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Thisisnegentropy's fourth outing looks all the way to Bangkok's own DOTT who runs the More Rice Record store in Bangkok and has studio skills to spare. He heads down a minimal path here with 'Dem Swing' a kinetic mix of dry hits and well swung kicks and tripped-out FX. 'Mind Designer' then gets deeper, with more lovely hits this time landing on tight drum patterns that are detailed with whirring synths and chopped-up vocals. The flip side is taken up by 'Trouser In The Heat', a more manic cut with dense percussive layers and edgy synths that never settle and always keep you guessing. Another fine statement from this top Thai talent.

Belgian artist Gratts wrote 'Sun Circles' as an empowerment anthem for his two sons and it dropped to plenty of acclaim last year. In its wake, Gratts DJed with Adelaide's multi-talented Alexander Flood on percussion and after some conversations he was enlisted to bring his jazz background to a remix of the original. He did so live as part of a quintet and the result is a super summery, airy rework with soulful vocals that linger long in the air. Detroit-based techno and ambient maestro John Beltran appears on the flip to bring a classy Balearic remix that will have you dreaming of longer, warmer nights and plenty of sun-kissed dancing fun

On her sophomore album "Germ in a Population of Buildings", upsammy moves through her surroundings with the curiosity of a place-bending landscape architect. The album is rooted in her interest for ambiguous environments in constant shift, and the feeling of discovering strange patterns in different ecosystems. Often, the Amsterdam-based artist finds herself zooming in and out beyond a place's most recognizable surface features to inhabit the microscopic and gigantic. Gathering field recordings and evocative environmental sounds, she shapes this source material into vibrating electro-acoustic rhythms and unstable, psychedelic textures. upsammy's debut album, 2020's critically-acclaimed "Zoom", was praised for its careful reimagining of IDM, evolving vignettes that nodded towards the dancefloor without being shackled to its rigid set of rules. On "Germ in a Population of Buildings" her process has evolved considerably; the skeletal trace of IDM is still present but it's been trapped in amber, allowing her unique sonic landscape to develop organically. 'Being is a Stone' is a proof of concept in many ways, layering upsammy's contorted voice in rickety patterns beneath a lattice of fragile rhythms and faintly melancholy synths. It's never immediately obvious where the sounds are coming from - a hiccuping beat might be glass cracking underfoot, and larger pulses could be wet concrete, rusted iron or bent plastic. As the sounds develop they morph into each other, demolishing what came before and building on top of the ornamental wreckage. On the dynamic 'Constructing', upsammy's sound design fluxes through hyperactive bass music structures, abstracting expectations at every turn. Often her sounds are whisper quiet, rattling and vibrating until heavier masonry drops and disrupts the structure. And when discernible rhythms subside into the background, like on the album's eerie title track, they become almost illusory, morphing between the real world and the electronic. upsammy's processed voice works like a bridge between these realms, snaking between stark, whimsical melodies on 'Patterning', arching from AutoTuned detachment into cooing, dreamy intimacy. By considering the harmonies between each location she's visited, upsammy has been able to build a unique topology that's an uncanny digital amalgam of her lived experience. It's a thoughtful alternative in an era more concerned with flatting the landscape than crumpling it and examining its peaks and troughs.

Outrageous white label manoeuvres from Manchester mates AR & BS, transporting a Yacht legend to the furthest reaches of the cosmos. Psychedelic sprawl, robo-drama, AOR emotion - this disc's got it all !

AR extends, expands and excels on his A-side epic, delivering a dance floor journey which moves from weirdo wonk to the hands-in-the-air heaven in a transformative ten minutes. The loose and lysergic groove of the intro builds into a How Shroom Is Now wall of sound, takes a detour into heavy hip hop headnod and settles into vocal sincerity, all before dropping that HUGE chorus. Festival tested and club ready - everyone say Armen!

On the flipside, we catch up with Stockport staple BS, who puts down the Pet Nat, swaps the grape vape for a gary and gets stuck into a serious slice of cosmic chug.

Slo-mo and sleazy, this arpeggiator heavy heater sees a crooning 80's vocal surf a mechanical groove purpose made for backwards dancers and eyeball lickers. The combination of wild emoting and synthetic drama is pretty much everything, but just wait for that breakdown.

Double A-side coz you gotta double drop your GARIES!

After the resounding success of their last album "Garden Island," released in 2021, the octet hailing from Tenerife is back with a new album titled "Ganzfeld."
While "Garden Island" drew inspiration from the philosophy of César Manrique and his groundbreaking ecological work on the island of Lanzarote, for this new album, Gaf & The Love Supreme Arkestra turn their creative gaze to the lowland areas of northern Tenerife aka Isla Baja (the low island). Here, they envision a retro-futuristic soundtrack for a misty coastal drive, filled with humid atmospherics and expansive jams featuring their trademark blend of avant-jazz, psychedelia, and freestyle rock.
Evoking a natural synergy to the proceedings, this new work presents the octet in a more ethereal tip than its predecessor. Saxophones, trumpet, bass, guitar, synths and marimba come together with added winds (Herreño and Vietnamese flutes) to create a wide spectrum of auditory escapism that, were it not for the band’s aforementioned natural instincts could result into a nightmarish vision. Instead they create an holistic esoteric sound where sea and earth come together in ecstatic ways conjuring images of peace and menace whilst never letting their raw, explosive energy go unchecked.
Another standalone work from a band that rejects banality, constant in their pursue of experimentation at the edge of the Atlantic ocean. Drive on!

Inspired by the strong storytelling sensibilities of 60s folk icons and making a sound that sits her snugly alongside the likes of Aldous Harding, Julia Jacklin and Waxahatchee.

Written after a relationship’s end, Rowena Wise’s Senseless Acts of Beauty is a stunning and searingly honest record.

A new yet accomplished artist, Rowena grew up in the Western Australian surf town of Margaret River perfoming in her family’s folk band. Now grown up and living in Melbourne, her electric solo live performances of recent years has seen a real word of mouth build around her.

A songwriter inspired by the strong storytelling sensibilities of 60s folk icons, Senseless Acts of Beauty delivers on the promise hinted at by her live show. Full of emotional depth, its ten tracks offer heady ruminations on love, loss, and alienation. And by electing to record them all live in the room, often in one take, the kinks and blemishes add weight to the lived experience of Rowena’s lyrics.

Three years in the making, Livity Sound alumni Azu Tiwaline and Forest Drive West combine their distinct but compatible styles into an EP of advanced, reduced soundsystem immersion.

The idea for the collaboration took shape not long after Tiwaline’s first Livity release, the Magnetic Service EP, and the pair took time to settle on a sound set which now shapes out Fluids In Motion. Drawing on a cohesive palette, the tracks they pieced together in a remote exchange between Tunisia and the UK explored a variety of tempos and rhythms ranging from pure ambience through to spring-loaded 4/4, with a focus on minimalism and dub-spirited spatial sound design.

The end result naturally evolves from each artist’s existing work, matching subtlety and space with intricate detail to present a complete, considered release that runs as deep as an album over the course of four tracks.

Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.

Leicester punk sextet Jools have today released their new single ‘97%’, a provocative track spotlighting the ubiquity of sexual harassment in the lives of women. This comes alongside the band’s announcement of signing to UK indie label Hassle Records (Brutus, The Used, Casey), and the release of an upcoming double A-side 7” single in June.

‘97%’ draws on vocalist Kate Price’s own personal experiences and those of the women in her life. “The point of the song, however, is not to explore my experience as an isolated incident, but instead to force people to confront such commonplace experiences in a manner in which they can’t look away,” Price says. “Everybody knows a woman that has been harassed or assaulted, but nobody seems to know an abuser. That simply doesn’t add up. I want that song to feel uncomfortable because I want everyone who hears it to realise that just because they are not an abuser, that doesn’t mean they aren’t responsible for changing the culture and experiences of every woman. It’s a cry for justice in the world.”

To experience Jools in their most chaotic and unpredictable full flight is, the band were once told, to not know whether you are about to be kicked in the face or kissed on the cheek. Even that, however, feels like an understatement.

At any moment the Jools experience, on stage and on record, can turn on a sixpence from that of unbridled rage at the world to a celebration of the beauty that can still be found hidden in its murky corners. The punk rock of Jools is at once visceral and violent, cathartic and confrontational, and at the next exultant and exhilarating. Jools is duality by design, where contradiction is empowerment harnessed as a force for progress, sonically and societally.

A collective of musicians – Mitch Gordon and Kate Price on vocals, Chris Johnston and Callum Connachie on guitar, Joe Dodd on bass, and Chelsea Wrones on drums – spread between London and Leicester, Jools found each other as much by accident as design in the

earliest days of 2023. Together, they serve as a creative confluence for inspirations that move from the punk and post-punk of The Smiths, Fontaines DC, Iggy Pop, Amyl & The Sniffers and PJ Harvey, through the shoegaze of My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, and into territories marked metal, rap and pop.

House of Harm are proud to announce the forthcoming release of their new album Playground, out December 1st, 2023. The new record builds and expands upon the three-piece’s enthralling shadow-pop sound, a mix of midnight atmospherics, 90s era jangle pop, and contagious synth drenched hooks that further elevate the transcendent vocals of lead singer Michael Rocheford. Rounded out by Cooper Leardi (guitar / synths) and Tyler Kershaw (guitar / synth), House of Harm have amassed an impressive following as something of a best kept secret among their growing fanbase, leading to sold out shows on both coasts by the power of word of mouth alone. The band members have been drawn to music for as long as any of them can remember, and the drive to be around like-minded artists and make their own noise drew them all to Boston after high school. There they all quickly enmeshed themselves, playing in other bands before meeting each other. Ever since, House of Harm have been quietly making a name for themselves among music fans with darker pop persuasions via a steady stream of releases in single, ep and album form. That attention to detail and workmanlike approach at the expense of chasing instant gratification seems to be paying dividends after years of steady effort. The journey of their new album Playground saw House of Harm stay true to that ethos. The band painstakingly narrowed the record down to an efficient 10 tracks that they felt made the most sense, both standing on their own as well as fitting into an LP that built a cohesive world for the listener to get lost in. The album’s name also reflects the experimentation and happy accidents that came about during the writing and recording process. On “The Face of Grace” they set out to explore different dynamics by writing a song entirely without drums, but couldn't help themselves from putting emphasis on the song’s 6/8 waltz time signature. “Two Kinds” is another first for House Of Harm in that it’s predominantly driven by acoustic guitar. That aforementioned vulnerability shows up in other areas of the songwriting process as well with “Two Kinds”, one of their most revealing songs to date from a lyrical standpoint, written from a place of reflection and weakness and tackling feelings uneasy to be put on display for public consumption. Taken as a whole, the end result is an album representing a collection of the band’s most raw and expressive songs yet.

Four years after releasing their debut record, Indus are back in 2024 with Negra, their second album. This record explores the essence of the night through dance, seduction and mystery, while paying homage to Colombian amphibious cultures and the land as that place that has seen us moving and that we always return to. With these ten songs Barranquilla producer Oscar Alford, along with Andres Mercado and a select group of collaborators, builds a bridge between the sounds and histories of the Pacific and the Caribbean, bringing together territories like a river running through them and connecting them. Oscar says that on this record "there's this confluence of various cultural universes, on the one hand there's the traditional music of the coast and river areas, there are various maestros who collaborated on the record and they brought that, also there's electronica which is a universal language, and even hip hop and more urban genres like dembow." The record kicks off with "Deja," a ritual of initiation, a galactic, synthetic entrance into a place of plenty, a journey to the ethereal and the night. It's followed, like light and guide, by the song "Alfa Indi," with Gamero singer Nelda Piña, a release of electronic sounds evoking creation in all its senses. The night is an excuse for and a generator of desire, seduction and flirting in "Candela tu Trá," in collaboration with Tomás Llerena, grandson of the legendary Petrona Martínez. The earth is evident in tracks like "Canción del muerto," homage to the marimba maestro Gualajo, with his brother Pacho Torres and Bogotá rapper N. Hardem, a song that could be a farewell ritual and tribute to the land as the place to which we always return, one that holds the history of those who walked that land and left their mark on it. We hear this in "Corre Cimarrón" with Ka Oddun, portraying the journeys of fleeing enslaved ancestors as they tried to survive until they reached the palenque, a place of freedom. Negra explores the mysticism of the night and the cosmos within the Colombian musical tradition. A dialog between root rhythms, voices and synths with bases oscillating between techno-champeta, afro-tech and future-dembow. With this record Indus comes across as one of the most versatile acts on the Latin American scene, especially in the way they reinterpret ancestral music and resignify its sound.

For fans of: Spectrum / Recurring Era Spacemen 3, Loop, AR Kane, MBV, bdrmm, Cocteau Twins, Telescopes and early 90s Creation records.

Following a series of meditative explorations in the form of the Singularity Zone series of releases, The Oscillation have returned with a new sense of vigour and purpose. Refreshed and re-energized, the result is The Start Of The End, an album that casts more light and shade than ever before to create a mood of hope and re-birth.

At once warm and welcoming, The Start Of The End is an album quite unlike anything that The Oscillation have ever released before. Fuelled by optimism and taking stock of what’s good about life and what needs to be jettisoned, the record is a result of spiritual and physical re-charging and cleansing.

Leaving the claustrophobic environs of the big city for a more bucolic backdrop, the change in location has left a profound mark on Demian Castellanos, the creative force behind The Oscillation. Where the exorcism of dark emotions of previous album Untold Futures left Castellanos wondering if he’d ever make music again, his new surroundings stirred something within him.

“When I made my new home, I allowed myself time to do nothing for a while,” says Castellanos, “and I then started some new songs without worrying about them being on an album. I just wrote with the mindset to put out something positive.”

He continues: “I did a lot of reflecting on the past and really wanted to change something in myself, but not knowing how and thinking that a lot of people must be feeling the same way.”

Recalling the creation of The Start Of The End, Castellanos says, “Writing and recording in an environment where I had little contact with people, no hanging out or partying or even having conversations was very interesting.”

The result is an album that’s recognisably the work of The Oscillation while pointing to a variety of new directions. Be it the celestial majesty of the title track, the melodic infusions that drive opening track ‘War On The Mind’ or the pulsing grooves underpinning ‘Faraway’ and ‘Body Electric’ or even hypnotic repetition at the heart of ‘Mantra’ and ‘The Eternal’, this music brimming with zeal and confidence. And to crown it all, closer ‘Sovereign’ is akin to communing with angels.

The Start Of The End is a line in the sand and one that points to a better tomorrow.

A Gilles Peterson-approved deep jazz-rap classic.

2024 first time vinyl release, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork.

Limited and Non-Returnable.

Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time.

Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.

Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.

With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!

Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.

Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"

This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this.

It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.

Finally, it‘s happening: the „other“ Gerd appears on Running Back. Not counting in his remix for Losoul‘s Open Door and not to be confused with the label owner Gerd Janson. Based in the Netherlands and strongly associated with the Clone complex, Gerd has been releasing countless tracks and records since the dawn of the nineties. A true child of the „techno“ Zeitgeist back then, he is keeper of a dozen monikers, project names and joint ventures that tend to connect the dots between house and techno, functionality and avantgarde electronics. Gerd‘s frame of mind is second to none, when it comes to sound research, inspiration and imagination.
For Running Back he decided to put his own spin on some of the label’s signature dishes.
The opener Dance of Enjoyment is exactly that. Based on a cleared sample from Shakira by Quinton Madlala and imported by early South African kwaito and house, it is exactly that. Life-affirming dance-floor fun or pogo time for piano people.

Let the Music Take Control dials the peak time slightly back to being a party starter with its retrofuturistic speak and spell command and some evergreen breakbeats. An additional DJ tool allows to spread the gospel elsewhere, too.

Speaking of which, the flipside deals with that in the realm of an Italian influenced theme park. Sitting neatly between the disco and the house appendix of “italo“, Change Of Heart and Digital Illusion are sugar frosted and masterful produced versions of a style that might never go out of fashion. Earnest characters might be happy with the included bonus beats on their own. All’s well that ends well: Gerd and Running Back are here to save a party near you!

2024 Reissue

redux packaging. aja monet's poems are a work of gravity. They are a fundamental for which all things are attracted, considered upon and enacted towards. Her work moves, constantly, between origin and outcome, allowing them to exist in converse. In her debut album when the poems do what they do, we glimpse her indefatigable commitment to speak. Those thematic origins of this album at times center around Black resistance, love and the inexhaustible quest for joy.In when the poems do what they do aja monet appears as a woman of letters and storm, her poems do not roar in pentameter - but rather in storm surge because, "Who's got time for poems when the world is on fire?!." And this work isn't one to pull apart into one liners, these are poems of things felt. There is a fullness here that can't be encapsulated in even the boundaries that language offers. aja monet is a griot, a storyteller, a chronicler, and your grandmother telling you about her first love all at once. These are baby making poems - literally the spring enacting upon the cherry trees. These are poems of urgency and want and the rallying cry to demolish the insidious systems from which our futures seem to be wrought, in other words, "If we had a sense of humor we'd be more radical. More migrant than citizen we'd breathe the air clean and ration our resources...we would melt ALL the guns." You will find yourself readying arms because of these poems, and simultaneously mourning the unstoppable loss of names already destined to be immortalized. aja monet crafts a work as she always does, that can be entered from many doors. These aren't poems for poets, but poems for everyone.She is joined in effort on this album by musicians Christian Scott (trumpet), Samora Pinderhughes (piano), Elena Pinderhughes (flute), Luques Curtis (bass), Weedie Braimah (djembe) and Marcus Gilmore (drums). Together creating music that is insistent and unrelenting. There are songs reminiscent of jazz club virtuosity and melee, others of a healing balm in gilead, and the chords of Castaway move like that of the call to intercessory prayer.

Introducing a new double vinyl: Neophyte Records – 25 Years Of Hardcore Legacy – Volume 1! A timeless journey through the decades of hardcore music that has left an indelible mark on the scene. This exclusive vinyl celebrates a quarter-century of Neophyte Records, taking you on a nostalgic trip back in time.

A Musical Odyssey Across Decades:
Relive the evolution of hardcore as Neophyte Records presents a curated selection of tracks spanning all eras. From the iconic beats of the late ‘90s to the raw energy of the 2000s and beyond, this vinyl encapsulates the essence of hardcore.

Special Artwork Design:
Immerse yourself in the visual spectacle of 25 Years Of Hardcore Legacy. The vinyl features specially commissioned covers that captures the spirit of each era, making it a collector’s item not just for the ears but for the eyes as well.

Limited-Edition Collectors Item:
This vinyl is not just an album; it’s a piece of history. Limited to a select number of copies, this vinyl is a rare gem that will become a prized possession for hardcore enthusiasts and collectors.

Anniversary Edition Celebration:
Join the celebration of Neophyte Records’ 25th anniversary with this special edition vinyl. Commemorate the legacy of one of the pioneering labels in the hardcore scene! Embrace the passion, dedication and innovation that has defined Neophyte Records over the years.

Whether you’re a devoted hardcore fan, a collector or someone looking to rediscover the magic of hardcore through the ages, this vinyl is a must-have addition to your collection. Secure your copy now and become part of the enduring legacy of hardcore music!

Compassion combines ethereal pop with ‘80s synth textures, and slacker-rock charm. It's got a bit of Matthew E. White, chilled out BC Camplight and Conor Oberst.

The inviting and perceptive songs on Rui Gabriel’s debut LP Compassion all tackle growing up. It’s about how the older you get, your priorities shift, friendships evolve, and responsibilities become inescapable. For Gabriel, the Indiana-based, Venezuela-born artist and co-founder of the acclaimed band Lawn, the changes in his own life inspired him to write a solo full-length that sounds like nothing the indie rock journeyman has done before. Across 10 vibrant tracks that combine ethereal pop with slacker-rock and piano-driven dance music, it’s a galvanizing showcase of personal growth and the grace you give yourself to push forward.

Work on Compassion started in 2018 when Gabriel was living in New Orleans. “I was living a pretty teenage life in many ways,” says Gabriel. “I worked at a pizza restaurant and would just go to shows or parties. I wasn’t doing anything other than music. I didn't have many responsibilities.” The songs he was working on at the time—tracks that didn’t fit Lawn but Gabriel still liked—initially went unfinished. But as Gabriel’s life changed, so did his songwriting and his desire to see his ideas through. “When I was writing lyrics, I was settling down with my partner and about to become a dad,” says Gabriel. “I was making choices about my life that contradicted the existence I had before. I had a different set of priorities.”

The songs on Compassion deal with youthful carelessness ("Dreamy Boys") and coming face-to-face with newfound responsibilities ("Change Your Mind"). It's consistently a biting, observant look at getting older thanks to Gabriel's unique perspective as a South American immigrant who's lived across the United States for the past 13 years. “When you are Hispanic, English isn't your first language, and you're in a music scene with a bunch of white people, you're going to stand out a little bit,” he says. On “Church of Nashville,” “Hey, Leonard Cohen is singing poems by the gentrified alley” he humorously aims at scene pretension and industry gatekeepers.

Compared to Gabriel’s work with Lawn, where he writes frenetic post-punk songs and yells, for Compassion he explores more straightforward pop sensibilities and showcases his singing voice. “I wanted to do a solo record to prove to myself that I could sing,” says Gabriel. Take the meditative, piano-based lead single “Target,” which is inspired by Dido and finds Gabriel gorgeously harmonizing with singer Kate Teague. He reaches similar infectiousness on the sunny rocker “Summertime Tiger,” which guests Stef Chura. Co-produced by Gabriel and Nicholas Corson (The Convenience, Video Age), Compassion is consistently warm, generous, colorful, and adventurous.

“Compassion is a record about change,” says Gabriel. “It's a coming-of-age record but for somebody who's coming of age into their thirties.”

Mick Harris is one of the world's greatest compositional treasures. Starting his career as the energy dynamo behind the drum kit of the UK's Napalm Death, he made the term Blastbeat a household reference, wrote the band's music on his mother's one string guitar, and joined the Guinness Book of World Records for composing the world's shortest song. In the decades succeeding, he has re-inventedmusic several more times, from the wild abstract jazz of Painkiller with John Zorn and Bill Laswell, to the drowning ambience of his Lull project, all while continuing to build a world that he can truly call his own - the dark post-dub of SCORN. "Reaching 54 this year - this won't stop the challenge, driving me more so now than ever" - says Mick Harris, commenting on the recent phase in his creativity. The pandemic isolation and lockdown pushed the work of the maestro more than anything else could have. In 2021, his output is ever-increasing, releasing the newest collabs with Justin K. Broadrick and the single "Distortion", featuring one of the most outstanding voices of hip-hop - Kool Keith - his closest collaborator, Ohm Resistance founder - Submerged. Commenting on the release of "Distortion", Mick Harris said to mxdwn: "I enjoy collabs - they bring something different to the swim." Working on his own and collaborating with everyone from Sleaford Mods' James Williamson, on the previous SCORN release or with Kool Keith and Submerged on "Distortion", Mick Harris never had problems with putting energy into beats and sound landscapes, combining various surreal elements with three basic elements that always push Harris further, that are extremely crucial for both Mick Harris and SCORN as a project - frustration, anger and anxiety. Combining the signature soundscapes of Scorn with tartareous textures, the newest album "The Only Place" reaches a psychedelic groove, based on what Harris calls "Pushing an original idea further" with his own shades of light and dark and celestial electricity of what SCORN is. These 10 new tracks add elements unheard in Scorn since Evanescense and Gyral - ethereal ambiences and floating, near-melodic-but-not-quite moments, a signature of Harris' abilities to generate feelings in a lost world of his own creation. 2024 vinyl version on orange coloured vinyl!

This is not just a tribute album. It is an endeavour borne of love. Tim Smith composer, principal songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of Cardiacs passed away on the 21st July 2020. The artists on this record came together to celebrate Tim's unique music and further it's dominion Everyone involved in the making of this album generously gave their time and creativity freely, a testament to the love they all shared for Tim. After articles about Tim Smith and Leader Of The Starry Skies have been written in The Guardian and the Sun this is what some reviewers have had to say; A treat for fans and a primer for everyone else, this is extraordinary and timeless music that glows and trobs with love for the very brilliant man who created it. Dom Lawson ~ Prog Classic ...the music of Mr Smith, has the uncanny ability to transform minds, delve deep into whatever it is that makes us think and feel and push and pull at it in a way that is utterly unique and endlessly rewarding... Prog Archives ...the most diverse eclectic and excellent mix of music styles, artistic execution and musical diveristy that this reviewer has had the privelege - nay, the JOY to hear in ages. Andi James Chamberlain ~ Subba-Cultcha These aren’t just pop songs, there’s something far deeper going on. Many have the familiarity and spirituality of hymns... he’s our generation’s Elgar . Sam Shepherd ~ Line Of The Best Fit ...smart, talented people performing great, unique songs in support of a very worthy cause. Matt Evans ~ Rockarolla

"The Red Room Crystal-Ruby Splatter Vinyl". Netherworld marks a considerable step onwards from the territory that Louise Patricia Crane explored on her debut long player Deep Blue, crafting audial landscapes that go further into both inner and outer space; hallucinatory and surrealistic yet also grittier and more direct. For all that this stemmed in part from early Genesis and The Beatles, Netherworld also sits in alignment with the luxurious but oddly intimate realm of modern classics, by the likes of Tears For Fears, Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell, with passionate intensity set in a bold, cinematic vista. In realising these romantic and expansive visions, Crane not only wrote or co-wrote the entire album, but arranged, co-produced and played a wide variety of instruments on it. Yet as a supporting cast, she has surrounded herself with a formidable selection of mercurial contributors. Once again, Jakko M. Jakszyk (King Crimson) brings his fiery and mellifluous solo guitar work, as well as contributing backing vocals, keyboards and co-production. Elsewhere, the flute soliloquies of Tiny Bard are the work of Jethro Tull's Ian Andersonwhile saxophone duties are handled by Mel Collins, whose work with King Crimson marks only one chapter in an incredibly storied life in music. Providing violin and viola across the stylistic expanse of the album, Shir-Ran Yinon (New Model Army / Eluveitie) returns as a collaborator. The rhythm section for the lion's share of the record consists of the dream team of Tony Levin (King Crimson / Peter Gabriel) and Gary Husband (John McLaughlin / Billy Cobham / Allan Holdsworth) with Nick Beggs stepping in on bass for Dance With The Devil and upright bass on Long Kiss Goodnight. Crucially however, even amidst this kind of company, Louise's voice and vision is never remotely overshadowed-with the talents on offer only serving to make the backdrop to her songs still more vivid, sharp and intense. In as much as Netherworld is a work that exists on a lineage of progressive music and the visionary artists who've expanded their boundaries of exploration to form sound-worlds as big as their imagination, it's also a work of magical realism in the tradition of Pan's Labyrinth, The Company Of Wolves or the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Haruki Murakami-in which the supernatural and otherworldly, lead to a shortcut to the essence of being human. In this World, Louise Patricia Crane is our Storyteller.

Nocturne, the critically acclaimed sophomore album by Wild Nothing, is a window into singer/songwriter Jack Tatum's "ideal world" of pop music. Written largely while living in Savannah, GA during 2011, the songs that became Nocturne blur the lines between Tatum's influences and personality. The album features some open references to past music just as his hit debut Gemini did, but it's also an album that feels much less rooted in anything in particular, and marks a distinct evolution in songwriting for Wild Nothing. Gemini was written before there were Wild Nothing fans or even a live band; Nocturne is different. With an unexpected new fan base to turn to, Tatum spent more time perfecting his craft. The obsessiveness of Nocturne is inherent in it's gentle harmonies, orchestrated synths, wandering voice, and songs that speak to his post-Gemini experiences as he explores new paradoxes of pop. And yet, Nocturne isn't obvious, it is a strange and distinctive musical beast, the product of an obsessive pop vision that creates its own reality. Over the past 10 years, Nocturne has distinguished itself as the quintessential Wild Nothing record, and includes catalog highlights "Shadow", "Paradise", and "Only Heather" - all of which have become dependable standouts in Tatum's live performance through the years. This 10th anniversary pressing is limited to 5,000 copies, pressed on blue marble vinyl, and includes brand new marble art inserts, expanded liners written by Tatum, and a 2022 moon chart.

Alternative were a Scottish anarcho-punk band of the early 80s that often drew comparison to Crass for their black attires, logos, firm political beliefs, as well as having their own open house, “The Pad”, where like-minded radicals would join and discuss ideas surrounding pacifism and anti-nuclear armament. The ‘In Nomine Patri’ EP is dark, furious, and articulate.

Penny continues; “Largely through their fierce commitment to ‘changing the world’, Alternative were often referred to as the Scottish Crass. Knowing that talking the talk could only be a half of it, Alternative resolutely walked the walk. Based in Dunfermline, they set up The Pad, an autonomy centre where, over tea and buns, revolutionary visions of peace and love could fester and grow. Theirs was a studied and often poetic form of anarchy which concentrated on people not power. Their interest was not in themselves, but in others. They knew all too well that the only way forward was to do it yourself, and that’s precisely what they did, a’plenty. After all these years, give ‘em your ears.”

JAZZ MONEY, the debut album from multiinstrumentalist, composer, and producer Zacchae'us Paul is an irreverent, fresh take on "America's classical music" that speaks to the 24 year old artist’s deep-beyond-his-years understanding of Black music and the African diaspora. Paul stretches and bends jazz sounds around the Atlanta hip-hop he grew up with, the gospel sounds and philosophies that have long shaped his music making, and the Caribbean rhythms he learned studying in Puerto Rico. He has created a wholly personal sound that is youthful, and thoughtful all at once.

"When you listen to this album, listen to it again," Paul says. "A lot of the songs have multiple meanings, and I'd love for people to have different perspectives on them." Made with a cast of improvising upstarts and veterans that includes the album's executive producer, Terri Lyne Carrington, fellow Atlanta native and Candid recording artist Morgan Guerin and Paul's fiancée and star vocalist Melanie Charles, Jazz Money is jazz music for this, and future, generations.

Reissue of late-’80s release by lovably manly Australian punk rock trio! Sometime in the winter of 1989-90, I wandered into New York City’s Midnight Records, a store famous for its deep catalog of ’60s garage and psychedelic music, as well as a strong selection of classic punk rock and a cantankerous French owner with ridiculous hair. On this visit, instead of hearing a puny French bootleg of The Standells or the Seeds, as I opened the door I was enveloped in the massive opening chords to the first song on the Cosmic Psychos’ then-new album Go the Hack. “She’s a lost cause / She’s a lost, lost cause!” blasted into the air at maximum volume. In a perfect cinematic moment, the drums announced my entry, the bass dictated my walk, the air became thick with guitar fuzz and wah-wah, and snarled vocals described perfectly a girl’s descent into a cause which was lost. Instead of record shopping, I felt like I’d stepped into a biker movie and was motoring down a long, straight Outback road on a Harley. This was my introduction to the Cosmic Psychos, and I was hooked. I loved that a band could be so powerful, sound so big and unapologetically simple, and incorporate so much of what I loved about music—well, basically the attitudes and sounds of The Stooges and Ramones: setting up songs with a good title or idea, matching it with a massive riff, then running it out with squeals of wah-wah and manly disregard for cleverness or adornment. And they called themselves the Cosmic Psychos! They obviously had no regard for “makin’ it” in those days, when an alternative rock band at least had a chance to sell some records. I was an instant fan. Earlier records proved to be the same formula with even less refinement, and that was definitely a good thing. These were lovably manly Aussies singing about what they knew best: farm equipment, lusting after Elle Macpherson, wishing they were in Van Halen (for the ladies), drinking at the pub, and even more drinking at the pub. Trivia question: In what indie rock song does the lead singer bellow “I love my tractor!”? Answer: None! No scarves or looking like Stevie Nicks straight out of the hairstylist’s for these fellows. They were the real deal before the deal was dealt. And they couldn’t care less. The Psychos enjoyed a long run through the ’80s and ’90s on such Australian labels as What Goes On, Mr Spaceman, Survival and Rattlesnake, as well as American stalwarts Sub Pop and Amphetamine Reptile. Many bands from that era no longer seem vital today, lost in a murk of crisp drums, loud guitars, flannel shirts and shallow aspirations. These first Cosmic Psychos releases are as timeless and necessary as ever—still a bullshit bulldozer, a blurry loud night at the bar, a rollicking time hanging with the guys. The time has come for a new generation to be uplifted by these initial blasts from the Cosmic Psychos. Goner is proud to partner with Melbourne’s esteemed Aarght! Records to bring these platters of primal perfection back into a world that definitely needs them. — Eric Friedl, Oblivians / Goner Records 40th Anniversary tour about to hit UK / EU! Go the Hack!! Essential!!

180 Proof Records & BBE Music continue to bring new life to the Strata catalogue, this time with the short-lived label's swan song: Larry Nozero’s 1975 passion project, Time. The final album to be released on Strata Inc., Time is a dream- like mix of mood, an album full of range, tempo, and feeling; from the impulsive and airy rendition of the jazz standard “All The Things You Are” to the brooding melancholia of “Tony,” Nozero’s Time is destined to become known among aficionados as a classic of 1970s jazz. Like time itself, each song is open to individual interpretation - something Nozero himself confessed to on the album’s original liner notes, saying “It got so deep that we decided to call the group and our album after that concept of TIME, because it seemed to mean something to just about everyone.” A native of Detroit, Nozero spent time in Charles Moore’s Detroit Contemporary 5 (part of Strata Inc.) before being drafted into the military. While enlisted, Nozero capitalised on his time by honing his craft in the Army Band. By the time he returned to Detroit, Nozero had little trouble landing high-profile gigs. No stranger to success, Nozero’s previous credits and collaborators include Henry Mancini, Sergio Mendes, and playing Soprano sax on Marvin Gaye’s iconic 1971 album, What’s Going On. Working with his cousin and collaborator Dennis Tini, Time is unlike many albums of the era in that it truly feels like a work fuelled by freewheeling expressionism. The pieces are funky, soulful, strange and soothing all at once. Tini’s stand-out contribution to the album is “Tune for L.N.”, a funk-fuelled piece of rhythm-centric jazz. A distinguishing feature of the album is the use of wordless vocals. The scat work on part two of “Chronicle Of The Murdered House” adds a distinct counterpoint to Nozero’s reed work, while the high pitch bebop of “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” closes out the album with a carefree and buoyant groove. Time has been remastered by the Grammy nominated studio The Carvery, along with the artwork, which has been restored and includes never seen before photos.

Netherworld Double Gatefold Vinyl in 'Celestial Dust' transparent gold CD / DVD - 5.1 Surround mixed by Jakko M. Jakszyk: 'Storybook' Edition 'Ladies' Double A-Side 7" Single - Ladies Of The Road / Dirty (Black Vinyl) Netherworld A6 illustrated 'Little Stories' book All housed in a Black Textured Box with Gold Hot Foil Embossing Netherworld marks a considerable step onwards from the territory that Louise Patricia Crane explored on her debut long player Deep Blue, crafting audial landscapes that go further into both inner and outer space; hallucinatory and surrealistic yet also grittier and more direct. For all that this stemmed in part from early Genesis and The Beatles, Netherworld also sits in alignment with the luxurious but oddly intimate realm of modern classics, by the likes of Tears For Fears, Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell, with passionate intensity set in a bold, cinematic vista. In realising these romantic and expansive visions, Crane not only wrote or co-wrote the entire album, but arranged, co-produced and played a wide variety of instruments on it. Yet as a supporting cast, she has surrounded herself with a formidable selection of mercurial contributors. Once again, Jakko M. Jakszyk (King Crimson) brings his fiery and mellifluous solo guitar work, as well as contributing backing vocals, keyboards and co-production. Elsewhere, the flute soliloquies of Tiny Bard are the work of Jethro Tull's Ian Andersonwhile saxophone duties are handled by Mel Collins, whose work with King Crimson marks only one chapter in an incredibly storied life in music. Providing violin and viola across the stylistic expanse of the album, Shir-Ran Yinon (New Model Army / Eluveitie) returns as a collaborator. The rhythm section for the lion's share of the record consists of the dream team of Tony Levin (King Crimson / Peter Gabriel) and Gary Husband (John McLaughlin / Billy Cobham / Allan Holdsworth) with Nick Beggs stepping in on bass for Dance With The Devil and upright bass on Long Kiss Goodnight. Crucially however, even amidst this kind of company, Louise's voice and vision is never remotely overshadowed_with the talents on offer only serving to make the backdrop to her songs still more vivid, sharp and intense.

Hailing from the always-vibrant Polish black metal scene, THROAT are miasmic morbidity personified. While so many of their domestic contemporaries honor the paradigmatic sounds of the Temple of the Fullmoon, THROAT instead mine a wider, wilder style of black metal that looks both east and south. Theirs is a clanging, crunching sound that various ly nods to Necromantia, Mortuary Drape, Hungary's Tormentor, early Samael, and fellow Polish iconoclasts Cultes des Ghoules: catacombed, ancient, unsettling.

To date, THROAT released the debut demo New Flesh Nectar in 2020 on the esteemed Fallen Temple label, and now conspire with PRIMITIVE REACTION to add that portentous recording with a new EP titled Blood Exaltation. Totaling four tracks in 33 minutes, the Blood Exaltation collection stands as a terrifying testament to THROAT's eldritch black metal horror: a bridge from the past to the present, scorched by fires unknown but reeking of delirium-inducing sulfur all the same. The potency of the two-song Blood Exaltation EP presents the trio in their current sonic incarnation, more gutted and (s-l-o-w-l-y) grinding, a protracted spelunk among shape shifting landscapes whereby throat, strings, and skin chafe together in a vulgar manner. The earlier New Flesh Nectar demo displays THROAT at

their most atmospheric; partially due to the distant recording, partially due to more wide- open spaces they were sowing, the two songs on this introductory recording nevertheless

retain a palpitating creepiness, particularly when they drop the tempo down to a tribal trudge - an element they'd explore further on this collection's namesake recording. Shed thy skin for this Blood Exaltation!"

Black Truffle is thrilled to present the first vinyl reissue of David Rosenboom’s unique Future Travel, originally released on the short-lived Detroit label Street Records in 1981 and here presented in an expanded edition with an additional LP of wild, previously unheard live and studio material from the same period.

Future Travel emerged from the confluence of two important streams in Rosenboom’s work at this time. First, his exploration of ‘propositional music’, defined as ‘complete cognitive models of music’ that start from the radical question, ‘What is music?’ In this case, the music belongs to the universe of Rosenboom’s In the Beginning (1978-1981), in which proportional relationships determine the material available to the composer in all musical parameters (harmonic relationships, melodic shapes, rhythmic subdivisions, dynamics, and so on). Second, the work documents a key moment in Rosenboom’s long collaboration with synthesizer pioneer Don Buchla. Having played a role in developing concepts for some of the modules of the Buchla 300 Series Electric Music Box (an innovative analogue modular system controlled by micro-processors), Rosenboom went on to write the software for Buchla’s hybrid analogue-digital keyboard synthesiser, the Touché, the instrument heard most prominently here.

In a way that no purely analogue synthesizer could, the 300 Series and Touché allowed Rosenboom to work with the In the Beginning algorithms in real time, the synthesizers becoming ‘intelligent instruments’ that actively collaborate with the performer. Developing the open structures of the electronic pieces from In the Beginning, Future Travel explored the possibilities of simply ‘playing the system’, recording live at Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope studio in San Francisco. Working from loose sketches, Rosenboom added acoustic instruments to the electronic sounds and, on some pieces, the processed voice of Jacqueline Humbert. Like Rosenboom’s collaboration with Humbert on the abstracted synth-chanson of Daytime Viewing, this music set out deliberately to challenge the ‘stratified and illusorily coagulated identities in the musical culture of the time,’ refusing distinctions between ‘serious’ and popular music. But where Daytime Viewing achieves this in part through genre references, Future Travel is bracingly sui generis, existing in a unique universe where radical formalisation à la Xenakis spontaneously gives rise to expressive jazz harmonies and old-timey folk melodies.

The crystalline quality of many of the Touché sounds gives Future Travel a sparkling, immediately enticing surface, its layers of shifting ostinato patterns pulsating outside conventional meter, rippling like waves on the surface of water. On opener ‘Station Oaxaca’, ping-ponging synth arpeggios and hand percussion accompany a sentimental violin melody, abruptly overtaken by layered keyboard runs, before the entry of tinkling marimba-like sounds reframe the scene as sci-fi Martin Denny exotica. ‘Time Arroyo’ begins as an austere study in staccato synth sounds in multiple overlapping tempi, reminiscent of Ligeti’s famous ‘clock’ rhythmic effects. Before long, it opens up into a melodic passage with the gentle heroism of classic Roedelius, which proves to be only a brief interlude before the layers of rhythmically distinct synthesiser patterns begin to build and accelerate into an increasingly dense cacophony. The wildest twists and turns are saved for the epic closer ‘Nova Wind’, where the arrangement focuses on Rosenboom’s virtuoso piano playing, perfectly embodying the project’s radical disregard of stylistic orthodoxies as he moves from hyperactive pointillistic flurries to a kind of space-age gospel.

At several points throughout the record, the distinctive voice of Jacqueline Humbert is heard reading passages from the text component of In the Beginning, a dialogue between The Double (an embodiment of humanity’s timeless desire to replicate itself in spiritual and technological copies) and two Spirit Characters. Fittingly, as all are conceived as embodiments of a future form of techno-human collective consciousness, distinctions between the three characters are not immediately evident in Humbert’s delivery, just as the music blurs the boundaries between intelligent computing and human spontaneity. Adorned with a striking retro-futurist cover (and here accompanied by extensive new liner notes and archival images), Future Travel is a time capsule of radical imaginings at the birth of our digital age, reminding us of utopian possibilities of which our own present seems so often to fall short.

D&V were a duo formed in Sheffield by Andy Leach on drums and Jef Antcliffe on vocals. The group released their first EP ‘The Nearest Door’ on Crass Records. With Penny Rimbaud as producer, their musical simplicity was combined with uncompromising avant-gardism to achieve new heights. The group would go on to release a second album in 1984 entitled ‘Inspiration Gave Them Motivation To Move On Out Of Their Isolation’ with a more refined sound and additional vocals by Crass' Eve Libertine and Joy de Vivre.

Penny Rimbaud tells us; “D&V are so named because they turned up to play at the now legendary squat gig of 1982 at the Zig Zag Club in North London. At that time, they didn’t have a moniker, so they were chalked up on the day’s order of play as D&V (drums and vocals) because that’s what they were and that’s how they remained. Simple and to the point, they were precursors to rap which later both rhythmically and vocally came to mirror their fierce rhetoric. A northern band with streetwise sentiments, they spoke loud and clear of disenfranchisement (call it slavery) and the vicious class system which created it. From street to stormy skies, D&V were on the up, and hard rains began to fall.”

(Clear with black, white & yellow splatter limited to 500 copies) SKA DREAM is a complete re-recording of Jeff Rosenstock's critically-acclaimed 2020 record NO DREAM however this time around all the songs are ska songs you're welcome. The very good idea to make this record came together when, like many other bands throughout this pandemic that refused to participate in super spreading events, we were trying to find a fun way to make some music together to share with people. Otherwise we were just spending our evenings texting the group chat in dread about the collapsing world around us. Not the most fun band activity. As with most things ska in my life, what started out as a fun goof with friends eventually morphed into "Hey, what if we tried to make it good though?" All of us have a pretty deep history playing and touring the country in punk/ska bands. We all understand the stigma that comes along with ska, we've all dealt with the pitfalls of it, and we've all kept on truckin' regardless. If you are one of those people who loves music as long as it isn't ska, that's cool, we see you. This record isn't for you and you don't have to listen to it. Byeeee. Okay, everyone else, we see you too, we love you and check it out, SKA DREAM is real. This record includes contributions from Jer Hunter (JER, Skatune Network, We Are The Union), Rick Johnson (Mustard Plug), Laura Stevenson, Ara Babajian (The Slackers, Leftover Crack), Boboso, Sean Bonnette (AJJ), George Clarke (Deafheaven), David Combs (Bad Moves), Chris Farren, Augusta Koch (Gladie, Cayetana), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Franz Nicolay, nonregla, Elise Okusami (Oceanator), Mike Park (Bruce Lee Band, Skankin Pickle, Asian Man Records), PUP, Anika Pyle (Katie Ellen, Chumped) & Shannon Toombes.

Rare debut LP by the eccentric Peruvian singer Jean Paul "El Troglodita", known for his wild performances and extreme way of life. Enrique Roberto Tellería made his Peruvian television debut in 1965 under the stage name Jean Paul El Troglodita and wearing an imitation leopard skin suit. He would switch from melodic calm to shouting wildly or suddenly drop to the floor on his knees and smash the furniture like crazy. At the age of 19, DisPerú signed him to the label on the strength of these early performances. His first single included a freely translated version of 'Secret Agent Man' in Spanish. He began to work on the eleven cover versions that would feature on his first LP immediately, writing all his own lyrics and accompanied by the beat band Los Steivos. Despite the predominance of English beat music in Peru, the album only included three songs directly related to the British invasion: 'Bus Stop' by The Hollies, also played in raga rock style; 'Paint it Black' by The Rolling Stones; and 'The House of the Rising Sun', which follows the arrangement recorded by The Animals. So most songs come the American songbook. Apart from 'Tema de El Troglodita' (a versión of 'Secret Agent' by The Challengers), we find the bluesy 'Mustang Sally' (Sir Mack Rice). Two other US numbers, originally performed with orchestral accompaniment, were adapted to fit the rock band format: 'Poor Side of Town' (Johnny Rivers) and 'Take Me to the Moon' (Kaye Ballard). 'El verdadero amor' ('True Love'), an uncredited version is in a similar vein. The Spanish song 'Negro es negro' (Los Bravos) and the Brazilian track 'Que todo se vaya al infierno' (Roberto Carlos) also feature on the LP. El Troglodita's association with the so-called nueva ola, indicated on the back cover, needs clarification. In Peru, nueva ola was a mixed bag rather than a specific musical style and encompassed slow rock, twist, bossa nova and all the styles that the record industry produced to tame the wild rock 'n' roll impulses of teenagers in the early sixties. The Peruvian artists that performed these inoffensive Spanish adaptations of Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka or Frankie Avalon, were presented as successful models of youth culture. This was until 1964, when the Beatles with their mop-top haircuts hit the charts, vindicating rock 'n' roll and imposing the group format over the soloist model. Meanwhile the press continued to call any youth music recorded during the rest of the decade nueva ola. Jean Paul noted these distinctions early on and distanced himself from it in several statements. He saw his performance more in a style as a solo artist as following in the footsteps of e.g. Los Saicos. His 'hippie' lifestyle got him arrested by the new de facto military government in 1968, who accused him of promoting drug consumption and corrupting the Peruvian youth. The charges were soon dropped but his reputation was tarnished, and he ended up emigrating to Central America. The album includes Spanish sung versions of British beat songs and covers of the American songbook as well as various international hits.

2024 Reissue

Baricentro is an Italian funk-rock band founded in 1976 by two brothers Francesco and Vanni Boccuzzi; after the release of two albums in mid seventies (Sconcerto and Trusciant) for the major record company EMI; they recorded in 1983 the single "Tittle Tattle" representing a clear innovation in sound from their past, without believing that would receive a positive response in the New York City underground music scene and soon becoming a Paradise Garage and Loft classic. Best Record Italy today came out with this special reissue-project as a Limited Edition Ep, remastered from the original master tapes and containing for the first time all the versions from 1983 and 84 including the unreleased dub that was previously available as an acetate cut only for deejay play.

In each new volume of the series, DTM Funk will collaborate with another befriended DJ/producer, assembling a varied collection of productions representing the sound of the guest selector. For the second edition, we look to Soft Focus, also know as Forbidden Fruit, Title or Toon Janssens. Already for years in the game but still one of Belgium's most skilled producer.

SKRR Vol-002 will focus around the groove that Soft focus brings to the humanity; "downtempo grooves, cinematic sound and abstract waves for the brains, the body and the soul".

Featuring 10 tracks from the likes of Bert Cools, Memotone, Dries Laheye, Arthur Brouns and more.

The compilation perfectly fits the philosophy of the record label. "The meaning of San-Kofa implies that all music comes from somewhere", explains DTM Funk. "If you acknowledge the music's origins and its essence, it becomes so much more valuable, and you become better prepared for the future".

2024 Very Limited Repress

Down Low Music returns with a catalog number reserved for over 20 years, dL-006. Circa 2002, after releasing music from artists such as Stinkworx, Plastic Sleeves, Convextion and Macho Cat Garage, the dL catalog skipped from dL-005 to dL-007. dL-006 was reserved for DFD aka Troy Anderson, a core part of the dL crew from Texas. Troy had previously released excellent records as Cityboy and Waverider (both recently re-issued on We're Going Back), and as DFD on the first Down Low Music compilation, 'Satellite Cities' in 2001.

But a full EP was never finalized, until now... Over time, multiple projects were lost in the void and time passed until Troy recently sent out some new works from his lab. Down Low loved the new tracks and decided this was the time to complete the missing piece. It's a wonderful glitch in time, four new DFD productions that fit easily in the early 00's sound of the label back then, while also a magnificent piece of machine music from the future. Proper electro with a touch of human feels which is something that seems to be essential for a classic Down Low Music release.

Monochord are Vienna-based musicians Bernhard Hammer and Jakob Schneidewind, two thirds of Elektro Guzzi, though Monochord paints a different picture. Electroacoustic experiments and filmic elements define the music that develops instinctively yet irrevocably, a sense of forward motion setting them apart. Compositionally minimal, their tracks maximise their inherent potential all the way through to their logical and even illogical end.
Referencing electronica, ambient, shoegaze and at times modern classical harmonics, Monochord builds and unbuilds in a slow heartbeat. Introspective and filmic, its quiet and non-confrontational nature makes Monochord move in the interzone between various spheres. Their music escapes definition and that is its truest definition. Its subtle pulse and evocative and drony feel invite and inspire.

The debut album by Passion Pit. This will be first time that album will be officially released on vinyl in
over 10 years. Remastered for vinyl with full gatefold jacket that displays alternative artwork. Lavender
Vinyl

With their fourth album, Seas of Static, the French band Dead Horse One establishes itself as one of the heaviest bands of modern shoegaze, propelling the genre to new heights of power and emotion. In this album, Dead Horse One skillfully merges the incisive alternative metal of Deftones with the enveloping and ethereal sound of My Bloody Valentine. The result is a captivating whirlwind, where walls of guitars collide in a surge of creativity, raw emotion, and energy. Far from recycling, Seas of Static is a deep exploration of the grungegaze fusion, thus creating a unique and powerful sound, far from being conventional. Assisted by a massive production by Brendan Williams (Soul Blind, Francis Lung, GoGo Penguin), Dead Horse One creates a unique sonic texture with raw energy that evokes both grunge riffs and shoegaze atmospheres while injecting a new and contemporary energy. With this album, Dead Horse One pushes the boundaries of the genre, offering listeners an immersive and uncompromising musical experience.

The Dutch-American legend Orlando Voorn is back on the block with a very, very yummy 4-tracker that is masterfully channeling his deep love for Detroit techno and Chicago house. “No Cellphones” recalls Green Velvet’s classic Relief Records sound, applying a sinister bouncer voice that commands everybody to put their f***ing cellphones away. It’s quite a tantalising idea to drop this tune at an Afterlife party. “Raise The Bar” is a primo minimal heater for prime time usage, classic Voorn intensity through and through. The flipside harbors two gorgeous, summerly house tracks with plenty of soul for those sun flooded festival floors. Orlando Voorn reigns supreme.

Die niederländisch-amerikanische Legende Orlando Voorn ist zurück mit einem wirklich sehr schmackhaften 4-Tracker, der seine tiefe Liebe für Detroit Techno und Chicago House meisterhaft kanalisiert. „No Cellphones“ erinnert an den klassischen Relief Records-Sound von Green Velvet, mit einer düsteren Türsteher-Stimme, die allen befiehlt, ihre f***ing Handys wegzulegen. Es ist eine ziemlich verlockende Idee, dieses Stück auf einer Afterlife-Party zu spielen. „Raise The Bar“ ist ein erstklassiger Minimalheizer für die Primetime, klassische Voorn-Intensität durch und durch. Die Flipside beherbergt zwei grandiose, sommerliche House-Tracks mit viel Soul für die sonnenüberfluteten Festival-Floors. Orlando Voorn liefert.

Danny Lee Blackwell"s Night Beats released their self-titled debut album back in 2011 and 2024 sees a long-overdue vinyl reissue hit the racks courtesy of UK label Fuzz Club. An acid-drenched modern garage-rock classic in the Texan thirteenth-floor tradition, the band"s R&B-inspired Western Psychedelic sound on this 12-track set is a reckoning, a shoot-out at dawn, the ear-splitting peel-out that leaves nothing but a cloud of red dust in its wake. Following early releases in the shape of the "H-Bomb" 45 and a split 10" with UFO Club (a collaborative project between Blackwell and The Black Angels" Christian Bland), the "Night Beats" LP was the first full-length introduction to the band and propelled them to the forefront of burgeoning contemporary psych scene in a blaze of scuzzy rock"n"roll release. Heavy touring immediately ensued and hasn"t let up in the years that followed, and the definitive Night Beats hit "Puppet On A String" has since clocked up millions of streams and become the soundtrack to an underground, fuzz-worshipping generation.

TexiCali, the new album from Grammy winner Dave Alvin and Grammy nominee Jimmie Dale Gilmore, continues to bridge the distance between the two troubadours’ respective home bases of California (Alvin) and Texas (Gilmore). The geographic theme reflects Alvin’s repeated journeys to record in Central Texas with Gilmore and the Austin-based backing band that has toured with the duo for the past few years. As Alvin puts it in the liner notes, those road trips informed the music they made on TexiCali. The 11 songs on this double LP also connect their shared fondness for a broad range of American music forms. Gilmore is primarily known for left-of-center country music, while Alvin’s compass points largely toward old-school blues. But there’s a lot of ground to cover beyond those foundations, and both artists also are well-known for transcending genre limitations. So it’s not surprising that they’ve spiked TexiCali with cosmic folk narratives, deep R&B grooves and even swinging reggae rhythms.

Alphawaves, is a new project by dj and electronic music producer Alex Tsotsos combining both the meditative as well as the healing power of music! The idea behind Alphawaves is to stimulate mind, body and soul through broad and repetitive soundscapes that unfold on top of elegantly pulsating rhythmics.
Each track is recorded live in the studio and moves along the lines of techno in the ultra deep field. Single takes performed in real time until the tape stops rolling. Alphawaves is inspired by the analog sound pioneered by acts like Rhythm and Sound, Maurizio and Alpha and Omega.

A01020304 EP is the sophomore release of Lowpass recordings. A record label that explores the analog realm of underground electronic music and deep techno.