New Releases for March 2008

Index of New Releases for March 2008

HYPERDUB (UK)

Artist:	ZOMBY
Title:	Mu5h/Spliff Dub (Rustle Remix)
Label:	HYPERDUB (UK)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	HDB 009EP

This is installment #2 of Hyperdub's rapid-fire assault on 2008, which continues to mine a rich bleep seam. Both Zomby and Glaswegian producer Rustie have built up a dedicated following with a string of off-key productions. Their first Hyperdub outing is headlined by Zomby's epic bleep symphony "Mu5h," a dramatic and melodic 8-bit stepper, while the retooling of "Spliff Dub" scuttles along with wonky percussion, jiggy grooves, speaker-busting bass, blaring synths and a chopped-up vocal instructing you how to "keep the evil away."

IMPORTANT RECORDS

Artist:	MENCHE, DANIEL
Title:	Glass Forest
Label:	IMPORTANT RECORDS
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	IMPREC 176CD

"Glass Forest is a highly listenable starting point for any newcomers curious about Daniel Menche's vast discography. It is also, according to Menche, the last CD he will release. From now on he'll be releasing his music on LP only or on DVD to accompany films he's been working on. Glass Forest is also the companion release to Body Melt which is being released simultaneously on Important on LP only. Recorded in the winter of 2005, Daniel Menche's Glass Forest displays a glistening sound world that is finely textured with the most delicate of raw organic sound and chaotic electronic noise. Not at all extreme as with Menche's previous work, but rather a more subtle presence can be heard here on Glass Forest. Subsonic bass drums crawling underneath massive sheets of glass-like sound layering infinitely into a thick and dense forest of delicate noise. For fans of Daniel Menche's ambient work and also his loud violent work, Glass Forest fits exactly right in the middle of these two polarities."

Artist:	BEEQUEEN
Title:	Sandancing
Label:	IMPORTANT RECORDS
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	IMPREC 177CD

"After the by now usual gap of some two years, Beequeen is ready to present their latest album, further maturing their sound from The Bodyshop (also on Important Records). More song-based, this album features new vocals by Olga Wallis solely (with some backing by Freek Kinkelaar). Well rounded pop songs in some places, but Beequeen never forgets to put in some strange element, without leaping in the dark alley of pointless experiment. Orchestral in 'The Illogical Song,' collage like in 'The Edie Three Step' or a simple rhythm machine in 'The Honeythief.' Beequeen does all, and with great care and seemingly ease. This album features also the help of Barry Gray, former (and first) guitarist of The Legendary Pink Dots, and would not have been the album that is without the invaluable productional skills of Erik Drost."

Artist:	RAMESES III
Title:	Basilica
Label:	IMPORTANT RECORDS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	IMPREC 178CD

"Basilica is Rameses III's eagerly anticipated follow-up to their acclaimed releases Honey Rose (Important), Matanuska (Music Fellowship) and Night Of The Ankou (Type). Basilica is a double album of live recordings of new Rameses material accompanied by re-interpretations of those same recordings by contemporaries Robert Horton, Keith Berry, Gregg Kowalsky and Astral Social Club. Each artist approached to contribute to the Basilica disc was given free range to experiment with the live files, to re-invent and re-interpret the recordings as they saw fit. Minimalist sound-sculptor Keith Berry rolled out the slow-motion waterfalls of Basilica and gave the album an early focus and provided inspiration for the glacial artwork. Gregg Kowalsky played the 'Rose Blood' remix as part of his own performance at the OVERLAP 02 event in San Francisco using its tuned sinewave oscillators, cassette tapes and loops to induce, to quote the man himself, 'a psychoacoustic listening experience.' Our subtle textures were pushed way into the red when noise veteran Neil Campbell sandblasted the original tracks into the howling mirror of Astral Social Club. His 'Tigers In The Snake Pit' was remixed live in the very same venue in which it was originally performed and finessed with some post-performance layering. And Robert Horton was open-minded and kind enough to allow Rameses III to remix his remix, leading to the gentle trumpet curlicues and electronic birdsong entwining the original drone of 'After The Red Rose.' Although Basilica was originally envisioned as a single disc album, once the remixes were complete, it slowly became evident that they should be paired with a disc of live recordings in order to put the Basilica disc into context. In contrast to the heavily-produced and painstakingly-constructed Rameses studio albums, all five of the previously-unreleased tracks on the 'Origins' disc were recorded directly to stereo at various venues around London. As such, they fully represent those moments in performance where the trio strive to make the most beautiful music they can."

ISLANDS & ISLETS (GERMANY)

Artist:	VAN RIVERS
Title:	Messed Up Alternative
Label:	ISLANDS & ISLETS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	STHLMISLE 001EP

"We're incredibly happy to be starting this new project! Islands and Islets is a Berlin-based record label run as a daughter imprint to dance-oriented Stockholm LTD, founded by Pär Grindvik. This new label has developed from a constant stream of new influences that all together make up our own special idea of independent and underground music. Islands and Islets' qualities can be enjoyed by more 'inexperienced' listeners as well as by the 'knowing' ears of a record collector. Using electronics to rework and redevelop sound -- whether it be instrumental or with vocals. With the hope of finding a new balance of two worlds, Island & Islets strives to create something new and unique that has roots in our physical realm. Our first 12" release, Van Rivers' Messed Up Alternative. Van Rivers catches that special movement and provides us with a great tool for both peak-time and afterhours!"

ITALIC (GERMANY)

Artist:	ANTONELLI
Title:	Soulkiller
Label:	ITALIC (GERMANY)
Format:	2LP
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	ITALIC 071LP

Double LP version. "Italic would like to announce Antonelli's new album Soulkiller. It is Stefan Schwander (aka Antonelli)'s 6th album and was produced using analog drum machines, synthesizers and sequencers only and recorded live without any overdubs onto an old-school tape recorder. The result is amazing: Antonelli's house music on Soulkiller is so incredibly rough and emotional that it reminds of the garage rock from the Stooges. And the tracks sound like ESG doing cover versions of 'Moodymann.' Moreover, you will find flamboyant pop references, from Bohannon to Terry Hall."

JNANA (CANADA)

Artist:	CURRENT 93
Title:	Of Ruine Or Some Blazing Starre
Label:	JNANA (CANADA)
Format:	LP
Price:	$27.00
Catalog #:	DJ 1961LP

"Durtro Jnana are pleased to announce the reissue of Current 93's masterpiece Of Ruine Or Some Blazing Starre. Originally released in 1994, Of Ruine... follows the classic Thunder Perfect Mind album and marks another leap forward in the sound of Current 93. The gorgeously delicate guitar of Michael Cashmore augmented by drones, bells and sound manipulations make this one of Current's most hypnotic albums musically with the vocals and text of David Tibet adding a quietly controlled power and drama which is virtually unsurpassed in the canon of the band. This reissue has been remastered and features newly designed artwork in a full color digipack with a 20-page booklet."

KALIBER (SWEDEN)

KIVA

Artist:	FERGUSON HULITT
Title:	Mushroom Palace
Label:	KIVA
Format:	LP
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	KIVA 002LP

LP version. "Mushroom Palace is Dreu Ferguson Sr. and Brian Hulitt's collaboration into the psychedelic folk blues dimension. Hulitt's words and Ferguson's guitar establish the album from the beginning with title cut 'Mushroom Palace,' a drug lyric upbeat rocker complete with laughter, subtle background effects and strangeness, followed by the '60s sound of 'The Essence' which is a psychedelic chant put to music complete with whispers, druggy references, '60s guitar etc.Then comes the killer electric guitar cut 'Maelstrom' with great lyric and guitar playing. As the album evolves into more of a folk blues direction, great cuts 'Without a Face' and 'History Following Me' stand out. The humorous rocker 'Bad Weather Mama' is also a fun spot. There is a Dylan-esque cut 'If I Disappeared Today' and spoken word cut 'Words of Whispers' complete with a tape loop and backwards guitar! Not too forget the '60s pop sound of 'Price of Love' (Hey is this an old Monkee?) and the drug chant 'Painting,' Mushroom Palace is an ambitious effort qualifying for inclusion in several genres. A two man effort, the album has a private underground feel to it throughout which contributes to its charm. Lyrically fantastic, Hulitt exorcizes demons of drugs, the bottle, women and death, culminating in the hopeful and beautiful 'Even If.' Ferguson's guitar playing is on target throughout with a nice touch of the throbbing wahwah on 'Easy Prey To Time' and dobro on 'History Following Me.' The cover art is great front and back with visions of psychedelia heaven 'neath a mushroom. Close your eyes. Open your mind. We bid you welcome to the Mushroom Palace."

KLANG ELEKTRONIK (GERMANY)

Artist:	VA
Title:	Diamanten Und Raketen II
Label:	KLANG ELEKTRONIK (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	KLANG 016CD

This is the second volume in the Diamanten Und Raketen (Diamonds And Rockets) compilation series from Klang Elektronik presenting classics, current hits and a preview of what the label holds store. This time around, the label's founders Ata, Heiko MSO, J.E. Wuttke and Roman Flügel picked what they liked best in techno, based on the label's ideology that techno is not just pure science, it is heart and soul music. No boring trance, no smash-hit techno, just freedom of expression through good-hearted dance beats. This attitude is what inspired the releases on Klang that are still a style-guide to this very day. Just think of the first records by, for example, a certain Jan Jelinek as Farben or a real hit like Alter Ego's "Rocker." Not to mention minimal or all the other releases that made their way into the record shops as vinyl releases on Klang Elektronik. Techno has since branched out even more and many people regard it as just one of many types of music. Nobody expects anything new from this genre anymore, but if anything, it should at least be pioneering. Diamanten Und Raketen II fulfills this just as little as 99.9% of all the other types of music do -- and it's not a chronologically compiled summary of the last ten catalog numbers, either. It's neither a DJ mix nor a TV-advertised hit compilation. There is no central theme, apart from the fact that there is none. This series is more of a reflection of someone's personal taste, four individuals' heart and soul who have created a neverending building site for themselves, meanwhile comprising close to 130 12" singles and 16 CDs, robbing their senses only to give them back the very same day and everyday after. Artists include: Anthony Shake Shakir, Phage & Daniel Dreier, Bored & Lazy, Alex Cortex, Dan Curtin, Raudive, SUM aka Carl Finlow and D'Julz, Siro, Eight Miles High, Misc., Carsten Jost, Dryer, The Sun God and Alter Ego.

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Artist:	KALIBER
Title:	Kaliber 18
Label:	KALIBER (SWEDEN)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	KAL 018EP

Artist:	NERK & DIRK LEYERS
Title:	Perse X
Label:	KLANG ELEKTRONIK (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	KLANG 129EP

Artist:	ALTER EGO
Title:	Gary
Label:	KLANG ELEKTRONIK (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	KLANG 132EP