Buscar:reuben

Elations Recordings presents "Return of the Airpoets", an exploratory recording from longtime collaborators Reuben Lewis (I Hold The Lion's Paw) & Adam Halliwell (Mildlife, IHTLP), occupying a unique space between contemporary experimental music and avant jazz. Engineered and mixed by Reuben Lewis in 2023, and featuring guest appearances from acclaimed Australian drummer Ronny Ferella.

"Return of the Airpoets" continues a conversation begun with 'Cygon Dance', an extended duo between Lewis and Halliwell from Halliwell's 2023 LP "Freedom Lapse"; a dialogue that stems from a shared love and respect for Jon Hassell's Fourth World music. Sonic pioneer and adventurer, Hassell's futuristic vision advocated possible musics, stressing plurality and multiplicity. Faithful to his vision, Adam and Reuben, as trailblazers rather than imitators, delight in boundless musical possibilities, adopting Hassell's futurism as stock-in-trade, making it their own while augmented with neo noir hues and hints of the tilted electro-funk of Miles Davis' collaborations with Marcus Miller.

These nine tracks flow together as a unified suite, their shadowy presence stitched from fractured narratives: imaginary crimes, murders, dreams, the unspoken. At the same time, you can detect the artists' meticulous attention to sonic detail, feel the undercurrents, the complex layering. This music has been distilled, winnowed, from extended improv sessions, with the artists - as producers - zeroing in on offcuts, shards, and splinters, seamlessly patching together fragments in post-production to construct intricately layered sound collages, taking a leaf out of Tao Macero's book, building from the ground up.

Who are these airpoets? Their mystifying trial suggests the travails of Joseph K, sentenced for unspecified crimes. But I prefer to see them as fugitives escaped from Robert Bolaño's novel, "Savage Detectives". In Bolaño's book, poet Juan Garcia Madero is granted admission to the shadowy group of poets, the Visceral Realists, whose movement has no clear aims, and whose members "walked backward . . . gazing at a point in the distance, but moving away from it, walking straight toward the unknown." Like the visceral poets, these airpoets, Reuben Lewis and Adam Halliwell, set their sights on a point on the distant horizon, setting off without map or compass, drawing nearer and moving away, towards the unknown.

The organist’s classic 1970 album. His third record for Blue Note and one of the key soul-jazz workouts of the era. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio on 12th December 1969. Produced by Blue Note co-founder Francis Wolff. Featuring a red-hot backing band of tenor saxophonist John Manning, guitarist Melvin Sparks and drummer Tommy Derrick. Highlights of the album include Wilson’s dynamic originals ‘Bus Ride’, ‘Orange Peel’ and the title track, plus great covers of Eddie Floyd’s ‘Knock On Wood’ and Edwin Starr’s ‘Twenty-Five Miles’. Wilson recorded two subsequent Blue Note albums: Set Us Free and A Groovy Situation.

Rising musical visionary Reuben Vaun Smith's latest album, Land of Music, is a vibrant and atmospheric collection of tracks that transport listeners to a tropical soundscape of chilled beats, lush synths, and laid-back vocal musings. Remarkably, Smith recorded the entire album aboard a fishing trawler docked in a marina in Gibraltar, transforming the tight space into a creative sanctuary.

Blending dreamy synthesizer pads, groovy beats, and smooth vocals, Land of Music evokes a relaxing, high-vibe journey from start to finish. Collaborations on the album enhance its eclectic sound, with standout performances from vocalist Lucy Saddler, who lends her ethereal voice to “Lost in Space” and the title track “Land of Music.” Additionally, labelmate and guitar virtuoso Chico Mann brings his signature funky guitar licks, infusing the album with fresh energy and dynamic flair.

Smith’s Land of Music offers listeners an imaginative escape from the everyday, a vibrant sonic retreat that balances experimentalism with a deep sense of relaxation. Visually, it's paired perfectly with the striking album art courtesy of Brazil-based artists Uinverso, comprised of sisters Nadiuska and Priscila Furtado. Whether you’re tuning in on a quiet evening or drifting through a sun-soaked day, this album promises to be the perfect soundtrack for living the good life.

Saxophonist Walter Smith III pays homage to his hometown of Houston, Texas on his sophomore Blue Note album, three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, the follow-up to 2023’s return to casual. The album’s wry title signifies the lineup, which includes fellow Houston natives – pianist Jason Moran and drummer Eric Harland – while bassist Reuben Rogers, who hails from the Virgin Islands, rounds out the quartet. Together they enliven 10 compelling Smith originals and an imaginative rendering of a Sam Rivers composition – all of which speaks to Smith’s ascending status as one of modern jazz’s most engaging talents of his generation.

10 years on from it's original release, we're very excited to make Reuben's third and final album available on vinyl for the first time ever.

The album was the first to be released on Reuben's self-run label, Hideous Records. On 29 March 2007.

Jamie Lenman noted that fans can expect "Long songs. Nice artwork and More funny long titles". In comparing INWT to its predecessor Very Fast Very Dangerous, the band expressed a clear preference for the new album, suggesting that it "feels more natural and raw sounding", with "more depth" compared to the "straightforward" sound of the 2005 album.

The album also features special guest vocals from Frank Turner, Hannah Clark and Paul Townsend (Hundred Reasons).

In the summer of 2000, school friends Mark Lawton, Jon Pearce and Jamie Lenman won a battle-of-the-bands competition and used the prize money to record the five tracks that would become their first professional release, entitled Pilot. Then called Angel, before the EP was released on local label Badmusic they changed their name to Reuben and were over the moon when the record received notices in Kerrang and even a spin from Steve Lamacq on Radio One. “We were just a school band, but we definitely had grand plans,” says Lenman, now a successful solo artist in his own right. “We changed our name because we knew we’d have to do it at some point, and we didn’t want the EP to get forgotten.” Despite selling out several modest runs on CD, Pilot was never issued on vinyl, and so to celebrate the 21st anniversary of its release, the five original tracks have been re-mastered and pressed onto wax. But more than this – after a chance discovery of five extra tracks on a DAT tape in a loft, Pilot has been bumped up to album status with the inclusion of a second side. “I always thought we’d only recorded those five tracks before Mark left – I’d completely forgotten about the recordings from the end of the same year,” says Lenman. “They were just demos of new material, they were never meant to be packaged together with the tracks from Pilot – in fact, you can already hear how the sound was starting to change in just six months. But they do make a nice set, and I guess if that original line up of the band had made a full album before Racecar, this is maybe what it might have sounded like.” The album inlay itself boasts a hoard of unseen photos from both recording sessions, unearthed after two decades, as well as the original EP inlay and the unused cover art credited to Angel instead of Reuben – hence Pilot Angel.

Rot-schwarz und orange-schwarzes marbled Vinyl. "Black Screen Records freut sich den rifflastigen Metal-Soundtrack zu Awe Interactives Rhythmus-Shooter BPM: Bullets Per Minute auf Vinyl zu veröffentlichen. Der von Joe Collinsons und Sam Houghtons im Home-Studio komponierte Soundtrack erscheint auf limitiertem marmoriertem Vinyl und kommt in einem Gatefold Sleeve mit Key Art von Jacob Briggs und enthält den Bonus Track "Yggdrasil's Roots" von Reuben Hawthorn."Als wir den Soundtrack während der Pandemie Zuhause remote komponierten, hätten wir nicht damit gerechnet, dass er so ein breites Publikum erreichen würde. Es freut uns sehr, dass so viele Leute unsere - offen gesagt ziemlich alberne - Musik genießen. Wir sind stolz auf die Zusammenarbeit mit Black Screen Records und freuen uns auf das Ergebnis, das in unseren Augen die einzig wahre Art ist, den Soundtrack zu BPM: Bullets Per Minute zu hören. Das BSR-Team hat während unserer Zusammenarbeit dafür gesorgt, dass sowohl Mastering, Artwork und Verpackung exzellent sind. Wir wünschen euch viel Spaß bei eurer Reise zurück nach Asgard, jetzt geschnitten auf 33RPM!"- Joe Collinson & Sam Houghton"

Fast-emerging British singer, songwriter and pianist Reuben James’ virtuoso jazz techniques and soulful, evocative voice have led him to be widely regarded as one of the most exciting and creatively assured artists to have emerged in recent years.

He has written for and performed with an array of international star acts including the likes of Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, Disclosure etc.

Reuben’s Sophmore EP ‘Slow Down’ landed to critical acclaim in 2020 we also have in stock (last few copies) in addition to his debut EP from 2019 ‘Adore’ which first brought us to his attention.

Reuben released his single ‘BBQ Energy’ in late 2020 followed by the star-studded ‘Tunnel Vision’ featuring Frida Touray, Daley with Tom Misch in early 2021.

Here we have his most recent and arguably most popular singles available for the first time on Vinyl as a Limited Edition release.

Reuben's Daughters is not a band, it's a name for all of the musical works by Reuben Myles Tyghe, a pure product of Bath's musical scene. Reuben performs solo, write and record albums featuring a wide pool of guests, collaborate with other artists, has a six piece live band... it's all Reuben's Daughters. The daughters part of the name allows all of his musical endeavours to have a fluidity... And the album is full of this light and smotth fluidity that gets directly to the listener's hear without fighting it. Or, in the words of Keely Stoltz: "“Playful and adventurous pop where solid grooves undulate underneath technicolor island slide guitars. Who knew some of the sunniest new music in the world could be crafted in the southwest of England?”

• This slice of Louisiana deep Southern soul has taken on a life of its own since Dave Godin included it on his first “Deep Soul Treasures” CD, and the single has shot up to well over three figures in value.

• In 2021 the song is the subject of a cover version by the-name-to-drop Lady Blackbird and we felt it was about time that it was reissued in its original format.

On his second Blue Note album Love Bug, organist Reuben Wilson fronted an exceptional quintet with Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Grant Green on guitar, and Leo Morris (aka Idris Muhammad) on drums. The 1969 soul jazz date presented funky Wilson originals like “Hot Rod,” Back Out,” and the title track alongside R&B hits of the day like “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” and “Hold On, I’m Comin’” . This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal

On his second Blue Note album Love Bug, organist Reuben Wilson fronted an exceptional quintet with Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Grant Green on guitar, and Leo Morris (aka Idris Muhammad) on drums. The 1969 soul jazz date presented funky Wilson originals like “Hot Rod,” Back Out,” and the title track alongside R&B hits of the day like “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” and “Hold On, I’m Comin’” . This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal

Having further honed his craft, Reuben Vaun Smith returns to
Soundway Records with a sonic odyssey through lo-fi Balearic
and Afro-Caribbean influenced synth.
Heralded as one of the best summer releases of 2020 (Beat
Caffeine), ‘Warm Nights’ introduced his unique blend
of synth-based balearic grooves, mid-tempo lo-fi beats,
and sun-drenched sonic landscapes. A lush debut and an
inspiring story of resilience from the former football promise
that turned to music production serendipitously after an injury
halted his career.
Smith’s second album continues his exploration into
improvised live instruments and programming, while
venturing into new territories of music-making and genres
including soca, benga and trip hop. Also sliding into the mix
are organic sounds and riffs reminiscent of 2000s Villalobos
sunrise scorchers such as ‘Waiworinao’, keeping the Balearic
thread firmly present throughout the album.
Having learned to sail along the southern coast of Spain in
the last year, Smith spent a winter locked down in Yorkshire,
channeling summer memories into his music and drawing
influences from his own record collection which he would
play everyday in the studio. With a few local friends and his
brother to jam with, the result is dreamy and lo-fi, with more
guitar-led melodies, distant vocals and lush pads.
Smith’s debut album from 2020, ‘Warm Nights’, received an
array of rave reviews and support from DJs including Tom
Ravenscroft, Antal and Bill Brewster. One year later, with
‘Sounds From The Workshop’ Reuben Vaun Smith delivers
a matured, varied sound and a glimpse into his incredible
future potential.

long content, you may need to expand row to see all... Begin Here features fan favorites “She’s Not There, “Summertime,” and “The Way I Feel Inside,” plus three US bonus tracks including “Tell Her No.”

This definitive new edition combines all 17 tracks from the UK and US versions of The Zombies’ 1965 debut album, remastered in its original mono mix. Begin Here (Mono Remastered) is the next chapter in the series of Zombies reissues via the band’s own label Beechwood Park Records, with the same team as Odessey and Oracle - again being overseen by Matthew and Jamie White, mastering by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering, and brand-new liner notes by the legendary David Fricke. The album will be housed in a single pocket jacket with poly-lined sleeves and an insert.

Produzent, Multiinstrumentalist und Lazy Robot-Labelbetreiber Tom Funk veröffentlicht sein funkiges und souliges Debütalbum - mit 10 Tracks von P-Funk und Neo-Soul bis zu Einflüssen von Marvin Gaye, James Brown und Lonnie Liston Smith. Mit gefeierten Gästen, darunter die britische Soul-Legende Omar Lye-Fook, David Mrakpor (Blue Lab Beats), Keyboard-Virtuose Matt Cooper, der Londoner Sänger Andre Espeut und die langjährigen Lazy-Robot-Partner Valentina Russo und Brae Leni aus Arkansas.

Kritikerstimmen:
- "Ein absolut großartiges Album." – Colin Curtis
- "Unglaublich!" – Reuben James, Jazz FM
- "Was für ein wunderschönes Stück Musik!" - Nick Hosier, Stomp Radio

Elations Recordings presents "Terra Ignota", the long-awaited new full length album from elusive Melbourne-based fusion ensemble Krakatau. "Terra Ignota" marks a return and an epochal shift for the group, a deep exploration of possible sonic spaces and a portent of things to come.

In the years since 2016's cosmic jazz funk-prog-spiritual 12" "Tharsis Montes/Apogean Tide" Krakatau have worked on refining their craft as instrumentalists and writers, expanding further into the world of jazz and fusing influences from world folk musics, contemporary jazz and the European post-minimalist music of the 1980s and early 90s. "Terra Ignota", literally translated as "Unknown Land", takes its name from the cartographer's notation for uncharted territory, the blank spaces on maps where knowledge gives way to imagination and speculation, gesturing towards the group's studio explorations and search for new sonic worlds in the years spent developing the record.

The results are a diverse yet unified combination of sounds and influences across five tracks that see Krakatau drawing closer to the independent underground "world" jazz scene of the 1980s than anything contemporary. The album opens with the digi-minimalism and fourth world atmospherics of title track "Terra ignota", a percussion heavy latin fusion sound in "Birds of Passage", and melancholic ambient saxophone and synthesiser duo "In Memory". Three-part epic "Cosmetic Surgery" journeys through a long, complex post-minimalist arrangement into latin fusion and contemporary jazz, followed by the contemplative ECM-styled acoustic quartet closer "Trial in Absentia".

The album features significant contributions from saxophonist Rob Vincs, former Victorian College of the Arts head of Jazz and Improvisation and a collaborator with Australian musician Brian Brown; layered percussion and wordless vocals from Brazilian percussionist and esteemed songwriter Alcides Neto; and a guest performance from trumpet player Reuben Lewis on the title track.

"Next up in Mr Bongo's Groove Merchant Records reissue series, we present the only solo album saxophonist Ramon Morris recorded as a bandleader. Having cut his teeth playing with the iconic band Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and working with other jazz greats, including Reuben Wilson, Shirley Scott, Rashied Ali Quintet, and Woody Shaw, 1973 saw Ramon take the step into solo territory. The resulting album Sweet Sister Funk became a certified classic and a landmark showcase of the cherished ‘70s jazz-funk sound, later sampled by the likes of DJ Premier, The Alchemist and DJ Shadow.

Originally released on Sonny Lester's iconic Groove Merchant record label and produced by Lester himself, Sweet Sister Funk is a jazz-funk masterclass. It features a slick line-up including Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Mickey Roker on drums, and Albert Dailey on electric piano. Rich and beautiful, the seven songs ebb and flow in energy, fusing jazz funk and soul jazz with style and swagger. There are bags of groove with Ramon and Cecil trading off on sax and trumpet in an effortless conversation throughout the LP, supplemented by brilliant solos from the rest of the players.

A gold mine of sampling material, the album includes a sublime cover version of The Stylistics' much-loved 'People Make The World Go Round', which was sampled by DJ Shadow on Blackalicious's 'Swan Lake' in 1994. Elsewhere, the percussion and bass intro of the opening track 'First Come, First Serve' is a sampler's delight - a deep, heavy groove with a fine saxophone workout by Ramon. Head to 'Don't Ask Me' and you’ll find the swinging horn intro that formed the basis of 'You Came Up' by Big Pun featuring Noreaga from 1998, whilst 'Wijinia' has echoes of ‘70s indie jazz by labels such as Strata East & Black Jazz.

Here at Mr Bongo, we are proud to be delving into the vaults of Groove Merchant Records once again, reissuing this iconic LP from Ramon Morris."

Leng Records proudly presents Everything You’re About to Hear Is True: Volume 1, a compilation carefully curated by Rotation Soundsystem. Brought together by Rotation founders Dean Meredith and Ben Shenton, alongside the Wrekin Havoc trio of Rob J, Stuart Robinson, and Rich Hall, this debut volume captures the collective’s shared vision – shaped by decades of crate-digging.

Founded in 2013, Rotation has grown from a modest gathering in Staffordshire into a thriving community of like-minded music lovers, attracting heads and partygoers from across the UK – and well beyond. What began as an intimate affair has evolved into a full-scale, three-day celebration, now held in a grand yurt and powered by a bespoke six-way sound system. The rig features four Klipschorns, two JBLs with twin 18” and 15” sub reinforcements, compression horns, and an Isonoe 420 mixer.

Meredith explains: “With the help of my brother, Martin, I’m constantly looking at ways to improve the setup. I love the way Larry Levan did that at The Paradise Garage. We have a few things that are custom-made. I want our system to be unique to us.”

According to regular attendee, DJ and writer Steve KIW: “In the right hands, the sound system at Rotation – very much Dean’s labour of love – is untouchable. The comparisons with Mancuso’s Loft come easily because they are deserved. There isn’t a bad spot in the yurt. Wherever you are, it sounds incredible.”

As the dancing continues through the weekend, the DJ line-up has grown to match the occasion. Guests and headliners have included a roll call of legendary selectors: Bill Brewster, Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, Phil Mison, Nick The Record, Ruf Dug, Mark Seven, and The Idjut Boys — the latter playing a marathon 10-hour set in 2024. The parties have also featured live performances from Emperor Machine, Quinn Lamont Luke, Reuben Vaun Smith, and Orbs of Light.

Presented on gatefold double vinyl, this lovingly assembled collection is the result of decades spent digging through dusty crates, reflecting the selectors’ deep-rooted passion for uncovering rare gems and overlooked treasures. Decidedly European in spirit, the album brings together 14 rarities with standout selections from Belgium, Sweden, Italy, Germany, and France. The vast majority of tracks are true obscurities, and nearly every one is a mid-tempo bumper.

“This has been a long time coming – something we’ve always dreamed of doing. We’re incredibly thankful to Leng Records, who understand our vision and what we’re trying to build. This compilation pulls together some of our favourite tracks from over the years. It’s not just a playlist – it’s a journey, a window into the sound of Rotation,” says Meredith.

SY Rockers is the new project from Ryan Aitchison aka Mella Dee and KALLIDA Festival bossman Reuben G. Their story goes all the way back to 2009, when Reuben invited Ryan to be a resident for his party LSS at Hi-Fi Club in Leeds.

The pair went on to bond over their shared love of bass-led music in the UK underground, a sound that was especially important to their native South Yorkshire. Fourteen years on, Ryan and Reuben revisit those early inspirations as SY Rockers. Their debut EP is a slickly produced expression of bleep, UK techno, bassline and dub, redrawing lines between the sound legacies of cities like Sheffield, Bradford and Leeds across three tracks.

True to those roots, the result is a hypnotic blend of raw drums and subsonic impact. ‘Windy Dub’ introduces the record with a hazy, heads-down bass, occasionally shivering into a cavernous space echo before it locks back into a haunting synth hook. ‘Modem’ does what it says on the tin: gameboy tones bounce around a warm sub, calling back the ‘less is more’ aesthetic of the original bleep era. Finally, ‘Rhythm Resonate’ zooms in on where it all started—the drum machine. 909s, lasers and a touch of perc combine to create the ultimate techno tool.

Over the past few years, we have strengthened our ties with photographers to showcase music we stand for.

Art Curation is deeply rooted in Délicieuse’s DNA. It all started with our Youtube channel where we have been showcasing the music we love for 10 years now. Parallel to music curation, our curiosity and appeal for aesthetic imagery brought us to enhance the music with photographs, illustrations or cinematic scenes. As a result, our Youtube channel has been the laboratory of our collaborations with photographers from all horizons such as Yosigo, Victor Costa or George Natsioulis.

Following that path, the Chambre Noire Compilation tends to expand the synergy between music & imagery. The idea is to highlight a photographer’s work & make the compilation a gallery in itself. For this first episode we are collaborating with Yosigo, a well established photographer from Barcelona. The art direction and graphic design side is imagined in collaboration with Brazilian art director Hermes Miranda.

The compilation contains 12 exclusive tracks released digitally and physically across a double vinyl edition. The physical edition includes an A6 photo booklet aiming to highlight Yosigo’s work while exploring the compilation concept.

Musically speaking the compilation follows Délicieuse’s travels and features a blend of established & emerging artists from all over the globe featuring the likes of Tell, Domenique Dumont, Fertita, Logh, BowAsWell, Pool Boy, Scissorwork, Jesper Ryom, Marvin Horsch, Jah One, Brothers of Eternal Love, and Golf Trip oscillating between Balearic, Deep House, Electronica, Electro & Indie Pop.

Get ready for an immersive and captivating musical experience with Chambre Noire.

Running Back welcomes Firas Waez and his studio character 9th House for a flock of heartfelt and intuitive house tracks. Centered around uplifting chords and joyous melodies, upbeat drums and shuffling hi-hats, it feels like being in a circle dance, watching flowers turning into fruits or caterpillars into butterflies.

Made with the tools of today, but with a burdening love for the ancient magic and positivity of this music. The results being highly contagious. Whether its any of the 9th House’s solo works like Reuben or the collaboration with Matrefakt, it’s impossible to hold still. But as no one can live off love alone, there is also an odd one out. The eponym Midas swaps vintage techniques and the love potion of its counterparts for sharp and exact peak-time magic that makes endorphins rush and cheeks blush. Whichever you finally pick of the five tracks, any of them are an amulet against bad times. A Midas’ touch indeed! Happy house painting artwork courtesy of Luciano Calderon via ruttkoswki;68.

SKA was the name given to the music that came out of Jamaica between 1961-1966. Based on the American R&B and Doo-wop records that the Sound Systems in Kingston Town used to play. However, the American records style started to mellow out, while the Jamaicans preferred a more upbeat sound. So the Sound System bosses became record producers to cater for this demand. Sir “Coxonne” Dodd and Duke Reid led the way putting the top musicians on the Island in the studio to make music unmistakably Jamaican. A lot of their early recordings were cut at Federal Records before they built their own studios.

Federal Records was the first domestic Jamaican studio, based at 220 Foreshore Road, Hagley Park, Kingston. It opened it’s doors in 1961 owned by Ken Khouri who first licensed American records to the island of Jamaica, before cutting his own tunes, which were some of the first Jamaican RnB and Ska singles. Ken Khouri initial studio was Records Limited but very basic so with the help of engineer Graeme Goodall built the new studio complex at 220 Foreshore Road which also contained a pressing plant and disc cutting room. The studio was not only the forerunner for Ska music but the music that followed and in 1981 Ken Khouri sold the complex now on the renamed road Marcus Garvey Drive to Bob Marley who renamed the premises Tuff Gong Studios whose legacy carries on today.

We have compiled some of the best SKA SOUNDS that came out of the Federal Vaults, with some of the best artists, musicians from the time. The great Lord Tanomo, Don Drummond, Rico Rodriguez, Roland Alphonso, alongside some lesser known artist. However, one thing is for sure, the quality never drops on this fine collection of Ska Hot Tunes……

Destruction marks something of a new direction for Reuben Sawyer as he fuses clear, direct vocals with ambient textures. This latest album from the musician and visual artist meditates on destruction and rebirth while reflecting on the tension between enduring natural forces and fleeting human constructs. It opens with themes of nature's resilience and humanity's relentless desire for novelty, then gradually explores the collapse of civilisation and is inspired by Bill Fay's Who Is the Sender. It serves as a mystical, non-Christian take on transcendence across a trio of escapist ambient gems.

Milky Clear Vinyl. Helen Marnie, Mira Aroyo, Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu - formed in 1999 and sparked an entire movement in music pop culture powered by vintage synths and electro-rock engines. Originally released in 2001 by Emperor Norton Records in the US and Invicta Hi-Fi in the UK, ''604'' is the debut album from the Liverpool formed electronic outfit Ladytron. Named after the area code for British Columbia, the album features break-out tracks 'He Took Her to a Movie' (inspired by Kraftwerk's very own 'The Model'), 'Playgirl' and 'Discotraxx'.

LADYTRON--Helen Marnie, Mira Aroyo, Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu--formed in 1999 and sparked an entire movement in music pop culture powered by vintage synths and electro-rock engines. Originally released in 2002 by Emperor Norton Records and re-released by Nettwerk in 2011, Liverpool electropoppers Ladytron’s second studio album Light & Magic was written and co-produced in Los Angeles by the band & Mickey Petralia and featured the underground hits “Seventeen”, “Blue Jeans” and “Evil.”

Soul4Real returns to the south with a selection of eleven songs from Malaco, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and Alarm Records.
There is no doubt that in the 1970s and 1980s, Malaco in Mississippi and Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama were both highly significant in defining the southern soul sound. Malaco’s Studio had opened in 1967, while Muscle Shoals Sound Studio opened its doors for business in 1969, when four musicians left nearby Fame Studios to go it alone. Alarm Records, meanwhile, based in Shreveport, Louisiana, provides us with four of the tracks on this album.
Independent producers and major record companies sent their artists south to record, taking advantage of both Malaco and Muscle Shoals Sound’s talented array of musicians, writers and producers. Muscle Shoals Sound, in particular, started to receive artists from Atlantic Records from the get-go; R.B. Greaves, Baby Washington, Sam & Dave and Solomon Burke led the way, along with Scotland’s Lulu. The first relesase on their own record label was the timeless “It Hurts So Good” by Katie Love. Meanwhile, Stax (amongst others) sent some of their artists to record at both studios, and Malaco would also lease some of its own productions out to Atlantic. Alarm Records was a smaller set-up which also produced some wonderful records.
This album opens with the only female singer featured – Dorothy Moore. Her exquisite “Girl Overboard” has been justifiably popular on the soul scene for decades. The other ten tracks showcase an array of fine male singers, most of whom (Bobby Bland and King Floyd aside), sadly and perhaps unjustly, never really made the big time. It is the first showing on vinyl for three of the tracks here (previously having only been issued on CD), and Jimmy Jules’ reading of “Having A Little Talk With Love” has never appeared anywhere before. As always, sit back and savour the music!

Following his collaboration with 9th Wonder on "The Don & Eye" earlier this year, Bronx lyricist The Musalini teams up with another Jamla representative, this time joining forces with Khrysis on brand new full-length "Pure IZM". Luxurious lifestyle bars delivered on Khrysis top tier productions, featuring guest appearances by Planet Asia, Ian Kelly, Reuben Wright, King Draft, Izzy Hott, O Finess and Ice Lord, and killer artwork by Huey P.

Ten years after the first chapter, Smoke DZA is back with the 2nd instalment of "The Hustler's Catalog". The Bronx native teams up with heavyweights such as Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Dave Easy, Curren$y, Dom Kennedy and his RFC team with Nym Lo, Jayy Grams and OT The Real among others.

‘Lead You To Water’ marks a new chapter for Quinn Oulton, built around the foundations of 90s and 2000s RnB, whilst carving room for his unconventional production techniques and distinctive songwriting voice. Sitting somewhere in between Sampha, Mk.gee and Nick Hakim, a central thread to his approach on the project is simplicity – rather than relying overtly on production elements to embellish the sound of the songs, Quinn instead sought to create spacious pieces that stand on their own, stripping the core of his creativity down to voice and acoustic guitar.

Over the past year, the prolific multi-instrumentalist and songwriter has been refining his sound and production style. Collaborating with artists including Linden Jay, Reuben James and Col3trane, and relocating from his London base to LA and Berlin, he’s been on a creative drive, pushing his forward-thinking RnB to new places and amassing millions of streams in the process.

The South London-born and bred multi-instrumentalist, vocalist & producer has always been a musical explorer. With a foundation deeply rooted in jazz, he possesses a profound understanding of complex musical concepts which he translates seamlessly into the more mainstream genres of contemporary RnB and alt-pop. With Quinn’s music, you can expect to hear beautifully constructed, classic-sounding tracks with hidden layers for appreciators of depth and detail.


a A1 - When You're Near [ft. Rich]

Nach ihrem angstgetriebenen, selbstbetitelten Debüt von 2018 und der geradezu eskapistischen Welt des zweiten Albums "On All Fours" (2021) tritt das Trio aus dem Süden Londons, bestehend aus Rosy Jones, Lottie Pendlebury und Holly Mullineaux, im Jahr 2024 in eine neue Ära ein. Gemeinsam mit Co-Produzent John "Spud" Murphy (black midi "Cavalcade", Lankum "False Lankum") ist Goat Girls Ansatz auf "Below the Waste" selbstbewusst und reif, während sie ihren Sinn für spielerische Neugier bewahren. Spuds Wissen, sein Enthusiasmus und seine Geduld haben Goat Girls ambitionierte Ziele im Studio zum Leben erweckt und einen unverwechselbaren Sound erzeugt. Die einzigartige Kombination von Stilen und unorthodoxen Aufnahmemethoden, die mühelos zwischen ausladendem Noise-Rock, delikaten Folk-Experimenten und befriedigendem Synth-Pop hin- und herpendelt, sind der Beweis. Wie eine Collage wurde die Instrumentierung größtenteils während eines 10-tägigen Aufenthalts in Irland in den Hellfire Studios aufgenommen, die im Schatten des berüchtigten Hellfire Clubs liegen. Zusätzliche Streicher (Reuben Kyriakides und Nic Pendlebury), Holzblasinstrumente (Alex McKenzie) und Gesang (einschließlich eines Chors aus Familie und Freunden) wurden den Tracks an verschiedenen Orten hinzugefügt, von einer Scheune in Essex bis zu Goat Girls eigenem Studio in Südlondon. Dieser Luxus an Zeit gab der Band die Freiheit zu produzieren, zu schreiben und zu arrangieren, so dass die Songs ihr volles Potenzial entfalten konnten. Thematisch wird die Absurdität unserer zunehmend dystopischeren Umwelt durch den entwaffnenden Realismus von Lotties Texten entlarvt, die oft das Surreale und das schmerzlich Erfahrbare nebeneinanderstellen. Wenn man einen tieferen Blick in die Lyrics wirft, kommen die Dinge zum Vorschein, die man im Leben schätzen sollte - die Schönheit und Freude, nach der diese Platte strebt. Es besteht kein Zweifel daran, dass "Below the Waste" das bisher größte Album von Goat Girl ist und gleichzeitig ihr kraftvollstes und authentischstes Statement geworden ist.

One of the shining beacons of the UK post-metal scene, Bossk have steadily built up an unrepentantly loyal following since 2005. Before they reach the big 20, the band are taking this opportunity to take pause and reflect on their past and all the hard graft that has led them to become one of the most lauded bands in the genre. .4, the latest in a series of numbered releases that presents material outside the remit of Bossk’s full-length album output, is a celebration of those 20 years and provides an enticing aperitif for their 3rd album proper, to be released sometime in 2025. As is tradition with these numbered releases, .4 is not a Bossk album in the conventional sense, instead forging a more experimental path by presenting re-worked versions of some old favourites, as well as a smattering of re-recorded songs that only the most obsessed Bossk fan will be familiar with. One deciding factor that emboldened Bossk to celebrate their past is the amicable departure of vocalist Sam Marsh due to his permanent relocation to the United States. The band wanted to give Sam an epic recorded send-off and the colossal 13-minute Events Occur in Real Time provides a fitting farewell for the vocalist, who’s guttural razor-wire screams have provided tectonic shifting textures to the band since their inception in 2005. Acting as the centrepiece of .4, this is the first studio take of the song ever recorded, conceived as it was in 2008, just months before the band went on temporary hiatus.

Nachpressung in tief rotem Vinyl! Ein zentrales Album für die heutige Zeit: hell, frei, unnachgiebig, optimistisch. Brain Worms ist das bisher vollste und makelloseste Album von RVG. Auf "Brain Worms" wird deutlich, dass die Band in bester Form ist. Der Album-Opener 'Common Ground' gibt den Ton an für das, was kommen wird; ein glänzendes, mitreißendes, schlagkräftiges Album mit allen geliebten RVG-Merkmalen. Vagers Stimme ist ungefiltert und souverän wie immer, wenn sie ihre cleveren, nicht ganz ironischen Texte vorträgt. Hier fühlen sich diese Texte jedoch viel weniger resigniert und sehnsüchtig an, sondern viel mehr trotzig und fröhlich. Tambourine" ist der einzige Covid-Song, den Vager schrieb, als sie "versuchte, keine Covid-Songs zu schreiben", und es ist ein schmerzhaft ehrliches Porträt der Trauer inmitten der Isolation. Brain Worms" erzählt die nur allzu bekannte Geschichte eines Menschen, der in den Kaninchenbau des Internets fällt und Trost in Verschwörungen findet. Nothing Really Changes" ist ein Keyboarder-lastiges New-Wave-Ding, während das abschließende "Tropic of Cancer" mit Vagers selbstbewusstem neuen Manifest glänzt: Ich weiß, wie ich bin, und ich weiß, wie ich werde. Wenn du denkst, ich bin seltsam, hast du noch nichts gesehen. Bloxham, Nolte und Wallace erwecken Vagers Songwriting mit Bravour zum Leben. Aufgenommen in den Londoner Snap Studios mit James Trevascus (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, PJ Harvey), strotzen alle zehn Tracks vor üppigen Klängen, klaren Absichten und der Magie einer Akustikgitarre, die einst Kate Bush gehörte und die ihr von Tears for Fears geschenkt wurde (die, so die Legende, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" darauf geschrieben hat). Die vier Bandmitglieder - Leadsänger und Gitarrist Vager, Gitarrist Reuben Bloxham, Schlagzeuger Marc Nolte und Bassist Isabele Wallace - sind so selbstbewusst wie noch nie bei RVG. Sie haben ihre Einflüsse hinter sich gelassen, sich selbst vorangetrieben und neue Dinge ausprobiert. Und sie haben ein Album gemacht, das sie nach allem, was sie sagen, als ihr bestes bezeichnen können. Brain Worms" fühlt sich an wie die Antithese zu dem, was eine Post-Pandemic-Platte leicht sein könnte. Für eine Band, die bereits Musik über das Zurückgezogensein schrieb, "wir waren deprimiert und gingen auf unseren ersten beiden Alben nicht nach draußen", gab die erzwungene Isolation und die Zeit zum Nachdenken Vager Raum, über alles zu schreiben, was sie wollte. Und es stellte sich heraus, dass sie bereit war, über Akzeptanz zu schreiben. "Wenn wir nur ein weiteres Album machen könnten, wäre es dieses", sagt Vager. Rolling Stone: "Eine Visitenkarte für Außenseiter... dynamischer und vitaler Post-Punk" The Guardian: "Eine der vitalsten Bands der australischen Szene von heute.

Für Maria Raquel gibt es keine Angst, wenn es darum geht, ihrer Leidenschaft zu folgen. Ob sie nun von Kolumbien nach New York zieht, um ihrem Traum zu folgen, oder ob sie mit den Größen der lateinamerikanischen Musik auf der Bühne steht, Maria kennt keine Bedenken. Auf ihrem Debütalbum 'Mucha Mujer' taucht Maria kopfüber in die klassischen Klänge von Boleros und Cumbias ein und bringt ihre rauchige Altstimme inmitten eines 16-köpfigen Live-Orchesters aus Perkussion, Streichern, Bläsern, Bass und Gitarre zur Geltung. Das Album besteht ausschließlich aus Eigenkompositionen und wurde auf analogem Band aufgenommen. Es erinnert an klassische Aufnahmen von Künstlern wie Omara Portuondo, Celia Cruz und La Lupe, doch Maria Raquel haucht diesen klassischen Genres neues Leben ein - die eindringliche Sehnsucht der Boleros kontrastiert mit der pulsierenden Beharrlichkeit der Cumbia. Mit einigen der besten Latin-Musiker New Yorks wie Reuben Rodriguez (Tito Puente), Marcos Lopez (Marc Anthony) und Ivan Renta (Eddie Palmieri), arrangiert und produziert von Mike Eckroth (Orquesta Akokán) und Jacob Plasse (Los Hacheros), stellt Mucha Mujer der Welt ein fesselndes neues Talent vor.

Recorded over a four-week period in early 2022, Freedom Lapse is the debut solo release of Australian multi-instrumentalist and composer Adam Halliwell. A versatile improviser and lover of performance, Halliwell has been an active contributor to numerous musical communities in recent years. The release of Freedom Lapse marks an exciting stage in Halliwell’s journey as an artist with the culmination of several important musical facets that are now becoming foundational to his practice.

As Halliwell tells us, Freedom Lapse owes its genesis to an epiphanic moment experienced whilst traversing a mountainous passage in Mexico, a place where ‘the past present and future stretch out in one place’. Entranced by this environment, its colours, the villages and local life, Halliwell listened to music that inspires him (he cites Jon Hassell here). The result: ‘complete aural, visual and spiritual completeness’, a moment of discovery, he explains. Shortly after, the material that now comprises Freedom Lapse was recorded, distilling this powerful sensorial experience into a body of music that he has now invited the world to share with him.

Throughout these recordings restrained improvised phrases and melodic ideas feature, often appearing as long refrains that soar above idiosyncratic beds of fractured percussion and junkyard bass-work. This use of contrast, which is central to the work, allows Freedom Lapse to tap the lucidity-chaos juxtapositional-style that lies at the heart of all good music in the ‘fourth-world’ idiom. Halliwell’s sensitivity to dynamics, form and narrative is potent on these recordings, which allow his winding, free-improvisations the space to unfold and extend patiently. All instruments on Freedom Lapse were written and recorded by Haliwell, with additional trumpet on Cygon Dance supplied by regular-collaborator Reuben Lewis. Freedom Lapse was mixed and produced by Halliwell and Jim Rindfleish.

Dinner Party is the super-group of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, & Kamasi Washington, a collection of some of Hip-Hop’s finest current producers and contributors. With 14 GRAMMY Nominations between the group, Dinner Party utilizes the strengths of each musician seamlessly, blending their styles to create something soulful for these trying times. At just over 20 minutes, the album leaves the listener with just enough to satisfy them but yearn for more.