Pop & Rock News

Two mind-bending slabs of acoustic and electric guitars, wandering into corners of acid-logic only accessible to bravest explorers. Elkhorn is a duo — Jesse Sheppard and Drew Gardner — from NYC. Their earlier records (Elkhorn on Beyond Is Beyond, The Black River on Debacle) would have blown us away, even if we didn’t know Jesse from his work as a film-maker (he directed the Glenn Jones/Jack Rose doc, The Things That We Used to Do) and organizer (he put together the 1,000 Incarnations of the Rose festival). Elkhorn’s music, which we had suspected might be in a fairly traditional American Primitive vein, was anything but. And these two LPs (released individually, but recorded more or less simultaneously) explore a whole warren of new style caverns.

Sun Cycle was recorded at Jason Meagher’s Black Dirt Studio and is closer to their pure duo sound (although guitarist Willie Lane and percussionist Ryan Jewell are along for the ride). There are elements of the American Primitive thread present, but these touch mostly on the outer reaches of the form, like Gene Estibou & Jean-Claude Pickens’ Intensifications, or the crazy distentions of MV and PG Six. Layers of pluck and soar and light percussion mix at the upper edge of the cosmic barrier, and Sun Cycle is, to our ears, Elkhorn’s most adventurous and fully realized album yet.

On Elk Jam, Willie Lane and Ryan Jewell function more as members of a psychedelic folk-rock quartet, and the troupe takes things even deeper in a Bay Area-styled trip zone. Recalling the classic ruminations of Mountain Bus, the full four man Elkhorn is exactly what the doctor prescribed for a generation of sack-butts who imagine John Mayer’s pudgy phallus-riffs have shit to do with transcendental psych exploration. Elkhorn are the true sonic dealio.

Instrumental music doesn’t get much better than this. As Capt. Beefheart once said, “If you got ears/You gotta listen!” We couldn’t agree more.

-Byron Coley, 2019

Vinylization of the recent home fi cassette (originally released on the Australian Brierfirld Flood Press label) by this magnificent New Zealand singer/songwriter. We were never able to score a copy of the tape, despite the fact we released Maxine’s last LP, Silk FTR 410), so we figured we would perform the public service of making it generally available to the whole wide world. That’s just the kind of guys we are!

Recorded in stark and simple terms, home fi represents Ms. Funke working mostly with just acoustic guitar accompaniment. And it’s a classic. Most often, I’m put in mind of the Dandelion era recordings of Britain’s Bridget St. John. There’s a plainspoken quality to the songs and an equally straight forward approach to the musical bits that may not be indicative of the scope of Maxine’s musical art (which has lots of space for odd noises and techniques), but it sounds just gorgeous.

Hard to imagine anyone who actually likes music not falling for the sound of home fi. But hey, there’s a clown born every minute. Not you of course. But look around sometime.

-Byron Coley, 2019

Well-known bluesman and one-time Oklahoman Bill Homans, known in the blues world as “Watermelon Slim” and known by ’70s rare psychedelic vinyl collectors as “Merry Airbrakes” found work as forklift driver, funeral officiator, small-time criminal, newspaper reporter, saw miller, and truck driver for industrial waste among others. In 1979, Slim and a friend came to Oklahoma and wound up in Pushmataha County, where he bought a piece of land and took up watermelon farming. That vocation didn’t last, but the nickname he got doing it did.

It was in Vietnam, while laid up by an extended illness at a Cam Ranh Bay hospital, that Homans negotiated in French the five dollar purchase of his first guitar from a “papasan” in a tiny commissary on the hospital grounds. “It was the nastiest old guitar you ever saw, but it did have all six strings on it,” he said. There, with a Zippo lighter and a broken shard of a coffee can top, he began to teach himself to play his unique, backwards style of bottleneck slide. After returning stateside he would join the ranks of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), and in 1973 recorded with his brother and friends an LP titled Merry Airbrakes, a protest album he categorized as “psychedelic folk.” A cut from that record eventually appeared on a Country Joe McDonald compilation of music by Vietnam veterans. However, his music career would soon tank. A brief career in petty crime ensued, which he would forsake by 1978.

What is an underground album? Some people would say that it is one which has been produced outside, or in spite, of the music industry, whether or not it has prospered. This album, Merry Airbrakes, has incontrovertible underground credentials. This may be one of the only albums one can hear by a Vietnam veteran, and aside from certain American bluesmen, John Prine, and a literal handful of others, American music has never addressed the Vietnam War and its effects. Certainly it is the only place one can ever hear a song from the Vietnamese point of view.

The second volume of Water and Rock Music by British guitarist Jon Collin is another solid gambol in the outdoors. For much of this it sounds almost as though Mr. Collin is wearing a pair of hip waders and is up to his ass in a stream, casting for notes the way Hemingway casted for trout. His string bending recalls Loren Connors at points, but he has a manual approach to filigree Loren has never displayed. Notes bend and hovers, but they also flutter, and the combination of sounds is not quite like anything that’s preceded it.

Some listeners have noted that the environmental sounds put them in mind of New Age string pluckers, but Collin’s compositions do not fall into the trap of needing to resolve melodic quandaries, or making gestures that chase after standard forms of beauty. Jon’s music works as a series of comments on sound and questions about the physical space in which it’s created, but like any good philosopher he knows when to leave a sense of mystery hanging in the air.

There is plenty of sweetness to the playing here, whether he’s strolling through a playground, standing in the middle of a busy street, or sitting the the flight path of an airport. The music never seems dictated by the background sounds, so much as it encourages us to consider every part of the sonic construction to be heard as music (in the Cage-ian sense). The elements become a part of the greater whole in a seamless way. And the closer you listen the more that becomes clear.

I am still most struck by (at least what sounds like) the “stream” sequences. But that’s just because I really like the visuals it conjures up. You may find different personal sweet spots. But find them you will.

Water and Rock Music Volume II is a truly ear-opening spin.

-Byron Coley, 2019

A lot of people flipped out over how amazing Mako Sica’s last album, Ronda (FTR 409), was. Ronda was a 2LP set whereupon the Chicago trio collaborated with legendary local percussionist Hamid Drake. This pairing seemed like a natural to us, but for some reason people have been woefully unaware of Mako Sica despite the fact they’ve been releasing killer records for a decade, and playing live shows that submerge your brain in a sonic soup that recalls the Sun City Girls at their most psychedelically Eastern.

The band’s approach to music feels almost alchemical. Trumpet, voice, guitar, drums and keys blend together in mysterious ways. The vocals are always more abstract than declarative, the guitar lines are sinewy, the rhythms roll and splash like a mirage oasis made real, and the trumpet arrives (when it does) sounding almost more like a shofar being played in a temple.

The sound of Manifest Being is celebratory and so fully freaked you’ll be soaking in it for years to come. The songs played are similar to the live set Mako Sika were polishing last year, and the results are stunning.

-Byron Coley, 2019

The “Elder Statesmen of Neo-Krautrock”: Electro-duo Klangwart was thought-provokingly labelled as such by an inventive music journalist when presenting their previous album “Transit” (named, among others, Record of the Year in the “Avant-Rock” section of The Wire’s 2016 Critics Poll). The tag responds to an understandable attempt at finding a category for one of the most singular phenomena of the electronic music scene.

It might be more passing to call tahem the “Under-Statesmen”, as minimalism and understatement are key elements of the Klangwart project, founded more than 20 years ago by musician and author Timo Reuber and DJ and Staubgold label manager Markus Detmer.

Every few years, seemingly coming out of nowhere, the duo release a consistently critically acclaimed Klangwart album, give a couple of concerts, and disappear once again. This might sound of harakiri, as it contradicts all common rules of the music market. But behind it lies a profound longing for veracious expression on the border between avant-garde and entertainment. In 2014, Klangwart travelled to the Colombian capital in order to record the material for “Bogotá” with protagonists of the local music scene: Damián Ponce (drums), César Quevedo (bass) and Eblis Álvarez (violoncello), members of The Meridian Brothers, and singers Juanita and Valentina Áñez Rothmann a.k.a. Las Áñez. The result is Klangwart’s trademark sound permeated by a Latin American pulse and pitch.

Collectively improvised and recorded in a matter of days, the raw material was later edited and mixed by Reuber at the Inkiek-Studio in Cologne. Joseph Suchy added guitar overdubs and mastered the album.

At all times unpredictable, exciting and surprising, “Bogotá” is the latest milestone in Klangwart’s ongoing musical journey. Recorded in Bogotá featuring members of the Meridian Brothers and Las Áñez.

Nyege Nyege Tapes deliver another volley of breathless Singeli from Tanzania, this time the vinyl debut of Duke showcasing the sound of Pamoja Records, following multiple zingers from the scene’s core Sisso Studios

Yet again making practically everything else seem pedestrian and tepid by contrast, Duke’s take on Dar Es Salaam’s Singeli style is ruthlessly fast and rugged, crammed with colourful samples and, quite crucially, loaded with a pair of blistering vocal tracks starring MCZO & Don Tach, and Dogo Lizzi, respectively.

In ‘Uingizaji Hewa’ the tempos thrillingly tilt over the 200bpm mark, but they’re held in check with a clutch of slower instrumentals written in Duke’s newer Hip Hop Singeli style. When he goes fast, dancers will know about it in the likes of ’Naona Laaah’ featuring machine gun rapid rhythms somehow matched for pace by MCZO & Don Tach, and again in the pedal-to-the-meckle recklessness of ‘M Lap’ starring Dogo Lizzi switching up from dancehall bark to fasssst-chat styles that put Daddy Freddy to bed.

But those hi-NRG bombs are only half the story. The rest of the LP shows off Duke’s wicked way with a hook and the diversity of his drum programming in highlights ranging from the PC Music- compatible bounce of ‘Sing4444444’, to the cascading chromatic licks and slow/fast suss of ‘Duke 4’, the joyful dervish of ‘Duke Bit Puyo’, and two dizzying pieces with spiralling, Bollywood-style vocal samples that close the record with a blinding flourish.

KINLOCH (sounds like "kin-law") NELSON studied classical guitar privately with Stanley Watson in Rochester NY, jazz guitar with Gene Bertoncini at Eastman School of Music, and music theory at the University of Rochester. In 1973, he began teaching both privately and at The Hochstein Music School in Rochester where he was on the faculty for twenty-five years. In 1985, Nelson co-founded the Guitar Society of Rochester, which during its ten-year run presented many of the world's greatest guitarists. Nelson is the author of a book, Alternate Guitar Tunings. He currently teaches privately, conducts guitar workshops and maintains a performance schedule. Nelson came to the attention of Tompkins Square via Duck Baker, who visited Rochester in 2018 supporting his own Tompkins Square archival release, Les Blues Du Richmond : Demos & Outtakes, 1973-1979.

Limited Pressing (500 worldwide..) of a special 7 inch of Simone Felice's powerful new Single 'Puppet' (Feat. FOUR TET) plus unreleased b-side 'Prisoner'.
"A lyricist to rival Dylan and Cohen. An album crackling with menace yet infused with tenderness, The Projector conjures magic with fragile rays of light in the darkness." - The Telegraph ****

A cat may have nine lives, but Peter Cat Recording Co. has a multitude of dimensions. Formed in New Delhi around 2010 by the crooner Suryakant Sawhney, it's a group that's mutated over time, shedding members and accruing more, always evolving musically with each album: from gypsy jazz to psychedelic cabaret; ballroom waltzes to epic space disco; bossa supernova to uneasy listening. What's more they play jajj, which you've almost certainly never heard of. 
'Gypsy jazz is the description we used around the time of our first album Cinema that we sound nothing like now,' says Sawhney, before adding: 'At the time I was really into Strauss.' 

Portrait of a Time 2010 - 2016 is the first taste many Europeans will have of this highly original, musically capricious and deeply inscrutable New Delhi four-piece. The compilation helps you get to know a band who are essentially unknowable, not that that will stop you from trying. Furthermore, in a capital city known for its mystery, madness and mayhem, Peter Cat Recording Co. is something of ananomaly there too. 

While Suryakant's crooning is spookily reminiscent of a hipster 50's Sinatra, it was more his intention to ape legendary Bollywood playback singers like Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi and especially Hemant Kumar. There are diverse American influences in the mix too, including Sam Cooke, Etta James and even Tom Waits, and time spent in San Francisco studying film may have contributed to the cinematic melange. Thrown together it becomes something unique that equates less to a listening experience and more to an out-of-body experience. 

They were signed to new French record company Panache after label boss Alexandre Rabia was trawling through YouTube one day and happened upon their remarkable promo for 'Love Demons'. It's a mind-blowing eight minute epic featuring the desert, one camel, a movie theatre, swirly organs over coruscating beats, dancing girls, more police and a cavernous pit that then-bassist Rohan Kulshreshtha falls into. 

You can try to compartmentalize them all you want, but just when you think you've got them pegged, they will evolve and transmogrify and the description you have in your hand will slip through your fingers like sand. Who knows if Peter Cat Recording Co. has nine lives, but you can listen to a past life on Portrait of a Time, and a future incarnation - much of it recorded in Paris - will be available in the autumn. Just remember, unlike a cat, you'll never put them in a box. 

Two years after the success of „Nem Kaldı“, outernational psych-pop sensation Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek deliver their debut album, „Kar Yağar“! Over the course of it’s 12 tracks, the powerful sound of the Bağlama (Turkish lute) and Derya Yıldırım’s stunning vocals, builds and unravels stories together with the guitars, organs, drums, flute and bass.

Kar Yağar (which translates as „Snow Falls“) has the dynamics of an epic journey through the Anatolian highlands; where deep-rooted folk effortlessly switches to sparkly improvisation or dancy pop tracks. The album was self produced at their studio in the French Alps, and the band's tour de force resides in their ability to develop their personal sound and approach whilst keeping their heart tuned to Derya Yıldırım's Anatolian roots. Original songs and instrumentals - all composed and arranged by the band - are scattered throughout the album. Notably „Seni Hala“, a tear-drawing ballad with stripped-down acoustic arrangement and haunting choir… And Graham Mushnik’s dreamy instrumental „Çocuklar“, in which the band chose to feature a poem by one of Turkey's most renowned 20th century poet Nâzım Hikmet Ran whose title translates as „give the world to our children“. The poem is meaningfully read by Derya’s father Mustafa Yıldırım.

The LP also contains a string of Turkish folk songs, that the band entirely re-arranged whilst preserving their original spirit and soul. In „Ey Şahin Bakışlım“ Grup Şimşek pay tribute to the Alevi culture, a minority community in Turkey for which music - and particularly the Bağlama instrument - has a sacred value. A powerful and majestic version of Mahzuni Şerif’s „Dom Dom Kurşunu“ - one of Grup Şimşek fans’ favourites at live shows - is also featured.

For its 2nd release, Nanga boko Records is very proud to present you Ye Mot Ai Kare Mot,
the official 40 years anniversary reissue of the first album of the Cameroonian musician
Atangana Pascal 'Quelqu'un'.
7 raw Bikutsi & Soukous tracks (+ one exclusive bonus track !), recorded after midnight in a
single recording session in a nightclub of Yaoundé.
Deluxe hand-numbered edition, limited to 300, includes a bonus track never released on vinyl
before!
Each record comes with an insert that includes exclusive pictures and very detailed biographies
in both English and French languages, an HQ Digital Download Card and a A2 format (40 x
60cm) poster!
Approved by the artist himself, 100 % legit, all 8 tracks are under exclusive license of Nanga
Boko Records.

It's difficult to overstate the unique brilliance of Arthur Russell's posthumous release, 'Another Thought'. Originally released on CD in 1994 and reissued in 2006, this is the first time Another Thought has been released on vinyl.

Arthur Russell's Another Thought was first released posthumously in 1994, two years after his death. The tracks date from between 1982 to around 1990, catalogued from over 800 tape reels by Mikel Rouse for Point Music, and produced by Don Christensen. While it is a collection of tracks in various stages of completion, often sparse and direct, it is perhaps the most sonically coherent album ever released of Russell's material.

Another Thought includes appearances by trombonist Peter Zummo, percussionist Mustafa Ahmed, additional vocals by composers Julius Eastman and Elodie Lauten, plus Joyce Bowden, Jennifer Warnes and Steven Hall.

Captured During Two Sunny Afternoons In September 2017, The Fourth Lp By The Much Respected And Collected Duo, Hampshire And Foat, Takes Us To A New Level Of Direct Performance. Recorded Live, With No Overdubs, In Two Churches Situated In Saint Lawrence On The South Coast Of The Isle Of Wight, And Mixed Direct Live Onto A Vintage Stereo Nagra Iv-s And Akg C24 Stereo Microphone, Every Nuance Of The Performance Is Laid Bare. Only The Ambience Of The Room And The Artists' Skill Make The Recording What It Is.

For A Brace Of Sun Soaked Days, Warren And Greg Were Joined By Their Long Time Musical Partners, Phil Achille And Eric Young, And A Cadre Of Local Musicians And Friends, Creating An Album That Truly Captures The Magical Ambience Of The Churches And Surrounding Landscape - Even The Birds In The Church Steeple Can Be Heard At Times. Tracks Are Named After Local Landmarks, Secret Beaches, And Rural Paths That Warren And Greg Hold Dear. The Duo Wanted To Make Something Special And Collectable For This Unique Ambient Jazz Folk Gem, So The Cover Has Been Produced In A Beautiful Late '60s Private Press Style And, Limited To 500 Copies On Vinyl.

Anfang 2019 zog der britische Songwriter Luke Sital-Singh von Bristol nach Los Angeles. Sein neues Album - A Golden State' spiegelt dieses neue Kapitel auf wunderbare Weise wider und greift ihm erwartungsvoll vor. Man hört überall einen Hauch California Dreaming und die Sehnsucht, die auch die Amerikaner nach diesem Ort haben.

Aufgenommen hat Sital-Singh - A Golden State' wie bereits den Vorgänger - Time Is A Riddle' gemeinsam mit Produzent Tommy McLaughlin (Villagers, Soak), dieses Mal allerdings in den von Elliot Smith gegründeten Jackpot Studios in Portland. Auch auf - A Golden State' glänzt Luke Sital-Singh vor allem durch die persönlichen und pointierten Lyrics. Erzählt mit einer Stimme, die direkter nicht sein könnte, fühlt man sich von Songs wie - Los Angeles', - Silhouette' oder - Souvenir' förmlich persönlich eingeladen, das neue Kapitel USA mit zu begleiten.

- Ich dachte: Es ist eine Jetzt-oder-Nie-Zeit in meinem Leben. Es fühlt sich alles sehr angenehm an - ich bin verheiratet, das Leben ist gemütlich... aber es fängt gerade an, ein wenig langweilig zu werden. Bequem, aber ein potenziell gefährlicher Komfort. Das heißt, es könnte uninspirierend werden. Ich denke, das ist zum Teil der Grund, warum ich Schwierigkeiten hatte, das Album zu schreiben. Also wollte ich einfach nur etwas Aufregendes und etwas Anderes machen. Vielleicht liegt das zum Teil daran, dass ich wusste, dass die Songs, die ich schrieb, eine ungewohnte Energie in sich trugen.', berichtet Luke Sital-Singh. In Portland mit einer kleinen Gruppe von Musikern (darunter der Schlagzeuger von Villagers und der Pianist von The Lumineers) eingeschlossen, arbeitete Sital-Singh schnell und sicher. Während das letzte Album weitgehend live aufgenommen wurde, war - A Golden State' das Gegenteil. - Die Songs fühlten sich viel inniger und ehrlicher an, aber wir wollten, dass sie groß und einnehmender werden. Also haben wir alte Ribbon Microphones verwendet, die diesen wirklich rauchigen, heiseren Sound erzeugen. Sie haben meine Stimme riesig klingen lassen. Die Stimme war das Wichtigste - ich wollte, dass es sich anfühlt, als würde sie aus dem Lautsprecher springen."

Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 introduces a new compilation series on Kompakt, curated by one of Cologne's leading figures in electronic music, Jörg Burger (aka The Modernist, The Bionaut, Burger/Ink and many more). Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 combines elements of rock, folk, country, surf, krautrock and psychedelic in contemporary electronic music.

Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 features unreleased music and mixes from Matias Aguayo/Terrapin, Fantastic Twins, Paulor, Rebolledo, Sascha Funke & Cosmo Vitelli, Superpitcher, The Modernist and more.

The concept shares some similarities to Kompakt's Pop Ambient series as unlike a conventional compilation of tracks from different artists, Velvet Desert Music Vol.1 is a collection of music that creates a distinct vibe and atmosphere.

Jörg Burger is responsible for the concept and selection. The styles of music presented on Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 play a crucial role and influence in his work for many years. Now he has created a platform for these styles. Beside showcasing his own music, Jörg Burger kept to inviting a close circle of friends and colleagues that share similar influences in their work. All of their contributions were specially composed or remixed for this collection.

Velvet Desert Music Vol. 1 features the first new Burger/Ink track since the release of their iconic full length 'Las Vegas' on Harvest and Matador Records in 1996.

'Just think...from Sergio Leone to David Lynch, from Elvis in his deepest moments to Johnny Cash somewhere between amphetamine backlash and American Recordings, from Hollywood Babylon to Hotel California, from Mulholland Drive to Paris, Texas. Served with a pinch of Tago Mago and Pink Floyd at Pompeii. Then you know exactly what Velvet Desert Music is about...' - JÖRG BURGER

A wide selection of rare Turkish funk, jazz, beat and psychedelic music from the 1960s and 1970s.

This is the third issue of the groundbreaking Bosporus Bridges compilation series started in 2005 (Vol. 1) and continued in 2011 (Vol. 2).

Why did it take so long for the release of Vol. 3 Because deep digging, deep selecting and our wish to serve you Turkish pop music of the highest order takes its time. And it is worth doing so. According to the aspiration of the Bosporus Bridges series you will get extraordinary music, opening your mind and remapping your knowledge of Turkish music.

As Turkish pop music is a hybrid of Western and Eastern elements, it's not just funk, jazz, beat and psychedelic music but each time a specific Turkish approach to a hybrid pop music. This incorporates Turkish language, instruments, melodies etc., all mixed with electric instruments, drums and sound effects of Western pop music.

Enjoy deep Turkish funk by Seyyal Taner, Süheyl Denizci, Cengiz Coskuner and Erkut Taçkin, Turkish jazz by the Burhan Tonguç Ritm Grubu and Figen Han, Turkish beat by Lili Ivanova, Ajda Pekkan and Fatos Balkir, Turkish psychedelic by Semra Sine, Serter Bagcan and Harout Pamboukjian, and Turkish-Asian rock by Dönüsüm & Halit Kakinç.

Quality LP vinyl pressing with restored and remastered audio material of the original records. Comes in a wonderful, authentic and special seventies English-styled old-fashioned cover.

"i Love Songs That Make You Feel Something Viscerally,' Says Johanna Samuels, The La-based Songwriter Who Releases Brand New Ep 'have A Good One' This Spring On Basin Rock, And It's A Sentiment That Echoes Right Through The Heart Of The Five Stirring Songs That Make Up Her New Work.  

Born In New York City And Named After Dylan's Vision Of Johanna, Samuels Subsequently Moved To La And Grew Up On The Classic Songwriters Of Yesteryear (young, Petty, Morrison) Before Finding Her Way To Elliott Smith And Jon Brion, Both Of Whom Had A Huge Impact On Her Writing. Samuels Then Spent The Best Part Of A Decade Honing Her Craft, Carefully Peeling Away The Layers Until She Found Herself Here, A Stark, Absorbing, And, Yes, Visceral New Collection That Is Her Strongest And Most Honest Work To-date.

Finding A Way To Balance Bright Pop Melodies With A Drifting Sense Of Melancholy That Can't Be Placed, Samuels Made The Most Of A Bad Year, Writing The Ep As A Reaction To Her Longterm Relationship Falling Apart. so Much Of The Record Is About Loss Of Love - Really The Loss Of Myself,' She Explains. i Really Lost A Grasp On Who I Was And It Truly Broke Me. Exploring The Idea Of Identity In Relationship Was Important To Me. The Songs Also Come Out Of Me Figuring Out How To Exist Within A New-found Strength Instead Of Grasping For Love Or The Idea Of It.'

More Than Just Skin-and-bone, The Songs Here Are Comprised Of Lap Steel, Clarinet, Juno Analog Synthesisers, And More, And This Rich Instrumentation Provides A Swaying And Elegant Back-drop Which Helps Bring Samuel's Stories Beautifully To Life. Recorded With Musical Partner, The Up And Coming Producer Sean O'brien (who Helped Engineer The National's Sleep Well Beast Lp) The New Ep Was Created In His Studio, Which Became Something Of A Haven For Samuels And The Work She Was Creating. As Such, The Five Songs On Have A Good One Are Full Of Emotional And Musical Depth, Each Moment Of Darkness Acutely Balanced By A Brightness That Lifts These Songs Out Of A Shadows And Into The Hearts And Minds Of The Listener.

These Two Elements Are The Ying-and-yang Of Samuels Work, And Nowhere Is This Better Epitomised Than On The Record's Opening Two Songs. Lead Track 'why Do I Go There' Is A Bold, Glowing Opener, The Playful Piano And Lush Instrumentation Belying The Sense Of Heartache In Samuels Beautifully Lilting Voice, Driving The Track Forwards As It Softly Buries Its Way Into Your Consciousness.   

Then Comes The Tender, Country-like Balladry Of 'rush Of Wheels', Written Quickly In The Dead Hours Of Night, It Presents A Poignant Quest For Answers, Aching Under The Weight Of Its Emotional Turmoil, Sad And Oh So Beautiful.

Accompanying 'rush Of Wheels' Is A Video That Samuel's Made With Best Friend (and Sundance Grand Jury Prizewinner) Anu Valia. Inspired By The Hour At Which The Song Was Written, The Stunning Film Was Shot With Just The Two Of Them, Alone On A Beach At Sunrise, Before The Rest Of The World Had Woken Up. A Stunning Counterpart To The Song Itself, The Film Is A Testament To Art And Music As A Shared Experience, To Friendship And Growth, To This Special New Chapter In The Life And Times Of Johanna Samuels.

Johanna Samuels Is Fourth Signing To Basin Rock, A Relatively New Label Based In The Lancashire / Yorkshire Border Town Of Todmorden) Who Has Released Albums By Julie Byrne, Nadia Reid And Jim Ghedi.

"Keyboard player/producer Emerson Kitamura has worked with a number of artists and bands in Japan throughout the 1990s and 2000s. He began his solo project in 2014 to further understand and realize his music more clearly and personally, and released the album Ochi Kochi Ni ("In Perspective") in the same year.

Like his favorite rocksteady keyboard player Jackie Mittoo, Kitamura's organ is simple yet groovy. It is accompanied by cheap drumbox tracks which is a nod to the 1980s new wave rock and 'digital' dancehall reggae in the 1990s.

In 2017 he released Countryside is Great EP, a cover of a Thai pop song from the 1970s. The EP also contains a track named Rock Your Baby, featuring mmm (pronounced me-my-mo) on vocals, which has since been included in an UK compilation album Balearic 4 released in August 2018.

Mado Kara ('From My Window') has a melody like a West Indies' folk-song, with a lively 'montuno' part. Ame No Saka No Ashimoto ('Underneath My Feet in the Rain') is inspired by the sound of his favorite dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson and his band from the early 1980s. An old combo organ was used on both tracks. All recording, mixing, mastering were done by Kitamura himself."

This guy again. The Godfather of DIY home recording. Hundreds of self-released albums over the past 50 years. Dozens issued on countless indie labels since 1976. Pop craftsman, crafty grandpop, notorious curmudgeon. Blah blah blah blah blah. Most recently teamed with Jason Falkner on the album Make It Be (Bar/None, 2017).

Since R. Stevie can't make a decent living on his music, he's trying to accomplish the task in the Afterlife. This album is an upgrade from the lo-fi, damaged-equipment home recording process for which RSM has become legendary. With a career-long sweep, R. Stevie took some of his best home-recorded lo-fi songs and re-recorded them with full-studio sparkle. All recordings were made in the past 15 years, with tracks captured in five U.S. states. Some compositions date from the 1970s to the 1990s, and there's a few newer tunes. The album lacks one thing: filler. Lou Reed famously said about his final Velvet Underground album: "I gave them an album loaded with hits," then he walked away. Afterlife is R. Stevie's Loaded—an album full of hits. He's walking away with a cane, a bum knee, and cataracts.

Afterlife was compiled and produced by Irwin Chusid (who oversees the musical estates of Sun Ra, Raymond Scott, and others). Chusid, a WFMU DJ since 1975, has been a compatriot of RSM since they met in 1978 after R. Stevie relocated to New Jersey from his native Nashville (to which he returned in 2010). It's often been pointed out that RSM's daddy Bob played bass with Elvis. But we won't dwell on that here.

Afterlife features sideman work by Ariel Pink, Jason Falkner, Lane Steinberg, and Chusid. It was mastered by veteran producer-musician Kramer (who has previously recorded with RSM). There's a biopic in the works. It's called Cool Daddio: The Second Youth of R. Stevie Moore (Spring Films), and with luck it might hit the cinema circuit in 2019.

R. Stevie will not be touring to promote this album. He's sick of traveling, his misanthropy's been acting up, and he prefers the comforts of his messy nest. But he will talk to journalists on the phone or via email. Just don't ask about his daddy. It's a worn-out topic. Sorry we brought it up.

Seit Dem Plötzlichen Und Völlig Unbemerkten Erscheinen Ihres Manifests Im Jahr 2016 Schwor Das Weird Folk-songwriter-duo The Mañana People, 100 Lieder Zu Schreiben, Die Die Wege Des Pop-genre-diskurses Erkunden. In Der Mitte Ihres Kampfes, Während Sie Eine Reihe Von Hausgemachten Freak-folk- Und Psycho-country-kuriositäten Erfanden, Wurden Ihre Bemühungen Gnadenlos Von Dem Deutschen Kult-label Unique Records Unterbrochen, Das Sie An Den Ohren Packte Und Ihnen Sagte, Dass Sie Aufwachsen Und Eine Richtige Platte Machen Sollten.

Das Ergebnis Ist Ihr Bevorstehendes Debüt "princess Diana", Ein Hauch Frischer Radioaktiver Luft In Der Welt Der Autorenmusik. Die Exzentrische Sammlung Von Melodien Bietet Theremin-getriebene Honky-tonk-kracher, Zombie-themen-electro-pop-balladen Und Horror-spirituals, Sowie Eine Zusammenarbeit Mit Dem Besten Troubadour Selbst, Bonnie 'prince' Billy.

Die Erste Anstrengung Der Mañana People Schafft Es, Harmonisch Zwischen Experimentierrinnen Und Der Angenehmen Leichtigkeit Der Popmusik Zu Schwingen. Tim Weissinger Und Alvaro Arango Trafen Sich An Einem Winterabend Auf Den Grünen Wiesen Ihrer Universität.

Ihre Musikalische Chemie Und Das Kalte Wetter Zwangen Sie Quasi, Sofort Musik Zu Machen. Ihre Debüt-ep "the Mañana People" Wurde Am Halloween-abend 2014 Online Veröffentlicht. Ihre Musik Wurde Sofort Von Ihren Freunden Gelobt, Von Ihren Feinden Gefürchtet Und Von Vielen Anderen Ignoriert.

Seit Anfang 2015, Und Mit Hilfe Von Tobi Mercer (keyboards) Und Simon Mead (schlagzeug), Haben Die Mañana People Ihr Wort Verbreitet Und In Jeder Bar, Café Oder Straßenecke Neue Seelen Gefordert.

Nach Einer Zweiten Ep - "horror Songs" - Ist Es 2016 An Der Zeit Für Ein Komplettes Und Mit Spannung Erwartetes Debütalbum Auf Unique Records!

Die Jungs Supporten Honig Auf Seiner Herbsttour.

Live
14.09.18 Ulm Roxy
15.09.18 Mainz Schon Schön
16.09.18 Dresden Beatpol
17.09.18 Berlin Privatclub
18.09.18 Leipzig Werk 2
19.09.18 Nürnberg Club Stereo
20.09.18 Essen Zeche Carl
21.09.18 Köln Kulturkirche
22.09.18 Bremen Tower
28.09.18 Konstanz Kulturladen
29.09.18 Saarbrücken Kleiner Klub
30.09.18 Aachen Musikbunker
02.10.18 Langenberg Kgb
03.10.18 Haldern Pop Bar
04.10.18 Hamburg Knust
05.10.18 Münster Sputnikhalle


Für Anfang 2019 Ist Eine Kleine Eigene Tour In Planung.

Minyo Crusaders rework historic Japanese folk songs (min'yo) with Latin, African, Caribbean and Asian rhythms for their debut album 'Echoes of Japan'.

Releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono and Midori Takada have re-ignited global interest in Japanese music and 'Echoes of Japan' marks the arrival of a big band like no other.

'For Japanese people, min'yo is both the closest, and most distant, folk music' explains band-leader Katsumi Tanaka: 'We may not feel it in our daily, urban lives, yet the melodies, the style of singing and the rhythm of the taiko drums are engrained in our DNA'. Initially indifferent to min'yo, a tragic event in recent Japanese history set Tanaka on his current path: 'Following the Tohoku earthquake of 2011, I reflected on my life, work and identity. A fan of world music, I began searching for Japanese roots music I could identify
with. Discovering mid-late 20th century acts Hibari Misora, Chiemi Eri and the Tokyo Cuban Boys, I was
captivated by their eccentric arrangements and how they mixed min'yo with Latin and jazz.'

Originally sung by fishermen (Kushimoto Bushi; Mamurogawa Ondo), coal miners (Tanko Bushi) and sumo wrestlers (Sumo Jinku), these songs deal with topics such as the returning spirits of ancestors (Hohai Bushi), Japan's smallest bird (Toichin Bushi) and a bride's love for her husband's pockmarked face (Otemoyan).

Minyo Crusaders are one of the most hyped acts on the Tokyo music scene that went national in 2018 through festivals such as Fuji Rock. The band features veterans of the Tokyo roots music scene such as bassist DADDY U (Ska Flames), keyboardist Moe (Kidlat), sax player Koichiro Osawa (Matt Sounds/ J.J. Session), Yamauchi Stephan (J.J. Session), percussionist Mutsumi Kobayashi (Banda de la Mumbia), conga player Irochi (Cubatumb) and vocalist Meg (DJ collective Tokyo Sabroso).

- Wild blend of Japanese folk music with cumbia, boogaloo, Ethio jazz, Afro funk + more
- Ry Cooder, Mario Galeano (Ondatropica/Frente Cumbiero), Clap! Clap! are all fans
- European touring plans for autumn/fall 2019
- Includes Japanese lyrics + English translations

- Lacquers cut @ The Carvery

James Milne is a brave human. Whilst the sleeves of many artists are adorned with well-worn hearts as they release their complete albums into the world, as New Zealand born singer-songwriter Lawrence Arabia, James' latest project offers a rare glimpse into the creative process through 12 separate Lawrence Arabia's Singles Club releases - now available on one handy LP and bringing together an extensive list of VIP members.
Launched as a Kickstarter to write, record and release a digital single every month in 2018, Lawrence Arabia's 2018 Singles Club saw more than 368 backers pledge NZ$ 23,710 to help bring the project to life.
Talented pals contributed to the project including The Ruby Suns' Ryan McPhun, Hollie Fullbrook of Tiny Ruins (singing on 'Everything's Minimal'), Heather Mansfield from The Brunettes (singing alongside Liam Finn's drums on 'A Little Hate'and a dream collab- oration with psychedelic hero, Van Dyke Parks. 
'The whole experience was initially terrifying but ultimately heart-warming and encouraging,' recollects James. 'The energy from all that rampant human positivity ended up pushing me into the process of producing twelve new songs with some sense of manic, irrational vigour. It was pretty exciting.'
One day in late 2017, at his home in Auckland, James sent a message on a whim and suddenly found himself in an email tête-à-tête with Van Dyke. 'The thrill was having the name Van Dyke Parks appearing in my email inbox and engaging the most florid parts of my vocabulary in order to respond to his brilliantly verbose communiqués,' he recalls. A 'lullaby for neurotic adults,' 'Just Sleep (Your Shame Will Keep)' was originally written for Arabia's psychedelic comedy podcast sensation, 'Mysterious Secrets Of Uncle Bertie's Botanarium,' but took on a new lease of life with the addition of Van Dyke's piano, accordion, scratch woodwind and double bass. 'Since I first heard of Van Dyke Parks, I've been fascinated by him, appearing as he did, Zelig-like, in the stories of people somewhat more famous than he, yet making some truly glorious art himself. I'd always nursed a fantasy of working with him.'

Constructed in Lawrence Arabia's revered bedroom recording style, each Singles Club offering was built with ruthless ambition. 'Everything's Minimal', 'Cecily', 'Meaningless Words' and 'Oppositional Democracy' began through the course of the year and were completed in the following months whilst other songs were revived from rough demos that followed 2016's Absolute Truth as quickly and instinctually as possible. 'The time pressure of the process definitely influenced the way I arranged the songs - I had to make bold decisions and stick to them, or tear them apart brutally and start again pronto.'
Woodwind and strings were recorded in Auckland's Roundhead Studios with each track mixed in an office in the Dalmatian Cultural Society, surrounded by views of the city's western suburbs and volcanic cones in the distance. 'During the day there's a constant hum of chit chat from neighbouring offices and the ping of the second-floor lift doors opening. At night, the building goes quiet, I'd turn the lights down low to evoke the sensation of a proper recording studio, but it never quite managed to shake the aura of the building's bureaucratic past.'
Bound with one seamless invisible thread, the album stands as a body of work capturing a moment in time. Like those buildings with their structure on the outside, Lawrence Arabia's Singles Club exposes the inner-workings of what it takes to create a record and offers any member a one-way ticket to Dreamsville. 'I'm delighted at how it all ended up flowing,' he tells. 'I treated it like making a mixtape in extreme slow motion, so tried to make each song respond to the previous one the way you might when choosing a DJ set on the fly. Except this set was one year long, only twelve songs, and the songs had to be written and produced before they could be played.'

Das technisch versierte Naturtalent Leafcutter John (Planet Mu, Staubgold)präsentiert sich mit seinem siebten Album auf Border Community in Höchstform. "Yes! Come Parade With Us" ist ein kleines, perfektes, freudiges, utopisches Folk-Electronica-Kunstwerk, erstellt aus mehrschichtigen, gefühlvoll-modularen Synths, gelegentlichen Drum-Features (von Tom Skinner/Hello Skinny und Sebastian Rochford/Polar Bear) und Field Recordings, aufgenommen im Sommer 2017 auf einem 60-Meilen-Spaziergang entlang der Norfolk-Küste. Limitierte Formate.

Japanese Jazz/breakbeat, Folkloric Mega-rarity As Hallowed The Likes Of Dj Shadow, Cut Chemist, Egon And Co. Uniquely Combines Traditional Japanese Instrumentation With Western Jazz Influences.
Minoru Muraoka Plays 'shakuhachi' - A Traditional Bamboo Japanese Flute - Joined By His Band Members Accompanying Him On The 'koto' (strings) And 'tsutsumi' (drum) Amongst Others, To Create Their 'shakuhachi Jazz' Sound.
Includes Cover Versions (take Five!) Of Very Well-known Jazz & Pop Classics, Coupled With Two Original Songs.

Devendra Banhart presents a very unique & precious compilation featuring his best friends never heard before demos. Among them some of the yesterday and today's most talented musicians and singers of the folk-pop-experimental scene. This handprinted album comes randomly in six different colored cardboard featuring one of six Devendra's drawing. Check!

Shana Cleveland has been beguiling listeners for years in her role as the superlative frontwoman for elastic surf rockers La Luz. Now Cleveland is evolving her sound on the new solo full-length Night of the Worm Moon, a serene album that flows like a warm current while simultaneously wresting open a portal to another dimension. As much a work of California sci-fi as Octavia Butler's Parable novels, Night of the Worm Moon incorporates everything from alternate realities to divine celestial bodies. Inspired in part by one of her musical idols, the Afro-futurist visionary Sun Ra (the album's title is a tip of the hat to his 1970 release Night of the Purple Moon), the record blends pastoral folk with cosmic concerns.
Cleveland dreamt up this premise while living in Los Angeles, a city where--as deftly explored on La Luz's recent Floating Features--reality and fantasy casually co-exist. Abetting Cleveland during the recording process was a familiar gallery of co-conspirators: multi-instrumentalist Will Sprott of Shannon & the Clams, original La Luz bassist Abbey Blackwell, Goss, pedal steel player Olie Eshelman, and Kristian Garrard, who drummed on Cleveland's previous solo effort (with then-backing band The Sandcastles), 2011's Oh Man, Cover the Ground.
But whereas that album was internal and contemplative, Night of the Worm Moon occupies a different, vibrant kind of headspace. UFO sightings, insect carcasses, and twilight dimensions are all grist for Cleveland's restless creativity, and they and other inspirations collide beautifully on the album's 10 kaleidoscopic tracks--a spacebound transmission from America's weirdo frontier.

Do you remember when Rock was young Do you remember when Rock was fun It seems some folks still do cuz some bad bad Bananas did a heist on the Buddha vault, lifted the hooks from Shakin' Street, & opened up the Joey Johnny Dee Dee Tommy throttle and let 'er rip.
Five years on from their debut album of stompin' Bubblegrunge covers of Garage Rock staples by Paul Revere, The Monkees, Chocolate Watch Band, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Flipper et al ("Pebbles 2000" on Agitated Records, folks) the five-piece from the western shores of Granadaland return with a new album of all-original hip-shakin' nuggets to make your feet move and your head spin!
That's right! That's right! 14 tasty trips tailor made for rock'n'roll radio ...plus 4 hidden midget gems of post-punk junk for ya ta chew on" ...Plus 4 hidden Midget Gems of Post-Punk junk for ya ta chew on!
It's greasy! It's freaky! It's insane! ...and never forget: "Bubblegrunge Music Is The Naked Truth". For fans of having a good time, all the time! Stack up your heels and party Hard with these hardcore funsters..
Limited edition LP comes with CD / limited to 500 w/w.

- 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
- INCLUDES 6 PAGE INSERT WITH LYRICS AND PICTURES
- ONE OF THE MOST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUMS OF THE '90S
- LIMITED EDITION OF 1.000 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON PINK VINYL

Matthew Sweet is an American singer-songwriter and rock musician. He was part of the burgeoning music scene in Georgia during the '80s, before gaining commercial success in the '90s. In 1991 Matthew Sweet released Girlfriend, the pop-rock album which was widely considered an artistic breakthrough. It quickly garnered impressive sales, spawning a top 10 single with the title track. The music video for 'Girlfriend' featured clips from the anime film Space Adventure Cobra and was heavily aired on MTV, MuchMusic and Night Tracks.

Girlfriend is Sweet's most commercially and critically successful album to date. Both the title track and 'Divine Intervention' did well on the charts. The album was included as number 61 on Paste's list of 'The 90 Best albums of the 1990s'.

Available as a limited edition of 1.000 individually numbered copies on pink vinyl.

What kind of band would choose a double vinyl, gatefold LP for their first release The Hare and Hoofe. Their eponymous first release consists of two discs. Disc One rounds up their 'hits' so far - 2018's smash hit White Blindness, the space gregorian
chant that is Voyager, and the pastoral tale of Appledore Fayre. The second consists of their rock opera, The Terror of Melton. Time-travelling scientists. Giant laser-eyed robots. A rock opera to end all rock operas...

Pitched somewhere between The Who, The Stooges, ELO, Sparks, Pink Floyd, Voivod, Pete Townshend, Brainiac, Bowie and Judas Priest, The Terror of Melton is a headspinning,
ambitious journey. In turns stomping, tear-jerking, full-on rocking and dreamlike, it will transport you. Prog Magazine's Dom Lawson described it as 'absurdly entertaining and deliciously weird... An unmissable trip for fans of the fuzzy and farout'.
2018 saw the band recording a BBC6Music Marc Riley session before even releasing a physical record. In addition, they've had plays on Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone. The band have also gained a monstrously good live reputation, playing an instantly
legendary set at Hastings' Beatwave festival, as well as headlining Tannerfest, Pitch Fest, playing with Focus and The Fierce and The Dead, and the John Snow Society's annual celebration of the eminent epidemiologist.
Some describe them as 'educational psych', others prefer 'polytechnic beat', still more as 'a seventies garage band'. There's certainly primeval drums, fuzz bass, lashings of guitar and synth noises from another planet.
Formed from a gang of friends from Folkestone, Hoofe members have played in groups including The Heliocentrics, The Priscillas, Ye Nuns, Jail Cell Recipes, The Frank Sidebottom Oh Blimey Big Band, Chalet and Hyperglo.

Announcing a reissue of The Oh Sees - The Cool Death of Island Raiders
We here at Castle Face are not afraid to get our shins dirty mucking around in the stacks and we're well aware of an out-of-press gap of Oh Sees releases right before 2006 when we started the label with Sucks Blood. We're rectifying that and first among these is The Cool Death of Island Raiders, a particularly dusty gem that we think merits another look. Kicking off the record with what should have been the hit of the summer that year but for the hard C in the title, "The Gilded Cunt" seems to clearly preface Oh Sees' later psych skewed pop sensibilities. At the time it was an obvious jam and I recall being floored by its shuffling beauty. Chirping birds, gently lapping tempos and the nascent harmonization of Bridgid Dawson and Dwyer detail what I consider to be a definitive highlight of their early quiet period of the band. The tree hangs heavy with Patrick Mullins' handiwork, manning the musical saw, drums, and an assortment of home made electronics. It seemed a bit radical to be so quiet about it but the tunes are total earworms among the assorted drones, cut up bits of tape noise, and mellow front porch vibes, and the whole thing hangs together in a lovely hand-made way, helped in no small part by Dave Sitek's production (he would later work on Master's Bedroom as well). 'We flew Brigid out a fresh woman and literally sent her home on a plane with a trash bag of her clothes' says John. Evidently the whole record was accidentally erased at some point right around when the photo on the back of the jacket was taken, which makes it all the more remarkable that the result sounds so casually and confidently careworn. .

Originally released in a limited white-label edition, in two different silk-screened sleeves of 108 copies each, The Stars On Their Horsies, containing just one track, is now reissued as a standard black vinyl LP. Textually based around two NightMares David Tibet had, of which he recorded accounts of as soon as he woke from them, The Stars On Their Horsies may be seen as a SideShowPeek, or perhaps a GasStationCarnival, and a slide into October's new C93 album, The Light Is Leaving Us All. In a full-colour sleeve with artwork by David. Side 1 The Stars On Their Horsies Side 2 The Stars On Their Horsies

Essex-based singer songwriter Lucy Kitt is set to release her debut full-length album, Stand By, on Wineberry Records (through SRD) on March 22nd. A beautifully crafted self-penned gem, the album draws influence from the golden age of songwriting emanating from Laurel Canyon in the late 60's early 70's. Stand By was recorded at London's Soup Studios and features contributions from Sam Beer, Dave Holmes and Pat Kenneally. The album will be available on CD, vinyl and digital. 
 
From the age of 16 she formed a riot girl grunge band 'Ostara' with her cousin and two friends. Performing around the gritty nightclubs and bars of the East end of London is where Lucy found her love of playing live.  During her university days in Canterbury, Lucy started developing her song writing and soon became a feature on the local music scene. Strongly influenced by 70's Folk Rock albums she heard growing up: artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, Lucy writings are honest, and heartfelt accounts of her personal experiences during this poignant chapter of her life. 
 
Propelled by her semi-finalist status at the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk awards, the live music scene beckoned, and Lucy has supported a host of musical talent ever since, including Cara Dillon, Turin Brakes, The Unthanks, Pete Mollinari and Nick Mulvey. Major UK festival slots have included Cambridge Folk Festival, The Isle of Wight Festival, Secret Garden Party, and Lounge on the Farm, and Red Rooster Festival. Having won the 2014 Gibson/Sundance song writing competition, Lucy's songs have been placed firmly on the musical map. She has played gigs around the world, including Northern California, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, and Germany.
The hugely successful internet sessions recorded for 'Mahogany', 'Balcony TV' and 'On't Sofa', provides a pathway for the world to discover Lucy's beautiful, vibrant, self-penned lyrics. 90,000 Sound cloud listeners eagerly await her debut album - she is now in the position where all this hard work could really start to shine.

Stephen Cohen, where to begin Firstly, how did a private press CD (Real Life and Fiction) make it all the way from Portland, Oregon, to Tottenham, North London in the late 1990s Passed on to Ethbo HQ by David Nettleton (Kadmon) via one of his wayward cassette mixes. Stephen's tracks stood out most of all, embedding themselves with their catchiness and bare-faced humanity, and a natural low-fi folk feel. this is a test / let's all root for the home team was eventually released with little fanfare, on Ethbo in 2001, the A side with lyrics that never seem to lose their relevence, with the flip opening the discussion about the failure of the American Dream, something our noses are rubbed into fairly often these days.

3 Hand Stephen: The tracks on his CD were played with re-tuned guitar, to be played with one hand, while Stephen's free hand operated his home made percussion set-up. More apparent on This is a Test, with its crashing metal and chimes working as a sort of chorus to his minimal lyrics.

Shortly after, Stephen's earlier music with his band, The Tree People gained attention among hard core psyche / folk record collectors. Their 1979 private press LP saw a reissue on Guerssen Records, and he also contributed a track to the excellent Numero Group compilation Wayfaring Strangers, in 2008.

On his new self-released album, 'Where Do We Go' only available on LP, he is joined by Yuan-Chen Lee on piano, guqin, and prepared piano, with Maeve Stier on vocals, and his inventions: the 1 String Thing, the miniature guitar and the cigar box guitar. His trademark hushed vocal tones, as always, understate the punch of his lyrics.

Incredibly unique concept album from the one and only, Tom Ze´. As featured in
Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Brazilian Albums of all-time list (2007).

One of Ze's finest albums in our opinion, originally released by Continental
Brazil in 1976 - a tough one to find at a good price in its original form now.

'Estudando do Samba' (or 'Studying The Samba') is a post-Tropicalia studio
experimentation laiden with layers of hypnotic percussion, effects & samples
that deconstructs the 'samba' form. Recorded during what was arguably his most
creative period.

David Byrne found the record in Rio in the late 90's and included several songs
on his Tom Ze collection for Luaka Bop a few years later. At that time Tom was
not recording or touring much; playing low-key shows in Sao Paulo and
contemplating a move back to Irara´ to work at a service station owned by one of
his cousins. Byrne's project helped to reignite his career and he hasn't looked
back since.

Official Mr Bongo reissue. Licensed courtesy of Warner Music UK Ltd.

Acclaimed New Zealand singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Graeme James has built a large and loyal fan base throughout his home country with his captivating live shows and unique folk style, performing with the aid of a loop pedal to layer electric violin, guitar, bass, baritone ukulele, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, and beatboxing in his one-man-band sound.

Jouis return with their second album 'Mind Bahn', their first album for None More Records following up 2015's self-released 'Dojo'. Jouis are a three piece from Brighton, UK comprising Joe Woodham (vocals, bass, guitars) Louis Pavlo (vocals, keyboard, synths and piano) and Adam Johnson (vocals, drums and percussion).

'Mind Bahn' is 9 tracks of groove laden psychedelic folk rock. Drawing on influences as far and wide as the British jazz-tinged folk scene of Nick Drake and John Martyn, the contemporary Canterbury Scene of groups like Syd Arthur and a sprinkling of the 70's scene of groups like Hatfield & The North and Caravan. Mixed in with the folk and progressive influences, comes hints of BADBADNOTGOOD, Khruangbin and Polar Bear in the tight rhythms, the space of Debussy's piano pieces and the experimental electronica of Stereolab and early Broadcast.

Jouis' sound melds these eclectic influences with their own mellifluous West Coast harmonies, inimitably skewed grooves and ambitious, spaced-out musical explorations. The first single is 'Sinking Statues' a riff led, groove heavy banger, and will be available as a digital single in January. Some key tracks to dig in to include the luscious opener Collapse Rewind, with its signature Jouis harmonies, circular bass and drum groove and spacious guitar which sets the scene for the record brilliantly. Turtle shows Jouis at their grooviest peak, with a killer Rhodes-led groove rolling underneath more incredible harmonies. There's also the opportunity to hear the band wig-out on the sense-defying, time-warping groove of Medievil. Lyrically, the album's theme is life itself. Birth, death and round again. Take a trip on the Mind Bahn, a flowing train of thought through Jouis' collective mind.

Louis Juckers neues Album besteht aus 8 experimentellen Songs,
aufgenommen in einer Fischerhütte am norwegischen Atlantik. Kråkeslottet
[The Crow's Castle] wurde innerhalb weniger Tage von Louis Jucker
geschrieben. Er hatte nicht wirklich vor, ein Album zu machen, aber er
wusste, dass einige Instrumente dort warteten, und er konnte nicht
widerstehen, einen Zoom-Recorder in seinem Koffer mitzubringen. Er
improvisierte Songs mit allem, was es gab: Gitarre, Harmonium,
Klavier, seinem Ofen, einer seltsamen norwegische Zither, einer
Schreibmaschine und einem Walknochen. Die Aufnahme erfasste auch
den Alltag der Umgebung: Einige Kinder lachen, der langsame Rhythmus
der Wellen und das Pfeifen des Windes durch die alten Planken der Wände.

'Buntús Rince' translates from Irish as 'basic rhythms', and this new compilation explores how Irish musicians were influenced by strands of different genres of music from around the world, merging them to create their own unique sounds. The compilation features some of the most innovative and talented figures in the history of Irish music and includes rare Irish jazz, fusion and folk outliers from the 1970s and early 1980s from musicians relatively unknown outside of Ireland.

Often regarded as a musical backwater, the 1970s finally saw Ireland begin to make its mark on international music. The nature of this feat is all the more commendable, considering how isolated and conservative the country still was in the middle of the last century. The emergence of acts like Skid Row, Thin Lizzy and Van Morrison instilled in budding young Irish musicians the belief to dream big.

Unlike many other European countries, Ireland had not benefited from the cultural impact of immigration. Pioneering Irish musicians did not have access to the type of vibrant music scenes ubiquitous to most European cities at that time. With no talented players or even in some cases recordings of the music, they had to cultivate and invent their own small scenes.

A jazz scene had begun to blossom in Dublin in the late 1950s. Self-taught players like Noel Kelehan and Louis Stewart emerged as the Irish standard-bearers. Their level of musicianship saw them play with some of the world's most renowned artists. The 1960s would see the emergence of the 'beat' scene in Ireland, with groups like Granny's Intentions, Taste and Eire Apparent finally challenging the hegemony of Irish Showbands. Change was in the air.
The late 1960s also saw many Irish emigrants returning home, bringing with them inspiration from the new styles and sounds of London and further afield. The arrival in the late 1960s of pirate radio stations like Radio Caroline, new music magazines and the availability of music on vinyl meant that different genres were now becoming more accessible. The musical landscape of the country began to transform and evolve, influencing a new generation of musicians in the process.
The 1970s saw advancements in studio technology. 8-track studios began appearing in Dublin, offering more opportunities for groups to record singles and albums. Synthesizers and other instruments were also becoming easier to acquire as the younger generation turned to electric jazz and fusion music.
While the level of musicianship was high, the levels of opportunities in Ireland were still very limited. Many groups and solo musicians had to emigrate to try and succeed.
Thankfully for those who remained, this new emerging scene didn't go totally unnoticed and local labels began to take a chance on more obscure Irish groups. Labels like Mulligan and also producers like John D'Ardis and Terri Hooley championed and documented music from the Irish underground of the 1970s.

Their valuable work is a common thread which connects many of the tracks on this compilation. From the soaring flute playing of Brian Dunning, to the swinging piano of Noel Kelehan and the sonic force of Jolyon Jackson's synthesizers; 'Buntús Rince' lifts the lid on a vastly underappreciated period of Irish music history.
One for the collectors.

Die irischen Brüder Brian und Diarmuid Mac Gloinn präsentieren mit The Hare's Lament das
neue Album ihrer Band Ye Vagabonds.
The Hare's Lament ist ein Album mit traditionellen Liedern, die an die Größen der irischen Musik
erinnern. Als Hommage an diese Musik-Ära, ließen sie sich durch Archivaufnahmen von Ahnen,
die sie nie getroffen haben beeinflussen. Die einzigartige Sammlung von Sängerin Róise na
nAmhrán war ebenfalls kreative Quelle für das neue Werk, sowie zeitgenössische Stücke, die sie bei
Gesanggemeinschaften in der Nähe von Dublin entdeckten. Ye Vagabonds bewegen sich in diesen
äußerst vielfältigen Kreisen und nehmen von allem etwas für ihr Album mit. Im Jahr 2018 war die
Gruppe für den BBC Folk Award nominiert. Traditionsbewusst singen Ye Vagabonds auf Irisch
und Englisch; ihre Musik ist beinhaltet Geige, Bouzouki, Gitarre und Mandoline.
Auf The Hare's Lament werden die Brüder von Tour-Bandmitglied Alain McFadden
(Harmonium) , ihren Schwager Jessie Smith (Geige), John Flynn (Blechpfeifen) und Brighde
Chaimbeul (Pfeifen) begleitet.