Cerca:perfect son

Singer-songwriter Dora Morelenbaum is one of the stunning voices at the forefront of Brazil’s exciting new musical wave. Her sublime 'Vento De Beirada' EP takes you on a trip into the sensuous sounds of Dora's world. On first hearing her music, we were reminded of the transformational moment when we first discovered the Brazilian singer-songwriter, Joyce. The music is completely new to you, yet instantly familiar, like rediscovering a past love.

Dora is a member of the Brazilian Latin-Grammy-winning superstar quartet Bala Desejo; a trailblazing light opening up Brazilian music to a whole new audience outside of the country. 'Vento De Beirada' EP showcases a different sound to the riotous, joyful, avant-garde Tropicália sound of Bala Desejo. This solo set takes a more dream-like, downbeat, MPB stance. It is firmly contemporary, yet you can also trace the lines of influence back to idols such as Gal Costa and Maria Bethânia.

The EP is comprised of four tracks that have already garnered critical acclaim following their digital release. It starts with the tender and gentle 'Japão', which was inspired by the melodies of the legendary Japanese composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto. Sakamoto once collaborated with Dora's musician parents, Paula and Jaques Morelenbaum, when she was young. 'Dó a Dó' is drenched in lush, sweeping strings that were arranged by her father himself, and is co-written by Dora and Tom Veloso of the band, Dônica. There’s further collaboration on the EP, including production from one of the lynchpins and stars of the current Rio scene, Ana Frango Elétrico. Fellow Bala Desejo band member, Lucas Nunes, contributes towards the production, writing, and guitar with Guilherme Lírio also on production, guitar, and bass. Whilst Bala Desejo’s Zé Ibarra penned the song 'Vento De Beirada' with Lucas and Victor Vasconcellos.

The four-track EP has been cut to 12" and mastered for vinyl by Joker (Liam McLean). With crystalline beauty and a breezy sense of ease and serenity, sounding classic yet contemporary. This release serves as the perfect introduction to an extraordinary talent.

HYbr:ID Vol. 2 is the second installment of Alva Noto’sHYbr:IDseries initiated in 2021. The new album captures the music commissioned to score RichardSiegal's Ectopia performed in 2021 by Tanztheater Pina Bausch with Shooting into the Corner (2008-09) by Anish Kapoor. Building upon the captivating blend of immersive dub and electronica from the first installment, HYbr:ID Vol. 2 takes the listener on a journey into the realm of intricately manipulated digital production. These ten compositions delve into infinity, drawing inspiration from resonance and elasticity, concepts rooted in Minkowski's four-dimensional spacetime model.

Throughout the album, Carsten Nicolai summons precise rhythmic patterns that gracefully hover, reminiscent of celestial bodies orbiting in perfect cosmic unison. The sonic landscape gradually unfolds with somber and brooding tones, incorporating spacious sound design, ethereal atmospheres, and cascading metallic percussions. These elements are delicately crafted with artistic finesse, set against a backdrop of expansive dub textures. At times, the music takes unforeseen turns, as melancholic chords skitter and meander through a digital haze, evoking an atmosphere of introspection and emotion. The ten compositions are accompanied by graphic notations informed by the album’s sonic and acoustic codes.

Auf ihrem umfangreichen neuen Album "Water Made Us" stellt die Chicagoer Musikerin und Dichterin Jamila Woods die Frage, was es bedeutet, sich der Liebe voll und ganz hinzugeben. Auf "Water Made Us" umarmt Jamila neue Genres, verspielte Melodien und hypnotisierende Wortspiele, während sie durch die berauschenden Turbulenzen von Liebeswracks und Zuflucht watet. Während Jamila auf "HEAVN" (2017) ihre Community innerhalb der schwarzen feministischen Bewegung feierte und auf "Legacy! Legacy!" (2019) ihre Lebenserfahrungen durch die Geschichten schwarzer und brauner Künstlerinnen und Künstler verarbeitete, ist "Water Made Us" eine völlig neue Art der Selbstoffenbarung und damit ihr bisher persönlichstes Album. "Water Made Us", das sie zusammen mit dem in LA ansässigen Produzenten McClenney aufgenommen hat und auf dem langjährige Freunde aus Chicago wie Saba und Peter CottonTale zu hören sind, ist ein weitläufiges und intimes Porträt der Selbstreflexion, das geschickt die verschiedenen Phasen einer Beziehung widerspiegelt: Die Anfänge, in denen man leicht Kompromisse eingeht, kokettiert und Spaß hat; das vorsichtige Aushandeln von Momenten des Konflikts oder der Verletzung; die Trauer über etwas Verlorenes; und die zärtliche Erkenntnis am Ende von allem, dass die Person, die gegangen ist, einen nie wirklich verlässt, sondern bei einem bleibt, während man bereit ist, es noch einmal zu versuchen, erfrischt und beruhigt. Der Titel des Albums - eine Zeile aus dem Highlight des Albums "Good News" - ist eine subtile Anspielung auf das berühmte Toni-Morrison-Zitat "All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was". Es ist dieses Gefühl - der Erinnerung, des Ortes und der Rückkehr - das als Pfeiler für den Bogen des Albums dient. "Water Made Us" erinnert uns daran, dass die Liebe im besten Fall ein warmer, stiller Ozean ist. Tief, schimmernd und endlos in seinem Wunder. Und im schlimmsten Fall kann die Liebe ein reißender Strom sein, der uns so weit von uns selbst entfernt, dass wir kaum den Weg zurückfinden, ja nicht einmal mehr wissen, wie wir schwimmen sollen. Und doch ergibt sich Jamila dieser Brandung - jeder Welle und jedem Sog - weil vielleicht sogar die schmerzhaftesten Enden eine Einladung sein können, die sie zurück nach Hause ruft, zurück ans Ufer, zurück zu sich selbst.

Auf ihrem umfangreichen neuen Album "Water Made Us" stellt die Chicagoer Musikerin und Dichterin Jamila Woods die Frage, was es bedeutet, sich der Liebe voll und ganz hinzugeben. Auf "Water Made Us" umarmt Jamila neue Genres, verspielte Melodien und hypnotisierende Wortspiele, während sie durch die berauschenden Turbulenzen von Liebeswracks und Zuflucht watet. Während Jamila auf "HEAVN" (2017) ihre Community innerhalb der schwarzen feministischen Bewegung feierte und auf "Legacy! Legacy!" (2019) ihre Lebenserfahrungen durch die Geschichten schwarzer und brauner Künstlerinnen und Künstler verarbeitete, ist "Water Made Us" eine völlig neue Art der Selbstoffenbarung und damit ihr bisher persönlichstes Album. "Water Made Us", das sie zusammen mit dem in LA ansässigen Produzenten McClenney aufgenommen hat und auf dem langjährige Freunde aus Chicago wie Saba und Peter CottonTale zu hören sind, ist ein weitläufiges und intimes Porträt der Selbstreflexion, das geschickt die verschiedenen Phasen einer Beziehung widerspiegelt: Die Anfänge, in denen man leicht Kompromisse eingeht, kokettiert und Spaß hat; das vorsichtige Aushandeln von Momenten des Konflikts oder der Verletzung; die Trauer über etwas Verlorenes; und die zärtliche Erkenntnis am Ende von allem, dass die Person, die gegangen ist, einen nie wirklich verlässt, sondern bei einem bleibt, während man bereit ist, es noch einmal zu versuchen, erfrischt und beruhigt. Der Titel des Albums - eine Zeile aus dem Highlight des Albums "Good News" - ist eine subtile Anspielung auf das berühmte Toni-Morrison-Zitat "All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was". Es ist dieses Gefühl - der Erinnerung, des Ortes und der Rückkehr - das als Pfeiler für den Bogen des Albums dient. "Water Made Us" erinnert uns daran, dass die Liebe im besten Fall ein warmer, stiller Ozean ist. Tief, schimmernd und endlos in seinem Wunder. Und im schlimmsten Fall kann die Liebe ein reißender Strom sein, der uns so weit von uns selbst entfernt, dass wir kaum den Weg zurückfinden, ja nicht einmal mehr wissen, wie wir schwimmen sollen. Und doch ergibt sich Jamila dieser Brandung - jeder Welle und jedem Sog - weil vielleicht sogar die schmerzhaftesten Enden eine Einladung sein können, die sie zurück nach Hause ruft, zurück ans Ufer, zurück zu sich selbst.

Since 2011, Mike"s been a Drag City stalwart, first with Sic Alps, then as a solo and with The Peacers - but Mike "The Mighty Flashlight" Fellows has been a behind-the-scenes figure at Drag City since the early early days, playing live and on record with Royal Trux, Silver Jews and Will Oldham. Mike D"s music, in all phases, takes the form of a next-phase roots-pop: soaked in the traditional waters of rock and roll and passed through a variety of after-punk sonic sieves, highlighted with DIY and lo-fi values, and making a jolly hallucinatory racket, at that! He prefers a particular density of obtuse angles colliding sweet and hot noise, an arrangement he has perfected over all his Sic Alps/solo/The Peacers years; his innate understanding of the mechanics of a pop song wends purposefully through the junk-strewn landscape, sharing secrets with cipher in hand. Playing in this cracked kingdom of sound/garden of verse, Mighty Flashlight alternately accents and balances Mike"s eccentricities with his playing and knob-spinning - and with the Flashlight shining bright upon him, Donovan"s serpentine path becomes ever so much more elastic, heightened from line to line, change to change, its motility creating different shapes in our ears. Mighty"s own kind of stereo imagining informs Donovan"s smoky subterranea with additional depth of field, while still allowing all the wayward details within the arrangement to diverge as one. Mike and Mighty wind it all together: art punk utterance and top 40 radio junk of yore, the primitivity that formed recorded music in its youth, honkytonk romanticism, liminal chamber-folk and ever-present disassociated psychedelia, transformed via self-medication into a gleeful, extramusical ennui while giving the listener impetus to sing along with Mike"s patented unlikely combos of melody and lyric.

World-renowned Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo makes her finest offering yet. A collection of songs, prayers and mantras devoted to spiritual awakening, unconditional love and compassion for all beings, Lhamo's seventh album finds her otherworldly voice framed by an array of western and global instruments. From quiet, shimmering beauty to rhythmic tribal trance, this is sound healing for the world.

Nicky Prince has never been bound by musical genre. The Milton Keyes born and raised. Vocalist has the versatility to fit any vibe while not compromising her signature sound. Although best known for her Garage hits with Zed Bias in the early 2000s, Nicky was performing and recording with various acts well before the height of Garage’s popularity. She started her career singing in Soul and Funk bands, and over the last two decades has lent her voice to Electro, Hip-Hop, Drum & Bass, House, and Ska tracks.
In 2009 Nicky graced listeners with her debut solo EP “See What You Mean.” Within only five tracks the singer-songwriter displays impressive range, from the up-tempo, energetic funk of “I’m Hearing You” to a bluesy rendition of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” to the hushed tones of the EP’s sole acoustic number, “Balancing Scales.” She is backed on this effort by her band Soul Selecta, which includes renowned UK session players Dave Baldwin on Hammond organ and Robert ‘Skins’ Anderson on drums/percussion. Sadly, the release was criminally slept-on.

While “See What You Mean” was available on streaming services and CD, the EP
never received the vinyl treatment. So, rather than simply reissuing the project, Nicky has teamed with KU to offer what she calls a “reincarnation” of her debut on wax.

Now retitled “Listen Up,” this underrated affair has had new life breathed into it. To bring out the best in the original recordings, each song has been meticulously remastered by Christian Obermayer at Strype Audio. Then to fill out the 12”, Nicky has added a handful of unreleased songs, including a heavy groove cover of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It,” which sees her reconnect with Zed Bias; a punchy, funked up tune titled “Listen Up;” and the original version of “Balancing Scales” that reveals what the track sounded like before it was stripped down to just guitar and vocals. This offering perfectly captures Nicky’s distinct tastes and inspirations. Further, it fills a hole in your record collection that you didn’t know was there until now.

Introducing a super charged split LP featuring the talents of Cameron Stallones aka Sun Araw and Spencer Clark’s duo with Jan Andersen, Tarzana.
What originally started as an Aquapelago inspired residency in the summer of 2021 quickly developed into its own thing. Truth be told, both artists always surfed their own personal waves of musical freedom, so Aquapelagos Vol.2 album became AQUA X, a split offshoot work featuring rehashed Tarzana compositions on one side and a live presentation form Cameron’s residency in the island of Tenerife around Keroxen festival’s 13th Edition. With two artists very dear to us this split LP picks up perfectly on the aquapelagic concept and twists inside out into worlds high and below creating a further testament to both’s artists oeuvres. Here’s an extract of Professor Haywards original liner notes regarding the music:
‘’The tracks on this album reflect the geo-cultural position of Californian-based musicians, Cameron Stallones, (who records here under the Sun Araw moniker), and Spencer Clark and Jan Andersen’s (performing as Tarzana) with oceanic atmospheres and structures of feeling.
Sun Araw’s dedication to producing subtle, flowing, psychotropic compositions can be read as an attunement to the oceanic sublime. Recorded within the disused Keroxen tank in Santa Cruz harbour in Tenerife, The Canary Suite is an extended piece that features a mix of electronic pulses, short synthesizer fragments and distorted guitar bursts. The textures are relatively sparse throughout, with a linear emotional contour sustained by an ongoing melodic play within a defined band of possibilities before settling into a calmer, soothing and floating mood, like an aural floatation tank.
Tarzana’s tracks artfully blend simple synthesizer tones, vocal exhortations, and an assortment of treated instrument sounds to create a pulsing, wandering and restless music. Short rhythmic ostinato fragments push and pull against bold blown pipes and horns while subtle darker colours and shades intermittently move through the soundscape to intensify the mood. This is busy and dense music but with an orderly flow and internal sense of motion that sweeps up the listener in its wake, like a sailing ship propelled through tropical seas.’’

SEVENDUST is an American rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1994 consisting of members Lajon Witherspoon (lead vocals), Clint Lowrey (lead guitarist), Vince Hornsby (bassist), Morgan Rose (drummer), and John Connolly (rhythm guitar). Since formation, SEVENDUST have attained success with three consecutive RIAA gold-certified albums, a Grammy nomination, and have sold millions of records worldwide. The group has released a total of thirteen studio albums, and this compilation features 7 incredible records from their catalog

Cititrax present two new releases by Cosmetics, a Vancouver-based synth wave duo formed by Nic Emm and Aja Emma in 2008. Cosmetics reappeared in 2022 after having been relatively quiet since its very memorable releases on Captured Tracks in 2010. In 2023, the band returns with a phenomenal full-length LP entitled ‘Baby’ and a 7” single entitled Pillow Talk / Tell Me (Alternate Versions). Their music is sultry, minimalist, and atmospheric, backed by lush analog synths and sparse drum machines. Aja’s seductive vocals cut through the perfectly crafted dark synthpop forming a filmlike narrative that draws us in. The ‘Baby’ LP will have you listening on repeat and the single featuring alternate versions of two songs from the album will bring you from your bedroom listening to the dance floor. Cosmetics continue the lineage of Minimal Wave into the present day.

The ‘Baby’ LP will be pressed on 160-gram ultra clear vinyl and presented in a spot-gloss LP sleeve accompanied by a photobooth strip of the band.

2023 repress as double heavy weight black vinyl , with original artwork & gatefold sleeve. Originally released in 2006,even though 5:55 isn't technically Charlotte Gainsbourg's first solo album (that would be Charlotte for Ever, which was released in 1986 when she was 15), it is her first solo album as an adult and, with the help of a dream team of collaborators, it's a fittingly sophisticated set that touches on her father Serge's brilliantly louche, literate pop without being overshadowed by it. Air's Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin (who paid tribute to Serge Gainsbourg particularly well on 10,000 Hz Legend's 'Wonder Milky Bitch') wrote 5:55's delicate music, while Jarvis Cocker and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon penned its lyrics. This mingling of French and English influences is mirrored in Charlotte Gainsbourg's subtly expressive voice and accent, which provides the perfect complement to the album's lush sounds and vivid imagery.

What do Elvis Presley, the Beatles and all the other rockers have in common? They all performed songs by Chuck Berry. Rhythm, musicality, intelligent lyrics, sensuality, insolence, humor, style... It's all there! His records are the perfect rock'n'roll vade mecum.

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city.

After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

Released in September 1994, Universal Mother was described by Sinead as "the first attempt to try to expose what was really underneath a lot of the anger of the other records". The album features sparse, striking but delicate arrangements on intense and honest songs. Standout moments include the singles 'Thank You For Hearing Me' and 'Fire On Babylon', along with contributions from Germaine Greer (opening track 'Germaine'), and Sinead's son Jake Reynolds ('Am I A Human?'), plus a cover of Nirvana's 'All Apologies'.

Keane’s first official compilation album, The Best of Keane, pressed to 180g vinyl for the first time. Features their biggest tracks ‘Somewhere Only We Know’, ‘Everybody’s Changing’ & ‘This Is The Last Time’ as well as two new songs written during their 2012 Strangeland era, ‘Higher Than The Sun’ and ‘Won’t Be Broken’

Rejoice Indie poppers, punks and pop kids - Sealed Records in conjunction with the band and BBC release all 14 tracks Dolly Mixture recorded for the BBC. You no longer have to listen to bad YouTube uploads… here are all the tracks remastered from original sources, and as an added treat featuring John Peel introducing them and three jingles the band recorded for Kid Jensen. The first session was recorded for John Peel in August 1979 and features the unreleased 'Dolly Mixture Theme Song’ which the band used to start gigs with and a super strong cover of Goffin and King’s ‘The Locomotion’. Four already Dolly Mixture classics from the time were also recorded including 'Dream Come True’, 'He’s So Frisky’, 'New Look Baby’ and 'Ernie Ball’. You can hear the excitement and joy and the sounds are so well recorded at it was Maida Vale Studios with top notch studio equipment and production. The next session from September 82 was recorded for Kid Jensen and shows a slighty more mature band, but the tracks are just as instant and lovable. These tracks have a more 60’s girl group sound but with more energy. Most people will know the tracks from the Demonstration Tapes album but these versions are better recorded and show the band moving forward. The last session from October 1983 was for Kid Jensen and again shows a band evolving but still with tunes that over forty years later are still loved and adored. All in all 14 perfectly rounded pop nuggets wrapped in a beautiful designed sleeve and poster by Paul Kelly

Keita Sano is a prolific Japanese producer who has released on revered labels such as Mister Saturday Night, Lets Play House, Morris Audio and 1080P. His fusion of dark, distorted, acidic textures and crunchy disco beats gives his produc tions a unique sound which works perfectly for Delusions Of Grandeur and the label is proud to welcome him for his debut DOG EP entitled Love Is Emotion.

The title track comes on like a proverbial runaway train with heavy, pounding beats and bassline forging things ahead while the most twisted, tripped out FX rise and fall creating an absolute juggernaut of a track which takes no prisoners. A decept ively simple DJ tool which is loaded with drama for maximum impact on the more left of centre dance floors.

Up next we have Violet which takes a low-slung deep house approach but with the grit and dirt that Keita always brings to the party. The first half of the track teases with tension-building chords and syncopated bassline which bounces around a massive four on the floor kick drum. Things fall away in the middle of the track to reveal a beautiful, heartwarming piano part, setting the scene before things get truly epic with orchestral strings bringing a touch of the film noir to proceedings.

I’m A Man picks up the pace again for an intense acid work out which pushes the sonic boundaries to the limits with seriously warped FX creating mayhem around a simple, percussive disco groove. As secret weapon DJ tools go, this is right up there.

Closing out this mind-bending release Keita remains in experimental mode on Love Is Emotion offsetting melodic arpeggios and sweet chords with off-kilter sonic madness ensuring things remain dark, dirty and deep.

Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, proudly presents Disco Reggae Vol. 5, pursuing the highly acclaimed series started 10 years ago.

Birth land of the Reggae music, Jamaica has also always been fed by Soul, Funk, R&B and Pop music from the US scene, delivering some of the best covers anyone could think of. With it’s Disco Reggae series, Stix Records therefore simply carried on this tradition, offering new versions of classic songs from a wide spectrum of musical styles.

On this 5th edition, the list extend to famous name such as The Undertones, Bobby Caldwell, Cerrone, Patti LaBelle, or Ray Parker Jr. to name a few. At the control to tailor these hits with new and exclusive Reggae suits, you’ll find the best producers from the Stix’ roster like Soul Sugar aka Booker Gee, Taggy Matcher, Simon Nyabinghi, or Mato.

Together they signed again a perfect soundtrack to extend your summer and fill your playlists, whether to light the dancefloors or just sip a nice cocktail facing the Negril’s sunset!

Natalie Beridze is a Georgian artists, composer and songwriter, in Georgia she is considered to be pioneer of Georgian electronic music. Beridze has been releasing music since 2003 on record labels such as: Max.E; Monika Enterprise; CMYK; Laboratory Instict; Chainmusic and CES Records. She has collaborated with artists such as Thomas Brinkmann, AGF, Gudrun Gut, Joerg Follert, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Nikakoi and Gacha Bakradze.

Compiled of 7 tracks "Spines" is a perfect album to hear on a perfect soundsystem in the club. In Natalie's words "Spines" resembles her recollection of driving on the backseat of a car, looking at ever changing lanscape flying by. Her endless source of inspiration is "Strata-A georgraphic fiction" by Robert Smithson and John Ruskin's "Frondes Agrestes".

Alien Transistor is proud to announce a reissue of Such December, the fourth album by Japanese indie folk-pop artist, Gratin Carnival. Listeners might already know Gratin Carnival from their appearance on the Alien Parade Japan compilation of indie pop groups working with brass and woodwind; compiled by Markus Acher of The Notwist and Saya of Tenniscoats, it introduced this beautiful genre to the wider world. Gratin Carnival’s “Just Watching” was one of the many highlights of that compilation, and its gentle bossa-folk glide reappears on Such December.

Originally released in 2020, Such December captures beautifully the happy-sad charm of Gratin Carnival. The project of Koreyuki Mitsunaga, Gratin Carnival started in 2011; Mitsunaga had been home recording for some time and decided on the name as an umbrella for his music-making. Mitsunaga’s main instruments are guitar, which he uses to great effect throughout, his gorgeous acoustic playing reminiscent of players like Ueno Takashi of Tenniscoats or João Gilberto, and alto saxophone and clarinet. Those three instruments make up the core of Gratin Carnival’s sound, along with Mitsunaga’s charmingly doleful singing.

Recording at his parents’ home, with a four-track cassette recorder and a MacBook, Mitsunaga created Such December during 2020, though the songs on it stretch back to 2016. The closing “On The Train” was the first song written for the album – “a song about a small trip,” Mitsunaga recalls – and from there, he built a beautiful collection of songs that sit together perfectly. There’s great clarity in Mitsunaga’s writing, with nothing extraneous getting in the way of the lucid arrangements and gorgeous melodies; there’s something of chamber jazz about it at times, so it’s no surprise that Mitsunaga shares his love of Benny Goodman’s small group playing.

He's also a fan of Japanese folk artists like Kenji Endo and Kyouzou Nishioka, and grew up listening to Japanese popular music, The Beatles, and The Carpenters. You can hear trace elements of all this in Such December, in the clear-headedness of the melodic decisions made by Mitsunaga, and the quiet charm of the song’s gentle arrangements. They take on different shapes live, too, where Mitsunaga often invites other musicians to join in – his live band currently includes Masafumi Ezaki (trumpet), Nahoko Kamei (bass clarinet, piano, keyboards) and Tadashi Yonago (trombone, self-made instruments).

As with plenty of musicians from the Japanese underground, Mitsunaga is involved in other music, too – he’s been working with The Otoasobi Project, which performs music in collaboration with individuals with learning disabilities, and their families; and he’s also involved in improvised music. With Such December, though, you get to hear Mitsunaga’s music at its most personal and individual, ten songs of still, gorgeously poised indie folk-pop, where the swooning clang of six strings meets the breathy bliss of woodwind and brass.

It is with great fanfare that we proudly announce the return of the esteemed improvisational chainsaw blues trio Young James Long. Young James Long formed in Dallas in 2003 with a weekly residency at a local (and appropriately named) dive bar called Muddy Waters. PW Long (guitar, vocals) and Kirkland James (guitar) had known each other socially since the 90s when Long was fronting Quarterstick Records’ Mule, and James was playing with Tenderloin. Long would go onto make a series of incredible solo records under his own name and that of PW Long’s Reelfoot and James would play with Alejandro Escovedo (among many others) before their paths finally crossed again. They recruited Taylor Young (Hi-Fi Drowning, Young Heart Attack, The Polyphonic Spree) on drums and a raw, blues-punk-rock-and-roll band emerged fully formed, songs flying out of them with enthusiasm and ease. They recorded the You Ain’t Know The Man EP with their friend (and eventual Grammy winner) Stuart Sikes not long after. The EP came out via Southern Records in 2007, and thanks to the tasteful ears of the people this side of the pond, a European tour followed. If you saw that tour, you’ll agree that it felt like the band were really hitting their stride. However, here we are in 2023, so what happened? Answer: geography - the age-old enemy of creativity. One member left Texas and the others (being the extremely able and skilled musicians that they are) were perpetually wooed away to play in other bands. Everyone’s got bills to pay, right? And with that, things just kind of fizzled out. Long even insists he quit playing music around 2010. One of the most recognisable voices in underground music: out of the game. Incredible. Inconceivable.
Then, last year we at Wrong Speed got an email asking if we’d be interested in some new music Young James Long had been working on. We thought it might be a joke. They sent some mixes through, and it became very quickly apparent that it was anything but. Turns out the trio had started chatting about music again in 2020 (before the world had other plans) and had finally made their first full-length album Orogeny in the summer of 2021. Orogeny sounds live and thrillingly immediate, as though all obstacles between their delivery and your ears have been removed and discarded as irrelevant. There is no filler, no treading of water at any point. Amps buzz, songs teeter on the edge of collapse, you feel like you’re sitting in the middle of the band as they play and it’s a pretty sweet place to be. The album contains a whopping 17 songs, most under 2 minutes long. They don’t want to waste your time, or most importantly (after sixteen years away), theirs. If you’re familiar with Long’s previous bands, you’ll know he has a rare gift for pairing extreme volume with extreme tenderness and it’s thrilling to find that gift present and correct after over a decade away. And that voice – holy shit, that voice. He can go from a Beefheart howl to the sweetest country baritone in the space of a single line. In James and Young he’s found the perfect foils, a power trio of instinctive and soulful musicians able to conjure shining gems of magic out of the grit and the dirt. Young James Long is risen from the ashes – it’s a miracle!

Meernaa's So Far So Good travels perfectly with a glistening night out or a drive to a secret hideaway. It exists somewhere between R&B, jazz, psychedelic rock, art rock, and pop. As a genreless artist, it mirrors her constant struggle to balance a vibrant day to day of falling in and out of love, writing and recording music at her studio and the intensity in the back of her mind - her familial struggles concerning death, drugs, and instability. Meernaa's previously released singles "Another Dimension" and "On My Line`' introduce a celestial and soulful album. The weather of these songs is varied, the poetry shifting its winds from tender playfulness to desire. For fans of: Aldous Harding, Khruangbin, The Weather Station, War on Drugs, Kali Uchis, Perfume Genius, Cate Le Bon, Sade, Lucy Dacus. "as intriguing as it is beguiling and mysterious." - The Line of Best Fit

Meernaa's So Far So Good travels perfectly with a glistening night out or a drive to a secret hideaway. It exists somewhere between R&B, jazz, psychedelic rock, art rock, and pop. As a genreless artist, it mirrors her constant struggle to balance a vibrant day to day of falling in and out of love, writing and recording music at her studio and the intensity in the back of her mind - her familial struggles concerning death, drugs, and instability. Meernaa's previously released singles "Another Dimension" and "On My Line`' introduce a celestial and soulful album. The weather of these songs is varied, the poetry shifting its winds from tender playfulness to desire. For fans of: Aldous Harding, Khruangbin, The Weather Station, War on Drugs, Kali Uchis, Perfume Genius, Cate Le Bon, Sade, Lucy Dacus. "as intriguing as it is beguiling and mysterious." - The Line of Best Fit

"Ich Bin Wach" is the brand new release by Schwefelgelb loaded with 4 raw, hard stomping Techno bangers. This sharp and defined production perfectly balances familiar classic tones (909 and the like), heavy percussion and unexpected sonic experiences. Club suited arrangements range from 136 to 140 bpm in a highly effective sound, which wraps references from Industrial to Deep Techno in a unique garment. NPLX005 comes on 140 g colored vinyl including a download code and will be released 6th of October. The digital version contains a bonus remix by Tunegirl.

Eric Krasno is a two-time GRAMMY winning guitarist, musician and producer best known for his work with Soulive, Lettuce, Tedeschi Trucks Band & Pretty Lights. Krasno has been nominated for a GRAMMY a total of seven times for Best Blues Album, Best Contemporary Blues, Best R&B, and Best Electronic Album.

Otis McDonald is a producer/multi-instrumentalist best known for his copyright free music released exclusively through the YouTube audio library, amassing over 5 million downloads and over 25 million streams.

Mike Chiavaro is a Brooklyn based electric and upright bass player with an impressive history.

Combined they form King Canyon, blending their unique styles into an infectious groove filled project with healthy doses of R&B/Soul and funk. The vibe will resonate with fans of Khruangbin, Bobby Caldwell, Allman Brothers, Soulive, Lettuce, El Michels Affair, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Menahan Street Band, Durand Jones and the Indications, and Son Little (who's featured on one of the tracks).

In the perfect quarantine story the trio forged a relationship and has yet to meet in person. In April of 2020 in the midst of quarantine, Eric Krasno came across Otis McDonald’s music on Instagram and immediately became a fan. Months later, McDonald who had been working on music with his longtime friend, Mike Chiavaro, enlisted Krasno to add in some guitar to the mix and before they knew it, the trio had an album's worth of material and thus King Canyon was born.

The guys have still yet to meet in person, but despite this, the grooves are insatiable. The writing and feel are unlike any other projects these musicians have been involved with previously.

2023 Repress

2001, the first year of the 21st century, but especially for many born in the 60's, 70's and 80's, the year that was surrounded with an aura of "the Future" and which became symbol of the new and unknown things that life has in store, the starting year of a new transgression period in both scientific, cultural and spiritual evolution. In that year Transllusion recorded music in the Dimensional Waves Productions studio of which till date two known productions saw a release: "The opening of the Cerebral Gate" and shortly after that the mysterious "L.I.F.E." album on Rephlex. More than 15 years later, an unknown wave resurfaced, washing up an incomparable emotional state of electronic depth. Music from the Future rooted in an underwater Afro-futurist realm and the grandiose cosmological truths. This time rushing over us in a much more personal, reflective and more introspective way, yet leaving behind sonic confusion. We now know who was responsible for all these futuristic recordings perfectly reflecting what the year 2001 stood for, James Stinson can be seen as one of the last few techno musicians from his generation that lived up to the high expectations of moving forward, finding the unknown and embracing the future without reliving the past. This recently discovered DAT-tape, using his Transllusion alias, is the 3rd outing of the project and, surrounded with an even brighter aureole than the previous recordings, confirms the status of its producers mastermind. No further details are known, except for the project name written on the tape, but these intimate moments in the studio tell us what the future sounds like according to James Stinson!

For this album Ghetto Kumbé has enlisted an all-star roster of artists from four different continents, they’ve put together a fresh version of their debut album that’s been specifically geared to the world’s diverse slate of dancefloors, whether at home or in the club, this double 12” 45 RPM is the perfect format to experience this music. There's no denying the power of the drum. It's primal, it cuts across borders and most importantly, it makes you want to move. Ghetto Kumbé don't just understand that they celebrate it, and it's why the tambor was at the heart of the Bogotá-based trio's 2020 self-titled debut album. Rooted in mysticism and the Afro-Caribbean rhythms they'd grown up with all their lives, the critically acclaimed LP thrillingly updated the traditional Latin template, folding in elements of modern hip-hop, house and bass music while also delivering a transportive Afro-futurist vision. On Clubbing Remixes, that vision has been further amplified, as Ghetto Kumbé who were already one of Colombia's most prominent alternative acts have now gone fully global; enlisting an all-star roster of artists from four different continents, they've put together a fresh version of their debut album that's been specifically geared to the world's diverse slate of dancefloors. As the title implies, the new LP is meant for the club, which is why Ghetto Kumbé have turned to Latin music heavyweights like Trooka a multiple Grammy winner whose resume includes work with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Residente and Monte (a.k.a. Bomba Estéreo founder Simón Mejía), along with top-shelf DJs like Nickodemus and Uproot Andy, two NYC artists who've spent decades championing Afro-Latin rhythms. True to the LP's global spirit, the record also includes reworks from batida maestro DJ Firmeza, fellow Afro-Portuguese outfit Studio Bros and Parisian house groovers Les Enfants Sauvages, plus genre-blurring remixes from sonically adventurous Colombians Montoya (himself another ZZK artist) and Cero39. Even the artwork on Clubbing Remixes is a remix, as Ghetto Kumbé have tapped Uganda's Denzel Muhumuza to transform the cover of their debut album into a new, explicitly Afro-futuristic illustration. Depicting a strong Black face and glowing neon fauna beneath a sparkling moonlit sky, the fantastical image speaks to both the ritual magic and Afro-indebted heritage of Ghetto Kumbé's music, and thanks to Clubbing Remixes, the group's passionate, drum-fueled sounds will soon be blasting out of soundsystems around the globe.a

At long last: the classic Steely Dan catalog is back on vinyl. Led by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan released 7 albums from 1972-1980. The vinyl series continues with Aja, the band’s 1977’s platinum-selling jazz-rock masterwork, which includes the three hit singles –“Deacon Blues,” Peg” and “Josie” – and the elegant title cut. The LP has been remastered by Bernie Grundman from an analog, non-EQ’d, tape copy.

So many stellar albums by Fagen and Becker in the 70′s but this one is timeless. Amazing songs produced and performed to perfection by some of the best session musicians and singers in the business. An Absolute masterpiece from start to finish!

Since stepping onto the scene over a decade ago, Romanian producer Nu Zau has become a figurehead for the microhouse scene his homeland is synonymous with, racking up releases on the likes of the Italian Modbox helmed Castanea, Stockholm’s Sono Unica and Aurum, sub-label of the renowned white label Telum imprint. Here, we see Nu Zau joining the roster of Basel, Switzerland’s Adam’s Bite, home to material from the likes of Barac, Cristi Cons, Traumer and Ion Ludwig amongst others.

Leading the way on the package is ‘Feeling Alive’ a subtly unfurling journey that twists and turns through bouncy bass notes, an amalgamation of modulating synth flutters, hypnotic voices and crisp percussion. ‘Your Turn’ follows next and shifts gears towards squelchy acid bass, choppy stab sequences and ethereal pads, all underpinned by a crunchy, raw drum workout.

On the flip-side ‘Intense Jazzy’, as the name would suggest leans into a more organic feel with a snaking bass line, a shuffled jazz-tinged rhythm and a murky underlying tension perfectly crafted for dark, smoky rooms. ‘The Light We Carry’ then rounds out the release, bringing swirling resonant synth textures and robotic voices into the mix alongside a swaying sub bass groove and low-slung drums

KID FRANCESCOLI, leader of the French Riviera Touch is back with the stellar album SUNSET BLUE out Sept 22nd 2023.

After a first sold-out world tour (over 200 concerts in Europe, USA, Asia...), and successful hits such as Nopalitos, Blow Up or Moon (now certified diamond, with more than 200 millions streams), the Marseille-based producer, crooner and multi-instrumentalist, Mathieu Hocine, is eager to share his most accomplished LP ever. This fine collection of soulful songs honor his Mediterranean roots, with elegant and pop melodies. His most recent success and the creation of his first original soundtrack with AZURO, installed him as one of the best French songwriters of his generation, with a unique signature sound.

"I live in Marseille, I spent my childhood in Corsica, I have Algerian origins, my first vacations with friends were in Barcelona, vacations with my first girlfriend in Roma,... Then, I had the chance to perform in Morocco, Greece, Turkey and Egypt: each time I spent time in the Mediterranean region, the people I met there made me feel like I was part of the same country. This shared multiculturalism is really comforting, it has its own poetry and strength, bringing uniqueness and empathy to the people. It is essential for me. I love my city: it’s the perfect place to feel good with sun, sea, family, friendships, love... It gets me emotional, bringing tears with a smile".

With his new musical gem, Mathieu Hocine unveils 11 elegant tunes of his finest craft: sunbathed French Touch (Run Run, 1986), romantic chillwave (Corsica), uplifting synthpop (You Are Everywhere, Like Magic), electronic-soul (Casino Soul), cinematic disco (Solaris), cosmic R&B (Sweet and Sour, Take Time), … Everything is in this record.

For the first time ever, Kid Francescoli paid tribute to his mixed origins with his collaboration with world-renowned lute and mandolin player Hakim Hamadouche (Rachid Taha, Patti Smith, Brian Eno, Tricky...), whom added Algerian patterns to the introspectives songs Drift in Blue and The Morning After.

"My ambition is to create pictures in people's heads with music, to transport them instantly into a movie"

SUNSET BLUE is an instant-crush album: crystal-clear, strong, personal but universal at the same time.

It's an ecstatic soundtrack for this moment when time is suspended, the golden hour when everything seems possible. It feels like Love is in the air, you're living your best life and you're at the right place at the right time. This album embodies this magic moment where we would like to last forever… Like an epiphany, Kid Francescoli's new album is a moment of pure pleasure, a soothing way to escape reality.

"I see myself as a melodist.I would like my music to feel like velvet. There's something cinematic, classy about it, and yet comforting. It's very simple, popular and synonym of love and passion"

His friend French 79 co-produced the album, while the american rapper Bamby H2O brought his NYC swag (on Sweet & Sour), Stan Neff (Polo & Pan, Kungs, Christine and the Queens...) took care of the mix and Alex Gopher (Daft Punk, The Blaze, Bon Entendeur...) added a final touch of magic when mastering. Nicolas Despis (known for his work with Etienne Daho, Hoshi, Juliette Armanet... and many famous French rappers) later joined this dream-team to craft custom-made artworks. SUNSET BLUE is a deeply personal quest, a human adventure for Mathieu Hocine (whom explores his maghrebian origins, his feminine side, his subconscious space, ...). It's a male's work, but don't get it wrong, this LP would be nothing without women’s touch : Julietta (on Run Run and Take Time), Sarah Gaugler from Turbo Goth (on You Are Everywhere and Like Magic), and iOni (on Drift in Blue).

“Music has this magical power to broaden your vision of the world. It's fascinating because, like dreams, it's the kind of irrational things science can't explain and that makes life exciting."

Planets aligned perfectly on this project and thanks to this five-star cast of collaborators, Kid Francescoli achieved his personal holy grail : he orchestrated a great 21st century pop-music album.SUNSET BLUE is a new turning point between organic and electronic, both a mediterranean travel and a Californian dream, a bridge between Ennio Morriconne and modern electronic music.

Also, while it might be called SUNSET BLUE in honor of the sea and the Portuguese / Brazilian concept called “saudade”, but it is a really optimistic album, whose true colors would rather be "yellow-orange-red" in nod to the sun.

Created in the midst of the world tour, SUNSET BLUE is a direct result of the lives’ energy and fans’ joyful vibes: going back in the studio after smiling, singing and dancing with people all around the world inevitably gave Kid Francescoli the desire to retranscribe this ecstatic feeling in music. This album is a sensitive experience, from sunrise to sunset, from first track to last one. It’s an exploration of an everlasting summer, reaching its climax in the very final seconds of the track Corsica, making us want to press play and dive into this jewel all over again.

A beautiful cosmic trip, whether you like to stay in bed cocooning, to travel far, far away or to dance ‘till dawn, to catch the first rays of light.

Make sure to catch Kid Francescoli on his next world tour to have a good time.

Loud & Clear / N.O.R.E (Buttas Remix) b/w Cherry Blossoms (Love Notes Mix) by Strictlybutters | Galaxy Sound Co. – GSC 45-038 | Summer time vibes are here & @galaxy_sound_company is back at it with another sure-shot #hiphop donut via @strictlybutters. I got my hands on an advance copy of a limited-run test pressing & it is cut loud! Ya know ya will be boomin’ in ya, boomin’ in ya, boomin’ this in ya jeep!

Galaxy Sound Co. started taking these occasional fire #hiphopinstrumental interlude breaks from their 45 edit series to shine light on the Michigan skateboarder, cyclist, sneaker-head & bedroom b-boy beat maker Strictlybutters. With the 38th donut in the GSC 45 series, he is making his 3rd appearance on the label & it is another banger.

Side A1’s “Loud & Clear” is a straight-up, warm-up boom-bap banger. It effortlessly, teases along by MC royalty with a sweet soulful piano riff rolling along MPC delights. A joyful crowd is weaved through a familiar GWJ break calling you do get up & get down. A2’s “N.O.R.E. (Buttas Remix)” teases with a buttery-soul laced rework of with a snippet from Noreaga’s “SuperThug”. The only fault here being SB only gives us a taste at just over a minute long. More please.

Side B’s “Cherry Blossoms (Love Notes Mix)” is a killer joint in the vein of 90s hip-hop love jams, with the core sample being one of my fav sweet soul songs from Detroit, 1969’s “Maybe So Maybe No” by the New Holidays (Soulhawk Records 1008). SB lets this beat breathe to perfection, rolling fa-la-la-la’s that slide into a sexy outro.

: Written and recorded in a series of bedroom studiosin England and France, London-based Gareth Donkin’s extraordinary debut, Welcome Home, showcases the 23-year-old’s stunning mix of instrumental virtuosity and emotional intuition, blending highly sophisticated melodic and harmonic craftsmanship with deeply moving lyrical explorations of longing, desire, and determination. The songs here draw on soul, funk, pop, yacht rock,hip-hop, jazz, and even bossa nova, hinting at times to everything from Michael Jackson and Bill Evans to George Benson and Jamiroquai, and Donkin’s performances are nothing short of mesmerizing, layering up instrument after instrument in the best one-man-band tradition of Prince or Stevie Wonder. The result is a moving work that’s equal parts brain and brawn, a masterful coming-of-age self-portrait from a young artist discovering himself—and his sound—one song at a time. Born with perfect pitch, Donkin was already fanatically obsessed with both jazz piano and drums before he turned twelve. In high school, he began DJing and teaching himself to record and sample, and by the time he headed to the Leeds College of Music to pursue a degree in production, he was already writing and recording his own material at home. His first single, “Catharsis,” would go on to rack up more than a million streams on Spotify, and a series of subsequent tracks would find similarly organic success and help land him a deal with the burgeoning drink sum wtr label.

Die..//180gr/Printed Innersleeve/1000 Cps On Pink Vinyl
1-LP Holland


Fake It Till We Die is the eleventh studio album by Dutch singer Anouk. It was released only seven months after its predecessor Queen for a Day. Although Anouk is primarily known for her rock songs, this album features mostly soul and funk oriented tracks. The preceding singles “Down Daddy Down” and “Burn” are a great example of Anouk’s expansion to these genres. Other strong tracks on the album are “I Just Met a Man”, “Blue Motel”, “Waste Your Water” and much more. Fake It Till We Die is quite a cohesive and very well done soul record, perfectly showcasing Anouk’s incredible voice.

The album is available on coloured vinyl for the first time. This edition includes a printed innersleeve with song lyrics and is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on pink vinyl.

Return of the B-Boy

Listening back to the “I Phantom” album as a whole re-connects me to the fact that “Return of the B-Boy” really was designed to be the crown jewel of the album. I wanted to create a song that was a feat in storytelling and in verbal dexterity. The slower tempo of Part 1 of the song gave me a chance to paint a clear view of the scenario in which the protagonist is brought back to life by music to save culture of a genre. The relentless tempo of Part 2 was one of the largest challenges I had faced as an MC at that point in my career but I did not want to earn style points at the cost of clear storytelling.

I remember that night so clearly; being in El-P‘s basement studio with the album due the next day and “Return of the B-Boy pt 2” being the only part of the album that wasn’t finished. In sports what happened that night would probably be the equivalent of somebody hitting a half court shot at the buzzer to win a championship. We were all there; myself, El-P, DJ Abilities, & Nasa (El-P’s studio engineer). We all knew the song had to be completed before sunrise, we all knew the importance of the song, and we all knew we had to do our best work. This was the scene; El-P searching for the perfect drum break, Nasa mixing everything on the fly as it was recorded, DJ Abilities searching for the perfect cuts to accentuate the song, and me making sure that every single line of my verse was exactly what I wanted it to be.

I’m glad I at least remember these elements of the process clearly because the rest of it really is a blur. I’m just glad that we managed to finish the song on time & get it out into the world. I truly am honored that our efforts back then led to the creation of a piece of music that is still resonating with people today.

Miss Tiny is a brand-new musical project featuring acclaimed record producer and Speedy Wunderground label founder Dan Carey (Wet Leg, Slowthai, Fontaines D.C.) alongside Ben Romans-Hopcraft of Warmduscher / Insecure Men / Childhood fame.

A spiritually, and methodically united front, Miss Tiny’s universe is a thoroughly explored romance between heritage, rebellion, and years old friendship; a triptych of variables all gravitating towards one signalled output, with no real sense of time, or external pressures. Having spent the best part of a decade orchestrating haphazard jam-sessions, Carey and Romans-Hopcraft would eventually go on to discover a fundamental principle of their own. One which would come to define Miss Tiny, throughout her various forms and guises.

“We called it anti-recording,” continues Carey. “Only doing it for the pleasure of doing it”. When fully committing to this practice, the music meticulously follows two courses; refine, or degrade. Perfect the moment, or let it go; never to be heard, or re-lived ever again for fear that the action of pressing record, would inevitably take ownership of the occasion and lead the experimentation into a downward spiral towards something all-together tangible.

The irony of a seminal producer and critically revered musician banding together out of mutual distaste for recording, is not one that’s gone amiss. In fact, they’ll be the first to proudly call it into question- and yet still, Miss Tiny holds her own despite all peripheral associations, and would eventually go on to be documented. These aren’t ‘sit-down-and-write-a-song’ kinda songs. These spurts of spontaneity which would, in time, ultimately form the duo's debut EP ‘DEN7’, are years’ worth of trial and error. Trial and elation. A process in which strong technique and melodic-manipulation are the sole foundations required to reinvent the meaning of memory; be it guitar and drums, or flesh and blood.

Produced and recorded at Carey’s ‘Speedy Wunderground’ studio in Streatham, ‘DEN7’ is a masterful introduction to a group whose members need none. Through chopping, editing, and re-defining their improvised segments into songs which they could eventually go on to learn, Carey and Romans-Hopcraft by chance, stumbled upon gold-dust. Like Alice and her looking glass, our two protagonists effortlessly pass through all notions of engineered logic in order to see beyond the expected. The bigger picture perhaps. Or the magic in the small things that matter most.

The Perfect Storm is a 2000 disaster drama film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. The film is an adaptation to the non-fiction book of the same name written by Sebastian Junger. It stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, and Diane Lane amongst others. The story follows a commercial fishing vessel that was lost at sea after being caught in 'The Perfect Storm' of 1991.

The soundtrack was composed by Academy Award-winning composer James Horner, who is known for scoring Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). The score revolves around a rolling, six-note motif to evoke the waves of the North Atlantic Ocean. The soundtrack also features the song "Yours Forever", performed by John Mellencamp.

The Perfect Storm is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on red & black marbled vinyl and includes an insert.

Y'all ready to mangle peoples heads??? Most of you are, but not YOU,-YOU know who you are, get out of here with your NU Garage chipmunk vocal Bass-Hop shit...

Mr. Cool aka Louie Fresco aka El Cabrone has some heat right here.
Get it- heat, cause he's from Mexico City, and cause the ep is Picante.

Pride is some dank ass bassment shit right here.
Percussive grooves for days, mind melting sounds and a nice tripped out vocal to round it all out.
Pride has a modern minimal shuffle, and that swingy greasy percussion that the Mexicans do
so well,its even low rumble that hits just right in the booty.

A perfect combo of blended brains and brawn!

On the flip we have the K-Dot. I hope it's referencing some new drug that is microdot acid and K combined in a mind warping 250Mg tablet.
This song sounds just like that, mind bending, face melting grinding madness, it rolls and rolls and evolves and evolves.
Put that record on and just watch people make twisted faces and dance like they are puppets getting their strings pulled.

Mr. Cool nailed this, and I question his sanity, and life choices. Nobody normal makes music like
this.

If you don't like this record now, you probably will in 18 years when it's the jam all over again cause a 65 year old Raresh drops it at Sunwaves 309.

Mind you if we keep this global warming shit up, all our vinyl gonna melt. Live in the moment and buy records now.

Bristol's soul jazz kings The Jazz Defenders release a new vinyl 45 single this autumn as a taster for their third album, which is destined for release in spring 2024. Once again, they are bringing together their love of 1960's soul jazz and golden era 90's hip-hop, just as they did on a couple of tracks on their last album "King Phoenix" (Haggis Records 2022). This new single sees them reunited with London MC/rapper Doc Brown, who guested on the track "Perfectly Imperfect", and his flow sits so naturally over the Jazz Defenders' music and beats, you'd think he's a permanent band member.

The A-side "Rolling On A High" is a real old school boom bap style party hip-hop jam. Big beats, rolling bassline (acoustic double bass), Ramsey Lewis soul jazz piano vamps, funky Hammond organ and some punchy horn section business, all topped off with Doc Brown bouncing bars back and forth with that laid back vibe he always brings to the mic. A guaranteed dance-floor bomb, whether you're a breaker, a jazz dancer or simply a Saturday night disco shuffler. The B-side "Looking Back" takes the tempo right down. An 'end of the night' number when the lights in the club are low, the last drinks are being drained and you're thinking and reminiscing about times gone by. The good times and bad, successes and mistakes. And made even more poignant and reflective halfway through when the mellow strings come into the song (once again excellently arranged by pianist/bandleader George Cooper). If "Rolling On A High" is the fire then "Looking Back" is definitely the ice. Proof that the Jazz Defenders can rock the party and grab the dancers but also dig deep with emotive tunes that draw in the discerning listener.

The Jazz Defenders, led by keyboard maestro George Cooper from The Haggis Horns, have been building a reputation as a great musical unit since their debut Blue Note/hard bop-inspired album "Scheming" appeared on Haggis Records back in 2019, which received a huge amount of praise from critics, and subsequently went on to spend 5 weeks in the top ten of the American jazz charts In 2021, their double A-side vinyl single "The Big Man/Love's Vestige" got them the breakthrough they deserved. It garnered heavy support on radio from top folks like Craig Charles (BBC6 Music), Helen Mayhew (Jazz FM), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), and Worldwide FM resident DJ's Ashley Beedle and Colin Curtis. They further enhanced their reputation as a rocking band with album number two "King Phoenix" and by electrifying audiences at sold out live shows across the UK, including the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.

Album number three is well on its way but for now, check out this tasty limited edition 45 single on Haggis Records. The JDs and Doc Brown...the perfect combination, still keeping that sweet jazz/hip-hop love affair alive today.

Deluxxe is a new post punk/new wave band from Buffalo, NY.

It was formed by Mason and Greg, and later completed with Nick, Bailey and Mackenzie, sharing members of Oi and hardcore bands such as Violent Way, Bad Blood and Exhibition. Their punk background can be heard in the music, but it’s the love for new wave, post punk, darkwave, and goth that led to creation of their debut record “If You Were Me”. Written in the cold winters of Buffalo, you can almost feel the harshness of the weather affecting the sounds that propagate from these grooves. Icy and frostbitten but somehow still relevantly civic and urban.

The Chameleons and The Sound are two main references here, but that whole cold dimension is rocked by a strong pop vein reminiscent of After The Snow-era Modern English and occasionally enhanced by an hoarseness typical of a young Paul Weller. Passionate lyricism proper of Echo And The Bunnymen and hopeless romanticism à la Sad Lovers And Giants get balanced by a sharp songwriting which keeps everything in perfect order, giving you exactly what you need, nothing more and nothing less.

You can tell some skinheads are involved here because the outcome is so tidy and neat, without losing one inch of atmosphere or enchantment. If you are wondering how something that was invented forty years ago can still sound, literally, fresh and cool, look no further because what this band delivers lives just up to its name.

Ed Sheeran’s brand-new album Autumn Variations will be available for pre-order on the 24th August at 5pm before a worldwide release on the 29th September. It will be available to stream on all platforms as well as purchase physically as a CD or various limited Vinyl editions.

Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist who has sold over 52 million albums and 150 million singles across the world. Through his fusion of thought-provoking songwriting, universal pop and multi-genre influence, his rich tapestry is not only perfectly suited to his audience but it’s something that transcends generations.

Since surfacing on the UK circuit in 2010 with his ‘No.5 Collaborations Project’ – an eight-track EP featuring his favourite grime artists of the time – the Suffolk-raised recording artist has resonated with fans across the world through his peerless songcraft and versatility. And now, with six consecutive UK No.1 albums to his name – ‘+’ (2011), ‘x’ (2014), ‘÷’ (2017), ‘No.6 Collaborations Project’ (2019), ‘=’ (2021) and ‘-‘ (2023) – Sheeran continues to reaffirm his status as one of the most in-demand pop stars on the planet.

Prior to the release of ‘=’ (October 2021) – an album that’s now surpassed five million global sales - Sheeran secured two UK No.1 singles in the UK with ‘Bad Habits’ and ‘Shivers’, which sat atop the UK’s Official Singles Chart for a combined total of 15 weeks. Moreover, the LP saw him take home 2 x EMA’s for ‘Best Artist’ and ‘Best Song’; an American Music Award for ‘Favourite Male Pop Artist’; British GQ’s ‘Solo Artist of the Year’; 4 x Los40 Awards; a BRIT Award for ‘Songwriter of the Year’ alongside a nomination for ‘Song of the Year’ at the 2022 GRAMMY’s.

Sheeran’s most recent album, Subtract, secured Ed his sixth No.1 album. Produced by Aaron Dessner, the album was anchored in his love of singer/songwriter compositions and written against a backdrop of personal grief and hope. Ed’s most critically-acclaimed album to date, it housed the heart wrenching UK No.1 single ‘Eyes Closed’ – a song about his late friend, Jamal Edwards.

But it’s not just his recorded music that’s seen the former Glastonbury headliner become one of the sought-after artists of the 21st century. Possessing a mystical ability to turn 90,000 capacity venues into the pub back-rooms that he first started playing in, Ed made history in 2015 after becoming the first-ever artist to play Wembley Stadium solo - without a band, just with his guitar and loop pedal - over three, consecutive sold out nights. Move forward to the summer of 2019 and Ed would re-enter history books after the completion of his mammoth two-year Divide tour, officially becoming the most-attended tour of all time after it culminated with special homecoming shows in Ipswich, Suffolk. Beginning last summer, Ed is currently travelling the world on his ‘+ - = ÷ x Tour’ (pronounced ‘The Mathematics Tour’), which saw him return to Wembley Stadium for a five-night run last June.

Ed Sheeran, who was awarded an MBE for his services to music and charity in 2017, is the proud recipient of 1 x IFPI Award (best-selling global artist of 2017); 4 x Grammys; 4 x Ivor Novello’s; 7 x BRIT Awards (including two consecutive wins for ‘Global Success’ in 2018 and 2019); 7 x Billboard Awards + more. Moreover, to this day, his blockbusting third studio album ‘÷’ remains the fastest-selling album, ever, by a male artist in the UK, while the LP’s lead single, ‘Shape of You’, maintains its status as the most-streamed song in Spotify’s history.

At the end of 2019, Sheeran was presented with the Official Chart Company’s first-ever ‘No.1 Artist of the Decade’ award following a host of accomplishments in his native UK including the most No.1’s across the UK’s Official Singles and Albums chart from the years 2010-2019. Most recently, Ed scored two more feats with the OCC after becoming the first British Solo Artist to claim 52 weeks – an entire year – at No.1 on the Official UK Singles Chart, with only Elvis Presley and The Beatles achieving more overall weeks at the top, as well as becoming the first-ever artist with four albums spending an entire year or more in the UK Top 10.

Adam Beyer continues his prolific year in the studio with ‘Robotic Arms’, his third release of 2023.

The boss continues to set the standard. Following ‘Legend’, one of the year’s standout techno tracks, we were treated to a supreme collaboration with Green Velvet ‘Simulator’.

Now as 2023 hits the halfway mark, he returns with a pair of aces. The title track is both expansive and immersive, as pin-sharp drums and a powerful chord melody rub shoulders with a vocal that references AI entering the creative space and the intriguing unknown consequences that will result. “I’m fascinated by this and curious to see how it develops, as it’s both a threat for artists, while also being an opportunity to utilise this technology when making art,” Beyer shares.

‘No Hate’ is the perfect sonic contrast, a raw and dirty roller propelled by rhythmic percussion and a strident vocal line. A stomping ‘Trippy Mix’ of ‘No Hate’ rounds out the release.