Following on from 2023's acclaimed Vrindavan 1982 by rudra veena master Z.M. Dagar, Black Truffle present a pair of archival releases from the Dagar Brothers, among the most revered 20th century exponents of the ancient North Indian dhrupad tradition. The vocal duo of Moinuddin and Aminuddin Dagar (sometimes referred to as the "senior" Dagar Brothers to distinguish them from their younger siblings, Zahiruddin and Faiyazuddin Dagar), belonged to the nineteenth generation of a family of musicians in which dhrupad tradition has been kept alive through patrilinear transmission, each generation undergoing a rigorous education of many years' duration that can include singing up to twelve hours each day. Famed for the meditative purity of their approach to dhrupad, the Dagar Brothers helped to keep the tradition alive in the years after Indian independence in 1947, when the royal courts that had traditionally patronized dhrupad musicians were abolished. Many Western listeners were first introduced to dhrupad by the Dagar Brothers's tour of Europe in 1964-65 and their LP in UNESCO's Musical Anthology of the Orient collection, both organized by pioneering musicologist and scholar of Indian culture, Alain DaniĆ©lou. Documents from this tour are especially precious, as Moinuddin Dagar passed away in 1966. Unheard until now, Berlin 1964 - Live (released alongside BT 114LP) documents a concert held at the Charlottenburg Palace in September 1964. Accompanied only by Moinuddin's wife Saiyur on tanpura and Raja Chatrapati Singh on pakhawaj (a large double-headed drum), the brothers present stunning performances of two ragas stretching out over 65 minutes, exemplifying what a journalist at the time called the "pristine severity" of their style. Much of each piece is taken up by the alap, the highly improvised exposition section where the notes of the raga are gradually introduced as the singing builds in intensity. As Francesca Cassio points out in her extensive liner notes, both performances are somewhat unorthodox in beginning with the raga scale being sung in its entirety, ascending and descending. Both ragas settle into alaps of breathtaking beauty, with the two brothers trading long solo passages that move gradually from extended held notes at the bottom of the scale to animated melodic variations as it ascends in pitch. Within the atmosphere of meditative attention, the range of melodic, rhythmic, and timbral invention is remarkable. Especially on the opening "Rāga Miyān kī Todī", the final moments of the alap find the voices at a peak of intensity, their microtonal ornamentation taking on an ecstatic, warbling quality. Only once the wordless, free-floating alap is over and the composition proper begins to the brothers sing in unison, joined by the pakhawaj for a rhythmic section that in both ragas develops gradually into a propulsive display of melodic invention and metrical nuance. Accompanied by detailed liner notes and striking archival images, Berlin 1964 - Live is a rare document of these masterful exponents of one of the world's most profound musical traditions.
LP version. Meaning "Hi" in Uruguayan slang, Opa are a South American jazz-funk phenomenon. Fusing Uruguay's native Candombe rhythms with North American jazz and pop music, Opa's space-age synthesizers, boisterous grooves and compositional magic expressed a distinctive Afro-Uruguayan voice within the global jazz vernacular: a voice which remains as vital and unique today as when it was recorded, almost half a century ago. Having migrated to New York from Montevideo in the early seventies, Opa were heard playing in a nightclub by renowned producer and label owner Larry Rosen. At Holly Place Studios between July and August 1975, Rosen oversaw Opa's first recordings using a four track TEAC 3340. The album would become home to some of Opa's hardest hitting funk jams, with moments of songwriting wonderment and soulful pop and rock progressions combining with the jazz-funk fusion Opa would become known for. Mysteriously (for reasons unknown to the band), Opa's debut was shelved and remained so until the mid-1990s. But the Back Home recordings were used as demos, gaining Opa a record deal with Milestone Records and the subsequent release of two cult-favorite albums: Goldenwings (1976) and Magic Time (1977). Opa would also collaborate with North American titans including bassist Ron Carter, producer Creed Taylor, and Brazilian icons Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Hermeto Pascoal, and Milton Nascimento. In more recent years Opa's music has found new audiences after being sampled by Captain Murphy (aka Flying Lotus) and Madlib. For fans of Azymuth, Weather Report, Cortex, and The Headhunters.
LP version. Heavy-rock classic from 1971 now officially reissued for the first time. Samuel Prody was a British psychedelic hard-rock band which evolved from another group called Giant (originally with Viv Prince of the Pretty Things on drums). Led by bass player/vocalist Tony Savva and featuring top guitar player Derek Smallcombe (Jason Crest), they recorded their sole album in England but for some weird reason it was only released in Germany back at the time, making it a true rarity of the heavy prog era. Wild vocals, pounding drums, distorted guitars, psych effects -- culminating in the eight-minutes long "Hallucination." Bootlegged many times, Guerssen presents the first-ever band-sanctioned reissue with their amazing history told for the first time. Remastered sound with insert featuring liner notes by Klemen Breznikar (It's Psychedelic Baby) and photos. Includes download card. RIYL: Black Sabbath, Edgar Broughton Band, Pink Fairies, Orang-Utan, Jerusalem.
Formed in 1977 by brothers Kim Chang-wan, Kim Chang-hoon and Kim Chang-ik, Sanullim are one of the fathers of Korean psychedelic rock. Evening Breeze is the first ever comp focused on their little known 1979-83 albums, selecting their most fuzzed-out, hard-psych-pop-funk (Korean style) tracks. Selected by (probably) Sanullim number one non-Korean fan Antoni Gorgues. Sourced from the original masters, featuring gatefold artwork designed by Spanish illustrator Mario Feal. Liner notes by Hugh Dellar and photos.
Debut album by Korean psychedelic fuzz masters and the perfect introduction to Sanullim's unique world. Formed in the early '70s by the three Kim brothers while they were still in University, Sanullim managed to release their first album in 1977 despite censorship, misunderstanding from their record company and rudimentary recording techniques problems. Fueled by piercing psychedelic fuzz guitars, Farfisa-styled garage organ, keyboards and sweet melodies, they created a very unique sound, unheard in Korea at the time. Includes some of their most iconic songs like "Already Now" and "Likely Late Summer" (famous for its inclusion on the Love, Peace & Poetry series). Featuring original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve and sourced from the original masters. Includes insert with liner notes by Hugh Dellar and rare photos/memorabilia.
Majoie Hajary is an atypical musician, born in Paramaribo (Suriname) to Indian parents and raised in Amsterdam. In 1970, in France, accompanied by the best jazz musicians and with arrangements by Roger Guerin, she recorded La Passion Selon Judas. The result was an incredible fusion of psych, funk, Indian and jazz elements -- deep religious jazz in the vein of Jef Gilson. Deluxe hard-cardboard sleeve cover. 180g-vinyl with obi.
"The Spiritual, a free jazz album recorded by the Art Ensemble of Chicago in 1974, finds the group of stellar musicians at their creative peak. With various types of percussion, though the absence of a traditional drummer, the ensemble is able to create vivid, freeing compositions without the confines of conventional structure. The quartet, consisting of Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, and Malachi Favors, explore the depths of avant-garde jazz through a means that has yet to be touched on in a comparable capacity. The Spiritual is now widely available on 180gram coke bottle clear vinyl. Mastered by Dave Gardner at Infrasonic Mastering. Pressed at Pallas Group in Germany."
"Psing Psong Psung is artist Raymond Pettibon's new collaborative rock band. Only Fan is the debut album. Raymond provided the musicians with original lyrics and texts to be set to music. Guitarist Ricky Sepulveda sings most of the songs. Raymond sings two of them. Influences range from Arthur Lee to the band Love, sixties crooners Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, pro-football player/wrestler Wahoo McDaniel, the Bobby Fuller Four to pop celebrity in the 20th Century."
"Moments Remixes began from a conversation with Jlin. We did an interview together for Talkhouse in fall of 2019, in season with the original Moments release on Unseen Worlds. Her poignant and effusive dialogue sparked the inspiration for us to do a remix together. That organically evolved into a full project idea. Xiu Xiu did the second remix in January 2020, and before things continued further -- the pandemic was upon us. During the course of the pandemic, it evolved more, and organically became a more focused project for the isolation and lack of in-person collaborative environments/performance halls. All of but one remix was completed by 2021, and then refined and curated further over the following (four) years. The highlighted dialogue across the album is how these sparse, melodic minimalisms in piano and vibraphone could manifest in a diversity of experimental subgenres: electronica, IDM, avant-rock, drone/ambient. The careful curation and illustrative collaborators elicit the transportive 'new moments' and permeable qualities of the core compositions, that discover uncharted life in this project." --Michael Vincent Waller, October 2023
Michael Vincent Waller remixes by Moor Mother, Jlin, DJ Marcelle/Another Nice Mess, XiuXiu, Yu Su, Fennesz, Loraine James, Prefuse 73, Lex Luger, Jefre-Cantu Ledesma, Lafawndah, Carmen Villian, Levon Vincent, Tom VR, and Ka Baird. Presented on teal color vinyl.
"In the magazine: Darius Jones, Steve Roach, Clarissa Connelly, [Ahmed], Shovel Dance Collective, Arushi Jain, Kulku, Harmony Holiday, Richie Culver. Invisible Jukebox: Ka Baird. Global Ear: Dublin. Epiphanies: Aura Satz on the sound of sirens. Inner Sleeve: Raji Rags on D'Angelo. Unlimited Editions: Industrial Coast. Unofficial Channels: The Rest newsletter, plus 40 pages of reviews including Shabaka Hutchings, Eddie PrƩvost, Creation Rebel, Eugene S Robinson, hcmf 2023, and more. On the CD: 16 new tracks by Jac Berrocal, Elaine Mitchener, Derek Piotr, Heejin Jang, Lori Vambe, Shit & Shine, The Phereomoans, A Lily, Dream Skills & GW Sok, and more."
"Ugly Things issue 65 top cover story: the Futuristic Sounds of the Yardbirds; writer Peter Stanfield explores their change of direction in 1965, their rivalry with The Who and lots more. Also featured: Detroit rock pioneers the Chosen Few, the band that spawned future members of SRC and the Stooges, the compelling story of UK '70s punk outsiders the Subway Sect as told by guitarist Rob Symmons; '70s power pop princes the Paley Brothers; Viennese proto-punk anarchists Novaks Kapelle; the sixties adventures of Matthew and Daniel Moore (the Moon, Colours, Matthew Moore Plus Four); and a fascinating study of the beat music industry behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Plus: Moby Grape, the Ascots, Cyril Jordan on Little Richard, and the meticulous review sections, covering all the latest vinyl and CD reissues, and rock and roll-related books."
A Colourful Storm begins presents a luxurious suite of daydreaming introspection courtesy of Unchained, the longstanding solo project of Nathaniel Davis who was last seen on vinyl in the final Blackest Ever Black release. Recorded at home between 2020 and 2023, Gabbeh is the latest expression of Davis's guitar-based instrumental musings and represents a stylistic evolution of his self-released noise tapes and CD-Rs into romantic, bossa nova-influenced melody-making. He wrote the tracks sporadically, with minimal instrumentation and intervention. Electric guitar, bass improvisations and rhythms from an old drum machine are layered and given new life, the space between them softly breathing with minutiae of the everyday: the buzz of cicadas, the passing of cars, the whistling of passersby. The psychogeography of Grenoble, Davis' home since 2018, played a conscious role in the weaving of Gabbeh's fabric: "I think certain songs reflect, in ways, Grenoble's natural surroundings. 'Drac' is named after the river that flows from the mountains down to the city; 'Dru' is the name of a well-known peak near Chamonix." Opener "Largo" sets the mood, its primitive samba rhythm concealed by a cloud of saudade. The bebop sensibility follows suit, the tension between its angular picks and percussive shuffle a wondrous balancing act, while the intoxicating sway of "Rambler" is perhaps the most poignant expression of longing and loss in recent years. Highly recommended for fans of Durutti Column, Maurice Feebank, Toninho Horta.
Head X'Change is the new album by Scythe, a long-distance collaborative project of David West and R.A. Jones. First appearing on two cloak-and-dagger cassettes distributed by Low Company in 2019 and 20, Scythe's "expertly modulated space blues and isolationist architectures" betrayed a uniquely sleep-deprived, DIY take on kosmische atmospheres, where brittle, decaying synthesizer loops found solace in endless trails of feedback and reverb. Head X'Change was recorded with modest instrumentation but grand ambition, recounting a journey, a memory -- of leaving earth, a loved one, a body. Lifting off from tense, unnerving "Tennessee," an ode is made to Genevieve, for perhaps the last time. Landing in eerily familiar valleys and amongst the lunar debris of "Dawngarden" and "Superwillow," marveling back at Earth inflicts a feeling of tininess and innocence, captured in the stargazing blues of "Embryo." The titular track then marks a sudden inward trajectory and shift in mood: cool winds and amorphous bursts of black and deep blue emanate from fissures, ominously foreshadowing tunnelling paranoia. "Mark, Ring Me" is a distant plea for human contact, but it may all be too late, for the aching psychedelia "For Iris" grieves alone into the abyss. For fans of Cluster, Craig Leon, Pete Namlook.
LP version. After a successful tour following the release of Alors Quoi (BJR 061LP, 2022) on Bongo Joe records, accompanied by a drummer/percussionist change, the prospect of what comes next naturally arose. Elements surfaced, including a desire for more low frequencies, a fascination with the marimba/vibraphone, and a liberating indifference to the difference between recorded and live performances. To evolve, the team collaborated with outsider Kwake Bass, known for collaborations with Kae Tempest, Tirzah, Mica Levi, and others. Despite aesthetic differences from Meril Wubslin's previous albums, this divergence was seen as key -- an enriching risk that resulted in a unique blend of influences. The acoustic core of Meril Wubslin now embraces electronic elements, revealing a more powerful and urban dimension. While maintaining a commitment to French lyrics, the themes explore the concrete yet remain grounded in the intimate and the sensitive, avoiding overly clear and univocal messages.
2024 restock. LP version with bonus 7"; one of the great Drag City releases (and one of the great American music solo albums) finally on vinyl again. "In 1970, Mayo Thompson (once-and-future leader of The Red Krayola) recorded an album entitled Corky's Debt To His Father. Walt Andrus' Texas Revolution label released the record -- but just barely, selling a few hundred LPs with no promotion to speak of. The copies that made it into shops became the treasured objects of taste-makers around the globe -- which made Corky's Debt To His Father an influential record down the years. As punk rock, new wave, post-punk and all the rest came along, it was inevitable that this lost classic of independent music would be discovered by a wider audience. In 1988, the album was reissued on the UK Glass Records imprint but went out-of-print again in short order. Then in 1994, Drag City brought Corky's Debt To His Father back to the USA, as well as to the CD format for the first time. Additionally, a third pressing of the vinyl was made. The CD has been a perennial favorite ever since -- but after just a few months of robust sales, the LP artwork and jackets were destroyed in a fire, thus putting the end to the life of Corky's Debt To His Father on vinyl once again. Wrapped in a jacket that recalls the halcyon days of solid LP dominance, this new pressing comes with a 7" single featuring the instrumental 'Woof,' which was recorded at the same sessions but not released until The Red Krayola's 2004 compilation CD Singles. The B-side of this single is a never-before heard take on John Cage's '4'33"' played by fellow traveller Sergei McUgly."
Liverpool's long lost '90s indie rock noisemakers, compiling three singles and unreleased tracks. Back in the 1990s Playhouse were Liverpool's premiere "honey-souled indie rock band." They had a devoted following around the country after supporting the likes of Sleater Kinney, Unwound, Penthouse, Pavement, Sebadoh, Feeder, and Gary Numan. With three 7" singles under their belt and support from the NME and John Peel, the band were due to record their debut album until disaster struck when the drummer, Simon, broke his leg in a bizarre incident. Simon later went on to play with the rock band, Black Spiders, and now performs under the name of Blobb Ross. Singer and guitarist Pete continues to write songs. He is Liverpool's most prolific and enigmatic figure, writing some of the most beautiful songs around. Bassist Jason went on to perform with Mugstar, Sex Swing, Klamp, Domes, Twin Sister, and JAAW. Dynamo compiles the three singles they released, alongside unreleased tracks, including a cover of Sebadoh's "It's So Hard To Fall in Love."
Musique Infinie is the collaborative project of Manuel Oberholzer a.k.a. Feldermelder and NoĆ©mi Büchi. Their album Earth, released through the Hallow Ground label, is based on a spontaneously composed live score for Alexander Dovzhenko's groundbreaking 1930 silent movie Zemlya ("Earth") created for the 24th edition of the VIDEOEX festival for experimental film. Frequently cited as a masterpiece of early 20th century filmmaking, the movie deals with the collectivization of Ukraine's agriculture. The Swiss duo complemented it with atmospherically rich electronic soundscapes that are both deeply immersive and highly evocative. As a stand-alone music release, the two-piece Earth album captures the essence of Büchi and Oberholzer's collaboration that is marked by mutual trust and musical versatility that puts them in a state of "togetherness trance," as they call it. Oberholzer has been highly productive as a composer, musician, sound designer, and installation artist in recent years, releasing a slew of solo albums as well as a variety of collaboration records with artists such as Sara Oswald and Julian Sartorius. Büchi has recently debuted as a solo composer and sound artist working with electroacoustic techniques to create a Ā»symphonic maximalism for "the end of the world," as she dubs it. Both are prolific and versatile artists with a penchant for working conceptually, however their collaboration as Musique Infinie is an improvisational and thus by design an intuitive one. Their sessions start with an exchange on emotions and thoughts rather than theoretical questions or aesthetic debates. When they get to work, they rarely talk. They approached Earth the same way, improvising freely together and using only a few select samples from the film's original score in the process. Their open-ended approach is marked by an aesthetic ambivalence that perfectly corresponds with the movie's own inherent contradictions. Dovzhenko approached his socio-political subject with poetic imagery and philosophical rigour, juxtaposing notions of traditionality with the depiction of modernity. Büchi and Oberholzer accordingly work with motives that at once seem anthemic and elegiac, working with sounds and musical motives that evoke a sense of familiarity in one moment before transforming into something futuristic and uncanny in the next. Their score for Zemlya is not to be understood as a mere interpretation of the movie, but rather a re-narration or even re-negotiation of its aesthetic and emotional qualities under their very own terms.
Sound of Matter is the debut album by Romanian sound artist and composer Simina Oprescu. The two pieces draw on research conducted with 15 historical church bells at the MƤrkisches Museum and the Stadtmuseum Berlin. After the artist had presented the results of her studies of the connection between matter and harmony in the form of a multi-channel installation, she has translated the underlying approach of this site-specific work into an album that unfolds slowly, consistently setting in motion subtle tonal changes that continuously change the mood of the two pieces. Sound of Matter is both minimalist and maximalist, creating an infinitely rich and multi-layered dronescape that modestly invites its audience to get lost in the sonic experience. Oprescu has been fascinated by church bells since her childhood spent in Transylvania since the instruments were shrouded in mystery, as she explains in an in-depth essay that accompanies the album. She started working with the archive of the MƤrkisches Museum, which included 15 historical church bells that were built between the 15th and the early 19th century. Since every bell sounds different according to its shape, material, and density, Oprescu abstracted these qualities in a mathematical formula. This enabled her to recreate the harmonic tone of the individual bells with Max/MSP. She then composed a piece with semi-overlayed tones, i.e. overlapping frequencies. Naturally, this resulted in a beating effect that provided the music with a sense of urgency, though the five-second-long natural reverb of the MƤrkisches Museum's GroĆe Halle turned it into a "warm blanket of sound," as the artist herself puts it. This is perfectly recreated on Sound of Matter due to the music being presented in mono, bringing out the intrinsic movement of the beatings with more nuance than a stereo version would. Sound of Matter feels warm and welcoming even when different frequencies seem to create friction between each other or when the subtle beating effects turn into throbbing rhythms like at the end of the record. It manages to explore both Oprescu's personal fascination with church bells and psychological and psychoacoustic questions relating to them as well as philosophical issues connected with them. This music is profoundly physical, but also intellectually stimulating -- perfectly at home in the catalogue of the Swiss Hallow Ground label between records by Kali Malone, Lawrence English, or Siavash Amini.
LP version. Gregory Isaacs, the Cool Ruler as he became known, grew up in the ghetto district of Kingston Jamaica. His influences lay not only in the American singers he heard on the radio such as Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, but also local singers such as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, and John Holt. His debut release Another Heartache was recorded for producer Winston Sinclair and was released under Winstons' name in the U.K. This saw Gregory move on to work with producer Rupie Edwards forming a vocal group called The Concords alongside two local singers Bramwell and Penros. Isaacs always had his sights on forming his own label, which he did in 1972 alongside Errol Dunkley, called African Museum. Gregory carried on working with various other producers throughout his career, work that helped fund his own label. One of these producers was Tappa Zukie. Tappa Zukie was also raised in the rough and tough areas of Kingston Jamaica, and very much like Gregory Isaacs found music as a way out of the tough environment in which he was surrounded. Music seemed like the only way out of a life of crime and gang culture. A path that Tappa Zukie found and by the mid 1970's was establishing himself as a named star on the DJ Roots circuit. Back home in Jamaica he was also getting a name for his production work for other local singers such as Prince Allah and the group Knowledge. To release his own productions, like Gregory Isaacs, he formed his own label called Tappa Records. These two artists working together was a match made in heaven and resulted in this set of songs. Nine of these songs originally saw the light of day in 1988, released on Tappa Zukie's Tappa Records initially called Red. Kingston Sounds has added some additional material also produced by Mr. Zukie around the same time to expand that release and make their work together more of a complete story.
AS ONE
Reflections (30th Anniversary Edition) 2LP
Although 30 years after its birth this fundamental electronic gem called Reflections has achieved cult status, it is worth remembering that it all started in 1993 in a small apartment in Waterloo, London, with the help of a mixer and a bunch of hardware synth and drum machines of hardware, with the mastodontic Oberheim OB-8 synthesizer as the main partner. While in the UK the vast majority of kids showed a certain rejection of what came from North America in the form of electro, Kirk Degiorgio, under his alias As One, embraced it openly and incorporated it into his productions along with influences from other genres that he had already adored since he was young, such as jazz, soul or funk, thus becoming one of the true early adopters of Detroit techno in the UK. Reflections is a challenge in itself, and even more so considering what the consumption pattern of electronic music was in the early '90s. This timeless album fits into the delicate border between being enough club to work on the dance floor, and still being musical and cerebral enough to be listened to at home. A milestone that, whether premeditated or not, Degiorgio more than achieved. Three decades later Lapsus Records has been able to access the pre-masters extracted from the original DATs to build a special 30th anniversary edition within its Perennial series. For the occasion, this reissue not only offers the tracks included in the first edition, it also adds the songs "The Priestess" -- never released on vinyl before -- and "Forgotten Memory" -- until now unreleased and rediscovered in one of the DATs dating back to 1992 from the Reflections recording sessions. This is the definitive edition of an album that, despite coexisting with the explosion of the rave movement, would pave the path for the UK-Detroit connection.
The debut release of Italian producer now Berlin-based Luca Trentini aka Trent. He is a resident DJ of Cocktail D'amore and has released some unique records from Sound Metaphors label Bless You. "Drums Charmer" is dark, psychedelic slow-mo house. If you like slow stuff by Andrew Weatherall, you will love it. "Edenico Blues" is a modern interpretation of Afro cosmic sound. It's for the fans of Beppe Lota or Daniele Baldelli.
Il Quadro di Troisi presents La Commedia. Four years after their eponymous debut, Il Quadro di Troisi return with a new album and a new line-up. The perfect circle traced by Eva Geist (aka Andrea Noce) and Donato Dozzy (aka Donato Scaramuzzi) becomes a triangle with the permanent addition of Pietro Micioni, who collaborated in the previous recordings and had been part of ll Quadro's live set. La Commedia is about turning a crisis into an opportunity and using change as a catalyst for rebirth. Much like the characters in classic Italian comedies, who are masters in using irony to face life's hardships, Il Quadro di Troisi explores the vast and unpredictable terrain between the lighter and darker sides of the human experience, matching the magical with the mundane. La Commedia marks the band's embrace of a more traditional song form, shaped by a very personal and distinctive musical style. The distinguishing elements of Il Quadro di Troisi's music -- classic Italian songwriting with an electronic spin -- meld into a unique mix that is both seductive and eerie, elegant and earthy, contemporary and timeless. La Commedia celebrates the band's cultural roots while constantly moving into new territory, balancing nostalgia with a forward-thinking approach. La Commedia is a rare gem that confirms Il Quadro di Troisi's relevance in the international music scene, as demonstrated by the number of top-level artists featured on the album: from Suzanne Ciani, a legend and a pioneer of independent music with a career spanning five decades, to Aimee Portioli, aka Grand River, a Dutch-Italian musician, composer and sound designer based in Berlin, along with Francesca Colombo's eclectic violin (the de facto "fourth angle" of Il Quadro di Troisi's frame), Fiona Brice's strings, cultural agitator and icon of the Roman underground scene Stefano Di Trapani (aka Demented Burrocacao and a member of Trapcoustic and System Hardware Abnormal, among other projects), Maestro Daniele Di Gregorio, an excellent musician and a longtime collaboration of songwriting legend Paolo Conte, and Tommaso Cappellato, whose professional description goes well beyond "drummer" and who has been working with artists like Rabih Beaini and Maurice Louca.
"This box set (3 CDs and a 52-page book) collects and restores two legendary mid-'70s releases, both met at the time with extravagant critical acclaim but few sales outside of Spain. Presents for the first time a set of previously unknown studio recordings by the otherwise undocumented Trio Altisent, featuring members of both other projects -- alongside comprehensive book of background materials, newly conducted interviews, rare unpublished photographs, and overview of Barcelona's mid '70s music scene. On the first CD: Musica Urbana -- one of the most impressive albums of its time: uniquely infuses the languages of rock, jazz and formal composition with the Spanish folk tradition of flamenco and the sensibility of national composers (e.g. Manuel de Falla and Isaac AlbƩniz). It weaves all these elements into a uniquely Spanish iteration of experimental rock. A work of luminous brilliance. On the second CD: Joan Albert I Felui Gasul, released a year later by Musica Urbana's keyboardist Joan Albert Amargos and flamenco virtuoso Feliu Gasul, a seamless fusion of styles, intensity, a high degree of musical intelligence, edge-of-the-seat playing, and mixture of compositional and improvisational flexibility, with a lightness and sense that conceal the compositions' fiendish complexity. Joan Albert plays acoustic piano, fender electric and clavinet, Jaume Cortadellus adds some perfectly judged flute on one of the tracks. All of Musica Urbana appear on another beautifully recorded and mixed album, with unusually clear, strong sound and exquisite separation, together capturing an explosive cultural moment On the third CD: Trio Altisent, unreleased recordings by Amargos, Gasul, and Cortadellus made in 1984, in a project that grew from their previous work together. Amargos and Gasul went on to become highly respected contemporary composers, later working with Paco de Lucia, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, and Maria del Mar Bonet. This box restores and expands an important moment in music, which rapidly faded as music industry values regained control."
Suffolk-based singer songwriter James Varda's fourth and final album before his death from a long battle with cancer in 2015, Chance And Time, set for a vinyl only reissue on Unspun Heroes is an astonishing aural document of a creative, forward -thinking musician coming to terms with a life slowly evaporating away. There is hubris, melancholy and an undeniable weight of sadness in these ten songs but, miraculously, there is also a stoic realization and acceptance from Varda that is both heart-wrenching and deeply affecting. On Chance And Time, Varda reconnects the human spirit to the land, a heavy, fearful heart to an optimistic soul, and in a beautiful poetic flourish gives a real tangible sense of loving and hope to his family and friends offering genuine reassurance and even, at times, a green light for celebration. Carrying a certain air of mystique of say a Karen Dalton or a Jeff Buckley, Varda's delivery and tone carries huge emotional weight here and a unique ability to add an honest perspective and warmth to the starkest of realities. Chance And Time is both an extraordinary record and poignant study of life and living, of death and what comes after. James Varda released four albums between 1988 and his death in 2015.
Snakes Don't Belong In Alaska have firmly established themselves as a prominent force in the underground UK psych scene, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the current generation of psych rock. Notably, they collaborated on a mesmerizing album with the legendary Japanese psych artist, Junzo Suzuki, and have had the privilege of performing alongside esteemed bands like Hawklords, 10000 Russos, and The Myrrors, among others. Originating from the vibrant city of Newcastle upon Tyne, SDBIA embraces an experimental genre non-conforming psych style, blending elements of stoner, kosmische, space rock, prog, and post rock. This captivating fusion of sounds creates a unique musical experience that continues to captivate audiences far and wide. Their latest offering Navegando Al Paraiso sees a slight change of pace from the band, but none less potent. The band invite you on a transcendent musical journey, effortlessly blending psychedelic rock with waves of folk and post-rock. This album immerses listeners in a dreamscape where ethereal melodies ebb and flow like the tides. Each track evokes a sense of wanderlust, drawing inspiration from timeless musical traditions while pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration. Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska paint an otherworldly soundscape that invites you to lose yourself in the euphoria of musical and introspective discovery. Available on super limited-edition green and clear vinyl, only 300 copies pressed.
Brooklyn-based artist Jonah Parzen-Johnson returns with the new album You're Never Really Alone. If you look at the label on the LP containing eight intimate compositions for baritone sax and flute, you will find the words, "we made this together." At first thought, this simple phrase may seem out of place on a solo record, but just like the compositions on this album, it was carefully crafted to cut to the core of what this music is all about. You're Never Really Alone arrives in stark contrast to Parzen-Johnson's 2020 We Jazz Records solo debut, Imagine Giving Up. Where Imagine Giving Up was celebrated for Parzen-Johnson's ability to assemble deeply evocative electro-acoustic sound worlds, You're Never Really Alone shows that Jonah can look you in the eye and say "my voice alone is enough." Across eight tracks, Parzen-Johnson, a Chicago native, explores the technical limits of his baritone saxophone and flute without ever making the listener feel like he has something to prove. You will find circular breathing, multiphonics, and explosive levels of sound, but more importantly, you will enjoy every moment of musical storytelling and compositional skill. This album is made for repeat listening.
"Marion 'Little Walter' Jacobs was possibly one of the most important blues artists of the post-war era. He not only revolutionized harmonica playing by using amplification to compete with the growling guitars of the Chicago blues movement, he changed the way the harp was perceived and opened up a new world of instrumentation. Walter purposely pushed his amplifiers beyond their intended technical limitations to explore and develop radical new timbres and sonic effects previously unheard from a harmonica or indeed, any other instrument. This natural distortion opened musicians' ears to the possibilities of their own instruments and, in many ways, laid the foundations for the blues boom to come along in the sixties. Walter was the first, and to this point, only artist to have a No.1 hit with his self-penned, harp led instrumental Juke. He went on to have numerous R&B chart hits before succumbing to his wild, violent and hard drinking life-style. This LP features all Little Walters biggest R&B chart hits from his debut No.1 'Juke,' to his last chart entry in 1959, the ironically titled 'Everything Gonna Be Alright.'"
Derek Bailey: guitar. Simon H. Fell: double bass. Recorded at Sound 323, London by Tim Fletcher on 15 August 2001. Remastered by Rupert Clervaux, September 2023. "Both Bailey and Fell are master musicians who improvise together at an intense and challenging level. This set bristles with focused energy. Both instruments sound closely mic'd so that we can hear each scrape, pluck and bow. At times, it seems as if Mr. Bailey is on the verge of exploding and then things calm do a bit only to flare up again. Mr. Fell sounds as if he is using a peg or wooden object on his bass at times and coaxing brittle percussive sounds. I found this set to be quite exciting, that edge-of-your-seat dynamic! Pretty incredible throughout!" --Bruce Lee Gallanter
Over the past decade Rising Sun has firmly established himself as a purveyor of the finest deep, dubby and cinematic leaning house and techno, consistently delivering a sound that is distinctly his through labels such as Fauxpas, Freund Der Familie and his own numerous imprints Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine, Kristofferson Kristofferson and Beautiful Things Don't Ask For Attention under a variant of guises such as The Ambientist, Rising Sun Project, Rising Sun Psyche, Rising Sun Melancholia, and simply Rising Sun under which he returns here for Echocord. As one has come to expect from a Rising Sun release The Eternal has a firm foundation in emotive melodies and atmospherics across six alternate versions. "Eternal 1" leads with muted drums, fluttering stabs and a preaching spoken word vocal. "Eternal 2" edges into darked realms, merging expansive dub echoes with swelling subs and tension building strings before "Eternal 3" dives head first into ethereal hypnotism via unfurling textures, soft stab sequences and a rounded kick. "Eternal 4" opens the B-side with a subtly unfolding construction as vocals, chords and swinging drums run in unison. "Eternal 5" then strips things back to a gritty statured feel with boomy percussion, enchanting strings and nuanced stabs before "Eternal 6" rounds out the release laying down murky, multilayered pads, widely dispersing reverberations and bubbling delays throughout.
For the first time on 7", the reissue of rare groove masterpiece "El Bobo." Jazz-funk, disco, fusion and soul sounds from lesser-known American producer, arranger and key player Webster Lewis. His career started working alongside Stanton Davis, Tony Williams, and George Russell -- very much driven by super creative jazz piano playing. But, like many of his generation, he ended up in Europe as record deals in the US were getting harder to come by in the straight jazz world. So he ended in Oslo, where he made music for TV and one super cult album recorded live at Club 7. Webster had broken through at a time when The Headhunters and the rise of disco were fusing -- and as such, he became the go-to guy for arrangements, production and that magic coat of boogie jazz glitter! Several albums were signed to Epic, and some classic work with Gwen McCrae, Merry Clayton, Lamont Dozier, and Alton McClain. On the B-side is The Spirit Of Atlanta's "Freddie's Alive and Well." A cut from the album The Burning of Atlanta by The Spirit of Atlanta, a studio project produced by Tommy Stewart and Clarence Carter. "Freddie's Alive and Well" is the answer song to Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead" and is a huge funk classic.
The June Brides debut single originally released in 1984 on The Pink Label. Both tracks are from fresh transfers from the master tapes which were then remastered by Jason Mitchell at LOUD Mastering in Taunton in early 2021. The June Brides are true innovators, hailing from the first wave of British indie, with fans that include Manic Street Preachers (who covered their song "The Instrumental" as a tribute), Morrissey, and Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch. They have always been regarded as pioneers, and one of the most beloved of the bands that formed the original UK independent music scene, which has since been tagged as C86. Part of The Optic Sevens 5.0 Reissue Series. Limited to 500 copies worldwide. Pressed on blue vinyl. Includes poster. Brand-new remastered versions.
Part of the Optic Sevens 5.0 Reissue Series. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide. Pressed on clear blue vinyl . Includes poster. The Wedding Present's third single originally released in 1986. Company card inner, re-printed copy of original promo poster. Sleeve is a copy of original 12" release. "This Boy Can Wait" is the unedited 12" version.
Following the success of his last Rhythm Section release, Ripples, the enigmatic Wallace returns to Rhythm Section after a series of stellar releases with a highly anticipated follow-up -- Papertrip -- that is destined to once again set the dance music community ablaze. Wallace's impact on the scene has been nothing short of extraordinary, and since Ripples he has gone on to play in the iconic Panorama bar, tour Japan and release a double LP on Mule Musiq. Wallace continues to cultivate a dedicated following among discerning listeners and industry tastemakers alike. Now, with the forthcoming release, Wallace is poised to ascend to new heights, continuing the undeniable Wallace-maina. For fans of: Chaos In The CBD, Kolter, Black Loops, Laurence Guy.
2024 restock; LP version. Obi; includes four-page insert. Wewantsounds present the first official release outside of Japan for The Mystery Kindaichi Band's The Adventures of Kindaichi Kosuke, originally released in 1977. The "imaginary" soundtrack to the cult detective book series by writer Seishi Yokomizo is on many DJ want-lists. Arranged by soundtrack master Kentaro Haneda and featuring a mysterious group of the best '70s Japanese Funk musicians, the album is pure undiluted disco funk. Writer Seishi Yokomizo is an institution in Japan. He could be compared to Agatha Christie with his series of novels based on the adventures of detective Kosuke Kindaichi. The fictional character was born in 1946 with Yokomizo's first novel in the series and solved mysteries until the late '70s under Yokomizo's pen before the death of the writer in 1981. Yokomizo's novels have been a prime source for film and TV scenarios, so when, in 1977, Japanese label King Records decided to record a concept album based on the Kindaichi novels, it made complete sense. The writer was slightly surprised though. The concept album was arranged by pianist Kentaro Haneda, a key TV and film composer who has worked on many anime films and is also famous outside of Japan for composing the music for the video game Wizardry. For the album, he assembled a supergroup of some of the best Tokyo funk and city pop musicians. The long list includes jazz pianist Hideo Ichikawa who played on the 1971 Joe Henderson In Japan album, drummer Jun Moriya, who is on Joe Hisaichi's cult Wonder City Orchestra album (1982), percussionist Tadaomi Anai who played with disco singer Eri Ohno, trumpeter Koji Hadori who's featured on Haruomi Hosono's Pacific album (1978). Also present on the album are saxophonist Takeru Muraoka who plays on many Tatsuro Yamashita cult albums including For You (1982) and Spacy (1977), Kimiko Yamauchi (koto) who's on Akiko Yano's landmark 1976 album Japanese Girl (WWSCD 017CD/WWSLP 017LP), and last but not least, French hornist Koji Yamaguchi who plays on Yazuaki Shimizu's Kakashi (1982). Together they lay the funk on ten instrumentals filled with pure disco and funk breakbeats, making the album one of the highly-coveted Japanese LPs on international cratedigger scene. Remastered from the original tapes. Faithfully reproduced original artwork; Artwork by renowned illustrator Ichibun Sugimoto. New introduction by Anton Spice.
2024 repress; LP version. 140 gram vinyl; includes four-page insert with photos and liner notes. Three emotional years in the making, Be With and Efficient Space present Steve Hiett's Girls In The Grass. Pressed alongside the long-awaited reissue of his one-shot masterpiece, Down On The Road By The Beach (BEWITH 001CD/061LP), these ten Balearic soul instrumentals are of equal necessity; unrivalled beauty rescued from the fashion photographer-guitarist Paris Tapes (1986-1997). While recordings unintended for release should often be approached with caution, this is a rare case of unheard material being assembled as an indispensable and coherent piece. Girls In The Grass is something super special. The light and shadow that defines Hiett's music is arguably more compelling here. It speaks to us in a language that feels profound, yet entirely comforting and familiar. Girls In The Grass reintroduces Hiett's languid electric blues boogie, crafted on Saturday afternoons with fellow art director Simon Kentish. Kentish would cook, pour some wine, and then utilize his arsenal of technology. He'd dial up a chugging rhythm, together with some ambient pads or keyboard textures, and anchor the weightless gauze of Hiett's six-stringed touch. Hiett's guitar sings with the same clean, crisp tone as Down On The Road, animated by a carefree weekend groove. Unlike his defining album which was boiled under pressure, these subsequent sessions have all the time in the world. The naĆÆve melodies chart a missing link between Vini Reilly's ventures into electronica and Booker T, sounding like sun-warped takes on wordless, fractured non-hits from his heroes The Beach Boys. Remastered from the previously unreleased, original masters by Simon Francis. These private moments are adorned with Hiett's singular photography and feature typically idiosyncratic liner notes from Mikey IQ Jones.
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All Hits: Memories Cassette
Vol. 2: Spread Silk On My Heart LP
Vol. 3: My Heart (My Soul Is A Wasteland) LP
Jukurpa/Wasting My Time With You 12"
La Passion Selon Judas LP
El Bobo/Freddie's Alive And Well 7"
A Different Fridge For Cheese LP
King Of The Harp: Complete Chart Hits 1952-59 LP
Supersonic Megafauna Collision LP
Quadrophenia Live in Philadelphia 1973 LP
Live in Philadelphia 1973 LP
Agustin Pereyra Lucena CD
Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom CD
Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom 2LP
Black Holes Don't Choke CD
Black Holes Don't Choke LP
One Man Against The World CD
One Man Against The World LP
Reflections (30th Anniversary Edition) 2LP
You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends/This Boy Can Wait 7"
You're Never Really Alone LP
Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves CD
New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz CD
Supersonic Megafauna Collision (Red Vinyl) LP
Cuban Music In Jam Session LP
The Spiritual (Clear Vinyl) LP
The Found Tapes: Live in Los Angeles 3CD
Garage Beat In Florence: The Complete 1966 Singles Collection 2LP
Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?/Stayin' Alive (Splatter Color Vinyl) 7"
The Adventures of Kindaichi Kosuke LP
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