A duo concert featuring universal artist and activist Moor Mother and Archie Shepp was planned for October 19, 2023, at the Enjoy Jazz Festival. However, a spinal disc operation on the then 86-year-old saxophone legend led to the cancellation of this eagerly awaited world premiere -- and to a spontaneous demonstration of respect. To honor the great Archie Shepp, one of the most influential intellectuals in jazz, an Enjoy Jazz all-star cast spontaneously recorded a tribute song during the festival -- organized by festival director Rainer Kern. The line-up consisted of Nicole Mitchell, the most important flutist in the history of jazz, as well as the Enjoy Jazz "Artists in Residence" for 2023 and 2024, Moor Mother (spoken word) and Nduduzo Makhathini (piano). In her lyrics, the poetess creates a powerful linguistic monument to Archie Shepp, whom she greatly admires, by playing with the titles of the saxophonist's legendary recordings (instead of with him himself). The title One For Archie is an allusion to Shepp's 1964 Impulse debut, Four For Trane, which, according to Jazzwise, is one of the "100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World." In her moving text, Moor Mother also celebrates Shepp's political and social commitment. The way Moor Mother rhythmically and aesthetically picks up on Shepp's unique playing style, which oscillates between rugged clarity and deep humanity, begins to improvise on it, and thereby creates new connections, is impressive proof of her masterful artistry. Her recitation is peppered with haunting dramatic climaxes that give listeners goosebumps due to their authenticity. The B-side features "They've Got A Plan," a song that is like a beacon. An intense and powerful invocation of "Agenda 2063," a master plan of the African Union to transform the continent socially, economically, and politically. Both tracks are available on vinyl for the first time.

Quadrant Park is a new label from the makers of frozen reeds (which will continue in its own stream). It exists to present music that demands to reach a little further, occupying new spaces and a new context. For the inaugural release, SDEM delivers a live recording with a twist: this set was recorded in early 2024 in a single take to an audience of one, at a now abandoned empty club space beneath a railway arch in Leeds. Following a series of physical and digital releases culminating with Vortices (SKALD 038CD) in 2023, SDEM has focused on continuous upgrades to a mutating live set, sporadically performed, for example, alongside the Autechre and Gescom axes. In the phase documented here, the set draws deeply from turntable-era early hip hop and '80s drum machine architecture, resulting in a landscape of tactile slippage: rhythms gripping and releasing, gestural scrubs and stabs, scratching meets musique concrète. Interlocking parts snap in and out of alignment, before recombining on the fly -- kinetic, raw, and precise. The SDEM approach is marked by Tom Knapp's sculptural take on sound design, rhythm and texture -- ranging from dystopic ambient passages to pixelated, sub-heavy beats. A member of the Skam circle of atavistic beat freaks since the late '90s, Knapp's sound is that of hyperattentive electronica buried under soil and left to decay (or ferment). What emerges is somehow both ruthlessly futuristic and redolent of decrepit antique engineering. At Quadrant Park is presented in an edition of 500 compact discs with artwork by Robert Beatty unique to every individual copy. In a warped reflection of the recording circumstances, each copy forms one distinct frame of a short film never to be viewed in its totality. Liner notes are provided by the sole witness to the recording, long-standing SDEM co-conspirator Ed Martin, aka edv3ctor, while audio was mastered by the ears that matter, frozen reeds mainstay Jim O'Rourke.

Hyper-limited ethereal ambient-guitar-soul, originally released on cassette only. First time ever vinyl release, on 140g vinyl. The phenomenally hyped Thought Leadership returns with another X ideas: the deck this time chooses the Ace of Swords. Originally out on cassette only, Be With presents the first ever vinyl issue. The sonic palate has been augmented by the addition of synth and bass; there are more guitar layers, more pedals and more organic drums this time -- a much fuller production. Still DIY, and still recorded straight to multitrack, just ever so slightly grander in scale; think a rough-hewn, long-lost Claremont 56 cut and you'll have some idea of how XI opens this future classic LP. The touchstones so key to the vision of Pentacles (Cocteau Twins, Dif Juz, Durutti Column) are all still present and correct; XII could be a piece from Extractions, XIII is pure Garlands-era Guthrie and, now with the shuffling jazz drums, XV makes TL even more LC -- but more disparate influences are found this time out too. ECM guitar legends John Abercrombie and Pat Metheny in the more considered melodic phrasing and harmonic structure of the ideas and a nod to the cosmic Balearic spirit in the overall vibe, means more is offered to the listener across Swords. Be With is honored to present the first ever vinyl release of Ace Of Swords, carefully remastered by Be With's engineer Simon Francis to ensure it sounds better than ever after its initial tape release. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut at Abbey Road Studios whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry, in Holland. The original tape cover artwork, so crucial to Thought Leadership's striking visual aesthetic, has been rejigged for vinyl issue here at Be With.

"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

Double LP version. Originally released in 2005, the Furries' third and final album to be recorded by Epic Records, Love Kraft, is now reissued. Four previously unheard tracks are drawn from the vaults, including the squidgy ELO-stomp of drummer, Daf Ieuan-led "Rock 'N' Roll Flu," plus the distorted space-jam of Cae Marw, the band's deep-bass sketch of Palo Alto and ghostly, percussive morsel of Bedw Arian. The album followed six previous albums by the band, including their statement debut album, Fuzzy Logic in 1996, melding an attention-demanding mix of literary, narcotic and musical influences. Maintaining a shape that was ill-fitting in the jigsaw of other '90s guitar bands, their follow-up, UK Top Ten album, Radiator brought the hooky squelch of the bona fide indie dancefloor classic, "The International Language of Screaming." Love Kraft's sense of cohesion, collaboration and free-flow of rich harmony has been credited to the five-piece escaping Wales to record in the shimmering heat of Figueres, Catalunya. Bringing famed Beastie Boys producer, Mario Caldato Jr along with them for the ride, the travelling band's stay in the Catalonian hometown of Salvador Dali included found sounds, boozy petrol stations, gastronomic revelations and, finally, a rich album of strings, synths and opulent vocal harmonies. While eventually finding their way to Baha, near to Rio di Janeiro to mix the album Love Kraft's story began in Wales and Pleasure Foxxx Studios, where the band began to craft the album's songs. Embracing the landmark of a seventh album, notably coming after the 2004 release of their first "best of" package, Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1, Super Furry Animals pooled ideas and affected further democracy in their songwriting, taking a load off traditional lead-writer and front man, Gruff Rhys, and sharing in lead vocal duties (aside from the microphone-averse bassist, Guto Pryce). Love Kraft was the first Super Furry Animals album recorded to hard disc instead of multi-track tape, and found the band typically explorative and open to happenstance. "Zoom"'s opening splash into the recording studio's swimming pool is accompanied by the on-location, pool table samples found elsewhere on the album. Updated packaging features the original, meticulously built diorama design by long-time collaborator Pete Fowler. Constructed by hand in his studio, complete with bulb-lit illumination, then photographed, the sleeve's depiction of a monolith-rich desert landscape reflects the sense of other space and time depicted by Love Kraft's woozy songs. The final sleeve design again comes courtesy of Mark James.

A reissue of the masterpiece by the great French folk singer Veronique Chalot produced in the late 1970s by the Tuscan label Materiali Sonori, a collective with which Veronique collaborated for years. Celtic music and traditional Breton ballads presented in a new elegant guise, world music created when "world music" had not yet been invented. A fascinating sound, enriched by melodies that seem ancient but are actually timeless.

Double LP version. 2025 restock; deluxe Stoughton gatefold packaging. Singles and demos, 1964 to 1967. "Following the amazing success story of Vashti Bunyan's recent re-emergence as an artist after an exile of over 30 years, comes the release of Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind, a comprehensive compilation of early recordings dating from the period prior to Vashti's classic Just Another Diamond Day album which was originally released1970. Titled after Vashti's (Jagger/Richards-penned) debut single which opens the compilation, this double-album represents an attempt to both open out and draw a line under the past, and also to try to set the record straight about the disparity between how Vashti viewed (and still views) herself against the way she has been popularly perceived. Widely construed as a folk singer -- a tag she fundamentally disagrees with - these recordings instead reveal Vashti as a pop singer, however 'fragile' and unique."

Channeling inventive sound design into incisive, characterful techno variations, Jurango returns to Livity Sound with an eight-track double album -- his longest release to date. Taíno Gold captures a moment in time for Bristol-based Nate Reece's continually evolving sound as it draws on the full spectrum of UK club music. Reece is more assured than ever tackling a variety of club-focused cuts. The tracks on the release all came together before, during and after a two-month visit to Reece's grandparents' home -- an idyllic tropical environment in a small community at the top of a hill in the northern part of Jamaica. Taíno Gold refers to the island's indigenous Taíno community and the legend of a witch luring Spanish settlers into a trap on the Martha Brae river. There are no messages explicitly embedded in the music, but the release is both a personal reflection of Reece's own experiences and family heritage, plus a reminder about the enduring scepter of colonialism and the continued need to fight against it. From absorbing Jamaica's fraught history through museum and plantation visits to the abundant nature in the garden surrounding his grandparent's house, the double EP marks a place in time for Reece, with eight advanced, ear-catching tracks as the end result. From the cascading arps of "Black Torches" to the tunnelling chords of "Waiting For Trelawny," the melodic dimension of the Jurango sound is more confident than ever. With the space afforded by a longer release, Reece widens out the scope of his artistic identity while absorbing the particular scene and setting that surrounded him while making the tracks. Taíno Gold is a vibrant next step for Jurango and a natural continuation of his work with Livity Sound.

2025 repress; double LP version. Silver pantone, UV spot varnish. 180 gram vinyl. Tresor Records announce forthcoming special editions of the entire catalog of Drexciya and related projects. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of James Stinson and the releases of the Transllusion and Shifted Phases albums. In recognition, the rights holders, their families, and the label have commissioned Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison to re-conceptualize the covers of Tresor's Drexciya-related catalog. The series starts with Neptune's Lair, first released in 1999, with the Hydro Doorways single arriving shortly after. These records, individually and as a catalog, represent some of the most crucial moments in the Tresor label history, with the sound and mythic world of Drexciya undoubtedly inspiring generations. Detroit's Drexciya, with their close ties to Underground Resistance, emerged in 1991. With an encoded agenda and socio-political mission aimed at the world, a new page of Drexciya's grand history was written entitled Neptune's Lair. Drexciya is the sound of originality embodying all the musical styles and history that Detroit the city has seen and been part of. Drexciya is music for change that defies categorization; traditionally armed with freestyle electro, techno, funk, and jazz while covering an entire spectrum of moods. While words won't do Neptune's Lair proper justice, rootsy Kraftwerkian techno, gives way to G-style electro, while jazzy freestyle funk evolves alongside classic 4/4 club sound. Although the roots run deep, Neptune's Lair heralded an important new chapter in the musical connections between Detroit's finest and Tresor.

2025 repress; double LP version. 180 gram vinyl; silver pantone, UV spot varnish. Reissue, originally released in 2002. Tresor Records announce forthcoming special editions of its entire catalog of Drexciya and related projects. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of James Stinson and the releases of the Transllusion and Shifted Phases albums. In recognition, the rights holders, their families, and the label have commissioned Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison to re-conceptualize the covers of Tresor's Drexciya-related catalog. These editions will be released sequentially, bimonthly, starting early-September 2022. Harnessed The Storm and Digital Tsunami (TRESOR 182X-EP) come in November. The series will be completed by the long-awaited re-release of Shifted Phases - The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope. These records, individually and as a catalog, represent some of the most crucial moments in the Tresor label history, with the sound and mythic world of Drexciya undoubtedly inspiring generations.

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.

2025 repress. "Regular edition" on 140 gram vinyl. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, originally released in 1977. Released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor 1976's Scenery (WRJ 001CD/LP/LTD-LP). Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop, and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent "Mellow Dream" and "My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui's work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic "Baron Potato Blues" or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced "Horizon" which sees each member of the trio -- Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums -- demonstrating their virtuosity for nine exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, and reminds you that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists. After releasing the outstanding Scenery and Mellow Dream back-to-back, Ryo Fukui worked on developing his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui), and even releasing two live albums. He sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that all jazz lovers should explore. Sourced from the original masters. Mastered at half speed; 140 gram vinyl; includes sticker.

"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

When rock music from Germany gained international recognition under the label "krautrock" in the 1970s, it was far more than a mind-expanding phenomenon. In basements, youth centers, and improvised studios, a vibrant scene emerged-shaped by fearless curiosity and a strong will to transcend traditional musical structures. Some bands produced only a single recording; others became experimental platforms for established musicians or transient fixtures in local underground milieus. What united them was a desire to cross boundaries: rock met jazz, folk merged with electronics, soul touched the avantgarde. These intersections produced soundscapes that remain powerful documents of a creatively restless era. The recordings collected here reflect that spirit-not only from the krautrock period, but also from the decades that followed, including contributions from both Germany and Austria. Featuring Skyline, Psi, Toto Blanke, Ragawerk, Lychee Lassi, Abadie, Zoppo Trump, Epsilon, Radio Noisz Ensemble, Mocolage, Dschinn, Frob, Emotion, Join In, Morpheus, Opossum, Zyma, and The Terrible Two.

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

LP version. After a critically praised debut in 2023 and numerous tours across Europe, Yalla Miku returns with 2, a new record that further asserts their unique identity. Still based in Geneva, the band moves forward with a reimagined lineup -- not as a departure, but as the natural continuation of a project envisioned from the start as a space for encounters, movement, and musical reinvention. Blending post-kraut grooves, mutant folklore and electronic trance, Yalla Miku continues to spark dialogue between traditions from the Horn of Africa and the most unrestrained experiments of Geneva's underground. The krar riffs of Samuel Ades Tesfagergsh, the sculptural bass of Louise Knobil, the taut percussion of Cyril Bondi, the raw electronics of Emma Souharce, and Cyril Yeterian's modified banjo weave a dense, collective sonic fabric, full of sharp turns and rhythmic surges. There's no smooth fusion here, nor any fixed folklore: 2 is an interplanetary journey where multiple voices overlap, clash or complement each other. It's a music of otherness, built as a shared space where each texture keeps its own roughness. With this second album, Yalla Miku digs deeper into its sound: raw, militant, unclassifiable -- for curious ears and open hearts.

Mentioned on Julian Cope's essential guide Jap Rock Sampler, Food Brain released their debut album in 1970, gathering influences from prog, proto-hard and psychedelic music. By far a supergroup consisting of Shinki Chen (Speed, Glue and Shinki), Hiro Yanagida (Milk Time) and Hiro Tsunoda (Flied Egg), the band showed an incredible interplay on their nine instrumental pieces, generating a cult following aboard.

2025 restock; LP version, Volume 1. 180 gram vinyl; includes download code. Since their debut in 1975 (FARO 117X-LP), Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world's greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock 'n' roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature "Samba Doido" (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid. Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan 'Mamão' Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Azymuth's name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti, and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music -- from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward; these previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami's home studio. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world, that sounded anything like them, so it's unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, told in effect that the music was 'wrong'. When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, "Prefacio" would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996). Only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form. On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros, and Conti were realizing at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth's earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

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.

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).

2025 restock; first ever reissue. Psychedelic Latin-funk holy grail from Nicaragua, 1974. Poder del Alma ("Soul Power") was a supergroup formed by some of the best musicians from the Nica scene. This all-star band of nine members was assembled to play at the famous free concert of Santana in Managua in benefit for the 1972 earthquake. After that successful gig supporting the Latin-Rock superstar, what was to be a one-night stand became the seed of the most loved Nicaraguan act from the '70s. All the members had already played an important role in the history of the Nica music/hippie scene in the 1960s. Among them is Román Cerpas (previously on Bwana), René "Chapo Domínguez (Los Rockets), and Edgar "El Gato" Aguilar. A few months after the Managua concert with Santana, Poder del Alma traveled to Guatemala to record their first long play for Dideca (Discos De Centroamérica, S.A.) in just one week of recording sessions. Despite the low budget and precarious recording equipment, the band managed to obtain a powerful psychedelic/Afro/funk-rock sound full of electric guitar, heavy drums, hot, percussion, horns, Spanish male/female vocals -- featuring titles like "El Valle del Ayatimbo," "Ia-Taa Yo," and "Zúmbale." Remastered sound, with original artwork in gatefold sleeve. Four-page insert with liner notes, photos, and download card included.

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.

2025 restock; double-LP version. What are the differences and similarities between human and artificial sound, between oscillations generated by vocal cords and synthesizer voices, voltage amplified by speakers? On Silencio, Moritz von Oswald works with a 16-voice choir to explore this concept. Drawing from the ensemble works of long-standing inspirations Edgard Varèse, György Ligeti, and Iannis Xenakis, von Oswald and Vocalconsort Berlin delve into the space between sounds, creating a deeply textured collection that shifts between light and ethereal and dark and dissonant. As masterfully demonstrated in the early work of von Oswald and Mark Ernestus's influential Basic Channel project, repetition and reduction are key elements here, much in the tradition of techno and minimalism. The vast dynamism of the human voice adds to the profound weight of electronics while offering up a rhythmic source and sonic noise palette unexplored in von Oswald's repertoire. In Silencio, von Oswald dredges a dank murk, pulling clouds over a distant pulse. It hangs, ready to take on new forms. The compositions were written in von Oswald's Berlin studio on classic synthesizers, such as the EMS VCS3 & AKS, Prophet V, Oberheim 4-Voice and the Moog Model 15. These abstract recordings were transcribed to sheet music for choir by Berlin-based Finnish composer and pianist, Jarkko Riihimäki and performed by Vocalconsort Berlin in Ölberg church in the city's Kreuzberg district, only few meters down the road from where Dubplates & Mastering and Hard Wax opened their doors for music enthusiasts for many years so long. The recordings of the choral versions were then incorporated into the synthesized parts of the album and brought into a new electronic context; in Silencio, the focus is not on using one means to imitate the other, but to sonically discuss the tensions and harmonies between the two worlds and create a dialogue between them. The relationship between von Oswald and Tresor Records goes back thirty years, all the way to Blake Baxter's Dream Sequence in 1991 -- which von Oswald engineered alongside Thomas Fehlmann. The collaboration with Fehlmann lived on, seeing the duo team up as 3MB with Eddie Fowlkes or Juan Atkins. More recently, the Detroit-Berlin connection continued as Juan Atkins & Moritz von Oswald present Borderland (TRESOR 262CD, 2013).

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.

Who was that masked man? This question is on many lips having seen and heard the Defiant Jazz episode of the hit TV show Severance, the one in which the show's protagonists are allowed a company dance party, accompanied by a light show and increasingly wild, funky, saxophone-driven music. The masked man? None other than Joe McPhee, Poughkeepsie, New York's best kept secret, one of the great figures of contemporary improvised music. A living legend looming large, you might say. And now a presence in households around the globe. This "taster" is more than a "best of" record. Defiant Jazz includes "Shakey Jake," the dance party track, a funky upsetter from 1970 that shimmies and rolls at the same time it builds and explodes. The vinyl-only compilation then moves across time, touching on another early track, the spiritual jazz classic "Astral Spirits," from the 1972 CJR LP Trinity and a 1983 version of the Sonny Rollins tune "Oleo" from the hat Hut LP of the same name, with psychedelic guitar outbursts courtesy of Raymond Boni. The second side opens with "I See You Baby Shakin' That Ass," a self-proclaimed "throwdown" with McPhee as emcee and flamethrowing saxophonist, fronting two bands, Cato Salsa Experience and The Thing. A dance floor jack-in-the-box for anyone unlucky enough not to have heard it yet. The program concludes with a sensitive tenor/drum duet between McPhee and Paal Nilssen-Love. The cover features previously unpublished vintage photos of McPhee. If you already know Mr. McPhee's music, this compilation is designed to fulfill, and if you're new to him, it will thrill and chill. Win-win.

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.

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).