quête:j sweet

"All our dreamers lose to the light" - from "Angels Go Home" When the pandemic began, and the world shut down, so did the process of creating for Iron & Wine's Sam Beam. In its place was a domesticity that the singer hadn't felt in a long time, and although it was filled with many rewards, making music was not one of them. Reflecting on that time, Beam notes: "I feel blessed and grateful that I and most of my friends and family made it through the pandemic relatively unscathed compared to so many others, but it completely paralyzed the songwriter in me. The last thing I wanted to write about was COVID, and yet every moment I sat with my pen, it lingered around the edges and wouldn't leave. This lasted for over two years." The journey back began with a recording session in Memphis to record a handful of Lori McKenna tracks for the EP Lori with friend and producer Matt Ross-Spang. The cathartic experience reconnected Beam with his love for making music, and soon enough the paralysis had passed, and he was finishing lyrics and booking studio time for what would become Light Verse. Light Verse was recorded with engineer and mixer Dave Way at his studio Waystation high up in Laurel Canyon (with an additional session at Silent Zoo Studio with a 24-piece orchestra), with a host of talented musicians joining Beam: Tyler Chester, Sebastian Steinberg, David Garza, Griffin Goldsmith, Beth Goodfellow, Kyle Crane, and Paul Cartwright. And, Fiona Apple joined Beam on vocals for the duet "All In Good Time." Beam lyrically once again takes focus on a series of both fictional and personal insights, filled with desperate characters and wide-eyed optimists, offering promise and a dose of heartache, tears and laughter, life and love. Taking stock in the album's title, he jokes, "Light verse is a form of poetry about playful themes that often uses nonsense and wordplay, and it's my first official Iron & Wine comedy album!_. Just kidding_." While true this may be Iron & Wine's most playful record, Beam says the title mostly reflects the way the songs were born with joy after the heaviness and anxiety of the pandemic. Where recent records like Beast Epic or Weed Garden gave air to the disquiet of middle-aged frailty and brokenness, these songs trade that for the focus acceptance can bring. Moment by moment, they delight in being pointed or silly (or both) and attempt beauty over prettiness. Light Verse arrives April 26th, and it's Iron & Wine's seventh full-length overall and fifth for Sub Pop Records. Fashioned as an album that should be taken as a whole, it sounds lovingly handmade and self-assured as a secret handshake. Track by track, its equal parts elegy, kaleidoscope, truth, and dare.

Prolific singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams and recently reinvigorated troubadour Dan Willson (aka Withered Hand) have announced a collaboration album, ‘Willson Williams’, out April 26th.

‘Willson Williams’ witnesses the meeting of two likeminded musicians who’ve built their successful, independent careers on inventive folk instrumentation, reflective and sincere lyricism, and not a small amount of self-deprecation. Their modest confessionals, written poetically and over nostalgic and atmospheric melodies, are as relatable as ever, and together they find new ways to unpack their feelings.

One overarching theme on the album is that of grief, when the writing process saw them both, tragically, in mourning for separate loved ones; Dan for his brother Karl and his friend Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit, and Kathryn for her friend, comedian and BBC Radio 4 presenter Jeremy Hardy. They explain that “the initial premise and starting point for us was discussions and open conversations on bereavement. We’d both recently lost friends who were also in the public eye, and we talked about the strange place between personal loss and the communal grieving of a public figure”. Contrastingly, the music on ‘Willson Williams’ is warm, heartfelt and even cheerful, an opposing nature that is completely in keeping with both their humour and candidness.

Neuauflage des Jubiläumsformats anlässlich des 15-jährigen von Of Montreals bahnbrechendem Album "The Sunlandic Twins" (2005) mit seinem erratischen Indie-Disco-Sound, das 2020 als erweiterte 2LP-Auflage auf rotem und orange-farbigem Swirl-Doppelvinyl im neu gestalteten Gatefold mit 5 zusätzlichen Bonustracks auf Seite D (die vorher nur geedged war) erschien. Ein superlatives 23-Track-Format.

Roy Buchanan gilt bis heute als "der beste unbekannte Gitarrist der Welt". Die Rolling Stones wollten ihn als Nachfolger für Brian Jones, Eric Clapton als Gitarrist bei Derek & The Dominos - beides Angebote, die er ablehnte. Roy Buchanan war ein Meister auf der Fender Telecaster-Gitarre, sein Spiel beeinflusste Musiker wie z.B. Gary Moore, oder Jeff Beck maßgeblich. Roy Buchanan wuchs in Kalifornien auf, wo er auch Gitarre lernte. Als Teenager zog er nach Los Angeles und spielte mit Spencer Dryden (später der Drummer von Jefferson Airplane) in der Band Heartbeats. Danach tourte er mit Dale Hawkins und spielte mit Robbie Robertson (The Band), der Buchanan später als einen seiner Haupteinflüsse bezeichnete. In den 60er Jahren heiratete Roy Buchanan, zog nach Washington DC und arbeitete als Studiomusiker an mehr als 100 Produktionen, vornehmlich für Freddy Canon und Leiber/Stoller. Erst 1971 erschien sein erstes Solo-Album, was dazu führte, dass er und sein unnachahmliches Spiel auf der Fender Telecaster von Größen wie John Lennon, Eric Clapton oder den Rolling Stones als Geheimtipp gehandelt wurde. Die ab 1985 aufgenommenen Alben "When A Guitar Plays The Blues" (1985), "Dancing On The Edge" (1986) und "Hot Wires" (1987) gehören zu den Highlights seiner Karriere. Nur drei Jahre vor seinem tragischen Selbstmord wurde dieses Rockpalast-Konzert am 24. Februar 1985 in der Markthalle in Hamburg aufgenommen. Ein Auftritt, bei dem Roy Buchanans Genie als Gitarrist in einzigartiger Weise überzeugt - nicht zuletzt durch seine kongenialen Cover-Versionen u.a. von Jimi Hendrix oder Don Gibson. Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass Roy Buchanan seine Qualitäten vor allen Dingen bei seinen Auftritten ausleben konnte, von denen nur wenige aufgezeichnet wurden. Ein beeindruckendes Vermächtnis!

Fievel Is Glauque ist eine von der Kritik gefeierte genreübergreifende Indie-Jazz-Rock-Band unter der Leitung von Zack Phillips (NYC) und Ma Clement (Brüssel), deren Sound von The Fader als "cosmic randomness" (kosmische Zufälligkeit) beschrieben wird. FIG unterschrieben 2023 bei Fat Possum Records und beeindrucken ihre wachsende Fangemeinde weiterhin mit seltsam-schönen Songs. Ihr 2021er Debütalbum "God’s Trashmen Sent To Right The Mess" verwebt Aufnahmen von rund 30 Musikern in fünf verschiedenen Bands zu über 20 Songs, die Jazz-Fusion, Pop, Lounge und Soul zu einer einzigen freudigen Vision vermischen.

"Black Sheep" bringt einige der bisher schärfsten Texte und elektrisierendsten Darbietungen von Cakes Da Killa, der vollends seine Vielseitigkeit nutzt: melodische Hooks, noch raffiniertere Pointen und die charakteristische Stimme, die mit durchsetzungsfähiger, roher Kraft alles durchdringt. Während sich in den globalen Verhältnissen Dunkelheit abzeichnet, bietet Cakes neue Fluchtwege - nicht aus Fahrlässigkeit, sondern aus Erholung, um weiter zu kämpfen. Ihm eilt sein kritischer und gesellschaftlicher Beifall voraus: Er hat bei Glastonbury, Governors Ball, Sonar und Whole Festival gespielt und mit allen - von Honey Dijon über Injury Reserve bis Rye Rye - zusammengearbeitet.

12. Mr Black Sheep (LPX Bonus Track)
13. Chain Gang Pimpin (LPX Bonus Track)
14. The Mix (LPX Bonus Track)
15. Not The One (LPX Bonus Track)
16. Standing Ovation (LPX Bonus Track)

"Black Sheep" bringt einige der bisher schärfsten Texte und elektrisierendsten Darbietungen von Cakes Da Killa, der vollends seine Vielseitigkeit nutzt: melodische Hooks, noch raffiniertere Pointen und die charakteristische Stimme, die mit durchsetzungsfähiger, roher Kraft alles durchdringt. Während sich in den globalen Verhältnissen Dunkelheit abzeichnet, bietet Cakes neue Fluchtwege - nicht aus Fahrlässigkeit, sondern aus Erholung, um weiter zu kämpfen. Ihm eilt sein kritischer und gesellschaftlicher Beifall voraus: Er hat bei Glastonbury, Governors Ball, Sonar und Whole Festival gespielt und mit allen - von Honey Dijon über Injury Reserve bis Rye Rye - zusammengearbeitet.

Prolific singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams and recently reinvigorated troubadour Dan Willson (aka Withered Hand) have announced a collaboration album, ‘Willson Williams’, out April 26th.

‘Willson Williams’ witnesses the meeting of two likeminded musicians who’ve built their successful, independent careers on inventive folk instrumentation, reflective and sincere lyricism, and not a small amount of self-deprecation. Their modest confessionals, written poetically and over nostalgic and atmospheric melodies, are as relatable as ever, and together they find new ways to unpack their feelings.

One overarching theme on the album is that of grief, when the writing process saw them both, tragically, in mourning for separate loved ones; Dan for his brother Karl and his friend Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit, and Kathryn for her friend, comedian and BBC Radio 4 presenter Jeremy Hardy. They explain that “the initial premise and starting point for us was discussions and open conversations on bereavement. We’d both recently lost friends who were also in the public eye, and we talked about the strange place between personal loss and the communal grieving of a public figure”. Contrastingly, the music on ‘Willson Williams’ is warm, heartfelt and even cheerful, an opposing nature that is completely in keeping with both their humour and candidness.

There are one million ways to approach love, one million ways to experience love, one million ways in which love shapes both the course of our lives and how we choose to navigate that course. On her second album, Bnny’s Jessica Viscius looks love square in its many eyes and describes, with self-awareness and humor, not only what she sees, but what it makes her feel. Deep romantic love, breathy lust, generous self-love—and their opposites, self-loathing, resentment, disappointment—all make appearances. Like a sheet being draped over a clothesline, channeling Mazzy Star and mimicking the soft, gauzy, fresh feeling of realizing you’re able to begin it all again with a new person. Recorded in Asheville at Drop of Sun and produced by Viscius alongside Alex Farrar (Wednesday, Indigo De Souza, Snail Mail), One Million Love Songs is Bnny’s revelatory second album. Out April 2024 on Fire Talk

There are one million ways to approach love, one million ways to experience love, one million ways in which love shapes both the course of our lives and how we choose to navigate that course. On her second album, Bnny’s Jessica Viscius looks love square in its many eyes and describes, with self-awareness and humor, not only what she sees, but what it makes her feel. Deep romantic love, breathy lust, generous self-love—and their opposites, self-loathing, resentment, disappointment—all make appearances. Like a sheet being draped over a clothesline, channeling Mazzy Star and mimicking the soft, gauzy, fresh feeling of realizing you’re able to begin it all again with a new person. Recorded in Asheville at Drop of Sun and produced by Viscius alongside Alex Farrar (Wednesday, Indigo De Souza, Snail Mail), One Million Love Songs is Bnny’s revelatory second album. Out April 2024 on Fire Talk

Wenn du nach Jena willst, dann musst du erst einmal durch diese einschüchternde, massive Mauer von elfgeschossigen Plattenbauten in Jena-Lobeda. Und SNOW TRAIL aus eben jener Stadt liefern mit "Abandoned Capsule" den perfekten Soundtrack fürs nächtliche Schlafwandeln durch diese oder andere Betonwüsten. Auf ihrem Debütalbum für It's Eleven Records treibt der Rhythmus mit stoischer Gelassenheit die Schatten voran, während die verhallte Gitarre und der pulsierende Bass in Melodiebögen durch die Dunkelheit mäandern. Der Gesang transportiert eine unterschwellige Aggression, die sich in gelegentlichen Ausbrüchen manifestiert, doch eine spröde, fließende Anmut behält insgesamt die Oberhand. Das Trio agiert minimalistisch und konzentriert die Songs auf ihre Essenz. Behutsam eingesetzte Synths (z.B. bei "Fragments Repeated" oder "Constructions") oder überraschend Alt-Saxophon bei "Murky Acrylic Windows" verstärken die düstere Sogwirkung. Die Songs für "Abandoned Capsule" entstanden größtenteils in den Pandemie-geprägten Jahren 2021/22. Die Perspektivlosigkeit dieser Zeit wirkt als Hintergrundstrahlung auch in den Texten noch nach. Dennoch haben SNOW TRAIL nun mit ihrem Album und einer stärkeren Einbindung von elektronischen Klängen einen neuen Weg beschritten, der ihren ursprünglichen Sound trotzdem nicht verleugnet.

Larry June & prolific producer Cardo have joined forces once again to bring you their latest masterpiece: "The Night Shift," a nocturnal adventure that takes you on a ride through the vivid and pulsating streets of Larry's life, as brought to life by Cardo's distinctive production. Larry June, the San Francisco native known for his smooth, laid-back flow and his unwavering commitment to living a healthy and prosperous lifestyle, seamlessly blends his distinctive style with Cardo's signature production, creating a sound that's as crisp and refreshing as a glass of cold-pressed orange juice. "The Night Shift" is the soundtrack to those late-night drives, providing the perfect backdrop for contemplation and cruising. "The Night Shift" is more than just an album; it's a testament to the chemistry between Larry June and Cardo, two artists at the top of their game. This project is a reminder that, in the still of the night, when the city's lights are aglow, and the world is asleep, Larry June and Cardo are hard at work, crafting music that transcends time and place.

Available on ltd edition Eco mix vinyl, with only 250 copies pressed. Includes download.

We’re delighted to bring you the latest full length from London psych heads The Confederate Dead.

‘As an artist, one of the most extraordinary gifts is the ability to convert life's experiences and emotions into music, transmuting pain into beauty, tragedy into art. With our latest album, 'Flamingo', we embarked on this creative journey. The inception of this project dates back to 2022, a year marked by a period of separation that was both challenging and transformative. 'Flamingo' is not just an album; it is a voyage through the labyrinth of heartache and healing. Each track resonates with the overarching theme of the album, yet each presents a unique interpretation of it. Every song echoes the same meaning, the same core narrative, but from a different emotional lens.’ Butchy Davy (The Confederate Dead)

‘“Flamingo by London’s psychedelic indie band The Confederate Dead flows by like a strange dream. Each song flows differently, shifting the dreamy images into another direction. Thoughts of The Black Angels, the Fuzz Club catalogue and genres from shoegaze to garage pop and back to good old psych rock fight a confusing fight for my attention. In the end it appears that this struggle will never truly be decided. The Confederate Dead is their own beast, and a great one at that.

Theirs is a sound that oozes confidence and grandeur, presented like a big name would. and there is no reason why The Confederate Dead would not dream big, they have the chops, the songs, the looks, the only thing standing in the way of moving up might be their dark brooding undertones and their refusal to do a cool thing twice.

Because the most powerful thing about Flamingo is its versatility. The album is like a box of assorted chocolates, the one you can’t get enough of because each song is delicious and sweet in its own way. So, indulge yourself, have a chocolate, or ten…before you know it the album is over, and you’ll press play again.’

@weirdoshrineblog 2023.

Advitam Aeternamour, Cléa Vincent's third album, will be released on 29 March 2024 by Midnight Special.

If the 90s gave us “French touch,” then the 2010s ushered in “French pop,” and it was in the midst of this revival that Cléa began her artistic journey. As early as the music video for

“Achète-le-moi” from her debut LP Retiens mon désir (2016), we witness the singer striking selfie-like poses with her French pop comrades (La Femme, Bertrand Burgalat), appearing pell-mell on screen in the form of their vinyl records. Since then, whether singing with Philippe Katerine or co-producing (and composing) Jeanne Balibar's D'ici là tout l'été (2023), Cléa Vincent has effortlessly carved out a niche for herself in the French pop scene. The advantage of being a “jack-of-all-trades” — Cléa is a writer, composer, and producer — is that her music casts a wide net. Both highly acclaimed in the indie circuit and “as seen on TV” (on Quotidien, among others), she has also enjoyed a stint as the host for web-TV show Sooo Pop, for which she regularly interviewed a plethora of French artists. Beyond France, the singer tours extensively. After a run of concerts in Europe, Asia, North and South America, it was her visit to Latin and Central America that inspired Tropi-cléa (2017-2020-2022). The three EPs bathed in a tropicalist glow do more than just dip their toes in the water; they mark a deep desire to escape in a post-lockdown world.

In between these projects emerged Cléa’s LP Nuits sans sommeil (2019). The album quickly became an instant classic and lives up to its name, since Clea never seems to stop — writing, composing, singing, or dancing. Mixed by Stephane ALF Briat, who has lent his magic touch to records by Phoenix, Bonnie Banane, Air, and Flavien Berger, Cléa Vincent's third LP Advitam Aeternamour proves once again that her music is in perpetual renewal. The artist takes risks both in her pursuit for innovative sounds and in the themes she tackles: coming out, incest, grief...and of course, she will always be a true romantic at heart; there’s no need to be ashamed of loving love. Cléa’s songs are full of “explicit lyrics,” but not in the typical sense: rather than ringing harsh and raw, her words are tinged with sweetness and melancholy, at the risk of shocking less sentimental listeners.

Written hand-in-hand with Raphaël Léger, her creative soulmate for the last ten years who also recorded and produced the album, Advitam Aeternamour features lyrics charged with Epinal and equinox imagery. On the poignantly sober title track, sudden flashes of light are padded by tinkling synthesizers swathed in the voices of an angelic choir, as also heard on “Nuit de Yalda.” Cléa offers a modern take on 90s house music (“C'est Ok”) and 2-step garage (“Free Demain”). Particularly influenced by The Beloved, she is not above dipping pop songs into the electronic melting pot to get them through the club door (“État Second,” where we “turn up the BPM”). And whether on “Shut down ma tête,” or “Douce Chavirée,” Cléa pushes the champagne cork down even further so that the party never stops. The bass gets louder, the rhythm intensifies — the melodies of these eternal hits are an invitation onto the dance floor, lit up by her smile.

As depicted in the soothing embrace that appears on the album artwork, the bright psychedelic hues are the perfect complement to her therapeutically inclined synthetic pop. Even if they tackle themes such as breakups, Cléa's songs, which are vitamin-packed and deep on the surface, are intended to heal and repair. “Se laisser partir,” with its light vocoder echoes, emulating the vocal shadow of a loved one, is an optimistic breakup song. Advitam Æternamour gives us life, from birth to grief — and in the middle, wild, beating passion. If her songs resonate with us, it's because Cléa speaks to us in her songs, as heard on the girl power anthem “Free demain,” where she addresses the listener as a friend (“put the pedal to the metal and you’ll take off for the stars”). When she shares the microphone with Jacques on “État Second,” enveloped by the sounds of unidentified musical objects, the complementary nature of the two artists is evident. The album is as much a tribute to the healing virtues of music as it is a self-portrait of Cléa inhabited by her art. Ad vitam æternam and with love.

Reissue of early Japanese house outing by Junichi Soma, Shuji Wada and Katsuya Sayo. Comes with insert with liner notes.

All musical movements require a spark to set them alight; in the case of Japanese house music, that spark was provided by the forward-thinking resident DJs of The Bank in Roppongi, Tokyo. In 1989, to celebrate the ground-breaking club’s first birthday, the venue released a 12” EP featuring first-time productions from three of its DJs, Junichi Soma, Shuji Wada and Strong Katsuya AKS Katsuya Sayo.

Widely considered to be one of the first ever EP of house music produced in Japan, 1st Unit was never officially released. Instead, 500 of the 1000 copies pressed were given away at The Bank’s first birthday party, with the rest initially being sold not in local record stores, but rather the venue’s own in-house shop. Three decades on, the 12” is finally set to get its first worldwide release via Rush Hour’s Store JPN Series.

The record has its roots in The Bank’s willingness to give its ever-changing roster of DJs a free hand to play what they liked – at the time a rarity in Tokyo nightclubs, whose musical offerings usually revolved around strictly defined playlists. At The Bank in 1989, it was not only common to hear European body music and the kind of post-disco New York productions associated with Larry Levan’s sets at the Paradise Garage, but also acid house – something not offered at the time by other clubs in the city.

This cutting-edge blend of sounds, combined with the venue’s unique decor (it was modeled on the inside of a London bank, complete with a cashier’s window to take entrance fees), made The Bank a go-to spot for young party-goers, celebrities and forward-thinking Japanese musicians (Ryuichi Sakamoto was reportedly a weekly visitor).

When it came to celebrating the club’s birthday by cutting a unique record, it made sense for The Bank’s owners to turn to three of their most exciting resident DJs, who were assisted by Heigo Tani and Jun Ebi. The collective name, 1st Unit, was chosen to reflect the fact that all three resident DJs were debutants with no previous studio experience.

As this reissue proves, the music remains timeless, magical, and authentic to the sound of American house productions of the period – albeit with occasional twists,. Katsuya Sano’s EP opener, ‘I Need Love’, sounds like a twist on Larry Heard productions of the period – all jacking TR-909 drums, undulating analogue bass, dreamy JUNO synthesizer chords and evocative vocal samples.

The influence of Chicago acid house is also evident on Junichi Souma’s ‘Ubnormal Life’, whose unusual title contains what he says was an intentional misspelling. Driven forwards by restless drum machine handclaps, sweet chords and rising and falling melodic motifs, the track is an energetic and uplifting treat.

Perhaps the most influential of the three tracks at the time – within Japan at least – was Shuji Wada’s similarly misspelled ‘Endless Load’. Deeper and more melodic with a more expansive arrangement, the track’s combination of marimba-style lead lines, tribal drum patterns, dreamy chords and jazz-funk influenced bass offered a loose blueprint for the more successful and better-known Japanese deep house tracks that followed.

Sounds Good ist ein Album, das, vereinfacht ausgedrückt, seinem Namen alle Ehre macht. Die aktuelle Single Hanging On folgt auf den Bombast-Track Nobody But You und Gift of Life mit Kevins Delfonics-artigem Gesang, der die Bandbreite der menschlichen Erfahrung thematisiert. Kevin und Tony Martin sind Brüder, Eric ist ihr Bruderund langjähriger Freund durch die Musik. Während die anfängliche Verbindung der Band auf der berauschenden Mischung aus Jazz-Performance-fokussierter Musikschule und der Plackerei lokaler Auftritte gründet, wurde ihre Bindung durch unzählige Stunden auf Tour und die Produktion von zwei Studioalben gestärkt – 2019 das Debütalbum Buck und 2021 die EP Ripe. "Being on the road, doing our own tours, and backing incredible people like Lady Wray, has sharpened our skills and really revved us up for this record", sagt Kevin."It's been four years since our last full length record, and with everything that's happened since, it's like we've been catching up to ourselves." Das ist eine Möglichkeit, Veränderungen zu beschreiben: sich selbst einzuholen. Jedes Mitglied von Brainstory hat Veränderungen durchgemacht, sowohl persönlich als auch musikalisch, und all das zieht sich durch diese Platte. Der Weg zur Weiterentwicklung ihrer Musik ist klarer denn je zuvor. Wenn es eine Sache gibt, die auf diesem Album überdeutlich wird, dann ist es, dass Brainstory sich entwickelt haben. Ein Teil ihrer Entwicklung ist zweifellos darauf zurückzuführen, dass sie ihr eigenes Studio in Long Beach haben und dort ständig arbeiten. Ein weiterer wichtiger Faktor ist, dass sich ihre Gemeinschaft erweitert hat. "I've been playing music with my brother all my life and now with Eric for a long time", erzählt uns Tony. "Leon, though, is like another brother I've just met." Aus der Freundschaft ist die Band entstanden, und jetzt trägt die erweiterte Gemeinschaft dazu bei, sie weiter voranzutreiben. Die Sterne stehen günstig, dass sie mit diesem neuen Album einen großen und wohlverdienten Schritt machen, und das hört man ihrer Musik an – music that just Sounds Good.

Sounds Good ist ein Album, das, vereinfacht ausgedrückt, seinem Namen alle Ehre macht. Die aktuelle Single Hanging On folgt auf den Bombast-Track Nobody But You und Gift of Life mit Kevins Delfonics-artigem Gesang, der die Bandbreite der menschlichen Erfahrung thematisiert. Kevin und Tony Martin sind Brüder, Eric ist ihr Bruderund langjähriger Freund durch die Musik. Während die anfängliche Verbindung der Band auf der berauschenden Mischung aus Jazz-Performance-fokussierter Musikschule und der Plackerei lokaler Auftritte gründet, wurde ihre Bindung durch unzählige Stunden auf Tour und die Produktion von zwei Studioalben gestärkt – 2019 das Debütalbum Buck und 2021 die EP Ripe. "Being on the road, doing our own tours, and backing incredible people like Lady Wray, has sharpened our skills and really revved us up for this record", sagt Kevin."It's been four years since our last full length record, and with everything that's happened since, it's like we've been catching up to ourselves." Das ist eine Möglichkeit, Veränderungen zu beschreiben: sich selbst einzuholen. Jedes Mitglied von Brainstory hat Veränderungen durchgemacht, sowohl persönlich als auch musikalisch, und all das zieht sich durch diese Platte. Der Weg zur Weiterentwicklung ihrer Musik ist klarer denn je zuvor. Wenn es eine Sache gibt, die auf diesem Album überdeutlich wird, dann ist es, dass Brainstory sich entwickelt haben. Ein Teil ihrer Entwicklung ist zweifellos darauf zurückzuführen, dass sie ihr eigenes Studio in Long Beach haben und dort ständig arbeiten. Ein weiterer wichtiger Faktor ist, dass sich ihre Gemeinschaft erweitert hat. "I've been playing music with my brother all my life and now with Eric for a long time", erzählt uns Tony. "Leon, though, is like another brother I've just met." Aus der Freundschaft ist die Band entstanden, und jetzt trägt die erweiterte Gemeinschaft dazu bei, sie weiter voranzutreiben. Die Sterne stehen günstig, dass sie mit diesem neuen Album einen großen und wohlverdienten Schritt machen, und das hört man ihrer Musik an – music that just Sounds Good.

Maurice Fulton's outrageous remix of "The Fall" by Rhye has been cherished as a stone-cold masterpiece for the past decade. Out of print almost immediately, its legend has only grown and for too long it's been impossible to find a copy without parting with considerable cash. We've wanted to remedy this situation for years so we're delighted to announce that we've finally given it the Be With treatment.

The word ‘genius’ is bandied about liberally but it's fair to anoint Maurice Fulton with such lofty praise. Sheffield’s king of oddball disco, Fulton is one of our favourite artists, an outerspace-minded producer with roots in Baltimore club music who has no problem injecting dank interplanetary funk into the smoothest of acts. And so it goes with his remix of "The Fall". Rich and typically off-kilter, this is spellbinding disco par excellance. Fulton arms the track with a juddering electro-funk synth-bassline before shifting to a twanging disco reverb and conga-led, crash-cymbal-elevated groove.

Essential doesn't even cover it; it's just astonishingly good.

The gorgeous original, situated here on the flip, is a sublime serenade, all twinkling strings and sweet, sumptuous vocals over smooth, jazzy piano styles. It earned comparisons to Sade, Air and the xx upon initial release and it's still easy to understand why; it's warm and buoyant yet deeply melancholy. Elegantly downlifting, you could say.

Simon Francis remastered the original audio for both tracks and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 12" well and truly slaps. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this incredibly sought-after masterpiece finds a home in many more DJ boxes this and every year.

It takes a certain special kind of band to make a perfect indie-pop song, and Kindsight are exactly that kind of band. The Danish four-piece have mastered the craft of distilling their artistic identity into sweet and scrappy songs, every note and detail carefully tailored so it all falls into place, for music that wakes warm memories and shines with daydreams about tomorrow. Kindsight (Nina Hyldgaard Rasmussen, Søren Svensson, Anders Prip and Johannes Jacobsen) announced themselves properly in 2022 with their debut LP Swedish Punk, and promptly headed out on the road to introduce that record to the world, setting off for shows including slots at SXSW and Roskilde Festival’s emerging talent stage. Always unwilling to rest on their laurels, the band have kept moving forward, and are now back with a new album, No Shame No Fame, out on Rama Lama Records this April.

"No Shame No Fame" by Kindsight includes the following tracks: "Love You Baby All the Time", "Killing Eye", "Terracotta Team Song", "Easter and the Boys" and more.

“The first full length LP by Joshua Massad and Dylan Aycock. Massad is a tabla player living in India and studying under Zakir Hussain. Massad and Aycock came together in Tulsa to record live at the legendary Church Studio which was founded by Leon Russell in the ’70s. Over a few nights they captured some moments in the studio before it came under new ownership and just before Joshua moved to India. “Aycock improvising on 12-string with Massad accompanying tabla and sitar. A flowing river of sound, a meeting of the minds. The little touches that Dylan’s brother Jesse Aycock adds (bits of synth) really sweeten the deal as well. Track two recorded in Leon Russell’s legendary Church Studio.” —Aquarium Drunkyard “Track one is an improvisation recorded at the home of Joshua Massad’s friend who he was house sitting for and invited me to come play. When I showed up the door was open and he was deep in practice so no words were spoken. I set up a mic and just started playing. We played for fortyfive minutes straight and the twenty mins of the first track was culled from that moment. We clicked immediately and that was the first time we ever played together. Joshua is studying and teaching in India now where he’s been since 2019.” —Dylan Golden Aycock

Big Crown Records is proud to present Brainstory’s sophomore full-length album Sounds Good.

Based in L.A. but hailing from the Inland Empire's own Rialto, California, two-thirds of Brainstory, Kevin and Tony Martin are brothers by blood, while Eric Hagstrom is a brother through their music and long term friendship. Since they started the band they have constantly faced situations that forced them to rise to the occasion. They got signed to Big Crown Records, they stepped up their game. COVID happened, they learned to record themselves. They started touring a ton sharing the stage with the likes of Lady Wray and they got their live show super tight. All of this time spent grinding and growing has certainly paid off. The path to take their art to the next level is clearer than ever, and once again, they are here for it. If there is one thing that is abundantly clear on Sounds Good, it’s that Brainstory has leveled up.

Part of this evolution is undoubtedly attributed to having access to and working constantly in their own studio in Long Beach. Another major factor is that their brotherhood has expanded. "I've been playing music with my brother all my life and now with Eric for a long time," Tony tells us. "Leon, though, is like another brother I've just met."

Leon Michels, Big Crown's co-owner, produced this record and applied his unmistakable golden touch in crucial ways. The other member of the extended Brainstory brotherhood whose contributions were essential to the album, is studio engineer legend Jens Jungkurth who controls the tones and textures of the music. "That's what you're hearing, our connection, the fun moments, the little details," Kevin describes. "This record isn't half what it is without them—and it made us want to match that effort," and match that effort they did. Album opener "Nobody But You" is an uplifting, dance ­oor burner, that shows off a new side of Brainstory's range. Drummer Eric Hagstrom’s crushing back beat lays the foundation for an inspirational feel good banger that manages to take the uncomfortable truth that “nobody will save you but you” and turn it into pure blissful motivation. "Peach Optimo" is a laid back half time tune that blends the bounce of Down South Hip-Hop with California G funk and Jazz. They once again show off their B said ballad talents with "Gift Of Life" but this time taking the genre to a new place with lyrics about existentialism and a track that is drop dead gorgeous, haunting, and profound all at once. "NyNy" is an homage to Kev and Tony's recently deceased grandfather while "Too Yung" is a show stopping, deeply personal, stripped down number about being introduced to

alcohol at a young age. They put another hit on the boards with "Hanging On," a Latin / Psychedelic Soul inspired banger featuring Claire Cottrill on background vocals while "XFaded” addresses the all too common vicious cycle of smoking and drinking too much over a trippy shuf­e.

"It's been four years since our last full length record, and with everything that's happened since, it's like we've been catching up to ourselves." That's one way to describe change: catching up to oneself. Each member of Brainstory has gone through shifts, both personally and musically, and all of that threads through Sounds Good. It's easy to say that the music industry can be short on lasting, genuine relationships. However, for Brainstory, from day one it's been about standing by each other, for each other. Their friendship started the group. Track listing:

Hello and welcome to Cult Value, the new album from Manchester-based band Oort Clod, released by Safe Suburban Home in the UK and Repeating Cloud in the US this April. We are very excited to introduce this mercurial and unique collection of songs. The album includes garage stompers such as “#7”, off-kilter indie whining like the title track “Cult Value”, perfect indie pop songs like ‘Car Talk’ and much more. Featuring members of Unpaid Intern, the Hipshakes, Jeuce and the Early Mornings, Oort Clod was originally conceived by songwriter Patrick Glen as a fluid project with shifting members. Over the course of pandemic-era practices above the empty Peer Hat pub (the epicentre of DIY music making in Manchester) the current line-up solidified. In 2021 Oort Clod released a split E.P. with fellow Manchester band Priceless Bodies, pursuing a darker and more experimental sound. The EP received international airplay including BBC6 Music and KSFX. After playing gigs with bands like Porridge Radio, Jeffrey Lewis, and Garden Centre and even more practices above the Peer Hat, Oort Clod have mounted up once more to make Cult Value. The album’s sound is hard to pin down but it is Oort Clod’s most accessible and complete work so far. The band finds common ground in the alternative rock bands of the 1980s and 1990s, the post-punk and indie bands on Flying Nun Records and trashy compilations of post-British Invasion 60s garage gems like Nuggets. All of which come through, warped by Oort Clod’s particular sensibility, on this record made at Delicious Clam studios in Sheffield under the watchful eye of Ed Crisp. You’ll even get their cover of ? &the Mysterians “96 Tears”—rated the best ever cover of the song by the Blanketing Covers podcast, beating Jonathan Richman, Aretha Franklin, the Stranglers and Suicide (this actually exists, honestly). So there you have it the short and sweet lowdown on the new album Cult Value by Oort Clod. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as they did making it and spread the good word as you see fit. Good luck in your endeavours and take care.

A nice boxset with 3 LP and a poster. Including all the greatest blues artists: LIGHTNIN" HOPKINS, JOHN LEE HOOKER, SCREAMIN" JAY HAWKINS, BO DIDDLEY, MUDDY WATERS, HOWLIN" WOLF, T-BONE WALKER, B.B KING...

If you're reading this then you will know that Instinct is one of the UK's powerhouse garage labels. Run by Burnski aka James Burnham it deals in serious tackle for rude boys and nasty girls. The drums hit hard, the reversed bassline burn goose old school cool and there gun finger salutes come think and fast throughout this EP from Mance. 'Checkpoint' opens with the dusty drum shuffles and bulbous bass, then 'The Going Is Rough' is a little more soulful and sweet with its rolling basslines and silky pads. 'Beat 93' closes down with a seriously OG garage sound that takes you back to the mid-90s.

In Season 5, the long-awaited fifth full-length by beach-pop project The Tyde, frontman Darren Rademaker unveils his vision of an ’80s-inspired Suave Nouveau, with a clutch of sweet, melancholic love songs evoking lush mustaches, mellow macho, the ghost of Jimmy Buffett, white sand beaches, flamingos swooping across a cerulean sky, speedboats cutting through the bay and pastel linen suits billowing in the breeze as the sun dips beneath the horizon. “Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León ‘discovered’ Florida in 1513, naming the peninsula La Florida, the flowering land. In Season 5, Rademaker reflects on his own return to the flowering land, and the artistic diaspora that caused him to quit California in 2020 in search of a New World of his own. ‘I lived in Florida from the ages of ten to twenty-five, but never really got to explore it,’ he says. ‘When I came back, I decided to really embrace the whole Florida aesthetic. I moved into an art deco home in Sarasota with pink seashell lamps. I visited Key West, like seven times. I also quit smoking weed and cigarettes, and stopped saying shit like LOL and amazeballs. It felt different. It felt good.’ “The record features the talents of many good friends, including Dan Horne, Colby Buddelmeyer, Matt Correia (Allah-Las), Clay Finch (Mapache), Albert Hickman, Derek James (The Entrance Band), Alex Knost (Tomorrow’s Tulips) and Adam MacDougall (Circles Around The Sun / Black Crowes), with artist / musician Matt Fishbeck (Holy Shit) designing the deco-inspired album artwork. “And as much as they are inspired by the past, these songs are keenly aware of an uncertain future—because there is no such thing as a time machine, and there is no going back. Ultimately, Season 5 asks the question—where do we go after the sun sets on our dreams? Where the fuck is the New New World? In Rademaker’s eyes, it no longer exists in any specific American geography—rather, all hope remains in the timeless, unending power of music, and its power to take us to the places we wish we could be. Even if they don’t exist anymore.” — Caroline Ryder

The last ten years have seen no shortage of bands with their delay pedals set to stun intent on capturing an aura of dreamlike radiance. Yet Texas 'pop-noir' troupe Cigarettes After Sex are no ordinary shoegazers, for a variety of reasons - frontman Greg Gonzalez' androgynous and dulcet tones may be part of the appeal, yet moreover it's the quality of the songwriting here, which never falls prey to the style-over-substance traps of their peers. Indeed, this debut is more than enough to justify the considerable hype around this outfit, being a collection of ditties as sultry as they are atmopsheric.

Der OST zu Paul Kings Film 'Wonka' (2023), einem Prequel zu dem bereits mehrfach verfilmten Kinderbuch 'Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik' von Roald Dahl. Die Partitur enthält sowohl köstliche Originalmusik, vorgetragen von Protagonist Timothée Chalamet und der phänomenalen Ensemblebesetzung mit Hugh Grant, Calah Lane und Keegan-Michael Key, sowie neue Musik des gefeierten Komponisten Joby Talbot und des Songwriters Neil Hannon. Braunes und cremefarbenes Doppelvinyl in Nagaoka-Stil-Innenhüllen samt Einleger im Hochglanz-Gatefold mit Obi-Strip.

Django Reinhardt gilt als einer der größten Gitarristen aller Zeiten und als erster Jazzgitarrist Europas, der Einfluss auf Kollegen wie Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd, Wes Montgomery, Jeff Beck, Jerry Garcia, Tony Lommi und Willie Nelson hatte. Aufgrund seiner körperlichen Behinderung spielte er hauptsächlich mit Zeige- und Mittelfinger und erfand so einen einzigartigen Gitarrenstil. Seine Virtuosität, geprägt von der Musik der Roma, wurde von einem hervorragenden Gespür für melodische Erfindungsgabe, Musikalität, Timing, Swing und Dynamik begleitet. Django spielte ausschließlich nach Gehör, da er weder Noten lesen noch schreiben konnte. Die Swing-Compilation "Golden Classics" enthält eine Auswahl seiner besten Aufnahmen, alle sorgfältig remastered.

Welcome to the sweet-but-savory, suspiciously sticky, and slightly sinful world of old-school movie theater intermission messages. It’s where big-band jazz, psychedelic rock, sequin-bedecked disco, virgin vanilla orchestrated pop, and more are pressed into service, with your satisfaction as the solitary goal! Features CD only bonus tracks!

Hey Folks! It's Intermission Time! by Something Weird includes the following tracks: "Popcorn And Candy, Yum Yum", "Lots Of Pretty Pickles", "Oh The Time Is Now, The Time Is Here", "James River Smithfield BBQ" and more.

This version comes as a 1LP on brown vinyl.

Known for classic collaborative albums with artists like J Dilla, MF DOOM, and Freddie Gibbs, widely celebrated producer Madlib is a sampling savant who has crafted beats for the likes of Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Tyler The Creator, Logic, De La Soul, and many more. The California artist’s latest project is Liberation 2, his second collaboration with hip-hop icon Talib Kweli. A global call for unity through space and time, the acclaimed album features appearances by Q-Tip, Westside Gunn, Roc Marciano, Roy Ayers, Goapele, Wildchild, Pink Siifu, and more. Now, the remarkable jazz-inflected Madlib instrumentals from Liberation 2 are receiving a proper vinyl release. Following in the footsteps of past Madlib instrumental classics, this limited-edition collection features 14 compelling tracks from one of the most gifted musical minds in hip-hop history.

The YUM YUMS, Europe's ambassadors of power-pop are back with a brandnew album!!! Their sixth full-length is called "Poppin' Up Again" you you can be sure that whenever they have a new album poppin' up, it's gonna be a hit record!!! It's stacked with catchy hi-energy, guitar-driven power-pop songs, complete with sugary multi-layered harmonies and lyrics that seems to be stolen from some 12 year-old girl's diary. Like Joss Hutton once wrote in Bucketfull Of Brains Magazine, "Let's consider the three minute pop-song for a second or two: so simple in it's construction, so inscrutable in it's perfection, so many who have tried and failed! For me the YUM YUMS have been THE band to watch over the past few years, their perfect (yep, it's true) take on the "power-pop" thang is a source of constant pleasure and amuzement". A pretty good description that is, but what more can we say about the undisputed kings of pop? This time they deliver their idea of REAL POWER-POP, where the word power is written in capital letters and fill it up with a perfect dose of classic rock'n'roll. Putting together the essential ingrediences of the music of the RAMONES, the REAL KIDS, the PLIMSOULS, the DEVIL DOGS, the early SWEET and the OHIO EXPRESS, the 6t's and the 7t's, bubblegum, glam and punk, pop and r'n'r, they create their very own YUMMY sound. So, what we're talking about is extremely catchy pop-music with a fat, rockin' guitar sound, well executed vocal-lines, ridin'-on-the-waves drums and a crunchy punk feel to it. It simply makes you feel good!

Deep Hardcore Dub accompanied by the sweet sobering sounds of Kyla.
The voice behind UK Funky hit ‘Do You Mind’.

Kyla lends her vocals to the Soundsystem classic ‘Bengali Skank’,
originally composed by Mad Professor for Sister Audrey’s – ‘Children of the Ghetto’.
‘Dub You Mind’ is revamped & redubbed by Joe Ariwa & Paleface.

This wonderful collection of mostly overlooked gems has been remixed and remastered from the original master tapes. Finally available again after 20+ years of unavailability. The Freddie Mercury produced title-track features the iconic Queen frontman on piano and vocals and Brian May on guitar. The further Eddie Howell tracks on the album are from around the same period and feature cameo appearances from Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Ray Cooper and many others. Pressed on 180gram audiophile quality white vinyl, presented in an exclusive boxset including photos, poster, plectrum, QR code (for the Dolby Atmos version of the album) and the story behind the project.

Man From Manhattan by Eddie Howell & Freddie Mercury, released 12 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Jezebel ", "A Long Story ", "Parachute ", "Chicago Kid " and more.

This version of Man From Manhattan comes as a 1xLP in a(n) Printed Inner Sleeve(s) packaging. This release comes with (a) Photo(s) & Poster.

The vinyl is pressed as a white disc.

"The soundtrack of a sunny day at the Eden Beach Club.

After the commercial and critical success of the album 'Hymne au soleil', Laurent Bardainne and Tigre d'Eau Douce defy the laws of attraction, aiming beyond the sun with Eden as their target in their third album 'EDEN BEACH CLUB.' A return to their successful uninhibited formula, blending lingering groove, luxurious soul, flamboyant jazz, and electronic spirals. Geographically or musically, no map can locate this place of eclecticism anymore, with each track leading to an invitation to dance and celebrate a moment. That of an eternal sunset, striped with electricity by Laurent Bardainne and Tigre d'Eau Douce."

DIY tape manoeuvres, sending esoteric dub waves down from the magnetic north.

Straight from the studio in Glasgow. Everything done in-house. Hand stamped body. Printed the covers etc

Weirdo dubs from ambient to drone with experimental electronic cuts that occupy some frighteningly smoked out alleyway between the club and the cemetery. With a sweet spot of obscure but inclusive dub, with the kind of ambient bits that sound like ancient mythology.

This one-off 1973 release turned out to be the only recordings of Chicago veterans Channel 3. Powered by a brilliant Carl Davis production, a sublime William Sanders arrangement and a sterling Willie Henderson rhythm, 'The Sweetest Thing' is quite simply a masterpiece of Chicago Soul which has become even more popular over the years. A mint original is £250+ these days so this has been long overdue for a 7 Inch release.

Soul entwickelte sich gegen Ende der 1950er Jahre aus Rhythm"n"Blues, Gospel, Blues und Jazz. Im folgenden Jahrzehnt war Soul ein Synonym für schwarze Popmusik. Kennzeichnend dafür waren vor allem die Produktionen von Motown Records, zum Beispiel Diana Ross & The Supremes oder Sam Cooke. Seither sind herzergreifender Gesang und groovige Vibes die größten Stilmerkmale des Soul. Zu den weiteren Ikonen des Soul gehören Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, Sam Cooke, Al Green und viele mehr. Deren Erfolg ist eng mit dem Kampf der US-amerikanischen Bürgerrechtsbewegung gegen Rassentrennung und für Gleichberechtigung verbunden. 1969 benannte man die Rhythm"n"Blues- in Soul-Charts um. Der Soul-Orkan, der während der Sechziger in den Charts tobte, ebbte jedoch wieder ab, kam aber runderneuert in den 70ern als Phillysound wieder zu erneuten Hitparadenehren. 1982 änderte man die Chart-Bezeichnung von Soul in Black Music. Die vorliegende Kompilation vereint die legendären Stimmen des Soul mit ihren unvergesslichen Hits.

Find all the greeatest songs of the King of Rock & Roll in a nice 5LP boxset

Rich in ancestral flows, between Ghana and Europe, powered by deep, conga led rhythms and seductive warm horn riffs come Jembaa Groove, whose new album and newly rendered sound, reminds us that jazz, in its contemporary, soulful form is not just a London ‘ting’. Highlife is Ghana’s colourful national tradition and is at the heart of Berlin based Jembaa Groove’s groove. And this newly crafted follow up to their debut album. Susuma from 2022, goes even further in provoking new perceptions of jazz and soul music helped by young and senior blood from Ghana and its diaspora. Vocal masterclasses come via Sheffield (UK) based K.O.G and original veteran of the 70s and 80s highlife scene Gyedu Blay Ambolley with Ghanian multi-instrumentalist and producer Kwame Yeboah (Kwashibu Area Band) also providing inspiration.

Yet this is not a breakout moment. For the last 2 years Jembaa Groove have been entertaining discerning dancefloors worldwide. They continue to ratchet up a solid and loyal fanbase buoyed by breakout performances at SXSW (USA), ESNS and Supersonic Jazz Festival (Netherlands). And now looking through the keyhole of 2024, with live headline and album launching dates in April confirmed in London, Paris, Madrid and Berlin and an exciting touring schedule ahead, the future of contemporary, highlife inspired Afro-Jazz is in motion and spreading like gospel.

For Thee Sacred Souls, the first time is often the charm. The band’s first club dates led to a record deal with the revered Daptone label; their first singles racked up more than ten million streams in a year and garnered attention from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and KCRW; and their first fans included the likes of Gary Clark Jr., The Black Pumas, Princess Nokia, and Timbaland. Now, the breakout San Diego trio is ready to deliver yet another landmark first with the release of their self-titled debut on Daptone Records.

“Every step of the way has just been so organic,” says drummer Alex Garcia. “Things just seem to happen naturally when the three of us get together.”

Indeed, there’s something inevitable about the sound of Thee Sacred Souls, as if Garcia and his bandmates—bassist Sal Samano and singer Josh Lane—have been playing together for a lifetime already. Produced by Bosco Mann (aka Daptone co-founder Gabriel Roth), Thee Sacred Souls is a warm and textured record, mixing the easygoing grace of sweet ’60s soul with the grit and groove of early ’70s R&B, and the performances are utterly intoxicating, with Lane’s weightless vocals anchored by the rhythm section’s deep pocket and infectious chemistry.

Hints of Chicano, Philly, Chicago, Memphis, and even Panama soul turn up here, and while it’s tempting to toss around labels like “retro” with a deliberately analog collection like this, there’s also something distinctly modern about the band that defies easy categorization, a rawness and a sincerity that transcends time and place.