Cerca:alter

Brain Thrust Mastery, the second album by Californian art rockers We Are Scientists was originally released on Virgin Records in March 2008, its heady brew of retro futurism, indie and sparkling shiny power pop make it sound thoroughly contemporary - Working in conjunction with the band, this 2LP version of the album adds B-sides and tracks recorded live at London's Union Chapel and is pressed onto high-quality 180g vinyl. Named after founder members Keith Murray and Chris Cain's dress sense led a truck rental supervisor to surmise that they had to be academics, We Are Scientists were formed in Berkeley, California around the turn of the century. Their first 'proper' album, 2005's With Love And Squalor, became an underground hit as the band toured Britain, where they gained a substantial fanbase before the album was released in America the following year. Material for Brain Thrust Mastery was debuted on an early 2007 UK tour, before the band returned to the studio with producer Ariel Rechtshaid (who would go on to win Grammys with Vampire Weekend). We Are Scientists maintain a strong sense of theatre and comedy in their live performance - at this time, the group acted as their own support, offering seminars in self improvement called 'Brain Thrust Mastery'. The album is full of well-written pop songs, rich in hooks and melody. Lead single After Hours reached No 15 in March 2008, and after the release of the album the same month, it was followed by further hit singles Chick Lit and Impatience. A summer of touring, including performances at Glastonbury, T In The Park and Reading and Leeds underlined the group's popularity.

Brain Thrust Mastery, the second album by Californian art rockers We Are Scientists was originally released on Virgin Records in March 2008, its heady brew of retro futurism, indie and sparkling shiny power pop make it sound thoroughly contemporary - Working in conjunction with the band, this 2LP version of the album adds B-sides and tracks recorded live at London's Union Chapel and is pressed onto high-quality 180g vinyl. Named after founder members Keith Murray and Chris Cain's dress sense led a truck rental supervisor to surmise that they had to be academics, We Are Scientists were formed in Berkeley, California around the turn of the century. Their first 'proper' album, 2005's With Love And Squalor, became an underground hit as the band toured Britain, where they gained a substantial fanbase before the album was released in America the following year. Material for Brain Thrust Mastery was debuted on an early 2007 UK tour, before the band returned to the studio with producer Ariel Rechtshaid (who would go on to win Grammys with Vampire Weekend). We Are Scientists maintain a strong sense of theatre and comedy in their live performance - at this time, the group acted as their own support, offering seminars in self improvement called 'Brain Thrust Mastery'. The album is full of well-written pop songs, rich in hooks and melody. Lead single After Hours reached No 15 in March 2008, and after the release of the album the same month, it was followed by further hit singles Chick Lit and Impatience. A summer of touring, including performances at Glastonbury, T In The Park and Reading and Leeds underlined the group's popularity.

Julie Kuhl, geboren 2005 in Châtillon-sur-Seine in Frankreich, ist eine junge Singer-Songwriterin aus Frankfurt a.M, die in den vergangenen zwei Jahren von sich hören gemacht hat. Bereits als kleines Kind fing Julie an, in Chören zu singen, Instrumente zu lernen (Gitarre, Klavier, Bratsche) und erste Songs selbst zu schreiben. Im Alter von 15 Jahren folgt dann ihre erste Single und kurz darauf ihr Debütalbum „flowers & candles“. 2022 – mit 17 Jahren – erschien Julies zweites Album „Born With Nostalgic Bones“ auf dem Frankfurter Jazz-Label „Jazz Montez Records“.

Chris Douridas, Musikdirektor des kalifornischen Radiosenders KCRW zählt bereits zu ihren Fans. Nach unzähligen Auftritten in Frankfurt, teils auf großen Bühnen (wie auf der EM Eröffnungszeremonie in Frankfurt oder dem Holidays Festival), teils klein folgt nun eine Zusammenarbeit mit dem Kölner Musiker Gianni Brezzo (Marvin Horsch), der mit ihr gemeinsam 5 Songs im Stile von Genevieve Stokes, Arlo Parks & Clairo produziert hat.
Die IndiePop-Hymne DAMAGE drückt den Schmerz der Jugend und ihre düsteren Herausforderungen mit ihrer eigenen Perspektive aus & die kraftvolle Piano-Produktion lässt Julies klassisch ausgebildeten Gesang einfließen.
Julie: "Es geht um Jemanden, mit dem man Abschließen will und um dem Konflikt mit sich selbst, da man immer noch ganz viel Liebe für die Person hat, aber zeitgleich weiß, dass sie einem nicht gut tut. Ein präsentes Thema ist auch die Verzweiflung darüber, dass die Person keine Einsicht zeigt und sich ihrer Taten gar nicht bewusst ist.“

Die EP CLOUDS OF GRIEF erscheint 01.11.2024 auf dem „Jakarta Records“ Sublabel „ASMARA RECORDS“ (Woman & XulZolar). In Japan erscheint die EP auf P-Vine Records. Brain Marrow übernimmt die PR (inkl. Radio) in UK & Achim Launert bemustert die Radiosender im deutschsprachigen Raum. Begleitet wird das Release von einer Digitalen Marketingkampagne (Konversion) auf Instagram.

Written and recorded in London at Abbey Road Studios, "Les Chansons de l'Innocence retrouvé", Etienne Daho's 11th studio album, is now reissued on LIMITED EDITION double LP. Two vinyl with 23 additional tracks on the double LP (live versions, alternatives...). " Les Chansons de l'Innocence retrouvé " is a free and out-of-fashion album written and produced with Jean-Louis Pierot. Cinematographic and epic, with a permanent tension oscillating between lightness, flamboyance and gravity. We meet the ghosts of Francis Bacon, the slums of Soho, William Blake and John Barry for the haughty beauty of the strings or David Lynch for a dizzying “L’homme qui marche”,Debbie Harry, Nile Rodgers, Dominique A, Jenny Beth, Yan Wagner, François Marry and Au Revoir Simone come to accompany Daho on this dense and Dionysian journey. A masterstroke.

Military Genius (aka songwriter/producer Bryce Cloghesy) today announced his new album Scarred for Life will be released November 1st, 2024 via Unheard of Hope. The follow-up to his atmospheric 2020 debut Deep Web, Scarred for Life is a genre-flexing mix of bass-heavy R&B, spaced dub, and jazz that is newly grounded within a more traditional rock framework and centered on lyricism. Lead single “Darkest Hour”–out now alongside a self-directed video filmed near his new desert home in Joshua Tree, California–reflects a head first journey into the unknown. "’Darkest Hour’ encapsulates the feeling of being swept away by time, into an endless night,” says Cloghesy. “There is a certain melancholy in leaving the past behind, dwelling on simpler, antiquated ways of life as we are pushed forward. This message is poignant on a personal level–becoming a father has led me to contemplate my own childhood, witnessing a purity of emotion prior to self-awareness. This applies to a broader collective consciousness too, as the march of progress fundamentally alters our shared experience. It's all about embracing the journey, stepping beyond the point of no return, and facing the future."

Alternative Jazz. This is a 5 track EP of brand new, previously unreleased material from The Near Jazz Experience (Terry Edwards, Mark Bedford and Simon Charterton). Whilst recording the new album Terry asked pianist Mike Garson (best known for his work with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins) - whom Terry has toured with if he'd like to play on a track. Mike said yes, recorded a stupendous solo for Character Actor at his home studio and sent it over. All in the space of 24 hours! On hearing the piano part NJE bassist Mark Bedford came up with the idea of having the piano mixed with the original track (as intended) but also using it as the basis for a completely new recording with the piano leading rather than complementing the band. Side 1 of the EP has these two very different versions from the same seed. Unidentical twins indeed. Side 2 of the EP contains 4 outliers from the album sessions. These aren't out-takes or unfinished pieces. They simply couldn't find a place for themselves within the album - along the lines of the tunes Tom Waits put together for his Orphans compilation of 2006. They are standalone tunes which have found a home together on this EP because in some way they all have filmic qualities. Side 1 contains 2 takes on Character Actor (the title being a nod to Cracked Actor, a tune on Aladdin Sane, the album that introduced Bowie fans to Mike Garson), and Side 2 has The Loping Four; Projector; MacGuffin and Lockstep, all titles which contain strong cinematic elements, MacGuffin in particular. It was Alfred Hitchcock's favourite word for a red herring in the plot. The musical cast on this release has a remarkable pedigree. The NJE consists of Terry Edwards (solo artist and session player with PJ Harvey, Franz Ferdinand, Siouxsie, Jimi Tenor, Piroshka, Tindersticks etc); Mark Bedford (Madness, Robert Wyatt, Robyn Hitchcock, Nightingales etc); Simon Charterton (The Higsons, Alex Harvey, Zook, Serious Drinking etc). Alongside featured guest Mike Garson there is an appearance by Oliver Cherer (Aircooled, Miki Berenyi Band) on keys and synth. This is an RSD exclusive, 500 copies on black vinyl in full colour sleeve which reflects the filmic quality of the recorded material. No download. The title track will appear on the next Near Jazz Experience studio album. The 4 additional tracks, however, will remain exclusive to Record Store Day.

Military Genius (aka songwriter/producer Bryce Cloghesy) today announced his new album Scarred for Life will be released November 1st, 2024 via Unheard of Hope. The follow-up to his atmospheric 2020 debut Deep Web, Scarred for Life is a genre-flexing mix of bass-heavy R&B, spaced dub, and jazz that is newly grounded within a more traditional rock framework and centered on lyricism. Lead single “Darkest Hour”–out now alongside a self-directed video filmed near his new desert home in Joshua Tree, California–reflects a head first journey into the unknown. "’Darkest Hour’ encapsulates the feeling of being swept away by time, into an endless night,” says Cloghesy. “There is a certain melancholy in leaving the past behind, dwelling on simpler, antiquated ways of life as we are pushed forward. This message is poignant on a personal level–becoming a father has led me to contemplate my own childhood, witnessing a purity of emotion prior to self-awareness. This applies to a broader collective consciousness too, as the march of progress fundamentally alters our shared experience. It's all about embracing the journey, stepping beyond the point of no return, and facing the future."

Repress with alternate label-art (again!!). UK based Emile Facey joins the frustrada familia bringing a heavy, ice cold and highly emotive 3 track EP. Much in the vein of E.R.P. and the likes, but with a sharper sounding more abstract approach. Highly recommended!

Repress on transparent magenta / black vinyl:

Nearly a decade after the release of his breakthrough debut album 'Sunday', Swedish producer HNNY (aka Johan Cederberg) returns with the album Light Shines Through, released independently via HNNY's own imprint.

For his first album in almost a decade, HNNY has returned to the electronic soundscapes that inspired his earliest releases. It's made for the quiet, brain-tingling moments of solitude at home and contains a consistent thread throughout, not just in the ambient sounds used, but also more conceptually with what the songs evoke and what they are about: the album lands at a particularly pivotal moment of HNNY's life after the birth of his two daughters which have given him a new perspective on life.

HNNY's melodies are a gentle alternative to the more complicated corners of dance music. Debuting on Studio Barnhus in 2011, HNNY aka Johan Cederberg quickly became one of house music's most talked about artists with a signature sample driven style. He has won a Swedish Grammy in the electronic music category, toured the world globally and created a following both in and outside of the dance music community for his bittersweet strain of dance music.
Shortly after the release of his critically acclaimed debut album Sunday, the producer stopped touring solely focusing on production. Since then, HNNY has racked up hundreds of millions of streams, released a number of singles and EPs on the likes of Let's Play House, Puss and Omena and he is now finally ready to return to the LP format for the first time in nearly a decade with the album Light Shines Through.

Since first bonding over Slowdive at a Texas karaoke bar six years ago, musicians Uriel Avila and Jonathan Perez have grown trauma ray into Fort Worth's foremost flag bearer of crushing shoegaze. A five-piece rounded out by bassist Darren Baun, drummer Nicholas Bobotas, and guitarist Coleman Pruitt, the band's debut album, Chameleon, captures their evolving sound at an apex of majestic devastation. A fusion of downer hooks, gauzy melancholia, and bulldozer riffs, the album heaves and crashes across 50 minutes of stacked amplifier alchemy. Lyrically the songs trace similarly lofty and brooding terrain; Avila says "The theme is death. And a chameleon, like death, can shape-shift in and out our lives in different forms." Chameleon opens with "Ember," dreamy and distant, alternately anthemic and apocalyptic, defeated and deafening. Lead single "Bishop" perfectly encapsulates trauma ray's depth and dimension, ripping out of the gate with "the biggest, baddest, saddest wall of sound." Lyrics about being burnt at the stake and "tossed in the flame" float above a stop-start assault of precision distortion, eventually expanding into a lush, heavy, sorrowful end coda. "Spectre" is a mysterious, introspective dirge, envisioned as a "mellow, slowcore, Duster-thing," all feeling and heavy fuzz chords (with no lead guitar). Avila wrote it, "to be a hymnal" from the perspective of someone who won't let go - a ghost, an ex, a shadow self. Although the album is rich with subtleties, graceful lulls, and "breaths of air," the band's three guitar attack is its defining force, a power flexed to its peak on "Bardo." Perez's intentions were blunt: "I wanted to write a riff that was hard as fuck." The result is alternately mean and eerie, veering between noisy one string bends and surging headbang, mapping a middle ground between Unwound and early-Deftones. One of trauma ray's greatest gifts is their ability to make doomy, sledgehammer heaviness sound like an earworm, without production tricks or gimmicks: "Riff, verse, chorus, three guitar parts - that's all you need." This quality is particularly apparent on the title track, a churning slab of amplifier worship, swirling chords, and heavenly, defeated vocals about not belonging, shape-shifting, and death ("A twisted face / Void of attention / An empty space / In your reflection"). "U.S.D.D.O.S" closes the album, swaying across seven minutes of grey skied guitar and haunted voice, subtly thickening as it deepens. Feedback and shrapnel gradually begin raining down, like a satellite disintegrating in the atmosphere. Titled as an acronym after a poem by Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño that loosely translates to "a dream within a dream," the melody softens, smears, and then disappears, slowly swallowed by the gravity of eternal descent. Chameleon is a masterpiece of craft, balance, melody, lyricism, and gravity, flexing a fresh vision of loud-quiet-loud architectures and the vertigo depths of blasted harmonics. From Slowdive to Nothing, to Hum and beyond, the band absorb and expand on their influences into a rare and dedicated alchemy. trauma ray's cinematic tempest is a gathering storm only just taking flight.

Since first bonding over Slowdive at a Texas karaoke bar six years ago, musicians Uriel Avila and Jonathan Perez have grown trauma ray into Fort Worth's foremost flag bearer of crushing shoegaze. A five-piece rounded out by bassist Darren Baun, drummer Nicholas Bobotas, and guitarist Coleman Pruitt, the band's debut album, Chameleon, captures their evolving sound at an apex of majestic devastation. A fusion of downer hooks, gauzy melancholia, and bulldozer riffs, the album heaves and crashes across 50 minutes of stacked amplifier alchemy. Lyrically the songs trace similarly lofty and brooding terrain; Avila says "The theme is death. And a chameleon, like death, can shape-shift in and out our lives in different forms." Chameleon opens with "Ember," dreamy and distant, alternately anthemic and apocalyptic, defeated and deafening. Lead single "Bishop" perfectly encapsulates trauma ray's depth and dimension, ripping out of the gate with "the biggest, baddest, saddest wall of sound." Lyrics about being burnt at the stake and "tossed in the flame" float above a stop-start assault of precision distortion, eventually expanding into a lush, heavy, sorrowful end coda. "Spectre" is a mysterious, introspective dirge, envisioned as a "mellow, slowcore, Duster-thing," all feeling and heavy fuzz chords (with no lead guitar). Avila wrote it, "to be a hymnal" from the perspective of someone who won't let go - a ghost, an ex, a shadow self. Although the album is rich with subtleties, graceful lulls, and "breaths of air," the band's three guitar attack is its defining force, a power flexed to its peak on "Bardo." Perez's intentions were blunt: "I wanted to write a riff that was hard as fuck." The result is alternately mean and eerie, veering between noisy one string bends and surging headbang, mapping a middle ground between Unwound and early-Deftones. One of trauma ray's greatest gifts is their ability to make doomy, sledgehammer heaviness sound like an earworm, without production tricks or gimmicks: "Riff, verse, chorus, three guitar parts - that's all you need." This quality is particularly apparent on the title track, a churning slab of amplifier worship, swirling chords, and heavenly, defeated vocals about not belonging, shape-shifting, and death ("A twisted face / Void of attention / An empty space / In your reflection"). "U.S.D.D.O.S" closes the album, swaying across seven minutes of grey skied guitar and haunted voice, subtly thickening as it deepens. Feedback and shrapnel gradually begin raining down, like a satellite disintegrating in the atmosphere. Titled as an acronym after a poem by Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño that loosely translates to "a dream within a dream," the melody softens, smears, and then disappears, slowly swallowed by the gravity of eternal descent. Chameleon is a masterpiece of craft, balance, melody, lyricism, and gravity, flexing a fresh vision of loud-quiet-loud architectures and the vertigo depths of blasted harmonics. From Slowdive to Nothing, to Hum and beyond, the band absorb and expand on their influences into a rare and dedicated alchemy. trauma ray's cinematic tempest is a gathering storm only just taking flight.

There’s a lot of buzz going on around The Strumbellas. Performances on Jimmy Kimmel, The Late Show
with Stephen Colbert and Late Night with Seth Myers. Won the 2017 Best New Rock/Alternative Rock
Artist Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards and also got nominated for Best New Artist and
Alternative Rock Artist of the Year! Orange and Yellow Splatter vinyl.

2025 feiern Frankreichs Loudblast ihren 40. Geburtstag, mit vielen besonderen Events und Überraschungen, bis dahin haben sich die Franzosen dazu entschieden, im Jetzt zu leben und in der Zwischenzeit das vielleicht überraschendste und gewagteste Album ihrer langen Karriere zu veröffentlichen. Auch wenn er das Material freiwillig als „ziemlich old-school“ beschreibt, spricht Sänger & Gitarrist Stéphane Buriez über "Altering Fates And Destinies" als ein sehr persönliches Album.

She's In Parties ist ein englisches Quartett aus Colchester (benannt nach dem kultigen Bauhaus-Track), dessen eigenwillige Mischung aus Shoegaze und Dream-Pop ihr relativ junges Alter verrät. Die neue EP "Puppet Show" ist ihr bisher politischstes und lyrisch reifstes Statement. Es behandelt die Sorgen nach dem Erwachsenwerden und die existentielle Erkenntnis über die Probleme dieser Welt, von den sozialen Medien bis zu Kriegen und der persönlichen Angst, all dem hilflos ausgeliefert zu sein.

- "Colchester’s new answer to hazy shoegaze heroes Cocteau Twins." – NME

- "Melding shoegaze-y pop and dazzling indie licks, their wall of sound is simply irresistible." - DORK

- "All dreamy, reverbed atmospherics and interlocking textures... A real find." - Sunday Times Culture

Belgian saxophonist, composer, and producer Mattias De Craene (Nordmann, MDCIII) announces a new solo album, ‘A House Where I Dream,’ on VIERNULVIER Records. On his second album, he delivers a highly personal and healing journey, presented as an alternative soundtrack to the 1973 cult film ‘The Holy Mountain.’

The record will be released on October 11 on vinyl LP and through all digital platforms.

"The Holy Mountain" is a surreal Mexican film from 1973 directed, written, and produced by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who also stars in the film. The film holds a prominent place in avant-garde cinema and explores themes such as spirituality, mysticism, and the quest for enlightenment. It is in this vein that ‘A House Where I Dream’ is crafted.

“My mind and soul - and thus my music - come home to this motion picture” - Mattias De Craene

The album will be presented live with the film on October 16 at Videodroom during Film Fest Gent.

ABOUT THE ALBUM
With hypnotic tape loops, grainy textures, and mesmerizing saxophone, Mattias De Craene creates possible worlds that herald a spiritual transformation. From the Scottish Highlands and desolate mountains to the deepest recesses of the soul, this music has the power to create cinematic landscapes that transcend time and space. The sound of these 8 tracks is closely related to the minimalist compositions of Terry Riley, but the work of contemporary artists like KMRU or William Basinski is also drawn from the same material.

Above all, this album is a deeply personal journey and unintentionally serves as a metaphor for De Craene's ascent of his own mountain. For the Videodroom festival by Arts Center VIERNULVIER, the saxophonist began working on a new soundtrack for the film ‘The Holy Mountain’ in 2023, but his body and mind abruptly called him to a halt, forcing him to take a professional break. However, this project never left him, leading to an honest and raw quest to find himself as both a person and an artist, with Jodorowsky as a companion de route and music as an anchor. It initiated a long process of dismantling, searching, healing and back again. The album not only provides a sanctuary for dreaming to all who listen, but for its creator it also serves as both an outcry of despair and a source of comfort during challenging times.

All the tracks on 'A House Where I Dream' share an unfiltered grain of life, as one can almost feel the damp breath of the saxophone blowing.

The album opens with the three-part strong 'Transcention,' where the hypnotic interplay between soprano sax and lo-fi tape loops leads to higher realms of the mind and soul.
Alternating between deep frequencies and farout folk modalities, this mantra-like triptych acquires an alchemical character and ultimately transcends time and space.

In the ethereal 'Away,' one can peer into an abyss of resonance while a saturated tenor sax lends guidance in the spirit of Terry Riley's productions. 'You and Me' also bathes in a similar atmosphere, albeit in the vein of healing 90s ambient as granular sax tones converge with celestial chants. 'Gazing Upwards Towards The Sky,' offers different shades of blue as a slumbering tenor sax is juxtaposed to swift sax patterns. On 'A Stranger That Moved Me,' beauty lands in a soft and subtle manner, while the closing track 'Shepherd's Glow' drifts like a mountain wind flaring up at the darkest hour of the night.

The artwork is created by Gent-based artist Sam Timmerman, who portrays the world of 'A House Where I Dream' with playful repetition and mystique.

Rediscovered and compiled for release shortly before her death in November 2023, Further Selections from the Electric Harpsichord presents a never-before-heard recording of composer and artist Catherine Christer Hennix's early magnum opus. Originally debuted in 1976 at the festival Brouwer's Lattice at Stockholm's Moderna Museet, The Electric Harpsichord has steadily mystified fans and students of Western minimalist music for its implacable, transformative qualities, and the long-held, relative obscurity of its creator. Like the work of Hennix's close friend La Monte Young, the piece is set in just intonation and focuses on the transcendental potentials of precise tuning, inspired by their studies with Pandit Pran Nath. Composed of bursts of oscillating, synthetic tones using a carefully retuned synthesizer and a tape-based system for feedback delay, the sounds swirl, twinkle, and appear to bend time, space, and perception. Additional, sustained chords on the sheng, most likely played by her Deontic Miracle bandmate Hans Isgren, are present at the opening of the piece and reemerge towards the end of the recording. The release of Further Selections constitutes the most comprehensive original recording of this foundational work to date. Originally billed as The Well-Tuned Organ during its debut in Sweden, The Electric Harpsichord has developed a legendary reputation, predicated on a twenty-six minute fragment salvaged and circulated by Hennix's friend Henry Flynt. Promoting its importance on multiple occasions, Flynt aired the work on WBAI radio, organized a pair of tape concerts at New York alternative arts spaces in 1970s, and later penned a 1998 essay which served as the liner notes to its eventual CD release in 2010. For him, this work not only represented a sterling milestone in minimal sonic aesthetics, but also spawned a new genre that he dubbed "hallucinogenic/ecstatic sound environments (HESE)," which in turn inspired his own drone-like compositions. Gradually, interest in the recording led to a spate of archival projects, public performances, and new compositions by Hennix in the 2010s, in turn drawing into focus her multifarious practice, which includes serious contributions towards mathematics, poetry, sculpture, Noh drama, philosophy, and light art. Since 2018, Blank Forms has spearheaded a comprehensive publication effort in support of her work, including the writing collection Poësy Matters and Other Matters (2018); archival recordings like Selected Early Keyboard Works (2018) and The Deontic Miracle's Selections from 100 Models of Hegikan Roku (2019); and recent compositions such as Blues Alif Lam Mim (2021) and Solo for Tamburium (2023).

The four-track EP Reinos Elementales opens with El Descenso de Inanna, an electrifying track characterized by dark atmospheres and a compelling rhythm that transports the listener on a journey as energetic as it is introspective.

Uroboros, the second track on the EP but the first to be composed, was born from the artists first jam session. A rhythmic journey characterized by the cyclical alternation of dub sounds and organic elements, conveying a warm and vibrant sensation thats hard to resist.

Malachite is another gem for the dance floor, where the elements
intertwine fluidly between an urgent rhythm and a liberating atmosphere.

Finally, Stato Liminare is the last track composed by the duo a perfect
B2 that adds a touch of surprise to the EP with its fractured and deep
rhythm. The composers recite a mantra in their native language, creating a magical and hypnotic vocal line that offers a sense of suspension between the tangible and the ethereal.

When the Beat Konducta and his trusty alter ego link up for the sequel, another southern California blunt cruise ensues. The Adventures Of Lord Quas consists of a slow ride through the deepest corners of the crate, leaving no genre unearthed until it claims space in the haze of one’s imagination. It’s business as unusual: Madlib funnels his most twisted impulses and comedic sensibilities into a sonic slacker flck complete with good dope, bottom-shelf liquor, and a penchant for gazing mouth agape into the great unknown. But he knows Lord Quas like a good needle on wax, and they casually strut through the loops, much ado about frontin’. (Not like fake shit ain’t a big deal, but it ain’t a big enough deal.) This record captures Madlib and his id at their most frantic, indulgent, and often confusing; they trade neatness for chaos, continuity for collage in a barrage of the finest sounds this side of the B-side. It’s hip-hop that takes every visible risk, often striking gold and proving how in control the Loop Digga truly is. Don’t hit it too hard, your other selves might pay you a visit.

Weval (consisting of Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers) are an Amsterdam-based duo who have established a solid reputation across the globe for crafting highly textured and sophisticated electronic music. They announce a new EP called ‘Night Versions’ which contains brand new, club-focused alternatives to key tracks from their recent critically acclaimed album, ‘Remember’. ‘Night Versions’ is set to release on Ninja Tune imprint Technicolour on 4th October. With the announcement Weval share a Night Version reimagining for title track “Remember".

Speaking about these new versions, Weval say, "It was so much fun to return to the material and make some bold moves. Just to see how far we could push the tracks with the dance floor in mind. We've been road-testing a few of these in our DJ sets lately, and it's so rewarding to watch people dance and hear the tracks blasting on the dance floor. It's addictively fun to experience and see the second life of the songs from the LP."

‘Remember’ embarked on a high energy journey of nostalgic memories and euphoric emotions, with elements of pop, dance and every genre in between being thrown in and whittled down to make an intense, spontaneous and substantial work. PopMatters noted the album as "a kaleidoscopic, gut-turning, jaw-dropping wondrous journey" while it received additional support from the likes of Cool Hunting, Clash Magazine and Stereogum among others.

"""Population Four"" is the fourth studio album by the British alternative rock band Cranes, released in 1997. This album marks a major change in the lineup. With bassist Cope leaving the band, Jim Shaw took on the role of lead guitar, Francombe transitioned to bass, and new member Manu Ros joined as the drummer. The album showcases a more traditional sound, as Cranes move away from stark and mysterious vocals toward acoustic guitars and standard drums, while maintaining their distinctive ethereal blend of dream pop and gothic rock. Alison Shaw's haunting vocals continue to take center stage, as the band embraces a more mature and refined sound. Tracks such as ""Brazil"" and ""Angel Bell"" demonstrate their ability to blend lush melodies with introspective lyrics. The single “Can’t Get Free” is a haunting and atmospheric track that encapsulates the band's unique ethereal style, cementing their status as a cult favorite. This re-release comes as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on silver & black marbled vinyl."

Psych, space, kraut and drones from songwriter Julius Lind and his trio with members from Action & Tension & Space, The Megaphonic Thrift and Gold Celeste. Arising from the Norwegian alternative scene they experiment with a vibrant mix of genres and refer to many golden eras on the history of pop and rock music! The album was recorded in Studio Paradiso with Christian Engfelt (Cato Salsa Experience) as technician and co-producer in 2023.

John Williams' Home Alone soundtrack is a heartwarming classic that perfectly complements the holiday season. Known for his work on Star Wars, E.T.and Harry Potter, Williams brings the same orchestral magic to this beloved Christmas film. The score includes memorable tracks like 'Somewhere in My Memory,' a recurring theme throughout the film, and 'Star of Bethlehem,' which captures the festive spirit with choral and orchestral elegance. The standout track, 'Setting the Trap,' diverges from Williams' usual orchestral sound, incorporating electronics and percussion to enhance Kevin's creative showdown with the burglars. Alongside traditional Christmas carols like 'O Holy Night' and 'Carol of the Bells,' the soundtrack blends nostalgia with whimsy. Though the album repeats familiar motifs, its charm makes it a refreshing alternative to typical holiday music. The Home Alone soundtrack is available in a limited edition red and gold vinyl 2xLP, making it an essential for any festive playlist. Whether it's playing while decorating the tree or enjoying Christmas cookies, this release brings the holiday spirit alive.

Heated Garage is a sonic snapshot of what happened when boundless musical energy and middle American moxie combined to create a cultural phenomenon. The tracks are drawn from a vast archive of Kay Bank master tapes - some are ultra rarities you’d be hard pressed to snatch from the collectors’ market without mortgaging a kidney. Others are alternate versions and outtakes never before released in any form! “The joke was, some bands didn’t become garage bands because it was too damn cold...you can’t go outside when it’s 25 below zero. So, a lot of people are honing their craft in their basements.” High Spirits guitarist Owen Husney explains. Knowing more about them is not only unnecessary, it would mar their mystique. They exist forever in a moment of raw rock ‘n’ roll glory that transcends time, a space shared by their Heated Garage brethren. Looking back on The Pagans’ songs, for example, Kip Sullivan says, “They feel sacred to me.” Recollecting his High Spirits adventures, Owen Husney sighs, “I would go back to those heydays in a minute.” Now he can. And we can all come along.

Die Band, welche Alternative Country zum Durchbruch verhalf, ist zurück! 1983 begann Lone Justice in den Clubs von Los Angeles zu spielen und machte sich schnell einen Namen. 1984 bereits wurde man von Geffen Records unter Vertrag genommen, 1985 erschien das selbstbetitelte Debütalbum, mittlerweile ein Klassiker der Rockgeschichte mit geradezu ikonischem Cover. Die LA Times kürte es zum "Album des Jahres". Sie spielten Konzerte mit U2, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers und Willie Nelson. Doch bereits nach dem zweiten Album löste sich die Band früh in 1987 auf, Sängerin Maria McKee und auch die Instrumentalisten begannen ihre Solokarrieren. Nun hat die Band 38 Jahre später ein neues, drittes Album fertiggestellt, mit zum größten Teil inspirierten Interpretationen von Fremdmaterial und Tradtionals, auf dem alle ursprünglichen Mitglieder des Debütalbums noch zu hören sind: Maria McKee, Ryan Hedgecock, Marvin Etzioni und auch der mittlerweile verstorbene Don Heffington. Zu den zusätzlichen Gästen gehören die Streicherarrangeurin Tammy Rogers, der Multihornist David Ralicke, Greg Leisz an der Steel-Gitarre und Benmont Tench am Klavier. Das Eröffnungsstück "You Possess Me" stellt Sängerin McKee in den Mittelpunkt, nur unterstützt von einem Streicher- und Mandolinenquartett. "Rattlesnake Mama" war einst ein dröhnendes elektrisches Stück in ihrem Live-Set von 1983 - diese Version ist jedoch rein akustisch mit Hedgecock an Harp und Tammy Rogers an der Fiddle. Später kreischen sie durch eine juvenile, atemberaubende Coverversion von 'Teenage Kicks' (der 1978er Single von The Undertones). Die Energie hält mit spürbarer Begeisterung für die Musik an und lässt Viva Lone Justice zu einem unerwarteten, inspirierenden Comeback werden. Lass den zweiten Frühling von Lone Justice auch dein Herz berühren, auch deine Scheune mit Folk, Rock, Country & Americana abbrennen.

"• 25th Anniversary expanded edition available on CD and for the first time on vinyl. • Contains five previously unissued tracks recorded live, November 14, 1999 on Mountain Stage. • Packaging contains lyrics, photos, and liner notes from Peter Blackstock (No Depression, Austin American-Statesman) While gigging in Austin, Texas, in the late 1980s, Kelly Willis developed a strong fan base. Among her fans were other Texas musicians like Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. Griffith introduced her to producer Tony Brown who signed Willis to MCA Records. Soon, she would find herself in the films Thelma And Louise and Bob Roberts, as well as receiving a nomination as Top New Female Vocalist at 1993’s Academy of Country Music Awards. After three records on MCA, and an EP on A&M, Willis finished her fifth release and signed with Rykodisc, who released What I Deserve in 1999. Featuring originals by Willis, three co-writes with The Jayhawks’ Gary Louris, and songs by Paul Kelly, Paul Westerberg, Nick Drake, Dan Penn, and more—What I Deserve became her highest charting album to date, hitting #30 on the Country charts and #24 on Heatseekers Albums. It is also now revered as a landmark release in Alternative Country and Americana circles—with good reason. To celebrate its 25th Anniversary, What I Deserve returns—expanded with five previously unissued live performances of songs from the album recorded November 14, 1999 on Mountain Stage. In addition to an expanded CD reissue, the release sees its first appearance on vinyl as a double-LP! In addition to the 17 tracks (appearing on both formats), the packaging contains lyrics and new liner notes from Peter Blackstock (No Depression, Austin American-Statesman), all done with Kelly’s approval. What I Deserve has always deserved another look and listen for those who may have missed it the first time—what you deserve is to lose yourself in Kelly Willis’ incredible What I Deserve and celebrate 25 years of this landmark album.
"

Als sich Frank Sinatra und Produzent Quincy Jones 1984, nach zwanzig Jahren erstmals wieder für eine
gemeinsame Albumproduktion im Studio trafen, hielt die Musikwelt die Luft an. Eine Bigband aus TopMusikern und prominente Gäste wie George Benson, Lionel Hampton und Bob James rundeten das Treffen
der beiden Entertainment-Giganten ab.
“L.A. Is My Lady” schaffte es auf Platz 58 der Billboard-Pop- und auf Platz 8 der Jazz-Charts. Der für
Sinatra ungewöhnlich poppige Titelsong, der es sogar auf eine MTV-Rotation brachte, und die restlichen
Titel im klassischen Swing-Stil gehören längst zu den beliebtesten Alben im Spätwerk des Sängers.
Die “40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition” wurde jetzt vom damaligen Tonmeister Larry Walsh brandneu
remixed. Die CD-Version beinhaltet zusätzlich sechs alternative Versionen der Albumtracks “Mack The
Knife“, „Body And Soul“, „After You’ve Gone“ und „How Do You Keep The Music Playing”, von denen
drei hier ihre Weltpremiere feiern!

Jubiläums Werkschau des Münchener Indie Labels Echokammer. Wie kein anderes Label repräsentiert Albert Pöschls Echokammer den Sound of Munich Underground. Am Außenposten von Popmusik ist Echokammer ein Labor, in dem Schablonen renoviert oder weiterentwickelt werden. Disko wird (in Kenntnis des Sound of Munich selbstverständlich) neu zusammengebaut, von Punk werden die weiterhin verblüffend beliebten Klischees abgeschraubt, Electro wird mit scheinbar unpassenden Elementen versetzt usw. Das alles klingt nach einer sehr ernsten Angelegenheit. Tatsächlich aber könnte man auch einen langen Essay "Über die Komik in der Musik am Beispiel von Echokammer-Platten" schreiben. Wobei die Komik immer karl-valentinesk bizarr-grotesk ist und nie comedy-witzig. In etwa vergleichbar mit der Taktik, Autoritäten nicht mit Gebrüll, sondern mit Verarschung anzurempeln.

One True Pairing, auch bekannt als Tom Fleming, ehemaliger Songwriter, Sänger und Multiinstrumentalist von Wild Beasts, veröffentlicht sein zweites Soloalbum 'Endless Rain' am 25. Oktober 2024 über Domino.

Aufgenommen in Dublin im Jahr 2022 mit Produzent John 'Spud' Murphy (Lankum, black midi, caroline) in den Hellfire Studios in Dublin, bekräftigt "Endless Rain" mutig Flemings künstlerische Vision - mit einem herbstlichen, suchenden und oft erhebenden Album, das von den Einflüssen traditioneller Musik, Klassik und Noise-Rock geprägt ist. Flemings langjähriger Kollaborateur Josh Taylor-Moon arrangierte, produzierte und spielte auf dem Album, ebenso wie Cormac MacDiamarda von Lankum und Eleanor Mylor von Percolator. Klanglich ist "Endless Rain" ein ehrgeiziges und weiträumiges Album, das sich deutlich von Flemings bisherigem Werk abhebt. Das Album enthält die bereits veröffentlichten und hochgelobten Singles "Frozen Food Centre", "Mid-Life Crisis" und "Be Strong".
Flemings Songs haben sich stets mit Ideen rund um Männlichkeit auseinandergesetzt - die traurige und verführerische Musik von Wild Beasts unterlief die akzeptierten Rollenbilder junger Männer aus dem Norden. Nun älter und weiser, nutzt "Endless Rain" diese Basis, um neues Terrain zu erkunden, tritt einen Schritt zurück, schaut tiefer und verwendet die neu gewonnenen Erfahrungen, um etwas völlig anderes zu erschaffen.

NOW Music is proud to present the newest addition to the ‘Yearbook’ series: NOW – Yearbook 1981. NOW – Yearbook 1981; a celebration of the eclectic and creative brilliance of the year in pop. 4 CDs of 85 tracks that defined the charts in 1981. Available on a 4CD special edition which is housed in ‘hard-back book’ packaging, including a 28-page booklet with a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork, and as a standard 4-CD package. A limited edition 3LP set pressed in translucent red vinyl, limited to 3,000 units and a 4CD set

Das dänische Hardrock-Quartett BLACK OAK COUNTY veröffentlicht sein drittes Album, das sie zu neuen musikalischen Horizonten führt, mit einer
breiten Mischung aus donnernden Breakdowns, eingängigeren Refrains als je zuvor, einer massiven Wand aus stampfenden Gitarrenriffs und einer
gefühlvollen Klavierballade. „III“ wurde gemeinsam mit dem dänischen Metal-Schwergewicht Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Aries Descendant, dänische
Eurovisions-Vorentscheidungen) geschrieben und produziert, was sich als fruchtbare kreative Beziehung zwischen den beiden Parteien erwies. Das
Album markiert eine Rückkehr zur alten Form für die Band, die auf den Singles „Back For Blood“ und „It's On You“ von 2022 wieder mit
Gitarrist/Sänger Niels Beier zusammenkommt, der von dem ehemaligen Grammy-Nominierten Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Asinhell) produziert und
zusammen mit Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp) geschrieben wurde. Jetzt, wo sowohl Beier als auch Sänger/Bassist René Kristensen in
der Band singen, haben sich für die Rocker aus Esbjerg neue musikalische Türen geöffnet. Black Oak County haben tief in ihrem musikalischen
Ideenfundus gegraben, um eine breitere Palette von Songs als je zuvor zu entwickeln und dabei brandneue Ideen mit älterem Material aus den
Anfangstagen ihrer Karriere zu verbinden. „III“ ist ein energiegeladenes Album mit der bekannten Mischung aus hochintensiven, tief gestimmten
Riffs, die eine Hommage an ihre Metal- und Hardrock-Helden darstellen, gemischt mit modernen Mixing-Techniken, Synthesizern und einer frischen
Interpretation des vertrauten Sounds der Band

Das dänische Hardrock-Quartett BLACK OAK COUNTY veröffentlicht sein drittes Album, das sie zu neuen musikalischen Horizonten führt, mit einer
breiten Mischung aus donnernden Breakdowns, eingängigeren Refrains als je zuvor, einer massiven Wand aus stampfenden Gitarrenriffs und einer
gefühlvollen Klavierballade. „III“ wurde gemeinsam mit dem dänischen Metal-Schwergewicht Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Aries Descendant, dänische
Eurovisions-Vorentscheidungen) geschrieben und produziert, was sich als fruchtbare kreative Beziehung zwischen den beiden Parteien erwies. Das
Album markiert eine Rückkehr zur alten Form für die Band, die auf den Singles „Back For Blood“ und „It's On You“ von 2022 wieder mit
Gitarrist/Sänger Niels Beier zusammenkommt, der von dem ehemaligen Grammy-Nominierten Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Asinhell) produziert und
zusammen mit Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp) geschrieben wurde. Jetzt, wo sowohl Beier als auch Sänger/Bassist René Kristensen in
der Band singen, haben sich für die Rocker aus Esbjerg neue musikalische Türen geöffnet. Black Oak County haben tief in ihrem musikalischen
Ideenfundus gegraben, um eine breitere Palette von Songs als je zuvor zu entwickeln und dabei brandneue Ideen mit älterem Material aus den
Anfangstagen ihrer Karriere zu verbinden. „III“ ist ein energiegeladenes Album mit der bekannten Mischung aus hochintensiven, tief gestimmten
Riffs, die eine Hommage an ihre Metal- und Hardrock-Helden darstellen, gemischt mit modernen Mixing-Techniken, Synthesizern und einer frischen
Interpretation des vertrauten Sounds der Band

GǼG, the production unit of Tokyo's leading club sound Monkey Timers and Okayama-based maverick producer Keita Sano, is proud to present this heavyweight, alternative, and leftfield release on the "Sound of Vast."

Over a powerful and mysterious bassline, the hypnotic A1 'Jack' builds up with sharp synth stabs, dark pads, and ACID voices taken from Ron Hardy's open reel soundtrack series Jackmaster Hater.
AA1 is followed by the obscure percussion track 'Yamato.' It is a reinterpretation of the drumming of legendary drummer Curt Cress from the German jazz-rock scene of the 80s in the context of dance music.
AA2, 'Central' takes the funky bassline of The S.O.S. Band's 1982 album 'High Hopes' and infuses it with roaring feedback, cutting guitars, and spacy synth sounds, giving it a fresh, modern twist and elevating it to the realm of cosmic disco.

Monkey Timers' love for the classics of disco, krautrock, and Chicago house, the intensity and immersion of current club music created by their real-life experience in the field, and Keita Sano's unique free-form outlandish sound techniques coexist on this 12" EP.

東京のクラブサウンドをレペゼンしてきたMonkey Timersと岡山の奇才プロデューサーKeita SanoによるプロダクションユニットGǼGが〈Sound of Vast〉より満を持して放つ超重量級オルタナティブ・レフトフィールド・ストンパー！

パワフルで不穏なベースライン上にRon Hardyのオープンリール音源シリーズJackmaster Haterから割愛した”Acid! Acid! Acid!” ヴォイスリフレインを刻み、鋭利なシンセスタブとダークなパッドでビルドアップしたヒプノティックなナンバーA1. Jackを皮切りに、80年代ドイツジャズロックシーンの伝説的ドラマーCurt Cressのドラミングをダンスミュージックの文脈で再解釈したオブスキュアなパーカッション・トラックAA1. Yamato、そしてThe S.O.S. Bandの82年作”High Hopes”のファンキーなベースラインに轟音フィードバックやカッティングギター、スペーシーなシンセサウンドで現代的なコズミックディスコへと昇華したAA2. Central。

ディスコ、クラウトロック、シカゴハウスといった古典への愛情と現場で積み重ねてきたリアルな経験が生み出す現行のクラブミュージックとしての強度と没入感、そしてKeita Sanoのフリーフォームで奇天烈なサウンドテクニックが同居した渾身の3曲を12“EPに収録。

"In the mood for love"
A bohemian atmosphere caught between Paris and Rio. Melodies and Harmonics that have a french taste and rhythms rooted in Brazil. Laura Fedele the time stopping voice.

"Take 4"
Up tempo track characterized by a soprano sax that swirls out melodies making you feel like you have travel back to the 70's. The jazzy guitar riffs opposed to flutes makes the picture complete; all weaved by S-tone inc. 's hand.

"Rendez-vous à minuit"
A Bossa Lounge motif with Wes Montgomery guitar riffs combined to scat voices all packed in relaxin' cruise formation.

"Vai Ser Bom"
Dedicated to Iemanjà, Brazilian sea god. A dreamy rhythmic atmosphere sweatened by the tender voice of Adi Souza and acoustic guitars inpired to Baden Powell.

"La Boca del Rio"
The acoustic bass distinguishes this up tempo track that creates great ambience. The acoustic piano duets the keyboards enriched by strings. The rhythms falling between house and bossa nova.

"Limbe"
A scent of India in a down tempo track, a bit psychedelic with sitars and tablas making the background for a French melody. Velvet voice of Laura Fedele gives the track that extra dimension.

"Memphis Freeway"
Funky track with a 70's taste starting with the flute that plays the theme with horns 'Temptations' style. The beat is a straight 4/4 kick with a groovy bass.

"Entre o Ceus e a Terra"
Like the dualism in the title, the track is divided between the tension of the spoken riff and the solarity of the melody both moved by a "bossy" up tempo base.

"Effetto Notte"
A cinematic feel for a soothing chill out theme on the keyboard alternating with dreamy orchestrations.

Repress!

Post Punk inspired heat from London's Moin. TIP!

Moin is made of Joe Andrews and Tom Halstead (Raime / Blackest Ever Black) as well as long time collaborator and percussionist visionary Valentina Magaletti (Tomaga / Vanishing Twin). A serendipitous conversation brought the project to life. The band say simply: “The record was made as an experiment really, it felt like the right time to play on the fringes of this kind of music. The priority was to be direct at first and then change the edges perhaps. Make something to experience rather than something as a spectacle.”

Moot! a quick and painless album to create, allowed the musicians to re-appreciate the recording process, using a combination of live recording and studio techniques. As Andrews, Halstead and Magaletti come together as Moin, they’re freed from any past inhibitions or self-made parameters to explore uncharted territory. The album spans psychedelia, alternative rock and post-punk mixed with their signature electronics and sampling practice.

The band conclude: “All of this sounds very matter of fact, which is correct. It’s immediate music that isn’t pretending to be anything but.”

"One of the most iconic groups of the late 20th century, Dire Straits established their timeless sound from the
moment they first appeared on the London gig circuit, in 1977. With faultless musicianship and memorable songs
that quickly connected with music lovers, it was clear the group would set their own path, proving that, even amid
the new-wave era, classic songwriting would never go out of fashion.
After three years of relentless hard work, touring, writing and recording their music, the group entered the 1980s
well on their way to becoming the biggest-selling band in the world. That year’s Making Movies album would also
make its presence felt on the silver screen, thanks to the inclusion of the UK No.8 single ‘Romeo And Juliet’ – later
used in films such as Empire Records, Hot Fuzz and I, Tonya – and live favourite ‘Tunnel Of Love’, which featured in
the 1982 Richard Gere film, An Officer and a Gentleman. Dire Straits’ frontman, Mark Knopfler, would later explain
to The Times how satisfying it was to write ‘Tunnel Of Love’: “It’s the moment when you know you’re really on to
something,” he said. “There’s a certain part of the song that I call the breakdown and when I got there I could feel
the drums, the piano, all the things that I wanted all the instruments to do. When you get to that state, there’s a
strange sense of one thing following another, of elements falling into place quite naturally.”
Paying extra attention to those elements, this half-speed master of Making Movies has been overseen by Miles
Showell at Abbey Road Studios, in London, resulting in a cut that has a superior high-frequency response (treble)
and very solid and stable stereo images. Pressed on 180g vinyl, it comes with alternative artwork that swaps the
red and the blue of the original album sleeve, plus a printed inner sleeve, a “Half-Speed Master”-branded obi-strip
and an Abbey Road certificate of authenticity.
"

The most iconic holiday record in Verve Records’ repertoire and one of the most successful jazz holiday albums of all time like you’ve never heard it before! This expanded edition of Ella Fitzgerald’s classic 1960 album Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas features a second LP with six tracks making their vinyl debut - for the first time, all of Ella’s holiday recordings for Verve Records and Decca Records are together on one collection. Housed in a beautiful gatefold jacket featuring a “deluxe” take on Gene Grant’s classic 1960 album artwork, the package also includes a beautiful 8-page booklet with detailed session notes and essay from journalist Will Friedwald, plus a sheet of cut-out holiday ornaments – the perfect gift for any music fan. Nearly 65 years after its original release, Ella’s beloved holiday classic is now twice as long as it was in 1960. As Ella herself once said, “the only thing better than singing is more singing,” and the only thing better than the original Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is the new, expanded edition!

"MOTOMAMI+" ist das Deluxe-Album der mit dem Grammy Award ausgezeichneten Künstlerin, Produzentin und Songwriterin ROSALIA. Das Originalalbum "MOTOMAMI" wurde mit dem GRAMMY Award für das beste Latin-Rock- oder Alternative-Album sowie mit vier Latin-GRAMMYs, darunter Album des Jahres, ausgezeichnet. Die Deluxe-Edition von "MOTOMAMI+" enthält das Originalalbum, darunter die Hits "LA FAMA" mit The Weeknd, "SAOKO" und "BIZCOCHITO", sowie 8 zusätzliche Tracks, die zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl erscheinen, darunter die Hitsingle "DESPECHÁ".

“A huge thing for this record was to make it feel as close to our live show as possible,” says Tom Sharkett of W.H. Lung’s latest album. “We didn’t want it to sound live but we wanted to capture the excitement of the live performances.”

This is something that has become paramount to the group in recent years as they have undeniably blossomed into one of the most joyous and arresting live bands in the country. “The reason I’m in a band is to play live music,” says singer Joe Evans. “For me, music is live music. That’s what it’s for, to be played with people.”

The five-piece band, also featuring Chris Mulligan, Hannah Peace, and Alex Mercer-Main, decided to try something new on their third album after two incredibly successful collaborations with previous producer Matt Peel. In order to capture the energy, spirit and dynamism of their live shows, they relocated to Sheffield to work with Ross Orton (MIA, Arctic Monkeys, Working Men’s Club) who was able to harness this side of the band to remarkable effect. “Ross is the Sheffield Steve Albini,” says Evans. “He’s the king of not overthinking it and trusting the process of the art of recording songs. He was always there to stop us fucking around with cerebral stuff and get it down.” Sharkett echoes this too: “He was the exact producer we needed without us even realising. His productions and mixes are bombastic, lively and in your face and that’s exactly what we wanted.”

However, while this album is rooted in a sense of capturing a moment and a sparky liveness, that’s not to say it’s a raw or ragged record. It is still a meticulously composed, delicately layered and pristinely produced piece of work that, in true W.H. Lung style, runs the gauntlet from dance to pop to indie while still capturing that distinctly unique quality that is unquestionably their own. “It was a really big thing for me to realise what made us sound like us on this record,” says Sharkett. “I think the album sounds a lot more confident and self assured because of it. Some songs sound just so much like Lung and I’m really proud of that. I’m not sure we’ve done that as consistently across the other records.”

While the band have drilled deeper into finding their own singular identity, it’s not a record resting on its laurels. It’s a significant leap forward, expanding on their solid foundations while also breaking new ground. “The big difference with this record is its directness in every sense,” says Sharkett. “The songwriting is more upfront. Previously we’d focused a lot on vibe and production as opposed to just writing songs. The overall mission here was to revert to a classic songwriting structure and for the production to come afterwards.” And so what you have on this record are deeply considered and well-crafted songs, then recorded with blistering intensity in the moment, and then given a touch of experimentation afterwards. Then throw in Orton’s contributions to the band and it’s proven to be a real winning formula. “He brought a real dose of magic to the songs we’d written,” says Sharkett. “And brought an extra bit of wonk and quirkiness each time.”

The band’s ability to write more traditional and conventional songs is clearly a skill they’ve taken to with ease, at times there’s an almost Springsteen-like quality – but if he'd ever had an ecstasy period – to tracks such as ‘Thinner Wine’ and ‘Bloom and Fade’. While ‘How to Walk’ was constructed with one thing only in mind: that it would absolutely slay on stage. “I can’t wait to play this live,” says Evans. “We wanted a song to represent our live set, a new big one, and this is it.” Once again it leans towards the anthemic, with its driving, propulsive charge complete with incandescent synths and vocal melodies so irresistible you can already hear them being sung in unison by a crowd.

It’s an incredibly difficult feat to pull off a record that is more rooted in traditional songcraft while also capturing the power of a live performance, as well as pushing sonics into experimental new directions while working with a brand new collaborator. But here the band has managed to do just that. And the album’s closing song ‘I Will Set Fire To The House’ is a perfect example of such a thing. It’s a song that feels immaculately constructed but also very much alive and of the moment as its radiating synths engulf from the off, and Evans’ vocal is silky but powerful and in perfect symbiosis with Peace’s. It’s a song that captures the endless joys of music playing long into the night. “It may be a bit of a bloody bombastic way to end an album saying ‘and we’ll dance into the sunrise’,” says Evans. “But fuck it.”

MORE PRESS ON ‘VANITIES’ (MELO131)

"Vanities artily refines an exhilarating brand of up-front electro-dance" MOJO ⅘

'Idiosyncratic yet euphoric electronic pop on triumphant second LP' 9/10 Uncut

''One of the most effective alternative pop albums of the year'' 4/5 Record Collector
'Dance music for the modern age' - The Times (4*)

Reissue auf bandeigenem Label Vier Promille: Das Debütalbum der Promillos - der Klassiker von 1999 - 25 Jahre später und zehn Jahre nach der letzten Auflage wieder als limitierte (Auflage 500) LP! Gelb-schwarz marmoriertes Vinyl mit doppelseitigem Insert. Seit 2012 nicht mehr mit dabei, hat der damaliger Gitarrist und Sänger Volker Grüner mit Gründung von 4 PROMILLE - erst als Projekt, dann als volle Band - mit dem Schreiben dieser Songs gezeigt wie "Ausstieg", Läuterung oder Kehrtwende praktisch aussehen kann. Ein langer Finger in Richtung jeglichem braun-rechtem Gedankengut und die Augen nach vorne gerichtet, bewies dieses Album wie Oi!-Punk musikalisch und textlich klingen kann. Damals schon und wie auch heute noch dabei: Pommes (Thomas Müller) und Basspromillo (Ralf Schmidt). Ein Meilenstein der Oi!/Streetpunk-Szene! 12 gut produzierte Oi! Punk Songs der Düsseldorfer. Mal kräftiger, mal ruhiger, mal mit männlichen, mal weiblichen Vocals, immer abwechslungsreich. "Es sind einfach gute Lieder die die Leute berühren. Sie zum Mitsingen und Spass haben, vielleicht auch zum Nachdenken bringen. Natürlich lässt man das ein oder andere Lied im Proberaum auch gerne mal weg, weil man es seit 20 Jahren auf jedem Konzert spielt. Aber wenn wir auf der Bühne stehen und die Leute schon beim ersten Akkord von ,Ich werd mich ändern" ausrasten, kriege ich immer noch eine Gänsehaut. Dafür machen wir das alles." Thomas 'Pommes' Müller zum 20. Jubiläum von Im Nächsten Leben/Tough Magazin, 2019