a 144-year-old former metalworks facility in Montreal with a voluminous main room that still maintains its raw architecture of brick, concrete and steel. From the album’s opening track Stetson charts a carefully sequenced ride, travelling through intense territories punctuated with tragic melodies that seek transcendence, epic and frenzied shredders, and many shades of scary beauty, betrayal, and redemption. This is the art of storytelling wrought instrumentally. 'The Love It Took To Leave You' is a perfect storm of technical, musical and compositional complexity and achievement. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: It would be putting it mildly to say I don't completely understand what Stetson actually does to produce the sound he does, and this comes from someone who played saxophone for a few years. He's an unfathomable genius at his chosen instrument, obviously but there is always such a strong narrative thread and emotional intensity tied to Stetson's work, that it never seems like the instrumental athleticism is ever the core facet of his music. It's rich, emotional, hypnotic dynamic instrumental music that only Stetson could do.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Love It Took To Leave You
2. The Six
3. The Augur
4. Hollowing
5. To Think We Knew From Fear
6. Malediction
7. Green And Grey And Fading Light
8. Strike Your Forge And Grin
9. Ember
10. So Say The Soaring Bullbats
11. Bloodrest

Whiskey Disco #74 follows up Michael The Lion’s stellar single with a return to classic Whiskey Disco form; a mix of somewhat recognizable samples tweaked for the floor or the poolside.

Summer is in full swing and so are the artists on the latest Whiskey Disco ode to summer parties. The A side showcases a long lost gem from Cole Medina that never quite saw the light of day. It’s a longtime honour to be able to put this song on the label and we can’t wait to have a loud 45 side in our hands to drop at the choicest of rooftop parties, poolside, beachside, or to break the tension after a dirty underground session. On the flip, we see Love Athletics breaking out with All of My Love, a cheeky vocal sample underpinned by a rocking bass groove and high hats that are more than a nod to Sex Shooter. The flanged groove will be perfect for day or night tie parties. Closing out, label boss, Sleazy McQueen provides an all analog cut up with palpitating drums and hypnotic grooves, with a nice surprise to break things up a bit.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Cole Medina - We Call It Good 2 Me
B1. Love Athletics - All Of My Love
B2. Sleazy McQueen = BSD (Brian Saves The Day)

For Fans Of... Jungle, SAULT, Aaron Frazer, CARRTOONS, daste., Thee Sacred Souls, Yaya Bey, Durand Jones.

Admittedly, I'm not a great salesperson when it comes to running our little label. I do my best not to give into hyperbole or build something up too intensely if someone has not heard a new artist yet. I prefer to simply present the music and let the listener decide how they feel about it. However, we live in an age when the "story" put together by publicists, labels, and managers are often the driving force of an artist's ascension into the zeitgeist. And for me, that's always felt rather artificial, even when the narrative is genuine.

But every once in a while, a project comes along that takes on a life of its own. And I can say without a doubt that the growth of Pale Jay's reach since we first started working with him has little to do with conjured narratives or clever marketing, but more to do with how the music makes the listener feel. It's that simple. In fact, Jay is so enigmatic and without a narrative that the mere absence of a story has become the story. Who is he? Where is he from? What's next?

Some questions are better left unanswered in my opinion, my friend. Including the question, "Why does this music make me feel so much?" You're better off just sitting back, disconnecting, and letting Low End Love Songs by Pale Jay wrap you up. Enjoy and spread the good word. Terry Cole (Colemine).

“Low End Love Songs”, more so than previous releases, is a diary in form of song. I knew I just had to wait for the songs to be ready to be picked, like ripe fruit from a tree. Each tune encapsulates a distinct moment in my life, with music serving as my means of processing complex and sometimes conflicting emotions. In this album, I depart from loop-based song structures towards more intricate and lush compositions. Latin influences permeate the music, adding new layers of rhythms and textures to my soul-music roots. Pale Jay

TRACK LISTING

1. The Simple Days
2. Quadris De Ouro
3. Baby
4. Branch By Branch
5. The Garden
6. Floating On A Memory
7. Spend More Time With Your Friends
8. Love Around The World
9. Easy, Lee