BE WITH RECORDS - Forced Exposure

$19.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 6/25/2021

Two seminal 12" mixes of a pair of enormous tracks from The Whispers. Both boogie/street-funk flavored, these sought-after versions have never been paired on the same record before. Side A features the notorious anthem "Keep On Lovin' Me" (the one with *that* life affirming video) whilst over on the flip you'll find the outstanding, semi-slept-on "Turn Me Out". Freshly re-pressed for 2021.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021

Be With Records present a reissue of Mother Freedom Band's Cutting The Chord, originally released in 1977. Mother Freedom Band's Cutting The Chord is a funky modern soul classic. It's both a criminally under-appreciated album, a sweet disco-funk groover. Produced by the great Al Goodman from The Moments and originally released in 1977, Cutting The Chord seems to be one of the lesser known releases on the curious, and often great All Platinum label. Other than a 7" of a couple of these tracks, the only thing that the band seem to have released is this album, and what an album it is. Unbeatable soul-funk of the highest quality. The album bursts open with "Love Will Stay In Your Corner", a soulful dancer that reliably slays any funk set. It's followed by the lithe disco funk "Flick Of The Wrist" that's all bubbling baselines and elegant horns. The groovy, horn-enhanced sweet soul of "Gotta Get It Back" is equal parts heartbreaker/hip-shaker and the acidic organs on "Mr Brother" are an experiment in synth soul. Perhaps the group's best-known track, "Beautiful Summer's Day" is pure piano-driven paradise soul. A tropical birdsong intro sets the scene of a warm, perfect sunshine day and the lead vocal soars over the lush, clean production. The brilliantly-named "(Assistants Rag) When You're Hot, You're Hot" opens side two. Another huge highlight, it's a laid-back, power-funk workout that sounds incredibly modern, like something off the last D'Angelo record. The horn-heavy, clav-stabbing-stomper "We Like To Boogie" keeps things fast and funky before the airy, heavenly harmony soul of "Come On Home" mellows us all out. Things pick up again with "Touch Me", and you might recognize its addictive elements sampled in Jay-Z's Kanye West-produced "A Star Was Born". The magical, reggae-tinged, gospel-influenced "Sweet Love" closes out this assured, classy set. It can be said that Cutting The Chord is a rare example of a funk-soul LP which is killer from start-to-finish. Sure, there are the stand-out bombs, but the whole thing is a complete and varied album of feel-good vibes held together by its fluid horns, tight, tight rhythm section and beautiful vocals. Mastered for vinyl from the original analog tapes by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and artwork restored at Be With HQ.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021

Be With Records present a reissue of Jorge López Ruiz's El Grito (Suite Para Orquesta De Jazz), eternal Argentinian magic released on CBS in 1967. One of the most sought-after South American jazz LPs. Living in Buenos Aires in the '60s, driven by creative impulse and rage Jorge López Ruiz used music as his platform to protest the Argentine military dictatorship. A young López Ruiz had appeared on a television panel alongside writer, politician and philosopher Arturo Jauretche, criticizing the Onganía dictatorship. Jauretche told López Ruiz "Now say it with music". This was the deep inhale that lead to El Grito, literally "The Scream". El Grito was banned not long after it was released and the majority of original copies were unceremoniously destroyed. A rare record for over 50 years, El Grito (Suite Para Orquesta De Jazz) is a showcase for Jorge López Ruiz's skills as a composer and arranger as he leads a virtuoso orchestra of the likes of Mario Cosentino (alto sax), Baby López Furst (piano), Pichi Mazzei (drums), Gustavo Bergalli (trumpet), Oscar López Ruiz (guitar), Arturo Schneider (flute), and Jorge López Ruiz himself plays double bass on the fourth and fifth movements. As the album's sub-title explains, the album is a jazz orchestra concept suite. Five movements, to be heard as a whole, that end where they begin. "El Grito" grabs you by the lapels and refuses to let go. Raw then controlled, it's by turns stabbing then soothing, with rage weaved in and out of the elegant styles. With a tense introduction and a patient build, in "M.A.B. Amor" a gentle sax sweeps in to lift everything up to meet the serene piano and soft drums. Elegantly paced, it moves back and forth between deep contemplation and a more urgent call and response between strings and horns. "Hasta El Cielo, Sin Nubes, Con Todas Las Estrellas (Up To The Sky, No Clouds, With All The Stars)" a relatively brief mid-tempo piece featuring López Ruiz's insistent bass notes high in the mix, and again blending the sublime with the emotive with its wild horns and tight rhythm section. It's followed by "Tendré El Mundo (I Will Have The World)" which also leads with hypnotic bass, but this time swifter, driven by crashing drums, rapid horn conversations and effortlessly cool piano flourishes. Rounding out the suite, "De Nuevo El Grito" is a stylish closer. Whilst López Ruiz's bass shifts the track along, the horns and piano are more restrained, yet no less stunning. Remastered from original audio, mastering by Simon Francis. Cut by Pete Norman.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 4/2/2021

They say: "Contemporary scores for visual effect." Be With Records say: "Synth-heavy, low-slung space-funk masterpiece." The creator of the romping tunes that became the iconic themes to the BBC's Grandstand program and their televised Wimbledon Tennis Championship coverage, Keith Mansfield was perhaps KPM's most prolific artist from the mid-1960s right the way through the 1980s. As well as the sort of pop orchestral sound that is all over these classic library records, he could also turn his hand to raw, edgy rock and funk. Quentin Tarantino has included some of Keith's work on the soundtracks to Kill Bill and Grindhouse (2007). Mansfield's Vivid Underscores from 1977 is a sample freak's wet dream. "High Velocity" sets the tone with its aggressive horns, wah-wah guitars, funky baseline and wobbly synth refrain. "Crash Course" -- Stetsasonic horn refrain? Beautiful -- jazzy chase-funk, amazing warm keys, percussion, and funky horns -- all action. The more restrained "Matter Of Urgency" is an utterly amazing, brass-heavy underscore. The grandiose, uplifting "Dawn Of Aquarius" still sounds like the future with its tense, thundering drums, killer bassline and swirling synths. Version II loses the drums and percussion but is no less startling. "Staying Power" closes the first side with a relentless, pounding groove. "Trucking Company" is a pacey, synth-and-string masterpiece and its accompanying parts mess with the formula to great effect. "Hot Cargo" and "Espionage" are both tense spy-funk themes par excellence. "Interplay" is a quiet killer, with flutes over a glistening piano refrain just waiting to be looped. "Omen" is a mini-drama masterpiece, one only Mansfield could create. Even though it is a mix of short themes in-and-amongst longer, full-length tracks, Vivid Underscores is still thoroughly listenable from start to finish. Original analog tapes remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. 180 gram vinyl.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 4/2/2021

They say: "Exploring the wide range of moods and sounds produced by percussion." Be With Records say: "MPCs at the ready because this does exactly what it says on the tin, to devastating effect." Originally released in 1979, Percussion Spectrum was produced by the legendary percussionists Barry Morgan and Ray Cooper. With dope beats taking in diverse styles, from funk and soul and jazz through to Latin, Brazilian, samba and Afro-Cuban, this is an amazing sample source filled with killer drum-breaks and percussion flares. This library LP is a mix of short themes of single beats, short breaks and some longer, more fully-formed DJ-friendly tracks. Of all the 34 tracks Be With's favorites include opener "Impulsion", a percussive masterclass with drum upon drum making it feel like a neat prototype to the percussive underscores of Peter Lüdemann and Pit Troja's eternal The Now Generation LP. And the dramatic "Fast Action" is exactly that, racing along on a rapid roll of congas, cymbal crashes and throbbing kicks. "The Chaser" is classic library cop-funk with dilapidated drum figures, and the outrageously funky "Heat On" is the perfect accompaniment to your wild action sequences. A real highlight is "Runaway", and not just because it sounds like nothing else on the record. Here are drums and percussion in that tight funk style that just cries out to be sampled. "Percussion Power" is an extended, near three-minute suite of funky drum solo after funky drum solo that just aches to be looped. "Shivers" is a tense, apprehensive underscore with shock stabs that builds to a climax whilst "Drums On Parade" is a showcase of head-nod drums and cymbals in march time. "Samba Street" is riotous, authentically drawn samba that sounds like it's been beamed straight in from Rio in full flow. The simple, innocent "Child's Themes" (all five of them) provide a nice, sweet respite from all the funk. Nursery sounds tinged with only a touch of melancholy. The gentle marimba solo of "Tropical Peace" only adds to the sense of serenity we get from the relatively calm second side. The album closes out with a veritable toolkit of tom toms, snare drum rolls, timpani, vibraphones and chiming bells. Percussion Spectrum is a joyous collection of sounds, as bright, beaming and downright funky as the vibrant cover. Original analog tapes remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. 180 gram vinyl.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 4/2/2021

They say: "New directions in contemporary scoring." Be With Records say: "Contempo is one of the best full album listens in the KPM 1000 library." Succinct smoking soul, super tight breaks and string-drenched sleaze composed by the library master, Keith Mansfield. Many library records are a game of two halves and Contempo is certainly one of those. The first side cooks on a high funk breaks flame whilst the flip is something altogether more tranquil, yet no less groovy. It lays back with dreamier, post-coital grooves. Rugged funk opener "The Fix" confidently displays its low-slung languid grooves with heavy drums, horns, and bass. The punchy "What's Cooking" follows and has a lighter, more whimsical touch. But the drums still roll and the clavs wiggle in fascinating opposition to those horns. The dark and moody intro to "Cut To Music" gives way to a more inclusive, relaxed funk that's all irresistible bass and stabbing horns. The mid-tempo "Man Alive" signals the time to really get down. Closing out the A side, fresh guitar licks drip all over the slick drums of "Funky Footage", with a New Orleans piano vibe coming on to really light a fire. The B side is more smoothed out, with beautifully arranged, sweeping strings, sax solos aplenty, and a real '70s soundtrack feel. The super sleek and sexy jazz funk of "Breezin'" is as light and magical as you'd hope. An open-air masterpiece, its indulgent sound is just a taster of the sophisticated funk to follow. The elegant, romantic feels of "Good Vibrations" is a string-drenched, wah-wah fueled ode to living your best life. Whilst it keeps a very West Coast feel, the blaxploitation strut is certainly more Blackbyrds than Brian Wilson. "Sun Goddess" will blow your mind with the sensuous sound of glorious horns and beautiful keys. The luxurious "Love De Luxe" and its horizontal grooves have been much sampled, but here it proves that it doesn't need any help to get you in an intimate mood. Closer "Snake Hips" is a cool mid-pace slouch. Originally released in 1976 but, like the very best KPM records, wonderfully timeless, Contempo is a rare example of a library record that is a genuinely great listen from start to finish. Reissued from the original analog tapes and remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. 180 gram vinyl.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 3/12/2021

When a synth master like Steve Moore joins forces with the legendary KPM, magic must materialize. And so it does with Analog Sensitivity: cinematic, enigmatic synth scapes to both haunt and heal. New York-based multi-instrumentalist/producer/film composer Steve Moore is probably best known for his synthesizer and bass guitar work as Zombi, together with Anthony Paterra. But he is also part of Miracle and Titan as well as being a prolific solo artist releasing music as Gianni Rossi, Lovelock, and under his own name. Rather than being commissioned by KPM, Analog Sensitivity comes from music Steve was recording sporadically and tinkering with for over three years during the downtime between his film projects. After Jon Tye invited him to play on the Ocean Moon project for KPM, Steve realized that the hallowed library label might be the perfect home for what he had been working on. Finishing production in late 2019 in Albany, NY, he came up with the track sequencing and suddenly, he had an album: Analog Sensitivity. The LP opens with the dystopian electronic minimalism of "Eldborg", its dark synth bass unfolding to ominous synth pads, shadowy sustains, and glistening arpeggios. "At The Edge Of Perception" brings an unsettling retro-future of edgy analog leads and desolate FX. The sound of a robotic core tears through the sparse textures of the enigmatic "Rose Of Charon". A chilling breeze blows through a persistent, hypnotic synth sequence on "Time Freeze". Title track "Analog Sensitivity" is a sparkling transcendental synth scape of melody, drones, and celestial synth. The brooding "Behind The Waterfall" winds down the first side, building subtle strings and a desolate sound beneath its haunting organ. "Mirror Mountain" ushers in side two, its woozy bass and arpeggio unfolding to envelop the muffled, muted echoes of its organic leads. "Syzygy" emerges you in bubbling sequences, airiness, and ambient electric guitar tones. It's followed by the cinematic minimalism of "Pentagram Of Venus" and its trickling FX. The wind swirls through the otherworldly "Of Dust Thou Art" kicking up clouds of unsettling, plodding synth sequences leading to the uneasy atmosphere of "Message From The Beast". Closing track "Urge Surfing" is as cool a climax as you'd hope from something so brilliantly titled, riding along hushed waves of brooding electronics. Mastering by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman, pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 3/12/2021

Be With Records present a reissue of Jay Richford and Gary Stevan's Feelings, originally released in 1974. Since its original release on Italian label Carosello in 1974, Richford and Stevan's Feelings has been described as the greatest library record ever released more than once. It's a tough funk, street jazz masterpiece coveted for many years by collectors of all musical genres. As the story goes, these were the pseudonyms adopted by Stefano Torossi and Giancarlo Gazzani who wrote the album but couldn't use their real names on the original release for legal reasons. But Torossi himself later both clarified and confused the tale further by explaining that fellow composers and musicians Sandro Brugnolini and Puccio Roelens also worked on Feelings. Infectiously funky, deliciously melodic and with impeccable, elegant production, Feelings record is the showcase for a stunning set of compositions and arrangements and with performances that are nothing short of virtuoso. The record's first side lifts off with "Flying High", soaring brilliant and shimmering with funk licks, menacing strings, and swaggering horns. The string-drenched cop-funk of "Going Home" raises the tempo with quick-fire bass lines and killer electric guitar. "Walking In The Dark" positively drips in blaxploitation-funk drama strings and horn struts, all laced with delicate drums, velvet piano, and more filthy wah-wah. "Fighting For Life" is another funk-fueled workout built around an effortlessly relentless drum track. The loping, open drum break that guides the much-loved "Feeling Tense" is filled out by heavy bass gloss, swirling strings, and ominous horns. "Running Fast" is a fine rollicking chase theme underpinned by frenetic (yet funky) Fender Rhodes and skipping bass and drums. "Loving Tenderly" envelops you in warm, velvety night-time vibes with easy listening horns and slinky strings. The pace picks up on the electrifying "Fearing Much" where strings dart around deep bass, buzzing guitars, and another funky drum break. The lush, melancholic "Being Friendly" is another easy beauty, all warm Rhodes and strings. The climactic "Having Fun" rides a pulsating, bass-heavy drum break with snatches of a funky guitar refrain, some luxurious keys, sweeping strings, and triumphant horns. Groove-laden bass, irrepressible horns, sweet flute lines, warm Rhodes, lush string arrangements, blaxploitation-styled wah-wah guitars and more make Feelings one of the finest instrumental soul LPs of the '70s, if not of all time. Remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Pete Norman. Remastered from the original tapes.

$29.00 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 3/12/2021

Be With Records present a reissue of Sola's Un Muñeco De Madera, originally released in 1971. Originally released on RCA in Mexico, it's kaleidoscopic Acapulcan-funk. The album's endless grooves are propelled by softly rocking, quasi-library funk breaks. Vocally, Sola is in step with the '60s French pop-chanteuse style, but of course her lyrics are delivered in sensuous Spanish. Her voice is beautiful. Pillowy soft and tender, it can suddenly explode in mystical anger. These are ten tracks of moody, mysterious vibes that stir the spirit and sooth the soul. The LP was written, arranged, and directed by prolific Spanish composer Manuel Alejandro, the man behind an incredible number of now classic Latin love songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. As for Sola herself, next to nothing is known about the Mexican singer except the occasional whisper heard in only the darkest corners of the annals of music history. It's said that upon growing disillusioned with the music industry she ended up in a convent of Carmelite Sisters. Fitting perhaps, given that Un Muñeco De Madera is a spiritual wonder of a record. Much-loved single and title-track "Un Muñeco De Madera" opens the album. It introduces us to Sola's sparkling Latin-funk, bursting with swaggering grooves sewn by tight drums, sweeping strings and lush keys. It's followed by the serene but melancholic bossa groove of "Oye Mamá, Oye Papá" and the strings and guitar of "He Bajado Al Infierno" that hold up vocals reaching for an eternal truth. With full-on soundtrack-y feels, the rolling keys underpinning the Morricone-esque soundscape of "En Ellos Creo" will give you goosebumps. The gorgeous "Soy Rebelde" ("I'm Rebellious"), sets its gentle, piano-led delivery in delicate contrast to the lyrical sentiment. Perhaps Sola's most well-known track, the exotic bossa of "Tabu, Tabu", is a formidable groove. Elegant bongos, prominent bass, delicate acoustics, and a persistent flute blend with Sola's unique voice; sinuous, sassy, and forceful at the same time. The stunning "La Última Palabra", while not literally the album's last word, is nevertheless a stirring statement of strutting Latin soul, with more musical ideas packed into this one song than the entirety of most long-players. If you hadn't decided already, the final two tracks that are the funk-fueled "Bada-Bada-Ba" and the horn-heavy percussive masterclass "Únete A Mi" will leave you in no doubt that this is one very special record. Mastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman. Remastered from the original tapes.

$29.00 IN STOCK

Ocean Moon is a solo project from Jon Tye of Seahawks. A long-time explorer of the sounds of spaciousness, having released the ambient classic LP iO in 1994 as MLO, Crystal Harmonics is a document of Jon's latest discoveries. Island Visions (BEWITH 077LP), the recent collection of music from Seahawks for KPM, touched on the deeper, more spatial side of music and led to Jon exploring this territory in greater depth, again for KPM, under his Ocean Moon alter ego. This time he brought along some of today's most visionary musicians: Jon Brooks (The Advisory Circle, Ghostbox) for his intuitive melodic mastery, Seaming To (Graham Massey's Toolshed) for her extraordinary vocal talents, Steve Moore (Zombi) for his sophisticated and inventive rhythmic sensibility, and Richard Norris (The Grid) for his sensitive and deeply resonant ambience. The initial recordings were made at The Centre Of Sound in Cornwall, with the collaborators various contributions coming from London, Derbyshire and the US. The supremely serene electronic flute and bells of "Crystal Drift" ease you into the journey and you take the next steps with "Rainbow Ripples" as it gently folds space with arpeggiated synth swells and delicate machine beats. Light vocal tones, bells, and breath FX on "And Breathe" keep you going, accompanied by synth drones and billows of electric piano. You travel through the synth-space-surf haze of "Lost Oceans", with soft bass and warm ambience, to reach the "New Infinity" of revolving melody, spacious pads, and light electronic beats. The celestial tone floats of "White Mirror" close out the first side. Temple bells ring out to running water flowing together with deep resonant vocal tones as the second side opens with "Peace Bells". "Revolving and Evolving" follows, a tranquil electronic meadow of lush pastoral synth tones where you rest for a while for "Mountain Dreaming", a light rhythmic dance of zither and birdsong. The undulating "Forest Motion" ripples with synth arpeggios, dreamy Solina strings and percussive modular electronics before allowing the crackling ambience and Cantonese whispers of "Sleep Golden" to wash over you. Finally, you find yourself on "The Long Path", its warm temple ambience of drones and chants guiding you home. Crystal Harmonics is inspired by four particular albums from KPM's catalog: There's The Electronic Light Orchestra by Adrian Wagner (1975) and then Temple Of The Stars, Breath Of Life, and finally Keith Mansfield's Circles, these last three coming from KPM's mid-1980s run of modern classical/new age gems. Mastered by Simon Francis, cut by the legendary Pete Norman.

$29.00 IN STOCK

Be With Records reissue Caiphus Semenya's Streams Today... Rivers Tomorrow, originally released in 1984. Caiphus Semenya, AKA Mr Letta Mbulu, is a South African legend, and Listen To The Wind, his second solo album, is perfect. Now a revered composer, musician, and arranger, Caiphus left apartheid South Africa in the '60s for self-imposed exile in Southern California together with his wife, Letta Mbulu. Settling in Los Angeles he started working with the likes of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and other exiled and semi-exiled South African artists, as well as, of course, his wife Letta. Caiphus also found himself working with and composing for a broad range of jazz and pop artists, including Lou Rawls, Nina Simone, and Cannonball Adderley. His facility with both jazz and African forms served him well. His LA stay was also the beginning of an ongoing collaboration with Quincy Jones, the fruits of which can be tasted in Caiphus's African compositions for the scores to Roots (1977) and Spielberg's adaptation of The Color Purple (1985). Streams Today... Rivers Tomorrow is not just a musical masterpiece, it is also the soundtrack to the life of many South Africans. It fuses US-heavy sounds of boogie, disco, and funk with Afrobeat and traditional African elements. Jabu Nkosi handles keyboards on the album, with synths by Caiphus and Craig Harris. Sipho Gumede is on bass and Condry Ziqubu is on guitars. The Afro-Cuban grooves of "Mamase" continues where Listen To The Wind (BEWITH 084LP) left off, another horn-heavy call-and-response ode to a positive life. It's followed by "Aida," with gleeful, dayglow keys and synths on the right side of mid-80s sleaze are accompanied by a killer bassline, slick, skipping drums, and proud horns. The tempo is taken down a few notches for the powerful "Nomalanga" and the lamentations of a heartbroken man who must leave his wife Nomalanga and their children to join the fight against apartheid. Breezy drums and contemplative keys act as a backdrop for the stunning backing vocal harmonies in the intro of "Moshanyana". "Dial Your Number" is an up-tempo English-language boogie-funk workout, complete with mid-song cutaway to a random telephone call. The brilliant "Matswale" was a hit in South Africa in the mid-80s -- it is some damn fine breezy, beautiful, emotional pop. The ferocious "Ndi-Kulindile," with hard-edged, electro-influenced drum patterns and a bouncing, elastic bassline is something of a departure from the album's sound. Mastered by Simon Francis.

$29.00 NOT IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of Junie's Suzie Super Groupie, originally released in 1976. Walter "Junie" Morrison released his third solo LP, Suzie Super Groupie, in 1976. A slick, smooth and soulful record, it's a genre-melting tour de force with rich elements of proto-boogie, funk, and jazz. The sublime "Suzie Thundertussy" was brilliantly sampled by Madlib for Kanye West's "No More Parties In LA". The track opens with a sinuous synth and combines Junie's storytelling abilities with an emphatic vocal style and funky arrangements. The powerful bass and sinister chords create an undeniable groove, and the explosive chorus is full of ambition and joy. "If You Love Him" is a great, mid-tempo soul song. With a swinging jazz-infused middle-eight, it demonstrates Junie was much more than a mercurial funkateer. The laconic groove of "What Am I Gonna Do" recalls Fresh-era Sly Stone, whilst the frantic "Super Groupie" showcases his sharp imagination and sense of fun. The lyrics range from humorous to dirty, all fueled by an infectious groove and tight horn arrangements. The P-Funk of B-side opener "Surrender" bounces and sparkles, with a strutting Junie backed by great harmony vocals and joyous horns. "Suzie" is a sleek, softer affair albeit with a disco pulse; a beautiful combination of bright, funky horns, fluid basslines and vigorous rhythms. "Stone Face Joe" is another character song, this time one that chugs along on a sweet boogie rhythm. The closing piece, "Spirit", is an extended funk-rock jam. A nod to Jimi Hendrix, it creates a live concert sound, complete with screaming crowd and fuzzy vocals. Junie made his name as the lead singer and keyboardist of the Ohio Players. As the mastermind behind "Pain", "Pleasure", "Ecstasy", and the oft-sampled "Funky Worm", he was beloved by countless musicians, not least Prince. As co-writer of some of Funkadelic's seminal works -- "One Nation Under A Groove", "(Not Just) Knee Deep" -- his standing as one of the structural fathers of funk is undisputed. In late 2016, Solange's A Seat At The Table featured a track called "Junie", a tribute to the freedom he created in music. In February 2017, Junie died, aged just 62. With records as mighty as Suzie Super Groupie, his legacy will live forever.

$29.00 IN STOCK

Be With Records reissue Caiphus Semenya's Listen To The Wind, originally released in 1982. Caiphus Semenya, AKA Mr Letta Mbulu, is a South African legend, and Listen To The Wind, his iconic debut album, is simply a superb modern-soul/boogie album. Now a revered composer, musician, and arranger, Caiphus left apartheid South Africa in the '60s for self-imposed exile in Southern California together with his wife, Letta Mbulu. Settling in Los Angeles he started working with the likes of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and other exiled and semi-exiled South African artists, as well as, of course, his wife Letta. Caiphus also found himself working with and composing for a broad range of jazz and pop artists, including Lou Rawls, Nina Simone, and Cannonball Adderley. His facility with both jazz and African forms served him well. His LA stay was also the beginning of an ongoing collaboration with Quincy Jones, the fruits of which can be tasted in Caiphus's African compositions for the scores to Roots (1977) and Spielberg's adaptation of The Color Purple (1985). Listen To The Wind is a deeply impressive synthesis of early '80s US production and instrumentation together with his traditional South African musical roots. There are elements of boogie, soul, funk, and jazz, all shot through with pan-African flavor, and moving effortlessly from up-tempo floor fillers to more meditative, slower soulful tracks. Produced by Caiphus himself, he makes full use of a stellar line-up of session musicians including Nathan East, Michael Stanton, Sonny Burke, and Paulinho DaCosta. And of course, there are Letta's show-stopping vocals. Opener "Angelina" is a breezy, feel-good SA boogie-funk classic, harmonic and horn heavy. It's followed by the gentle reggae lilt of "Play With Fire". A real melodic slo-mo delight, carried by the tropical vibes and, above all else, by the extraordinary performance of Caiphus himself and his backing singers. Closing out side one, the spectacular "Umoya" is driven by triumphant horns and slick bass, with proto-Graceland vibes. Caiphus trades verses with the unmistakable tones of Letta, and it sounds divine. Elegantly firing up side two is perhaps the album's best-known track. "Without You" is a heavenly slice of modern soul, smooth strutting, disco-fied funk with that unmistakably South African sound. "Ziph'inkomo" is a soul-soothing, swooning epic. The irresistible groove of frantic, percussive workout "Gumba Boogie" closes out what must surely be one of the greatest artistic statements of the 1980s. Mastered by Simon Francis. Faithfully restored cover art.

$29.00 LOW STOCK LEVEL

Be With Records present a reissue of JR Bailey's Just Me 'N' You, originally released in 1974. A dramatic, string-drenched epic, James Ralph Bailey's Just Me 'N' You has been a sought-after soul masterpiece for decades. A lush suite of beautiful songs, it was conceived as a concept album; a sophisticated paean to love. Originally released by MAM Records in 1974, Just Me 'N' You is a breathtaking jazzy soul album. It's similar in style to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On (1971) -- particularly the performances, orchestrations, and chord progressions -- but dealing with a different universal subject matter. If What's Going On was about romance instead of politics, it would sound like this. Fans of Marvin, Leon Ware, Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, and Willie Hutch will love this record. An underrated gem -- it's got to be one of the best soul albums of all time. The original productions were made on a basic home tape machine and enhanced with strings, rhythmic overdubs, and a variety of other instrumentation. These are beautiful arrangements of strings and jazzy horns. Rhythm guitars and bouncy bass serve as the groove foundation, congas provide a Latin feel whilst the vibraphone and harmonica add color. And then of course there's JR's voice. His style recalls Hathaway, with a delivery akin to Marvin at the time. As he scats and sings, accompanying himself in sweet harmonies, there is still a rawness of pain and longing in his voice, the rawness familiar to all deep soul. Just Me 'N' You is no mere collection of songs. The tender, smooth tunes flow perfectly together into a fluid, single artistic statement. This is one where it's hard to pick out any standouts. You may have heard the soaring title track before, maybe on Gilles Peterson's Digs America compilation. The opening track "After Hours" sounds as fresh now as it ever was and segues beautifully into the majestic "Heaven On Earth". Recorded by Hathaway the previous year, Bailey's original of "Love Love Love" is incredible and arguably the definitive version. The powerful, dreamy, sax-and-harmony-laced "All Strung Out Over You" has echoes of the Chi-Lites, it's that good. Mastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman.

$29.00 NOT IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of Fuzzy Duck's self-titled album, originally released in 1971. A memorable name with an outstanding cover, Fuzzy Duck is a classic slice of underground London art rock and melodic psychedelia. Originally released on MAM in 1971, it's truly a musical force of infectious riffs and fiery solos, sharp tempo changes, a tight rhythm section, and heavy, Hammond-drenched grooves. With echoes of Spencer Davis Group, early Grand Funk, and Vanilla Fudge, it comes on like a heavier Soft Machine or Caravan. No wonder Fuzzy Duck's cult appeal has endured. The album features Mick Hawksworth (Five Day Week Straw People, Andromeda) on bass, acoustic 12-string, electric cello, and some of the vocal duties, and also Roy "Daze" Sharland (Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Spice) on organ and electric piano. Accompanying those two were Paul Francis on drums and percussion, and Grahame White on guitars and the rest of the vocals. Originally released in an edition of 500, Fuzzy Duck became legendary all over the world through a holy trinity of scarcity, personnel, and its sheer brilliance. The album kicks off with a heavy, bass-fueled, Hammond rocker titled "Time Will Be Your Doctor". This is pure hard-edged blues rock, brilliantly played. Its drum break intro was sampled by DJ Premier for Gang Starr's "Mostly Tha Voice" on 1994's legendary Hard To Earn. At nearly seven minutes long, "Mrs. Prout" follows incorporating more psych-leaning guitar and drawn-out keyboards à la Ray Manzarek. "Just Look Around You" is propulsive folk-rock with a soaring, proto power-pop chorus, backed by frenetic organ and heavy bass. Back comes the heavy, strung-out psych to both close out side one with "Afternoon Out" and kick off side two with "More Than I Am". "Country Boy" quenches the thirst for rhythm and melody, only the lyrics and vibe are wonderfully creepy. The groove suddenly cuts and drops into a more sinister tempo before the band pick up speed and toss you back again into the opening jam, this time with organ. The final, fully fleshed out track is the majestic "In Our Time", which oscillates between endless organ-driven boogie and heavenly, genuinely moving vocals. Infamous instrumental cut "A Word from Big D" rounds out the album. Yes, that's the band jamming with duck quack sound effects accompanying the music. Mastered by Simon Francis; cut by Pete Norman. Remastered from the original analog tapes.

$29.00 IN STOCK

Be With Records present a reissue of Linda "Babe" Majika's Don't Treat Me So Bad, originally released in 1988. Linda "Babe" Majika's insanely brilliant Don't Treat Me So Bad is a tight six tracks of blistering electro-flavored bubblegum and synth-drizzled solar-powered machine-funk. Once of the Hot Soul Singers, Don't Treat Me So Bad was Linda's debut LP as a solo artist. It was produced by Ace Mbuyisa of boogie-funk maestros Freeway and was originally released on Umkhonto Records in South Africa in 1988. The enormous "Let's Make A Deal" is probably the best-known track here, and it's definitely could be considered the best. Linda's vocals drip with attitude over warm, breezy synths and an urgent, edgy electro beat to create a timeless club-ready bomb that sounds as fresh as ever. But the rest of the album is far from filler. Opening track "Kunzima (Tabalaza Mjita)" instantly brings the sunshine vibes, strutting out the gate with that unmistakable South African steppers groove. It's a deceptively simple song, with multiple instrumental elements arriving and taking leave with admirable restraint. "It's Our Home" is a powerful showcase for Linda's vocals, enhanced by some life-affirming call-and-response backing vocals throughout. In fact, they're a joyous presence on the whole album. The insistent pipes and swirling, bubbling synths of title track "Don't Treat Me So Bad" follow. A spacious proto-piano house banger that closes out the first side in phenomenal fashion. Arriving as track two on the second side, "Unga B'Omthemba Umuntu" has the unenviable task of following the huge "Let's Make A Deal". It does the job with class, bringing the tempo down to a mid-paced tropical bounce with lilting harmonies and welcome traces of hi-life guitar. Wonderful stuff. "Playboy" is another unbeatable head-nod groover rounds out the set wonderfully. That bassline high in the mix is to die for, and the chorus will make any dancefloor smile. Mastered by Simon Francis. The memorable cover art, in which Linda appears straight out of the 1950s with her polka dot skirt and butter-wouldn't-melt pose, has been faithfully restored. Don't Treat Me So Bad is the work of one badass woman who can hold her own, and then some. Remastered from the original tapes.

$17.50 NOT IN STOCK

TLC's "Creep" and "Waterfalls" are both stone cold killers from the golden age of American R&B. Here they are again, back to back on a jukebox 7", just as they appeared back in 1996. Name a more iconic duo. As far as Be With Records is concerned, the mid-90s remains a high point for this supreme musical expression, and these two tunes from T-Boz, Left-Eye, and Chilli sit pretty much at the summit. A pair of canonical guaranteed party starters if ever we heard them. The achingly cool funk of "Creep" was the lead single from TLC's second album CrazySexyCool. Released in 1994 it was the R&B trio's first worldwide smash, and hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100. This is a sophisticated head-nod gem. A breezy horn refrain, speaker smashing beats and the Slick Rick samples blend sumptuously with the defiant lyrics to create an eternal sun-drenched classic. Written from inside the head of a woman who's cheating on her shitbag boyfriend just to feel wanted, Dallas Austin penned the lyrics for "Creep" after talking with lead singer, T-Boz. On the flip, "Waterfalls", also off CrazySexyCool, was no mere follow-up single. This was TLC's version of alternative music, a song with a strong message: "the idea that pursuing anything that's self-destructive, that's chasing a waterfall." To the three of them, this meant "unprotected sex, being promiscuous, and hanging out in the wrong crowd." The message hits home hard, now as much as ever, and it's probably why "Waterfalls" remains their biggest track. But the mighty Organized Noize also deserve some credit. They produced "Waterfalls" after working with Outkast and Goodie Mob and brought along that same in-the-pocket funk, that soulful sound that was their signature. It's maybe easy to forget now, 25 years on, but the track was regarded as groundbreaking when it was released in 1995. Musically, the future-retro sound appealed to deep heads across the board, turning TLC into the mainstream R&B group it was hip for the indie cognoscenti to reference, and those bracing lyrics moved them beyond "just a fun girl group." From then on, TLC were seen as the real deal. Remastered for this vinyl reissue (that turntable crackle is pure, authentic '90s sampling), Be With Records present this essential double-sider as a dinked 7" perfect for every record bag.

$19.50 IN STOCK

Billy Paul's "Let The Dollar Circulate" and "East" have never appeared on a legit 12" before. They do now. "Let The Dollar Circulate" is inextricably linked to one of J Dilla's greatest ever deep productions, whilst the massive "East" has long been a big Harvey tune. Both make full use of the incredible MFSB, the regular group of crack musicians that acted as the house band for the Philadelphia International Sound label at Sigma Sound Studios. Causing glorious damage to discerning dancefloors until this very day, Billy Paul's "Let The Dollar Circulate" was first released in 1975 on the album When Love Is New. It has the upbeat, dramatic proto-disco sound of classic Philadelphia soul. Taut, urgent verses of evergreen lyrics that preach the evils of capitalism and environmental destruction, to a thumping, menacing bassline. A gospel-infused chorus releases the tension in an explosion of strings and horns. Dynamite. A richly textured and enduring soul hit, "Let The Dollar Circulate" received a second wind when it was sampled by Dilla for Spacek's 2005 underground gem "Dollar". "East" is a fascinating, genre-blending track; a magical, widescreen soul-jazz masterpiece. Mystical and powerful, it's a pulsating mini-epic with a potent spiritual dimension. "East" was written by Philly bassist and baritone Tyrone-William Brown and appears on 1971's Going East LP. Lenny Pakula's atmospheric arrangements are complex but deeply funky, perfectly suited to Paul's fervent vocals. Gamble and Huff's production is a brilliant demonstration of their balancing Paul's jazz roots with the funky soul of the day, and seeking to innovate and push musical boundaries. A first-person rumination on slavery, Paul's thoughtful, deeply moving spoken word introduction unravels as the track reveals its secrets. Against the jazzy backdrop Paul's delivery is heartfelt, welling up with emotion. Strings cascade and winds howl while the bass prowls along the arrangement. Stunning. Remastered to stunning effect, Be With Records present this vital double-sider from the man ?uestlove called "one of the criminally unmentioned proprietors of socially conscious post-revolution '60s civil rights music."

$19.50 IN STOCK

Be With Records presents hen's teeth extended cuts of two glorious Breakwater classics: "No Limit" and "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot". These super-rare Arista promo-only 12" versions from 1978 have never been commercially available until now. Originals have regularly sold for upwards of £400 in the past 10-20 years so you know how vital this is. Breakwater's futuristic boogie-funk glider "No Limit" is six and a half minutes of slickness on wax. It's almost AOR. Like an infinite masterpiece, the chilled opening chords of the intro could go on forever -- and they almost do -- but when they give way to the power-funk groove, the track just slaps. It sounds so fresh today, over 40 years on, thanks to the smooth, smooth mixing of Jimmy Simpson. In no uncertain terms this is a monster, written by the great Grey and Hanks. That bassline, those keys, the horn section... all the ingredients are there. Ahead of its time by a good three or four years, some regard "No Limit" as the first '80s groove ever recorded in funk/soul history. A neat trick, given its year of production. On the flip, the six-minute version of "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot" is an original Philly party jam. A showcase for Breakwater's phenomenal intensity, this sounds like Parliament's "Flashlight" on steroids. Acidic synths bleep and warp, blending with triumphant horns, in-the-pocket drums and bumping bass to conjure a truly deep funk groove. Laying deep in the cut, the salacious vocal delivery only adds to the brilliant sleaze. Breakwater had a sonic aesthetic beamed in from the future and these two tracks are just more proof of that. Remastered and cut loud for devastating dance floor dynamite, this vinyl reissue arrives just in time for all those (perhaps imagined) BBQ boogie throwdowns. This is a true modern soul double-sider, essential in every way.

$29.00 LOW STOCK LEVEL

Frank Maston's Tulips is a sample-ready film score to the best '70s movie never made. Originally a super-limited self-release on his Phonoscope label in late 2017. Be With Records were introduced to Maston by mutual friends Aquarium Drunkard and it didn't take long before the label decided this modern classic deserved a reissue. Inspired by the deep-grooving soundtracks of Italian cinema -- think Morricone, Umiliani, and Alessandroni -- Maston conceived the entire Tulips project as a continuation of these revered works. Frank designed the artwork and made two 16mm films to accompany the music. There's a distinct library music feel too, with wiry organ, spacey keyboards and loping '60s guitar hinting at KPM and DeWolfe. Like the best library music, Tulips creates a cinematic universe through sound alone, evoking moving images in the listener's technicolor imagination. Tulips was recorded between 2015 and 2017 in a small studio in a village called Zwaag in Holland, during downtime from Frank's touring duties with Jacco Gardner's band. With some very European influences in mind, Frank wanted to eschew any American influences. But you can still feel the studio wizardry of the likes of Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson in there somewhere. A psychedelic bedroom-pop song-cycle, full of hypnotic hooks and dusty drums, Tulips manages to sound charmingly homemade yet wholly widescreen. Dreamy opener "Swans" is an exquisite soul instrumental and recalls the soft-psych of Koushik. Tropicalia influences abound in the cool and breezy "New Danger" and the KPM-references are loud and proud on the lush organ pop of "Old Habits". Fast-paced "Chase Theme No. 1" manages to be both tense and laid back, decorated by acid-drenched spaghetti Western guitars. The glorious Gainsbourg-esque melancholia of "Infinite Bliss" is all gauzy flutes and happy-sad vocalizing and the title is almost perfect. Side A closes with "Evening", a subtle bossa nova beat thing. Side B opens with the heat-shimmer guitars of "Rain Dance", evoking an unreleased Byrds or Buffalo Springfield backing track. "Sure Thing" is music to accompany an elevator ride you never want to end, but in a good way! The ornate "Garçon Manqué" is as beautiful as the instrumentals on Pet Sounds and the wistful "Turning In" starts like a stroll in the park before Maston introduces a scorched-Earth guitar solo. "Chase Theme No. 2" is a briefer, more keening counterpart to what is on side A. The head-nod bass-drums-keys funk of "Hues" rounds out this staggeringly assured set. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis. Alternative burnt orange artwork from Maston. 140 gram vinyl; can be played at 33rpm or 45rpm.

$17.50 IN STOCK

In answer to the question, "who put the dance into Factory Records?" Be With would like to refer to FAC 59. Working with founding member Tony Henry, the label is honored to present a reissue of 52nd Street's crucial debut single Look Into My Eyes/Express. Originally released on Factory Records in summer 1982, this 12" is a double-sider in the truest sense -- unrivalled Manchester jazz-funk-boogie-soul. Both "Look Into My Eyes" and "Express" came out of a five-day recording session in the spring of 1982 at Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme, just outside Manchester. Rob Gretton had just signed the band to Factory, snatching them from under the noses of RCA and WEA Records, who had been sniffing around and seemingly ignoring Tony Wilson's concerns that Factory might not be the right home for a black soul act. The band, were put in the studio with A Certain Ratio's drummer Donald Johnson producing the sessions. The band also found themselves with an interesting new member; the finished record credits synth and F/X to a mysterious "Be Music". Turns out that's Bernard Sumner. Henry explains that bringing Bernard in was another part of Gretton's plan, "Barney was a real soul boy at heart and had always wanted to produce and work with black artists -- with 52nd Street, he was an honorary member". "Look Into My Eyes" is a strutting, rich, soul-gliding piece of funk with bass and guitar high in the mix above twisted, bubbling synths, like Nile and Barney drenched outside the Haçienda that first summer. The hypnotic, naïve-cum-insouciant vocals from Beverley McDonald only add to the track's charm. On the flip, "Express" is sheer drama on wax -- all bold keys, synth brass blasts, insistent bells, and a galloping groove giving *that rush* atop a bassline to die for -- blistering heat. The 12" was Paul Morley's single of the week in the NME but his approval did little to get daytime radio play or to sell the record when it was released. "Look Into My Eyes" and "Express" come from a chapter of the history of Factory Records that no-one seems to have gotten around to writing. Working with Tony to reissue the original 12" is the start of putting that right; the story of 52nd Street is more than just a footnote.

$36.50 IN STOCK

Coastlines is the self-titled long player from the new Japanese production unit of DJ and producer Masanori Ikeda and solo artist, session musician, and Cro-Magnon keyboard player, Takumi Kaneko. Masanori and Takumi have been part of the Japanese dance music scene for years and Coastlines was born out of their working together on soundtracks for video projects. The pair wanted to make laid-back listening music for now, laying Takumi's playful keys over Masanori's widescreen Balearic jazz-fusion to conjure beautiful and breathtaking "coastlines". A couple of two-track 7"s put out in late 2018 and early 2019 on Japanese house music label Flower Records soon sold out. Those four tracks were expanded to a full album of music, "a joyous, relaxing, summery soundtrack for everyone's after hours wind down" that was released just in time for summer. The album opens in the horizontal with the sophisticated, cocktails-by-the-pool groove of "Sunset Reflection". Their re-imagining of Ralph MacDonald's "East Dry River" removes all the original's bells and whistles (quite literally) and re-gears it with a subtle Balearic chug -- a percussive gem. "Coastline" is a beach-jazz noodle. "Drifting Ice" is as chilled and glacial as its title would suggest, yet Masanori's head-nod slo-mo house beats throb not far below the surface. "My Fire" is another soft killer, all swelling, swirling organ over muted kicks and snares. A pair of insistent tunes of the deeply Balearic variety raise the tempo, but not by too much of course. On "Woods And My Guitar" a half-heard vocal refrain breathes life into the synthetic xylophone and guitar. Deft piano-work turns "Half Moon Shadow" into lounge-house for the sophisticated beach bum. The self-assured re-work of Azymuth's "Last Summer In Rio" is arguably the album's centerpiece. Ten minutes of casually propulsive slapped bass, steel pans, and slick '80s soul beats. Cue the steel drum interlude of "Maracas Bay" before album closer "Down Town" transitions one with a shuffling, string-hinted hit of ethereal, euphoric piano bliss. Gentle disco for the new decade. Among the nods to revered Japanese artists like Hiroshi Sato, Sakamoto, and Casiopea, there are also hints of Marcos Valle and Mtume, of the aforementioned Azymuth. "The production though is very much now, not then. Not retro, just proper". Coastlines was originally a CD release only available in Japan, with HMV putting out a super-limited, Japanese Record Store Day vinyl version. Mastered by Simon Francis and cut by Pete Norman, Edition of 500, pressed at Record Industry.

$17.50 LOW STOCK LEVEL

Be With hereby presents aural perfection in the form of Much Too Much by Sass. This 12" has just the right amount of everything, whether talking about the vocal or the instrumental. And that's as true now as it was when it was originally released, back in 1982. In 1981 The Jack Sass Band, as they were known, were still working the NYC club circuit. Produced by the band's vocalist Mic Murphy, who also wrote the track along with fellow band member LaForrest Cope, the band needed just one session to capture "Much Too Much". The recording studio just so happened to be run by Silvio Tancredi; when the tracks were finished, he offered to put them out on his 25 West label. The vocal version and an instrumental mix were released as a 12" the following year. Mic tells us this meant Sass "were one of the few bands to have a record release while still playing on the club circuit; the reaction exceeded our expectations at the time". According to Mic Much Too Much was something a little different from the band's live sound at the time, "it was more R&B/smoothed out than the funk/rock we usually leaned into". Indeed, the track glides with grace, poise, and patience. The elegant, easy tempo, combined with the magnificent melody and Mic's signature sublime vocal, conjures magic. The blend of deep boogie-funk power and heavenly sweetness is both infectious and goosebump-inducing. On the flip-side, the instrumental slaps harder; without Mic's vocal it's just pure groove, with nothing to stop vibing all night: the bassline, the drums, and the melody still connect. Hard. Pick a side, there's no losing. Working directly with Mic Murphy means that the audio for the re-issue of the classic 12" comes from the original tapes. Cut at 45 RPM and released in a plain sleeve, this record is well up to the job of having a permanent place in every DJ's bag; this is essential stuff. Mic on how much it means to him to have "Much To Much" re-issued: "It's an amazing feeling to have something you created almost 40 years ago still have relevance and even more amazing to be considered among the Northern Soul boogie anthems. And it's especially important to me that we're available again on vinyl."

$29.00 IN STOCK

Be With Records work with Ian Willson to reissue his self-released, West Coast classic Straight From The Heart, privately pressed and originally released in 1985. This is the only album Ian ever put out. A magical blend of AOR/sophisticated funk/synth-boogie/spiritual jazz and modern soul, it's a spellbinding record of many colors. You might already know Straight From The Heart for the dubby-disco paranoid-Balearic anthem "Four In The Morning", and it's easy to assume this is probably just another one of those one-track LPs. But this is an impressively slick record from start to finish. Album opener "Think About It" is all sorts of right. It's emotional. It's tops-off. It's funk in its purest form. And take the proto-modern-funk of the title track (half Dâm-Funk/half Dâd-Funk). The shimmering, spiritual bossa-jazz of "If I Were You" serves as the album's soaring centerpiece. A gorgeous suite of cosmic vibes to get Gilles frothing, it sounds like nothing else on the record which makes sense given that it was recorded a couple of years earlier, and is the only track on the LP that wasn't recorded in Ian's own studio. Side B opens with the propulsive ode to love that is "Two Is Better Than One". Wonderfully sparse when it needs to be, it's also richly percussive and that special kind of California-warm. Frenetic, speaker smashing synth and horn workout "Funk Invasion" dares you not to dance and "A Game Called Love" is heavily indebted to Prince with its lush, deep funk stylings. The sweeping sax-drenched instrumental "Song For Katelyn" is head-nod, beat-heavy AOR for that melancholic magic hour. It all adds up to the ultimate BBQ record. Almost all of Straight From The Heart was recorded over a few months between 1983 and 1984 on Ian's brand new Otari 8 track in the Oakland, California studio he built just the year before. Only "If I Were You" was recorded elsewhere, at Bay Sound in 1982. Ian produced the album himself and played all of the instruments, except for the guitar of his longtime friend, Peter Fujii. Tower Of Power, Average White Band, Earth Wind & Fire, and Stevie Wonder was the list of influences Ian gave when asked. Why did he put the record out himself? Simple, he had no idea how to go about getting a record deal. The original tapes have long since been lost. This reissue was remastered from Ian's one-and-only pristine copy.

$29.00 IN STOCK

Jon Tye and Pete Fowler have been making music as Seahawks for a decade now. Given the sounds they've been exploring over those ten years it was a cosmic inevitability that they would be asked to contribute to the catalog of the legendary library label KPM. They replied with Island Visions, an exploration of sound for vision where they construct "audio micro-worlds to explore and inhabit," a way to transport the listener away from the everyday without the bother of getting on an airplane. Mostly recorded at The Centre Of Sound in Cornwall, with additional recording at Studio 34 in London, Jon and Pete's travelling companions on this particular trip were boogie wunderkind Sven Atterton on fretless bass and keys, Nick Mackrory on percussion, and the Seahawks live team of Dan Hillman and Alik Peters-Deacon. From the grooves of Brian Bennett to the moog vibrations of Mike Vickers, the lush textures of Les Baxter to the experimental sounds of Delia Derbyshire and David Vorhaus, this new music channels sounds and moods from across the KPM universe. Like many KPM suites, this is a record of two distinct sides. The sunrise of side A brings a deep meditation, a journey within to renew the jaded self. Side B refreshes with cocktails by the pool and a chance to groove away the evening at some sunset beach party before dancing under the stars in the house of dreams. Pete's cover for the LP is part map, part postcard; the track descriptions on the back help guide the way. 2020 marks ten years since Ocean Trippin', the first Seahawks release, and Island Visions is the perfect distillation of the sounds, sights, textures, and moods that Jon and Pete have been exploring over the last decade -- sunrise to sunset condensed to two sides of an LP. The normal rules of space and time don't apply here. This is the first time Be With has worked with Seahawks, but individually Jon and Pete have been members of the extended Be With family since forever (Pete did those posters for our Ned Doheny tour and worked with Jon on the vinyl version of Hatchback's Colors Of The Sun). Mastered by Balearic engineer of choice Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry, the sonic frequencies of these Island Visions have been precision tuned and encoded for optimum traveling conditions.