quête:su kramer

Die Höchste Eisenbahn - Zurück mit einem neuen Album voller Retro-Charme und Gegenwartsgefühl Mit ihrem neuen Album beweist Die Höchste Eisenbahn einmal mehr, dass Popmusik nicht laut sein muss, um zu berühren - sie muss nur ehrlich sein. Und genau das gelingt Moritz Krämer und Francesco Wilking mit einer sprachlichen Finesse, die in der deutschsprachigen Musikszene ihresgleichen sucht. Die beiden Songwriter sind keine bloßen Texter - sie sind Beobachter des Zwischenmenschlichen, Chronisten des Alltags, Poeten der kleinen Momente. Ihre Lieder erzählen von Bürofluchten, verpassten Chancen, absurden Begegnungen und der Schönheit des Banalen. Dabei gelingt ihnen das Kunststück, tiefgründige Gedanken in scheinbar beiläufige Zeilen zu kleiden - mit einem Augenzwinkern, das nie zynisch, sondern immer menschlich bleibt.

Musikalisch bleibt die Band verspielt und offen: Synthesizer treffen auf akustische Wärme, Lo-Fi-Elemente auf präzise Arrangements. Doch im Zentrum stehen stets die Stimmen und Texte von Krämer und Wilking - mal im Dialog, mal im Wechselspiel, immer im Dienst der Geschichte. Die Höchste Eisenbahn liefert kein Album für den schnellen Konsum, sondern ein Werk zum Wiederhören, Mitdenken und Mitfühlen. Wer zuhört, wird belohnt - mit Zeilen, die hängen bleiben, und Melodien, die tragen.

Music From Memory are thrilled to announce the forthcoming release of ‘Pastoral Blend,’ a new album from the duo of N Kramer and Magnus Bang Olsen (The Zenmenn).

Recorded in Berlin between August 2023 and March 2024, ‘Pastoral Blend’ combines Kramer's improvisational process and mastery of contemporary production techniques with Bang Olsen’s emotive pedal steel guitar playing. The creative process was anchored in capturing various phrases and patterns from the instrument, which were then reshaped, reversed, and layered intricately. This meticulous approach allowed a foundational track to emerge, upon which further arrangements and developments were sculpted. This process, which builds on Kramer's earlier work as Habitat (with J. Foerster, released on Leaving Records), gives the music a gentle asynchronous flow that feels uniquely live and organic.

Merging the warmth and intimacy of instrumental Americana with the glitchy, textural processing reminiscent of early 2000s Max/MSP and influential artists such as Fennesz and Alva Noto, ‘Pastoral Blend’ is a textured drift between analog warmth and digital fragmentation, a delicate equilibrium that duo navigate with remarkable finesse and an air of effortless charm. With titles like ‘Harvest', ‘Agrarian Dawn’, ‘Grasslands’, and ‘Weathered’, Kramer and Bang Olsen evoke a musical vocabulary steeped in themes of landscape, memory, and tradition; a vocabulary that gently alludes to the more familiar and traditional musical structures lying beneath the rich layers of sound. Herein lies the essence of the 'Pastoral Blend’.

Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

They Came Like Swallows is the first album-length collaboration between Thurston Moore and Kramer (now officially Bonner Kramer), two giants of alternative/ experimental music. The accomplishments and influence of these two artists in the world of independent music cannot be overstated and the result of their artistic union is a startlingly cohesive statement that burns through landscapes of primitive outsider rock, avant-garde composition, progressive ambient and further locales boldly and beautifully unnamable. “Kramer and I reconnected in Miami, Florida, a few years back, many many years after each of us had departed NYC on separate life adventures. It was only a matter of time before Kramer and I started making plans to record together and with his irrepressible due diligence he quickly set up a mobile recording contraption in the pad I was decamped in, the Florida sunshine flowing through the palm leaves, lithe lizards skittering across the windowsills, and we just went for it.

Kramer had the idea to cover a Joy Division tune, a left turn from the improvisations we had been tracking, though wholly in keeping with both our sensibilities of light and dark unifying in transcendent songwriting, both of us devotees of 'the song' as well as 'the freedom.’ What transpired is They Came Like Swallows, a session we immediately felt should exist as a prayer to the war-torn souls of the families of Palestine continually decimated by the brutality of genocide. We agreed beyond words to offer our music as a sonic activism and as a beneficent energy. This album is our duo exchange for human dignity, it is our soul music for any semblance of a peaceful planet.” ~ Thurston Moore “For the first time in our nearly 45 years of friendship, we had identical time windows open to make a record together,” recounts Kramer. After all this time not a moment is wasted as the duo immediately taps into the heightened core of improvisational tension across these seven offerings. Volcanic opener “Urn Burial” notches a similar historic union (John Cale and Terry Riley) to meet the circumstances of the moment, with swirling mists of organ and pounding toms over guitar that thickens the atmosphere with jagged, grimy dissonance.

Solemn strings open the second track, “The Redness In The West,” with Kramer’s cello and viola in dueling bow beneath the high tension drive and sustain of Thurston’s electric guitar, tapping out a Morse code of tension that mounts endlessly into a fog of inevitable war by the end. Moore and Kramer’s sense of experimentalism is in free and full grandeur throughout They Came Like Swallows, though the duo keep a strong and constant sideways eye on melody, composition and architecture, to the ends that any strict lines between song and improvisation are blurred beyond qualification.

As if to punctuate this point, Swallows closes with a nightwork cover of Joy Division’s “Insight,” a doleful coda that breathes out with a solemn inner grace under Thurston’s instantly stylistically recognizable guitar melodies as they weave into he and Kramer’s unison voices. As the lone vocal piece and only traditional ‘song’ form on the album, “Insight” is unique to this set and as a closing statement draws connective lines back to the kind of dynamic, electrified melodicism that wove deep, melancholy patterns into the untamed fire of Sonic Youth’s Sister and Daydream Nation. In the album’s final moments, the two voices repeat the lyric “I’m not afraid anymore” as mantra, underscoring the heavy, unsettled themes and methods that preceded it. Kramer describes the creative process of They Came Like Swallows: “I had composed and recorded a few pieces at my home studio over the course of a couple weeks. Thurston was spending the winter in South Florida, so I flew down and spent a few days recording his guitar parts in his home there. Watching him spontaneously compose his parts was pretty astonishing, to say the least. Once we'd finished working on those pieces, we began improvising and following wherever the music pointed us, and another few pieces were born. We got straight to it, without anything driving us other than the joy of finally working together.

My personal goal was to remain present and catch as many surprises as I could from Thurston's guitar work, and there were plenty during those few days. We had a fucking blast.” Thurston’s contributions here will be readily familiar to any acolytes of his other works, the through-line between his inspired playing, cradled in Kramer’s meticulous, solid arrangements. “If I had to make this record again, I'd do it all exactly the same way,” Kramer says. “It’s like jazz, you don't think about it. You just do it. It was miraculous, and you don't fuck with a miracle.”

They Came Like Swallows is the first album-length collaboration between Thurston Moore and Kramer (now officially Bonner Kramer), two giants of alternative/ experimental music. The accomplishments and influence of these two artists in the world of independent music cannot be overstated and the result of their artistic union is a startlingly cohesive statement that burns through landscapes of primitive outsider rock, avant-garde composition, progressive ambient and further locales boldly and beautifully unnamable. “Kramer and I reconnected in Miami, Florida, a few years back, many many years after each of us had departed NYC on separate life adventures. It was only a matter of time before Kramer and I started making plans to record together and with his irrepressible due diligence he quickly set up a mobile recording contraption in the pad I was decamped in, the Florida sunshine flowing through the palm leaves, lithe lizards skittering across the windowsills, and we just went for it.

Kramer had the idea to cover a Joy Division tune, a left turn from the improvisations we had been tracking, though wholly in keeping with both our sensibilities of light and dark unifying in transcendent songwriting, both of us devotees of 'the song' as well as 'the freedom.’ What transpired is They Came Like Swallows, a session we immediately felt should exist as a prayer to the war-torn souls of the families of Palestine continually decimated by the brutality of genocide. We agreed beyond words to offer our music as a sonic activism and as a beneficent energy. This album is our duo exchange for human dignity, it is our soul music for any semblance of a peaceful planet.” ~ Thurston Moore “For the first time in our nearly 45 years of friendship, we had identical time windows open to make a record together,” recounts Kramer. After all this time not a moment is wasted as the duo immediately taps into the heightened core of improvisational tension across these seven offerings. Volcanic opener “Urn Burial” notches a similar historic union (John Cale and Terry Riley) to meet the circumstances of the moment, with swirling mists of organ and pounding toms over guitar that thickens the atmosphere with jagged, grimy dissonance.

Solemn strings open the second track, “The Redness In The West,” with Kramer’s cello and viola in dueling bow beneath the high tension drive and sustain of Thurston’s electric guitar, tapping out a Morse code of tension that mounts endlessly into a fog of inevitable war by the end. Moore and Kramer’s sense of experimentalism is in free and full grandeur throughout They Came Like Swallows, though the duo keep a strong and constant sideways eye on melody, composition and architecture, to the ends that any strict lines between song and improvisation are blurred beyond qualification.

As if to punctuate this point, Swallows closes with a nightwork cover of Joy Division’s “Insight,” a doleful coda that breathes out with a solemn inner grace under Thurston’s instantly stylistically recognizable guitar melodies as they weave into he and Kramer’s unison voices. As the lone vocal piece and only traditional ‘song’ form on the album, “Insight” is unique to this set and as a closing statement draws connective lines back to the kind of dynamic, electrified melodicism that wove deep, melancholy patterns into the untamed fire of Sonic Youth’s Sister and Daydream Nation. In the album’s final moments, the two voices repeat the lyric “I’m not afraid anymore” as mantra, underscoring the heavy, unsettled themes and methods that preceded it. Kramer describes the creative process of They Came Like Swallows: “I had composed and recorded a few pieces at my home studio over the course of a couple weeks. Thurston was spending the winter in South Florida, so I flew down and spent a few days recording his guitar parts in his home there. Watching him spontaneously compose his parts was pretty astonishing, to say the least. Once we'd finished working on those pieces, we began improvising and following wherever the music pointed us, and another few pieces were born. We got straight to it, without anything driving us other than the joy of finally working together.

My personal goal was to remain present and catch as many surprises as I could from Thurston's guitar work, and there were plenty during those few days. We had a fucking blast.” Thurston’s contributions here will be readily familiar to any acolytes of his other works, the through-line between his inspired playing, cradled in Kramer’s meticulous, solid arrangements. “If I had to make this record again, I'd do it all exactly the same way,” Kramer says. “It’s like jazz, you don't think about it. You just do it. It was miraculous, and you don't fuck with a miracle.”

Das ist Kramers erstes Soloalbum seit fünf Jahren. Seine letzten Solo-LPs ,And The Wind Blew It All Away", ,Music For Films Edited By Moths" und ,Music For Pianos & Sunflowers" waren Teil seines 2020 AIR (Artist In Residence) Box-Sets für Joyful Noise Recordings. ,And The Wind Blew It All Away" war eine sanfte und magische Mystery Tour mit brodelnden akustischen Saiten, Orgeln, Klavieren und Mellotrons, Tonbandschleifen, gefundenen Klängen und einem Hauch von Percussion, untermalt von Kramers unverwechselbarer, eigenwilliger Singstimme und seinen Texten. Auf dieser neuen LP entfernt sich Kramer von Worten/Texten und widmet sich ganz den minimalistischen instrumentalen Drone-Gedichten, die ihn in seinen frühen Jahren als Komponist und Performer in der experimentellen ,Downtown"-Szene des New York der späten 70er Jahre erstmals faszinierten. Auf dieser neuen LP erkundet Kramer weiter die kreativen Umgebungen, die ihn zurück in den Wald der Ideen und organischen Einflüsse führen, die seit Jahrzehnten still vor sich hin brodeln, an einem Ort, an dem die Zeit immer Jetzt ist. Fans von Terry Riley, La Monte Young und Gavin Bryars werden von Kramers neuesten klanglichen Erkundungen fasziniert sein.

Thermodynamic Indieswing group Mindy Misty"s debut album Protoplasma Produced by Kramer of Shimmy Disc, 2nd Shimmy, Butthole Surfers, Ween, B.A.L.L, Galaxie 500. Handmade Records Best selling album to date.

In 1979, Johnny Thunders, renowned Heartbreakers and New York Dolls guitarist, teamed up with Wayne Kramer, the legendary guitarist of Detroit"s seminal MC5, to form "GANG WAR" - an alliance that lasted the best part of a year. Johnny had just released his So Alone album, and Wayne was not long out of jail after serving two of four years for a coke bust. Although Gang War released no records and were without a label - at the time they were an underground act - in retrospect the collaboration is looked on as a "rock fantasy" supergroup. These live Toronto, Boston & New York recordings bear testimony to this unique partnership between two celebrated rock guitar icons.

Das Jimi Hendrix Bold As Love Boxset bieten ein erstklassiges Sammlererlebnis in einem 5LP + Blu-ray-Paket. Jedes Set enthält 27 bisher unveröffentlichte Aufnahmen aus dem Jahr 1967, darunter Demos und alternative Takes sowie Fernseh- und Radioauftritte. Diese Deluxe-Edition enthält die Stereo- und Mono-Mischungen des Albums Axis: Bold As Love, die alle von Bernie Grundman anhand der originalen Masterbänder neu gemastert wurden. Sowohl die Stereo- als auch die Mono-Mischungen sind in hochauflösendem 24-Bit/96-kHz-Audio enthalten, ebenso wie eine neu erstellte, immersive Dolby Atmos-Mischung von Eddie Kramer und Chandler Harrod. Ein 36-seitiges Booklet mit seltenen Fotos, detaillierten Liner Notes und Track-für-Track-Einblicken rundet das Angebot ab. Diese Veröffentlichung ist ideal für Hendrix-Fans und Vinyl-Liebhaber, die nach einer definitiven Archivausgabe eines der kultigsten Alben von Hendrix suchen.

Mit nur drei Akkorden und plakativen Texten revolutionieren die RAMONES im Jahr 1976 in Form ihres selbstbetitelten Debütalbums "Ramones" die zunehmend im Bombast erstarrende Rockszene mit dem rohen Energieausbruch des Punk. Die New Yorker beeinflussten über Jahrzehnte einige der bekanntesten Rock-, Punk- und Metal-Bands wie BLACK FLAG, NIRVANA, METALLICA, CIRCLE JERKS, WHITE ZOMBIE, PEARL JAM und GUNS N' ROSES - um nur einige zu nennen. MOTÖRHEAD haben den RAMONES sogar einen Song gewidmet. Die Band verkörperte den Punk-Underground, den sie beginnend im Jahr 1974 mit ins Leben gerufen hatten. Die Amerikaner blieben ihrem Sound und Stil über mehrere Dekaden treu, inspirierten Generationen von Musiker und erlangten ewige kulturelle Bedeutung, obwohl sie selbst kaum große kommerziellen Erfolg feiern durften. Die Redux-Serie von Magnetic Eye wurde als Hommage an klassische Alben aus der Musikgeschichte ins Leben gerufen. Zusammen mit "Ramones Redux" präsentieren wir auch das Begleitalbum "Best of Ramones Redux", das weitere Klassiker und Raritäten aus dem ebenso umfangreichen wie einzigartigen Katalog der US-Punk Legende enthält. Die Magnetic Eye Redux-Reihe lässt ausgewählte Künstler handverlesene klassische Alben aus der Geschichte des Rock und Metal komplett neu interpretieren und respektvoll in das neue Jahrtausend übertragen. Bisher hat das Label solche Meilensteine wie PINK FLOYDs "The Wall", HELMETs "Meantime", BLACK SABBATHs "Vol. 4", JIMI HENDRIX' "Electric Ladyland", "Dirt" von ALICE IN CHAINS, AC/DCs "Back in Black", SOUNDGARDENs "Superunknown" und den JETHRO TULL-Klassiker "Aqualung" in Redux-Versionen veröffentlicht. Unter vielen anderen haben sich solch herausragende Künstler wie MATT PIKE, PALLBEARER, THE MELVINS, ALL THEM WITCHES, KHEMMIS, ASG, ZAKK WYLDE, MARK LANEGAN, SCOTT REEDER an diversen Redux-Projekten beteiligt. Angeschnallt und zugestiegen bei Magnetic Eyes neunter Expedition ins Redux-Abenteuer, mit dem wir den legendären US-Punk Pionieren RAMONES die gebührende Ehre erweisen!

Mit nur drei Akkorden und plakativen Texten revolutionieren die RAMONES im Jahr 1976 in Form ihres selbstbetitelten Debütalbums "Ramones" die zunehmend im Bombast erstarrende Rockszene mit dem rohen Energieausbruch des Punk. Die New Yorker beeinflussten über Jahrzehnte einige der bekanntesten Rock-, Punk- und Metal-Bands wie BLACK FLAG, NIRVANA, METALLICA, CIRCLE JERKS, WHITE ZOMBIE, PEARL JAM und GUNS N' ROSES - um nur einige zu nennen. MOTÖRHEAD haben den RAMONES sogar einen Song gewidmet. Die Band verkörperte den Punk-Underground, den sie beginnend im Jahr 1974 mit ins Leben gerufen hatten. Die Amerikaner blieben ihrem Sound und Stil über mehrere Dekaden treu, inspirierten Generationen von Musiker und erlangten ewige kulturelle Bedeutung, obwohl sie selbst kaum große kommerziellen Erfolg feiern durften. Die Redux-Serie von Magnetic Eye wurde als Hommage an klassische Alben aus der Musikgeschichte ins Leben gerufen. Zusammen mit "Ramones Redux" präsentieren wir auch das Begleitalbum "Best of Ramones Redux", das weitere Klassiker und Raritäten aus dem ebenso umfangreichen wie einzigartigen Katalog der US-Punk Legende enthält. Die Magnetic Eye Redux-Reihe lässt ausgewählte Künstler handverlesene klassische Alben aus der Geschichte des Rock und Metal komplett neu interpretieren und respektvoll in das neue Jahrtausend übertragen. Bisher hat das Label solche Meilensteine wie PINK FLOYDs "The Wall", HELMETs "Meantime", BLACK SABBATHs "Vol. 4", JIMI HENDRIX' "Electric Ladyland", "Dirt" von ALICE IN CHAINS, AC/DCs "Back in Black", SOUNDGARDENs "Superunknown" und den JETHRO TULL-Klassiker "Aqualung" in Redux-Versionen veröffentlicht. Unter vielen anderen haben sich solch herausragende Künstler wie MATT PIKE, PALLBEARER, THE MELVINS, ALL THEM WITCHES, KHEMMIS, ASG, ZAKK WYLDE, MARK LANEGAN, SCOTT REEDER an diversen Redux-Projekten beteiligt. Angeschnallt und zugestiegen bei Magnetic Eyes neunter Expedition ins Redux-Abenteuer, mit dem wir den legendären US-Punk Pionieren RAMONES die gebührende Ehre erweisen!

For Fans Of The Indie/Americana, Punk ‘N’ Roll, Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Fear, Supersuckers, Tom Petty, MC5. Living Between the Lines is the debut solo LP from Frank Meyer. A long time coming, Meyer’s been hinting at it for a while now with Bandcamp exclusive tracks, covers on tribute albums, acoustic solo shows, and his acclaimed collaboration album with Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers. Like the Eddie collab, LBTL is out on Kitten Robot Records. The 11-song album adds touches of blues and soul to Meyer’s expected high-energy rock ‘n’ roll, revealing a more mature voice. He is joined for duets by longtime friend and collaborator Lisa Kekaula of the Bellrays on the title track, Runaways icon Cherie Currie on “Piece of Me” and Spaghetti himself on “Partners In Crime.” An award-winning musician, filmmaker and author, Meyer has a track record that covers rock ‘n’ roll, punk, heavy metal, blues, and country. Known for his work with everyone from Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers James Williamson (Iggy & the Stooges) and Wayne Kramer (MC5) to legendary punk act FEAR, Meyer has carved out a career full of unlikely collaborations, hard work, searing guitar playing, and ace songwriting skills. “I have rarely seen the public leave so enthusiastic by the pure rock ‘n’ roll download that they had just witnessed. Frank Meyer is an incomparable frontman who lives rock ‘n’ roll 24/7 and always gives his all!” Popular 1 Magazine.

That’s the Price of Loving Me marks Dean Wareham’s (Galaxie 500, Luna, Dean & Britta, ) evocative return, rekindling his partnership with producer Kramer for the first time since Galaxie 500's This Is Our Music in 1990.

Recorded in six days in Los Angeles, the album is steeped in lush, haunting soundscapes, driven by Wareham's signature reverb-soaked guitars and melancholic, dreamlike vocals. Britta Phillips joins on bass and harmonies, while Gabe Noel’s cello adds depth and tension. “Two takes yield more treasure than twenty,” notes longtime friend Matt Fishbeck, as Kramer's insistence on spontaneity infuses the project with raw immediacy.

Thematically, Wareham delves into the poetry of memory, set against a backdrop of wistful nostalgia and existential reflection. "Songs are in dialogue with other songs" Fishbeck writes. The lead single, “We’re Not Finished Yet,” is a playful, introspective meditation where Wareham drops his own name while relishing the tactile joy of the guitar. “You Were the Ones I Had to Betray” unfolds like a somber narrative, underpinned by Noel’s cello and crowned with a haunting bass harmonica by Kramer, encapsulating the emotional ambivalence of friendship and loyalty.

“That’s the Price of Loving Me” pulses with conga rhythms and Kramer’s vintage Moog, capturing Wareham’s musings on the life of a performer and the sacrifices it demands. Fishbeck describes “The Mystery Guest” as "an acrostic poem" and concludes by saying "We're not finished yet." 'Loving Me' also includes two covers, Mayo Thompson's 'Dear Betty Baby' and Nico's 'Reich der Träume.' The latter highlights his love for blending history and homage, sung entirely in German for a chillingly authentic touch.

Dean returns with his fourth solo album and his first album for Carpark Records. Inspired by the past yet resonant in its present-day relevance, the album’s sonic palette is reminiscent of Galaxie 500’s dream-pop roots, tempered with the matured introspection of Wareham’s later works. “Dean traffics in memory,” writes Fishbeck, reflecting on the record’s seamless blend of intimate recollections and catchy hooks. The result is a cohesive work encapsulating the duality of Wareham’s career: haunted by the past, yet steadfastly pushing forward. As Fishbeck poignantly puts it, “Imagination is nothing but the working over of what is remembered.”

That’s the Price of Loving Me marks Dean Wareham’s (Galaxie 500, Luna, Dean & Britta, ) evocative return, rekindling his partnership with producer Kramer for the first time since Galaxie 500's This Is Our Music in 1990.

Recorded in six days in Los Angeles, the album is steeped in lush, haunting soundscapes, driven by Wareham's signature reverb-soaked guitars and melancholic, dreamlike vocals. Britta Phillips joins on bass and harmonies, while Gabe Noel’s cello adds depth and tension. “Two takes yield more treasure than twenty,” notes longtime friend Matt Fishbeck, as Kramer's insistence on spontaneity infuses the project with raw immediacy.

Thematically, Wareham delves into the poetry of memory, set against a backdrop of wistful nostalgia and existential reflection. "Songs are in dialogue with other songs" Fishbeck writes. The lead single, “We’re Not Finished Yet,” is a playful, introspective meditation where Wareham drops his own name while relishing the tactile joy of the guitar. “You Were the Ones I Had to Betray” unfolds like a somber narrative, underpinned by Noel’s cello and crowned with a haunting bass harmonica by Kramer, encapsulating the emotional ambivalence of friendship and loyalty.

“That’s the Price of Loving Me” pulses with conga rhythms and Kramer’s vintage Moog, capturing Wareham’s musings on the life of a performer and the sacrifices it demands. Fishbeck describes “The Mystery Guest” as "an acrostic poem" and concludes by saying "We're not finished yet." 'Loving Me' also includes two covers, Mayo Thompson's 'Dear Betty Baby' and Nico's 'Reich der Träume.' The latter highlights his love for blending history and homage, sung entirely in German for a chillingly authentic touch.

Dean returns with his fourth solo album and his first album for Carpark Records. Inspired by the past yet resonant in its present-day relevance, the album’s sonic palette is reminiscent of Galaxie 500’s dream-pop roots, tempered with the matured introspection of Wareham’s later works. “Dean traffics in memory,” writes Fishbeck, reflecting on the record’s seamless blend of intimate recollections and catchy hooks. The result is a cohesive work encapsulating the duality of Wareham’s career: haunted by the past, yet steadfastly pushing forward. As Fishbeck poignantly puts it, “Imagination is nothing but the working over of what is remembered.”

Samuel Locke Ward and Jad Fair are two of the most prolific musicians working today. Fair is a founding member of the band Half Japanese, and has released over 200 albums, including albums with Yo La Tengo, Daniel Johnston, Moe Tucker, Kramer, Teenage Fanclub, The Pastels, R. Stevie Moore, DQE, Tenniscoats, The Tinklers, Naomi Ishimaru, Jason Willett, Mosquito, and Strobe Talbot. Samuel Locke Ward has released over sixty solo albums as well as a myriad of collaborations with Bob Bucko Jr, Miracles Of God, SLW cc Watt (with Mike Watt) and the cult new age noise group Boundless Relaxation (with Joe Jack Talcum and The Bassturd). He is a cartoonist for Little Village magazine and like Jad Fair, his style musically and visually is wholly his own Pure Candy is the pair’s third album together following 2023’s Happy Hearts and Destroy All Monsters, both issued by Kill Rock Stars. Pure Candy is an album of love songs and is the feel good album of the Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall. The music was composed and performed by Ward who’s love of pop music and avant stylings offer seventeen unexpected turns over the course of a three minute song. The vocals and lyrics are by Fair, lyrics overflowing with words of love, joy, happiness, tenderness, hope and inspiration. Uplifting words for a time dearly in need of some upliftings. As with the previous two albums by Fair and Ward, this album was mixed and mastered by Jonathan Hansen and is being co-released on LP by Shrimper Records (who last worked with Fair on his collaborative three cassette box set Wonderful World) and Chicago’s Stationary (Hearts) Recordings.

Schwermütige Mörderballaden schlingern die Straße entlang, tieftraurige Songs in wahnwitzigen Kostümen leuchten sich durch die dunkelsten Wege, unperfekte Hymnen neben melodieseligem Ennui und bodenständigen Geschichten. Aber scheiß auf alle Metaphern: ,Mein schöner Hals" von Musiker, Komponist, Sänger, Gastgeber und nicht zuletzt Schauspieler PAUL SIES erscheint am 14.02.2025 auf superpolrecords. Mit dabei und mit verantwortlich für das Album sind Künstler*innen wie: MOLA (auf ,Licht"), Marlo Großhardt (auf ,Auch die Hölle hat noch einen Keller"), Moritz Krämer (auf ,Geträumt"), Patrick Reising (Produktion), Liv Solveig (Geige), Christoph Bernewitz (Gitarre), Jörg Holdinghausen (Bass), das Kammermusikensemble Laubenheim oder auch ,Der Hund Marie" an den Drums.

MC5 (Motor City Five), the legendary Detroit band. Their first single (included here) was released in 1967. In 1968 they played the infamous Democratic Convention that turned into a police riot, and they went on to be the "Official White Panther Party Band". Their manager John Sinclair became a hippie martyr, after being jailed for 10 years for 2 joints, inspiring John Lennon"s "10 For 2" song. Thrown off their first label Electra, they signed to Atlantic for 2 more albums but only achieved underground success. Now greatly revered as one of the seminal rock"n"roll bands and a huge inspiration for punk. Thunder Express documents their last and first studio works: - six tracks recorded in France at Studio Castle Herouville for a TV show in 1972; plus four tracks from their debut singles from "67 & "68. The title track is not available elsewhere. In 2024 MC5"s guitarist Wayne Kramer, drummer Dennis Thompson and manager John Sinclair all passed away, marking the end of the MC5 era.

Clear Vinyl. For the first time ever released on vinyl, this brilliant 2012 LP features an all-star cast of musicians and actors lead by Tim Robbins, Dr. John, Bill Frisell, Ralph Steadman, Annie Ross, John Joyce III and Will Forte. Hunter S. Thompson's classic Gonzo reportage on the 1970 Kentucky Derby is summoned brilliantly to life through spoken word and musical composition. Conceived by executive producer Michael Minzer for his Paris Records label, the project was produced by Hal Willner, who brought Bill Frisell in as composer/arranger/conductor. Bill then asesmbled a stellar group of musicians including Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Ron Miles (trumpet), Eyvind Kang (viola), Doug Weiselman (woodwinds), Jenny Scheinman (violin), Hank Roberts (cello) and Kenny Wolleson (drums, percussion). Ralph Steadman does double duty portraying himself in the narration and contributing original artwork for the project. In 2021, Kramer re-Mastered the original audio for this historic re-release on limited-edition 'Horse-Shit Brown' vinyl for his Shimmy-Disc label.

Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision is the latest in-depth project from Experience Hendrix, encompassing 5 LP / 1 Blu-Ray of previously unreleased music Jimi Hendrix recorded at his newly created recording facility in 1970. The deluxe box set offers 39 tracks (38 previously unreleased) that were recorded by the new-look Experience (Billy Cox on bass, Mitch Mitchell on drums) at Electric Lady Studios between June and August of 1970, just before the legendary musician’s untimely death the following month.

The project also includes 20 newly created 5.1 surround sound mixes of the entire First Rays Of The New Rising Sun album plus three bonus tracks “Valleys Of Neptune,” “Pali Gap,” and “Lover Man”. The Blu-ray includes the critically acclaimed, full-length documentary Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision. The film chronicles the creation of the studio, rising from the rubble of a bankrupt Manhattan nightclub to state-of-the-art recording facility inspired by Hendrix’s desire for a permanent studio. Directed by John McDermott and Produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the film features exclusive interviews with Steve Winwood who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio, Experience bassist Billy Cox, and original Electric Lady staff members who helped Hendrix realize his dream. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by recording engineer Eddie Kramer. The 5LP’s were pressed on audiophile grade vinyl by Quality Record Pressings and the box set includes an extensive booklet filled with unpublished photos, Hendrix’s handwritten song drafts, and comprehensive liner notes.

Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision is the latest in-depth project from Experience Hendrix, encompassing 5 LP / 1 Blu-Ray of previously unreleased music Jimi Hendrix recorded at his newly created recording facility in 1970. The deluxe box set offers 39 tracks (38 previously unreleased) that were recorded by the new-look Experience (Billy Cox on bass, Mitch Mitchell on drums) at Electric Lady Studios between June and August of 1970, just before the legendary musician’s untimely death the following month.

The project also includes 20 newly created 5.1 surround sound mixes of the entire First Rays Of The New Rising Sun album plus three bonus tracks “Valleys Of Neptune,” “Pali Gap,” and “Lover Man”. The Blu-ray includes the critically acclaimed, full-length documentary Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision. The film chronicles the creation of the studio, rising from the rubble of a bankrupt Manhattan nightclub to state-of-the-art recording facility inspired by Hendrix’s desire for a permanent studio. Directed by John McDermott and Produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the film features exclusive interviews with Steve Winwood who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio, Experience bassist Billy Cox, and original Electric Lady staff members who helped Hendrix realize his dream. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by recording engineer Eddie Kramer. The 5LP’s were pressed on audiophile grade vinyl by Quality Record Pressings and the box set includes an extensive booklet filled with unpublished photos, Hendrix’s handwritten song drafts, and comprehensive liner notes.

Kato Hideki's Statement: "The Walk is the first collaboration between me and my brother from another mother, Kramer. We started working together in the late summer in 2023, discussing the thematics and the sonic palette of the album. We shared strong connections with the writings by Robert Walser and Basho - both of them walked, dreamed, lived and died on the road. Ambient music was our natural plane for us to transduce the power of their literature into our music as signifiers. Neither of us imagined just to make 'another ambient record', nor a direct translation of their writings. My instinct was to use various modal colors with modulation - slow yet structured music that sounds deceivingly similar to ambient music. Kramer's genius was apparent to me: his ability to elaborate the music as a composer / musician with his keen ears; to frame the album conceptually, sonically and musically as a producer. What you hear in this album is a true collaboration between two artists who trusted each other to let the music transcend. Here you have it, enjoy YOUR walk - dream, live and die well!" Kato Hideki - Brooklyn, NY on April 3rd, 2024 Kramer's Statement: "Sometime in the latter 20th Century, I became aware of the art of The Brothers Quay, two American animators living in London and making the most beautiful works of art I'd ever experienced in cinema. I noted that some of their work was inspired by_ 'the writings of Robert Walser'. Fast forward to 2024 and I have now read every word there was to read (translated into English) by this unique Swiss-German writer. I'd waited decades to find the right 'environment' in which to create music in dedication to this great prose writer and poet, and in 2023, I found that it was not 'the right environment' that I'd been waiting for, but rather, the right collaborator. Kato Hideki and his extraordinary work as composer for film, dance and just about every other creative discipline you can imagine, was equally as inspiring to me for this project as the words and worlds of Walser and Basho. Our journey in collaborative composition began all over the global map, but arrived at the same physical endpoint, and at the very same point in time. I'm not sure that I would even be interested in music at all, unless there were other artists to partner with as I worked. Working alone means Nothing to me. This months-long act of co-creation i have shared with Kato for "THE WALK" has made me as happy to be alive as Walser and Basho were so happy to be alive while on their walks, as evidenced by their extraordinary descriptive powers, knowing that the world around them - so simple yet so very complex - made life so wondrous, and so well worth the sometimes seemingly insurmountable struggles of finding a way to survive Today, so that we might try again Tomorrow." - Kramer, April 9, 2024 (Asheville, NC)

Air, Nico, St Etienne, Kid Loco, Young Marble Giants, Sandy Denny, Vashti Bunyan, Andrew Weatherall, Robert Wyatt and Serge Gainsbourg. Limited edition first pressing of 500 copies on "Mock Turtle" Blue. International collaboration between artists in Glasgow, London, Paris & New York. Mastered by Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer. Accompanying visual art work by Film and art director Tim Saccenti. Inspired by the intensity of lockdown, the self-titled debut album by electro-pop project Gates of Light, is the result of a collaboration between five artists across four cities, three time zones and two continents. Hailing from Glasgow, singer-songwriter Louise Quinn and producer Bal Cooke teamed up with London-based DJ and producer Scott Fraser; Parisian musician, DJ and producer Kid Loco; and film director and photographer, New York’s Tim Saccenti - who has previously worked with Run The Jewels and Pharell- to create a sublime, electro-pop reflection on the grief, insularity and peculiar highs of lockdown. Immediately after hearing the album, revered post-punk musician and producer Kramer offered to release the vinyl edition on his iconic cult label Shimmy-Disc, which boasts an impressive back catalogue of artists including Daniel Johnson, Low and Galaxie 500. A project grounded on collaboration - born from a period of disconnect - Gates Of Light perfectly amplifies the longing, confusion, lucid dreams and appreciation of the outdoors that the pandemic ignited in so many over the last couple of years. Originally written and recorded by Louise and Bal from their bedroom studio in Glasgow whilst their one-year-old twins slept, the tracks were then sent to Scott and Kid Loco who remixed the tracks from home studios in London and Paris before Tim created the artwork and a video for the track ‘When The Leaf Falls’. Gates Of Light is the latest project from Louise and Bal who have released music in the past as A Band Called Quinn and DAWNINGS. Louise and Scott Fraser have also previously collaborated following a chance encounter at a nightclub in Glasgow. Their single ‘Together More’ was released on Andrew Weatherall’s renowned Birdscarer vinyl imprint in 2019 and featured a remix by the Guv’nor himself who described the track as “sublime magik”.

LUMBEROB has always strived for maximalist sonic vaudeville, always hoped for real electro gabber hardcore noise art, always grabbed for frenzied illegibility, always lurched loosely improvised from a psych-swamp of love. On the new album, HUNTER GATHER, LUMBEROB swings swanky as proper pop deviance. Built from the same loopy logic which drives the stomping slaphappy force of his live show, these tunes are crafted out of lovely and weirdly thunk out loud and large soundscapes. Mixed and mastered by Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer (Daniel Johnston, JD Pinkus, Pan American), the album surprises, estranged from obvious categorization. These slippery little bouncy bangers are bold exercises in genre discovery. It sounds like nothing and it goes with everything. LUMBEROB is a tough act to follow, a surreally inventive performer who spins giddy with excitement, dancing dumb and banging hard. That's just what he does, and HUNTER GATHER is a refined encapsulation of that energy. There's truly a beautiful stupidity to be found here. HUNTER GATHER is noise-pop, art-rock, psych-primitive, dumb-dance. The album teams with bright sounds, spinning visions, and brut poetics. It curves furiously like a naughty noodle and, yes, it spins you dizzy at times. Nothing is old in that feeling ever. Listen loudly.

Hard-rocking Brooklyn trio Sir Lord Baltimore’s highly sought-after debut album is a legendary precursor of the heavy metal genre, a 1971 Creem review of the disc perhaps the first to ever use the term. The group benefited from the songwriting and production team of Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos, Appel the future manger of Bruce Springsteen and Cretecos already heady from success with The Partridge Family; recorded at Vantone Studios in New Jersey, it
was mixed to fine effect by Eddie Kramer at Electric Ladyland, fresh from his work with Jimi Hendrix. Guitarist Louis Dambra co- arranged the material with Appel and Cretecos; he had earlier played in garage band The Koala as Louis Caine, and here his screeching guitar
is a major draw, backed by plodding bass from Gary Justin, as front man John Garner shrieks his vocals while pounding furious drumbeats. Aside from a tough cover of Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman” and a track inspired by Yeats’ poem “Lake Isle Of Innersfree,” the album features heavily-stoned acid rock originals, delivered the Sir Lord Baltimore way.

Rising from the fiercely DIY Philadelphia underground, CARLY COSGROVE graft achingly vulnerable lyrics atop a bed of mathy rhythms, intricate guitar work and a penchant for indie-rock cool meets emo authenticity. Their debut album, 2022's See You In Chemistry, was the sound of figuring life out in real time, tracing personal growth through anxiety, depression, and self-actualization - heavy subjects for a band originally formed as a low-stress side-project stopgap in 2018.

The quest for the answers to life's big questions is once again front and center on the band's second album, THE CLEANEST OF HOUSES ARE EMPTY, as Naylor, bassist Helen Bars and drummer Tyler Kramer find themselves face to face with the chronic emotional struggles of life in the modern age.

From the stop-start polyrhythms of first single "You Old Dog" and garage-rock sheen of "Random Dancing" and "What Are You, A Cop," which sounds like Motion City Soundtrack filtering "Everlong" through their idiosyncratic rock tilt, The Cleanest Of Houses is the type of record Carly Cosgrove simply couldn't have made last time - not musically, and certainly not emotionally. They needed to live, through hard touring and harder life experiences.

Although a five-piece live and with too many contributors on record to list, Serena-Maneesh nevertheless essentially remains the work of Emil Nikolaisen. Born in the remote village of Moi into a musical family (sisters Hilma and Elvira often play with the band), Emil is Norwegian rock royalty. It’s hard to find a Norwegian band that Emil hasn’t either played with or produced, and he’s also been nominated for a Spellemannsprisen, the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy. He’s not just influential in his home country either, having released a split single with Fucked Up, worked with Sufjan Stevens, and been invited to share stages with The Dandy Warhols, Nine Inch Nails and Oasis. In 2008, Smalltown Supersound originally released this glimpse of Serena-Maneesh's early days. Tweaked and all beautifully pushed to the red. Most of the material on SM-Backwards was released as two EPs prior to Serena-Maneesh's much lauded debut album; "Zurück" and "Fixxations" both on Hype City and Honeymilk Records, covering the time 1999-2003. Due to the fact that the labels didn't have international distribution, the material never got released outside of Norway. In addition to the original EP material, this vinyl reissue also contains new re-wrappings/mixes with contributions from Anton Newcombe of Brian Jonestown Massacre, Kramer and others from the universe surrounding Serena-Maneesh.

The deep and swinging groove is what makes Buddy Guy’s Slippin’ In so wonderful. The album earned Guy the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Slippin’ In was produced and engineered by the great Eddie Kramer, who manned the board for Jimi Hendrix and many others. Guy finds his way back to the blues, with some incredible electric guitar sounds. He was backed by a stellar cast of musicians that included Stevie Ray Vaughan band mates Tommy Shannon, Reese Wynans, and Chris Layton. Some absolute blues classics and up-tempo rockers found their way to Buddy’s tracklist. He uses the blues in such a fantastic way that everything turns out to be positive. Just listen and you’ll hear what the master of blues is doing.

Recommend If You Like: Allen Ginsberg, Hal Willner, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, The Beat Poets, Lenny Bruce, Jazz. Allen Ginsberg, the voice of a generation, fierce, gentle, profound and profane, paired with music created especially for his work, by some of the guiding lights of Jazz in the modern era - Mark Bingham, Bill Frisell, Arto Lindsay, Marc Ribot, and others. All masterfully coordinated and produced by the mad scientist of collaborations, Hal Willner. First released in 1989, this time capsule surges forth into the now with 8 additional tracks never included on the original release. These are timeless works, a garden of eden on vinyl to wander through repeatedly, guided by the founding father of Beat Poetry. Graced by an irresistible coda co-written with Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer, his lyrical mantra of "Don't Grow Old

1988 in Hamburg gegründet (und 1991 wieder aufgelöst), war die Kolossale Jugend neben OZSWMK und Cpt. Kirk eine der ersten maßgeblichen Bands, die der so genannten "Hamburger Schule" zugeordnet wurden. 1989 erschien beim Label L'age d'or die erste LP "Heile Heile Boches" und 1990 folgte das zweite Album "Leopard II". Die dritte LP des Boxsets enthält Raritäten (Sampler-Beiträge, Single-Versionen) und Aufnahmen eines bislang unveröffentlichten Live-Konzerts aus dem Forum Enger (22.9.1989). "Heile Heile Boches" erschien 1989, im Jahr des Mauerfalls. International gab es zwar Hip Hop, Crossover, Hardcore und Alternative-Punk; in Deutschland lediglich deren Simulation oder Imitation, und außer einem inzwischen längst redundanten, wenn auch unverwüstlichen Deutsch-Punk nur wenig, das in der Musik als Bollwerk gegen den neu aufkeimenden Nationalstolz hätte dienen können. Aber es gab die Kolossale Jugend. Seit jeher am reingrätschen, nerven, ständig sich austauschend, vorantreibend und völlig immun gegen Versuche der Politik, Wirtschaft und Volksgemeinschaft sie für die heraufbeschworene Pop Nation Deutschland zu vereinnahmen. Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin: die Wendezeit. Das zweite Album, 1990, wurde folgerichtig "Leopard II" betitelt. Mithin sind Musik und Text auch denkbar schlecht für eine groß angelegte Verwertung geeignet; sie passieren in einem irrwitzigen Tempo. Die Texte sind maßlos, schwer zu fassen und immer einen Schritt voraus. Scheinbar ohne Anfang und Ende prasseln und hämmern sie so gewaltig drauflos, wie die Band auf ihre Instrumente drischt. Wir hören, wie jemand denkt und seine Kollegen verschaffen ihm den musikalischen Nach- und Ausdruck, den das Denken in so intellektfeindlichen Zeiten damals wie heute verdient. Aber das hat mehr mit Rockmusik zu tun, als das eingangs erwähnte, auch wenn man damit glaubte, nah am Original zu sein, denn die Reduktion und die Leerstellen sind kolossal. Und doch stand die Kolossale Jugend - die Band, die vom Himmel fiel, weil sie aus keiner klar definierbaren Tradition kam - am Anfang von etwas Neuem. Als sie sich 1992 auflöste, konnten sich weitere Akteure in und außerhalb Hamburgs an neuen Referenzrahmen mit Überschriften wie "Halt's Maul Deutschland"* oder "What's so funny about L'Age Poly d'Or" ** orientieren. Pascal Fuhlbrügge gründete und verließ L'Age d'Or, machte danach Musik mit Erneuerbare Energien, Sand 11 oder 8, sowie für Theaterproduktionen. Heute entwickelt er neben der Musik eigene Theaterstücke und spielt sie auch. Christoph Leich war dann lange Schlagzeuger bei Die Sterne und ist heute in der Musikbranche im Bereich Logistik tätig. Klaus Meinhardt zeichnete das L'Age d'Or Logo, gestaltete die Jugend-Cover, war Gitarrist beim Heinz Krämer-Werner Hornig Sextett und arbeitet als Illustrator. Kristof Schreuf starb völlig überraschend am 9. November 2022, er war Bourgeois with Guitar, Autor, Sänger und Texter der Band Brüllen. Seine Texte u.a. für taz, Jungle World und die Süddeutsche Zeitung waren Ereignisse. Die vorliegende Wieder- und teilweise Neuveröffentlichung ist ihm gewidmet.

Re-mastered by Kramer in 2022. Recommend If You Like: Raymond Scott, Mort Garson, Joe Meek, Robert Moog, Perrey and Kingsley, John Cage, Brian Eno, Sun Ra, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Hawkwind, Pete Seeger, William Shanter, Fred Rogers. An electro-surrealist musical journey from the mind of Bruce Haack "The Captain" - capturing his inventive genius musically in tandem with tapping into the voice of his inner child, innovative story songs inspired by Bruce Haack's diverse musical interests and a love of Science and explorations of the Natural World, songs to excite the imaginations of listeners, both young and old. Ahead of his time and beyond categorization- Haack continued to create trying to find new platforms in order to promote his electronic music. He scored many commercials during the 1960s and promoted electronic music on TV, even demonstrating his inventions on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1968. He self-released his first children's music album later that year. Haack constantly added new genres and inspirations to his compositions and was greatly influenced by the psychedelic rock of the era. He constantly created new work that reflected not only his varied interests, but his shifting musical horizons. He created multiple youth oriented albums, dipping into science fiction, psychedelia and electronica, using traditional song structures in order to capture children's attention to educate them, while wrapped in one of his many personas. Bruce Haack wanted people to know him through his medium: music. He dedicated his life to exploring, inventing and sharing his eclectic brand of humor and many musical points of view. In failing health, he never stopped pursuing his distinctive musical dreams.

Veils Of Transformation 1972 - 1980 is a collection of the earliest works of Gregory Kramer, one of the 20th century masters of textural electronic music. This collection is available on CD and cassette with liner notes from Gregory Kramer and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, who first brought this fascinating work to the attention of Important Records.

“Greg is one of the pioneers of electronic music and these pieces are unique opportunities to discover how intricate and dynamic early synthesizers are.” Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

Kramer developed a musical language focused on continuous transformation of timbre, yielding a continuity of attention. This musical language, formed of timbral change, is a compelling aesthetic in its own right and a source of meditative experience. The four works on this album share a deep sense of order derived not from organizing pitches or rhythms, but from the evolution of timbre itself.

Gregory Kramer (b. 1952) is a pioneering electronic composer, inventor, researcher, teacher and author. In 1975 he co-founded Electronic Musicmobile, a synthesizer ensemble later renamed Electronic Musicmobile, a series of synthesizer concerts in New York from which he formed the Electronic Art Ensemble, a highly regarded all electronic quartet. His work extended to developing synthesizers and related equipment. Kramer also co-founded the not-for-profit arts organization Harvestworks in New York City. He is recognized as the founding figure of the intensely cross-disciplinary field of data sonification. Since 1980, Kramer teaches Buddhist meditation.

The four compositions collected here each represent Kramer’s unique approaches:

The structure of Meditations on 32 Parts of the Body (1978) is derived from the means of its production. Recording 5 people chanting an ancient meditation text, then layering to gradually achieve more than one million voices. The layering was all done using analogue tape recorders. The decomposition of the sound reflects the anomalies of tape machines out of sync, and the build up of artifacts from the audio tape itself, such as uneven response curves and tape hiss, are all engaged as musical materials.

Role (1972) was generated using one complex patch on a large hybrid Buchla 200/100 system. Emerging from a zeitgeist that valued pure synthesis as a combined artistic and technological research. At the time this piece was realized its as exceedingly difficult to produce electronic sounds that were internally complex.

Blue Wave (1980) is built on Kramer’s timbral development technique Veils Of Transformation which allows for disparate timbres to be woven into a continuously developing sound.

Monologue (1977) is a virtuosic performance of a massive patch on a Buchla/Electron Farm hybrid electronic instrument. Built into the patch is a pathway for continuous transformation of voice and voltage-controlled synthesizer. The blunt, raw and sometimes harsh sounds of this piece reflect an attitude prominent among composers that music can, or even should, be difficult, contrary to what’s already been done and, by all means, new.

Limited Cerulean Blue Vinyl LP. RIYL: Amen Dunes, Adrienne Lenker & North Americans. Numün, the NYC psychedelic instrumental trio Pitchfork dubbed as 'savvy navigators of paths less traveled', is releasing its second album Book of Beyond on the legendary Shimmy Disc label. With this record, the band, which includes Joel Mellin and Christopher Romero of Gamelan Dharma Swara and ambient country pioneer Bob Holmes of SUSS, continues to stretch their exploration of the inner and outer astral worlds of their first release Voyage au Soleil – voted one of the Best Ambient Releases of 2020. Dave Segal of Pitchfork called that album a "blending of the opiated psychedelia of the music territory staked Brightback Morning Light with a loose-limbed minimalism that privileges subtle effects and incremental chord changes" and Chris Ingalis from PopMatters called it "a trippy, ambient ride and ambitious debut that pulls off the neat trick of creating music that evokes space travel while also sounding refreshingly grounded to Earth's atmosphere." The new album, mastered by Kramer (Galaxie 500, Butthole Surfers, Bongwater, Low, Bill Frisell, etc.) features a unique mixture of Eastern and Western musical stylings and instrumentation including Balinese gamelan, gender wayang, and cumbuz (a 12-string fretless banjo) alongside the classic Americana instrumentation of slide guitar, baritone, mandolin and violin. The instrumental music charts new territories as it explores themes that are sometimes deeply personal, spiritual and otherworldly, including new fatherhood, sleep deprivation, loss and rebirth with titles that include Steps, Vespers, Eyes Open & Lullaby. Guests on the album include Trina Basu (Brooklyn Raga Massive), Tori Lo Mellin (Dharma Swara), and Willa Roberts (Black Sea Hotel). With their new album, Book of Beyond, Numün creates music that provides a star map to help us all navigate the inner constellations of our daily lives.

LP repress on limited green vinyl. This album is in the Scottish album of the year shortlist. Co-produced by Stephen McAll and Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer. RIYL: Mazzy Star, The National, Will Oldham / Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Nick Drake. Constant Follower’s debut album "Neither Is, Nor Ever Was" was borne out of a respect for change, and the inevitable passing of time that frightens, comforts and humbles every one of us at once. It is a haunting testimonial to the temporary joys and fleeting moments that define the human experience no matter the individual passages it takes. The name of the outfit itself is a reflection of those things that we carry through life, for better or worse, that ultimately make us who we are. The current band consists of Stephen McAll (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synth, bass), Andrew Pankhurst (electric guitar), Amy Campbell (backing vocals and synth), and McAll’s partner Kessi Stosch (backing vocals, synth and bass). "Neither Is, Nor Ever Was" co-produced by Scottish singer-songwriter Stephen McAll and the legendary record producer Kramer. The recording for the album began in early 2020 at La Chunky studios in Glasgow with engineer Johnny Smillie. This was interrupted by the birth of McAll’s daughter. If you listen closely, her cries are just audible during some of Kessi’s backing vocals, and shortly afterwards by Covid 19 restrictions. McAll began recording the rest at his own CFFC studio in Stirling. The recording was then beautifully mixed by Kramer. Once the LP was complete Kramer also did the final mastering. The videos for the release are truly short films that have been submitted to film festivals. They are enchanting, ethereal and immersive, the band’s visuals are as moving and cinematic as their sound. Martin J Pickering, who is renowned for his work with Dua Lipa, Paloma Faith and Lethal Bizzle, is behind their latest music video for “Set Aside Some Time”. The result - intense pangs of emotion interspersed with moments of reflection and acceptance, an ephemeral ode to the passing of time.

Last 30 copies in stock now. The album is now in the Scottish album of the year shortlist. LP on very Limited HILL FOG CLEAR vinyl. Co-produced by Stephen McAll and Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer. First pressing on “Hill Fog” Colored Clear Vinyl, limited to 500. RIYL: Mazzy Star, The National, Will Oldham / Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Nick Drake. Constant Follower’s debut album "Neither Is, Nor Ever Was" was borne out of a respect for change, and the inevitable passing of time that frightens, comforts and humbles every one of us at once. It is a haunting testimonial to the temporary joys and fleeting moments that define the human experience no matter the individual passages it takes. The name of the outfit itself is a reflection of those things that we carry through life, for better or worse, that ultimately make us who we are. The current band consists of Stephen McAll (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synth, bass), Andrew Pankhurst (electric guitar), Amy Campbell (backing vocals and synth), and McAll’s partner Kessi Stosch (backing vocals, synth and bass). "Neither Is, Nor Ever Was" co-produced by Scottish singer-songwriter Stephen McAll and the legendary record producer Kramer. The recording for the album began in early 2020 at La Chunky studios in Glasgow with engineer Johnny Smillie. This was interrupted by the birth of McAll’s daughter. If you listen closely, her cries are just audible during some of Kessi’s backing vocals, and shortly afterwards by Covid 19 restrictions. McAll began recording the rest at his own CFFC studio in Stirling. The recording was then beautifully mixed by Kramer. Once the LP was complete Kramer also did the final mastering. The videos for the release are truly short films that have been submitted to film festivals. They are enchanting, ethereal and immersive, the band’s visuals are as moving and cinematic as their sound. Martin J Pickering, who is renowned for his work with Dua Lipa, Paloma Faith and Lethal Bizzle, is behind their latest music video for “Set Aside Some Time”. The result - intense pangs of emotion interspersed with moments of reflection and acceptance, an ephemeral ode to the passing of time. Tracks: Side A 1. I Can’t Wake You 2. The Merry Dancers On TV 3. Set Aside Some Time 4. Spirits In The Roof Tree 5. Altona Side B 6. Weave of the World 7. One Word Away 8. Little Marble 9. What’s Left To Say 10. WEICHA

Live At The L.A. Forum präsentiert einen außergewöhnlichen Auftritt der Jimi Hendrix Experience im April 1969. Vor einem ausverkauften Haus spielten Hendrix, Schlagzeuger Mitch Mitchell und Bassist Noel Redding ein einzigartiges Set mit Highlights wie "I Don't Live Today", "Purple Haze", "Red House" und einem erstaunlichen Medley aus "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" und "Sunshine Of Your Love" von Cream. Diese unverfälschte Aufnahme, die von Hendrix' langjährigem Tontechniker Eddie Kramer neu abgemischt wurde, fängt die Jimi Hendrix Experience in ihrer unvergleichlichen Hochform ein. Ein Teil dieses Auftritts war zuvor Teil einer kurzlebigen Westwood One Radio-Dokumentationsbox Lifelines 1990-1992, war aber seit zwei Jahrzehnten nicht mehr in irgendeiner Form erhältlich. Die CD-Veröffentlichung mit einem 24-seitigen Booklet - komplett mit Linernotes von Billy Gibbons von ZZ Top, der die Show aus erster Hand miterlebte - gibt diesem bahnbrechenden Auftritt die richtige Plattform und präsentiert den kompletten Auftritt, der direkt von den originalen 8-Spur-Masterbändern abgemischt wurde.Enregistrée au printemps 1969 devant un public déchaîné et à guichets fermés, la performance captivante de la formation originale (Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell et Noel Redding) n'a jamais été publiée dans son intégralité. Cet album sort à temps pour le 80e anniversaire de la naissance de Jimi Hendrix. Après le succès massif du tiercé gagnant Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, Electric Ladyland en 1967-68, le trio est devenu l'attraction internationale la plus populaire du rock. C'est au L.A. Forum que le groupe dévoile pour la première fois la fameuse reprise de « The Star Spangled Banner », que Jimi allait canoniser quatre mois plus tard à Woodstock. Le live comprend «Purple Haze» et un medley incendiaire de 17 minutes de « Voodoo Child (Return) » et « Sunshine Of Your Love » de Cream. Le concert a été enregistré simultanément par Wally Heider et Bill Halverson, et récemment remixé par Eddie Kramer, producteur et ingénieur de longue date de Hendrix, pour une fidélité audio maximale et inclut une préface de Billy Gibbons de ZZ Top, qui a assisté au concert en 1969.

EERIE WANDA ist das Projekt der niederländisch-kroatischen Musikerin Marina Tadic, die mit ,Internal Radio" ihr drittes Album veröffentlicht. Die bildende Künstlerin und Musikerin wird auf dem neuen Album von ihrem Partner Adam Harding (DUMB NUMBERS, KIDBUG) und der Produzenten-Legende Kramer (GALAXIE 500, UNREST, WEEN, DANIEL JOHNSTON) unterstützt. Auf diesen elf Songs wird deutlich, dass Tadic zu der Künstlerin wird, die sie gerne sein möchte und nebenbei noch einige Dämonen austreibt: ,This album is different than anything else I've made. I think I have entered a new chapter. Hope you enjoy." Während ihre früheren Alben eher auf beschwingten, gitarrenbetonten Indie-Pop ausgerichtet waren, klingt ,Internal Radio" wie eine experimentellere, jenseitige, ernsthafte, erwachsene Angelegenheit, die sich in sensibles, emotionales Terrain wagt. Die intimen, persönlichen Songs spiegeln die Einsamkeit wider, die viele von uns in den letzten Jahren empfunden haben, und erinnern an Künstler wie LIDA HUSIK und EDITH FROST.

LAVENDER Coloured Vinyl. Recommended If You Like: Cocteau Twins, Julee Cruise, Antena, Young Marble Giants, The Pastels, Mazzy Star, Norma Tanega. A cinematic ocean of sound. EERIE WANDA's Marina Tadic draws you into her inner worlds on these 11 new songs produced by Kramer (Galaxie 500, Unrest, Ween, Daniel Johnston.). On Internal Radio, the new album by Eerie Wanda, visual artist and musician Marina Tadic welcomes you to her inner world. Guided by intuition, Tadic's songs use haunting, ethereal space, growing whole universes from the seeds of ideas. Internal Radio documents Tadic becoming the artist she wants to be, working through some things, and even exorcizing a few demons. The result is the most realized Eerie Wanda album yet, building on the project's guitar pop past for a more experimental, other worldly, serious grown-up affair that ventures into sensitive, motional territory. "Pet Town is delightfully airy; a set of songs that have drifted in on a breeze from some strange and foreign landscape you won't find on any map.” Gold Flake Paint // “Tadic’s melody here is part of that Brian Wilson lineage … she sets those notes adrift with a casually graceful minimalism… It evokes a pleasant stroll through a city at the moment when night begins to fall on a daydream.” Stereogum // Tracks: 1 Sail To The Silver Sun 2 NOWx1000 3 Long Time 4 On Heaven 5 Confess 6 Nightwalk 7 Someone's In My House 8 Sister Take My Hand 9 Birds Aren't Real 10 Puzzled 11 Bon Voyage

Sunking is the experimental sights and sounds of Seattle natives Bobby Granfelt & Antoine Martel, an outlet for the duo whose music is "steeped in funk, fusion, and the dreamier end of the rock spectrum," said Seattle"s The Stranger. The Stranger also went on to say that "this city needs more groups like sunking, who flit among genres such as hip-hop, jazz, and shoegaze rock while messing with the DNAs of each style they address." Both Granfelt and Martel are also members of High Pulp, a jazz collective that draws influences from punk rock, shoegaze, hip-hop, and electronic music. Also signed to ANTI-, their album "Pursuit of Ends" came out in April of this year. "High Pulp blend old-school bebop with contemporary soul and electronica vibes, as though someone convinced the ghost of Duke Ellington to reinterpret a Chemical Brothers album," said the A.V. Club.

Unique and much lauded classic soulful blues-rock band XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES will release their hotly anticipated new album Order Out Of Chaos on 6th May. This is preceded by their explosive single “Leave The Light On” released 4th March with an amazing video giving a tantalising taster for the main course of songs to be unleashed on their upcoming album. Order Out Of Chaos is replete with heart-warming songs with soul-searching meanings. There’s also a tumultuous sea of sounds to be discovered on Leave The Light On that will send shockwaves through the ears of connoisseurs of classic rock music. And creating musical shockwaves is something that Xander And The Peace Pirates specialise in ever since brothers Keith and Stu Xander were discovered on YouTube by former Gibson Brands CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and quickly grabbed the attention of music industry figures such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones) and Rick Allen (Def Leppard). After their 5-year tenure as the resident band at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club, they went on to support the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Temperance Movement, ex-Whitesnake’s Bernie Marsden and even Bon Jovi at Old Trafford Stadium to name but a few.

A legendary indie audio artist blurring his lifelong attachments, from spontaneous composition (in the late 70's with John Zorn) to experimental rock (with Bongwater and other bands in the 80's) alongside his recent inquiries into the intricacies of ambient-folk songcraft (with his most recent solo LP, "And The Wind Blew It All Away"), Kramer continues to explore the possibilities of shaping naturally occuring aural landscapes into intoxicatingly affecting music. Sound and language - not just melody and ambient textures - has been his raw material for decades. He nowjuggles them more deftly than ever on his newest ambient opus. In the ten compositions that comprise this new LP, mournful at times yet mysteriouslylife-affirming and generous in their scope, Kramer sees films where there arenone, and composes his accompanying ambient soundtracks in a state of interrupted grace. Words, text, complete screenplays, character arcs, shooting scripts and storyboards swirl through his head as he puts his imagery to sound, and the results evoke a world in which moths, drawn to the bright flickering lightsof Cinema and the low humming lights of Dreams, in Kramer's own words, "...might never die". The LP's nature reveals an interior dialogue between musician and choice. Each piece represents Kramer's encounter with the blank canvas of silence that greets him as a composer. Embracing sounds as objects and instruments of Truth, the end result of his process is as much about what is absent and what has been removed or edited away than what is left in its wake as artifacts of emotion. These pieces are the Spring frost of lost imaginings, vanitas to broken connections, visions nearly unrecordable by the human eye. Kramer envisions a music that functions to stoptime, as an event that always plays in the present and never needs a past to give it a reference point. It is music that communicates in the most intimate way possible, as intricately and as deeply as the way it blossoms and shifts and evades categorizationwhen exposed to thin air. Drawn toward the light of a multitude of influences, we hear echoes of the feverishly frozen dreams of composers Morton Feldman, Terry Riley, Brian Eno and Arvo Part, melting alongside the surreal cinemas of David Lynch and The Brothers Quay, all parts converging to evoke a time and place that does not exist outside of the mind's eye of the listener. These ten works are fluid adventures in fathomless landscapes, emotions distilled and offered as a paintless painting without a physical home. Each individual composition is an offering to a future memory, a chalice to be filled with the listener's own reactions to them. As a whole, the ten pieces form an image of ten circling planets in an expanding galaxy that colors itself anew with each subsequent listen. Movement, grace, and Peace.