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Steve Von Till has charted an extraordinary musical path over the last several decades, from his main duties as singer and guitarist of the boundary-breaking Neurosis to the psychedelic music of his Harvestman project and the gothic Americana he's released under his own name. But No Wilderness Deep Enough is truly like nothing you've ever heard from him before—an album that's devastatingly beautiful and overwhelming in its scope, reminiscent of the tragic ecstasy of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' recent work as well as the borderless ambient music pioneered by Brian Eno, late composer Jóhann Jóhannsson's glacial compositions, and the electronic mutations of Coil. 

FOR FANS OF : MARK LANEGAN/MICHAEL GIRA/NICK CAVE.

Over the course of recent time, an aching, growing void has developed where our normal way of life has resided. Uncertainty abounds, and Steve Von Till's No Wilderness Deep Enough provides a voice of existential wisdom and experience to offer comfort and perspective in an era of uncharted territory. These six pieces of music shape a hallucinatory landscape of sound that plumbs the depths of the natural world's mysteries and uncertainties—questions that have vexed humanity since the dawn of time asked anew amidst a backdrop that's as haunting as it is holistic.

Von Till’s fifth solo album is a swirling and iridescent blend of ambient, neo-classical, and gothic Americana that swan-dives into the darkness of modern life, with the resulting emergence a sonic document of rural psychedelia that transcends the physical world—towards a greater spiritual acceptance that connects naturalism, spiritualism, and the corporeal form.

With a foundation of simple melancholy piano chord progressions embellished with mellotron, cello, french horn and electronic treatments Von Till's scorched ache spreads across the terrain of No Wilderness Deep Enough like a brushfire, adding a tactile level to his sonic creation as well as an inviting level of friction to the burning beauty painted across the album's framework.

With a foundation of simple melancholy piano chord progressions that came to fruition during jetlagged nights in his wife’s childhood home in Germany, No Wilderness Deep Enough was further embellished with mellotron and electronic treatments in Von Till’s home studio in North Idaho.  Viewing the emerging result as an ambient instrumental album, he consulted friend and engineer Randall Dunn (Marissa Nadler, Earth) about adding live cello and french horn and piano in a proper studio.  After enlisting Brent Arnold on cello and Aaron Korn on french horn, he challenged Von Till to sing over the music and make it his next solo album—which is exactly what happened, with final work being completed at Tucker Martine’s (the Decemberists, Neko Case) Flora Recording and Playback in Portland.

The Story Itself

On the 12th of April 1961, Yuri Gagarin was launched into orbit for the first and - so they tell us - the last time. Upon returning to Earth, Yuri became a global hero, travelling the world to tell of his adventure.

Secretly, he was plagued by strange hallucinations and a persistent glow around his vision; a cornucopia of colour in a constant corona. In 1964 - following a silent coup by Leonid Brezhnev - Yuri was banned from embarking on further manned missions into space. At first fearing madness, the cosmonaut came to see these apparitions as a signal, an invitation, a welcoming beacon from a distant lighthouse blinking across the cosmic void.

On the 27th of March 1968, aided by trusted friends within the space program, Yuri Gagarin swapped places with another cosmonaut on a secret test flight and was once more blasted into outer space. Knocked unconscious by the extreme velocity of his experimental craft, Yuri awoke a mere 15 minutes later in view not of the rapidly shrinking Earth, but an entirely alien vista; he was elsewhere...

About Tony Neptune

Tony Neptune is a multi-media persona created by the Leeds-based artist and producer Sam Jefferies who, inspired by the narrative and musical legacies of early Detroit techno culture, aims to tell a complete story for the senses through a combination of image, sound and text. Asa member of the DimensionsDJ Directory three years running, some know Jefferies for his notorious DJ sets—whether he’s playing new wave or booty bass; as Tony Neptune or Yuri; solo or alongside Mark ‘Turbo’ Turner in another peak time marathon b2b, it doesn’t take long for crowds to catch on to his deep knowledge of all things riddled with Hi-Tech Funk and Soul. But this isn’t the only storm he’s cooking up: in his visual work, Jefferies uses oil paint to unveil the surreal and celestial adventures of the original cosmonaut and space pioneer, Yuri Gagarin, capturing every aspect of their dream-like surroundings with an eye devoted to detail and depth. This painting lies at the heart of his debut EP, Reflections on a Daring

Exzellente Kollektion des in Kyoto geborenen und in Tokio lebenden, japanischen Digital-Künstler, Fotograf und Komponisten Osamu Sato mit exkusiven und bislang unveröffentlichten Ambient-Aufnahmen aus den Jahren 1993-2001. Osamu Sato began seine Karriere Anfang der 1980er mit ersten Tape-Releases und erlangte weltweite Beachtung durch die Produktion kultiger Videospiele wie "Eastern Mind" (Mac OS) und "LSD Dream Emulator" (Playstation), zu denen er auch die Soundtracks schrieb.

New York’s indie disco funk crew is back with a new album. And it’s the right moment: With new acts like Toro Y Moi, Sault, Parcels, The Internet around… the funky, disco, old school vibe is big in 2020. And The Phenomenal Handclap Band fits perfectly. Probably all these new artists are fans of the Phenomenals. Because The PHB popped up for the first time 10 years ago. Some top knotch musicians from NYC’s funk scene playing dirty discofunk. Some of the bandmembers played in Mark Ronson’s projects and in Amy Winehouse’s backing band. Head of the band: Daniel Collás. Their self-titled debut album on Gomma records 2010 made them many fans in the music scene. A nasty fusion of forward-thinking disco, psychedelic prog rock, and classic soul with a splash of yacht rock. Back then the band took the road, supporting Bryan Ferry and Franz Ferdinand, playing shows at Glastonbury, Wireless, and Latitude… as well as getting praise from Sir Paul McCartney about their album! After the album Collás began to produce other artists in Brooklyn. The band paused. Now they are back. With Daniel Collás in the centre, along with new members multi-instrumentalist Juliet Swango, and vocalist and synthesizer wizard Monika Heidemann. Their sound is still essentially analog dance music, with an emphasis on raw soul, vocal harmonies, African percussion, fuzzy guitars and analog synthesizers.

Limited edition vinyl imprint Absence Seizure established in 2015, focusing on late-night grooves and bass. Matuss’ 13th release on the label Seizure No.13 EP comes at full-force with its melodic deep house ready for the dance floor or the afters.

The first track on the EP is ‘Continuum’, combining an ambient sensibility with deep house energy, an epic slow-burner which morphs into something quite spectacular as the groove moves on. Next, we have the hypnotic ‘Mer De Soleil’, carried along a melodic bass and a snipped vocal pattern which carry a weightless feel ready for dancing.

The addictive and emotive ‘Solicitors Are Welcome’ employs twinkly synths with a house beat, and features a dreamy vocal from Sophie Buskin. A real end-of-the-night track, its given a re-working from Silent Surrender, sending percussion rushes and an expert manipulation of the vocal work to form an intoxicating listen.

Matuss has shown once again her expert crafting of deep, dance floor rhythms with Seizure No.13.

Ever since dropping her critically-acclaimed debut LP Online Dating through Central Processing Unit back in 2017, Tryphème (Tiphaine Belin) has marked herself out as one of the more unique voices in contemporary electronica. We mean that literally - Belin's productions are characterised by frequent use of vocals, either processed to provide atmosphere or deployed high in the mix as passages of singing/spoken word. When these are wedded to her typically deft electronic productions the results are lush, atmospheric and moving.

Two years on from Online Dating and Tryphème has returned to CPU with the six-track Aluminia EP. While Online Dating leaned into a range of rave styles, Aluminia is more painterly, with Belin putting greater emphasis on timbre and texture. 'Lava', 'Fey' and 'Cry Silent Cry' are some of the most innovative tracks Belin has produced to date.

While another producer would allow listeners to luxuriate in such warm synth tones, Belin doesn't let you get comfortable, constantly surprising you with innovative structural choices or unexpected sounds. The way in which 'Lava' is agitated by chattering voices and processed singing recalls both the uncanniness of Holly Herndon and the maximalism of A. G. Cook, while the synth line that snakes through 'Cry Silent Cry' nods to Lorenzo Senni's recent trance deconstructions. Beats and bass take precedence in Aluminia's midsection.

This is the portion of the record which most closely recalls Online Dating - 'Eedyu' and 'X-Ray Mantra' are more settled than the other cuts on Aluminia, and it's here that the 90s electronica influences that so often inform CPU's output are most keenly felt. Those who enjoyed Bochum Welt's recent Seafire full-length - itself another CPU drop - will be able to get behind these tunes.

The two sides of Aluminia are combined in penultimate number 'In A Cyber Spiral'. The track's eerie beginning, with its ghostly vocals and nagging drums, is reminiscent of Hype Williams. Soon things morph into a leftfield digi-dub replete with speaker-crushing sub. Halfway through Belin wrong-foots us again, cleverly flipping the drums from half-time to a kind of fluttering breakbeat. It's the most diverse and unique production in a record full of them, drawing on everything from IDM to Eskibeat, and a track which furthers Tryphème's status as an exciting new artist on the European electronics scene.

Klein's offbeat singular vision continues to defy classification. Her acclaimed, self-released records – Lagata, Only and CC – along with Tommy for Hyperdub and her theatre musical Care, have allowed glimpses into Klein's uniquely spirally perspective on vocal abstraction, disarming experimentalism and pop culture wonderment. Yet these chapters have also served as masks to conceal the artist's own personal crises of self-belief, misrepresentation and belonging.

An 18-month writing process led to her new album Lifetime. It's an unexpectedly literal body of work which Klein compares to "giving someone your diary." Lifetime embraces the inevitable cycles of existence, phasing through moments of brutality, vulnerability, estrangement and unexpected fortitude. Lifetime embraces the inevitable cycles of existence, phasing through moments of brutality, vulnerability, estrangement and unexpected fortitude. Every sound in Lifetime is intentional, every influence—from 'King of Gospel Music' composer James Cleveland, to early 18th century tonalities in the b side, the work of 'race film' pioneer Spencer Williams, the residue of the religious experience is deeply personal. The 12 songs of the album are pieced together like a puzzle; seamless transitions connect each of its compositions in a reverse chronology, while every chord from every song is echoed someplace else.

What's been hinted at in Klein's live performances is now realised in full for Lifetime. Less vocal work allows her to be even more expressive, and in eschewing a tendency towards brief, truncated sketches, each song serves as its own long conversational piece, committed to realities of a lived experience. The artist who once grappled with self-doubt has set about breaking the cycle of insecurity for others like her, while mindfully chipping away at the conventions of classical music.

Like its artwork, Lifetime addresses intersecting life cycles: the inner and outer selves, hypermodernity versus history, living nightmares and dream states, while seeking the light and darkness in both. Part 1 opens with unmistakable Klein flourishes on the title track. Gusty pads, anxious, frayed-edge static arcs, and craters of deep negative space, all of which melt down to the clean slate of "Claim It," which is a tribute to embracing one's own blessings. "Listen And See As They Take" and "Silent" form their own microcosm, as the sound of crackling kindling burns backwards into imposing structures of distorted strings and disembodied marching drums, before returning to heat and ash again. "For What Worth", in collaboration with sound artist and saxophonist Matana Roberts, explores the kinship between two artists whose shared exploration of lineage leads them both toward uncharacteristically sweet clarity.

Part 2 is further steeped in black expressive styles of the past. "Enough is enough" links the Lifetime narrative to the broader diasporic black experience, inhabiting every chamber of a harmonica with ghostly notes of the present and past, as fragmented gospel chords reflect spiritual bonds between self and the divine. "We Are Almost There" begins the journey with nothing but the looped structures of multitude of voices. The drums and dischord of "Never Will I Disobey" wordlessly create the conditions for "Honour," a near 10-minute composition where crossed boundaries and crossed wires are exposed in real time, and sharp expressions of hurtfulness, accountability and corrupted expectations are rendered beautiful in representational form, via sustained synth tones which hum, jab and flit in natural disharmony. The interlude "Camelot Is Coming" draws on the choir tradition to prelude the spoken word recounts the cycles of trauma and death that form "99." Lifetime closes with the dystopian swirl of "Protect My Blood" a composition which details an excruciating rift, before blooming into serenity as it draws to a close.

Klein's Lifetime is laid bare, from the end to the beginning, and cycled over again. From her place within her family, to their place within her, to viewing the fragility of culture through the lens of memory. It's a lifetime, an embodiment of young livelihood, and an end as much it is a beginning.

Death & Leisure is proud to announce the sophomore album from the very special Autumns.
6 tracks of raw sneering electronics. Coming out in spring.
Autumns is the solo project of Christian Donaghey, From Derry, Ireland, an outlet for electronic post-punk with a lethal pulse. After a brace of rough demos without preliminary hype, the project emerged fully formed on Karl O’Connor’s (aka Regis) illustrious label Downwards back in 2014, the youngest act in a new vanguard of artists that included the likes of Tropic of Cancer, DVA DAMAS and The Kvb.

– Extended Autumns biography here-

Autumns is the solo project of Christian Donaghey, From Derry, Ireland, an outlet for electronic post-punk with a lethal pulse. After a brace of rough demos without preliminary hype, the project emerged fully formed on Karl O’Connor’s (aka Regis) illustrious label Downwards back in 2014, the youngest act in a new vanguard of artists that included the likes of Tropic of Cancer, DVA DAMAS and The Kvb.

Preceding releases for Clan Destine Records, iDEAL Recordings and DKA Records have seen the project engaged in a rough trade of transgressive noise, dysfunctional metal dance and DIY punk angst, yet each of these milestones has represented a different proposition. 2016’s ‘A Product of 30 Years of Violence’ saw the project moving into vast glacial spaces after propulsive post-punk discord of 2015’s ‘Das Nichts’. 2017 presented a further progression into Autumns’ journey from his post-punk beginnings to producing some of the tautest and no bullshite electronic music around with the release of his debut album ‘Suffocating Brothers’ on Clan Destine Records. Gaining radio play from selectors like Trevor Jackson, Regis, Debonair and Giant Swan.

Alongside progressive appearances on cult labels the project has developed a notorious high-intensity live show, having played and toured with artists such as Silent Servant, Veronica Vasicka and Wire, performing to audiences from Los Angeles to Beirut, and Moscow to Berlin. Autumns’ has also ventured outside the typical music world by taking up projects such as performing alongside Samuel Kerridge at the 2016 edition of Paris Fashion Week for Downwards, creating a sound installation at Void Gallery, and improvising a desolate live score to David Lynch’s ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me’. Earning Autumns a fierce reputation not only as a live act, but as a multi-disciplinary artist.

Following contributions to labels such as Amok Tapes, Touch Sensitive, Veyl (Maenad Veyl) and Earwiggle (Sunil Sharpe), as well as remixes for Strange Therapy, Infidel Bodies, and Clan Destine Records. 2019 see’s Autumns’ experimentation in the studio go much deeper, with the release of his sophomore album ‘Shortly After Nothing’ on Oliver Ho’s (aka Broken English Club) innovative ‘Death & Leisure’ label, alongside a heavy touring schedule, a collaboration with post-punk legend Eric Random, the launch of his radio show ‘Dyslexia Tracks’ on Dublin Digital Radio and more upcoming releases to surface throughout the year.

Patience began as bedroom synth project for songwriter Roxanne Clifford after the break up of her acclaimed indie pop band Veronica Falls. Born out of a desire to experiment with a new sound and analogue synthesizers, the project has since grown to become an all-encompassing persona and serves as the main vehicle for the full emotional spectrum always latent in Clifford’s songwriting. From her first long-sold-out 7” singles on Night School, her knack for melodic hooks and oblique emotional stances already contained a glistening sheen of promise. ‘Dizzy Spells’ serves as an intimate portrait of Clifford’s creative adventure, almost diaristic, conceived and recorded in her home studio, as well as with collaborators Todd Edwards (Daft Punk/Uk Garage fame), Lewis Cook (Free Love/Happy Meals) and engineer Misha Hering (Virginia Wing). Dizzy Spells delivers a debut album that twists Clifford’s songwriting into new shapes and ecstasies. The album dances around melancholy, thrown to the floor like a bad dream to be circled, emerging bright-eyed into the early morning full of hope. The Girls Are Chewing Gum (produced by Todd Edwards) bursts open Dizzy Spells like fresh fruit: sweet and rich with a synth-bass line beamed down from Chicago House heaven. Exquisitely sung by Clifford, it’s a wonderful, funky, instant-classic hinting at sexuality and memories dredged from our bodies’ secrets. The bouncy production expertly renders the addictive power of our ephemeral pleasures. Living Things Don’t Last chases themes of longing and loss, opening up into a life affirming chorus that sings of transience, the passing of time and railing against inertia. It’s the perfect example of a song formula that Roxanne Clifford has almost patented: simple and cutting straight to the point. There are shades of Strawberry Switchblade or French synth pop pioneer Jacno in the happy/sad dichotomy and it is all the better for it. Dizzy Spells features all three long-sold out singles, embedded in the full depth of Patience’s soundworld they fit like pieces of a puzzle. White Of An Eye, The Church and The Pressure—all recorded in Clifford’s former home of Glasgow—crackle with razor sharp melodies and dancefloor-ready dynamics. There are exciting additions to Patience’s sonic palette, brought into sharp relief on Voices In The Sand. In this song, a plaintive Clifford enunciates a heart-torn plea to the antagonist, a mournful cascade of synths and haunting vocals evocative of AC Marias, a sepia-toned ode to anxiety, “a storm is on the way”. On No Roses, a Vince Clarkesque production belies a sunburnt sadness. Clifford defiantly sings “you would go out tonight, but there’s nowhere you like,” describing a disenchantment with her adopted city of Los Angeles, she longs for home in a singular refrain “No roses… no roses for us.” An ode to English folk singer Shirley Collins, a surprising yet innate influence throughout Clifford’s work. On Moral Damage, former Veronica Falls bandmate Marion Herbain joins Clifford on an anglo-french duet that feels instant and spontaneous, a cutting comment on emotional accountability. More than a vehicle for Roxanne Clifford’s songwriting prowess, Patience is holding our hand through the night, dancing with tears in our eyes, dizzy and spellbound.

Cyberspeak multidipliscinary collective keep on programming. The second output from the label goes deep inside the restless character of Katatonic Silentio, a sound artist driven by cyberfeminism and queer culture who perfectly express the collective accellerationism. Emotional Gun is an half-stepping beats masterpiece, seven tracks crossing mystic territories full of pulsating soundscapes, apocalyptic and cinematic atmospheres with a painstaking attention to details.
Mixed at Zona9Studio
Mastered by TapewaveMastering

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

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

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

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

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

On their debut album as DOVS, Tin Man and AAAA summon the ethereal spirit of acid. Tin Man, AKA Johannes Auvinen, has been studying the emotional potential of the Roland TB-303 for 15 years now, and AAAA (Gabo Barranco), a fixture of the Mexico City underground, might as well be his acolyte. While the coincidental similarities of their studio and live approaches make this collaboration feel natural, even expected, Silent Cities is anything but. We recognize most of the elements here—the ubiquitous acid box and hardware drum machines—yet Auvinen and Barranco arrive in new, mysterious territory this time out. Lush arpeggiation, breakbeats and atmosphere imbue tracks like 'Nostalgic Oblivion' with a widescreen grandeur. 'Rene Figures' recalls Specific Momentific-era Cristian Vogel, symphonic, melodic techno with a kick heavy enough for dark, cavernous rooms. Meanwhile, beatless cuts like 'Whining Acid' are as intricately crafted as Tin Man's well-loved classical work (Vienna Blues). But as a duo, they craft a virtuosic harmonic narrative almost solely with 303s. Tin Man and Donato Dozzy's 'Nonneo' was the first release on Acid Test, setting the tone for the label and unlocking new potential for the genre. DOVS' closer on Silent Cities, 'Diazepam Blues', is the label's new melancholic acid anthem and a statement of purpose for Tin Man and AAAA, two hardware masters who have created an album of remarkable emotional depth.










[J}] D2 - Dysphoric Fix

On their debut album as DOVS, Tin Man and AAAA summon the ethereal spirit of acid. Tin Man, AKA Johannes Auvinen, has been studying the emotional potential of the Roland TB-303 for 15 years now, and AAAA (Gabo Barranco), a fixture of the Mexico City underground, might as well be his acolyte. While the coincidental similarities of their studio and live approaches make this collaboration feel natural, even expected, Silent Cities is anything but. Acid Test 14 features remixes from select trackboth Tin Man & AAAA individually as well as label mate John Tejada.

Khaliphonic 11 Is A Truly Epic Release From One Of Our Most Prolific Artists, Brendon Moeller Aka Echologist, Aka Beat Pharmacy. In Just The Last Two Years, Moeller Has Released On Labels As Varied As Echocord, Silent Season, Kynant, And Rohs!, To Name Only The Most Well-known. Recognized Globally For A Singularly Organic And Dubwise Approach To Techno, We Are Proud To Have A Close Working Relationship With An Artist Who Coaxes Humanity And Warmth From Machines Like Few Others. The Dub Purpose Ep Is One Of His Finest Achievements.

As We Planned A Third Zamzam Release From Our Favorite Well Of Hardware Sonics, Four Tracks Emerged As Comprising A Set That Simply Did Not Want To Be Separated. The Four Tunes That Make Up This Ep Felt Like Chapters In A Single Gorgeous Narrative, And So A 12' Was Born.

We Asked Brendon How Dub Influences His Process, And What This Ep Specifically Is About. He Replied:

"dub Facilitates Whatever Vision I Have With Music, Which Is One Of The Reasons I Incorporate A Dub Approach In Everything I Do. Whether Infusing Nyabinghi Rhythms With Epic Strings, Roots Dub With Industrial Dread Or Grungy Modular Antics With Stepping Vibes, Dub Is The Glue That Keeps It Together. The Inspiration Behind These Tracks Are On-u Sound, Wordsound And Bill Laswell, Travellers Who Understood The Possibilities Of Dub."

The Dub Purpose Ep Does In Four Tunes What Many Lps Struggle To Do In Eight - It Builds A Cohesive Narrative Arc That Moves From Menace, To Exploration, Through Mystery, Closing With Beauty. And Just Wait Til You Hear It On A Proper Sound...

Mastered By Sam Precise.

White Shadows In The South Seas is the title of a book written in 1919 by Frederick O'Brien as part of a trilogy he wrote based on his experiences living in the Pacific islands in the early part of the 20th century. His book was taken as the starting point for a film to be directed, initially, by Robert Flaherty (famous at the time for his groundbreaking documentary / fiction film Nanook Of The North) with W.S.Van Dyke as his support. The film, ultimately, apart from the title, had little to do with O'Brien's book and Flaherty left the film after a few months leaving Van Dyke to finish it.

I purchased O'Brien's book, along with many others, from Basement Books, a secondhand bookstore in Melbourne/Australia. Part of my 'Islomania' and on going fascination with all things Pacific. When I discovered there was a 1929 silent film based on the book I sought it out and started to present it as part of my 'Live Music/Silent films' repertoire. Tabu by Frederick Murnau, which coincidently also had Flaherty as co-director originally, was the first film I ever wrote / improvised a score for and presented as a live film/music performance. My repertoire extends to over 23 films now.

My eclectic and diverse musical and artistic interests extend into 'Hawaiian', 'Exotica', 'Ambient' and 'Electronic' Music. I have produced several volumes of so called 'Electronic, Ambient, Exotica' on CD and Vinyl, including Kiribati, Globe Notes, Rayon Hula ( on Vinyl, CD and digital format ) and most recently, New Globe Note on Vinyl and White Shadows In The South Seas on CD.
White Shadows In The South Seas features some of the music presented in my live screenings of the 1929 silent film.

The film is the story of Dr. Matthew Lloyd, an alcoholic doctor who is disgusted by the exploitation by white people of the natives on a Polynesian island. The natives dive for pearls, however, numerous accidents occur and one diver dies. In anger, Dr. Lloyd punches Sebastian, the employer. As revenge and to prevent further interruption of his activities, he tricks Dr. Lloyd onto a ship with a diseased crew (thinking they are ill) and his men rough him up and send the ship off into a storm. Dr. Lloyd survives and is washed ashore on an island where none of the natives have ever seen a white man before. Lloyd is rescued and ultimately falls in love with the chief's daughter, who is Taboo, hence Lloyd is prevented from pursuing his love for her. An incident occurs and a young boy is thought to have drowned but Lloyd is able to revive him, earning him points and permission with the chief's daughter. Lloyd begins to realise that the local islanders have no sense of the value of the black pearls which grow in abundance around their island and he starts to dive for them and collect them. One morning the white man Sebastian unexpectedly turns up on a scooner and starts to offer the islanders trade for their pearls. Llloyd tries to interrupt the encounter and is shot and dies. His wife and the islanders morn for his dead body and, symbolically, the passing of a way of life.

Mike Cooper plays - Electric and acoustic lap steel guitars / electronics / Zoom Sampletrack / Kaos Pad / Casio SK1 / Korg Drum Machine / Self Made Instruments.

It also features field recordings made on Pulau Ubin by Mike Cooper during a month as Artist In Residence for The Artist Village / Singapore.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Lawrence English (Room40 Records) for his assistance and encouragement with the original recordings and the CD version of White Shadows In The South Seas.

All music written and played by Mike Cooper PRS/MCPS - except Po Mahina (trad. Arr. Cooper) and Hilo Hanakahi (trad. Arr. Cooper)

Recorded and Mixed at the Steelworks in Rome 2012/2013.

A White Shadow In The South Seas
In February 2014 'A White Shadow In The South Seas' was the title of an audio-visual installation I made at the Teatro In Scatola in Rome, Italy, presented as part of a series of sound installations titled 'Visitazioni' produced by Proposte Sonore.

The essay below, as well as our collection of Hawaiian shirts, Exotica and Hawaiian vinyl records, was an inspiration for this installation.

'..the transformation and reconstitution of the souvenir commodity as an indigenous ethnic art form and a scarce relic of Hawai'i's romanticized past...' from - Clothing and Textile Reasearch Journal - From Kitsch to Chic by Marcia A. Morgado.

And....
Michael Thompson's Rubbish Theory (1979)
' ...a critical aspect of Western culture is the pre-disposition to see objects in terms of two overt categories: the transient and the durable. Objects identified as transient have finite life spans and lose value over time, whereas those identified as durable have infinite lives and over time increae in value....category assignments are arbitrary, but once assigned a category membership determines relative value. Fashion apparel-by defenition-is assigned to the transient category; paintings commonly are designated durables....how is it that transient objects.. ( e.g. Hawaiian shirts and vinyl records ) ..sometimes become durables.

Objects assigned to the rubbish category are largely invisible, have no value and, ideally, no life span. Fashion for example, no longer worn and relegated to the back of the wardrobe has fallen into the covert rubbish category. But rubbish can be rescued and transformed. Thompson says ' What I believe happens is a transient object gradually declining in value and in expected life span may slide across into rubbish. Here it exists in a timeless and valueless limbo where it has a chance to be re-discovered and be successfully transformed to a durable. Such transferes are radical: objects gradually slide from transcience to rubbish, but the transformation from rubbish to durable involves an all-or-nothing leap across two boundaries, that separating the worthless from the valuable and that between the covert and the overt. Things drift into obscurity but they leap into prominence.

The delightful consequence of this hypothesis is that in order to study the social control of value we must study rubbish.

The rubbish-to-durable transformation is accompanied by the development of highly specialized knowledge derived from the discovery of subtle variations and complex details that went unnoticed in the objects transient stage. The discoveries initiate renewed interest in the object and its market value begins to climb. As prices soar beyond the reach of ordinary people, the object becomes available only in high priced collectors' markets. Furthermore, as market values rise, the aesthetic value of the object undergoes a reassessment as well, and it becomes increasingly apparent that the objects intrinsic beauty has been overlooked. Ultimately the object is re -assigned as a durable and becomes recognized as a timeless classic.

Exotica, Ambience and Pacificism - A dialogue with Mike Cooper & Professor Philip Hayward Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor of Research Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia.

For this third release on Dais, Drew McDowall reaches into concept, ritual, and immersion, in an exercise of unravelling the DNA of hallucination. The Third Helix is McDowall's product of deconstructive exploration, twisting the fibers of being into new structure, shape, pattern, and pulse, without reconstituting its inscribed template.

The result is a true third act,in McDowall's career, that has seen him peregrinate from the late-70s art-punk of the trio Poems to his work with Psychic TV and Coil throughout the 80s and 90s, into his current home of New York City, where he has composed with CSD, Compound Eye, as well his solo work. That triangulation is central to The Third Helix, as it begins with his dive into the existence of a sensory toolkit unique to McDowall before twisting faculties and reconfiguring consciousness by honoring inherent power, cognizant of memory yet agnostic of context.

With the tenet that journey is rarely linear, but rather an omnipresent oscillation of matter, sound is stripped to salient and primal, propelled by McDowall's boring into the core of memory and impulse, suturing together the silent awareness of excogitating experience.

Featuring eight new tracks of McDowall's dark, experimental electronics, including the opener "Rhizome", The Third Helix is a churning descent into emotion, provoking thought and reflection while carving out haunting space only to fill it with baffling and wondrous structures of layered sound. McDowall solidifies himself as an architect who transforms otherworldly materials into something fascinating and challenging in the process.

Unnerving, trancelike anthems for nervous meditation and anxious relaxation, fans of Coil will immediately connect and immerse, while the complex compositions welcome listen for drone and ambient enthusiasts.

Packaged within a thick sturdy matte sleeve jacket featuring artwork/design by artist J.S. Aurelius (Ascetic House/Marshstepper).

Cat.no.: DAIS 122 LP

Tracklisting

For this third release on Dais, Drew McDowall reaches into concept, ritual, and immersion, in an exercise of unravelling the DNA of hallucination. The Third Helix is McDowall's product of deconstructive exploration, twisting the fibers of being into new structure, shape, pattern, and pulse, without reconstituting its inscribed template.

The result is a true third act,in McDowall's career, that has seen him peregrinate from the late-70s art-punk of the trio Poems to his work with Psychic TV and Coil throughout the 80s and 90s, into his current home of New York City, where he has composed with CSD, Compound Eye, as well his solo work. That triangulation is central to The Third Helix, as it begins with his dive into the existence of a sensory toolkit unique to McDowall before twisting faculties and reconfiguring consciousness by honoring inherent power, cognizant of memory yet agnostic of context.

With the tenet that journey is rarely linear, but rather an omnipresent oscillation of matter, sound is stripped to salient and primal, propelled by McDowall's boring into the core of memory and impulse, suturing together the silent awareness of excogitating experience.

Featuring eight new tracks of McDowall's dark, experimental electronics, including the opener "Rhizome", The Third Helix is a churning descent into emotion, provoking thought and reflection while carving out haunting space only to fill it with baffling and wondrous structures of layered sound. McDowall solidifies himself as an architect who transforms otherworldly materials into something fascinating and challenging in the process.

Unnerving, trancelike anthems for nervous meditation and anxious relaxation, fans of Coil will immediately connect and immerse, while the complex compositions welcome listen for drone and ambient enthusiasts.

As A Part Of Berlins After-hours Club And Art Space Sisyphos, The Label Sisyphon Is A PlatformFor Musicians / Producers And Combines The Hedonistic Wild-life Of The Club And The Impulsive Sets Of Its Resident And Guest Djs. Sisyphos Reflects The Diy Principles And Alternative Lifestyles Of The Owners, Team Members And Artists Who Created And Continue To Re-invent The Club.

ADULT. '20 years ODD.'
Over the course of the last two decades, Detroit-based duo ADULT. (Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller) have released six albums and nineteen EPs and singles across some of our favorite labels: Mute, Ghostly International, Thrill Jockey, Clone Records, Third Man Records, and their own label, the revered Ersatz Audio. November 1998 marked their first release: the five-song 12" 'Dispassionate Furniture'. This September, twenty years later, Dais Records is proud to announce ADULT.'s seventh full length album: THIS BEHAVIOR.
The album began as 23 demos written and recorded in a remote cabin in the woods of Northern Michigan during the dead of winter. In total isolation, and with a reduced amount of gear (a modified version of their live setup) on the cabin's kitchen table, the duo were completely immersed in an incessant inescapable studio of their own making - looping, repetitive analogue sequences grinding away day and night. At the end of the intense demo session, a handful of peers were enlisted by the band for the difficult task of paring down the demos into the final album.

The result is 10 tracks of uncompromising dark electronics, showcasing ADULT.'s return to aggressive and energetic dancefloor mastery. Album opener 'This Behavior' alongside the follow-up 'Violent Shakes' (which ascends into synths wailing like warning sirens over Kuperus's commanding vocals) set the stage for an on-edge listen, while the heartbreaking 'Silent Exchange' unfolds as a beautiful sad synth dirge.  'Perversions of Humankind' breaks the mood - driving the listener into a slow and low groove before the frantic album midpoint of 'Irregular Pleasure'. 'Does The Body Know' is the album's post-punk anthem, with irresistible singalong 'we're out of order - we're undefined!' The latter half of the album drives forward with 'On The Edge (You Put Me...)' and 'Lick Out The Content', refusing rest and demanding movement and response. 'Everything & Nothing' emerges slowly from sparkling synth textures, snowballing with nervous energy into an acid techno stomper before the album comes to a close on the icy landscape of 'In All The Debris', a goose-bump inducing slow electronic mantra that closes the curtain on a massive album.

Artist statement on the album's writing process:
'It's confounding how often we negate the importance of disconnecting, getting weird, getting lost. Discomfort and joy intertwined. Day to day, theatrical self-presentation set to rest in our frantic social world. Public becomes private, almost too private. Looking out into frozen woods as you deliver your vocals. For who For what Taking walks along icy shorelines as you try to overcome writer's block, as you try to overcome yourself. Not seeing anyone for days and weeks on end. Overwhelming thoughts and feelings come rushing in; anxiety, fear, purpose, banality, futility of task, power structures, power struggles, pointlessness, collapse.You're faced to face yourself. Your awareness is heightened. You are neither here nor there. You are in a liminal state As you work in this isolated cabin your windows become mirrors.'

"Are we distortions. Are we distortions, perversions of humankind.Are we distortions. Are we distortions, twisted somewhere in time."

ADULT. '20 years ODD.'
Over the course of the last two decades, Detroit-based duo ADULT. (Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller) have released six albums and nineteen EPs and singles across some of our favorite labels: Mute, Ghostly International, Thrill Jockey, Clone Records, Third Man Records, and their own label, the revered Ersatz Audio. November 1998 marked their first release: the five-song 12" 'Dispassionate Furniture'. This September, twenty years later, Dais Records is proud to announce ADULT.'s seventh full length album: THIS BEHAVIOR.
The album began as 23 demos written and recorded in a remote cabin in the woods of Northern Michigan during the dead of winter. In total isolation, and with a reduced amount of gear (a modified version of their live setup) on the cabin's kitchen table, the duo were completely immersed in an incessant inescapable studio of their own making - looping, repetitive analogue sequences grinding away day and night. At the end of the intense demo session, a handful of peers were enlisted by the band for the difficult task of paring down the demos into the final album.

The result is 10 tracks of uncompromising dark electronics, showcasing ADULT.'s return to aggressive and energetic dancefloor mastery. Album opener 'This Behavior' alongside the follow-up 'Violent Shakes' (which ascends into synths wailing like warning sirens over Kuperus's commanding vocals) set the stage for an on-edge listen, while the heartbreaking 'Silent Exchange' unfolds as a beautiful sad synth dirge.  'Perversions of Humankind' breaks the mood - driving the listener into a slow and low groove before the frantic album midpoint of 'Irregular Pleasure'. 'Does The Body Know' is the album's post-punk anthem, with irresistible singalong 'we're out of order - we're undefined!' The latter half of the album drives forward with 'On The Edge (You Put Me...)' and 'Lick Out The Content', refusing rest and demanding movement and response. 'Everything & Nothing' emerges slowly from sparkling synth textures, snowballing with nervous energy into an acid techno stomper before the album comes to a close on the icy landscape of 'In All The Debris', a goose-bump inducing slow electronic mantra that closes the curtain on a massive album.

Artist statement on the album's writing process:
'It's confounding how often we negate the importance of disconnecting, getting weird, getting lost. Discomfort and joy intertwined. Day to day, theatrical self-presentation set to rest in our frantic social world. Public becomes private, almost too private. Looking out into frozen woods as you deliver your vocals. For who For what Taking walks along icy shorelines as you try to overcome writer's block, as you try to overcome yourself. Not seeing anyone for days and weeks on end. Overwhelming thoughts and feelings come rushing in; anxiety, fear, purpose, banality, futility of task, power structures, power struggles, pointlessness, collapse.You're faced to face yourself. Your awareness is heightened. You are neither here nor there. You are in a liminal state As you work in this isolated cabin your windows become mirrors.'

"Are we distortions. Are we distortions, perversions of humankind.Are we distortions. Are we distortions, twisted somewhere in time."

For over a decade and almost every Christmas, Sufjan
Stevens recorded a Christmas album that he gifted to
friends and family. The recording process took place
every December, for one week, usually at home,
provoking collaborations with friends, roommates and
musical peers. In 2006, Stevens' label, Asthmatic Kitty
Records, released 'Songs For Christmas', a CD boxset
compiling the first five of these albums, Volumes I-V.
And in 2012, the label released 'Silver & Gold', a CD
and vinyl boxset compiling of Volumes VI-X. However,
the first five volumes have never been released to
vinyl.
This holiday season, Asthmatic Kitty Records are
finally releasing 'Songs for Christmas' (Volumes I-V) as
a 5xLP vinyl boxset. The boxset includes fan favourites
like 'Sister Winter', 'That Was The Worst Christmas
Ever', 'Only At Christmas Time' and 'Put The Lights On
The Tree'.
'Hardly a straight-ahead Christmas album, then...
Whatever, it's Sufjan Stevens. He's a modern wonder,
and now he's just made Christmas better as well!' -
BBC
'The season's most thrilling holiday release.' -
Entertainment Weekly
'There are moments of quirky holiday splendour -
moments akin to some of the best material on
'Greetings From Michigan And Illinois' - that make
plowing through the entire five-EP set a pleasure.' -
Allmusic

*Repress*

The Future Sound of London's long and varied history stretches back almost 25 years and as such a vast amount of unrealised material exists in the FSOL Archives.
 
1988 to 2018 - 30 years of recorded history
 
Archived 9 brings further treats from the mammoth FSOL archives - this time ranging from early 90s right up to recent times.

14 unreleased tracks woven together to form over 60 mins of mind bending sound experiments 
From light to darkness from forests to deserts
onwards............ 
 
Did you know - The Future Sound of London were the first band to distribute their music via the internet, in 1994
 
Did you know - The Future Sound of London were the first band to use ISDN technology to transmit their music via the internet and also to radio stations across the world - a system that has now been adopted by the radio industry worldwide

Superb compilation of modern ambient/minimal electronics featuring exclusive tracks from a wealth of current talent inc. H. Takahashi, David Edren (aka DSR Lines), Miaux (Ultra Eczema) , Kuupuu (Em Records) Nuslux (Keijut) & Olli Aarni. Finnish Label collab between LAL LAL & IKUISUUS. Tip!
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Neptunalia, a festival of Neptune, celebrated at Rome, of which very little is known. The day on which it was held, was probably the 23rd of July. The festival was celebrated with games. Respecting the ceremonies of this festival nothing is known, except that the people used to build huts of branches and foliage, in which they probably feasted, drank, and amused themselves

Released in solidarity with Tiga's anti-tech house crusade, a silent campaign fought everyday on the streets of your hometown, 'Blaze' finds Russian crypto-whiz Dimitri Veimar still dancing with the rawer-than-the-rawest-dog electro that's brought him to the dizzying heights of the mid-tier crags of Mt. Turbo Mountain. Throwing his weight behind what some in the media are probably already calling 'Tiga's War' was absolutely necessary following the events of a recent gig in Moscow. Veimar opened the night by playing no fewer than three Tiga tracks, which anyone who's read Tiga's Taboos can tell you is definitely a Tiga Taboo. Deeply immersed in the practice of pouring his own mineral water, Tiga ignored the hootin' and hollerin' of the VIPs crowding the DJ booth (including Dennis Miller and Diego Maradona), and proceeded to play a set entirely comprised of recordings of every embarrassing thing Veimar had ever said in his life. Four hours later, an emotionally-shot Veimar collapsed into Tiga's arms, with the magnanimous label boss whispering, 'I forgive you, Dimitri' into his ear. The release also features a 'broken techno' remix from mysterious European producer Florian Kupfer, who made us sign a Non-Disclosure-Agreement dictating that we can only describe him as 'mysterious,' 'enigmatic,' and/or 'European,' so we'll have to let the music do the talking.

When we started The Bunker New York label in 2014 there was a short list of artists whose music we knew that we wanted to get out into the world. Lori Napoleon, aka Antenes, was high up on that list, although at the time the Brooklyn-based Chicago native had yet to release her recorded music at all. Five years on, after acclaimed records on L.I.E.S. and Silent Season, residencies at Issue Project Room and Bell Labs plus a busy global touring schedule as both a DJ and live performer, we are proud and excited to present Lori's Ante Meridiem EP under her Antemeridian production moniker. She tells us that the Antemeridian project is a special outlet for her more melodic synthesizer compositions and the name Antemeridian refers to morning light and the meridian lines of the planet, the view you would have from above if you were already in the sky/space/seeing the atmosphere also from a great distance.'
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With this EP, Antemeridian has created nothing less than a masterwork of synthesis comprising unique soundscapes unbelievably detailed and crisp. We asked Lori to tell us a bit about her production techniques, which include home-built machines from unorthodox source materials including vintage switchboards and telecommunications equipment. She actually built her first synthesizer out of an antique telephone switchboard we donated to her from The Bunker HQ! I use a combination of synths and controllers/sequencers that I've made along with commercially available/ bought or modded analog synths and field recordings that have gone through a number of effects chains. There may be a crackling sound that emerged from the modular which made me think about a flame sparking and burning out, recalling a very organic process in nature - but in a composition it's a drum element. Perhaps the sense of detail comes from how I work on finding sounds before arranging them in a track so when I find one with little nuances and textures, then I'll be inspired to compose with it. Visceral sounds are very important to me, and sounds that you may not instantly identify with this or that synth model - which is why I like the idea of designing my own palette for portions of tracks.'

This is the first album of Borusiade, in which she takes her music to a new level, finding her very own expression, that is making us first shiver then sweat, then chill and finally melt.

Cómeme starts 2018 by proving again to be a safe haven and a sanctuary for sensitive plants and unique characters devoted to music - just like Miruna Boruzescu aka Borusiade - from Bucharest - who conquered the radio stations of our parallel worlds and utopian desire. 'Dream catcher' was the name of the show, and 'Jeopardy', a nocturnal EP, her first release on vinyl.

Now, after adventurous travels through night clubs, theatres, windy cities, snowy fields and merciless deserts her desires and imagination have manifested themselves in her very first album, carrying the intriguing title: 'A Body'

The record sleeve features the back of her head, making us wonder what she sees, on the other side. Her visions unfold through 8 pieces of music that follow a dreamlike narrative of associations and transformations. Somber synthetic atmospheres, sparse and spatial rhythmical arrangements, strangely seductive melodies and lysergic ally pulsating bass lines lead us away from a dystopian present towards a sensorial experience we long to repeat as soon as it's over.

'A Body' is a deeply poetic work in which again and again you will hear Borusiade's voice, sometimes dissolving and recreating meanings in mantra-like repetitions, sometimes layering itself to pagan choirs of smooth ecstasy. Then again you will also hear that voice close to you, singing, sharing an experience or a thought. It is always soft, effortless and unpretentious, but always strong, clear and precise, like the voice that speaks to you in an altered state of consciousness. It seems to come from the same person that is holding your hand, when everything else seems to fade into uncertainty while wandering through strange times and places...

Starting with the song CLUSTER the effect is kicking in, we sink into the universe of the album through this throbbing ambience that seems populated by a reverberated ant colony that broke into a synthesizer. The introduction of this album is a complex emotional soundscape that is followed by a song: BREATHE, which sounds like a classic you never heard. With its catchy melancholia, it creates a déjà vu like strange familiarity of the unknown - a memory from the future. And though our minds were just twisting and turning in an overflow of information, we suddenly leave our bodies and observe ourselves breathe.

Other tracks, like DORMANT are more focused on the narration of the body and its state. Words, describing it in many ways, softly and incessantly repeated, are mixed deeply into the soundscapes of a track that features a bass drum so soft it could be a heartbeat. Foggy moments like these dissolve in a track like AN ACUARIAN FEELING, which is queer synthesizer love, shifting in shape and momentum, a ray of light that pushes itself through the nightly atmosphere that was preceding these moments, a similar landscape in different times - a choir enters, cheerful drums, climbing and descending melodies and rhythms of hope. Just like the utopian vision in the title track A BODY, that stands at the end of this journey, which in itself just opens another new horizon.

Restive Plaggona recently released a brand new studio effort - a full-length album featuring 10 original tracks and a
remix from Ancestral Voices, with a dark and melancholic twist, as the title of the project might imply. Connected by a commonality of despair, nostalgia and desolation, Restive Plaggona elevated these elements into its maturity. At its core, each track has a soul-stirring significance, and is embalmed by titles that fringes on a political dimension.

* Opening number 'Intimacy is Violence' does a remarkable job capturing the vibe of the album, serving as a great
introduction. The track has a very industrial tone, with a strong cinematic feel to it. The following track, 'Rote Zora,' follows suit with a more percussive and colorful arrangement, with a more substantial focus on rhythmic patterns.

* 'Cut Off From Modern Society' its combination of dark atmospheres, lush melodies, and glitchy beats. 'Sudden Burst of Safety' is another excellent track worth mentioning, due to its stadium-sized drums and saturated sounds, adding an
aggressive feel to the music. All in all, the album is a real sonic journey, begging to be enjoyed from start to finish!

* Set for release in both physical and digital formats on December 15th, Silently Hopelessly marks Restive Plaggona's first LP for Swiss-based record company Thrènes (which takes its name from the Greek word for funeral lament) and are a label dedicated to the release of tenebrous electronica and techno.

Text: Masscomm & Andrea Caccese

REPRESSED !
1970's "Osmium" was Parliament's debut album and possibly the first real indicator of where George Clinton and his notorious band of psychedelic funksters might be headed. The ground zero of P-Funk if you will. Existing since the late 50's as a doo-wop group it was the bands later offerings that sculpted their unique, mildly warped idea of what the FUNK should sound like. Initially they cut a couple of 45's for Detroit Soul label Invictus in 1970 (both of which appear on the LP) then embarked on recording more music for the project, their first full length offering on the label. The group also released the debut Funkadelic LP in the same year with both albums feature the same personnel. The conditions under which "Osmium" was realised have since passed off into mythical status with colourful anecdotes involving marathon LSD consuming sessions in isolation in their Toronto studio and a general air of hallucinatory, intense mental psychosis prevailing throughout. It's under this druggy haze that Parliament honed their own sound, a raucous, blown out, tripping stew of R&B, Blues, Soul and Funk replete with early P-Funk trappings.
"Osmium" is a fascinating ride, wild, rampaging heaviness of the most soulful kind. A glimpse into what was to come from one of the most enduring and colourful groups of the last 5 decades. Often a very difficult LP to track down it has always been sought after and extremely expensive to buy. Appealing to fans of Black music, Rock and psychedelia equally it's contents have shocked, entertained and grooved open minded music lovers since it's release over 40 years ago.
This is the first time the record has been reissued in over a decade, complete with original artwork. Remastered, reissued and fully licensed with the full permission and involvement of Invictus Records, Detroit.

Edanticonf's music feels perfectly crafted for the brooding atmospheric venues he so often performs in. Both the aforementioned adjectives can be attributed to his style of techno too, one that places the focus less on the technical side and more onthe human one, aiming to reflect his emotions and state of being through the hazy soundscapes that draw influence from the natural scenery around him.His concise back-catalogue features releases on revered labels such as M¦REC LTD, Trolldans, Phorma and Silent Season - the imprint which released his debut LP, 'Forest Echo', in 2012. On each release, Edanticonf's work sonically varies, from the more ambient compositions present on his 'Planet' EP for Silent Season to his dub-infused techno release on Italy's M¦REC LTD, but each offering never compromises on its quality, something which sits at the core of this project.

Kicking off the EP is the title-named track, 'The Mind Power', a hypnotic techno number that blends atmospheric textures and arpeggiated synth patterns with industrial-inducing pad tones, gradually introducing further elements throughout its eight minute duration.

'Interlude' follows, a song that much like the rest of the EP focuses its attention on the refined nuances of the analogue synthesiser, blending this with more delicate synth passages and other shadowy digital effects.

Closing this excellent three-track EP is 'We Dance Together', a dazzling, almost trance-like closer that fuses these soaring atmospheric elements and delicate synths with gritty, lo-fi drums to great effect.

Bell Gardens combines the musical visions of Kenneth James Gibson (formerly of Furry Things, now recording as
*Bell Gardens' origins began arguably as more of an experiment than the duo's current 'experimental' projects - McBride's drone- and string-laden ambient symphonies, and Gibson's ventures in dub and minimalist techno - as they sought to manifest their mutual reverence for folk, psychedelia and chamber pop in a traditional band structure without cannibalising any particular past genre. Bell Gardens' sound is less reliant on effects and studio trickery than the pairs' independent guises, laying bare as it does vocals and live instruments with emotional sincerity, and presenting songs imbued with an almost pastoral or gospel simplicity and timelessness.
Slow Dawns for Lost Conclusions was again recorded mostly at home studios, but additionally the band made use of a friend's desert cabin in Wonder Valley, California, and it seems this willingness to retreat from the city has lent an expansiveness to the tracks, in particular the spacious, ceremonial 'Silent Prayer' (written in a snowbound mountain cabin in Idyllwild, C.A.) and the crepuscular 'She's Stuck in an Endless Loop of Her Decline' (mapped out under the stars in the desert).
While the addition of strings (contributed by Lauren Chipman of The Rentals and The Section Quartet) and trumpet (Stewart Cole of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros) provides a double rainbow of tonal textures throughout, the nine tracks of Slow Dawns for Lost Conclusions are united by an understated elegance belying the newly expanded, communal effort in the studio: each instrument earns its place, nothing is overwrought or conspicuous. Moreover, it is McBride and Gibson's artistry in building stirring soundscapes from the barest of materials in their other guises that lends such assurance and sophistication to these arrangements.
The band is a result of the complimentary cross-pollination of Gibson and McBride's musical tastes - borne from a late-night conversation between the two that grew wings - and it is the universality of the sentiments and their restrained, reflective approach to writing and recording that allows the music to simultaneously straddle the past and the present. The music avoids pastiche, its pedal steel, sleigh bells and harmonies giving a nod to the ghosts of musical genres past, but never overriding or distracting from the emotional content of the sum of its parts.
The album ends with the glorious 'Take Us Away' - one of the first demos Gibson gave McBride when he was on tour with Stars of the Lid - neatly bringing their work to date full circle and exemplifying the band's mindfulness of their own serendipitous beginnings: the dawning of an auspicious, unique musical force.

Bell Gardens - Take Us Away -
Harmonies alert!! Actually, this is rather lovely. Slow-tempo, just the right side of 'twee' and packed full of strings, as if Air and Midlake had been taking balloon trips over the mid-West and sprinkling good-vibes dust across the land. From L.A. and subconsciously plugged into the '60s dream-pop scene, taking in a little bit of Mercury Rev and Brendan Perry en route, stopping off at Pearls Before Swine and Big Star's house for inspiration, before getting stoned with '70s era Brian Eno and Harold Budd.

Following up his EP 'String Theory' on Simple, Julian 'October' Smith has teamed up with label head Will Saul, for 'Light Sleeper', Aus Music's final release of 2012. The EP comes with a remix from Kompakt boss Michael Mayer. Jules & Will met last year when Will relocated to Somerset and they seemed to click instantly in the studio. A natural division of labour emerged which proved to be both effective and fun whilst also playing to both's strengths. Jules mans the drum machines and outboard FX and Will controls the synths....they hit record and see what happens. Look out for another 12 from them in Feb next year with a remix from Fred P. October's profile has been steadily rising since the launch of his first label, Caravan Records in 2007. In the last few years, his brand of off-kilter house and techno has also appeared on Skudge, Misericord, Jack Off and Applepips, and been championed by the likes of Ewan Pearson, Skudge and Appleblim. Smith's label 'TANSTAAFL', has been widely praised by the music press, and sets the course forv more of the jacking dancefloor house and techno he is known for. This year Will Saul revealed he was behind Close, a project he's created as a vehicle for his forthcoming album 'Getting Closer' and a A/V show which will feature Will on various machines and Al Tourettes on drums all backed with lovingly crafted visuals created & mixed by Silent Studios. The A/V show debuts at Fabric on the 23rd February and the album will be released in May 2013 on !K7 and features vocals from Joe Dukie of Fat Freddies Drop, Peacefrog artist Charlene Soraia and Paul 'Tikiman' St.Hillaire as well as collaborations with Scuba, Appleblim, Ewan Pearson, and of course October. In the eight years since Michael Mayer released his debut album 'Touch', he's maintained a tightly packed schedule of DJ gigs and remixes.