quête:d product

Anfisa Letyago has established herself as one of techno's key players. An intrepid selector with a positive attitude, and an infectious smile, the Napoli based starlet has been making seismic waves within the industry for several years. Her own imprint - N:S:DA has been a home for her own dark-brooding style of techno, but it welcomes a brand new project to kick off 2022, with the first of 3 remix packs featuring a host of very special artists and artwork designed exclusively by Sergio Fermariello.

DJ Rush, a master of hard techno and wicked percussive elements, he's committed himself to the art of rhythm and drums. A Chi-town hero whose music transcends continental boundaries now takes his hand to "Rising Sun". Staunch and unrelenting, the barrage of bass drums keeps momentum at a hauntingly steady pace through the entirety of the track. A true drum-machine wizard who said "It was a pleasure to put my stamp on Anfisa's release. I felt her vibe and wanted to keep the traditional feel to the song but give it that Rush bump".

Adiel has graced the stages of some of the industry's most accredited venues, Panorama Bar, Dekmantel, DC10 and Concrete. She continues to bring her unique take on techno and doesn't disappoint with her kaleidoscopic iteration of "Orizzonte". Renowned for her ability to manipulate crowds with her mind-bending DJ sets and mosaic-like track selection, Adiel twists the original mix into a living techno organism of sorts, evolving and shifting through a deep palette of atmospheric sounds and vocal cuts. "It was a lot of fun to remix 'Orizzonte', it's maybe one of my best remixes and I am really happy about it" - adds Adiel.

Boston 168 leads us deep into an acid laboratory for this reinterpretation of "Gravity", masters of sound design and reformation of classic drum machines like the Roland 909, 808 and 707, the psychedelic and twisting nature of this Italian duo's tracks is unmatched. Currently residing in one of techno's capital party cities - Tbilisi, the pair hold down a residency at the legendary Khidi. "Gravity is the track that inspired us the most with its deep vocal, so we merged this with our cosmic sound" add the duo.

Very few producers have rode the pinnacles of techno as it unfolds through the decades, Chris Liebing is one such figurehead. Revered for his energetic, seize-the-moment style of DJing and music production Liebing is forever finding new ways to innovate within the booth. "Remixing 'Not There' was a huge pleasure, and the production process was very organic. I tried to take it in a little less melodic direction by just hinting it in the break". Says Chris Liebing.

This Germanic trailblazer continues to ignite dancefloors internationally between running his label CLR and juggling family life. Liebing steps up to the plate with his own take on "Not There" to conclude the pack. Instantly drawing your attention with his trademark grit laden kick drums and sweeping dubbed-out vocal shots, along with a hypnotic and body-jolting start to a literal Pandora's box of remix material.

"Someone like Anfisa, with such a high spirit and a smile that lights up any room deserves to have that same representation to her music. Good music will always put a smile on your face" adds DJ Rush.

Storming into 2022 with a flurry of high-octane remixed from a stellar array of artists, Anfisa Letyago continues to solidify her position as one of techno's most talked about names. An intrepid selector with a positive attitude regarding all things art and dancefloor related, she's been making seismic waves within the industry for a few years. Letyago launched her own imprint - N:S:DA last year, originally a celebration of her own dark-brooding style of techno, the label has entered a metamorphosis of sorts, welcoming in a host of established producers to remix the labels first two remix EP's.

Kompakt head-honcho and German techno extraordinaire Michael Mayer opens up the floodgates of this remix project with an alluring interpretation of "Nisida". Decades of industry experience have finely tuned Mayer's taste making to an impeccable standard, his extensive knowledge of dancefloors and deep cuts serves as an excellent explanation for his undeniable ability in the studio. Ethereal vocal snapshots from the original mix are weaved intricately amongst the machine-orchestra of arpeggiated synths and stalwart drum loops. "My aim for this remix was to crystallize this yearning sentiment in Anfisa's whispers by adding more warmth and drama to the track" adds Michael.

The Italian-born, multi-faceted DJ Tennis steps into the arena with his unique take on the original mix of "Nisida". Elegant pads flourish through the mix, carrying listeners weightlessly into warping basslines and razor-sharp drum work. The droning synths seem to induce hypnosis, circling and swaying around the driving kick and scattered hi-hats. A production powerhouse since the early nineties, DJ Tennis continues to juggle event promotion, running a label and booking agency. A hugely talented all-rounder.

1979 draws the EP to a close with a swirling techno edit of "Orizzonte", tastefully minimal and precisely crafted with compelling sound design from the analog synth wizard. Classically trained with a deep penchant for attending illegal raves in his youth, 1979 has been making waves with a flurry of breakout hits in recent years. The arrangement climbs through cycles of high-pitched tones and rolling mid-range bass, taking listeners on a sonic journey steeped in warmth with classic drum machine hits. "'Orizzonte' caught me in many ways, and I decided to use the beautiful space-arpeggios and the shoegaze pads made by Anfisa to create my own version of the track" he adds. The perfect track for highway driving and rocking dancefloors.

Closing out another breakthrough year, Anfisa Letyago has established herself as one of techno's most talked about names. An intrepid selector with a positive attitude regarding all things art and dancefloor related, the Russian born starlet has been making seismic waves within the industry for a number of years. Past releases have been featured on revered labels such as Carl Cox's Intec, Nervous Records, Hotflush and Rekids. Letyago returns now with a brand new project primed and ready for her own imprint - N:S:DA. Originally a celebration of her own dark-brooding style of techno, the label has entered a metamorphosis of sorts, welcoming in a host of established producers to remix the labels first releases.

The unapologetically raw house sound of DJ Seinfeld opens up the third and final remix EP, putting his own spin on Letyago's deep cut 'Insidia'. Cavernous synthlines occupy the track's main body, reminiscent of late seventies golden-era Chicago house. The remix is laced with hard hitting percussion and bubbling sound fx, a supercharged production primed for widespread club usage. Seinfeld welcomes us into the project with his trademark, rough and gloriously danceable sound palette.

Letyago follows suit by revisiting 'Nisida', reshaping the track into an electro-acid workout adorned with sharply tuned drums and heavily-treated shimmering vocals. The euphoria-inducing breakdown at the center point of the arrangement unfolds weightlessly, building into an energetic barrage of low-end frequencies. Letyago's ability to raise and release tensions within a track is truly exceptional, a technique she has perfected over several years of DJing, witnessing at first hand the importance of building up to moments of high intensity on the dancefloor for maximum impact.

Drum and bass royalty, Calibre offers his dark and brooding interpretation of 'Don't Hide'. The original track has been wickedly morphed into an after-dark roller fit for extensive basement usage. Commanding and minimal, Calibre's remix has been executed with devastating precision, perfectly balanced space-age pads glide seamlessly across the disjointed rattle of breakbeats and white-noise imbued hi-hats. A painter, fine artist, multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer, this multifaceted Belfast producer never ceases to disappoint.

Closet Yi concludes the compilation with a slow burning techno metamorphosis of Letyago's 'Listen'. Subterranean and primal, the track unfurls from its ambient beginnings into a low-end focused four-to-the-floor rhythm steeped in misty reverb and distant chords. Based in Seoul, South Korea, Yi has played at some of the most respected underground clubs in the capital, including Cakeshop, Faust, Pistil, Contra and more. A welcome addition to the remix project and a seductive end to this shadowy collection of tracks.

New York-based duo Bottler, Pat Butler and Phil Shore, are the vanguard of their own distinctly eclectic sound. Raw, emotive, bold and highly creative, the duo has successfully carved out their own path with a series of EPs that represent the broad scope of their production prowess. Over the last five years Bottler have been working on their debut album, ‘Journey Work’, a milestone achievement that marks a pivotal moment in their music career. The LP is a distillation of the duo’s multifaceted upbringing, blending a variety of styles together bound together by an overarching attitude and approach that embraces creative freedom and self-acceptance.



Pat and Phil are childhood friends whose bond is akin to that of blood relatives. Their parents are best friends and they grew up side by side, developing their deep love for music together; sharing discoveries and inspirations, learning to play and perform, and nurturing their creativity together. Now formally ordained as Bottler, they channel their eclectic tastes into a sound that encapsulates the love and trust that forms the foundation of the friendship. The duo blends a myriad of styles to create songs that emanate warmth, joy, sorrow, pain and the full spectrum of human emotion.



The album title, like their music, is open to interpretation. The duo reveals themes related to chronicling life’s many ups and downs, the deep preparation that must be taken ahead of a spiritual ceremony or psychedelic experience, and, simply, the journey taken during the conception and creation of an album. A quote from Walt Whitman also partly inspired the title; “every leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars”. However, the intention behind the title is to allow for ambiguity, giving the listener an opportunity to write their own narrative.



Across 11 cuts Bottler illustrate their distinct take on electronic music, weaving in elements of indie, pop, rock, house and techno with confidence and panache. ‘Journey Work’ starts at ‘Home’, a song that is fizzing with positive energy, Pat’s vocals welcoming the listener to the start of this meandering audio adventure.

‘Chrysalis’ opens with delicate piano keys that guide us into a bombastic bassline and energising drum beats. As it progresses, scintillating layers of synth and strings are added, creating a highly affecting, uplifting atmosphere.



‘Melatonin’ follows up next, merging heartfelt vocal delivery with a sombre instrumental, and a stirring guitar riff. A glorious demonstration of Bottler’s songwriting capabilities, which are also evident on ‘Vinyl’, an uptempo dance number with an unbelievably catchy chorus. Here we see the duo channel their experience of playing in multi-member bands, as the breaks and arrangement feel perfectly suited to a festival-sized crowd.



On ‘Tacoma’, Pat and Phil channel their appreciation of house and techno into a haunting cut that utilises reverse strings and extended vocal refrains to chilling effect. A heady club track for the twilight hours. ‘Meds’ incorporates muted singing, mystical pad work and a mesmerising riff to produce a captivating slice of uncomplicated dance music.



This is followed by ‘Hot Water’, which feels like a trip to a Californian beach, circa 1965. The vocals drift over a bouncing bassline with a complementary guitar riff. ‘Mako’ features Samurai Velvet singing about fireflies and afterlife in a wonderfully heartrending manner, Bottler’s instrumental keeping things simple, yet highly effective.



We head back underground with ‘Weed’, a dense, gloomy cut with inspired use of chopped up vocal clips, stuttered throughout, alongside a mean bassline. ‘You’re Old’ is the soundtrack to an explosion of festival euphoria, dancing shoulder to shoulder with your best friends, forgetting all your troubles and living in the moment. An anthemic song that transposes Bottler’s idiosyncratic style onto the pop blueprint. Finally, ‘Cicada Rhythm’ closes the LP with a pensive, yet joyful feeling. A chunky bassline is juxtaposed with Pat’s angelic vocals cascading over the top. A hint of tribalism comes through, as we approach the end of the Journey Work…



Five years in the making, fuelled by the desire to express their deep love for music of all varieties, Journey Work is symbolic of the long road it takes to accept oneself and be comfortable expressing one’s truth. Diverse, dynamic and daring with a rawness and honesty that is rare to find, the album marks a triumphant debut for Bottler and one that crystalises their unique identity.

Random orange or black vinyl :).

High Fashion Music enlist an All-Star A Team of world-renowned remixers that includes; Ben Liebrand, Dave Lee, Michael Gray & Luca Moplen. Each step up to the controls and lay down four salacious new grooves on Firefly’s ItaloFunk Disco stomper from the early 80’s – ’Love’ (Is Gonna Be On Your Side).

Each remix brings a new vibe and a fresh wax coating. Ben Liebrand adds his own imitable production values as he brilliantly beefs up the original vibe with sass and verve. Dave Lee brings his encyclopaedic disco know how to proceedings with a classic sounding, Chic like journey, whilst Michael Gray’s version has a stylish new four-to-the-floor drums sound, he keeps the funky instrumentation firing whilst still managing to hark back to the days of hanging out in salubrious NYC nightclubs. Finally, Luca Moplen delivers a dance floor delight, an up to date production with real a get down and boogie retro twist. One can just imagine his mix being played back to back on syndicated radio stations across the USA and Europe!

Repressed !

Rarely does an artist pay homage to the classics like Dimitri From Paris. The Grammy nominated producer, remixer, composer and DJ has made every one of his repertoire of reworks sound effortless; no mean feat when the original tracks are by the likes of Disco’s greatest musicians. In 2018 he released his “lifetime achievement” on Glitterbox, with the strictly limited pressing of the ‘Dimitri From Paris presents Le Chic Remix’ boxset. Now the 12’s have their own separate outings, bringing greater focus onto the individual productions, as each vinyl features two of the incredible Dimitri remixes, along with their respective instrumentals on the B-Side. This release showcases the euphoric highs of Dimitri’s remixing skills across Sister Sledge’s ‘Got To Love Somebody’ and Sheila & B. Devotion’s ‘Your Love Is Good’.

Repressed !

Rarely does an artist pay homage to the classics like Dimitri From Paris. The Grammy nominated producer, remixer, composer and DJ has made every one of his repertoire of reworks sound effortless; no mean feat when the original tracks are by the likes of Disco’s greatest musicians. In 2018 he released his “lifetime achievement” on Glitterbox, with the strictly limited pressing of the ‘Dimitri From Paris presents Le Chic Remix’ boxset. Now the 12’s have their own separate outings, bringing greater focus onto the individual productions, as each vinyl features two of the incredible Dimitri remixes, along with their respective instrumentals on the B-Side. On this release we hear ‘He’s The Greatest Dancer’ get the Dimitri treatment that showcases unheard sections from the master tapes, followed by Norma Jean Wright’s life-affirming ‘Saturday’, remixed to cinematic proportions once again by Dimitri.

Repressed !

Rarely does an artist pay homage to the classics like Dimitri From Paris. The Grammy nominated producer, remixer, composer and DJ has made every one of his repertoire of reworks sound effortless; no mean feat when the original tracks are by the likes of Disco’s greatest musicians.

In 2018 he released his “lifetime achievement” on Glitterbox, with the strictly limited pressing of the ‘Dimitri From Paris presents Le Chic Remix’ boxset. Now the 12’s have their own separate outings, bringing greater focus onto the individual productions, as each vinyl features two of the incredible Dimitri remixes, along with their respective instrumentals on the B-Side.

On this record, Dimitri continues to get to the heart of why CHIC’s music remains so universally relevant, underlining the enduring cultural significance of dance music in its most unabashed form with his careful remixing of CHIC classics ‘My Forbidden Lover’ and
‘I Feel You Love Comin’ On’.

The Vision arrive with their first original output, where the Bristol-Boston collab deliver a soulful dose of house goodness. This release from genre defying musician Ben Westbeech and crate digger royalty KON also features Ben’s long-time collaborator Andreya Triana, whose powerhouse vocals you may recognise from Breach’s ‘Everything You Never Had (We Had It All)’. On the A-Side sits KON’s edit of ‘Heaven’, a funk-laden and vocal-led cut destined for the dancefloor. On the flip is ‘Home’, a soulful lament that showcases Andreya’s flawless vocals as much as the duo’s exquisite production abilities. This release shows the music obsessed pair take inspiration from deep in their record collections, and as more releases build up in the pipeline for 2019 this is an exciting preview of things to come.

Limited to 750 copies.
Pressed on Red Vinyl.
Includes postcard and poster.
Article 58, named after the Soviet classification for counter-revolutionaries, were formed in Scotland by Gerri McLaughlin (vocals), Douglas MacIntyre (guitars) and Ewan MacLennan (bass), with Stephen Lironi (drums) on these recordings. The group existed for a short period of time, burning brightly before burning out.
A single, ‘Event To Come’, was produced by Postcard Records’ Alan Horne and Malcolm Ross and released on Josef K manager Allan Campbell’s Rational label.
Article 58 were the opening group on many bills in Scotland, including support slots circa 1981 with A Certain Ratio, Scars, Josef K, Delmontes, Bauhaus, Restricted Code, among others.
Josef K invited Article 58 to support them on some dates in England to promote their only album, ’The Only Fun In Town’, after which Article 58 recorded tracks for an as-yet unreleased album. One track, ‘Reflection’, did surface on a cassette/ zine product (‘Irrational’) released by Rational Records. However the teenage tension and strain of all that accompanies being in a group proved too much and Article 58 split up at the end of 1981.
‘Event To Come’ was to be the only single released by Article 58. The B side, ‘Icon’, is a previously unreleased recording. Both tracks are presented in a brand new sleeve designed by The Creeping Bent Organisation for release on the Optic Nerve label.

Limited Edition hand numbered 12” – 1000 Copies: 40th Anniversary 12” release of much sampled “Baby Don't You Know” by fusion flautist, former Blue Note jazz artist Bobbi Humphrey, produced by Roy Ayers.re-created on original Uno Melodic art. Bobbi is from Texas who came to Uno Melodic after highly acclaimed music for Blue Note (including ”Harlem River Drive”) and Epic (“The Good Life”). She also recorded for Duke Ellington and Stevie Wonder. Out of the two versions of this record, the instrumental has gained particular notoriety over the years. Both the original 7” and 12” are extremely rare, the music production from Bobbi, Roy Ayers and his team in their element.

House and techno purveyor Ejeca delivers with a high-octane release, ‘Keep Climbing EP’ on Needwant Records, which celebrates 100 releases. The four-tracker is available on a limited run of vinyl.

From its inception, Needwant has focussed on pioneering the sounds of tomorrow, developing exciting artists in the world of crossover dance and electronic music including lau.ra, Kiwi, and Ejeca, who first released on the label in 2013.

The title track kicks off the EP with serious force; heavy kicks and a glitchy melody loops hypnotically before making way for the track’s commanding vocal which is equally entrancing. Like its title, ‘Keep Climbing’ builds and builds, generating full-throttle energy that is finally erupted after a euphoric piano breakdown. ‘Vader’ reduces the pace and deepens the mood with a deep humming bassline, twinkling chords, and eerie strings. A breakdown follows with Ejaca’s signature ravey piano-lines in combination with hooky top-line vocals that seamlessly takes the track into peak-time party territory. The track is dynamic, enthralling, and highlights the depth to Ejeca’s production.

‘Won’t Beat Me’ is colourfully uplifting from the offset with bright piano and arpeggiating pads shimmering in tandem. The vocal is contagiously catchy, topping the instrumentation with positive energy which is present throughout the track’s duration. ‘Won’t Beat Me’ is a peak-time club big-hitter. Rounding off the EP is ‘Zyfer’ which boasts uncompromisingly chunky kicks and raw industrial echoes, before cleverly switching to a contrasting sonic soundscape in true Ejeca style. 8-bit arpeggiating chords bubble before warping into a driving club melody which dances on top of the heavy-hitting kicks and groovy percussion.

The EP perfectly captures the ethos of Needwant; forward-thinking music with innovative ideas from an artist who contributed to the label in its early stages. 100 releases on and Needwant continues to push the sounds of tomorrow in slick style.

Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino return in 2022 with their luminous 10th studio album, El Mirador; a hopeful, kaleidoscopic beacon of rock, bluesy ruminations and Latin American sounds, to be released on April 8.

Convening at longtime bandmate Sergio Mendoza's home studio in Tucson, Arizona, the ensemble recorded throughout the summer of 2021, crafting one of their most riveting and whimsical productions to date. Convertino, who now resides in El Paso, and Burns, who relocated to Boise in 2020, channeled cherished memories of Southwestern landscapes and joyful barrio melting pots into an evocative love letter to the desert borderlands that nourished them for over 20 years.

"This limited release is a collaboration between Monkey Timers DISKO KLUBB and a Japanese record label from Amsterdam trusted by fans & artists around the world, Sound Of Vast.

Monkey Timers are gaining support in Japan and abroad as a DJ / production unit that is pioneering the next phase of the Japanese new house and disco dub music scene. They will be releasing their long-awaited full-length album ‘KLUBB LONELY’ in collaboration with DISKO KLUBB and Sound Of Vast as a 2LP set limited to 500 copies worldwide.

The album will be packed with collaborations with vocalists / producers / musicians from Japan and abroad including a cover of Dusty Springfield's ‘That's The Kind Of Love I've Got for You’ featuring Lisa Tomlins, who is known for her vocals on Lord Echo and Recloose albums. Also featuring are Berlin-based Mr. Ties; Keith Sano, a promising talent from Okayama who is gaining international attention; MIRRROR, an up-and-coming Japanese-American hip-hop unit; DJ Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Omoide Baka Yarou ATeam); Marimba player Mami Tsunodou, who is a supporting member of cero, KIRINJI, etc. and many more.

Mixed and mastered by Justin Van Der Volgen (MY RULES). The cover design was done by C.E designer Sk8Thing. "

I’m gonna love you from the soft spot
Where the fruit begins to rot

“This area of the throat,” says Chelsea Jade, resting three fingers roughly where her neck meets her chest. “It’s particularly soft, and it's connected ... it's halfway between the heart and the mouth. And that's an interesting place of vulnerability.”

Soft Spot, the Los Angeles-based New Zealand artist’s second album, dwells somewhere between feeling and expression, certainty and doubt. It ventures beyond the exploration of delusions of grandeur that formed the focus of the critically acclaimed Personal Best (2018), and simultaneously promotes and undermines romance, specifically, in a more solemn way.

“Less glib,” offers Jade, who has opened for Lorde and Cat Power among others. Still deliciously glib in places: “Give your worst my best,” she sings on the wryly antagonizing, bass-heavy “Tantrum in Duet.” Soft Spot’s big pop tracks go hard on the interpersonal, physical and amorous, inviting the listener to entertain flirtation, lust, sex, even the experience, rare during its recording in 2020, of being in a room with more than three other people.

With the reinforcement of composition and arrangement by Leroy James Clampitt (Justin Bieber) and production by Brad Hale (Now, Now), Jade conjures up atmospheres conducive to feelings of place and potential. Created during a once-in-a-century pandemic, the album is an evocative assembly of found parts: recordings of sentences and asides delivered by friends, the sound of rain in LA, or the distant voice of bureaucracy against a backdrop of hold music. Seeming choruses were produced to give that impression, layered submission by individual vocal submission. On “Best Behavior,” the record’s danciest track, this illusory energy reaches its euphoric height.

The record transports the listener from speaker-side at a club, to wandering a party, to sitting at an open window with a pianist nearby. It shifts effortlessly from expansive sold-out-show sound to ethereal, twinkling detail. The writing on Soft Spot outwits even its clever, resourceful production, the lyrics a testament to the multi award-winning songwriter’s belief in the pop format as a venue for prose.

Released in 1959, The Amazing Nina Simone was Nina Simone's first album for Colpix Records. In contrast to her debut album 'Little Girl Blue' (Bethlehem Records), which highlighted her piano playing as well as her singing, this production downplayed the piano in favour of string arrangements. The production also featured a variety of material, including jazz, gospel, and folk
songs.

"There is a remarkable amount of variety on this disc, Nina Simone's second recording. She does not play much piano (just cameos on two songs) and is backed by a subtle orchestra arranged by Bob Mersey that is effective accompanying her vocals. This session finds Nina Simone's voice in top form and with a few exceptions is generally jazz-oriented." - Scott Yanow, AllMusic

The Magic Mixture were a London based , psychedelic band comprising Terry Thomas (guitar/vocals), Melvyn Hacker (bass), Jack Collins (drums) and Stan Curtis (organ) .

The 60’s were productive years, though if one explores these years, you’ll find that most of the bands that rose during those heady days had some real talent, some sincere visions, and a burning desire to shape a bit of the music scene with their sonic atmospheres.

The magic found within these highly prized and rare grooves shows they did pulsate with the moment, This Is The Magic Mixture, should certainly be considered an essential part of the garage psych movement that flowered during 1968.

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo - a group of street children gathered around the artist Lova Lova to form the Atelier Kamikazi and record the album "Mokili na poche" in cooperation with Oyo Projects. They are "shégués", sons of soldiers, orphans or accused of being "child sorcerers". They talk in a funny and provocative tone about the difficulties encountered in their daily lives, about rivalry, politics, sexuality, and survival. These kids know they are fucked - and they fuck back.

About Seismographic Records:

Seismographic Records is a label for global hybrid music, run by Martin Georgi (Quiet Elegance Records). «Seismo» deals with connections of local and international sounds, of cultures and epochs far apart. It wants to break through the boundaries of Western music history and focus on the unheard. On currents that have so far been excluded from algorithms and streaming services due to their lack of market relevance. This is about the localization of new trend-setting centers in the Global South. In this way «Seismo» wants to make visible the potential of a decolonized music development. Music takes on the function of a seismograph. It is a sensitive instrument to register social transformations.

The focus of the label is on the production of vinyls and their distribution on the global market. The pressing makes the projects materially tangible. The productions are preceded by a close collaboration with artists, researchers, designers, and journalists in order to explore the cultural and historical contexts of musical trends and to make them audiovisually accessible. Texts, graphics, and videos are used to illustrate the background and contextualize the music. Seismographic Records also collaborates with cultural institutions in order to provide a platform for the projects in the form of exhibitions, concerts, radio broadcasts and to anchor them in cultural discourse.

A year from his latest release on Figure, Arthur Robert clocks back in with two full EPs.

The first one is a jam-packed 5-tracker, sporting full-on peak time thrill rides such as electrifying elated opener Mastermind or its more brawny brother, the bellowing beast that is stab-driven roller Relentless. But x31 features also Robert’s more introspective side, be it the glowing experimental excursion of What We Do With Our Time or the dreamy half-time stepper Cosmic Traveler. Fans of his more hypnotic techno productions will find joy in the modular magic of Rising, hinting at what’s to come on x32…

German Army is a duo from the San Gabriel Valley. Born between Sydney Possuelo and Paulo Freire, this project is as prolific and productive as it is shrouded in mystery.

Characterised by a certain amount of experimentation aimed at sound collage, the most industrial plunderphonics and the darkest noises, the enigmatic Californian collective has accustomed us to a certain variability of musical genres, but also, without a doubt, to an unquestionably high level of quality and a perennial dark emotional component, which reveals itself in an exquisitely overbearing manner in their work.

Vinyl in Gatefold Jacket, green/black double coloured LP with lyric insert and download card.

Keep This Be the Way is Helms Alee's sixth full-length and first new album in over 3 years. Across the span of their first five studio albums, Seattle trio Helms Alee have consistently refined their signature sound-a blend of lilting siren songs, crushing thunder and sludge, and heady guitar pop filled with lush guitars and elaborate three-part vocal harmonies that reach widely across various subgenres of the heavy music world. On this latest album they expand their palette by delving into the production possibilities afforded by recording the album themselves, creating their most dynamic and technicoloured work to date.. Keep This Be the Way still very much sounds like a Helms Alee record, but it's their first album that diverts from the faithful recreation of their live sound and delves into a vibrant tapestry of surreal sounds and invented spaces. This new approach is immediately evident on first single "See Sights Smell Smells," where reverse cymbal crashes, fragmented piano, layered drums, woozy drones, saxophone freak-outs, and trippy vocal treatments transport the listener to an altered state of exhilarated anticipation. The pendulum swings towards more adventurous and exploratory sounds on songs like "Tripping Up the Stairs", it's nightmarish synth glides pitted against distorted barrages steeped in classic Helms Alee timbre. And therein lies the power of the Keep Us Be the Way: it reflects a period of change, ambiguity and perseverance through its fearless curiosity, cathartic rumble, and sublime beauty. Helms Alee supporting Russian Circles on the upcoming EU Headline tour in April/May 2022.

25TH DELUXE ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF AMERICAN BABYLON FEATURING LIVE TRACKS WITH BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Grushecky and his band had been a club fixture in the Northeast for nearly 25 years when they released American Babylon in 1995. The Pittsburgh band had proven themselves to be the consummate bar band with occasional flirtations with national success. American Babylon found them teaming up with Bruce Springsteen, who handles production, plays on several tracks, and wrote two songs for the album. The title track is an uptempo rocker detailing the disintegration of societal mores. There are plenty of songs outlining love gone wrong and the struggles of common folk, all delivered in Grushecky’s warm, well-worn voice over a barroom mixture of blues-based traditional rock. However, delivered with such earnestness and spirit makes American Babylon a worthy contender and an enjoyable listen for fans of Mellencamp, Seger, and, especially, Springsteen. The 25th anniversary deluxe reissue edition will include LIVE tracks from the Houserockers’ legendary October Assault Tour recorded at an enthusiastic hometown show that same year. “American Babylon is an impassioned, sharply-etched portrait of working-stiff triumphs and travails.” -Rick Reger, Chicago Tribune “As the leader of the Pittsburgh-based Iron City Houserockers, Joe Grushecky hammered out four heartland rock albums in the late 70s and early 1980s. These won over more critics than fans, so he became a special education teacher to support his family. Still, he maintained a close relationship with Bruce Springsteen, and in 1995, they teamed up for American Babylon. The two remain tight and play together at least once a year, but this album remains their greatest joint accomplishment.” -Rolling Stone “At a time when rock had splintered into grunge, industrial, alternative, and more, Joe Grushecky planted a defiant flag in the soul of rock and roll with American Babylon--one of the very best and undeservedly overlooked albums of the 1990s, and one that sounds just as fresh, vibrant, and relevant 25 years later. Bruce Springsteen may have helped bring the album to life, but his contributions only elevate a collection of songs that in another time would have been radio classics on their own.” -Ken Rosen, E Street Shuffle

Weymouth punk band Weatherstate are back with a bang in 2021. Since releasing their debut album ‘Born A Cynic’ via Failure By Design Records in 2019, the band have been busy playing gigs (both IRL when that was allowed and on the internet when it was necessary) and continually working on new music. Their hooky, melodic riffs, 90s throwback feel with a modern twist and hard-working DIY ethic caught the attention of awesome independent label Rude Records, who are set to release the band’s second album in 2021. Led by vocalist and guitarist Harry Hoskins, Weatherstate’s line-up is completed by guitarist Callan Milward, Joe Hogan on bass and drummer Toby Wrobel. They’ve risen to the challenges that COVID has posed and, whilst the pandemic threw a bit of a spanner in the works, the band have been working with Four Year Strong’s Alan Day to produce new songs with them, albeit remotely. “I feel Alan really taught us a lot about how to approach a song and see the potential in having an open mind on songwriting,” enthuses Callan about the process and connection. “We really wanted to level up and evolve as a band. I feel the first single we’re releasing - ‘Hangar’ - is evidence of that. He's a super talented dude and has great vision in the potential of new music.” “It goes without saying but doing everything remotely has been a massive challenge and an interesting obstacle to overcome,” continues Callan. “Especially for us, as we have been pretty traditionalist when it comes to writing. I feel we handled it in the best way we could, considering the international side of things too. With pre-production, we had to have some late nights because of the time-zone differences. Neil Kennedy at The Ranch really nailed the engineering and Alan smashed the mix over in the States. All I can say is that you can work miracles over Zoom these days.”

In the more than two decades since their launch, Swedish Metallers Sabaton have gained a legion of loyal fans across the globe by carving out a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in the business, an assessment shared by the UK's Guardian: “Other than veterans Iron Maiden, Sabaton is the biggest heavy metal band in Europe.” Since the band’s debut album in 2005, Sabaton has been combining standout stage design and production with epic concept albums, linking real-life historical war events with classic kick-ass metal. Sabaton has released nine studio albums, amassed six GOLD, one PLATINUM, and one four-times-PLATINUM awards, seen eight of its albums score Top 10 international chart status and six claim the Top 5. The band has earned eight Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards nominations, taking home the award for “Breakthrough Artist” in 2011 and “Best Live Band” in three different years, and a Grammis nomination (Swedish equivalent to the U.S. GRAMMY) as Best Heavy Metal Band. Sabaton has amassed more than two-billion streams across all streaming platforms, and more than 1.5-billion YouTube views. Over its 20-year touring history, Sabaton has headlined major festivals and sold-out arena concerts around the world.

Just recently, the band not only announced their new studio album "The War To End All Wars" but also their "Tour To End All Tours": In Spring 2022, SABATON will be visiting 26 cities in 17 countries, bringing their ground-breaking modern metal to the people and delivering breathtaking live shows in a setting that will once again set new bars for concerts of this kind. SABATON will be supported by Mongolian rock band THE HU and Finnish heavy metal veterans LORDI.

Isabelle Duthoit - clarinet, voice Franz Hautzinger - quarter-tone trumpet Hamid Drake - percussion, frame drum, voice Michael Zerang - percussion, frame drum Two duos firmly anchored in improvised music - Duthoit/Hautzinger and Drake/Zerang - explore what ritual music can mean in the present time. They moan and groan, sigh and sing in the jungle of their soul. Melodies between tradition and contemporary music in all their extremes ventures forward into a poetry full of sound noises. CREDITS: Recording: live at Artacts - Alte Gerberei, St. Johan, March 7th 2020, by Charles Wienand & Markus Massinger Production: Konstantin Drobil, Hans Oberlechner, Franz Hautzinger Mix: Martin Siewert & Franz Hautzinger Mastering: Martin Siewert Artwork: Lasse Marhaug Photos: Cathy Mary-Houdin

Don't let the postcard-generic cover art fool you, Summer Brings The Sunshine stands head and shoulders above nearly any major label country rock album crowding mid-'70s record bins. Next to the hundreds or even thousands of slick productions flowing out of Nashville and Los Angeles, Jimmy Carter scoured his rural Missouri surroundings for farmhands and semi-pros alike to lay down eight farm-isolated originals in 1977. Tasty female backing vocals, languid pedal steel, and feisty guitar licks abound on this exalted and near-peerless slice of Cosmic American Music.

"The album has been Half-Speed Remastered and cut to lacquers at 33RPM, across 2x heavyweight black vinyl LPs, to deliver maximum dynamic range in the sound.

Vinyl cut by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering, mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis. The album is true to the original LP design with a wide-spine jacket and printed inner sleeves, but now utilises colour photographs from The Last Temptation of Christ film. All images are newly re-scanned."

"The album has been Half-Speed Remastered and cut to lacquers at 33RPM, on 1x heavyweight black LP, to deliver maximum dynamic range in the sound.

Vinyl cut by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering, mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis. The album is true to the original LP design, but all images are newly re-scanned."

On their third album »Constant Connection«, West Australian-based Erasers create hypnotic compositions of synth, guitar and voice, evoking the vast expanse of their native landscape and the shrouded emotions behind the senses. Comprising of vocalist, synth player Rebecca Orchard and Rupert Thomas on guitar and synths, Erasers have developed their earthly kosmische music into an open language based on drone, variation in repetition and minimal song structures. Based in Perth, regarded one of the most isolated cities in the world, Orchard and Thomas’s music has brewed in the city’s vibrant DIY/Outsider community and evolved into a meditation on landscape, power, the shadow-world of human emotions and stream of consciousness. »Constant Connection«, with its waves of sound and chant-like vocals evokes a trance that suggests an infinity just beyond the senses.

At the heart of each Erasers composition is the interplay between the instrumentation, played with stoic restraint and recorded directly with minimal effects and the transcendental states induced in the listener. It’s a magic that is performed in plain sight and all the more powerful for it. The recognisable vibrato of Fender Rhodes keyboards and simple drum machine loops, the subtle strands of analog synth melodies that snake in and out of the ear, above all the towering encantations of Rebecca Orchard’s undeniably Australian-accented hymns; all of this is presented with minimal ostentation and yet it instantly engenders a dream state, hints at an infinity beyond the material.

Shades of John Cale’s 70s work with Nico, early 70s German synthesists Kluster and even fellow Australians Fabulous Diamonds can be seen as stylistic touchstones for Constant Connection. Where Nico hinted at the macabre and gothic, Rebecca Orchard’s similarly gliding vocal is more zoned in to a kind of oceanic openness, with words becoming chants and spells that suggested themselves to the singer during recording sessions. It’s this hidden hand of improvisatory, automatic writing that lends a sense of expanse to the music. On opener I Understand, while the lyrics might hint at discontent the emotional spectrum it opens up is far more rich and complex, as layered as the waves of droning chords that are the bedrock of each Erasers track. The title track talks of flow, continuum and balance, the protagonist in the song seemingly weightless, gently pulled through a walking reality that borders on dream. In Erasers’ world, it seems, the borders between reality and dream, consciousness and sub-consciousness are blurred and eroded.

On Constant Connection, Erasers’ music might be deeply evocative of landscape but it’s never clear which one. The vast, open terrain that surrounds Perth is dusty, burned by the sun into desert and Constant Connection feels like the product of the heat and relative isolation, the altered states these elements can create. But it’s these altered states of mind that appear to be the real landscape described by Erasers. It’s a landscape that’s hazy, in-and-out of focus, with emotional undertows pushing and pulling you into a weightlessness. On album closer Easy To See the band dispense with percussion all together, field recordings of the water at the edge of their native city ushering in two duetting synths. Orchard’s vocal undulates with the flow, viewing both the geographical and psychological landscape from the perspective of a consciousness not bound by bodies and from a timescale measured in millennia. The album ends as it begins, with field recordings of the real world that the music seeps out from, temporarily, before regressing back into the other realm it feels like it belongs to.

Between these two recorded hints of reality, Erasers manifest a deeply sensual dreamscape that constantly feels like it’s dissolving at its seams. A desert psychedelia emanating from a real world that might not be that real in the first place.

First volume – though the 2nd never happened – of this ongoing collaboration between post-punk stalwarts Cherry Red and home of the western dub On U Sound. Adrian Sherwood obviously sitting behind the desk and a cast of marvelous artist leading the way for a reggae renaissance. Stolen and contaminated songs, we may take this as a reference point for 12 unreleased tracks showing the best of the UK underground rhythms. A further development of the Jamaican heritage, with handmade electronics and a forward thinking production. Mothmen ‘Afghani Dub’ is one of the leading track here, with future members of Durutti Column and Simply Red on board, this is a mystical post-industrial trip through upbeat rhythms. Along the way you’ll find the over the top vocal performance of Judy Nylon – more akin to certain no wave expressionism – futuristic vibes from Sun Of Arqa, contribution from New age Steppers supergroup and Creation Rebel teaming up with the so-called Jamaican ‘Voice of Thunder’ Prince Far I. All in all a (natural) mystic experience.

Prolific and singular Japanese producer Hoshina Anniversary presents Hyakunin Isshu, a two tracker of extended jaunts deeper into the mystery than he’s yet dared to venture. With a growing reputation for sizzling productions combining propulsive house rhythms with gyrating arpeggios and textured sound design punctured by jazz-inflected keys, Hyakunin Isshu further expands the limits.

On Hyakunin Isshu, Hoshina Anniversary paces it out over the course of two complimentary side-long runs. The A side Karakurenaini rides on a steady 4/4 as cycling percussion loops, squelchy acid basslines and angular piano chords float in and out of the mix. Deployed and rinsed to peak effect, it's relentless repetition evolves just enough to get completely lost in.

On side B Kirigirisu slows the pace down to a crawl, a lurching rhythm and haunting riff ascending almost to the point of vertigo toppling and giving way to a sci-fi drum break, a stirring prolonged break and triumphant culmination, it’s slow-mo future strut equally indebted to melodies of the past.

Hyakunin Isshu is named for Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, an anthology of delicate, reflective Japanese poetry comprised of works from the 12th and 13th centuries. Both tracks share their titles with different entries in the series.

Hoshina Anniversary is the alias of Yoshinobu Hoshina, a reverent reinterpreter of jazz, dance music and traditional Japanese instrumentation. The last couple of years have seen the producer from the Tokyo suburbs release a torrent of inimitable missives on esteemed maisons disques like ESP Institute, Osare Editions, Alien Jams and Youth. Also forthcoming in the summer of 2022 is an LP on Impatience.

Our Starry Universe returns with it’s first release of 2022, the mesmerizing Mother Oak from Dan Wainwright & Elle Redding. The album is out on 12” vinyl and digital 22nd April.

An Acid House/Cosmic concept album featuring Elle’s spoken word on Dan’s production, Mother Oak is about the life cycle of an oak tree from the perspective of the tree. “As we dreamed up a rough outline of the story, the music was created to personify the seasons and the emotions that were to come through Elle’s words.” Says Dan.

It’s a deep listening experience. The kind of record one should listen to in one sitting on vinyl while you are staring at the lyrics on the back cover. “…it all just fell perfectly into place as Elle typed the story. It all came to life really quickly and was an emotional experience for me to enjoy something so beautiful as her creativity and it’s an honour to have that combined with mine.” Says Dan.

He continues… “We made an album that carries meaning and wisdom and at the same time conveys our wonder, awe and joy that we both experience by being in nature and feeling connected to the forever changing cycles of our planet.”

Dan Wainwright is a prolific producer in the underground with releases on Night Noise, Tici Taci, & Sprechen as well as a seemingly constant slate of releases on his own imprint Oddball Recordings.

Repress
Byron the Aquarius (aka Byron Blaylock), an accomplished keys player as much as he is a producer, has a deep love for the organic side of music. This shines through in his creations, back to his debut EP in 2007. More recently, Blaylock's skillful jazz beats have found a home on the one and only Jeff Mills' Axis Records. From his birthplace in Birmingham Alabama, Blaylock has grown into an international figure of acclaim for his explorative compositions.

Already having two successful EPs with Shall Not Fade under his belt - most recently marking the labels' 50th release with What Up Doe? Vol.2 - Byron the Aquarius returns for a gorgeous double LP. Expect the smoothness of deep house, melodic instrumental hip hop production of the J Dilla creed along with tight jazz pieces.

The New Beginning LP showcases range and expertise from the off, exploding with pulsing discordant jazz in "Amaya's Voyage". Psychedelic g-funk is the MO of "Smoke One For Huckaby", before a B-side milieu of jazz and hip hop reminiscent of Guru's Jazzmatazz. The album settles into a deep groove across its C-side, the highlight of which is the percussive workout of "Underground Was Black", complemented delicately with dazed pads and buoyant but smokey lounge jazz sounds in "Cosmic Jazz". Off kilter hip hop shines through in "Last Time We Gonna Do This" and its eclectic sound palette, then we are blindsided by the heavy electro distortion of "The End Of The World". The record closes with a collaboration of the genres explored throughout, pieced together into the pumping "Lost People of Tron". The album feels like a lap of honour around all the influences in Byron The Aquarius' sound - it's yet another artistic triumph.

Continuing the label's special 7"s releases that capture the nascent 80s post punk, dub, funk and pop - as examined on releases by The Jellies, Woo, Phantom Band, 4AM and more - here a discovery of unheard demos from Dislocation Dance's Midnight Shift album.
As part of the eighties Manchester scene, the band's pop and jazz sensibilities have continued to garner attention, offering a rightful place in the city's rich music history.

With the closure of Richard Boon's New Hormones label in 1982, they came to the attention of Geoff Travis' Rough Trade. Creating a home studio in the basement of an old rambling farmhouse in Withington, Ian Runacres (guitar, vocals), with lyricist Paul Emmerson (bass), set to work creating demos to garner a deal.

Inspired by the funk-disco of Dr Buzzards Original Savannah Band debut album, Here Comes Love was written using Roland TR-606 drum machine, guitars, bass and (cheap) keyboard, its magical and lo-fi charmed quality melts hearts.

On Mr Zak, the fun Runacres had is evident. Written as an "indie" song, but with Aztec Camera and Burt Bacharrach on his mind, with Andy Diagram (trumpet) and Kathryn Way (vocals), hides a structure matching the album version, but which in its rudimentary instrumentation and production is unique and outshines the later version, to encase a specific period and innocence, of time.

There is a tendency within modern electronica to pigeonhole and categorise, to package music into easily digestible formulae. In direct revolt comes Dutch artist Satori and his new album Dreamin’ Colours, released globally April 22nd, 2022, on renowned imprint Crosstown Rebels. Recorded at the esteemed Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza, the nine-track LP has been greatly anticipated off the back of its proceeding’s singles: Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska, Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari and most recently Gin Song.

An ethereal, swirling body of work, Dreamin’ Colours is rich in texture, colour and imagination. Satori stretches himself out through languorous, mystical explorations of both the digital and the analogue elements of music, the result a beautifully conspired collection of world music, steeped in electronic and Balkan roots, and straddling a multitude of genres from blues and indie electronic to opera, folk and beyond.

Colourful Dream begins proceedings, taking the form of a gently-building opener. From the pluck of a guitar string to hypnotic flute-like elements, we soon arrive at the enchanting world of Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari. Recorded in a four-hundred-year-old water well, it showcases the transcendent sound with which Satori has become best known, meandering through rustling hats and tribal-like drum patterns whilst the dulcet tones of Ariana shimmer softly throughout.

Tuti ft. Kalima takes on a harder edge, with gritty drum patterns opening into melancholic chords early on. Kalima’s vocals add an emotive touch to the piece, paving the way for Moj Dilbere: a euphoric cut that feels tribal and reflective in one.

We land at a similarly ethereal soundscape on The Gin Song ft. Mybaby, as star-like synths pulse alongside punchy percussion before Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska takes its place. It begins with real-life ambience, made up of sounds recorded live in Ibiza as a bus passes and birds chirp merrily in the background. This swiftly gives way to a guitar-flecked bassline, opening neatly into the vocal offerings of both Satori and Laska.

Troublemaker ft. El Mundo retains an inherent melodic quality, progressing through poignant strings and whispering kick-hat combos. Powerful and poignant, the mesmeric sounds of Ora Dea and Moshe meander subtly into Lonely Boy (Redux) ft. Hugo Oak. The closing saga brings things to a wonderfully subdued finish, rounding off the album on a wholeheartedly calming note.

Although raised in the Netherlands, where commercial electronic music is of course king, on Dreamin’ Colours it is undeniably Satori’s Balkan heritage that layers his production with dreamy, ethereal, Eastern European influences. The album’s overriding voice lies in his exultant celebration of Eastern European music, weaving vibrant threads of its earthy, melodic, rhythmic sounds into his thick musical tapestry. Written during the pandemic and driven by the ache of separated love, the album is, Satori says, his most personal yet.

From holding down an eighteen-month residency at Heart, Ibiza to having nearly four-hundred-thousand listeners on Spotify each month, Satori is a truly worldwide artist in today’s electronic music scene. Having been championed by Damian Lazarus early on in his career, he has emerged as a must-see live act for fans from all corners of the globe. November 2021 marked the start of his USA tour, where his Maktub concept adorned some of the country’s most iconic clubbing institutions, whilst his discography speaks for itself, with a plethora of acclaimed releases on labels including Crosstown Rebels, Sol Selectas and DGTL Records to name a few. As Dreamin’ Colours introduces him to an ever-growing audience, Satori remains one of the most exhilarating, untamed and truly authentic forces in music.

One record which has lately come to prominence is the brilliant "After Hours" by Charlie Mitchell aka Vic Marcel on an absolutely gorgeous slice of mellow Rare-Groove which recalls the Leon Ware vibe perfectly. Produced and arranged by seasoned veterans Tony Silvester and Bert DeCoteaux this incredibly hypnotic song was also written by top writers J.R. Bailey and Ken Williams. "After Hours" has grown in popularity particularly over the last few years with original copies now reaching the £200-£250 valuation.

The flip-side is another slice of beautiful mid-tempo soul from the same production stable. Only one copy currently available the last time we checked, such has been the demand over the last two years especially. Quite why this record has been underground for so long is open to debate. Vic Marcel was under contract to RCA at the time hence the Charlie Mitchell pseudonym. Janus were also suffering distribution problems at the time which explains why the original is so rare. We're proud to finally make this available again on the original Janus imprint. Another double-sided beauty.

Peter Brown's P&P label is possibly the most collectible of all the Disco-era independent labels. The distribution was always patchy, the records would often appear out of nowhere and then disappear equally fast. Many of the artists were one-off productions or working under hastily conceived pseudonyms.

In short, P&P has all the ingredients of the perfect label for diggers everywhere with records still being discovered some 40 years later. Little is known about Marta Acuna but plenty is known about the production team of Patrick Adams and Lonnie Johnson who were just way ahead of everyone else on this spacey Disco jam from 1977. It's been consistently popular on the cooler dance-floors for the last 20 years but suddenly the 7" has sprung into demand. A mint copy isn't far off £100 these days, so it seemed a good time to finally make the 7" available again.

As per usual, this will be on the original 7" P&P label and mint (which is near impossible to find these days). Always handy to have a guaranteed banger on a crisp 7" pressing and that P&P label looks so good. Black Vinyl in P&P Disco Sleeve.

Repress

France's I Hate Models has had a phenomenal rise since his first releases in 2016, now he arrives on Perc Trax to serve up the label's last release of year.

Already fitting in with the label's no nonsense aesthetic after appearances at a number of label showcases this year, this EP shows a hardening of his sound, without losing any of the melodic touches that have made his releases so memorable.

The original mix of "Spreading Plague" fills the A-side of the record with a near 10 minute journey though classic Perc Trax metallic percussion, quivering acid and soaring analogue lead lines. Epic is a word not often used in relation to Perc Trax, but
here it is perfectly applicable.

On the flip side, Perc remixes the lead track, honing in on the acid and adding swarms of claps and hihats for his first new production on Perc Trax in 2018. "Martial Order" closes the EP moving the percussion to the front of the mix once again, as metallic hits rain down on the listener, delivering a fresh take on one of Perc Trax's signature sounds.

Acclaimed saxophonist, producer and composer Yasuaki Shimizu will release Kiren, his unreleased album from 1984, on the Palto Flats record label on February 25, 2022.

Liner notes by music historian Chee Shimizu, and credits in both Japanese and English.

By the early 1980s Yasuaki Shimizu had established himself on the Japanese new wave scene, producing many important experimental pop records and releasing several albums as the bandleader of
Mariah. Following the release of his widely regarded solo classic Kakashi, from 1982, and the otherworldly Utakata No Hibi, by Mariah in 1983, he went into the studio the following year with frequent
collaborators, producer Aki Ikuta and Morio Watanabe (bassist of Mariah), to record a mystifying collection of experimental dance music. Utilizing cutting-edge technology and studio trickery, Kiren
showcases Shimizu's trademark playfulness, marrying richly layered production techniques to off-kilter, sometimes traditional sounding rhythms and melodies. Portending his work with the Saxophonettes as well as forecasting trends in techno, new wave, and futuristic rhythmic music, this formerly lost album represents an important period of Shimizu's artistic expression, an artist at his peak, while successfully exploring the intersections of fusion, synthpop, new wave, and jazz.

As Chee Shimizu (no relation) writes in the liner notes, Kiren, and his concurrent release Latin were “born out of a free environment of collaboration that existed between Yasuaki and Aki Ikuta ... (exemplifying) his most energetic works.” In listening to Kiren, we might share with Yasuaki Shimizu the joy and excitement of experimentalism and movement that went into the making of this album, now released for the first time many years later.

Clear Vinyl

Written and conceived by Stephan Crasneanscki, ‘LOVOTIC’ is a concept album by Soundwalk Collective, composed in collaboration with lauded actress and singer/songwriter Charlotte Gainsbourg. Featuring veteran techno stalwart AtomTM, rising singer/composer/performance artist Lyra Pramuk, celebrated actor Willem Dafoe, and writer/philosopher Paul B. Preciado, the album is released by the new Berlin-based Analogue Foundation.

Inspired by a relatively new field of research that seeks to explore and develop the possibilities of sexual and emotional relationships – and even love – between humans and robots, ‘LOVOTIC’ interrogates the impulses, ideas, and needs underlying this phenomenon. The project ventures into a future where sex, intimacy and desire are reformulated through the connection of humans, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

In an age of such hybrid entanglement with the machine, human identity requires the construction of new forms of intimacy, gender, and sexuality. At present, however, such technologies are primarily used to produce programs of limited sexual iterations that do not question the preformatted categories of gender and sexual orientation. In contrast, on ‘LOVOTIC’, Soundwalk Collective ask whether the future of sex and sexuality could instead be an exponentially expanding kaleidoscope. Where does the impulse of preference come from? What sets of words from our vocabulary can be communicated to the AI mind to generate a new identity for desire? Could the machine be another technology that brings us closer together?

Sonically ‘LOVOTIC’ is unidentifiable, artificial, and genuinely futuristic, occupying an amorphous androgynous netherworld at the borderlands between biotic and android. Traditional musical signposts are virtually non-existent, instead offering a mercurial, formless sound which mirrors the flourishing of gender fluidity it suggests could be on the horizon.

The production tangibly evokes the odd, rubbery textures of faux flesh, the slick virtual glide or glitchy mishaps of software, and the sleek shine of hardware. Gleaming sound design creates shard-like surfaces redolent of Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s ‘Glass’, the slippery stretched sonics Gabor Lazar, and the unsettling dark ambience of TOWERS and Hallmark ‘87.

At turns intimate and inviting, with whispering-in-your-ears ASMR vocals evoking blissful, heightened sexual states, within ‘LOVOTIC’ there’s optimism, but also unease; As well as the positive, it implies the negative ramifications of technology. At points a synthetic siren’s call appears to lure the listener to a darker place, with audio malfunctions suggesting dystopian science. Voices morph from gentle to distorted – a glitch in the system causing the mask to slip, like virtual lizards – ‘They Live’ or ‘V’ (?), for the metaverse age.

Here, Charlotte Gainsbourg invokes a being of unknown identity – an artificial eve, the oracle and the portal – speaking from an unspecified time in the future. The voices of AtomTM, Lyra Pramuk and Willem Dafoe weave in and out of Charlotte’s, often overlapping, merging into one another, expressing the entity of a being that’s ephemeral and in constant flux, oscillating between the natural and artificial. The record’s other bonafide singer, Lyra Pramuk’s delivery alternates between spoken word, operatics and partially- unintelligible language.

A multi-media project, ‘LOVOTIC’ also features the work of writer, philosopher and curator Paul B. Preciado – a leading thinker in the study of gender and body politics. Paul contributes a post-apocalyptic, quasi scientific and fictional text, which adds further fantasy, artistic and intellectual depth, augmenting the listener’s experience. Like all the best Sci Fi, his words seem prescient, describing what could become a likely reality in the future. Paul performs his written texts on the opening and closing tracks of the album; ‘The Age Of Mutation’ (in Spanish) and ‘Primate Love’ (in English).

Soundwalk Collective is an experimental sound collective helmed by Stephan Crasneanscki in collaboration with Simone Merli, which operates in a continuously rotating constellation of sound artists and musicians. The Collective’s approach to composition combines anthropology, ethnography, non-linear narrative, psycho- geography, the observation of nature, and explorations in recording and synthesis.