Forced Exposure New Releases for the Week of 7/10/2023

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: 12XU 141LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Restocked! "Water Damage's follow-up to 2022's widely acclaimed Repeater is another minimal/maximal collision with two songs (hey!) clocking in at 19 and 22 minutes respectively. Hence, 'Fuck This' and 'Fuck That'. On Two Songs, the original septet of Nate Cross (USA/Mexico/Marriage), George Dishner (Spray Paint), Thor Harris, Travis Austin, Mike Kanin (Black Eyes), Greg Piwonka and Jeff Piwonka are joined by Mari Maurice (More Eaze)." "More Water! More Damage! The second proper LP by this Texan juggernaut is even more biggerer than the first, a head-drowning pair of new 'reels' (every Water Damage tracks generally take up a reel of tape, hence the 'reel ____' song titles) that makes you feel like you're swimming in a sun-drenched river of sound. Two drummers, two bassists, and tons of vibrating strings are once again a recipe for massive rocking-drone fires. Two Songs has two songs, and they're kind of the yin/yang of Water Damage: one toned very low, growling and roaring, groaning over a beat, while the other hums high, troubling the treble clef and ringing like a bunch of church bells that don't want to be in church. They're more alike than different though, divining momentum from repetition, flying forward by staying in place, climbing a mountain that they're building as they go. Enough ink has already been spilled about the previous-band pedigrees of the players in this hurtling collective, and by this point, the past seems way less relevant than the present when it comes to Water Damage's present-pounding sound. These people know what they're doing, sure. You don't need a resume in front of you to figure that out. It's there in every second of this gigantic, eternal music -- in all the strings being bowed, the skins being slammed, the rumbles being rumbled. You might notice that this time around, Water Damage haven't just given their tracks reel numbers. They're also called 'Fuck This' and 'Fuck That.' I take that as instructional. Whatever you're doing, whatever you're fretting about, whatever someone's trying to use to occupy your attention so you'll buy something or vote for something or ignore something: Fuck This. Fuck That. Listen to Water Damage." --Marc Masters

 

PRICE: $23.50

CAT #: ATLP 017LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Two visionary explorers of the acid and dub intersection team up for a seven-track LP, In The Afterworld, on Acid Test. Om Unit and TM404 have both been researching production and compositional elements in the crosshairs of dub and acid for the last few years -- Om Unit most notably with his Acid Dub Studies 1 & 2, and TM404 with his Acidub album in particular. Om Unit has been a longtime fan of TM404's use of the TB-303 and the deconstructed space he brings to the house and techno template. Meanwhile, Om Unit's own leaning towards breaks and reggae instrumentation has offered a different approach to the acid sound they both love so much. So, an LP with Acid Test seemed the perfect opportunity to combine those approaches and see what kind of mutations could be discovered. The result is a primordial soup that is in parts acid, dub, breaks and ambient, full of spaced-out synths and psychedelic bass, where the pair enjoyed building tracks with a feel for where the music wanted to go, irrespective of stylistic constraints. Rolling opener "Motorway Acid" sets the pace high and strong, conjuring both wide open spaces and fast-paced travel at the same time, with weightless pads, stroboscopic breaks and a mighty 303 riff that can teleport you to the middle of a foggy dancefloor. "Microdose Mondays" on the other hand, slows the tempo down and veers into cosmic territory, with perfectly dubbed drum rolls and burbling squelch. But it's "London Stock" that kicks the album into hyperspace, finding its futuristic steppers groove somewhere in the answer to the hypothetical question "what if Shaka had produced Stingray?" Speaking of underwater electronics, "Meanwhile In The Smoking Area" delves deep into submarine territory, delivering the kind of bass weight and sonar acid signals you'd need a diver's suit for. It's a vibe that's continued on the tracks "Thursday" and "Refracted", and speaks to the record's title -- otherworldly, dreamy bass meditations that aren't of this realm. The album closes out with "Praha", a pacey yet ambient vista of warm wide synths, layers of 303, and dub echoes that sound like the machines are slowly coming to life. It's in this altered state that the album resides, somewhere between worlds and styles, emerging out of the space around the TB-303 that Om Unit and TM404 have created, with their open-minded approach to the music and to this collaboration.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: BALMAT 006LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Ylia -- aka Susana Hernández -- had a remarkably productive 2020. In addition to releasing her debut album, Dulce Rendición, on Barcelona's Paralaxe Editions, she penned compilation tracks for Lapsus Records, Hivern Discs, and Super Utu/Stars on Earth. But professional success can be deceiving: The following year was, personally speaking, terrible. Her grandfather died. Her father died. Her cat died. And she ended a relationship. "That's a lot of things all at once, no?" she says. Her second album, Ame Agaru, is not necessarily a record of that year, but it is, she says, a response to those life events -- a record of grief. The new album is clearly a continuation of the ambient investigations of Ylia's debut, but it differs in key ways. Where Dulce Rendición was exploratory and faintly cosmic, Ame Agaru -- a Japanese phrase meaning, roughly, "the rain lifts" -- captures a melancholy sense of stillness. And where her debut was largely electronic, on the new album, Ylia has folded in a number of acoustic elements, even when they are not recognizable as such. Her partner, Alejandro Lévar, lends fingerpicked acoustic guitar to the glowing dronescapes of "Todos los Cuerpos"; multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Tete Leal adds flutes, clarinet, and soprano saxophone to "Ame Agari" -- or "after the rain" -- which opens the album with a moment of contemplative calm, the kind that follows an extended deluge. One track, the dub techno-influenced "Flowers in June," grew out of Ylia's live sets, but the rest are the fruit of improvisational sessions at home in Málaga, five minutes from the beach -- jamming and then refining, searching for the ideal expression of a feeling as it was first captured. Searching for the spontaneity behind the stillness. In places, Ylia even incorporates piano, an instrument she has played since she was 10, yet has never included on one of her recordings before. For the most part on Ame Agaru, she seeks ways to fuse piano with synthesizers and electronic processes. But on the closing track, "El Único Adiós Posible," she leaves you alone with the instrument in all its stark, unadorned beauty. It is a profoundly moving conclusion to an album defined by its economy of means and purity of expression: a cycle of life counted out in the passage of storm clouds and clearing skies.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: BANG 169LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Confusion Au Go Go is the final studio album by the Seattle rock band Love Battery. It was originally released in 1998 on C/Z Records (Seattle) and only on CD format. Now it is finally released on vinyl and it has been remastered by Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden...) in order to get the purest sound. Love Battery were one of the most original bands to come out of the Seattle "grunge" scene, and one of a kind when it comes to alternative rock bands. AllMusic wrote: "The addition of Dan Peters (Mudhoney) on drums definitely tightens the screws, and the reinvigorated rhythm section provides the perfect foundation for guitarist Kevin Whitworth's inspired flights of fancy, including, as on Dayglo, some of the best slide guitar work in alternative rock." Martin C. Strong called Confusion Au Go Go "certainly a notable album," writing that "the band seemed to be in full swing and willing to push their boundaries." Personnel: Ron Nine - vocals, guitar; Kevin Whitworth - guitar; Bruce Fairweather (Mother Love Bone) - bass, backing vocals; Dan Peters (Mudhoney) - drums, percussion.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: BANG 173LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue. Finally seeing the light of day again, here is a remastered vinyl edition of the Powder Monkeys' classic album from 1995, Time Wounds All Heels. Time Wounds All Heels was originally released on the Dog Meat Records Australia and comprising the power trio lineup of Tim Hemensley, TJ Ray, and John Nolan, the band at this point were an absolutely unstoppable force, a powerhouse comparable to the finest moments from the MC5, Motörhead, and Black Flag. Featuring ten original tracks from the band, this is often considered the group's finest recorded moment, and one which has been out of print in any form for many years. Powder Monkeys were a natural follow up to Australian legendary band Bored! featuring two of their members from the Take It Out On You line-up. Released under license from Dog Meat Records Australia. Includes inner sleeve and poster.

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: BTR 034LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2023 repress. Originally released in 2019. Saadia Jefferson is a glorious act of vandalism on Yemeni traditions led by inventor, carpenter, musician, and composer, Eyal El Wahab. Dismantling lyrics, melodies, and compositions from Yemeni folk songs, El Khat delve into uncharted sonic territory updating Yemen's ancient culture. Using an orchestra of instruments old and new, many repurposed from junk objects and turned into instruments that sound similar to traditional Arabic and North African lutes and percussion, Tel Aviv based El Khat have imagined an indelible stamp of polyphonic, harmony soaked, pan-Arabic braindance. Hover over the tracks and you can pick out certain influences such as Omar Souleyman and dabkecfolk characterized by trance-inducing chants ("Wahed Mozawej"), the searing Ethiopique organ of Mulatu Astatke ("Ala Jina Nuhayiykum"), and the unashamedly sing-along choruses of Bowie or McCartney ("Balagh Al Achbaab"), but the over-arching concept within Saadia Jefferson is Eyal's sense of identity, or lack of it, as a Yemeni living in Tel Aviv. The album is the rewards of a self-imposed mission to discover Eyal El Wahab's Yemeni roots.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: BTR 050CLR-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Kolonel Djafaar's Cold Heat packs a mighty punch, combining the irresistible charm of Ethio jazz and psych rock with the power of a big band brass section, that has made them a formidable live force across Belgium. As they come into their own cinematic sound, now is the time for them to be enjoyed more widely, thanks to masters of exotic groove, Batov Records. Kolonel Djafaar's debut release for Batov is an all-killer-no-filler EP. On "Bactrian Camel," the four-man brass section picks up a thundering groove, only for the organ-led rhythm section to answer with their own snaking retort. Joris Wendelen's electric guitar riffing adds a further Middle Eastern flavor to the stew. Written by trombonist Willem De Mol, who delivered the song after two months alone in Russia, "Lamentation" continues the Ethio vibe with a little Latin panache. The brass-led tone here is mysterious, the melody lingers. An almost surf-esque guitar solo transports the listener before the main groove on organ and brass recalibrates you to the solid rhythm. Comparable to, but distinct from, The Budos Band and Comet is Coming, the low-slung sounds of "Recording 68" in particular reveal Kolonel Djafaar coming into their own. The tempo drops, emphasizing the depth of the groove. The EP is appropriately closed in cinematic style on "The Heist". The pace picks up. Drums of death, in the mode of DJ Shadow or Unkle, hold up the distorted synths and that sharpest of horn sections. A song ready for the dirtiest of chase scenes. Cold Heat is suitably titled. Fast or slow, killer grooves that will take no prisoners. A taste of Kolonel Djafaar's power on stage and the clearest picture yet of their direction in sound. Cream color vinyl.

 

PRICE: $32.00

CAT #: BTR 070LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Batov Records announce the release of Middle Eastern Grooves, a double-LP compilation of standout tracks from the label's highly successful series of 7" singles released under the same name, hand selected by label co-founder DJ Kobayashi. Spanning from 2015 to the present day, the compilation features a mix of classic favorites, new releases, and never-before-heard gems from some of the most talented emerging artists. Batov Records' Middle Eastern Grooves 7" series have become staples in the sets of DJs looking to broaden their sets to incorporate psychedelic and Middle Eastern sounds alongside the familiar funk, jazz, and soul catalogue. The compilation opens with the desert funk sound of "Badawee" by the iconic producer and multi-instrumentalist, Kutiman, followed by the instrumental edit of "Ya Raiyat" by Tel Aviv digging pioneers Radio Trip. Other highlights include the deranged and spooky synths of "The Egyptian" by Baharat, a prime example of the label's core sound, the psychedelic Middle Eastern groove bomb "Deli Deli" by ?atellites, and "Nasnusa", Sababa 5's acclaimed collaboration with Japanese vocalist Yurika Hanashima. The compilation also includes some exclusive tracks, released here for the first time. Following their recent collaborative EP, Sababa 5 (BTR 065LP) back the newly discovered vocalist Shiran Tzfira with a simple but effective combo of synths and percussion on the haunting "Manginat Mahepeha". ?atellites band leader Itamar Kluger contributes "Saved From The Jazz" from his new psychedelic funk project Eje Eje. And finally, underground belly dancing princess turned Mediterranean psych chanteuse, Cherry Bandora, contributes the hypnotic "Esý". This first volume of highlights from the Middle Eastern Grooves 7" series offers a comprehensive look at the evolution of the label's sound and its place in the wider musical context. From surf rock to Mediterranean psych, this collection showcases the diverse and captivating sounds of the Middle East and its influence on modern music. When he isn't managing Batov Records, DJ Kobayashi can be found digging for grooves and melodies that stand out from the norm, and sharing them at the likes of Brilliant Corners, Spiritland, and his biweekly show on Soho Radio. His vast collection spans funk and beats from across the globe, and reflects, of course, a particular predilection for Middle Eastern grooves. Also features El Khat, Boom Pam, Les Dynamites, Matan Caspi, Yossi Fine & Ben Aylon, Yuz, Romano, Buttering Trio, and Koy Karde?ler. Gatefold sleeve.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: BTR 071LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Brazilian soul, psych, bossa and jazz, reimagined from Berlin, via the Dead Sea, on Moriah Plaza's dreamy first album for Batov Records. Moriah Plaza co-founders Tamir Chen and Moosh Lahav first encountered and fell in love with the beautiful and hypnotic sounds of Brazilian bossa nova and samba as children in Tel Aviv in the nineties, via the many local bands and tribute groups that had sprung up since the first wave of bossa had hit swept across the world. Likewise they developed a fascination with elevator muzak, film soundtracks, and even the hotel pianist performing day-by-day in the lobby of the Sheraton Moriah where Tamir's mother worked, overlooking the Dead Sea. Relocating years later to the vastly different environment of Berlin, capital of a country that enjoyed its own Brazilian moment, Tamir and Moosh's shared passion for Brazilian music would encourage them to create their own songs inspired by the warm pulse of Brazil. The band was conceived by Tamir and Moosh in Solarium Studio, Berlin, from the broken fragments of their former shoegaze band, Soda Fabric. They would go on to write and record their debut album in close collaboration with two Brazilians and fellow Berlin residents, poet and singer Cecília Erisman, and singer, songwriter, synth operator and Tropical Disco Club founder Flavia Annechini. The album opens with "Desendereçada". Dirty drum machine beats thud away under flutes and extraneous noises and a spoken word commentary. The pace picks up on "Mais Amor". A beautiful Brazilian soul jazz number with a sublime vocal from Flavia Annechini that will surely appeal to the global dancefloor jazz scene. "Te Peço" draws you in deeper with sweetest jazz vocal over an irresistible bassline and bossa drums that transforms halfway through into a modern soul rhythm crowned by flute and horns. The Pharoah Sanders meets Ravi Shankar in Rio grooves of "Estelar" have that fresh feeling that will certainly appeal to fans of modern favorites Rebecca Vasment and Ruby Rushton. Next up, the mysterious "Lagoon de Merim" is practically two songs in one, the first half an atmospheric string-topped number somewhere between Arthur Verocai and Cinematic Orchestra, before snappy drums beats and playful organ chords introduce a slow brassy samba that fills the whole sonic room. "Teu Porto" is a must for all DJs, mixing calypso, highlife and house, lilting guitars and smooth vocals by Cecilia Erismann. The deep samba house grooves of "Samba Moosh" close us out. The rich blend of sweet vocals, soaring flute and gritty synths carry us off into the sunset.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: BTR 072LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Boom Pam, widely renowned for their spellbinding Middle Eastern guitar music, have unveiled their highly anticipated fifth album, Royal. Celebrating their twentieth anniversary, the Tel Aviv based band combine cinematic atmospherics and high-powered surf rock on their first album for international ambassadors of Middle Eastern grooves, Batov Records. Over the course of eight thrilling tracks, Royal leads listeners on a topsy-turvy journey from Middle Eastern exotica to Spaghetti Western style scores, via scorching Mediterranean beaches. Highlights of the album include the surf-meets-Western delights of "Silver Lining", where irresistible guitar lines are piled high and topped with euphoric synths and rock drums, resulting in a timeless soundtrack for both headless nights in dive bars and heedless days at the funfair. "Juda" follows, a deadly combination of Zeppelin and Middle Eastern rock with subtle hints of synth funk. The track is named after living legend and Middle Eastern guitar hero, Yehuda Keisar, who also joins the band for this song, contributing a scorching solo. The thunderous guitar riffs are matched pound-for-pound by the irresistible percussive groove. Boom Pam "Rock the Casbah" on title track "Royal", revealing another card up their sleeve, as they transform a famous '80s Israeli radio theme into a disco-inspired super jam with a punk edge. The band maintain their reputation for first-rate and distinctive surf rock on the fast paced "Daber Yafé" and "Monsour". The sonic imprint is both warmed and widened by the rare addition of a tuba supplying the lower frequencies. Meanwhile, opener "Lava Tongue", and "Golden" emphasize the melodic side to the band, conjuring dreamy sunset mirages to hypnotize the listener. Boom Pam have established themselves as pioneers of modern Middle Eastern surf rock, combining sophisticated yet catchy guitar riffs, with roaring tuba basslines and fiery drums. In the past decade the band have frequently collaborated with and backed legendary Turkish folk singer-songwriter, Selda Bagcan, on stage and record, and performed at some of the world's most renowned festivals, including Primavera Sound, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and many more. An engaging listen from beginning to end, Royal is the perfect representation of Boom Pam's incredible 20-year journey, showcasing their superior skills in pushing the boundaries of their genre.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: BTR 073LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Batov Records presents Five Seasons, the debut album by Eje Eje, the brand-new solo project of Itamar Klüger of the ?atellites. A fresh and contemporary world incorporating the rich diversity of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean musical styles with psych, funk, dub, and other internationally known sounds. Itamar Kluger is best known for his work with the ?atellites, a six-piece band whose blend of Turkish folk and psych with funk and disco won them champions and listeners across the globe. With Eje Eje, Itamar brews a fresh blend of psychedelic rock and funk, incorporating a wide range of influences, from Levantine dabke, Persian bandari music played at weddings and other celebrations, the traditional "Khaliji" music heard across the Gulf, and Turkish traditional folk music, to the more international renown sounds of Afrobeat, Saharan blues, indie rock, electronica, and Jamaican roots and dub. Eje Eje's special blend of musical perspectives reflects Itamar's interest in humankind's subjective perception of reality, informed by national and global cultural movements and traditions, and insistence on collectively creating and sharing stories, at times to explain the unexplainable. Itamar noted the difference between the symmetrical Western concept of four seasons, celebrated by Vivaldi, versus the five seasons of the Chinese calendar, winter, spring, summer, end of summer, and fall. The end of summer is a short season, characterized by the elemental earth, the time of year when fruit fall and rot beneath the trees. Each of the tracks on 'Five Seasons' reflects the spirit of the season in which it was written, and the terrain that inspired it, from the arid, mountainous desert to the sleepy streets of Eje Eje's hometown of Haifa and the busy crowded streets of Jaffa, Tel Aviv, where he currently resides. Bass and percussion combine into a deadly groove on the lead single "Black Sea Majic", laying the groundwork for a mantra-like saz to lead the melody, accompanied by giggling synths, mimicking the sound of the woodwind Armenian duduk, building into a continuous trace, the beginning half forgotten and the end lost. Hearing it back, Itamar imagines a bustling market in a small town by the shores of the Black Sea. Recorded in spring, "Saved From The Jazz" provided the first taste of this new project, appearing on Batov Records' first full compilation of "Middle Eastern Grooves". A beautiful collage of guitar grooves over a deadly drum rhythm. This continues on "That Rainy Dawn", a winter piece that slowly evolves, featuring an electro baglama over an Egyptian baladi rhythm.

 

PRICE: $31.50

CAT #: BEWITH 134LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Keni Burke's seminal Changes yielded the eternal club classic "Risin' To The Top". Changes, first released in 1982 on RCA, is something truly special. It's a masterpiece of sophisticated '80s groove, containing first class funky soul that sounds as fresh as ever. This is multi-tempo soul music conceived in heaven. Ace bass player, songwriter, arranger and producer, Keni Burke was discovered by Curtis Mayfield and a childhood member of the Five Stairsteps. Emanating from that magical '81-83 era and pristinely recorded at Philadelphia's legendary Sigma Sound Studios, his third solo album Changes really perfected Keni's groove. It incorporated tight, snappy rhythm arrangements which, despite the era, featured real drums courtesy of Steve Ferrone (from Average White Band) to complement Keni's meaty bass lines. With Dean "Sir" Gant on synths and keyboards and Ed Walsh handling the Vocoder-OBX and Prophet 5, wonderful lines from Earth, Wind & Fire's legendary horn section and hooky rhythm and lead guitar riffs courtesy of Ed "Tree" Walsh, Keni was truly spoiled for excellence. Doc Gibbs on percussion and Vince Montana on vibes elevate the sensational writing and arrangements. "Risin' To The Top" is undoubtedly the defining crown and lasting legacy of this album. With its instantly captivating bassline, slowly creepin' groove and uplifting lyrics, it was a favorite among both the '80s soul steppers and hip-hop crowd. Big Daddy Kane sampled it for "Smooth Operator", LL Cool J for "Around The Way Girl", Pete Rock & CL Smooth for "Take You There", and O.C. with "Born 2 Live". The track which precedes "Risin'" on Side B is another steppers favorite. "One Minute More" is a perfect mid-tempo ballad and the epitome of deep modern soul. It's hard to think of a better song segue than from the intense beauty of "One Minute More" to when "Risin'" elegantly stirs into action. The propulsive, bass-heavy opener "Shakin" is an indisputable cracker and it's followed by the timeless mid-tempo class of "Hang Tight". "Can't Get Enough" is another emotional, horn heavy chugger. The side closes with the sparse, tender, floating slow jam "Who Do You Love"; a truly divine ballad. The B-side beings with the title-track, "Changes", a squelchy, melodic boogie banger with fantastic keys, incredible vocals, ace shuffling percussion, and spacey synths. It's followed by the ultimate one-two in "One Minute More" and "Risin'" before this sensational set closes with the glorious easy glide "All Night". An absolutely essential record for fans of deeply soulful modern-funk. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston for Alchemy at AIR Studios.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: BJR 086CD

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Coco María and Bongo Joe reunite for the second edition of Club Coco, featuring a sackful of Latin inspired tracks from international bands and producers. All the songs were selected by Coco María, who in recent years has gone from a promising up-and-comer to an ever-present and influential figure in the music industry, widely known for her tireless work shining a light on contemporary, pan-Latin roots music around the world, through both her live DJs sets and eclectic radio sessions. This compilation brings together several of the most respected and innovative artists on the frontiers of tropical music today. Those who take the energy, melodies and textures of classic Latin music and turn those gems into songs tailor-made for a new generation of music lovers. Simply put, it's a record for those diggers who jump with excitement when they find a vinyl reissue of some Latin star of the past, be it Joe Arroyo, Los Mirlos, or Aniceto Molina and then wonder, "This classic music sounds amazing, but where are the bands that are taking these sounds to new places?" Features Raz Olsher, Los Pirañas, Lola's Dice, Guess What, Acid Coco, Juan Hundred, Las Mijas, Dip In The Dub, Chupameeldedo, Guess What, Candeleros, Iko Chérie, Ronald Snijders, and Raz Olsher.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: BJR 45027EP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Colombian synth metal duo. Former members of Meridian Brothers and Romperayo (Eblis Alvarez, Pedro Ojeda) this duo is devoted to the strangest takes on Colombian music and all kinds of rituals and dogmas manifests in their first two albums. The duo overtakes all the religions both ancient and modern, from Catholicism, satanism, and political ideologies/religions, climate change, gender religion, political correctness, and beyond, Chupame El Dedo extremes synth metal and tropicalism to its bizarre edges. The duo went that far, where the ritualism the drugs and alcohol and the vices of the showbiz let them like junkies in the streets of their native Bogota. Fortunately, the duo decided to go on rehab. Now, they are awake and go into new age ideologies. Fighting for climate change political correctness and a hard crusade for good morality (also trying to organize their own NGO, getting government funds for The Good), this new work of Chupame El Dedo is a new face of the duo in a moral, and correct path.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: BJR 45028EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Nusantara Beat, the six-piece band hailing from Amsterdam, is quickly becoming a must-see act. With a deep connection to their Indonesian roots and a passion for honoring their cultural heritage, Nusantara Beat brings a fresh and modern take on traditional Indonesian music. Nusantara Beat creates a unique sound that blends traditional Indonesian songs from the 20th century with their own style and creativity. The result is a mesmerizing mix of tropical and mystical sounds that take the audience on a journey to the land of their ancestors. But Nusantara Beat isn't just about honoring tradition. They also strive to showcase the rich diversity of Indonesian music and take it into the future. With their music, they pay tribute to traditional sounds while bringing their own innovative twists to the mix.

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: BR 152LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Los Yndeseables was a post-punk musical project active between 1984 and 1985 in Lima. It was founded by Guillermo Valdivia, better known as Kimba Vilis, drummer and founding member of Leusemia, a punk band representative of "Rock Subterráneo", the hardcore punk movement that emerged in Lima in the mid-1980s. The complete recordings of Los Yndeseables are published here for the first time. The album includes the demo rehearsal El Perfecto Ruido, a historical document, as it is one of the first Peruvian DIY records, as well as two studio-recorded songs "Escapa del control" and "Asquerosa corrupción", with a piercing sound of dissonant electric guitar and an electronic rhythmic base, presented here on separate 7" vinyl. Under the name of Los Yndeseables, Kimba Vilis recorded a demo entitled El Perfecto Ruido (The Perfect Noise) in May 1985, using acoustic guitars, a battery-powered keyboard and sounds of home objects (cans, tubes, etc.). For this experiment, he recruited Mario Chirinos, known as Mario Almanegra, the bass player of Zcuela Cerrada, a band where Kimba had played guitar and composed some songs. Recorded at home, the ten songs that make up El Perfecto Ruido showed a particular rawness and nakedness, marked by disenchantment and existential anguish, exploring dizzying emotional states, as well as a variety of sounds that manifested an attachment to the experimental and dissonant spirit of post-punk. At the end of 1985, Kimba re-recorded at the studio Filderes two of the demo's songs in electric format for the compilation Vol 2, which brought together a new wave of underground groups. The songs "Escapa del control" (Escape Control) and "Asquerosa corrupción" (Disgusting corruption) showcased Los Yndeseables in an exercise of creative freedom and imagination without precedents in the Lima underground scene, with a piercing sound of dissonant electric guitar, a hypnotic bass line and an electronic rhythmic base, which placed the band at the vanguard of this generation. "Escapa del control" has since become a cult song played by many musicians from the following generations and is without a doubt one of the essential songs of "Rock Subterráneo". Includes extensive information and visual documentation, plus 7" vinyl Escapa del control/Asquerosa corrupción. Mastered by Alberto Cendra at Garden Lab Audio. Cover art by Héctor Delgado. Edition of 300.

 

PRICE: $17.00

CAT #: DIS 010LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress, white vinyl. Originally released in 1983. Includes poster insert. "This 12" EP (on 45 rpm black vinyl) was recut from the Silver Sonya re-masters in November 2008 at Chicago Mastering Service, features an album sleeve redesign from the original artwork, and comes with a free MP3 download of the album."

 

PRICE: $17.00

CAT #: DIS 035LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress, translucent green vinyl. This is Fugazi's second release, recorded in December 1988 with John Loder while the band was in England for a European tour. Originally released in 1989, 6 song EP. Remastered; printed inner sleeve with lyrics.

 

PRICE: $17.00

CAT #: DIS 060LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress on Metallic Silver vinyl. "This is Fugazi's second full-length record, released in 1991. This 12" LP was re-cut and re-issued in September 2009 and comes with a free MP3 download."

 

PRICE: $17.00

CAT #: DIS 090LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress on red vinyl. Fugazi's fourth album, originally released in 1995. Remastered with full color inner sleeve. "For all its eclecticism, Red Medicine is rock solid, held together with seductive hooks, hummable melodies and an overarching continuity that takes the listener from the familiar Fugazi sound of 'Do You Like Me' and the aptly titled 'Back to Base' to the mesmerizing psychedelia and spare dub of 'By You' and 'Version.' This is an album for all fans of inventive guitar rock -- whether Fugazi like it or not." -- Rolling Stone

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: CREP 102LP

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

"This device isn't a spaceship, it's a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards... it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It's not called the wheel, it's called the carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels -- around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved." --Don DraperCall Back Carousel is an audio time-travelogue, a slideshow of the mind's eye -- projecting Kodachrome memories directly into the listener's mind by means of sound alone. It is a way of travelling without ever having to leave the home. A vicarious vacation for the imagination. Pure audio escapism. Each episode is based on a found tape of a pre-recorded slideshow commentary. Most of these tapes were made by amateur tape-recording enthusiasts and hobbyist photographers of the '60s and '70s. Their recorded commentaries would at one time have been used in conjunction with a sequence of 35mm slides but only the taped voices now remain. The recordings themselves come from Vernon's own archive of found reel-to-reel tapes that he has collected over the past twenty years. Using these found slideshow commentaries as a framework, a series of musical soundscapes have been created to bring the absent images to life, activating the listeners' imagination in the classic tradition of "cinema for the ears". It's a little like looking through a family photo album where only the handwritten captions and mounting corners remain; the photographs themselves have all been removed. The evocative rattle and clack of the projector shuffles through different slides as the fragile voices of tour guides accompany you on a sonic journey that fractures time -- and through the cracks, the past bleeds through into the present.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: DC 839LP

FILE UNDER: SOUNDTRACK

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

 

PRICE: $31.50

CAT #: FAI 030LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Ursa Major Moving Group, the solo alias of singer and composer Ursula Russell, announces her self-titled debut album, out via Faith & Industry Records. Known for her mesmeric drumming for Snapped Ankles, Alabaster DePlume, Drop Out Venus, and Blue House, the album showcases the London-based artist's stylistic and instrumental virtuosity -- she played all instruments herself -- on an intense, dynamic and intimate musical journal that shifts between delicate folk, stirring indie rock, flamboyant chamber pop, and angular post-punk styles. Its complex themes reflect a multihued blend of musical styles that recall artists as diverse as The Pixies, Talking Heads, Joni Mitchell, Arthur Russell, and Julia Holter. Having built a reputation for her brilliance of musicianship as a band member, Ursa Major Moving Group sees Ursula establishing herself as a solo artist of brilliant, open-hearted originality. Amongst the album's many highlights is the driving, emotive opening track, "Reverse Invisible", which dives into memories of childhood alienation. The winsome "Goodbye George", which finds Ursula's delicate vocals and acoustic guitars melding with Alabaster DePlume's Ethio-jazz saxophones, delves back into her childhood. Edition of 300.

 

PRICE: $34.00

CAT #: FB 001LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Globally renowned for his wealth of intricate productions and an expansive musical catalog that strikes the perfect balance between power and grace, award-winning producer Rodriguez Jr. now announces his latest full-length studio album project, Feathers & Bones -- set for release on his newly launched imprint of the same name. An extensive, ten-track opus that dives deep into the Frenchman's complex sonic identity, Feathers & Bones was recorded over the course of two years, conceptualized while living in Paris and completed from his new home, Miami. Pivoting towards a new chapter in his illustrious career, the album houses a collection of new Rodriguez Jr. solo productions, two singles with Cuban-American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Liset Alea, his collaboration with multifaceted Italian artist Giorgia Angiuli, as well as an eagerly-anticipated debut collaboration with legendary English hip-hop/electronica outfit, Stereo MC's. Gatefold; blue curacao vinyl.

 

PRICE: $27.50

CAT #: FTR 709LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"After a handful of whacked-out cassettes & CDRs, for labels as discerning as Chocolate Monk and Beartown, this Nottingham trio has final made their debut LP, and it is a beautiful, swirling cone of sounds. Unlike some of their more savage kith, Food People's basic template is based less on explosive dynamics than it is on twisted invention. Their music is rarely overtly aggressive or ornery. Its power is drawn from quietly disorienting musical details that are assembled and fiddled-with at a patient pace. Sometimes the sounds they use are taped, at others they come from various strings (both plucked and bowed), maybe some simple reeds and possibly even a key or percussion or two. Can't exactly tell without actually seeing them, but this confusion is part of the music's appeal. And Many Glorious Petals is as appealing as any instrumental record you'll spin this year. Genteel backwards-masking lends 'Cheese Dreams from Oxney Green' a feel akin to Fripp & Eno collaborating with Orchid Spangiafora. 'Eat Paper' combines guitar-string-buzz-riffing, imaginary percussion and fiddle sawing into a deep meditation on the transitive existence of form. The way the flute tones (or whatever they are) layer-up at the end of 'Old Thresh' put me in mind of Robert Dick's compositional gambits, before leading into a brief piece called 'Blue Solar Arrow,' which is redolent of the New Orleans tripping scene in Easy Rider. There are also tracks like 'Scrim,' impossible to unravel in terms of instrumentation, but managing to sound amazingly tripped-out in the way they flip toggle switches inside your brain's sonic-receptors. Many Glorious Petals is not a long album, but it's got more audio nooks and crannies than you can easily explore. And every spin reveals new dimensions of otherness. Burrow in today." --Byron Coley, 2023. Food People are: Matthew Hamblin, Lila Matsumoto, and Greg Thomas. Mastered by Caleb Mulkerin at Tank 28. Layout by Derwent. Artwork by Matthew.

 

PRICE: $18.50

CAT #: FTR 727LP

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

"This is the 14th album released by this Georgia-based improv trio, but the first to come out on LP. The Electric Nature has gone through a variety of phases during its decade-plus history, but its recent work has been fairly abstract, and so it continues here. The basic threesome -- Michael Potter, Michael Pierce, and Thom Strickland -- are not credited with individual instruments here. It is merely noted that between them they play guitars, synthesizers, drums, percussion, samples and field recordings. Additionally, Jeff Tobias plays sax on one side, and John Kiran Fernandes adds clarinet and violin to the flip. Those with a serious working interest in the Athens GA sub-underground will associate these names with a variety of bands: Bleachy Asshole, Future Ape Tapes, Leisure Service, Smokedog, Wet Garden, as well as a couple of labels. Tobias and Fernandes bring another host of associations, from Arthur Doyle to Frank Hurricane, so we should assume this is a crew that knows exactly what it wants, as well as how to get it. In this instance, what they want are two side-long squalls of sound, so good they have an almost Japanese cast to their improvisational distentions. Despite their parallel intensity, the essential natures of these sides are disparate and distinct. On 'Enter Chapel Perilous,' field recordings give way to swampy sax blister, the sound of boots stuck in mud while spirits voices gibber in the background, and swirling horror-movie synth. These elements are twisted into a sonic fire storm that gets hotter and hotter. Eventually everyone gets spit out onto the parched sands of the Sahara. Meanwhile, on the title track, the team raises a sweetly muzzy curtain of drum splatter, amp roar and swoosh, through which curlicues of clarinet and shards of broken guitar are pushed like puppets at a Punch & Judy show. Anyway, that's my take. The Electric Nature surely have their own chronicle of this music. But who really cares what any says it sounds like. The proof is in the sonic pudding. And The Electric Nature have whipped up a very tasty batch of mystery. Yum." --Byron Coley, 2023

 

PRICE: $36.00

CAT #: GET 51313LP

FILE UNDER: HIPHOP

2023 repress; clear vinyl. "Super Tight... is the second album from hip hop legends UGK, originally released in 1994. The title of the album is taken from its stand out single 'Front, Back & Side To Side'. Bun B and Pimp C (R.I.P.) were already on fire from their debut album a few years prior but they perfected the southern playa sound with this record. At the time of its release Super Tight... was only issued on cassette and CD, so it's a must for fans and collectors to grab the vinyl now that it's available for the very first time. The album kicks off with 'Return', which after a few snare hits and the bluster of Pimp C's voice it is clear to the world - the underground kings are back. Countless tracks like 'Three Sixteens' (featuring DJ DMD), 'Stoned Junkee', 'It's Supposed To Bubble', 'I Left It Wet For You' and the previously mentioned 'Front, Back, & Side To Side' all perfectly showcase the chemistry between Bun B & Pimp C, over deep southern funk grooves. The production on this album is stellar, all bass heavy and features Meters lead guitarist Leo Nocentelli. Like their debut album Too Hard To Swallow, Bun B and Pimp C were ahead of the game, and with Super Tight... they perfected it."

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: GET 51331LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress. "The neo-soul movement of the late 1990s, which fused classic soul sounds with contemporary elements, heralded the arrival of some of the greatest R&B recordings of the decade. Albums like Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar, and Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite were all born of this trend, while artists such as Mos Def, The Roots, and Common whole-heartedly embraced the sound, creating some of their most timeless material in the process. These are some of neo-soul's great successes, but a slew of underground acts were what set the initial blueprint for their more pop-friendly acquaintances to follow. Acts such as R&B duo Groove Theory. The New York pair, consisting of singer/songwriter Amel Larrieux, and producer Bryce Wilson, (A veteran of the legendary 80s electronic group Mantronix) helped set the tone for neo-soul via their lone studio release, the self-titled Groove Theory. The nearly hour-long record features 14 tracks of Wilson's smooth soul arrangements and atmospherics merged with golden era boom-bap beats, and Larrieux's siren-quality vocals, inspired equally by a combination of Native Tongues, peak Marvin Gaye, Joan Armatrading, Soul II Soul, as well as elements of breakbeat, jazz fusion, and even trip hop. It's a definitive, but often overlooked classic of the 1990s, which helped expand contemporary R&B's sound, render Billboard hits out the tracks 'Tell Me', 'Keep Tryin'', and 'Baby Luv', and even found the time for a Todd Rundgren cover. On the cusp of Groove Theory's 25th anniversary, Get On Down is proud to bring you this vinyl reissue of an underrated 90s gem. The original record has never been re-released on wax since its 1995 debut, but is now presented here with fully remastered audio, and bundled in a full-color insert sleeve with complete lyrics and liner notes."

 

PRICE: $28.00

CAT #: GET 52736C-LP

FILE UNDER: HIPHOP

2023 repress. Deluxe green and orange splatter-colored vinyl "Possessing lyrics heavily focused on political and social justice, inspired heavily by West Coast gang culture and Islam, Da Lench Mob made waves throughout the hip-hop scene when they first appeared on the track 'Rolling With Da Lench Mob', off Ice Cube's famed 1990 solo record AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Initially, the titular 'Lench Mob' of the track namesake referred to Ice Cube as well as the other participating rappers, but J-Dee, Shorty, and T-Bone would adopt the name for their own in time. Their standout appearance on the Ice Cube track would earn the trio critical interest, (as well as shout-outs on Ice Cube's 1991 follow-up Death Certificate) and generate palpable anticipation for a studio album of their own. Guerillas In Tha Mist, their 1992 debut record, was recorded in the wake of the Rodney King riots, taking its name from infamous comments made during the riots. The record was uncompromising and confrontational in its depictions of urban decay and an unjust system wreaking havoc on an economically disadvantaged Black population. It was starkly realistic (bordering on abrasive) in the content of tracks like the armed revolution-advocating 'Freedom Got An A.K.', the kill-your-idols style of 'You And Your Heroes', and the anti-pusher anthem 'All On My Nut Sac'. These harsh manifestos were made all the more smooth via Ice Cube's jazzy G-funk and Bomb Squad-influenced production, which sampled heavily from classic songs by Parliament, Kool & The Gang, The Incredible Bongo Band, and even Vangelis. Cube himself would make guest appearances throughout the record, as well as an appearance by B-Real of Cypress Hill on the track 'Ain't Got No Class'. Guerillas In Tha Mist was a Billboard success upon its release, reaching #24 on the Billboard 200, and rendering rap radio hits out of its title track and 'Freedom Got An A.K.', but Da Lench Mob would fall into obscurity over the years, eventually going their separate ways after creative differences, financial rifts, and the life conviction of rapper J-Dee for suspected murder in 1993. Despite their loss of commercial fortunes, Guerillas In Tha Mist would develop a strong reputation as an unheralded gem among hip-hop heads, and would be considered one of the great lesser-known releases of the era among critics (in 2018 Complex would declare the title track as one of the 100 Best L.A. Rap Songs). Decades after its initial release, and in tribute to the memory of Da Lench Mob member Shorty, who passed in 2019, Get On Down now presents an exclusive LP reissue of Guerillas In Tha Mist, which previously was only released officially on wax in Europe. Remastered audio and a painstakingly recreated full color jacket."

 

PRICE: $30.00

CAT #: GET 56035LP

FILE UNDER: HIPHOP

2023 repress. "Jurassic 5 flexed serious old-to-the-new muscles in the '90s, beginning with their independently released single 'Unified Rebelution' in 1994, and book-ending with their stellar debut full-length: 2000's Quality Control. They walked a tightrope between underground and mainstream hip-hop, and toured alongside rap peers as well as punk rockers on the Vans Warped Tour. With double the pleasure of your average hip-hop group -- two DJs and producers (Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark); and four MCs (Chali 2na, Akil, Marc 7 and Zaakir aka Soup) -- they brought the late 1970s 'unison MC' style of pioneering groups like the Fantastic 5 and the Force MCs to a new generation. Even more surprisingly, they did so out of Los Angeles, whose hip-hop flavors generally leaned towards Gangsta, G-Funk or Electro lines. Musically inventive and lyrically forward-thinking, each song on Quality Control is a new adventure, exploring engaging territory, delivered via one of the best live hip-hop shows fans had seen in years. From singles like the strutting groove of the title track to the throwback doo-wop samples on 'The Influence' and the catchy, keyboard groove-driven 'World of Entertainment (WOE Is Me),' to deeper album tracks like the lyrical gymnastics of 'Jurass Finish First' and the thought-provoking 'Lausd,' Jurassic 5 consistently stepped to the plate and their fans responded in kind, nearly pushing the album to Gold status. Add the innovative DJ-and-sample workout which closes out the album, 'Swing Set,' and you have one of the 2000s' most unique and solid full-length platters."

 

PRICE: $46.50

CAT #: GLOSSY 013LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

El Pulso de la Madera comes as the definitive official reissue of the first album by the legendary band, along with previously unreleased remastered material, on a double-LP with extensive liner notes and previously unseen pictures of the band. Essential to revisit the work of a band that inspired fourth world and organic ambient as we know it today; these tunes sound immersive and still contemporary. On their short but influential career, Finis Africae proposed an informal and decentralized model of creativity that was decades ahead of current practices linked to technological advances; they explored unknown worlds and imagined landscapes of the "fourth world" apart from their present; they neither affirmed nor denied any of the labels they were to assign to them ("new age", "ethnic music", "world music", etc.); they recreated, used, and nourished foreign cultures without fear. And most importantly -- they shaped a sound "finis". Your own space. Where there were no rules. A dimension in which the collective was submerged in long sessions of improvisation; where they could be goblins and magical entities; a place where they could imagine scales and structures unreal; where they could play any instrument in the known world; where they could tour the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Middle East in a blink of an eye; where they could be themselves without caring about anything that happened outside. The unreleased tracks come as a careful selection of a deep-dive over hundred tracks and demos, compiled by Urba and Glossy Mario. The license comes from Juan Alberto Arteche's family.

 

PRICE: $25.00

CAT #: GY13 004LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Peter Jefferies, a living legend of New Zealand underground music, from his seminal bands Nocturnal Projections and This Kind Of Punishment, to his collaborative efforts in bands such as Plagal Grind and Two Foot Flame, is perhaps best known for his solo work on masterpieces such as The Last Great Challenge In A Dull World (1990) and Electricity (1994), as well as Elevator Madness (1996). All of these albums came out on vinyl but one of the best was the singular Closed Circuit (2001) which, unfortunately, only came out on compact disc and was somewhat lost to time until now. After Grapefruit released his collection of singles and unreleased songs called Last Ticket Home in 2019, Jefferies mentioned he'd always hoped one of his personal favorite solo albums could someday be heard on vinyl as it was intended. Grapefruit is proud to finally be able to highlight Jefferies' last album of lyric-based songs by releasing Closed Circuit on vinyl, remastered and with new artwork and insert. This album features all of Jefferies' signature tense and dark, piano-driven rock and moody balladry, along with themes of personal isolation and domestic ambivalence. It's a tour-de-force that has remained in the dark too long."

 

PRICE: $31.50

CAT #: GUESS 212LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Stunning private press album from 1975 by Louisville guitar-driven psych-rockers. A blend of West Coast styled psychedelia with acid dual guitar and gentle dreamy passages. Officially reissued for the first time by Guerssen in 2009, here's a new, improved repress sourced from recently discovered master tapes. Original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve + OBI ; insert with liner notes and photos; sourced from the original masters. RIYL: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Wishbone Ash, Quicksilver, Relatively Clean Rivers... "Personal fave, one of the big ones in the style" --Patrick Lundborg (Acid Archives)

 

PRICE: $31.50

CAT #: GUESS 224LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

William Penn & His Pals (also known as William Penn Fyve) were the ultimate '60s garage band from the Bay Area. Their line-up featured Mike Shapiro on lead guitar (author of the garage, acid-punk anthem "Swami") and Gregg Rolie (of Santana/Journey fame) on organ/vocals. Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead was also the drummer for a brief period. Here's the first ever vinyl release of their complete recordings, including their fuzzed-out "Swami"/"Blow My Mind" 45 of Pebbles fame plus prime cut '66 unissued recordings. A feat of garage-punk and teen-beat. Includes a color insert telling their amazing story by San Fran rock historian Bruno Ceriotti, plus rare photos/memorabilia. Includes download card. "Don't be fooled by the name or the Revolutionary War-era stage costumes. These kids are certified '60s garage punk rockers!" --Bruno Ceriotti

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: HG 2303LP

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

Debut album by the Belgian composer Elisabeth Klinck, was born out of strict isolation and is nonetheless a result of a collaborative process that saw her working closely with artist Oscar Claus. Enriching her compositions for violin with electronic soundscapes and field recordings from their surroundings, the two entered an artistic dialogue that took place inside its own idiosyncratic space outside of conventional time. It is an intimate record in which Klinck's expressive playing that incorporates unconventional techniques forms the basis of something much bigger: an invitation to inhabit a specific space at a specific time together with the two of them. For an entire week in the spring of 2021, Klinck and Claus stayed at an abandoned monastery surrounded by beautiful gardens, but with no power or running water. The intention was to record some of Klinck's musical ideas on violin, experiment with electronics and acoustic spaces and to get to know each other on a musical level. This proved to be an inspiring and deeply moving process -- and the starting point for more. In the winter of that year, the duo set out to the Spanish Pyrenees to build a DIY studio in a small village on a mountain top and record the eight pieces that form Picture a Frame. The idea of losing track of time and space is a theme that found its way in these recordings. The two spent their days and nights reading, walking, talking, cooking, and taking care of the animals living there but also experimenting with sound, improvising together and making field recordings. This deep focus on being present in the moment, listening to the world around them and each other resulted in a holistic experience that was translated into music and sound. Klinck and Claus understand this album as a collage, an attempt to evoke the implicit, an essay that suggests a time and space, and a gentle collision between two people that deeply resonate with one another. It's impossible to argue with that, and even harder not to be drawn into it. White vinyl.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 267CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue of the 1000mods debut album, originally released in 2011. "Super Van Vacation is an album for anyone who likes the genre's music. The riffs still feel gritty despite crystal clear production values, and with a fittingly sketchy singer, the album feels and sounds like a rock album. Really, there isn't much else that you can ask for. In the end, the album rocks, which is clearly its intent." --Sputnikmusic Released September 29, 2011. Produced by Billy Anderson and 1000mods. Engineered by George Leodis and Billy Anderson. Mixed by George Leodis and 1000mods. Mastered at Unreal Studios (GR). Artwork by Malleus Rock Art Lab.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 268CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue of the 1000mods sophomore album, originally released in 2014. "A hard rocking 38-minute affair that packs quite a punch. Stoner Rock and Fuzz Rock combine for one hard-rocking adventure that will speak volumes to the Stoner Rock crowd. Vultures is a lot different from their 2011 album -- Super Van Vacation. Yeah there is lots of fuzz to worship to but Vultures sees the band moving into dangerous territory as Vultures has a darker feel compared to the previous album's sunnier and easy-going vibe." --The Sludge Lord All music and lyrics written by 1000mods. Produced and mixed by 1000mods and George Leodis. Engineered by George Leodis at Shakti Sound Studio during March 2014. Mastered at Sweet Spot Studios by Tolis Economou. Artwork by Indyvisuals. Hammond on "Modesty" by Greg Chour. Wise words on "Reverb of the New World" by Carl Sagan, performed by Simon Bloom.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 269CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue of 1000mods third album, originally released in 2016. "If Kyuss had reunited and made an album that would be their sound! Whole album perfectly describes the stoner rock sound with a Greek soul. The album is probably the most prominent stoner album of last year. It looks like they've made what they try to achieve with the harsh vocals and edgy lyrics; it's like a declaration of the new stoner scene in Europe!" --Metal Gods TV, 2017 Released on September 26, 2016. Artwork by Fuzz ink. Photo by Aris Panagopoulos.

 

PRICE: $31.50

CAT #: HJR 042LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 restock; Double LP version. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is comprised of eight brothers from the south side of Chicago who come from an extraordinary musical family. Other sisters and brothers are professional musicians, their mothers are singers, and Phil Cohran, their father, has roots running back to Mississippi, the musical hothouse of 1940s St. Louis, Sun Ra in Chicago in the 1950s, and the founding of the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM)...This album is the result of a chance encounter in 2005: during a cold market day on Portobello Road, strains of Ellington and the swagger of brassy funk cut through the morning fog. Stationed on the corner of Talbot Road, eight horns and a drum kit rocked Ladbroke Grove. Since their initial meeting, Honest Jon's and HBE have stayed close. In 2007, HBE contributed a monster of a track "Sankofa" to the Tony Allen remix project, Lagos Shake (HJR 034CD/LP), and have not stopped blowing minds since.

 

PRICE: $35.50

CAT #: HJR 084LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2023 restock. The out-of-this-world recordings of Dilson de Souza, leading a kind of tropical chamber jazz on leaves from a ficus tree. Dilson was from Barra do Pirai, in the Brazilian countryside; moving to Rio as a young man, where he worked in construction. He recorded his first record in 1954, for RCA Victor. He travelled to Quito around 1957, soon hooking up with Benitez & Valencia, who introduced him to the CAIFE label. Dilson played the leaf open, resting on his tongue, hands free, with his mouth as the resonator. Though a leaf can also be played rolled or folded in half, this method allowed for more precision, a tethered brilliance. A picked ficus leaf stays fresh, crisp and clean-toned for around ten hours. He could play eight compositions, four at each end, before it was spent. Biluka plays trills and vibratos effortlessly, with utterly pure pitch, acrobatically sliding into notes and changing tone on the fly. In "Manuco", he leads Los Caníbales into a mysterious landscape on a rope pulled from an Andean spaghetti western, and corrals and teases them into a dialogue. A leaf, a harp, a xylophone, and a rondador -- joined in "Bailando Me Despido" (Dancing As I Say Goodbye) by a saucy organ, doing sloshed call-and-response. In "Anacu de Mi Guambra", Biluka shows his full range of antics, hiccupping melodically over a set of magic tricks. His expressiveness was boundless. The eucalyptus leaf is popular among Aboriginal Australians. In China, they've played leaves for 10,000 years. In Cambodia, people play the slek, a leaf plucked from either the sakrom or the khnoung tree. But ain't nobody like Biluka, ever.

 

PRICE: $35.00

CAT #: HJR 085LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2023 restock. Impatiently returning to the golden age of Ecuadorian musica national, this second round of retrievals is more of a selectors' affair: less reverent, more free-flowing, with more twists and turns. There is no let-up in musical quality, maintaining the same judicious, heart-piercing balance between emotional desolation and dignified endurance, the same bitter-sweet play between affective excess and musical sublimity. This time around, the women steal the show. Laura and Mercedes Suasti were child stars, with an exclusive Radio Quito contract. Unlike nearly all the men here, they lived long and prospered: Mercedes died last year, at the age of 93. Gladys Viera and Olga Gutierrez both came to Ecuador from Argentina. To start, Gladys plugged the scandalous new Monokini swimwear; Olga performed for visiting British royalty in 1962. Olga was glamorous but tough. She would make little of the amputation of one of her legs: "I don't sing with my leg." She is accompanied on our opener by quintessentially reeling, sultry musica national: haunted-house organ, twinkling xylophone, Guillermo Rodriguez' heart-plucking guitar-playing, and lilting, dance-to-keep-from-crying double-bass. "Sometimes I think that you will leave me with no memories," she sings, "that you hold only disappointments in store for me... In the future your love will search me out, full of regret. By then it will be too late, there will be no consolation, only disappointment awaiting you." Other highlights include the two contributions of Orquesta Nacional: "Ponchito Al Hombro", like an off-the-wall forerunner of the Love Unlimited Orchestra, beamed into the tropics from an unknowable time and space; and the tone poem Atahualpa, a mystical yumbo invoking Quito's most ancient inhabitants, the Kichwa. Also, the tremulous, gypsy-flavored violin-playing of Raul Emiliani, who arrived in Quito from Italy, suffering PTSD from the Second World War; the inscrutable, sardonic experimentalism of organist Lucho Munoz; and the mooing and whistling of Toro Barroso -- school of Lee Perry -- in which a muddy bull dashes home to his darling chola, fearless, full of desire. Lavishly presented, with a full-size, full-color booklet, with transporting art-work and expert notes. Luminous sound, by way of Abbey Road; Dubplates & Mastering and Pallas. Features Olga Gutierrez, Hnas. Mendoza Suasti, Benitez y Valencia, Caspi Shungo, Gladys Viera, Orquesta Nacional, Lida Uquillas, Los Inaquingas, Segundo Bautista, Los Barrieros, Raul Emiliani, Hector Bonilla, Duo Aguayo Huayamabe, Conjunto CAIFE, Lucho Munoz, Hnos. Valencia Con Conjunto CAIFE, and Luis Alberto Valencia.

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: HH 04230753LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

"METASTABILITY was composed and performed on the 1975 La Trobe Serge 'Paperface', a colossal modular synthesizer designed by Serge Tcherepnin, currently housed at the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS), Naarm/Melbourne, Australia. The fruits of two residencies at MESS in 2019 and 2021, METASTABILITY explores some of the vast sonic terrain of this unique machine across its five tracks. The Serge was commissioned for the La Trobe University Music Department in the mid-1970s by composer Warren Burt and has since been restored by renowned Serge expert Ken Stone. Affectionately dubbed 'Paperface' due to the characteristic paper graphics used on its front panels, the La Trobe Serge is one of three instruments designed by Tcherepnin to make its way to Australia during this period. The La Trobe Serge is a beautiful, complex instrument. At the core of Tcherepnin's design philosophy is the concept of 'patch programmability', where low-level functions of the instrument are made available to the musician. This approach pushes the performer to define and re-define the scope of the instrument's architecture as part of the compositional process. In my encounters with the Serge, I experience the instrument as an electronic ecosystem, one that makes me work hard for every sound, but always in collaboration with the machine. What fascinates me most about working on the Serge is this sense of human/non-human collaboration. As a patch begins to grow in complexity, I'm acutely aware that my compositional decisions are not solely my own. They've become part of a sprawling human-machine network, the history of which sits in front of me as an imposing tangle of patch cables. In METASTABILITY, I was interested in exploring this relationship, resulting in sounds and processes that push and pull on each other, moving in and out of equilibrium. Apparent Equilibrium, the bonus CD included in this release, documents a live recording made on the La Trobe Serge at MESS in July 2022. Extending upon sounds and ideas from METASTABILITY, this recording was made in preparation for an octophonic surround sound performance at The Substation (Naarm/Melbourne), as part of Sonorous V, curated by MESS. Piloted through some custom software, the performance weaves in live Serge with pre-recorded materials from METASTABILITY, diffused in a virtual surround-sound environment. As this CD was mixed for binaural playback, please use headphones for an optimal listening experience." --Ben Carey

 

PRICE: $12.50

CAT #: JR 7013EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Two killer tracks from the majestic Prince Alla.

 

PRICE: $12.50

CAT #: JR 7014EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Dillinger chants over Johnny Clarke's "None Shall Escape The Judgement" backed up by a killer King Tubby dub... Vital, Ital dub!

 

PRICE: $12.50

CAT #: JR 7015EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Cornell?Campbell's classic "stars"?cut with a wicked King Tubby dub on its flip!

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: JMAN 135CD

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

Reissue, originally released in 1967. In a 1990 interview, producer James Bronson described his Touché label as a "floating record label", comparing it to the "floating gambling houses" that Black people in his city had operated to try and avoid attention from the law. The label itself was a private enterprise, run from home, and had scant budget for promotion nor expansion. His slogan "Record companies don't make music, musicians do" spoke volumes as to his respect for the artist. Nevertheless, the Al Tanner LP Happiness Is... Takin' Care of Natural Business... Dig? was the first of just three albums the label was to release over the following 20 years. For an ambitious musician with ideas of fame and fortune, the situation may have appeared far from acceptable, but pianist Al Tanner didn't have such aspirations. He may have recorded an album for Bronson, but his ambition of living his life as a working musician was fulfilled -- he was a professional until the day he died -- and that of being a recording star wasn't a part of it. He was much more inclined to be a gigging jazzman, and was well-known as such in and around the local Bay Area nightspots. He was also heavily involved in musical education, and could be found performing at countless local community events, schools and recreation centers. He rarely travelled outside of the area. With Bronson's limited resources and Tanner's reluctance to put himself through the mill of touring, it was perhaps inevitable that the album would garner little attention nationally, or even within the wider California region. As noted in a 1967 review of Happiness Is... published in Downbeat Magazine, "Apparently, he [Tanner] is accorded a considerable amount of respect in San Francisco, though he has no national reputation. This isn't unusual. Many gifted jazzmen stay on their home base for years, playing well but attracting little attention, while other, sometimes less talented musicians gravitate to New York and make names for themselves." Nevertheless, reasons notwithstanding for a lack of commercial success, Tanner found happiness in the music that he made throughout his career. "I would say it's a spiritual thing. I find a lot of love for the piano, and a love for music. And I try and express myself on the piano as I love it. Jazz is a spirit to me, there's a spiritual side of jazz and there's a side of jazz where you playing a whole lot of notes and you're trying to get so many notes in one bar..." Includes extensive liner notes. CD version includes two additional tracks.

 

PRICE: $17.50

CAT #: K7 430EP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Within the transformations of their meticulous processes, London duo Kassian become a vessel for alchemy: filtering and distilling scores of stems, samples and layers until something richer and more complex than the sum of its parts emerges. Uncomfortable in any solitary genre, and at the midpoint of somewhere unexpected and uncharted, the pair describe their sound as "almost techno." Since their debut release in 2018, Kassian have drifted leftwards into heavier, more abstract territory, harnessing their individual skills for working in the small pockets and painting the whole cloth of the canvas. In their first outing for !K7, Phase Two EP, the Roland System 1 synth is the throughline as they painstakingly piece together sketches, turning high hats into kick drums, capturing the resonance of percussion and drift further into each other's heavy-hitting sonic realms. "X-303" recontextualizes the sci-fi inspiration of its name, forging a new style of interstellar acid. A driving kick drum holds steady through a track which oscillates between contrasts: from eerie, suspenseful pads and distorted string sounds, to a minimalistic groove accented with double-time drums and mechanistic pulses. "Tabla" reduces a distinct Latin rhythm down to its essence, and is propelled by a thick and distended bass loop. Its hypnotic groove combines the human and the virtual with a glitching vocal sample and the juddering of strummed guitar strings, highlighted by the percussive hits of its namesake instrument. The pair characterize "Prelude" as "a Frankenstein kind of monster." Constructed around a radio sample of a legend of the scene, it is a sleek and incremental gradation of shades, with micro layers from their palette of sounds rising and falling, blending and twisting with no obvious lead or bass. Repurposing the same drums as "X-303", the EP's final track "Patterns" was inspired by Kassian's earliest incarnations of live performances, and it unashamedly captures the peaks of communal moments, rounding out the EP with an epic take on deep and techy house.

 

PRICE: $17.50

CAT #: KALITA 12024EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Kalita Records announce the first ever re-release of "Adzagli (Jungle Funk)" and "A Song For You (Ayawa)", two phenomenal pieces of West African disco from Amsterdam's Kofi Ayivor. Selected from his sought-after Nigerian 1981 self-titled debut album Kofi, at last these two recordings see the light of day once more via a loud-cut remastered 12" single. In addition, Kalita enlists fellow Amsterdam resident, DJ and producer Mendel to create his own remix of each recording, using the original multitrack session tapes to rework both for the modern-day dancefloor. After having experienced life travelling with E.T. Mensah, as a percussionist for Afro rock supergroup Osibisa, and then as producer for Brit funk band Hi-Tension, in 1980 Kofi decided it was time to release his own solo album. With his own release, he could showcase his skills as a master drummer, combining these with the prevailing disco sound that had by this time taken over Western and West African airwaves. As he recalls, "all this time, especially on Osibisa's United States tour, I began to critically examine the difference between our native African music and the element of it that had been incorporated into popular Western music. And so my search began to find a modern African sound". Kofi was joined on both recordings by various musical superstars of the time, including Osibisa members Kiki Gyan and Jake Sollo, Eddy Grant on guitar and Theadora Ifudu on improvised backing vocals, and in 1981 the album was released on CBS's Nigerian imprint. Unfortunately, without a touring sponsor nor much label support the record soon faded into obscurity, and the record was lost. Now, forty years later and with original copies highly sought-after and selling for triple figures on the second-hand market, Kalita unearths this masterpiece once more, accompanied by two remixes courtesy of Mendel.

 

PRICE: $23.50

CAT #: KRXN 034LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Debut album by Akane, a new bedroom solo project by Tenerife's Carolina Machado -- best known for her role as drummer and singer in space rock psychedelic outfit Gaf y La Estrella de la Muerte. Cooked and slowly matured over the last couple of years, Carolina opens up her heart to present an intimate collection of dreamy avant pop songs under the banner title, Night-Time Birds. With various nods to David Lynch's dreamlike imagery and weird americana landscapes, Carolina gracefully merges her own local sensibilities to re-imagine a panoramic, fictional soundtrack to an unmade road movie, creating a personal musical language made up of vintage pop songs, lush ambient soundscapes, and West Coast lo-fi electronica. Her pursue of sonic exploration through modular synthesis techniques pushes her sound further out into a wider realm as she blends exotic alien-like melodies with her trademark soothing, shoe-gaze style voice. An album that seems to be floating gracefully and frozen in time... The album's seven tracks were recorded live during her performance in a disused gas tank at the Keroxen Festival in 2022 and counts with the special collaboration of her bandmate in Gaf César Chinarro on guitar. No doubt, Night-Time Birds is not the last we'll hear from Carol demonstrating once again the varied and eclectic creative energy currently flowing from the Canary archipelago shows no sign of slowing down.

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: KRXN 035LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Debut vinyl by Cruz Perro Maldito, a Tenerife based trio forever imbued in the collective imagination and folklore myths of the magical and misty mountain of Agua García, located in Tacoronte district at the foot of Teide Volcano (Tenerife/Canary Islands). Their music is an explosion of free jazz improv where sophisticated sound textures emerging from modular synths and processed guitars, creating abstract and random rhythmic patterns with complex saxophone lines guiding the ensemble from quiet to menacing passages of sudden bursts of noise and frenzy. Entitled Truquetin Resorte, the album takes inspiration from the rich history of mechanical automata, such as Talos, the bronze giant who defended the island of Crete and was eventually defeated by Jason and his Argonauts. Or Ape-ga de Nabis, a replica of King Nabis's wife whom crossed unsuspecting victims with its iron spikes hidden in the device's lower arms, hands, and breasts. Or even René Descartes and his infamous daughter-like Automaton replica, an eerie creation from the renown philosopher to evoke his dead daughter. These myths and more serve as reminder of a mechanical world's past, a world of complex automata stories with mechanic "imitating" beings as its problematic protagonists. An eerie counterpoint to our current uber modern digital world and its rapid advancing A.I.s. Food for "mechanical" thought... Cruz Perro Maldito are: Ricardo Marichal - tenor saxophone; Carlos Pérez - drums, objects, electronics; David Paredes - guitar, modular synth.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: KRANK 238LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Portland pianist Mary Sutton second's full-length for Kranky delves deeper into her roots as a Cherokee Nation citizen (Saloli, pronounced like 'slowly,' is the Cherokee word for 'squirrel'). The album is intended to evoke 'a day in the life of a bear in a canyon in the Smoky Mountains,' with each track channeling a different emotion or experience in its daily explorations. As with her 2018 debut, The Deep End, the entirety of Canyon was composed and performed live on a Sequential Circuits MultiTrak synthesizer -- but this time routed through a delay pedal. This refraction adds a lyrical spatial quality, as though 'echoing off canyon walls.' It's music both gentle and adventurous, curiously rooting through soils and streams, in a sustained state of discovery. In Cherokee teachings, humans and animals are considered to have no essential difference -- originally, all the creatures of the earth lived together in harmony. Canyon captures shades of this Edenic notion across eight elegant pieces, alternately meandering, pensive, playful, and pure. Sutton's playing, as always, is dexterous and dimensional, mirroring the dazzled senses of its muse. Her father, the Cherokee painter and flute-maker Jerry Sutton, created the artwork. Its yellow lettering is from the Cherokee Syllabary and spells 'Yona', meaning 'bear.'"

 

PRICE: $36.00

CAT #: KRANK 239LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Double LP version. "The latest by Canadian composer Tim Hecker serves as a beacon of unease against the deluge of false positive corporate ambient currently in vogue. Whether taken as warning or promise, No Highs delivers -- this is music of austerity and ambiguity, purgatorial and seasick. A jagged anti-relaxant for our medicated age, rough-hewn and undefined. Morse code pulse programming flickers like distress signals while a gathering storm of strings, noise, and low-end looms in the distance. Processed electronics shiver and shudder against pitch-shifting assemblages of crackling voltage, mantric horns (including exquisite modal sax by Colin Stetson), and cathedral keys. Throughout, the pieces both accrue and avoid drama, more attuned to undertow than crescendo. Hecker mentions 'negation' as a muse of sorts -- the sense of tumult without bombast, tethered ecstasies, an escape from escapism. His is an antagonism both brusque and beguiling, devoid of resolution, beckoning the listener ever deeper into its greyscale alchemies of magisterial disquiet."

 

PRICE: $36.50

CAT #: LPS PS013LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Reissue, originally released in 1998. "Dance music has always been grounded in a sense of place . . . But beyond the nuts and bolts of the here and now lies a netherzone where some of the best electronic music floats, impossible to pin down. Swayzak's Snowboarding in Argentina is one such record. The title hints at its uncanny placelessness. The music has nothing outwardly to do with Argentina, for one thing. The work of UK producers David Nicholas Brown and James S. Taylor, it was recorded in a number of locations -- mostly bedrooms -- around London. Yet there is little that is quintessentially British about the music. Instead, Brown and Taylor drew much of their inspiration from, on the one hand, the luminous chords and silky heft of Detroit techno, and on the other, the staccato drums and clipped textures that were then beginning to bubble out of Berlin and Cologne . . . On a practical level, the music took shape in the mid to late 1990s, although it took nearly 10 years for it to come to fruition. Brown and Taylor began jamming on instruments, then machines, in the late 1980s. Then, after Brown suffered a serious car accident, the two musicians began working together more seriously. Trial and error yielded a promising single with a downtempo vibe that a hired-gun studio producer promptly ruined; Swayzak retreated to their bedrooms. They learned about Chain Reaction from a radio show, found new ways to burrow into the circuitry of their machines, and by 1996 they had hit upon their sound. The core of Snowboarding in Argentina appeared on a series of three two-track singles in 1997. The album itself appeared in 1998 on London's Pagan label and quickly built a cult following. It was clear that the music was in conversation with its contemporaries: Heard from the right angle, it was possible to imagine it as a halfway point between the proto progressive house of Underworld and the monochromatic minimalism of Kompakt. But it also didn't quite sound like anything else around; it was a dispatch from an unknown territory that needed no special understanding to decipher. A quarter century later, Snowboarding in Argentina sounds simply eternal. Certain hallmarks of '90s production are available -- the music's almost murky warmth is a reminder of what electronic music sounded like before software swallowed everything into its digital maw -- but there's nothing dated about it . . . Long since been deemed a classic, Snowboarding in Argentina remains an underdog in the annals of electronic music. Its semi-obscurity was surely not helped by the decision to publish nine of its original 12 tracks on the CD, and seven on the vinyl, with only four appearing on both formats. Twenty-five years after its original release, Lapsus's Perennial Series edition unites, for the first time, all the album's tracks as a single triple-vinyl package, rounding out the 12 original songs with previously unreleased material..." --Philip Sherburne

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: LDM 004LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

First vinyl release of Geneva based Tunisian producer Pekodjinn. Maghrebi sounds meet club music, heavy trap, baile funk and dub. An Arabo-futurism experience. Founder of Ozadya collective, Pekodjinn has made himself one of the most influential producers in the Geneva subculture scene. Injecting his Tunisian heritage into the rap culture he grew in being a graffiti artist, he's delivering a futuristic mix where darbukas meet trap influences, traditional chants melt in batida and percussions are distorted by dub effects. Dharba, the first solo album of the beatmaker, is built in two parts. First one is an ode to Tunisian youths who fight a revolution against oligarchic power in 2011 and are still struggling to achieve what they started. "Chokri" is, for example, dedicated to Chokri Bellaid, a syndicalist assassinated in 2013. Second part is about imagining the future of Maghrebi, African, and Arab music. A unique sound where the youth of the continent and the youth of diaspora liberate themselves of colonialism, imperialism, and exoticism to build up a conscious sound to fight back the Western influences. If you want to know how's the guy sounds live, his DJ Set for Boiler Room is heavy tunes, heavy vibe... a newcomer to keep an eye on.

 

PRICE: $31.00

CAT #: LEWIS 001R-LP

FILE UNDER: HIPHOP

2023 repress. "First repress since 2002. Includes the singles 'Mic Manipulator' and 'Rapperfection (ft Mr.Lif)'. Stanton Swihart of AllMusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5, calling it 'a wild, weird, instantly left-field rap masterpiece from one seriously bugged-out, innovative loner.' Thomas Quinlan of Exclaim! described it as 'an album that embraces the late '80s/early '90s of hip-hop, with old school beats and battle rhymes (the Primitive), while at the same time shaking hands with new school lyricism and space age effects (the Plus).' Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club wrote: 'One of the year's most promising debuts, Primitive Plus makes the beats of yesterday and the flows of today sound like the hip-hop of tomorrow.'"

 

PRICE: $31.50

CAT #: LY 002C-LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

LP version. Silver vinyl. Three years after the original release date of Caterina Barbieri's career-defining album Ecstatic Computation, the Italian artist reissues the record on her newly found own label light-years. The reissue features a beautifully reworked version of the original cover art. Caterina Barbieri is an Italian composer who explores themes related to machine intelligence and object-oriented perception in sound through a focus on minimalism. Ecstatic Computation revolves around the creative use of complex sequencing techniques and pattern-based operations to explore the artifacts of human perception and memory processes by ultimately inducing a sense of ecstasy and contemplation. Computation is turned from being a formal, automatic writing technique into a creative, psychedelic practice to generate temporal hallucinations. A state of trance and wonder where the perception of time is distorted and challenged. Equally nervous and ecstatic, the fast permutation of patterns can create a state where time stands still whilst simultaneously being in motion. Is this propulsive music moving forward or backward? As long as the perception of the present is constantly enhanced and refreshed in an endless sense of loss, re-discovery and the search for self-orientation this question lies mute aside the thrilling and perplexing moment of the matter at hand. CD version includes a previously unreleased song. LP versions available on black vinyl (LY 002LP) and silver vinyl (LY 002C-LP). "Caterina Barbieri uses music to bend time and space around her. It's a warp-speed jump where everything seems to move slower and faster all at once." --Pitchfork

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: LY 002LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

LP version. Black vinyl. Three years after the original release date of Caterina Barbieri's career-defining album Ecstatic Computation, the Italian artist reissues the record on her newly found own label light-years. The reissue features a beautifully reworked version of the original cover art. Caterina Barbieri is an Italian composer who explores themes related to machine intelligence and object-oriented perception in sound through a focus on minimalism. Ecstatic Computation revolves around the creative use of complex sequencing techniques and pattern-based operations to explore the artifacts of human perception and memory processes by ultimately inducing a sense of ecstasy and contemplation. Computation is turned from being a formal, automatic writing technique into a creative, psychedelic practice to generate temporal hallucinations. A state of trance and wonder where the perception of time is distorted and challenged. Equally nervous and ecstatic, the fast permutation of patterns can create a state where time stands still whilst simultaneously being in motion. Is this propulsive music moving forward or backward? As long as the perception of the present is constantly enhanced and refreshed in an endless sense of loss, re-discovery and the search for self-orientation this question lies mute aside the thrilling and perplexing moment of the matter at hand. CD version includes a previously unreleased song. LP versions available on black vinyl (LY 002LP) and silver vinyl (LY 002C-LP). "Caterina Barbieri uses music to bend time and space around her. It's a warp-speed jump where everything seems to move slower and faster all at once." --Pitchfork

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: LR 113LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress, sorry. In 1978, Kiss simultaneously released solo albums from all four members. Gene Simmons, most associated with Kiss's heavier side, is revealed to be a closet Beatles fan as evidenced by "See You Tonite," "Always Near You," "Man of 1,000 Faces," and "Mr. Make Believe." But the surprises don't stop there: choirs and string arrangements, 70s funk, and good time rock n' roll also appear alongside heavy rockers like hit single "Radioactive." This eclectic mix of material is supported by guests like Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, Bob Seger, Donna Summer, and Janis Ian.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: MR 7360EP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

On the morning of Saturday, April 16, 1983, the Spanish television show Caja de Ritmos aired the video "Me gusta ser una zorra", a personal adaptation of The Stooges' classic "I Wanna Be Your Dog", by the Basque punk band Vulpes. The media, and even legal, uproar that their television appearance generated had unprecedented consequences in the entire history of TVE (Spanish National Television), including the resignation of the program's director. Taking advantage of the notoriety achieved by the band, Dos Rombos -- an independent Spanish label -- would materialize the release of the single, previously modifying the name of the group by adding a final "S" that would only increase the controversy: Vulpess. Closely watched by the police and beset by far-right violence, the gigs to present the single frequently ended in incidents. On the other hand, the sales of the album, although supposedly exceeding 10,000 units, had a very poor distribution. The story of this pioneering band, led by girls (Loles Vázquez on guitar, Estíbaliz Markiegui on vocals, Ruth Astigarraga -- former member of N-634 -- on bass and Bernardo Vázquez -- from M.C.D. -- on drums; as well as Lupe Vázquez and Mamen Rodrigo), would soon come to an end, elevating the Vulpess to the category of myth, and their only 45 becoming a sought-after collector's item, and an icon of the early years of punk music sung in Spanish and an icon of a historical period in which Spain was moving towards full democracy, getting over last vestiges of the still recent dictatorship. With the last reissue of this single out of print for over 15 years, it was about time to make this classic available again, with its original artwork and including a poster of the band.

 

PRICE: $38.00

CAT #: MOV 3274COL-LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

"Chet Baker was an American jazz trumpeter, actor and vocalist and a major innovator in cool jazz, leading him to be nicknamed 'the Prince of Cool'. The 1989 album Cool Cat contains six tracks, split into three instrumentals; 'Swift Swifting', ''Round Midnight', 'Caravelle' and the three vocal tunes 'For All We Know', 'Blue Moon' and 'My Foolish Heart'. The songs are written by top jazz composers, including Thelonious Monk, Rodgers & Hart. For the recordings of Cool Cat, Chet is accompanied by pianist Harold Danko, bassist Jon Burr and drummer Ben Riley. Cool Cat is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on translucent yellow colored vinyl."

 

PRICE: $49.00

CAT #: MOV 3414COL-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Janis is a double-LP 1975 compilation album by the 'Queen of Rock 'n Roll' Janis Joplin, featuring the soundtrack to the Motion Picture Janis, live recordings, interviews, and raw early performances. The first LP features the film soundtrack Janis and a few interview clips. The second LP contains her early performances including recordings from a 1963 and 1964 show in Austin, TX, and four sings from a 1965 concert in San Francisco, CA. The album achieved RIAA Gold certification in the United States. Janis is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent blue colored vinyl and contains a 16-page booklet with pictures from Janis' life and career. "

 

PRICE: $57.00

CAT #: SR 001LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Gatefold sleeve. "Sides A and B at La Cave, Cleveland, April 30, 1968. Side C: Cover states this comes from 4rth Fret, Philly Jan. 1970 (2nd Fret, Philadelphia, January 1970) but actually Boston Tea Party, December 12, 1968. Side D at Boston Tea Party, March 15, 1969."

 

PRICE: $40.00

CAT #: NOTON 052LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

2023 restock; double LP version. Originally released in 2005, Insen is the second collaboration album between Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto and the second installment of V.I.R.U.S.'s five album series. Remastered in 2021 in collaboration with Calyx Studio, the album's recordings are accompanied by an unreleased composition titled "Barco." Initially composed for Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto's 2005 Insen tour, the audio material used in this piece is based on the subtle sounds of Barco projectors, whose tonalities served as a ground for the artists' live improvisation. In Insen, Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto explore the potential for interaction and tension between electronic and acoustic instrumentation. Across eight compositions, the echoes of the cascading piano combine, collide, and dissolve with the tapestry of digital breakages in sheer vibrancy. This relationship lies at the album's core. It subtly continues Vrioon's calm melancholia, becoming a vessel for all the emotions and memories nourished by the listener. As you hear the opening, lonesome notes of "Aurora," you realize that the pair have once again conceded an ambition to embed elaborate disciplines into an archetypal sound of soul-searching beauty. Album art designed by Carsten Nicolai. Mastering by Bo at Calyx.

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: NA 5097LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress; double LP version. "The Heliocentrics' debut album, Out There (2007) was a confounding piece of work. Drawing equally from the funk universe of James Brown, the disorienting asymmetry of Sun Ra, the cinematic scope of Ennio Morricone, the sublime fusion of David Axelrod, Pierre Henry's turned-on musique concrète, and Can's beat-heavy krautrock, Out There pointed the way towards a brand new kind of psychedelia, one that could only come from a band of accomplished musicians who were also obsessive music fans. Drummer Malcolm Catto and bassist Jake Ferguson are the Heliocentrics' masterminds and producers, and guitarist Ade Owusu, percussionist Jack Yglesisas, and keyboardist Ollie Parfitt hold constant presence within this ever-evolving ensemble. They have been playing together for over a decade and their collective drive is to find an individual voice. The Heliocentrics search for it in an alternate galaxy where the orbits of funk, jazz, psychedelic, electronic, avant-garde, and 'ethnic' music all revolve around 'The One.' Back at Now-Again with 13 Degrees of Reality, the Heliocentrics have returned to develop this epic vision of psychedelic funk, while exploring the possibilities created by their myriad influences -- Latin, African, and more.The Heliocentrics have realized that their strongest statements are made somewhere between the persistent fuzz of Owusu's distorted guitar, Catto's impossible syncopation and Ferguson's looping bass lines."

 

PRICE: $25.00

CAT #: NA 5115-1LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress. "Proto-punk and garage Zamrock: the celebrated guitarist Paul Ngozi's essential debut album. Featuring Chrissy Zebby Tembo. Guitarist/vocalist Paul Ngozi's debut album ? under the name Ngozi Family - is an important record: not just in the Zamrock genre, but in the global rock canon. Day of Judgement is an introduction to the most intense, raw and inimitable golden era Zamrock recorded, as it paved the way for a dozen Paul Ngozi and Ngozi Family releases (the most famous being drummer Chrissy Zebby Tembo's My Ancestors) that straddled the line between funk and punk, of driving hard rock and Zambian folk melodies and rhythms. Day of Judgement was released in 1976, the same year as other, now famous, Zamrock albums, from WITCH's Lazy Bones!! to Rikki Ililonga's Zambia. But it sounds like none of its counterparts. Part of that stems from its frenzied primitivism, the Ngozi Family's attempt to overcome a lack of musical acumen with sheer force of will. That will allowed Paul Ngozi to overcome a humble upbringing to become the most unlikely combination: Zamrock's most beloved star in its brief but now-well chronicled arc; the only musician to maintain his fame and recording prowess in the dark ages of the '80s; an inspiration to not only aging but young Zambians -- and now others, beyond Zambia's borders. But one cannot imagine Paul Ngozi without this album, a full-on aural assault that sounds as wild nearly forty years after its release as it must have sounded in the developing Zamrock landscape from which it emerged. We listen to this anachronistic yet prescient album now as a wholly original, completely unpredictable album in line with those from mavericks from across the world - from the Ramones to the Sex Pistols to Death. And, though it's been over two decades since Paul Ngozi's passing, his voice and vision still seem exciting, powerful, unique, unvarnished, new."

 

PRICE: $25.00

CAT #: NA 5130LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2023 repress; LP version. "First official reissue of this essential Zamrock album, painstakingly restored, remastered and pieced together from multiple copies of the incredibly rare original album. Contains extensive booklet with never before published photos, an overview of the Zamrock scene, and the history of Peace and Black Power. Includes download card."

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: OCOM 002CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Sarabeth Tucek emerges from a decade-long hibernation with a new double-album Joan of All under the new moniker SBT -- a longtime nickname given to her by the many musicians she has worked with throughout her career. After retreating from the fevered pace of the record business to concentrate on other creative endeavors, Sarabeth began to piece together the music that would eventually become her most ambitious, personal project yet?the sprawling double-album Joan of All, released on her own freshly-minted imprint Ocean Omen. Sarabeth Tucek officially broke onto the music scene 2003 performing a series of spellbinding duets with Bill Callahan on the acclaimed Smog album, Supper. This was swiftly followed by a memorable appearance in the prize-winning Brian Jonestown Massacre documentary DiG! Sarabeth also contributed material to their 2005 EP release, We Are the Radio. One of Sarabeth's compositions covered by the band on that EP, 'Seer,' would later be retitled and released in 2006 as Tucek's debut single, 'Something for You,' which became Steve Lamacq's Single Of The Week on BBC Radio 6 Music. Her self-titled debut album produced by Luther Russell and Ethan Johns hit stores the following year and garnered rave reviews in the press, leading her to supporting Bob Dylan and unfaltering support at the BBC. In 2011, Sarabeth followed up her extraordinary debut with a raw, uncompromising album entitled Get Well Soon, praised as an unflinching meditation on the subject of grief. This release made many year-end lists and the title track was featured on the first season of HBO's Girls. The new album features lead-off single 'The Gift,' as featured heavily on Marc Riley's BBC 6 Music show."

 

PRICE: $38.00

CAT #: OCOM 002LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Double LP version. "Sarabeth Tucek emerges from a decade-long hibernation with a new double-album Joan of All under the new moniker SBT -- a longtime nickname given to her by the many musicians she has worked with throughout her career. After retreating from the fevered pace of the record business to concentrate on other creative endeavors, Sarabeth began to piece together the music that would eventually become her most ambitious, personal project yet?the sprawling double-album Joan of All, released on her own freshly-minted imprint Ocean Omen. Sarabeth Tucek officially broke onto the music scene 2003 performing a series of spellbinding duets with Bill Callahan on the acclaimed Smog album, Supper. This was swiftly followed by a memorable appearance in the prize-winning Brian Jonestown Massacre documentary DiG! Sarabeth also contributed material to their 2005 EP release, We Are the Radio. One of Sarabeth's compositions covered by the band on that EP, 'Seer,' would later be retitled and released in 2006 as Tucek's debut single, 'Something for You,' which became Steve Lamacq's Single Of The Week on BBC Radio 6 Music. Her self-titled debut album produced by Luther Russell and Ethan Johns hit stores the following year and garnered rave reviews in the press, leading her to supporting Bob Dylan and unfaltering support at the BBC. In 2011, Sarabeth followed up her extraordinary debut with a raw, uncompromising album entitled Get Well Soon, praised as an unflinching meditation on the subject of grief. This release made many year-end lists and the title track was featured on the first season of HBO's Girls. The new album features lead-off single 'The Gift,' as featured heavily on Marc Riley's BBC 6 Music show."

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: PANLP 003LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Killer compilation of rare R&B 45s featuring wild and crazy guitarists. Features Floyd Dixon, James Cotton, Joe Guitar Morris, Otis Rush, The Poor Boys, The Night Riders, King Charles and His Orchestra, Wild Jimmy Spruill, Tarhell Slim, Sonny Thompson, Ohio Untouchables, and Mac Rebennack. First volume of this series, limited edition of 300.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: PRTL 7080EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

More from the vaults of Alpha and Omega in the shape of "Shashamane", previously an LP-only track appearing on the Voice in the Wilderness LP in 1996, with the dub cut on vinyl for first time. As always from A&O, they reliably unleash a heavy-weight, mystical shimmering slice of '90s style dub.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: PRTL 7081EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Cool and deadly vocals from the legendary late Jamaican singer Gregory Isaacs who linked up with Alpha and Omega in the mid '00s for this one-off recording. Originally released on A&O's own label in 2006, Bush Ganja swiftly sold out. Now back on the streets courtesy of the reliable Partial Records.

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: PRLP 014LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Caught in and delayed by the snarl-up of the pandemic, the long song finally sees the light of day... this vinyl album by drøne (Mike Harding and Mark Van Hoen) introduces sung voices to add character and tonality to the familiar miasma of field recordings, modular synth, static, electronics, found sounds, and "musique concrete". Recorded on various continents in the febrile atmosphere leading up to those watershed years which saw complex realignments and reassessments not only politically but also socially and economically, the long song takes you on a strange and involving journey incorporating all these elements. Anna von Hausswolff, on whose label (Pomperipossa Records) this album is released, is one of seven female voices which reassert the feminine while the male world falls apart. Nature found new space within which to express itself as the combustion engine took back stage with flights cancelled and motor traffic consigned to the garage. And fresh feminine energy also found new parameters within which to operate, both domestically or in the wider world. Nico Van Hoen is a documentary photographer studying photojournalism at University of the Arts, London. Traversing the intersectional relationship between photography, memory, and the passage of time; Nico's artistic practice attempts to explore how by photographing a memory, you are killing it and therefore solidifying its nature as a thing of the past. Focusing largely on concerns with questions about the nature of memory, the power of images, and the ways that we use photography to preserve and remember moments from our lives. Voices by Galya Bisengalieva, Ipek Gorgun, Bana Haffar, Alex Hoang, Bethan Kellough, Anna von Hausswolff, Jana Winderen. Organ played by Claire M Singer at Union Chapel Crickets, recorded by Dave the Cap, Sumida, Tokyo. Recorded, edited, and mixed by Mike Harding and Mark Van Hoen; Photography and typography by Nico Van Hoen; Layout by Philip Marshall; Mastered by Charlie Campagna; Cut by Jason @ Transition.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: EZRDR 151LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. "Sixteen trips might fry the fragile psyche of the average teenager, but the hoary old heads at Brown Acid boiled their brain pans long ago! As such, Riding Easy is bringing even more hard rock, heavy psych, and garage rock rarities from the North American wasteland of the 1970s. From L.A. to Youngstown, OH, from Toronto to Charlotte, The Sixteenth Trip has got everything covered. As always, original copies of these 45s would cost a pretty penny -- if one could find 'em in the first place. And by now one knows the drill: This ain't no bootleg. All songs are officially licensed. This sixteenth installment kicks off with 'Shuckin' and Jiving,' a seven-minute power jam from L.A.'s kings of garage psych, the Seeds. The song appeared as a single in 1972 with 'You Took Me By Surprise' on the flipside. It was the only release on Productions Unlimited, a label created by (or for) the Seeds at the tail end of their late '60s/early '70s run as Sky Saxon And The Seeds. Get shucked! Macbeth released their one and only 45 in 1978, with the steamrolling 'Freight Train' as the b-side to 'Didn't Mean (To Come This Far).' Boasting a thick-ass riff, a tasty stereo-panned guitar solo and at least one space laser sound effect, this one should satisfy fans of Blue Cheer and Grand Funk alike. Macbeth's bassist, Ned Meloni, went on to play with UFO guitarist Paul Chapman, Virgin Steele guitarist Jack Starr and do a brief stint with doom legends Pentagram. Formed by three brothers -- David, Bruce and Barry Flynn, all GM factory workers -- along with organist Tom Applegate, The Headstones (also known as simply Headstone) lent their 1974 garage boogie 'Carry Me On' to The Fourth Trip. This time, the Midwest psych rockers return with their killer 1975 instrumental 'Snake Dance.' One can hear echoes of this particular guitar style in the recent work of Swedish adventure rock overlords Hällas. The band Clinton might've been from Pennsylvania, but that didn't stop them from writing about New York City. 'Midnight In New York' is the flipside to their sole single, 1976's "Falling Behind." Stylistically and thematically, it's not unlike something famous New Yawker Ace Frehley would've written for KISS around the same time."

 

PRICE: $29.00

CAT #: EZRDR 154LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"When Acid King pressed up their self-titled debut EP on a tape and started handing them out at shows with business cards, it wasn't an aesthetic choice. It was 1993. And while the world was still reeling in the aftermath of grunge breaking big on rock radio, this dirty-as-hell trio founded by guitarist/vocalist Lori S. were digging into even heavier vibes. Born out of Lori's shiftless days of wasted youth hanging around Chicago-area public parks, Acid King laughingly adopted the name from the book Say You Love Satan and its subject Ricky Kasso, a local drug dealer who killed a friend over angel dust, thereby becoming the stuff of Satanic Panic local news broadcasts all over the country. Founded after a move to San Francisco, Acid King were outliers on punker bills in the tradition of West Coast rifflords like Saint Vitus and Sleep, and this four-song outing captures them at their rawest. Long before the career-defining roll of Busse Woods (1999) and the psychedelic mastery of their latest offering, Beyond Vision, this EP set in motion one of American heavy rock's most landmark careers. Presented on reissued vinyl through Riding Easy Records - the original 10-inch was on Sympathy For The Record Industry -- Acid King's Acid King also established one of the most crucial partnerships in underground rock in that between Lori S. and producer/engineer Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Sleep, Om, etc). As Acid King went on to help define stoner rock in the mid and late '90s with Zoroaster (1995), that creative relationship would flourish no less than the band's sound, and here it is distilled to its meanest and most elemental self. Led as ever by Lori, Acid King at the time featured bassist/vocalist Peter Lucas and drummer Joey Osbourne -- legend has it both had to read Say You Love Satan before joining -- and Melvins drummer Dale Crover had a hand in producing it as well as singing lead on 'The Midway' after Lucas took a turn on 'Drop.' A preface to the many majesties to come throughout Acid King's many-storied career, behold the formative incarnation that started it all. A piece of heavy rock history and killer riffs? You can't possibly go wrong." --JJ Koczan

 

PRICE: $17.50

CAT #: RM 4203CD

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

To work against a-priori positions, to interrogate that which seems concrete, is never an easy undertaking. It comes with certain personal and even political costs, and it is these concerns that form part of the basis for New York based composer Christina Giannone's latest edition, Reality Opposition. Tracing out her own unsteady movements through the day to day, Giannone examines the waves of dissociation that haunt her interactions with the world around her. These examinations, by their very nature, exceed that of a pure self-reflexivity and rather invite the listener to consider their own positions and pre-occupations in the moment. Working with intensely sculpted walls of sound, Giannone's compositions are works of density, scale, and harmony. They are macro-sonic miniature realities, simultaneously outside and inside reality -- restless and indifferent to restraint.A note from Christina Giannone: "Dissociation is the driving force behind the composition. The act of surrendering, the attempt to observe our existence from the outside. Giving in feels like giving up. Acceptance feels like resignation. The process included digital sound experimentation by means of observance and detail orientation and the idea of sound presenting itself in different identities depending on the listener. This attention to detail acts as a hologram, changing shapes depending on the angle. Ideas of multidimensional existences and indifference in its purest form. Slow, digital evaporation. An attempt to recreate what 'nothing' means. It might be a gaze out the window, conversations in passing, an incomplete thought. Fleeting, meaningless moments that fill the gaps. Things we are only subconsciously aware of. The periphery. The forgotten. The static in between."

 

PRICE: $17.50

CAT #: RM 4212CD

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

"From eel to eel," Oskar thinks, standing by the coffin, "for eel thou art, to eel returnest." --The Tin Drum, Günter GrassEel is the second set of sound works from Berlin based Korean American composer, Hyunhye Seo. Known widely for her contributions to the now legendary unit Xiu Xiu, Seo's solo pre-occupations dwell in an altogether more timbral and gestural domain. Each of the two pieces that compromise Eel are visceral deep dives into a turbulence of sound flows. Uniting her interests in ecstatic piano performance, dynamic percussion, and cavernous acoustic treatments, Seo's pieces are dense, instinctive, and vertical. This is a music that skates at the edge of the abyss without fear of knowing what lies over the edge.A note from Hyunhye Seo: "Every year, the eels arrive in Sargasso. The eels that sprang to life when the sun god Atum warmed the Nile, the eels generated within the entrails of the earth, from the rubbing of the rocks and dew drops on riverbanks, they travel thousands of kilometers to Sargasso to breed. Their larvae, eels of glass, move to freshwater homes, crawling across land or up waterfalls if necessary, breathing through their skins, to get to where they want to go, although no one knows exactly where or why. Sometimes, they eat snakes and birds. After decades, when they're ready to breed, they stop eating and develop sex organs, and they travel back to Sargasso. If they can't go back to Sargasso, they never fully mature. They just stop ageing. No human has seen eels breed. Freud dissected over 400 eels in search of eel testicles. Aristotle thought they grew from earthworms in dirt. No one knows why they go where they go, or how they find their way back. Creatures of mud and rain, fluid in time and age, unabashed in its metamorphosis, unknown yet always found."

 

PRICE: $38.00

CAT #: SC 053LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Eight years in the making, Santa Cruz, California's reclusive sons of tectonic riffage Mammatus return with Expanding Majesty, a sixty-nine minute magnum opus of kaleidoscopic guitars, soaring analog synths, wall-of-amps fuzz bass and one hundred feet drums. Four side-long pieces unfold across a double album in unstoppable riffs that span the meditative and joyful un-earthed flight of '70s kosmische godfathers like Popol Vuh and Tangerine Dream to the kinds of sub-surface thunder pioneered by Melvins and Sleep."

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: TO 122CD

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Travelogue [Bali] is the second in an ongoing series of collected international audio diaries (Travelogue [Nepal] (TO 118CD) was released by Touch in 2020). The premise is quite simple: the two meet at a mutually agreed upon destination along with the facilitation of something to record audio of these experiences on. The intent is to capture and augment these sonic documentaries of their travels which then are sculpted into soundtracks. This is done by sourcing the culture, environment, persons, or events that make their voices available. In February 2020, CM von Hausswolff and Chandra Shukla met in Bali, Indonesia, over the course of nine days. Recordings were made at Pandawa Beach, Green Bowl Beach, Melasti Beach Ungasan, Uluwatu Temple, Pasar Senggol Gianyar, Pengosekan Kaja Ubud, Badung Market, Kintamani and Mt. Batur, Puri Saren Agung Ubud, Mandala Suci Wenara Wana (Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary) Ubud, Pura Tirta Empul Tampaksiring, Pandan Beach, and Kelingking Beach Nusa Penida. Mastered by Denis Blackham; Photography and design by Jon Wozencroft; Recorded February 6-16 2020 in Uluwatu, Ubud, Badung, Mount Batur and other locations in Bali, Indonesia. Composed and mixed at the Castle in Stockholm, Sweden and at Dissimulata in Asheville, NC USA, 2022.

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: TO 123LP

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

Intimaa' ("belonging" in Arabic), is a documentation of pieces composed for Touch's 40th anniversary celebrations in Los Angeles and Santa Cruz in the Spring of 2022. Pulling from ongoing research in weaving and textiles, the pieces are informed by the interchangeability of the weaver's process with the sequencing of sound -- from sourcing and preparing materials to be woven (recording, editing, and formatting samples), preparing the loom (programming the sequencer), and finally, weaving the cloth (playing back, manipulating, and recording the sequence). In contrast to her previous work with modular synthesizers, Intimaa' was composed on a music tracker sequencer.Bana Haffar is an electronic music composer working with the materiality of sound. Through research-creation, she works with sound design and sample-based music sequencing as they relate to various non-musical systems. In 2014, Bana, together with Eric Cheslak, founded Modular on the Spot in Los Angeles and in 2021 she co-founded the Beirut Synthesizer Center in Lebanon. She is part of the ongoing Touch Mentorship programme.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: TONE 083CD

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

With thanks to Mary Prestidge, who writes: "At the end of January 2022, Philip was taken to A&E at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital suffering from severe back pain and was admitted for investigations. In the hospital ward, with some strong pain relief, he could more comfortably rest, mostly horizontally. During the day he could be angled slightly toward a sitting position. Over the following days, aiming to make sense of his current predicament, Philip regained a tiny level of normality. With his laptop in place, he tapped into familiar territory and, when finding the most favorable times, listened to and worked with the sound files that Chris Watson had sent him. During these brief, intense spells Philip gave all to his ear and heart to guide and shape the music forming at his fingertips. Oxmardyke is the album which resulted from this collaboration."Chris Watson (August 2022): "Philip's laugh was infectious. Our conversations would usually begin with exchanges around the enthusiasm we had for each other's work and the respect we shared for other Touch artists. However, as we were most likely to have met over drinks at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms in Liverpool the evening would gradually dissolve into convivial disarray. What did emerge from these soirées over recent years was a desire to find ways and means for us to collaborate at a place where our ideas converged. In 2017, I was recording along the north bank of the Humber estuary and one morning driving back from Faxfleet I was stopped at the Oxmardyke rail crossing. The gates were down. After setting up a microphone array by the tracks for a passing freight train the signalman shouted an invitation to climb up into the gate box to make some more recordings. Over the following weeks I made several return trips to Oxmardyke and gathered a broad palette of recordings. I discussed the sounds, stories and history of the site with Philip after a show and we were both excited by the potential of making a work together. Philip was drawn to the ancient history of the area from 6th century Anglo-Saxon times to the Knights Templar and how the sounds, rhythms and textures from those periods may still inhabit the contemporary landscape. My thoughts took inspiration from 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens and the painting 'Rain, Steam and Speed' by Joseph Mallord William Turner. We agreed to share ideas and exchange tracks. Oxmardyke gate box has now passed into history. I hope my contributions may frame Philip's exceptional work."Mastered by Denis Blackham at Skye Mastering; Photography by Chris Watson; Cover design: Jon Wozencroft.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: TDP 54091LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released on CD in 2010. After exiting Buster Summers Express, Leeds-based songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Derek Noy formed Jan Dukes De Grey with woodwinds player, Michael Bairstow, soon opening for Pink Floyd and the Who, though LPs Sorcerer and acid folk masterpiece Mice And Rats In The Loft sold poorly. After line-up changes, in 1977, Noy assembled a new crew for Strange Terrain, cut at Brittania Row with Roger Waters co-producing, but the album's curious mix of post-prog, acid rock and punk was deemed unsuitable for release until 2010. This edition comprises the complete original LP, just as delivered at its time of recording. Essential! Licensed from BMG.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: TDP 54104LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released on Vertigo in 1971. Japanese country rock act Gypsy Blood must be heard to be believed. Their sole LP showed the group simply bursting with talent, Kiyoshi Hayami's mandolin exceptional and the masterful soft-rock production courtesy of Miki Curtis; drummer Eiichi Tsukasa had earlier been in the Helpful Soul, organist Katsuo Ohno had been in the Spiders, and guitarist/vocalist Hiroaki Nakamura later played in Buzz with future YMO member Yukihiro Takahashi, while none other than Alan Merrill of "I Love Rock n' Roll" fame completes the picture on piano. A beautiful album, and a very rare beast! Licensed from BMG. Exact repro of the original with four bonus tracks.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: TDP 54106LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1969. While stationed in Germany in the RAF during the late 1950s and early 1960s, York-born alto and soprano saxophonist Trevor Watts met the drummer John Stevens, with whom he would form the Spontaneous Music Ensemble upon returning to the UK in 1965, which became an important vehicle for British free improvisation. Watts's spin-off project Amalgam came two years later with Stevens and bassist Jeff Clyne, previously in the Jazz Couriers with Ronnie Scott; their debut LP Prayer For Peace is jazz improv at its most melodic, an unpredictable album of varying shades, with three unique takes of the song "Judy's Smile." Licensed from BMG.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: TDP 54107LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1970. The adventurous singer, guitarist and music journalist Mick Farren launched his solo career after being sacked by his fellow Deviants, the protopunk band he fronted from 1967-69. Suffering from depression and other mental health issues, Farren teamed up with an all-star cast, including members of Quartermass and ex-Tyrannosaurus Rex honcho Steve Peregrin for debut opus Mona The Carnivorous Circus. The album mixes hard rock, spoken word, spaced-out interludes, radio cut-ups, and garage rock, rendering a work as compelling as it is hard to classify. Strange, delightful, and a favorite of Julian Cope, this is an aural journey to savor. Licensed from BMG.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: TDP 54108LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1973. Non-standard prog act Gryphon made their mark by incorporating abandoned instruments and ancient classical elements in their work, giving their self-titled 1973 debut outstanding differences to standard rock fare. With co-founder Richard Harvey on recorders, mandolin, harpsichord, and glockenspiel and Brian Gulland, on bassoon, crumhorns, and vocals, backed by guitarist Graeme Taylor, and drummer/percussionist Dave Oberlé, Gryphon expertly channeled contemporary English folk through forgotten medieval and Renaissance styles; unlike later rock-oriented work, Gryphon showcases the band's unadorned beginnings. Licensed from BMG.

 

PRICE: $25.00

CAT #: TDP 54109LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1970. Psychedelic pop act Jawbone had ample talent and keen industry connections yet remained unjustly obscure. Core members had been active in The Mirage, who signed with CBS and later recorded for Phillips; drummer David Hynes and bassist/future Elton John Band mainstay Dee Murray briefly joined the Spencer Davis Group, but regrouped as Portobello Explosion, which became Jawbone. Their rare self-titled debut, released by Carnaby in 1970, had an undercurrent of Americana, and there's a one-off cover of The Beatles' "Across The Universe"; this edition features bonus track "Way, Way Down", a non-LP Carnaby 45. Licensed from Cherry Red.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: TDP 54111LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Sandy Bull's unorthodox approach to guitar was as unique as his personal circumstances. Son of jazz harpist Daphne Hellman and brother to the sitarist Daisy Paradis, Bull became part of the bourgeoning Greenwich Village folk circuit. A move to San Francisco in 1963 found him sharing an apartment with Nubian oud master, Hamza El Din, which had a profound effect on his playing, spurring early world music experiments. The previously unreleased Live In San Francisco features bluesy electric "Memphis, Tennessee" and "Instrumental Blues," plus the abstract "Untitled Instrumental" and "Solo Experimental," all classic morsels of Bull wizardry. Licensed from Good Time Inc.

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: TEG 78503LP

FILE UNDER: HIPHOP

2023 repress. "Camp Lo's first record, which did not disappoint. It struck the perfect balance between club tracks and underground bangers for the mixtape crowd. Critically acclaimed and fan approved, this late '90s album must-have was complimented by the incredible cover art illustrated by legendary NYC graffiti artist Dr. Revolt that paid homage to Marvin Gaye's 1976 classic I Want You. It's hard to believe in the time of Puffy's heyday, Camp Lo had developed and delivered a style of hip hop that was not only fresh and creative, but also straight up dope. Flipping intricate rhyme styles over some of Rap's finer beats, the fact that Camp Lo got main stream radio play and love from big time club DJ's is a testament to the essence of what hip hop was once about: raw talent and originality! Remastered from the original tapes and pressed on loud double vinyl."

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: TSPL 015LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1983. SUB is the most classic Brazilian punk compilation, recorded between 1982 and 1983. It was conceived and brought to fruition by Redson, the guitarist and vocalist of Cólera, who is considered one of the key figures in South American punk. Besides Co?lera, Redson invited Fogo Cruzado, Ratos de Pora?o, and Psyko?ze, three of the most promising and active unrecorded bands at the time. If Co?lera was the most experienced band in the scene at the time, Fogo Cruzado had already left its mark as one of the best, if not the best in terms of skill and stage presence. Similarly, Ratos de Pora?o and Psyko?ze on the other hand were younger and had fed on the new ways of punk from the get-go. Even though the Grito Suburbano bands had initiated the evolution towards hardcore a year before, SUB brought to the scene even higher levels of belligerence and speed. Just like how other international scenes documented the rise of punk with Flex Your Head in the US, Propaganda - Russia Bombs Finland in Finland, Punk and Disorderly in the UK, Outsider in Japan, and many others in several countries during 1982, the idea was to record the growth of Brazil's punk scene. The title chosen for Brazil's second punk comp was SUB, which used part of the idea for Co?lera's aborted debut album and alluded to Sa?o Paulo's literal (working class) suburbs, as well as its proverbial "subterranean" underground -- punk's natural habitat. And of course, underdevelopment (in Portuguese, "subdesenvolvimento") malnutrition (subnutric?a?o) and other Portuguese words starting with the prefix "sub" representing endemic Brazilian problems. Remastered from the original master tapes at the legendary El Rocha Studios in São Paulo. Includes four bonus tracks from the pre-recording, comes with a rare poster, an insert with lyrics, and a great new text written by Pedro Carvalho.

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: TSPL 039LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1986. Cólera, formed in the early 1980s by Pierre and his brother Redson, who is one of the key figures in South American punk. They played a vital role in the scene and garnered a dedicated following with their energetic and politically charged music. Pela Paz, which translates to "For Peace" in English, is often regarded as one of the most important and influential releases in Brazilian punk. Pela Paz stands as a testament to the DIY spirit of the Brazilian independent music scene. The record's success demonstrated that independent music could thrive outside of major record labels, inspiring countless bands and artists in South America. Over the years, Pela Paz has become a beloved and iconic album within Brazilian punk rock, leaving a lasting impact on subsequent generations of musicians and fans. It continues to be celebrated for its aggressive musical quality and socially conscious lyrics. One year after the release of Pela Paz, Cólera became the first Brazilian punk band to tour Europe. Additionally, their inclusion in various compilations such as "Beating The Meat", "Empty Skulls", and "1984 The Third", made Cólera became the most well-known South American punk band. Remastered from the original master tapes at the legendary El Rocha Studios in São Paulo. Contains original artwork with the lyrics translated to English.

 

PRICE: $43.00

CAT #: TRESOR 361LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Transparent Sound are the original dons of UK electro, not exactly household names yet an act with so many under-repped classics that once you dive into their catalog you might end up emptying your bank account on Discogs. To save you going down this calamitous path as well as to finally, raise TS to the level of notoriety they deserve, Tresor Records announce the release of Accidents 1994-2023. Formed by Orson Bramley and Martin Brown in Bognor Regis in 1994, Transparent Sound have managed to create 30 years' worth of some of the best electro from the British Isles, despite claiming to not know what they were doing nor how their instruments work. It's likely that it's this lack of knowledge that led to the quality and longevity of their output - the pair experiment and tinker with the machines until something pleasing appears then follow that sound down whatever path seems fruitful: "the confidence of ignorance" as a slightly more-famous Orson, Orson Welles, once put it. This tactic has paid off well and found them stumbling into many notable adventures, from remixing The Cure to performing during an intermission between two halves of a lecture -- none of which they understood as it was in Spanish. The compilation collects a lucky-for-you 13 of their most glorious electrical accidents on a three-disc set including the dancefloor hits "Punk Mother Fucker" (a mainstay of Villalobos sets at the time of release), and "No Call From New York" (as heard on Helena Hauff's perfect 2017, Essential Mix). The package also comes with "Windows To Your Sole" from the unreleased white label Transparent Sound 007, other unreleased tracks, and special 2023 edits, as well as six digital bonus tracks. 180 gram vinyl; full printed sleeve; download card.

 

PRICE: $51.50

CAT #: USHI 018CD

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

Conceived as a vehicle to explore electronic synthesis around the turn of the new millennium, Space Machine is Takushi "Maso" Yamazaki's "analog electronic cosmic sound project". Combining elements of psychedelia, drone, and experimental music, Space Machine crafts a sonic tapestry that defies categorization. Yamazaki's sonic palette encompasses layers of space ring, hypnotic rhythms, and ethereal synthesizers, creating a rich and textured soundscape. His mastery lies in the ability to blend these disparate elements seamlessly, resulting in a cohesive and transcendent musical journey. Space Machine draws on the artists deep and long-standing love of early electronic music from the '50s and '60s, his collecting of analog synthesizers and vintage electronic equipment over the years that he was primarily active as Masonna, and a desire to find a new creative pathway for his work, which was facilitated by being forced, in 2000, to temporarily cease Masonna activities due to ill health, allowed him to concentrate more fully on that project that would emerge later that year. In rapid succession between 2001 and 2005, Yamazaki released three full lengths and four EPs, all the products of his daily, tripped out inner explorations of music at his Space Machine Systems Studio. Complete Space Tuning Box gathers all these works, the project's debut -- Cosmos from Diode Ladder Filter -- the beautiful album 2 and 3 and the entirety of those EPs. Space Machine is the perfect counterpoint to Masonna. Rather than screaming noise and physical action, here Yamazaki veers toward the territory of non-rhythmic, pure electronics that resonate heavily with post-war avant-garde synthesis, channeling a similar territory of sonority that emerged from studios like Princeton, Columbia, EMS, GRM, conjoined with more contemporary temperaments of electronica and Onkyo free improvisation as well as the krautrock of Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze's early solo works via analog echo machines and synthesizers (EMS VSC3, Roland System 100 & 100M, PAIA 4700 Modular, Doepfer Modular, among many others). The music of Space Machine has an otherworldly quality, evoking visions of distant galaxies and cosmic landscapes. Deluxe wooden box with digital printing on the lid; contains the first album Cosmos from Diode Ladder Filter released on CD on Alchemy Records, 2 released on Midi Creative, 3 released on double-LP on Tiliqua Records and the four CD EPs released on P-Tapes, California based label run by Damion Romero, reissued for the first in a complete box; accompanied by a square pin and a series of photos of the impressive equipment used; extensive notes in Japanese by Satoru Higashiseto, translated into English by Alan Cummings; edition of 300.

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: VAMPI 284LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

The historical origins of cumbia in Colombia are nebulous and imprecise. The mythology surrounding it suggests an ancient past when Amerindian, African and European musical sounds were mixed together. The main record companies in Colombia such as Discos Fuentes, Discos Tropical, Sonolux, Zeida-Codiscos, Silver, Ondina, Discos Atlantic, Vergara, and Curro were created between Barranquilla, Medellín, Cartagena, and Bogotá from 1936 to 1954. All of them, without exception, recorded Colombian tropical music that over the years was given different names such as porro, gaita, fandango, paseaito, merecumbé, mapalé, bullerengue or, of course, cumbia. This first volume in the series Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia!!! comprises 24 Colombian cumbia bangers for the dancefloor from the deep vaults of Discos Fuentes, the most emblematic and best remembered label in the golden age of the genre. This is complemented by a selection of cumbias recorded by the label Discos Tropical, which sold most of its catalog to Discos Fuentes in 1990. Discos Fuentes concentrated on recording cumbias played on the accordion and by orchestras and ensembles. The label produced a prodigious number of albums devoted to cumbias between 1962 and 1979, which served to define ambiguous stereotypes, rooted as much in authenticity and modernity as in demure sensuality and joyful nostalgia. Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia!!! combines well-known classics and rarities that are difficult to find in their original formats. An invitation to enjoy and be amazed, above and beyond ethnographic and academic concerns. Features Juan Piña Y Sus Muchachos, Los Corraleros De Majagual, Aníbal Velásquez Y Su Conjunto, Cumbia Cipote Vaina, Calixto Ochoa Y Su Conjunto, Lucho Campillo Y Su Conjunto, La Sonora Del Caribe, El Sexteto Miramar, Pello Torres Y Sus Diablos Del Ritmo, Combo Los Galleros, Los Guacharacos, Combo Sampuesano, Conjunto Típico Vallenato, Pedro Laza Y Sus Pelayeros, Andrés Landero Y Su Conjunto, Los Golden Boys, Orquesta Nuñez, Los Candelosos, Morgan Blanco Y Su Conjunto, Pacho Galán Y Sus Sabaneros, Los Gavilanes De La Costa, Las Estrellas De Tolú, Los Warahuaco, Rodolfo Aicardi Y Su Tipica Ra7.

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: VAMPI 285LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

First time reissue. By the time Discos Fuentes released the album Wganda Kenya Kammpala Grupo in 1977, Wganda Kenya's discography was expanding with many 45 singles and appearances in various artists collections. The group's 1975 debut record África 5.000 was a full-length LP in the US and a various artists compilation in Colombia, which was followed by the self-titled long player the following year. However, Kammpala Grupo, which shared the album's title and was credited to three songs on the record, had never appeared before, yet was basically the same studio group as Wganda Kenya. The record kicks off with the joyful "El Gallo Africano" which features exquisite interplay between Sepúlveda's highlife style guitar and an authentic-sounding African style saxophone, perhaps played by Carlos Piña. In reality it was "Go Call Police Chief" by prolific Nigerian highlife guitarist Chief Oliver Sunday Akanite, aka Oliver De Coque. Next up is Kammpala Grupo's 'La Yuca Rayá' ('Grated Yuca'), written by Isaac Villanueva in a style he termed son haitiano which sounds much more like Zimbabwe Shona mbira music. Wganda Kenya's 'Caimito' (star apple, a type of tropical fruit), on the other hand, is actually a cover of a relatively well-known Haitian merengue song. Kammpala Grupo then takes us from the French Antilles to the multi-cultural discotheques of Paris, where a cover version of Black Soul's Afro-boogie anthem "Black Soul Music" is retooled and renamed "King Kong", perhaps in a nod to the 1976 remake of the monster flick of the same name. Side two introduces you to the infectious merengue rebita of Angola via "La riphyta" with "Paparí", aka Mariano Sepúlveda, doing the vocals and faithfully replicating the Angolan guitar style. "La Trompeta Loca" (The Crazy Trumpet), probably the nuttiest track on the album, is an ingenious cover of "Ye Gbawa Oo Baba (Tribute To Nigeria)" by Joe Mensah of Ghana. As with all their covers of African tunes, this rendition tightens up the original with some pop sheen. This is followed by one of the most powerfully original songs to come out of the entire Wganda Kenya project, Mike Char's reggae anthem "El Nativo" with Joe Arroyo on vocals. The record ends on a more authentically Caribbean sounding note with the instrumental "El testament", a cheerful islands banger with bright brass, syncopated calypso beats and chunky cuatro guitar (or ukulele). With all this wild and funky sounding Afro-based music in its grooves, Wganda Kenya Kammpala Grupo was ahead of its time. 180 gram vinyl.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: VAMPI 45096EP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Black Sugar is a Peruvian band, considered a pioneer group in Latin America in mixing funk influences with rock and Latin rhythms. In 1976, following their gig at Coliseo Amauta in Lima, opening the night for the legendary Spanish band Barrabás, they started to show a growing interest in disco music, resulting in some line-up changes with members leaving the project due to their lack of interest in the new sound and new ones joining in. Word is that Sono Radio, home to a bunch of local Tamla MoTown releases for the Peruvian market, thought that Black Sugar's prestige, and their credibility in the new orientation towards disco sound, would benefit from seeing their new single pressed with the labels of the famous record company from Detroit. And so it was. Under certain lights and shadows, "Baila" was finally released in Peru only in 1978, sporting the same look as the releases of the likes of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Commodores, or Thelma Houston. A clever marketing ploy that however failed in boosting the sales of the single... Only a few original copies have survived to this day, of either the first and the second edition from 1979 released on the US label Libra, and reached the collectors' market. It's now, over four decades later, when the interest on this recording has gone stronger and "Baila" is getting regular spins at international soul/disco scene events, having become a very sought-after collectors' item and, on top of that, the dance floor anthem that should have always been. The stunning piano arrangements of the intro, the outstanding brass sections -- faithfully copied from the disco recordings coming from the States --, a very catchy chorus... "Baila" has all the necessary ingredients to become an addictive invitation to join the dance floor. On the B-side, a cover version of Barry White's hit "Sha La La (Means I Love You)" -- as appeared on the original issue of this record -- shows what the interest of the band was at the time. First time reissue.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: WRJ 001CD

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

2023 repress. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) presents its first release, the official reissue of Ryo Fukui's highly sought-after masterpiece Scenery, originally released in 1976. Unquestionably one of the most important Japanese jazz albums ever recorded, Scenery reveals Ryo Fukui as a miraculously brilliant self-taught pianist fusing modal, bop, and cool jazz influences for a very personal, dexterous, and game-changing take on classic standards made famous by Bing Crosby and John Coltrane among others. From "It Could Happen To You" and its serene and calm intro which magically flows into a jubilant and upbeat piece, to the out-of-this-world piano solo of "Early Summer", or the incredible teamwork of "Autumn Leaves" where Fukui leads Satoshi Denpo (bass) and Yoshinori Fukui (drums) into groove heaven, every single note on the album oozes precision, confidence, and flair and every single section slides seamlessly into one another, creating a supreme and elegant blend of jazz. Often compared to McCoy Tyner or Bill Evans, Ryo Fukui was a genius in his own right, a true master of his craft whose perfectionism gave birth to some of the greatest music ever recorded. Scenery is his magnum opus and an absolute must-have. The Hokkaido wizard-pianist followed Scenery with the soulful gem Mellow Dream (WRJ 002CD/LTD-LP) in 1977. He then focused on improving his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui) and releasing two live albums. Ryo Fukui sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that is sure to captivate jazz lovers for generations to come. Sourced from the original masters. CD comes in digipack.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: WNCL 043EP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

WNCL Recordings is back with a series of two-track 10" vinyl battle weapons for your record box. Hooverian Blur finally graces the WNCL hall of fame! You know what to expect by now -- two heavy hitters drawing on the freshest sounds from yesterday, today and tomorrow.

 

PRICE: $15.00

CAT #: WOODSIST 106CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Born of a thousand nights lost in a surrender to stillness and contemplation, In The Air is Anna St. Louis' second full length album and her most considered work yet. It's an outlook on the world that was formed when her immediate one was small. The intervening years since her last album found St. Louis in a small one-bedroom cabin in the middle of the woods of upstate New York with a new love and time to think of what she wanted to express with her music. For weeks on end, the only trips she took were to and from her job as the front desk clerk at a nearby hotel. The previous years she had spent on tour and performing constantly in the venues of Los Angeles felt like they had occurred in another lifetime. St. Louis describes the writing period as one of a slow harvest; a fertile time but one that required a newfound patience. Instead of documenting her first thoughts, she spent more time with each song, going deeper with the themes and ideas she wanted to express. This slower approach also guided the sonic textures of the album. Working with producer Jarvis Taveniere (Purple Mountains, Woods) in two extended recording sessions in Los Angeles in 2021, St. Louis used the studio in a previously unexplored way, opening up her songs to more experimentation featuring brighter tones and a more orchestral sound to accompany her new perspective. To that end, she was aided by a cast of friends and collaborators including Jess Williamson, Kacey Johansing, Oliver Hill (Kevin Morby, Vagabon) on strings, Alex Fischel (Spoon) on piano, Josh Adams on drums (Bedouine, Tim Heidecker) and Keven Lareau (Cut Worms, Hand Habits)." --Justin Sullivan