Alan Vega’s self-titled debut solo album was released in 1980 during the same period Suicide released their second album, 'Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev'. While Suicide’s label ZE Records, was interested in pushing the duo toward a synthetic disco sound inspired by Moroder’s production on Donna Summer’s 'I Feel Love', Vega felt a pull in a different direction. He wanted to dig deeper into the roots of his own sonic identity, fueled by blues, rockabilly, early rock n roll, and his enduring love for Elvis Presley. Filling the gaps between recording with Suicide, and fleshing out the songs he was writing on his own, Vega started creating his first record and performing live to develop this sound.

As with his visual art, Vega layered sound in a minimalist, dynamic and intentional way. The result was a fiercely singular album built from raw materials and deeply rooted in Vega’s artistic vision. Tracks like the classic anthem 'Jukebox Babe' with its jiving rhythm and minimalist swagger, captured that approach completely and went on to become a hit in France. 'Kung Foo Cowboy' takes on a southern twist, strongly leaning into the blues, while the golden pop shine of 'Ice Drummer' rings in melodic yet plaintive vocals, marching drums and a tasteful harmonica solo. 'Bye Bye Bayou' is a haunted slice of mutant rockabilly that fuses 50s rock with Vega’s eccentric performance style and was later reimagined in the 2009 cover by LCD Soundsystem, introducing Vega’s solo work to a new generation. Similarly, The Flaming Lips’ cover of 'Ice Drummer' paid homage to Vega’s outsider spirit.

Now remastered by Josh Bonati from the original tapes and available on streaming services for the first time, Alan Vega has been faithfully reissued by Sacred Bones Records, preserving the raw intensity of Vega’s original recordings while making them newly accessible to listeners around the world. Alan Vega is more than a solo debut, it’s a declaration of artistic independence and freedom from one of New York’s most influential and uncompromising artists. Stripped of Suicide’s intense electronics yet retaining Vega’s outsider energy and edge, the album translates early rock ‘n roll through an art-punk filter that stands the test of time as a cult masterpiece in its own right. 

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklisting:
1. Jukebox Babe
2. Kung Foo Cowboy
3. Fireball
4. Love Cry
5. Speedway
6. Ice Drummer
7. Bye Bye Bayou
8. Lonely 

Deluxe CD & Deluxe LP Tracklisting:
1. Jukebox Babe
2. Kung Foo Cowboy
3. Fireball
4. Love Cry
5. Speedway
6. Ice Drummer
7. Bye Bye Bayou 
8. Lonely
9. Ice Drummer (Demo)
10. Fireball (Demo)
11. Speedway (Demo)
12. Love Cry (Demo)
13. Kung Foo Cowboy (Demo)
14. Lonely (Demo)
15. Bye Bye Bayou (Demo)

'Collision Drive' is Alan Vega’s second solo studio album, originally released in 1981. If his debut laid the groundwork for a raw, minimalist take on rockabilly and blues, 'Collision Drive' expands the palette with a grittier, more layered, and unfiltered energy. Here Vega’s lyrics channel universal themes rooted in his fascination with street life, science fiction, politics, comics, love and the mysteries of the universe. It’s a record that pulses with feeling and rebellion, displaying the full spectrum of human experience and Vega’s evolving vision

Alan was always reinventing himself, creating and refining his mastery of variation while maintaining his own unparalleled and identifiable aesthetic. Sonically, this album is more dynamic than his first. Ditching drum machines for a live drummer, and enlisting a hard rock band to back him, 'Collision Drive' offered a different view of Vega’s artistic vision. The aching punk rockabilly of 'Magdalena 82' unfolds with a hypnotic blend of guitar slides and frenetic energy, while Vega’s cover of 'Be Bop A Lula' transforms Gene Vincent’s classic into an aggressively charged, manic howl. Elsewhere, tracks like the hard-driving cosmic rock n roll 'Raver' push into psychobilly territory. Vega was relentlessly innovative, continuously paving new ground.

TRACK LISTING

1. Magdalena 82
2. Be Bop A Lula
3. Outlaw
4. Raver
5. Ghost Rider
6. I Believe
7. Magdalena 83
8. Rebel
9. Viet Vet 

A Vega Records special edition 7” by Elements Of Life with sneak peaks of two new Elements Of Life tracks from the forthcoming 2026 album “Dreamer”.

Side A is a brilliant cover of the famed Brazilian band Black Banda Rio’s “Maria Fumaca”.

Side B an energetic Latin jazz infused cover of John Coltrane’s ultra class “Giant Steps” done up Rumba style tributing the great Tito Puente with special guest, the maestro Christian McBride on upright bass. Elements Of Life are on fiyaaah - and it’s just the beginning!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Like overly competitive brothers, Louie wasn't gonna let Kenny get away with dropping a killer Latin 7" ("Que Se Sepa") without returning fire. So he enlisted Elements Of Life to cover the Brazilian classic "Maria Fumaca" as well as penning an Rumba-themed cover of John Coltraine. Let battle commence - rumble in the rumba anyone?! (sorry).

TRACK LISTING

A. Maria Fumaca
B. Giant Steps (Tito Puente Tribute) 

The world renowned maestro of the dancefloor Louie Vega continues to deliver dancefloor gems at a rate almost impossible to conceive, given that he also maintains a weekly touring schedule that regularly takes him around the world. Louie’s upbringing in the boogie down Bronx exposed him to the entire evolution of disco and funk at a time when those genres were at their peak in the 80’s, and he brings that wealth of knowledge and passion when it comes to remakes of the classics. His remake of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” featuring Anané and Tony Touch was a masterful update that kept the essence of the original classic, but was imbued with the irresistible house music energy that Louie, and featured vocalists Anané and Tony Touch, can bring to a project like nobody else. The remix from Louie himself gives this peak house groover even more pump, while the Dub from Anané demonstrates that this talented performer has a big future as a producer as well. The bonus track on the B-side “In Search Of Peace Of Mind” shows Louie once again creating a unstoppable groove that respects the foundation of house music but once again inspires an originality that places him firmly at the forefront the house community.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Louie turns his hand to an all time classic and in doing so, injects tons of life back into this number that's been in the cooler, by my reckoning anyway, since about 2010 here in Manchester. One of those tracks that possesses the unique quality of pleasing the Karens and the heads at the same time! Just in time for office party season...!!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Louie Vega Ft. Anané & Tony Touch - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (Louie Vega Remix)
A2. Louie Vega Ft. Anané & Tony Touch - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (Anané's Dub)
B1. Louie Vega Ft. Funki Cadets - In Search Of Peace Of Mind
B2. Louie Vega Ft. Funki Cadets - In Search Of Peace Of Mind (Louie Vega Peace Dub) 

Vega Records is proud to present the Vega Records 5 Pack Unreleased VI, the sixth edition of a 5 piece vinyl filled with tracks that haven’t been released or have upcoming releases in the next few months.

The 5 pack Unreleased VI introduces 4 new songs from the upcoming 2026 Elements Of Life Album with a brilliant song entitled “Soar” by Lisa Fischer, written and produced by Two Soul Fusion Josh Milan & Louie Vega as well on vinyl the garage disco smash “Bad For Me” originally sung by jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater back in the 70’s with lead vocals by Dawn Tallman and music performed by the Elements Of Life band. A tribute to the talented Gary Bartz with a cover of John Coltrane’s genius “Giant Steps” bringing the jazz gem to the dance floors. And lastly from Elements Of Life, their rendition of the Deodato Loft classic “Whistle Bump” featuring legendary David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar!

Josh Milan, creator of the group Honeysweet introduces three tracks from his forthcoming Honeysweet III on Vega Records. We foresee a favorite with “What Kind Of Man” bringing a Brazilian jazz feel which was made for the dancers. The remaining two Honeysweet tracks “New Life” and “Because Of You” are truly emotional pieces of music that hit your core.

New projects and aliases on the horizon with Funky Cadets featuring Brooklyn’s own Willy Soul on spoken word duties, it’s deep house at its best and the NY iconic artist Keith Thompson who sang on the Vaughn Mason classic “Break For Love” who delivers a powerful message on the well written lyrics of “Take It”.

Lastly, never released on vinyl the gospel club smash “Father In Heaven (Right Now)” by multi Grammy winner and gospel royalty Bebe Winans with a Two Soul Fusion produced Synth solo / Vocal Dub.

It’s a blazing wall of sound on the 5 pack unreleased with artists and musicians Lisa Fischer, Josh Milan, Keith Thompson, Honeysweet, Dawn Tallman, Elements Of Life, Willy Soul, Carlos Alomar, Ivan Renta, Luisito Quintero, Axel Tosca, Sherrod Barnes, Lea Lorien, Ramona Dunlap, Louie Vega and Bebe Winans!!!

Get your vinyl soon, it’s limited edition!

TRACK LISTING

A. Elements Of Life Ft. Lisa Fischer - Soar 
B1. Funki Cadets Ft. Willy Soul - Feelin' Good Tonight (Shapes Mix) 
B2. Louie Vega - We Are Grateful 
C1. Funki Cadets Ft. Keith Thompson - Take It (Shapes Mix) 
C2. Elements Of Life - Giant Steps (Gary Bartz Vibrations Mix) 
D. Bebe Winans - Father In Heaven (Two Soul Fusion Vocal Dub) 
E. Honeysweet - What Kind Of Man 
F. Elements Of Life Ft. Dawn Tallman - Bad For Me 
G1. Elements Of Life Ft. Dawn Tallman - Bad For Me (Frisco Disco Dub) 
G2. Funki Cadets Ft. Willy Soul - Feelin' Good Tonight (Shapes Instrumental) 
H. Elements Of Life - Whistle Bump 
I. Honeysweet - Because Of You 
J. Honeysweet - New Life 

“A curiously tender, black-hearted modern soul classic; the last great record of the millennium, if we’re being pretentious,” was how NME described Death in Vegas’ second album (1999), which took its name from the Contino Rooms in London (where it was recorded) and was nominated for the 2000 Mercury Music Prize.

Perhaps the most accomplished expression of the outfit’s patented atmospheric blend of electronica and groove-driven rock, the album includes an impressive cast of guest vocalists. Dot Allison, Bobbie Gillespie, Jim Reid and Iggy Pop all provide star turns and the latter steals the show. Confessing to being a murderer living in a cemetery would be over-the-top from most other artists but for Iggy it makes perfect sense and his track, ‘Aisha’ is the literal and figurative centrepiece of the album.

Many of the tracks were featured in film, advertisement and video game soundtracks, notably the opener, ‘Dirge’. It was used by Levi’s and at least five different films in the decade after the album was issued, which has helped to make it the band’s biggest streamer.

TRACK LISTING

1. Dirge 
2. Soul Auctioneer 
3. Death Threat
4. Flying
5. Aisha
6. Lever Street
7. Aladdin’s Story
8. Broken Little Sister
9. Neptune City

Taking its name from the film of the same name directed by the notorious Kenneth Anger, this is the third album by Death In Vegas, who this year issued their seventh, 'Death Mask'.

Spotlighting a variety of guest singers (including Liam Gallagher, Hope Sandoval and Paul Weller), as well as string arrangements by Indian violinist and composer Dr. Subramaniam Lakshminarayana, like its predecessor several songs from the album received significant extra exposure through their use in advertisements, film and television soundtracks. ‘Girls’, for instance was used in Sofia Coppola’s hit movie Lost In Translation.

All in all, Scorpio Rising is a highly satisfying blend of experimental beats and good old-fashioned guitar rock containing some acclaimed performances, perhaps most notably on the title track, sung by Gallagher, which cheekily borrowed its riff from Status Quo’s 1967 hit ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’ – and paid Francis Rossi for the privilege. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Leather
2. Girls
3. Hands Around My Throat
4. 23 Lies
5. Scorpio Rising
6. Killing Smile
7. Natja
8. So You Say You Lost Your Baby
9. Diving Horses
10. Help Yourself

After leading the cult performance art collective Lazarus Kane, Ben Hambro took a more introspective, lyrically driven approach with vegas water taxi. Their debut album, 'Things Are Gonna Be Alright', was self-released in November 2023—a beautiful yet jarring collection of songs capturing the chaos and contradictions of your twenties.

The album is getting reissued with its first-ever vinyl release via PNKSLM Recordings on June 13, 2025. The reissue includes four exclusive bonus tracks recorded live at The Windmill. Hambro, who's also collaborated with artists such as Katy J Pearson, continues to craft music that resonates and surprises.

TRACK LISTING

1. Creative Director Blues
2. Dog Race
3. Jukebox
4. Six Music Dads
5. Twenty Year Cycle
6. Shout
7. Get Clean
8. Modern Love
9. Get Clean (Live)
10. Birkenstocks (Live)
11. Six Music Dads (Live)
12. Creative Director Blues (Live)
13. Modern Love (Live)

'Flying With Angels' is Suzanne Vega's first studio album of new songs in eleven years. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s new songs find her returning to observations on city life, ordinary people, and real-world subjects

TRACK LISTING

1. Speakers' Corner
2. Flying With Angels
3. Witch
4. Chambermaid
5. Love Thief
6. Lucinda
7. Last Train From Mariupol
8. Alley
9. Rats
10. Galway

La Dispute is an American post-hardcore band formed in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Jordan Dreyer, guitarist Chad Sterenberg, drummer Brad Vander Lugt, bassist Adam Vass, and guitarist Corey Stroffolino. Known for their intense and emotionally charged sound, La Dispute has released five studio albums to critical acclaim, including 'Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair' (2008), 'Wildlife' (2011), and 'Panorama' (2019). Their music often explores themes of loss, grief, and human relationships through a series of interconnected stories. La Dispute has developed a devoted fanbase and is known for their powerful, unforgettable live performances.

TRACK LISTING

1. Such Small Hands
2. Said The King To The River
3. New Storms For Older Lovers
4. Damaged Goods
5. Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again
6. Bury Your Flame
7. Last Blues For Bloody Knuckles
8. The Castle Builders
9. Andria
10. Then Again, Maybe You Were Right
11. Sad Prayers For Guilty Bodies
12. The Last Lost Continent
13. Nobody, Not Even The Rain

Inspired by the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains north-west of Madrid, his home since August 2022, Milo Fitzpatrick presents 'Sierra Tracks' the new album from his expansive, cinematic, chamber-jazz project Vega Trails.

Having cut 2022’s beautifully resonant debut album ‘Tremors in the Static’ as a duo, alongside saxophonist Jordan Smart (Mammal Hands and Sunda Arc), Milo now substantially expands upon that blueprint with his follow-up, ‘Sierra Tracks’, which, as the title suggests,was conceived at his new home in central Spain and adds piano, vibraphone and strings to the mix. The beautiful Spanish countryside offered inspiration too.

However while 'Sierra Tracks' features an expanded line-up including pianist Taz Modi (a colleague alongside Milo in Portico Quartet’s live band) providing “some rhythmic movement behind us, to free up the bass and sax from being so busy” and vibraphone specialist Harriet Riley, multi-reedist Jordan Smart remains a key voice in Vega Trails. “Jordan has a really direct and exciting way that he connects with his instrument, and the audience,” Milo reflects. “He's into jazz, but also folk of many traditions, and he can play different wind instruments – soprano and tenor sax, bass clarinet, the dadouk, and the Ney flute from Turkey and Armenia. Knowing his phrasing, Iwrote very much with him in mind.”

Milo also re-engaged with the cello, an instrument he hadn’t played since school days, adding an extra dimension to his own sound,but it was a conversation with Gondwana Records label mate, Hania Rania, about recording orchestral arrangements that helped bring 'Sierra Tracks' fully into focus.

A shaping influence on Milo’s vision for the record was David Toop’s seminal book, ‘Oceans of Sound’, and he perceived each track asan aural story. “I wanted to make sounds that felt equal to where I’ve been roaming in the mountains and forests out here, that reflect the incredible scale of the place. You get these huge views and skylines, which it’s hard to find words for.” The curious sounds thatopen the album, at the beginning of ‘Largo’, are an approximation, by Milo on cello, of a harmonic series that is often heard in the Sierra region: when the local knife-sharpeners travel around the neighbouring villages, plying their trade, they play a similar riff on panpipes to proclaim their arrival. “You get all these announcements, from people collecting scrap iron and steel, or delivering fruit and bread, and I thought that kind of thing would make a good opening for the record.” With that colourful reference as an overture, ‘Sierra Tracks’ shapes up as a love letter to the rocky landscape within which its creator now resides. It is also, he says, about his mental-health journey out of the pandemic years, which have been so testing for us all.

“I had been thinking about Time, and how history repeats itself, but also how one can become trapped in thoughts, especially on difficult personal subjects, and how these become cyclical in our minds. But I also wanted to talk about how walking or running canhelp release oneself from these cycles and find clarity and order from tangled emotional thinking patterns. It’s like discovering a newpath from your usual running route, and how that can change your perspective and help find a type of peace and acceptance.”

Through the album there are motifs and melodies that repeat from one tune to another, which of course resemble cyclical thoughts and memories.

“So, to me,” Milo concludes, “this record is an exploration of the relationship between the complex, tangled world of one’s mentalprocesses and how moving through the tangible world, especially through nature, can help find definition and clarity.”

As such, ‘Sierra Tracks’ really is medicine for the mind, body and soul.

TRACK LISTING

1. Largo
2. Els
3. Murmuration
4. Dream House
5. Clarifantasia
6. Reverie
7. Murmur
8. Old Friend; The Sea
9. When This Is Over
10. Sleepwalk Toky

After the highly anticipated debut album "Sugar Honey Iced Tea!," the dynamic NYC duo strikes once more with a double pack of alternate versions and remixes. Craig Handfield and Brandon Weems, better known as musclecars, have unveiled a dance music masterpiece, now graced by the touch of house music legends Louie Vega and Maurice Fulton. This double pack showcases multiple versions of "Tonight," remixed by dance music maestro Louie Vega, who momentarily stepped away from his Masters At Work ventures to infuse this project with his magic. The main remix unfolds like an epic journey adorned with orchestral elegance, while the dub versions range from festival anthems (NV South Jersey Mix) to tracks that echo the early Masters At Work essence (Louie Vega’s Bronx Dub). Additionally, we are gifted a new version of "Hello?" reimagined by Maurice Fulton. In this version, Maurice's signature live bass lines intertwine with exuberant, hard-hitting percussion, casting a whimsical light on the deep, introspective original. Complementing the remixes from musclecars' esteemed inspirations, we encounter two new versions of "Ha Ya! (Eternal Life)" and "Water," both stripped of percussion to reveal the stunning arrangements, textures, and harmonies. These renditions are accompanied by a full side of musclecars’ dance odyssey "I Don’t Remember The Last Time I Saw Stars." The Double Honey Pack is a tour de force. It’s a rarity to witness two legends unite to elevate an already stellar project, yet Vega and Fulton achieve just that. Meanwhile, Weems and Handfield meticulously peel back the layers, allowing the intricate details to shine. This promises to be the release of the summer!

TRACK LISTING

Disc: 1
1. Tonight (Louie Vega Remix)
2. Tonight
3. Tonight (Louie Vega Bronx Dub)

Disc: 2
1. I Don’t Remember The Last Time I Saw Stars
2. Hello? (Maurice Fulton Remix)
3. Ha Ya! (Eternal Life)(Planetarium Mix)

In The Red Records is proud to announce a previously unreleased new album by Brooklyn-born master of minimalism Alan Vega, Insurrection. The eleven songs here showcase the unparalleled vision and uncompromising force from one of the most influential artists of all time. Alan Vega was born in Brooklyn in 1938. He co-founded the legendary New York City punk band Suicide with Martin Rev in 1970. Suicide’s groundbreaking 1977 debut is considered one of the most influential albums of all time. Vega considered his solo records the audio counterpoint to his visual art that reflected the world around him while simultaneously exploring universal themes. It makes his work as relevant today as it was when he created them. It was during his highly experimental period beginning in the late ’80s that he began working with Liz Lamere, who became the most crucial collaborator of his solo career until his death in 2016. Lamere, along with Jared Artaud, resurrected these newly unearthed collection of lost recordings, which they co-produced and mixed. Lamere and Artaud spearhead the Vega Vault project, which aims to bring rare, unreleased and back catalog work spanning Alan Vega and Suicide’s career to the public for the first time. On Insurrection, Lamere says: “Insurrection was created in the time period around 1997/98, after Mutator and prior to Vega’s 1999 release of 2007 and captures the intense energy of NYC in the ’90s rife with crime, killing, hate, fascism, racism, and moral bankruptcy. You can hear the tortured souls floating through this album. Post-Gulf War angst still enveloped Alan. He was having premonitions about a major terror attack in the US, well before 9/11. The upcoming birth of his son raised further awareness of the state of our world. All these emotions are mirrored in the sounds he magnetized. And true to Vega form, there remains hope and empowerment coursing through the tracks. In the almost three decades of going into the studio with Vega, we recorded significantly more material than the seven albums released. Vega’s intention was to experiment with sound which would become the canvas for the poetry that reflected his vision of the universe. Because the goal wasn’t to make albums, he had no timeline or constraints and would freely follow new paths uncovered along the way.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Sewer
2. Invasion
3. Crash
4. Cyanide Soul
5. Murder One
6. Fireballer Fever
7. Genocide
8. Chains
9. Jet Lord
10. Mercy
11. Fireballer Spirit

Dead Elvis is the debut studio album by British band Death in Vegas, which was originally released in 1997. It featured a blend of musical genres, but most of the tracks are mainly based in dub and electronic dance music. This was the only Death in Vegas album to feature original member Steve Hellier. A limited vinyl run of Dead Elvis was released in 1997 but didn't feature the complete album. The complete Dead Elvis album, including the singles "Dirt", "Rocco" & "Rekkit" is now for the first time available on vinyl.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. All That Glitters
2. Opium Shuffle
3. GBH

Side B
1. Dirt
2. Rocco
3. Rekkit

Side C
1. I Spy
2. Amber

Side D
1. Rematerialised
2. 68 Balcony
3. Sly

"Apaga La Luz" has proven itself to be a bonified club hit with the Tony Touch and Pablo Fierro mixes released last summer 2022. A new buzz has been created with brand new 2023 remixes by Two Soul Fusion AKA Louie Vega & Josh Milan, David Morales, Mike Dunn, and David Guetta. 

 Championed by everyone from David Morales, Mike Dunn, Louie Vega & Anané Vega to Seth Troxler, Marco Corola, Paco Osuna, The Martinez Brothers, Pablo Fierro and many more.

One of those tracks that instantly screams - inferno! The fiery Latin vocal is both arresting, infectious and rousing - certain to cause a blazing surge of energy across any dancefloor. Across the double pack we get lots of different producer's take on this bonafide instant-anthem - each keeping true to the rebellious nature of the track whilst adding shed loads of their own personality across each iteration. Mastered by Herb 'Pump' Power as spread across a lavish double pack 12" - this is best way to fully devour this red hot club hit. Don't sleep on this one folks...

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: You'll be screaming that vocal hook like a werewolf for the entirety of the evening after hearing this one! Can't choose a favourite mix as nearly every one of them is absolutely killer!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Apaga La Luz (Tony Touch OG Mix) 
A2. Apaga La Luz (Mike Dunn Re-Touch) 
B1. Apaga La Luz (David Guetta Remix) 
B2. Apaga La Luz (Pablo Fierro Raw Dub) 
C1. Apaga La Luz (Two Soul Fusion Remix) 
C2. Apaga La Luz (Two Soul Fusion Beat-Sax Mix) 
D1. Apaga La Luz (David Morales Remix) 
D2. Apaga La Luz (David Morales Alt Mix) 

Futurismo are proud to present a first time reissue of the killer 1985 album: Just A Million Dreams by the uncompromising Alan Vega.

The remastered version of this LP comes with two unreleased bonus tracks produced by Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots. It is packaged in a gloss laminated sleeve with a huge fold-out poster and contains new liner notes by Henry Rollins.

Presented in a remastered deluxe vinyl package, Just A Million Dreams, produced by Ric Ocasek and Chris Lord-Alge, takes Vega on an expedition into new territory. As an artist Vega had a crucial drive, but having a hit record was never a motive, neither was pandering to expectations, which is why Just aMillion Dreams is perhaps a perfect statement for that moment, bettering the then bastions of MTV rock without even trying, an exercise in subversion that still has Vega’s unique artistry at its core. Would you expect anything less from one half of NYC legends Suicide? Perhaps not, but the hows and whys to Vega landing himself in such a mainstream position are perhaps just as fascinating as the record itself.

Here Alan Vega’s vocals sound better than ever, full of emotion and brooding honesty. Lyrics painting images of dystopian love might be a sideways move away from the intense nihilism of his past, but it’s still the real deal. Alan Vega could not be anything else. Listen to tracks like ‘Creation’ and you still get that raw emotion he spent his career honing. Set against the grandeur of mid 80’s production: big processed drums, runaway guitar solos, we get a rare peak into what Vega would sound like if he was allowed to be a rock star drenched in the sonic excesses of the era. It was a brave and unfairly misunderstood move, but the components come together to form an incredible anti-commercial, commercial album. Just A Million Dreams is the sound of Alan Vega taking on the 1980’s and winning.

With help of the official Vega Vault, two never before heard tracks have been unearthed from the 1985 JAMD recording sessions and brought to life by long time collaborator Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots, adding a new insight to the recordings. Henry Rollins also lends a new written perspective, making this release a vital addition to the collections of Alan Vega and Suicide fans. It has been said that Alan Vega is forever, his unwavering artistic approach can be witnessed throughout his career, whether as part of Suicide or as a solo songwriter, poet or sculptor. Just a Million Dreams is just another example.

TRACK LISTING

1. On The Run
2. Shooting For You
3. Hot Fox
4. Too Late
5. Wild Heart
6. Creation
7. Cry Fire
8. Ra Ra Baby
9. Hey Gorgeous (Unreleased)
10. Did We Say Goodbye? (Unreleased)

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

Andy Rourke, formerly of The Smiths & one of the most revered bassists of all time, has teamed up with front-man & guitarist Kav for their music project "BLITZ VEGA" They release their debut vinyl for Record Store Day, featuring new versions of their single "Strong Forever", including guest guitar from Johnny Marr & B-Sides / mixes & remixes from Z-Trip, Jagz Kooner, DayBreakers & Will Kennedy. The vinyl features unreleased new material, unavailable online.

TRACK LISTING

Strong Forever (single Version) Z-Trip Mix
Strong Forever Original (Jagz Kooner Mix)
Strong Forever (Day Breakers Remix)
Strong Forever ( Will Kennedy Live Band Mix)
Lost & Found (Jagz Kooner Mix)
Lost & Found ( Day Breakers Remix)
LA Vampire ( Jagz Kooner Mix)
Big Nose

There is a global musical movement happening right now, and an integral part of this rhythmic and cultural evolution is the legendary Grammy award-winning DJ / Producer / Artist Louie Vega.The movement is comprised of the Expansions In The NYC album and the Expansions NYC events, and it represents the very best in music, dance and club culture from New York City to London to Miami to Ibiza and every locale around the world where people appreciate the power of house music.

Up next in the continuing series of product releases and events in connection with the Expansions juggernaut, a limited edition Expansions In The NYC 7” boxset on Nervous Records.

“Releasing vinyl has always been part of my mantra, but this is a unique one,” said Louie Vega. “For the first time having our music released on a (10) piece 7” set along with new original art by Andrew Thiele (who also created the Expansions In the NYC Album cover), it’s a highlight in the history of all my vinyl releases. Not too many artists release 10 pieces of vinyl within a set. And what makes it even more special is the calibre of all the amazing artists who worked on the tracks and songs with me. This is a landmark and essential collector’s item. A veritable “Must Have!” Never before have all these artists graced one album together from Honey Dijon to Lisa Fischer, Moodymann to Bernard Fowler, Robyn to Unlimited Touch, and Karen Harding to Kerri Chandler. It’s a dancer’s and vinyl collector’s paradise.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: The hot and highly acclaimed collection from Louie Vega gets a 7" box set release. For lovers of real house music, "Expansions" has been one of the strongest albums in recent years.

TRACK LISTING

A. The Star Of A Story Ft. Lisa Fischer 
B. Deep Burnt Ft. Axel Tosca 
C. Change Your Mind Ft. Bernard Fowler 
D. Another Day In My Life 
E. Seven Mile Ft. Moodymann 
F. Come Away Ft. Kerri Chandler 
G. Music Is My Life Ft. Unlimited Touch 
H. You Got Me Dancing Ft. Audrey Wheeler & Cindy Mizelle 
I. Chimi Ft. Elements Of Life 
J. Love Has No Time Or Place Ft. Elements Of Life (Unreleased Instrumental Dub) 
K. Atmosphere Strut Ft. DJ Spinna 
L. Cosmic Witch Ft. Anané 
M. How He Works Ft. Nico Vega 
N. A Place Where We Can All Be Free Ft. Janine Lyons 
O. Touch The Sky Ft. Tony Momrelle 
P. Dreaming Ft. Cindy Mizelle 
Q. All My Love Ft. Robyn 
R. Feel So Right Ft. Honey Dijon 
S. Free To Love (Louie Vega & Karen Harding) 
T. It's All Good (Louie Vega Remix) (Bebe Winans Ft. Debbie Winans Lowe & Korean Soul) 

Lead singer Al Johnson and Tom Fauntleroy, two US soul & R&B greats who founded their first band at University in Washington D.C. originally wrote and released the song on Johnson’s first solo independent album “Peaceful” in 1978. They’d later go on to rerecord the track for Johnson’s follow up album on major label CBS “Back For More” which introduced the song to a wider audience and is the version featured here on this 12”

Tata Vega, American singer from New York would go on to cover the track that same year. Starting her career in the 60s featuring in musicals and performing with various groups, she got signed to Motown by Berry Gordy on the spot who was in the audience at a concert one of Vega’s groups was performing at. Tata Vega’s version of “I’ve Got My Second Wind”, in duet with soul singer George Curtis Cameron was originally released on her fourth solo album on Motown, “Givin’ All My Love”. Reissued and now available on loud 12” for the first time!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Tata Vega – I’ve Got My Second Sind
B1. Al Johnson – I’ve Got My Second Wind

One of Alan Vega’s greatest talents was his ability to bring the past and the future together into a suspended place of timelessness. His groundbreaking duo Suicide was often seen as future primitivism and most of his musical output has exemplified this blending of the primordial human condition and visionary thinking. With Invasion b/w Murder One, the next release from the now infamous Vega Vault following 2021’s Mutator, we see this innate power in full effect.

The two tracks “Invasion” and “Murder One” were recorded two decades apart from one another in New York City. “Invasion” was recorded toward the end of the 2012-2015 studio sessions for the posthumous album IT and was one of his last recordings, while “Murder One” was recorded in 1997-1998, (after the Mutator sessions) and is part of a cluster of material that was recorded but never mixed prior to the sessions for his album 2007, released in 1999. Pairing these two songs together as a release illustrates the timelessness of the 30 plus years of unreleased material that he deemed the Vega Vault.

This release continues the collaboration of Mutator’s mixing and producing team, Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud. Liz provides a bridge to the past, having performed throughout the recording process of “Murder One” and “Invasion” while Jared opens a bridge to the future having been chosen by Alan himself to carry the torch and ensure the vision stays intact. Alan trusted no one more than Liz and Jared, and gave his blessing and encouragement to continue releasing material from the Vault. As Alan stated in the song “Vision” from IT, “If you destroy the vision, you will suffer the whirlwind.”

Listening to the various tracks during these mixing sessions brought up vivid recollections of how the sounds (such as the haunting voices in “Murder One”) were created and the constant experimentation that was involved, memories that informed Liz’s approach in the mixing process. Together with Jared’s technical skills, intuition, and deep understanding of the feeling these sounds were intended to evoke, the two were able to preserve the authenticity of the recordings while enhancing the quality of sound so the listener can fully experience the nuances of these unique auditory creations.

TRACK LISTING

1. Invasion
2. Murder One 

The accomplished and uniquely characteristic world-builder Mart Avi delivers his most complete body of work yet with Vega Never Sets. His fifth full-length solo release, a record of abstract soul and spectral electronic textures finds him evolving further into a state of hyperkinetism and timeless grandeur. Like the great storyteller, Mart Avi blends the familiar and comforting with the new and the unpalatable, to seduce the unawares with a bold new record that veers between folkloristic tech-noir and melodic, post-digital ballads; a movement of electronic pulses, gently held together by his finely composed worlds. Pulling at deeper contexts, he expresses an unstrained defiance of gravity through his playful character — one that is smartly dressed, charming and full of boyish anarchism. As The Quietus wrote, Avi is “like a David Foster Wallace of pop”, cerebral and hot-blooded, with plenty of fervour and a lust for living.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: Porridge Bullet play host to Mart Avi's fifth full length solo release, revelling in every second of its uncanny beauty. Reminiscent of both the chamber pop of Dutch Uncles, James Blake's electronic ballads and the synthesised shimmer of Rex Orange County, this is Avi's most honed release to date.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Feather
A2. Wire
A3. Soul Reaver
A4. Avirex
A5. Firefly
B1. The Fifth Season
B2. Spark
B3. Endsville
B4. Milton
B5. Vega

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has written and recorded numerous songs that have become part of the contemporary music vernacular, including “Luka”, certainly the only hit song ever written from the perspective of an abused boy, “Marlene on the Wall”, a surprise hit in the UK and “Tom’s Diner”, a strange little a cappella piece that was remixed by U.K. electronic dance duo “DNA” and became a major club hit. Her albums, including her self-titled debut, the follow up, Solitude Standing and 99.9F have sold millions of copies. WHAT IS THIS ALBUM ? Produced by Gerry Leonard (Guitar player with David Bowie, played with Roger Waters, Laurie Anderson) mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Kevin Killen and mastered by Grammy Award winner, Bob Ludwig. On An Evening of New York Songs and Stories, Vega revisits some of her most New York-centric repertoire in a stunning live recording on which she is backed by longtime guitarist, Gerry Leonard, bassist Jeff Allen and keyboardist Jamie Edwards. Recorded at New York City’s famed Café Carlyle in early 2019, the album includes both familiar songs like “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner” and deep cuts from her catalog like “Frank and Ava” and “Ludlow Street”. The mix of repertoire also features “New York Is My Destination” from Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers, Vega’s one-woman play about the Southern gothic novelist Carson McCullers, and a cover of her late friend Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.

TRACK LISTING

1. Marlene On The Wall
2. Luka
3. 'So How Many People Are Here From Out Of Town?'
4. New York Is A Woman
5. 'This Next Song Takes Place On 59th Street...'
6. Frank And Eva
7. 'So I Myself Came To New York City When I Was 2 ½ Years Old'
8. Gypsy
9. Freeze Tag
10. Pornographer's Dream
11. 'This Next Song Is Called New York Is My Destination'
12. New York Is My Destination
13. 'The First Time I Saw Lou Reed...'
14. Walk On The Wild Side
15. Ludlow Street
16. Cracking
17. 'And Now We've Got A Song About Those Times...'
18. Some Journey
19. 'I'm Gonna Close With This Song...'
20. Tom's Diner
21. 'Would You Like Another One?'
22. Anniversary
23. Tombstone
24. Thin Man

For BBE Music’s landmark 500th release, the label joins forces with Louie Vega, Leroy Burgess and Patrick Adams to revisit "Barely Breaking Even", the iconic track after which the label is named. Coaxed into the studio together by BBE founder Peter Adarkwah, Grammy winning House music hero Louie Vega, arranger extraordinaire and New York disco royalty Patrick Adams, plus the song’s original writer (and king of boogie) Leroy Burgess soon got to work. Even given the caliber of those involved in this special session, the results are simply exceptional. Featuring live strings by The Apple Hill String Quartet arranged by Adams and Burgess, Vega’s ‘Boogie Mix’ stays faithful to the Universal Robot Band original, with potent vocal performances and a tough new groove for 2019. It was at the string recording session for the boogie version that Louie Vega unveiled his 'NYC House Mix' to the assembled musicians, at which point he and Leroy Burgess quickly arranged a brand new horn section and re-wrote the song’s melody to compliment the track’s accelerated pace. What the team emerged with is so much more than a remix- it’s a unified call-back to two golden eras; that of disco-boogie and that of New York House. And it’s beautiful.

TRACK LISTING

Disc: 1
1. Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega NYC House Remix (Instrumental))
2. Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega Boogie Mix)

Disc: 2
1. Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega NYC House Remix)
2. Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega Boogie Mix (Instrumental))

Another soaring melodic pop song from Vega 4, for fans of Coldplay, Snowpatrol, Keane etc.

Originally out in 1990, "Heaven Or Las Vegas" was the Cocteau Twins' last LP for 4AD, and the pinnacle of their releases to date. Everything you love about the trio's music is present here: phased, shimmering guitar soundscapes, subtle synth washes and textures, and of course Liz Fraser's swooping, soaring vocal. If you had to pick only one Cocteau Twins LP to own, then this has to be it!