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Sara May grew up on a dirt road just outside a small Ontario town known for its Honda plant and Potato Festival. Over the course of ten indie-leaning, alt-country tracks on 'Legacy', her latest album as Falcon Jane, she expounds on that origin story through the great archetypes of country music: the drinker, the vagabond, the absent father. She presents these characters with a clarity and empathy that feels almost transgressive-a loving touch that crosses our rural / urban divides. But these are Sara's stories too: her rural childhood, her move to Toronto, her current home in the working class town of Shelburne, and her life on the road. She comes by it honest. And the transformation on 'Legacy' isn't just lyrical. Alongside producer José Contreras (By Divine Right), Falcon Jane refine their sound-pushing toward folk and country like contemporaries Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen. May's voice, the one constant from 2015's 'Alive n Well' EP, through the dream pop of her 2018 debut album 'Feelin' Freaky', to the sprawling indie rock of 2020's 'Faith', is more powerful here, sitting atop the warm, Nashville-leaning production. The result is both striking and blindingly obvious: Sara May has found her way back home.

Sara May grew up on a dirt road just outside a small Ontario town known for its Honda plant and Potato Festival. Over the course of ten indie-leaning, alt-country tracks on 'Legacy', her latest album as Falcon Jane, she expounds on that origin story through the great archetypes of country music: the drinker, the vagabond, the absent father. She presents these characters with a clarity and empathy that feels almost transgressive-a loving touch that crosses our rural / urban divides. But these are Sara's stories too: her rural childhood, her move to Toronto, her current home in the working class town of Shelburne, and her life on the road. She comes by it honest. And the transformation on 'Legacy' isn't just lyrical. Alongside producer José Contreras (By Divine Right), Falcon Jane refine their sound-pushing toward folk and country like contemporaries Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen. May's voice, the one constant from 2015's 'Alive n Well' EP, through the dream pop of her 2018 debut album 'Feelin' Freaky', to the sprawling indie rock of 2020's 'Faith', is more powerful here, sitting atop the warm, Nashville-leaning production. The result is both striking and blindingly obvious: Sara May has found her way back home.

Previously Unreleased Recording. Limited to 1200 copies on transparent cherry vinyl. Tip-on jacket, Download code. Insert featuring LP sized original art by Grungie O'Muck. Includes the original recording of Richard Tucker's "Are You Leaving For The Country", later covered by Karen Dalton, and the only song co-written by Karen & Richard, "Sleeping In The Garden". "Richard, Cam & Bert seem to have grasped The Great Harmony. That is, ensemble singing that is at once sweet, precise, funky and a bit sardonic..." -Mike Jahn / New York Times (1970) "For a few years in the late sixties and early seventies Richard Cam & Bert ruled MacDougal St. walking a fine line between the increasingly commercialized demands created by groups like Crosby Stills and Nash and the fierce integrity of earlier folk performers, the generation to which Richard belonged. They managed this with great aplomb, producing original tunes of great integrity and obvious folkloric origins, as well as those which expressed the anarchic omnipresent psychedelia of the moment. They also never abandoned the idea of including some traditional material in their performances. But for the usual random application of luck they could have been very big." - Grungie O'Muck / Artist, Bluesman, Cover artist for their first album and contributor to this one. Richard Tucker, Campbell Bruce, and Bert Lee coalesced as a trio in the spring of 1968, and by the end of that year had become regular performers at fabled Greenwich Village nightspots - The Gaslight, The Bag I'm In, Cafe Feenjon, among others. But mostly they were street singers, busking regularly in Central Park. Their only LP, Limited Edition, was released in 1970, and sold mainly at gigs and on the street. Somewhere in The Stars compiles earlier, previously unreleased recordings, when all three members were signed with Peer-Southern Music publishers as writers and began using their studio to make demos and experiment musically. Beautifully recorded by house engineer Charlie Mack (supervised by Jimmy Ienner), the demos capture a back room casualness and rustic, homespun quality. For me, listening to their songs and harmonies is like entering a world you always hoped existed but had never experienced. Some of the songs were re-recorded the following year for Limited Edition, but many are heard here for the first time. Among them is the original demo for Richard Tucker's song, "Are You Leaving For The Country", which Karen Dalton covered on her seminal 1971 release, In My Own Time. Richard and Karen were husband and wife for much of the 1960s, performing as a duo (initially as a trio with Tim Hardin), and navigating their time on the Village scene while alternating living in a small mining town outside Boulder, Co. before splitting up in 1967. Also making its debut, is the only song Richard and Karen ever wrote together, the haunting "Sleeping In The Garden". Also contains two epic songs by Cam "One Of These First Nights", and "Stockholm") not on their LP, but staples of their live performances, and noted in a gig review by The New York Times, and in a column by future A&R hero, Karin Berg, who was an early champion. Another rarity is the only cover of "Sweet Mama" by Fred Neil we've ever heard. Campell Bruce came to New York in 1967 as lead singer with a band from Washington, DC, The Natty Bumpo. They'd recently signed a record deal with Phillips, but were falling apart. Cam landed in the Village with an acoustic guitar and first started playing and singing in the basket houses, and shortly thereafter at The Gaslight, as the "Cam Bruce Trio" (which included Collin Walcott). After opening for Mose Allison, Cam's hero, the trio went their separate ways, and Cam returned to regular solo gigs at The Flamenco, and the basket houses on Bleecker. Richard and Cam met up on that scene and quickly found a musical kinship as well as becoming best pals. Bert Lee arrived in New York as a runaway the following winter, and began playing and sleeping wherever he could. His sometime accompanist, Ron Price, introduced Bert to Richard and Cam just as Bert's own songs were garnering attention from publishers. According to Bert, "I arrived on the New York scene during a time of great change, and it was the notion of change that influenced me. All around me I saw there were two sorts of songwriters, on the one hand dedicated to the traditions that had inspired them, folk, jazz, the American songbook. On the other hand were songwriters influenced by the wave of experimentation that The Beatles were the perfect example of. Mixing genres, writing lyrics that weren't just about ordinary love and loss. Richard Tucker was a country blues player, with a relaxed and melodic approach to the craft. Cam wrote something more akin to soul songs, with a hint of jazz in the changes. I was writing tunes that sometimes drew on classical structures with a tendency toward what I suppose would be known as prog-rock. But I was rather adamant about not being pinned down stylistically, and so I would write, for example, a song based on some complex classical chord structure, and then go right ahead and write a simple folk song, like Evelyn. Our band was popular locally, and it was this variety that made it distinct." Delmore is excited to present this unearthed treasure, fifteen years in the making. In the words of Richard Tucker, "Tap on your knee, roll on the floor; if you aint free, what's it all for?" "The trio's singing, playing, and writing have all withstood the test of time. Believe me, because I was there. In 1969 R,C&B, myself, Charles John Quarto, David Bromberg, Ron Price, and Keith Sykes were just a few of that year's crop of song-slingers. We were young turks back then, out on the prowl in New York's Greenwich Village for record deals, gigs, and beautiful young women to sleep with and maybe even write a song about. I've lost the names and numbers of those lovelies and I'm not sure what happened to Ron Price, but Richard, Cam, and Bert are back! - Loudon Wainwright lll

Bubblegum XX features features members of Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Greg Dulli, Izzy and Duff from Guns & Roses/Velvet Revolver, among other assorted rock luminaries. When Bubblegum was released, Mark chose to let it speak for itself and didn"t have much to say aside from within the small handful of interviews he did at the time. In 2017, he released a book of lyrics and writings called I Am The Wolf and wrote about the album then. Shared here are some of his words about the record. Song favorites include "When Your Number Isn"t Up," and "Strange Religion," a love song I wrote in a Tokyo hotel room. While many of the songs came from a place of dejection and ennui at the end of a tempestuous relationship, "Bombed" in particular came about when, after I had written and recorded it in just a few minutes, I put a microphone in front of Wendy Rae Fowler, my soon-to-be-ex-wife, and had her sing along while simultaneously hearing it for the first time. I loved the result as it reminded me of Royal Trux, a band I liked. When I insisted on using the first and only take of the song, it made her slightly unhappy, but to be fair, that was just one of many things I did that had that effect.

sir Was aka Joel Wästberg the Gothenburg based musician, producer and singer just released his new album "We Can Go Anywhere From Here". Joel started his professional music journey when Jose Gonzalez asked him to join Junip. Encouraged by his friends Little Dragon he began to release his own music and has collaborated with Teleman, Gengahr, Falle Nioke, Caspar Clausen (Efterklang) and Seb Wildblood. After working with several highly respected indie labels including City Slang, Memphis Industries, PRAH and PEOPLE, Joel has decided it his time to create his own label to release this album

Originally released in 1996 as a limited fan-club pressing for Rockathon, Guided By Voices’ Tonics And Twisted Chasers has always existed as an anomaly in Robert Pollard’s vast discography. In many ways, the album serves as the tail of a creative comet that in just two years included the “classic line-up” trilogy of Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, Under the Bushes, Under the Stars and countless singles that crammed endless hooks in their grooves. In the intervening space, Tonics And Twisted Chasers has taken on a mythic status. It’s arguably Pollard’s strangest, gnarliest, most enlightened record and also the fans first chance to see the stitches that bind his galaxy of songs. It’s like peering at the caliber inside a watch, responsible for making the whole enterprise tick. This nineteen-song collaboration with guitarist Tobin Sprout could be interpreted as spontaneous sketches, late-night improvisations, ideas that blossomed later in the timeline (“Knock ’Em Flyin’” and “Key Losers”), but as with anything in Pollard’s orbit, its intention is clear when heard as a cohesive whole. The Pollard tenet that “less is more” is on full display here. The songs rarely creep past ninety seconds and coalesce much like Pollard’s collage-styled visual art. Arena anthems in miniature (“158 Years Of Beautiful Sex”) bash up against eerie piano laments (“Universal Nurse Finger”) without any time to breathe, acoustic lullabies that sound like a Midwestern summer’s twilight (“Look It’s Baseball”) segue into monochromatic post-rock (“Maxwell Jump”). The euphoric joy and obtuse melancholy in Pollard’s voice is so palpable on the album’s standout, “Dayton, Ohio 19 Something & 5” (which has since become a live staple), that it’s impossible to find a more autobiographical yarn in his catalog. The album’s closest analog is 1993’s Vampire On Titus, as it contains that album’s prickly, dark and shimmering obfuscation that only reveals its beauty after repeated listens. Tonics And Twisted Chasers maintains the lore because the melodies are so strong. Using a primitive drum machine, Radio Shack effects, minimal instrumentation and the DIY spirit that guided them in the first place, Pollard and Sprout constructed a masterpiece of pop that could only come from a basement in north Dayton, Ohio. Anyone in that hallowed era who happened upon it, kept it as a secret.

Originally released in 1996 as a limited fan-club pressing for Rockathon, Guided By Voices’ Tonics And Twisted Chasers has always existed as an anomaly in Robert Pollard’s vast discography. In many ways, the album serves as the tail of a creative comet that in just two years included the “classic line-up” trilogy of Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, Under the Bushes, Under the Stars and countless singles that crammed endless hooks in their grooves. In the intervening space, Tonics And Twisted Chasers has taken on a mythic status. It’s arguably Pollard’s strangest, gnarliest, most enlightened record and also the fans first chance to see the stitches that bind his galaxy of songs. It’s like peering at the caliber inside a watch, responsible for making the whole enterprise tick. This nineteen-song collaboration with guitarist Tobin Sprout could be interpreted as spontaneous sketches, late-night improvisations, ideas that blossomed later in the timeline (“Knock ’Em Flyin’” and “Key Losers”), but as with anything in Pollard’s orbit, its intention is clear when heard as a cohesive whole. The Pollard tenet that “less is more” is on full display here. The songs rarely creep past ninety seconds and coalesce much like Pollard’s collage-styled visual art. Arena anthems in miniature (“158 Years Of Beautiful Sex”) bash up against eerie piano laments (“Universal Nurse Finger”) without any time to breathe, acoustic lullabies that sound like a Midwestern summer’s twilight (“Look It’s Baseball”) segue into monochromatic post-rock (“Maxwell Jump”). The euphoric joy and obtuse melancholy in Pollard’s voice is so palpable on the album’s standout, “Dayton, Ohio 19 Something & 5” (which has since become a live staple), that it’s impossible to find a more autobiographical yarn in his catalog. The album’s closest analog is 1993’s Vampire On Titus, as it contains that album’s prickly, dark and shimmering obfuscation that only reveals its beauty after repeated listens. Tonics And Twisted Chasers maintains the lore because the melodies are so strong. Using a primitive drum machine, Radio Shack effects, minimal instrumentation and the DIY spirit that guided them in the first place, Pollard and Sprout constructed a masterpiece of pop that could only come from a basement in north Dayton, Ohio. Anyone in that hallowed era who happened upon it, kept it as a secret.

Private Joy?! With a namesake derived from the mighty Prince’s catalogue, and its lustful connotations, Private Joy is the producer of soul band Lovescene and a supreme vocalist of the Manchester scene. With collaborations working with the likes of Ruf Dug, Finn, and Lenzman, a solo EP was inevitable and a statement this is.

Pops Roberts’ first solo EP debuts on Rhythm Section INTL bringing together influences from Streetsoul, 80s ‘babymaker’ RnB records and a slice of 00s soulful house in there for good measure. In just over 18 minutes, Private Joy welcomes you into her world of sensuality and soulful warmth. Musical hugs galore, the production balances synths, harps, saxophones, tight beats and meaningful lyrical content; eschewing millennial whoops for Sade indebted dulcet tones.

Each track draws from personal experience; be it heartbreak or reconnection, an emotional diary
conveying the trials and tribulations of love, loss and ultimately, desire.

“Desire has been the drive and beginning of so many decisions, highs and lows in life...” - Private Joy

Joe P returns this August with his new album; Garden State Vampire.

When the onset of the pandemic brought about the dissolution of the band he’d fronted since eighth grade, Joe P found himself in isolation with time to step out and experiment on his own. From the refuge of his New Jersey basement studio, he threw himself into writing, recording and producing his most personal material to date. Posting homegrown ideas to TikTok, Joe P watched as his raw acoustic videos drew millions of views and over 300K followers in just a few months. Among those new fans was Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, who kicked Joe’s career into hyperdrive by duetting alongside his self-made “Fighting In The Car” video (streaming HERE). A deal with Neon Gold/Atlantic was quickly followed by the acclaimed release of Joe P’s acclaimed debut EP, Emily Can’t Sing, highlighted by such singles as “Leaves,” “Fighting In the Car,” and “Off My Mind,” the latter of which went #1 at Triple A radio outlets nationwide.

Joe P has been on a roll since his 2022 project French Blonde - which was heralded by the anthemic “Happy People,” and includes the pulse-pounding title track, “French Blonde,” joined by an official live performance video, directed by longtime visual collaborator Anthony Yebra. The video for “French Blonde” can also be seen as part of the opening scene of Joe P’s short horror film, “If We Run,” starring Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints of Newark), Kevin Interdonato (The Sopranos), and Joe P as himself.

Darren Hayman New Starts are a spikey, fresh sounding band recalling the poppier ends of new wave and angular guitar rock. Their influences include The Cars, Breeders, Bay City Rollers, The Velvet Underground and ZZ Top. Lead singer Darren Hayman has his own long career running from the late 90s with John Peel faves Hefner to his more recent thematic and historical albums dealing with the English Civil War, William Morris and forgotten rural idylls. “I wanted a band again,” says Hayman, “and not a band that just backed me up and played my old songs. When we form our first bands in our teens we just find some friends and work through the musical differences. I usually look for players who play in a way I’m used to. This time I looked for variance and was led by people’s personality.” Guitarist Joely Smith of South London’s noise-pop adults and recently DIY-punks Fresh was recommended by a mutual friend who said, ‘She makes everything better’. Hayman and Smith shared a coffee and agreed on the correct number of guitar pedals and decided to proceed without an audition. “There is a tendency for me to make my chords too pretty. Joely cuts against that and plays in the opposite direction.” Hayman is a fan of rules and constraints and employed a new, oblique strategy on this record. “Even though I wrote all the songs, I wanted the songs to belong to everyone during arrangement. I decided that I would say ‘yes’ to every suggestion from the band, regardless of my instinct.” This made the songs warp and bend into new shapes and ensured that the record was the product of four individuals. Bassist Giles Barrett and drummer Will Connor come from funky afro beat influenced band Tigercats. “Pretty much the only rhythm I use, left to my own devices, is the ‘road runner’ rhythm. Will takes to care to find where the drum beat can be and we always end up somewhere I didn’t expect.” More Break Up Songs is a collection of 12 Break Up songs because Darren broke up with someone. Again. “I suck’, he says, “But it’s never anyone’s fault. It makes me very sad but I do have to work through these things in song and there’s always something to learn. I try to make songs about breakups that could be understood by both parties. I’m not interested in nasty songs.” Opening song ‘Little Stone in my Heart’ blisters along with Joely’s wildest guitars. The protagonist will do anything to make things right, but nothing ever is. ‘Under the Striplights’ has driving, choppy, incessant riffs, and is about the need to be anywhere but somewhere other than here. We could be under the moon or under the strip lights as long as we have each other. Another barely kept rule that Darren instigated on this album was that each song would be a tonal equivalent to one from The Velvet Underground’s third album. To that end ‘Don’t Need Persuading’ is this record’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ with the narrator being unable to break free of a vortex, knowing they will stay the night against all better judgment. ‘I’ve had a long standing distrust of the guitar,’ says Darren, ‘despite it being my primary instrument for twenty years. I thought it was time I made a record with two guitars and drums and bass. I wanted it to be bright, immediate and young sounding, despite the fact I’m old. We recorded it in four days and I think this might be the record a lot of my audience has wanted me to make for a long time.’ “bold and unique" The Sunday Times. // “Hayman has hit a creative purple patch… a treat” Mojo // “uniquely intimate and very satisfying”

Double LP set capturing some of Causa Sui's heaviest, most psychedelic tunes recorded live at Loppen - a legendary Copenhagen venue, located in the famous - and infamous - Freetown Christiania commune. This is the sound of Causa Sui at their home turf, stretching out and exploring eight epic fan-favourites from their entire catalogue in front of a small crowd of 400 people in a packed sold-out venue. The show was recorded the first week that Covid restrictions were lifted on venues in Denmark, which called for an especially buzzing night, even for a band that has exclusively played no more than a handful of shows each year since their 2005 debut. Each Causa Sui show is unique. Here we're offered a different perspective of the band's music - it's looser, more free-flowing, and some tracks are warped into something far from their original versions, bouncing off the wooden beams on the low ceiling of Loppen with renewed energy. At one point you can hear the band calling to take a breather and let some air inside the sauna-like temperature of the show, which just weeks before seemed impossible. Loppen 2021 offers a complete set from start to finish, so since chances that you'll catch the band live in person are slim, this is the next best thing. Mixed and mastered by Jonas Munk. Edition of 1000 copies on coloured ecomix vinyl.

Next up on Aris is a particularly special one - Ireland's first electronic music 12''- Carrier Frequency's Telecaster Man, a particularly Irish take on the acid house sounds of the late 80's, that still does the job 35 years later. ''A nine minute tune with two chords, it's just f-ckin' madness mostly - distortion and drum machines.'' simply put by one of the artist himself, but it's much more really. The record originally released in 1989 was a collaborative effort featuring the talents of Mr. Spring, Leo O'Kelly of 70's folk heroes Tir Na nOg, and Trevor Knight of 80s synth pop band Auto Da Fe, Mr. Spring, a veteran of pirate radio since his early teens and the local go to studio guy for dreamers and the Depeche Mode and Talk Talk clones of the time, spearheaded the project. Drawing from his extensive experience and technical prowess, Spring had already established his own studio in 1987, equipped with state-of-the-art gear including an Atari sequencer and an Akai s900 sampler. They decided to work together on it as Spring says ''We wanted to get a Cabaret Voltaire sound to it and have a bit of fun.'' Fueled by a shared passion for experimentation and sonic exploration and inspired by the dynamic energy of the club scene and the rapidly evolving sounds of electronic music, the late-night recording sessions in Spring's studio characterized by spontaneity and innovation. The result of their collaboration was ''Telecaster Man,'' a nine-minute tour de force combining distorted guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and pulsating synthesizers. The 12 inch comes with the original and Sinewave mixes plus a new Mr. Spring remix from the original multi tracks rounding it out with the replication remix and a bonus acapella. Full colour sleeve and comes with extended liner notes.

Renowned New Zealand musician Nathan Haines announces his eleventh studio album and first solo album since 2014. Nathan’s vibrant career has solidified his status as a leading figure in contemporary jazz and electronic music, and throughout his career he has distinguished himself as a masterful saxophonist, flautist, and composer, celebrated for his innovative fusion of jazz with elements of soul, funk, and dance music. Notes maintains the jazz sound he is famed for, whilst also seeing the artist embrace the electronic/house and disco scene.

A labour of love, work on the album started several years ago alongside the now deceased UK producer Phil Asher who had produced Nathan’s two most successful albums Sound Travels and Squire For Hire. Regarded as one of the finest DJ’s and producers to emerge from the UK, playing a pivotal role in bridging the gap between 4/4 and broken beat, this was the first time Nathan and Phil had worked together in over eighteen years. Phil passed away during the recording of the album, but he appears on a number of tracks, and his spirit and influence can be felt throughout the entire release.

The album features a number of guest vocalists, including UK soul-diva Vanessa Freeman (Bugz In The Attic, 4 Hero, Kaidi Tatham, Kyoto Jazz Massive), and exciting young talent Ajuna Oakes, Ruby Cesan, La Coco and EO (NZ). Alongside Nathan’s own musicianship, the album also features bass from Razor-N-Tape label founder Jkriv and electronic jazz pioneer Mark de Clive-Lowe, with both bringing a wealth of collaboration and musicality to the project. Long time collaborator and much respected UK based producer Marc Mac (one half the highly influential and respected duo 4Hero) provides beats for a number alongside Nathan’s father Kevin on acoustic bass.

Highly respected DJ and producer Frank Booker (Razor and Tape) drops his signature beats on three tracks which fits nicely alongside Asher’s drum work. The album’s one cover see’s Nathan teaming up with vocalist Rachel Clarke on their version of Storm by US 80’s vocal group Rare Silk - this track is entirely acoustic and is one of the album’s special moments both artistically and musically.

The past years have seen Haines continuing to establish himself as one of NZ's best DJs and live performers, working on releases and remixes with the likes of Chaos in the CBD, Frank Booker, JKriv, Ray Mang and many others. He has also just released a solo album on Goldie's Metalheadz label under his Sci-clone alias co-produced with DJ A-Sides to excellent reviews and featuring a wealth of talent and musicianship.

"Justin Townes Earle released Kids In The Street, his first record on New West Records, in May of 2017. The album received critical acclaim and further cemented Justin’s legacy as one of the best active songwriters in music. Songs like, “Champagne Corolla” showcased his wry sense of humor as well as his deft ability to build upon the music that came before him while at the same time creating something unique and new. Familiar, inventive, creative, and clever.

Justin would release his second album with New West Records in May of 2019. The Saint of Lost Causes was hailed as one of the best albums of 2019 by Rolling Stone Magazine with “half a dozen or so career classics.” “I was trying to look through the eyes of America,” Earle says. “Because I believe in the idea of America - that everybody’s welcome here and has a right to be here.” Earle tells these American stories in detail and without judgement. While some songs cite historic events like “Flint City Shake It,” and “Don’t Drink The Water,"" other tracks present fictionalized narratives that are no less harrowing, or true-to-life , as heard in ""Appalachian Nightmare,” “The Saint Of Lost Causes,” and “Over Alameda.""

Justin Townes Earle was always a champion of the underdog and All In features in depth looks at the hopeful, and the hopeless. Fueled by empathy, baked in the blues, Justin was never without something poignant or humorous to say. Sadly, Justin passed away in 2020 at the age of 38. ALL IN: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years) is a fitting tribute to Justin’s legacy. The collection features many never heard before songs, demos, and cover tunes, spanning his time as a New West Records recording artist."

Morgan Wade was feeling the urge to simplify after a period of relentless touring and intense media scrutiny during the last couple of years. Every time she sat down with her guitar, new songs just started pouring out. 'They were just coming to me left and right', Wade says. The Virginia-born singer-songwriter made a choice to return to the basics for her new album 'Obsessed', a solo-written, stripped-down 14-track collection produced by her touring guitarist Clint Wells that showcases Wade at her rawest and most vulnerable. 'I really wanted to get back to doing what I used to do', she says. 'Just make this whatever I wanted it to be'. Wade's third album and follow-up to 2023's 'Psychopath', 'Obsessed' puts the focus on Wade's storytelling abilities and singular voice. She writes with incredible force about the ache for home and the emotion of being reunited with loved ones, of feeling dangerously preoccupied with someone, and of being in situations that society might consider outside the norm. On 'Obsessed', Wade also does a thorough examination and inventory of her journey as a person, not sparing any ugly details when she's been the one at fault. It's a fearless look into the life of one of country music's most exciting talents, arriving right as she's hitting her stride. This is a x14 trk double black LP Vinyl & standard CD. Marketing activity across all media outlets.

Hear the brutal anguish and aural suffering! LG Records has gathered out-of-print and unreleased recordings by two of San Diego’s more infamous and obscure punk bands from the very early 1990’s onto one blistering split LP. Often remembered merely as side-projects of Heroin and End of the Line, Sloog (aka Slug) and Brain Tourniquet were standalone outfits that were beloved locally but barely made any impact outside of the local San Diego scene. Sloog were heavy, tortuous, and disturbing. Fronted by mysterious and odiferous local character “Justinman”, Sloog sounded like they could have been the lovechild of Savage Republic and United Mutation. Brain Tourniquet were a younger thrash band who were noticeably inspired by contemporaries like Born Against and Crossed Out. Primitive and sublime, members went on to bigger things, but this was the not-so-humble beginning. The first release for each band was the 1991 Slug/Brain Tourniquet split cassette, released as Gravity Records #0. Copies of this tape were sold at local shows and during Brain Tourniquet’s west coast tour with Heroin. Sloog would record multiple demos in 1990 and 1991, and in the end they recorded what became their only vinyl release, 1992’s Pigs 7”. The material on this LP was pulled together from all of these recordings. Punish yourself with the Slug / Brain Tourniquet / Sloog vinyl LP out now on LG Records. Caution: this record may emit visible stink-lines into the air of your household. Open a window while enjoying the soothing sounds of Slow Death, circa 1991. 180-gram black vinyl only, 500 pressed, 28 pt tip-on jackets with printed inner sleeve.

Repress

Songs ’94-’98 is a smart selection of material from The Cat’s Miaow, an Australian indie-pop group that gifted their decade with some of its finest songs. Released on World Of Echo, the album draws from the group’s string of excellent seven-inch singles, a small clutch of compilation contributions, and features one previously unreleased song, “I Take It That We’re Through”, recorded in 1998. Part of the burgeoning international pop underground of the nineties, The Cat’s Miaow’s legend has only built over subsequent decades, as more people discover this most quixotic and curious of groups: a recent appearance on A Colourful Storm’s compilation of Australian indie-pop, I Won’t Have To Think About You, is testament to their enduring influence. In part emulating the selection of tracks on the 1997 CD-only compilation, Songs For Girls To Sing, Songs ’94-’98 is also the group’s first ever full-length 12” vinyl collection. The Cat’s Miaow started out in 1992 as a home-recording duo, Bart Cummings (guitar, bass, vocals) and Andrew Withycombe (bass, guitar) taking time out from duties with Girl Of The World and The Ampersands (respectively), knocking out songs on Withycombe’s four-track. Soon joined by Kerrie Bolton (vocals) and Cam Smith (drums), the quartet spent the next five years quietly, slowly working away in the suburbs of Melbourne, recording gem after gem of independent pop. Like many of their Australian precursors or peers – The Particles, Even As We Speak, The Cannanes – The Cat’s Miaow were more successful overseas, a sadly typical phenomenon within the Australian musical landscape. The Cat’s Miaow were always worldly and stylish, anyway, each seven-inch single a refined artifact, each song a peaceable jewel. You could hear some relationships with other music – someone (if not everyone) in The Cat’s Miaow was a Galaxie 500 fan; there’s a minimalism to the playing and melodies that recalls Young Marble Giants, Marine Girls, Beat Happening – but the spirit in these songs is endearingly individualised, the result of a hermetic vision, an ideal of what a simple, unadorned pop song could be. They had a winning way with simplicity, songs like “Autumn”, “Crying” and “I Can’t Sleep Thinking You Hate Me” passing by in the blink of a moistened eye, and when they stretched out, as on “Firefly”, you can hear hints of the drifting ambience they’d perfect in their other band, Hydroplane. It’s not much of a surprise that The Cat’s Miaow found a receptive audience, and no small amount of support, from the networked communities of indie-pop labels and fanatics that developed in the nineties – they released records on imprints like Drive-In, Darla, Bus Stop and Quiddity, shared a flexi-disc with Stereolab, and appeared on countless compilations over the years. But they also understood the importance of the local: their first few cassettes reached the world’s mail routes via Wayne Davidson’s legendary Melbourne tape label, Toytown; they turned up on a split single with Davidson’s group, Stinky Fire Engine; they appeared on a tribute cassette for one of Australia’s finest, The Sugargliders, and indeed that’s Josh Meadows of said group playing wah guitar on “Stay”. The Cat’s Miaow also rarely played live – one launch gig, for the Munch video compilation, and a few parties – which is a great way to maintain mystique. Cosmopolitan yet homely, dedicated to their craft, The Cat’s Miaow always felt a little like a group moving in slow motion, using that pace and focus fully to embrace the art of the perfectly stated pop song – every element in place, no flash and no fuss, no excess, just the core of the thing. Few managed to tease such fierce poetry from such understated, elegant means. From Australia or anywhere.

The new Bishop 88 imprint hits gold from the off here as they offer up an edit of 'Last Night Changed It All' by Esther Williams, a track famously sampled by numerous artists like Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy. It is a drum-heavy version of a funky tune with conversational melodies and blissful soul vocals next to swooning strings. On the flip is an edit of 'I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby' - originally by Kellee Patterson - which itself is a rendition of Barry White's original. These are classy and sophisticated soul sounds for serious heads.

But now it's official: this was no flash in the pan! Voodoo Kiss are back to stay. And their furious second album "Feel The Curse" is even more fun than their debut. With verve, vigor, punky grit and their typical sense of melodic heaviness, Voodoo Kiss blast, fabulate and groove their way through eight powerful examples of how this music of the eighties can be made exciting, original and rousing in the 21st century. Of course, the list of ingredients on "Feel The Curse" also reads like something straight out of the textbook of electric guitar music: the opening title track is a galloping banger with razor-sharp riffs and Pretty Maids flair, "Spellbound By Her Eyes" offers black romanticism and early Maiden vibes, "Dr. Evil" is the semi-acoustic intermezzo with Spanish guitars and eruptive thrash outbursts, "Lords Of Darkness" is a gripping semi-ballad with just the right amount of pathos and the closing "Dead Without A Grave" fires from all cylinders like Motörhead in their prime. Everything in, everything on.

Stina Francina makes a mark with her first EP on NineTimesNine, delivering an effective, trance-infused journey featuring carefully crafted atmospheric soundscapes, hypnotizing vocals, and euphoric pads. The emotional approach is supported by a strong connection to the dancefloor.

Just on the threshold, with uncertainty about what's behind and what's ahead, the feeling of being in a liminal dream captures the experience of transitioning into something new and unknown.

Young Marble Giants' "Colossal Youth" has mystified and beguiled audiences since its 1980 release. Seen by primary songwriter Stuart Moxham as "a last gasp" at making a record, Stuart insisted the one-off 7" deal offered by Rough Trade be altered to allow an entire album . . . that paid off when with a big seller which produces cover versions even from bands whose members were a decade or two away from being born on the album's release. When YMG disbanded, Stuart was at a loss; he'd never envisioned a follow-up. A series of experimental recordings made with pal Phil Legg (Essential Logic) and supported by other YMG members, musicians from This Heat and Swell Maps, old Cardiffian pals, and new friends like Vivien Goldman resulted in an album, "Embrace The Herd", as The Gist. Released just before Rough Trade made bold moves toward pop charts with Scritti Politti, The Smiths and others, the album was odd for its time, but has since taken on the lustre of genius. Years of silence followed, thereafter intermittently broken by the odd release from small labels. Stuart delved into family life, though he never stopped writing and recording. In more recent years, two retrospective compilation of lost recordings by The Gist have been released, as well as a superb collaboration with French arranger Louis Philippe, "The Devil Laughs". "Fabstract" is the final gathering of Stuart's lost recordings. Compiling long-lost YMG-era tracks with the recent brilliance of "Crow, Crow" and "Suburban Monochrome", through bits of whimsy and vastly alternate versions of fan faves, this diverse album shouldn't work . . . but it does, telling a satisfying story of an underrated talent whose mistake was following his muse, not the charts. This album precedes a new recording, years in the making, produced by Dave Trumfio, which promises to be Stuart's most complete - and original - work since "Colossal Youth". Tracks:

After the success of her breakout EP, 'Water-Based Lullabies', a playful, Zodiac-inspired odyssey through life and love, Mancunian fan favourite Abbie Ozard is back with a bang. The last release hinted at an evolution in sound, and in the soon-to-drop album 'Everything Still Worries Me', we see all that potential realised as Ozard's musical and personal growth is laid bare.

Growing pains and the overwhelm of those first steps into adulthood of stand out as overarching themes in this more serious, introspective body of work, in which Ozard explores beyond her bedroom-pop origins and lays bare the vulnerabilities that will resonate with so many young women becoming adults in a complex, confusing and ever-changing world. Even without the transcendent vocals that could belong to no one else, Ozard is present in every second of this album - from musical performances from close friends to samples of old family videos, she is enshrined in this spellbinding debut that could not be more authentic to its creator.

80s alt country punk outfit, Lone Justice, with Maria McKee, Ryan Hedgecock, Marvin Etzioni and Don Heffington are in full flight with the release of a brand new 7". Taken from their forthcoming album, Viva Lone Justice, 'Teenage Kicks' is a rambunctious slice of punk angst that sounds like it was recorded in one take. It's a timeless anthem with a joyous riff that explodes into a hail of feedback. A favour returned as Maria McKee, the songwriter of Feargal Sharkey's only solo hit 'A Good Heart', Lone Justice cover The Undertones' Peel-approved favourite with the artwork of the single being a nod to the original. "As much as we loved Merle Haggard, George Jones, and many other authentic hard core Country artists, we were also deeply impacted by Punk; from the Velvet Underground (we were playing "Sweet Jane" live as early as 1983) to the MC5 ("Sister Ann" is on the album "Viva Lone Justice")." Backed with 'Nothing Can Stop My Loving You' that's cut with a wild, squeezebox-powered interpretation of the George Jones and Roger Miller country stomp. "Speaking of George Jones, here's one written by George Jones and Roger Miller. Two of our favorites! We played this song at nearly every show starting in 1983. This ragged and right live recording captures the fire from a sold out show at The Palace in Los Angeles and features Jo-El Sonnier on lead accordion documenting the only time Sonnier played with LJ. "Nothing Can Stop My Loving You" is the only live track on Viva Lone Justice." // "A roots rock band that took Los Angeles by storm in the 80s and developed a smaller but deeply enthusiastic following outside the Golden State

Dark Horse Records is proud to release a very limited pressing of Nina Simone’s debut studio album Little Girl Blue, celebrating the album’s 65th anniversary. Originally released in February 1959, Dark Horse’s limited pink vinyl reissue includes a 12x12 insert with an introduction written by Dhani Harrison. Little Girl Blue includes some of Simone’s best-known tracks, including "My Baby Just Cares for Me" and “I Loves You, Porgy,” and even at this early stage in her career, listeners can hear the profound impact she would have on the musical landscape in the ensuing decades.

Step into a world where authenticity meets emotional resonance with Maxo's 2018 album, "Smile," produced by the mastermind Lastnamedavid. This release marks the genesis of a new era, a departure from prevailing trends, and an introduction to the genuine artistry of Maxo.

"Smile" is a testament to Maxo's effortless storytelling and emotional delivery, setting a refreshing tone in the contemporary music landscape. Lastnamedavid's soulful production serves as the perfect backdrop, creating a sound that is as real as the content it supports. The album captures a range of emotions, painting a vivid picture of Maxo's journey through the realms of honesty, youthfulness, troubles, and hope.

From the reflective "Same Hoodie Since ‘05," a sobering exploration of identity and roots, to the anti-romantic ballad "Evelyn," Maxo invites listeners to join him on a personal and introspective journey. "Smile" serves as a reminder, not just to Maxo but to an entire generation, to appreciate every situation, irrespective of the circumstances.

The project features a notable collaboration with Sharp, adding an extra layer of depth to the already rich tapestry of "Smile." As Maxo unfolds his narrative, the synergy between his lyrical prowess and Lastnamedavid's production creates a sound that is not just music but an authentic expression of self.

"Smile" is more than an album; it's a sonic exploration of the human experience, capturing the essence of Maxo's voice and vision. In a world of fleeting trends, Maxo and Lastnamedavid deliver a timeless record that resonates with honesty, making "Smile" a standout release in the musical landscape of 2018.

When we were offered the most welcome opportunity of choosing another “virgin” (as in never released on vinyl before) volume from the Dick’s Picks catalog, we did our Dead diligence, combing through the many chat rooms online to see which one the fans really wanted to see come out on LP. It will come as no surprise that opinions were varied and vehement…but a consensus emerged that Dick’s Picks Vol. 12—Providence Civic Center 6/26/74 & Boston Garden 6/28/74 was the one. Which is interesting, because that Pick is a little different, combining the second sets of two different nights instead of offering a single show. But it’s the exception that proves the rule—the playing is so extraordinary, and the repertoire so unusual, that one can understand why Dick Latvala played more curator than archivist here. Side A picks up the second set from Providence three songs in, featuring a short jam that leads into what many have labeled the most extraordinary live version of “China Cat Sunflower” ever recorded, complete with a sublime transition (“Mud Love Buddy Jam” a.k.a. “Mind Left Body Jam”) into “I Know You Rider.” The revelatory moments continue throughout the Providence set, highlighted by a dazzling, 15-minute “Spanish Jam.” But the second set of the Boston show—which appears here complete, after a superb encore performance of “Eyes of the World” from Providence—is the one that has passed into legend among Dead fans (a performance of Phil Lesh and Ned Lagin’s electronic music piece “Seastones” provides an appropriately adventurous interlude). The set boasts one of the most renowned live jams of the band’s career, a flawless, 14-minute “Weather Report Suite: Prelude/Pt. 1/Pt. 2-Let It Grow” leading into a 27-minute “Jam” that is simply one of the most far- ranging, telepathic improvisations ever played by, well, anybody. That this set also includes a separation of the “Sunshine Daydream” section from “Sugar Magnolia” for only the second time ever is just gravy. This is, of course, a “Wall of Sound” concert, so we’re working with something of a special audio source to begin with. So, we enlisted Jeffrey Norman to master the release for vinyl from the original tapes (pictured on the enclosed insert), and enlisted Clint Holley and Dave Polster over at Well Made Music to cut the lacquers. Gotta Groove Records, our manufacturer of choice, has pressed the 6 LPs on to 180-gram black vinyl housed inside a two-piece hardshell box, and we have a little stencil surprise for ya on Side L. Limited edition of 3000 hand- numbered copies!

Die britischen Hardrocker Doomsday Outlaw präsentieren ihre beiden Alben "Suffer More" (2016, Frontiers) und "Hard Times" (2018, Frontiers) in neu abgemischten, remasterten REDUX-Versionen, betreut von Dave Draper (The Wildhearts, Terrorvision). Zwei Alben vollgepackt mit ihrem typischen Sabbath-meets-Clutch-Riffing, gepaart mit gefühlvollen Vocals, die Geschichten von Herzschmerz und Erlösung erzählen. "Suffer More" erscheint erstmals auf Vinyl, "Hard Times" enthält einen vorher Japan-exklusiven Bonustrack. Mit neuem Artwork und ausführlichen Linernotes von Mike Hayes (Cheap Trick). Remixed. Remastered. Reborn. Redux.

Tokyo Riddim Band continue their journey striding across times and cultures, this time with their colourful keyboardist and frontwoman Mimi Kobayashi breathing new life into a song she originally penned in 1981. ‘Lazy Love’ first featured on Mimi’s highly sought after Coconuts High LP, which she recorded in LA recruiting top session players to play alongside her. It was also included in Time Capsule’s 2024 compilation of Japanese reggae - Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985.

This soulful pop tune turned deep dub cut retains the romantic charm of the original, whilst the tasteful performances of the Tokyo Riddim Band and Ras Tavaris combined with Prince Fatty’s studio magic give the song a newly found depth.

London based Tokyo Riddim Band is a unique fusion of cultures, bringing together the vibrant energy of three generations of Japanese female musicians with the eclectic sounds of London. Their dynamic performances blend reggae drums, funky bass lines, and the smooth City Pop guitar, all magically dubbed-out live on stage. This is not just music; it's a cultural phenomenon, offering a fresh and exciting take on the reggae scene.

ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS - 20 TRACKS - 180g VIRGIN VINYL - LIMITED EDITION

Specially prepared liner notes by renowned music writer Brian Morton. Ray Conniff (1916-2002) was a powerful arranger and trombonist who created a subtle combination of big band jazz with the most varied genres of pop music. He became successful early in his career and his music is still played and admired. Presented here are twenty of his all-time greatest hits. "Don't make art for other artists or 'intellectuals', make art for people - and if you can touch just one person in a lifetime and make a difference - you have succeeded" -
Ray Conniff

Lebanon oud master Rabih Abou-Khalil's stunning 1996 album 'Arabian
Waltz' is appearing here on vinyl for the first time."Arabian Waltz is the
pinnacle of Rabih Abou-Khalil's achievement as a composer and arranger
It is a sublime fusion of jazz, Middle Eastern traditional music, and Western
classical. In addition to Abou-Khalil on oud (the Arabic lute), Michel Godard on the
tuba and the serpent (the tuba's antique kinsman), and Nabil Khaiat on frame
drums, the album also features the Balanescu String Quartet instead of the usual
trumpet or sax. The presence of the Balanescu might seem to pose a dilemma
for the composer: traditional Middle Eastern music uses no harmony but a string
quartet is all about harmony. Abou- Khalil achieves a compromise by generally
writing the string parts in unison (or in octaves), in effect using the quartet as a
single voice, but also letting the quartet split up to play parts in unison with the
other instruments or to provide ornamentation. Without surrendering jazziness at
all, the presence of the strings makes possible a wondrous atmosphere, almost
as if one is listening to the soundtrack of a classy movie set in Beirut or
Damascus during the '40s. This feeling is greatest on "Dreams of a Dying City"
with its brooding tuba and cello motifs and grave, repeated rhythms. "The Pain
After" starts with an impressive tuba solo that turns into a long interlude for tuba
and string quartet; sad, slow music that sounds like one of Beethoven 's late
quartets. Then Abou- Khalil finally enters on oud, bringing a sustained note of
wistfulness. Fortunately, beside the darker numbers lie the propulsive drama of
"Arabian Waltz" and the bobbing and weaving quirkiness of "Ornette Never
Sleeps." Abou- Khalil is known for experimenting with the possibilities his guest
musicians bring to his style. In this case, the guests have inspired the host to
reach a new height and maybe even a new style. This recording suits every fan of
world music, jazz, classical, or just good music." - Kurt Keefner

Regardless if you immediately associate the term metamorphosis with any kind of evolutionary adjustment, with shapeshifting, the complex transformation of music or if you simply think about the distinctive mark the last two years have left on basically each and everyone of us, it’s easy to agree that “Metamorphose“ is just the perfect title for JakoJako’s debut album for Bigamo.

While others fell into a state of shock, JakoJako has made perfect use of the compulsory extra studio time regulated by the pandemic, developing and specifying a sound she instantly attracted attention with, as soon as she entered the scene in 2019 with her release on Leisure System.

“Metamorphose“ is one of those albums that can easily quiet a bustling room in an instant, regardless if you’re a connoisseur of this kind of music or not. It’s a compelling and highly absorbing collection of tracks, a surprisingly immersive experience designed for nocturnal listening (and beyond) that is difficult to not lose yourself within.

Kon AKA King of Nothing, mastermind behind many brilliant multitrack edits unleashes 2 brilliant mashup gems. 'Soul Bright' featuring Madonna’s beaming Lucky Star vocals blended over Saucy Lady’s 'Soul Amplified' instrumentation pulled from her 2021 Delirious EP, and 'Watchin’', Rockwell meets Saucy Lady mashup.

The Rockwell vocals adds to that intoxicating Mtume- like harmonies originally set by producer Yuki 'U-KEY' Kanesaka on The Garden, a track that was also released off of Saucy Lady's Delirious record that just got a tasty rework. Already dance floor tested and audience- approved with guaranteed dippin' quality.

Indignation Meeting are punky rail fans from Leeds. 15-year-old Peter is the driver - he's the drummer and lead singer, writes most of the songs, and also plays bass and trumpet on the album. The rest of the crew is his dad Michael on guitar, Hugo on bass, and with Keith, Heather and Sally often along for the ride when they play out. Here at DGHQ we've been listening to their self-released debut album Trouble In The Shed since last year and finally spoke with the band and agreed to release it on vinyl for the first time. It was very good timing as they've just been in the studio to finish recording their second album, so we'll be releasing that later in 2024. Welcome on-board! We caught up with Peter to ask as few questions about the band_ Q: "In a week when the Labour Party promised to return the rail network to public ownership, we ask how did your fascination with trains begin?" A: "Honestly, I don't really know - I've just loved them ever since I can remember. It's not like with some people who had a family connection or watched Thomas the Tank Engine; I've just always loved them. I guess it's just a childhood obsession that never went away!" Q: "'Trouble In The Shed' is quickly becoming a firm office favourite here at DG. There's a touch of punk, indie and new wave about it. What would you say are the key influences that make up your musical DNA?" A: "My main influence when this album was released was Blyth Power. They'd been my favourite band for years when this was recorded, so everything on it was influenced by them in some way. They've had so many different musical styles over the years that they kind of conglomerated into this album, to create yet another eclectic mix of songs. The only real exception to that on this album is Electrification - no prizes for guessing the influence there! If you see us live, however, you may notice another influence pervading through our songs. That influence is the anarcho-hippy band 'The Astronauts,' whom I discovered midway through the recording process, and have quickly become one of my all-time favourite bands!" Q: "What's the story behind your song 'Hornby Horrors'?" A: "Hornby Horrors is an interesting one. People who haven't heard it may assume it's about some ill-fated model railway endeavour, but it's actually a tale of corruption in, of all places, the model train company Hornby! This song was the result of several minor scandals at Hornby HQ making their way to the modelling masses, the main ones of which were an ill-fated tier list, which placed retailers in three categories as to whether or not they received Hornby's products, with tier 3 retailers barely getting anything at all. Interestingly, the UK's former biggest retailer, Hatton's Model Railways, was a tier 3 retailer due to their 'competing products' (made by their own small brand Hatton's Originals') and has recently announced closure due to financial hardship. Now as we all know, correlation does not equal causation, but I wonder_" Q: "The album is being released on a specific shade of green vinyl. What's the significance?" A: "The shade of green on the vinyl is very similar to the shade worn by the locomotives from the Great Western Railway in the 1870s - 1940s. Due to this connection, we thought it was only proper we picked this colour, which we have dubbed 'Great Western Green!'" Q: "The album release coincides with an appearance at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool this August. Can you give the readers three reasons why they should come and see your performance?" A: "1 - We like to think we provide something different with our music - it is very obviously punk, but it's a bit more light-hearted than a lot of the political stuff, with nearly all the songs being about some sort of obscure steam loco engine. If you just want something light-hearted to enjoy, we might just be the band for you! 2 - We've got a rather interesting line up - instead of the usual line-ups you see, we've got a 15 year-old singing drummer with his dad on guitar, a newly-turned adult with a massive ginger afro playing the bass, the guitarist from the old anarcho band 'Dog On A Rope' playing some gnarly lead parts, and all topped off with some beautiful backing vocals from the drummer's sister and mother. As Attila the Stockbroker described us, Blyth Power meets the Partridge Family - not to be missed! 3 - Here's something you won't forget in a hurry - as well as his vocals, our 15-year-old frontman Peter plays drums and trumpet at the same time! If that's something you want to see, make sure you get down to see us!"

Continuing the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics Series, we shine a light on Los Reyes 73 and their sensational debut LP from 1975. The album had multiple different pressings under various titles and artworks, but the music stayed the same and speaks for itself. The group set the bar high with this fiery Afro-Cuban-funk gem, letting loose a vibrant Latin workout combining psych rock trippiness with a heavy dose of deep funk. Elements that fuse to firmly cement this album as a ‘70s Cuban masterpiece and one of our favourites here at Mr Bongo HQ.

Releasing just two albums and a handful of 7-inch singles, the band were a popular and influential group in Cuba at the time. Since then, they have featured on several compilation albums across the 2000s that have helped raise their profile amongst new audiences worldwide.

Produced by the magical Raúl Gómez, the album featured a list of heavyweight Cuban musicians. Directed by Santiago Reyes and Ovidio Guerra, with orchestration from greats including Ricardo Eddy Martinez who also released the much-loved album 'Expreso Ritmico' in 1978 alongside Ignacio Herrera, Mario Valdes and Gilberto García. The album also features the writing prowess of Los Van Van’s Miguel Ángel Rasalps.

Blending traditional Cuban Son aesthetics with funk influences and psychedelic touches, the music housed within showcases a cosmic fusion that stands up on any modern dancefloor. The scintillating opener ‘Grandes Amigos’, the tripped out ‘Adeoey’ and the grooving ‘Un Lamento Hecho Cancion’ are just a handful of examples that exhibit the sheer musical melting pot of this album.

For this reissue, we have chosen to use the artwork from a Mexican version of the album released on Pentagrama Records that features the beautiful bird illustration cover art. The Cuban edition was released on the state-run Areito.

I’ve lost my sense, I’ve lost control, I’ve lost my mind! Yeah, we all know how the song goes, but those words will no doubt end up driving their point home throughout the duration of Bloodstains’ self-titled debut LP. This thoroughly-welcome Euro pressing follows the album’s DIY release earlier in 2024, which is excellent news for UK/mainland fans of early 80s SoCal hardcore who’ve yet to hear it - the whole thing absolutely fkn rips. Feel free to rifle through your Adolescents, Weirdos and (natch) Agent Orange records to see what these guys have been mining, but all you’ll find is a launchpad - Bloodstains inevitably hail from California and they’re clearly au fait with all the above (not to mention a certain compilation), but they manage to inhabit that sound with a personality all of their own. Vocalist Cesar Marin splits his delivery between a sneering bark (like the most withering put-downs you’ve ever heard being delivered via nailgun) and a purposeful, melodic croon… which itself sounds it’s made from sandpaper and vitriol, but there you go. Most importantly, this is a band with SONGS. Eight of ‘em here, to be precise, and you’ll rarely have been so glad to have something turned up so loud it blows holes in your speakers. ‘Stray Bullets’ hangs its mighty chorus on a call-and-response refrain that dares you not to pick a side and bellow along, while instrumental opener ‘The Last Rites’ sets you up perfectly for the seething, volatile bundle of hooks to follow. I’d say the interplay between the band’s string-wielding Espinoza contingent is something to behold as well, but what am I, some kinda nerd? The guitars sound fkn awesome - that’ll do ya. And I don’t wanna spoil the party ahead of time, but just wait til you hear future anthem ‘Public Hanging’. I could go on about this record all day, but ultimately all you need to do is listen to it. Hell, even buy it. And dare I return to a theme, lose your mind.

This feels deliciously fated. Musical soulmates, Cromby is the only person Sally C will go record shopping with. The duo minted their friendship back in 2016, not long after both migrated to Berlin. A friendship forged through shared dancefloors, long hours at the pair’s beloved Bikini Waxx and impromptu B2B sessions, they have a common passion for good times and serious digging. If you want a sense of the genesis of Sally’s label baby Big Saldo’s Chunkers, just listen to the cult-favourite ‘Big Saldo & Cromby Dusty Hip Haus Mix’ that’s lived on her Soundcloud since 2019.

Cromby knows a Chunker that’s for sure. His contribution to the label is elite. Rinsed by the pair all year, it’s supports also include Job Jobse and Bambounou. In January it highlighted Nachtiville, where it was played all weekend long and became an unofficial hype anthem of the festival. A fiercely hunted track I.D ever since, lock this in as one of those catchy Crombyclassics we all love and can’t stop playing (and singing). ‘Pump It’ is an atmospheric roller, a perfect cut for maintaining the energy after the hands-up vibes of ‘House Flava’. ‘Free’ features Cromby’s own vocal debut – “I didn’t realise at the time of writing how fitting the lyrics would be for our times unfortunately,” he shares. Driven by punchy purring bass, it brings plenty of rugged energy with 303 flourishes, while dreamy keys balance things nicely. One for the after-hours.

The EP is rounded out with the wicked hoover-led ‘Best Not Miss’, that transports us back to a steaming Trade dancefloor circa 1997 and is thrilling in every sense.

Writing music for film and theatre has always been a big part of Hania Rani's musical world. It is also a part of the creative process that can be tantalisingly out of reach for listeners, either the project doesn't come to fruition or the music simply isn't available away from the film or play. From early collaborations with friends, to last year's two scores for full length films (xAbo: Father Boniecki directed by Aleksandra Potoczek and I Never Cry directed by Piotr Domalewski') Rani has been involved in many such projects, each representing an important step in her artistic development and life as a composer and artist:

"Composing for motion picture or theatre is for me a very different kind of work than writing for my own projects. Firstly, I need to collaborate with somebody else who sees the world through the lense of their own art and craft. That's why these kinds of encounters can be so exciting - they are a promise of creating something very new, as a result of creative work of so many people from all walks of life. Secondly, I feel that music in film is an invisible character, a missing emotion that creates a special atmosphere and sensation. It doesn't illustrate, it completes the work of art. I think it is an extremely sensitive matter that rejects banal associations and easy solutions. I feel like composing for film works like an exercise for my imagination."

It is the nature of these collaborations though, that sometimes the composers own preferred compositions don't make the final cut. This is where Music for Film and Theatre comes in as it allows Rani to present a selection of her own personal favourite pieces composed for film and plays. Pieces that made it to the final cut and pieces that were rejected by the director or the producer. Bringing the music together as an album offers a chance for Rani to share her music with her listeners on her own terms and a chance for her fans to hear a different side of her art.

"I put them in one place, as a collection of precious objects that were kept for years in a drawer. Some of them were composed a couple years ago, some are the result of recent research. I am very happy to finally be able to present them as a separate project."

Rani is of course grateful to all of the directors who have entrusted her to create music for their projects, but she professes especially warm feelings for the pieces composed for her first 'real' theatre play, Pradziady, directed by Michał Zdunik. The title comes from 'Dziady' a term in Slavic folklore for the spirits of the ancestors and a collection of pre-Christian rites, rituals and customs that were dedicated to them. The essence of these rituals was the 'communion of the living with the dead', namely, the establishment of relationships with the souls of the ancestors. "I felt this story needed extremely dark and fragile music, and at the same time a sound that could express the mixture of the two worlds - the living and the dead. I decided to compose part of the soundtrack with a string quartet but including two cellos, viola and only one violin. We recorded in a little house, completely built from wood, mostly from Finnish pine. I always felt this space has a very special, warm and natural acoustics - especially when it is combined with string instruments. The track composed for this theatre play is called Ghosts but actually didn't finally make it to the performance, although I like it so much that I thought it would perfectly fit



this compilation". Other highlights include the enchanting Soleil Pâle written for a collaboration with director Neels Castillon, and improvising dancers Alt Take, the beautiful melancholy of In Between (from the film score for xAbo: Father Boniecki) and the magical bliss of The Beach (from I Never Cry) and together they create a beautiful offering from an artist whose every note is worth hearing, but for whom the journey is just beginning:

"I am very happy to see that many artists consider my music as the right soundtrack for their works, because film music was always a huge inspiration for any of my compositions. I find there a lot of life and real emotions, but also a feeling of freedom. Freedom from my own thinking patterns and prejudices. I also believe strongly in collaboration between people, I always feel this is the way to create something really new, based on a mixture of different ways of thinking, feeling, expressing."

This then is Hania Rani, Music for Film and Theatre – enjoy!

Seeing the BellRays live is a revelation of what the rock music should be: an aggressive and soulful guitar-driven music that you feel in your guts. The BellRays have been channelling the true spirit of rock and soul since 1990, with this being their fourth blood-letting release. As expected this record oozes a genuine passion, combining the best of a 60s soul review with the fury of garage rock's greatest. Just imagine a young Tina Turner fronting the MC5 and you'll be getting close. But make no mistake, front woman Lisa Kekaula is no mainstream soul singer. Although her warm traditional R&B vocal stylings are big, lush and beautiful, her ferocity is uncompromising. When her rock growl rumbles the floor, you best pay attention, there are no options available. This is a band preaching the continuation of the rock'n'roll tradition in all its purity, anger and visceral power. The BellRays are on a self-professed mission to save rock music from itself and they need a witness.

Seeing the BellRays live is a revelation of what the rock music should be: an aggressive and soulful guitar-driven music that you feel in your guts. The BellRays have been channelling the true spirit of rock and soul since 1990, with this being their fourth blood-letting release. As expected this record oozes a genuine passion, combining the best of a 60s soul review with the fury of garage rock's greatest. Just imagine a young Tina Turner fronting the MC5 and you'll be getting close. But make no mistake, front woman Lisa Kekaula is no mainstream soul singer. Although her warm traditional R&B vocal stylings are big, lush and beautiful, her ferocity is uncompromising. When her rock growl rumbles the floor, you best pay attention, there are no options available. This is a band preaching the continuation of the rock'n'roll tradition in all its purity, anger and visceral power. The BellRays are on a self-professed mission to save rock music from itself and they need a witness.

The all-new Dream Flight label embarks on its first voyage here and it does so in some style. 4:32AM - heavily associated with the Palace Vinyl shop in south London - is presumably named after that specific time in the night when only the deepest and most heady vibes will do, and that's exactly what we get here with 'Mitt Palms'. It's a delightful work of delicate and quiet deep house artistry with ambient pads and dreamy drums. 'Soft August Rain' is just as heady but brings some soft acid magic to the dusty beats and last of all 'Dream Flight' shows off some suburb drum programming with jostling broken beats and woody hits softened by smeared and painterly pads.