Psychedelic hard-rock Holy Grail, originally released by this Greek band in 1976 but sounding more akin to late '60s/early '70s. Highly recommended to fans of heavy-fuzz guitars, think Dark, Fire, Open Mind, or even Spacemen 3 circa Revolution. The 4 Levels Of Existence (Τα 4 Επίπεδα Της Ύπαρξης) formed around 1974 in Athens from the ashes of a band called Frog's Eyes. Some of their influences were groups like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Who, or Iron Butterfly as well as traditional Greek music. They recorded their sole album in just ten hours with no overdubs and it was eventually released (500 copies only) on the small Venus label. The cover artwork was created by guitar player Athanasios Alatas. The band sadly split soon after but they left behind one of the most legendary and sought after albums not only from Greece but also from the worldwide heavy-prog scene. Remastered sound with original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve with OBI. Insert with liner notes by Klemen Breznikar (It's Psychedelic Baby) and rare photos / memorabilia. Includes "Someday In Athens," sampled on "Run This Town" by Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West.

Official reissue of this sought-after Canadian psychedelic hard-rock album from 1970. Formed in Toronto in the late '60s, It's All Meat (the name was taken from a dog food commercial!) soon caught the attention of influential character Jack London (frontman of pre-Steppenwolf band Jack London and the Sparrows) who managed the band and secured a deal with major label Columbia Records. After recording their first 45, the proto-punk MC5/Stones sounding "Feel It," the band started working on their first album with the tandem of Jed MacKay and Rick McKim as main songwriters. It's All Meat was released in 1970 and offered a powerful mix of garage-rock, psychedelia and early hard-rock, drawing influences from bands like the Stones, Country Joe & The Fish, Doors, Velvet Underground -- tracks like "Roll My Own" or the lysergic "Crying Into The Deep Lake" are now considered classics of the genre. Sadly, the band would split soon after the LP was released. Original artwork in gatefold sleeve and remastered sound in 24-bit domain. Includes insert with liner notes by Plastic Crimewave and rare photos/memorabilia. Includes download card with non-LP singles and rare tracks.

When the trio of Sontag Shogun gathered at Laura Naukkarinen's home on the Finnish island of Kimitoön in the summer of 2019, they had not the slightest inkling that the world was about to change irretrievably with the onset of a long-predicted pandemic the following year. By the time their collaborative album, Valo Siroutuu ("The Light Scatters"), was released nearly two years later, the intimate and reflective nature of the work they had created together had taken on new meaning, resonating powerfully (and quietly) with a world in which the proverbial cracks in the wall only seem to be widening. Päiväkahvit completes the story that began with Valo Siroutuu, featuring nine new songs from the original sessions plus four interpretive reworks courtesy of Amulets, Fadi Tabbal, Post-Dukes, and Jeremy Young. Available digitally and in a one-time vinyl pressing of 300 copies, the album flows seamlessly from beginning to end, incorporating field recordings, tape, sublime vocal melodies, and a host of acoustic and electronic instruments. Richly textured and immersive, Päiväkahvit positively crackles with warmth and a sense of creative embrace.

A true embodiment of Brazilian boogie, this is the first official reissue of Brylho's album, founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1978 as Brylho da Cidade. The group was influenced by the Black Rio movement of Tim Maia, Cassiano, and others. Members included Arnaldo Brandão (vocals/bass), Paulo Roquette (guitar), Cláudio Zoli (guitar/vocals), Robério Rafael (drums), Bolão (percussion), and Ricardo Cristaldi (keyboard). Claudio Zoli stands out as an important funk artist of the 1980s, during a time when pop rock bands dominated the Brazilian music scene. This album features one of the biggest hits of 1983: the soulful reggae groove "Noite do Prazer." Often described as Rio de Janeiro's answer to George Benson's "Give Me the Night," it's a timeless classic that bridges funk, soul, and Brazilian grooves. On "Se Você For a Salvador," a sun-soaked, feel-good boogie track, younger generations have embraced a new term to describe the sound: Brazilian City Pop. The record also delivers dancefloor heat like the stomping "Jóia Rara," the vibrant soul-reggae fusion "Destrava Maria," the ahead-of-its- time rap-funk hybrid "Cheque Sem Fundo," and the electrifying samba-reggae "Pé de Guerra," rich with Bahian rhythms and energy. Closing out the album are two under-the-radar jazz-funk gems: "Meditando" and "171." Though often lumped into the boogie category, these tracks lean more toward the sleek 1980s jazz-funk sound, reminiscent of UK acts like Level 42.

Recorded live in one session at age 18, this album helped launch Tania Maria's career as an acclaimed Brazilian jazz artist, celebrated for her virtuoso combination of piano and vocals. Produced by Romeo Nunes (Meirelles e Os Copa 5, Rio 65 Trio, Elis Regina, Elza Soares), the album features the pioneering Edison Machado, who transformed samba and was instrumental in the development of Bossa Nova through his groundbreaking "samba no prato" (samba on the cymbals) technique. His work helped shape the sounds of Jobim, Getz, and Milton Nascimento. On guitar is the legendary Neco, who played on over 500 albums. Initially self-taught, he later studied under maestros Guerra Peixe and Moacir Santos. He collaborated with icons like Elis Regina and Chico Buarque, and was a member of Os Ipanemas, Os Catedráticos, and Os Gatos. His solo work includes Velvet Bossa Nova (1966), which became an acid jazz favorite. The album features compositions by Caetano Veloso and Marcos Valle, alongside early samba classics. Blending Brazilian rhythms with elements of samba, bossa nova, and jazz fusion, it captures the early development of Tania Maria's signature style. Born in São Luís, Brazil in 1948, Tania Maria began playing piano at age seven. She learned samba, jazz, and chorinho through her father's weekend jam sessions. Leading her own band by age 13, she performed across the region while collecting records from influential artists. Though she earned a law degree and started a family, her passion for music ultimately won out -- she left law to pursue music full-time.

"Several years in the making, Lion can now finally deliver on its promise of another Groove Club volume dedicated to the deep and moving (and grooving) compositions of Sinn Sisamouth, sung by the Emperor of Khmer music himself, alone or duetting with the other legendary singer of those halcyon days in Cambodian music: Ros Sereysothea, the 'Queen with the Golden Voice.' Groove Club Vol. 5 also includes a 16-page booklet featuring an exclusive interview with Mrs. Khav Thong Nhot, widow of Sinn Sisamouth, and Sin Sethsochhata, artist and granddaughter of Sinn Sisamouth, revealing more about Sinn Sisamouth than has ever been known before now. Readers hear directly from his wife about their courtship, their life together as Sinn Sisamouth became famous -- and then what happened as the Khmer Rouge took control: the separation from her husband, and her own harrowing experiences trying to keep herself and their children alive. It's not easy reading, yet stands as an important contribution to a story which until now has only been partially told. Sinn Sisamouth's granddaughter, Sin Sethsochhata, a musical artist and also keeper of the family's legacy, speaks of her own experiences in both realms. Sinn Sisamouth is, without question, the most famous and beloved Cambodian singer and songwriter of all time. A brilliant singer and composer, 'the Emperor of Khmer music' has had a greater influence and has touched more hearts than any other singer in the country's history. Though he was tragically taken from this world, his soul, spirit, and emotions are echoed in the legacy of songs he bequeathed to the world, and for this reason, he is eternal. The fact that any of this music even exists today is nothing short of miraculous. Original vinyl is extremely rare -- and well-guarded! Lion has done its utmost to make the sound quality of the songs as good as can be without in any way treating or disrupting or limiting (or destroying) the frequency range of the tracks. This means that a few tracks might sound less than audiophile quality. But who cares! It's about the music. It's always about the music. And the stories. Mostly the music. Although this time, very much about the stories too. Official reissue -- and in most cases, first appearance of any kind -- of these insanely rare recordings since their initial release as singles."

"Bitterviper is the brand-new quartet of Nikos Veliotis (cello), Taku Unami (synthesizer), Sarah Hennies (percussion), and David Grubbs (guitar, piano), four individuals who separately are responsible for some of the most striking and wildly idiosyncratic music of the past couple of decades -- not to mention the duo collaborations between Grubbs and Unami (the albums Comet Meta and Failed Celestial Creatures) and Veliotis and Grubbs (The Harmless Dust). Athens-based Nikos Veliotis set Bitterviper into motion with four overdubbed pieces of dense psychoacoustic marvels on the cello; Grubbs responded with characteristically subtle tracery on piano, guitar, and lap steel; Unami weighed in electronically from Tokyo to mysteriously thicken both the plot and the low end; and Hennies applied her compositional gifts to structure the whole thing with an Occam's Razor approach to percussion. But once you drop the needle on Bitterviper, its origin story becomes ancient history; you're suddenly in the presence of an ensemble that sounds like no other and for whom there are no false steps. It's all fair game when this is how you choose to play; Bitterviper is a salvo of confidence and conviction, and this is only the beginning. David Grubbs is Distinguished Professor of Music at Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center, CUNY. He was a member of Gastr del Sol, Bastro, and Squirrel Bait, and has performed with Tony Conrad, Pauline Oliveros, Luc Ferrari, Will Oldham, Loren Connors, Jan St. Werner, The Red Krayola, and many others. Sarah Hennies is a composer and percussionist based in upstate New York whose work is concerned with a variety of musical, sociopolitical, and psychological issues including queer and trans identity, psychoacoustics, and the social and neurological conditions underlying creative thought. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Bard College. Taku Unami's work is influenced by science fiction, supernatural horror and weird fiction. He's the composer of film scores for directors including Isao Okishima and Takeshi Furusawa, was half (with Toshiya Tsunoda) of the group Wovenland, is one-third of the group Hontatedori, and has collaborated with, among others, Annette Krebs, Radu Malfatti, Jean-Luc Guionnet, Jarrod Fowler, and Graham Lambkin. Nikos Veliotis founded Mohammad with ILIOS and Coti K. (renamed MMMD in 2015). In the 1990s he developed an experimental practice, exploring image and sound, mainly through the cello; he also performed in numerous groups, most notably CRANC (with Angharad and Rhodri Davies) and Looper (with Ingar Zach and Martin Küchen)."

Absolute monster when talking about US hard-rock/proto-doom private pressings. Hailing from Florida, Bolder Damn released this beast in 1971. Ultra-heavy, "raw-in-your-face" sound with loud fuzzed-out guitar, solid rhythm section and manic vocals. Bolder Damn formed in 1969 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The original lineup consisted of John Anderson on vocals and rhythm guitar, Glenn Eaton on lead guitar, Ron Refett on bass, Mark Gaspard on keyboards, and Bob Eaton on drums. Initially performing covers, they gradually incorporated original material into their sets. Their energetic live performances led them to open for notable acts such as Alice Cooper, MC5, The Amboy Dukes, and Blue Cheer. In 1971, after Gaspard's departure, the remaining members recorded their sole album, Mourning, at Hyperbolic Studios in Florida. The recording session lasted only four hours, resulting in a raw, in-your-face heavy sound. The album was privately pressed with approximately 200 copies distributed mainly to friends, family, and local fans. Side 2 featured the 16-minute epic "Dead Meat," which reflects the band's heavy, proto-doom style, reminiscent of contemporaries like Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer. In 1972 Anderson and Refett were drafted into military service during the Vietnam War, leading to Bolder Damn's dissolution. Comes with original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve plus OBI. Remastered sound. Fold-out insert with liner notes/interview with singer John Anderson and rare pictures. Includes download card. RIYL: Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Pentagram, MC5, Sainte Anthony's Fyre.

Repressed in hard cardboard sleeve with obi. Powerful and melodic hard-rock by this US power-trio: ultra-loud Quilter amps, killer leads, fuzz bass, furious drumming and vocals. Recorded at the legendary Sonobeat Studios in Austin and originally released in 1971 as a private demo album, now impossible to find. Originally formed in California in the late '60s, Wildfire consisted of Randy Love (guitar/vocals), Danny Jamison (bass/lead vocals), and Donny Martin (drums). Famous for powerful live shows, they packed the clubs with lines around the block of fans waiting to enter, becoming the house band for Finnegan's Rainbow and the favorite group of The Hessians Motorcycle Club, who became the unofficial guardians of the band. Soon, they got in touch with Pat Quilter from Quilter amps. Tired of blowing up amps when playing, Randy told Pat to design an amp that couldn't blow up. And he did it. Following Wildfire's input, Pat designed for the band the famous "Master Volume Dial" amp. In 1969, a Texas promoter heard the band in Southern California and brought them to Austin, becoming an instant hit locally in the Austin area. While in Texas, Wildfire shared the stage with Freddie King, the Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, and ZZ Top. It was in Austin that the eight-song demo was cut at Sonobeat Records (home also of Mariani and Cold Sun), released in 1970 as a private pressing housed in a plain white cover with a Wildfire sticker, each one numbered. The demo album was never sold other than at a small record store in Southern California and it's now one the rarest hard-rock albums from the US. RIYL: Grand Funk, Bolder Damn, Demian, Cactus, Stack, Banchee, Blue Cheer, Hendrix.

Tired of waiting for a compilation of the wildest and most hilarious punk-leaning music of the '60s? Yes, you may have already been taught a lesson by mediocrity and endless volumes. Well, the wait is over. Here are 19 atomic bombs from wonderful Mexico with doses of lysergia, frat, go-go, and, yes sir, punk. Just when you thought everything was discovered and handled, it's refreshing to find such a batch of teen spirit and desire to explode like those included in this magnificent compilation from the Pinche label. Songs that have never sounded so good have been captured from the original tapes. Featuring Los Soñadores, Los Shakers, Los Polivoces, Los Weelers, Los Belmonts, Los Rockin Devils, Los Antorchas, Los Crazy Birds, Los Hippies, Los Pajaros, Luis Vivi Hernandez, Los Glidders, Los Novels, Los Locos, Los Twist Teens, Los Rogers, Los Cinco, and Los Viking Boys.

Guitar-driven psychedelic hard-rock, heavy blues and proto-metal by this power-trio from Southampton. This is their sought-after album from 1975. Agnes Strange was a bluesy hard-rock trio active during the mid-1970s. The band consisted of John Westwood on guitar and vocals, Alan Green on bass and vocals, and Dave Rodwell on drums/vocals. In 1975, they released their sole album, Strange Flavour, on the small BirdsNest label, linked to a chain of pubs/brewing firm. The album showcased their blend of hard-rock, blues and experimental/psychedelic influences, drawing comparisons to bands like Status Quo, Budgie, and Hawkwind. Despite their energetic style and musical talent, the album did not achieve significant commercial success. It's clear that some other labels like Vertigo or Harvest would have been a better home for them. RIYL: Budgie, Taste, Hendrix, Status Quo, Sabbath, Stooges. Original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve. Sourced from the original masters. Includes insert with liner notes by original producer/manager Dave Travis and rare photos/memorabilia.

LP version. Alice is a vocal harmony trio made up of three persons, joined by a cheap synth and limited virtuosity. Together, they craft a kind of future folklore that's part funny, part apocalyptic -- half-soft, half-harsh, half-sad, half-simple, half-complex, half-controlled, half-Yvonne Harder, half-Sarah André, half-Lisa Harder. Since their last album L'Oiseau Magnifique (BJR 091CD), Alice have spent time on the road -- in cars, in trains, out in the open. Accustomed to writing outdoors, they slowly stitched together a collection of new songs. After two years of performing in clubs, bars, stairwells, carpentry workshops, activist agricultural fairs and roadside shoulders, they took their Oiseau Magnifique just about everywhere. It felt like time to sew these new pieces together -- a quilt of humor and soft words, something we could really use in these half-sweet, half-fascist times. Les Châteaux Faibles is the name of one of their latest songs, and naturally, the title of their new album. It captures the group's ethos perfectly -- a search for refuge in fragility, in a weakness that's better when shared. A collective sensitivity to bring us closer, stronger -- united in Châteaux Faibles.

Buh Records presents El tiempo quiere cantar ("Time Wants to Sing") the debut album by Pacha Wakay Munan, a duo formed by Peruvian musicians and researchers Dimitri Manga Chávez and Ricardo López Alcas. This album explores the sonic possibilities of pre-Hispanic instruments in a contemporary musical context. Through their performance, they explore their tonal possibilities, the interaction between their frequencies, and their ability to generate new dialogues. The work of Pacha Wakay Munan aligns with the tradition of sound explorers such as the Peruvians Arturo Ruiz del Pozo and Luis David Aguilar or the Colombians Yaki Kandru. The album's repertoire consists of pieces that explore diverse sonorities and musical concepts. "Pacha Wakay Munanqa" introduces the timbral variety of the instruments used. "El Taki Onkoy" draws inspiration from historical accounts and the meaning of its name ("Sick Song"), based on a Culina chant documented by Rodolfo Holzmann. It features vocals by the experienced singer Ximena Menéndez. "Mundo Posible" is a reinterpretation of an improvisation session with musicologist Chalena Vásquez Rodríguez, where the piano dialogues with ceramic antaras. Other pieces delve into the sonic construction of these instruments in relation to their cultural contexts. "Machu Tara" explores the concept of tara, a rough and vibrant sound quality found in certain Andean musical traditions. "Túpac Huaca" references the Huaca Aliaga in Lima, creating a sound palette where pututos, whistling vessels, and quenas converge. "Agua, Cuarzo y Viento" introduces quartz sikus and bowls tuned to different frequencies, evoking the interaction between natural elements and resonant vibrations. In the piece "Qinray Tema", Camilo Ángeles plays the metal transverse flute, creating a contrast with the pre-Hispanic ceramic flutes and pelican bone flutes. El tiempo quiere cantar is released by Buh Records in digital format and in a limited vinyl edition of 300 copies.

LP version. "Like a sweet spring breeze after a long, cruel winter, Cory Hanson's blowing through town again. And like the wind, I Love People comes from parts unknown. Followers of Cory's twin arcs as solo singer and Wand member will be intrigued to learn that the lineup here is the same band that recorded 2024's Vertigo. That's Robbie Cody co-producing behind the desk, Evan Backer playing bass and arranging strings and horns, Evan Burrows on drums and percussion and Cory on piano, guitars and voices and songs. I Love People bugs out to the wtf-ness on the edge of town spied now and again on Cory's previous solos, Pale Horse Rider and Western Cum. Here though, the simmering shades of Rider's quiet horror and the bursts of Cum's cartoonish, gun-slinger bravado have given way to an ever-more impartial view of life on the ground, tinted in gossamer sepia and other nostalgic tones. Written over the past several annums, Cory's songs ensnare the '70s singer-songwriter in a feedback loop, drawing additional inspiration from the indelible everyman melodies of the American Songbook. With gilded threads and emboldened needling, I Love People's songs are rendered with immediacy and a deep-pile Hollywood production sound that radiates affluence and comfort, even in the darkest and coldest nights way out beyond the range of any signal. Placed and displaced among gorgeously outfitted musical arrangements, I Love People's people are kin to their threadbare folk forbears. Song by song, their occupations, social positions and dispositions unravel like silk into the wind. While they perform, Cory loiters backstage, gently pulling at the curtain to reveal silly details hidden in plain sight inside America's broken heart. It doesn't come as a surprise, and it's not strictly funny, either: a giddy mash of the two, the delirium that comes from finding what you think is 'true' is someone else's 'false.' When maps won't help you find out where you are anymore, you're as normal and horrible as the next person, playing out your days in a place of constant activity with your parallax view progressing invisibly into a limbo beyond the horizon. That's your freedom for you, and it might be more sad, more terrifying -- if it weren't so much fun! Even though their subject won't stop squirming, Cory and his merry men have constructed a timeless still life with I Love People, simply by living for the fun and love of it all."

"Brand new studio album from Marek Pospieszalski Octet featuring Zoh Amba. 'This band turned out to be an effective working unit from day one,' Pospieszalski admits. 'Its musical concepts leave a lot of space for creative playing and that's why I decided to use the Octet as a platform open for outside participation. One of the musicians I considered for this purpose was Zoh who is well recognized for her direct and limitless approach to music. And this opportunity came on the occasion of our concert at NOSPR concert hall in Katowice. The next day we visited Emil Berliner Studios where the album was recorded,' he explains. For most of the music recorded here, sheet music is treated only as a guideline, a rough entry point, and it's only thanks to collective improvisation that Now! sounds as good and coherent as an album. 'And that's one of the reasons why I decided to add titles only once the music got recorded,' Pospieszalski says. 'And despite the fact that I am being really direct here, I prefer to have listeners interpret the album's message on their own. Individual context is key here -- place, time and most importantly, personal emotions.' Leading a 9-person band may seem like a challenge on a lot of levels but Pospieszalski prefers to treat it as a set of new opportunities instead. 'Although everything here is focused on my artistic vision, it wouldn't sound as good if it weren't for other musicians involved,' he admits. 'Each member of the group has their influence over the final result of our collective playing. I tend to give them direction but it is up to them to interpret it.'"

Imagine a young artist from the Orfeon label (Mexico) in 1968 decided to combine the New Orleans funk sound with the emerging -- not yet mentioned as such -- West Coast Latin Rock, a little bit of free jazz and a few drops of Pink Floyd (era Syd Barrett). Got the picture? Something similar can be said about this super elusive -- originally $350, if it turns up -- 45 rpm record with over six minutes of freak-out per side. WARNING to DJs: You might start tapping your foot to the opening groove and end up on the floor in ecstasy.

When asked about the title of her new record, Amor, Limpe Fuchs bluntly responded, "because it's everything." Being a Beatles fan from the very beginning, she's well aware that "all you need is love," but there's more to her sentiment than a corny pun. On the one hand, she's more than half a century into her musical career, and describes the relationship towards her instruments in terms of an ongoing and deepening love affair. So, it's about time for a love letter to her percussion instruments and the act of drumming and listening to her drums, which can be heard as "Trommeln" on the second to last track on Amor. Listeners also get to learn about "Verliebte Autos im Wald" -- a poem by Augusta Laar that Limpe recites during the closing track. What may come across as a goofy nursery rhyme at first is indeed testament to Limpe's longstanding animistic beliefs, her imagination towards everything around her. "It may sound wonky, but it's as simple as it's true, and it's important to love yourself and everything around you -- at least I try to do so the best I can, and sometimes I fail, sure." And, again, if you think about it, it's not much of a surprise, she's singing about cars, the vehicles that since decades get her and her instruments from gig to gig, all across Europe. But it's not all just about the material world around her, of course. So, on the other hand and for the most part, Amor reflects on love as an interpersonal and spiritual experience. Drawing inspiration from such different authors as Giordano Bruno, Hilde Domin, and Serge Kahili King, Amor is a record of compositions one could almost call "songs," although they're far from being performed in a conventional way. It is also Limpe Fuchs' most openly insightful and vulnerable record to date. As curious as ever, in her light-hearted yet thoughtful manner she explores the upsides and downsides of what it means to be loved or not loved.

After re-releasing 1982 and the double LP Froh zu sein and 8-EP-Sampler, play loud! now completes the Familie Hesselbach catalog (1980-1985) with the third vinyl LP Sueddeutschland & Der Untergang des Hauses H. Enjoy!

"40 years after six students from the prestigious university of Tübingen were latecomers to the German new wave, it is once again the turn for Familie Hesselbach, who have always been called 'The German Talking Heads,' something we could agree with, if we add to their sound the rhythm schemes of A Certain Ratio, the groovy bass of Bush Tetras, the skronky disco-esque of James White, and turn Byrne's voice to a more spastic and cons ice one. Berlin´s play loud! label reissued in vinyl this early '80s German new wave gem, and if you think of all the bands we've named, you know this is going to blow your mind!" --Tremendo Garage about the first LP 1982

Jim Coleman's NOW WAVE - Glowing: Beth B Exhibition features collected tracks that represent the sonic component of the "NOW WAVE - Glowing" exhibition by Beth B. This 2024 exhibition appeared at Silent Green in Berlin, featuring several live performances. Coleman collaborated with a stellar group of musicians and artists: Annie Bandez (Little Annie), Robert O. Leaver (This Wilderness, Birdthrower), Phil Puleo (Swans, Cop Shoot Cop), Jared Louche, Kirsten McCord, Paul Wallfisch, Vincent Dubuis, Nick Flynn, Evelyn Frantti, No Anger, Louise Hoffmeister, and Bliss Blood. The fusion of text, music, filmic image material, and performance create an immersive experience that is captivating and entertaining, but also confronts existential questions of human coexistence. The universal stories of the artists confront perceptions and assumptions concerning heartache, disability, mental illness, and addiction alongside the visceral music by Jim Coleman. Voicing the unheard and seeing the unseen are themes that have run through Beth B's films, art, and installation work with an eye to creating dialogue, community, and a place for self-knowledge and acceptance. Includes art exhibition catalog book; 104 pages, 17x24 cm. Book contents include: short biography, "Beth B in Coversation with Chrisoph Dreher," "The Exhibition," "Film Retrospective and Events," biographies of participating performers, and images/imprints from the Exhibition.

"Talán is the title of Raphael Rogiński's new solo album. Rogiński -- Polish guitarist, composer and musicologist, received recognition not only as a member of the Shofar trio where he performs with saxophonist Mikołaj Trzaska and percussionist Macio Moretti but also thanks to his astounding takes on John Coltrane's music released in 2015 Plays John Coltrane And Langston Hughes African Mystic Music. 'Talán is a very old (probably Scythian) word that can be translated as 'maybe' and that's where my musical approach comes from -- I take something in order to lose something else,' Rogiński explains. 'It's a constant process of achieving goals by getting rid of others and I'm fixated on this idea. It's also a meditation upon a process, a calm observation,' he adds. Talán is also a result of Rogiński's fascination with the Black Sea. 'All of the tracks are somehow connected to it and some were composed in Odessa -- a city often thought of as a gateway to Asia. This is where my some of my ancestors arrived to Europe,' says Raphael. 'When working on these tunes I came to know the Black Sea both physically and spiritually. What's interesting, it's been once called Inhospitable Sea only to later turn into Hospitable Sea. A myth was tamed and when the mystery disappeared and different civilizations met, a new myth came into life. The album was composed over a couple of years and took many attempts at the recording. My patience is usually very limited so this has been a strange experience for me. But traveling the region of the Black Sea and discovering its nature within myself required time. Our world is full of wonders and awes and traveling (both physically as well as emotionally) remains one of the most important aspects of living,' Rogiński admits."

LP version. In the weird world of Wevie Stonder, things are never straightforward. The four-piece collective headed up by Al Boorman have returned with their first album in 16 years -- and one reason it took so long is that they couldn't think of a title. The group are renowned for their outlandish electronics and humorous vocal performances, with a series of treasured releases on Manchester's eminent Skam Records, and their latest album Sure Beats Living ventures into unknown realms. Introducing a host of new characters, tall tales and bizarre scenarios to a musical backdrop as varied as it is striking, the record darts between ambient tranquility, strange soundtracks, bass-heavy beats and emotive R&B. Opener "That's Magic" features a magician talking us through a convoluted magic trick, to a mysterious synth theme that a celebrity conjurer might use to help the pyramids disappear. It's probably one of the only pieces of music to draw influences from Paul Daniels. "Carpet Squares" is a hefty slab of squirming machine bass, acid squidges and clanking industrial drums, its samples extolling the virtues of fitting comfortable flooring, with a voiceover recorded on a Canadian golf course. "Vanja & Slavcho" tells the odd story of twins who have an extraordinary ability to a bustle of spiraling arpeggios and comedic sound effects, while "Tiktaalik" has a glam rock beat, guitar twangs, wild synth runs and dance music drum rolls that build to nowhere, plus processed dolphin noises and a vocal about evolution. Then there's "Piccolo's Travels," a spellbinding mix of classical strings and -- is that a malfunctioning Clanger? "Album Titles" lists rejected names for the record to hilarious effect, with outlandish blips, accordion riffs and bubbling percussion setting the scene, "The 38th Parallel" is a wonky slab of electronica, while "Push It" has everything from rock guitar interjections to explosions and birdsong. If "Customer Services" imagines the bewildering experience of dealing with a sentient automated phone call, then the following "Nothing To Write Home About" is a waltz-time organ piece with a nostalgic, bittersweet air. "Ready?" lists practically every genre under the sun and gives you a burst of it, from drill to country and western, hardcore to Miami bass, and the final track, "The Void," is an AutoTune-laced R&B track with a deep, emotional core.

LP version. Unsent Letters is the weird cousin to songs on half a lifetime of albums. It has been living in the basement, in a box and is now emerging, blinking into the daylight. Even though it's a bit rough around the edges, it turns out to be a rather charming and likeable fellow for all that. And with stories to tell. Pete Astor is a musician, writer and educator. He led Creation Records' groups The Loft and The Weather Prophets, writing songs and releasing records that helped define the sound of the label and the emerging Indie genre. He has gone on to a lengthy solo career since then; writing, recording and releasing music on a range of labels including Matador, Heavenly, Warp, EMI and Fortuna Pop. He is Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Westminster. As well as touring extensively, he also makes records with David Sheppard as Ellis Island Sound and releases his spoken word electronic pop project as The Attendant with Ian Button (Go Kart Mozart, Death in Vegas) on his label Faux Lux. Since 2017, Astor has been signed to the estimable Tapete Records, home to Robert Forster, Lloyd Cole, and Comet Gain among many excellent others. Unsent Letters features songs that Astor wrote while in The Loft but which the group never played, along with songs from throughout his forty-year career that are now, finally coming out into the world.

Clear vinyl version. "Originally released in 2010, The Body's All The Waters Of The Earth Turn To Blood is a watershed album that changed the landscape of heavy music. Buoyed by the eclectic cast of musicians, from the undeniably potent collaboration with The Assembly of Light Choir as led by now longtime The Body collaborator Chrissy Wolpert, to guest contributors that include members of Dead Times, Fang Island, Lichens (aka Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe), Human Beast, and many more. The album's singularly bleak, yet beautiful atmosphere not only set the tone for The Body's career in breaking the mold, but set a new standard for what extreme music could do. All The Waters rightfully broke The Body, the duo of Lee Buford and Chip King, out from the underground and was met with acclaim from across a wide spectrum. Pitchfork's Grayson Haver Currin said of the record: 'The rare album that feels truly dangerous. As it crushes and collides doom metal, harsh noise, industrial rock, and gospel singing into one mean mess, it seems to obey no rules but its own. The result is a singular, explosive masterpiece.' NPR's Lars Gotrich put it in his 2010 Top 10 list, calling it 'the most surreal doom-metal record of 2010' and The Quietus called it the year's 'best record on the fringes of metal.' Following the album's release and subsequent tours, which sometimes included the entire Assembly of Light Choir, The Body established themselves as a permanent fixture of forward-thinking artists and a reliably overwhelming force, both on record and in live settings. All The Waters also helped spark the duo's penchant for collaboration, which they then solidified across dozens of releases, from collaborations with Braveyoung to BIG|BRAVE, Thou, Full of Hell, Uniform, and beyond. The new reissue for All The Waters is packaged as a double LP, including a whole new Side D, which is composed of bonus material never before pressed to vinyl. First edition pressings of the double vinyl reissue will be a deluxe poster edition."

"As the record continues, the beating just doesn't stop. The choral voices, returning here and there, are the only ray of hope: the Body's own singing amounts to weedy, apocalyptic howls, barely clearing the din of their processional stomps. It's an experience, this record, written in big riffs and celestial choirs and digital static." --The New York Times

2025 repress; remastered on 180 gram vinyl, expanded to double-LP, gatefold sleeve. One cannot hear a Tommy Guerrero song without immediately recognizing it as his -- and his only. The cult skater from San Francisco is globally renowned as one of the original members of the legendary "Bones Brigade" team. And as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, his laid-back soul is beloved by all who've basked in its blissful glow. A Little Bit Of Somethin' is a quietly majestic gem. Brimming with Guerrero's horizontal "loose grooves", these brief but innovative instrumentals demonstrate a rich variety and, as such, comprise an LP that is aptly titled. An enchanting start-to-finish listen, it was instantly regarded as essential upon release via Mo Wax in 2000. It has aged remarkably well. Throughout this inspired collection, simplicity is key. In deploying it, Guerrero presents a beautifully crafted melodic soundscape. The distinctive, mellifluous approach of his guitar style, blending Brazilian, Cuban, Mexican, soul, and jazz motifs, is at once startlingly new and tantalizingly familiar. Set against unrushed percussion, the music releases a crystal-clear stream of healing frequencies to create a fragile, hypnotic atmosphere. Each track clocks in at around three minutes and, with a lack of studio polish or commitment to traditional song structure, it's a wonder how this enigmatic record demands your attention. However, through its gentle dynamism and impressive playing, it does just that. Whilst resolutely low-key, this lo-fi aesthetic feels genuinely organic and remarkably personal; its powerful intimacy truly connects. It's what makes this album so beloved of those lucky enough to be already familiar with it. From Margaret Kilgallen's truly iconic cover artwork to the music contained within, it's all brilliantly effortless. Guerrero's musical ideas are consistently compelling throughout, making it impossible to select highlights. The album's laconic drift touches upon jazz-fusion workouts and slow-mo hip-hop drums, Tortoise-style experimental post-rock, and cinematic sound textures. It's at once hazy, light and bouncy yet somber and bluesy. The Latin soul of El Chicano blends with the breezy jazz of Grant Green. By employing guitars and drum machines to create a stripped-down rhythmic tapestry of spellbinding, addictive songs, there are even traces of The Durutti Column. A little bit of country, a little bit of rock n' roll. A Little Bit Of Somethin', indeed.

2025 repress. Black Truffle announce a new solo album by Eiko Ishibashi, her first for the label, following on from the duo recording Ichida alongside bassist Darin Gray (BT 039LP, 2018). Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) was produced for the "Japan Supernatural" exhibition at The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney focusing on ghost stories and folklore from the Edo period onwards. As with The Dream My Bones Dream (Drag City, 2018), the album is a response to troubling questions about Japanese history, and the influence of the past upon the present, but finds Ishibashi shifting further away from her earlier piano-led songwriting and showing a deepening interest in electronics and audio collaging. The two side-long parts of Hyakki Yagyō feature layered synthesizers, acoustic instrumentation, recited verse, and field recordings, at times densely mixed but always with a subtle interplay of changing elements. The influence of European and American forerunners as diverse as Alvin Curran, David Behrman, and Strafe Für Rebellion can be traced, yet at the same time Ishibashi evokes the flute and string sounds associated with Japanese storytelling, and draws directly on the subversive literary tradition of Kyoka ("mad poetry") with a verse by the 15th-century poet Ikkyū Sōjun repeated throughout the album. Revisiting what has gone before, re-thinking what is possible musically, as a way of articulating what else might be possible in the future. As Ishibashi's liner notes make clear, the album reflects an attention to persistent dangers, myths and evasions in Japanese culture -- as well as the lurking uncertainties that might threaten positive change. This would seem to be manifested in the emerging melodies soon met by dissonance, erratic collisions, and near silence, as well as the eerie manipulation of the double-tracked vocals. Ishibashi's underlying concerns ring true more widely of course. Hyakki Yagyō is a work of multiplicities, and mystery, a landscape where nothing is as it seems at first, and everything is vulnerable to sudden violent interruptions. The album was produced with regular collaborators Jim O'Rourke (double bass) and Joe Talia (percussion), and features dancer and choreographer Ryuichi Fujimura performing Ikkyū's satirical tanka. O'Rourke's immersive mix creates a three-dimensional effect, with Ishibashi's various sound sources enmeshing and interacting in captivating ways. White vinyl; inner sleeve featuring artist portrait and liner notes from Eiko Ishibashi. Cover and label design by Shuhei Abe. Back cover design by Lasse Marhaug. Mixed and mastered by Jim O'Rourke.

Buh Records presents Primera Secuencia, the debut album by Ballet Mecánico, the project of Fernando Pinzás. After his time in the synth-punk band Varsovia, Pinzás embarks on a new phase as a solo artist and producer, exploring electronic styles from the 1980s like synthpop, Hi-NRG, Italo disco, and techno pop. The album blends synthesizers, programmed sequences, and pulsating basslines to create a nostalgic yet danceable soundscape. Set against the backdrop of the pandemic and social movements in Peru, each track tells a story, featuring guest vocalists from the Peruvian independent scene, including Susana Fátima (Gomas), Noelia Cabrera (Blue Velvet, Silveria), Kat Kathia, Luxsie, Luminiscencia, Anabhell (Las Ratapunks), Laura Rosales (Solenoide), and Elva Cío (Specto Caligo). Singles "No Cederé" and "Testamento" define the project's dark and ethereal pop aesthetic. "No Cederé," featuring Susana Fátima, critiques societal notions of success over an Italo disco and Hi-NRG beat. The track includes a remix by Italoconnection, the duo of Fred Ventura and Paolo Gozzetti, who take it into a hypnotic, spacey realm. "Testamento," with Luminiscencia, reflects on the emotional weight of the pandemic, blending synthpop and ethereal pop. Other standout tracks include "La ciudad de los incendios," a dystopian vision of Lima with dark disco rhythms, and "Como la última vez," a synthpop-driven, melancholic song featuring Noelia Cabrera. Produced by Pinzás with Antonio Ballester, Omán Morí, Rafael Benavides, and Juancho Esquivel, the album was mastered by José Marcos Aguilar Villanueva (Antinori) and features artwork by Gonzalo de Montreuil.

2025 restock; LP version. During the legendary Forst years, Roedelius had a private workspace with a Farfisa organ, a Revox-A77 tape machine, an echo device and a synthesizer which he borrowed from the Cluster studio next door now and again. Here he experimented, practiced, allowed his imagination to flow, at any hour of the day or night, whenever he was not in the studio with Dieter Moebius and/or Michael Rother at work on new Cluster or Harmonia material. Roedelius always let the tape run, in order to analyze the ideas thus captured more effectively on repeated listening. For the first time ever, this Roedelius audio sketchbook had been digitalized and available to the public in 2014 on a limited three-LP box set called Roedelius Tape Archive 1973-1978. The recordings offer a deep insight into the creative process of his music. Fleeting notes, slivers of ideas, so to speak, moments of inspiration. Finger exercises, experiments in harmony, studies in rhythm are also preserved on these magnetic tapes. Since the box set has been sold out for a long time, Bureau B decided to release the essence of those three LPs on a one-disc compilation: Roedelius Tape Archive Essence 1973-1978.

"Originally released in the summer of 1994 at the height of interest in the US underground rock scene, Without A Sound was Dinosaur Jr's sixth album, and their third major label offering. Recorded by the then two-piece band (Mike Johnson on bass and vocals, J Mascis performing everything else himself, including drums), the album saw Dinosaur Jr continue to deliver on their distinct formula, J's soulsearching songs being performed with his trademark effortlessly cool heavy style. Including classics such as 'Feel The Pain' and 'Grab It', the album remains a firm fan favorite. Released on highly collectable splatter green vinyl, this is a chance for the uninitiated and younger fans to discover a classic, and for familiar fans to revisit an album which sounds as vibrant and essential today as it did thirty years ago."

2025 Repress in plain white disco sleeve. Forest Drive West returns to Livity Sound with the Dualism EP, a tour de force of stripped dub aesthetics and swirling psychedelic rhythms. One of the finest breakthrough UK producers of recent years, in a short space of time Forest Drive West has created an enviable catalog across labels such as Livity Sound, Rupture, Echocord, Whities, and Mantis. This new EP marks some of his best work to date. The final track on the EP, "Scorpion", features Melbourne based percussionist Lucky Pereira whose frenetic but tightly locked drums add a fizzing energy to Forest Drive West's deep atmospheric rhythm track.

2025 restock. On May 28, 1969, four American musicians -- reed/wind players Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman, bassist Malachi Favors, and (accompanied by his wife, singer Fontella Bass) trumpeter Lester Bowie -- boarded the ocean liner S.S. United States, bound for Le Havre, France. After landing five days later, they moved on to Paris, where they got to work. On August 22, 1970, in the waning days of their stay overseas, the group, with Bass on vocals, would record their second release for EMI's Pathé Marconi: the movie soundtrack Les Stances à Sophie. The record, an exciting, eminently listenable combination of soul, classical, and jazz strains that survives as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's most stylistically diverse album, has long been admired by a devoted cult. Its durability is largely due to the popularity of its "hit": Over the years, "Theme de Yoyo" has been covered repeatedly, essayed by acts as varied as German funk band the Boogoos (and the offshoot Deep Jazz, both featuring singer Julia Fehenbeger), British nu-jazz combo the Cinematic Orchestra, Polish jazz man Wojtek Mazolewski, Norwegian rockers Motorpsycho, French dance music artist Étienne Jaumet, and London-based remixer, Shall I Bruk It. More than half a century later, "Theme de Yoyo" and Les Stances à Sophie still bring it. Limited-edition LP reissue from play loud! Productions, supplemented with new notes by U.S. music journalist Chris Morris.

Restocked. Keith Hudson's Nuh Skin Up Dub is a deep, heavyweight dub album that stands as one of the most potent statements in the genre's history. Released in 1979, this sonic masterpiece showcases Hudson's signature dark, almost mystical production style, where heavy basslines, echo-drenched drums, and ghostly fragments of vocals swirl together in a hypnotic haze. Unlike the more polished, accessible dub records of the time, Nuh Skin Up Dub is raw, unfiltered, and experimental, pushing the boundaries of rhythm and space. Tracks like "Nuh Skin Up" and "Felt We Felt the Strain" pulse with an eerie, almost menacing energy, while Hudson's masterful use of reverb and delay creates a soundscape that feels simultaneously expansive and claustrophobic. Often referred to as the "Dark Prince of Reggae," Hudson had an uncanny ability to craft music that was both deeply meditative and unsettling, and Nuh Skin Up Dub is a prime example of his genius. It's a record that rewards deep listening -- every spin reveals new layers of sonic detail, hidden textures, and dub wizardry. For fans of heavy, atmospheric dub, Nuh Skin Up Dub is an essential listen, a landmark recording that solidifies Keith Hudson's status as one of the most visionary figures in reggae history.

2025 repress. Black vinyl. "With one foot in the past but their eyes firmly set on the future, El Michels Affair are among the leaders of a resurgent funk & soul movement from New York City that's sweeping both the music community and the charts. Led by saxophonist/organist Leon Michels and producer/engineer Jeff Silverman, El Michels Affair began as a loose collaboration of session musicians (including members of top-selling acts Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, the Budos Band, and Antibalas) that looked to blend some of the vibrant quality of soundtrack records with the recording aesthetic of early reggae, and the rawness of 60's rock -- they called it 'Cinematic Soul.' This delicate balance was evident on their 2005 debut album Sounding Out the City, which earned critical acclaim and acted as the inaugural full-length release for Michels and Silverman's burgeoning label Truth & Soul (also the moniker for the duo as a production team). The buzz generated from the album and a series of moderately successful 7" vinyl singles from Truth & Soul led to an invitation by Toyota's Scion division for El Michels Affair to accompany the rapper Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan for a promotional concert. As avid Wu-Tang fans, not only were the band leaders thrilled with the opportunity, but Michels found that the 'Cinematic Soul' sound was consistent with the moods of RZA's gritty soundscapes on the classic Wu-Tang releases. The concert was such as success, El Michels Affair went on to play several more concerts nationwide backing Raekwon and other members of the Clan, and the shows led to the recording of two smash 7" singles featuring instrumental reinterpretations of the Wu-Tang classic songs 'C.R.E.A.M.' and 'Bring Da Ruckus.' The singles combined to sell an extraordinary amount of over 7,000 units worldwide, and their success led to a contract in 2007 with indie hip hop powerhouse Fat Beats Records to record an entire album of Wu-Tang Clan interpolations entitled Enter the 37th Chamber. Since the contract was inked, a worldwide explosion of retro soul led by Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings has transformed the pop music landscape, and the Truth & Soul production duo have been in strong demand, recording with everyone from breakthrough Grammy-nominated artist Adele to punk rock innovator Iggy Pop. They've been commissioned for official remixes of Amy Winehouse and Dinah Washington (for the popular Verve Remixed series), and produced for Australian multi-platinum acts Jet and Gabriella Cilmi. Despite the eclectic group of clients for the Truth & Soul production company, El Michels Affair continued to build an audience within the hip hop community. A track from Sounding Out The City was sampled for Ghostface Killah's 2007 track 'Shakey Dog Lolita,' and a horn part written and performed by Michels (for Menahan Street Band) was famously lifted for Jay-Z's smash single 'Roc Boys.'"

Retrospective of British mod/freakbeat/pop-art heroes The Eyes including all their cult classic 45s ("When The Night Falls," "I'm Rowed Out," "My Degeneration") plus cool rare tracks sourced from demos and acetates. Formed in London in 1964, The Eyes took the early feedback experiments and pop art image of bands like the Who one step further. The band wore dyed parkas in various pastel colors and brightly colored rugby shirts with huge eye symbols on the chest. Their raw, energetic sound and distinctive style combined aggressive, fuzz-driven guitar riffs with catchy melodies and a youthful defiance that captured the energy of the London mod scene. Their music bridged rawness freakbeat with the emerging psychedelic sound that would dominate the latter half of the decade. Tracks like the feedback-laden "When The Night Falls" or the fuzzed-out "You're Too Much" sounded years ahead of its time and they would influence the mod, garage revival and indie/shoegaze scene of the following decades. The Eyes only released a handful of singles between 1965 and 1966. They disbanded in 1967 and unfortunately they never released a full album during their short lifespan. Here it is! Remastered sound. Includes eight-page color insert with liner notes by Paul "Smiler" Anderson and rare photos/memorabilia, along with download card.

Private press hard-rock Holy Grail from Arkansas, 1978. Guitar driven hard-rock with some cool psychedelic, Southern rock and melodic AOR touches. Fyter was a hard-rock band from Morrilton, Arkansas, known for their self-released private album from 1978. The band consisted of Kevin Compton (bass), Travis Johnson (lead guitar), Mike Newman (vocals and rhythm guitar), and Duane Harlan (drums). Their music blended powerful hard-rock riffs and solos with psychedelic elements, drawing inspiration from artists like Led Zeppelin, Foghat, Hendrix, Stones, Who. The name "Fyter" was chosen through a creative process involving numerology and wordplay. They performed at various venues, including high school proms, community dances, and clubs. In 1978, Fyter recorded their self-titled album over three days in Oklahoma City. The album featured tracks like "Where I Stand," "Monarch," and "100 Watt Head." The cover art, depicting the band being "arrested" by local police, was a collaborative effort with the North Little Rock Police Department. Only 1,000 copies were pressed, making it a rare collector's item today. First ever reissue. Remastered sound. Original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve. Insert with liner notes by Klemen Breznikar (It's Psychedelic Baby). Includes download card.

Previously unreleased second album by US hard-rock band Fyter. Comprised of demos recorded in the late '70s', this is a more sophisticated and "heavier" effort than their privately pressed debut from 1978. Superb hard-rock sound with devastating lead/twin guitars. Fyter was a hard-rock band from Morrilton, Arkansas, known for their self-released private album from 1978. Their music blended powerful hard-rock riffs and solos with psychedelic elements, drawing inspiration from artists like Led Zeppelin, Foghat, Hendrix, Stones, Who. After recording their debut album, Fyter, the band started to work on a possible follow-up. Most of the tracks included here were recorded at a studio in Little Rock owned by a friend of the band except for few ones recorded at the band's four-track basement studio. The music contained on Flying was there, waiting on tapes in various boxes, in various closets. After 40 years it finally arrives on vinyl. Remastered sound. Includes insert with liner notes and rare photos and download card.