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Formed approximately three years ago, before the world changed (temporarily?), Odd Men Out are something of a garage-psych international super-group, with members originally hailing from Italy, Spain and the UK, brought together in the sprawling megalopolis of London in the sticky heat of summer 2019. Lois (drums) and Alessandro (guitar, organ, vocals) had already been playing together in legendary freakbeat trio The Embrooks since '96 (with a 10-year hiatus between 2005 and '15), while bassman Bruno had served time with moody-psych-turned-spiky-British-Beat exponents The Liquorice Experiment and Looking Glass Alice. The untried 'x' factor in this equation is frontman, guitarist, songwriter Nicolino whose love of moody 12-string folk rock and florid psychedelia shapes the overall sound of the band. Late in 2019, the quartet gathered at North Down Sound Studios in south east Kent to record the material presented here. Engineer and State Records mogul Mole was at the controls, manipulating the analogue 8-track recorder to capture the best and most exciting vibes they could offer, in a swirling sea of reverb and audio compression. Tracked predominantly live with a bare minimum of overdubs, this is classic 60s-inspired garage-psych, with elements of The Lemon Drops, Basement Wall and The Baroques to name but a few, yet the four never let their influences get in the way of producing quality original material. The pandemic caused many cancellations and postponements, but Dirty Water Records and Odd Men Out are finally ready to unleash this almighty beast!

Track list:
1. Summer 2. Magic Fudge 3. Mary B 4. Can’t Get Over 5. Big Worries (Big Troubles) 6. Look At Her 7. No 8. Knock On My Door

BLACK VINYL REPRESS

NYC´s Superbloom debut LP Superbloom is Brooklyn’s latest entry into the alternative rock scene. Their debut album, “Pollen” is a 12-track love-letter to heavy alternative music that spans infectiously bouncy hard rock, instantly nostalgic acoustic songs, sing-along choruses and undeniable hooks. The album was mastered by Will Yip (Quicksand, Mannequin Pussy, Code Orange), mixed by Joe Reinhart (Remo Drive, Joyce Manor, Hop Along) and produced by Superbloom. The album’s two recent singles, “Whatever” and “Mary on a Chain” have both landed in several Spotify curated playlists including All New Rock, New Alt-Rock Mixtape, Noisy and Alternative Noise. While the album’s feedback-laced instrumentation is hard-hitting at every turn, the band’s sonic signature is embedded in the vocal performance that fills each track with complex layering, earworm melodies and lush harmonies that deliver discoveries of nuanced detail with each listen. Press Quotes: "Your next grunge revival obsession." -The Noise "...buzzing guitars that aren’t too far away from the ones that dominated DGC Records during their heyday... reminiscent of a bygone era when rock dominated the airways. Superbloom are most definitely a guitar band and they play their instruments loud and with the urgency of a ticking time bomb, it’s aggressive and in-your-face, but also catchy as hell." -The Alternative "The group's sonic approach is rooted in the fuzzy guitar atmospherics of bands like Hum and Amusement Parks on Fire. The hooks are plentiful, the arrangements lean and mean, and there's a bouncy rhythmic quality to much of their work so far." -No Echo

. It's 2021 and Vancouver’s Bootlicker are back with their first full length. Experimenting with various lineups and sounds since 2017, these 14 original tracks flesh out their most realized expression. Following four EP’s and two demos, their self-titled debut stays true to the noise cultivated in the previous offerings. That raw, blown-out production countered with clean guitar sound and Internationally-informed take on a UK82 delivery remains. Everything that made the band what they were on their previous output is polished into a ball of fire that will not be contained. Their mid-tempo, menacing posture of tracks like "Herd The Sheep" and "State Of Fever" give way to the D-beat totality of "Master" or "Two Faced" proving there are still ideas in the tank. There won’t be much left but scorched earth by the time it comes to rest. FFO: Mau Maus, Discharge, SSD. Every copy of this LP comes with 16 page zine-style lyric insert full of illustrations by band member and visual artist Athena.

Whilst most of the North swung to the right in the 2019 General UK Election, the North West held onto their hope and long standing heritage of voting for what imagines itself to still be the ‘Left’. It’s 2022 and there are no political choices left, but to rise up and revolt to Stop the Rot. T.S. Warspite channel their message through a unique musical recipe that answers the question no one asked: What if Bad Religion grew up in Manchester in the 2000s? Made up of some long standing and productive members of the local scene, this sounds like friendship and experience, and some refreshing as fuck hardcore. Singer Marco Abbatiello weaves expertly through scenes of pulp reality where everything is fleeting and only some things stick. What’s left is a farcical montage of things that have rushed past you with no real sense of direction. Personally and politically, it’s all the same wretched soup of societal collapse and the rise of the technocracies. Do yourself a favour, and play this through your Tesla microchip whilst throwing a molotov at No.10. Members of Violent Reaction, Payday, Firearm, Arms Race, Rated X. T.S. Warspite is Paul Morgan, Tom Howard, Marco Abbatiello, Tom Pimlott and Miles Livingstone-Todd. Recorded and Mixed by James ‘Atko’ Atkinson at The Stationhouse. Mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios. Art by Chio. Photos by Meline Gharibyan

High Roller Records, reissue 2023, bonus track "Road Crew", black vinyl, ltd 250, insert, poster, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony

Splatter Vinyl

High Roller Records, reissue 2023, bonus track "Road Crew", black vinyl, ltd 250, insert, poster, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony

Three-time Grammy nominees, the San Antonio, Texas-based quartet NOTHING MORE return with their highly awaited seventh album, 'SPIRITS'. It features thirteen focused, adventurous and intense songs, uniting introspective philosophical lyrics with unapologetically massive anthems, including the in-your-face 'TURN IT UP LIKE (Stand In The Fire)', their most recent Top 10 Billboard Active Rock radio single 'TIRED OF WINNING'. Since emerging in 2003, NOTHING MORE has made rock radio chart history with no. 1 singles for both 'This is the Time (Ballast)' and 'Go To War', while they also have seven Active Rock Radio Top 10 singles in their repertoire. 'SPIRITS' further proves their expertise in the rock genre and beyond. It documents the tumultuous time the world experienced over the past two years capturing the desperation and isolation of lockdown, the spiral of substance abuse, the pain of broken relationships and survival in self-reliance while summarizing the overall story and mission of NOTHING MORE: Reflect, Provoke, Inspire.

Igziabeher Yi mas gan (Let Jah be Praised!) - as we follow up with the next release forwarding from Ashanti Selah Music; we are proud to present a fresh combination to the label with Iqulah Rastafari who is a true ambassador and master of his faith as well as being a high-caliber artist in his own right; this release delivers the whole roots and nothing but the roots in its full entirety. Hailing from Jamaica and toured the 4 corners of the world with his band 'Giddeon Family' as well as performing many shows in Africa with the 'Azania Band' - Iqulah always brings the spiritual power and most honourable Rasta energy in connection with the music; making it a such an engaging experience when being among the vibration.

The Maxi-single offers two original vocals and two dub mixes per side with strong lyrics and heavy riddims to accompany!

The ever wonderful Politics Of Dancing come with four remixes of label stalwart Tommy Vicari Jnr jumping, pumping house stormer 'Look I Your Eyes', each carefully crafted to cover slightly different areas of the dancefloor. The Silverlining Night dub remix takes pride of placer on side A, a mix of two halves for sure - it starts of all full pelt, adds a subtle layer of disco-style strings and then drops to a dramatic breakdown before re-building brick by brick. Josh Baker's version has a slightly 80s feel with its mechanised handclaps and swooping synths wrapped in echoey vocals, the Lowris mix is arguably the most no nonsense, straight ahead thumper and then we're left to luxuriate in the sumptuous ooze of Cosenza's dub house re-reub, taking us all the way back to the days of Guerrilla at their h=eight. Capital!

(REWORKS & EDITS)

Planetary Assault Systems revisits 'In From The Night' with edits and a remix from Adam Beyer and Wehbba

Planetary Assault Systems is one of UK techno veteran Luke Slater's most enduring aliases, a project focused on forward-thinking techno with maximum cerebral impact. 'In From The Night' came out in 1993 as part of the 'Planetary Funk Vol 1 EP' on Peacefrog and has remained an underground favourite since.

Here on his own Mote-Evolver label, Slater revisits the track with a fresh perspective across two edits and an interpretation from Drumcode's Adam Beyer and celebrated Brazilian DJ/producer Webbha. The techno titans team up to deliver a remix with thunderous energy as tense synths patterns loop, evolve, and grow ever more edgy as the track unfolds throughout.

On the flip, the first 'P.A.S. Edit' is a potent touch-up that finds pounding drums overlaid with raw and textural synth patterns alongside occasional crashing claps and a rising sense of dark cosmic energy. The 'P.A.S. Live Edit' unfolds in broken patterns and reverberates with menace as more searing synth lines fire across the dance floor.

After 31 years, the Serious Beats compilation era comes to an end. The very last edition, Serious Beats 100, arrives as 3 Vinyl Box Sets (including 5 vinyls per box).

Some of the most legendary club tracks of the past decades have made the cut, and are now bundled into a true collector's item for everyone who's heart is beating to the rhythm of house music.

After 31 years, the Serious Beats compilation era comes to an end. The very last edition, Serious Beats 100, arrives as 3 Vinyl Box Sets (including 5 vinyls per box).

Some of the most legendary club tracks of the past decades have made the cut, and are now bundled into a true collector's item for everyone who's heart is beating to the rhythm of house music.

When British Airways got privatized and listed on the London Stock Exchange, somewhere in Canada the first Starbucks outside of the US opened, and the Walt Disney Company signed an agreement with the French Prime Minister to construct Disneyland Paris. In the sky above southern Argentina, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, northern Somalia, and the Atlantic Ocean a hybrid solar eclipse materialized for 7.57 seconds, whilst Margaret Thatcher performed for 45-minutes on Soviet television. Some days later, The Simpsons cartoon first appears as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, Diego Maradona wins his first Italian soccer championship with Napoli, and Eighteen-year-old West German pilot Mathias Rust lands a private plane on Red Square in Moscow. In the mists of the world's first conference on artificial life at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Mainland China opens in Beijing, and Prozac gets approved for use as an antidepressant in the United States. Much give way for the future, down there in 1987, the year that marks the title of Benedikt Frey’s freshest mini album, out into the world on R.i.O., the label he runs with some pals in the North of Berlin. It’s a dubby melancholic conqueror, wistfully, repetitive, drilling, absorbing, spooking. It makes you dream. Not particular of the year 1987. But it’s all there: The Red Square, the untouched land of the Val d'Europe, Diego on fuego. Six dark-ish tracks in trance, melancholic dub, downbeat heaven, journey music depths, all full of light and yet so dark. Futuristic dramas linked to a speculative past. In our dreams all might look different. The eclipse may last 27- minutes. You meet Neuromancer cyberpunks and blade running Ghost dogs, all taught to hack by Phrack. Cristal clear melodies, sampled voices, and veiled basslines, analogue scopes, and digital ropes, longing for a past that storm into the future. A time where deep listening widens the acoustics into infinity, while neon glows charm the light smog. Benedikt Frey been down there. Or maybe not. His latest music tells stories from the bygone, vested with the forthcoming. Come in and look out. There is nothing to see, yet so much to hear.

Given the respective outputs of committed ambient explorers and sound designers zake (best known for releasing no less than five fine albums in 2019) and 36 (most recently seen on A Strangely Isolated Place with the superb album "Fade To Grey"), you'd expect this trip into aural deep space to be rather good. It is of course, with the four tracks mixing echoing sonic tones and drifting sound effects with slow-burn electronic melodies and the kind of immersive, sustained chords that were once the preserve of German maestro Pete Namlook. The third track in the suite, appropriately titled 'Stage 3', is little less than stunning, in part because of its grandiose, almost classical intent. No surprise to discover, then, that after a stretch of being out of print it's back via a reissue, this version being a limited clear vinyl edition.

Given the respective outputs of committed ambient explorers and sound designers zake (best known for releasing no less than five fine albums in 2019) and 36 (most recently seen on A Strangely Isolated Place with the superb album "Fade To Grey"), you'd expect this trip into aural deep space to be rather good. It is of course, with the four tracks mixing echoing sonic tones and drifting sound effects with slow-burn electronic melodies and the kind of immersive, sustained chords that were once the preserve of German maestro Pete Namlook. The third track in the suite, appropriately titled 'Stage 3', is little less than stunning, in part because of its grandiose, almost classical intent. No surprise to discover, then, that after a stretch of being out of print it's back via a reissue, this version being a limited clear vinyl edition.

If it's really a post-genre world, why does everything sound the same? The two halves of Tampa rap duo They Hate Change_Dre (he/him) and Vonne (they/them)_first came together in front of the apartment complex where they both lived as teens. Dre had just moved down from Rochester, NY; Vonne was trying to sell him bad weed. It was clear from the start that the two listen to music differently from most people_they're sonic omnivores, obsessive deep-divers, lovers of rare and radical sounds. Starting as kids trawling the internet for tracks, they've been collecting music from around the world and across the decades, amassing a shared sonic knowledge so deep that "encyclopedic" barely begins to cover it _ not just the East Coast hip-hop that Dre grew up on, or the hyperlocal bass-music variants like jook (the Gulf Coast's twerkably raunchy answer to house) and crank (think "Miami bass meets NOLA bounce"), but also drum `n' bass, Chicago footwork, post-punk, prog (they're, like, seriously into prog), grime, krautrock, emo, and basically any genre on the map. Once they graduated to DJs on the Tampa DIY scene _ which includes everything from punk rock house parties to the black "teen nights" that pop up in rec centers and ballrooms _ they figured out how to pull all these disparate sounds together into a cohesive style. More importantly, they figured out how to make it something people will actually move to. When they made the transition to rapping and making beats, they brought that pleasure-seeking approach to sonic experimentation with them. "With this album, Vonne says, "it's really like, okay, you know how you talk about the internet breaking down borders? Here's what that actually sounds like. It's not just a hip-hop record with a couple more weird sounds. You want homegrown DIY? This is a record that was written, produced, and recorded in a 150-squarefoot bedroom from the least cool city you could think of." Finally, New is what a truly post-genre musical landscape is supposed to be: building deep connections that transcend outdated distinctions between them, spilling over with the joy of exploration and possibility, and daring other artists to think broader, go deeper, take bigger risks. Let the rest of them keep playing by the old rules_They Hate Change will keep changing the game.

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present a new set of remixes, as well as originals released on vinyl for the very first time, from Afrobeat supergroupEparapo. Having come togetherduring the unprecedented events of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, and despite being a project born from the privations of lockdown, their music is ultimately an expression of hope, resilience & resurgence.

The word "eparapo" means "join forces" in Yoruba, the language of Afrobeat. It's also the title of a track by the late, greatTony Allen- drummer for Afrobeat legendFela Kutiand lifelong friend and mentor of our very own "Afrobeat Ambassador",Dele Sosimi. Not only did Tony help to invent Afrobeat, he always looked for ways to push the boundaries, never content with recreating what had gone before but constantly expanding and developing the genre. This project hopes to pay homage to his legacy, and that of Fela Kuti himself. Its aim is to innovate, fuse and diversify while still retaining the essence of the music.

The force behind Eparapo is bassist, composer & producerSuman Joshi.He has been a member of Dele Sosimi's Afrobeat Orchestra for nearly a decade and has performed on stage with the likes of Tony Allen, Seun Kuti, Ginger Baker & Laura Mvula. He is also bassist with UK jazz ensemble Collocutor and fusion project Cubafrobeat.

Featured vocalist on both original tracks, and remixes, is the aforementioned Dele Sosimi - keyboard player and musical director for Fela's Egypt 80 as well as Wah Wah 45s recording artist on both his solo material and the recent collaboration with house music producer, Medlar.

The rest of the group comprises of bandleader ofAfrik Bawantuand percussionist for Ibibio Sound Machine and Keleketla,Afla Sackey; highly rated UK jazz vocalistSahra Gure; saxophonist, composer, producer and bandleader of the renowned forward thinking jazz outfit Collocutor,Tamar Obsorn; keyboard player, producer and front man for Lokkhi Terra and Cubafrobeat,Kishon Khan; one of the UK's finest and most in demand trumpeters,Graeme Flowers, who has played with Quincy Jones, Gregory Porter and many more; trombonist for Bellowhead and mainstay of Dele's Afrobeat Orchestra,Justin Thurgur; and finally drummer for Steamdown and Sons of Kemet, as well as the man behind the Nache project,Eddie Wakili Hick.

From London To Lagoswas inspired by a talk given by writerRoberto Savianoat the Hay Book Festival in 2016, just before the Brexit referendum. In it he described the UK as the "most corrupt country in the world". This was a reminder of how the leaders of so-called developed countries, conveniently suffering from colonial amnesia, still point disparagingly at the rest of the world and talk of "endemic corruption" and "Banana Republics". All the while the ill-gotten gains of organised crime syndicates, corrupt multinationals and military juntas across the globe are funnelled through financial centres such as London. Same trouble, different methods, greater scale. Of course the best way to divert the population from all this is to find distractions such as populist leaders who declare their countries "world beating" and scapegoats such as refugees, immigrants and other members of the underclasses. It has always been thus but it doesn't always have to be so.

This track was once more recorded remotely during lockdown and features an all star lineup of world class musicians from the UK Afrobeat and jazz scenes. Members of the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, Keleketla, Sons of Kemet and beyond have come together to create this powerhouse of a band. They encapsulate the meaning of "eparapo" and "join forces'' to fight a common enemy in the shape of corrupt and divisive ideologies.

Its remix comes fromWheelUP- the moniker of West London broken beat revivalist Danny Wheeler, who here delivers something of a smoother straight up Afro flavoured house workout that's sure to be heard across dance floors and festivals this summer. The Tru Thoughts signed artist adds gliding synths and tight drums that ride the original's hypnotic melody perfectly and make for a future club classic.

Black Lives Matterwas obviously inspired by the movement of the same name and was the first track to be released by Eparapo in late 2020. Dele's voice tell the story slave ships leaving West Africa in the fifteenth century, the brutal conditions that were experienced on board, and the continued suffering of the African diaspora today. As always, half of the artist's income for this song will be donated to the NAACP - a civil rights organisation in the United States, created for the advancement of black people by means of following judicial policies.


The remix here comes from Birmingham based producer signed to Jalapeno Records,Sam Redmore. Sam's love for breaks and beats comes into play well here, subtly chopping up the original to create a bass worrying version that still sends that very important message of justice and equality - Black Lives Matter!

a 01: From London to Lagos (WheelUP Remix) feat. Dele Sosimi

[c] 03: Black Lives Matter (Sam Redmore Remix) [feat. Dele Sosimi]

Delights label is wrapping the year 2022 with yet another project from the restless minds of Shay Landa and Markey Funk.

With Voxatone, the two set to explore the otherworldly sound qualities of vintage keyboards with "vox" in their name: the 1950s Univox keyboard, the 60s Vox Continental organ and the 80s Soviet Polivoks synthesizer. Joined by Elia Yakin on drums and Estonia's most prolific artist today, Misha Panfilov, - on Vox Phantom bass, Shay and Markey have crafted yet another way-out groovy psych double-sider: the mid-tempo mind-bender "Figure I.108" and the upbeat floor-stormer "Figure III.122" - on the flip.

Bad Colours is back with his sophomore album, "Always With U," out on Bastard Jazz Recordings in November, 2022. The London-born, Maryland-raised, Brooklyn-based DJ, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist - aka Ibe Soliman - continues to build on the well-deserved acclaim from his 2021 debut LP, "PINK," as well as a slew of standalone singles and collaborations with the likes of Shabazz Palaces, Jarv Dee, and Stas THEE Boss.

"Always With U" sees Ibe further develop his talents as a songwriter and producer, while maintaining the signature balance of banging dance music and dense bars that he's quickly becoming known for. The album expands Ibe's role to a collaborator, band leader, and all-around star-of-the-show; it's certainly still a dance record, but there's also so much more. Live instrumentation accompanies every track, with the notable contributions of Nigerian bassist Akin-Alade Ogo heard across the album, as well as the NY-based saxophonist Carras Paton on the jazzy, upbeat house number, "Heartache + U."

The lead single, "Maybe I Should Move to LA," sees the proudly Brooklyn-based Bad Colours contemplate a move out West – an idea that came about following a trip to LA for the 20 Years of Bastard Jazz anniversary party (which he DJed) in November last year. Bright pads, a thumping four-on-the-floor beat, and a catchy vocal line make it the perfect accompaniment to a top-down joy-ride up PCH. The album's second single, "You Don't Know," features frequent collaborator and PNW darling Jarv Dee, as well as KAS and JVDE who have both been making waves in the Brooklyn scene (KAS for his work with Grammy- nominated producer Harmony Samuels featured on BET, and JVDE as the lead-singer of alternative band Blind Benny). "You Don't Know" turns up the heat with Jarv and KAS trading dense, rapid-fire verses over a high-tempo beat and detuned vocal; the kick cuts out for the bridge, replaced by syncopated keyboard stabs and JVDE's stacked vocals. "You Don't Know" is high-energy hip house at its finest: Super catchy and irresistibly dancey.

The two singles are emblematic of the rest of the album, which largely alternates between vocal and hip house, sometimes jazzy, other times touching on R&B or dancefloor influenced pop. Dave Giles II and Cor.Ece (who recently both contributed to Beyoncé's chart-topping "Renaissance" LP and Honey Dijon's "Work" single) feature on "Flow," while Toribio (of the acclaimed Brooklyn band Conclaves) provides vocals for "Do Better;" both tracks are on the mellower side, reminiscent of late-90s New York mid-tempo garage. Rising artist N.O.V. features on the second track, "Ready," rapping over a bass-heavy beat; MarcusHarmon makes a return after appearing on "PINK," with smooth vocals on the romantic "Come Closer." Aforementioned JVDE can be heard throughout the album, contributing to "You Don't Know," "Flirtation Avenue," and "Easy Come, Easy Go."

While Ibe's career has spanned nearly two decades - as both a DJ (alongside the likes of James Murphy, Mark Ronson, and Q-Tip) and producer (for Kendrick Lamar, Faith Evans, Keyshia Cole, and Rick Ross, among others) - the Bad Colours name only came into being in early 2020, with the debut LP, "PINK," being released in February, 2021 on the Brooklyn tastemaker label Bastard Jazz. By tapping into his deep network of artist friends, Ibe compiled a treasure-trove of vocal samples, snippets, sketches, and fresh instrumental loops into a beautiful debut record that touches on hip-hop, house, and left-field electronic, while remaining danceable.

A slew of singles throughout 2020 and 2021 included "Feelin' Like," featuring the Seattle rapper Jarv Dee, has become an underground hit, popping up everywhere from Best Buy ads, Hulu's "Woke," celebrity Peloton instructor Emma Lovewell's playlist, and even as a soundtrack to the Mayor of Madrid's TikTok video. Most recently, "Feelin' Like" had a prominent placement in the #1 Netflix film "Spiderhead," directed by Joseph Kosinski ("Tron: Legacy;" "Top Gun: Maverick") and starring Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, and Jurnee Smollett. The breakout success of "Feelin' Like" further led to a collaborative EP with Jarv Dee, titled "BLAKHOUSE," which saw additional features from fellow PNW natives Shabazz Palaces ("Clouds," featured in Hulu's "Shoresy") and Stas THEE Boss ("Black Skin"). This year, Bad Colours dropped the early Summer banger "Hit The Breaks," and served as the musical director for the influential MADE New York festival, a two-day fashion, music, and arts event presented by Public School NYC and Paypal, that saw performances by Nas, Heron Preston, and Bearcat among others.

"Always With U" is a testament to Bad Colours' versatility as a producer and artist, which has allowed him to bring together such a diverse group of friends and collaborators. Yes, the house and hip-hop roots remain, but "Always With U" shows an evolution of the Bad Colours sound into masterfully crafted dancefloor sounds. It's a truly stunning follow-up from an artist undoubtedly on the rise. The album is out on all platforms, via Bastard Jazz Recordings, November 11th, 2022.

TONICO 70'S SOULFUL SIDE SHINES THROUGH IN NEW ALBUM CO-PRODUCED WITH PEPPE MAIELLANO (BANDA MAJE)

The cover of the new album by musician, rapper, DJ/producer and Banda Maje's co-founder Tonico 70 features an honest, unfiltered photo his mother took of him with a disposable camera – a photo that is as blunt and sassy as hip hop, but at the same time filled with the sweetness of soul music. The style of Antonico is all there, in that shot of a nine-year-old kid that was just beginning to discover and love music – a passion that, as he says now, "has been driving me for over thirty years."

Coming after many years of songwriting, beatmaking, MCing, live performances and collaborations, this new album, his first released on Four Flies Records, connects the dots between past, present and future, presenting Tonico 70 as a fully-rounded artist rather than just a rapper, and one aware of his own many facets.

Co-produced with Peppe Maiellano, Banda Maje's other founder, Antonico offers an intimate portrait of Tonico 70, who has put his 'tough-music-smuggler' persona aside to let his soulful side shine through, giving us a warm, funk-inspired and very original take on the so-called 'Napoli power' sound.


Lyrically too, the album takes us deeper into his world. Here, Tonico 70 evaluates his personal history, speaking about his joys and disappointments, his highs and lows, and the friends and lovers who are or were in his life.

Sometimes his flow is confidential and nocturnal – in "Vic'l", for instance, where the sound is smooth and sweet, rife with contrapuntal notes and harmonies that are clearly reminiscent of 70s soul, but also in the bluesy rap of "Doppia Chance" and the prayer-like song "For For". Other times he gets bolder and brasher, like in the reggae-inspired in "Quaqquara Qua", or in "The Revolution Will Not Be Telefonin", which is obviously a (cheeky) tribute to Gil Scott Heron.

A number of tracks feature long-time friends and collaborators: rapper Morfuco in "Italia 90" (a funky uptempo song with powerful gospel vocals in the chorus), the Funky Pushertz crew in "Sai Com'è" and, perhaps most importantly, the Salifornian soul-funk collective Banda Maje, who give new life to three songs from the artist's previous discography: "Vir Buon", "Gente Antica" and "Fantasie".

This album shows that Tonico 70 has reached a stage of maturity in his career, one where his music extends beyond rap and hip-hop to incorporate rich instrumentals and multiple genres that carry the echoes of his experiences and encounters in the lively alleys of Salerno's historic district, and of the people whose lives unfold there, in the heart of the Mediterranean.

The Isley Brothers “Knowledge is power. I’m a witness to that. Our parents wanted us to have a complete musical education. They exposed us to everything, classical to country, standards, show tunes.” Ronald Isley, Mojo Magazine, 2000 The Isley Brothers have delighted audiences since the 1950’s and are celebrating their eighth decade in show business. Morphing from their roots in gospel and doo-wop through funk, rock and then, finally, into slow-jam R&B, the Isley Brothers remain one of the most fascinating groups of all time.
This album contains some of the most life-affirming music ever recorded: Ronald Isley’s keening yelp offering strength and sensitivity as it is supported by brothers Rudolph and O’Kelly. Our collection picks up their story in 1969. By this time, they had been recording for 12 years for many legendary labels, from RCA, to Atlantic, to Motown.
The brothers decided to go it alone on their own label, T-Neck. The repurposed Isleys broke onto the scene with the US R&B No.1/Hot 100 No. 2, ‘It’s Your Thing’. The album of the same name was a Top 30 smash and the group’s decision was vindicated. ‘It’s Your Thing’ marked a meeting point of influences: Sly Stone, James Brown, gospel and one-time group member Jimi Hendrix, laying the template for the Isleys’ next decade, from the gritty rock covers of Givin’ It Back to the era-defining ‘3 + 3’ (with the formal addition of the two younger Isleys, Ernie and Marvin, plus brother-in-law Chris Jasper).
After the 1972 release of ‘Brother, Brother, Brother’ (featuring the classic ‘Work To Do’) T-Neck moved to CBS leading to their first Platinum-selling album (1973’s ‘3+3’). Produced with Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, ‘3+3’ was practically prescribed to every soul boy in the UK (witness Wham’s cover of ‘If You Were There’). For the Isleys to take their old R&B hit, ‘Who’s That Lady’ and turn it into hard-rocking psychedelic soul was a blazing statement of their
intent. Their version of Seals and Croft’s pretty ‘Summer Breeze’ became one of their biggest hits, with Ronald and Ernie stamping their authority on the ballad. A period of phenomenal success followed. For every standout ballad (‘For The Love Of You’, or ‘The Highways Of My Life’), there was strident, take-no-prisoners political funk - as typified by ‘Fight The Power’, a US R&B No. 1 in 1975.
It was written by Ernie on the same day as another of their greatest moments, ‘Harvest For The World’.
This collection is a beautiful overview to the group, a most fabulous re-introduction to old friends. This era is affectionately known by the Isleys as the ‘gold and platinum years’ - one listen and you will understand why.

AN INCREDIBLE LOOKING PICTURE DISC WHICH SOUNDS AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS!

Following up on the runaway success of his recent vinyl album ‘Return of The Hitman’, Marvellous Cain is back again with an eye-catching slice of vinyl adorned with perhaps the most iconic
illustration of Marv that’s ever been created!

The ‘Jungle Funk EP’ comes hot off the press, kickin off with maybe the funkiest drum and bass track of the year? ‘Love Train’ has had so much support since its promo this summer, perfect vibes
on a huge outdoor sound system. Razor sharp drumbeats underpin the soulful melodies which in turn compliment the funky bass guitar riff that are guaranteed to get you in the mood to party!

On hearing ‘Love Train’ for the first time, the insanely talented Brazilian turntable wizard DJ Marky was instantly smitten and offered to add to the release on remix duties!! So of course, we let him!!

DJ Marky seasons the track with favela flavours and adds a speaker shaking bass which will get you bumping, grinding & calling for the reload until the very last bars.

On the flip side of this gorgeous picture disc, Marvellous Cain offers up two more Drum & Bass / Jungle cuts. ‘Buss Ah Blank’ fuses modern dancefloor bass sounds with 70’s soul, a track that has been a favourite with the likes of Nicky Blackmarket, Charlotte Devaney & did serious damage when Marvellous Cain played it at Notting Hill Carnival on the mighty Rampage Soundsystem.

Finally ‘Funky To Night’ comes with a load more bass guitar licks… There’s a reason this is called the ‘Jungle Funk EP’!

All the tracks on this picture disc have receive support in clubs, and on the airwaves from the likes of Rampage & Heartless Crew. Also if you’ve seen Marvellous Cain’s social media pages then you will understand the lengths this man goes to in order to get his music heard… This will be one of the most entertaining promotional campaigns you’ve ever witnessed!!

ONE OF THE BIGGEST JUNGLE TRACKS OF ALL TIME GETS NEW REMIXES & A PICTURE DISC!

Does this track need any introduction? Since the original release on London’s Dee Jay Recordings way back in 1995 Babylon is one of those rare tracks that doesn’t seem to date.

Andy C, founder of the iconic Ram Records & arguably the worlds most in demand drum & bass DJ, sighted Babylon as one of his favourite ever D&B tracks. The track still regularly features in his
sets some 27 years after its initial release!!

Over the years this genre defining track has been reworked by some of the scenes all-time greats; Dillinja, Trace, Bladerunner, DJ SS & Ray Keith, the latter two names featuring on this visually
stunning repressing with carefully remastered inclusions of their versions.

The success of this track made Splash aka Undercover Agent one of the most sought-after names in jungle / drum & bass and was the launchpad from which he instigated his own Juice & Splash label imprints.

The artwork for this picture disc has been reproduced with kind permission from the original Dee Jay Recording sleeve artwork for Babylon and proudly features both the Dee Jay Recordings and Juice Recordings logos.

Alongside those very high value classic Ray Keith & DJ SS remixes come two brand new remixes!

Ego Trippin, is both a popular DJ on today’s D&B circuit, and under previous guises was one of the original artist signings to the Juice / Splash labels… Who better to breathe new life into this classic track? This 2022 Remix brings all the flavours of the original & injects a new energy for today’s audiences.

Deadly Silence is a new artist head hunted by Splash himself and entrusted to bring a new take on his legacy music, providing yet another exclusive unreleased version to this incredible package.

This picture disc is extremely limited. We’re expecting this to sell out as soon as it goes on sale. Act fast to be one of the few to own this exquisite collector’s item.

Caution alert! On the volume 3 of the Resurrection series, Simoncino teams up with one the greatest & biggest voice in House Music: the great Robert Owens. The voice behind Mr Fingers and so many other timeless titles. He alone sums up our history, all the greatest tracks that paved the way for our sound & community (yes still though instagram & the self worships) since 40 years. The master sang for Larry Heard but also Frankie Knuckles, Satoshi Tomiie, Photek, Layo & Bushwacka!, Mr. C, Quentin Harris, Marshall Jefferson, Michael Watford, DJ Spen, Gene Hunt, Soul Clap, K' Alexi Shelby, Sandy Riviera and so many others! He is simply the greatest soulful underground vocalist for a generation of househeads. The Italian prodigy simoncino gives us a daunting ep of 6 tracks (!) which navigate between deep techno (that could be a easily played in Berghain) and the purest original house where he excels. Its inimitable style is a clever mix of chicago house tinged with the most classy techno touches. The A side composed of Riccione Part I, Riccione Part II & Masonry is completely dedicated to this kind of techno sound, very pure, very mental and at the same time incredibly funky. It's a total trip. The B side explores the more house influences of the genius of peruggia, notably on All my soul & All My Soul (Riviera Ambient Mix) in direct homage to the italo dream house sound. Pure gold. An absolute marvel. I'll Be Your Friend 4 Ever, Skylax 4 Ever ! Note that on the label's bandcamp, with the purchase of the vinyl, you can get 1 exclusive bonus track : Simoncino "Love Me Forever Or Love Me Not"

Emanating from a ‘prehistoric’ existence near the end of the last millennium, Andy Votel and his slightly older college mates were once best recognised in Mancunian clubs and bars as teenage vinyl nerds and bum-fluffed battle rappers under the collective name Violators Of The English Language (which in acronymic form explains Andy’s own exotic pen-name).

As steadfast supporters of the 1980s / 90s Brit-core rap scene coming out of London, the multicultural Violators’ Mancunian accents were perhaps a bridge-too-far to secure dream job contracts for humble labels like Kold Sweat and Music Of Life. An unlikely constructive meeting with Gang Starr’s DJ Premier (while Andy helped out at a radio station), plus playing warm up DJ sets for countless US rap heroes might have temporarily added inspirational fuel to the fire, but after an active period combining graffiti, rapping, scratching, obsessive record digging and beat making into their daily operations, adulthood eventually began to rear its unwelcome head.

A decade later, Andy Votel and his digging skills would begin to provide direct sample material for the likes of Madlib, Mos Def, Jay Z, Nas, Dr Dre, Ghostface Killa and Action Bronson, amongst others, and the Violators’ black book of breakbeats and catalogue numbers soon began to feed a same-butdifferent rap beast.

For a project that has taken thirty years, it would be totally inadequate to call the formation of Hypocritical Beatdown Records a lockdown-project. There’s a deep history and psychology in these records by Violators Of The English Language and their spin-off groups Magnets (Rap Group) and ProVerbs, that combines stage-fright, loss, pride, creative-schizophrenia, racial inequality, surrealism, personal politics, brotherhood, artistic-constipation, better judgment, love, anti-love, soul searching and much more.

As well as Andy Votel taking care of both production and part of the microphone duties, some might recognise fellow MC and solo recording artist Figure Of Speech as a prominent voice here. The trio of Magnets (Rap Group) sees Andy also joined by local B-Girl legend Jeni Chan aka Penny Chew, and rapper and DJ Benjamin Hatton who has previously recorded with Kid Acne, The Mongrels and Sheffield’s Invisible Spies’ long-running squadron. Widely respected visual artist Rick Myers (now living in Massachusetts) also contributed scratches for many of these recordings via file sharing and custom dub-plates to keep the Violators’ authentic line-up intact, as well as galvanising the crew’s semi-reluctant art-school roots.

Extra production credits for the label also go to Sean Canty from Demdike Stare, and the late great Dan Dwayre aka Black Lodge (Mo Wax) who sadly passed away during the completion of these recordings. The members of Violators Of The English Language who you’ve not yet heard of will quickly make themselves known as the needle drops on this long-mooted debut vinyl release.

Special 10th Anniversary Edition In Brown Card Artboard Sleeve With Additional Lyric Print Insert

Slowdive singer and songwriter’s third solo album, which was originally released in November 2012. It is a stunning record and one which, upon its release, underlined the claims that Neil was one of the finest and most underrated British songwriters of recent times. It’s also a very special release in the Sonic Cathedral catalogue; the shoegaze label licensed the record from Jack Johnson’s Brushfire imprint for the UK and Europe and it was the start of a relationship that also gave us the Black Hearted Brother album in 2013 and, ultimately, brought about the reformation of Slowdive in 2014. But Palindrome Hunches is a very different beast. Both stately and understated, this moody and mesmerising collection of peculiarly British folk songs was made with the Band of Hope, a Wallingford, Oxfordshire based collective consisting of Ben Smith (violin), Drew Milloy (double bass), Paul Whitty (piano) and Tom Crook (guitar). Together with producer Nick Holton, banjo player Kevin Wells and backing singer Aimee Craddock, they recorded the album to tape over a few weekends in the music room of their local junior school. “At first we were going to record in a studio, but everything seemed too clean,” said Neil at the time. “We just went through the songs and recorded them live without very much rehearsal. We wanted to be spontaneous and simple and to keep the little mistakes that sneaked in.” This goes a long way to explaining the album’s humanity and intimacy, and also why it has had a quiet life of its own over the past decade, gradually growing in stature alongside Neil’s more high-profile activities with Slowdive; copies of the 2012 original and even the 2017 repress currently fetch up to triple figures on Discogs. The stunning opener ‘Digging Shelters’ was used to devastating effect in the posthumously released James Gandolfini movie Enough Said – a fitting home for a song that rubs shoulders here with ruminations about love and loss such as ‘Tied To You’ and ‘Spin The Bottle’ and, on ‘Wittgenstein’s Arm’, an Austrian pianist who had his right arm amputated in World War I and lost three of his brothers to suicide. The wordplay of the title track is almost light-hearted in comparison; “I wanted to write a song that was the same forwards and backwards, but it didn’t quite work out,” explained Neil, adding that he also chose ‘Palindrome Hunches’ for the album’s title because “I like the idea of things being reversible”. A couple years later, by reforming his old band, he proved that. And now, ten years on, it’s the perfect time to rewind to this understated, underrated classic. Side A 1 Digging Shelters 2 Bad Drugs and Minor Chords 3 Wittgenstein’s Arm 4 Spin The Bottle 5 Tied to You Side B 1 Love Is a Beast 2 Palindrome Hunches 3 Full Moon Rising 4 Sandy 5 Hey Daydreamer 6 Loose Change. Praise for Palindrome Hunches on its original release: ““Nope, it ain’t shoegaze as it's been codified and re-codified. But why be disappointed in someone following his muse to a logical conclusion when that path was always the one he walked on?” – Pitchfork An exquisite set of dark folk music” – The Times “Draws from the same understated, reflective well as John Martyn” – MOJO “‘Tied To You’ doesn’t merely evoke Nick Drake but withstands the comparison – evidence of the songs’ quality” – Financial Times “Halstead’s songs breathe the sort of honesty and goodness that’s harder and harder to find in the iTunes age” – The Independent “Given the chance, they could be songs that continue to enchant for many years to come” – The Line Of Best Fit

Tape

Welcome to Carsharing Tapes. Welcome to the future.

With "DIURNAL TIDES: First Wave" we're proud to present not only the first release of our new imprint for classic electronic music mixtape culture but also the first ever official gathering of two long standing figures which both have been relentlessly and continuously contributing to the German underground scene for more than two decades now.

And these two are: baze.djunkiii and THE D3VI7.

baze.djunkiii, Hamburg-born and based, officially entered the electronic music scene as a DJ back in 1997 from an angle of being an enthusiastic raver, launched his very own label Intrauterin Recordings in 1999 and - apart from becoming an 24/7 networker, knowledge hub, music blogger etc. - evolved into one of the most versatile underground DJs and purveyor of original DJ culture around whose journey on the decks has taken him all over Germany as well as to Greece and the United States and to countless hours of air time on a plethora of underground radio stations as well.

THE D3VI7, on the other hand, remains an elusive figure. Deeply rooted in electronic music production and the hell'ish jungle of circuit board wiring as well as DAW madness THE D3VI7 is a moniker created by one of the most active, yet probably most underrated figures on the release circuit, a nom de guerre which serves the sole purpose of being able to operate anonymously without any confirmation bias being attached to other musical guises which might, or might have not, been used previously and in earlier stages of a long lasting involvement in music. And btw - this is the first time ever THE D3VI7 agreed to provide an official DJ mix for a mixtape release.

With baze.djunkiii's mix opening the roughly hour long journey of "DIURNAL TIDES: First Wave" on the A-side we're getting a prime example of what original DJ culture is all about as he's taking us on a fascinating journey from deepest underground Electro to screaming, spiralling Acid madness and beyond, digging up most underground vinyl cuts and making proper use of his extensive collection of rare 7" releases - a format that has been criminally overlooked by many DJs but provides a treasure trove of goodness as this mix easily proves.

Turning the tape THE D3VI7 does what THE D3VI7 does best on the flip: Being a force. A dark one. Forging a pounding, most relentless stream of hammering Techno tunes to take out unsuspecting punters on heaving dancefloors one by one THE D3VI7 provides a high octane selection of peak time excess that either thrills or kills - an ode to the power of raw and unpolished Techno madness in its purest form. A power that cannot be contested. Ever.

Shannen Moser wants to have a conversation: with their past selves, their present self, their undesignated, unfurling future selves; with the trees that adorn their old street, and the door they used to call home; with the shadows of lovers-turned-to- friends and the overwhelming cacophony of abrupt change. They’re drawing a map but the port of call is cloudy and indistinct. It’s while traveling along these nebulous contours that their latest album The Sun Still Seems To Move forms a kind of physicality, of outstretched giving hands, that offers a guide through the fog. Here, Moser examines the disorien- tating, challenging task of trying to hold onto ourselves––and everything else––all at once. But this isn’t a fatalistic journey of melancholy or apprehension. Instead, Moser celebrates the small steps and the unwavering perseverance that makes it all worthwhile.

Moser’s previous albums Oh, My Heart (2017) and I’ll Sing (2018) were praised for their careful, intimate arrangements that showcased their sharp, interpersonal narration and time- less lush vocals. On The Sun Still Seems To Move

Sacred Bones has curated an LP of original Ya Ho Wa 13 and Father Yod and the Spirit of '76 (the musical projects of the Brotherhood of the Source) music from their rich and prolific recording history. For those not familiar, Ya Ho Wa 13, formed in 1973, are regarded as one of the most extreme, groundbreaking and influential psychedelic rock bands in history. The band released nine super rare LPs (and are rumored to have recorded 60 LPs worth) full of deep spiritual wisdom, tribal drums and distorted guitars, some of which were completely unrehearsed jam sessions, others which contained more conventional rock songs. Most were recorded after hours of meditation at 3:00-6:00 a.m. in a soundproofed garage that served as the musicians' studio at the family's communal residence. All of the records with Father Yod's participation were completely improvised, with no rehearsals or overdubs and feature him on lead vocals and percussion, via a kettle drum. Most of their original music was pressed in small runs and are highly sought after collector's items. Sacred Bones are super excited to have listened through hours and hours of this transformative music to bring you what they think is an absolutely essential compilation of some of their best songs.

Drummer and composer Edward Vesala, the most internationally renowned jazz musician from Finland, was very keen on percussion instruments. Oddly enough, this broad and enduring interest is hardly evident on his albums. Whether playing on his own albums or contributing to other musicians’ work, Vesala played a standard drum kit most of the time. He hardly used external percussionists on his own albums either. And most of all: his music was almost never percussive, at least in the traditional manner. Perhaps even stranger is the fact that he barely played any drum solos on his own albums. That’s why I’m Here (Blue Master Special, SPEL 311, 1974), recorded in Helsinki in 1973, is such a rarity. Of course, being a limited release has also made it an expensive treasure among collectors. Additionally, I’m Here is Vesala’s only solo album and only percussive album, and one of the few where he can be said to play drum solos, albeit in his own idiosyncratic way..

Repress in soon, note new price. RIYL Steve Gunn, Hiss Golden Messenger, Ryley Walker, Itasca, Bill Callahan, Kurt Vile, Angel Olsen. “Timeless ... Measured, perceptive storytelling. A singer with an unmistakable and communicative voice, able to convey hope and hurt with equal clarity.” Pitchfork / “She writes literate songs with unusual precision and sings them in an understated, open-hearted way that lends good poetry the directness of conversation.” Uncut / On her fourth album as The Weather Station, Tamara Lindeman reinvents, and more deeply roots, her extraordinary, acclaimed songcraft, framing her precisely detailed, exquisitely wrought prose-poem narratives in bolder and more cinematic musical settings. The result is her most sonically direct and emotionally candid statement to date. The Weather Station is her most direct and candid record, and the first one to include tracks one might characterize as pop songs. Throughout, the record grapples with some of the darkest material Lindeman has yet approached: it is, according to her, the first album on which she touches on her personal experiences of mental illness. And yet the gesture inherent to the record is one of unflinching embrace. Despite it all, the characters “fall down laughing, effervescent, and all over nothing, all over nothing.” “Well, I guess I got the hang of it” she sings wryly, “the impossible.” By saying more than ever before, The Weather Station seeks to reveal the unnamable, the unsayable void that lies beneath language and relationships. It’s willfully messy and ardent and hungry. Tracks : A1 Free A2 Thirty A3 You and I (on the Other Side of the World) A4 Kept It All to Myself A5 Impossible B1 Power B2 Complicit B3 Black Flies B4 I Don’t Know What to Say B5 In an Hour B6 The Most Dangerous Thing About You

Africa Corps Live at The Whisky A Go Go 30th
December 1981
Ever wondered about what seeing a blossoming Savage Republic,
formally known as Africa Corps, up close must have felt like? 'Africa
Corps Live at The Whisky A Go Go 30th December 1981', is here to take
us right there, fiercely catapulting listeners in front of one of Los Angeles'
most iconic stages, back when a young band of UCLA students (Bruce
Licher, Mark Erskine, Philip Drucker and Jeff Long), was starting to make
its way in the punk underground
Their extraordinary first time at the Whisky was recorded on cassette, direct from
the sound board, on December 30th, 1981. We're lucky enough to witness most of
the future 'Tragic Figures' tracks in a process of highly creative gesta- tion, in the
middle of being developed. The original tape has now been remastered by Warren
DeFever (His Name Is Alive) and unearths a most cathartic performance. It's hard
to fathom, but the four musicians had only been playing together for about eight
months at that point, mostly rehearsing in the concrete parking garages at UCLA.
Those formative experiences are brilliantly re- flected in the sound of 'Africa
Corps Live at The Whisky A Go Go 30th December 1981', with its hypnotic blend
of industrial and piercing post punk.

Africa Corps Live at The Whisky A Go Go 30th
December 1981
Ever wondered about what seeing a blossoming Savage Republic,
formally known as Africa Corps, up close must have felt like? 'Africa
Corps Live at The Whisky A Go Go 30th December 1981', is here to take
us right there, fiercely catapulting listeners in front of one of Los Angeles'
most iconic stages, back when a young band of UCLA students (Bruce
Licher, Mark Erskine, Philip Drucker and Jeff Long), was starting to make
its way in the punk underground
Their extraordinary first time at the Whisky was recorded on cassette, direct from
the sound board, on December 30th, 1981. We're lucky enough to witness most of
the future 'Tragic Figures' tracks in a process of highly creative gesta- tion, in the
middle of being developed. The original tape has now been remastered by Warren
DeFever (His Name Is Alive) and unearths a most cathartic performance. It's hard
to fathom, but the four musicians had only been playing together for about eight
months at that point, mostly rehearsing in the concrete parking garages at UCLA.
Those formative experiences are brilliantly re- flected in the sound of 'Africa
Corps Live at The Whisky A Go Go 30th December 1981', with its hypnotic blend
of industrial and piercing post punk.

12” Blue Single sided vinyl in a full art sleeve.

After releasing on Elevate Records in 2017, 'Tour' has gone on to become one of the most streamed, talked about, and recognisable tracks that the drum and bass scene has ever seen. A euphoric and instantly recognisable dancefloor smasher in every sense of the term, Macky Gee's biggest track to date is still as relevant today as it was when it first took the drum and bass scene by storm. 

From the moment it was released, ‘Tour’ dominated every single drum and bass forum and online space for years to come, cementing itself as the most notable and memorable drum and bass release in recent memory. 

Exclusively released on vinyl for the first time ever this is one of the hottest drops of the year!

Alexandra Burke is truly one of the UK"s most distinguishable powerhouse voices, having sold over 5 million records in the UK. The London-born singer has also become one of the UK"s most sought-after West End leading ladies. Alexandra first rose to fame winning the fifth series of The X Factor in 2008 with an iconic duet with idol Beyoncé, to an audience of over 10 million. Debut #1 single "Hallelujah" was Christmas #1 and went on to sell over 1 million copies, a first for a British female solo artist. Debut #1 album "Overcome" spent over a year on the UK Album Chart, earning three BRIT Award nominations. In late 2010, Alexandra released "Overcome: Deluxe Edition" securing her third chart-topper with "Start Without You" and included a brand new version of fan-favourite "The Silence". To celebrate one million copies sold worldwide, Alexandra has curated her own definitive version of "Overcome". The 18 songs across the 2 LP set features the bonus tracks "Dangerous" and "It"s Over". Pressed on limited edition white vinyl, the album is packaged in a gatefold sleeve with stunning printed inner sleeves and an exclusive poster.

Felix Laband’s The Soft White Hand is the masterwork of an artist who expresses himself through musical and artistic collage acting together to reinterpret his sources and to express significant elements of his own personal story.

Released by Munich-based Compost Records, the 14-track album is Laband’s first full-length offering since the critically acclaimed Deaf Safari in 2015. It is heralded by the single “Derek and Me”, and is being pressed on vinyl for distribution globally.

In The Soft White Hand Laband works with source materials that will be familiar to those who know his previous four records – Thin Shoes in June (2001), 4/4 Down the Stairs (2002), Dark Days Exit (2005) and especially Deaf Safari which reached deep into the South Africa scene and its political culture to inspire its vocal and music sampling. However, the disengagement he felt from his homeland during his latest album’s creation – an abiding sense of untethered-ness to place and space, exquisitely rendered in tracks like “Death of a Migrant” – is perceptible in Laband’s desire to illuminate instead aspects of his own life.

“For this album, my source material became almost autobiographical as opposed to African statements I’ve worked with previously,” says the artist. “I have sampled a lot from documentaries from the 80s crack epidemic in impoverished African American communities and believe my work speaks unapologetically for the lost and marginalised, for those who are the forgotten casualties of the war on drugs. In the past, I have had my issues with substance abuse, and I know first-hand about the nightmares and fears, what it feels like to be isolated and abandoned.”

Few artists have managed to air these intimate aspects of their life so luminously as Laband does in tracks like “5 Seconds Ago”, “They Call Me Shorty” and in the strange and meditative “Dreams of Loneliness”. “I’ve been building this weird, autobiographical story using other people talking. It’s kind of humorous but it is also sad and beautiful,” says Laband.

Yet, as in all of Laband’s recorded output, the delineations between emotions are never starkly drawn and The Soft White Hand is also shot through with beauty. Nature appears in recordings made in his garden in the intimate early morning hours, whether as in the calls of the Hadada Ibis and other birdsong in “Prelude” or of the vertical-tail-cocking bird in “Derek and Me”. The last is a wonderful track with Derek Gripper, the South African experimental classical guitarist of international renown, whose 2020 song “Fanta and Felix” imagines a meeting between Fanta Sacko and Laband.

Laband’s eloquence in reinterpreting classical composers such as Beethoven in “We Know Major Tom’s a Junkie” is another thrilling aspect of the new record. “I’ve been properly exploring classical music on this album,” explains Laband, “taking melodies from classical compositions and reinterpreting them”. A fresh quality comes to his work through this sonic adventuring: the tender manipulation of the mundaneness of the computer’s AI voice to reimagine and reinvent iconic lyrics and melodies in strange and unexpected configurations.

The Soft White Hand is Laband’s most cohesive body of work to date. Yet it remains, in its sheer artistic scope, impossible to describe fully. Darkness abuts the gossamer light. A song that summons the sunrise and all the hope of a new day could also be about the final dipping down of the sun that portends a troubled night ahead. Interludes are invitations to expand outwards or shift inwards. Mistakes and “weird fuckups” in the sound are cherished as convincing statements against what Laband calls the “grossness” of perfect sound in modern music.

For this world-leading electronic artist, the boundaries are unfixed. He is inspired by the German Dada artist, Hannah Höch, who memorably declared: “I wish to blur the firm boundaries which we self-certain people tend to delineate around all we can achieve.” His music consequently reflects a primal artistic impulse that is also visible in Laband’s considerable visual art output as seen recently in several solo exhibitions such as that held in the No End Gallery in Johannesburg in 2019 and in the works he produced during his 2018 Nirox Foundation Artists Residency. “My music is always about collage, as is my art,’’ he affirms. “Everything I do is collage. It is a medium I find very interesting because you are taking history and distorting it and changing its meaning and turning it upside down and back to front.” In her book Recollections of My Non-Existence, Rebecca Solnit calls collage “literally a border art”; it is “an art of what happens when two things confront each other or spill onto each other”.

With The Soft White Hand, Laband is confirming his singular ability to achieve this in both art and music, melting the divisions between the two creative disciplines until they become one. He is also affirming his belief that an album of music should be more than a collection of unrelated tracks, but should unfold a fully integrated, cohesive story as in the song cycles of the great classical composers. In doing so, he claims his position as one of the most significant artists working today.

Artist Statement – Felix Laband – August 2022

When the Khmer Rouge took their captives for processing, they identified their class enemies by looking at their hands. If they were sunburned, rough and calloused, they were those of a peasant, a proletarian to be spared. But if they were soft and white, then they were those of a city-dweller, an intellectual or bourgeois, an adversary to be liquidated.

In calling this album The Soft White Hand, I was reflecting on the Cambodian genocide and how it resonates in contemporary South Africa. The apartheid era is over, and gone with it is white political domination. Yet economic and social privilege is still held in soft white hands. But those who grasp it know just how tenuous is their hold, how it singles them out, and my music reflects their subconscious fears, the stress and guilt of clinging on to what others envy and desire.

The soft white hand of the title suggests to me a further image, one that relates to all of postcolonial Africa. In my mind’s eye, I see the soft, duplicitous handshake of the smooth representatives of the superpowers making deals and promising gifts that benefit only them, and not their African dupes.
Yet, soaring above the wailing of sirens sampled from the first day of the invasion of Ukraine, my music is also about love gained and passion lost. It is about the tender caress of a soft white hand that conducts you into a place of dreams to be enfolded by nocturnal melodies.

Sunsleeper was halfway through the touring cycle for their debut album when the pandemic halted live music. For the Salt Lake City indie rockers, that pause allowed them to reframe what their journey as musicians and people inspires them to create and say. After forming in 2016 and briskly realizing their Nathan Hussey-produced debut EP Stay the Same, the band entered the studio for their debut album, inking a deal with Rude Records. You Can Miss Something and Not Want it Back dropped in summer 2019, with the band celebrating with runs featuring their collaborators and friends in All Get Out, an Audiotree live session, and most recently, a run with TWIABP and Bent Knee in fall 2021.While the pandemic still rages on in uncertain terms, Sunsleeper found themselves more solidified than ever writing their sophomore LP, with their road-tested lineup collaborating cohesively and with united goals. While You Can was recorded and produced by Brett Romnes (Oso Oso, Hot Mulligan) and mastered by Will Putney (Counterparts, Knocked Loose). Enlisting heavyweight personnel across scenes and genres underlines what the band views as this album’s mission: to connect with and inspire as many listeners as possible while venturing into their most daring and expansive material to date.

Super deep n’ rolling ambient junglist mutations from hyped cloakroom attendent Florian T M Zeisig and mysterious XPQ? operator PVAS, uniting under the NUG moniker for a highly atmospheric session beamed directly from that short-lived, elusive sweetspot in the mid 90’s when Omni Trio and DJ Crystl collided with Mo Wax’s Some Scientific Abstract Type Shit! and Gescom’s Disengage, all red lights dappling thru a dense fog of smoke.

Rinsed out under the timeless influence of “bong & sterni” - who sound like a legendary Berlin ambient duo, but are just weed and beer - Zeisig and PVAS collide in midair for a stereo-swirled recollection taking us back to 1995 - that Autechre radio show on Kiss FM, peak Mo Wax, Kodwo Eshun’s ‘club trax’ column, just before everything went fully tasteful. Throwing links to more contemporary refractions found on various J. Albert workouts as much as Skee Mask’s most vapourised breaks, the NUG sound keeps toes and heads off the ‘floor with a rugged but lush suite of rave suspension systems making critical use of negative space and recoiling dub dynamics.

One for the early hours of the club, ‘Not Many People Here yet’ gives acres of room to bounce off the walls, while the ruder ‘Filthy Club’ sounds like the backroom heard from ceramic tiled bogs, and you’re already healthily zonked for the zombie float of ‘Is Under The Blanket.’ The radiant pads and swingeing breaks of ‘Morpheus’ dial up Skee Mask’s most pendulous rave visions, and ‘Napping Under God’ rolls out on 9 minutes of webbed breakbeat for the locked-in steppers, with Florian’s ambient texturing fully coming into effect on the blurry-eyed flex of ‘Lite.’

Originally released in 2006 as a mini-CDr in a limited edition of 300
signed and numbered copies, this immersive selection of solo recordings
by Savage Republic, Scenic and Independent Project Records founder
Bruce Licher finally gets the expanded reissue treatment
Newly packaged in oversized die cut pocket folders complete with various inserts
to give a more complete artistic presence to the unique and special music that is
being shared. CD packaging is designed by world-renowned graphic design artist
Bruce Licher.
The three original tracks "recorded in the summer of '97 on a cassette 4-track" are
now accompanied by a fourth instrumental that ventures into atmospheric
electronic territory. The bonus track was composed on an old Roland SH-2000
synthesizer Licher found while living in Arizona; it is, rather fittingly, named
"Number 09" "an homage to the Beatles' most adventurous piece of
experimentation. 'Exploratorium' reclaims equal fondness for the natural and the
industrial. This inquisitive approach is made clearer "and intriguing" by the
unexpected pairing of the original three tracks with "Number 09". Whereas "Peak",
"Going Home" and "The Penstemon Field" eagerly play with stretching the role of
guitars and bass, "Number 09" takes its cue from the hypnotic synths of the
Human League's 12" from 1979 'The Dignity of Labour' and sets off for an
unconstrained sonic trip that goes from the jarring to the meditative. It's a
mesmerizing blend of ambient and post- rock, noisy shoegaze and pastoral
melodic structures, droning avant-garde and soundtracks at their most.

With Maternity Beat, Hedvig Mollestad has surpassed herself, most significantly as a composer and arranger, and delivered her magnum opus so far. And with Trondheim Jazz Orchestra she found the perfect ensemble to perform it. They have a long tradition for collaborations like this, we can mention Chick Corea, Jason Moran and Marius Neset among many others. And as always, Hedvig truly shines as a guitarist. Maternity Beat is Hedvig’s third “solo” album. It was commissioned by Molde International Jazz Festival and premiered in July 2020, later the same year streamed at London Jazz Festival. The recording took place in Athletic Sound in Halden in October 2021. Since she received the festival’s talent price in 2009 and signed to Rune Grammofon the following year, we have had the great pleasure to release seven albums by her trio as well as two solo albums, all receiving wide international acclaim in both jazz and rock camps. To complete the circle, Hedvig has been chosen as next year’s Artist in Residence at the festival, a most prestigious institution in Norwegian jazz, held by John Zorn this year and initiated by Chick Corea in 2000 and Pat Metheny in 2001. Tracklist, all formats 1. On The Horizon, Part 1 2. On The Horizon, Part 2 3. Do Re Mi Ma Ma 4. Donna Ovis Peppa 5. Little Lucid Demons/Alfons 6. All Flights Cancelled 7. Her Own Shape 8. Maternity Beat 9. Maternity Suite