Suche:cel ray

'Libanon' is music composed for the film "Maître, lihseb please" by Michael Shamberg, composed and performed by Rayon aka Markus Acher, with the help of Sebastian Hess on cello, a computer, a harmonium and a few libanese records .The music was also heavily inspired by the work of fotographer Fouad Elkoury (one of his photographs of Beirut is on the cover) and writer Etel Adnan.

DJ Support: Gilles Peterson, Sean Johnston, Jaye Ward, Max Essa and Francois K

Limited to 300 copies

Having been long-time admirers of one another from afar, Hell Yeah and Michele Mininni finally come together for Pop Archetypes. It is a multifaceted debut album that collides broken beats, worldly rhythms, jazz, eastern melodies, live drums and much more into one thrilling 15-track opus that arrives on May 31st.

Italian artist Mininni has always had a leftfield take on electronic music and imbued it with rhythms, melodies and instruments from around the globe. He has released it on cult labels like R&S, Optimo Trax, Internasjonal and Curle Recordings but has saved his magnificent debut album for Hell Yeah. It is much more than a collection of sounds he has already explored and instead finds him heading off into all new territory without losing his signature sense of inventive and beguiling rhythm and melody. It is a multicultural journey that takes in heterogeneous styles and diverse influences but distills them all into one cohesive album with its own unique storyline.

Says Mininni of the record, 'I wanted each track to be like pieces of a unique, multifaceted picture, like walking through train cars or progressing through the levels of a video game, all filtered through my own vision and concentrated into 36 minutes. I wanted a pop album rooted in the extraordinary richness of popular music and projected into the future, a continuum where pieces communicate with each other and are received by the ears in symbiotic balance.'

Despite that concept, the album is a spontaneous listen full of surprises, left turns and original ideas that all hold together in thrilling fashion. It kicks off with the tumbling jazz drums and swirling synths of 'Spinning Around Cotton Candy', takes in mellifluous melodic layers and broken beats on 'Golden Room' and 'Slipped Air' casts you adrift amongst gorgeous piano keys and refracted vocals on the suspensory 'Vertigo'. There are jungle interludes with Eastern string melodies like 'Bangkok Tempo', lavish fusions of organic and synthetic sounds on 'Kundalini' and more charming Far Eastern rhythms on 'Muting Cat'. 'Congoflash' brings electrifying cosmic rays to busy hand drum patterns, 'The Magic Of Synesthesia' combines dark amen breaks and bright and uplifting flutes while 'Carousel Of Tears' douses you in watery melodies and celestial pads that awaken the soul.

Pop Archetypes is an adventurous work packed with meticulous and infinite details but all with an overarching narrative that makes it far more than the sum of its parts.

Trombone legend Steve Turre (Ray Charles, Rashaan Roland Kirk, Art Blakey, and many more) assembled a sextet of fellow legends, modern masters, and an up-and-coming star to celebrate the post-pandemic reopening of Smoke Jazz Club with 10 searing sets of live music in front of enthusiastic audiences. Elder statesmen Buster Williams and Lenny White on bass and drums are joined by trumpeter Nicholas Payton, and Turre's SNL bandmate Ron Blake on saxophone and young piano phenom Isaiah J. Thompson. The resulting performances are electrifying live jazz music.

Born from a will to connect with people and get out in to the world again, 'Out of the Rain' will be Blair's first studio album since his 2018 release. Produced by Jim Moray (Jackie Oates, Wheeler Street, James Raynard) the record is more positive than his previous work. A celebration of spring, newness, and freedom. Songs of metamorphosis and widescreen road trips prevail. "It's been 5 years since my last record, comfortably my longest gap between releases, so it feels really good to be able to put this out in the world.

"“A jazz artist to watch” (NPR) and “a virtuoso in the truest sense of the word” (JazzTimes), Morgan Guerin spent nearly a year crafting his multi-dimensional Tales Of The Facade, layering instruments and sounds track upon track. And while an impressive amount of the album is performed solely by Guerin, he also enlisted stellar collaborators, including Georgia Anne Muldrow, Melanie Charles, Cisco Swank, Zacchae’us Paul, J Hoard, and Kokayi. Despite Guerin’s widespread acclaim as a jazz artist, it would be reductive to call this a ""jazz album." "It touches a lot of different periods and styles of music," Guerin explains. "Wayne Shorter and John and Alice Coltrane are big influences, but so are people like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Minnie Riperton, and Kendrick Lamar. I wanted all of those sounds to be represented. ” What’s left in the grooves obliterates concepts of genre even as it celebrates genres themselves. Now signed to Candid, Guerin’s music will finally reach an audience as vast and diverse as his musical vision."

A 2LP edition on coloured vinyl of the original album remastered, housed in the newly updated Hopes and Fears 20 artwork, plus second disc of B sides and rarities.

"Mercury Studios announces the May 10, 2024 release of Back to Front– Live in London from Peter Gabriel on 4K Ultra High Definition Blu-ray.
Back to Front – Live in London captures the complete live performance of the So album from start to finish. This spectacular live concert, filmed at London’s O2 over 2 nights in October 2013, using the latest Ultra High Definition 4K technology, captures Peter Gabriel’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of his landmark album So. "

Clear Vinyl

Since her re-discovery in 2013 via cult favourite The Space Lady’s Greatest Hits, The Space Lady’s mission of galactic peace and celestial harmony has grown into a world-wide underground phenomenon. Recorded in 1990, The Space Lady’s original repertoire is a parallel universe greatest hits: songs familiar are transmogrified into shimmering bliss while new compositions amplify the message. The Space Lady’s Other Hits, released on April 20th for Record Store Day 2024, constitutes the songs recorded by Susan “The Space Lady” Dietrich Schneider as part of that repertoire that never made the original Greatest Hits, save for a limited bonus CD on the first CD pressing. Remastered by Mikey Love for vinyl, The Space Lady’s Other Hits completes the picture.

The Space Lady began her odyssey on the streets of Boston in the late 70s, then San Francisco ten years later, playing versions of contemporary pop music with an accordion and dressed flamboyantly. Following the theft and destruction of her accordion , The Space Lady invested in a then-new Casio keyboard, complete with a phase shifter, delay pedal and headset mic, birthing an otherworldly new dimension to popular song that has captured the imaginations of the underground and its leading exponents ever since.

The Space Lady’s Other Hits were recorded as they were played on the street, live, one-take, with Schneider playing, singing and simultaneously manipulating the various effects. Beginning with Elvis Presley’s iconic All Shook Up, the walking bassline underpinning the vocal, phasing in and out of this dimension, providing a fragile, extraterrestrial shadow to Presley’s original lust-driven performance. Slapback Boomerang is an original composition, written by Schneider’s then-husband Joel Dunsany a Rock ’n’ Roll pounder that could have been performed by The Cramps, its tale of relationship turmoil changed into a meditation on the nature of echo and feedback. There are moments where Schneider performs vocal caesuras, swimming in delay and phase for the pleasure of it, a pantomime drama performance that rings out. Closing Side B, Puttin’ On The Ritz is Irving Berlin’s 20s smash hit manipulated into a sombre ballad with its latent class struggle narrative brought to the fore.

A staple of The Space Lady’s performances to this day, Golden Earring’s 70s global hit Radar Love retains something of the original’s driving gallop but in The Space Lady’s telling it is shorn of the tight-trousered, taut machismo. The Space Lady coos and reaches up into the heavens away from the road, the phaser waves drenching the composition with transcendence.
Schneider’s falsetto performances in the choruses do nothing but lift the spirits ever-arching upwards. Next, The Space Lady emasculated Jim Morrison’s performance in The Doors’ 20th Century Fox. Faithfully playing Ray Manzarek’s keyboard parts on her Casio, Schneider disintegrates Morrison’s lust into waves of echo and delay, creating a Dubbed out version of the song, sounding eroded and decayed in all its ghostly glory. Pioneering Rock ’n’ Roll outfit Pete & The Pirates’ 1960 hot Shakin’ All Over, something of a response to Elvis’ All Shook Up, is blown out in warm fuzz and the celestial hug of The Space Lady’s
spirit.

From the bouncy, catchy acts at Motown (like The Temptations, The Marvelettes, and Stevie Wonder), to the horn-driven, gritty soul of Stax/Volt (such as Otis Redding and Booker T. & The MG’s), there was much diversity within classic soul. This essential LP edition contains 25 of the most legendary original songs of the idiom. If you’re looking for a way to start a soul music collection on vinyl, this would be a fantastic set to begin with. Here you can find the most influential artists, from the genre’s inception in the 1950s until 1962. The track listing covers the period when R&B was giving way to soul music. It includes smashes and classic soul anthems by such celebrated figures as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, Ben E. King, and Marvin Gaye, to name a few. The underlying virtues of the R&B/soul music exposed here are represented by a direct emotional delivery, a pride and artistic integrity, and a feeling within the music which transmits itself to the listener. You can call it soul or R&B, it can be more or less intense, lively or educational, but it has to have those ingredients to truly succeed. From the explosion and growth of American soul, and its lasting impact upon the U.S. charts since then, this defining era is still regarded as one of history’s greatest musical movements. All of this remastered material represents a formidable slice of American popular culture, allowing listeners to experience some of the finest and most emblematic tunes of the soul genre.

Mesmerizing and exuberant Argentinian La Yegros, probably the most magnetic artist on the South American continent, is back with a new album!

The undisputed Queen of "Nu Cumbia" has not rested on her laurels. Surrounded by the same accomplices who have supported her for the last ten years, but eager to renew herself, she has set about recording her fourth album, which stands out from her discography. Although her personal folklore is still rooted in South American folklore, La Yegros is now absorbing contemporary, global music, while tackling intimate, often melancholy and even painful subjects, which she overcomes with the same resilience that drives her in concert. Nothing stands in the way of this Argentinian whirlwind, all the more fascinating for the fact that personal considerations are now surfacing beneath the veneer of the party atmosphere she sets alight.

La Yegros returned to the stage in 2022 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Viene de Mí, her single hit from the self-titled album, released in 2012 in Argentina and then worldwide in 2013, which catapulted her to international fame. We then discovered a singer who had grown up in the traditions of her country. Her parents come from Misiones, a province bordering Brazil and Paraguay, where balls are filled with the sounds of chamamé (a mix of polka and Guaraní music), Carnavalito (Andean folklore) and Colombian Cumbia. But she herself is a native of Buenos Aires, whose nights are enlivened by the bass of Dancehall and electronic music.

These influences have merged in two further successful albums, Magnetismo (2016) and Suelta (2019), followed by high voltage tours during which La Yegros has been able to display her generous nature, inexhaustible energy, exuberant personality and infectious enthusiasm.

To record her new album entitled 'HAZ', La Yegros has put her faith in the same team that has worked with her since Viene de Mí. On one hand, producer Gaby Kerpel (also known as King Coya), a pioneer of synthetic experimentation applied to traditional music, who has remained her faithful accomplice for over twenty years. On the other hand, composer Daniel Martín, who knows how to come up with melodies to dream about and hymns to sing along to. Inseparable and complementary, the trio continues to concoct this mesmerizing mixture where acoustic instruments meet samples and the rolling of machines. But the new productions don't rely on a tried and tested formula. Generally co-produced between France and Argentina, they break away from over-defined genres. La Yegros knits together new rhythms and incorporates sounds that are unheard of in her country, derived from the latest urban trends, as well as echoes of reggae and funk. As for the lyrics, signed alternately by the trio, they are embodied by La Yegros whose charismatic voice questions a period of her life tossed by waves of love and lovelessness, joy and sorrow, euphoria and anguish, indulgence and resentment.

The album is open to a wealth of musical styles. You'll hear funk guitar and Andean flutes, melancholy accordion and rolling drums, Tuareg blues enhanced by brass, house and electro Cumbia loops, and the bassoons of a chamber orchestra. The folklore 2.0 of La Yegros, nourished by its colorful inspiration, at times tender or exalted, has been imagined as a hymn to love and the contradictory feelings that come with it. As always, it has also been conceived with the stage in mind. Hatching in a storm of overturned emotions, the album is all the more explosive for the strength of the live show that accompanies it. In addition to the usual line-up of guitar, accordion and percussion, a musician handles synthesizers and machines to boost the electronic turboshaft. In any case, you can count on the singer to assert her increasingly clear-cut character with each new project. And, above all, she won't give up. L.a Yegros is back and her batteries are fully charged.

Holiday for Skins Vol. 1” by Art Blakey is a fascinating blend of percussion and jazz. Recorded in 1958, the album brings together talents like Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, and the Jazz Messengers. These exotic rhythms explore Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles, delivering a vibrant musical experience. The versatility of percussion and mastery of jazz make this album a true rhythmic celebration, highlighting Art Blakey’s lasting impact in the world of jazz.

"Holiday For Skins Vol. 1" by Art Blakey includes the following tracks: "Lamento Africano" and more.

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series) Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records! Iconic musician and singer Ray Charles' classic 1957 album! Includes the hits "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "Ain't That Love" and "I Got a Woman" 180-gram 45 RPM double LP Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman Pressed at Quality Record Pressings Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing Hybrid Mono SACD Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman Ray Charles' self-titled 1957 album was one of the first handful of LPs issued by Atlantic (and was later retitled Hallelujah I Love Her So). As AllMusic reviewer Bruce Elder notes, the album is weighted about three to one in favor of Charles' own compositions, with the hits "Hallelujah I Love Her So" and the pounding, soaring "Ain't That Love," which opens the LP, its raison d'etre. Charles does just as well with his interpretations of others' work, most notably the ominous, gospel-focused rendition of "Sinner's Prayer" (which offers a virtuoso piano performance, and comes courtesy of the pen of Charles' former mentor Lowell Fulson) and Henry Glover's wrenching ballad "Drown in My Own Tears," which is topped out on each verse by a gorgeous chorus. "Funny (But I Still Love You)" offers a guitar break played in such an understated fashion that it almost doesn't seem so much a part of R&B as it was usually being offered in 1957 as it does a part of Charles' early career output. The second side of the LP is even better, opening with the title track, a number that is almost too ubiquitous in its various cover versions — the original has a mix of urgency and playfulness that's absolutely bracing, and the album carries this mood forward with "Mess Around," an Ahmet Ertegun-authored piano- and sax-driven romp with Charles at his most ebullient as a singer. "This Little Girl of Mine" offers him in a surprisingly light, almost acrobatic vocal mode, while "Greenbacks" is a knowing, clever cautionary narrative that is almost a throwback to 1940s-style R&B. "Don't You Know" is as salacious a piece of R&B as one was likely to hear in 1957, and "I Got a Woman" closes the record out on a pounding, driving note. All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for you to savor: Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram at Quality Record Pressings and RTI, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

A cycle of songs about dead dogs. Dealing with loss, grief and loneliness, they recount the tales of lost dogs both real, metaphoric and mythic, and use our relationship with and treatment of dogs as a measure of our humanity.

Collaborating as The Unattached on this record are Joad R Wren, sister Gwenifer Raymond, uncle Neil White, and daughter Celia, along with friends Darren Hayman, Ian Button, John McGrath and Holly Rogers.

Joad notes: "The album was written and recorded during the height of the pandemic. I've no idea why it's taken so long to release it. I do know that it's a great pleasure to work – even at a distance – with such talented musicians, with many amazing albums in their back catalogues."

The final song was a surprise – especially to Joad – as Neil wrote it years ago about a forgotten dog, and it fitted beautifully as a coda here.

The songs are at once lush, sensitive, bleak and unflinching - there's a similar feeling to something like Lou Reed's 'Berlin', or the darker moments of Roy Harper. The LP comes in a numbered, hand-printed linocut sleeve with a 20 page booklet of lyrics and art.

The sleeve is a bit special. The oil-based ink used on this hand-printed sleeve may feel sticky to touch, and can potentially transfer to other surfaces. Please handle and store this record carefully.

It's an edition of 100, and because of the hand-printing process each cover is imperfectly unique and uniquely imperfect (and hand numbered).

It’s a family affair. One formed almost thirty years ago, back in the mid-nineties, when the pair joined seminal French jazz combo Olympic Grammofon. For twenty-four years they have worked together as Bumcello, each complementing the other, echoing polar opposites. The Boom in Bumcello is none other than Cyril Atef, incisive drummer, relentlessly pushing beats towards new horizons. The Cello is Vincent Ségal, cellist without blinkers and extraordinary musical alchemist. Since 1999, these two die-hard music fans, coming together for mercurial results, have released one record after the other whilst conquering the hearts of their live audiences, old regulars as well as new recruits. We have all been seduced by the way their music leapfrogs categories - these two experts are much more interested in kindred spirits than pigeonholing, and this very spirit is celebrated on more than one track of this ninth record, whose concept is original to say the least.

Everything began with an idea by Cyril Atef - a soundtrack based upon drawings penned by Marin, Vincent’s son, architect and visual artist. The musicians involved then coached their reaction to these images on a score, and the pair were charged with collating and adjusting the results. These thirteen ink drawings, in a heroic fantasy vein, constituted a matrix which was then to serve as a guide, like a roadmap through a singular and multi-faceted labyrinth. The key to this sonic fresco is in Bumcello’s image – an eclectic aesthetic twinned with a great sense of contrast. Herein lies the trademark of this entity animated by the gift of musical ubiquity, gorged on scales and rhythms, capable of a slap as much as a gentle caress. From classical music to electronics, from improvised music to sophisti-pop, everything is allowed with no preconceived ideas. They can even reclaim the traditions of others, all the better to propel them towards new horizons - this is how the very history of music has always panned out.

If you listen between the lines and look at the details, more than one piece bears witness to the moments and individuals that have impacted the criss-crossing lives of Vincent and Cyril. The track Crash is the perfect excuse to create a Jamaican-style jam with New York inflections, and we can see, in capital letters, the name Hilaire Penda, playing alongside Bumcello at the Apollo Theater in the associated drawing. This bass player from Cameroon, who died on 5th November 2018, was more than just a friend for the two Frenchmen. He was one of the family. Similarly, they give a nod to another Cameroonian, and another departed friend - singer of rock band les Têtes brûlées, Zanzibar, through the vocals of fellow countryman Zanzi. The ghost of Rémi Kolpa Kopul, emblematic voice of Radio Nova, haunts the margins of Spark Av, in a vocal sample with a smattering of effects. As for I Remember Tim, it directly honours the memory of Timothy Jerome Parker, aka The Gift Of Gab, another friend who left us in 2021. Tim is depicted in a drawing with the docks of Oakland in the background, and it’s his alter ego within Blackalicious, Chief Xcel, who remotely added his signature to the track, notably by adding the words of Lateef The Truthspeaker to brass and woodwind sounds.

These are the only additions to Bumcello’s original nucleus, all the better to create a genuine musical concoction where Vincent Taurelle is in charge of production and mixing sessions recorded live and direct. He is also invited for a twinkle on the keys (piano, synths, Wurlitzer, organ), on a handful of tracks. Already at the commands of previous opus Monster Talk, always taking care over the slightest detail, the one that makes all the difference, this pianist is now also part of the family. “Everything he brings is perfect, whether added though slight touches or through very important choices”, say the two members of a combo which today, appears to us under the guise of a trio, adding an extra dimension to a far-reaching mix, in the image of the veiled or more explicit tributes making up the cornerstones of this release.

Booker, a drawing where we see the musicians enter a club, honours James Booker, great pianist from New Orleans who has always fascinated Vincent, in a genre that is off-beat and gender defying. Her Story was created by Cyril in support of the Iranian women’s movement. Aysyen Kampe evokes, even in the original drawing, a tradition that remains impactful for Bumcello – Haitian mysticism, and Ouï Khouïette Ouï conjures up the beats of the Allaoui, a war dance from Western Algeria, one they have taken part in in the past with the help of Cheikha Rabia. They deliver a metal version, original and surprising, especially as Marin Ségal’s drawing features the Nicholas Brothers, those iconic dancers of the 30s jazz scene!

Resolutely hard to pin down, Bumcello’s beats can initially take on the structure of disjointed house, though Sangre begins like a film soundtrack, “in a Mexican style” adds Vincent, who was at the origin of this track. A delicate alap on the cello can open up onto afrobeat rhythms, a well-pitched voice can enchant, like on the amazing The City Has Eyes which has everything of a hummable pop hit. Emblematic of this manner of encompassing all music without being exclusive, Le Grand Sommeil, a direct reference to the Howard Hawks movie inspired by Raymond Chandler, a precursor of David Lynch, begins nice and smooth but ends on a wild tempo, on a drum’n’bass tip, as in the good old days of Cithéa, when this Party story began in the other century.

J. Robbins on Basilisk:
2020 gave us the pandemic, which despite all its awfulness also gave me a lot of opportunities to write and demo music - but everyone was terrified to get into the same room together to play. Finally, around February of 2021, I called up Brooks Harlan and Darren Zentek and asked if they would be down to meet me at the studio and do a 2-day session and see how it turns out. Brooks and Darren were into the idea - we were all in full cabin fever mode at that point and dying to do anything - so I sent them the demos and we did it. The musical connection had always already been there, but the energy that came from all being in the same room doing this together - something we had just spent a year wondering if we’d ever get to do again - was wonderful. It felt like having been lost in the desert, and then finding an oasis. I’ve never been so happy with a session - both the results and the experience, and the outcome was exactly what I had wanted: something more stripped down and very immediate.

We were all fired up and we did a second session in March 2022. In the interim I enlisted some collaborators:Gordon Withers to add cello and second guitar to a few songs, Janet Morgan and her two sisters to sing some harmonies, Dave Hadley to play pedal steel on “Not The End,” and Chicago punk legend John Haggerty to add an actual blazing guitar solo to the song "Exquisite Corpse." And I went on working on vocals and overdubs at home. The lyrics were (as always) somewhat therapeutical: “Automaticity” came out of thoughts on aging and remaining present in a world increasingly going on auto-pilot; “Last War” and “Dead Eyed God” work out fears prompted by January 6th and the rise of neo-fascism. More personal matters were trying to work themselves out as well. Recurring childhood dreams ("Deception Island"), surrealist games ("Exquisite Corpse"), and trephination guru Amanda Feilding ("Open Mind") were also in the mix.

Another result of pandemic isolation was that I had also been working on more abstract, electronic based music(inspired by my love of film soundtracks, Peter Gabriel’s music, and by studio work I had done not long ago with the band Locrian), using granular synthesis, sampling, and software synths. So as Basilisk came together, I wanted to see if I could pull those sounds into the flow of the record, open up its vocabulary a little and still make something cohesive. Connection has always been the whole point of music making for me. There are so many ways to come at it, and i don't want to close any of those doors. Going forward, I only want to open more of them.

For their first album, Seth Troxler and Phil Moffa joined forces and became multidimensional creative dissidents Lost Souls Of Saturn. This time, even further into the vortex, they’ve metamorphosed into sci-fi AR comic characters John and Frank who’ve explored the galaxy and returned with this perception-melting new LP.

Although ‘Reality’ still possesses the wigged-out conceptual brilliance which garnered installations and performances at Saatchi Gallery (London), Fondation Beyeler (Basel), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, plus live sets at Field Day, Glastonbury and Kappa Futur, as its title might suggest, there’s vividness amidst the mind-bending. Where its predecessor was a murky exploration of weird and dark cerebral passageways, this album – though still fathoms deep – has a dazzling clarity of sound, as if listeners are beginning to crack the arcane codes, and reach for enlightenment.

A prime example of these newfound beams of light guiding participants through the maze is their recent single; the chugging cosmic techno synth pop of ‘Mirage’, featuring the voice of Adam Ohr. Also guesting on the album is Lvv Gvn, whose honeyed Billie-Holiday-meets-Rickie-Lee-Jones tones adorn the tranquil pixelated broken beat of ‘Click’, Greg Paulus’s trumpet sessions on ‘Zorg Arrival’ and ‘Scram City’, and Protomartyr’s vocalist Joe Casey and guitarist Greg Ahee, who grace the liminal drifting celestial plane of ‘Lilac Chasers’. Sitarist Rishab Sharma, the last disciple of guru Ravi Shankar, also shreds on ‘Scram City’.

Elsewhere, across the LP’s immensely inventive instrumental passages techno, dub, house, jazz, psych and ambient are vapourised into an expansive yet pleasingly concise series of morphing dream states. Fans of Air Liquide, Ravi Shankar, Ray Manzarek, Carl Craig, Pole, The Orb and ‘Son Of A Lung’ era FSOL should find much to like.

Skydaddy, the moniker of London based musician and bandleader Rachid Fakhre, has announced his debut EP, Pilot, releasing on the 2 February 2024. Alongside this announcement, Skydaddy has shared a new single ‘His Masterpiece’

Having spent the last few years writing and producing as one half of the acclaimed musical duo Spang Sisters, Skydaddy’s debut EP Pilot promises to be a ray of light bursting out from an increasingly busy London indie scene. Combining cello, violin, flute, piano and intricate vocal harmonies, Skydaddy cuts an utterly compelling figure, leading a fluid and interchangeable band, at its largest 7 people strong, they delicately glide through intricate passages of chamber-folk-rock, into swelling orchestral crescendos.

Released today is new single ‘His Masterpiece’ a piano driven track bristling with both a sense of hope and of melancholy. Skydaddy’s vocals sit alongside ear worm hooks from violins and flute. Following on from debut single ‘That Morning’ (also on upcoming EP Pilot) Skydaddy manages to capture a sound of yearning and nostalgia, whilst still sounding completely fresh and incredibly exciting. Offering insight on the inspiration on the track, he offers:

“Inspired by the story of Claude Lantier from Emilie Zola’s L'Œuvre (Commonly translated to ‘His Masterpiece’), the song charts the plight of an early impressionist painter in Paris whose works are unappreciated and gawked at by the Parisian artistic elite who are still tethered to the Romantic trend in painting. Lantier (whose character is based on Paul Cézanne) becomes madly obsessed in a painting which he believes to be his masterpiece and the ultimate demonstration of his talent and genius; an obsession which leads to his eventual, self-inflicted demise. The song is ultimately about alienation, bitterness and the struggle of creativity.”

Drummer Artimus Pyle — currently the oldest remaining member of the Lynyrd Skynyrd legacy — is releasing “Anthems: Honoring The Music of Lynyrd Skynyrd,” a 13-track album, on Feb. 2, 2024. It intends to celebrate the memory of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band that, with Gary Rossington’s passing in March 2023, lost all of its original members.

The Get Joe Records studio album will be distributed by Suburban and entirely comprised of duets between the Artimus Pyle Band and acts including Billy Ray Cyrus, Ronnie Dunn, Sammy Hagar and Dolly Parton. “This project has been a year in the making, but when the
fans hear it they will understand why it took so long.” Artimus is legendary within the Southern Rock space. The music that Lynyrd Skynyrd made will always live as a part of rock history. This album honors that music and give Artimus a way to honor his former bandmates.

Enigmatic Society is the next offering from the multi-faceted, Grammy-nominated supergroup Dinner Party. Full of opulently intricate instrumentation and a range of sleek R&B to smooth neo-soul vocals, Enigmatic Society is mesmerizing in its entirety.

The album features brilliant performances from the debut Dinner Party crew: Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder, with additional help vocalists Phoelix, Arin Ray, Ant Clemons, Tank and producers Sounwave, Hi-Tek and Trevor Lawrence Jr. Enigmatic Society serves as a follow up to the group’s 2020 debut self-titled album and continues as a celebration of Black joy, life, art, and culture, as it pays tribute to the duality that manifests in both the beauty and adversity in Black America. This deep sense of community and family flows throughout the project with the album’s artwork designed by Kamasi Washington’s sister, artist Amani Washington.

Music On Hold's second album raises to its climax an altogether well-cultivated ambiguity between new ambitions and the waiting posture of a band which has never lived up to its name so well. Produced in a cellar in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, supported by Ray Jane and "surrounded by a group of people who manage to concentrate on something for more than 15 minutes", "MOH4Ever" is one of the most personal things that Emile Cartron-Eldin delivers today, "from the salt-dough workshops in kindergarten". Opening, "His Master Voice" transforms the tribute to a recently deceased loved one into a sad clown's dancing homily. With no surprise follows "Wander" and roaming in a Paris traveled up and down at least ten thousand times already. "Music On Hold 4 Ever" then releases the title of this album in a cry accompanied by an invitation to "unplug" his singer. We hear a bit of the group's very first single, "Bread", taken through the prism of Beck's "Up all night". "Citadel", 6'30" end of side A, loudly proclaims as a chain-breaking the nostalgia of truant school and a desire not to die (at least not like Darby Crash). Mixed in - like this entire album - are the versatile ingenuity of LCD Soundsystem and Gorillaz with Italo-disco arrangements from Roberto Zanetti (aka Savage). With "Over", "Home", "Taming a Tiger" and "Last Laugh", side B prolongs the tightrope walker's delirium by summoning in no specific order, memories in Vienna, resumption of excessive consumption, the fact that "the director of the US Federal Reserve is a real fake-ass" and the cynical humo(u)rous swings of a guy overwhelmed by them in an everlasting after-party. From the first LP, "30 Minutes Of..." and its already delayed release, its chopped tour, "Music On Hold 4 Ever" digs a refined pop, no longer as "solar" as some could have described it when everything seemed to be going quickly. Retaining a semblance of immediacy, the 8 pieces of this second album open up new perspectives with their elegant sophistication, in a quite French and truly original touch of DIY and experimentation that the group can pride themselves on. " I'm twenty-nine, and i don't wanna die ".

Repress!

On 22nd October, the Nottingham-raised and highly-praised musician/DJ/producer Matt Cutler, AKA Lone, presents his 8th album – and first in 5 years – ‘Always Inside Your Head’. It marks two major changes, with both a new label and new approach – featuring vocalists for the first time.

This deeply textural and ethereal artwork is situated high above the clouds, amidst the heavens, occupying a stratospheric state where swathes of synthesized vapour and azure rays sound like a literal breath of fresh air.

A varied selection of music influenced the record, but two main influences were Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine. “I wanted to approach a range of different styles, but attack them from their angle in a way, so for example on 'Inlove2' I tried to imagine what a Balearic / acid house tune might sound like if it were produced by Kevin Shields”, comments Lone.

Another key example of Cutler’s strange but successful combination of elements is the halcyon bliss of ‘Echo Paths’, where his trademark fat drums and love for hip hop meet double-time pan pipes, dub effects and dream pop, mixed into a wonderfully lysergic concoction.

This rarefied auditory stratus was previously evident in tracks like ‘Alpha Wheel 4 (Ambient Mix)’ from ‘DJ Kicks’, ‘Under Cherry Blossoms (Minds Eye Reprise)’ from ‘Ambivert Tools, Vol. 2’, ‘Pulsar’ (from ‘Ambivert 4’), and ‘How Can You Tell’ (from ‘Abraxas’), but is now more fully-fledged, broader in scope and even more celestial.

In addition to the above, the LP exists somewhere between trip hop on Mo' Wax, 90s Warp, intelligent drum & bass and ambient house. There are heavier forays too, like ‘Mouth Of God’, where darker clouds emerge, but are pierced like acid lightning with fierce, tearing tech-step bass.

Although still firmly rooted in club culture – here Lone shows a definite leaning towards a song-based sound, with several tracks edging towards the same crossover space as the nineties hits which also inspired him – particularly William Orbit’s production on Madonna's 'Frozen', and Olive's 'You're Not Alone'. This is especially evident on the bright, spacious brilliance of 'Hidden By Horizons', where vocals and synths swirl around one another, with crisp breakbeats and reggae rolls pushing purposefully through the ether.

Despite initially seeming almost entirely sunny of disposition, upon deeper immersion there’s lot more beneath the album’s surface, both in its deep pools of immiscible layered elements, and also thematically. When recording Cutler kept in mind a loose narrative based on birth, death, and our existence in-between.

He then extended this idea to reach what may happen after death, which is reflected in the sequencing: By penultimate track ‘Undaunted’ the life reflected in this longplayer has come to an end, which is then followed by 'Coming In To Being And Passing Away' – an afterlife epilogue, which evokes a transition from this world to the next.

As well as having many literal and metaphoric messages running throughout the record - a theme that Jonny wanted to emphasise is learning to realise what you have rather than do not. On this note, the music was written and recorded with many close friends of his and is a celebration of what can be achieved through collaboration. Some of the wonderful names on the record include Jamie Lawson, Tom Bright, Eve Lesedi, Bailey Tzuke, Holly Carter (AMA UK Instrumentalist of the year), Joe Coombs, Roisin Mcneil, Liam Bauman & Taylor Raynor. Available as a vinyl LP and digital formats

With 2 solo albums («Digital Pixel » in 2016 and « Bass Attack » in 2018 ), a dozen of EPs and more than 800 shows performed all over the globe, the most international French beatmaker in the world of Reggae is back on November 2023 with his brand new album « Step Up », in which he pushes further the fusion between Reggae and Bass Music. With « Step Up » Manudigital made his music evolves toward more electronic and hybrid productions. He navigates between musical genres like no one does, inviting guests from all over the world. Armed with his bass, MPC and synthesiser, Manudigital surrounded himself with no less than 17 hand-picked artists to make his productions their own. « (…) I was already working on my upcoming album and I thought I would keep this small Reggae loop to take it to another style, fully electronic which has given my new album’s DNA » - Manudigital about the track « Step Up » The album opens with the eponymous explosive track « Step Up » featuring veteran Jamaican deejay Joseph Cotton and British Drum & Bass MC Bellyman, author of the successful YouTube video series « Carz Barz ». Among the artists of the British underground musical scene, Reggae/Soul genius Liam Bailey has been invited on the Pop-infused Digital Reggae track « Enough » which will delight the lovers of soulful Reggae. Manudigital also reminds us Reggae has always be his first love and, after having produced Alborosie and Protoje’s hit « Strolling » a few years ago, he proposed the Sicilian MC to collaborate with Jamaican artist Yami Bolo on the track « Reggae Music and Love ». A big tune built upon a classic digital riddim in the Jamaican way, a catchy chorus carried by the high voice of Yami Bolo and the legendary flow of Alborosie of the verses. Cult band Asian Dub Foundation’s singer Ghetto Priest takes also part of the project with « Rasta Corner », MC Caporal Negus joins Manudigital on « Dub and Bass » and on tour, and Jolly Joseph sings on « The world is Hell » for the Reggae Dub tracks of the album. In terms of surprises, Manudigital takes pleasure in inviting benchmark artists in each musical genres, walking through Lo Fi Hip-Hop’s path with the Dancehall President aka Skarra Mucci on « Fi Di Youths », Baile Funk with Punjabi-American rapper Alo Wala and their song « Love on Tap » or even Afrobeat with Dynamq for the last song « Piki Piki ». Finally, whereas Manudigital will soon celebrate his career 10th anniversary and as his name resonates in sound systems from all over the world, we appreciate each risk taken and each nod to Reggae Culture, wondering what his next shape will be. First parts of response on November 17, 2023 with the release of

2023 sees the 50th anniversary of what is widely regarded as Thin Lizzy’s breakthrough album ‘Vagabonds Of The Western World’ featuring their first UK top ten single ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ and ‘The Rocker’ which would go on to be one of the band’s signature tunes, so much so that it was the last song they ever performed at their final show in 1983. To celebrate the album’s golden anniversary, deluxe CD and LP sets featuring rarities, radio sessions, unreleased music, rare photos, extensive sleevenotes by Mark Blake, and memorabilia will be released on 17th November. Available as a Deluxe 4LP boxset, 2LP coloured LP and the Blu ray formats feature for the frst time Atmos mixes.

2023 sees the 50th anniversary of what is widely regarded as Thin Lizzy’s breakthrough album ‘Vagabonds Of The Western World’ featuring their first UK top ten single ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ and ‘The Rocker’ which would go on to be one of the band’s signature tunes, so much so that it was the last song they ever performed at their final show in 1983. To celebrate the album’s golden anniversary, deluxe CD and LP sets featuring rarities, radio sessions, unreleased music, rare photos, extensive sleevenotes by Mark Blake, and memorabilia will be released on 17th November. Available as a Deluxe 4LP boxset, 2LP coloured LP and the Blu ray formats feature for the frst time Atmos mixes.

First pressing of this album on White vinyl is now completely sold out via the band's wonderful fanbase. This Red Vinyl version is the first to receive a fully official commercial release.

To celebrate Ruts DC will be playing a headline tour across the UK between May 10th and 28th 2023.

'A resolute return to form, angry and articulate but without exploiting past glories.' Classic Rock
'Ruts DC continue to forge their own path, Counterculture is the natural progression from Music Must Destroy – the strength in the lyrics, the subtlety of the arrangements; Ruts DC remain a force to be reckoned with.' Louder Than War
'Drums and Bass building the defence wall. Guitar and whatever else lobbed in stun/attack mode. That is Ruts DC. That is all you really need to know.' Vive Le Rock

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson lebt in seiner Heimatstadt Los Angeles und ist einer der herausragenden Musiker, Orchestratoren, Arrangeure und Komponisten unserer Zeit. „Les Jardins Mystiques Vol.1“ ist sein lang erwartetes Debütalbum. Es präsentiert uns eine leidenschaftliche Liebeserklärung und ein Reich der schönen Möglichkeiten.

Es gibt eine Fülle von Möglichkeiten, sich Miguel Atwood-Fergusons Musik zu nähern - und es gibt keine Grenzen, wohin sie jemanden führen könnte. Als Komponist, Arrangeur, Multiinstrumentalist und Produzent hat er an mehr als 600 Alben und Soundtracks für genreübergreifende Künstler:innen gearbeitet, darunter Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Anderson .Paak, Mary J. Blige oder Seu Jorge. Seine Klangpalette umfasst Jazz, Klassik, Hiphop, Electronica, Avantgarde, Pop und vieles mehr. Zu seinen gefeierten Live- und Aufnahmeprojekten gehören die innovative orchestrale Neuinterpretation des Repertoires von J Dilla, „Suite For Ma Dukes“ (2009), seine produktiven Werke mit seinem langjährigen Freund und Kollaborateur Carlos Niño, darunter das improvisierte Album, „Chicago Waves“ (2020), auf International Anthem, und seine Gruppen wie das Quartetto Fantastico und das Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble. „Les Jardins Mystiques“ ist ein Projekt, das Miguel Atwood-Fergusons musikalisches Universum offenlegt und mit anderen teilt. Es hat sich über ein Dutzend Jahre hinweg entwickelt, wurde größtenteils von ihm selbst finanziert und zeigt seine ausgesprochen elegante Musikalität (u. a. auf Geige, Bratsche, Cello und Keyboards) sowie seine freigeistigen Dialoge mit mehr als 50 Instrumentalist:innen. ‚Volume 1‘ ist hierbei bloß der erste Teil eines geplanten Triptychons, das insgesamt ganze zehneinhalb Stunden origineller und erfrischend ausladender Musik umfassen wird. Atwood-Ferguson verband sich mit seinen Gastmusiker:innen auf vielfältige Weise: durch gesellige Studiodialoge, durch Fernkommunikation während der Pandemie und durch die Energie von Live-Auftritten in seiner Heimatstadt, darunter im Del Monte Speakeasy (das herrlich belebende, von einem Klavier begleitete „Dream Dance“) und im Bluewhale (u. a. „Ano Yo“ mit dem temperamentvollen Alt-Saxophon von Devin Daniels und den kosmischen Harmonien von „Cho Oyu“). Bennie Maupin, der legendäre US-Multi-Blasinstrumentalist, zu dessen Repertoire auch Miles Davis' Fusion-Opus „Bitches Brew“ gehört, spielt Bassklarinette auf der hinreißenden Eröffnungsnummer „Kiseki“. Im Laufe seiner illustren Karriere hat Miguel Atwood-Ferguson mit Künstler:innen wie Rihanna, Ray Charles, Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, Anderson .Paak, Dr. Dre, Kamasi Washington, Mary J. Blige, will.i. am, Big Boi, Arthur Verocai, Bonobo, Lianne La Havas, Kaytranada, Moses Sumney, Seu Jorge, Common, The Roots, The Cinematic Orchestra, Jamael Dean, Shafiq Husayn, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Carlos Niño, Bilal und viele mehr zusammengearbeitet.

Cher celebrates 25 years of "Believe" : On November 3, the Grammy Award-winning masterpiece will be released in a new, expanded " BELIEVE (Deluxe Edition) " that adds a whopping 13 remastered remixes to the mega-seller's original track listing (11 million worldwide!). The deluxe edition will be released in 3LP/2CD/Download & stream formats via Warner Records. "Believe" was an album full of dancefloor perennials - a fact that the assembled remixes in the new mastering underline once again.

"Tee's Radio One Instrumental? & "Ray Roc's Latin Soul Instrumental" from "Dov'e l'Amore?" are included here in one package for the first time, for example, along with remixes of the empowerment anthem "Strong Enough," "All or Nothing," "Dov'è l'amore" and the title track "Believe," a worldwide smash hit that sold over 10 million copies and reached #1 in 23 countries, including Germany, where it now has 5x gold status.

Cher is one of the most successful artists in history, selling over 100 million records during her unparalleled career. To date, she is the only artist:in to record a #1 single on the Billboard charts in six consecutive decades.

The first Latin soul collection featuring a mix of chart-topping hits and deeper cuts from the crown jewel of the mambo era Tico Records, celebrating the iconic imprint’s 75th Anniversary. The 2-LP set includes 26 tracks from trailblazers Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, La Lupe, Willie Bobo and more. New liner notes by DJ Dean Rudland that tell the story of the New York City label that launched the careers of some of the most revered names in Latin music.

Enigmatic Society is the next offering from the multi-faceted, Grammy-nominated supergroup Dinner Party. Full of opulently intricate instrumentation and a range of sleek R&B to smooth neo-soul vocals, Enigmatic Society is mesmerizing in its entirety. The album features brilliant performances from the debut Dinner Party crew: Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder, with additional help vocalists Phoelix, Arin Ray, Ant Clemons, Tank and producers Sounwave, Hi-Tek and Trevor Lawrence Jr. Enigmatic Society serves as a follow up to the group’s 2020 debut self-titled album and continues as a celebration of Black joy, life, art, and culture, as it pays tribute to the duality that manifests in both the beauty and adversity in Black America. This deep sense of community and family flows throughout the project with the album’s artwork designed by Kamasi Washington’s sister, artist Amani Washington.

Celebrating his 70th year in show business, Pat Boone, legendary singer, actor, songwriter, and author is reconnecting with his Nashville roots with a milestone country music project, Country Jubilee

Included in the 25 tracks are 5 Pat Boone Top 100 Country recordings, Boone's recordings of classic hits by Country legends, plus a new recording of the classic duet and Billboard #1 'You and I' (with featured guest artist Crystal Gayle), and Pat's new song, 'Grits' (with featured guest artists Ray Stevens, The Gatlin Brothers, Lorrie Morgan, Deborah Allen and Dean Miller), tailor-made for the line dancing crowd.

The Commemorative Edition 2CD format includes a 56- page booklet with 'The Story Behind the Song' (compiled by hit Country songwriter Frank Myers), 'I Remember Red' (influence of father-in-law and Country music pioneer and Grand Ole Opry co- founder Red Foley), lyrics, and archival and behind- the- scenes photographs.

Skarra Mucci is a Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall artist born in Kingston. Known as the "Dancehall President", his career counts 7 solo albums, including the essential "Return of the Raggamuffin" (2012) and countless classics and cult collaborations, such as the hit "My Sound" from the album "Greater Than Great" (2014) which exceeds 15 million cumulative Spotify and YouTube streams and the critically acclaimed album "Dancehall President" (2016) with its tour of more than 100 dates around the world, from Mexico to China.

5 years after the release of "Skarra Mucci & The One Love Family" (2018), this essential figure of Jamaican music, with his versatile flow and recognizable voice, announces a new studio album with multiple influences "Perfect Timing", which is scheduled for release on September 29, 2023.

The album opens with a hybrid roots-tinged hip hop riddim. Brass and percussion resonate throughout the track as Skarra Mucci gives way to a mesmerizing voice sample that gives the track “Here I Come” all its depth.

An introduction that sets the tone for an album tinged with a mix of genres by Skarra Mucci and his team of top producers brought together by Undisputed Records. "Perfect Timing" is indeed an ode to Reggae of all eras, full of nods to the Sound System culture, from its beginnings to the present day. From the choice of the featurings to that of the producers, nothing is left to chance to offer us a journey through the highlights of this rich culture which has never ceased to evolve, without any period being left behind.

For his 1st single, it is with a major player in the current Reggae scene that Skarra Mucci has chosen to announce the release of his 8th solo album by inviting the Martiniquais Yaniss Odua on the title "Roots Rock Reggae".

Accustomed to albums teeming with successful collaborations, "Perfect Timing" is obviously no exception to the rule. We find in particular on the title "Street Dance" the essential French producers of L'Entourloop, with whom he released the very successful EP "Golden Nuggets" (2019, 6 titles, 17M cumulative streams Spotify and YouTube) to drop once again a banger between Hip-Hop and Dancehall in line with their huge 2013 hit “Dreader Than Dread” (38M combined Spotify and YouTube streams).

Jamaican legend Johnny Osbourne also takes part in the celebration for a version of his classic of the digital era "What A La La", with Skarra Mucci on the Stalag riddim replayed for the occasion by the beatmaker specialist in the matter: Manudigital.

Skarra Mucci continues his exploration of various styles and influences with the very groovy "Dancehall", produced by the musicians of Dub Akom, in which he lets us perceive all his class and his swing. We also find the massive “Who Fool Them”, a UK stepper track produced by Evidence Music, but also the future Dancehall classic “Rappa Pam Pam”, or the huge “Misty Babylon” in a much more Roots register.

The album "Perfect Timing" ends with the eponymous title, on a riddim and Lovers Rock melodies carried by a joyful piano and a groovy bass. A finale in the form of a declaration of love for Reggae, this music which gave him so much and to which he gave everything.

See you on September 29, 2023 to discover "Perfect Timing", Skarra Mucci's new album.

The lost Belgian blueprint of Brussels based jazz fusion and how free form Franco-Flemish punk put Zeuhl school in the Classroom via to the conception of COS.

Emerging from behind the same clouds that kept formative Belgian progressive jazz records like Brussels Art Quintet and Kiosk’s Mona Call in tangible obscurity, these impossibly rare early Euro jazz recordings shed a new ray of light on the intricate foundations of the scene that elevated COS, Marc Moulin, Placebo, Marc Hollander and Telex to Zen master status, while also capturing one of Europe’s best female vocal artists in the midst of her wide eyed and uninhibited prime.

Never before released on vinyl, these tracks provide us with a sonic chalkboard of Daniel Schell’s ambitious musical equations, recalculated by precocious polymaths, then conveyed via Pascale Son’s inquisitive child-like vocal explorations. For those keen to learn the Histoire De Melody COS? The classroom door is open - prepare to be schooled!

A month after the release of his debut album as Tambores En Benirras, 2021’s fabulous Orbe Dotodo, Graham Newby’s life changed forever. After years living with a visual impairment, his sight had deteriorated so much that he was declared “registered blind”. For a man who had spent decades dividing his time between travelling, DJing, running clubs and lengthy sessions in his own studio, it was a genuinely life-changing moment.

It was against this backdrop, and the need to alter his working methods, that Ondas Horizontales, the second Tambores En Benirras album took shape. Inspired by a mixture of daydreaming, visualisation, immersion in other people’s music (escapism that provided mood enhancement, rather than a specific set of ideas) and long periods spent soaking up the sun in Ibiza, the album is the most vividly detailed, sonically colourful, and sun-soaked collection that Newby has released to date.

Newby’s declining sight forced him to stop spending long spells staring at a screen and undoubtedly slowed down the production process. Yet it also allowed him to reconnect with his emotions, appreciate the storytelling and mood-shifting potential of music, and mine mind’s eye memories of places and spaces that have meant much to him over the years.

The results are undeniably stunning. Designed with horizontal listening in mind, the set distils a range of musical and real-life inspirations –or, as he puts it, “ambient soundtracks, cosmic journeys, Balearic rhythms and poolside sessions” – into ten mesmerising and magical tracks; an undulating, slow-motion journey that’s as breath-taking as it is beguiling.

Newby sets the tone with ‘Mi Sueno Vibe En Reverb’, a swelling, slow-burn ambient masterpiece that tiptoes between hope and melancholia, before flitting between imaginary sunset soundtracks (‘Estrellas En Mastella’, where lilting pedal steel sounds, bubbling electronics and shuffling breakbeats catch the ear), kaleidoscopic sun-up beats (the gorgeous warmth of ‘Generadora De Reyos’), enveloping beatless soundscapes (‘Templos Del Sol’, a drowsy drift in becalmed waters under the heat of the mid-afternoon sun), and dubby, loved-up lusciousness (‘Mokono’).

As the album progresses, bobbing and weaving on an ocean of vibrant chords, pulsing melodies and heart-stopping melodies, there’s no sign of Newby’s inspiration waving. ‘Alma Hablando’ channels the spirit of mid-80s ‘worldbeat’ and douses it in layers of Balearic bliss, while ‘Extrensor Entragado’ recalls the head-nodding haziness of his best Gripper productions of old while combining them with the musical equivalent of a humid summer breeze. Then there’s the mood-enhancing joy of the album’s superb title track –a mission statement of sorts – and the life-affirming post trip-hop/Balearic fusion of ‘Un Placer Celestial (Reprise)’, where the influence of his old friend Aim is clearly evident.

A serious sonic step-up from its predecessor and a future Balearic classic in its’ own right, Ondas Horizontales marks the start of a new musical and personal journey for its creator. It is, in his words, not the end of an era, but the start of a new one.

Legendary guitarist Steve Hackett presents his brand new live audio/visual extravaganza, with the release of ‘Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton’. Filmed & recorded live on his 2022 UK tour, in the coastal city of Brighton, this release documents Steve and his band celebrating the 50th anniversary of the much-loved Genesis album ‘Foxtrot’. Played in full, this album features fan favourites including ‘Watcher Of The Skies’ and ‘Supper’s Ready’. The show also features a set of Hackett solo material, including ‘The Devil’s Cathedral’ from his latest studio album ‘Surrender of Silence’, and the powerful ‘Ace of Wands’. Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge & mastered by Ten Jensen at Sterling Sound. Available on Ltd 2CD+Blu-ray & Ltd 2CD+2DVD, both including the full show (in 5.1 surround sound) as well as behind the scenes interviews. Also available as a Ltd 180g 4LP edition featuring individual printed disco-bags inside a slipcase.

Der legendäre Gitarrist Steve Hackett präsentiert sein brandneues audio-visuelles Live-Spektakel mit der Veröffentlichung von "Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton". Gefilmt und live aufgenommen auf seiner 2022 UK-Tournee in der Küstenstadt Brighton, dokumentiert diese Veröffentlichung Steve und seine Band bei der Feier des 50-jährigen Jubiläums des beliebten Genesis-Albums "Foxtrot". Auf diesem Album sind Fan-Lieblinge wie "Watcher Of The Skies" und "Supper's Ready" zu hören. Die Show enthält auch ein Set mit Hackett-Solomaterial, darunter 'The Devil's Cathedral' von seinem letzten Studioalbum 'Surrender of Silence' und das kraftvolle 'Ace of Wands'. Gemischt von Chris Lord-Alge und gemastert von Ten Jensen bei Sterling Sound.Erhältlich auf Ltd 2CD+Blu-ray & Ltd 2CD+2DVD, beide mit der kompletten Show (in 5.1 Surround Sound) sowie Interviews hinter den Kulissen. Auch erhältlich als limitierte 180g 4LP Edition mit individuell bedruckten Disco-Bags im Schuber.

Legendary guitarist Steve Hackett presents his brand new live audio/visual extravaganza, with the release of ‘Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton’. Filmed & recorded live on his 2022 UK tour, in the coastal city of Brighton, this release documents Steve and his band celebrating the 50th anniversary of the much-loved Genesis album ‘Foxtrot’. Played in full, this album features fan favourites including ‘Watcher Of The Skies’ and ‘Supper’s Ready’. The show also features a set of Hackett solo material, including ‘The Devil’s Cathedral’ from his latest studio album ‘Surrender of Silence’, and the powerful ‘Ace of Wands’. Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge & mastered by Ten Jensen at Sterling Sound. Available on Ltd 2CD+Blu-ray & Ltd 2CD+2DVD, both including the full show (in 5.1 surround sound) as well as behind the scenes interviews. Also available as a Ltd 180g 4LP edition featuring individual printed disco-bags inside a slipcase.

Der legendäre Gitarrist Steve Hackett präsentiert sein brandneues audio-visuelles Live-Spektakel mit der Veröffentlichung von "Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton". Gefilmt und live aufgenommen auf seiner 2022 UK-Tournee in der Küstenstadt Brighton, dokumentiert diese Veröffentlichung Steve und seine Band bei der Feier des 50-jährigen Jubiläums des beliebten Genesis-Albums "Foxtrot". Auf diesem Album sind Fan-Lieblinge wie "Watcher Of The Skies" und "Supper's Ready" zu hören. Die Show enthält auch ein Set mit Hackett-Solomaterial, darunter 'The Devil's Cathedral' von seinem letzten Studioalbum 'Surrender of Silence' und das kraftvolle 'Ace of Wands'. Gemischt von Chris Lord-Alge und gemastert von Ten Jensen bei Sterling Sound.Erhältlich auf Ltd 2CD+Blu-ray & Ltd 2CD+2DVD, beide mit der kompletten Show (in 5.1 Surround Sound) sowie Interviews hinter den Kulissen. Auch erhältlich als limitierte 180g 4LP Edition mit individuell bedruckten Disco-Bags im Schuber.

One of the inventors of the modern bebop style of drumming, Blakey is known as a powerful musician and a vital groover; his brand of bluesy, funky hard bop was and continues to be profoundly influential on mainstream jazz.

For more than 30 years his band, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers included many young musicians who went on to become prominent names in jazz. Recorded in 1956, Art Blakey's Drum Suite is a wonderful hybrid of African, Latin, and hard bop rhythms that prefigures the concept of Afro-beat by at least a decade. The sheer energy, not to mention its very special and fresh-sounding intimacy, make it especially astounding.

Even more amazing is that the three parts of the suite -- Blakey's "The Sacrifice," Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant," and Oscar Pettiford's "Oscalypso" -- were recorded straight through live, and were only intended to be a pre-take run-through. As is obvious here, Blakey and company nailed the whole thing right out of the box.

Groundbreaking for its time, and still sounding vital, powerful, and visionary, the Drum Suite album is somewhat of a lost masterpiece that deserves a fresh audience.

"Art Blakey's first release for Columbia Records is essentially two records. Side one is a percussion ensemble playing what would, ten years later, be called Afro-Cuban drumming. Side two is the mid-fifties version of the Jazz Messengers featuring Jackie McLean on saxophone. Side one features Blakey, Jo Jones and Charles Wright on drums, Candido and Sabu on bongos, and Oscar Pettiford and bass and cello. The group plays three compositions, one by Blakey, one by Pettiford and one by Ray Bryant, fusing African, Cuban, and calypso percussion into a well-integrated suite.

"The group recorded a run through and it was so perfectly executed that they used the practice run for the release, unedited except to add some Swahili chants by the percussionists during a few passages. One cannot help but think of Olantunji's Drums of Passion, another Afro drumming landmark, here. Blakey's drum suite was recorded at Columbia's 30th Street studios in New York in 1957 and is in mono. The almost stereoscopic image is truly remarkable. Mastered by Kevin Gray and pressed at RTI, Drum Suite is a valuable record of one of the most important figures in jazz history. Recording: 9/10. Music 9/10." - Dennis Davis, Hifi+

"...The three-part suite was laid down in one take with no arrangements, and begins with a few tympani thwacks followed by an African chant. Soon the ensemble kicks in and the group takes off an a sweaty Afro-Cuban-bop journey that will leave you breathless, as the thing crackles with terrific energy. Side Two is more conventional hard bop, but given this group's mastery of if not invention of the style, these tracks are extremely satisfying. Kevin Gray's remastering is detailed and immediate, with plenty of bit and air, if not the widest dynamic range. For anyone interested in percussion of this genre, this is not to be missed." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound

Recorded in the early 2000s, The Sand Dollars' two Tropicália-inspired remakes of classic late 60's nuggets by The Kinks and Donovan are paired together for the first time here on F-Spot Records' new subsidiary label Pangea International Recording Co., which focuses on world and global groove inspired releases, curated by David M Celia and Dan Ubick.

From the vaults of Dan Ubick's Lions Den Studios, we get the crown jewel in Ray Davies' catalog, "Waterloo Sunset" from Something Else by The Kinks, redone as a funky Tropicália-inspired track and re-named "Waterloo Bossa" complete with fuzzy compact organ, bouncy Fender bass, funky drums from Connie Price, a lush horn arrangement by Ubick's former Keystones cohort and trumpeter Todd M. Simon (Dap Kings, El Michels Affair, Macy Gray), string arrangement by mix guru and multi-instrumentalist Steve Kaye (The Lions, Inara George, Hepcat, Marley Bros.) and topped off with stereophonic vocals by jazz chanteuse Gretchen Parlato (Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding, Lionel Loueke).

Side B's "Get Thy Bearings" was initially pressed on Now-Again Records back in 2003 and quickly sampled by Lily Allen on her track "Sunday Morning" due to the raw and heavy drums and Fender bass courtesy of Connie Price and Richard "Doo" Lee along-side inventive horn arrangement by Todd Simon flipping the original on its heady head. Now freshly mastered, this B-side instrumental is available again as the hard-hitting remake of Donovan's classic from 1968's The Hurdy Gurdy Man LP that may inspire you to sample it as Biz Markie did on "I Told You."

Celebrating 10 years at the top of their game, Quantize Recordings unleash a real collectors edition 12'' bringing together four of their biggest tracks to date all of which make their much anticipated debut on vinyl.

Featuring hand-picked, choice cuts from DJ Spen, Michele Chiavarini, Emmaculate, Terry Hunter, Reelsoul, Tasha LaRae & Rona Ray this is a timeless snapshot of Quantize’s undeniable impact on house music to date.

In the words of Bill Brewster - DJ History

‘At the turn of the 1990s, there were few more successful New York house producers than Victor Simonelli. Under a dizzying array of aliases – Solution, NY’s Finest, Groove Committee, Critical Rhythm and Cloud 9 being amongst the better-known – the Brooklyn-born DJ/producer delivered a string of underground club hits during the city’s early ’90s house boom.’

BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release - 2 X 12’s in each Vol

Launching the first Behind The Groove collectors edition vinyl series is New York’s finest Victor Simonelli with ‘The Early Years Vol 1 & 2’ double Vinyl releases. Featuring seminal house tracks such as Cloud 9’s ‘Do You Want Me’, Solution’s ‘Feel So Right’, Instant Exposure’s ‘Wanna Be With You’ and rare mixes of Raiana Page and EZ-AL, this collection brings together classic and rare Victor Simonelli cuts that reflect the early raw energy and buzz of the New York House scene. With ‘Vol 2” scheduled to follow shortly after, this is the most comprehensive collection of rare Simonelli cuts that firmly establishes his esteemed role in 90s House Music as well as introducing new fans to his inimitable sound.

Victor Simonelli is one of the early kings of NYC sampling In house music. The real deal - Victor danced at the legendary David Mancuso’s Loft sessions and developed a serious appreciation for good music. He interned for Arthur Baker at his renown Shakedown Studios (where Arthur worked with the iconic Afrika Bambatta on the seminal dance floor ’Planet Rock’ track) and went on to release hugely influential releases on seminal NYC labels 4th Floor and Nu Groove. Victor’s music was championed by the hugely celebrated iconic House Music DJ pioneers, Larry Levan and Tony Humphries at Paradise Garage & Zanzibar/WBLS/Kiss FM respectively.

Revered as a New York house heavyweight and prolific producer since the turn of the 1990s, Victor Simonelli grew up in Brooklyn, NYC, nurtured by a music loving family, with an avid record collecting father who also worked as a local party DJ. He took music lessons in piano, drums, guitar and bass, before discovering his first love, tuning into NY’s Radio Mix Shows on WBLS, WKTU and WRKS,98.7 Kiss FM) where he discovered the art of mixing and in his own words, ’I just simply got lost in the music’.

Graduating from NYC’s Centre For Media Arts, Victor got an internship in the legendary producer, Arthur Baker’s Shakedown Studios. Soon graduating to editing, mixing and then producing he worked for artists David Bowie, Quincy Jones, Debbie Harry, Sinead O’Connor and Talking Heads. Teaming up with fellow NYC producer Lenny Dee to become the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, they released records ‘Critical Rhythm’ and ‘Subliminal Aurra’ on 4th Floor before Victor went solo as Groove Committee releasing the classic ‘I Want You To Know’ on the legendary Nu Groove Records. Paradise Garage legend, Larry Levan broke ‘I Want You To Know’ rocking 2 copies on his last tour of Japan whilst King of NY House Music,Tony Humphries broke Victor’s new ‘Feels So Right’ across New York on his WBLS/Kiss FM Mastermix show and at his legendary Zanzibar club sessions. It was only a matter of time before Victor’s name became synonymous with quality House music ensuring a worldwide platform for his productions.

In the early 90s alongside his own productions, Victor Simonelli worked on high profile projects, including James Brown’s album, “Love Overdue” BeBe and CeCe Winans single featuring Mavis Staples “I’ll Take You There” and Quincy Jones’ “I’ll Be Good To You” featuring Chaka Khan and the legendary Ray Charles. Never straying too far from his clubland roots, Victor worked with Danny Tenaglia on his classic “The Harmonica Track”.

DJ gigs across the world started flooding in and Victor found himself recording for a dizzying array of labels including Tribal America, Sub-Urban, Bassline, King Street Sounds and Vibe, under a wide range of aliases. He also produced, wrote and remixed for artists such Nile Rodgers (Chic), Afrika Baambata, Hall & Oates, Frankie Knuckles, Kerri Chandler, Madonna and Michael Jackson. Famed for his own productions “It’s So Good” by Creative Force, “I Know A Place” as Sound Of One - the first release on Roger Sanchez One Records -, “Dirty Games” as well as the “Street Players Vol 1 EP”, Victor went on to set up Suburban Records with Tommy Musto and Bassline Records with two other partners. Notable releases on this label include “Do You Feel Me”, Connie Harvey’s gospel inspired, “Thank You Lord”, Urban Blues Project’s “Deliver Me”, Colonel Abrams “Not Gonna Let”, and Mone’s “Better Way”. Never ceasing to produce, DJ, run his own label and host radio shows like Groove Lift, Victor has worked with virtually every NYC producer and has nurtured a next generation talents including Angel Moraes, Jazz ‘N’ Groove, Urban Blues Project, Harlem Hustlers, Jay Jay and Julius Papp. Victor’s releases have also been used on M&S’s “Salsoul Nuggett” hit and Eddie Amador’s underground smash ‘House Music’.

In the late 90’s Victor launched his new Westside Productions, notable for the “Latin Impressions 1 & 2” releases, opened up a studio in Italy as he found himself increasingly working in Europe and now divides his time between New York and Italy. Suffice to say his unique sound of uplifting and spiritual music has kept him at the forefront of House Music and he is credited as one of its leading exponents with his string of classic releases and remixes.

Behind the Groove, branches out from its digital platform to embark on a programme of releases from the iconic pioneer producers of House Music. Esteemed for their high quality features and mixes that continue to explore, celebrate and venerate the contributions of highly respected, scene-shaping Labels, Artists, DJs and Special Events, BTG seeks to bring these talents and tales to the attention of the wider community. Unlocking the stories surrounding the pivotal roles they played and continue to play today in shaping the underground music scene we have come to know and love.

BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release, released on May 12th 2023. ‘Vol 2” follows on May 26th 2023 . These releases are the most comprehensive collection of rare Victor Simonelli cuts that firmly establish his esteemed role in 90s House Music and introduces new fans to his carefree sound.