An essential Roy Ayers album blending soulful jazz roots with crisp 1970s funk. Featuring Ayers' signature vibes, tight arrangements, and standout tracks like "The Boogie Back" (sampled by the likes of NWA, 2Pac, and De La Soul) and "Change Up the Groove," this LP is a must-have for any fan of jazz-funk and vintage grooves. Step into the vibrant soundscape of the 1970s with Change Up the Groove, a hidden gem from Roy Ayers Ubiquity's early Polygram years. Often overlooked in favor of Ayers' bigger hits, this soulful album is a masterclass in jazz-funk fusion, capturing the essence of Ayers' evolving style as he bridged the gap between his jazz roots and the rhythmic snap of the '70s funk revolution. From the very first track, Ayers' signature vibes take center stage, shimmering with emotion and groove. The album leans heavily into instrumental richness, with standout contributions from jazz greats like the legendary Bernard Purdie on drums. Strings weave in and out subtly, enhancing Ayers' already deep and textured arrangements. Change Up the Groove isn't just an album -- it's a snapshot of Roy Ayers' artistic evolution, full of rhythm, heart, and timeless groove. Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering his legacy, this record is essential listening.

A samba funk essential. This debut album from Jorge Ben's iconic backing band blends Brazilian rhythms, soulful vocals, and American funk energy into one unforgettable groove. Includes the hit single "Coqueiro Verde" along with standout tracks like "Meu País," 'Aleluia, Aleluia," and "O Canto da Ema." A timeless gem for fans of Brazilian soul, vintage funk, or global grooves. First time official reissue. Trio Mocotó is best known for being the powerhouse backing band behind Brazilian legend Jorge Ben during the height of his creative explosion in the early 1970s. But their contribution to music goes far beyond the supporting role -- they were instrumental in shaping what would become known as samba funk, a vibrant fusion of traditional Brazilian rhythms with the groove and energy of American soul and funk music. Formed in São Paulo's iconic Jogral nightclub, Trio Mocotó -- featuring Fritz Escovão, Joãozinho Parahyba, and Nereu Gargalo -- began their musical journey as resident musicians, providing live accompaniment for a rotating cast of performers. It was here that Jorge Ben first encountered their raw talent and unmistakable chemistry, ultimately inviting them to join his band. The collaboration would go on to define an era. In 1971, Trio Mocotó stepped into the spotlight with their debut solo album, Muita Zorra! (São Coisas Que Glorificam a Sensibilidade Atual). The record made an immediate impact, climbing the charts with the infectious single "Coqueiro Verde" and marking the start of a prolific period in the group's career. Muita Zorra! is a dazzling blend of styles -- mixing the baroque funk and melodic sophistication of artists like Marcos Valle with the soulful spirit of Jorge Ben. Layered with elements of American funk, the album delivers a dynamic, rhythm-driven sound that still feels fresh today. The trio's vocal harmonies are front and center, weaving through each track with warmth and richness, creating a captivating sonic tapestry that energizes every beat. This album isn't just a snapshot of a musical moment -- it's a cornerstone of Brazilian soul. A must-listen for fans of global grooves, vintage funk, and timeless Brazilian music, Muita Zorra! is once again available and ready to take its well-deserved place in your collection.

Among the most revered voices in funk, Marva Whitney holds a special place thanks to her fierce energy and unmistakable style on tracks like the classic "Unwind Yourself," a long-time favorite for DJs and dance floors alike. Emerging from the dynamic world of the James Brown Revue in the late 1960s -- alongside iconic names like Lyn Collins and Vicki Anderson -- Marva quickly carved out a name for herself. In 1969, she began recording as a solo artist under James Brown's King label, scoring a Top 20 R&B hit with 'It's My Thing.' While mainstream hits were few, her music resonated deeply with funk lovers and crate diggers around the world. Songs like "You Got to Have a Job" and the endlessly sampled "Unwind Yourself" have only grown in stature over the decades. Her album, It's My Thing, dropped that same year and has since become a touchstone of the genre. Backed by the legendary JB's and produced by James Brown himself -- who also contributed to most of the songwriting -- the album captures a raw, unapologetic funk sound with a distinctly female voice at the forefront. From the explosive opening of "It's My Thing" -- a bold response to the Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing" -- Marva channels sheer intensity, backed by a band that doesn't let up. The pace briefly softens with "If You Love Me," a soul-soaked ballad in the spirit of Otis Redding, before diving back into the rhythmic grit of tracks like "Unwind Yourself." Decades later, It's My Thing continues to inspire, sampled by producers and treasured by collectors -- a powerful snapshot of funk at its most uncompromising. Reissue on 180g vinyl.

"Somewhere around 2007 a rather remarkable sight and sound appeared around these parts. Two women, seated among a variety of instruments, playing their own mesmerizing songs amid scattered covers (Richard and Linda Thompson, Donovan, Anne Briggs). Sometimes they played together, sometimes one or the other would do a song while the other watched or added a bit of harmony. It was closer to something you'd see in a university club in 1967 than anything contemporary, but there they were. A large and devoted audience developed quickly, following them from gig to gig. At the time it seemed like they were ready to for the world to discover, something so good that everyone would know about them soon enough. Within a couple of years they would seem more like an apparition, something flown by that you weren't sure was ever really there. They had made some tentative starts at recording, but nothing much to show when I approached them in 2009 to make an LP. One afternoon they loaded all their gear in and set up as they would for a gig. We recorded everything live, including vocals, in one or two takes -- usually one. It was a lovely afternoon, without a hint of the usual recording jitters or other distractions. The songs flowed out, one by one, as naturally as you please. We later added a touch or two to a couple of songs, but the resulting record is almost entirely live, just as you would have heard it if you were lucky enough to see 'em around town. As it turned out, that session was close to the end for Baba Yaga. There were a few more gigs, and then they split -- Carla moving to NYC and Amanda staying local. There were scattered sightings of each over the years: Amanda joined Major Stars for a while. Carla formed Raajmahal with Pat Murano (of No Neck Blues Band and K Salvatore) and put out several LP's and cassettes. But the album they made together as Baba Yaga was seemingly doomed. For a couple of years emails were exchanged, but trying to get the recordings sequenced and artwork prepared for a defunct band whose members lived in different states was slow going. Finally in 2013 everything was in order and 250 copies of the LP were pressed. Then the finished art for the cover went missing. That seemed to be the final nail in the coffin. Boxes of unfinished LP's were tucked into a closet, where they've sat for over a decade. But you can't keep a good record down forever, right? A couple of chance meetings in the middle of this decade restarted the conversation, and designer Darryl Norsen (Grateful Dead, Yes, Joni Mitchell) was brought in to design an all-new sleeve. The records were exhumed and unboxed and after a sixteen year wait the Baba Yaga album everyone 'round town was waiting for is finally here." -- Wayne Rogers

WRWTFWW Records presents the first-ever vinyl release of Japanese electronic music producer Virgo's debut album, Landform Code, a forgotten underground classic from 1998, now finally available as a limited edition 45rpm cut double LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve. Originally only released on CD by Tokyo-based cult label FORM@ RECORDS, Landform Code is an absolute gem of smooth, melodic Detroit techno infused with brilliant hints of acid, ambient, and IDM. It's a dreamy, organic, and timeless record that captures the essence of late '90s electronic innovation with a deeply soulful touch. The 12-track album, radiating with lush melodies, hypnotic rhythms, and textural detail, is an essential (hidden) treasure of electronic music history, transporting the listeners back to the pioneering days of Carl Craig, B12, The Black Dog, Ian O'Brien, or Warp's Artificial Intelligence series, beautifully honoring its influences, while solidly standing on its own as a distinct and emotionally resonant piece from Japan's underground scene. Landform Code is released simultaneously with Virgo's 1999 follow-up album Remnants (WRWTFWW 117LP), both excavated from the vaults of FORM@ RECORDS which has officially supervised the reissue efforts. This marks the first phase of a collaboration between the Swiss and Japanese labels.

Originally released in 2021. "crys cole is a Canadian-born composer, currently based in Berlin. She has a long history as a sound artist, both for performances and recordings that display a subtle approach to sound generation (often involving small gestures and the amplification of objects not necessarily designed to produce music). She also creates sculptural installations featuring sound as one element amongst others. This might suggest she possesses some of the mania associated with Fluxus, but crys's work generally eschews the antic, focusing on the slow build and accretion of sound layers. On this night in Nanaimo BC, Oren and crys sat at a pair of tables. Oren held a guitar and his table was covered with electronics. crys held no instrument in her hands, but her table contained a mass of objects, some clearly electric in nature, others looking more like random bits found in a kitchen drawer. Working with these tools and microphones to amplify their voices and/or gestures, the pair created the two pieces here -- wonderfully flowing soundscapes from imaginary vistas of otherness. The instruments they employ sometimes recall the essence of things you've heard before, but more often they are sonic events whose source can only be discerned (and then, only fitfully), by trying to see who is doing what with their hands. The interplay of gesticulation and the slow swaying of their bodies resembles a kind of slow-motion dance, almost like something taking place underwater. And at times there is a concordant submarine heft to the music. Drifting as though heard through a waving wall of water at 20,000 leagues beneath the sea. Other portions make you feel as though you are lying in a tent at night in a jungle filled with cyborg insects. It was a night of music that came and went like a dream state. Beautiful, familiar and utterly strange all at the same time. Sadly, this will be the last LP in this series recorded at the original White Room, upstairs at 4 Church Street in downtown Nanaimo. A new landlord wanted to do something different with the legendary performance space/gallery, and so it goes. We are assured, however, that a new venue will be secured in the Nanaimo area, and the shows (with concomitant live LPs) will continue once the plague has abated. For now, take the opportunity to take a trip with Oren and crys. You won't regret a moment of it." --Byron Coley

"Although it is true that the Nanaimo concert hall known as 'The White Room' has been eradicated by real estate greedheads, Jack and Dave (who ran the place and its documenting record label) have decided to keep the label going because why the hell not? The first fruit of this divine union is the Belfort Strasse LP by Eugene Chadbourne's Contemporary Rock Band (whose name was copped from an otherwise anonymous Pismo Beach cover band). Under this exquisitely generic banner you'll find Eugene Chadbourne on vocals, guitar and banjo, Schroeder on drums, Jan Fitsjen on bass and baritone guitar and occasionally Titus Waldenfels on lap steel. Unlike their namesake, this Contemporary Rock Band only plays a couple of covers -- Johnny Paycheck's 'The Cave' and Willie Nelson's 'Wake Me When It's Over.' These are also the tracks on which Waldenfels's lap steel adds musical width, while on 'Prisoner' (recorded for Bulgarian National Radio), the ensemble features solely Chadbourne and Schroeder. The material here was recorded in 2018-19 in a basement studio on Belfort Strasse in Freiburg-im-Brieslau, Germany or in taverns within walking distance of the studio, using a mobile recording facility. A few of the tunes have appeared on some of Eugene's recent CDRs, but this the first vinyl appearance of the music, and a damn fine appearance it is. Unlike his more 'purely' avant instrumental records, Belfort Strasse is a suite of Eugene's sometimes-straight/sometimes-bent lyrics, spiced up with experimentally-canted musical flourishes that fuck with time, melody and harmonics in equal measure and at their own cruel pace. Eugene's approach is so amazingly advanced it can often be head-spinning to try and unravel its intent, but the overall effect kinda destroys the perceptual barriers between sounds deemed 'inside' and 'outside.' This is a trick Chadbourne has long been working at, but as much as I loved many of his early efforts at this syncretic mode of creation, over the years his tactics have become a bit less manic, which seems like a good thing in terms of making the lines blurrier than ever. Eugene is an artist whose aesthetic has long seemed to be dictated by Duke Ellington's statement, 'if it sounds good and feels good then it is. Good. There's no art when one does something without intention.' And to my ear, Belfort Strasse, is Eugene's most adamant exemplar of this dictum yet. If you can't dig it. I'm not certain you can dig." --Byron Coley

Frozen Reeds presents Mark Fell's Psychic Resynthesis, an instrumental work performed by Explore Ensemble. This double LP, with included digital download, is the label's eighth release, arriving 13 years after its foundation. Fell is a multidisciplinary artist, composer, and theorist based in Rotherham, UK. Renowned for his rigorous and conceptual approach to electronic music and sound art, his work explores the limits of structure, rhythm, and perception through a blend of computational systems, philosophical inquiry, and cultural critique. Over the last decade, Fell's practice has visibly shifted from a world of technical intricacy and myopic microdetail to one of collaboration and community. He has purposefully sought out diverse musical partners from a wide variety of traditions and disciplines and found equally diverse ways to work and create together -- not to integrate their playing into a musical fusion, but rather to discover how such combinations of approaches and experience can stimulate unique and heretofore unheard results. The music here emerges from a commission for contemporary chamber group Explore Ensemble, situating Fell's work in a new context entirely. Having been a notable critic of classical music's slavish adherence to traditional musical notation, "the score," and its associated issues of control and hierarchy, one might expect a provocative or abrasive approach. Instead, a work of deep, tonal introspection unfolds -- an elegant structure navigating the artist's trepidatious relationship with linear or timeline-based musical approaches. In Fell's selection of timbres and events, the dynamic of composer and performer is interrupted by his twin adoption of system and flexibility. Mathematical determination and sonic fixation vie for dominance. The conflict governing combinations. Upsetting preconceived strategies. Published in an edition of 777 double LPs, with included digital download, the result, Psychic Resynthesis, represents both a prismatic object for repeated examination and an abstruse table of musical correspondences. Artwork and design by Mark Fell. Mastering by Jim O'Rourke.

LP version. A voice, timeless as the desert, swirls up like the sirocco, drenched in cavernous reverberation, accompanied by the solitary, meditative swells of the ardine, an acoustic harp that dials in the fundamental frequency of Noura Mint Seymali's music. A brief pause, and the same refrain returns, this time picked out on a heavily flanged electric guitar, grounded by thunderous drums and growling electric bass. And there's that voice again -- direct and urgent, careening off into wild ululations and refracted echo. That's the opening two tracks on Yenbett, the brand-new album by Mauritanian force of nature, Noura Mint Seymali. In just under four and a half minutes, these two versions of the song "Lehjibb" set the tone for what's to come -- a trance-inducing and ferociously evocative blend of ancient Northwest African musical tradition and searing, electrified Saharan future rock. Noura Mint Seymali is a living embodiment of musical tradition. She hails from a family of musical visionaries: her father, Seymali Ould Ahmed Vall, was a renowned composer and scholar and her stepmother, Dimi Mint Abba, was a cherished singer and performer. Seymali is a practicing griot -- equal parts poet, singer, musician, historian and cultural custodian -- and a living embodiment of Mauritania's tradition of Moorish griot music. "The griot are highly respected lineages in our culture and are a source of social cohesion and social history that endures," Seymali explains. "We are still a kind of mirror for society, reflecting back the social bonds and history to the people. It's still the griot who are the artist celebrants of traditional weddings and ceremonies. And it's still griot representing the culture as artist ambassadors." In this role, Seymali performs as a powerful vocalist with both a deep connection to the griot's timeless repertoire, and an urge to create fresh, contemporary messages. Rounding out the band are bassist Ousmane Touré, and on drums Matthew Tinari -- an American who has resided in Senegal for many years. Tinari also co-produced the album, together with Mikey Coltun, best known as bassist with Tuareg rock pioneers Mdou Moctar. It's no surprise, then, that Yenbett smolders with a languid fire comparable to the desert blues played by West African groups such as Mdou Moctar. Certainly, Seymali can see a connection between the blues and West African music. "It's sewn from the same cloth," she says.

4LP box set version. "After more than thirty years of working with and performing the great repertoire, the music of Philip Glass has, in a way, almost revolutionized my life as a musician," confides Vanessa Wagner. An emblematic artist on the French music scene, winner of a Victoire de la musique award and director of the Chambord and Giverny festivals, Vanessa Wagner is as inspired in her interpretation of Mozart, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, and Dusapin as she is alongside Murcof and Rone. With her innovative and daring approach, she has established herself as a major influence on the classical music landscape, crossing boundaries and blazing inspiring trails. For InFiné, she has dedicated four albums to the major figures of this movement, John Adams, Meredith Monk, Brian Eno, and Ryūichi Sakamoto, as well as to the new generation Caroline Shaw, Bryce Dessner, and Nico Muhly. After giving numerous concerts based on these works, she felt the need to record in their entirety this essential monument in the history of music, which bridges the gap between the 20th and 21st centuries: Philip Glass's 20 Etudes for piano by Philip Glass. His approach helps to place these two books in the great repertoire, alongside the great cycles of studies by Ligeti, Debussy, Dusapin, and before them, Chopin and Liszt. The thread linking Philip Glass to Vanessa Wagner may be as simple as a detail: a moment, a pedagogy, a way of looking at the piano. In Words Without Music, Glass recalls his apprenticeship with Nadia Boulanger in Paris -- a lesson in rigorous received just as the Nouvelle Vague was about to shatter the conventions of cinema the conventions of cinema, just as the composers of the minimalist movement had done with the language of music. Nurtured by Ravel and Debussy, the great French pedagogue disciplined yet inquisitive minds, capable of embracing modernity without denying modernity without denying their heritage.

Goldie's 1995 debut Timeless is often described as one of the greatest dance music albums of all time. As one of the founders of Metalheadz, one of the most influential drum and bass labels, Goldie helped shape the sound of a generation, and a genre that has spanned over three decades. Listening to Timeless is like taking an adventure. If the limits of music are the limits of society, then Timeless is going to create new worlds. It's a record that travels from darkness to light across electronic oceans, across streetsoul, ambience and jazz. London Records celebrate 30 years of Timeless with limited edition vinyl, re-imagining the original white sleeve and putting the album on double vinyl for the first time since '96, with new liner notes from Tim Carr. Remastered audio. Also available on splatter color vinyl (LMS 1725579).

Soft Centre is the new album by Iko Chérie, the solo project of French-born, London-based multi-instrumentalist Marie Merlet. She blends dub-inflected textures, pop-tinged vocals, reverb-drenched guitars, Casio drones, and warm experimental noises -- creating her own intimate, fragile sound. Self-produced and largely performed by Merlet, the album grew from an introspective process, with many sketches recorded in transit between tours. The result is a deeply personal work, balancing light and dark in a Lynchian dream-pop haze. Songs such as "We Smoke That Peace Pipe" and "Bilbao" shimmer between vulnerability and resilience, while the single "Ghosted Ghosters of the Holy G" captures the immediacy of a one-take dub bass. Some pieces retain the quality of improvised snapshots while others reveal her meticulous production process and songwriting craft. Merlet defines Soft Centre as alive in radical tenderness, unguarded, open, and vivid. Influenced by Clarice Lispector's prose, Diane di Prima's poetry and Rachel Carson's environmentalist writing, as well as Marie's fascination with a vintage Roland Space Echo, the album is an invitation to connection that she describes as "hopefully a meditation into healing." A versatile musician trained in classical piano, jazz, and electroacoustic composition, Merlet has long moved between different worlds of sound. She has worked with Laetitia Sadier in Monade, performs with Gina Birch (The Raincoats), Malphino, Yama Warashi, and several other groups. She recently appeared as guest singer on the latest Stereolab album. Her debut solo LP, Dreaming On (Elefant Records, 2015), revealed her singular melodic instincts; with Soft Centre she ventures further inward, shaping her own distinctive voice in experimental pop.

"On the cover - claire rousay: The Winnipeg born, Texas raised composer found her footing as a drummer before branching out into a practice of multi-instrumental sonic journaling that incorporates ambient collage and found sound. She'll release her new album, a little death, via Thrill Jockey in late October. By Lucy Thraves; Features and regular sections - Rafael Toral: Following up on last year's celebrated Spectral Evolution, the Lisbon based guitarist, improvisor and engineer of DIY electronics delves into a sort of tradition with the October release of Travelling Light, his idiosyncratic take on a set of jazz standards made famous by the likes of Billie Holiday and Chet Baker. By Peter Margasak; Once Upon A Time In New York: Giorno Poetry Systems: New York poet and performance artist John Giorno founded the non-profit organization and label Giorno Poetry Systems to bring verse into dynamic engagement with pop artists and new music composers. The cultural context and legacy of GPS is examined by Alan Licht; Yusuf Mumin: The Black Unity Trio saxophonist discusses an expansive new collection of previously unreleased spiritual jazz explorations entitled Journey To The Ancient courtesy of archive label WeWantSounds. By Phil Freeman; Susu Laroche: The dark, liturgical style of the French-Egyptian interdisciplinary sonic and visual and artist has been showcased on a wide array of collaborations in recent years, as well as her latest solo release War Against The Lie. By Misha Farrant; Invisible Jukebox: Lord Spikeheart: The anti-genre metal vocalist and one half of Ugandan duo Duma takes on The Wire's mystery listening test. Tested by Claire Biddles; Unlimited Editions: Fused Arrow; Global Ear: Rotterdam; Plus, one-page profiles of Chupame El Dedo, Alister Spence, Kinlaw & Franco Franco and more."

Tresor Records presents the first-ever reissue of Drexciya's Fusion Flats 12" vinyl, including remixes from Detroit's Octave One, Kaotic Spatial Rhythms, and 043 Chaos. Originally released in the wake of Drexciya's seminal 1999 Tresor debut album Neptune's Lair, this release marks its long-awaited return and first appearance on digital platforms. The remastered edition contains the original extended version of "Fusion Flats" and features new artwork by Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison. 25 years later, Fusion Flats returns to the constellation of Drexciya's Tresor works, connecting their debut full-length to further explorations that continue to inspire generations.

Conamara-raised musician and performer Olan Monk presents Songs for Nothing, their second album. Songs for Nothing was written upon Olan Monk's return to the west coast of Ireland. The album is imbued with the influence of sean-nós singing, Irish language songs in the "old style" that often proclaim tales of love, loss and landscape; and also heavily indebted to the late Sinéad O'Connor's confessional songwriting. Reconstructing these influences through their unique perspective has resulted in a fragmentary album veering between collaged pop, machinic rock and slow airs, "dedicated to Conamara and all who have called it home." The western, Atlantic-facing edge of Ireland has a particular feeling and energy, one that permeates the release: the granite pulsates, the ocean and sky reflect intensities, seaweed rots on shingle shores, plants bloom, ancient trees come up for air from the drowned forest in Galway Bay, the sun splinters through the low clouds. The album's title suggests a one-way transaction, an offering to the listener expecting nothing in return, but also a devotion to nothingness; and the realm of infinite possibility that springs from its well: singing out into a sparse landscape, which once was home to long-lost forests and communities. A departure from Olan Monk's previous, more electronic work, the instrumental arrangements of Songs for Nothing delve deeper into the "descriptor" with elements of shoegaze, witch house, cloud rap and Irish traditional music bleeding through the walls of the studio. Songs for Nothing, in melding influences old and new feels at times absurd, but never ironic; it is from the heart, and its respect for song traditions and dedication to process are felt in two arrangements of older songs embracing this new trajectory: "Fate (Reprise)" is an earlier recording reimagined as a doomer ballad with Maria Somerville singing in a duet, and "Amhrán Mhaínse" is a Conamara anthem slowed down as a duo of accordion performed by Peadar Tom Mercier accompanied by heavy guitar drones. Folding in other Irish neo-traditional expressionists and experimentalists, the record also features Michael Speers, Dylan Kerr, Aindriú De Buitléir, Risteárd O'hAodha, and Róisín Berkeley.

Frank Maston's beloved 2025 single finally gets its long overdue vinyl release! "Foreign Affairs" drifts through London fog and Paris shimmer, its avant-lounge glow wrapping each melody in a wistful ache. On B-side "Liaison," ghostly strings and a solitary piano paint a deserted twilight shoreline, Pacôme Henry's distinct 16mm cinematography hovering nearby. Originally written for a film Maston was scoring in 2024, he decided to keep it aside for himself. The two songs were recorded in Paris and London in the summer of 2024. Aside from the rhythm section and piano, there's vibraphone, a full string section, trombones and alto and concert flutes. The artwork for this 7" single has Roman campaign flags, referencing the foreign affairs in sort of a sassy way.

LP version. "A cornerstone of soulful reggae, Lover's Rock by Jamaican legend Delroy Wilson bridges his deep roots in ska and rocksteady with the smooth, romantic vibes of the UK's lovers rock movement. It's a noteworthy entry in the lovers rock canon and a testament to Wilson's versatility. Originally released in 1978 by Burning Sounds, this album captures Wilson's velvet-toned voice over laid-back riddims and heartfelt lyrics -- a perfect entry point for fans of both classic reggae and tender love songs. A must-have for collectors of golden-era reggae and lovers rock enthusiasts alike. Original UK pressing is increasingly rare and prized for its warm analogue sound and classic artwork. Recommended if you like: John Holt, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Sugar Minott."

Dam Swindle's new Backyard Galaxy EP is an ode to house music and the classic Swindle sound. "Feel it Much?" has all the ingredients of a classic Swindle heater, with warm pads, rich organic percussion and tons of soul. There's a simple and effective vocal running throughout the track that blends nicely with the classic house elements and electronic textures that are layered throughout the track. "Backyard Galaxy" is an up-tempo Latin-themed jam with a hint of old school techno. You move into garage territory with the shuffling vibes of "Rhythm Baby". The EP closes with the NY-style house cut "What You Give".

2025 repress. Originally released in 1969, this album is one of the most significant in Brazilian musical history, spearheading the musical Tropicalia revolution lead by Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, not to mention Gal Costa and mutant rockers Os Mutantes. Not only were the artists experimenting with the music, they were also making a very strong political statement that spoke out very harshly against the military regime in Brazil at the time. This album helped land Veloso and Gil a brief stint in jail and eventually in political exile in the UK. Includes bonus CD of the album.

"Over the course of more than two decades, Philadelphia musician Bill Nace (guitar, taishogoto) has carved out unique collaborations across a wide range of contemporary improvisational practices, and though these range from solos to small groups, there's a keen ear toward the immediate, stark tug of duets. Some of these meetings are one-offs for now (saxophonists Evan Parker and Masayo Koketsu), while others are regular partnerships that have evolved across continual play and refinement (violinist Samara Lubelski and saxophonists Paul Flaherty and Steve Baczkowski). Many of these recordings have been released via Open Mouth, the label that Nace founded in 2004 which documents not only his work, but also that of fellow travelers in the worlds of experimental rock, noise, free improvisation, electronic music, and spectral folk in more or less limited editions. Rinse Cycle is the first recorded encounter between Nace and French saxophonist Sakina Abdou, whose searing and personally declarative solo CD, Goodbye Ground, was released by Relative Pitch at the close of 2022... An apt partner, Abdou's high-pitched wails and wide vibrato ululations are like a searing light out of which gradations in hue develop, closely valued and materialist, their afterimages bouncing in the retina and doubled by Nace's obsessively hammered double-string taishogoto. On the opening 'Vented, All in One (Part I),' Nace's instrument is made into a gauze of steel wool through distortion and looping, pulsing with ambient heat, a supple and narrowly dynamic platform that encourages Abdou's sawtooth alto in dry, metallic corkscrews and bright intervallic furrows. The close-miked egg shaker employed on '(Part II)' generates a series of grainy bursts in such odd succession that any traditional sense of rhythm is dispensed with. 'Mega Capacity' finds the two musicians acting as slabs that both support and push against one another, split-toned tenor brays and relentless peals of feedback coagulating into a mass that generates form, phrases spiking out in dissonant relief. Abdou is well capable of flywheel crescendos that recall Ayler and Brötzmann, but the pure-sound excavations that emerge are a curious complement to Nace's delicately controlled squall... It's difficult to know whether Rinse Cycle is the only LP that the pair will cut together (they also performed live at the venerable Philadelphia establishment Solar Myth), but as it stands this is a striking document of two improvisers pushing one another's boundaries." --Clifford Allen, August 2025

2025 restock. Working outside normal record business market mechanisms, Einstürzende Neubauten recorded this album over some 200 days in their own studio funded by their world-wide network of subscribing supporters via www.neubauten.org. Possibly informed by the title of 2000's Silence Is Sexy, the word on the international music scene was that Einstürzende Neubauten had become calmer, quieter even. Alles Wieder Offen blows this assumption out of the water; it is an urgent and compelling album in every aspect. The instruments do not exhaust themselves by a consumptive struggle against each other as they might have on prior recordings, but instead create an unprecedented fusion of Einstürzende Neubauten-typical instruments with conventional ones. Alexander Hacke's bass has never sounded warmer, Jochen Arbeit's guitar more graceful, the metal of Rudolf Moser and the percussion of N.U. Unruh more unsettling and diverse, or Blixa Bargeld's voice more mercurial yet forceful. It's the little details that first draw the attention: Jochen Arbeit's whizzing guitar on "Unvollständigkeit," seeming to anticipate the outburst that follows: a rain of light, falling aluminum sticks; the way Alexander Hacke electronically deconstructs Rudolph Moser's rounded, flowing rhythm on "Weilweilweil"; the deft combination of uplifting organ and the almost tender feedback that rends the sky open on "Nagorny Karabach." This album also is very conscious of the band's history. On a lyrical level, "Unvollständigkeit" is a sister piece to both "DNS/Wasserturm" (1983) as well as "Redukt" (of Silence Is Sexy, 2000); "Nagorny Karabach" refers to "Armenia" (1983), which is the sun of the EN-cosmos; "Von Wegen" quotes both their first single and a line from the song "Sehnsucht" from Kollaps (1981). Moreover, musically "Von Wegen" mirrors the structure of "Zerstörte Zelle" (1987). "Susej" is based around a rhythm guitar figure that Bargeld recorded in a flooded cellar of the Hafenklangstudio in Hamburg in the early '80s. Many layers have deposited themselves around the group's original nucleus. At the same time, the energy and the sheer willpower of the early days is still powerfully evident here. Perhaps the most emotionally-affecting and intellectually-stimulating album of Einstürzende Neubauten's career. Gatefold with full color printed inner sleeves.

Indulge in a delicious audiophile epilogue to Princess P's Infinite Sonore compilation (PRINCESS 002LP) with this 2x12" musical offering. Swiss DJ Princess P, known for her wide-ranging selections, that resonates equally on the dancefloor and in immersive listening spaces, has been a dynamic presence in the Swiss electronic scene since the mid '90s and has cultivated a genre-defying style. Her sets have become staples at clubs like Zukunft and festivals such as Watching Trees and Convenanza, where she showcases her iconoclastic musical knowledge and maverick flair. Featuring Fortran 5, Renegade Soundwave, Saint Etienne, and S.Y.T. (Shave Your Tongue).

A note from Lawrence English: "If I'm not mistaken, Ben Frost and I first talked about the ideas of what would become Steel Wound sometime in mid-2002. In the early '00s, Ben had been working on cut-up electronics, spilling over with floating rhythms, humming string samples and piano splices. It was a sound realized in part through the subversion of fruity loops and also owes a debt to Ableton Live which arrived in late 2001. His works to that point, gently saturated and bristling with a fizzy distortion at times, hinted at another sound world which would become his focused in the summer of 2002 and into 2003. Locking himself away at Johanna's Beach, a remote southern vantage along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, he was able to record for the first time without a sense of constraint. This opening up of the sound palette brought with it an entirely new harmonic language that had been hinted at, but not realized, on previous recordings. With a simple restriction of instrumentation, the guitar as the palette, Frost unlocked a certain verticality to his working methods that holds light to this day. Steel Wound is, by design, a singular record in Ben Frost's discography. It's a recording born of particular conditions, but also of particular interests. It was the first time Ben had set himself up with a situation where saturation, volume and density were all something that could be realized in a space and a time, not as a process of post-production. To have sound operating in space is a thing of true beauty and moreover it allows for a certain unpredictability that is central to new discoveries. Working with a Fender Twin, often with the reverb dialed in at maximum, he found a language of shimmer and saturation, of compression and collision, that set the stage for a prolonged interest in how sound performs and is perceived at volume. It also is the first time that many of the tonal and melodic inflections that have come to be recognized as his compositional language are on display. Steel Wound, in my opinion, is a map to the future for Ben. It is a portal, a chance for new understandings to emerge and also to take hold and it's these learnings that have guided Ben's work in the subsequent years. Steel Wound remains a pulsing beacon in an ocean of noise that has been flickering for two decades now."

Claire M Singer has shared details of the captivating second instalment in a triptych of albums that delves into two intertwining narratives. Gleann Ciùin -- which means "quiet glen" in Scottish Gaelic (pronounced gly-ow-n kyoon) -- is released on CD Touch. The follow up to 2023's Saor, the heart of this album lies a profound exploration of the artist's personal journeys across the rugged, awe-inspiring landscapes of the Cairngorms in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Through a tapestry of evocative melodies and stirring harmonies, the music transports listeners to these majestic mountain peaks, evoking the solitude, the natural wonder, and the transformative power of traversing such terrain. Gleann Cùin also represents a parallel journey, one that ventures deep into the history and grandeur of the UK's most remarkable pipe organs. As the artist navigates these historic instruments, coaxing forth their rich, resonant tones, the music becomes a vehicle for uncovering the stories embedded within these magnificent, centuries-old artifacts. Each track on the album seamlessly blends these two narrative threads, creating a captivating tapestry that invites the listener to experience the artist's own discovery, whether exploring the rugged Scottish landscape or unearthing the hidden musical treasures of the nation's most revered pipe organs. Gleann Ciùin stands as a powerful and immersive artistic statement, a mesmerizing musical journey that immerses the listener in the artist's own transformative explorations. The album's title piece is the Ivor Novello nominated "Gleann Ciùin." Originally commissioned in 2019 by the London Contemporary Orchestra and the Richard Thomas Foundation for the PRS New Music Biennial. The piece features violin, viola, four cellos, and two horns and the 1967 Flentrop organ housed under the stage when not in use in the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall.

2025 repress. "One album into their career in 1969, Mutantes showed few signs of musical burnout after turning in one of the oddest LPs released in the '60s. Similar to its predecessor, Mutantes relies on an atmosphere of experimentation and continual musical collisions, walking a fine line between innovation and pointless genre exercises. The lead track ('Dom Quixote') has the same focus on stylistic cut-and-paste as their debut LP's first track ('Panis et Circenses'). Among the band's musical contemporaries, Mutantes sounds similar only to songs like the Who's miniature suite 'A Quick One While He's Away' -- though done in three minutes instead of nine, and much more confusing given the language barrier. The album highlights ('Nao Va Se Perder por Ai') and ('Dois Mil e Um') come with what sounds like a typically twisted take on roots music (both Brazilian and American), complete with banjo, accordion, and twangy vocals. Though there are several other enjoyable tracks, including 'Magica' and a slap-happy stomp called 'Rita Lee', there's a palpable sense that the experimentation here isn't serving much more than its own ends. If the first album's relentless eclecticism did in fact occasionally result in dry passages, it's especially true here." --All Music

2025 repress. "Cindy Lee is the diva alter-ego of singer/guitarist/drag queen Patrick Flegel, the one-time captain of heralded Canadian experimental guitar pop act, Women. In Flegel's working on/as Cindy Lee exclusively over recent years, their songwriting makes a move toward high atmospherics, often achieving a mysterious sweetness rooted equally in beauty and ache. As Cindy Lee's first long-form statement, Act Of Tenderness makes use of antipodal themes to create a living sound: static with grace, distortion and sugar, all masterfully arranged with crooked nods toward pop classicism. The layered vocal on 'Power And Possession' creates a palpable haunt, bringing historical girl-group lament to choir-esque heights. The feedback shriek and industrial grind of 'Bonsai Garden' provides near-operatic damage, yet never stumbles into the irrevocably grave. These snowy pieces give the album a decidedly cinematic feel, albeit one bent more towards Eraserhead. Originally released in a scant private edition in 2015, Superior Viaduct's imprint W.25TH is pleased to give Act Of Tenderness its deserving wide release."

2025 repress. "Cindy Lee, the performance and songwriting vehicle of Canadian artist Patrick Flegel (who fronted influential indie group Women earlier), previously stunned listeners with Act Of Tenderness, a heart-wrenching statement informed by the noirish core of celebrity, and has continued to enchant with every album, including the startling What's Tonight To Eternity released earlier this year. Model Express originally appeared as a self-released edition of 100 gold cassettes. The arch, filmic drama of Cindy Lee's songwriting -- realized with keyboards, guitars, aching voice and collaged, lo-fi production -- traverses a wide range of emotional and sonic terrain. The red velvet psych-pop of 'What Can I Do' gives way to the fluid 'Diamond Ring' like radio bursts from space. Model Express finds Flegel at both their most experimental and immediately melodic, and this first-time vinyl release recognizes the collected tracks as a pillar in the Cindy Lee catalogue. Cindy Lee (who uses the gender neutral pronoun they) is a drag persona drawing on suburban closet queens and mid-century divas. In keeping with Flegel's interest in the fault lines of identity, gender expression, performance and media, Model Express delivers an intense and diverse set of unforgettable songs."

We Jazz Magazine, Thembi for Pharoah Sanders. 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers. All articles presented in English. 50 pages of Pharoah Sanders by Henry Boon, Pierre Crépon, Tony Higgins, Arsi Keva, Patrick Preziosi, Andy Thomas and Seymour Wright, Tomoki Sanders by Tej Adeleye, Don Cherry by Magnus Nygren, Jameszoo by Rob Garratt, Discaholic column by Mats Gustafsson, album reviews, live reviews, photo essay and more.

PRAED return to Discrepant, after their 2017's entry Fabrication of Silver Dreams. Known for their signature blend of Egyptian Shaabi, free jazz and improvisation, the Lebanese duo behind PRAED -- Raed Yassin and Paed Conca -- now assemble a full orchestra for the second time taking the music to a deeper, rooted level. Following their 2020 release Live in Sharjah, also under the PRAED Orchestra! moniker, the duo now revisit their unique blend of Arabic heritage and free jazz sensibilities with an album that keeps pushing further into strange and unexpected directions. The Dictionary of Lost Meanings is just that, seven fully composed pieces and large-scale improvisations, performed by an expanded ensemble of musicians from across the globe. The result is dense and playful, unpredictable but familiar, a record where Arabic rhythms and microtonal melodies collide playfully against electronics, warped vocals and orchestral textures. It's less about genre than about memory -- like tuning into a radio station broadcasting from somewhere between the past and the future. PRAED continue to blur the line between popular culture and experimental music in ways that feel both grounded and completely their own.

Azymuth bassist Alex Malheiros doesn't remember recording this single. It's understandable -- the sessions happened over forty years ago, and at the time, Malheiros, Ivan Conti and José Roberto Bertrami were backing countless MPB artists throughout the genre's golden age. As one of Brazil's most influential groups, Azymuth's story is well known. Vocalist Luisa, however, remains something of an enigma. She recorded this, her one and only single, in 1981 for Carlos Lemos' Piramide Label. With Luisa's powerful yet understated vocal, Bertrami's futuristic synths and José Carlos Bigorna's brow-raising tenor sax licks, the stirring early-'80s pop ballad "Romantica" should have been a radio hit. On B-side, "Lenha na Fogueira", Azymuth lock into an exceptional samba-funk groove with legendary guitarist Paulinho Guitarra. The record also features backing vocals from the lesser-known vocal group Arco Iris.

Named after the galactic location of the nearest black hole to Earth, Connecticut psychedelic band NGC-4594 only issued one single during their brief existence in 1967, Skipping Through The Night (truly an acid-head anthem) backed with "Going Home." Rumors of a lost, unissued full album started to circulate until psych music researcher Gray Newell found it. Top shelf acid-rock/psychedelia, highly recommended if you dig Country Joe & The Fish, Jefferson Airplane, Spirit, Doors, H.P. Lovecraft, Love. LP + 7" single, housed in a hard cardboard sleeve. Remastered sound. Insert with liner notes by Gray Newell and photos.

Unlike other Spanish bands of the time, Los Z-66 enjoyed unique conditions that allowed their sound to stand out as one of the most advanced on the local scene in the late 1960s. As was the case with many other groups, their repertoire for entertaining discotheques had to include the hits of the moment and was not always open to the songs of the most daring international bands, which was the sound that most stimulated the musicians. In the case of Los Z-66, being based in Mallorca meant they had privileged access to hard to-find records, imported by foreign tourists, and to a much more modern atmosphere than in other parts of the country. Songs in Italian and French soon gave way to English hits by the Animals, the Stones, and the Beatles. But it was the offer received from Mike Jeffries, manager of Jimi Hendrix, the Animals, and others, to serve as the house band at the newly opened club Sgt. Pepper's that allowed the group to raise their live performances to a level rarely seen in these parts. They even soon incorporated the distorted sound of fuzz into their guitar when they received a fuzz face pedal as a gift from Jimi Hendrix himself, who was invited to play at the club's opening! Their excellent blend of stunning soul, psychedelia, and pop became their hallmark, not only in the band's concerts but also in the handful of singles and EPs they released on the Regal label. Their songs reflected the influence of bands such as The Move, Vanilla Fudge, and Blood, Sweat & Tears, showcasing a solid, modern, and powerful sound. Munster are now re-releasing for the first time their only full-length album, originally published in 1969, which is actually a compilation of songs previously released in 45 rpm format, complete with two bonus tracks not included on the original LP. This reissue, which includes a booklet with liner notes and rare photos, is a joint project between Munster and Runaway Records.

LP version. Sarathy Korwar, genre-breaking drummer, producer and composer, announces the release of his seventh album, There Is Beauty, There Already, out on Otherland. Celebrating the melodic power of the drum ensemble, the album follows his 2022 Indofuturist manifesto KALAK with a deeply immersive longform suite of percussion-led compositions. Playing as a 40-minute suite of hypnotic and transcendent drum improvisations, the album beats through a repetitive, circular structure that brings to mind Indian folk music, jazz drum ensembles like Max Roach's M'Boom and the contemporary classical minimalism of Terry Riley and Steve Reich. From the undulating bass tones of the tabla to the tonal varieties of South Indian clay pot ghatam, the snare drum snap of the drum kit, and shades of electronic texture through the Buchla Easel, Korwar's ensemble bubbles and flows through a stream of steady rhythm, forever in motion like the ceaseless energy of a river. "The album is me finding my voice as a composer again and going back to the thing I know best, which is the drums," Korwar says. "It's me falling back in love with percussion and expressing just how melodic and emotive it can be. Unlike my other albums that have often engaged with weighty themes like migration, identity and futurism, this is a raw act of placing myself front and center -- letting the drums speak instead."

Heavy UK progressive monster rarity from 1973; only one acetate copy known to exist. During their brief existence, Cargo -- a band that supported the likes of Sam Apple Pie, Stray, East of Eden, and Greenslade -- certainly delivered the goods with their powerful blend of hard-rock, psychedelic and progressive/jazz-rock sounds, full of screaming vocals, hard guitar, furious sax attacks, and heavy drums. Formed in Burton on Trent by guitarist/songwriter Andrew Perrins with members from the band Helter Skelter, they included killer lead guitarist Neillian 'Sped' Spedding, saxophonist Alan 'Nala' Wright, drummer Graham Hair, bassist Dave Kent, and a charismatic vocalist modeled after Robert Plant named Terence 'Ticker' Davies. Influenced by bands like Gentle Giant, ELP, and Yes, Cargo gained attention through strong live performances, supporting major acts like Queen and East of Eden. In 1973, they recorded a demo acetate titled Delivering The Goods at Zella Studios. Although they nearly signed with Island Records, they turned down the offer when it was only extended to the singer and drummer. This is without doubt a major find for any hard-rock/heavy-prog fan. Gatefold sleeve in the best early '70s style. Remastered sound. Includes insert with detailed liner notes by Austin Matthews (Shindig!/Flashback) and rare photos Also includes download card.

Beyond rare British private press folk album from 1971. Charming atmosphere and dreamy twin female vocals, mixing traditional tunes with interesting covers and superb original songs featuring a slight psych/folk edge. Named after the fabled ghost ship, Wolverhampton folk group Marie Celeste left behind just one rare recording: the 1971 private-press album And Then Perhaps. Pressed in only 200 copies without a proper picture sleeve and recorded live in a single session, it has since become a collector's treasure -- a haunting message in a bottle from the British folk underground. Formed in the late '60s by childhood friends Brian Lindop (vocals, guitar) and Jon Tame (bass), the group evolved through several line-ups before settling with singers Glenys Jenkins and Mary Bishop, alongside young guitar prodigy Ken Price. Their harmonies, combined with Brian's evocative songwriting and Ken's dexterous playing, gave the band a distinct voice within the flourishing folk scene. The album blends five striking originals with inspired covers of Tom Paxton, Joni Mitchell, and traditional standards. Highlights include the pastoral title track "And Then Perhaps," the harmony-rich opener "Prisoner", and the lilting instrumental "A Slice of Peace". Critics at the time praised its warmth and quality despite its shoestring budget, with the Wolverhampton Express & Star calling it "a good album" that deserved wider attention. Though the band disbanded in early 1972, their swansong -- a support slot for Fairport Convention -- confirmed their talent. First ever band-sanctioned reissue. Newly vintage styled artwork in hard cardboard sleeve. 24-bit domain remastered sound. Insert with liner notes by Austin Matthews (Shindig!/Flashback) and photos.