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Marc Richter aka Black To Comm released his debut record 20 years ago. In 2023 he is still busy releasing music under various disguises and is currently signed to the Thrill Jockey label. To celebrate this anniversary his own Cellule 75 label is re-releasing some classic out-of-print vinyl albums that originally came out on the defunct Type and De Stijl labels. The LP will feature a full-colour lyric sheet / poster exclusive to this edition.

After releasing the critically acclaimed Alphabet 1968 on the seminal Type label (Grouper, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Yellow Swans), Richter chose De Stijl for this 2012 album, an American label that had just put out future classics by the likes of Circuit Des Yeux, Hype Williams and Wolf Eyes.

EARTH is a 2009 silent film by Ho Tzu Nyen, one of Singapore's foremost visual artists. After hearing Black To Comm's Alphabet 1968 Ho Tzu Nyen invited Richter to accompany the film at Berlin's Asian Film Festival, Unsound in Krakow and several other art biennals and music festivals around the world.

In his own words: "Most of the music was composed under the influence of heavy pain killers while recovering from a broken leg (the recordings literally took place in bed). The music (like the film) is about slowness and decay, states of unconsciousness, sleeping and waking up, dying and being reborn. The film is a post-apocalyptic collage based on paintings by classical European painters (Caravaggio, Delacroix, Rembrandt, Gericault) -- the music translates this concept employing corresponding collage-based sampling techniques using loops made from vintage vinyl and shellac records combined with acoustic and electronic instrumentation and voice."

From the original De Stijl one-sheet:
"Richter’s already formidable expressive power stretches over all of EARTH. Reflecting the countless cyclical forces that make up, oh, more or less everything we know and are, the music on EARTH is bracing, lovely, bustling and still, and at times bittersweet, a commingling of sensations and emotions that can’t be neatly separated from one another. (EARTH is complex, as you know.) Guests on EARTH include David Aird, a.k.a Vindicatrix (on the Mordant Music label), contributing startling vocal work; Renate Nikolaus on an array of instruments and noise devices; Rutger Zuydervelt (singing bowls); and Christopher Kline (singing saw). EARTH is Black to Comm’s seventh album and his debut for De Stijl, following the acclaimed Alphabet 1968 (on Type) and last year’s vinyl-only collaboration with Mike Kelley of Destroy All Monsters (on the En/Of label)."

Alex Neilson in The Wire:
"The most marked aspect of Earth is the voice of David Aird, aka Vindicatrix. Imperious and dolorous, he has the gravity of post-Climate Of Hunter Scott Walker, David Sylvain or Klaus Nomi stripped of the pathetic ritz. This is something that's easy to do badly, but Aird pulls it off with aplomb. On "The Children" he breaks into a morose yodel, rolling the words around his palate and colouring each syllable black before gifting them to the air. The meaning isn't understood verbally as much as viscerally. Beneath Aird's ululations, Richter casts handfuls of angelic debris from keyboards and digital devices, generating a celestial electronic tapestry reminiscent of Japanese musician Nobukazu Takemura. Sounds vie and twist at frequencies you can't so much hear as feel in the bridge of your nose, and the variety and full-bloodedness of the accompaniment is what prevents Aird's vocal from occassionally lapsing into shtick."

First proper album by Settima Tacca, aka Apollinariya Kaspars from Moscow.

"Here’s a vinyl edition of an album i recorded in 2021 with a few extras that have been added quite recently for the sake of making it into a full LP (thanks to the initiative of HHR). i have recorded the whole thing at my home studio with an upright piano, two of my favorite polyphonic analog synths - korg polysix and roland juno 60, and a greco stratocaster, that i have bought accidentally because i understand nothing about guitars. the main material for this album was composed around 2017, when entering my mid-twenties and trying to overcome the disenchantments of some crucial personal realms of human life.
as for the later added instrumentals (1,4,9,10) i have kept the sonic consistency intact but with way more hopeful spirits during the process. despite this ambivalent intervention from the future, this work feels even more complete to me now."

The collaborative bi-coastal project between Andi (NYC) and Machino (LA) is dark, spiraling music that conflates the tension of running EBM basslines with the monstrosity of electro-saturated, industrialized beats. In 2021, Andi and Machino began sending music back and forth to each other virtually—thousands of miles apart—as they built upon their passion for creating off-the-cuff, dangerously degenerate dance tracks.

Parafernales, their first release out this summer on Mannequin, is a conceptual EP that deals with power struggles: love and lust, strength and destruction, dominating and domination. Andi's vocals are spoken, whispered, and yelled simultaneously, as if to mirror the mania of having control and losing it at the same time. The EP title, Parafernales, is a nod to Machino's first language of Spanish and stems from the idea of miscellany: it is parafernalia for drugs, or, simply, accessories for unsavory activities. With inspirations from turn-of-the-90s erotic thrillers to the Chilean post-punk band, Los Prisoneros, the duo collide in a manner that is unadulterated and, at times, completely unhinged.

Machino is an electronic performer and music producer from Mexico based in Los Angeles who started out making moody ambient, techno and has now pivoted towards industrial music. He has released several EPs on different labels such as Tresor and X-IMG. Andi is a DJ, producer and music journalist based in NYC. She runs the nine year strong label/party SYNTHICIDE in NYC.

Spaceman, otherwise known as Stephen Munson or Stephan James, is the former lead singer of English cult glam punk band Living In Texas, one of the very first bands to play an MTV Europe session when MTV was in its infancy, one of the last bands to play at the legendary Elixir Festival in France, once #3 in the Italian charts (1985.),...

At the end of Living In Texas, Munson continued to form other projects without such conviction and to write songs, until meeting Christelle Canot aka Confused, a moment which he describes as his epiphany. He entrusted her with the production of his first (double) solo album.

This follows during the pandemic by the production of a double album featuring 9 songs already recorded in 2000 and the composition of 16 others with musicians from all over the world, carried by the same punk and DIY spirit that has always lived with him.

Poet, director, an artist touching everything and a great lyricist, his songs are personal and universal, love letters to his children, to nature, to our addictions, confessions of weakness, regrets, his life passes through these 25 songs that range from the folk lo-fi masterpiece "frEND" to pure postpunk sound straight out of the 80s "Everybody's Hooked On Something", to folk-rock ballads like Martin's Garden, eternal songs with "Loving Ways" or ballads of Lynchian love... As many universes as eras crossed with the greatest sincerity through the eyes of an eternal child.

In the realm of computer-generated music, all compositions are essentially binary, consisting of zeros and ones, representing data and information. Within this binary structure, every musical event exists amidst a backdrop of unchosen possibilities, creating a sense of absence and mourning for what could have been. The bittersweet emotional quality often found in certain electronic music may stem from a combination of its underlying aesthetic principles, a yearning for a lost vision of the future, and the subtle interplay between presence and absence inherent in the creative process itself.

Released for the first time on vinyl and including 2 unreleased tracks, Tales From The Silent City is a deep electronic journey with the unmistakable Niko Tzoukmanis's sound and sensitivity. The album features sequences that shimmer and persist, while gentle pads offer soothing relief to weary listeners.
Tales From The Silent City not only draws inspiration from a nostalgic era of sequencer-driven music but also anticipates the trend of seeking solace in '90s-influenced ambient techno during uncertain times.

"I cant believe its true" is a great uplifting Modern Soul tune produced, written and published by Gospel music veteran and Coconut record label owner Pastor Dr. Arris D. Wheaton from Dallas, Texas. He's now 77 years old, still kicking and licensing his stuff to respectful little labels like Stream Records. Counting on the vocals of Bobby Patterson’s of Pama and Jetstar labels fame, “I can’t believe it’s true” is a dancefloor destroyer of the highest order with perfect hooks and a production that still leaves you wondering why in the world these guys didn’t become acclaimed music stars as they sure deserved. Creators’ formation included Bobby Patterson (vocals), Andrew Jones (Guitar and background vocals), Timothy McNealy (Tambourine, Trombone, Organ and vocals), Ronnie Brewster (Drums), Robert (bobby) Simpson (Sax, Vocals and Band Leader), Billy ‘Sweet ‘Pea Thomas (Trumpet) and Michael Fugett (Bass and background vocals)

Ches Was born in Barbados, and from that faraway small group of islands comes this outstanding piece of Caribbean Soul. Like many of the artists we love, Ches had his fair share of travels and troubles. He dedicated his whole life to music pursuing that ideal of living by the dream we all keep sticking to when it comes to soul music. After the teenage years spent listenting to the sound of the American Black Music legends of the times, whose frequencies made it to the radio stations in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, he decided to pack up and go big studying music in New York City thus finding he was gifted with songwriting, where he always puts soul, jazz and a touch of reggae music. Wirl label (West Indies Record Ltd.) was his recording home with which he released a number of tunes both solo and with his band The Outfits. He then traveled far and wide, spending a couple of years in Canada (another proof of Canada’s music industry solid ties with the sound from the islands), eventually ending up where Funk Investigators’ patrol member Yann Vatiste has found him and secured the license for this release. Stay tuned for more tales about this man, he might be closer to you than you think.

"Spirals" goes back to the roots of jazz, funk, and disco and brings elements of these music streams into house music. In the appearance of swing, jazz was originally a dance music genre, which later developed in many directions. Various other genres were born from it. Even electronic music streams like house belong to those genres.

Bearing this in mind, "Spirals" connects different points in the history of these genres. Bringing this fusion to life, the MIMIKOTO project works with electronic elements (analogue synths, drum computers, electronic modulations) as well as acoustic instruments (saxophones, keys, trumpet, bass, drums and percussions).

The MIMIKOTO project was founded in 2019 by Fabio Kumori as a collective of musicians related to jazz, funk, soul and electronic music, after a certain period of composing and playing as duo, trio and quartet. One of the central goals of the MIMIKOTO project is to include people from different backgrounds - to be inclusive regarding the music and the musicians themselves.

May the sound of "Spirals" be a social room in which everyone is invited to participate, and may this idea be spread everywhere where it will be played.

Drittes Studioalbum der amerikanischen Rockband mit 14 Titeln, die den Kern des Sounds von The Strokes zeigen: stakkatoartige, poppige, einprägsame Hooks, die von Julian Casablancas' Stimme begleitet werden. Das 2005 erschienene Album landete auf Platz 1 der UK-Albumcharts und brachte die Hitsingles "Juicebox", "Heart in a Cage" und "You Only Live Once" hervor. Jetzt erhältlich auf Hazy Red Vinyl in limitierter Auflage.

blue + red marbled vinyl

"He spoke to the sand. It explained to him that the wind could take him and carry him across the desert and then he could become a stream again. He asked if he would then remain the same as before? The sand answered him that this was not possible, because his essence would be carried away and would again form a stream. He would be called what he is even today, because he did not know which part in him was the essential one."
- Lazarus

Originally reissued as part of the Promise Kept: The Complete Artist House Recordings boxed set, now available separately LP contains the original 5 tracks – CD/Digital include an additional 3 bonus tracks Remastered by Grammy® winner Michael Graves, with vinyl cut by Jeff Powell Producer John Snyder had always wanted to record Pepper and booked him into a week at the Village Vanguard in New York. At the time, Pepper was under contract to Contemporary Records and label head, Les Koenig, decided he would record the gigs, quashing any notion Snyder had of doing the same. However, Art promised Snyder that he’d record an album for Snyder’s label, Artists House, at some point down the road. Together they wound up making four. Here again on vinyl, CD & Digital are the original albums drawn from these sessions, lovingly recreated in their original form, remastered by Grammy® winner Michael Graves and recut by Jeff Powell. So In Love (originally issued in 1980) features Pepper’s takes on classics from Thelonious Monk, Cole Porter, and Hoagy Carmichael, plus a pair of originals including “Blues For Blanche.” The CD and Digital add three bonus performances from the sessions. The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow noted: "Pepper is in excellent form throughout the album, giving these songs heart-wrenching interpretations". “John and Art both kept their promises. John brought Art into the wider world; he put him on the road. Just as he said he would, he brought him to New York and to the Village Vanguard, got his picture in the papers, got him on the radio. From Art, John got his dearest wish. He made these recordings.” —Laurie Pepper






[f] 6. Yesterdays (Take 2) [Bonus Track]
[g] 7. Landscape [Bonus Track]
[h] 8. Straight, No Chaser (Take 4) [Bonus Track]

MIA Records is back with a strong release by Oleg Makovskiy !

The label is crated by Mathtiiaas Rosén (Mattias Lindgren) AKA Microman in 1995 in Stureby outside south of Stockholm Sweden.
in the beginning as a way of getting out things that Plumphuse Records did not...

After moving to UK in 98 more got in to it´s own "style" much because of London and that market, ...The label is just Microman´s backyard for experiments and try fix the holes in a dj set, the tunes needed in between the other. A techouse deep house funk house techno hybrid, now lately with the Ahab 13 taking the jump in to Brake Beat and Jungle looking back paying respect to 1998 old school.

Ahab 15 is here and Microman is on the case with a four track ep called: Freja - With a melodic yet stomping sound for both the bar before the gig.

A1: Stoopid Geneie 126 BPM a dark random bass and motion progressive rhymes.
A2: Omberg 122 BPM deep house soft rumble bass positive cords... To the more Techno style.
B1: Freja 132 BPM hybrid techouse journey with a brake down after 03:30 going into strings and full bass line revealed.
B2: Lite mer forskning 130 BPM balearic style sound with electric live bass and steel guitar melancholic melody.

ME LOST ME led by Newcastle-based artist Jayne Dent announces a new album RPG via Upset The Rhythm on 7th July, and is touring across the UK including support dates with Pigs x7. RPG (recorded in Blank Studios with Sam Grant of Pigs x7) is ME LOST ME’s fourth outing as a collective, having transitioned from an ambitious solo project in 2017, Jayne now regularly collaborating with acclaimed North-East jazz musicians Faye MacCalman and John Pope.
ME LOST ME delights in experimenting with songwriting and storytelling, creating a beguiling mix of soaring vocals and atmospheric electronics that playfully weave together disparate genres, drawing influence from folk, art pop, noise, ambient and improvised music. Hauntological in part, RPG is concerned with tales and with time - are we running out of it? Does insomnia cause a time loop? Do the pressures of masculinity prevent progress? Jayne Dent asks these questions and more on RPG, her homage to worldbuilding and the story as an artform, calling back to those oral traditions around a campfire, as well as modern day video games - bringing folk music into the present day as she does so.
ME LOST ME presents sound reaching in opposite directions, straddling time towards the archaic and timeless traditions of folktales, and towards the possible and potential futures of pastoral Britain and the world at large. Part speculation, part reminiscence, what results on the new album RPG is music that sounds ultimately displaced and yet omnipresent, adjacent to a hapless Vonnegut hero whose life is scattered throughout time and history, but full of wonder and curiosity rather than fear.
On track “The Oldest Trees Hold The Earth”, we see time stretched out between the branches of impossibly old beings in the woods. This track was co-written in Aarhus, Denmark with fellow Newcastle folk musician (with Danish heritage) Ditte Elly. The pair wordlessly passed a sheet of paper between each other to write the lyrics, inspired by Højbjerg and Mosegård, the woods they were sitting in. “How long should I wait/Before the moss grows?/On my skin, on my outstretched arms,” the lyrics are sung in a round, the close harmonies delicate and detailed.

A central thesis of this album is the joy of creation, something which is paid homage to in the album’s final track, “Science And Art” (Not because we need it to last/just because we needed to make it - so we invented the words/this language). It is also reflected in the definition that Jayne gives for “folk” itself. She comments, “To me, folk is quite an expansive idea. I think of it as creative work that's often made ad-hoc, with things that are at hand and more often than not it's born of a DIY ethos. It is songs and stories of the people, as in the traditional sense, but also creative coding, game design etc. Whatever outlet someone has for their creative expression could be described as folk. It's the things we make because humans need to make things, and the stories we tell about ourselves and the world around us.”
Crucially, on latest album RPG, Dent expands her songwriting and looks towards the unreal locations of worldbuilding in video games for inspiration. She comments, “I think the main similarity is the importance of a song's setting/environment to inform its narrative and textures, I'm often most inspired when out walking in the natural landscape, in cities and travelling to places I've never been before - the environment I'm in really impacts the work I make. While writing this album, however, I found myself inspired by imaginary landscapes, those in video games, paintings, etc. I was writing stories into these unreal locations instead. Even the songs inspired by real places, like The Oldest Trees Hold the Earth, have a very surreal quality to them in the songs, like they're being warped and turned into something not of this world. I think that's the main difference for me in terms of the thematic content and inspiration behind this album - I've been getting more and more interested in balancing surreal and fantastical environmental elements with ordinary and everyday settings.”
RPG upends the concept of the eternal return - we may be in the midst of inevitable repetition, but we tell stories whilst awaiting the passage of time.
"Being familiar with, and a fan of Jayne's earlier work, it was great to get the opportunity to work with her on the production of her new record. I had in mind a sense of what the record might be, but what came of the sessions, led by the vision Jayne had for the record, totally exceeded my expectations. As far as albums go, it has a breadth of writing and a sonic depth that made it a truly brilliant record. Having Jayne join us on a leg of the Pigs x7 tour in April is going to be ace. The creative nature, the sincerity and bold strokes of ME LOST ME put it in that space outside of any genre pigeonholes, and between our two sets I imagine the audience is going to have a proper sonic bath..."
Sam Grant, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, 2023
“The music of Me Lost Me is beguiling, idiosyncratic and cinematic - or should that be video-game-omatic? This suite of songscapes often hits the sweet spot between ancient and modern with its masterful blend of stark folk, neon electronic burbling and unusual arrangements. Jayne's singing is refreshingly straightforward and nuanced - it's exquisite! - and perfectly punctures the nebulae of synths and brass which billow around the old wooden frames of the songs. Whilst listening I had images in my mind of what Northumberland might look like through the eyes of Simon Stalenhag - foggy moors, a robot looking across the sea to Lindisfarne, twinkling lights on metal towers.... that sort of thing. It's a really great album.”
Richard Dawson, 2023

Psycho Bummer is proud to present UFO!, a true originator for bass music in the United States and a hero to us since before we can remember. As part of San Francisco's Phunckateck crew in the 90's, UFO!'s early music staked out a militantly abstract form of techstep that was unlike anything else around at the time. Releases like "Science Fact / Enemy Infiltration" in 1999 were among the first US-produced drum'n'bass records that many stateside ravers bought, and while we can only speak for ourselves, UFO! was a huge inspiration in getting us to make our own music.

On the "Level Up" EP, UFO! continues a recent exploration of jungle, footwork, and juke-influenced tracks that are completely unpretentious and fun yet carry a certain strain of weirdness that links back to his early music. From heads down rollers like "Operation Drag n Drop" to the bizarre rush of "Level Up", this stuff is unmistakably UFO! and it's an honor to have him on our label. We hope you'll love these tunes as much as we do.

Itchy sind zurück und bleiben eine sympathischsten Konstanten im deutschen Punkrock-Universum: Mit ihrem neuen Album Dive setzen die drei einen musikalischen Meilenstein und zeigen in 12 krachenden, wieder englischsprachigen Songs, wie man auch nach über zwei Dekaden Bandgeschichte noch unverbraucht frisch, zynisch provokant, irrsinnig angepisst und dabei zeitgleich überaus charmant klingen kann. Nach Jahren der Live-Durststrecke konnten Itchy Ende 2022 endlich wieder das tun, wofür die Band berüchtigt ist - eskalierende Live-Shows zelebrieren. Die so oft verschobene Tour wurde final zur erfolgreichsten der Bandgeschichte und jeden Abend zeigten die frenetischen Anhängerscharen, dass nicht nur die Band die intensiven Live-Erlebnissen schwer vermisst hat. Das neue Album spiegelt die Spielfreude und Energie, mit der die Band Abend für Abend ihr Publikum zu körperlichen Höchstleitungen anstachelt, exakt wider. Itchy legen ihre salzigen Finger in die offenen Wunden von Gesellschaft, Politik und Religion und lassen die Hörerinnen und Hörer trotzdem auch immer wieder Teil ihrer eigenen Welt werden. Themen wie politische Heuchelei und Stagnation (Thoughts & Prayers), die Missbrauchsskandale der Kirche (No one's listening), das amüsante Eingestehen fehlender eigener Sozialkompetenz (I'm alright) oder die Auseinandersetzung mit wirren Stimmen im Kopf (Prison Light) fliegen abwechselnd aus den Boxen. Für die emotionale Anti-Kapitalismus-Hymne Burn the whole thing down haben sich Sibbi, Panzer und Max diesmal prominente Unterstützung mit an Bord geholt und so wettern sie gemeinsam in brachialen Strophen und einem zuckersüßen Refrain gegen die Höher-Weiter-Schneller-Mentalität unserer Zeit. Jeder Song auf Dive hat seinen ganz eigenen Vibe und trotz der Härte in Musik und Text ist es ein positives Album, das immer ausreichend Platz für ein gewinnendes Augenzwinkern lässt. Im Herbst dann wieder auf großer Tour.

Das Live-Album der Melvins aus dem Jahr 2006, auf dem sie ihr legendäres Album 'Houdini' vorstellen. Zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl erhältlich, mit speziellem 12-seitigen Booklet. 2LP 140gr Hot Pink Vinyl.

- Ltd. Col. 2LP: (Hot Pink Vinyl)

Lost private press gem "The Swimmer" by Florida native Danny Morgan, is a cool and breezy, beguiling easy glide from 1987. It should've been huge. It still could be. It's a mellow marina masterpiece and quintessentially Balearic. Over the past few years, it's gathered a cult following yet the album from which it derives is virtually impossible to come by.

Finally available on a standalone, fully remastered 12", it's been backed by an instant classic "Seahawks Swimming Through Space Remix", courtesy of those beloved cats Jon Tye and Pete Fowler.

These won't be around for long, limited to just 500 copies for the world, so don't drown in procrastination.

One listen and you'll want to dive in.

Fans of the deeply entrancing, nautically and narcotically-enhanced cuts of Dennis Wilson or Michael Nesmith’s The Prison will be instantly mesmerised by the sheer beauty of "The Swimmer". After tracking Danny down, we wanted to know more. How does something so magical come about? The man himself answered thusly:

"At the time I was running many miles on the Sanibel Island beach and doing a bit of swimming in the Gulf Of Mexico. Keeping my mind busy on a long run, I imagined a “what if” movie scene. Almost every run or swim someone is sitting there on the beach watching what goes by. Back at my desk I started finger picking some chords and the picture in my head showed up. I punched in a rhythm loop and the song was on its way.

Adrian Belew and I had the same manager Stan Hertzman so I was listening to some of Adrian’s work. I was a huge fan of Joni Mitchel and the unusual chord changes and melodies in some of her songs. All of this influenced the sound on “The Swimmer”

I had a support band at the time living in my house on Sanibel Island so we practiced a lot. We came up with an arrangement of the song and we took across the bridge to John McLane’s Important Studios and recorded it. I played finger picking acoustic guitar and sang, Tim Miller played drums, Jeff Holck played fretless bass, Dave Dust played lead guitar and John McLane played keyboards and sang harmony."

Our deep thanks must go out to Jon Tye (MLO / Seahawks / Ocean Moon) for first hipping Be With to this stunner. We returned the favour by giving him the keys to the stems and requesting a strung out remix to go on the flip - he returned having conspired with Pete Fowler to conjure a cosmically copacetic rerub with the subtropical chug of the "Seahawks Swimming Through Space Remix".

Putting together the artwork for this 12" release was an enjoyable process. It was nice to be able to flip the original sleeve for the Beach Life album by using previously unseen photos, sent to us by Danny. We wanted to create something that looks like it would've gone with the LP sleeve. We think we've cracked it. Simon Francis remastered Danny's original audio and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 12" sounds appropriately outstanding. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this previously lost masterpiece stays forever found.

Recorded in the early 2000s, The Sand Dollars' two Tropicália-inspired remakes of classic late 60's nuggets by The Kinks and Donovan are paired together for the first time here on F-Spot Records' new subsidiary label Pangea International Recording Co., which focuses on world and global groove inspired releases, curated by David M Celia and Dan Ubick.

From the vaults of Dan Ubick's Lions Den Studios, we get the crown jewel in Ray Davies' catalog, "Waterloo Sunset" from Something Else by The Kinks, redone as a funky Tropicália-inspired track and re-named "Waterloo Bossa" complete with fuzzy compact organ, bouncy Fender bass, funky drums from Connie Price, a lush horn arrangement by Ubick's former Keystones cohort and trumpeter Todd M. Simon (Dap Kings, El Michels Affair, Macy Gray), string arrangement by mix guru and multi-instrumentalist Steve Kaye (The Lions, Inara George, Hepcat, Marley Bros.) and topped off with stereophonic vocals by jazz chanteuse Gretchen Parlato (Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding, Lionel Loueke).

Side B's "Get Thy Bearings" was initially pressed on Now-Again Records back in 2003 and quickly sampled by Lily Allen on her track "Sunday Morning" due to the raw and heavy drums and Fender bass courtesy of Connie Price and Richard "Doo" Lee along-side inventive horn arrangement by Todd Simon flipping the original on its heady head. Now freshly mastered, this B-side instrumental is available again as the hard-hitting remake of Donovan's classic from 1968's The Hurdy Gurdy Man LP that may inspire you to sample it as Biz Markie did on "I Told You."

Penguin Cafe kündigen heute ihr fünftes Studioalbum Rain Before Seven... an, das am 7.Juli 2023 bei Erased Tapes erscheinen wird.



Eine zuversichtliche Grundstimmung durchzieht das fünfte Studioalbum von Penguin Cafe, Rain Before Seven…, wobei es sich keinesfalls um jenen extrem selbstbewussten, fast schon prahlerischen Optimismus handelt, sondern eher um so eine auf bescheidene Art hoffnungsvolle Grundhaltung, die man den Menschen auf der Insel ja häufiger nachsagt. Auch wenn alle Anzeichen das Gegenteil behaupten, spürt man hier sofort diese Gewissheit, dass sich alles doch noch irgendwie zum Guten wenden wird. Vermutlich zumindest.



Der Titel des Albums geht auf eine alte Bauernregel zurück, wobei die gereimte Vorhersage – „… fine before eleven“: ab 11 Uhr also wieder alles klar – auf ein baldiges gutes Ende hindeutet, vollkommen unabhängig davon, was die Wissenschaft sagt: „Ich habe diesen Spruch in einem Buch entdeckt. Davor hatte ich ihn noch nie gehört“, erzählt Arthur Jeffes, der Kopf von Penguin Cafe. „Er hat so einen dezent optimistischen Beigeschmack, und das gefällt mir sehr. Man verwendet ihn heutzutage kaum noch, aber der Reim beschreibt tatsächlich Wetterphänomene in England, die vom Atlantik aus über die Insel ziehen.“



Angefangen beim leinwandgroßen und schwärmerischen Eröffnungstitel „Welcome to London“, der mit einem Augenzwinkern auf Morricone anspielt, bis hin zum „Goldfinch Yodel“, jenem „Maibaum-Banger“ (um es mit Arthurs Worten zu sagen), mit dem das neue Album ausklingt, zieht sich ein angenehmes Gefühl von Leichtigkeit und Lebensmut durch den Longplayer, unterfüttert mit der Ausgelassenheit exotischer Rhythmen. Alles wirkt spielerisch und verspielt, und selbst der Titel ist eine Anspielung – auf A Matter of Life… aus dem Jahr 2011, der letzten Veröffentlichung, deren Titel in eine Ellipse mündete Jenes Debütalbum von Penguin Cafe diente einst als Bindeglied und Brücke – zwischen dem legendären Penguin Cafe Orchestra, das einst Arthurs Vater Simon Jeffes leitete, und dem gefeierten Nachfolger, als dessen Mastermind seither Arthur verantwortlich zeichnet.



„Ich glaube, das wirklich Neue an seinem Ansatz bestand darin, spannende und schräge Ideen zu nehmen – und dann seltsame Dinge damit anzustellen“, meint Arthur, „dabei aber konstant im Blick zu haben, dass es hinterher auch schön klingt und emotional ansprechend bleibt.“ Dieses Ethos lebt weiter in der Musik von Penguin Cafe: „Dazu haben wir uns entschlossen, als ich daran anknüpfte, schließlich spielen wir die Sachen meines Vaters und machen dazu auch neue Musik, die im selben Klanguniversum angesiedelt ist. Das bedeutet, dass ich gewissermaßen moralisch dazu verpflichtet bin, den ursprünglichen roten Faden im Auge zu behalten – und dafür zu sorgen, dass wir nicht plötzlich in Richtung Thrash-Metal abbiegen.“



Dennoch waren die rhythmischen Elemente, die zum Teil sogar an elektronische Sounds erinnern, noch nie so präsent und tonangebend wie auf Rain Before Seven…, was durchaus auch dem Co-Produzenten Robert Raths geschuldet ist. „Find Your Feet“ etwa hat ein Beat-Fundament, das weit über einen bloßen Pulsschlag hinausgeht. Abgemischt von Tom Chichester-Clark, blitzt an Stellen wie diesen etwas auf, das Arthur selbst als „fast schon elektronischen Vibe“ bezeichnet, um dann ganz aufgeregt zu ergänzen: „Es geht vor allem auch einfach ums Spaßhaben, was auf den letzten drei Alben nicht so zu hören war.” Extrem ausgelassen klingt auch „In Re Budd“, das dem verstorbenen Ambient-Urgestein Harold Budd gewidmet ist. Arthur erfuhr von dessen Tod an jenem Tag, als er diesen feierlichen Ohrwurm komponierte, dessen Synkopen deutlich komplexer sind, als sie auf den ersten Blick wirken. Auf einem präparierten Klavier gespielt, wobei die Filzstücke dem Track zusätzlichen Bounce verleihen, setzt Jeffes hier auf einen Afro Cuban Cafe-Vibe – was wunderbar zum widerspenstigen Geist des verstorbenen Budd passt.



Und schließlich wäre da noch das bereits erwähnte „Welcome to London“, das seinen Titel erhielt, als sich die Welt gerade wieder zu öffnen begann und die Menschen auch wieder Fernreisen antreten durften. Jeffes, der somit nach langer Zeit endlich wieder einen Fuß auf britischen Boden setzen konnte, war sofort beeindruckt von filmischen Soundtrack-Qualitäten (à la John Barry) dieses Stücks, als er mit dem Taxi von Heathrow nach West-London fuhr und zur Musik die opulente, in Dämmerungslicht getauchte Metropolenkulisse auf sich wirken ließ. Hier kann man deutlich die eingangs erwähnte Zuversicht raushören – und dazu vielleicht auch einen Hauch von bissiger Ironie: „Robert Raths hat der Sache noch eine Nuance hinzugefügt, die ich interessant finde, weil doch so viele Londoner ursprünglich gar nicht aus London stammen. Man schlägt also in London als Zugezogener auf, man weiß noch nicht, zu welchem Lager man sich zugehörig fühlen soll, und dann wird man auf der Straße überfallen und ausgeraubt – und in dem Licht betrachtet, hat dieses ‘Welcome to London’ doch einen eher sarkastischen Beigeschmack.“

With the next number on its list, Exarde has brought to you the new blood from Italy. NND is carrying a robust warehouse vibe through the whole EP and this time it is even stronger than before.
All simply because this one is an excellent reminder about dark nights from back in the day. Since 2016 Mr. Moretti stepped in the game of his own music production and now he is presenting a 3rd solo release.

Als autodidaktische Musikerin und charakteristisch private Künstlerin, die ihr Leben ihrer Arbeit widmet, taucht die amerikanische Songwriterin Julie Byrne nach über sechs Jahren seit ihrem ihrem letzten Album "Not Even Happiness" aus einer zutiefst anstrengenden und generativen Phase mit der kraftvollsten, glänzendsten und lebensbejahendsten Musik ihrer Karriere auf. The Greater Wings wurde über mehrere Jahreszeiten hinweg geschrieben, mit Bildern von Nächten auf Tour, Zeiten der Isolation und den Fahrten quer durchs Land für die verschiedenen Kollaborationen zwischen Chicago, New York und Los Angeles. Die Aufnahmen begannen mit dem verstorbenen Eric Littmann (Phantom Posse, Steve Sobs), ihrem langjährigen kreativen Partner und Not Even Happiness-Produzenten, und endeten in den Catskills von New York mit dem Produzenten Alex Somers (Sigur Rós, Julianna Barwick). Obwohl sie die Plastizität des Verlustes in sich tragen, sind die Lieder universell, ungezügelt in ihrer Hingabe und Freude. Byrne lehnt sich weiter in Atmosphären, die sowohl weitläufig als auch intim sind; das üppige, beschwörende Songhandwerk fließt zwischen ihrer charakteristischen fingergezupften Gitarre, dem Synthesizer und einem neu hinzugefügten Klavier, das durch Ausschmückungen mit Harfe und Streichern erweitert wird. Es ist der transzendente Klang von Ressourcen, von Freundschaft, die nie ohne Romantik war, von Loyalität, die von innen heraus brennt wie ein brennendes Herz, und der Lebenskraft, die in unwiederholbaren Momenten heraufbeschworen wird - roh, wunderschön und wild. "Meine Hoffnung für The Greater Wings ist, dass es als Liebesbrief an meine auserwählte Familie und als Ausdruck der Tiefe meines Engagements für unsere gemeinsame Zukunft lebt", erklärt Byrne. "Durch die Trauer neu geformt zu werden, hat mir auch bewusster gemacht, was der Tod mir nicht nimmt. Das nehme ich mir zu Herzen, in Worte, in Töne. Musik ist nicht an eine lineare Zeit gebunden, so dass sie in der Lage ist, die Zukunft aufzuzeichnen und zu ihr zu sprechen: So hat es sich für mich angefühlt, als wir gleichzeitig lebendig waren und alles auf einmal geschah. Wie es sich angefühlt hat, an meine Grenzen zu gehen und zu stoßen, die Liebe, die diesen ganzen Kampf wert war. Diese Erinnerungen sind meine Werte, sie gehören zu mir."

Als autodidaktische Musikerin und charakteristisch private Künstlerin, die ihr Leben ihrer Arbeit widmet, taucht die amerikanische Songwriterin Julie Byrne nach über sechs Jahren seit ihrem ihrem letzten Album "Not Even Happiness" aus einer zutiefst anstrengenden und generativen Phase mit der kraftvollsten, glänzendsten und lebensbejahendsten Musik ihrer Karriere auf. The Greater Wings wurde über mehrere Jahreszeiten hinweg geschrieben, mit Bildern von Nächten auf Tour, Zeiten der Isolation und den Fahrten quer durchs Land für die verschiedenen Kollaborationen zwischen Chicago, New York und Los Angeles. Die Aufnahmen begannen mit dem verstorbenen Eric Littmann (Phantom Posse, Steve Sobs), ihrem langjährigen kreativen Partner und Not Even Happiness-Produzenten, und endeten in den Catskills von New York mit dem Produzenten Alex Somers (Sigur Rós, Julianna Barwick). Obwohl sie die Plastizität des Verlustes in sich tragen, sind die Lieder universell, ungezügelt in ihrer Hingabe und Freude. Byrne lehnt sich weiter in Atmosphären, die sowohl weitläufig als auch intim sind; das üppige, beschwörende Songhandwerk fließt zwischen ihrer charakteristischen fingergezupften Gitarre, dem Synthesizer und einem neu hinzugefügten Klavier, das durch Ausschmückungen mit Harfe und Streichern erweitert wird. Es ist der transzendente Klang von Ressourcen, von Freundschaft, die nie ohne Romantik war, von Loyalität, die von innen heraus brennt wie ein brennendes Herz, und der Lebenskraft, die in unwiederholbaren Momenten heraufbeschworen wird - roh, wunderschön und wild. "Meine Hoffnung für The Greater Wings ist, dass es als Liebesbrief an meine auserwählte Familie und als Ausdruck der Tiefe meines Engagements für unsere gemeinsame Zukunft lebt", erklärt Byrne. "Durch die Trauer neu geformt zu werden, hat mir auch bewusster gemacht, was der Tod mir nicht nimmt. Das nehme ich mir zu Herzen, in Worte, in Töne. Musik ist nicht an eine lineare Zeit gebunden, so dass sie in der Lage ist, die Zukunft aufzuzeichnen und zu ihr zu sprechen: So hat es sich für mich angefühlt, als wir gleichzeitig lebendig waren und alles auf einmal geschah. Wie es sich angefühlt hat, an meine Grenzen zu gehen und zu stoßen, die Liebe, die diesen ganzen Kampf wert war. Diese Erinnerungen sind meine Werte, sie gehören zu mir."

Sie gehören zum Besten, was die moderne britische Metal-Szene zu bieten hat. Mit ihren zwei brillanten Alben, "Conspiracy" (2019) und "Darkness Will Rise" (2017) hat The Raven Age mehr als 75 Millionen Streams weltweit generiert und zahlreiche Tourneen rund um den Globus mit Bands wie Killswitch Engage, Anthrax und Tremonti unternommen. Am 7. Juli erscheint ihr mit Spannung erwartetes drittes Album "Blood Omen". Zuvor kommen sie für zwei Termine in die Schweiz: Am 19. Juni 2023 spielen sie mit Iron Maiden im Hallenstadion in Zürich und am 24. Juni 2023 am Heavy Load Festival in Wetzikon.

Memoria Recordings warmly welcomes Costin RP. After his amazing releases over the past few years, this artist doesn't require an introduction.

The title track of the EP is called "Astro". As you expect from Memoria, very melodic and warm sound combined with perfectly shaped drums.

As usual, we take things a little deeper on the B-Side of our releases. "Intre Patru Ochi" & "Sidef" by Costin demonstrate once more that he has a lot to offer. Versatile in its strategy, and each track works!

This EP is a classic in the making and belongs in every record bag.

A LIFE DIVIDED veröffentlichen ihr neues modernes Rock/Metal-Album "Down The Spiral Of A Soul", das schwere Gitarrenriffs, kraftvolle Shoutings und Clean-Gesang vereint. Diese Mischung macht dieses Album zu einem Meisterwerk! Sie sammelten mehrere Millionen Streams und erreichten bereits Platz 39 in den offiziellen deutschen Charts.
Mit seinem neuen Album "Down The Spiral Of A Soul" kehrt das deutsche Modern-Metal-Quartett A LIFE DIVIDED zu seinen Wurzeln zurück. Die Realität gibt es vor: Es wird härter, düsterer und wütender zugleich. "Down The Spiral Of A Soul" erscheint am 07. Juli 2023, als limitiertes Boxset, als CD-Digiak sowie digital. Das Album wurde in den hauseigenen A LIFE DIVIDED Studios unter der Regie vom musikalischen Band Mastermind Erik Damköhler aufgenommen, Mix und Master übernahm Christoph Wieczorek (Annisokay) von den Sawdust-Studios.

In addition to his day job transforming pop music with his own records, as well as those of Gastr del Sol, Loose Fur and Sonic Youth over the past few decades, Jim O"Rourke has been contracted for several dozen film scores over the years as well. It makes sense - his abilities as an improviser, composer and producer allow him to interpret cinematic moments with a unique understanding for their construction and how they work. It doesn"t hurt that Jim"s a well-versed cineaste, a complete and total fan of watching films, which has given him a preternatural understanding of the role of music in movies. What doesn"t make sense is how Hands That Bind is the first film soundtrack of Jim"s to ever receive worldwide release! He"s worked with filmmakers of international repute, like Olivier Assayas, Allison Anders, Werner Herzog and Kôji Wakamatsu! He served as music consultant on Richard Linklater"s 2003 laff-fest, School of Rock! He"s played in ensembles of award-winning documentaries and films alike! Throw the guy an internationally-promoted soundtrack LP every more often, why doncha? It was left to the "suits" of Drag City Records to innovate, once again, by taking a leap on an O"Rourke work. Made for an indie film that"s been seen by festival audiences and not enough others, the soundtrack for Hands That Bind is a moody, atmospheric delight. Jim"s roots in composition via tape-editing have evolved into a sophisticated assembly of found-and-processed sounds that achieve highly musical, near-orchestral majesty as they hang in the very air of the drama that unfolds in Kyle Armstrong"s Hands That Bind. Described as a "slow-burn prairie gothic drama" set in the farmland of Canada"s Alberta province, and starring Paul Sparks, Susan Kent, Landon Liboiron, Nicholas Campbell, Will Oldham, and Bruce Dern, Hands That Bind is a spellbinding trip to the existential bone of rural working life in North America. As conflict rises over the hard-worked patches of land that provide a mere and mean existence, a desperate air settles in, as a series of mysterious, often supernatural occurrences rock the small community. O"Rourke"s vaporous, serpentine musical backdrops and atmospheres reflect the obsessions and distractions of the film"s principles; moods of all sorts seen or otherwise implied. Additionally, the music highlights cinematographer Mike McLaughlin"s closely observed accounting of the farmers" environment, as well as the striking widescreen images of the big sky country with unnerving flair. For fans of Jim"s ongoing steamroom series as well as collectors of soundtracks, Hands That Bind will provide hours of engrossing listening. And if you get a chance, see the movie projected in a movie house, please - farmers aren"t the only ones struggling these days!

Feel the ground shake beneath your feet as swarms of infected march towards your colony! The soundtrack for They Are Billions was composed by Nicolas de Ferran, a prolific composer who already has about fifteen soundtracks to his credits and experience as a Music Editor on OSTs like A Plague Tale: Innoncence, Vampyr, and more.

Due the game's humble beginnings, the music was originally produced on a low budget, using only samples and virtuals instruments.

However, following the overwhelming success of the Early Access, the music was re-orchestrated and completely re-recorded with the National Slovak Symphony Orchestra in Bratislava. A 60-piece orchestra recorded the music for the game for an entire day in the concert hall of Slovak Radio, with sound engineer Peter Fuchs (known for Fable, Total War, Call of Duty and more).

With its cinematic epicness, stressful ambiences and inspiring melodies, this album is a must-have awaited by the whole community! "They Are Billions has been an incredible experience in my career and I'm very happy to be able to keep the music of this game alive with Microids Records" Nicolas de Ferran

In collaboration with Timmion Records, Daptone is proud to present My Echo, Shadow and Me, the debut album from the soulful Chicano brother, Johnny Benavidez. Hailing from San Diego (via El Paso, TX), Johnny's desire to sing was influenced by his grandfather, John Lorenzo Guzman, who as a teen in the early sixties spent some time harmonising with groups in El Paso, most notably Sonny Powell and the Night Dreamers. When he was 13, Johnny was given a record player and a box filled with R&B, Doo-Wop, and Soul 45s that he studied obsessively, employing the harmonies and melodies therein to cultivatehis own unique voice. After a chance encounter with the legendary Dimas Garza, Johnny's career began to blossom and soon he would find himself singing alongside stars like Eugene Pitt and Archie Bell, garnering the interest of Timmion Records..


Backed by the incomparable Cold Diamond & Mink (Bobby Oroza, Pratt & Moody) two incredibly successful singles were cut and plans for a full length were struck, culminating in 11 original songs penned by Benavidez. From the uplifting bounce of the title track, the doo-wop dinged "Dedicated to You", the Latin flare of "Uncle Sam," to the Sweet Soul masterpiece "Somebody Cares" (licensed and released on a Penrose Records 45), My Echo, Shadow and Me is not only an aweinspiring display of Jonny's versatility as an artist but also serves as a window into the eclectic array of soulful sounds that inspired him to fall in love with music and become a singer. A must have for fans of Daptone, Timmion, Penrose, et al.

El Nido: a welcoming embrace in uncertain times. The world changed forever in the second quarter of 2020. The life we were used to ceased to be, as we were overcome by constant fear, distrust in all that surrounded us and a fatalist attitude towards the world we lived in. With the pandemic came lockdown, mandatory isolation for months, empty streets, face masks, hand sanitizer, the fear of going out, an absurd roll call of Covid fatalities, the daily tension of not knowing when it would all end and the urge to "get back to normal," something that certainly never happened. Out of that pandemic saturation and that urge for "normality" came El Nido ("The Nest"), the third album by Italy-based Colombian producer Montoya, who describes this record as "becoming virgins of destiny again, facing up to that fatalist world and creating that longing for tranquility. Savoring that moment prior to the pandemic, that instant when the most important thing wasn't the immediate reality or the global situation." Montoya sees El Nido as that quiet place that you think of when you close your eyes; it is a beach or a mountain, a sunrise or a sunset, a wave in the sea refreshing your body, or an almost-whispering wind that immediately silences everything around you. On his previous records, Iwa in 2015 and Otún in 2019, his work as a producer prevailed, feeding the growing wave of Latin American electronica, fusing IDM and techno with indigenous root music, Andean folklore and rhythms from the tropical Caribbean coast and ancestral Pacific in terms of instrumentation. But on El Nido Montoya splits the balance, offering us five merely instrumental tracks and six collaborations with Latin American artists, including Colombians Nidia Góngora on "Soñé," Montañera on "Sierra" and Pedrina on "Nubecita." It also features Mexican artist Pahua on "Flor del Mar," the Peruvian Lara Nuh on "El Faro" and the Franco-Venezuelan La Chica on "Palosanto." Starting from the name itself ("The Nest"), an evocation of home, El Nido is also a Filipino municipality on the island of Palawan, a place that turned out to be Montoya's last live experience before the pandemic. That place with crystal clear seas and white sand became the scene and starting point for this work, reflecting on the abstraction of a chaotic world and proposing blurred destinations with each song, like places that exist within memories when we close our eyes, letting us inhabit them, for a couple of minutes at least. On the other hand, it's a record that approaches love; as a yearning and a refuge, as a guide and an anchor, but also as a rhetorical figure that makes us vibrate and elevates us, while at the same time keeping us grounded and letting us settle in the place that we can use as our shelter.

Die Musik von Unloved hat die Stimmung der bahnbrechenden BBC-und Netflix-Serie 'Killing Eve' perfekt untermalt. Während der vier Staffeln trugen ihre Tracks dazu bei, die Welt zu erschaffen, durch die sich Villanelle und Eve bewegten; ihr Sound war so unverwechselbar, dass er fast zu einem weiteren Charakter wurde. 'Ode To The Lovers' versammelt alle Unloved-Tracks, die während der Killing Eve-Staffeln 1 - 4 zu hören waren und erscheinen nun erstmals auf einer Vinyl. Diese Sammlung ist faszinierend und schön, voll von zeitloser Musik. Egal, ob Sie 'Killing Eve' gesehen haben oder nicht, dies ist ein Sound, der für Liebhaber gemacht ist - wo auch immer sie sein mögen.

Die farbige Vinyl Version von «Room On Fire» ist inzwischen ausverkauft, jetzt ist der Longplayer wieder auf schwarzem Vinyl erhältlich.

Our label is thrilled to share yet another mind-blowing electro/proto-techno track by Art Programming (Art P), following the release of "Genscher Pull N Push". This track was originally the final piece on their self-titled album, released on cassette in 1983 under the P.A.P. label from Bremen.

To this day, the track remains almost completely unknown within collector's circles. However, let's take a moment to imagine what might have happened had the recording been released as a vinyl 12" back in 1983. Could it have been a game changer? We will never know for sure. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: with its punchy Roland 808 rhythms, and catchy synth lines and vocoder, it undoubtedly qualifies as a classic German electro track, and one of the earliest techno/proto-techno recordings.

At almost 8 minutes in length, this track includes one of the most exhilarating breaks in electro music of that era, showcasing extensive drum editing and effects. It strongly resembles the sound that Detroit would become famous for in the years to come, but make no mistake - this record was produced straight out of Bremen, a relatively small city in Northern Germany.

For the flip side of the single, we enlisted Alexander Arpeggio, the owner of Mond Musik und Eine Welt label, to edit the track while preserving its original spirit. As a member of the acid techno project Aufgang B and the synth-pop minimal duo OTTO, he not only has a deep understanding for this kind of music but also possesses the ability to give the song a different feel with greater dancefloor appeal. He has slightly reduced the tempo of the track and emphasized the instrumental and break parts, resulting in an exciting remix that is DJ-friendly and has everything you could ask for.

The 12" release comes with the original Art Programming logo in a vintage style, packaged in a generic black sleeve with hype sticker. It is limited to only 200 copies. This is a serious gem that you won't want to miss out on, so act fast!

Der Score zum vielbeachteten Film von Regisseurin Charlotte Wells starring Paul Mescal und Frankie Corio.

Mit seinen Kompositionen - einer glühenden Form von Ambient-Musik - ist es Cellist, Komponist und Electronic Music Producer Oliver Coates gelungen, der Kinematographie emotionale Farbe zu verleihen.

Leichter und zarter als seine frühere Arbeiten, steht Coates' Score für die Erinnerung im Film, für das wachsende Bewusstsein, dass der Film eine Erinnerungsreise sein könnte, die versucht, dem erlebten Trauma einen Sinn zu geben. Der Score gibt dem Film das Gefühl, dass er beginnt, sich seiner selbst bewusst zu werden, wie ein Film im Film. Mit der Zeit entfaltet sich die Musik und hilft dem Zuschauer, über das Naturalistische und Diegetische hinauszugehen. Sie besteht aus einfachen Elementen, alten Synthesizern, umgekehrten und verlangsamten Streichern. Diese, so erklärt der Komponist, "enthüllen allmählich die Trägheit in Calums (Paul Mescal) Auftreten und suggerieren, dass etwas über ihm schwebt".

Enthalten auf dem Score ist auch 'One Without', das vieldiskutierte Musikstück, das in der Schlussszene und im Abspann zur Verwendung kommt, noch lange nachhallt und laut Coates auch als Blaupause diente für den gesamten Score.

When he‘s not writing or recording, Baba Stiltz immerses in fearless fiction by the likes of Denis Johnson and Dodie Bellamy; prose where pedestrian details become transcendent in aggregate and the inner lives of marginal characters are examined as though they were kings.
A similar thesis runs through „Paid Testimony“, the essential second tape of minimalist guitar music from the FilipinoAmerican-Swedish artist.

In recent years, Stiltz has made like Lee Hazelwood‘s Cowboy In Sweden in reverse, making annual pilgrimages from Stockholm to California and reconnecting with his roots via a guitar and a Fostex 4- track. He‘s drawn to the less glamorous corners of the golden state, an observant habitué of unkempt streets and dive bars stretching from LA to Vacaville. It‘s a long stretch from the jetset techno clubs
where Baba originally plied his musical trade, but it‘s where he finds characters and ideas worth writing about.
The characters on „Paid Testimony“ are on the edge and on the run. Surrounded by flawed men with big schemes since childhood, he extrapolates characters who plot bank heists and order milk and vodka in AM hours, the type of confrontation- prone characters who „say some shit, make everyone uncomfortable and then just split.“ To focus on the rawness of this document would discount the humor and sympathy with which he treats his characters, not to mention the subtly- psychedelic songwriting recalling David Berman, early Smog, the original indie rock minimalist poets.

On the final song, Stiltz looks back on the city that raised him „Stockholm,“ referencing „young professionals carelessly living“ before adding „I can‘t say I‘m not jealous even though I live my life just like they do.“ There‘s an honesty in the small details revealed on „Paid Testimony“, and a defined sense of place, be it Stockholm, Sacramento or some dim barroom across from the Bank Of America.

Baba doesn‘t quite fit in anywhere. This outsider quality has often been used as a marketing tool, yet here, it lends a writerly aspect to the proceedings, an unreality to the everyday.

Ein exzellentes Album, das jedem Black, Death oder Symphonic Metal Fan gefallen sollte! Zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl! Hollenthon ist eine Symphonic Death Metal-Band, die von Martin Schirenc von Pungent Stench gegründet wurde. Hollenthon debütierten 1999 mit "Domus Mundi" und erlangten mit ihrem zweiten Album "With Vilest of Worms" Kultstatus.mit ihrem zweiten Album "With Vilest of Worms to Dwell" im Jahr 2001. Nach diesem Album wurde es ruhig an der Hollenthon-Front, da Schirenc sich darauf konzentrierte, Pungent Stench wieder zusammenzubringen. Nach zwei Pungent Stench-Alben kehrte Schirenc jedoch zu Hollenthon zurück und "Opus Magnum" war das Ergebnis."Opus Magnum" zeigt eine neue Entwicklung des Bandsounds, da die symphonisch-orchestralen Elemente nahtlos mit dem gebotenen Death Metal verschmelzen. Das Album zeichnet sich durch großzügige Chöre, Synthesizer, Streicherarrangements und weiblichen Soprangesang aus, die sich perfekt mit Schirencs
klassischen und ethnischen europäischen Folk-Elementen verbinden. Das Gitarrenspiel hat ein neues Niveau erreicht, mit unglaublichen Soli auf dem gesamten Album. Das Album ist ein perfektes Ganzes, bei dem jeder Song anders ist, aber dennoch einwandfrei zusammenarbeitet. Hollenthon experimentiert auf diesem Album furchtlos mit verschiedenen Sounds, und das funktioniert unglaublich gut. Das Album ist ein durchgehendes, hochenergetisches Erlebnis, und jeder Song ist einzigartig und doch zusammenhängend. Fans von Therion und Symphonic Extreme Metal werden "Opus Magnum" lieben, das unserer Meinung nach sogar besser ist als alles, was Therion seit langem veröffentlicht hat. Insgesamt,"Opus Magnum"
ist eines der besten Extreme-Metal-Alben des Jahres 2008! Sehr empfehlenswert!

"With Vilest of Worms to Dwell" ist ein episches und majestätisches Kraftpaket! Dieses Album mischt Folk, Pagan Metal mit Death Metal Tendenzen.
Zum ersten Malauf Vinyl!Dieses Album ist ein Kraftpaket, ja, wir haben es gesagt... Mit Anflügen von Therion, gemischt mit melodischen Death Metal Tendenzen, bricht "With Vilest of Worms to Dwell" in seiner ganzen majestätischen und epischen Ausmaß und ist auch 22 Jahre nach seiner ersten Veröffentlichung im Jahr 2001 noch immer ein großes Vergnügen zu hören. Hollenthon demonstrieren ihre symphonischen Elemente von Anfang an, und die ersten drei Tracks sind geniale Kompositionen, die, obwohl sie unglaublich sind, dem Hörer Geduld abverlangen, die dann aber mit einer großen Belohnung belohnt wird. Hollenthon hat ein zugängliches Album geschaffen, aber man hört bei jedem Hördurchgang etwas Neues.Gleich zu Beginn springt "Y Draig Goch" mit einer wunderbaren "Aufbau"-Strophe heraus, bevor er in einen der headbangfähigsten, erhebenden Refrains mündet, die man seit langem hören wird.Zeit hören wirst. Klingt nach Power Metal? Weit gefehlt, Hollenthon spielen eine mitreißende Mischung aus Death Metal und orchestraler Musik, die an Therion meets Morbid Angel erinnert, aber viel, viel besser als dieser schlechte Vergleich klingen mag.

No More Sound, Sad Park’s third full-length, begins with an ending. More specifically, with its own ending. Because the short, just-over-a-minute-long “No More Songs” is kind of a stripped-down reprise of the title track that closes this record. In one way, it means this album—the band’s first for Pure Noise—travels back in time over its 38 or so minutes, but in another it’s also traveling forwards. Because while “No More Sound” is a more fleshed-out version of “No More Songs”, it also contains melodic and lyrical throwbacks to the eleven songs that sit between them. Perhaps more importantly, as everything comes full circle on the record, it offers something that the opener doesn’t. Recorded across ten days at Balboa Studios in Los Angeles, No More Sound is, in fact, the sound of a band really coming into their own.