Recent Best Sellers
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 166LP
|
Bahamadia's 1996 debut album Kollage is rightly regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of the 1990s. For the first time ever, Be With presents the definitive double LP version of this eternal hip-hop classic, including the legendary "Path To Rhythm" which never appeared on the original LP or on vinyl, anywhere. An indelible vibe from start-to-finish, Kollage presents Bahamadia's swirling rhymes delivered with an irresistibly butter flow and razor-sharp assuredness over a steady slew of smoothed-out, jazzed-up, blunted beats. Achingly cool and effortlessly funky throughout, it's an absolute must for true '90s hip-hop fanatics. The entire Kollage project was recorded at D&D Studios and the ties to Gang Starr are keenly felt, with DJ Premier producing five tracks in addition to the killer songs Guru had already produced with her. Working with the cream of the mid-'90s East Coast sound, Kollage is, accordingly, a record that demonstrates a varied musical taste with disparate influences. With intelligent, poetic lyricism and a laconic verbal style bursting with both warm texture and deceptive energy, Bahamadia's flow was as inspired by Aretha and Nancy Wilson as it was Q-Tip, Schoolly D and Lady B. Incredibly, only the European and Japanese CD versions of Kollage were released with the brilliantly breezy "Path To Rhythm," featuring Ursula Rucker. Whilst ostensibly a "bonus track," it's anything but. Very much in sonic conversation with KRS-One's stretched-out sleeper classic "Higher Level," it's absolutely essential. Somewhat predictably, whilst Kollage was released to significant critical acclaim, it suffered from disappointing sales. In the intervening years -- and for far too long -- it was a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. This Be With double LP reissue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston, and pressed at Record Industry. It's too bold and beautiful to remain overlooked and underserved.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BEWITH 158LP
|
Repressed. Known principally as a smooth titan of blue-eyed soul, Bobby Caldwell transcended genre tags with consummate ease; he was a musical icon of real class and versatility, cherished the world over. His double platinum self-titled album from 1978 is a timeless masterpiece of sophisticated jazzy soul brilliance and is strictly canonical. Whilst Ned Doheny is known in Japan as "Mr California", native New Yorker Bobby Caldwell has always been "Mr AOR" to his Far-Eastern friends. His distinct charm is an irresistible blend of soul, jazz, and pop influences. He possessed phenomenal songwriting prowess, smooth vocal performances, was both a great soul guitarist and dextrous keyboard player and known for genius chord progressions. It all added up to a multi-layered brilliance entering the studio, and the singular sound he landed on was laced with soulful, sweeping strings and funky horns, touching lightly on disco, while allowing his supple voice to carry the stunning tracks he'd crafted. Bobby sadly passed away on 23rd March 2023, after a long struggle with mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress, due to an adverse effect from a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. The reissue of his eponymous album will be available on vinyl across the globe, ensuring that fans -- and soul music enthusiasts worldwide -- can radiate in the deep beauty of this seminal album. Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest quality at Record Industry in Holland.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SPGRM 009LP
|
Entirely computer-generated, Jessica Ekomane's "Manifolds" is a work that explores the multiple possibilities of polyphonic writing, extending it to the "multiphonic" universe where sources and timbres diffract themselves in the listening space. The different voices of the composition no longer follow the traditional parallel trajectories of musical dialogue, but find themselves propelled as if into a particle accelerator, a "collider" freed from all formal rhetoric to reach a state of liberation of energies that is truly confounding. It is then that, in the multi-layered universe of sonic electrons, as if against its own will, a "chant" of overwhelming humanity is revealed. Laurel Halo's "Octavia," a piece for piano and electronics, explores the relationship between melodic motifs and textures in a singular way, intermittent moments of melody, harmony and sound materials connecting and disconnecting, to indicate a series of nets or webs, swaying in and out of one another. These sonic nets gently float, spin and merge, and the effect is one of gently floating over an abyss. The work is inspired by the "spiderweb city" of the same name in Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities: "Below there is nothing for hundreds of feet: a few clouds glide past; further down you can glimpse the chasm's bed. Suspended over the abyss, the life of Octavia's inhabitants is less uncertain than in other cities. They know the net will last only so long."
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 079LP
|
Wewantsounds presents this reissue of Brion Gysin's cult avant-funk album produced by Ramuntcho Matta in the early '80s. The hugely influential Gysin who, with his friend William Burroughs, was revered by the likes of David Bowie, Brian Jones, Laurie Anderson, and Genesis P-Orridge, is accompanied here by Matta -- on his return from a two-year spell in New York -- and French post punk stalwarts Yann Le Ker (from the group Modern Guy) and Frederic Cousseau (from Suicide Romeo) plus special guests including Don Cherry, Elli Medeiros, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Caroline Loeb, and Senegalese drummer Prosper Niang (Xalam). This is the first time the album is reissued on vinyl, newly remastered from the original tapes, augmented with bonus tracks and a two-page color insert featuring new liner notes by Gysin scholar Jason Weiss.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 073LP
|
LP version. Wewantsounds continues its Akiko Yano reissue series with the release of the singer's third studio album To Ki Me Ki, recorded in New York and released in 1978 in Japan. It follows her cult Iroha Ni Konpeitou LP and keeps the similar blend of Japanese pop and New York funk found in the latter. To Ki Me Ki features such musicians as Rick Marotta, Will Lee, and David Spinozza, and also programmer Hideki Matsutake who would soon join the YMO with Akiko. To Ki Me Ki is reissued outside of Japan for the first time, remastered in Tokyo by revered engineer Mitsuo Koike and featuring original artwork by Tsutomu Murakami with four-page color insert and new liner notes by Paul Bowler.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BORNBAD 039LP
|
2024 restock; Double LP version. Cameroonian musician Francis Bebey is truly one of a kind. He entered the music scene with his African compositions for classical guitar. He gave recitals while pursuing a career in journalism and then as an international civil servant. The same creative impulse also led him to write pop songs, some of which (based on novels he had written) became big hits in Africa and in the French-speaking world. But few people know that in the '70s, Francis Bebey delved into electronic music. The first electronic keyboards, organs and drum machines offered him new possibilities of totally controlling his compositions. He embraced the technique of "sound on sound" recording (recording several tracks, sequentially juxtaposed on the same tape). This new stage in his musical career included the production of several records (Savannah Georgia, New Track, Haiti), rarities both for their creative explorations as well as their manifestations on vinyl. This was a particularly rich period for him, as he tested the limitless possibilities of the medium, and made use of surprising and novel instruments. Incredible sounds -- in the literal sense of the word -- would soon appear on the planet Bebey. Full-color printed innersleeves with notes in English and French.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEC 5772110
|
2023 repress. Justice's highly-acclaimed debut album from 2007. French-only vinyl version, in deluxe gatefold sleeve. Retreating to their underground post-nuclear shelter/studio, French duo Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay worked on their first album as if their lives depended on it. The result is a mind-fuck of an album that proves that Justice's unique talent is to be found where least expected. Take for example "Let There Be Light" and its strident, angry electro, driven by a jabbing bassline; "D.A.N.C.E," a pure piece of vicious house sung innocently by a choir of children; "Newjack," a funky parody of the opulent times of the French Touch; "Phantom," taking over where "Waters Of Nazareth" left off to drift towards "Phantom Pt. II" and its head-swirling disco violins; "Valentine," an erotic, melancholic nursery rhyme, like a tribute to Vladimir Cosma and "Tthhee Ppaarrttyy," a pure electro-funk track where the sexy Uffie plays more than ever the cheeky Lolita. Justice have thrown established rules out the window (the notion of good and bad taste, the thin line between underground and pop music, the pigeon hole labeling between rock and electro, etc.) with a fantastic talent for synthesizing and mixing their influences with total candor, be it the cosmic disco of Larry Levan or Vladimir Cosma's panty-wetting romantics, Camel's prog rock or the anxious theme of Goblin for Dario Argento, to the flashy funk of the Brothers Johnson or "ABC" by the Jackson 5. Cross isn't a collection of random dancefloor singles. Cross is for listening at home or in clubs. Cross is a link between pop at its purest and experimental music. Cross brings together hardcore elements and cheese. Cross makes the Goths link arms with the rave kids. A generational manifest, ideally positioned on the side of the dancefloor, Cross, insolent with youth, is a testimony that the French electro scene is healthier than ever.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BJR 098LP
|
LP version. Merengue Típico: Nueva Generación! delves into the heart of Dominican merengue, a genre whose significance often eludes the spotlight. Bongo Joe's venture into unexplored terrain takes the listner to the Caribbean, specifically the Dominican Republic, shedding light on its musical tapestry. Curated by Xavier Daive, aka Funky Bompa, the compilation unveils rare '60s and '70s gems, providing a glimpse into a transformative period following the fall of the Trujillo regime. With over 20 years in the Dominican Republic, Xavier Daive meticulously sources original 45s, offering a snapshot of merengue's evolution during a creatively charged era post-Trujillo. The genre's roots, dating back to the 19th-century Dominican Republic, predate salsa, establishing its unique identity with the introduction of accordions via German trade ships. The genre's classic típico configuration emerged in the mid-'60s, leaving a lasting impact on its evolution. Focused on the explosive '60s and '70s merengue típico scene, influenced by genre pioneers like "Tatico" Henríquez and Trio Reynoso, the compilation showcases technical finesse and high-speed rhythms. Tracks like Rafaelito Román's "Que Mala Suerte" embody the genre's infectious energy. Aristides Ramírez's "Los Lanbones" adds a touch of humor, cautioning against pub freeloaders. Merengue Típico: Nueva Generación transcends the realms of a typical reissue; it's an immersive journey into the roots of Dominican merengue, expanding its narrative beyond borders to enrich the global musical landscape. This compilation goes beyond individual tracks, providing a historical and cultural context, enriching the listener's understanding of the genre's evolution in the Dominican Republic during a crucial period. Designed for both connoisseurs and wild dancefloors, this compilation is not only a historical and cultural exploration but also a treasure trove for DJs seeking to infuse their sets with the vibrant rhythms of merengue típico. Also featuring Trio Rosario, Fefita La Grande, Bilo Y Sus Típicos, Negrito Figueroa, Trio Royecell, and Victor Suriel Y Trio Rio Verde.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
3LP
|
|
BORNBAD 166LP
|
The French equivalent of the English "Derby Service," the Kiosque d'Orphée, formerly at 7 Rue Grégoire de Tours in the 6th arrondissement, was taken over by Georges Batard in 1967 and moved to 20 Rue des Tournelles in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The adventure lasted until 1991. Georges Batard was a sound engineer who used a Neumann tube engraver to engrave acetates from the tapes he received, before printing the precious vinyls in the press factories of the day, where he was able to produce very small runs of between 50 and 500 copies. Le Kiosque d'Orphée was neither a label nor a publisher, but a structure that allowed you to press your own vinyl, at a time when it was quite an adventure to get your first 45 rpm or 33 rpm album released! When you finally had your own record, you could give it away or sell it to friends, family or after concerts. You could also drop it off at the nearest record shop, with undisguised pride. It was also a calling card that could be sent to radio stations or music labels, in the hope of launching a career. At the time, the advertisements published in the press by the Kiosque d'Orphée opened up the field of possibilities for provincial composers. It was now possible to make their own record, without having to go through the process of signing with a label. This album is the conclusion of a long investigation, begun six years ago. It took a long time to find the records, scattered all over the place, in the homes of collectors and sometimes the musicians themselves, and then to listen to them, sometimes painstakingly, to unearth these moments of grace. From this work, 23 tracks remain, but there are dozens of others that could have been included, so Born Bad had to choose, and the choice had to be as universal as possible. Featuring Mar Vista, Kënnlisch, Crystal Eyes, Walrus, Gérard Alfonsi, Geoffroy, Amphyrite, Eole, Capucine, Rictus, Inscir Transit Express, Polaris, Joël Boutolleau, Spotch Forcey, Demon & Wizard, Temple Sun, Chantal Weber, Jean Claude Zemour, Rhodes & Co, Guidon, Edmond et Clafoutis, Dominique A, Didier Bocquet, and Alain Meunier.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
HE 65001LP
|
The Shadow of Your Smile is a studio album by Astrud Gilberto. With arrangements by Don Sebesky, Claus Ogerman, and João Donato, it was released via Verve Records in 1965. It peaked at number 66 on the Billboard 200 chart.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 083LP
|
LP version. Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program in partnership with Teichiku Records and Meiko Kaji herself, with the release of Gincho Wataridori, her debut album from 1972. This is the first time the album is reissued since release and it comes with its original Japanese artwork and newly remastered audio. Famous for her '70s exploitation movies, Meiko Kaji also released a string of great albums on Teichiku mixing Japanese pop and cinematic grooves. This reissue comes with deluxe gatefold sleeve LP, OBI strip and a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. Renowned for her roles in the highly acclaimed Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion film series, Kaji became one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan in the early '70s. Invited by film studios to sing the theme for many of her films, she ended up recording five albums for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, which have become increasingly sought-after over the years. Gincho Wataridori was the very first album released by Meiko Kaji in 1972 and is a great mix of kayokyoku (Japanese Pop), traditional Enka Music, psych rock and '70s cinematic groove. The album features the song "Gincho Wataridori" a theme song for the eponymous gangster film released by Toei Films in 1972 (and known outside of Japan as "Wandering Ginza Butterfly"). On the cover of the album, Meiko actually wears the kimono she wears in the film. The song showcases Kaji's distinctive singing over a funky backbeat and fuzz guitar. Ginchou Wataridori was produced by two seasoned Teichiku producers, Yorifumi Ito and Kenji Nakajima and features a superb mix of pop songs ("Hakodate Monogatari"), funky ones ("Koini Inochio," "Shitto") and atmospheric ones ("Jingi Komoriuta") making the perfect setting for Meiko Kaji's unique singing, reflecting the cool, dangerous atmosphere of the films she would star in. The first of a series of five LPs produced for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, Gincho Wataridori marks the beginning of Meiko Kaji's fruitful career as a recording artist and is a unique testament of her singing talent which Wewantsounds reissues in its full glory with gatefold sleeve, remastered from the original master tapes.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
DPROM 131LP
|
Double vinyl reissue of Skullflower's epochal IIIrd Gatekeeper album -- the first time that this album has been available on vinyl for 30 years. In addition to the original LP this definitive and expanded edition includes extra and unreleased tracks taken from the recording sessions. For the first time all the tracks recorded by the band during this period can be heard together giving fans unprecedented access to material previously only available in the bands' archives. Recorded in London in 1991 and released in 1992 on Justin "Godflesh" Broadrick's HeadDirt label in 1992, IIIrd Gatekeeper established a worldwide reputation and following for Skullflower and convinced many who heard it that they had encountered nothing less than the best band on the planet. Arriving at the height of the "grunge" and the expansion of underground guitar "rock" into corporate America, IIIrd Gatekeeper had its roots deep in the UK noise and power-electronics scene. Guitarist Matthew Bower and bassist Anthony Di Franco were both graduates of the Broken Flag school of British noise making with their respective projects Pure, Total and JFK. IIIrd Gatekeeper was Skullflower's third album and was the first of the band's albums to feature a consistent line-up throughout its production. Includes heavy matt non-scratch laminated gatefold sleeve.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
DOC 144LP
|
2024 repress. Akira Ifukube's mighty score to the legendary monster movie that started it all, Godzilla! Ifukube's visionary music is super dark reflecting the horror of Ishiro Honda's film. This incredible score music alternates between brass and strings as we witness the death and destruction that comes in Godzilla's wake.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
ARCHIVE 060LP
|
Kashmiri Queens presents a more accessible side of Muslimgauze, featuring a faster tempo and fewer sonic overtones than his previous endeavors. The music's core is rooted in drone and raga samples complemented by a rich array of ethnic percussions. This 12" stands out for its authenticity, allowing the sounds of tablas, sitars, and various ethnic wind instruments to flourish openly without being interrupted. There's a notable departure from the usual style in one track, adopting a floating, ambient-like approach. While the music maintains a strong percussive quality, vocals make only occasional appearances throughout the tracks. It marks a departure from the artist's previous abrupt transitions, favoring a more concentrated and steady approach to the music. Sounds are allowed to linger for extended durations, providing a deeper listening experience. The beats take a backseat this time, although they remain a significant part of the musical tapestry. Notably, track nine is completely beatless, showcasing the artist's ability to create dramatic and twisted sonic landscapes with looped and distorted vocal excerpts. The tracks featured on Kashmiri Queens maintain a clean and polished sound, allowing the instrumentation and composition to shine. The third track weaves together drums, bells, a female singer, and enigmatic extended tones to create a compelling sonic journey. Track four introduces a drum-loop with a sussurus element and a backwards orchestral loop, culminating in an unexpected rhythm shift. Track ten employs a metallic tapping loop as its foundation, creating a distinctive rhythm in collaboration with the tabla. It also incorporates elements of strings, offering a dynamic soundscape reminiscent of early Muslimgauze work. The penultimate track is a moody and minimal masterpiece that plays with layers of metal loops, tabla, and zither, demonstrating the artist's innovative approach. In summary, Kashmiri Queens is an impressive addition to the Muslimgauze discography, staying true to their signature sound while introducing distinct elements that make it a must-have for fans of their work.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
CT 084LP
|
2023 repress. One of King Tubby's finest works, originally released in 1974. Recorded at Tubby's famous 18 Drummly Ave. studio in Kingston during dub's early development period.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MIR 100705LP
|
2024 repress. Originally only available on an ultra-rare Japanese bootleg, Mirurmir announces the first official issue of the groundbreaking and mind-blowing soundtrack to Tarkovsky's masterpiece, Solaris. Composed by the electronic music pioneer, Edward Artemiev, Solaris was the first project in what proved to be a fruitful collaboration between director and composer. An absolutely essential piece of electronic music and Russian cinema history, lovingly reissued in a gorgeous gatefold package including previously unseen photos from the Tarkovsky archives and a cover pulled from the Italian poster for the film. Remastered from the original film soundtrack and pressed on high quality 180-gram vinyl.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
TROST 246LP
|
LP version. Peter Brötzmann collaborated with many artists in his career, regularly adding new compatriots into the fold, and Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love became one of his staunchest allies after the percussionist joined the Chicago Tentet in 2004. They worked in various contexts, including this inexhaustible, hard-hitting duo. Most of the albums they've issued have captured live performances, but in 2015 they made this stunning studio recording. As Nilssen-Love says in the liner notes, "Peter had acquired a contra-alto clarinet and was very enthusiastic about the sound of this instrument. I had also bought several Korean gongs which I hadn't used yet." They met up for a two-day session in Antwerp that August, and from the outset it feels different from much of their work.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
AU 1002LP
|
2024 restock. "Arthur Russell's most extraordinary work, World of Echo is reissued in this remastered vinyl edition by Audika Records. 18 tracks are featured including drumless versions of his disco classics 'Let's Go Swimming,' 'Tree House,' and 'Wax The Van' along with four previously unreleased tracks. Originally released in 1986, World Of Echo is a deeply intimate and meditative work of awe-inspiring grace and remains a timeless work of sublime beauty. Arthur's aim was to achieve what he calls 'the most vivid rhythmic reality,' with just cello, voice, and echoes. Arthur achieved all of this and more on one of the most incredible albums you will ever hear."
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SR 545LP
|
Those recordings of gongs orchestras were produced in 2003 and 2004 during funeral ceremonies in two Kung villages and one Jaraï village in Ratanakiri province, Cambodia by Laurent Jeanneau (Kink Gong), during a time when the jungle had not been replaced by rubber plantations. Focusing on funeral ceremonies, these hypnotics pieces are intense and haunting sonic experiments.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 085LP
|
Wewantsounds, in collaboration with Corbett vs. Dempsey, reissues one of the great albums out of the BAG galaxy recorded by Luther Thomas and a cohort of musicians including Joe Bowie, Charles Bobo Shaw, Floyd LeFlore, and Lester Bowie. Recorded live in 1973 at The Berea Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, the album consists of two tracks, the formidable, aptly titled "Funky Donkey" and the spiritual "Una New York." Released as a private press on Thomas' own Creative Consciousness Records, it's reissued here for the first time since the '70s, marking the recording's 50th anniversary, and features original artwork, remastered audio and new liner notes by Howard Mandel. Closely associated to the Black Artists Group in St. Louis, the Human Arts Ensemble was a loose collective of musicians sharing many of its musicians, such as Joseph Bowie, Floyd LeFlore and Charles Bobo Shaw. The album was reissued on CD on John Corbett's Atavistic label in 2001 but this is the first time Funky Donkey Vol.1 is reissued on vinyl, remastered by Colorsound Studio in Paris and featuring liner notes by Howard Mandel, exactly fifty years after this groundbreaking concert was recorded, which Wewantsounds is happy to put back into circulation.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FARO 190X-LP
|
Following on from their seminal Light As A Feather LP (FARO 170CD), Outubro (October) was originally released in 1980 and began Azymuth's run of prolific output for Milestone Records throughout the decade. Typifying the consummate craftsmanship of the three members' performances -- each with such distinct personality and together so perfectly balanced -- their perfectionist attitude to sound is maintained across the production on the album, beautifully coloring the expressionist fusion of samba rhythm, jazz progression, funk attitude and psychedelic electronics. The album hosts a wonderful mix of tempos and styles, from Alex Malheiros' earth-shaking slap-bass on "Dear Limmertz," which was to become a hit on London's underground disco and jazz-dance club scenes alike, to the late maestro Jose Roberto Bertrami's genial melodic Rhodes excursions on the vocoder laden, samba-jazz masterpiece "Un Amigo," while Ivan "Mamao" Conti's signature swing on "Maracana" exemplifies the root of Azymuth's "samba doidoi" (crazy samba) philosophy. The two cover versions on the album consist of the title track which was originally penned by Milton Nascimento and Chick Corea's "500 Miles High," both of which magically reimagine the originals and further demonstrate the immense virtuosity of this cult recording. This Far Out Recordings release is mixed and mastered from the original tapes. Pressed on blue color vinyl.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BB 440LP
|
LP version. "Martin Rev's eponymous debut solo record was released in 1980, not long after the second Suicide LP appeared. It is one of the most seminal albums to have emerged in the early years of electronic music?. The tension between his hypnotic drum machine salvoes and Alan Vega's irrepressibly expressive voice on stage or in the studio created an electrifying mix, and yet these six supremely minimal compositions were no less impactful without Vega's voice. There is an enchanting simplicity to the beautiful bubblegum melodies of the opening pieces 'Mari' and 'Baby Oh Baby' (the only track with a Rev vocal, everything else is instrumental). Like a clandestine heart, embedded in dissonant textures and infinite rhythm loops, echoing the doo-wop and rock and roll songs at the tempestuous epicenter of New York, the place which had such a profound influence on the youthful Martin Rev, there is also an incongruousness to Rev's own music, etched into the DNA he shares with the city?. Above all, there's a sense that Suicide's records and the solo works of Martin Rev could not be any more different to those of their European contemporaries such as Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream or Jean-Michel Jarre. If this is music as dystopian psychedelia, it glows nevertheless with substantial warmth. Sounds grab you instantaneously and, by virtue of endless repetition, never let you go. Rev's 1980 debut thus offers us something of great value: an insight into the beginnings of an impressive solo career which would play such an important role in the development of successive generations of artists. It is as enthralling today as it was when it first appeared." --Daniel Jahn, July 2023
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SE 4617X-LP
|
2023 restock. "The album was produced by the band themselves, and issued in two different stereo mixes. The more widely distributed mix is the one done by MGM/Verve staff engineer Val Valentin. The other mix was done by Lou Reed, boosting his vocals and guitar solos, while reducing the level of other instruments. This version was dubbed the 'Closet Mix' by Sterling Morrison, because it sounded to him as if it had been recorded in a closet. The most dramatic difference is that the two versions use entirely different performances of 'Some Kinda Love', both taken from the same recording sessions."
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FTR 539LP
|
2024 restock."Pleased as punch are we to be reissuing Michael Hurley's long-lost 1984 album, Blue Navigator. Admittedly, Secret Seven and Mississippi collaborated on a dandy 8-track version a decade ago, but the record has mostly been available as an obscure import CD -- if at all -- for many a year. The reason for this is that the Rooster Records HQ burned down in 1987, taking master tapes, extra covers and whatever else there was with it. This was a general bummer, but especially so for us Hurley fans, since his final LP with Rounder was Snockgrass in 1980, and he didn't hook up with Fundamental to do Watertower until 1987. The disappearance of Blue Navigator from this earth left a sizable hole. Which we'd now like to think has been plugged. Recorded with a cast of Northern Vermont hepcats including guitarist Jon Weber (of Dan Hicks' original Hot Licks), head Rooster William Wright on guitar and mandolin, Nancy Beavan on vocals, Gordon Stone on pedal steel and various other goners, all playing some sweet rural swing displaying exactly how Hurley became the toast of the snowmobile club circuit during his days in the North Country. A mix of old favorites -- 'Werewolf,' 'Open Up (Eternal Lips)' -- new favorites -- 'Code of the Mountains,' 'Ghost Woman Blues' -- and even a re-write -- 'Blue Navigator' -- it's a great, very casual sounding session, revealing more layers the more you listen. The instrumentation varies a lot between tunes, but the music always flows with Snocky grace and assurance. For this reissue, Michael has written a set of illustrated liner notes that scoot around just the way his conversation does on a long car ride. Which makes me miss the open road as much as anything else today. Just close your eyes, sink back into the music on Blue Navigator and pretend you're drifting through the hills and valleys of the Green Mountain State on your way to a cold growler of beer. You'll soon feel like a million bucks. Promise!" --Byron Coley, 2020
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BORNBAD 086LP
|
2024 repress. French pop connoisseurs La Femme present Mystère. La Femme have made a huge mark on modern Paris's cultural landscape, with the two sides of the city - the glamour and the grit - ingrained in their music. Since the release of their debut album, Psycho Tropical Berlin (BORNBAD 051LP, 2013), their rise has only gained momentum with fans including directors Jacques Audiard and Romain Gavras to legends Jean Michel Jarre and Hedi Slimane. Returning with a more psychedelic sound and guest vocalists that slice through the starkest of electro beats, Mystère sees La Femme celebrating their wonderful city. From the chattering tête-à-tête heard on "Conversations Nocturnes" to the throbbing disco beat of "SSD", a direct reference to the pulsing nightlife hotspot and multi-cultural district Strasbourg Saint Denis where the band is based. Mystère's true intrigue however, lies in La Femme's enigmatic questioning of falling in and out of love. A compendium of short stories describing loves and losses, each song breaks down language barriers through an inventive and astute knack for melody. The elation of a passionate encounter is captured on the ricocheting electronics of "Tatiana", the melancholic acoustic guitar echoes in "Le Vide Est Ton Nouveau Prenom" and the sorrow of a war-torn couple in "Psyzook". Whether delicate or drenched in dirty disco, the impact of Clémence, Marlon and Sacha's gothic mantras mixed with the guest vocal talent of Clara Luciani, Jane Peynot, Naomi Greene, Mathilde Marlière, Angela Hureau, Battista Acquaviva and Sarah Ben Abdallah is perhaps where La Femme's true meaning can be found. Sacha on his band's all-inclusive philosophy: "We don't like the idea of having a leader or a chief: everyone brings to the band what they can and want." Recorded between a castle in Brittany and a Paris basement before being finished up with Sonny Diperri (Animal Collective) in LA, Mystère once again sees backgrounds blurred and worlds collide. The band's chic retro-futurist surf-pop sound possesses the same dose of glamorous punk stomp as before, but this time around it's layered with an elegant fusion of influences from Ennio Morricone, Marie Et Les Garcons's disco-rock touch and the lysergic romanticism of The Velvet Underground. Through increased use of strings and further exploration of sound, Mystère also incorporates the band's new love of oriental sounds, Turkish disco, Tuareg blues, medieval psychedelia to mainstays Brian Eno and Pink Floyd.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
HE 72005LP
|
Masayuki "Jojo" Takayanagi (1932 - 1991) was a Japanese jazz/free improvisational musician. He was active in the Japanese jazz scene from the late 1950s. He was one of the earliest noise guitar improvisers, and the first (with Keith Rowe) to use the table-top guitar.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SVVRCH 075LP
|
Reissue, originally released in 1976. After running a sound system and studying electronics overseas, Spanish Town-based Harry Mudie began releasing rhythm and blues recordings by local performers, enjoying more concerted success during the reggae era of the late 1960s and mid-1970s, crafting lasting hits with artists like Dennis Walks and the Spanish Town-based toaster, I Roy. The first volume of the Dub Conference series, made with King Tubby, has stripped-down cuts of some of Mudie's greatest productions, including "Lorna's Dance," a percussion and horns take of "Caught You In A Lie," and a strings cut of the Heptones' "Love Without Feeling."
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WRJ 002LP
|
2023 repress. New "regular edition" on 140 gram vinyl. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, originally released in 1977. Released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor 1976's Scenery (WRJ 001CD/LP/LTD-LP). Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop, and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent "Mellow Dream" and "My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui's work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic "Baron Potato Blues" or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced "Horizon" which sees each member of the trio -- Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums -- demonstrating their virtuosity for nine exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, and reminds you that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists. After releasing the outstanding Scenery and Mellow Dream back-to-back, Ryo Fukui worked on developing his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui), and even releasing two live albums. He sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that all jazz lovers should explore. Sourced from the original masters. Mastered at half speed; 140 gram vinyl; includes sticker.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
3LP
|
|
BT 113LP
|
The heavyweight trio of Keiji Haino, Jim O'Rourke, and Oren Ambarchi return with their 12th and most epic release to date, the triple LP With pats on the head, just one too few is evil one too many is good that's all it is. Documenting the entirety of their final performance at the dearly departed Roppongi home of Tokyo underground institution SuperDeluxe in November 2018, the music spread across these six sides splits the difference between the guitar-bass-drums power trio moves and experiments with novel instrumentation that have defined the trio's decade of working together. Containing some of the most delicate music the three have committed to wax since the gorgeous 12-string acoustic guitar and dulcimer tones of Only wanting to melt beautifully away is it a lack of contentment that stirs affection for those things said to be as of yet unseen, this wide-ranging release also offers up some of their most blistering free rock performances yet. The side-long opening piece finds Haino on a single snare drum in duet with O'Rourke on unamplified electric guitar, playing in the lovely post-Bailey vein heard on his classic '90s recordings with Henry Kaiser and Mats Gustafsson. For the first trio performance, Haino makes another new addition to his seemingly infinite catalogue of instruments, this time a homemade contraption he refers to as "Strings of Dubious Reputation." Joined by O'Rourke on increasingly spaced-out electric guitar and Ambarchi on skittering percussion, Haino's wonky, slack strings adds a definite "musique brut" edge to this side-long performance, certainly one of the most enchantingly odd in the trio's discography. Arriving in a deluxe trifold package with photos by Lasse Marhaug alongside inner sleeves with extensive live images, this epic release is perhaps the most remarkable document yet of this unique trio's stamina and continuing inventiveness.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BORNBAD 160LP
|
2024 restock; double LP version. Includes six-page booklet; includes download code. Delving into the deepest recesses of raï, this compilation serves as a tribute to its roaring years, but also as a rejuvenation of the genre in its sulphureous, subterranean version. It seemed like a good idea to dig into nearly untraceable cassettes, thus confirming it's in the oldest of Oranese pots that the very best of raï is to be found. Just 50 years ago, no one would have believed even a bit in a genre seemingly bound to forever turn round and round in its native Oran, laying low in one of its many coastal road clubs. In these underground venues, singers -- backed up by a minimalist orchestration for lack of space -- would move their audience to laughs and tears, sobbing in a beer or chuckling down (dry) whisky. Through the pre- and post-independence years, from 1950 to 1970, raï urbanized itself, with a generation growing up between asphalt and concrete to the sound of traditional flute, but also and mostly listening to twist, French variété and rock music. Their names were Boutaïba S'ghir, Messaoud Bellemou, Groupe El Azhar, Younès Benfissa, or Zergui, and they passed on their collection of songs to the incoming "Chebs" -- breathing a second youth into them. Oran, the capital of West-Algeria, will be at the heart of this rejuvenation. Overshadowed to the West by the bare mountain of Aïdour, a foot set onto a beautiful bay and the other on a long dried out wadi, covered up with buildings since, Oran must be the most European of Algerian towns -- regardless of its kasbah, its sanctuary built in 1793 under the reign of the Bey Mohammed ben Othman and devoted to Sidi El Houari, the city's patron saint, and praised in many a raï song, and its Pacha 18th century mosque built in memory of the displaced Spaniards of 1492. Oran is blessed with the sea and pine forests all around and above it, towards Sana Cruz. It is rich with Hispanic, Andalusian, Turkish, Arab-Berber and French influences. A cosmopolitanism is very much part of the city's largely jovial nature. Some head for the open-air theater, renamed Cheb Hasni in honor of the creator of love raï, killed on September the 29th, 1994. Others take over restaurants before taking it all out on the dancefloor of one of the many clubs dotted along the coastal road. Features Cheb Hindi, Houari Benchenet, Chab Mohamed Sghir, Chaba Fadila, Cheb Tahar, Cheb Djalal, Benchenet, Cheb Kader, Chab Hamouda, Cheb Khaled "Schir", Nordine Staïfi, Chaba Amel, Chaba Malika Meddah, and Tchier Abdelgani.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SR 548LP
|
This LP reveals the extraordinary diversity of research -- almost all hidden -- by Spanish musicians in the '50s and '60s. Those pieces were composed while the country was under the tyranny of Francisco Franco. It is truly the ultimate grail, developed by musicologist Miguel Álvarez-Fernández: he is its curator, editor and commentator. This undoubtedly marks a major step in the approach and understanding of this music which had to fight to exist before the death of Franco in 1975. Miguel Álvarez-Fernández (Madrid, 1979) is a writer. He hosts the weekly radio broadcast Ars Sonora -- dedicated to sound art and experimental music, and offering hundreds of freely available podcasts on Radio Clásica (Spanish National Radio). Five Spanish Pionniers of Eletronic and Experimental Music aims to present five composers who most often work outside the rules and without the possibility of help from their own country. Jose Val del Omar (1904-1982) is essentially a creator, a filmmaker developing a dreamlike art -- not without links with Federico Garcia Lorca or Luis Buñuel. Eduardo Polonio (b. 1941) has published, in forty years, more than a hundred works. Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny (1929-2011) joined the Manuel de Falla Circle in 1952 and in 1974 he founded the Laboratori de Música Electroacústica Phonos. During his life he collaborated with Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies. Juan Hidalgo (1927-2018) participated in the music festival XII Internationale Ferienkurse Fur Neue Musik in Darmstadt in 1957. The following year he met the American composers John Cage and David Tudor. A member of Fluxus, in 1966 he participated with Gustav Metzger, Otto Muehl, Wolf Vostell, and Hermann Nitsch in the Destruction in Art Symposium in London. Cristóbal Halffter (1930-2021) was soon considered one of the most important composers of his generation. As a lecturer at the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt, he worked with Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Luciano Berio.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SOW 005LP
|
2024 repress. Sowing Records present a reissue of Dorothy Ashby's debut album, The Jazz Harpist, originally released in 1957 by the Regent label. Recognized as the woman who gave the harp a jazz voice, here, Ashby is at the head of a highly distinctive combo featuring Frank Wess on flute, Eddie Jones or Wendell Marshall on bass and master Ed Thigpen on drums. The Jazz Harpist is an unprecedented mix of evocative classic sounds and jazz soul, awarded by AllMusic as her first and best album, period! Clear vinyl.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
VL 900051LP
|
2022 repress. Although Warhol, who was listed as producer on the album, allegedly gave the Velvets free reign over their sound, it was on his insistence that Nico performed on this album. However, this does not detract from the fact that when this album was made the Red Sea parted, and the Velvet Underground crossed into the Promised Land. Deluxe gatefold jacket with peeling banana and "Chelsea Girls" bonus track on B5
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
JKDBAG 077LP
|
Limited restock. Killer compilation of archetypal late seventies style American and Australian punk rock, which brings together many of the best tracks to be found on the various volumes of the Killed By Death series. Featuring Queers, Child Molester, Nervous Eaters, Rocks, Psycho Surgeons, News, Violators, Hollywood Squares, Lewd, Mad, Unnatural Axe, Freestone, Nasal Boys, and Leftovers.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
GODREC 071LP
|
Morton Feldman's last composition, Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, was completed in 1987; although its instrumentation largely corresponds to that of Piano and String Quartet, with one instead of two violins, it differs in almost every other respect from the composition written only two years earlier, for here, in contrast to Piano and String Quartet, Feldman makes every effort to integrate the piano into the string section, and the basic formal components of the composition are no longer staves, as they were in Piano and String Quartet. Double LP with 4th side etched.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BORNBAD 064LP
|
2024 restock. Double LP version with printed inner sleeve. Born Bad Records presents the music of Cameroonian musician Francis Bebey, circa 1982-1984. "The first time I saw a sanza (a type of African 'thumb piano'), it was just sitting there on a piece of furniture in my family's living room/dining room -- a space that our father also transformed into a recording studio every day. It seemed more like a box than a musical instrument: a mysterious instrument, which arrived at our house, like many things, in a somewhat miraculous way. The sounds it produced seemed particularly bizarre; to my young musician's ears, trained in Western classical music, it sounded out of tune. That's because, like my brothers and sisters, I had been trained on the piano. I had trouble understanding how anyone could endure these tones and, honestly, our father's passion for 'unusual sounds' did not interest me. I was in secondary school at the time (the very late 1970s) and was not at all oriented toward musical projects. I planned to graduate, and then become a chef. In the early 1980s, my interest in music picked up. I was still undecided about my career. I was content to pursue my 'serious' English studies while hanging out at jazz clubs at les Halles in Paris, where I sometimes joined jam sessions. Next, I put together my first band with professional musicians; I had hidden my age and lack of experience from them. France was just beginning to accept 'world music.' Musicians of every nationality were performing in Paris. It was a wonderful period. My father asked my brother Toups and me to accompany him for a few concerts. In particular, we toured Tunisia together at the time of the 1983 Carthage International Festival. Back then, my father was renowned across the French-speaking world. Everyone looked forward to hearing his humorous songs, like 'Agatha' and 'La condition masculine.' But, behind the scenes, he continued his research concerning electronic music, the sansa, pygmy polyphony, etc. One day he put a sansa in my hands, without saying a word. He was sending me a message: 'Let's see what you can do with it!' That's when I really discovered something. Exploring the instrument and playing, I transcended the 'imperfect' aspect of its sound and began to discover its fascinating potential. Playing the sansa, you enter a world that enraptures you in a very serene and mesmerizing way. I think its sounds evoke a rainbow, with rain falling while the sun shines. A very peaceful feeling. It allows you to make music that truly sounds like life. The sansa is also the instrument that my father and I shared the most because I am a pianist and he was a guitarist. I also share this eminently African instrument with my musician brother, Toups. Our father loved to tell us one of the legends of the sansa: how it even managed to dispel the boredom felt by... the Creator himself! This instrument gives life to the world, to beings and things. I did not participate in the production of the various records that my father devoted to the sansa. He did it himself, you might say, in his 'laboratory.' Yet today, I cannot imagine playing a concert without using a sansa. The piano remains present so that listeners don't become disoriented and wonder about the weird sounds invading their ears! However, I find the eccentric and disturbing side of sansa interesting. And the sansa always affects the audience: in reality, it excites them. The secrets of this instrument are surely its beneficial powers and... its magic!" --Patrick Bebey
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BEWITH 061LP
|
2024 repress; LP version. 140 gram vinyl; gatefold sleeve; includes 16-page insert with photos and liner notes. For the first time since its inception in 1983, Steve Hiett's elusive Down On The Road By The Beach is finally made available outside of Japan. Most recognized in the fashion sphere as an English photographer and graphic designer, Hiett's transportive audio portraits amplify his serpentine guitar to the infinite blue, recorded across Paris, Tokyo and New York. A career devotee of Brian Wilson's groundbreaking harmonies, Hiett shot The Beach Boys for Rolling Stone -- as well as The Doors, Miles Davis, and Jimi Hendrix -- while establishing himself as a fashion photographer. Decamping to Paris in 1972, he began what would become 20-year collaborations with Vogue Paris and Marie Claire. In 1982, representatives from Tokyo's Galerie Watari visited him to propose a solo exhibition. Asking if he could insert a 7" of original music into the back of the exhibition catalogue, Hiett laid down "Blue Beach - Welcome To Your Beach" in a Parisian radio station, playing all of the instruments himself, and two more cuts in New York with Yoko Ono, The Doobie Brothers, and Steely Dan hired-gun, Elliot Randall. Once dispatched, there were requests for him to fly to Tokyo to record; it wasn't until he arrived that he discovered CBS/Sony had facilitated an entire album. Heitt hastily gripped some petty cash, bought a guitar, and retreated to his hotel room to start writing. Entering the studio the following day, he was further surprised by a waiting room of session players known as Moonriders -- one of Japan's most acclaimed rock bands of the 1980s. Intimidated by their indecipherable sheet music, Hiett suggested Randall join them and with money being no object for major labels at the time, his wingman was on the next plane out of New York. Near-ambient arrangements that float in a space between The Durutti Column, Steve Cropper, and Ashra, Down On The Road By The Beach also crowns Hiett the master of recontextualization with his zero-gravity blues visions of "Roll Over Beethoven", Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk" and the 1967 Eddie Floyd soul hit, "Never Found A Girl". Produced in coordination between Be With Records, Efficient Space and the artist, this definitive reissue is restored from original masters; extensive liner notes penned by Mikey IQ Jones.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
FAITBACK 001LP
|
2023 repress. Faitiche presents a long-lost vinyl album. Since 2003, Jan Jelinek's Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records, originally released in 2001 on ~scape, existed only as a download. Now the album is available again on vinyl, as a double LP with two bonus tracks, "Moiré (Guitar & Horns)" and "Poren", B-sides from Tendency EP (2000).
"Don't be misled by the title, though for there isn't a finger-snapping rhythm bebop lead anywhere on the album. Instead, Jelinek chooses to explore the visual effect moiré - two shifting patterns creating an implied third dimension - in the audio realm." --Alternative Press
"The title acts as explanation for the studio technique that provided the basis for this album, snippets of other people's arrangements deconstructed through a sampler into loops and then splashed onto an audio canvas." --ATM
"Jelinek's sound evolved out of his dislike for (and inability to play) keyboards." --RPM
"Jelinek has abstracted his sources beyond recognition, looping his millisecond samples into flickering patterns of sonic moiré laid atop a dub techno framework. . . . Jelinek might as well have sampled a horn player's hissing intake of breath - it would have been 'jazz' enough for his purposes." --The Wire
"It's a perfect inversion of conventional music, a sonic negative. Everything that would typically be foreground is moved back or pushed off the screen altogether, and the flecks of sonic debris that would normally be covered by other sounds are left to carry the melody and rhythm." --Pitchfork
"All you need to know is that these onomatopoeic non-specific songs . . . are warm, paradisiacal creations." --NME
"Listen carefully and you'll hear textures slowly unfolding and mutating. Presuming you've not fallen asleep of course." --iDJ
"At times, it's all a bit dripping tap Japanese water torture; so sedentary it drowns in its own motionlessness" --DJ
"Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records is a genuine modern classic whose re-release is anything but a cynical mortgage repayment exercise. Consider this a second chance, then pretend you had it all along." --Boomkat
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
HONEY 090LP
|
Ahmed Abdul-Malik was best known to jazz listeners as a bassist with Thelonious Monk, Randy Weston, Coleman Hawkins, and many others. He made a few records as a leader, with this one being his most exotic. The Brooklyn native was of Sudanese descent; in addition to playing bass, he also plays oud, the forerunner to the lute. Originally released in 1960, this album is rich and heady, a multi-layered set of tonal grooves that are wrapped tight beneath the melody lines. The musicians on Malik's eight originals vary from track to track. On the mournful "La Ibky (Don't Cry)," Malik's oud shares the spotlight with a tenor sax (either Benny Golson or Johnny Griffin) plus trumpeter Lee Morgan. "Rooh (The Soul)" features the 72-string kanoon (which is sort of a brittle sounding and much smaller harp) played by Ahmed Yetman, along with Malik's arco bass and the droning violin of Naim Karacand. His ability to fuse Western jazz with the driving rhythms created by his oud that seems almost sequenced, are startling.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SPITTLE 031LP
|
2023 repress on yellow vinyl. What exactly happened in the Italian underground/post punk scene of the '80s, is not entirely clear. Therefore, this collection of 13 incredible tunes helps track down the feeling and focuses on the blurry images of a period that was mixing influences from the UK/USA scenes with a more "national" approach to new music developments. The damage began in 1977 when a series of urban/suburban musical agitators, whether skilled or complete amateurs, decided to embrace instruments as weapons for a war against sonic stereotypes. Here's the result: a multiform sonic attack that marks the history of a movement that may have remained local in most cases but whose echo reflected the amazing creativity of a generation. Features Neon, Панков (Pankow), Le Masque, N.O.I.A., State Of Art, Jeunesse D'ivoire, Monuments, Rats, Fockewulf 190, Luc Orient, Illogico, 2+2=5, and La Maison.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
GLOSSY 021LP
|
Celebrated new wave compilation from Japan reissued for the first time on Glossy Mistakes. A much-cherished gem from the 1980s underground Japanese music scene returns, as Soft Selection 84 is reissued by Glossy Mistakes for its 40th anniversary. Originally released on DIY label Soft, the compilation sees 13 tracks from nine acts spanning minimal, ambient, zolo and more for a beguiling listen. The result is a charming time capsule of eclectic creativity in which nothing sounds dated. Take La Sellrose Can Can, whose two-party jams predate Kero Kero Bonito's hyperpop by decades. In addition, an impeccable remastering from the original master tapes adds to the "could have been recorded yesterday" feel of the collection. Soft Selection 84 also includes the eccentric Picky Picnic. One of the few featured artists with recordings beyond the anthology, the trio is an essential act for those curious about Japanese art pop of the era. There is also new wave introspection from Name, whose "Do We All Need Love" plays out as a sensual nod to John Lennon. In a similar vein is Clä-Sick, the recording name of Goro Some, the compilation's original producer and founder of Soft. The record's rerelease comes with Some's blessing, along with his original artwork and photography. Ultimately, the listener is left tantalized by his selection and its bold excursions into no wave, synth pop, radioplay and bizzaro house. Most of the artists on this release would fade into obscurity, but the transient nature of the potential showcased has helped cement the compilation's reputation over the years. Soft Selection will be released on vinyl LP, with a remastering from the original master tapes. Also featuring Linolium, Sume ba, Pink Label, ReveR, and Classic Pearl.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
TURBO 229LP
|
Double LP version. The creative partnership between Tiga & Hudson Mohawke expresses a mutual love of "hardcore romance," a liminal state where the bounds between euphoria, melancholy and the raw power of friendship disintegrate completely. Recorded in Los Angeles from 2019-2023, these commonalities ebbed and flowed through various recording sessions, culminating in their debut album -- L'Ecstasy. Originally conceived as a hardcore rave project focusing on bleary-eyed 6am catharsis, the breadth of the project expanded to encompass their shared love of the music surrounding the '90s ravebiome, with chill-out quasi-IDM ambient creating space for the album's tentpole anthems to breathe. Featuring guest appearances by luminaries like Abra, Channel Tres, Elisabeth Troy, and Jesse Boykins III, as well as album artwork by Turner Prizewinning photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, the result is delivered with two friends churning out the kind of music they want to hear, want each other to hear, and hope to hear you wanting to hear too.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
CD
|
|
CVSD 105CD
|
At the tail end of 1996, saxophonist Mars Williams and drummer Hamid Drake took the tall corner stage at Chicago's Empty Bottle for two sets of duets. The rock club had just started a weekly Jazz & Improvised Music Series, curated by Ken Vandemark and John Corbett, which would run for nearly a decade. This rare pairing brought together two pivotal figures in the city's creative music scene, both of whom had extensive experience in diverse areas of music, from the free jazz focus of this intimate encounter to Mars's stints in rock with the Waitresses and the Psychedelic Furs and Hamid's work in Mandingo Griot Society, playing in reggae house bands, and lending rhythms to hits by Herbie Hancock. As eclectic as these inputs were, in the deep souls of Williams and Drake they added to the players' burgeoning inventive resources, rather than urging the players to pastichery. In the venerable dialogical lineage of saxophone and drum kit, these two contemporary ninjas indeed invented their own approach, very different, for instance, from other such duo settings for Drake, like those with Fred Anderson, Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, or Ken Vandermark. Here, the fiery reed-work of Williams lends the concert a special urgency and punch, Drake's funk trap imbued with G-force, his cymbals ringing with nuance, his toms speaking like a whole West African drum choir. Williams responds to this positive energy with one of his most commanding performances, starting with his composition "The Worm" (written for Dennis Rodman of the Bulls), and continuing through a series of phenomenal improvisations. Released by CvsD as part of a series of archival Mars Williams CDs, hand selected by Williams shortly before his untimely death in 2023, I Know You Are But What Am I? goes on the record proclaiming the lasting power of Mars Williams, especially in the company of a master like Hamid Drake.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
CTLP 1045LP
|
2023 restock; LP version. "Once again Clocktower bring you the massive and powerful tracks, such as 'Cloak & Dagger' DJ style led by King Tubby and Lee Perry. And they've also included the slow style of 'Cloak & Dagger' which you will never stop listening for generations to come, young and old. Then the following tracks of 'Blackboard Jungle' with two incomparable versions that will open up your ears to the greatest musicians on bass and drums, etc. We from Clocktower say listen, enjoy, party, and dance to all the fine production. We have compiled this for all who loves reggae music production beyond compare. Music of life." --Alfred Newman Not a reissue, a new compilation of early Lee Scratch Perry material, not previously issued in this form. With tracks recorded from the early '70s with material from Clocktower 7" only releases, etc.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BANG 176LP
|
The Zeros is an American punk-rock group formed in 1976 in Chula Vista, California. The band was originally formed with Javier Escovedo (vocals/guitar), Robert Lopez (guitar), Héctor Penalosa (bass) and Baba Chenelle (drums). Often referred to as "the Mexican Ramones," they were just one of many contributors to the city of Los Angeles' punk explosion in the late '70s, although they never received the acclaim like their contemporaries Black Flag, Circle Jerks, or Germs and Wipers. They have more followers and fans outside of the United States, especially Europe and Spain in particular. The label "the Mexican Ramones" did not take into account their other revealing influences: pre-punk and garage-rock bands. The Zeros make it evident on this album, releasing covers of New York Dolls among others. But the originals, for example "They Say (That Everything's Alright)" and "Handgrenade Heart," also exploit the spirit of loud, strident rock. There are also slow and melodic, sloppy and dirty pop songs to satisfy all tastes. The quartet broke up in 1981, reformed sporadically for live shows, and recorded a 1999 album Right Now!. An excellent album. Ideal to have a good time and enjoy good rock.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MGART 614LP
|
2024 restock. MG.ART announce the reissue of Join Inn as part three of the authorized 50th anniversary "A.R.T." re-edition series. Join Inn is the fourth album by Ash Ra Tempel. It was recorded at Studio Dierks and originally released on LP by Ohr Musik-Produktion Each side of the LP comprises one long track. In 1972, Ash Ra Tempel teamed up again with Klaus Schulze during the recording of Walter Wegmüller's Tarot album, and after one of the recording sessions, Ash Ra Tempel members Enke, Göttsching and Rosi, together with Klaus decided to "play it again" in a late-night session. This recording led to the birth of the Join Inn album, as well as two legendary last concerts in February 1973 in Paris and Cologne. Manuel Göttsching recalls Hartmut Enke on bass and Klaus Schulze on drums being a dream-team rhythm section for him to play his guitar, especially here to hear on "Freak n' Roll", that was ingenious and not to replace ever since. It was the last recording ever where Klaus Schulze (who sadly passed away in 2022) played the drums and also Hartmut (the Hawk) Enke soon after quit the bass and music forever. Join Inn marks the end of the collaboration with Klaus Schulze. However, together with Ash Ra Tempel, their eponymous first album, it is considered a highlight of the Krautrock movement. Re-cut overseen by Manuel Göttsching.
Julian Cope's review from his book Krautrocksampler (1995): "'Freak'n'roll' fades in like it never started -- just was always there from the beginning of time, a dry wah-guitar free rock riff-out unlike any of the other Ash Ra Tempel LPs, and not much like any other music. Yes, there are bluesy riff but none of them have a blues context. Manuel Göttsching's guitar is so confident that he sometimes drops down to a simple major chord groove, whilst the Hawk pushes that round woody bass into strange overlapping rumbling melody. And ... it's the return of Klaus Schulze on drums which propels 'Freak'n'roll' to its height. No-one but Klaus has the ability to transcend rock n' roll in such an on-the-beat non-groove-y way and still send sparks of light into the cosmos as he does it. 'Freak'n'roll' is so egoless that it even works at a quiet volume as meditational music. Themes rise from the high tempo pulse beat, then are carried along the muscles of the song into the main area where the riff actually becomes real and expressionist for just long enough before slipping back into the musical fabric of the song. As usual with Ash Ra Tempel, the other side is an enormous drift piece called 'Jenseits (The Next World)', a beautiful Klaus Schultze meditation of haunting synthesizer chords over which Rosi Muller tells the story of the Cosmic Couriers' meeting with Timothy Leary..."
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BEWITH 028LP
|
2023 repress. Be With Records present the first ever official reissue of Kimiko Kasai with Herbie Hancock's Butterfly, originally released in 1979. The positively sublime and very rare Butterfly LP, recorded in Tokyo in 1979 by Japanese songstress Kimiko Kasai and jazz legend Herbie Hancock. Due to its super-rare status as a Japan-only release, this exquisite collection of covers never got the recognition it deserved at the time, despite incredibly inspired performances from Kimiko, Herbie, and the supremely talented musicians assembled for the project. From heavenly drummer Alphonse Mouzon and renowned organist Webster Lewis to bassist Paul Jackson, reedman Bennie Maupin, and the master percussionist Bill Summers, the legendary performers crafted amazingly good vocal versions of Herbie/Headhunters jazz-funk. Unsurprisingly, it has been heavily in demand for many years. The LP opens with Kimiko's highly desirable version of "I Thought It Was You", an elegant take on Herbie's own anthem. Other superb re-workings include the delicately soulful "Butterfly", jazzy groover "Sunlight", the smooth and sexy "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", and the beautiful ballads "Maiden Voyage" and "Harvest Time". A wonderful example of perfectly understated and masterful jazz-funk soul fusion that shouldn't be missed, the set closes with a jaw-dropping version of Stevie Wonder's "As". This lovingly curated reissue enables a long overdue reappraisal of this hitherto unavailable masterpiece. The stunning artwork which adorned the original jacket -- complete with obi strip and sumptuous four-page folded insert -- has been faithfully restored. Mastered by Simon Francis, and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
VAMPI 290LP
|
Mega rare soundtrack to the obscure Venezuelan sexploitation film Sobre la Hierba... Virgen originally released in 1976 and almost impossible to find in any condition. The album includes a wide variety of music to enjoy, from thrilling psychedelic jazz-funk to spacey experimental tracks, killer drum-breaks or romantic instrumental tunes. Composer and keyboard player Pablo Schneider had an outstanding body of work for the TV/film industry and recorded with the likes of Baby Bell, Grupo Syma, Vytas Brenner as well as huge mainstream artists like José Luis Rodríguez and Pecos Kanvas. He was also producer to Phirpo Y Sus Caribes's highly collectable only LP, a brilliant Afro-Latin funk masterpiece. His much sought-after 1975 solo album on Polydor anticipated the sounds comprised on Sobre la Hierba... Virgen, featuring a variety of exotic arrangements ranging from Latin mood to jazz funk to electronic psychedelic. Sobre la Hierba... Virgen is one of the best recordings of Pablo Schneider at the peak of his career.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WRJ 008LTD-LP
|
2023 repress; LP version. 180 gram vinyl; Half speed mastered; Heavy sleeve and obi. We Release Jazz announce the official reissue of Ryo Fukui's final album, the very personal contemporary jazz offering, A Letter from Slowboat, sourced from the original masters. Known for his miraculous albums 1976's Scenery (WRJ 001CD/LP) and 1977's Mellow Dream (WRJ 002CD/LP), legendary Hokkaido pianist Ryo Fukui, with the help of his wife Yasuko, opened his very own jazz club in Sapporo in 1995, Slowboat. This is where Ryo Fukui spent the latter half of his career, playing again and again, welcoming peers for unforgettable sessions, and perfecting the craft he lived for: jazz. A Letter from Slowboat is a poetic, soulful, and honest love letter to Hokkaido, to Fukui's jazz club, and to endless hours of practicing artistry in a place called home. Backed by longtime collaborators Takumi Awaya on bass, and Ittetsu Takemura on drums, Ryo Fukui flows through classics and originals with natural class, fluidity, and absolute precision, expressing a smooth balance between skills and heart. Slowboat, full of breathtaking solos and exquisite moments of clarity, is another crucial piece in the career of one of the most fascinating jazzmen to ever grace the piano. It was released in 2016, sadly the year Ryo Fukui passed away, leaving behind a legacy of works that is sure to captivate jazz lovers for generations to come, and Slowboat, where the magic still happens to this day. Reissued in conjunction with 1999's Ryo Fukui in New York (WRJ 009CD/LTD-LP), also available via We Release Jazz.
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
EFFICIENT 032LP
|
LP version. Searchlight Moonbeam is the new narrative compilation from Time Is Away (Jack Rollo and Elaine Tierney) whose eponymous monthly NTS Radio shows, tinctured fusions of fugitive sounds and reverie-inducing archival speech, have won them an ardent following. It follows from the London-based duo's Ballads, a remarkable driftwerk released on A Colourful Storm in 2022. Searchlight Moonbeam is an autumnal dreamscape, intimate and vespertine, pensive and irresolute. An imagined community where differences drop off and resonances emerge -- between Maher Shalal Hash Baz affiliates Kasumi Trio, Taiwanese score composer Chen Ming Chang whose "Rainwater" (written for Hou Hsiao-Hsien's 1986 film Dust In The Wind) is exquisitely heartbroken, and the plangent improvisations of self-taught French pianist Delphine Dora. Revelations are frequent: the bedsit isolationism of Bo Harwood and John Cassavetes' "No One Around to Hear It" (from The Killing of a Chinese Bookie); the narked minimalism of Klang (an early 2000s band formed by ex-Elastica guitarist and featuring prize-winning experimental novelist Isabel Waidner on bass); the etude-grooves and echoic wobble of below-the-radar French avant-gardists Omertà; the beautiful, plaintively dubby "Is It You?" by Slapp Happy; a psych-tinged reimagining of PiL's "Poptones" by Simon Fisher Turner (one half of Deux Filles, and here, recording for él as The King of Luxembourg) that's as perverse as the cover of Throbbing Gristle's "20 Jazz Funk Greats." Searchlight Moonbeam is the musical analog of an Italo Calvino novel or a medieval fable. Associative, intuitive, borderless. Emotional and mysterious. Endowed with the tactility of Braille. A private language that is both unknowable and understood. It is a record of the seasons, for the seasons. Featuring an evocative essay by writer Jeremy Atherton Lin and disarming cover art by Penny Davenport, Searchlight Moonbeam showcases Rollo and Tierney's still-unrivalled talent for gloaming melodies, disques du crépuscule, ensorcelled storytelling. Also featuring Bhairavi Raman, Nanthesh Sivarajah, O.G. Jigg, Scala, Soft Location, Gyeongsu, CROCHE, Un, and Harry Plunket-Greene.
|
|