quête:cara

"The Queen", they called her and Dinah Washington's regality
was nowhere more apparent than in the recording studio,
where she was uncompromising in her demands for the best in
material and in backing. She is marvelous in this recording,
which dates from 1957, for not only did she have some great
standards to sing in arrangements by Quincy Jones and Ernie
Wilkins, two of the best around at that time, but she also had
behind her a star-spangled band (the trumpet section alone is
sufficient indication of its quality) that gave her every
opportunity to be at her best.

Ella Fitzgerald was, by any yardstick, a remarkable singer. She
had achieved much by the time she signed to the newly created
Verve Records in 1956, but it was the genius of Norman Granz,
her personal manager and Verve founder, in suggesting she
tackle the material of great contemporary composers in themed
albums that sent her career into orbit. As the New York Times
wrote on her passing in 1996, "These albums were among the
first pop records to devote such serious attention to individual
songwriters, and they were instrumental in establishing the pop
album as a vehicle for serious musical exploration." The song
selections ranged from standards to rarities, and the eight-title
series represented an attempt by Fitzgerald to cross over to a
non-jazz audience that may have been unaware of the talents
she first committed to vinyl in 1935.

Das zweite Tensnake-Studioalbum "L.A." erscheint nun endlich auf Vinyl. Benannt nach der Metropole an der US-Westküste, in der der Hamburger DJ und Produzent sechs Jahre lang eine Liebesbeziehung erlebte, huldigt Tensnake mit den 14 Tracks seine Liebe zum Pop, was sich besonders in dem Pointer Sisters-Cover "Automatic" widerspiegelt, das allein auf Spotify bereits über 5 Mio. Streams zählt und damit - nach seinem Klassiker "Coma Cat" (2010) - sein zweitmeistgestreamter Hit ist. Tensnakes Zeit in L.A. brachte ein exzellentes House-Pop-Album mit zahlreichen Vocal-Ohrwürmern und entspannten Instrumentals hervor.

Big dancefloor giver.
4 pityless tunes, massives and newskool, full of ideas and grooves.

Pure crazyness :)

When a synth master like Steve Moore joins forces with the legendary KPM, magic must materialise. And so it does with Analog Sensitivity: cinematic, enigmatic synthscapes to both haunt and heal.

New York-based multi-instrumentalist/producer/film composer Steve Moore is probably best known for his synthesizer and bass guitar work as Zombi, together with Anthony Paterra. But he is also part of Miracle and Titan as well as being a prolific solo artist releasing music as Gianni Rossi, Lovelock and under his own name. Steve’s music has found a home across labels like Future Times, Mexican Summer, LIES, Static Caravan, Relapse, Kompakt, Spectrum Spools, Death Waltz and Ghost Box, and much of his recent work has been scoring films like The Guest and Cub. Prolific indeed.

The story of Analog Sensitivity starts with those soundtracks, or more specifically the time in between them. Rather than being commissioned by KPM, this LP comes from music Steve was recording sporadically and tinkering with for over three years during the downtime between his film projects. There were no ideas about what it was nor a plan for how it would be released, or even if it was going to be released at all.

However, after Jon Tye invited him to play on the Ocean Moon project for KPM Steve realised that the hallowed library label might be the perfect home for what he had been working on. The people at KPM agreed. Finishing production in late 2019 in Albany, NY, he came up with the track sequencing and suddenly, he had an album: Analog Sensitivity.

The LP opens with the dystopian electronic minimalism of “Eldborg”, its dark synth bass unfolding to ominous synth pads, shadowy sustains and glistening arpeggios. “At The Edge Of Perception” brings an unsettling retro-future of edgy analogue leads and desolate FX. The sound of a robotic core tears through the sparse textures of the enigmatic “Rose Of Charon”. A chilling breeze blows through a persistent, hypnotic synth sequence on “Time Freeze”. Title track “Analog Sensitivity” is a sparkling transcendental synthscape of melody, drones and celestial synth. The brooding “Behind The Waterfall” winds down the first side, building subtle strings and a desolate sound beneath its haunting organ.

“Mirror Mountain” ushers in side two, its woozy bass and arpeggio unfolding to envelop the muffled, muted echos of its organic leads. "Syzygy" emerges you in bubbling sequences, airiness and ambient electric guitar tones. It’s followed by the cinematic minimalism of “Pentagram Of Venus” and its trickling FX. The wind swirls through the otherworldly “Of Dust Thou Art” kicking up clouds of unsettling, plodding synth sequences leading to the uneasy atmosphere of “Message From The Beast” which builds to the echo of the last refrain of some choral incantation. Closing track “Urge Surfing” is as cool a climax as you’d hope from something so brilliantly titled, riding along hushed waves of brooding electronics.

With the clue right there in the title, Analog Sensitivity is built up from the quieter aspects of the sound Steve has been exploring and evolving for over 20 years. It’s a layering of ambivalently dense and airy, muffled and echoing sounds from his collection of synthesizers and other electronic music hardware. And whilst some of Steve’s other work uses this vintage equipment to conjure the past, that wasn’t his intention here. Steve explains “I wanted Analog Sensitivity to feel atemporal, as though it could have been released any time over the past 30 or 40 years. While not specifically in the spirit of any particular album, I’m really into old KPM artists like Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett”.

From Shrine to Stax, Isaac Hayes to Gloria Ann Taylor, The Mad Lads to The Staples Singers, Detroit to Atlanta, Kendrick to Pusha-T, Dale Warren’s singular voice is the lone constant. Beneath the ethereal beauty of his productions was a genius crippled by his unbridled id. His everevolving 24-Carat Black project spanned the ’70s, producing a masterpiece and an unfinished follow up. Discovered in a storage space were Warren’s 1980s demos cut with grown n’ sexy divas Princess Hearn, Vicki Gray, and LaRhonda LeGette right before his untimely death at the age of 50. III is an unfinished symphony that peels away the final layer of Dale Warren’s mysterious oeuvre.

Der Hamburger Musiker und DJ RVDS schließt sich mit dem meditativen, ohrenschmeichelnden Klangkunstwerk "Moods and Dances 2021", einem musikalischen Geschenk aus einer Zeit, in der die Zukunft Vergangenheit sein wird, dem Label Bureau B an. Inspiriert von der sphärischen Exotik und den fantasievollen Elektroniksounds der Library Music, beschwört Richard von der Schulenburg Palmen, Pyramiden, Promenaden und Portale herauf, die vom Zentrum eines Holodecks aus beobachtet werden. Die Stücke nehmen uns mit auf eine Reise durch den wilden Geräte-Dschungel in Richards Privatstudio und lassen sich als Hommage an die Klang-Schattierungen in seiner Sammlung verstehen. Ob mit geschmolzener 303 auf dem Gipfel des Mount Acid, ob improvisierter Jazz auf den Fendertasten oder live mit Bühnen-Pathos, Richards Musik ist in jedem Fall eine eindringliche, allumfassende Erfahrung. Gut möglich jedoch, dass diese Erfahrung noch nie unmittelbarer war als auf seinem neuesten Werk.

La Locura de Machuca is the story of one man’s bizarre odyssey into Colombia’s coastal music underground, and the wild, hypnotic sounds he helped bring up to the surface.

One night in 1975, a successful tax lawyer named Rafael Machuca had his mind blown in Barranquilla’s ‘Plaza de los Musicos’. Overnight he went from a high ranking position in the Columbian revenue authority to visionary production guru of the newly formed record label that bore his name, Discos Machuca, and for the next six years he devoted his life to releasing some of the strangest, most experimental Afro Psychedelia Cumbias ever produced. La Locura de Machuca is the story of one man’s bizarre odyssey into Colombia’s coastal music underground, and the wild, hypnotic sounds he helped bring up to the surface.

The Colombian music industry was thriving in the mid-seventies, but while homegrown bolero and vallenato tunes were doing well on the charts, it was imported African records that were setting crowds on fire at the picos – the sound-systems that fuelled neighbourhood parties – and wherever those records were played there were always a handful of groups who were inspired to plug traditional Cumbia directly into the electric currents coming from across the Atlantic.

It was these obscure bands, who fused Colombian and African rhythms with the swirling organs and psychedelic guitars of underground rock, that fired Machuca’s imagination. While the label made its money releasing popular hits by legends such as Alejandro Durán and Aníbal Velásquez, that money was poured back into a unique run of experimental releases by fringe artists such as La Banda Africana, King Somalie, Conjunto Barbacoa, and Abelardo Carbono, one of the godfathers of Champeta Criolla.

When Machuca couldn’t find groups to realise his particular vision, he simply created them himself. Drawing on a fearsome roster of musicians associated with the label, he assembled bands that lasted only as long as it took to record an album ,and unleashed the results – complete with arrestingly unusual album covers – under a series of different names such as Samba Negra or El Grupo Folclórico. This unorthodox approach led his longtime recording engineer, Eduardo Dávila, to describes Machuca’s productions as the “B-Movies of Colombian music.”

The story of Doctor Machuca and his eccentric exploits tells of one of Colombia’s most atypical and peculiar record companies; a defining pillar of Afro-Caribbean psychedelia. His productions have come to represent the roots of Champeta and set the pedigree standards for Afro and Costeño avant-garde. The seventeen tracks on La Locura de Machuca, harvested from the darkest, strangest corners of the Discos Machuca catalogue, sound like little else recorded before or since.

Alfredo "El Inca" Linares is one of the best and most beloved musicians in the history of salsa. Fans love his piano playing because of his authentic Cuban feel and 'swing' combined with progressive arrangements and uncompromising phrasing. "Lo Que Tengo" is full of rock solid dance floor killers and no filler, recorded in 1980 with some of the cream of the crop of contemporary Venezuelan salsa musicians (members of Mango, Madera, El Trabuco Venezolano, Los Dementes, Los Melódicos, Dimensión Latina, Guaco, and La Salsa Mayor) and launched there on the indie label A.L.G. Records as ¡Con Todo!, and then a year later on the much larger Velvet Records with a different cover. This a classic Alfredo Linares album, but with the updated studio sound of 1980s Caracas. With five perfectly paced salsas, one funky cha cha chá, a steamy bolero and a dance-friendly Latin jazz number to top it off, there is something for everybody on this record. Thankfully today's generation can now enjoy this rarity at a fraction of the cost of an original copy. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl. Good to know: Alfredo "El Inca" Linares is one of the best and most beloved musicians in the history of salsa. Fans love his piano playing because of his authentic Cuban feel and 'swing' combined with progressive arrangements and uncompromising phrasing that puts one in mind of Eddie Palmieri. As a composer, arranger and band-leader Linares is highly respected as well. Ever since the 1960s in Lima Peru when his career began, his records have always been on point, being super tight, sharp, and hard as hell, what salseros call salsa brava con afinque. It's no surprise that Lo Que Tengo is exactly that: full of rock solid dance floor killers and no filler, played with verve and flair. Unlike some of his other records that were patched together from various sessions made in different studios (sometimes even in several countries!), this album has the advantage of being produced, recorded and mixed by Alfredo Linares all in one studio and block of time, and backed by hand-picked seasoned professionals who Linares had already played with, both in the studio and on stage, lending it a consistency and sonic integrity that is excitingly manifest in every groove. The album was recorded in 1980 in Caracas with some of the cream of the crop of contemporary Venezuelan salsa musicians (members of Mango, Madera, El Trabuco Venezolano, Los Dementes, Los Melódicos, Dimensión Latina, Guaco, and La Salsa Mayor) and launched there on the indie label A.L.G. Records as ¡Con Todo!, and then a year later on the much larger Velvet Records with a different cover. The LP was also released in Colombia (INS, 1982) and the US (Gallo, 1984), both editions utilizing the Velvet Records cover. During this time Linares had been in Venezuela for some five years and was under contract with a nightclub in Caracas. Through being on the salsa scene there he became friends with the band Mango and even guested on an album with them in 1976. After the contract was up Linares was a free agent again and he was able to draw on his friendship with Mango and assemble a band to back him, first for the Colombian/Venezuelan production Salsa de Verdad (Fonodisco, 1976) and then again with ¡Con Todo! / Lo Que Tengo. One of the distinctive aspects of Alfredo Linares tunes is the 'break' (la cierre)-there are always plenty of dramatic hand-clapping breakdowns followed by an infectious tumbao (sustained vamp) section that sends shivers up the spine and makes the dancers go crazy. In addition, Linares always lets his musicians stretch out, especially in the percussion section. Again, Lo Que Tengo is no exception: there are so many examples of typical arrangements here that one could call this a classic Alfredo Linares album, but with the updated studio sound of 1980s Caracas, which was awash in petro-dollars at the time and so had the latest equipment and a strong consumer base for the salsa market. The album's title tune (originally credited on the Venezuelan edition as 'Lo que tengo que crear'-'What I Have To Create') is by Mango's timbalero José "Cheo" Navarro and sums up Linares' central career philosophy: the musician lives every day to create music, to spread joy and create a party, without complications, wherever he goes. With five perfectly paced salsas, one funky cha cha chá, a steamy bolero and a dance-friendly Latin jazz number to top it off (note the bluesy piano solo from Linares and the sublime vibes of Mango's Freddy Roldán), there is something for everybody on this record. Thankfully today's generation can now enjoy this rarity at a fraction of the cost of an original copy.

Fabrizio Maurizi makes his debut on Infuse this October as he delivers his latest EP ‘Jumping’, backed by a remix from Pierre Codarin.

A staple within the Italian house and techno scene for over a decade, Bologna’s Fabrizio Maurizi is a producer and DJ now known across the globe for his seamless blend of the two styles across his productions and DJ sets. One half of the duo Bassa Clan, with material via their self-titled imprint, and a member of the Bolo Represent collective, Maurizi’s recent releases include EPs via labels such Bodyparts, Memoria, Want?, Re.face, whilst playing sets worldwide for renowned institutions such as fabric, Robert Johnson, Womb and Cocoricò. Next up, October signals the arrival of a new name to his catalogue as he heads to FUSE sister imprint Infuse to deliver three fresh productions in the form of his ‘Jumping’ EP – accompanied by bubbling UK talent Pierre Codarin on remix duties.

The slick and paired back title track ‘Jumping’ opens proceedings as Maurizi fuses minimal soundscapes with more jazz-influenced notes and tones, whilst Pierre Codarin’s remix ups the energy levels as he introduces metallic drum licks, spiralling electronics and a snaking bassline to the mix. On the flip, ‘Night and Day’ harnesses a classy blend of dubby chords, slinking hats and echoed vocals, before closing the package via the off-kilter rhythms and loose, glitch-driven drums of hypnotic after-hours cut ‘Caravel’.

ANRMAL ist Juana Molinas erstes Livealbum auf ihrem langen Karriereweg. Es wurde beim NRMAL Festival in Mexiko aufgenommen, kurz bevor die Welt im März zum Stillstand kam, und ist ein Zeitzeugnis, wie die Welt "vorher" einmal war. Durch das kraftvolle Set zieht sich ein so mitreißender Punkrock-Vibe, dass er uns auf bessere Zeiten hoffen lässt. Als Juana Molina vor mehr als zwei Dekaden als Musikerin startete, waren ihre Kompositionen eher reflektiert und auf das Wesentliche reduziert. Zumeist spielte sie Solokonzerte mit ihrer Gitarre, einem Keyboard und Effektgeräten. Über die Jahre wurden ihre Konzerte immer wilder und ihre Platten immer intensiver und extrovertierter, was bei den Tourneen zu ihren letzten Alben zu erleben war. Auf dem am 23.10.2020 erscheinenden ANRML wird Juana Molina von ihren Bandkollegen Odin Schwartz am Bass und Pablo González am Schlagzeug begleitet, die eine Extraportion Energie zum Auftritt beitragen. Das Set enthält Stücke aus Juanas letzten Alben Halo, Wed 21 sowie der Wiederveröffentlichung Un día und der EP "Forfun", alle erschienen bei Crammed Discs. Gemischt wurde das Album von Juana Molinas Toningenieur Marcelo Coca Monte.

The Amorphous Androgynous return with the symphonic, 40-minute prog/space-rock concept album ‘We Persuade Ourselves We Are Immortal’. The album contains 5 epic parts, featuring the legendary Peter Hammill (the Van Der Graaf Generator) on vocals alongside a host of musicians including: Paul Weller (piano and guitar), Ray Fenwick (Spencer Davis Group/Ian Gillan) onlead guitar, Brian Hopper (Caravan/Soft Machine) on sax.The Chesterfield Philharmonic Choir and a 25-piece live orchestral string section round out this sumptuously-recorded album.

‘We Persuade Ourselves We Are Immortal’ opens with the 13-minute epic of the title track (written with Peter Hammill and Paul Weller).The themes of mortality/immortality are then musically and conceptually catapulted to the far-flung corners of the AA sonic multiverse over 40+ minutes. Channelling A Space Odyssey,the dystopian choirs and moog of ‘Hymortality’ crash full-force into the John-Bonham-like drums of ‘The Immortality Break.’Meanwhile, ‘Synthony On A Theme of Mortality’ lives up to its name, utilizing the classic 70s Yamaha CS80 synth before progressing to a female wailing aria against classic vintage guitar rock. The whole cosmic trip cascades finally into the harp daydream reverie,choir and romantic strings of ‘Physically I’m Here, Mentally Far, Far Away.’

Italian producer Caramel Chameleon has delivered a brilliant EP with five tracks of moody and lushly rolling IDM beats and acid lines. First

- First Tru Thoughts Covers album since 2015
- Limited 500, hand-numbered, ice cream coloured vinyl
- Includes 18 track download card

The first of three volumes: stomping, rollicking gospel music, intermingling with raw soul, searing blues, hard-rocking doo-wop and jazz, and storming r&b.

Infused and incandescent with the hurting, surging indignation of the Civil Rights movement, here are twenty-four precious scorchers by giants like the Staple Singers and Jimmy Scott, alongside devastating sides by less celebrated names like the Harmonising Five of Burlington, North Carolina, and teen-group the North Philadelphia Juniors, culminating triumphantly with slamming, sanctified versions of Hit The Road Jack and Wade In The Water.

Gatefold sleeve, with full-size booklet; beautifully designed, with stunning, rare photographs and original Savoy artwork.

GES: Anthology of American Pop Music

Six great pop standards remembered: five pop songs are dissected by sampler, stretched, compressed, and re-collaged. In this way, their identity is lost. What remains is a vague concreteness: flashes of déjà vu and remote echoes that evoke the original.
GES (Gesellschaft zur Emanzipation des Samples)
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Active members: Helmut Schmidt, Jan Jelinek
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: Federal Court of Justice, Karlsruhe, Germany
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GES Glossary

Acoustic Surveillance Series

A 7-inch vinyl record series curated by GES focussing on historical methods of acoustic surveillance. Each record introduces a surveillance system from the past. Starting with Uguisubari in 2017, the series will continue with the release of Orecchio di Dionisio in 2021. GES is open to further suggestions on this subject.

Bundesgerichtshof (German Federal Court of Justice), Karlsruhe

“The use of audio samples as artistic practice may justify the infringement of copyright and intellectual property rights.” (ruling of the German Federal Court of Justice pertaining to Metall auf Metall II, 2016). The court is also the official headquarters of GES.
Circulations

What happens to copyright claims when music from a passing car is captured in a street recording? Is it legal to use this recording freely or is it necessary to obtain licensing rights? Circulations re-enacts this recording situation: audio players are placed in public spaces, where they reproduce the desired sample material. The acoustically choreographed space is then recorded, creating a field recording in which everyday noises circulate together with seemingly incidental music.

Emancipation of Sampling

Fuelled by its criminalization, the act of sampling existing recordings forfeited some of its artistic prestige (see Sampling). GES wishes to rehabilitate and re-emancipate the practice of sampling as a form of art in its own right. Strategy: 1. Name samples and sources explicitly. 2. Choose samples that are as popular and as recognizable as possible (Beatles, Carpenters, etc.). 3. The editing and manipulation of the sample must not compromise its recognizability (negotiable). 4. Use as many samples as possible. 5. Always name more sample sources than were actually used in the composition.

Field Recording

A compositional practice widely used in sound art and ethnomusicology that involves the recording of natural acoustical phenomena. Two additional requirements are usually imposed: The recording process should take place outside a studio environment, i.e. outdoors. And the person recording does not generate any of the acoustic material him/herself. GES expands this definition by introducing the concept of choreographed public space (see Circulations).

Gambling

An acoustic event favoured by GES, already used in numerous sound collages (must take place in public). The most popular option is thimblerig, a cup and ball gambling game commonly played in the street. Compositional instruction by GES: Place an audio playback device in the proximity of a thimblerigger. Play works for orchestra (by Debussy or Mahler). Move slowly towards the gamblers with a microphone.

Helmut Schmidt

Multiple identity and fictional character devised by GES. Figures variously within the semiotic system of GES as member, guest artist or public representative. Following the historical example of Subcommandante Marcos (EZLN).

Kraftwerk

The German band founded by electropop musicians Florian Schneider-Esleben and Ralf Hütter (a.k.a. Die Prozessoren) is the natural enemy of GES. Protected by computer-generated avatars, Kraftwerk operates a quote-hostile cultural hegemony. Their strategy: Install a special brand in the collective consciousness by means of a sophisticated system of quotations and references that may in turn not be quoted by anyone else. Other bands with such delusions of omnipotence: U2, Metallica.

Marcel Duchamp

As the inventor of the readymade, Duchamp may be viewed as a precursor to the art of sampling. However, the artist is appreciated above all for his sonorous qualities, as his vocal silence has often been sampled and processed. It was the inspiration for Jelinek's radio play Zwischen.

Orecchio di Dionisio

This 65-meter-deep limestone cave in the Sicilian town of Syracuse, carved out of a hillside in ancient times, has exceptional acoustics: A person standing at the cave entrance can hear every word whispered deep down inside it. The painter Michelangelo da Caravaggio gave it its name (The Ear of Dionysius) in 1608. The cave indeed resembles an ear and – according to Caravaggio – had a specific function: The tyrant Dionysius I imprisoned his political prisoners in the cave in order to spy on them. Orecchio di Dionisio will be featured in the Acoustic Surveillance Series in the near future.

Sampling

Compositional practice whereby recorded music is fragmented, turned into sound collages and transferred into different contexts of meaning. Since the advent of affordable sampling technology in the 1990s, the music industry has been trying to criminalize and/or promote the practice. Both strategies are driven by the same principle: Profit.

Uguisubari

Sound-making floorboards in Japanese temple and castle complexes, featured in the Acoustic Surveillance Series in 2017. In the Edo period, the “nightingale floor” (literal translation of uguisubari) was a popular acoustic warning system. The principle was straightforward: When someone stepped onto the boards, nails would rub against metal clamps beneath the floor, creating a tell-tale squeaky sound that was said to resemble the chirping of the Japanese nightingale.

Wind

A generator of acoustic events and an amplifier/transmitter of existing sounds. A meteorological form of energy appreciated by the GES on account of its unpredictability. A series about wind as an acoustic phenomenon is planned. Working title: Hotel Corridors.

Zwischen (Between)

Radio play by GES member Jan Jelinek based on recordings of various public interview situations. From the speech of the interviewees (all of them eloquent personalities) the pauses between coherent utterances were extracted and assembled. What we hear is an archaic body language: modes of breathing, word particles and onomatopoeic turmoil. A key question for GES: Which comes first, personal rights or artistic freedom? For Zwischen, Jelinek used only recordings by public figures that were already available to the public.

For years, Frente Cumbiero has served as the torchbearer of a new wave of experimental exploration in the diverse modern-day cumbia canvas. Led by Mario Galeano Toro, a Colombian native and accomplished veteran of Bogotá's rich music scene, the group first connected with listeners outside of South America via their head-exploding 2010 debut on Names You Can Trust. "Pitchito" would become a cult favourite, a catalyst for the Brooklyn-based label, and soon after a bonafide rarity. Those beginnings of Frente Cumbiero focused on an honorary recognition of the massive musical impact that the many formations of cumbia have had over the decades within Colombia. Subgenres such as gaita, porro, vallenato, and caracolito, to name just a handful, have all played their part within the evolution of the country's tropical music lineage. That deep-digging determination coupled with a truly unique and talented musicianship has informed Frente's music, some of the most forward-thinking and reverential examples of the current tropical scene. It has led to some incredible opportunities and collaborations in Europe, Asia and the States, including genre-defying recordings with London's Mad Professor and Japan's Minyo Crusaders.

Still, Galeano Toro's assemblies with Frente Cumbiero have been scarce amongst his other exploits, splitting time as player and producer in other ground breaking projects like Ondatropica and Los Pirañas over the recent years. After three 45 single releases together with NYCT, the time away has left everybody wanting for more. Now, reassembled and seasoned with years of touring and gigging in a multitude of projects, the group's current quartet of Galeano Toro (keys and synths), Pedro Ojeda (timbales and percussion), Marco Fajardo (tenor sax) and Sebastián Rozo (bombardino) is a stripped down powerhouse of unadulterated psico-tropi swing, a beautiful Colombian musical stew, incorporating a host of flavors from the melting pots of the Pacific, Caribbean and Atlantic pathways. The final result is of course quite unclassifiable, simply a new breed of good music and a dancefloor delight.

A memorable name with an outstanding cover, Fuzzy Duck is a classic slice of underground London art rock and melodic psychedelia. Originally released on MAM in 1971, it’s truly a musical force of infectious riffs and fiery solos, sharp tempo changes, a tight rhythm section and heavy, Hammond-drenched grooves. With echoes of Spencer Davis Group, early Grand Funk and Vanilla Fudge, it comes on like a heavier Soft Machine or Caravan. No wonder Fuzzy Duck’s cult appeal has endured.

The album features Mick Hawksworth (Five Day Week Straw People, Andromeda) on bass, acoustic 12-string, electric cello and some of the vocal duties, and also Roy “Daze” Sharland (Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Spice) on organ and electric piano. Accompanying those two were Paul Francis on drums and percussion, and Grahame White on guitars and the rest of the vocals.

Originally released in an edition of 500, Fuzzy Duck became legendary all over the world through a holy trinity of scarcity, personnel and its sheer brilliance.

The album kicks off with a heavy, bass-fuelled, Hammond rocker titled “Time Will Be Your Doctor”. This is pure hard-edged blues rock, brilliantly played. Its drum break intro was sampled by DJ Premier for Gang Starr’s “Mostly Tha Voice” on 1994’s legendary Hard To Earn. And we can hear its personality all over Harvey and Thomas Bullock’s Map Of Africa.

Rollicking highlight “Mrs. Prout” follows. At nearly 7 minutes long, it incorporates more psych-leaning guitar and drawn-out keyboards à la Ray Manzarek with the band effortlessly switching from jazzy rhythm section to a progressive one. That magnificent instrumental jam that starts half-way and continues through to the end is a true wonder.

“Just Look Around You” is propulsive folk-rock with a soaring, proto power-pop chorus, backed by frenetic organ and heavy bass high in the rich, intoxicating mix. Back comes the heavy, strung-out psych to both close out side one with “Afternoon Out” and kick off side two with “More Than I Am”. Both tracks are improvisational winners that stylistically nod to the late sixties and “More Than I Am”’s guitar hook, catchy organ and memorable chorus would’ve surely made it a great single.

“Country Boy” quenches the thirst for rhythm and melody, only the lyrics and vibe are wonderfully creepy. The sudden cut of the groove and the drop into a more sinister tempo will make you stumble, before the band pick up speed and toss you back again into the opening jam, this time with a badass organ to ride you home. The final, fully fleshed out track is the majestic “In Our Time”, which oscillates between endless organ-driven boogie and heavenly, genuinely moving vocals. Just stunning.

Infamous instrumental cut “A Word from Big D” rounds out the album. Yes, that’s the band jamming with duck quack sound effects accompanying the music. “Ducking vocals” as the sleeve says. You know, just in case the whole “duck” theme had passed you by. It’s an appropriate closer for what sounds like an album that must have been *a lot* of fun to record. It’s definitely fun to listen to.

Mastered by Be With’s chief sound duck Simon Francis and cut with glee by the veteran Pete Norman, this reissue of Fuzzy Duck’s one-and-only LP sounds as mighty as it should. That unforgettable sleeve artwork has been carefully restored and the records pressed by the wonderful Record Industry in the Netherlands. Essential.

"Tonada de Luna Llena" is a classic song by Venezuelan folkloric singer/composer Simón Díaz that speaks of the calm beauty of the full moon. It's a spiritual anthem ingrained in the Venezuelan DNA & it's finally re-released on 10" vinyl along with the heavy deep bass & slow techno touches of Pablo Sánchez & Alexi Delano under their production moniker "Basic Need," released with the blessing of the Díaz family.

Simón Díaz was a legendary Venezuelan folk singer, songwriter, composer, comedian, and actor, among other things, who had a career spanning over 50 years. Known colloquially as "Uncle Simón," Díaz has been extremely influential in repopularising the traditional music of the Venezuelan llanos, or plains, and was the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and "The Great Ribbon of the Liberator's Order," the highest recognition of Venezuela. Pablo Sánchez is a DJ and producer from Caracas; Alexi Delano is a Chilean-Swedish electronic music artist known for his unique techno sound. The two musicians are both currently based in Brooklyn, New York, and collaborate under the moniker Basic Need.

Carac Records is a Swiss bred record label aiming on promoting young artists from Switzerland. Our first vinyl release welcomes two members of the Geneva crew “La Gourmandise”- Reyaz & L1.



This record is a club oriented ep that blends different influences; fast shuffling house with sharp synth melodies to dubby pads as well as chords to acid lines with touch of broken drum patterns.



Hope you’ll have as much fun playing these as they had creating the cuts

200 hundred copies don’t sleep on this one !

Like the Grass documents and reimagines a warm summer's evening in Basel, Switzerland, in June 2018. Four musicians convened: Johannesburg composer and bow expert Cara Stacey, South African violinist and composer Galina Juritz, German harp player Antonia Ravens and Swiss guitarist and sonic explorer Beat Keller.

Together they improvised using a graphic score titled "Luhlata njengetjani" ("Green like the grass" in the southern African Siswati language), inspired by the rivers of eSwatini, blackbirds in the parks of Basel and the evocative, red-flowered umcinci or erythrina tree. The South African umrhubhe mouthbow's dense harmonics folded around skittering, fractal violin loops; temperate swells of guitar were punctuated by agitated harp pings and the hearty thuds of Ugandan and Mozambican lamellophones.

This joyous, unfettered outpouring criss-crossed between southern Africa and Europe, forwards and backwards, for the following two years. The fruits were unpicked and rewoven into new mosaics by Cara, Galina, and two of our favourite recording artists, Object Agency and Hello Skinny.

Recorded as part of Cara Stacey's studio residency in Basel, Switzerland, supported by ProHelvetia Johannesburg.

Rare Brazilian spiritual jazz. Reissue for the first time worldwide from the original master tapes. Legendary sessions produced by Amado Maita. Deluxe Numbered Limited Edition with OBI and thick cover. Recorded Live at S. Paulo in 1982 it was originally issued on Amado Maita’s small indie label in the 80's called Poitou.

Featuring one of the best Brazilian Sax Players, the legendary Nestico and his sister composer, piano player Lilu. Nestico joined several Jazz ensembles in São Paulo, having participated in 1977 in the first Jazz festival held at the Municipal Theater, alongside the musicians Samuel (piano), Nilson (bass) and Caram (drums).

He performed several times in São Paulo with Syncro Jazz group. In 1982 released with the ensemble the LP “Syncro Jazz - Live”, along with the musicians Lilu Aguiar (piano), Peter Wooley (bass), Vidal (sax and flute), Dagmar (trumpet) and Ronny Machado ( drums).

In the repertoire, the songs “Pro César”, dedicated to pianist César Camargo Mariano, “Winter know” and “Black Cock”, all by Lilu Aguiar, “For Guzi” (Peter Wooley), “Cruzan” (M. Santamaria) and Revelation (S. Fortune). The LP contains amazing Fender Rhodes solos in a Heavy Modal Spiritual and Bossa Jazz a la Strata-East & Black Jazz Records.

This release represents the first original Zion Train album in 5 years and features 9 vocalists alongside the extremely talented musicians. Vocalists include Cara, Michel Grena Prince Jamo and Rider Shafique whilst amongst the musicians are such luminaries as
Paolo Baldini, Don Fe and Gianni Denitto.

Zion Train are working alongside the Stop Ecocide and Extinction Rebellion campaigns with the release of this music to help attempts to build a brighter future for our planet - to this end they are reprinting the Leap Manifesto authored by Naomi Klein and friends with this release.

Stag-O-Lee präsentiert hier Teil 5 und 6 der usserst erfolgreichen Trashcan Records Serie, die sich obskuren und vergessenen Vinyl Schätzen aus den 50er und frühen 60er Jahren widmet. Die originalen 45er stammen aus der stattlichen Sammlung von Fedor, einem Sammler und Jäger aus Amsterdam, der sich in den letzten 25 Jahren durch tausende von Kisten mit Gebrauchtvinyl auf Flohmärkten der holländischen Metropole wühlte. Die Veröffentlichungen sind thematisch gegliedert - Vol. 5: Cha Cha compiliert 12 Tracks mit "an all-female beatnik extravaganza: the first vinyl compilation of its kind! From the bohemian misfit girl with her goateed boyfriend to the espresso sipping art school chick reading Kerouac..." . Vol. 6: The Natives Are Restless bietet 5 Tunes mit einem Dschungel-Thema auf der A-Seite und 5 luftige Exotica-Träume auf der B-Seite. Alle 24 Tracks sind "previously uncomped" und finden erstmals ihren Weg auf Großvinyl!!

Something is stirring in downtown Tucson. That's no great surprise perhaps: Calexico have been sending out missives from the desert for 20 years now, Giant Sand for even longer than that, and the Green on Red revival is surely overdue. Let us remind ourselves that this isn't a big city in the American sense, but that its hinterland is indeed as big as it gets. For an hour south, Mexico starts. And this is where things get interesting.

Born in Nogales, Arizona, raised in Nogales, Sonora, multi-instrumentalist and band-leader Sergio Mendoza grew up listening to the Mexican regional styles jostling for headspace in a young, music-mad mind - cumbia mainly, but mambo, rancheras and mariachi too. The border is always a fierce arena of exchange, both commercial and cultural, and so there was American music too. At one point 'rock and roll, the classics', as Mendoza himself deadpans, seemed to win out and he stopped playing those 'Latin styles' for a good decade and a half.

The return to those sounds was a strong one in 2012's Mambo Mexicano, co-produced by Mendoza and Joey Burns of Calexico - a band for which Mendoza has become an increasingly integral touring and recording member. While that record had a studied air, tentative in parts (as befits the renewal of an old love affair), ¡Vamos A Guarachar! is another beast entirely: by turns raucous ('Cumbia Volcadora', featuring Mexican electronic pioneer Camilo Lara), tender ('Misterio', surely Salvador Duran's finest moment with the band so far) and plain serious fun, as in 'Contra La Marea' and 'Mapache', it also bears a robust electronic edge, a keen pop sensibility and all the hallmarks of Mendoza's love of 60s rock, with the closing track, 'Shadows of the Mind', sure to be included if anyone decides to update the Nuggets collection for the 21st century. This is roundabout way of saying that it appears to have everything, but never too much of anything. Focused, fierce and beautifully executed by a superbly drilled set of musicians, it is a record that fully matches the band's explosive live performances.

You could, of course, take the trip to Tucson yourself, to the home of this essential set of field recordings. The scene hangs out together, so ... if the stars align and their frantic tour schedules permit, you might see any number of folks from Calexico, Giant Sand or up-and-coming cumbia rockers Xixa deep in conversation somewhere in town with a quiet young man in black. That's Sergio. Right now, in this endless game of Tucson tag, Orkesta Mendoza are IT.

Distorted Sensory Perception is back with a journey of deep space exploration in the form of their 2nd Various Artists release ‘Outer Solar System’. Featuring a diverse selection of deeper Electro and Techno of the broken beat variety.

The A-side boasts a nostalgic stripped back yet progressive cut ‘Persistence’ from Maltese duo Moodex. Next up, a deep ethereal musical statement ‘Early Morning Hours’ from fellow Maltese producer Sound Synthesis in his unique style.

The B-side opens with the moody, new school heavy hitter ‘Impulse Control’ from French producer and label co-founder Oshkossh. The penultimate track ‘Brainacid v2’ comes in the form of dusty machine music from Italian newcomer Caramel Chameleon that is reminiscent of AFX ambient works. Last but by no means least the record is brought to an epic conclusion with the frantically emotive and intricate ‘Grny89’ from France's Foreign Sequence.

Fully remastered from the original tapes and available on vinyl for the first time in 42 years, and CD for the first time in 30 years.
Sleevenotes by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno. Back in record shops on the day of the 2020 vernal equinox, the second release on Hassell’s own Ndeya label.

Hailed as one of the 50 best ambient albums of all time by Pitchfork, Vernal Equinox was the first commercially released work by Jon Hassell, originally put out by Lovely Music in 1977.
It's also the debut of a pioneering new form of music that would become known as “fourth world”: a subtle blend of field recordings, electric jazz, ambience and global music influences.
Hassell’s trademark FX-soaked trumpet is carefully embellished by a studio ensemble including the master Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos and David Rosenboom on synth.

The result is a quiet, meditative and highly original work of outstanding beauty. Vinyl version is housed in a reverse board outer sleeve with printed inner sleeve. Includes download code.

The music of Clan Caima´n is primitive and hypnotic. It is located in the pre-rock era and from there, it proposes a different evolutionary path for music from the 1950' s to present day. Like a different musical development in a parallel timeline. Gamelan, Hawaiian music, surf, exotica, rainforest or aquatic; these elements make up the palette which constructs a mystic and profound music that seeks ancestral connection.

Formed in 2016 by Argentinian musician, composer and producer Emilio Haro, looking to create music generated by group dynamics, Clan Caima´n differs from his past two solo albums ( 'Panora´mico' in 2007 and 'Estrambo´tico' in 2012, both on Radiaciones Armo´nicas) in that these were studio works and not meant to be played live.

The quintet's enigmatic sound is built upon the kalimbafo´n, an instrument created by Haro using several kalimbas, Diego Voloschin's wild and hypnotic percussion (no cymbals, no snare), Gonzalo Cordoba's lap steel and baritone guitar, Facundo Gomez's psychedelic guitar tones and Claudio Iuliano's dry and percussive bass sound. This debut album contains eight anachronistic and oddly familiar compositions that range from introspection to trance, tracing their own sonic landscape.

Der mit mehrfach Platin ausgezeichnete Singer, Songwriter und Produzent Lauv veröffentlicht endlich sein mit Spannung erwartetes Debütalbum.
Im Laufe der letzten Monate veröffentlichte Lauv unter anderem seine mit Spannung erwarteten Kollaborationen “Mean It” mit LANY, "I'm So Tired" mit Troye Sivan und arbeitete mit den K-Pop Megastars BTS. Lauvs letzte Single, “fuck, i’m lonely” mit Anne-Marie hat mittlerweile über 250 Millionen Streams erreicht und kletterte bis in die Top 20 der Airplaycharts.
Auch live bringt er ganz großes Kino auf die Bühne. Seine letzte Deutschland-Tour im Oktober wurde von rund 10.000 schreienden Fans besucht. 2020 werden sich die Ticket-Zahlen für Deutschland verdoppeln.
Und dabei bleibt er sich als einer der wenigen Independent-Künstler im Pop-Genre immer 100% treu.

Soul Jazz Records set Sounds of the Universe:
Art + Sound 2012-15 features some of the heaviest Afrofuturistic producers out there, PITCHFORK.

Soul Jazz Records new Sounds of the Universe: Art + Sound 2012-15 is a new double album CD (and two separate volumes of double-vinyl) featuring a line-up of some of the most forward-thinking and progressive artists and producers working with electronic music around the world today.

This lovingly compiled collection features a stunning array of contemporary artists: Chicago’s Afro-futurist genius Hieroglyphic Being; Kaseem Mosse (aka Gunnar Wendell/Siege of Troy), one of the most talked-about, respected artists in underground house and techno; out of Detroit’s Moodyman stable comes Andres; also featured is Los Angeles-based Ras G, associated with the Brainfeeder label established by fellow producer Flying Lotus; and many more!

This new collection features a first CD of tracks recorded exclusively for Soul Jazz Record’s bespoke Sounds of the Universe label. These were originally issued under their Art + Sound series between 2012 and 2015 as unique hand-etched and original commissioned art pieces (reproduced here) collectors’ 12” singles - all pressed in micro-editions of 250 copies for each artist’s release that were only ever available exclusively from Soul Jazz Records’ boutique Sounds of the Universe shop in Soho, London.

The second CD features a fantastic set of all brand new exclusive tracks from the likes of Seven Davis Jr, Drexciya collaborator DJ Stingray, deep house virtuoso Mike Huckaby, Glaswegian noise-punk six-piece Golden Teacher, and lots more – all created and commissioned especially for this release. These songs are not available anywhere else in the world.

Together these 2CDs comprise an amazing selection of new progressive electronic music.

This album is released as double CD pack with slipcase and booklet. It is also available as two separate limited edition double vinyl editions in heavyweight vinyl and gatefold sleeves with full artwork + free download codes, and as a worldwide digital release.

A truly special reissue of a fantastic and incredibly rare Afro-disco 12” from 1978, Tumblack - 'Caraiba/Invocation'. Originally released on the seminal French disco label Barclay, you'd be hard pressed to even find an original copy in the UK, let alone for a reasonable price, so it's high time an officially licensed, remastered reissue came around.

Taking the A side of this EP Stefano Ritteri provides a “Spaziale Version” of 'Caraiba' that seamlessly blends elements of African, Afrobeat, Funk and Disco styles, with segments that continually morph and evolve into new tracks. Irresistibly funky and percussive drumming patterns and melodies hypnotise the listener, with only the occasional outbreak of African chanting breaking up the grooves.

The B-side contains the original version of “Invocation” that is effectively one long drum track broken down into 7 segments that never drop a beat alongside the original version of 'Caraiba' in all it's glory. As EP's go, this really does take the listener on a journey to Africa, via 1978 New York, and is a true one of a kind. And for all those sample-spotters out there, there's no end of complex drum patterns and basslines to dive into.

Here is part two of Etienne Jaumet’s dubs from his latest new album, '8 regard obliques'.

Following on from part one with DJ Sotofett and I:Cube, DJ Athome (from the Belgian 'Front de Cadeaux') turns the jazz classic, 'Caravan' into a slow 90's breakbeat oddball whilst Jaumet himself revisits his own 'Ma révélation mystique' in a more Reggae fashion.

The sought after LP from Zann ‘Strange Ways / Inside Jungle’ originally released as a private press in 1990 finally receives a full reissue.

Zann started life as a 7-member live band in 1982. Founder member Udo Winkler had been a part of New Wave & Post Punk band Konec touring extensively and releasing one LP on Polydor titled ‘Schrille Blitze’. Zann was an outlet for more experimental works heavily influenced by Brian Eno's collaborations with David Byrne and Jon Hassell, German bands like Embryo and Dissidenten, David Sylvian and middle & far eastern music.

In 1988 Udo and Hjalmer Karthaus built a small basement studio with a 4 track tape machine and musical experiments began in earnest. After the limitations of playing live it was an acoustic wonderland and they gave themselves no musical boundaries. The unlimited studio time meant they could pick up ideas and develop pieces gradually, friends would come to the studio to play and songs evolved from extensive jamming sessions. The resulting LP has Middle Eastern instrumentation at its core, particularly wind & string instruments such as the Tabla and Gong, and is a melting pot of influences incorporating elements of Ambient, Jazz and Folk with strong synth programming on a number of tracks. The band pressed up a handful of copies and sold them exclusively at record fairs in Germany and in the intervening years the LP has become highly sought after with copies changing hands for 150 Euros.

The LP has been fully remastered from the original DAT tapes with new full sleeve artwork from Bradley Pinkerton and is pressed on 180 Gram Vinyl.

Newskool Hard techno french style, exploring the Electro side but not forcing on it, banging but reverbless on the kick... A proper dry driving coming from Sound Conspiracy, Oqp crew, Drop'n Caravan and Nonem ! Fatal pour le bocal

Apollo are delighted to welcome the return of Australia duo Albrecht
La’Brooy AKA Sean La'Brooy and Alex Albrecht with their blissful new
album 'Healesville' recorded in a mud-brick hut on a strawberry crop
in the Melbourne countryside.
Apollo are delighted to welcome the return of Australia duo Albrecht
La’Brooy AKA Sean La'Brooy and Alex Albrecht with their blissful new
album 'Healesville' recorded in a mud-brick hut on a strawberry crop in the
Melbourne countryside. 'Healesville' follows on from the bucolic wonder of
their Apollo debut 'Tidal River' which took inspiration from the duo's visit to
the beautiful Wilson's Promontory (a remote national park on the South
East coast of Australia). "Late last year, we trekked out to a beautiful mudbrick studio located next to a large strawberry crop in Healesville," Albrecht
explains. "We spent a few days capturing the feeling of the slow-paced,
relaxed surrounds: The wildlife, the strawberry pickers, the sounds of the
night, and improvising a response to them with music we felt suited."
Setting up their favoured musical equipment, which included two pianos, a
Waldorf, a Nord and a clutch of microphones the long-form improvisations
began. "The physical construct of the hut imparted a warm and acoustically
interesting environment to record in," Alex explains. "It also allowed us to be
as close to the strawberry crop itself - we positioned a mic out the window
to capture the recordings of the sound outside. During one of the sessions,
a harvest was taking place, and you can hear tractors passing and workers
talking and laughing in the recording. The resulting drowsy pieces were
completely improvised (augmented by percussionist Joseph Batrouney,
guitarist Carla Oliver (Badskin) and guitarist Oliver Patterson), freeform
recordings that explores themes of relaxation, sleep and dreams;
somnambulant piano figures are caressed with delicate guitar passages
bathed in the bucolic field recordings of the Healesville environs. Recording
the album proved to be as relaxing and civilised a process as listening to it:
"We cooked nice dinners, enjoyed good wines, and took plenty of walks
through the landscape to break up the sessions," Alex shares. The resulting
record is one of quietly sozzled majesty - a delicate fusion of ambient
electronic textures, live instrumentation and field recordings that beguiles
and soothes the listener in these troubled times. — Recorded live at Earth
Mud Straw in Healesville by Alex Albrecht and Sean La'Brooy. Guitar by
Oliver Paterson and Carla Oliver (Badskin), Percussion/FXs by Joseph
Batrouney. Mastered by Corey Kikos. Thanks to Sabbine, Boomtown wines
and the strawberry pickers in Healesville.

Colombian Techno powerhouse Gotshell unleashes a barrage of his signature, twisted, bone-shaking, analogue techno bombs for 'The Draft EP' on Suara with remixes from label head Coyu and Argentinian producer Flug.

Firstly, the A side houses ‘Pears Cosmic’, a swell of glitches, thunderous kicks and rave stabs at a fever pitch pace and secondly '19 Caracteres’ a sci-fi blitz, comprised of killer drum programming, modular bleeps, zaps and urgent surges.

Flip it over to find Coyu’s reinterpretation of ‘The Draft’, reworking the drums, adding rapid-fire claps into the mix and leaving the trance stabs out for a more heads down approach. Finally, Flug takes on ’19 Caracteres’ focusing his remix around an atmospheric echoing synth line, punctuated and interspersed by the original’s glitchy sounds.

Like many Canadians, Joseph Shabason and Ben Gunning like to untangle themselves from urbanity and disappear up north a few times a year. Unlike other cottage-goers, Ben and Joseph don’t while away the ur-time on jet-skis and lounge on docks reading pulpy mysteries. Instead, they bring a car full of synths, drum machines, saxophones, guitars, samplers, effects, and recording equipment to jam the days away in a cabin-fever inducing haze of wood smoke, cedar musk, hot wires and jazz sweat.

Muldrew, recorded on the northern Ontario lake by that name, is the culmination of several years of this collaborative tradition. Resisting their penchant for composition and arrangement, the duo embarked on this project with only an open framework that encouraged restraint. The result is a sparse and improvisational album, hung on enough structure for each song to evoke a distinct, albeit ambiguous mood. Space is paramount and even the most digital elements breathe with the resonance of the room and mingle with creaking floors. The resulting album is steeped in the placid stillness and northern ambience of a lake at dawn, and the emotive expanse of a forest at dusk. Imagine an ECM cottage-series, or Jon Hassell and John Martyn scoring a Bela Tarr film set in rural Canada. This is the future-proof music of metropolitan polyglot minds invigorated by nature’s mute refusal to follow a click-track.

DMM Pressing. Limited Edition of 500.

Debütalbum des Bristoler Electro-Singer/Songwriters Tamu Massif alias Dave Dixon, der als Meister der Samples diese mit intelligenten Lyrics und wundervoll-harmonischen Vocals kombiniert und so an seelenverwandte Künstler wie z.B. James Blake erinnert. Tamu Massif veröffentlichte bislang zwei EPs, tourte mit Japanese House, C Duncan und Shakey Graves, und co-produzierte das Debütalbum von Fenne Lily. Bei der Abmischung von "Little Death Summer" stand ihm sein Langzeitkollege Ali Chant (Youth Lagoon, Perfume Genius, Aldous Harding) zur Seite.

Part of the new wave of artists credited with stirring up the sound, including Kamasi Washington, Yussef Kamaal, Sons of Kemet and The Comet is Coming, Yazz Ahmed is thrilled by the possibilities of making something new. "I feel like I'm a part of modernising jazz and connecting it with audiences today" Yazz says, "it's exciting".

Her take on jazz weaves in Arabic melodies to evocative, cinematic effect.

'La Saboteuse' is a deep exploration of both her British and Bahraini roots. Ably assisted by musicians including Lewis Wright on vibraphone, MOBO-winning new jazz kingpin Shabaka Hutchings on bass clarinet and Naadia Sherriff on Fender Rhodes keyboard, it's composed of undulating rhythms, Middle Eastern melody and Yazz's sonorous trumpet lines. The record sounds like the passage of a desert caravan, bathed in moonlight. The theme of 'La Saboteuse' is the sense of self-doubt that Yazz feels when she is creating, personified in a female saboteur, an anti-muse that spurs her into action. "Giving 'her' a name has really helped me to identify those negative voices we all get," she says. "I know what it is and I know how to combat it"