quête:super sound single

Because Sound Matters' meticulous One-Step process creates the definitive sounding audiophile version of k.d. lang Ingénue. This all-analog release comes from the original first-generation master tapes for the first time. Vinyl guru and editor Michael Fremer says, "This k.d. One-Step is insane – It's otherworldly great!"

This One-Step version is strictly limited to 3,000 copies. The album is housed inside a top-quality, foil-stamped, uniquely designed numbered slipcase. The enclosed gatefold jacket will feature an "old style" tip-on jacket with the original artwork.

Special care has been taken to faithfully preserve the original sound with exceptional clarity and depth, capturing the recording's nuances and subtleties at every step to create the best sounding record possible.

The One-Step process is highly regarded among audiophiles and collectors for its unparalleled sound fidelity and represents the pinnacle of vinyl manufacturing craftsmanship.

Ingénue was originally released March 17, 1992 and is k.d. lang's second solo album.

Upon release, the album charted at #18 in the US, #13 in Canada, #3 in the UK and Australia and #1 in New Zealand. Nominated for six Grammy® Awards with the breakout single "Constant Craving" winning a Grammy® Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. "Miss Chatelaine" and "The Mind of Love" were follow-up singles.

k.d. received universal critical acclaim for the album from publications like Mojo, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Uncut and dozens more! Today, Ingénue is a true classic album and considered one of the great audiophile recordings of the modern era. This One-Step version certainly proves that!

Notes for This Release:

Ingénue was originally recorded and mixed on analogue tape and produced by Greg Penny, Ben Mink and k.d. lang. The original analogue master tapes were directly used as the audio source for this One-Step pressing! This is the first time the analogue tapes have been used as a vinyl source for this brilliant recording. The results are stunning.

Because Sound Matters used the Neotech VR900-D2 180g High-Performance vinyl compound, which is the same as what is known as Super Vinyl – the best in the world.

Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering cut the lacquers with meticulous care! He also did the original mastering of the CD release in 1992.

Dorin Sauerbier at Record Technology, Inc (R.T.I.) has been plating records for decades and is considered the best in the world – he also has done more One-Step processing than anybody. This is a vital step in the process to ultimately delivering the absolute best sounding version of Ingénue ever.

Record Technology, Inc did the pressing – using the exact pressing machine used for so many other One-Step releases. The QC team is constantly monitoring each copy as it comes off the press.

Because Sound Matters' slipcases and gatefold "old style" tip on original art jackets were printed by world-renowned Stoughton Printing Company.

This new all-analogue edition will draw you into the music as never before—at least it did me. The sonic picture is rich, well-textured, harmonically saturated, spatially deep and all the rest of the audiophile buzzwords that no doubt the producers (who include lang) intended to give listeners but until now couldn't fully deliver. The musical flow will have you swooning in your seat. Before the opener 'Save Me' concludes you may already feel overwhelmed and in need of lifting the stylus to catch your emotional breath...What a treat!
-Michael Fremer, Tracking Angle, Music 11/10, Sound 11/10

If every significant artist has an underrated gem in its catalog, then Mirage is that album for Fleetwood Mac. An obvious return to relative simplicity after the dramatic tension of Rumours and experimental ambitions of Tusk, the 1982 album finds the band re-grouping after a brief hiatus and again climbing to the top of the charts. Extremely well-crafted, well-produced, and well-performed, the double-platinum effort distills the group’s hallmark strengths into a filler-free set that never runs short of addictive pop hooks or daft accents.

Sourced from the original analog master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition 180g 45RPM 2LP set presents Mirage in reference sound for the first time. The efforts co-producers/engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut went to capture the splintered albeit formidable band can be heard with stunning accuracy, range, depth, and detail.

Though Rumours understandably gets a permanent spot in the audiophile hall of fame, the smooth, clear, and dynamic sonics on Mirage confirm that the record that stood as Fleetwood Mac’s last effort for five years deserves a place in the same vaunted arena. The presence and imaging of Mick Fleetwood’s percussion alone on this reissue might have you wondering how this slice of soft-rock bliss has gone under-noticed for decades. Other prized aural aspects — separation, definition, impact, tonal balance — are also here in spades.

Like much surrounding Fleetwood Mac in the 1980s, arriving at Mirage was not easy. Caillat searched for studios located outside of Los Angeles on a mission to change up the vibe of the band’s prior recording sessions. Everyone settled on Le Chateau in France, where relations between some members remained icy — and cooperation with the producers strained. Battles with exhaustion, bitterness, and addiction further informed the proceedings at the 18th century complex in the French countryside, where even communal meals were allegedly eaten in silence.

Inevitably, the feelings that co-producer Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and company harbored — as well as the situations in which they found themselves — drifted into the songwriting. In its rapid ascent to rock-star royalty status, Fleetwood Mac drifted apart, embarked on solo pursuits, and found it was lonely at the top. Emptiness, the illusion of dreams, the longing for love, the want to escape to bygone times of innocence and happiness: Such themes inform a majority of the narratives. Even if the lyrics regularly take a back seat to easygoing arrangements that allow Mirage to come on like a refreshing breeze on a sunny summer afternoon.

Home to three Top 25 singles in the U.S. and having occupied the pole position of the Top 200 album charts for five weeks, Mirage rightfully resonated with the mainstream and attracted listeners on both sides of the pond. And how, via a smart blend of sugary melodies, warm harmonies, interlaced notes, nimble rhythms, taut structures, and passionate vocals. Not to mention the presence of what arguably remains Nicks’ signature song, the biographical “Gypsy,” a meditation on the loss of her close friend Robin Anderson that teems with majesty, mystery, and mysticism — and which gets an assist from Buckingham’s shaded tack piano and richly strummed guitar chords.

Its ranking as an all-time classic aside, that No. 12 hit has plenty of company when it comes to brilliant pop turns on Mirage. On the subject of Nicks, the raspy singer gets a little bit country on “That’s Alright.” Its clip-clopping pace and two-stepping progression complement subtle vocal swells that emerge during the final verse of a tune that is ostensibly about leaving but still conveys forgiveness and grace. And what would a Fleetwood Mac record be without Nicks drawing on the tools of the supernatural — cards, dreams, wolves, and the like — on the twirling “Straight Back.”

Despite the potency of Nicks’ primary contributions, Mirage seemingly unfolds as a tight competition between Buckingham and McVie — and one that ultimately ends in a draw. Buckingham’s salvos include the contagious “Can’t Go Back,” a yearning to time-travel back to the past that’s complete with hall-of-mirrors backing vocals; “Oh Diane,” out-of- left-field ear candy sweetened with hiccupped vocals and salt-and-pepper-shaken grooves; the chiming “Eyes of the World”; and “Empire State,” a delightfully fluttering track whose high-range vocals, lap harp notes, and ringing xylophones hint at the galaxies of sound that would erupt on Tango in the Night.

Then there’s McVie. As elegant, understated, and coolheaded as she’s ever been on record, she pours her heart out on cuts that revolve around her inevitable split with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson. In the process, she punctuates Mirage with a characteristic not always associated with catchy pop music: emotional weight, and the sense of dreaded acceptance in the face of dreams deferred.

“I wish you were here/Holding me tight,” McVie sings over a delicate melody on the album-closing piano ballad “Wish You Were Here.” Though they hoped otherwise, for the members Fleetwood Mac, distance and separation were always close at hand. Believing otherwise, inviting nostalgia, and pretending everything was fine only amounts to a mirage.

CSN was the trio's last fully realized album, and also the last recording on which the three principals handled all the vocal parts without the sweetening of additional voices. It has held up remarkably well, both as a memento of its time and as a thoroughly enjoyable musical work." — AllMusic

Crosby, Stills & Nash was a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. CSN's 1977 self-titled album is a return to the harmony-soaked idealism with which the trio had been catapulted to popularity; it reached No. 2 on the charts, behind Fleetwood Mac's megasuccessful Rumours.

AllMusic says the songs on CSN show a "great deal of lyrical maturity and compositional complexity compared to those earlier albums (from a far more innocent time). "Just a Song Before I Go" was the latest of Graham Nash's radio-friendly acoustic numbers, and a Top Ten single. "See the Changes" and "Dark Star" ranked with the best of Stephen Stills' work, while David Crosby contributed three classics from his distinctive oeuvre: "Shadow Captain," "Anything at All," and the beautiful "In My Dreams."And Nash's multi-part "Cathedral," a recollection of an acid trip taken in Winchester Cathedral on his 32nd birthday, became a staple of the group's live repertoire.

Ground-breaking music perfection deserves definitive sound and top-notch packaging. This reissue was mastered directly from the original master tape by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket with textured stock by Stoughton Printing.

This is the first reissue of the super rare 1968 Reggay anthem.
Originally released together on the Blue Cat label, this very much sought-after single features two exceptional tracks from the golden era of Jamaican music. "Belly Lick" by Dennis Walks and "The Game Song" by Drumbago & The Blenders exemplify the rich musical landscape of late 1960s Jamaica. Both tracks were written by Dennis Walks and produced by Joe Gibbs.

This reissue brings these two rare gems back to vinyl, allowing enthusiasts and collectors to experience their authentic sound. The original pressing has become highly collectible, with copies fetching big sums in the collectors' market.
This exceptional release will be available on our website and in select record shops worldwide from March 28, 2025.

Five for Fighting achieved a hit record with "Superman (It's Not Easy)" in 2001 leading to his America Town album going Platinum.

For the follow-up, The Battle Of Everything, John Ondrasik went into the studio with Bill Bottrell, best known for his production work with Sheryl Crow.

On the influences behind Battle and its recording, Ondrasik said, "When I was a kid I could put on Dark Side of the Moon, turn up the sound in my headphones, lie down in the dark, and go away. I wanted that experience again, and so Bill and I were ambitious to the point of absurdity. If we wanted drama, we'd get a thirty-piece orchestra. If we wanted a rock edge, we went after it with reckless abandonment. It was like doing my own private Quadrophenia."

The Battle for Everything was released in 2004. The first single, "100 Years" was a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album itself was certified Platinum in 2009. and is now finally available on vinyl for the first time.

This is a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on gold coloured vinyl. The LP contains a 4-page booklet with lyrics and pictures.

LBD Issues continue with their quest of reissuing music from Eastern European region previously unavailable on Western markets. The third release is a compilation that showcases the collaboration work of duo Eva Hurychová and Jan Neckář. The two met in 1982 and Eva started performing with Jan's band Bacily. Jan was already established and hugely successful musician and producer, mainly for his brother Václav, who was a real pop superstar in former Czechoslovakia and still remains very popular to this day. Eva was a composer and lyrics writer for other successful artists too. However, the duo soon started recording stuff on their own, experimenting with electronic productions and the sound not at all common for its day in Czechoslovakia. This compilation cherry-picks the tracks from various different singles released between 1984 and 1986.

The second part in the series looking at the works of the Beninoise super group T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and the compositions of bandleader Clément Melome. The title song, "Unité Africaine" was originally released domestically in 1977 on the LP, "T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Benin - Melome Clement, Chef d'Orchestre" and celebrates a message of unity across the African nations.

The single focuses on the modern interpretations for which Canopy again enlists the skills of Jose Marquez & Sol Power All-Stars.

Jose Marquez builds around the core elements of "Unité Africaine", deepening the mood with characteristic production prowess. Recruiting precise musicians who add live bass, percussion and synthesizer, Jose delivers an adaptation which effortlessly compliments the original arrangement and feeling with a thoughtfully executed sensibility.

Sol Power All-Stars step up with a sincere rendition of "Unité Africaine". No strangers to the work of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, (having released a dynamite remix EP of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo on their own imprint "Sol Power Sound"), they were a natural fit for this project. The version presented here is respectful to the original, adding live drums, light disco FX and new arrangements to gently enhance the original composition, adding just the right amount of seasoning to their mix to bring it to a joyful and tasty simmer.

Rob Mazurek’s Alternate Moon Cycles was our first release. The incredibly spare single-note-centered cornet, bass, and organ chant was recorded to tape at pint-sized Chicago bar Curio as part of a performance series that predates any notion of our label’s existence. Documenting this performance—highly unique even within the depths of Mazurek’s vast catalog—stirred those notions, and soon talks began of releasing the recording on a fresh imprint.
The music unfolds glacially amongst the gentle creaks, clinks, whispers, and scuffles of the active room. It’s difficult to imagine a more honest rendering of the two sidelong pieces of organic minimal music, and nearly impossible to separate the sounds from their performance context. It’s also difficult to imagine a more subtly striking way to introduce a new label to the world.
Now this long-gone gem of supernatural frequency excavation is back in print with fresh liner notes by Mikel Patrick Avery and obi design by Aaron Lowell Denton.
Featuring Rob Mazurek, Matt Lux, and Mikel Patrick Avery.
"This is ambient music, suitable for meditation, but its shifts in texture reward real listening." - New York Times

The very first (and long overdue) career-spanning retrospective from Soul music legend P.P. Arnold • A 57 song 3CD set, or 25 song 2LP set featuring singles, album tracks, demos, and previously unreleased songs • A stylishly packaged collection with new sleeve notes by author Jude Rogers • A companion piece to P.P. Arnold's critically acclaimed autobiography Soul Survivor The term "well-established" might be appropriate for some artists but it barely begins to cover the career of the phenomenal P.P. Arnold, whose records and performances are now in their seventh decade.

Her consistently excellent music covers multiple genres, her high-profile admirers and collaborators are plentiful, and yet 'Soul Survivor - A Life In Song' is the first collection dedicated to this extraordinary body of work. Compiled by the artist, 'Soul Survivor - A Life In Song' is being released on a 57 song 3CD set, and 25 song 2LP set, both formats housed in an eye-catching sleeve created by photographer (and close friend) Gered Mankowitz, with extensive new sleeve notes by author Jude Rogers.

Alongside key singles and album tracks it includes previously unreleased recordings, demo versions, live performances, and some rare mixes that are being reissued for the very first time. From her early days at Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label (where she "became one of us", according to Andrew) her allies, associates, and working partners have included the Small Faces, Cat Stevens, Mick Jagger, Barry Gibb, Eric Clapton, Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Blockheads' Chaz Jankel, Roger Waters, Ocean Colour Scene, The Blow Monkeys' Dr. Robert, and Paul Weller. In 2022 P.P. Arnold told her extraordinary life story in her critically acclaimed autobiography Soul Survivor (Mojo magazine called it "a jaw-dropping memoir"); now that book has the soundtrack that it deserves.

Finnish-born producer and pianist Idealism (800K Spotify Monthly Listeners) and French transplant Lucid Green (175k SML) are no strangers to each other’s subtle, yet potent productions. Having worked together on „Untold“ their Sophomore, fully collaborative LP “Unsaid” is a natural journey into the beautiful ambient, downtempo, lo-fi worlds they’ve each created. Through visits to Lucid’s flat in Paris and ideas being exchanged remotely, the duo experimented with different sounds, instruments and aural environments, in the process crafting a natural partnership that sits in a comfortable, melancholic pocket.

With lulling guitar and poignant piano progressions that provide a pillow to rest your ears, and downtempo percussions that keeps you ebbing and flowing along on a subtle current, unsure where one wave ends and the next begins, only the albums progressions dictate the head-nod. The album soars, reminiscent of life’s simple, yet wholly memorable moments.

As with all 823 releases, the project is a visual one as much as it is a musical project. The first singles visualizers are a fusion of Hopes & Dreams Club & 823’s design aesthetics with personal super8 footage captured by Idealism & Lucid Green, beautifully expressed from Hopes & Dreams Club membersi. Each visualizer and single art will easily stand on its own, transporting you to worlds familiar, yet undeniably groovy and sonically comfortable.

823 is a multifaceted Perth-based record label, fashion brand, and artistic community, founded by Australian producer and all-around creative, Ta-ku (630 SML). With an astute attention to detail and an ethos that appreciates the everyday things in life, 823 doesn’t stick to any particular genre. Past 823 releases include “So Far To Go” EP via Cabu (500k SML), Ta-ku and matt mcwaters’s duo project “Black and White,” featuring Masego collaboration “Flight 99” (38mil streams on Spotify), the “All Things Considered” compilations, a curated, collaborative series featuring both budding and well-established artists around the world and have included Idealism, Wun Two, pastels, L.Dre, Flobama, SwuM, Jinsang, Tenderlonious, among a host of others, as well as multiple sold out clothing capsules.

'Erotic Probiotic 2' is Nourished By Time’s debut album on Scenic Route, following up from last year’s two track EP, Erotic Probiotic, which had support from Jamz Supernova on BBC 1Xtra and NTS shows; Yaeji, Shy One, Macca, Anu, and more. 2023 has already been a busy year for the singer/songwriter/producer, supporting 4AD’s sardonic post-punk band, Dry Cleaning on their 20 stop tour of North America. As well as remixing their playful album track, Gary Ashby, dropping on March 1st. Nourished By Time also collaborates with progressive electronic artist Yaeji on her debut album, With A Hammer, out on April 7th on XL Recordings.

Erotic Probiotic 2 showcases the range of this rising Baltimore pop star, telling his transformative story through impeccable songwriting, infectious ear worm melodies, vivid storytelling and intimate DIY production. The album traveresses a broad spectrum of sound, allowing his songwriting to dictate the ever changing mood he orchestrates; whether it is love or loss. Sitting somewhere between indie, pop, alternative RnB, ultimately carving out a fresh sound defined by his vulnerable vocals, raw guitar licks and undeniable groove. Quantum Suicide is the lead single with a bitter sweet sentiment brought to life through fuzzy shoegaze guitar riffs, glimmering synths and beautiful melancholy vocals, leaving you with a dizzying sense of possibilities.

The album was recorded mostly in 2021 - 22 in his parents basement in Baltimore. “At this time, I was in a beautiful and formative relationship that was running its course. Songs like ‘Unbreak My Love’ and ‘Rain Water Promise’ come from that place of dealing with the end. A story of lovers parting and making sense of the battling feelings of resentment and longing. As well as the existential aspect of having to end of a relationship. All while with dealing long-time depression, songs like lead single “Quantum Suicide” and “Shed That Fear” exhibit the importance of choosing to live and that getting out of pits of despair requires tremendous amounts of effort and intention and is a very difficult lifelong task. Whilst other tracks such as ‘The Fields’ and ‘Daddy’ and ‘Workers Interlude’ are attempts at trying to aim my anger at productive targets like Capitalism which both songs are a critique of.”

Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from a new 30 ips quarter-inch stereo master tape transferred from the original 3-track session tapes. Plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings for flawless production and superior fidelity! Stoughton Printing Old Style tip-on gatefold heavyweight jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish.

Miles Davis's Kind of Blue was the number-one jazz album in history. It totaled five songs. There are four more songs from that same historic group, recorded in the same time period and at the same studio. And here they are. These songs deserve to stand on their own with artwork to highlight the quality of the music and that matches the time period of the recording. This is a rare opportunity to have a smash follow-up to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever!

Through the years, these four remarkable performances — all from a single recording session in 1958 and all exemplary of the sound of Miles Davis' legend-loaded sextet of that year — have not been served well. They have been largely treated as add-ons for other compilations. Now, for the first time, Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Prssings, has deservedly given these tracks a stellar stand-alone release for jazz fans to savor!

The once-in-a-generation lineup that recorded these tunes is the very same that would be immortalized for the enduring classic they would record almost a year later, Kind of Blue. Davis played trumpet sublime with his ensemble sextet featuring pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley.

Undervalued since their recording, the tunes on this album reflect historial and musical significance. They offer early glimpses into the modal jazz that Kind of Blue would bring to the forefront. Using modes common in modern classical music, rather than the chords of popular songs, Miles had begun to experiment with the new approach on the Milestones recording sessions previously.

Analogue Productions is proud to present Birth of the Blue in an exclusive first-of-its-kind stand-alone release that reflects our reputation for meticulous production, capturing authentic sound with clarity, depth and fidelity that exceeds the audiophile standard.

For this release, we started with the original 3-track recording session tapes that were mixed down to a brand-new 30 ips quarter-inch stereo master tape by senior mastering engineer Vic Anesini at Battery Studios. From that stereo master tape, Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab cut the lacquers at 33 1/3 RPM utilizing the legendary Doug Sax's custom all-tube system and cutting lathe. The lacquers were plated and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings. Lastly, the Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket with a deluxe scuff-resistant matte finish is the highest quality available. The artwork has an incredible spot-on look to a 1959 Columbia records release!

Features:


• Pioneering Ensemble: Captured the same rare and short-lived alignment of jazz legends including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb, as heard on the historic Kind of Blue.


• Innovative Sound: The session represented a crucial transition in jazz, blending elements of hard bop with early modal jazz influences, showcasing the ensemble's experimentation and forward-thinking approach.


• Undervalued Legacy: Despite its historical and musical significance, the session's recordings have been historically overlooked, often relegated to being add-ons in compilations rather than recognized as standalone masterpieces.


• Modal Jazz Precursor: Offered early glimpses into the modal jazz that would later be fully realized in Davis's groundbreaking album "Kind of Blue," laying the groundwork for future jazz innovation.


• Impact on Artists: Served as a critical point of development and confidence for the musicians involved, particularly Bill Evans, who noted the significant impact of this experience on his own identity and style.


• Historical Context: Occurred at a peak moment in Miles Davis's career, following his signing with Columbia Records and his critical and commercial successes with albums such as ‘Round About Midnight and Miles Ahead.


• Revealed backstory: Extensive liner notes by the Grammy Award-winning author Ashley Kahn, who also penned the estential book, Kind Of Blue — The Making Of The Miles Davis Masterpiece

TERMINATor, the Seattle and New York based trio, are made up of albie, Lauren Rodriguez, and Veronica Dye. The group sits on the edge of no wave, punk, noise, and sweeping experimental.
TERMINATor united in 2017 under the mission of undermining traditional sound aesthetics and expectations. Consequently, part of the emergence of TERMINATor’s superbly unusual approach was the fact that each member learned their instruments as the project developed.
After releasing singles and the visual EP, “Rat (Hopefully the Boy),” TERMINATor has finally debuted their full length album. “Placate Boring Flesh” emphasizes musical texture over traditional melodies.
Even through growth and refinement of their sound, TERMINATor stays ever consistent in beginner’s mind within their idiosyncratic approach to composition. Discordant, angular, and atonal, TERMINATor weaves in and through itself. The group shines in their live performances, inviting their audience into a beautiful auditory disorientation of roaring textural bravado. TERMINATor sits on your temple in a balance of angular and sweeping shapes moving through coarse soundscapes.
Bottom line, TERMINATor is truly here to destroy.
“An instinctual curiosity guides their songs into unusual and interesting places, as is evident on Placate Boring Flesh. TERMINATor affectionately sucker-punch your expectations about how young modern women rock.” - The Stranger
“Placate Boring Flesh stands as one of the most exciting rock records to come out of the city in a while” - KEXP
“This Seattle-based trio’s record is an experimental, floating world of sound. Dreamlike (but not dreamy) in the most darkly surrealist way—like translating a Leonora Carrington or Miro painting to music.” - Maximum Rock N Roll"

VERY VERY LTD DELUXE CLOTH BOUND GATEFOLD SLEEVE RED VINYL EDTION, 2LP W/ DLC! "The first three songs alone are like love at first hearing." - Deluxe 2xLP clothbound sleeve edition of 'Car Button Cloth', featuring Lemonheads classics 'If I Could Talk I'd Tell You' and 'The Outdoor Type'. This reissue includes the original record alongside a whole extra LP of rarities and unreleased cuts, continuing Fire Records in-depth series of reissues from the legendary band. 'Car Button Cloth' is an extraordinary affair of musical and emotional extremes, a soundscape spanning "the most beautiful piano-led mourning in the history of the broken heart" that switches into perky jangle-pop for fleeting moments and contains the ultimate self-deprecating classic 'The Outdoor Type', penned by Smudge cohort Tom Morgan, as well as a cover of the bluegrass standard 'Knoxville Girl' and 'If I Could Talk I'd Tell You' co-written with The Vaselines' Eugene Kelly. All bases are covered. To further unravel where Evan's head was at during the period of its creation, this deluxe double album comes with a record of exquisite and typically eclectic scene setting covers that occupied B-sides and alternative format versions, plus other super rare offcuts, live takes and remixes. A diet of Volcano Suns, Glen Campbell, The Jacobites, The Sir Douglas Quintet and Whitney Houston influenced Evan's thinking and added further colour to an album that remains something of a Dorian Gray-style masterpiece. The first side of extras is rounded off with the never before released 'Arise', originally set for the remake of Great Expectations and later realised as Rancho Santa Fe on solo album 'Baby I'm Bored'. "One of the most distinctive voices of the '90s" The New York Times

Big'n was, is and always shall be a legacy noise rock band from Chicago (est. 1990) comprised of vocalist William Akins, guitarist Todd Johnson, bassist Fred Popolo, and drummer Brian Wnukowski. After releasing a stellar debut album (1994), followed by their sophomore and signature effort Discipline Through Sound on Skingraft Records (1996) and a split single with Shellac, the band became inactive for some years. In 2018,Big'n recorded and releaseda new EP, Knife of Sin,via Computer Students. In 2022, they released DTS 25, an expansion of their pioneering second album. Both were recorded by the late, great Steve Albini. Big'n is back once again with a ruthless new album, End Comes Too Soon - their first in 28 years - released via Computer Student. It"sall still here as presentand disciplined as ever - BrianE's powerful, reliably precise drumming with melodic phrasing that shapes the songs, Fred's metallic superstructure of a bass that builds the defined framework of the music, Todd's clangorous guitar that has more harmonic content than a lot of his noisier peers, and William Akins' yarling vocals, the most recognizably human thing about the band, that convey layers of tension and intent, all the emotional content of a hellbound therapy session. Tragically, on May 7, 2024, Steve Albini suddenly passed away of a heart attack. Naturally, Big'n were shocked and devastated. End Comes Too Soons' title comes from a lyric, and is unrelated to Albini; still, the album became a roundabout love letter to the man, his studio, and his legacy. Like its predecessors, the album is structured by snippets of musical interludes or Transmissions - and there are six here, under the common code "XMSN."

Founded in 1994, LA's Aberdeen were an underground twee-pop group who’s tight discography of beautifully melodic, melancholic and dreamy songs envelope the cliche topics of summer sunshine, young love, and the lack thereof. Since 2006 the band has been helmed solely by lead writer & producer John Girgus.

Their music primarily resided on the Bristolian cult label Sarah Records, where they would release of some of their most beloved tracks such as 'Byron' and 'Fireworks' in the mid 90s. They are a band who's stripped back sound had a blissful focus on the love of melody whose influence has subconsciously woven itself throughout the current generation of underground pop and indie music.

We are super excited to announce the re-pressing the bands first 3 EPs in their entirety, with additional bonus tracks, on vinyl for the first time in 30 years. These are very special songs by a band whose permeance on vinyl was integral to the flexi disc adoring generation of the Sarah movement..

Mr. K returns to the fertile ground of the Paradise Garage for his latest with two certified floor-fillers closely tied to the legendary club.

TW Funkmasters’ “Love Money” took an unusual path to its eventual elevated status as a dance classic. The brainchild of UK radio reggae jock Tony Williams (the “TW” in the group’s name), it was conceived in response to seminal rap release “Rapper’s Delight,” but with reggae superstar Dennis Brown’s 1978 hit single “Money In My Pocket” as the lyrical inspiration. Indeed, the vocal version of the Funkmasters’ song is considered the UK’s very first homegrown rap tune. But it was the flip side that garnered the most attention in New York however. “The original track was quirky and worked at the Garage,” Danny Krivit says, “but when the dub came out, it really blew up everywhere. After that very few people played the vocal.” Krivit’s edit here takes the influential, futuristic dub and tightens the arrangement up for the 7-inch format. “Love Money” went on to heavily influence the New York City dance underground, with homages coming in the form of subtle tributes (Mateo & Matos’ “Love Style”) to a virtual remake from Larry Levan himself (Man Friday’s “Love Honey, Love Heartache”) to the untold records that have sampled or been influenced by the spacey, heavy groove.

We’re back closer to home and a more traditional source for Garage classics with our flip side, Janice McClain’s “Smack Dab In The Middle.” The Philadelphia born and bred singer burst out of the gate with this very Philly sounding single in 1979. Written and produced by her uncle, the song was recorded when McClain was all of fifteen years old, a fact made more astonishing by a commanding vocal performance that resonated immediately with listeners. Recognizing a good thing when he saw it, disco maven Ray Caviano picked the song up for his newly minted RFC label and enlisted Larry Levan himself to mix it for 12-inch release. It is Levan’s version that provides the jumping off point for Krivit’s edit here — “the original 7-inch version the way it was never seemed worth playing,” Krivit says — and he makes the most of the jazzy Philly disco groove, injecting extra energy in the early minutes of the song with a tasty filtered break unique to this mix.

Pressed and mastered with DJs in mind, this loud and crystal clear single is the perfect combination of bonafide Garage classics and the talents of Mr. K, all on one compact piece of vinyl.

The 5th-anniversary release of the renowned vinyl label Artreform marks a significant milestone bridging the past and the future. The label's head, JOSS, a DJ and producer based in Kyiv, continues to unearth talented newcomers. The latest release features a track by a promising Ukrainian newcomer, Wonkie, who is relatively unknown in the electronic music scene. Additionally, the release includes a remix by the European house music superstar IO (Mulen). IO first appeared on Artreform in 2013 with the ghetto banger "Criminal Stuff," leading to multiple collaborations with the label. Two years ago, IO revisited Artreform with a remix of JOSS's single "Justify." IO (Mulen) represents the esteemed history of Artreform while offering a glimpse into its vibrant future.

The new EP showcases a blend of past and future influences. The lead track, "I Meet Somebody," features Artreform's signature minimal house sound with a touch of classic progressive elements. On the other hand, the remix by IO (Mulen) incorporates a modern proto-trance style with hints of old-school UK breaks. "Tubular Bells" is reminiscent of JOSS' mixes, combining sophisticated tech house with trendy dream house vibes. Overall, the release adds new colors and nuances to Artreform's latest work and the label's esteemed back catalog, much like the eye-catching cover of their anniversary record.

Repress!

Compilation of 80s Turkish-Swiss band Café Türk, featuring selected works from their discography as well as previously unreleased recordings!

Café Türk's unrestrained sonic palette explores new wave, psych, disco and reggae with influences from Anatolia and Azerbaijan.2xLP includes a 4-page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos.

Café Türk are an inimitable Turkish-Swiss band formed in the 1980s, whose genre-bending sonic palette draws from Anatolia, the Caucasus and Western Europe. The group’s frantic trajectory connects Switzerland and the Turkish city of Kars with a background story as rich and unexpected as their sound. After three decades since they disbanded, Zel Zele Records have collaborated with Turkish crate-digger Grup Ses to give the music of Café Türk a new lease of life. This eponym compilation features original album tracks, singles and previously unreleased takes that trace the outline of the group’s history. From the rolling disco of the group’s debut recording “Haydi Yallah”; to the previously unreleased kosmiche of “Yıldızlar”, “Ali Baba From Istanbul”s Azeri grooves and German language vocals, to the psyched-out interpretation of Causaccian folk tune “Şamil”, Café Türk showcases the endless stream of ideas the band had during their time together between 1983 and 1989. Tracks come with an unrestrained spirit, weaving in the crackling energy of new wave, rock, disco and reggae with influences from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

This fascination in pulling different worlds together goes right back to the formative days of Metin Demiral, founder of Café Türk. Metin grew up in Kars, a provincial town in the Northeastern part of Turkey. Kars was once known for its multicultural communities; where you could hear locals speaking a range of languages, from Turkish to Azeri, Russian and Kurdish. In 1983 Café Türk won a contest set for Turkish groups based in Europe, organised by the label Türküola, home to Turkish stars like Cem Karaca, Selda Bağcan and Barış Manço. The resultant recording sessions gave birth to his new band and debut LP, Pizza Funghi. But Metin turned down Türküola’s offer to put the record out and instead self-pressed 1000 copies on his own Sound Concept label - driving as far as Berlin to sell them face-to-face to record shops. The record was picked up by a member of the German city of Nuremburg’s Cultural Department and soon Café Türk were invited to play for the local workers’ unions, many of whom represented immigrants from Turkey. These events only grew in popularity, the group ultimately spending five years touring similar shows in Europe, alongside more conventional tours and festivals. Metin had hoped to bring his new record to audiences in Turkey again, however, he found it impossible to get any of his songs played on state-sponsored radio, something he attributed to the infamously strict supervisory board of TRT, Turkey’s state-funded broadcaster. TRT tended to not accept songs that blended both western and traditional Turkish music in order to avoid “degenerating” Turkish folk music. Cafe Türk tried to fight this conservative mindset, but progressively resigned themselves to the political restrictions of the time

Sourcing rare records to reissue can involve meticulous research and years of digging, but then occasionally, Lady Luck smiles upon you. We probably would have never heard of the Medium Wave Band if Gary from Mr Bongo hadn't known Wolverhampton-based record dealer, Steve Ward. Whilst offering Gary some records for sale, he remembered he had a spare copy of an old 7" single that he thought Gary might like. Steve didn't know much about the release, and it had never sold on Discogs. Looking at the record itself, it was minimalist in appearance and information, there wasn't much to go on other than that it was from the Birmingham area. The mystery drew us in…

The A-side, 'So Tender’, is a late-night, jazzy slow-jam, with beautifully sultry, soulful female vocals which sounded vaguely familiar. On listening to the B side, 'Games (Instrumental)’, you are rewarded with a superb example of Britfunk / independent UK jazz-funk. The pulsating, bass-led dancefloor groove and sensibility is a sound reminiscent of productions usually found on labels such as Elite, but the 7” was not released on a label, it was a private press by the band themselves. So who are the enigmatic The Medium Wave Band?

After some fruitful internet digging and correspondence, we got the answers. The band lineup featured Elliot Browne on guitar (lead & rhythm), Ron Lyseight on guitar (rhythm), Andrew Proverbs on keyboards, Tony Peart on drums, Paul Snook on bass, Linton Levy on saxophone, and surprisingly, the beautiful vocals we had been enjoying were those of Jackie Graham, aka the hugely successful UK vocalist, Jaki Graham. Maybe best known for her pop hit with David Grant, 'Could It Be I'm Falling In Love', but also featuring on the cult classic track 'Fire In My Heart' by Escape From New York.

Influenced by artists and bands including George Benson, Ronnie Laws, Weather Report, George Duke, Azimuth and Chick Corea to name a few, the guys booked into a studio near the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham and recorded the two tracks that make up this 7”. Only 200 copies of the original 7" were ever pressed and were sold mostly in Birmingham at Summit Records by the band’s friend DJ Frenchi, as well as at live shows. Despite its limited distribution channels, the record received solid support from fans and those in the music industry, including Morgan Khan of the influential record label, Street Sounds. DJ and journalist, Lindsay Wesker, reviewed the release and this led to the band travelling to London for several radio interviews. They played live shows across the country, including at the prestigious Ronnie Scott's in London, and supported both Shakatak and Weapon of Peace in Birmingham.

Thanks to all those involved bringing this release into fruition and for solving the mystery behind a wonderful Britfunk and UK soul record that could have otherwise been lost in the mists of time.

The Holiday Album That Turned Mariah Carey into the Queen of Christmas: Featuring the Standard “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the Singer’s Blockbuster Merry Christmas Exudes Joy, Spirituality, and Conviction
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes, Presented in Audiophile Sound for the First Time, and Strictly Limited to 3,000 Numbered Copies:

Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33RPM LP Set Plays with Superb Detail, Openness, and Definition
1/2" / 30 IPS / Dolby SR analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe

Mariah Carey didn’t become the Queen of Christmas just because of her fervent love of the holiday. Or as the result of a brilliant marketing plan. The iconic singer earned her title by way of her blockbuster Merry Christmas, a 1994 album that quickly joined the likes of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song as an all-time holiday vocal classic. Featuring a balanced mix of inspired originals and well-chosen covers, Carey’s fourth studio record has only grown in stature as new generations discover its magic. Mobile Fidelity’s 30th anniversary edition reissue of Merry Christmas makes her spellbinding performances and upper-tier register come alive like never before.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, the pioneering label’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33RPM LP set of Merry Christmas plays with superb detail, depth, and dimensionality. Available in audiophile quality for the first time since its original release three decades ago, and featuring the bonus track “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” the nine-times-platinum set breathes with a newfound openness and transparency that enhance the spirituality, passion, and festive tenor of Carey’s singing.

Benefitting from superb groove definition, a nearly inaudible noise floor, and dead-quiet vinyl surfaces, the music takes on a heightened energy and anticipatory emotion synonymous with the holiday season. Carey’s signature vocals explode with liveliness and dynamics, the full scope of her acrobatic range presented in clear, transparent sound that practically places her on a small stage in your listening room. This collectible version also breathes with the kind of warmth, intimacy, and coziness you want from a landmark vocal album.

Recorded when Carey helped put “diva” back into everyone’s vocabulary, Merry Christmas gave the New York native another smash right out of the box. What nobody knew at the time was the degree of the album’s staying power — and how, many years removed from its initial promotion cycle, its legend would still grow and even spark a 2010 sequel. Having re-entered the Top 200 charts every year since 2019, Merry Christmas ranks as one of the three most commercially successful holiday LPs ever made and, in due time, will likely earn the top distinction in that class. A global blockbuster, it seamlessly ties together Christian, gospel, and secular threads and speaks to a boundless audience, independent of denomination.

Most obviously, the record remains inescapably connected to “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” an uptempo anthem that towers as a holiday standard and one of the biggest-selling singles in history. Punctuated with celesta chimes, sleigh bells, springy keyboards, and joyous beats, the song echoes the simple albeit engaging melodies and doo-wop style of beloved holiday classics of yore — and blends such elements with contagious dance-pop rhythms to create an atmosphere rich in joy, wonder, and excitement. Radiant with golden soulfulness and sincere conviction, Carey’s exuberant singing and on-point phrasing put it all over the top. And how.

The song stands as the only effort in Billboard history to top the Hot 100 chart during at least three separate runs. Carey’s blockbuster has already hit No. 1 during five runs, spanning every year between 2019 and 2024. That’s just one of the many records the singer holds — and only one of the multiple highlights from Merry Christmas, which includes two other Carey-penned originals, “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” and “Jesus Born on This Day.”

Though slightly lesser known, Carey’s remarkable rendition of Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” further links her album with the big, lush, Wall of Sound heritage that helped inspire its production. Carey’s heartfelt take and transformation of the traditional “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” into an animated tune that even adults can believe, as well as her clairon reading of “Joy to the World” — cleverly augmented with bits of Three Dog Night’s 1971 hit of the same name — further reinforce her status as Queen of Christmas.

At the peak of her powers, Carey finds equivalent success when tapping more spiritual veins. Witness the reverence she brings to the timeless carol “Silent Night,” the piousness she invests in “Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child,” and the sacred feeling she conveys throughout “O Holy Night.” You’ll also never think of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)” the same way again after hearing Mimi pour her heart and soul into them, and pair the songs together.

Indeed, it’s Carey’s pliable voice, melismatic technique, and five-octave range — on display here in definitive fashion — coupled with her undeniable love for Christmas and understanding of the religious significance of the season that make Merry Christmas a must-have holiday staple. And on Mobile Fidelity’s LP, something you better add to your wish list.

repress !
Sasha & Super Flu join forces for electrifying new single, ‘Astra’. Last Night on Earth label head Sasha is proving to be as innovative as ever in the studio of late. The globally renowned producer and game-changing DJ continues exploring rich new musical ground while retaining his signature sense of melody, drama, and energy. He has also made his label an outlet renowned for its quality output and backs that up here with a new collaboration alongside Feliks Thielemann & Mathias Schwarz, better known as Super Flu.

The German pair has a sound that knows no bounds and breaks all rules. They tinker with music-making gear, draw from diverse musical influences and are underground mainstays with an enviable discography on numerous key labels.

The electrifying 'Astra' is awash with smart effects and filters that smudge and stretch a vocal over rising synth tension. The heavy drums jostle for your attention as the chord vamps twist and turn, ramping up the pressure as they go and building towards a dramatic breakdown. It locks you in the moment before setting off again on more tightly woven drums and synths. The Sasha Daydream Mix is a more blissed-out and late-night rework with shakers, floating drums and deft synth lines drifting about up top to soothing and atmospheric effect.

Euphoria, Keiko's most inspired release yet, elevates the artist to new heights. Featuring a full string orchestra and horn ensemble, performances that transcend musical genres and stellar, Grammy-winning special guests, Euphoria transcends musical genres while still maintaining Keiko's classic listener-friendly sound!! The first single, "Steps On The Globe," will be released to contemporary jazz radio. Other highlights include "Love and Nothing Less," Keiko's passionate collaboration with R&B icon Lalah Hathaway, the deeply moving "New Passage" and many more superb originals

JETHRO TULL sind musikalische Riesen mit einem einzigartigen Sound - oder besser gesagt Sounds, die im Kanon der Rockmusik unvergleichbar geblieben sind. Die 1967 in Blackpool, Lancashire, von dem Schotten Ian Anderson gegründete Band hat im Laufe ihrer jahrzehntelangen Karriere immer wieder stilistische Veränderungen und Imagewechsel durch- und überlebt. Vor allem die charakteristische Stimme ihres Frontmanns und die Einbeziehung der Querflöte als wesentliches Instrument haben JETHRO TULL dennoch mit einem unverkennbaren klanglichen Fingerabdruck versehen.
"Aqualung Redux" präsentiert neue Versionen aller elf Titel des 1971 erschienenen Bestseller-Albums, von dem JETHRO TULL mittlerweile weltweit mehr als 7 Millionen Exemplare verkaufen konnten. Mit "Aqualung" feierten die Briten ihren Durchbruch als Rockband sowohl in Radio und TV als auch auf weltweiten Tourneen. "Aqualung" handelt in erster Linie vom Glauben und von Religion, beschäftigt sich aber auch mit anderen Themen wie der Obdachlosigkeit. Laut Ian Anderson handelt es sich bei "Aqualung" keineswegs um ein Konzeptalbum, für das es dennoch oft gehalten wird. Während die Band wie auf früheren Werken nach wie vor auf Blues, Hard Rock und der Psychedelia setzte, fügte sie auf "Aqualung " vermehrt akustische Folk-Momente hinzu. Bei der Singleauskopplung 'Locomotive Breath' handelt es sich um den vermutlich bekanntesten und am meisten gecoverten JETHRO TULL Song.
Zusammen mit "Aqualung Redux" präsentieren wir auch das Begleitalbum "Best of Jethro Tull Redux", das weitere Klassiker und Raritäten aus dem ebenso umfangreichen wie einzigartigen Katalog der britischen Rocklegende 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", JIMMY HENDRIX' "Electric Ladyland", "Dirt" von ALICE IN CHAINS, AC/DCs "Back in Black" und den SOUNDGARDEN-Klassiker "Superunknown" 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 achter Expedition ins Redux-Abenteuer, mit dem wir den einzigartigen britischen Rock-Erneuern JETHRO TULL die gebührende Ehre erweisen!

JETHRO TULL sind musikalische Riesen mit einem einzigartigen Sound - oder besser gesagt Sounds, die im Kanon der Rockmusik unvergleichbar geblieben sind. Die 1967 in Blackpool, Lancashire, von dem Schotten Ian Anderson gegründete Band hat im Laufe ihrer jahrzehntelangen Karriere immer wieder stilistische Veränderungen und Imagewechsel durch- und überlebt. Vor allem die charakteristische Stimme ihres Frontmanns und die Einbeziehung der Querflöte als wesentliches Instrument haben JETHRO TULL dennoch mit einem unverkennbaren klanglichen Fingerabdruck versehen.
"Aqualung Redux" präsentiert neue Versionen aller elf Titel des 1971 erschienenen Bestseller-Albums, von dem JETHRO TULL mittlerweile weltweit mehr als 7 Millionen Exemplare verkaufen konnten. Mit "Aqualung" feierten die Briten ihren Durchbruch als Rockband sowohl in Radio und TV als auch auf weltweiten Tourneen. "Aqualung" handelt in erster Linie vom Glauben und von Religion, beschäftigt sich aber auch mit anderen Themen wie der Obdachlosigkeit. Laut Ian Anderson handelt es sich bei "Aqualung" keineswegs um ein Konzeptalbum, für das es dennoch oft gehalten wird. Während die Band wie auf früheren Werken nach wie vor auf Blues, Hard Rock und der Psychedelia setzte, fügte sie auf "Aqualung " vermehrt akustische Folk-Momente hinzu. Bei der Singleauskopplung 'Locomotive Breath' handelt es sich um den vermutlich bekanntesten und am meisten gecoverten JETHRO TULL Song.
Zusammen mit "Aqualung Redux" präsentieren wir auch das Begleitalbum "Best of Jethro Tull Redux", das weitere Klassiker und Raritäten aus dem ebenso umfangreichen wie einzigartigen Katalog der britischen Rocklegende 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", JIMMY HENDRIX' "Electric Ladyland", "Dirt" von ALICE IN CHAINS, AC/DCs "Back in Black" und den SOUNDGARDEN-Klassiker "Superunknown" 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 achter Expedition ins Redux-Abenteuer, mit dem wir den einzigartigen britischen Rock-Erneuern JETHRO TULL die gebührende Ehre erweisen!

Four Flies keeps digging into the secret archives of Alessandro Alessandroni to bring hidden treasures back to light. After two successful releases - the EP Afro Discoteca and the compilation album Lost & Found -, it is now the turn of a new 7'' single featuring two tracks with a strong soul-funk influence, sung by the Maestro's beloved Cantori Moderni in a typically Italian harmonizing style, poised somewhere in between gospel and disco music. Both tracks are previously unreleased and were recorded in the same 1976 sessions that birthed Sangue di sbirro (Knell / Bloody Avenger), his most blaxploitation-inspired soundtrack.

Shine On, on Side A, is a disco-funk anthem driven by a killer rhythm section, with heavy drum breaks and bass lines enhanced by a powerful brass section, string interludes and Fender Rhodes phrasings with a distinctly jazz-funk flavour. In the same vein, Prohibition on Side B is a mid-tempo funk floor-filler built on a super groovy bass line on top of which are layered prominent brass and Wurlitzer passages.

This is another great find that expands the known horizons of Alessandroni's discography. And it won't be the last one…

Over three years in the making, Needle Mythology Records is delighted to announce a super deluxe, expanded remastered reissue of The Lilac Time’s 1991 masterpiece, Astronauts. Released as a triple vinyl, triple CD or single vinyl, only 1000 copies of each format will be produced, there will be no further pressings. Both the 3LP and 3CD editions will come with an extensive 11,000 word oral history of Astronauts and liner notes by Needle Mythology co-founder and longtime Stephen Duffy fan, Pete Paphides.

All three albums including a 2024 remaster, a collection of works in progress entitled‘Softened By Rain The Making Of Astronauts’ and a live compilation ‘Any Road Up The Lilac Time Live 1990/91’ have been mastered for vinyl by Miles Showell at Abbey Roadand will be housed in a triple gatefold sleeve with a colour inner sleeve and new artwork for each disc, which has been especially created by designer Mike Storey. The main sleeve for Astronauts itself will replicate the original artwork but with the four distinctive “blobs” rendered in a red “foil” texture. In addition to these three disc sets, 1000 single vinyl remastered copies of Astronauts will also be made available, in a cherry red vinyl edition to match the outer sleeve.

With the shoegaze and baggy movements at their zenith, The Lilac Time’s fourth album was released at a moment when the left-field music zeitgeist was shaped by the nascent shoegaze, baggy and grunge movements. Whilst Astronauts conformed to none of those trends, neither was it the record Stephen had in his head when he finally finished working on it. We’ll never know how that record would have sounded, but it’s hard to imagine a better version of the album he did end up making. The songwriter who brought ‘A Taste of Honey’ and ‘Hats Off, Here Comes The Girl’ into the world envisaged the sort of choruses that would jump from the single speaker of your favourite transistor and lodge themselves into the collective memory bank.

But while he really was writing some of his most beautiful melodies, Astronauts is a family of songs that demands to be kept together in the sundazed cloud of inspiration that created it. It constitutes a partial retreat from the outwardfacing utopianism of its predecessors, choosing instead to dwell on the journey taken to get to this point. That this is an audibly different band to the pastoral expeditionaries of the group’s previous releases is almost entirely down to the departure of Nick Duffy and the arrival of Sagat Guirey. Suddenly, accordions, banjos and mandolins are out; jazz guitar is in. Sagat’s filigree work on the outro of ‘A Taste for Honey’ acts as a sublime parting shot to a lyric which acts as a wiser, wistful companion piece to Stephen’s 1985 solo hit ‘Kiss Me’, something tantamount to the camera retreating to reveal the years elapsed between the time depicted and the present day. The distance between the carefree youth of pop stardom and the first intimations of mortality can be measured between the first and second verses of the quietly devastating ‘Madresfield’; from the depiction of the deserted cricket pavilion obscured by fresh snowfall to the sudden shift in perspective from subject to protagonist: ‘No one ever told me/That killing time is harmful/For time cannot recover/What soon the ground will offer.’ For all of that, however, the resulting album didn’t correspond to the vision its creator had for it. At a loss as to what to do with it, Stephen surrendered Astronauts to Creation with no plans to promote or draw attention to it. The consciousness shift of which Stephen had hoped The Lilac Time might be a precursor hadn’t happened. Or, rather, it had – but it had happened elsewhere, in the Haçienda and Shoom and in Ibiza. Not on the hills of Herefordshire. In a nod to that sea change, Stephen handed over one song, ‘Dreaming’ to Hypnotone, who

8/10 FULL-PAGE LEAD REVIEW IN UNCUT: “TALENTED ARTISTS SUCH AS ALDOUS HARDING , DELANEY DAVIDSON, IVY ROSSITER AND MARLON WILLIAMS REPRESENT A FRESH COUNTRY-FOLK/AMERICANA MOVEMENT IN AND AROUND CHRISTCHURCH AND DUNEDIN. NADIA REID'S IMPECCABLE DEBUT WILL MAYBE SET A WIDER ORBIT IN MOTION.”
4/5 LEAD REVIEW IN MOJO: “INSPIRED DEBUT BY A YOUNG NEW ZEALAND SINGER-SONGWRITER YOU'LL FEEL YOU'VE KNOWN FOREVER. A WONDERFUL ALBUM"

SUNDAY TIMES DEBUT OF THE WEEK: "SHE RANKS ALONGSIDE LOW AND THE COWBOY JUNKIES FOR DELIVERING SLOW-BURN EMOTION"
"It has all that well-smoked wisdom, that mingling of strength and yearning that seems to charge the work of all my favourite female artists – Laura Marling, The Weather Station, Sharon Van Etten and Tift Merritt, to name but four. Reid is just 23, and since I am loathe to run that “old beyond her years” line, let us simply say that when I hear a young artist making an album as soulful and rich and self-possessed as Listen to Formation, Look for the Signs, I feel so thrilled not only for the existence of that record but for all the music they will make over all the years to come.” THE GUARDIAN PLAYLIST
6MUSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
A richness of voice; a depth of emotion; and wise beyond her years; with Listen To Formation, Look For the Signs, 23-year-old New Zealand native Nadia Reid has claimed her place as one of the country’s most evocative and profound young songwriters. Her music traces the sharp mountain peaks, azure coastline, and mirrored images of the land and sky that pinpoint her home country’s vast open landscapes.
Whether nerding about with friends, stunning audiences into silence with her spellbinding live shows or unwinding in the tranquillity of her favourite hometown spot overlooking Port Chalmers’ harbour through her large-rimmed spectacles, Nadia Reid has achieved a gloriously fresh and eloquent new folk sound. “I’ve been in New Zealand my whole life and guess at times I take for granted the serene beauty that I live so closely with,” she says of her music’s majestic affiliation with nature. Mapping out tales of change and loss, whilst drawing inspiration from reading, writing, the human condition, falling in and out of love, death, and birth - it all lends to a superbly balanced album that moves surreptitiously between sparse and fragile melancholia to beautifully brutal lyricism with a philosophical maturity that bellies her years.
Born in Auckland, Nadia’s acoustic roots stem from an upbringing in a musical household where attending folk clubs and festivals were regular occurrences on the family calendar. “I was lucky to witness a lot of live music and theatre performances because my mum was an actress. I was encouraged to learn piano and guitar, and attended a Steiner school where we spent a lot of time in nature, singing songs.” Before long Nadia was listening to The Be Good Tanyas with friend and fellow recording artist Aldous Harding, which spurred her chosen career path. “There was something spiritual about the Tanyas’ records - I vividly remember the goose-bump feelings up my arms, a true connection to the lyrics and vocals,” she recalls. “Aldous was the first person who told me I had a good voice and I thank her for that. I admire her as an artist and writer, and we like to keep up with what each other is up to.”
Creating her own enchanting wonderworld, each of Nadia’s songs explores the elements; truly organic, her vocals ebb, flow and soar but are always ignited with fire from the gut. Her lyrics clearly reference lush landscapes but equally reflect alienation provided by the surrounding Pacific Ocean and mortality of living in such close proximity to Mother Nature’s wrath, as experienced whilst living in Christchurch at the time of 2011’s devastating earthquake. “It shook the city to its core,” Nadia recalls. “I’m sure living through it has shaped my personality and writing. My first EP was recorded just months afterwards, it was a strange time. We were all quite fragile, but I was braver somehow.”
Boldly infusing folk with full flavour, Listen To Formation, Look For The Signs was produced by Ben Edwards, owner of Lyttelton Records in his Sitting Room studios with Nadia’s band consisting bassist Richie Pickard, guitarist Sam Taylor and percussionist Joe McCallum. Whilst 'Reaching Through’s rich but unhurried nature evokes She Hangs Brightly -era Mazzy Star and intricate nuances of Beth Orton are recalled on lead single ‘Call The Days’ which talks of moving to a new town and was the first song penned after Nadia moved from Christchurch to Wellington; spurred on by a “panic attack” and being “worried about making the right choices in life”. Elsewhere ‘Runway’ and ‘Some Are Lucky’ immediately channel Nadia’s love of TBGT’s Jolie Holland and appreciation for New Zealand’s Maori music by Maisey Rika and Anika Moa, plus the inspirational narratives of Kenyan-born Somali poet Warsan Shire.

2024 Repress

at mule musiq, we've focused on shining light on the many aspects of what electronic music can be, putting out house, techno and ambient releases on our main label, while releasing alternative-leaning dance music through our endless flight imprint. but with the launch of our new label, studio mule, we are stepping away from electronic club music for a bit. the label will not be tied to a specific genre, as we will instead focus on releasing any kind of music that we feel is a little bit different and interesting, but somehow make sense in this day and age. for our first batch of releases, we will be focusing on japanese music.
to be honest, i have been watching the recent rise of global interest in japanese music with a skeptical eye, not sure of how to feel about all these labels overseas licensing great albums that were birthed in our country. but then, i was told by somebody i greatly respect that i should do something similar with mule, and put our own spin on it, which sounded like a good idea to me. after a period of procrastination, i finally got around to doing it. we are starting things off with a compilation of japanese disco, boogie and soul music that we selected from a modern dance music perspective — the kind of songs that we feel would intrigue music fans across the world.
at first, i started seeking authentic-sounding disco that sound like it could have been recorded in the states, but after struggling to get licensing rights for many of those tracks, i started to wonder if that was really the direction we should be going in. when we start new labels or projects, we often come up with the title or artwork first, before deciding on the actual music. we came up with the title midnight in tokyo first, which dictated that we needed to find music that would be a perfect soundtrack to listen to at night in tokyo. we ended up compiling a selection of tracks that you could both listen to at home, and play in clubs at certain time slots. the compilation also ended up sounding a lot more pop than we initially imagined...
during the selection process, we did not care whether the tracks have been reissued already or not, and how rare the original copies of the records were. our sole purpose was to gather a handful of songs from across labels, major or otherwise, that we felt could be listened to for many years to come — even after this whole japanese music trend dies down. although we put together this release mainly for listeners outside of japan, the compilation can also be a chance for japanese music lovers to rediscover the greatness of domestic music, as we did during the process.
the compilation starts off with the afro disco classic 'mi mi africa' by harmonica player nobuo yagi, which was also included in the compilation mastercuts.
'silver top' is a jazzy fusion disco taken from composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist nobuyuki shimizu's first album, which he released when he was 19. the track features singer epo, whom he worked with many times over the years as an arranger.
'samba night' is by vocalist keisuke yamamoto and his band piper, from their masterpiece second album summer breeze. a delightful city pop number that should appeal to tatsuro yamashita fans.
'akogareno sundown' is a japanese soul classic, sang by singer haruko kuwana (the sister of well-known musi-cian masahiro kuwana). recorded in hawaii and produced by mackey feary band, known for the soulful classic 'a million stars.'
'koiwa saiko (i'm in love)' is a mellow and groovy track by singer aru takamura, the great-grandchild of sculptor kouun takamura, whose son kotaro takamura is a famed poet and sculptor. can be thought of as japan's answer to cheryl lynn's 'got to be real.'
'what the magic is to try' is a cult electropop track by honma express, a project helmed by producer kanji honma. hailed as japan's trevor horn, he is also known as the producer of legendary techno pop band tpo.
'colored music' is a song by colored music, a duo of pianist ichiko hashimoto and her partner atsuo fujimoto, who have gone on tour with ymo. taken from colored music's sole album, the japanese rare groove treasure is a mesh of new wave, synth pop and jazz influences.
the dubby electronic new wave disco 'electric city' is a b side of pop idol group shohjo-tai's debut 12' single, but the girls aren't actually singing on it, making the instrumental one of japan's greatest '80s dance tracks.
'love is the competition' is a breezy disco jam by okinawa-born bilingual artist hitomi tohyama. featured on her album next door, the song's melody seems like an interpolation of the whispers' 'it's a love thing.'
taken from mariah project's diva yumi murata's first album, 'krishna' is a funky and soulful rockin' disco cut.reminiscent of chaka khan's 'i know you, i live you,' 'live hard, live free' is a song by jazz vocalist eri ohno who is known for her work with dj krush and singing on the soundtrack to anime rupin the third.
'rocket 88' is a melancholic disco number by singer minnie. though the track was released through sapporo's independent label paradise records, the superb production quality suggests otherwise.
closing out the 13-track compilation is japanese disco staple 'tokyo melody,' sang by half african and half swedish american singer shoody and backed by tetsuji hayashi's disco band the eastern gang.

Im April 2024 ist es 25 Jahre her, dass Coldplay die 'Brothers & Sisters' EP über Fierce Panda veröffentlicht haben. Zur Feier erscheint im November eine Jubiläumsausgabe über Fierce Panda Records - das erste Plattenlabel der Band. Die ursprüngliche "Brothers & Sisters"-Single war eine 7"-Version mit zwei Tracks ("Brothers & Sisters" und "Easy To Please") und eine CD-Single mit drei Tracks, wobei "Only Superstition" der dritte Song war, der zwar nicht auf der ursprünglichen 7"-Vinyl-Veröffentlichung enthalten war (aber zum 20-jährigen Jubiläum auf limitierten Vinyl erhältlich war), nun auf dieser Jubiläumsausgabe seinen festen Platz hat Die Veröffentlichung fängt die Essenz einer jungen Band ein, die ihren Sound definiert und sich eine Fangemeinde erspielt. Die Aufnahme der drei Songs kostete 450 £ und die Single erreichte Platz 92 in den Charts. Als kurioser Bonus ist der vierte Track auf der EP ein Spoken Word-Beitrag, "The Story of Brothers & Sisters". Dabei handelt es sich um einen gelesenen Textauszug aus dem Hörbuch von "Pandamonium! How Not To Run A Record Label" von Fierce Panda-Gründer Simon Williams. In 'Knee-Trembler' (Kapitel 17, Seiten 159-168) beschreibt er in raffiniert intimen Details das Wie, Warum und Wozu der frühen Tage von Coldplay, als sie das Gebälk des Camden Falcon, des Kentish Town Bull & Gate und der Station Studios in Southgate zum Beben brachten, von Radio One's Evening Session angepriesen wurden und auf dem Weg zu 'Brothers & Sis' ihre ersten Kritiken in der Zeitung NME erhielten. Das Label Fierce Panda delbst feiert 2024 sein 30-jähriges Bestehen, was bedeutet, dass sie nicht einmal fünf Jahre alt waren, als sie Coldplay im November 1998 im Camden Falcon zum ersten Mal begegneten.

Gotho is an experimental instrumental duo formed in 2020.

Their debut track, "Gatta De Blanc," was a 25-minute composition, showcasing their signature mix of synthesizers, electric piano, and drums, with no backing tracks or overdubs. Blending elements of progressive rock, metal, jazz, disco, psychedelia, post-rock, and classical, their sound defies categorization.

After gaining acclaim for their live performances, they released their first album, *MindBowling*, in October 2022 through Controcanti Produzioni and Black Widow Records, receiving strong reviews.

In November 2024, Gotho will release *Gothron Versus Fartark* with Supernatural Cat. Set in a sci-fi world, the album tells the story of two robotic enemies battling for their world's survival, using synthesizers, electric piano, vocoder, trumpet, and drums to narrate Gothron’s victory over Fartark. Like their previous work, the album spans multiple genres, resisting any single classification.

Gotho are: Fabio Cuomo (Elder, Eremite, Liquido Di Morte) on synth and electric piano. Andrea Peracchia (Tons, Dogs For Breakfast, Slaiver) on drums.

Limited edition (200 copies) golden vinyl.

Michał Martyniuk, who lives in New Zealand, may be known from the band After 'Ours, whose double album was recently released by Funky Mamas and Papas Recordings.

His single was supposed to be released a moment earlier, but as it happens in the vinyl world - we had to wait a while for this wax.

Two of Michał's original songs, which he recorded with a great line-up: Jakub Mizeracki - guitars, Alan Wykpisz - bass, Tymek Papior - drums and of course Michał Martyniuk on keyboards.

The album is released in a super small edition of 200 copies, of which only 50 go on sale. The whole thing is being released by the reactivated Funky Mamas and Papas Recordings.

A real seven-inch rarity on gold wax.

A1 "3202" - This is one of those things that just happened. In his quest to discover something new in jazz, Michal combines and experiments with jazz harmony and groove club vibes, all performed using acoustic instruments. The aim is to encourage jazz audiences to get up and groove, and possibly introduce young people who like more upbeat music to discovering jazz. This Fender Rhodes based track is complemented by warm analog synths, a rock inspired guitar sound and tasteful drums that keep the groove going throughout the track. Recorded live in Poland late last year.

B1 "From The Planet Of The Hunters" - This track, as the title suggests, is a tribute to the great master Herbie Hancock. Michal has always been influenced by the sound of the Fender Rhodes and The Head Hunters. Without trying to copy anything, Michal based the song on a nice groove played by Alan Wykpisz on bass guitar and Tymek Papior on drums. While the groove takes us on a journey through time, Kuba Mizeracki on guitar adds beautiful melodies and rhythmic parts to complement the rest of the band. Michal Martyniuk, again with his Fender Rhodes, plays a simple but tasty and groovy solo, while adding some analog synths. This song is funky and rich in its simplicity.

BigʼN was, is and always shall be a legacy noise rock band from Chicago (est. 1990) comprised of vocalist William Akins, guitarist Todd Johnson, bassist Fred Popolo, and drummer Brian Wnukowski. After releasing a stellar debut album (1994), followed by their sophomore and signature effort Discipline Through Sound on Skingraft Records (1996) and a split single with Shellac, the band became inactive for some years. In 2018, BigʼN recorded and released a new EP, Knife of Sin, via Computer Students™. In 2022, they released DTS 25, an expansion of their pioneering second album. Both were recorded by the late, great Steve Albini. BigʼN is back once again with a ruthless new album, End Comes Too Soon — their first in 28 years — released via Computer Student. It's all still here as present and disciplined as ever — Brianʼs powerful, reliably precise drumming with melodic phrasing that shapes the songs, Fredʼs metallic superstructure of a bass that builds the defined framework of the music, Toddʼs clangorous guitar that has more harmonic content than a lot of his noisier peers, and William Akinsʼ yarling vocals, the most recognizably human thing about the band, that convey layers of tension and intent, all the emotional content of a hellbound therapy session. Tragically, on May 7, 2024, Steve Albini suddenly passed away of a heart attack. Naturally, BigʼN were shocked and devastated. End Comes Too Soonʼs title comes from a lyric, and is unrelated to Albini; still, the album became a roundabout love letter to the man, his studio, and his legacy. Like its predecessors, the album is structured by snippets of musical interludes or Transmissions — and there are six here, under the common code "XMSN."

BigʼN was, is and always shall be a legacy noise rock band from Chicago (est. 1990) comprised of vocalist William Akins, guitarist Todd Johnson, bassist Fred Popolo, and drummer Brian Wnukowski. After releasing a stellar debut album (1994), followed by their sophomore and signature effort Discipline Through Sound on Skingraft Records (1996) and a split single with Shellac, the band became inactive for some years. In 2018, BigʼN recorded and released a new EP, Knife of Sin, via Computer Students™. In 2022, they released DTS 25, an expansion of their pioneering second album. Both were recorded by the late, great Steve Albini. BigʼN is back once again with a ruthless new album, End Comes Too Soon — their first in 28 years — released via Computer Student. It's all still here as present and disciplined as ever — Brianʼs powerful, reliably precise drumming with melodic phrasing that shapes the songs, Fredʼs metallic superstructure of a bass that builds the defined framework of the music, Toddʼs clangorous guitar that has more harmonic content than a lot of his noisier peers, and William Akinsʼ yarling vocals, the most recognizably human thing about the band, that convey layers of tension and intent, all the emotional content of a hellbound therapy session. Tragically, on May 7, 2024, Steve Albini suddenly passed away of a heart attack. Naturally, BigʼN were shocked and devastated. End Comes Too Soonʼs title comes from a lyric, and is unrelated to Albini; still, the album became a roundabout love letter to the man, his studio, and his legacy. Like its predecessors, the album is structured by snippets of musical interludes or Transmissions — and there are six here, under the common code "XMSN."

Sasha continues his current hot streak with a new single on Last Night On Earth alongside Jody Barr, with a killer Einmuisk Remix on the flip.

Pioneering electronic force Sasha has found plenty of success in recent creative partnerships. The Last Night On Earth founder has worked with the likes of Super Flu and Sentre and dropped a steady stream of fresh solo sounds such as 'Florian Drift' and 'How to Wear Raybans Well'. All this means he continues to lead the melodic house and techno scene from the front with expertly crafted sounds. Here, he works with Jody Barr who has long been close to this label having also established himself with music on Krankbrother, Configurations Of Self and Nofitstate. He heads up Portable Minds and is renowned for his rugged, hardware-centric sound.

'Phaxon' is a beautifully elegant affair with shimmering chords rising and falling over a serene electronic groove. It's packed with smart sound design and subtle touches that make it glow from start to finish as the emotions build and sweep you up into a delightful dance floor reverie.

Hamburg's Einmusik has a cultured techno sound that has lit up his own self-titled label as well as the likes of Diynamic and Sincopat. His version is more rugged with a darker feel thanks to the rasping bassline that rumbles below. There is still plenty of great chord work but the whole track is a little more direct for poignant club deployment.

Tristan Arp returns to Wisdom Teeth with his sophomore LP: ‘a pool, a portal’ - a vast, multi-dimensional record of pin-drop rhythms, hushed vocals and swirling ambience that maps out a vivid limbic space between the natural and the digital worlds. The LP began life while Tristan was still living in Mexico City, and was subsequently finished in New York. Carrying on from where his acclaimed debut ‘Sculpturegardening’ left off, the record marries hallucinatory modular synths with cello, found sound and spoken word, creating a rich sonic world in which machines mimic nature and acoustic instruments merge with their digital counterparts. Across the record’s narrative arc, listeners are invited to imagine a future world in which nature and machines collaborate to rewild and search for new modes of being. Far from apocalyptic, the artist’s vision is yearning and hopeful - a reflection on how we might evolve to overcome our very human limitations. “Hopefully we can all open a little portal into another world and integrate what we learn into our own”, Tristan offers. True to his word, Tristan shared much of the creative process with his machines, using modular generative processes to create randomised, improvisatory moments that he could collaborate on as artist and observer. Most of the tracks were captured in single takes as live performances and improvisations that were subsequently edited and cut down. Speaking of ‘Life After Humans’ - the record’s beguiling 10-minute centrepiece - Tristan recalls: “I neglected to record multi-track outs, but it was actually super empowering to be left with just a stereo track: I couldn’t mix individual elements even if I wanted to after the recording, but I’m happy I inadvertently limited myself in that way.” Alongside his own voice, the record features a stunning appearance from fast-rising Guatemalan cellist and vocalist, Mabe Fratti. The pair met in Mexico City in 2020, where she helped Tristan to learn cello - an encounter that ultimately went on to inform the recordings that made up ‘Sculpturegardening’. Her appearance on ‘a pool, a portal’ marks a full-circle moment in their creative relationship. The album’s artwork features photography by Zhang An - a photographer based in Nanjing, China. Despite their appearances, these are unmanipulated photos of real-world ice formations. As is the case throughout ‘a pool, a portal’, the lines between the natural and the artificial are playfully indistinct.

Brain Thrust Mastery, the second album by Californian art rockers We Are Scientists was originally released on Virgin Records in March 2008, its heady brew of retro futurism, indie and sparkling shiny power pop make it sound thoroughly contemporary - Working in conjunction with the band, this 2LP version of the album adds B-sides and tracks recorded live at London's Union Chapel and is pressed onto high-quality 180g vinyl. Named after founder members Keith Murray and Chris Cain's dress sense led a truck rental supervisor to surmise that they had to be academics, We Are Scientists were formed in Berkeley, California around the turn of the century. Their first 'proper' album, 2005's With Love And Squalor, became an underground hit as the band toured Britain, where they gained a substantial fanbase before the album was released in America the following year. Material for Brain Thrust Mastery was debuted on an early 2007 UK tour, before the band returned to the studio with producer Ariel Rechtshaid (who would go on to win Grammys with Vampire Weekend). We Are Scientists maintain a strong sense of theatre and comedy in their live performance - at this time, the group acted as their own support, offering seminars in self improvement called 'Brain Thrust Mastery'. The album is full of well-written pop songs, rich in hooks and melody. Lead single After Hours reached No 15 in March 2008, and after the release of the album the same month, it was followed by further hit singles Chick Lit and Impatience. A summer of touring, including performances at Glastonbury, T In The Park and Reading and Leeds underlined the group's popularity.

Brain Thrust Mastery, the second album by Californian art rockers We Are Scientists was originally released on Virgin Records in March 2008, its heady brew of retro futurism, indie and sparkling shiny power pop make it sound thoroughly contemporary - Working in conjunction with the band, this 2LP version of the album adds B-sides and tracks recorded live at London's Union Chapel and is pressed onto high-quality 180g vinyl. Named after founder members Keith Murray and Chris Cain's dress sense led a truck rental supervisor to surmise that they had to be academics, We Are Scientists were formed in Berkeley, California around the turn of the century. Their first 'proper' album, 2005's With Love And Squalor, became an underground hit as the band toured Britain, where they gained a substantial fanbase before the album was released in America the following year. Material for Brain Thrust Mastery was debuted on an early 2007 UK tour, before the band returned to the studio with producer Ariel Rechtshaid (who would go on to win Grammys with Vampire Weekend). We Are Scientists maintain a strong sense of theatre and comedy in their live performance - at this time, the group acted as their own support, offering seminars in self improvement called 'Brain Thrust Mastery'. The album is full of well-written pop songs, rich in hooks and melody. Lead single After Hours reached No 15 in March 2008, and after the release of the album the same month, it was followed by further hit singles Chick Lit and Impatience. A summer of touring, including performances at Glastonbury, T In The Park and Reading and Leeds underlined the group's popularity.

The Leeds jazz scene is the gift that keeps on giving. From the dub-leaning ambience of Submotion Orchestra through to the afro-jazz fusion of Nubiyan Twist and TC & The Groove Family, a multi-generational lineage has emerged. Adding yet another page to the eclectic story of jazz from the city, emerging punk-jazz upstarts Plantfood announce the imminent arrival of their debut album ‘Carnivores’ on Friday 4th October via Bridge The Gap.

Consisting of JJ Petrie (percussion), Ruben Maric (keyboards), Joe van der Meulen (tenor saxophone), Woolley (baritone saxophone), Finn Hamilton (drums) and Woody Hayden (bass), Plantfood began in the throes of lockdown, during which all the members lived together. The group spent day after day sharing their eclectic music tastes, ranging from the electronic punk of The Prodigy and art-rock of Black Country New Road, through to the jazz dance of Steam Down and The Comet Is Coming. Taking these influences, they crafted their own sound, but without live shows, their only audience was the plants in their rehearsal room:

“We called the band Plantfood because we were writing and rehearsing in one of our bedrooms which was full of house plants. The plants kind of became our only audience, so it was like the music was food for the plants.”

The band’s debut album ‘Carnivores’, plays on this theme, referring to the plants as carnivores for consuming the bands music, whilst also reflecting the apocalyptic palette of sounds and chaos found within the record. However, mirroring the dynamism of a Plantfood live show, the album is anything but one-dimensional. The group expertly balance moments of serenity and vulnerability with cataclysmic urgency, all brought together under the guidance of producer David Haynes (TC & The Groove Family, Nubiyan Twist). The group share:

“The album’s moments of vulnerability and hope are intended as the depiction of a return-to- earth theme (circle of life, growth and decay), reflecting that the cycle of nature is not simply destructive.”

The project’s lead single ‘Y.U.S.’ drew praise from tastemakers including Jamz Supernova on BBC Radio 6, with the track featuring the talents of UK-Palestinian MC Yung Yusuf, a serial collaborator who also appears on album closer ‘Monstera’. Both tracks channel Plantfood’s explosive live energy into a blend of afro-latin rhythms and broken grooves, with the distinctive blend of tenor and baritone saxophone weaving in and out of grime-leaning, poetic exchanges with Yusuf.

Elsewhere, the second single from the project ‘Birdgang Pt. II’ is a fresh take on the band’s contemporary jazz sound, blending jazz, Balkan folk and Moroccan rhythms with a punk edge. The album’s title track resets the balance, soothing the soul through a swirling approach to spiritual jazz that wouldn’t be amiss amongst the Gondwana Records catalogue.