quête:star you star me

Pelican, the instrumental quartet whose singular vision of heavy music eschews classification, have announced their first full length in six years, Nighttime Stories, is due June 7th via Southern Lord Recordings.

The eight-song set marks the band’s first release written front to back with guitarist Dallas Thomas, who took over guitar duties upon founding member Laurent Schroeder-Lebec’s departure in 2012. In the process of writing the album the quartet endured a slew of realisations, tragedies, and glimmers of optimism that guided the creative process to the most potent work of their nineteen-year career.

Though the new material veers towards the darker tone characteristic of Pelican’s early songwriting, it’s hard to imagine a previous incarnation of the band writing songs as meticulously crafted and detail-oriented as those within Nighttime Stories, where the compositions recall everything from the triumphant call-to-arms of classic Dischord, to the vicious troglodyte battery of the Melvins, to the dynamic interwoven melodies of bottom-heavy indie cult heroes Chavez.

Nighttime Stories was an album title initially proposed for Tusk, the hallucinatory art-grind band that included Pelican members Trevor Shelley de Brauw, Larry Herweg, and Schroeder-Lebec, in addition to vocalist Jody Minnoch. The writing of Nighttime Stories was instigated shortly after Minnoch’s unexpected death in 2014, and some of the dissonant viscera and dark psychedelic structures that were characteristic of Tusk’s sound began to unconsciously inform the album’s direction. In homage to their departed colleague, Pelican applied the previously discarded title and pulled many of the song titles from notes Minnoch had sent to inspire the direction of the unrealized album. As the writing of Nighttime Stories progressed Thomas also experienced a heavy loss with the passing of his father, to whom the album pays tribute on opening track “W.S.T.” (on which Dallas performed his guitar parts on his father’s Yamaha acoustic).
 
Pelican have always excelled at vacillating between the savage sounds of various niches of metal underground and the more delicate and nuanced sounds of Midwest’s cerebral indie community, proving that they can make either end of the spectrum more vibrant and compelling through the art of contrast. With Nighttime Stories, the pendulum has swung back to the angst and ire of their younger years while delivering it with the nuance and wisdom that’s come with nearly two decades of writing and performing. Pelican head out on a ten date US tour in June with more dates in the works for later in the year (see dates below).

The Growing Bin may have taken a hiatus for AW18, but don‘t be fooled into thinking this is a deciduous operation; after all the most powerful plantlife grows from below. Moving through the mulch, Basso traces the mycellium network from Hamburg‘s forests to the gentle slopes of Hasenheide, reconnecting with James Booth for the officially first Growing Bin release of 2019, or the first ever Glowing Pin Release.

Emerging from the green house with a heroic dose of wavy caps, the Mancunian export unleashes A-side sizzler ‚Space Echo Track‘, a little post-minimal magic for the peak time shamans. Built around the polyrhythmic patter of organic percussion, a touch of UK shuffle and the occasional blast of soundsystem bass, the track rolls and rattles from start to finish, tailor made for mid-set hypnosis. And while neon leadlines dance with disorienting sampler vox and papaya whistles summon the ethno-flute melodies, Booth brings us to a new level of future primitive consciousness, unlocking the Stargate once and for all. Onto the B-side and we‘re hurtling through galaxies, submerged in the entheogenic frequencies of‚ Locus of Control‘. Shimmering swathes of angelic synth vox and dreamlike pads drift freely, forming a
perfect counterbalance to the warp factor thrust and rasping resonance of the wormhole sequences. Beatless in space, ‚Locus‘ balances ambient techno and acid gurgle, cleansing your synapses like a Sven Vath warm down circa ‚94. This is music for the microdosers...

British blues-rock quartet Zior had their roots in the bourgeoning R&B scene that arose during the

late 1960s in the southeast coastal city of Southend; they built a strong reputation in live

performance, opting for ‘happenings’ in the style of Hawkwind and Pink Floyd that went beyond

mere musical events. By the time they recorded their self-titled debut album, issued on Larry Page’s

short-lived Nepentha label in 1971, they were clearly influenced by the emergent hard rock/

heavy metal scene of the West Midlands, drawing from Black Sabbath’s discordant riffs and occult

influences, along with shrill vocal attacks in Led Zeppelin mode; there were shades of Steppenwolf

and the odd Doors-sounding keyboard riff as well (and the Black Sabbath link was heightened

by an album design from Keith McMillan, who was responsible for Black Sabbath’s debut cover

too). The resultant Zior is a varied ride through different kinds of rock terrain, from blues rock to

hard rock and on to whimsical psychedelia and prog-rock, making it hard to classify. Though this

debut LP should have heralded a bright beginning, misfortune seemed to dog the band from the

start; other recordings were released under the name Monument, the band members listed under

aliases, and a second album, Every Inch A Man, was issued in Germany after Zior’s breakup in

1973, without the band’s knowledge or permission.

Volume Three in the Mr Bongo Record club series. Another showcase of recent vinyl finds and favourites from our DJ sets and radio shows. This is an extra special one however, as it lands in 2019, the year that we celebrate 30 years since it all began way back in 1989.

Compiled by David Buttle and Gareth Stephens, assisted by Graham Luckhurst and Gary Johnson.

Emotional Rescue returns to the Caribbean with the music of Glen Ricks and his infectious Jamaica meets Boogie goldmine that is I've Been Waiting For You.

A performer since the age of 7, Glen Ricks (born Ricketts), established a reputation for his singing range and ability to seamlessly shift from tenor to soprano, going on to sell over a million records around the world.

Having immigrated to Canada as a child, after teaming up with his first band The Fabulous Flames Ricks returned to Jamaica to create his first records. Moving effortlessly from reggae to lovers, and dancehall to soul, R&B, disco and boogie, Ricks established a successful career and he continues to perform to this day.

I've Been Waiting For You is indicative of that cross-pollination of style and sound. Released on 7" in 1983 on the short lived Seraff label, the mix of Ricks' soul voice with laid back boogie groove creates a sound full of lazy JA swing.

Now highly sought after, this special 12" reissue includes the stand out vocal and is backed with an instrumental that builds on the interplay between bass, drums, piano, guitar, keys and finally, backing vocals. To seal the deal - and in true label style - LA's rising star DJ Duckcomb presents the perfect Discomix, seamlessly cutting between both versions with some respectful dubbing in the mix.

A year after Floyd Lavine & David Mayer served up the afro house bomb ‘Sondela’ from the EP of the same name, it now gets remixed by a carefully selected list of names including Jimpster, Auntie Flo, Tunnelvisions and Kususa. First up is deep house master and Freerange label boss Jimpster, who serves up the sort of quality you would expect on his remix. His cool and immersive journey brings new soul and feeling to the original with timeless melodies that have a lasting effect. Dutch duo Tunnelvisions are an act on the rise and always bring plenty of Afro, Latin and Caribbean vibes to their sounds. Here they masterfully flip the track ‘Xi’ from the Sondela EP into a percussive groove with psychedelic warmth and melodic bass that goes deep. Kususa are also rising stars of the South African scene who have Black Coffee supporting their work and have mixed the upcoming Africa Gets Physical vol.2 album. Here they pump up the beats: their percussion, arps and big synths will get hands in the air and as the bassline envelops you in warmth you cannot help but feel it deep inside. Highlife artist and recent album man Auntie Flo brings his authentic understanding of worldly groove to a fantastic remix that oozes beauty and quality. It is understated and stripped back with delicate hand percussion and an otherworldly aura that brings real mystery to the EP. An acapella version is also included as an exclusive addition to the vinyl release.

smog’s music has been on a steady path towards monumentalism since emerging out of the recesses of Berlin in 2015.

Originally from Paris, growing up cutting his chops in the capital’s hip hop undergrowth, the young producer makes music that is as challenging as it is evocative. On “sequel’70” – his debut album – bass, techno, electroacoustic music and jungle are rung through his singular take on the hardcore continuum. The production is powerful, dynamic and geared to bulldoze the dance. It’s clear why the likes of Resident Advisor have tipped smog as an “important artist to watch” and why his tracks have been appearing in sets from artists of the calibre and creative range of Objekt, Donato Dozzy, Samuel Kerridge or Go Hiyama.

With his debut album, smog lays bare a world of start and stop mechanics. Tracks twist and turn through stuttering panoramas of crashing beats, majestic peaks and post-rave intensity. On its most moving moments the gorgeously burnt out cinematic pads of “Mécanique Oblique” are a particular highlight – “sequel’70” feels like coming up in the middle of an industrial wasteland. It’s almost as if the end of the world wasn’t such a terrible prospect after all.
Jungle architectures are pulled apart and reconstructed on “Gelid”, “Dazzle” and the phenomenal “Abschluss SCAN”. Souvenirs of gabber echo through heavy handed kicks and speaker defying noise blasts. IDM inflexions creep their way in opportunistically, but even at its most abstract – album midpoint “Straightforward” sounds like a geiger counter being set off – it all sounds more like the possibilities offered by the future of rave rather than an attempt at paying homage to the genre’s heritage.

There’s a special energy and irreverence to smog’s music and there’s deep reflection in how he connects the dots of the subfamilies of rave. His attention to sound design would almost be worth the trip alone, but the album remains superb even at its most disorderly.

Meda Fury welcomes Tom Wrankmore aka Eliphino to the imprint for a stunning EP of thunderous breaks, 303’s and serious sub-bass pressure. Hailing originally from the Leeds, but with wider travels to settle down in both London and Berlin, Wrankmore’s music embraces hip-hop, rave, and UK garage. He now serves up
a pungent confection pitched between the Hessle Audio crew, Joy O and Demdike
Stare’s most recent efforts. Having released heaters for Brownswood and Hoya Hoya over the years, Eliphino now debuts as part of the Meda Fury family with the Realistic Sex EP.

Wrankmore has been locked away in his studio for the last 1.5 years, abstaining from gigging and releasing records to knuckle down and produce, emerging with a new darker edge and a much more hardcore sound. Tom explains: “The theme of the EP
is trusting your intuition in an information flooded world. I’ve collaborated with visual
artists Tom Pounder & Jon Harris who have created two videos for the release, one for Disc Rhythm and one for Realistic Sex." Meda Fury boss Nick Williams; “Tom's new music epitomises to me what modern club tracks should sound like - wild, energetic, deadly. He’s discovered his own dark new world of sound fusing breakbeat, acid, speed garage and even industrial stylings”

Best known to the world at large for their disco evergreen “Lady Marmalade,” the powerhouse trio of Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx and Patti LaBelle are revered in the deeper dance underground for a couple of epic soulful rock workouts that have been known to provoke life-changing moments on the dance floor. With New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint producing and leading an all-star band with the Meters at its core, “What Can You Do For Me” and “Messin’ With My Mind” crackle with energy and rise to thunderous crescendos that rival a gospel revival. Mr. K’s edits acknowledge these songs’ long history in NYC DJ culture, dating from the Gallery and the Loft in the mid-‘70s and running unbroken to today, with masterful extensions that push the inherent energy even further without ever becoming repetitive or obvious. Most Excellent Unlimited is proud to present these sure shots on loud and carefully mastered 7-inch pressings, an essential addition to any gig box or collection.

Following the release of their short film 'The Awakening' and its accompanying single, Lost Souls Of Saturn share the first remix in 9 years by revered musician James Holden. Over thirteen minutes of crisp, stratospheric elegance, Holden’s rework is both slightly mad and simultaneously blissful – like a trance-state reached through frenzied, spiritual ritual.

“I believe in serendipity: if the universe presents you with something that seems right, you should go with it”, says Holden. “When this record hit my desk was one of those moments. Recently I'd been thinking a lot about rave utopias, the pan-global fantasy painted by the early days of Future Sound Of London etc, and listening to LSOS's Jodorowskian ceremonials I felt like they'd caught the same winds. And so, although I thought I'd finished doing remixes for this lifetime, here it is; some kind of dream of a memory of a rave, the spookiness of the original slightly eclipsed by my warm feelings about Seth's good energy!”

The original version of ‘The Awakening’ begins as a serene ambient spacecast, before an ancient alien rite of tribal frenzy starts to emerge through the phosphorescent stardust – sonically somewhere between Demdike Stare and classic Orb, by way of Don Cherry.
Primarily LSOS are Seth Troxler and Phil Moffa, plus further opaque participants congregating to combine music, imagery and storytelling into an inextricably linked whole, all wrapped-up in a philosophy of their own making.
Attempting something creatively that’s above-and-beyond, LSOS explore new ways to open doors of perception and challenge the reality vs. simulation paradigm, whilst capturing the spirit of Philip K. Dick, Sun Ra and the KLF within their music, live experiences and films.
These spiritual, psychoactive aural vibrations resonate for a long distance, all the way back to something deeper and more enchanting than the prosaicism of modern life:
“We have been sent synchronistic signs from a metaphysical plane. We are the glitch-seekers, exposing the Holes In The Holoverse. We are Lost Souls Of Saturn.”

'Boomerang' was first recorded in 1979, when the Broomfield Corporate Jam leader was attempting to plot a solo career. It was the first cut Aaron Broomfield recorded under his own name - Initially, at the family band's home studio, Kilimanjaro, and later at professional studios in L.A and Miami - but it was never released.

'I always wanted to be able to share 'Boomerang' with my fans some day - I didn't release it back then because I thought the time wasn't right,' Broomfield explains. 'It was so different to what was considered commercial then and felt ahead of its time.'

Before deciding against releasing it, Broomfield had two test pressings made. It was the accidental discovery of the
one remaining record by digger Arun Brown (the other perished when Broomfield's Kilimanjaro studio was damaged by a fire in 1996) that set in motion the chain of events that finally led to its release.

The jacket boasts a written essay by Broomfield himself, telling the remarkable story behind the song. The wax
features the two versions of Boomerang, of which both were meticulously restored and re-mastered by celebrated
Australian sound engineer, Dan Elleson.

Head to side A for the 'test press' version, a cosmic, starry-eyed chunk of elastic Miami disco-funk where the
Broomfield family's killer instrumentation - all rubbery bass, deep space synths and crunchy Clavinet motifs - arcs
around the sound space like a boomerang in flight. The vocal arrangement, in which Aaron Broomfield's conscious
lyrics come through loud and clear, brings it home. On the flipside, you'll hear how dynamic the band was through the

'Demo Version' - a relaxed, loose and spacey groover that sounds as ahead of its time in 2018 as it would have when it was recorded in 1979.

Spell PETS backwards to get STEP. Spell STEP forwards and you get PETS going back to basics. STEP is the new vinyl-only label from the founders of PETS – Catz n Dogz – with a focus on the rawest forms and root functions of dance music. STEP searches for the fundamentals with under-theradar house and techno that’s not afraid to be rough around the edges. It’s all about the music.

A1: Damn – deez be some underwater dwellers. Hittin that snare like dem old boys – Lee Scratch or Mad Professor; This stuff is on fire, and not for Fyre; Works on real floors, can’t #Hashtag that shit.
A2: Mr. Max takes us down the Cavelerra highway; Starting with a solid and sparse veneer, turns into a wicked acid-filled warehouse jack. Throw in a strobe and some smoke and away we go.
B1: Old school maestro goes into stormy moody mode. Applying the simple counterpunch with a long and winding synth line, Edgar sneaks in a menacing acid line – teleporting you into the deepest corners of dystopian space. Definitely some shamanic tendencies going on here.
B2: The Anarchy Skyalkers. Nomen est omen. B-boy beats, 90ties rave; Boats and Hoes; Acid in da House; Repeat after me.

Anoyo ('the world over there') draws from the same sessions with members of Tokyo Gakuso which led to the 2018 work Konoyo, but rendered starker, solemn, and stripped back, with more of a naturalist tint. Hecker's processing here moves in veiled ways, soft refractions and whispered shrouds woven within improvisational sessions of traditional gagaku interplay, evoking a sense of vaulted space, temples at dawn, shredded silk fluttering in the rafters.
This is boldly barren music, skeletal and sculptural, shaped from wood, wind, strings, and mist. Modern yet ancient, delicate and desolate, Anoyo inverts its predecessor to compellingly conjure a parallel world of illusion, solitude, and eternal return.

Reissue of the Birds Of Passage collaboration record with Leonardo Rosado from 2011. A minimalistic, cinematic, experimental dark pop trip.

After the highly respected debut full length Without the World' and her first european tour in 2011 BIRDS OF PASSAGE ( the new rising star of experimental minimalistic dark pop') from New Zealand has released her second act in fall 2011 - a cinematic concept album she has recorded together with LEONARDO ROSADO from Portugal.

DEAR AND UNFAMILIAR is a technicolor soundtrack that traces a vivid path through darkened desolate dunes. Stories of forgotten tragedies and unrequited love liberate the journeyman from reveries of misery and guide the wanderer through contrasting landscapes of dysphoria and ecstasy.'

Mastered by NILS FRAHM the album equally should please fans of Cocteau Twins, Portishead or Zola Jesus.

Power Culture is the union of Emmanuel and Tim Tama. "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." This project aims to melt the experience and the world of the two artists in one single place. Both known for their very unique style started to work naturally on music, figuring out lately that the entire project was right there, in front of their eyes, Power Culture is the result of the collision of many styles that dominated the 90's but look forward to the future, with a wider angle. Techno Culture has been crucial to the development of many crafts, and once in a while some projects tend to define a line in time, this is the aim of this project.

LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

Hot Wax is an assured KPM masterclass from a dream team line-up of Brian Bennett, Alan Hawkshaw and John Fiddy. Here we're treated to what happens when all three decide to explore the latest trends in production music'. The latest as of 1976, of course.John Fiddy's numbers are sumptuous, string-led and light. Floaty soft-psych underpinned by a solid groove, particularly on Taste For Living' and "Fresh Start". If you're into Koushik and those early Manitoba/Caribou records - and you should be - you'll appreciate these.
For us, the Bennett and Bennett/Hawkshaw stuf is on another level. Capitol City' oscillates between driving funk and downbeat sentiment. Name Of The Game' is tough, smokin' funk, famously sampled in 2007 by Madlib for Percee P's Who With Me'. Bop On The Rocks' knocks hard and Full Throttle' features a guitar solo with some of the nastiest, about-to-explode fuzz you're ever likely to hear.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Hot Wax comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.

The new album by Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize-nominated Canadian soul star Tanika Charles.

Produced by a stable of some of Canada's finest musical minds including among the others Chin Injeti (DJ Khalil, Eminem, Drake, Aloe Blacc..), Record Kicks proudly presents "The Gumption" the awaited new album by Canadian soul star Tanika Charles that will hit the streets worldwide on May 10.

"What gave you the gumption?" Tanika Charles rhetorically asks during the introductory notes of her sophomore album appropriately titled The Gumption. While the apprehensive lover at the receiving end of that inquisition should feel slighted by the remark, it also alludes to the assuredness Tanika has gained since the release of her Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize-nominated debut Soul Run. The Gumption picks up where Soul Run left off, continuing her tradition of marrying classic soul with modern production styles. Across a dozen songs spanning 38 minutes, Tanika addresses moments of vulnerability, vindication, uncertain love, forbidden fruit and the state of the world today. "It's a little more mature. It's not feeling guilty about being up front, not being afraid to address situations that aren't comfortable for me. I'm comfortable in my skin now in a way I never was before. The overall theme is growth. I feel the music reflects that, and my words reflects that. Even the album cover tries to convey the feeling too. I'm not putting up with unnecessary nonsense anymore."

Predominately guitar-driven mid-tempo soul, with a handful of dance floor friendly tunes and some psychedelic leanings, The Gumption was indirectly influenced by the likes of Alabama Shakes, The Supremes, Khruangbin, D'Angelo, and Moses Sumney. It is sonically moody at times, but with consistent silver-lining arcs. "I've grown up and learned to deal with situations significantly better. We have a tendency to hold back our innermost feelings for fear of hurting others. Even when we're happy we worry about over-sharing, as if joy is a competition you don't want to gloat about."

The success of Soul Run propelled Tanika in front of new audiences far and wide, with extensive touring in North America and Europe. "I've been touring, experiencing new places and meeting new people. And in that time also worked on completing this album". While criss-crossing Canada with festival appearances on both the east and west coasts, Tanika also embarked upon four overseas tours for a combined 45 European shows within a one year period. This included performances at the prestigious Trans Musicales Festival in France, the Lärz, Germany Fusion Festival, Mostly Funk & Soul and Jazz Festival in UK, the Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and the Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain.

'The Loop' is the new LP by Los Angeles based polymath Shafiq Husayn, an epic project which saw its inception in 2012 through a series of studio sessions at Shafiq's home, including collaborations with the likes of Thundercat, Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus, Bilal and Anderson Paak. Amongst a close knit circle of friends and family the golden tones of The Loop were created, deeply rooted in ideas of song, story, history, guidance and spirituality. The album bumps, jumps and jangles through progressions in jazz, hip hop, soul and funk, following on from his debut album 'Shafiq En' A-Free-Ka' and adding further to his rich history of timeless, unique music. On The Loop past, present and future are brought together through a psychedelic concoction of time traveling drum machines, celestial string sections and trails of synthesizer vapour. Inflections of Sly Stone, Pharaoh Sanders and Earth Wind And Fire traverse with Marley Marl and Dilla-esqe drums making for an organic yet LA-trifying experience.

Shafiq has brought together an impressive array of LA's musical royalty, enlisting the likes of Thundercat, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Kamasi Washington, Chris 'Daddy' Dave, Eric Rico, Coultrain, Computer Jay, Jimetta Rose, Om'Mas Keith, Kelsey Gonzalez, I-Ced and more to provide the backbone to his recording sessions. Drawing in features from an international cast of performers and artists like Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Hiatus Kaiyote, Fatima and Karen Be amongst others. Now complete and finally ready for release in 2019 The Loop is truly something to behold. The records is accompanied by a series of paintings by acclaimed Japanese visual artist Tokio Aoyama, who worked in tandem with Shafiq to create a painting for each song on the record.

Release number 052 sees the much anticipated return of Phil:osophy. The combined efforts of Philth and Phil Tangent result in their most exciting work to date, aptly titled the Meditation EP. Four killer gems, all completely unique, span cinematic journeys, swing grooves, textured layers, slick beats and a special homage to the original intelligent era.

Mark your calendars now with May ** as the official release of Phil:osophy’s Meditation EP. Launching across all formats, make sure you reserve your limited vinyl copy now to avoid disappointment!

RE-pressed and available again on 9th november 2018! The Gunesh Ensemble was founded in 1970 in Ashkhabad, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, then part of the Soviet Union. They started out as a vocal group with supporting musicians from Turkmenistan State Radio and TV. Later several young musicians came to play with them and the band's music became much more modern. The group began to play jazz-rock tightly intertwined with traditional Oriental music. With that new musical style the band participated in some popular festivals around the Soviet Union. They received various awards and became very popular. Gunesh has always been in the process of developing and was one of the first and best local jazz-groups to organically combine the principles of jazz and melodic improvisation. The remarkably beautiful arrangements and polyrhythmic compositions were always further developed thematically. This process was highly praised at the Moscow competition With A Song On Life in 1977 where the ensemble became a prize-winner. The Organizing Committee of the Festival Spring Rhythms in Tbilisi (1980) called out members Rishad Shafi as best drummer and Stanislav Morozov as best saxophonist. This, their very fine first LP was originally released in 1980 on the Soviet state label Melodyja and contains traditional Central Asian music in jazz-rock arrangements plus a Vietnamese singer. The line-up has changed many times. Around 65 musicians have been a member of the group at some point in time.

Alt-rock icon Josephine Wiggs is best known as bassist in The Breeders, rising to superstardom in the '90s and continuing to draw crowds and critical acclaim in the wake of their 2018 album All Nerve.
But over the years, Wiggs has released several of her own albums, all of which delightfully defy genre. Her new solo record, We Fall, is both a departure and a distillation of an enduring personal aesthetic: moody and spare but also melodic, at once contemporary and nostalgic.
Some influences are clear: We Fall is reminiscent of the experimentalism of Brian Eno's Another Green World and recalls the delicate, languid minimalism of Harold Budd. The album's classical inflections, sharpened by a dialog with electronic elements, evoke Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This is an album of juxtapositions: minimalist at moments, richly layered in others; ambient while also sharply focused; melancholy yet resolute.
There's something both dreamy and scientific about We Fall. Wiggs, an enthusiastic amateur mycologist, has an impressive collection of mushrooms she's photographed in her travels. We Fall could be the soundtrack to what can't be captured in a single photo—the growth and decay of miraculous creatures that a less astute and sensitive eye might overlook entirely.
Composed, performed and recorded by Wiggs, with drums and electronics by her longtime friend and collaborator Jon Mattock (Spacemen 3, Spirit , We Fall is a lyrical, bucolic album with an undercurrent of disquiet. Think of a wintertime walk in the woods as dusk falls too soon. True to the classic album form, the 10 almost entirely instrumental tracks on We Fall form a compelling whole: a crystalline meditation on paths not taken and words unspoken, an elegy for moments lost and last embraces.
JOSEPHINE WIGGS BIO
Josephine Wiggs grew up in an unconventional family north of London. Returning home from a summer holiday with a donkey riding in the back of the family's 1927 Rolls Royce was not considered at all bizarre. Wiggs studied cello as a child, segued from college in London to undertake a master's degree in Philosophy, and then, in a move few would have predicted, joined a rock band.
After making three albums with The Perfect Disaster (1987-1990), Wiggs left to join Kim Deal (Pixies), Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses), and Britt Walford (Slint) in forming indie supergroup The Breeders, whose debut album Pod came out in 1990. Following a shift in line-up—with Kelley Deal on guitar and new drummer Jim Macpherson—The Breeders released Last Splash in 1993; with its hit single 'Cannonball' and 'Divine Hammer,' they became alternative rock superstars.
During the same period, Wiggs released two lower-key albums with Jon Mattock (Spacemen 3, Spiritualized): Nude Nudes (1992) under the name Honey Tongue, and Bon Bon Lifestyle (1996) using the moniker The Josephine Wiggs Experience. She also recorded and produced Klassics with a K (1996), the beloved and only album by the Kostars (Luscious Jackson's Jill Cunniff and Vivian Trimble). During a brief run of shows, Wiggs joined the band on drums, showing her range of musical ability.
In the late '90s Wiggs collaborated with Vivian Trimble as Dusty Trails, whose eponymous 2000 album is an homage to neo-noir soundtracks, spaghetti westerns, and Gallic pop. Time Out described it as 'one of the most subtly suggestive, understatedly elegant...things likely to have caressed your cochlea in years.'
Allusions in Dusty Trails to film music foreshadowed the next stage of Wiggs's career, writing scores for feature and documentary films—from Happy Accidents by Brad Anderson in 1999 to Appropriate Behaviour by Desiree Akhavan in 2014. Her new album We Fall began as a suite of short pieces for the documentary film Built on Narrow Land. Wiggs has also composed and recorded music to accompany live performance and short films by the acclaimed Brazilian choreographers chameckilerner.
In 2013, following the 20th anniversary of Last Splash, the classic lineup of The Breeders reunited for a world tour. Five years later in 2018 they released All Nerve, with Wiggs co-writing two songs and singing lead on the standout track 'Metagoth.' We Fall, Josephine Wiggs' third album of her own design and ninth album in a career spanning three decades, will be released on vinyl and available for download and streaming on April 12, 2019 by Sound of Sinners.

Rhythm Rollers is proud to present as a limited edition 12” Vinyl, Jamakabi's Killer Club track “Wickedest Ting”. The Instrumental which is produced by Chimpo is as HARD hitting as it gets and everything a grime track should be – sure to go down as a grime classic!!!
For the A side, two grime greats come together for a new underground anthem. Those who have followed grime from its inception will be familiar with the name Jamakabi, who is a former member of the legendary Roll Deep Crew. So, grime fans will be ecstatic to hear that he has teamed up with another respected grime figurehead D Double E. The two who both hail from East London, come together for new track Wickedest Ting.
With its menacing beat produced by Chimpo, Wickedest Ting will have you bopping your head. The chemistry between Jamakabi and D Double E is evident, and both of them gel together as they exchange witty bars.

On the flip side Jamakabi rolls in an all-star line up for the Remix
OG Rootz, Footsie, Big Narstie and Devilman

Say no more!

Dark Star Safari, a newly formed group featuring Samuel Rohrer, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset, present its eponymous recording debut, an evocative song-driven album. These songs conjure shadows of memory, clouds of dreaming and silhouettes of foreboding through the album’s layered, many-textured fabrics and Jan Bang's silken delivery of Erik Honoré's acute lyrics. Dark Star Safari is the work of four kindred spirits, their open modus operandi, and a remarkably interconnected creative nerve system. Key to their collaboration is an organic freedom that enables the music “to fill itself in", to be self-actualizing via the musicians as medium. The music of the 10 songs resulted from a two-stage process: an initial phase of free flowing open improvi- sation, and a subsequent exploratory phase where hidden potenti- als were discovered and nurtured. The groundwork of the album’s music originates from a session initiated by Samuel Rohrer, who invited Jan Bang and Eivind Aarset to the renowned Candy Bomber studio in Berlin. The ses- sion was run under the imaginative craftsmanship of sound engi- neer Ingo Krauss, who worked in the famous Conny Plank stu- dio, and its recording and mixing employed sophisticated use of vintage analogue equipment alongside cutting edge digital pro- cesses. This meeting opened the door for something larger to emerge. The group did not settle for just the outcome of the initi- al open improvisation. They were driven to dig deeper, to atten- tively examine and manipulate the material, in order to discover what it had to offer. This caused a creational chain reaction, forcefully spreading across the group. During this second phase, Jan Bang, while meditating upon the possibilities and reach of the improvised material, felt a strong urge to give additional shape and colour to it by singing. Thus, he organically stepped into the role of vocalist, a role he had not pursued since the early days of his musical career. He sent the results to Erik Honoré, who immediately was inspired by its po- tential, quickly penning lyrics and providing the project with its name. Honoré composed two additional songs, Mordechai and Fault Line, and thus rounded the project out towards a fully reali- zed opus. The group continued this back and forth process, with Samuel Rohrer and Eivind Aarset bringing in fine-tuning and e nrichment to the song structures and textures.

Musique Exotique’s Ayden Vice teams up with Czech upcoming star Andreas Rund and The Egyptian Lover to create a hypnotic fusion where West meets East, meets Middle-East. The Egyptian Lover leverages this hypnosis and casts some of his own with his signature 808 sound and enchanting vocals, a serenade if you will, which is guaranteed to seduce the freakiest of listeners.

A new addition to the label’s extended family, Tracey arrives on Dial with his debut LP, Biostar. Following previous releases on Aus Music, Voyage Direct and Intergraded, ‘Biostar’ pushes the technical and emotional craft of this vital young producer in exciting new directions, submerging listeners in thirteen tracks of sublime electro, ambient experimentation and warm, tonal techno. Based in the Netherlands, Tracey’s music is undoubtedly indebted to a legacy of emotive electronic music, the sort whose stark futurist vision cannot be equalled. Instead he strives and succeeds to create something personal and charismatic from a perhaps familiar palette of sounds. Somewhere between experimentation and understated songwriting, ‘Biostar’ is a worthy edition to Dial’s legacy of unique, artist-led albums. In the tradition of established Dial artists such as Lawrence, Roman Flugel and Efdemin, Tracey’s immediately apparent strength is an almost supernatural ability to conjure affecting and memorable melodies with minimalist intent, often just utilising the raw textures of his machines. From album-opener ‘THRRVL’, Tracey tracks the initially gentle undulations of his studio seemingly waking to life, plotting a neat melodic shuffle on ‘TRR’ and then, by, ‘CCLRT’, something dense, trippy and yearning. From hereon in, ‘Biostar’ plots an intriguing course through hypnotic, clockwork crunch (‘THWRD’), to Drexciyan submersion (‘HDRCSTCS’) and rhythmic experimentation on ‘PHTCPHRK’. Some of the more affecting moments on ‘Biostar’ emerge from it’s more obtuse sections; ‘DTFNK’ deciphers a surprisingly catchy melody among waves of scrambled signals, while the initially skittish ‘DRMRBT’ blossoms into an electro lullaby at 126bpm. By the arrival of wistful closing track ‘CLSTLBNG’, listeners are likely to emerge content from the deepest exploration yet of Tracey’s unique analogue ecosystem.

Presenting 'Fire Zone'. Album written, produced & mixed by Zane Reynolds and pressed on 180g vinyl, by Ekster. Coming out May 2019, including poster 57x57cm artwork by the artist. Mastered & cut by Helmut Erler at Dubplates & Mastering.

The music of Zane Reynolds AKA SFV Acid celebrates lysergic life in small town America. His are urban hallucinations. Conceived in 'business parks, strip malls', in 'blue collar luxury'. On a diet of 'diner burgers'. From the self-released, hand-painted cassettes of his high school years, he has moved to work commissioned by locals 100% Silk, Japan`s Big Love, and Dutch imprint, BAKK. His latest long-player, Fire Zone, will be issued by Belgian label, Ekster.

The album continues to reference Zane's Los Angeles home, and in this case the devastation that rages there every Summer. The concept however, reaching away from the horror and flames, to offer an escape.

There are moments, interludes, that hint at, and hide, something darker. Where drone twists from tape hiss. Bends. Out of shape. Where chords distort. Their degraded edges disintegrating. Charred perhaps But Ai welcomes you to 'San Fernando Valley', and a low-riding 808 booms. Less L.A. More Overtown, or Liberty City. Its racing booty bass calmed by wind chimes. The rapid Electro-Funk clip countered by modal synths. Its sunny disposition reflecting the SFV climate.

Playful rhymes, fragmented dialogue, and answer phone messages, rub up against Rave sirens. Roland`s silver box squeezes out a Sci-Fi Jazz. Through ping-ponging percussion. Through a drum and bass battery. Punched by keys that wanna be horns. Rewinds that create a bin-blowing vacuum. Shore-line samples washing the more head-nodding tempos. Euphoria rising while a perfect beat pops and locks. (text: Robert Harris)

DJ, producer, singer-songwriter, one-half of world-touring soul duo Myron & E (Stones Throw), founder of boogie outfit The Pendletons (Bastard Jazz), part of electro-funk duo Lucid Paradise, and an endless string of collabos. Over 2 decades in the game means multi-faceted artist Eric Boss knows his way around music. Having been there, done that, gotten the t-shirt and watched the fat lady sing, it's finally time for E to take center stage and deliver his finest effort yet with solo record "A Modern Love", an effervescent collection of raw funk, sweet soul, west coast vibes and classic hip hop, produced by Björn Wagner and Steffen Wagner (The Mighty Mocambos / Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band).

"A Modern Love" has all the ingredients of a future classic. High-profile guests Check: with Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious) rapping on "I Wanna Ride", a track with more bounce than a lowrider chevy on Santa Monica boulevard, and soul siren Gizelle Smith featuring on "Spiders", a spooky number that will get you jumping out of your seat like you've been attacked by giant 8-legged arachnids. Need some dancefloor action "Get Next To You" gets down to serious bizniz with crisp drums and a catchy hook guaranteed to get the party started. Something for lovers We've got it covered with "Is It Love", where Eric waxes lyrical about his sweetheart over a honey-drenched soul beat.

From reggae-flavored vibes being served in inspirational number "Your Life Is Up to You" to the slow-burning grooves of "Merry Jane" which features singer Ishtar, the 10 tunes on "A Modern Love" all attest to Eric Boss' talent and versatility. Judging by how quickly the limited edition 45 of album opener "Closer To The Spirit" sold out when it was released, it seems safe to say Eric Boss is a king Midas with the golden touch when it comes to providing fresh grooves for contemporary ears, and "A Modern Love" is set to prove so once again.

Heist is first and foremost a label dedicated to quality house music with an eccentric angle. Promoting great music from the Netherlands comes as a close second. After presenting a lot of notable artists from our country, it’s great to showcase another young Dutch talent with our latest release: Perdu.
You might know him from his solo debut on Let’s Play House or the follow up on Optimo Music last year. Perdu’s music gets played by the big ones in the game like Hunee, Optimo and Palms Trax to name a few; and obviously, by us. We’re proud to introduce you to his “Skye EP”. His new release includes 3 varied originals and a rave anthem made by none other than our fun loving Ozzie friend DJ Boring.
The A side kicks off with “Jane’s World” and is the track that made us fall in love with this EP when we heard the demo. It’s a worldly tinged house monster, filled with harmonized drum rolls, a counting Frenchman and a funky arpeggio for good measure.
“Sacramento” takes a more introverted approach, leaning on a broken beat and atmospheric pads. The consistency of the kalimba with the vocal gives it a certain swing that got our ears longing for more.

The B-side starts with “Morbid”, a life-affirming electronic anthem, where Perdu shows his mastery of creating a proper build up. Over the whole course of the track, there’s a lead that slowly but surely opens its filter. There’s bells, harps, hand percussion and rides that all build up towards a lovely climax towards the end, while the track never feels like it’s forcing itself upon you.
Where the 3 originals are all, to some extent, quite introverted and modest, DJ Boring’s remix is anything but that. His version of “Jane’s World” is all about ravey leads, powerful percussion and huge breakdowns, which will do wonders at any festival or club closing set.
We hope to pleasantly surprise some of you, and as always, make a musical impact on your moment in the club, at home, or wherever it is you enjoy the music of our new Heist release.

Yours Sincerely,

Maarten & Lars.

Sometimes, - despite today's high-octane, fast-track and hyper-hysteric music business - you come across things that seem so pure, perfect and poetic that it almost hurts. "Socialo Blanco" is one of these objects.

It appears understated at a first listen, startling at the second and totally enamouring by the third run. To lay it all out on the table: it sounds like a Music from Memory re-issue, looks like a Growing Bins Records discovery and feels like a flea-market-hippie-uncle-record-collection find.

Based on the language (coincidences and misbehaviour included) and direction of the classic EMS Synthi AKS and recorded by hand and directly to tape (no midi, no sync, no computer), it is at once out of time and out of touch with current sound aesthetics, but that only makes it even more contemporary (vintage) - like a great piece of furniture.

Unsurprising, if you know that Feater is helmed by Daniel Meuzard. Hailing from Vienna and having made a name for himself as a trustworthy and skilled studio equipment dealer and working closely with producer and studio engineer Sam Irl, the man has a knack for turning yesterday into today.

Already is his project's second album, "Socialo Blanco" is the result of all of this and some magical and effortless sessions. The voice of Vilja Larjosto from Finland and Ghana's Eric Owusu (Pat Thomas, Ebo Taylor) on percussion, spontaneously invited to the recording sessions by fellow Viennese Giuseppe Leonardi, are the icing on the cake. All of that and especially the non-conformist pop song "Time Million" symbolizes the heart and soul of an album that deserves to be billed as such. And that is no mean feat.

Margino (real name Kim Kallie) is a South African artist. She recorded her first song
at the age of eight, when she performed ''Montreal'' with her mother Judy Page. She
sang with the reggae group Kariba and jazz rock outfit Turbo in the early 80's, and
later did backing vocals for Future and others. She first shot to fame as a solo star
with a version of ''Holiday'' (written by Lisa Stevens and Curtis Hudson, credited as
Cathy Hudson), which was released at the same time as Madonna's version.
Margino also had a hit in 1983 with a cover of In-Deep's ''Last Night a DJ Saved My
Life'', that went to #16 on the South-African Top 30 and charted for 10 weeks. She
now runs a Performance Academy from her studio, and continues to perform on
stage at events around Cape Town.
Recorded at RPM Recording Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa) in 1985, Happy
People is a flawless album with dancefloor hits such as ''Happy People'', ''I'm
Getting Out'' and ''One Hot Night'' and downtempo tunes such as ''You Turn Me On'',
''You Need A Woman'' and ''You''. All rhythm tracks were played by Attie Van Wyk
(Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drum Machine) and Danny Bridgens (Guitar). The full
album is a cream of boogie funk, disco and pop.
For this reissue, Jamwax took the pleasure to remaster the sound from the original
tape. The artwork was also remake with Andy Warhol ''Marilyn Monroe'' pop art
style, for your eyes pleasure.

Back in 2014 when we first released the self-titled Chupame El Dedo we weren't sure if people could hold their mojitos while banging to their music. In 2019 we seriously advise to keep your hands free while listening to their second album. Formed by psych cumbia master Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers) and Pedro Ojeda (Romperayo), the man that found the perfect cocktail mix for acid + folk + tropical beats, Chupame El Dedo are ready to mess around with Satan. 'No Te Metas Con Satan' it's a humorous title for music that expels cartoonish metal-vibes mixed with tropical rhythms. It's a pitch perfect title for a record that's never at the right pitch. The humour makes way for the funny stories that Eblis and Pedro explore in their lyrics. Souk's fourth release is a daring adventure in global beats. Frequently it comes to mind the universe of Quasimoto, Madlib's abstract hip hop that sounded delicious in the early 2000s. Chupame El Dedo lives in the same kind of power trip, fuelled by intense salsa rhythms dressed with heavy metal images.
That's where Satan comes into place. The Devil wears many clothes, but none are as multi-coloured and trendy as the ones we see in 'No Te Metas Con Satan'. We are advised of that during the first side of the LP. Each song dares the listener, with a multitude of ideas, sometimes dissonant ones, that find their way to make sense. An example The first song 'No Te Metas Con Satan' sounds like a perverted version of 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy' and when you think it's over, it starts again, repeating ideas and leaving you extremely confused. What the fuck just happened Chupame El Dedo happened.
And it goes on. Flip to the other side and 'Alexandra Candelaria' says hi. A 7:43 minute long sinful & hilarious soup opera. No-one is ready for this. Laughter mixes with intense head banging, while we listen to what would happen if Jodorowsky made a Cartoon Network show. A damn good one. Maybe it's a good idea to not mess around with Satan, but you'll be in serious trouble if you don't listen to this. Seriously.

The Naturals' debut album is more than just an rediscovery of one of the great lost albums of the last decade, but of how things were always intended. When Eddie Ruscha (Secret Circuit) and Thomas Bullock (Rub'n'Tug/STD) appeared as The Laughing Light of Plenty, their journey offered untold troves. Now at last the pulse is set for outer orbit and all are welcome to join.

After a mind-melting debut EP sold again and again, an album expanding their unique psychebalearicfolk imaginings was prepared and even pressed before being lost somewhere between a lock up in New York and limited quantities reaching Asian shores and dealers
trading at dizzying Yen.

Lost, but never forgotten, years passed until a nagging memory that an earlier, rawer mix had always been superior. A return to the original band name seemed The Natural(s) choice and so a project idea started to be (re)born.

A sunny Spring afternoon in a grand English garden, pots of tea, talk of life's travails, deep yogani, love affairs, kids growing up, the power of now and music, always music led to two labels coming together to dust down the desk and not just resurrect, but seek and offer the original intentions.
Here at last is the double album as intended. Of two great friends jamming their deepest vibes and flowing with love to offer tales of higher consciousness. Travel inward, beyond meer chakras. Aim for the stars. The devil is in the details so see the trails and follow to some avail.

Begin your own journey.

Zodiak Commune Records presents the second TRIP release called Mist Of Souls. This is a serie pressed on 10 inch containing long, deep and storytelling acid tracks one on each side.
One side is dedicated to Ounts (FR), member of the Fr k6tem and Celestial Bodies collective recordlabel. Lovely ambient break!
The other side you can find the local rarely gifted Lox (FR). Really nice spacetraveling sound on this one!

Ounts L'Ame Hante
When it is time for a soul to move on, it simply needs complete its final task.
After that a portal will appear...and no one knows where it is going.

Lox Nova
We enter to other side of the portal. This is the time a new star is born.
The circle is complete.

Zodiak Commune Records presents the second TRIP release called Mist Of Souls. This is a serie pressed on 10 inch containing long, deep and storytelling acid tracks one on each side.
One side is dedicated to Ounts (FR), member of the Fr k6tem and Celestial Bodies collective recordlabel. Lovely ambient break!
The other side you can find the local rarely gifted Lox (FR). Really nice spacetraveling sound on this one!

Ounts L'Ame Hante
When it is time for a soul to move on, it simply needs complete its final task.
After that a portal will appear...and no one knows where it is going.

Lox Nova
We enter to other side of the portal. This is the time a new star is born.
The circle is complete.

Available april 30th

Heavy heavy heavy gospel compilation.. Including a few tracks that are under the radar or recently discovered such as Harrison Jones - On that Other Shore, Converters, I've Been Converted and the super limited self-released 45 by Mr Jesse R. McGuire – Jesus Is On the Mainline. Only 50 copies were ever pressed... Also holds Paradise's brilliant "Keep the Fire.".. TIP!!

Although gospel and disco music seem like polar opposites—one is secular while the other has embraced a hedonistic culture—the marriage of the two genres has birthed the uplifting spirituality and dance floor thump found in gospel disco. By the mid-'70s many established and independent gospel artists started creating records with a tight four-on-the-floor beat that touched both churchgoers as well as patrons of the drug-fueled establishments of the '70s.

Cultures of Soul Records is proud to present the second installment of Greg Belson's Divine Disco. Belson is one of the world's leading authorities on the funky gospel sound; for this collection he dug deep into his crates to
undercover the rarest independent and private press gospel disco records ever recorded. Greg Belson's Divine Disco sound is one that's been heard around the world from his DJ appearances at Glastonbury's NYC Donwlow stage to LA's Funky Sole to soul nights across
Europe.

Many tracks are under the radar or recently discovered such as Harrison Jones - On that Other Shore, Converters, I've Been Converted and the super limited self-released 45 by Mr Jesse R. McGuire – Jesus Is On the Mainline. Only 50 copies were ever pressed. This volume even includes gospel disco from the UK with Paradise's brilliant "Keep the Fire." This compilation also includes remixes and edits by Steve Cobby (who was a member of Fila Brazillia) and the Divine Situation production duo of Greg Belson and Paulo Fulci.

Has there ever been a better time to fuck off to the stars? Is a prison breakout ‘escapism’? Crisis carve some wound-space to let the dreams back in. In nights we turn to fire, in flight we burst into stone, where are the exits in this theatre of the damned? Strict luggage allocations – guitar (D. Knight), saxophone (S. Thrower) – and all the electronics your thoughts can carry. Headspin echoes, round and around, tilt wind-sails at a dark horizon, cut a stutter through the distance barrier. In to be out through the structure of the eye, encrusted with rotor-slime, pushing on through border erosions as everything melts into smoke, burning objects may be closer than they appear. Nebulae dazzle the shadows, tunnel through memories and the pulp-mass of neurons, forwards heading backwards, end of tether snapped, slide into the earth like ancient worms and breathe.

UnicaZürn’s core instrumentation blends analogue synthesiser, mellotron and electric piano with electric guitar and saxophone. Knight is reknowned for his pioneering multi-textured fretwork with Danielle Dax and Shock-Headed Peters, and his ambient guitar settings for Lydia Lunch, while Thrower’s reed playing provided rage and melancholy in Coil and turns to electro-acoustic texture in Cyclobe.

Alien Transistor and Tokyo-based label Afterhours release a vinyl-version of tenniscoats' masterpiece "music exists". It consists of 4 LPs, which will be released over the year, full of intimate, wonderful, psychedelic folk-music. With the fourth LP, there will be a strictly limited box available, either for putting in your already purchased other 3 records, or as the whole glorious 4-LP-package.

Tenniscoats have devoted followers allover the world, but their releases were always hard to find outside of Japan. Except for their album "Tokinouta", which saw a very limited run on vinyl, and the seminal "Two Sunsets", their collaboration with the Pastels (and a small handfull of 7"s ), there were never any vinyl-releases, and also the CDs were hard to get for any-one, who doesn't speak or read japanese.

So, this is the chance to dive deep into the beautiful, unique world of the tenniscoats and their opus magnum "music exists".

The Tenniscoats are a duo that have enjoyed a long career in the music scene of their home country of Japan. They have collaborated with unique artists from different backgrounds (Tape, Pastels, Pastacas and Jad Fair), while maintaining their own laid back approach and sound. Their songs are built primarily from guitar and vocals with lyrical themes focusing on everyday life. It could be their expansion on simplicity that has captivated music lovers of all ages throughout their existence.

While the aforementioned collaborations produced bold and sensitive experiences and results, it has taken Tenniscoats five years to release an entire studio album of their own. The wait has not been in vain, as four discs will be released consecutively beginning with 'Music Exists - disc 1'. Music Exists saw a previously limited release on the Tenniscoats' own majikick label.

'We started recording around January of 2013 with just the two of us in our 10 tatami-room in Tokyo we were using as a private studio. Arrangements were produced without computers by overdubbing on an analog console with mixing assistance provided by Saya. As we sent selected songs to be mastered by Yasushi Utsunomia, we were able to see the tracks grown into a full length album.'

What turned into a huge 4 disc project began in earnest three years ago. Tenniscoats wrote and recorded themselves using an analog console, a microphone, and what few instruments they had. As the project developed, they were surprised to find that they had amassed several albums' worth of material.

'We tried throwing up the ideas we had in the beginning and not put too much of our strength into playing in order to develop the ideas of each song. Utsunomia, who did the mastering was the first person to ever hear the material for this album outside of the band. We sent songs to him carefully choosing an order that we felt would not make him bored. Thanks to his distinctive way of mastering, we were inspired to go further and further into the process.'

2016 marks the Tenniscoats' 20th anniversary together. You could consider 'Music Exists' as a sort of compilation of material stemming from these years spent together. With their unique combination of melodies, unexaggerated arrangements, and detailed mastering, Alien Transistor are extremely delighted to make this recording available to the public!

The Italian Duo Club Paradiso coming from diverse and ever-evolving music backgrounds, they started their collaborative project in 2016. Romagna, Adriatic Riviera, is what they call home and also the primal inspiration behind Club Paradiso. Their first album “Esotica Erotica Psicotica” is out on april 26th on Mondo Groove with Kompakt distribution, follow up to the acclaimed 2017 single Panoramica, and is a wonderful patchwork of colours. Opener Romagna Tropicale transports Riviera to a tropical island, Tuco mixes arpeggiating lines with a western harmonica and a distant spoken, Solo tu with the voice of Francesca Amati is a sensual, slo-mo synth-pop beauty, and Echoes a throbbing deep house number. The B-side opens with Flauto Cosmico, a killer Afro/Cosmic track with a folky flute, Okinawa has the voice of Niconote aka the legendary Nicoletta Magalotti of Violet Eves fame and it’s simply a memorable song with an eastern vibe in the music, La Rabbia Saudita, with a special Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi featuring, is half part Arabic and half part funky, and the closing track, Mirage, is, yes, like a mirage. You can’t miss this.

Following their hotly tipped 2018 debut album 'On' - Altin Gün returns with an exhilarating second album. 'Gece' firmly establishes the band as essential interpreters of the Anatolian rock and folk legacy and as a leading voice in the emergent global psych-rock scene. Explosive, funky and transcendent.

Some words from the label:

The world is rarely what it seems. A quick glance doesn't always reveal the full truth. To find that, you need to burrow deeper. Listen to Altin Gün, for example: they sound utterly Turkish, but only one of the Netherlands based band's six members was actually born there. And while their new album, Gece, is absolutely electric, filled with funk-like grooves and explosive psychedelic textures, what they play - by their own estimation - is folk music.

'It really is,' insists band founder and bass player Jasper Verhulst. 'The songs come out of a long tradition. This is music that tries to be a voice for a lot of other people.'

While most of the material here has been a familiar part of Turkish life for many years - some of it associated with the late national icon Neset Ertas - it's definitely never been heard like this before. This music is electric Turkish history, shot through with a heady buzz of 21st century intensity.
Pumping, flowing, a new and leading voice in the emergent global psych scene.

'We do have a weak spot for the music of the late '60s and '70s,' Verhulst admits. 'With all the instruments and effects that arrived then, it was an exciting time. Everything was new, and it still feels fresh. We're not trying to copy it, but these are the sounds we like and we're trying to make them our own.'

And what they create really is theirs. Altin Gün radically reimagine an entire tradition. The electric saz (a three-string Turkish lute) and voice of Erdinç Ecevit (who has Turkish roots) is urgent and immediately distinctive, while keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, and percussion power the surging rhythms and Merve Dasdemir (born and raised in Istanbul) sings with the mesmerizing power of a young Grace Slick. This isn't music that seduces the listener: it demands attention.

Altin Gün - the name translates as 'golden day' - are focused, relentless and absolutely assured in what they do. What is remarkable is the band has only existed for two years and didn't play in public until November 2017; now they have almost 200 shows under their belt. It all grew from Verhulst's obsession with Turkish music. He'd been aware of it for some time but a trip to Istanbul while playing in another band gave him the chance to discover so much more. But Verhulst wasn't content to just listen, he had a vision for what the music could be. And Altin Gün was born.

'For me, finding out about this music is crate digging,' he admits. 'None of it is widely available in the Netherlands. Of course, since our singers are Turkish, they know many of these pieces. All this is part of the country's musical past, their heritage, like 'House of The Rising Sun' is in America.'
As Verhulst delves deeper and deeper into old Turkish music, he's constantly seeking out things that grab his ear.

'I'm listening for something we can change and make into our own. You have to understand that most of these songs have had hundreds of different interpretations over the years. We need something that will make people stop and listen, as if it's the first time they've heard it.'

It's a testament to Altin Gün's work and vision that everything on Gece sounds so cohesive. They bring together music from many different Anatolian sources (the only original is the improvised piece 'Soför Bey') so that it bristles with the power and tightness of a rock band; echoing new textures and radiating a spectrum of vibrant color (ironic, as gece means 'night' in Turkish). It's the sound of a band both committed to its sources and excitedly transforming them. It's the sound of Altin Gün. Incandescent and sweltering.

Creating the band's sound is very much a collaborative process, Verhulst explains.
'Sometimes me or the singer will come in with a demo of our ideas. Sometimes an idea will just come up and we'll work on it together at rehearsals. However we start, it's always finished by the whole band. We can feel very quickly if it's going to work, if this is really our song.'

Just how Altin Gün can collectively spark and burn is evident in the YouTube concert video they made for the legendary Seattle radio station KEXP. In just under 20 minutes they set out their irresistible manifesto for an electrified, contemporary Turkish folk rock. It's utterly compelling. And with around 800,000 views, it has helped make them known around the world.

'It certainly got us a lot of attention,' Verhulst agrees. 'I think a lot of that interest originally came from Turkey, plenty of people there shared it.'

That might be how it began, but it's not the whole tale. The waves have spread far beyond the Bosphorus. What started out as a deep passion for Turkish folk and psychedelia has taken on a resonance that now travels widely. The band has played all over Europe, has ventured to Turkey and Australia and will soon bring their music to North America for the first time.

'Not a lot of other bands are doing what we do,' he says, 'playing songs in that style and seeing folk music in the same way.'