Pop & Rock News

"Nicolas Gaunin's surreal sound experiments lift you out of the everyday and transport you to an off-world Tiki lounge set high amongst the tree tops of a tropical rainforest, where you're surrounded by bizarre, colourful creatures and weird psychotropic plants. Noa Noa Noa is modern Dada, a neon soundtrack to your most outlandish fever dreams.
Nicolas Gaunin is the alter ego of Nicola Sanguin, part of the vibrant experimental music scene around Padua, Italy where he plays in outsider rock groups The Lay Llamas and Orange Car Crash. Nicolas Gaunin is his solo electronic project, a bright and playful cosmic mash-up that uses the rhythms of traditional African percussion groups and skews them slightly to create unsettling, off-kilter grooves. These drum machine experiments are laid over a teeming microscopic sound world of bird calls, insect chatter and weird jingles reminiscent of advertising earworms or video game soundtracks.
Noa Noa Noa takes its influences from music from around the world, and inspiration from high and low culture; from composer Gyorgy Ligeti to the cosmic sounds of Italian DJ Danielle Baldelli, from the experimental music of Moondog or Harry Partch to the playful sounds of Francis Bebey or the exotica of Martin Denny, from Iannis Xenakis to 8-bit video game music. Noa Noa Noa ends up sounding something like the imaginary soundtrack to the Nintendo Gameboy version of a lost William S. Burroughs novel.
Incredibly, most of the tracks on Noa Noa Noa were recorded live in one take with the express intention of creating music that is, in contrast to much of today's electronic music, bright, sunny, light-hearted and mischevious. The resulting album is both totally essential and also completely throwaway.
These tracks were originally released in 2018 by Artetetra Records (Italy) as Noa Noa (cassette & digital) and Danse de l'Oiseau (digital only). Hive Mind Records are proud to present Noa Noa Noa on vinyl for the first time."

Oracolo is Skinshape’s second full length originally released in 2015 and now remastered for 2020. The album plays out like the soundtrack to a psychedelic Spaghetti Western. ‘Old Days’ is one of a handful of vocal-lead tracks on the release that along with ‘Summer’ and the cinematic album title track, ‘Oracolo’ conjure references to bands like Can, The Bees or modern pysch pioneers Tame Impala. The instrumentals peppered throughout like the Quentin Tarantino-esque gem ‘Mandala’ and Motown reminiscing ‘Rubber Gloves’ highlight Dorey’s superb talent as an arranger and composer. Don’t let the vintage sound fool you either. All of his magic is original, without a sample in sight. Every instrument either played by Dorey himself, or his array of guest friend musicians. For the Oracolo artwork, Skinshape joined forces with acclaimed New York based artist Jared Buschang. This is one of Buschang’s early pieces simply named ‘Untitled’. The Picasco-esqe style makes the perfect visual representation for the music within.

Originally recorded direct to disc and released by Incus in 1978, this new edition from Treader is pressed from the original stampers. Hand-finished sleeve.

‘Parker uses rapid tonguing techniques and circular breathing to create a sound all his own, marked by the simultaneous intonation of multiple notes. One hears a note as well as all the residual tones around it; each breath ends up sounding like a battle between the different registers of the horn. At various times, Parker’s saxophone sounds like dolphin speech, electronic tape squeals, or human murmurs; namely, anything but what it actually is. His language on the instrument is essential listening for anyone interested in acoustic experimental music’ (AllMusic).

‘Eight years after Topography Of The Lungs, and two years after his Saxophone Solos, Monoceros was the most muscular statement of Evan Parker’s solo saxophone muse. Superbly recorded, it seemed to place the listener within the chaotic air flows of the saxophone’s own tubing. Philip Clark said: ‘Parker’s dialogue with the saxophone throws up so much that is unexpected, and indeed unknowable, that the problem he faces is how to keep pace with his own invention’’ (The Wire, Best Albums Of The Year).

Leif presents the third instalment of his 10" vinyl series exploring off-kilter, shimmering rhythmic and melodic abstractions

HOT RELEASE & VERY LIMITED, DON’T SLEEP!

In April 2019, 22a Boss- and multi-instrumentalist, "Tenderlonious" embarked on a trip to Pakistan to work with a Lahore based instrumental quartet, Jaubi. These 3 deeply spiritual, improvised raga's are the first recordings to come from a 3 day recording session in Lahore.

Like most of us, Tender (Ed) has faced many troubles in his life. Music has been a guiding light, leading him onto the right path. It was whilst in his darkest place, that he taught himself to play the soprano saxophone, bringing much needed focus and discipline back into his life. Much like his musical heroes, John Coltrane and Yusef Lateef, who were both inspired by eastern spiritualism and the deep tradition of Indian classical music, Tender has always been searching for something different and much deeper.

The seeds for a young Tender to embark on the right musical path of transcendence were planted during his father's secondments to the East as a result of being a Ghurkha officer. However it was after hearing the North Indian Classical flautist Ronu Majumdar's "Raga Mangal Bhairav" that Tender knew this was a spiritual seed he had to fully develop.

This particular seed however was ironically sowed in a grimy Peckham pub, after one too many beers - like many of our endeavours. Whilst reminiscing about previous musical journeys in Poland, we were reminded of an instrumental quartet from Lahore, Pakistan - Jaubi. We later discovered that Jaubi is an Urdu word for "whatever/whoever" and creating whatever sounds good with whoever feels good is the groups guiding principle - a vibe we could relate to. Drinks continued to flow and we further explored the idea of a trip to Lahore in Pakistan, where the band resides.

That evening after getting home from the pub, we both told our family and friends that we were planning to go to Lahore, Pakistan and record an album with Jaubi. We were met with heavy resistance from family and government officials. Our families constantly fed us articles and WhatsApp links about why it is dangerous to travel to Pakistan due to terrorism, kidnappings, tropical diseases…the list was endless. The Pakistani embassy also showed resistance by rejecting our Visas twice.

The project felt destined for failure, however we slowly persevered with the Lahore dream. We learned not to believe everything people are telling you, this was more than a musical quest now, it was about breaking down cultural misconceptions. Through many hours of hard work and planning, we arrived in Lahore on the 9th of April 2019, greeted with nothing but love and humbleness. Lahore is something special, full of positivity, humility, care and hope.

Thankfully all a stark contrast to the negativity we heard about Pakistan before arriving. It was not long into the first day and that first studio session, where we realised this trip would be a real awakening. Nothing whatsoever was written down during the recording sessions - no sheet music, no song titles. It was sincere, all egos were left behind and hearts and souls were open and poured into the music.

'Impressions' is a pure raga (Raga Ba Khizer), the taala (rhythmic cycle) is Ektaal (12 beat cycle). It is the raga that Tender first heard Ronu Majumdar play. This beautiful scale, thatTender would often practice back home, becomes the musical framework for rich improvisations. Joined by Zohaib Hassan Khan on the stringed instrument called sarangi - Zohaib is a 7th generation sarangi maestro and one of only 5 professional sarangi players left in Pakistan practicing this ancient art form.

Kashif Ali Dhani provides the stunning backdrop on tabla, weaving in and out of complex rhythmic patterns. 'Kirwani' is composed by Dhani and is based on a raga that resembles the harmonic minor scale in western music. Whilst 'Shalamar Gardens' provides a peaceful moment for reflection with Tender on soprano sax and Dhani on vocals.

Holy shit! If it isn’t three unheard 1960s and 1970s reels from the unreal and unreleased Basil Kirchin Tape Archive. Sublime pastoral jazz, autistic children screaming, spooky vocals, experimental tape manipulation and more from the master of such thing.

HISTORY:
The three parts of this new Basil Kirchin album come from three very different tapes from his archive. All parts were unreleased until now.

“Pat’s Pigs” actually sounds to me like a Basil bird recording, slowed and treated, mixed with simple improvisation. But it could well be pigs. Pat’s pigs. This whole tape recording may have been an early experiment towards what was to become Worlds Within Worlds Parts I and II. A lot of Basil’s work was headed in that direction.

“Electronic” – first of all this is not that electronic. There are elements of the classic Kirchin drone sound here, mixed with multiple and treated recordings of the autistic children of Schurmatt, along with Esther, his wife, singing. I remember speaking to Basil many years ago about his Schurmatt recordings. Esther worked as a nurse with the children, Basil got to know many of them, and became fascinated by the extreme musical noises they would make with their voices. This recording is not necessarily for the faint hearted, but makes for extraordinary listening, based on the fact this would have been made and mixed, simply as a classic and progressive Kirchin experiment, back in the late 1960s/ early 1970s. This also has untreated elements that would eventually contribute towards Quantum, his preferred version of the W W W concept.

“The Suspended Fourth” comes across like a soundtrack, so it could well be part of what Basil called his “imaginary film music period”. It has a very distinctive and pastoral Kirchin style leitmotif that repeats along its glorious and slightly disturbed 21 minutes. It’s very well produced, possibly built up and improvised over a few days, could well have been an experiment, a pitch or just something that had to come out in the groovy studio. The tape itself states that this is The Suspended Forth with a subtitle: “The Musical Study Of A Mind, Part 1 Schizophrenia”. It therefore could even be something to do with a soundtrack he was asked to make for a mental heath conference for psychiatrists at Earls Court in the late 1960s (see States Of Mind, JBH005LP – the British jazz musical line seems like it could well be the very same). But who knows for sure? I shall continue looking in the archive for other possible parts.

Before I go, the original title for this album and the artwork come from an empty tape box in the archive, which I think sums up all sorts of things about Basil, his awesome music and the tape archive all at the same time.

More reel discoveries will follow. Thanks for listening as always.

Multifaceted musicians Alfa Mist and Richard Spaven announce identities behind their 44th Move project and drop their debut self-titled EP on Black Acre.

The pair are two of London’s most hotly tipped Jazz artists, and bothhave a broad range of influences. Alfa Mist is a self-taught piano player with his early album ‘Antiphon’ becoming an international fan-drivensuccess, receiving more than 6 million streams on youtube alone. Since then he has continually moved on to straddle many genres with recent projects such as ‘Structuralism’ and ‘On My Ones’, both experimenting with solo piano, neo-classical and hinting at his roots in Hip Hop.

Meanwhile, Spaven’s accolades includes three studio albums, such as the acclaimed ‘Real Time’ LP on Fine Line, working with The Cinematic Orchestra, Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Flying Lotus, Jose James, Jameszoo and Jordan Rakei, not to mention selling out venues like Camden’s Jazz Cafe with Richard Spaven Trio. The pair now team up together for a poignant debut release as 44th Move. “Creating the sound was just a coming together where we discovered that we shared a lot of the same influences. We got to writing straight away - before we really got to know each other. I found it easy with a ton of inspiration. Ideas kept coming and we were on the same page.

In retrospect we want 44th to have an edge - it’s a ‘heart on your sleeve’ project where we can express all those hip hop and broken beat records.” - Richard Spaven ‘Little Techno’ opens with an essence of melancholy and emotional connection emphasising loose drums, pulsing keys and delicate chords. ‘Fly’ then superbly merges contemporary glitches and samples with organic percussion while ‘Hope’ fuses Alfa Mist’s vocal-work with elegant brass, keys and an undercurrent of subtle rhythmic delight. On the flip, ‘Broken’ flows with soft Rhodes sequences and Spaven’s signature crisp-sounding snares, giving a sophisticated edge to it's arrangement before ‘Two Nil’ slants towards a broken-beat lane with distantkeyboards, syncopated beats and dystopian-like harmonies.

Gilles Peterson presents a time capsule of musical magic on this Record Store Day exclusive. Taken from a day of live sessions in London’s legendary Maida Vale Studios - studio MV4 to be exact, it was originally intended just for Peterson’s BBC radio show broadcast on 20th October 2018. Struck by what a special moment the sessions captured, Peterson has decided to mark the results with a release proper on his Brownswood imprint.

A limited special double vinyl release for Record Store Day 2020, this is thefirst RSD release that Peterson has put his name to. It features a diverse,all-star cast of some of the acts celebrated by Peterson in recent years, in a series of freewheeling and off-the-cuff recordings, several of the tracks backed by the group of Brownswood signee, Joe Armon-Jones. Featuring Dylan Jones, James Mollison, Mutale Chashi, and Marijus Aleksa as well as guest turns from Fatima, Asheber, Nubya Garcia, Hak Baker, and Oscar Jerome, plus a double track special from Bristol based collective, Ishmael Ensemble.

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

Ritual was originally released in 1971 on the Dutch label Omega International (Gomez was born in Holland before moving to Belgium in the late 40s) and is being reissued by Mr Bongo in 2013, bringing its blazing funk grooves to both new ears and those already tuned in to this masterpiece's legacy.

Across its 11 tracks Ritual delivers the kind of production, arrangement and musicianship that rightfully belong in a dictionary next to the definition of professional. Gomez' band was tight and they knew it, showing it off on their covers of Perez Prado's 'Caballo Negro' and 'Lupita' by injecting the originals with a deep funk that blends both Afro and Latin influences. On 'Samba De Una Nota So' and 'El Condor Pasa', another pair of covers, they switch to soulful downtempo with mesmerising ease. The title cut remains one of the album's highlights, a devastating dancefloor groove with horns to match that has aged beautifully and was heavily sampled by Liquid People for 'The Dragon'. 'Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!' adds touches of rock with fuzzy guitars for one of the album's headier experiences.

Repressed on red vinyl!

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

Ritual was originally released in 1971 on the Dutch label Omega International (Gomez was born in Holland before moving to Belgium in the late 40s) and is being reissued by Mr Bongo in 2013, bringing its blazing funk grooves to both new ears and those already tuned in to this masterpiece's legacy.

Across its 11 tracks Ritual delivers the kind of production, arrangement and musicianship that rightfully belong in a dictionary next to the definition of professional. Gomez' band was tight and they knew it, showing it off on their covers of Perez Prado's 'Caballo Negro' and 'Lupita' by injecting the originals with a deep funk that blends both Afro and Latin influences. On 'Samba De Una Nota So' and 'El Condor Pasa', another pair of covers, they switch to soulful downtempo with mesmerising ease. The title cut remains one of the album's highlights, a devastating dancefloor groove with horns to match that has aged beautifully and was heavily sampled by Liquid People for 'The Dragon'. 'Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!' adds touches of rock with fuzzy guitars for one of the album's headier experiences.

new quartet by Samuel Rohrer, Max Loderbauer, Stian Westerhus & Tobias Freund In the present era of media saturation, the artist's dilemma has shifted away from the question whether to fuse disparate stylistic elements, towards the decision of which energies to draw upon: a situation most rewarding for those who listen to musicians navigating this limitless terrain. One such journey, the captivating full-length release from Samuel Rohrer's new Kave quartet coming out this May, is bringing together players who are equally well-versed in the quick-thinking mechanics of free group improvisation and the compositional strategies of contemplative / ‘ambient’ electronic music. With Rohrer acting as creative director and most of the quartet sharing synthesizer duties, there’s a strong sense of unified purpose to this set, and a narrative flow that never causes the listener to focus on one constituent part at the expense of the whole. At the same time, the players know all well that cohesion counts for little without those constituent parts being compelling in their own right. Rohrer and Loderbauer, for example, have previously crafted a unique techno-organic approach with the Ambiq trio, and the lessons learned from that partnership are put to inspired use within this new configuration. Stian Westerhus’ contributions on guitar and vocals, along with Tobias Freund’s electronic reinforcements - Freund also has worked since many years with Max Loderbauer as NSI - all conspire to make something that Rohrer aptly compares as “forest”-like. It’s a descriptor that will have vastly different meanings for each listener. For Rohrer, it refers to music that is confident in the “deep-rootedness” of its foundations and defined by a density and mystery easily confused with darkness, while nevertheless proving its bright vitRight away, on the introductory odyssey 'Cambium' the quartet sets out to make good on this metaphor, creating a hypnotic foundation for what is about to unfold during the next 42 minutes, with brooding, slow, 'searchlight in a fog,' synth washes and percussive stridulation. The twin 'Hibernation' tracks show all the unique elements beginning to coalesce: the emotional tenor is one of vulnerability that melts into the determination of 'staring into the void', a temperamental state challenging to represent authentically in music. The atmosphere of psychic challenge effort lessly gives way to the faintly nostalgic glimmers of 'Giant Peach' - a literary reference to the macabre whimsy of Roald Dahl.
The ultimate dissolution of barriers between organicism and synthesis is accomplished on the majestic 'Divided We Fall', a title referring to Westerhus’ smoky vocalization that winds into a double helix formed from electronic surges.
Again, the ease with which it all comes together is mesmerizing, and while there’s an aura of risk accompanying this walk through the woods, there’s a much more enduring impression of carefully orchestrated growth and change.

PAROV STELAR – VOODOO SONIC THE TRILOGY PART 1/3

PAROV STELAR GOES VOODOO!

Concerts by successful musicians often have an air of church-mass: Fans pay homage to their idols, hailing them, giving the impression of following them blindly. Parov Stelar, a globally successful musician from Austria, is one such artist. Is this art of seduction a kind of Voodoo, Black Magic even? Who can tell? It makes no difference whatsoever, as to his fans Parov Stelar easily passes as a High-Priest of grooves, perfectly able to offset their frenzy.

In Voodoo, Bondieu, a higher being communicates to the masses through priests called Loas. Parov Stelar manages to do so with his music. The seed for „Voodoo Sonic“ had been sown. At the same time the idea to replace the conventional album with several EPs emerged as well, allowing greater musical freedom and the possibility to explore the many sonic landscapes of „Voodoo Sonic“.

„Go Wake Up“ is the first track coming from the Parov Stelar Voodoo-universe. The song is a close collaboration with Lilja Bloom who has been more than Parov Stelar’s muse for a long time. And in true Voodoo fashion the song’s groove grabs you immediately, never letting go again.

„Voodoo Sonic“, the EP’s title track, with its compelling samples is pure Parov Stelar, driving and danceable whereas Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest fame) emerges as quite some Voodoo-seducer in „Number One MC“. With „The Fall“ the EP comes full circle as it is another collaboration with Lilja Bloom. It’s a cinemascope-like sound that truly marks the song as something special. Voodoo Sonic – The Trilogy Part 1/3 – now available as 12”.

Berlin-based Swedish saxophonist Otis Sandsjö returns with the eagerly-awaited sequel to "Y-OTIS". On "Y-OTIS 2", released by Helsinki's We Jazz Records on July 24, Sandsjö and his close associate, bassist/producer Petter Eldh (of Koma Saxo), deepen their vision of genre-bending, forward-looking "liquid jazz" of tomorrow. The core group also includes Dan Nicholls on keys and Tilo Weber on drums, and also featured on the album are Swedish jazz greats Jonas Kullhammar (of Koma Saxo) and Per "Texas" Johansson, cellist Lucy Railton and trumpeter Ruhi-Deniz Erdogan.

Diving deeper into "Y-OTIS 2", you'll find details and ideas galore. The album is an inviting and inspiring audio mosaic, which links back into the previous Sandsjö/Eldh collaborations, namely "Y-OTIS" and "Koma Saxo". The result is a balanced album which quenches your thirst while making you more thirsty in the process. In other words, the many micro moods and sonic levels herein invite repeated listening, while the underlying rhythmic approach is informed as much by hip hop and electronica as by jazz, making the music approachable in a very natural way.

It seems unnecessary to pull the album apart by name-checking individual tracks but just for the sake of easy introduction, the single cuts "tremendoce", "ity bity" and "abysmal" offer one idea of signposts along which to navigate. "tremendoce" brings in Swedish jazz great Jonas Kullhammar (of Koma Saxo) and Per "Texas" Johansson, introducing an infectious flute loop integrating into the Y-OTIS sound, making it organic to the bone. "ity bity" could be built on a new wave synth sample (but it's not) and "abysmal" brings more serene, even ambient-sounding sonic pathways onto the map. It all belongs together, and makes for a sound that is instantly recognisable and constantly fresh. This is "Mauerpark liquid jazz" for the new decade.

Trad Vibe Records is proud to announce the Cassettes of the three first albums by French Jazz-Funk band, Cortex: Troupeau Bleu, Cortex Vol.2 and Pourquoi, all originally recorded between 1975 and 1978.

This is the very first time that these 3 masterpieces will be available together in Tapes. This French Jazz group has become a cult classic for Jazz-Funk addicts worldwide. From the US to Japan and across the world, many are the stars of Hip-Hop, Rap and Electronic music, who have sampled the compositions of Alain Mion with Cortex. These 3 albums have become mythic collectable classics and a favorite for international funk collectors for years! Everyone will now be able to discover or re-discover this trilogy; and one of the finest and most representative bands from the French Jazz scene of the 70

Trad Vibe Records is proud to announce the Cassettes of the three first albums by French Jazz-Funk band, Cortex: Troupeau Bleu, Cortex Vol.2 and Pourquoi, all originally recorded between 1975 and 1978.

This is the very first time that these 3 masterpieces will be available together in Tapes. This French Jazz group has become a cult classic for Jazz-Funk addicts worldwide. From the US to Japan and across the world, many are the stars of Hip-Hop, Rap and Electronic music, who have sampled the compositions of Alain Mion with Cortex. These 3 albums have become mythic collectable classics and a favorite for international funk collectors for years! Everyone will now be able to discover or re-discover this trilogy; and one of the finest and most representative bands from the French Jazz scene of the 70

To kick off the dawn of a new decade and their first release of 2020 in fine style, Phuture Shock Musik very proudly present ‘La Búsqueda’ - the debut album from
multi-skilled musician Damián Botigué aka to the long player format. Barcelona-based producer and Karmasound.

Having released his first 12” ‘Probabalidades’ EP on the Bristol imprint to wide acclaim in 2018, followed by a solid sophomore effort ‘Can See Thru You’ one year later; whilst also contributing to recent projects by label mate Cyclonix and Wolf Music signee Pedro, Karmasound has steadily gained momentum to graduate to the long player format.

Comprised of ten tracks steeped in existential themes, ‘La Búsqueda’ stands out as the producer’s most personal and accomplished work to date, where jazz - particularly of the 70’s Latin fusion/funk variety – is a key source of its inspiration in terms of sound, yet with a contemporary electronic-infused spin and loosely within a broken beat context. Besides taking cues from the above styles, each composition is informed by Botigué’s soulful, interstellar sound that combines live instrumentation with analogue studio gadgetry and a vast range of influences; including hip hop, soul, Afro-Latin, electronica and the forward-thinking sensibilities of the early 00’s West London sound. This rich musical diversity running throughout the LP, strikes a fitting balance between the past and the future that aligns with Phuture Shock’s sonic vision.

A reissue of an Indian soul/disco/funk gem from 1982. The material was engineered at the Living Room Studios in Calgary, Canada.

Pacific Shore makes modern melancholy hip-hop-soul-jazz with love. The duo’s "road music” evokes a dreamlike and cinematic musical journey. In the studio and on stage, the duo shows that machines, live instruments, and vocals can make electronic music organic, warm, and alive.


Immersed in the studio for a while, the duo are back with the album "Two Kingdoms", their biggest project so far. Without complex, these 17 tracks transport us between vaporous pop/funk groove and hybrid experimentations. A lively, moving and poetic work in search of a certain sense of life on Earth.


As Ying and Yang the album is a combination of two interdependent chapters, we find the voice of their faithful friend and collaborator Sarah Linhares on the tracks Overboard, Knees Wet, Borders among others. As well as the very intriguing Majin Blobfish on Light & Shade and the appearance of a new voice from Pacific Shore on several titles: Two Kingdoms, Home, A Part of Me...

U Know Me Records proudly presents a special album showcasing Polish drumming scene - each track was produced by a different drummer - these are their portraits.

official video promo: https://youtu.be/qxuTYjMRUMM

In the 21st century drummers imperceptibly switched from the background to the front line, despite popular music not exactly pandering to them. In the early days of rock culture this joke made the rounds "What's the last thing a drummer says in a band?" "Perhaps we could play one of my songs…?"
In popular music the drummer became the first to compete with machines. They were the first band members that consequently began disappearing, however, as contemporary electronic music took hold, they were also the first to return. First they were incorporated into compositions but gradually - took centre stage. Thanks partly to the ubiquitous culture of Hip Hop recognising the drummer's role as key in any recording, alongside the eclecticism of new music, which demanded fluid transitions between musical forms, a drummer's adaptive skills – as a trained multi instrumentalist – became truly impressive. This new generation of drummers seen on Polish stages today are exceptional even against the backdrop of today's unusually creative and well-educated music scene which rejects narrow minded or genre-centric views.

This album exhibits portraits from the cream of today's Polish drummers. Kovalevo Tone Bank by Michał Bryndal tags the 1980's, the era which began stealing drummers' bread. Incidentally, the heavy groove laid down by the artist references a hit by Wham!, the same hit in which the group decided to cut the drummer's part because he was late and replace him with a LinnDrumm machine. Hubert Zemler in The Life and Death of Ben Bekele and Łukasz Moskal in Father Sparrow show they've found themselves perfectly in close cooperation with electronic instruments.
Multifaceted improvisors - Qba Janicki (Kabina projekcyjna) and Jan Młynarski (Roj) - transform their drums kits into multifunctional devices capable of delivering wildly diverse palettes of sound. Rafał Dutkiewicz (Displaced) showcases drums as the lead instrument on a club track. Marcin Rak (Alpaka) does the same, but with the conventions of Funk and Hip Hop, whereas Krzysztof Dziedzic (Vagabonde) gravitates towards the edges of jazz. Each of them here is a leader and… plays one of their songs.

Bartek Chaciński
(translation: Sean Palmer)

We are very proud to presents this official and first ever reissue of The First Coming, by Twylyte ’81, an extremely rare and underrated Soul-Jazz album produced and released in 1981. Twylyte ’81 was a 3 pieces band composed of Frank Jones Jr., Alfred Brown Jr. and John
Belzaguy, who, except for John, have never recorded anything else than this incredible album. The First Coming is primarily standing out by a superb composition, mixing touch of Soul, Jazz, and Disco together. It secondly shines thanks to the amazing deep and spiritual
voice of the band leader, Frank Jones Jr., whose vocals style can sometime remind of John Lucien. Even more impressive is the fact that these 3 fellas were all less or close to 18 years old when composing and recording this beauty. As did others brilliant hidden projects such as Ted Coleman Band, or Minority Band, it was also useful for Twylyte ’81 to receive the support of JSR Records, a kind of non-profit label dedicated to help young bands and artists in recording and producing their own records. Here are a few words from Al Brown Jr. about this release: “After 38 years, I still have the euphoric feeling while listening to this album. I would say that this was one of my greatest achievements. I want to say "Thank you" Pascal Rioux and associates for sharing the group's vision with the rest of the world. I pray the listeners will feel a portion of what we tried to convey through these songs. When I first began this project, I thought it was just killing time. Being 17 years old at the time, I didn't see the music we worked on being recorded. We (Frank and I) were in a basement practicing each song. Who knew that this music would be recorded let alone picked up 38 years later? I still remember every beat, drum roll, every stop/start; everything. Wow, the nostalgia of it all. I wish this album much successful and I hope in the future I can perform this album live.

Alex Bradley's new reissue division at Utopia Records recovers the early works of Gianni Gebbia, a saxophonist and composer from Palermo, Sicily whose highly sought-after debut LP from 1987 is remastered with added unreleased material and updated art work by Gebbia himself.
A minimal and contemporary jazz album of the highest order, its beautiful sound, sentimental electronics and use of synthesisers - that were a precursor to the house and dance music scene of the early 90's - has made the album endure the years that have passed.

It will be sure to be a valuable addition to your home listening collection with stand out tracks like Cud evoking visions of a Sicilian beach stroll and the intense and brooding 'Vedersi Passare le Cose Attorno' with its Juno chords transports you to a Detroit night club in 1992 counterbalanced by Gebbia's soft saxophonic embrace...

The self taught Gebbia's works touches on the avant-garde whilst maintaining a musicality and fluidity with his technique of circular breathing adding an extra element to his playing, the ability to create Reichian like minimalism with a single breath whilst maintaining melodic structure.
The multi solo album artist is noted recently for working on the music score of Heiner Goebbels' music performance piece 'Everything that happened and would happen' at the Manchester international festival and for his curating of the "Anassimandro Festival of Music and Philosophy" in his home city of Palermo of which Bradley hosted last years after party.

Born in Paris, raised in Vienna, resident in Ibiza, saxophonist and composer Muriel Grossmann embodies the borderless, pan-continental energies of contemporary European jazz. Her music emerges from the lineage of European jazz that's absorbed the progressive music of Coltrane, Dolphy and Sanders. Today, she cites players such as Illinois Jacquet and Lester Young in the same breath as the masters of the avant-garde, and her playing marries the directness and eloquence of the older generation with the questing, spiritualised playing epitomised by Coltrane. The roster of musicians she has played with is long, and includes veteran European avant-gardists including Joachim and Rolf Kühn, Wolfgang Reisinger and Thomas Heidepriem, and she works tirelessly with contemporary groups and big bands across the continent.

Since her first recordings in the early 2000s, Grossmann has released a dozen albums as leader, featuring sounds ranging from hard-swinging modernist jams to free improvisation, expansive spiritual work to rhythm-focussed Afrocentrism. But at the centre of her work is a thread of pure and heartfelt spiritual music in the modal tradition defined by Coltrane and close collaborators like Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane. You can't play this music successfully if you don't mean it – like the music of her contemporary Nat Birchall, Grossmann's engagement with the Coltrane tradition is sincere and deep. Her music resonates within the tradition – more than just a style, it adds a new chapter to the story of modal and spiritual jazz in Europe.

This Jazzman set draws a selection from her 2016 album Natural Time ('Your Pace', 'Peace For All') and from 2017's Momentum ('Elevation', 'Chant' and 'Rising'). Featuring her regular quartet of Radomir Milojkovic (guitar) Uros Stamenkovic (drums) and Gina Schwarz (bass), the music on Elevation is pure sound, soul and spirit!

- LP only with thick tip on sleeve- Download card included inside

"Timeless and innovative... a musical genius" Mike Gates, UK Vibe

"A listening experience akin to transcendence" Andrew Jones, Down Beat

"Vibrant, passionate, exhilarating. A monument of spiritual jazz" Mark Sarazzy, Impro Jazz

"A journey that takes off like missile, passes through meditation, reaches nirvana and ends with thanksgiving" Elliot Simon, NYC jazz records

"Timelessly beautiful" Christian Bakonyi, Concerto

“Lost Reflections / Orientation” is a split album by Austrian beatmaker and producer Mr.Käfer. The LP consists of two digital EP’s: “Lost Reflections” (January 2019) and “Orientation” (Mai 2020). One year ago we released “Lost Reflections” a nine track mini-album by Mr.Käfer and Californian saxophonist Gavin Lord on tape and digital. Packaged with a great artwork by Berlin illustrator Rahel Süßkind (KO-OP, Money $ex Records). Since then Mr.Käfer did finish his music studies in Salzburg (Austria) and moved to Cologne (Germany) where he did an internship at Melting Pot Music. He has released two solo albums / EP‘s on Tape Invader and Chillhop Music and a collabo projects with Flitz&Suppe and DDob. With his new EP “Orientation” Mr.Käfer is stepping into new directions. Throughout five songs Mr.Käfer reflects on his North-African roots (he is half Austrian, half Algerian) and adds new sounds, vibes and tempi to his music. To orchestrate his vision Mr.Käfer has assembled a full band consisting of Makkako (guitar), Ruff I (double bass) and Christian Höll (saxophone). Christian Höll has also co-wrote and co-produced the EP together with Mr.Käfer. The visuals for “Orientation” have been created by UK artist Tilly Mint – best known for her artworks for Yazmin Lacey and C.Tappin.

Sven Libaek's Inner Space is, simply put, one of the most legendary soundtrack recordings in the history of Australian music. Released in 1973, soundtracking a documentary series on underwater life by Ron & Valerie Taylor, it now stands proud as a key album of 'underwater music', one of the most rightly and righteously revered fields within soundtrack and library music circles.

Endlessly inventive, gorgeously melodic, at times oceanic, at times amphibian, at other times in some mysterious pelagic zone, Inner Space sits proudly alongside such classic underwater OST's and libraries as Egisto Macchi's Fauna Marina, the Sonoton Underwater Music series, the Ittologia and Biologia Marina twin-set, and Danielle Patucchi's Men Of The Sea, Alla Scoperti Del Mare and Uomini E Squali.

Considered to be one of the unsung masters of Australian Film music, Sven Libaek composed for many Australian Films and TV series in 1960's and 70's. Inner Space is considered amongst his finest.

Featuring the best Australian jazz musicians including Don Burrows and John Sangster, they masterfully range from the incidental to the improvisational as they create a whirlpool of sublime aquatic jazz exotica. Notably, in 2004 the soundtrack had a second lease on life when several tracks were used in the Wes Anderson film. 'The life aquatic with Steve Zizzou'.

Tape / Cassette



Fließgewässer is the alias of Spain-based artist Philipp Heinzelbecker, who became part of the OM family somewhen in autumn 2019, when OM-stalwarts Hager/Kaputt, the overwhelmingly great William Luke Valerio and Fließgewässer shared a gig. A short power breakdown that evening killed Heinzel’s synthesizer, which was his main source of sound. He then started to throw himself into a freestyle set with machines lent by the other musicians – and he dove headfirst into a slowly-building, neo-baroque organ impression of melancholic beauty and an emotional openness that affected the whole room.

This was a fine example of how Fließgewässer functions – Heinzelbäcker incorporates what surrounds him and transforms it into sound. „Firat | Dîjla“ works just as that. An impromptu session with Marta Morant on clarinet and Nicolas Dobson on drums that started after watching a documentary on the ruthless building of dams in south-east Anatolia by Turkey’s demagogic president Reccep Tayyip Erdogan, with additional synth work overdubbed afterwards, turned into a stream of free-flowing new age sounds with references to anatolian folk music popping up here and there, tender percussion improvs and refined clarinet expressions.

The sole track on the B-side of the tape – „Below the stork’s nest“ – is a sombre elegy, alternating between an endless dulcimer rite, surfacing field recordings, a trumpet resembling the cornet work of Cosey Fanni Tutti and: a violin. The original version of „Firat | Dîjla“ featured a lot of quotes from the BBC-produced documentary „So Water is Turkey’s Oil“. Shying away from the fear of copyright infringements, we asked Heinzel to remove them; about half a day later, in true Fließgewässer fashion, he sent a whole new set of files with him playing a deranged violin instead of the original quotes. That was the final point, the being-struck-by-lightning-moment when we knew this one was perfectly finished. Glimpses of Hassell’s fourth-world music spelled out over european post-industrial music like Coil, and, within the flushes of deeply honest consternation which interweave the whole recording, a very political set of songs.

This 10th anniversary release of Spaven's 5ive on vinyl for the first time celebrates one of the UK's most phenomenally talented drummers. With roots in the UK club and hip-hop scenes, Richard Spaven brings a fresh approach to the instrument that's at once modern and traditional.

Combining machine-like accuracy with jazz-influenced improvisational sensibilities, Spaven's drumming landed him gigs with vastly varied artists such as Guru, Flying Lotus, The Cinematic Orchestra and jazz/hip-hop vocalist Jose James. His brilliance is evident beyond his world-class performance abilities as he's equally impressive in production and compositional territories.

Spaven's signature drum sound often sees him combine high-pitched, crisp snares, round jazzy toms and small punchy bass drums. His cymbal choices are a sonic contrast of dry, lower-pitched hi-hats, rides and crashes.

Altogether, the drummer's tone could be described as a nod to the past while keeping an ear to the future.

Spaven's 5ive is released as a limited clear vinyl edition for Record Store Day 2020.

Young Berlin- Potsdam based nine-Piece WANUBALÉ follow up their debut Album "Phosphenes" with two brandnew Songs on this 12"!

Masterfully plush guitar textures! This colorful collection spotlights guitar virtuoso Barnes and his octet’s tremendous technique, astounding agility, tender touch, and impressive improvisations across a dozen pieces that run the gamut of musical emotions.
Gaiety, romance, melancholia, and more are expressively explored in this firstever reissue of brilliant, gem-like jazz. Packaging: LP Blue vinyl

The 2nd release on 45 Loves sees a killer live disco joint with a super upfront 'Good Times' bass line driving the track along, add in sparse vocal snippets, subtle horns and spacy synths and we have an 80's jazz/funk/disco flavored jam brought right up to date.
Dancefloors were made for this, quality stuff. The flip is another fusion cut, dropping the tempo and creating an electro/disco/rap affair. Very limited

Presented by Mitsuko & Svetlana Records, distributed by WRWTFWW Records.

A golden era gem from the master himself.

Archival reissue of long lost treasure from genius pianist and composer Masahiko Satoh whose resume includes hundreds of legendary albums and collaborations with Midori Takada (Lunar Cruise and Ton•Klami) among many others.

Very rare soundtrack of a 9-episode suspense drama that aired on TV in 1969 and 1970. Filled with exquisite jazz, soul-jazz, folk-jazz, and mystery-jazz, plus groovy affairs, classical moods, and 70s flair.

Highly recommended to Japanese jazz collectors, soundtrack collectors, Masahiko Sato collectors, lovers of rare gems and wearers of vintage trench coats.

All compositions and arrangements by Masahiko Sato
Masahiko Sato: piano, keyboard
Yoshiko Goto: vocal
Kiyoshi Sugimoto: guitar
Kunimitsu Inaba: bass
Yasuo Arakawa: bass
Akira Ishikawa: drums

Originally released in November 1970 as an LP on Toho Records (BL-1001)

Danish duo Bremer/McCoy-Morten McCoy keyboards and loops and Jonathan Bremer acoustic bass-make music that is a meditative and intense blend of jazz and dub created entirely via analog process. No computers involved; they record everything straight to tape in their own studio.
These two childhood friends tour with their own soundsystem, originally left over from a dub band they were both in, to ensure adequate depth in the lower frequencies

For the first time on LP, Maestro Morricone's full score for Uccidete il vitello grasso e arrostitelo. A 1969 giallo-noir, full of cruel twists, directed by Salvatore Samperi. This almost unknown soundtrack wasn't released at the time and the original master tapes were carefully archived in the vault of legendary C.A.M. label. Conducted by Bruno Nicolai and featuring voices by Edda Dell'Orso.The maestro delivers one his best scores from the late 60's. A psych-baroque journey with typical beat arrangements, crazy organs solos, wah-wah guitars and tense harpsichord phrases. Including the previously unreleased "Shake introspettivo". Remastered from the original master tapes. Limited Edition.

Finnish composer and multi-instrumentalist Jimi Tenor has joined forces with Bureau B to release "NY, Hel, Barca" - a retrospective compilation spanning the years 1994 - 2001. The double LP features early works and selected tracks from his first six albums, long since deleted. Having disbanded Jimi Tenor And His Shamans, the artist embarked on a solo career in the early 1990's, recording his debut work "Sähkömies" on rudimentary equipment in a small New York apartment. The album was released in 1994 on the Finnish imprint Sähkö, who also issued Tenor's sophomore work "Europa" a year later, expanding on the ideas articulated on the first disc.

In spite of the experimental nature and free form of these early recordings, Tenor's instinctive grasp of pop appeal, his spontaneity and whimsical sense of humour are clearly in evidence.

On the back of a game-changing performance at the Love Parade in Berlin, Jimi Tenor scored his first hit with "Take Me Baby", entering the charts and signing a deal with the seminal electronic label Warp Records. The three Warp albums - "Intervision" (1997), "Organism" (1999) and "Out Of Nowhere" (2000) - were touchstones in the electronic club music scene of the period.

Effortlessly blending jazz, synthesizer sounds, Afrobeats and drum machine dubs, Jimi Tenor created a distinctive sound which he himself rewired and renewed. Not that his compositions were overly academic, on the contrary - they often resembled free-flowing, sporadic sketches, with an infectiously irrepressible touch of the absurd.

The 20-tracks on "NY, Hel, Barca" document key stages of Jimi Tenor's remarkable creative path, underlining the prolific and varied nature of his artistic output. Then as now, he shines like a satellite hovering over the European pop landscape.

"ZP44" Vinyl The first Time on a 7" Single!

There are not enough Superlatives to describe this Classic-Piece of Music ... It has- and always will evoke happy Memories! Recorded in 1995- and featuring ultra-soulful Vocals of James Robinson with MJ himself blowing a saxy Storm!

On the Flip-Side we present a brand new recording, never heard before until now. SOAKIN’ IN THE SUNSHINE feat. the Superb-Voice of David Caceres, escapism to tropical Climes is the name of the Game here, much needed at present ...

Mercury Prize-nominated Portico Quartet has always been an impossible band to pin down. Sending out echoes of jazz, electronica, ambient music and minimalism, the group created their own singular, cinematic sound over the course of three studio albums, from their 2007 breakthrough 'Knee-Deep in the North Sea', and 2010 John Leckie produced 'Isla', to the self titled record 'Portico Quartet' in 2012. Now rebooted as Portico Quartet after a brief spell as the three-piece Portico, the group are set to release their fourth studio album Art In The Age Of Automation this August on Manchester's forward thinking indy jazz and electronica label Gondwana Records. It's an eagerly anticipated return, with the band teasing both a return to their mesmeric signature sound and fresh new sonic departures in their new music. So much so that their four-night run at Archspace E8 (June 22-25) sold out in less than an hour as fans from around the world scrambled for tickets to hear the return of Portico Quartet. Support from Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum and similar minded DJs around the world. Airplay from TSF France. Features in Jazzism, Jazzthing, Jazzwise and beyond. Reviews in the Guardian, Mojo, Uncut and more. Full servcing to the Gondwana Records international DJ and radio mailing list.

JAF Trio emerges on Helsinki's We Jazz Records with their debut LP on 3 July. The young Finnish-Danish band includes saxophonist Adele Sauros (of Superposition), bassist Joonas Tuuri (of Bowman Trio)
and drummer Frederik Emil Bülow. After a string of lauded live performances over the past couple of years (the band was awarded with the "We Jazz Rising Star" accolade at We Jazz Festival in 2017), the trio is now ready to present their first studio work.

Sound-wise, JAF Trio has an approach which brings the band very close to the listener, "loft jazz" style. The sax, bass and drums are right there at the forefront together, creating a remarkably strong presence. The original material of the band has depth and groove alike, at times leaping forward with giant steps, at times calming things down to really stretch time. The music is very melodic and rhythmic, as withnessed by single tracks "Ninth Row of the Fifth Floor" and "Dark Sparkle". There's a sense of playfulness in the repetitive riffing on "Something New" and an air of sombre melancholy on "Shades of Tomorrow".

"JAF Trio" will be released by We Jazz Records on 3 July on vinyl, CD and digital. The vinyl version comes in a heacy-duty "old school" tip-on sleeve. The cover design features the artwork "Red" by Finnish visual artist Maija Lassila.