quête:james i v

GRITTY, ODD & GOOD is a new weird, pseudo-music compilation curated by avant-garde experimental composer and audio artist Francisco López.

As far as creation itself is concerned, big cities do not manifest anymore as the catalytic cultural centers they used to be. Their iconic status as hip locations seems more symbolic than real. The combined mighty forces of neocapitalist gentrification and telecommunication / information decentralization might have generated a substantially different landscape of geographical cultural distribution. And so unlikely places are also sources of physically-isolated, but culturally-interconnected, new creation. This is just but one more example of the larger phenomenon of techno-cultural atomisation (not to be confused with the more restricted so-called “democratisation”) that allows millions of people to create and share, pre- and post-internet. The amateur is the new potential master; and that is decided by the crowd in the circus and the stadium, not at the academy. With all of this comes the potential for new aesthetics, or at least the open-ended evolution of the previous ones, –far better than the current confusion between ethics and aesthetics- from the uninformed and the unknown. Atomization of this kind also brings for some the desire and the right to anonymity. And so it is for the unknown obscure artists of this compilation of weird experimental music –“gritty, odd & good”, with drones, glitches, cut-ups and more- who won’t reveal anything beyond their unlikely locations: San Marino, French Guiana, Philippines, Lesotho, Oman, Faroe Islands, Tuvalu, Liechtenstein, Kyrgyzstan. An innovative compilation presenting a world of unusual experimental de-constructed and recombined music casting a strong and exciting light into the unusual corners of our world. Dive in.

Compiled and Mastered by Francisco López
Vinyl mastered by Rashad Becker

a 1 Ragazza Raddrizza (Live Excerpt) - Giuseppe Moretti San Marino 3:00
b 2 SCVB - Daryana Jean French Guiana 4:39
[c] 3 One One Six Bee - James Ocampo [Philippines] 5:37
[d] 4 Coogan Radio - Thabiso Makhetha [Lesotho] 3:18
[e] 5 micro-Sister (Al'ukht Alsaghira) - Rashid Al Balushi [Oman] 3:59
[f] 6 Mond - Lív Jacobsen [Faroe Islands] 3:10
[g] 7 Sansobavo Mix - Eteroa Apinelu [Tuvalu] 8:38
[h] 8 Sans Titre (Fumée v.3) - Zzodiakk [Liechtenstein] 6:38
[Kyrgyzstan] 1:17

After closing the first part of Fundamental Records' experiment called Music for The Other People Place, the second part begins. Music for The Other People Place. Experiment 2. A special and highly limited electro / electronics project (tributed to James Stinson), produced by different artists that will remain anonymous, if they choose to...

After closing the first part of Fundamental Records' experiment called Music for The Other People Place, the second part begins. Music for The Other People Place. Experiment 2. A special and highly limited electro / electronics project (tributed to James Stinson), produced by different artists that will remain anonymous, if they choose to...

Daniel Bortz, a staple among electronic music producers, returns with his new album "Stay". After "Patchwork Memories" on Suol from 2013, it's the second album for Berlin-born and Augsburg-rooted Daniel. From his early days of James Blake editing and riding the slow house wave, Daniel has perfected and diversived his production skills over the seven year course between the albums. His range spans euphoric techno, cinematic breakbeats, heart warming electronica and classic deep house, you can witness on his eps for Innervisions, Pastamusik (the infamous Bella Avgvsta trilogy) or even on the legendary DJ Kicks mix series from grandmaster Moodymann, who selected one of Bortz's tracks on his volume. After his three eps (one with his friend and long time collaborator Sascha Sibler and one under his DJ Hotel alias) on Permanent Vacation, Daniel takes the consequential step and releases his second full-length album with the Munich based label. With the 11 tracks on "Stay", Daniel Bortz evokes his teenage years and dreamwalks through his upbringing during the 90's. Musically he brings together what never should have been separated: House, Acid, Downbeat and Breakbeat all rooted in the sample aesthetic of Hip Hop, thereby capturing the full emotional spectrum of life and love. Music that came to stay.

A vital voice in the modern discourse on depression, body positivity, and the LGBTQ community, her trailblazing influence has arguably never been more apparent and some of the key writers of the moment have teamed up to work with her. Alongside Rae Morris and Fryars, who co-penned the first single WHO I AM, co-writers include Jonny Lattimer (Ellie Goulding, James Bay, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man), Future Cut (Little Mix, Shakira, Lily Allen), Tom Neville (Dua Lipa, Kesha, Calvin Harris) and Shura. Among the tracks she releases here are the slinky, tropical-tinged Overload, a warning to a people getting on your nerves, and Escape, a broken beats-driven track about escaping everyday life. The summery Self Love owes a debt to Donna Summer, while Melanie’s love of Billie Eilish influenced the moody, intimate Nowhere to Run. Melanie and Billie’s admiration for one another was plain to see at this year’s BRIT Awards, where Melanie presented Billie with the Best International Female Solo Artist award after a long embrace. Who I Am and second single Blame It On Me have both set up the self-titled album and despite releasing during a global lockdown, she has performed to great acclaim on TV and online across the world on flagship shows such as The One Show in the UK, no less than 4 million plus German TV shows and James Corden’s Late Late show in the US where her performance is now the benchmark. With growing streaming support and A list radio support on both tracks in the UK, Australia, Latin America, SE Asia and Germany so far, it’s a global new chapter for Girl Power.

LTM presents a limited double vinyl gatefold edition (500 copies only) of B9, the definitive collection of cold wave and minimal electronica from Belgium, recorded between 1979 and 1983.
Originally released on Sandwich Records in May 1981, B9 featured 10 exclusive tracks by luminaries such as Digital Dance, Polyphonic Size, Kid Montana, Pseudo Code and Prothese, the latter the first recording project by Daniel Bressanutti of Front 242. Now digitally remastered, with 10 additional tracks on the second disc, this new deluxe vinyl edition also features Front 242, The Names, Marine, Siglo XX, The Neon Judgement, Berntholer, Allez Allez, Isolation Ward and more.
Cover op-art by Victor Vasarely. Design by Benoît Hennebert, based on a poster for The First Belgian Rhythm Box Contest (1981). Liner notes by James Nice. The existing CD version of B9 is also still available (LTMCD 2486) 

Nimbus Sextet are a major new talent on the UK jazz scene. Led by pianist/keyboardist Joe Nichols, the Glaswegian contemporary jazz outfit play infectiously original music that spans the musical spectrum. Nimbus Sextet’s fresh take on jazz blends instantly relatable melodic hooks with driving grooves, sophisticated musicianship and episodic compositions.
The core of the Nimbus Sextet sound comes courtesy of Joe with long-time collaborators Alex Palmer and Mischa Stevens. The trio met while studying at Edinburgh University and have continued to perform together ever since. Nimbus Sextet was fully formed in 2018 with the addition of Martin Fell and Euan Allardice joining the line-up with James Mackay arriving later.
It was around this point the band started to compose and record the first shoots of what would become Nimbus Sextet’s blend. A decidedly wellbalanced alchemy, arrived at somewhat naturally
by way of the varied musical influences and contributions from each of its culturally diverse members. You’re as likely to hear elements of
Herbie Hancock and Gil Scott-Heron as easily as The Roots and Robert Glasper.

Following a stellar run of recent releases including best-of-year EPs from the likes of DJ Plead and DJ JM, Nervous Horizon are back with their first record of 2020 — a unique new collaborative EP by object blue and label co-head, TSVI. Out on September 25th, ‘Hyperaesthesia’ details four sweltering new club tracks — described by the pair as “body music” — that mesh together object blue’s widescreen, experimental club tones and TSVI’s borderless percussive styles. “I was curious to see how TSVI and I could merge our sounds, whether we could supplement each other without eclipsing one another, and I'm so happy with the result”, explains object blue. “I never thought I could write with somebody else but this happened so easily. It's been a liberating process, just a pure pursuit of fun, yelling in our chairs when we dropped the beat.” Inspired by ‘ever-present conversations about machines and sentience’, the EP’s mechanical crux plays out in the narrative of the tracks too; from a sense of machines ‘waking up’ on near 8-minute opener ‘Thought Experiment’ to the frantic, processing energy of ‘Turing Machine’. The record also comes complete with a special remix by Loraine James and vinyl-only bonus track, ‘Syntax’. ‘Hyperaesthesia’ follows a fruitful 12 months for both object blue and TSVI: Following the release of her breakthrough debut EP, ‘Do You Plan To End A Siege?’, for Tobago Tracks back in 2018, object blue has since become one of dance music’s most crucial new artists. As well as releasing her third, critically acclaimed EP last summer (‘FIGURE BESIDE ME’), she’s turned in remixes for everyone from Murlo to Seb Wildblood, been invited to record a BBC R1 guest mix for Benji B and performed live at Paris Fashion Week, after composing the music for Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood SS20. object blue was also announced a SHAPE artist for 2020 earlier this year, alongside artists like Afrodeutsche, Rian Treanor, Jay Glass Dubs, Oli XL and more. TSVI’s upward trajectory shows no sign of slowing down either. From the release of his enchanting debut album ‘Inner Worlds’ in 2018, he’s since gone on to put out a series of game-changing records under his Anunaku moniker for both Nic Tasker’s AD93 label and Martyn’s 3024 imprint, including July’s ‘032’ — a joint EP written with DJ Plead. Alongside fellow co-heads Wallwork and Federico Ciampolini, he’s also overseen the rise of Nervous Horizon since the label’s inception in 2015, moulding it into of the UK’s trailblazing new-school dance labels.

‘A celebration of the ever-expanding and evolving label family, LLI008 comprises an LP, a fifty-odd-page booklet (and eight page photobook and insert), further digital tracks and some web-based stuff contributed by friends new and old from far and wide.’

A dramatic, string-drenched epic, James Ralph Bailey’s Just Me ’N’ You has been a sought-after soul masterpiece for decades. A lush suite of beautiful songs, it was conceived as a concept album; a sophisticated paean to love.

Originally released by MAM Records in 1974, Just Me ’N’ You is a breathtaking jazzy soul album. It’s similar in style to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On - particularly the performances, orchestrations and chord progressions - but dealing with a different universal subject matter. If What’s Going On was about romance instead of politics, it would sound like this.

Fans of Marvin, Leon Ware, Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson and Willie Hutch will love this record. Not as well known - this is definitely an underrated gem - the work of James Ralph Bailey is no less mind-blowing. It’s got to be one of the best soul albums of all time.

The original productions were made on a basic home tape machine and enhanced with strings, rhythmic overdubs and a variety of other instrumentation. These are beautiful arrangements of strings and jazzy horns. Rhythm guitars and bouncy bass serve as the groove foundation, congas provide a Latin feel whilst the vibraphone and harmonica add colour. And then of course there’s JR’s voice.

His style recalls Hathaway, with a delivery akin to Marvin at the time. As he scats and sings, accompanying himself in sweet harmonies, there is still a rawness of pain and longing in his voice, the rawness familiar to all deep soul.

As an album, Just Me ’N’ You is no mere collection of songs. The tender, smooth tunes flow perfectly together into a fluid, single artistic statement. This is one where it’s hard to pick out any standouts. You may have heard the soaring title track before, maybe on Gilles Peterson’s Digs America compilation. The opening track “After Hours” sounds as fresh now as it ever was and segues beautifully into the majestic “Heaven On Earth”. Recorded by Hathaway the previous year, Bailey’s original of “Love Love Love” is incredible and arguably the definitive version. The powerful, dreamy, sax-and-harmony-laced “All Strung Out Over You” has echoes of the Chi-Lites, it’s that good. Goosebumps. And we could go on.

Mastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry, this Be With edition of Just Me ’N’ You sounds every bit as brilliant as it should. A joyous celebration of love, this album is perfect in every way. If you don’t already own a copy then now is the time.

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Ashioto, the first international solo release from Japanese drummer-percussionist-composer Tatsuhisa Yamamoto. Active for over a decade, Yamamoto has performed and recorded extensively with artists such as Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi and Akira Sakata, as well as participating in innumerable improvised and ad hoc groups.

Ashioto presents two wide-ranging pieces that combine Yamamoto’s percussion work with piano, field recordings, electronics, and contributions from guest musicians Daisuke Fujiwara and Eiko Ishibashi.

Beginning with a passage of chiming metal percussion, the first side slowly builds into a rolling, open groove reminiscent of Yamamoto’s work on Eiko Ishibashi’s acclaimed Drag City LP The Dreams My Bones Dream. Spacious piano and synth notes, along with Ishibashi’s spare melodic figures on processed flute, hover above this propulsive rhythmic foundation, the whole effect adding up to a more abstract take on the area explored on Rainer Brüninghaus’s ECM classic Freigeweht. The LP’s second side opens up a cavernous space filled with ominous electronics and shimmering metallic percussion, which organically transitions into a passage of rumbling piano chords and mysterious concrète sound. Later in the piece, Daisuke Fujiawara’s saxophone enters, playing melancholic melodic fragments that are looped and layered, creating a seasick swaying effect familiar to listeners of James Tenney’s works with tape delay systems. Beginning as delicate bass drum pulses, Yamamoto’s accompanying percussion eventually builds the piece into a raging torrent of free-improv splatter, processed sax and fizzing electronics.

Though grounded in instrumental performance, Ashioto is very much a studio construction, making inventive use of electro-acoustic principles in its editing and mixing. Together with its sister Ashiato – a different take on the same ‘script’ released simultaneously on Japanese label Newhere – Ashioto demonstrates to an international audience for the first time the true breadth and ambition of Yamamoto’s work.

Mastered by Jim O’Rourke. Cover photos by Kuniyoshi Taikou. Design by Lasse Marhaug.

Auf diese Trauerfeier haben seine Fans seit Jahren gewartet: Lil Wayne’s 13. Studioalbum ”Funeral”, das er schon im Jahr 2016 erstmals erwähnt hatte, erscheint nun ein halbes Jahr nach Release auch auf Vinyl! Neben 24 komplett neuen Tracks, enthält das Album eine Vielzahl namhafter Features; darunter Big Sean, Lil Baby, Jay Rock, Adam Levine, 2 Chainz, Takeoff und XXXTentacion. Lil Wayne hatte zuletzt im Herbst 2018 mit ”Tha Carter V” sein großes Comeback gefeiert, als er zum vierten Mal die Spitze der US-Charts erobern und auch hierzulande viel Lob ernten konnte.

”Funeral” stieg unter anderem auf Platz 1 der US Billboard 200 und erscheint nun als Limited 180g 2LP.

limited vinyl

The Sweethearts is a project by Tyler Thacker together with Sam Mehran (ex Test Icicles).
Songs were written on a tiny casio between Sam and Zak Mering. Tyler pretty much played all the instruments.

As Tyler explains:
This album was recorded a decade ago underneath a bunkbed in a crowded apartment we shared in Brooklyn. At the time, ‘The Sweethearts’ was just another anonymous moniker among many, intended as a pop-minded musical outlet between primary contributors myself, Zak Mering and Sam Mehran, featuring whatever friends happened to be passing though that day including but not limited to Morgan Whirledge, James Ferraro, Zak Davis, Aaron Frankle, Ian Drennan, Ariel Pink, Ryan Howe.
Like so many of the collaborations from those years, these songs and many more floated to the wayside as we each barreled through various other configurative projects, eventually retired to failing hard drives. But the specter of this specific catalogue always haunted me despite shifting primary focus to painting shortly thereafter. Two years ago in July, the world lost one of its most fearless creators, Sam Mehran , and I lost one of my best friends who oozed melody as effortless as breath.
These songs are letter bombs to adolescence in the information age: reterritorializing the tropes of heteronormative psycho-sexuality proliferated throughout western pop music on top of self-deprecation, heartbreak, disappointment, indulgence, and loss of innocence.
At one point, I caught myself singing harmony to Zak and Sam on a song called ‘Tonight’s the Night’ and it was in that meeting place between the metaphysical and the spirit world, that I finally got to say goodbye to Sam.

Led by French B3 Hammond maestro Guillaume Metenier and featuring an all-star lineup of musicians from the extended Mocambo fam, Pigalle Connection connect the dots between instrumental funk, b-boy breaks and cinematic soundscapes. After their celebrated and battle proven 45 "Paris Breakdown", this fantasy funk supergroup is finally back with a new double delight on 7 inch wax.

"Casino & Church" / "Vendetta James" is a nod to Peter Thomas and Ennio Morricone, two massively influential score composers who both sadly passed away in 2020. A-side "Casino & Church" is a blistering blend of afro-boogie, breakbeat funk, blaxploitation and eurocinema, led by hypnotic percussion and an infectious guitar. Flip to the B-side for "Vendetta James", where Mediterranean funk meets Italo Western and b-boy breaks in a sequence of hazy atmospheres and alluring moods.

Recorded live to 8-track tape with vintage equipment and instruments, both sides of Pigalle Connection's new 45 showcase the band's unique sound and deep appreciation for great film scores and heavy funk.

- All Songs are New and Exclusive Recordings to this LP and the Movie. The inside of the album features Rare Photos of the Record Session.

Collector first-ever and worldwide release of the original soundtrack of the sumptuous documentary NICE GIRLS DON'T STAY FOR BREAKFAST, (2019) about the legend Robert Mitchum, directed by the famous photographer Bruce Weber (Let's Get Lost about Chet Baker). Soundtrack directed by Bruce Weber, on a 33 rpm with gatefold, mastered by Translab Mastering. Limited to 600 copies.

Vital Sales points

The exclusive release of the sumptuous documentary NICE GIRLS DON'T STAY FOR BREAKFAST, about the film legend Robert Mitchum, immortalized by the eye of phographer Bruce Weber.

Directed by Bruce Weber himself, the soundtrack includes melancholic and jazzy unissued tracks performed by Robert Mitchum, along with the performances of Marianne Faithfull, Rickie Lee Jones and Dr. John.

Score entirely mastered by Translab Mastering.

Sleeves designed by Nathan Kilcer. Printed inner sleeves with stills from Bruce Weber.

Limited edition, 600 copies.

Parisian label Chuwanaga curated by Clémentine & Saint-James is back in the production game with fresh music from Ishkero, maybe the hottest Jazz-Fusion band of the capital city. Going from Jazz-Funk to Afrobeat through Prog and Psychedelic influences, Brume infuses together killer grooves, irresistible melodies and excellent musicianship. The 12inch, coming with its beautiful illustration, reveals a uniformly good yet diverse musical journey. Behind Ishkero, you’ll find five young and gifted musicians with strong jazz knowledge: Tao Ehrlich (drums), Adrien « Dridri » Duterte (flute & percussion), Antoine Vidal (bass), Victor Gasq (guitar) and Arnaud Forestier (keys). With its strong evocation power fuelled by their youthful energy and creativity, Ishkero’s music is a one-of-a-kind variation on the Jazz genre. Fusion at its best potential! Expect intense rhythmic sections, virtuoso solos, lush FX sections and robust arrangements. Used to play a lot live, the musicians developed a vigorous connection that really shines on stage and during studio sessions. Collectively with Saint-James as their co-producer, they recorded Brume in summer 2019 at Studio Delta (Paris) with sound engineer David Cukier aka Greita (Disques Flegon). The first track, "Triple B", is an ode to 70’s jazz-funk carried by Jeff Mercadié’s Sax performance. "Tonik Gin"’s mighty jazz-rock groove which comes afterwards brings the genre to its emotional climax. B side starts with the main track "Brume", bringing together long-tailed reverberated guitars and Mizell-like piano chords for a very warm and hazy effect. As the last track, "Gare De l’Ouest" is a nice jazz variation on the Afrobeat genre, again with Jeff Mercadié on Saxophone.

Legendary UK graff writer and beatmaker REQ returns to vinyl for the first time in almost 20 years since his Warp and Skint releases. Classic b-boy break manipulation and scuffed electronics are infused here with all the mischief of Smudge's influence on his work in their ongoing creative collaboration. Sure fire remixes from The Fear Ratio (aka Mark Broom & James Ruskin) and rising star and Sneaker Social Club / Moving Shadow signee ETCH, who some many know is the nephew of JAS who REQ painted with in Brighton's TDK crew in the 90s… as JB said: "Bring on the juice".

in a trio of records by Andrew Wasylyk which unearth and reshape the landscape of Eastern Scotland as shimmering and inventive instrumental music.

Where Themes for Buildings and Spaces (2017) toured the architecture and industry of Dundee, evoking a place caught between decay and regrowth, the Scottish Album of the Year Award shortlisted The Paralian (2019) explored the littoral exchanges between sea and shore on the North Sea coastline.! !

Fugitive Light And Themes Of Consolation carries a trace of this arc on a return upriver, drifting back inland along the River Tay's inner estuary: a record of the low light on winter fields, empty suburban streets at dawn, the deep clear waters of the quarry excavated to build the city.

Ten songs circling landscapes for meaning, channelling half-heard melodies and misremembered memories; caught somewhere between settling down and setting out towards the shining levels of the estuary and beyond.! ! The record is threaded with the influences of people, place and musical lineages – David Axelrod, John Barry, Virginia Astley, Mark Hollis, Alice Coltrane – yet as with all of Andrew's solo work it has a deft, clear voice all of its own. Recorded between Summer 2019 and January 2020, Fugitive Light…

displays his talent as a multi-instrumentalist and composer: all hushed drum grooves, rolling waves of plucked acoustic guitar, cascading upright piano, Bob James-inspired Fender Rhodes, rippling clàrsach harp, and ECM-worthy electric guitar motifs. As on The Paralian, string arrangements are by fellow Tayside musician Pete Harvey, known for his work with King Creosote, Modern Studies and The National Theatre of Scotland.! !

it's been a while since we decided to open and launch this new project, we were just waiting for the right moment, and maybe we waited too long. or maybe not. we were a little stucked by the indecision of when to put it out, how to contextualize, and all the usual "psychological" practices that one faces before starting a new journey. but ever since we received the masters of this wonderful concentrate of different minds, we have been looking forward to smashing it out. and whether it's the real right time or not, it's now finally here! the true meaning behind this capsule is not so definable in words, perhaps because it is an attempt to look back and forth at the same time, without getting lost in a one concrete definition. but when we got to the tracks, first individually, and then together, it came spontaneous to glimpse something new and unconventional as a whole. we are therefore proud to present another of our musical journeys, this time in certainly more experimental and odd territories. the sounds you hear can definitely be taken as the true manifesto of this new chapter. proto? post? everything in between. ENTER >

Kelly Lee Owens' meisterhaftes zweites Album "Inner Song" lässt die Techno-Produzentin und Sängerin/Songschreiberin tief in ihre eigene Psyche eintauchen - sie widmet sich den Kämpfen, die sie in den letzten Jahren durchlebt hat, und erforscht ihren persönlichen Schmerz, während sie gleichzeitig die Schönheit der Natur umarmt. "Inner Song" folgt ihrem selbstbetitelten Debüt aus dem Jahr 2017, einer Mischung aus körperbetonten Beats und introspektivem Songwriting, das von der Musikpresse mit zahlreichen Auszeichnungen bedacht wurde. Seither hat sie Björk & St. Vincent neu abgemischt, 2019 einen unauslöschlichen Club-Zwei-Tracker, "Let It Go" s/w "Omen", veröffentlicht und sich mit dem gleichgesinnten Autor Jon Hopkins für das Unikat "Luminous Spaces" zusammengetan. Ihr neues Album entstand auch aus den, wie Owens es beschreibt, "schwersten drei Jahren meines Lebens", einer emotional sehr belasteten Zeit, die, wie sie sagt "mein kreatives Leben und alles, wofür ich bis dahin gearbeitet hatte, definitiv beeinflusst hat." Während also das schöne Cover von Radioheads "Arpeggi" manchem als unkonventionelle Art und Weise erscheinen mag, ihr zweites Album zu eröffnen, repräsentiert Owens' gewundene Interpretation der klassischen Melodie - aufgenommen ein Jahr bevor die Arbeit an "Inner Song" richtig losging - die Art von klanglicher Wiedergeburt, die für die Aura von "Inner Song" so wesentlich ist. "Inner Song" wurde größtenteils über einen Monat im vergangenen Winter geschrieben und aufgenommen. Wie bei ihrem Debüt verschanzte sich Owens zusammen mit ihrem Koproduzenten James Greenwood im Studio - um dort loszulassen und offen zu sein für jede klangliche Laune. Der beschwörende Titel des Albums ist dem Opus von Free-Jazz-Maestro Alan Silva von 1972 entlehnt. Der Bass und die kitzelnden Texturen von "Inner Song" machen deutlich, dass Owens mehr denn je darauf bedacht ist, maximalen Klanggenuss zu bieten - wie die Entscheidung, die Vinyl-Veröffentlichung des Albums zu einem Sesqui-Album oder einem dreiseitigen Album zu machen, beweist: "Ich bin immer noch besessen von Frequenzen, die auf Vinyl nicht gut klingen, wenn sie den Platz dafür nicht haben". "Die Kraft, zu konzeptualisieren, wer du bist, hat dieses Album wirklich geprägt", sagt Owens über das Wesen von "Inner Song", und ihr zweites Album ist eine Entdeckung des Selbst - die jüngste Aussage einer faszinierenden Künstlerin, die weiterhin überrascht und auf eine reiche und vielfältige Karriere hinweist, die noch vor uns liegt.

LTD. WHITE VINYL

Kelly Lee Owens' meisterhaftes zweites Album "Inner Song" lässt die Techno-Produzentin und Sängerin/Songschreiberin tief in ihre eigene Psyche eintauchen - sie widmet sich den Kämpfen, die sie in den letzten Jahren durchlebt hat, und erforscht ihren persönlichen Schmerz, während sie gleichzeitig die Schönheit der Natur umarmt. "Inner Song" folgt ihrem selbstbetitelten Debüt aus dem Jahr 2017, einer Mischung aus körperbetonten Beats und introspektivem Songwriting, das von der Musikpresse mit zahlreichen Auszeichnungen bedacht wurde. Seither hat sie Björk & St. Vincent neu abgemischt, 2019 einen unauslöschlichen Club-Zwei-Tracker, "Let It Go" s/w "Omen", veröffentlicht und sich mit dem gleichgesinnten Autor Jon Hopkins für das Unikat "Luminous Spaces" zusammengetan. Ihr neues Album entstand auch aus den, wie Owens es beschreibt, "schwersten drei Jahren meines Lebens", einer emotional sehr belasteten Zeit, die, wie sie sagt "mein kreatives Leben und alles, wofür ich bis dahin gearbeitet hatte, definitiv beeinflusst hat." Während also das schöne Cover von Radioheads "Arpeggi" manchem als unkonventionelle Art und Weise erscheinen mag, ihr zweites Album zu eröffnen, repräsentiert Owens' gewundene Interpretation der klassischen Melodie - aufgenommen ein Jahr bevor die Arbeit an "Inner Song" richtig losging - die Art von klanglicher Wiedergeburt, die für die Aura von "Inner Song" so wesentlich ist. "Inner Song" wurde größtenteils über einen Monat im vergangenen Winter geschrieben und aufgenommen. Wie bei ihrem Debüt verschanzte sich Owens zusammen mit ihrem Koproduzenten James Greenwood im Studio - um dort loszulassen und offen zu sein für jede klangliche Laune. Der beschwörende Titel des Albums ist dem Opus von Free-Jazz-Maestro Alan Silva von 1972 entlehnt. Der Bass und die kitzelnden Texturen von "Inner Song" machen deutlich, dass Owens mehr denn je darauf bedacht ist, maximalen Klanggenuss zu bieten - wie die Entscheidung, die Vinyl-Veröffentlichung des Albums zu einem Sesqui-Album oder einem dreiseitigen Album zu machen, beweist: "Ich bin immer noch besessen von Frequenzen, die auf Vinyl nicht gut klingen, wenn sie den Platz dafür nicht haben". "Die Kraft, zu konzeptualisieren, wer du bist, hat dieses Album wirklich geprägt", sagt Owens über das Wesen von "Inner Song", und ihr zweites Album ist eine Entdeckung des Selbst - die jüngste Aussage einer faszinierenden Künstlerin, die weiterhin überrascht und auf eine reiche und vielfältige Karriere hinweist, die noch vor uns liegt.

‘LiteAce Frequency’ is a collection of songs influenced by 70s Manila Sound and Pinoy soul, as well as incorporating elements of Japanese funk, Brazilian sounds and hip hop.

‘LiteAce Frequency’ follows Vex Ruffin’s ‘Emilio’ EP, released on Stones Throw in May.

The album will appeal to fans of Bullion, James Pants, Dam-Funk, Teebs, Daedelus, Paul White, Anika, Toro Y Moi, Ariel Pink.

Vex Ruffin’s music has featured on soundtracks for HBO’s hit series ‘Girls’ and Netflix’s ‘Russian Doll’. Vex Ruffin has a monthly radio show on NTS and will be supporting the release of his new album
with DJ sets, live streamed performances and active social media engagement.

Vex Ruffin has previously collaborated with artists including Anika, James Pants and Bruce Haack.

Hoshina Anniversary returns to MUSAR Recordings under a new cloak, Shifting Gears.

Toyko's Hoshina Anniversary has risen to particular prominence in recent years with his self-titled brand of 'Watechno'. Stylistically fusing traditional Japanese instrumentation with Chicago and Detroit sensibilities, his works have found homes on ESP Institute, Young Marco's Safe Trip and Amsterdam-based MUSAR Recordings.

Landing on the latter, MUSAR, little over a year ago with 'Zangai' EP, Hoshina returns under a new cloak, Shifting Gears, to present 'Evil' EP.

Named after the 1975 'Gears' LP of jazz and hard bop organist, Johnny Hammond, the Shifting Gears moniker focuses heavily on principles of Jazz and raw musicianship, with a continued exploration of machine-reared club sounds. How the two can take shape as one.

Across 'Evil' EP, Hoshina's native culture remains, as heard on 'Miyatsukomaro', where traditional Japanese strings harmonise with crisp hats and jazz keys. Inspired by the early works of keyboardist and composer, Bob James, all is underpinned by intrinsic Chicago synth work.

A recurrent theme throughout, the Chicago vibe most notably takes hold on title track 'Evil'. An insidious
march, the floor-pummeling kick and shoulder-tickling toms marry seamlessly with dracula-esque chords and dizzying piano arrangements. Nodding to the mischievous bassist Jaco Pastorius of jazz fusion band, Weather Report.

Informed by the pacey creations of a revered duo, The Brecker Brothers and the 70's rock music that soundtracked Hoshina's youth, opener, 'Senor Senorita' wraps swathing reverb around a raucous melody and jiving percussion. Meanwhile, the seedy 'Syndicate' closes out amid eerie synth sneers and quirky, funk-flecked modulations.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album 'Olympian', this is the definitive ‘Best Of’ Gene compilation, available exclusively on vinyl. Compiled by Matt James, Steve Mason and Kevin Miles and featuring 22 tracks, pressed on 2LP 180g heavyweight blue coloured vinyl Featuring fan favourites, plus all of the bands 10 top 40 UK singles including ‘Sleep Well Tonight’, ‘Haunted By You’, ‘Olympian’, ‘For The Dead’, ‘Fighting Fit’, ‘We Could Be Kings’, ‘Where Are They Now?’, ‘Speak To Me Someone’, ‘As Good As It Gets’ and ‘Fill Her Up’
Includes a selection of sleeve notes from the band and respected journalist Keith Cameron Inspired by the songs of The Smiths, The Jam and The Faces, Martin Rossiter’s literate vocals and Steve Mason’s fluid guitar lines were perfectly complemented by the intuitive rhythm section of Kevin Miles and Matt James. Gene released four studio albums and a collection of Bsides and radio demos between 1995 and 2001, and were named Best New Act at the inaugural NME awards in 1995, and went on to score 10 Top 40 hits.

Strut present the first ever compilation bringing together classics and rarities from the seminal spiritual jazz and conscious soul label Black Fire, covering 1975 to 1993. Formed by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray in Richmond, Virginia, and following in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe, the foundation of Black Fire coincided with saxophonist James "Plunky" Branch returning to the city from New York to form Oneness Of Juju. The band's 'African Rhythms' album in 1975 was the perfect fusion of jazz, deep African polyrhythms and empowering lyrics and bassist Muzi Branch, a trained artist, created the first of many Black Fire hand-illustrated sleeves for the label's debut release.

In recent years, the Turkish drone-pop composer Ekin Fil (born Ekin Üzeltüzenci) has been refining her talents in the realm of the film score. Since her first recordings that were published by Root Strata and Students of Decay, she has always exhibited a preternatural ability to express the saddest of emotions through sound. Once channeled through the lens of a gauzy shoegazing smear of guitars and voice, she has peeling away layers of her ephemeral songs to reveal their emotional core. That compositional process that works so well for her award winning film scores informs the soft-focus tenebrous pieces of her 2020 album Coda.

It’s true that any number of these pieces on this album could announce the finale to an emotionally draining movie, but Ekin sculpts the entire album as a whole, dissolving one perfectly tempered piano motif, an impressionist ambient plume or a sibilant vocal melody into another. Just at the threshold of perception, she occasionally invokes cascades of distant noise that easily can be interpreted as the ominous premonitions for natural disasters - incoming storms, earthquakes, or tidal waves. This subtle disquiet amidst the introspective melancholy furthers the emotional weightiness of Coda.

Her somber, blissful compositions have considerable gravity of their own in the constellation of Grouper, Felicia Atkinson, and Harold Budd. Mastered by James Plotkin.

If you are passionate about local music scenes as much as we are you might already know about the current brood of great bands going on in Cardiff, Wales.
Chain Of Flowers were the first to hail from the Welsh capital, followed by related side projects such as Night Thoughts, more recently came Private World of which the two boys we’re about to introduce are also live members of.
A new wave/synth act from the same city called Plastic Estate is emerging this year.

The duo composed by Nicholas James and Stanley Fouracres have released a few digital singles in 2019 as they’ve opened for The Murder Capital at Sŵn Festival and played alongside the likes of M!R!M, Josiah Konder and The Love Coffin. This Place is their first physical release and it’s due on 7-inch vinyl and digital on June 19.

On the two songs that compose the single, Plastic Estate clearly draw influence from the best UK new wave and pop artists such as Dave Gahan, Paddy McAloon, Roddy Frame and yet there is a sophisticated casualness and an innate freshness in their songwriting that makes them not sounding dated at all.
Amazing composition skills for such a young band and a perfect balance between electronic dance elements and acoustic instruments allow them to pay homage to the above-mentioned masters and to be a perfectly contemporary group at once.

Although it’s possible to pick out some darker lyrics, the overall feel is up-beat and breezy. It’s a contrast that runs through a lot of their music – like a dichotomy between dark, melancholia and happier, brighter feelings.
Whether it’s a happy pop synth riff mixed with sombre lyrics or vice versa, the young Welsh duo is delivering the best 80’s-inspired modern pop craft.
RIYL: Echo & The Bunnymen, Prefab Sprout, Depeche Mode, Orange Juice, Wild Nothing.

Flaming Pie is the tenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, first released in 1997.

Having been heavily involved in The Beatles' Anthology project, Paul had time to reflect on the standards he and his bandmates had set during their career, and applied these to what would become his first album in four years. Made in a much more spontaneous style, with songs recorded here and there, mostly on holiday, it's an album that luxuriates in its own sense of fun.

Featuring producers George Martin and Jeff Lynne, as well as musicians including Steve Miller, Ringo Starr and his own son, James McCartney, Flaming Pie would go on to become one of Paul's most acclaimed albums. Sales were brisk, with the album only kept from the Number 1 slot on both sides of the Atlantic by the cultural phenomenon that was the Spice Girls' Spice album.

Half-speed master of the remastered main album tracks cut over 2LPs for the first time

1LP of the Demos and Home Recordings
















o E1. The Song We Were Singing Home Recording
[p] E2. The World Tonight [Home Recording]
[q] E3. If You Wanna [Home Recording]
[r] E4. Somedays [Home Recording]
[s] E5. Young Boy [Home Recording]
[t] F1. Calico Skies [Home Recording]
[u] F2. Flaming Pie [Home Recording]
[v] F3. Souvenir [Home Recording]
[w] F4. Little Willow [Home Recording]
[x] F5. Beautiful Night [1995 Demo]
[Home Recording

The Beneficiaries ist ein brandneues Detroit-Projekt von Jeff Mills, für das er sich mit zwei weiteren Detroiter Legenden zusammen tat: dem nicht minder visionären Detroit Techno-DJ/Produzenten Eddie Flashin' Fowlkes und der Poetin Jessica Care Moore, bekannt durch ihr 2015er Album "Black Tea: The Legend Of Jessi James" (feat. Roy Ayers, Talib Kweli, Jose James, Ursula Rucker), ihrem Beitrag zu Rawkus' legendärem Spoken-Word-Sampler "Eargasms", aus Russell Simmons' HBO-Serie "Def Poetry Jam", sowie Kollabos mit Nas ("Nastradamus"), Jeezy und den Silent Poets. Ferner wirken Amp Fiddler (Keyboards) und die beiden Perucssionisten Sundiata O M und Efe Bes mit. Die 6 Tracks haben eine Länge zwischen fünf und vierzehn Minuten.

Wu Hen is the sophomore album from Peckham visionary Kamaal Williams -- an invitation to elevate to a higher state Cinematic strings from Miguel-Atwood Ferguson and virtuoso saxophone from Quinn Mason are textural additions that make for a deeper, multi-layered experience than previous releases.



Bringing groove back to the forefront, Wu Hen oscillates between celestial jazz, funk, rap and r&b reinforced with the rugged beat-heavy attitude of grime, jungle, house and garage - a self-styled fusion Kamaal describes as Wu Funk.



New players on this record include LA’s Greg Paul on drums (of Kalayst Collective), Rick Leon James on bass, Quinn Mason on saxophone alongside vocal features from cult rapper Mach-Hommy and Kaytranada collaborator Lauren Faith. Multi-talented renaissance musician Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (who has worked with Ray Charles, Flying Lotus, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and Seu Jorge) contributes signature strings, which add vivid colour and rich depth, evoking vintage David Axelrod.



Kamaal rose to prominence with the hugely acclaimed Yussef Kamaal alongside drummer Yussef Dayes and a catalogue of 12”s for imprints such as MCDE, Eglo, and Rhythm Section as Henry Wu that became essential DJ tools. In 2018 he launched Black Focus Records with the Kamaal Williams debut The Return, which charted in the UK and saw sold out shows and festival appearances across Europe, North America and Asia.

Justo Almario comes from Colombia, plays sax and flute. The first of his dozen jazz albums was recorded for Uno Melodic, largely composed and all produced by Roy Ayers. Before this solo album he recorded with Mongo Santamaria, Jon Lucian, Dom Salvador and then on sax for the first time with Roy Ayers on the 1976 album “Vibrations” which included “Searchin’”. He also played with James Mason on the album “Rhythm of Life” which included “Sweet Power Your Embrace”, then again with Roy on the “Lifeline” album which included “Running Away”. Demand for this album has grown in recent years through the aforementioned associations and for the stunning title track

Newcomer Hekla releases her uniquely beautiful debut album for solo theremin and voice Á through Phantom Limb Records - run and curated by former FatCat Records, Thrill Jockey and Royal Albert Hall execs James Vella, Ken Li and Mark Pearse.

A Berlin-residing Icelander, Hekla's sparse, delicate, fractal music exists within these two worlds: dark and magical as Iceland's permanight folklore; and (though beatless) as deeply sonic and intense as Berlin's electronic scene. A long-term scholar of solo theremin, Hekla (shortened from her own name Hekla Magnúsdóttir) uses her instrument as an otherworldly and highly evocative Siren-call. A spectral, wailing, howling, lamenting yearning second-voice that underpins a soft vocal delivery, as if her studio had been haunted with a chorus of ghostly backing singers.

While a handful of reference points share a similar ground to Á - Colleen's interplay of voice and instrumentation; the richly immersive filmscore work of sadly passed fellow Icelander Jóhann Jóhannsson's; 'grandmother of theremin' Clara Rockmore's close relationship with such a singular instrument; Julia Holter's intelligent and classically-aligned songwriting - Hekla's music still exists singularly. A one-off talent, emerging from no particular scene, ascribing to no particular rules.

As a creative tool, the theremin - bizarre, unique, rarely heard - can be expressive, intuitive and highly adaptable. In Hekla's hands, her instrument covers an enormous range, from skittering birdsong of high frequency chirrups and chirps, to grinding, tectonic sub-bass. We are given the throbbing, apocalyptic dread of 'Muddle' and the baroque beauty of traditional Icelandic hymn 'Heyr Himna Smiur' in sequential tracks on the album's a-side. Appropriately, she also writes that the album title - Á - is similarly multifaceted in her native Icelandic: 'a river is an á and also it means ouch like when you hurt yourself, and also when you put something on top of something you put it á (on) something.'

The album was written and self-recorded by Hekla in her home studio in Berlin around her son's daycare schedule. Icelandic super-musician Mr Silla (a part-time múm member) guests on a number of tracks. Tallinn-based engineer Jose Diogo Neves - a stalwart of Icelandic and Portuguese music - mixed and mastered Á.

James Vella formed Phantom Limb in June 2017 after eight years in A&R for FatCat Records. Mark Pearse (formerly head of contemporary music programming at the Royal Albert Hall) and Ken Li (formerly of Thrill Jockey, now of Nettwerk) joined the team shortly after.

Startisha introduces Naeem as a restlessly creative artist with an impressionistic, genre-bending album. As a complete work, Startisha exemplifies artistic daring and emotional intelligence while exploring new ideas and sounds, and philosophically excavating the artist's histories. Startisha may be loaded with impressive collaborations and left-field sounds, but don't get it twisted_this music comes straight from Naeem's heart, representing the journey he's taken to get to this point as well as what lies in the future for him. Baltimore-hailing Naeem Juwan has spent much of the last decade stretching his creative legs in a variety of ways: he's hit the road with artists ranging from the Avalanches and Bon Iver to Big Red Machine and Mouse on Mars, took part in a 37d03d residency in Berlin, and was selected as the music resident in 2019 for New York's Pioneer Works space. Through it all, he's been building the songs that make up Startisha, a record a half-decade in the making that featured Juwan pulling from creative circles all across the U.S. to craft a truly unique document of sound. After studio sessions in Philadelphia and New York, Juwan decamped to Minneapolis and holed up in Justin Vernon's home studio, where Startisha continued to come together with contributions from Vernon, Ryan Olson (Gayngs, Polica), Swamp Dogg, Velvet Negroni, Francis and the Lights, and regular collaborators Amanda Blank and Micah James.

The late engineer and producer Paul C’s fingerprints are all over this single from Ultramagnetic MC’s, perhaps the defining release of their career. While earlier records gave notice of their strange and unique talents, they were loveably messy affairs. This, however, is the real deal, as polished as their early sound would ever be.

‘Give the Drummer Some’ grabs a fistful of different elements – from James Brown, Dee Felice Trio and James Brown – but bends them to its own purpose. This is a song with a momentum of its own and endlessly quotable lyrics. One of which, of course, was sampled by The Prodigy – huge hip-hop fans – for ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ in 1997. The now hugely rare 7” of ‘Give the Drummer Some’ edits this out to make it more radio-friendly, but this reissue reverses that cut, giving you the original lyrics. If anyone knows why Kool Keith also changes the word ‘rappers’ to ‘monkeys’ for that edit, answers on a postcard…

The brilliant B-side harks back to the time when every group had a song dedicated to their DJ. ‘Moe Luv’s Theme’ sees Kool Keith at his most straightforward, singing the praises of the turntable skills of Moe Luv. It would be throwaway were it not for the effortless repurposing of Jackie Robinson’s oft-sampled ‘Pussyfooter’. That – and the presence of one of the world’s great MC’s at the height of his powers – elevates it far above a footnote.

After many hints and teases MANIC STREET PREACHERS have confirmed the re-issue of a deluxe edition of their 1993 second album ‘GOLD AGAINST THE SOUL’ on 12th June 2020 for Columbia/Sony.   Available as a 120 page A4 book featuring unseen images from the bands’ long time photographic collaborator Mitch Ikeda, many personally annotated by Nicky Wire and original typed and handwritten lyrics from the bands own archive.  It will contain two cd’s featuring the remastered album, previously unreleased demos, b-sides from the era, remixes and a live recording of The Clash song ‘What’s My Name’.  There will also be a 180g vinyl version of the original album with download codes to the extra tracks on CD1 and a digital version featuring all the songs. 

Nicky Wire said of the release “We moved our studio a few years ago and I unearthed a lot of demos and pictures from the ‘Gold Against The Soul’ era and thought it would be a shame not to let them see the light of day.  We haven’t always been the most complementary about this album in the past, but with hindsight it was a strange and curious record with many fan’s favourites on it.  James always gets a huge response when he teases the riff to ‘Sleepflower’ live.” 

‘Gold Against The Soul’ entered the Top 10 on release just over a year after their debut album ‘Generation Terrorists’ and saw the band shift musically to a classic rock sound.  Lead single ‘From Despair To Where’ was followed by ‘La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)’, ‘Roses In The Hospital’ and ‘Life Becoming A Landslide’.  Produced by Dave Eringa who had been working in various guises with the band and continues to do so to this day, the album was recorded over six weeks at Outside/Hookend Studios.

Just as Al Green’s “Back Up Train” was pulling out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, for a whistle stop tour to the top of the charts, producer Palmer James began eyeing another Furniture City branch line: Tommy McGee. The result was 1976’s Positive-Negative , the creative apex in a career littered with endless bottoms. Gathered for the first time are McGee’s timeless album, singles for Golden Voice, Mercury, TMG, and Tosted, as well as the complete output of his nascent mid-’60s funk combo the T.M.G.’s

James Brown would be proud of this one just like Maceo. Killer version of "Superbad" on the A-side and a soulful funk instrumental titled "Ma(r)l Sehen" on the flip make this one a must have for any funk djs' record bag. For the first time on 45, it sounds BAAAAD!

Louis Armstrong is one of the most important jazz musicians. He belongs to those who transformed the local music scene born in the Southern States of the United States - around New Orleans - into an international language.

It was in the 1920's, in Chicago, that he recorded his first records with His Hot Five and His Hot Seven. His personality and his natural enthusiasm, combined with his talent as a trumpet player and singer, helped him pave his way to success.

He traveled the United States with his orchestra throughout the 1930's and the 1940's, and appeared on television sets from all around the world throughout the 1950's and the 1960's. In five decades, Armstrong's music had evolved into jazz music, then known as a familiar universal language, popular on five continents.

The four sides of this double album revive the history of jazz, from "Muskrat Ramble" to "Hello Dolly".

Producer and multi-instrumentalist J-Felix returns with his
future blend of boogie, p-funk, disco and soul on his
sophomore album ‘Whole Again Hooligan’. Influenced by the
musicianship of Roy Hargrove’s The RH Factor, James
Brown and George Clinton, Joe elaborates on the concept of
the record: "My mum used to call me a hooligan when I was
growing up which was probably quite accurate, but there's
something about finishing a creative project as a musician that
makes you feel whole again”.
‘Whole Again Hooligan’ features a plethora of guest talent
including Brighton producer El Train, vocal flair Jerry Clavier
aka Sol Goodman, soul veteran and stellar DJ – Emeson,
and classically trained musician Afua. The records magic
moments are catalysed through a collaborative ethos, a skill
honed on J-Felix’s debut LP '101 Reasons'.
Constantly soaking up a mind-boggling array of influences –
through touring internationally as Alice Russell and Swindle's
guitarist, being an in-demand DJ (holding residencies at
Patterns, Brighton and Queen of Hoxton, London), hosting
a radio show on 1BTN, supporting the likes of Roy Ayers and
George Clinton, the list is endless... through which J-Felix's
penchant for all things funk has been perfected.


“The spirit of disco is more than alive and well for this” – Mixmag
“This guy’s got it going on!” - Huey Morgan (BBC 6Music)
“A sublime journey through squelchy electro-funk, tripped-out neo-soul and woozy hip-hop beats” - NME
“J-Felix aka Joe Newman crafts a solid tune with smooth gliding funk guitars, an undeniable bassline that magnetizes the eardrums and hard-hitting groove to match.” – EARMILK
“Excellent.. So many reasons to listen to J-Felix’ music” – FIP
“Tru Thoughts’ rising talent” – The Telegraph