quête:back 2 back

Edna Wright's idiosyncratic "Oops!" is one of the most sublime vocal refrains in soul music history. Anchoring its host album's leadoff cut, it sets the tone for a uniquely satisfying modern soul LP. Indeed, whilst many of its ilk come laden with filler, Wright's one solo record is an exercise in elegant restraint, a concise killer.

Originally released in 1977 on RCA, this rare and sought-after album followed the 1973 disbanding of Edna's much-loved Honey Cone. Produced by her husband, legendary producer/songwriter Greg Perry, the album was somewhat of a risk, a deep soul album released during the period when disco was altering the landscape of popular music. And perhaps inevitably, despite the stellar production and spine-tingling vocals throughout, the album glided gracefully under the radar, spawning only one single and seeing no chart action.

That single - the magnificent title-track - soon became a notorious rare groove stepper in its own right. However, in the years since, it has become a crate diggers classic. Its fame was elevated among hip-hop heads when Prince Paul memorably looped the shimmering intro when crafting the melodic hook for De La Soul's late-summer-stunner "Pass The Plugs", a wistfully melancholic back-porch nostalgia trip. And, more recently, Leon Vynehall liberally lifted the same intro for his sepia-tinged "Midnight On Rainbow Road" to augment the excellent Rush Hour compilation Musik For Autobahns 2.

Yet this album is so much more than its most famous song. An assuredly lean masterpiece from start-to-finish, the album features a further six dynamite tracks of warm, smooth soul. As such, it's an impossible task to choose certain tracks to highlight alongside the mighty title track. Throughout, Edna's strikingly mature vocals are wonderful, proudly stepping out with a sophisticated groove reminiscent of Jean Carn or Gloria Scott, whilst Greg Perry's gorgeous string-drenched backdrops add a rich depth. So much so, many of the other tracks have been sampled by producers with impeccable taste, from 9th Wonder to The Alchemist for songs featuring Nas and Talib Kweli.

Following her glowing role in the acclaimed documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, we pray this long overdue reissue will allow further light to shine on Edna. Officially licensed and beautifully remastered for vinyl by celebrated engineer Simon Francis, it has been pressed on audiophile 180g vinyl for the first time and features the original iconic artwork. Each copy includes a printed inner sleeve with a sumptuous black & white photo, full lyrics and heartfelt notes from Edna herself.

Questions will inevitably have to be asked here as to how / why Hooj have shamelessly broken the informal UN backed agreement to NOT REMIX / RE RELEASE C*F* D*L M*R, EVER AGAIN. But after the Hooj Catalogue owners cajoled the old A +R team into a Hooj Electronic Orchestra album in 2021, the then up and coming Borai + Denham Audio were enlisted for remixes, and fast forward a couple of years, the Bristol duo are smashing it in 2023, and vinyl does indeed beckon.

And with some justification it has to be said, as the Bristol duo took chunks of the original Wim Mertens melody and somehow still managed to drag it into new terrain, introducing rough breaks and hardcore sensibilities into proceedings, for the first time in the track's 30 + years journey.

On the B - side, another star turn from the early 90's get's the BDA treatment, as Transformer 2's Fruit of Love get's a more polished/ musical approach on the Audio Redux mix ( though with no compromise on bottom end / beats dynamics) , and Borai contributes a rolling, percussive 4/4 dub.

Der OST der Superhelden-Verfilmung BLACK ADAM von 2022 in der Regie von Jaume Collet-Serra. Der musikalische und philosophische Ansatz des Filmkomponisten Lorne Balfe zu bestand darin, 'dem Publikum die Emotion und Dunkelheit der Hintergrundgeschichte der Hauptfiguren zu vermitteln und gleichzeitig die alten Themen und Vertrautheiten der DC-Comic-Welt zu verknüpfen und eine neue Klasse der Superhelden einzuführen.' Schwarzes 180g Triple-Vinyl.

Whitney did more than turn Whitney Houston into a pioneering sensation known around the world by her first name. Originally released in June 1987, the singer's blockbuster sophomore record became the first album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart — a position it claimed for a total of 11 weeks en route to selling more than 10 million copies in the U.S. The Diamond platinum effort also contains four No. 1 Hot 100 hits that, when combined with the three chart toppers from her 1985 debut, gave her seven consecutive No. 1 singles — an accomplishment that no other artist has accomplished. Commercially and creatively, Whitney stands on hallowed ground — especially now that the record plays with a sound that puts into perspective just how extraordinary, engaging, and vital Houston's music remains.


Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 33RPM SuperVinyl LP of Whitney invites listeners to experience the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee's pivotal album in audiophile quality for the very first time. Free of the dynamic limitations and tonal flatness prevalent on prior vinyl and CD pressings, it lets the music breathe and reveals the copious detail, nuance, and texture within the immaculately produced songs. MoFi's SuperVinyl profile offers further advantages in the forms of a nearly inaudible noise floor, dead-quiet surfaces, and superb groove definition.

In addition to featuring extreme clarity and immediacy, this numbered-edition reissue does wonders for the attribute that inspired more than 20 million people around the globe to add Whitney to their record collections: that inimitable voice. Houston's trademark mezzo-soprano — an acrobatic instrument equally capable of taking off on fantastic flights and unwinding for hushed meditations — benefits from the fantastic airiness and transparency afforded by this meticulously restored edition. Whitney has never sounded or looked better. The crossover landmark deserves nothing less.

Issued just two years after Houston's breakthrough debut, Whitney immediately signalled the genre-defying singer's intent to continue to push ahead and expand her palette. Shot by photographer Richard Avedon, the album cover depicts an iconic image of Houston — captured with a gleaming smile, bright eyes, teased-out afro, toned arms, and a right hand that appears to wave a friendly hello — whose active, athletic profile stands in contrast to the extremely formal sit-down shot of her that graces her '85 record. The change is telling: Whitney overflows with unfettered joy, rhythmic vibes, and deep-seated emotions that forever endeared her to the hearts and minds of countless listeners — and which set the standard for the wave after wave of divas that followed in her footsteps.

It's no coincidence that the first track on Whitney is the declarative "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)." Like Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Madonna's "Material Girl," the feel-good smash is one of the quintessential '80s gems — a lithe, melodic, celebratory release of pent-up energy and loneliness that glides across club floors, shouts to the rooftops, and shrugs off any concerns about vulnerability or embarrassment. Houston's swooping voice moves in sync with the sleek beats and dipping-and-diving synths. She practically takes her fellow musicians by their hand and leads them in a blissful dance that nobody would dare sidestep. Focusing on Houston's singing — a task made challenging only because of the impossible-to-ignore hooks and grooves — showcases the virtuosic facets of not only her register but her control, discipline, smoothness, and warmth.

That she replicates those feats for the entirety of the nearly 53-minute-long album makes Whitney that much more special. Houston reaches back and channels her childhood gospel training on the R&B-flared "So Emotional"; effortlessly slips into Quiet Storm mode on the duet with her mother, gospel great Cissy Houston, on "I Know Him So Well"; flirts with smooth jazz and collaborates with tenor saxophonist Kenny G on the lush "Just the Lonely Talking Again"; conjures dreamscapes and shadow-boxes with supple funk on a romantic cover of the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You"; and, for the majestic power ballad "Didn't We Almost Have It All," displays the sky-scraping reach of her vocals amid a grand arrangement made even bigger by Houston's sweeping performance and triumphant finish.

Houston's once-in-a-generation talents weren't lost on the adoring public, radio deejays, or industry experts. In addition to harbouring four No. 1 hits and receiving nominations for four Grammy Awards, Whitney generated another Top 10 success in the guise of the Afro-Cuban-leaning "Love Will Save the Day." The album also netted Houston four American Music Awards; two Billboard Music Awards; back-to-back People's Choice Awards; a Soul Train Award; and various other accolades. It all makes the crux of the Washington Post's July '87 review of the album appear prophetic: "Her voice sounds stronger still and the songs are varied but so consistent she could garner 10 Top 10s out of a field of 11."


That claim still holds true. A brilliant fusion of pop, R&B, smooth jazz, and soul, Whitney is a showstopper – and one of the key reasons Houston is the most-awarded female artist of all time.

Seine Stärke ist ein Songwriting das musikalisch wie poetisch kratzt und schabt: am amerikanischen Traum, an dessen Wirklichkeit und den Menschen die ihn bevölkern. Immer wieder wurde seine spröde Musik und einfühlsamen Texte mit denen von Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed und Bob Dylan verglichen und somit Gewicht verliehen. Zu großer Bekanntheit führte das nicht, Simon Joyner bleibt ein outsider mit seinem Loner-folk, aber für die, die ihn entdecken bietet er ein Kraft von rauher Schönheit. Conor Obers von Bright Eyes nennt Joyner, der seit 1990 seine dunklen Americana Songs veröffentlicht, einen entscheidenden Einfluß. Simon Joyner's neuestes Album gerät noch dunkler und eindringlicher. Sein Thema hier ist Isolation, und er übernimmt es gleich auch als Grundlage für seine Produktion Ihm war es wichtig, dass die beteiligten Musiker allesamt alleine waren um ihre jeweiligen Parts zu finden. Die Abgeschiedenheit der einzelnen Musiker auf Songs From A Stolen Guitar bietet somit weniger Spontaneität vieler früherer Arbeiten von Joyner, führt aber zu einer Art Silberstreifeneffekt: Joyners Songs, die hier sorgfältiger und vielleicht absichtsvoller produziert wurden als auf jedem seiner früheren Alben, kommen viel klarer durch und stellen sowohl seine schillernden Wortspiele als auch seine klare Vision in den Vordergrund. Ein Kritiker bringt einen Vergleich zu Neil Young und meinte "Wenn (sein 2012 Album) 'Ghosts' sein 'Tonight's the Night' war - zornig, nackt und bodenlos - dann könnte sich 'Songs From A Stolen Guitar' als sein Harvest erweisen." Songs From A Stolen Guitar wurde in verschiedenen Städten aufgenommen. Joyner nahm seinen Gesang und seine Gitarre live in Omaha auf; Bassist Wil Hendrix fügte seine Parts zu Hause in San Francisco hinzu, Michael Krassner nahm seine Gitarren- und Klavier-Overdubs zu Hause in Phoenix auf, und Schlagzeuger/Percussionist Ryan Jewell nahm in Colorado auf. Dieser musikalische Kettenbrief machte sich dann auf den Weg zurück nach Omaha, wo David Nance (Gitarren und Backing Vocals), Ben Brodin (Orgel und Vibraphon) und Megan Siebe (Bratsche und Backing Vocals) - getrennt voneinander - ihre jeweiligen Beiträge einspielten. Dieses Vorgehen zahlt sich aus. Die "virtuelle" Band spielt eine unterstützende, aber komplementäre Rolle und erzeugt immer das richtige Maß an Spannung, um diese emotionsgeladenen Geschichten zu begleiten und zu umhüllen. Das Zusammenspiel ist einfühlsam und kohärent, auch wenn es aus geografischer Entfernung und Abgeschiedenheit zusammengefügt wurde und oft wie Musik klingt, die durch den Nebel eines Herbstmorgens gefiltert wurde. Doch wenn es um Simon Joyner-Platten geht, zahlt man sein Ticket, um großartige Songs zu hören, und auch in dieser Kategorie enttäuscht Songs From A Stolen Guitar nicht. Eins der seltenen Alben, das nach dem klingt, worum es geht: die Kluft zwischen Einsamkeit und Alleinsein, die Grenzen zwischen Liebe und Hingabe, der Unterschied zwischen dem Tornado und dem, was er hinterlässt.

Translucent Dark Red & Black Marbled Colored Vinyl. Seine Stärke ist ein Songwriting das musikalisch wie poetisch kratzt und schabt: am amerikanischen Traum, an dessen Wirklichkeit und den Menschen die ihn bevölkern. Immer wieder wurde seine spröde Musik und einfühlsamen Texte mit denen von Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed und Bob Dylan verglichen und somit Gewicht verliehen. Zu großer Bekanntheit führte das nicht, Simon Joyner bleibt ein outsider mit seinem Loner-folk, aber für die, die ihn entdecken bietet er ein Kraft von rauher Schönheit. Conor Obers von Bright Eyes nennt Joyner, der seit 1990 seine dunklen Americana Songs veröffentlicht, einen entscheidenden Einfluß. Simon Joyner's neuestes Album gerät noch dunkler und eindringlicher. Sein Thema hier ist Isolation, und er übernimmt es gleich auch als Grundlage für seine Produktion. Ihm war es wichtig, dass die beteiligten Musiker allesamt alleine waren um ihre jeweiligen Parts zu finden. Die Abgeschiedenheit der einzelnen Musiker auf Songs From A Stolen Guitar bietet somit weniger Spontaneität vieler früherer Arbeiten von Joyner, führt aber zu einer Art Silberstreifeneffekt: Joyners Songs, die hier sorgfältiger und vielleicht absichtsvoller produziert wurden als auf jedem seiner früheren Alben, kommen viel klarer durch und stellen sowohl seine schillernden Wortspiele als auch seine klare Vision in den Vordergrund. Ein Kritiker bringt einen Vergleich zu Neil Young und meinte "Wenn (sein 2012 Album) 'Ghosts' sein 'Tonight's the Night' war - zornig, nackt und bodenlos - dann könnte sich 'Songs From A Stolen Guitar' als sein Harvest erweisen." Songs From A Stolen Guitar wurde in verschiedenen Städten aufgenommen. Joyner nahm seinen Gesang und seine Gitarre live in Omaha auf; Bassist Wil Hendrix fügte seine Parts zu Hause in San Francisco hinzu, Michael Krassner nahm seine Gitarren- und Klavier-Overdubs zu Hause in Phoenix auf, und Schlagzeuger/Percussionist Ryan Jewell nahm in Colorado auf. Dieser musikalische Kettenbrief machte sich dann auf den Weg zurück nach Omaha, wo David Nance (Gitarren und Backing Vocals), Ben Brodin (Orgel und Vibraphon) und Megan Siebe (Bratsche und Backing Vocals) - getrennt voneinander - ihre jeweiligen Beiträge einspielten. Dieses Vorgehen zahlt sich aus. Die "virtuelle" Band spielt eine unterstützende, aber komplementäre Rolle und erzeugt immer das richtige Maß an Spannung, um diese emotionsgeladenen Geschichten zu begleiten und zu umhüllen. Das Zusammenspiel ist einfühlsam und kohärent, auch wenn es aus geografischer Entfernung und Abgeschiedenheit zusammengefügt wurde und oft wie Musik klingt, die durch den Nebel eines Herbstmorgens gefiltert wurde. Doch wenn es um Simon Joyner-Platten geht, zahlt man sein Ticket, um großartige Songs zu hören, und auch in dieser Kategorie enttäuscht Songs From A Stolen Guitar nicht. Eins der seltenen Alben, das nach dem klingt, worum es geht: die Kluft zwischen Einsamkeit und Alleinsein, die Grenzen zwischen Liebe und Hingabe, der Unterschied zwischen dem Tornado und dem, was er hinterlässt.

Following the success of their first EP "Through Walls", Golden Mean are back with Oumuamua set to be released in May 2023 on London label Jazz Re:Freshed.

Powerhouse drummer Jamie Murray now joins the lineup of Tom Driessler (Yussef Kamaal), Luke Wynter (Nubiyan Twist, Joe Armon-Jones) and Lyle Barton (Emma-Jean Thackray).

Prepare to embark on a journey of soaring melodies, driving grooves, prog-rock choruses, retro synths and free-wheeling improvisation, inspired by the legends of jazz & rock from the 70's until today.'

"Structures of Rhythm".

David Meiser comes back with 4 peak time tracks completely oriented to the dancefloor. The vinyl is a special edition with an exclusive printing of the snakes in gloss.

Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 hit again with a reissue of a rarely encountered piece of prime UK digi, courtesy of Franklyn Bernard aka Frankie B - mixed at Fashion's A Class Studio in Clapham, and released on the Ital Stuff label in early 1986.

Frankie B began his recording career with producer Bert Douglas, first releasing on his Reggae City label in 1984 with the No More Tears 7" under his birth name Franklyn Bernard. In 1985 he then linked up with Ital Stuff - a production team consisting of three brothers who also helmed the Sweet & Bitter Band. Operating a small eight track studio in the basement of their house in Balham, Ital Stuff had recently been responsible for putting together and laying down the backing track to Dixie Peach's classic Pure Worries, released on the Jah Tubbys label in 1985. Upon playing Pure Worries to Frankie he was immediately inspired to lay down his own vocal on the track, which too features Dixie Peach contributing vocal harmonies - it was recorded late 1985 and mixed down along with a ferocious dub side at South London's A Class Studio, eventually seeing release in early 1986.

Two Saviors is Buck Meek's second album, following 2018's self-titled LP also released on Keeled Scales and currently on its third pressing. The Big Thief lead guitarist worked with producer and engineer Andrew Sarlo on this album (who's produced all four of Big Thief albums, as well as coproducing Bon Iver's i,i ). Andrew agreed to record it only if it was made under his conditions-- that they make the album in New Orleans during the hottest part of the year, spend no more than seven days tracking live, on an 8-track tape machine, with only dynamic microphones and no headphones, and not allowing the players to hear back any of the takes until the final day. The band, featuring Adam Brisbin (guitar, vocals), Mat Davidson (bass, pedal steel, fiddle, vocals), Austin Vaughn (drums), and Buck's brother Dylan Meek (piano, organ, vocals), set up in a Victorian house one block from the Mississippi River, and worked within these limitations, encouraging every recording to be imbued with the living, intuitive, and human energy of a first take.

Miles Davis created just one studio album with his original sextet: Milestones. And he made every moment count. Pairing with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, Davis not only laid the groundwork for the modalism that immediately followed but tailored a genuine modern-jazz masterwork laden with performances among the most explosive of his distinguished career. Sandwiched between the more famous 'Round About Midnight and the epochal Kind of Blue, Milestones remains a seminal work of art.

Sourced from the original master tapes and pressed on dead-quiet SuperVinyl, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g LP grants each musician their own space amid broad soundstages. Afforded the benefits of a nearly non-existent noise floor and supreme groove definition, this vinyl reissue doubles as a time machine back to the February-March 1958 recording sessions.

Colors, shapes, and dimensions appear in the manner that resembles what you'd glean from behind a studio control room's window. Davis' burnished trumpet is rendered in three-dimensional perspective and seemingly coaxes the band to play with unburdened zest. Coltrane's trademark saxophone teems with lifelike tonality and images with specificity; his solos work in tandem with and against the driving rhythms. Garland's swaggering piano lines? Visualize the keys as he hits full stride, the chords and fills slithering around skeletal frameworks.

Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and selected as a "Core Collection" record by the Penguin Guide to Jazz, Milestones is as famous for its title track – widely considered ground zero for modalism and bolstered by Jones' hallmark "Philly Lick" rim shot – as the players that produced it. The launching pad for many of Davis' improvisational flights, the album teases the explorations Coltrane would soon chase. Davis' own solo work broaches territories that far exceed what he had done in his bop-rooted past. Every song is a highlight.

Take the bravado "Dr. Jackle," featuring a hot-foot pace and bebop strains, or "Sid's Ahead," which continues the album's blues theme while juggling edgy harmonics and inside-out structures. On "Billy Boy," distinguished with an arco bass solo from Chambers, Garland gets a turn in the spotlight and channels the openness practised by one of his heroes, Ahmad Jamal. Even more instructive is the band's reading of Dizzy Gillespie's "Two Bass Hit." Three years removed from the version Davis and company recorded for the trumpeter's Columbia debut, this interpretation demonstrates the extent to which the group had jelled in a relatively short amount of time.



Then there's "Straight, No Chaser," the definitive rendition of Thelonious Monk's signature piece. Coltrane's marbled playing pulls at the tune's borders, Adderley takes liberty with solos, and Davis dances around his mates, at one point quoting "When the Saints Go Marching In" while demonstrating his knowledge of tradition and casting an eye towards the future.

About that future. Garland already had one foot out the door during the Milestones sessions to the extent Davis spells him on "Sid's Ahead." Jones would stick around for a bit longer but soon plot his exit. History proves Davis navigated the changes with visionary aplomb. Yet the chemistry, excitement, and beauty the sextet achieves on Milestones cannot be overstated. This reissue helps put the album in proper perspective – and presents the music the fidelity it deserves.

Bob Dylan was at several crossroads in the mid-1970s. Artistically, he was largely written off as being past his prime. Emotionally, he was suffering through a painful divorce from his then-wife Sara Lowndes. Creatively, he appeared at a stalemate, his previous decade's unprecedented run of transformational brilliance finished. Then came Blood on the Tracks.

A start-to-finish cycle that documents a lover's pursuit of, entanglement with, and loss of a woman, the bracingly intimate 1975 effort remains one of the most encompassing break-up albums ever made and ranks as the most personal statement of the Bard's career. To hear it is to experience the agony, frustration, trauma, highs, lows, confusion, sadness, and, ultimately, requisite redemption associated with intimate relationships gone astray. Dylan maintains it's a work of fiction, but it's evident close-vested autobiographical premise is what helps make it universal: It's the icon singing through tears, going out of his mind, battling hallowing emptiness, firing shots across the bow, and accepting culpability. It is, in short, a consummate expression of love's darker sides and the consequences of what happens when dreams unravel.

As part of its Bob Dylan catalogue restoration series, Mobile Fidelity is thoroughly humbled to have the privilege of mastering the iconic LP from the original master tapes and pressing it on dead-quiet LP at RTI. The end result is the very finest, most transparent analogue edition of Blood on the Tracks ever produced – and the first-ever proper analog reissue. Fantastically presenting both the solo acoustic and band-supported songs with the utmost clarity, dynamics, presence, immediacy, spaciousness, imaging, and balance, this version shines a high-powered light on the fluid vocal phrasing, timbral shifts, functional rhythms, and inward-looking strumming that contribute to every song here serving as a wound-exposing confessional.

For all the melancholic pain, unresolved questions, shattered memories, wasted times, unrequited dialogues, and weary regret within, Blood on the Tracks remains as daring as it is reflective. Rather than follow for a monotone caustic vibe, Dylan's songs burrow into the subconscious for the manners in which they are even-keeled, mellow, and occasionally, even peaceful. Dignity, honour, poignancy, and fairness – all traits uncommon in any situation in which partners dissolve histories, change hearts, and attribute blame – instil the record with equilibrium on par with the consistency of the flowing melodies.

Throughout, tunes come on and proceed as if they could continue forever, Dylan spinning poetic verses and conversations amidst finely tied knots of acoustic notes, chords, and fills, the deceivingly simple architecture conjuring the intertwined refractions of a bezeled jewel, various angles, colours, and textures conjoining into a gorgeously inseparable whole. Backed by Tony Brown's flexible albeit subtle bass, Buddy Cage's country-streaked pedal-steel guitar, and Paul Griffin's soul-baring organ – an instrument used to shadow, tuck-point, and illuminate here as effectively as any time in rock history – Dylan pours soulful emotion, open his veins, and bleeds.

Ranked 16 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and replete with existential thought, piercing directness, raw singing, and majestic arrangements,

Given the sonic and artistic merit of this album, we anticipate huge demand.

How sad, if timely: this stunning reissue of the 1994 live album arrived in the very week that trumpeter Masekela passed away. One of the most successful ambassadors ever for African music, his fusing of the continent's rhythms and instruments with contemporary jazz and rock proved irresistible. Nearly every one of you has heard him, thanks to guess spots with The Byrds and Paul Simon. His breakthough hit from 1968 — the infectious "Grazing In The Grass" — is here, along with another 11 tracks recorded at Blues Alley, the U.S. club that gave us Eva Cassidy. Notably, despite its early-1990s origins, this is all-analogue." — Sound Quality = 90% - Ken Kessler, HiFi News, May 2018

"...Hope is one of those intensely visceral, large as life, and immediately present recordings that will make pretty much any system sound at least very good, and will cause better ones to raise goose bumps." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, August 2008

"...The high quality original mix plus Analogue Productions' superb mastering has resulted in a terrific, very transparent sonic with great impact." - John Henry, Audiophile Audition

What more can be captured from the masterpiece that the late trumpet great Hugh Masekela left devoted fans, the effervescent Hope. Now cut at 45 RPM and spread over four 200-gram premium LPs, you're about to discover the answer to that question. The eight sides of vinyl reduce distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. And this set is plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings, Acoustic Sounds' own industry-lauded LP manufacturer. Virtually silent surfaces coupled with sharp delineation of musical detail are QRP pressing hallmarks.

Two Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on gatefold jackets house the four LPs, which are contained in a custom-designed slipcase reproducing the original artwork.

A longtime audiophile demonstration disc. Hope will show off your system's dynamic range as well as any record ever released. Hugh Masekela, the outstanding South African trumpeter, assembled a seven-piece group and recorded this great set live at Washington, D.C.'s Blues Alley. The songs stretch over a period of nearly five decades and serve as an informal guided tour of Masekela's life. The songs are honest and bare, and as for the sound — WOW!

Unlike a prior 45 RPM version that included seven songs, this 45 RPM reissue contains the full program as originally recorded with all 12 tracks included! Plus, as an added bonus, we've included a special insert — featuring an exclusive interview with Grammy/Emmy Award-winning engineer David Hewitt, who recorded Hope originally.

"Hugh's record is right up near the top for a lot of reasons," Hewitt says.

Hewitt and his team were afforded the time they needed, and they pulled out all the stops to pull off what's now recognized as an all-time great recording. They used better-quality microphones, they were mic-ing the room for ambient sound, and Masekela was performing for a sophisticated and appreciative audience.

"We used stuff from our stash of mics as opposed to what you'd find typically at a jazz club. We actually had control via the record label and producers, so we could take our time. We had the ability to mic the room for abient sound. ... you've got people that actually know and appreciate the music and respond accordingly. What you've got there is all the right stuff at the right time and the right people, and then something magical happens."

Listen to that magic unfold — put on this Analogue Productions 45 RPM 4LP reissue of Hope, and be transported.

Men at Work already had an album in the Top Ten when the Australian ensemble released Cargo, which continued the momentum gained by its record-setting debut. As ambitious and even more diversified than its initial salvo, the 1983 effort firmly established the band as new-wave pioneers – a group whose goofy playfulness, sharp hooks, brass accents, and memorable choruses helped define the decade's landscape. Any doubts about Men at Work's quirky sensibility were promptly answered by the iconic cover art gracing this multi-platinum set.

Mastered on our world-renowned mastering system and pressed at RTI, this LP not only brings the artwork back into full-scale glory but also takes the enjoyably melodic pop-rock to new sonic heights courtesy of improved imaging, separation, and balance. Previously obscured details jump to the surface, and leader Colin Hay's unique voice takes on life-like dimensions that hover between the speakers.

While remaining true to the approach that garnered them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist, Men at Work expands the creative palette on Cargo by giving guitars a more prominent role and increasing the rhythmic textures. With the sweeping ballad "Overkill" and politically savvy cynicism of "It's a Mistake," the band furthered their radio domination and extended their run of Top 10 singles. A third hit, "Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive," cracked the Top 30. Well-tailored melodies and whimsical imagination definitely had a place in the public's consciousness, and no group understood this more.



As the final album captured by the original lineup, Cargo remains an indelible piece of the 1980s audio terrain and a reminder of the era's endless fun. Bolstered by lively saxophone solos, self-effacing humor, and instantly catchy refrains, the album is as good as excuse as any to turn on the stereo, sit down, forget your worries, and dance to leisurely pursuits so perfectly captured by this beloved group.

A historic collaboration by two of jazz music's greatest artists on 180g Double LP Set! Impex Records' deluxe production captures the amazing outdoor acoustics with fine detail and wide dynamic range. The beautiful gatefold jacket is coated in a vintage high-gloss lacquer.

The White House Sessions, Live 1962 contains inspired performances of classic tunes "Take Five", "Castilian Blues", "Lullaby of Birdland", and "I Left My Heart In San Francisco".

"Bennett's vocals are particularly natural and present-sounding... Brubeck's group in its prime, with Paul Desmond on Alto, Eugene Wright on bass and Joe Morello on drums... Bennett/Brubeck is nonetheless a record I found myself playing more times than I expected to before sitting down to write this. There's something about a live performance from a time when life was so much simpler, even if more jittery and dangerous because of the cold war, that makes you want to go back in time and enjoy it all again."

This two LP set is beautifully re-mastered and the original artwork has been carefully replicated.

Two remarkable visionaries at the peak of their powers, Dave Brubeck and his quartet and Tony Bennett (both with his group and with Bennett with trio) give hot performances of some of their biggest hits: Brubeck's revved up "Take Five," and Tony Bennett's soulful "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

Playing the popular White House Sessions concert on the Washington Mall for President John F. Kennedy, these titans of popular jazz have a great time informing, joking and playing the lights out. You'll want to play the grooves out of Impex's impeccably produced issue of this lost treasure. Quiet surfaces, incredible dynamics, full frequency responses and deluxe packaging will provide years of listening and viewing pleasure.

Recoil ist das musikalische Projekt des ehemaligen Depeche Mode-Mitglieds Alan Wilder. Mute veröffentlicht die letzten drei Recoil Alben „Liquid“, „Unsound Methods“ und „subHuman“ am 7. Oktober neu, jeweils auf CD und farbiger Doppel-Vinyl. Ursprünglich ein Soloprojekt für Alans experimentelle Arbeit außerhalb von Depeche Mode, wurde Recoil zu seinem wichtigsten Musikprojekt, nachdem er 1995 seinen Ausstieg aus der Band bekannt gab.

Nach einer 6-jährigen Aufnahmepause kehrte Alan Wilder mit dem fünften Studioalbum von Recoil, „subHuman“, zurück. Dieses düstere elektronische Album, das den Hörer vor die Herausforderung stellt, zu analysieren, was uns zu Menschen und zu Untermenschen macht, ist eine Zusammenarbeit mit dem Blueser Joe Richardson, auf den Wilder über eine Google-Suche stieß. Richardson steuerte Gitarre, Mundharmonika und unheimlichen Gesang bei, der sich mit Themen wie Mord, Tod und Religion beschäftigt. Die Sängerin Carla Trevaskis ist mit ihrem ätherischen Gesang auf "Allelujah" zu hören.

„subHuman“ erscheint auf Curacao-farbenem Doppel-Vinyl (inklusive Download-Code) und CD.

RAW is back with the long awaited Gemstones II compilation. This second edition features 16 original tracks, divided into 4 vinyls and exploring 4 different sides of Techno: Diamond, Amethyst, Moonstone and Opal.

RAW is back with the long awaited Gemstones II compilation. This second edition features 16 original tracks, divided into 4 vinyls and exploring 4 different sides of Techno: Diamond, Amethyst, Moonstone and Opal.

RAW is back with the long awaited Gemstones II compilation. This second edition features 16 original tracks, divided into 4 vinyls and exploring 4 different sides of Techno: Diamond, Amethyst, Moonstone and Opal.

In Japanese, the word “Guru-Guru” refers to the state of spinning, whirling.?
This state is captured in the work of Japanese artist Hoshina Anniversary, who makes his third appearance on MUSAR with his EP Guru Guru and marks the return of the label after an extended break.

Hoshina’s self-titled brand of ‘Watechno’ has appeared on well-loved dance music labels like ESP Institute, Volvox’s Jack Dept and Young Marco’s Safe Trip, alongside MUSAR where he also appeared as Shifting Gears back in 2022; an electronic-jazz-centered moniker.

His Guru Guru EP captures the latest snapshot of Hoshina’s sound and sees him draw from Japanese language as a through-line.
The title track is the clearest representation of his ‘Watechno’, where he uses Japanese instrumentation on top of a menacing EBM-style march. The track's slowly whirling momentum is the “Guru-Guru”.

On tracks like “Banri”, which means far away in Japanese, we see new shades to Hoshina’s work as he mixes a Japanese Wadaiko drum groove with acidic elements and piano melodies to make a track of contradictions which pairs roughness with elegance. Whereas on “Usagi”, Japanese for rabbit, Hoshina fires up the BPM.
Piano melodies remain here but their effect is more drifting and emotive than on “Banri”.
“Kaga” is named after a place in the southernmost part of Ishikawa Prefecture, between Kanazawa City and Fukui City.
On this track, Hoshina’s love for jazz comes through and even mirrors the work we heard from him under Shifting Gears.

In a career spanning 50 years, Leo Sayer has sold more than 80 MILLION records worldwide.
• 'Silverbird' is Leo’s incredible debut album, originally released late in 1973, reaching #2 in UK Albums Chart and includes
the debut single ‘Why Is Everybody Going Home’ and the hit ‘The Show Must Go On’ (#2).
• Co-produced by Adam Faith and David Courtney, ‘Silverbird’ was recorded at several locations including Virgin Records’
Manor Studios, The Who’s lead singer Roger Daltrey’s Barn Studio and Apple studios.
• Following another successful UK tour in Autumn 2022, Leo Sayer has recently been on tour in the USA for the first time in
decades; a country that took him to their hearts with two #1 Singles and a GRAMMY Award and although he now has
Australian citizenship, Leo remains one of the UK's great singer/songwriters and performers of all time.
• This 50th Anniversary celebratory half-speed master version has been newly mastered by Phil Kinrade, and expertly cut
using transfers of the original audio tapes using precision half-speed mastering by Barry Grint at AIR Mastering, London
and is pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl, with a 4-page insert containing the lyrics.

Rupture are proud to present the debut album from Double O entitled 'Firm Meditation'.

Co-founder of Rupture alongside Mantra, Double O has long been an understated pillar of the crew. After a prolific run of singles, EPs, remixes and Lost Tape releases, the time has come for his first LP.

The album has formed organically; built with honesty and passion - not for money, validation or from any time pressure, but as an illustration of who he is and what he does. Double O approaches creativity straight from the heart and the studio is more than just a daily retreat for him; its been a routine, a necessity and a firm meditation since the early 90s.

Deeply rooted in his history and culture, influences in dub, techno and hardcore are felt throughout. Double O is revered highly amongst the Rupture crew, but he remains humble, true and has returned this respect straight back into his music, to create a body of work that’s spiritual and straight from the soul

The concept of strict musical genre has arguably been dead for decades, and the latest offering from Danish powerhouses Gustaf Ljunggren and Emil de Waal once again reinforces this notion. Their third collaborative album "Stockholm Kobenhavn", a spacious, cinematic and boundaryless exploration of their shared musical connection is set to release on July 7th on April Records. Emil de Waal has been one of Denmark"s leading drummers for three decades. Gustaf Ljunggren initially studied the saxophone at the Rhythmic Conservatory of Copenhagen, where whispers spread throughout the school that he was the best saxophone player in town and yet never practiced. His career has seen him prove that he can bring grace, musicality and heart to any instrument he touches, from the pedal steel guitar, to the bass, piano, and more. In the words of Danish multi-instrumentalist Kresten Osgood, "Although an instrument may be new to him he is able to play it like he has had a lifetime of experience working with it. Over the years I think the only instrument I haven"t seen him play is the drums." "Stockholm Kobenhavn" has a vast array of influences including Jazz, Americana, Film Music and Electronica. It is full of space, coaxing the listener into a meditative state and inviting them to drift away with their own imagination. The record plays as a series of open-ended sketches or moods, absent of big defining melodies or familiar song-like structures. Each piece evolves over time, providing musical interest in the form of rhythmic ideas, rich harmony, texture, and repetitive melodic patterns from a guitar or rhodes. Imaginative electronic production techniques combine the warm sounds of acoustic instruments with a constantly developing palette of otherworldly textures and effects. Grounded by an unwavering pulse, the combination of programmed beats and acoustic drums provide the hypnotic foundation over which the pair explore and challenge their common musical ground. The album closes with an intimate recording from a performance at STUK in Belgium, with a comforting guitar-led Americana tune bringing the listener back into the room and sharing in the joy the duo have felt in playing together over the past twenty years.

Deluka is back on his own No Signal Records. On this Ep will collaborate Jeroen Search, Amotik and Staffan Linzatti with dope remixes.

When The View reconvened last year after five years apart, the three old-friends realised just how much they have missed... well, everything about being in a band: the rush of seeing an audience react to their performances, the camaraderie of being together, a simple jam idea evolving into a fully-fledged song. A run of comeback gigs at Glasgow"s O2 Academy saw all 10,000 tickets sold in advance, the fan reaction was overwhelming and they were even joined on-stage by an old friend in the shape of "Line of Duty" actor Martin Compston. After all that, how could you resist wanting more? Especially as their rehearsals for the shows saw the band conjure up a wealth of new song ideas just like they did back when they first started out. And so The View today announce that "Exorcism of Youth" - their first album since 2015 - via Cooking Vinyl.

The "Origins" collection focusses on one the greatest guitarist of all time. More than 50 years after his death, find the titles that influenced the sound of Jimi Hendrix on a double vinyl! With original tracks by : Muddy Waters - Bo Diddley - Chuck Berry - Little Richard - Buddy Guy - Bob Dylan - Elvis Presley - John Lee Hooker - B.B King

"Life Plans and Parallel Side Tracks" by Ismael Zouaoui (aka Ish) is the highly anticipated album on Libertine Records. Spanning Electro, Drum 'n' Bass, Dark-Wave, and Ambient, Ish's versatile production shines. Inspired by diverse influences like Brave New World, Japanese Anime, and early Techno/Trance, the album's contemporary, textured sound captivates.

Sean Huber, best known as the drummer of the beloved & defunct band Modern Baseball, has been releasing music with his band Steady Hands since 2013.

Back for the first time since 2018 with new album “Cheap Fiction,” Huber pays homage to all of the deities you’d expect someone with a New Jersey birth certificate and a dog named Bruce to wor- ship, with rollicking saxophone and piano over tales of hard- on-their-luck neighborhoods, and stadium-rock-ready guitar zaps over odes to the misrepresented people of Florida.

He grapples with lapsed religion like so many with Irish names have done before him. And he fits in real nicely with the mod- ern heroes of Philadelphia’s punk scene, blending the best of heartland rock and straight-up punk with his own penchant for the tropical. Huber’s lyrics tell stories of a very real world where people in power use it for evil, the people who need help don’t get it, but the person at home makes life beautiful despite it all, and

The Arockalypse is the third studio album by Finnish rock band Lordi. It includes the hit single “Hard Rock Hallelujah”, which won the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 for Finland. The album was certified with a triple Platinum status in Finland, Gold in Germany, and Sweden. It reached the number one chart position in Finland, Sweden, and Greece.

The Arockalypse has several guest appearances: Dee Snider and Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister, Udo Dirkschneider from Accept/U.D.O. and Bruce Kulick from Kiss.

The Arockalypse is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on flaming coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

Cesaria Evora's album Voz d'Amor won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2004. It features hit songs like "Jardim Prometido" and "Amdjer De Nos Terra." The album reached high positions on various European charts and peaked at #2 on the US Billboard World Albums Chart. It received Gold certifications in France, Poland, and Russia.

Voz d'Amor is the ninth album from the great Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora. It was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2004 and received much appraisal.

The album was recorded with musicians led by pianist Fernando (Nando) Andrade who have backed Cesaria on stage since the start of 2000 and appeared on her previous album São Vicente di Longe. It features the popular songs “Jardim Prometido”, “Amdjer De Nos Terra” and “Velocidade”. Voz d'Amor made it to the charts of different European countries and peaked at #2 on the US Billboard World Albums Chart. The album received a Gold certification in France, Poland, and Russia.

Voz d'Amor is available as a 20th anniversary edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on gold and black marbled vinyl and includes an insert with lyrics.

Werewolves formed in 2019 and have proceeded to release an album a year to increasing acclaim and global calamity. Three full lengths and one EP later, the band performs an act of creative peristalsis with album four “My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me” due out 11th August 2023. Bassist/vocalist Sam (The Antichrist Imperium, The Berzerker) says: “Here it finally is, the recording that will cement our place in the technical death metal world as some of the greatest soloists and most thought-provoking lyricists working in music today. Our ability to shape raw art from ethereal nuance is second only to our famously slow craftmanship.” He continues “Of course I’m fucking kidding. This album is as idiotic as the rest, if not more. CAVEMAN RIFFS. Blasting. Screaming. Bowing to a shrine with pictures of Mortician, Marduk, and Angelcorpse. This isn’t going to be the album that brings people together and catalyses world peace. Apparently it has greater emotional reach than our earlier work but we haven’t noticed that ourselves, we’re morons. I can confirm that there is more swearing on this album than all the others, it’s positively Australian-esque”.

Daljit Kundi and Ludvig Cimbrelius have Indian and Swedish backgrounds but actually came together in the UK music scene and specifically ambient jungle. They set off to explore that world totters and did so with aplomb across several great albums and EPs.

This new album was actually nearly done many years ago but was shelved owing to struggles with record labels. When Past Inside The Present heard it though they encouraged the album to be finished and so here it is. It's an emotional work which "attempts to represent a psychic darkness that is as deeply restful as it is ripe with creative potential." It's absorbing, beautiful ambient from a pair of real dons.

First official reissue for this roots reggae masterpiece, originally recorded in 1977. The Bushrangers, also known as Clem Bushay All Stars is the house band of producer Clem Bushay. They recorded the ''Stuntman'' album with musicians like Barry McVicker, Bunny McKenzie, Candy McKenzie, Carl Lewis, Dennis Bovell, Desmond Charles, Hughie, Janet Kay, Jimmy Haynes, Jimmy Mack, Jimmy Stratdan, Joseph Charles, Junior Bailey, Junior English, Michael Charles, Stanley, Suzy Browne, Moon Rocks and Zabandis...The album was also produced by Bushay.

2023 repress !

This year Robert Hood celebrates the 20th anniversary of his M-Plant label with a sequence of EPs featuring classic M-Plant releases and rarities remixed and re-edited, a compilation bringing Hood's huge body of work together and a series of special events.Kicking off the EP releases, UK techno stalwart Mark Broom delivers these exceptional edits of 'Untitled 1' from Hood's series 'Moveable Parts' and 'One Touch' from the 'Minimal Nation' album.Released in 1995 'Moveable Parts Chapter 1' was seen by many as one of Hood's greatest EPs. This four-tracker opened with the heavy-hitting 909 and dappled metallic sounds of 'Untitled 1'. Now, Mark Broom's edit adds even further depth and a dirty funk feeling to this hypnotic dancefloor killer. In 1994 Robert Hood first released his game-changing 'Minimal Nation' album. It was so influential that a special edition of this iconic masterpiece was released in 2009 and still sounded as fresh as ever with its stripped-back grooves inspiring a new generation of techno producers as it had over a decade before. Setting the tone was its opener 'One Touch'. On his new edit, Mark Broom plays with the bass and chops up the beats to intensify this dark mover.