This week's update contains releases by:
[ F E A T U R E D R E L E A S E S ]
Eric La Casa - W2
(1998-2008) Water and Wind CD (Herbal) [herb1005] $21.00
When I listen today to these pieces, I hear, of course, a geographic
inventory of all the places I encountered. Above all, though, and as if by
default, I hear the sonic journal of twelve years spent recording sound. My
relation to the sites wasn't based on a desire to document but it is
worth noting, however, that a « sound story », more trivial perhaps, has
instituted itself, expanding and commenting on my musical journey: that of
a man listening. Moreover, it has never seemed more obvious to me that
listening is always situated in what I would qualify as the extreme
present, that is, the instant when listening, landscape and time become
one. Bouvier was right : the more we journey, the more the journey
transforms us. Fascinated by water and by wind, these agents of
transformation, activators of change, became, during those twelve years, my
principal, almost exclusive, subjects, wherever I happened to be.
Progressively, a methodology, informed by cartography, gave my way of
working a certain determinism without, however, breaking my intuitive
relationship with the landscape. This also informed my conception of that
which is sonic (le sonore), and its importance: being inside, at the very
heart of movement. Listening, without drawing breath, led me beyond my
preconceptions — and into the depths also, along with all my recording
gear: I remember very well my fall into the cold water of a waterfall's
plunge pool. That was in 1991... Listening to water or to wind is to bring
one's attention to bear on the perpetual motion of things, a living
alchemy, the pulsing of the world.
FM3 - Buddha
Machine III: Chan Fang Black Soundbox CD (FM3) [BUDDHA03-BLACK] $19.00
Aural bliss in a see-thru box! The all-new, third-gen Buddha Machine from
Beijing duo Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian. Pure, crystal-clear melody.
Four extended-play loops. Advanced 12K audio quality and "deja-vu"
translucent styling make Chan Fang the freshest Buddha ever! Chan Fang,
which translates as "Zen Room," sees the duo swap drones and tones from
their first two Buddha releases for unadulterated classical loops. All
tracks were composed and performed on the Qin, a seven-string zither
revered as the grand-daddy of Chinese instruments. Deep sonorous tuning and
complex harmonic overtones give the Qin a contemplative and soothing voice.
Turn on Chan Fang and soundtrack your life. Tweak the pitch to match your
mood. Pair it with another Buddha Machine for a pocket orchestra to
enlighten your morning commute, long bath, thinking, reading, relaxing,
romancing? Chan Fang comes in five plastic-fantastic colors to match even
the most fashion-forward lifestyle -- retro Red, Blue, Black, Clear and
Forest Green. Christiaan and Zhang were pioneers of electronic music in
China even before releasing their first-generation Buddha Machine in 2005.
Fueled by praise in media as diverse as tech blog BoingBoing, The New York
Times and the avant-rock Arthur magazine, the Buddha Machine series has
become one of the most talked-about ambient music releases of all time.
Requires two AA batteries (not included).
FM3 - Buddha
Machine III: Chan Fang Blue Soundbox CD (FM3) [BUDDHA03-BLUE] $19.00
Aural bliss in a see-thru box! The all-new, third-gen Buddha Machine from
Beijing duo Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian. Pure, crystal-clear melody.
Four extended-play loops. Advanced 12K audio quality and "deja-vu"
translucent styling make Chan Fang the freshest Buddha ever! Chan Fang,
which translates as "Zen Room," sees the duo swap drones and tones from
their first two Buddha releases for unadulterated classical loops. All
tracks were composed and performed on the Qin, a seven-string zither
revered as the grand-daddy of Chinese instruments. Deep sonorous tuning and
complex harmonic overtones give the Qin a contemplative and soothing voice.
Turn on Chan Fang and soundtrack your life. Tweak the pitch to match your
mood. Pair it with another Buddha Machine for a pocket orchestra to
enlighten your morning commute, long bath, thinking, reading, relaxing,
romancing? Chan Fang comes in five plastic-fantastic colors to match even
the most fashion-forward lifestyle -- retro Red, Blue, Black, Clear and
Forest Green. Christiaan and Zhang were pioneers of electronic music in
China even before releasing their first-generation Buddha Machine in 2005.
Fueled by praise in media as diverse as tech blog BoingBoing, The New York
Times and the avant-rock Arthur magazine, the Buddha Machine series has
become one of the most talked-about ambient music releases of all time.
Requires two AA batteries (not included).
FM3 - Buddha
Machine III: Chan Fang Clear Soundbox CD (FM3) [BUDDHA03-CLEAR] $19.00
Aural bliss in a see-thru box! The all-new, third-gen Buddha Machine from
Beijing duo Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian. Pure, crystal-clear melody.
Four extended-play loops. Advanced 12K audio quality and "deja-vu"
translucent styling make Chan Fang the freshest Buddha ever! Chan Fang,
which translates as "Zen Room," sees the duo swap drones and tones from
their first two Buddha releases for unadulterated classical loops. All
tracks were composed and performed on the Qin, a seven-string zither
revered as the grand-daddy of Chinese instruments. Deep sonorous tuning and
complex harmonic overtones give the Qin a contemplative and soothing voice.
Turn on Chan Fang and soundtrack your life. Tweak the pitch to match your
mood. Pair it with another Buddha Machine for a pocket orchestra to
enlighten your morning commute, long bath, thinking, reading, relaxing,
romancing? Chan Fang comes in five plastic-fantastic colors to match even
the most fashion-forward lifestyle -- retro Red, Blue, Black, Clear and
Forest Green. Christiaan and Zhang were pioneers of electronic music in
China even before releasing their first-generation Buddha Machine in 2005.
Fueled by praise in media as diverse as tech blog BoingBoing, The New York
Times and the avant-rock Arthur magazine, the Buddha Machine series has
become one of the most talked-about ambient music releases of all time.
Requires two AA batteries (not included).
FM3 - Buddha
Machine III: Chan Fang Green Soundbox CD (FM3) [BUDDHA03-GREEN] $19.00
Aural bliss in a see-thru box! The all-new, third-gen Buddha Machine from
Beijing duo Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian. Pure, crystal-clear melody.
Four extended-play loops. Advanced 12K audio quality and "deja-vu"
translucent styling make Chan Fang the freshest Buddha ever! Chan Fang,
which translates as "Zen Room," sees the duo swap drones and tones from
their first two Buddha releases for unadulterated classical loops. All
tracks were composed and performed on the Qin, a seven-string zither
revered as the grand-daddy of Chinese instruments. Deep sonorous tuning and
complex harmonic overtones give the Qin a contemplative and soothing voice.
Turn on Chan Fang and soundtrack your life. Tweak the pitch to match your
mood. Pair it with another Buddha Machine for a pocket orchestra to
enlighten your morning commute, long bath, thinking, reading, relaxing,
romancing? Chan Fang comes in five plastic-fantastic colors to match even
the most fashion-forward lifestyle -- retro Red, Blue, Black, Clear and
Forest Green. Christiaan and Zhang were pioneers of electronic music in
China even before releasing their first-generation Buddha Machine in 2005.
Fueled by praise in media as diverse as tech blog BoingBoing, The New York
Times and the avant-rock Arthur magazine, the Buddha Machine series has
become one of the most talked-about ambient music releases of all time.
Requires two AA batteries (not included).
FM3 - Buddha
Machine III: Chan Fang Red Soundbox CD (FM3) [BUDDHA03-RED] $19.00
Aural bliss in a see-thru box! The all-new, third-gen Buddha Machine from
Beijing duo Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian. Pure, crystal-clear melody.
Four extended-play loops. Advanced 12K audio quality and "deja-vu"
translucent styling make Chan Fang the freshest Buddha ever! Chan Fang,
which translates as "Zen Room," sees the duo swap drones and tones from
their first two Buddha releases for unadulterated classical loops. All
tracks were composed and performed on the Qin, a seven-string zither
revered as the grand-daddy of Chinese instruments. Deep sonorous tuning and
complex harmonic overtones give the Qin a contemplative and soothing voice.
Turn on Chan Fang and soundtrack your life. Tweak the pitch to match your
mood. Pair it with another Buddha Machine for a pocket orchestra to
enlighten your morning commute, long bath, thinking, reading, relaxing,
romancing? Chan Fang comes in five plastic-fantastic colors to match even
the most fashion-forward lifestyle -- retro Red, Blue, Black, Clear and
Forest Green. Christiaan and Zhang were pioneers of electronic music in
China even before releasing their first-generation Buddha Machine in 2005.
Fueled by praise in media as diverse as tech blog BoingBoing, The New York
Times and the avant-rock Arthur magazine, the Buddha Machine series has
become one of the most talked-about ambient music releases of all time.
Requires two AA batteries (not included).
Jokers - Iran's
Lost Psychedelic Treasure CD (Fading Sunshine) [FS001CD] $12.25
"Hailing from Tehran, Iran, the Jokers were one of Iran's heavy underground
rock groups during the early 70's. Having visited the UK for a short
period, Vaheed, the lead singer and guitarist of Jokers returned to Iran
with new ideas and influences. After hearing groups like MC 5 & Cream, the
Jokers decided to pursue this type of sound, and subsequently recorded a
heavy psychedelic blues album in a garage circa 1972 using nothing more
than a reel to reel and two microphones. Filled with heavy fuzz, loud wah
guitars and screaming vocals, the album sounds unlike any rock artifact
unearthed from Iran so far. Sadly no record label would release their
album, so they continued to perform at local venues, and even managed to
get a performance at the German Embassy before disbanding. Here for the
first time ever is a limited edition pressing taken directly from the reels
they recorded in 1972. Fully licensed, this is a one-time pressing only.
The 1000 copy CD comes in paste-on mini-LP jackets with inner sleeves."
Kiki Keren-Huss -
Mi/Me CD (Interval) [IL06] $19.00
Mi/Me, Kiki Keren-Huss' debut release on Interval Recordings, is a chamber
opera for four singers, six players and electronics. It somewhat came into
being about 18 years ago through an obscure image the composer had had
during a sleepless night. That image, hallucinated, as a hyper-real desire
and thought, draw a woman confronting her man while another man, a-la Lewis
Carol's plot, getting taller and taller threatening to perform a
cannibalistic act upon her. The couple, apparently, tries to escape... the
seed had been sown. The opera Mi/Me is a journey into the inner world of a
woman, following the many voices of her consciousness. There is no linear
narrative in Mi/Me. The four characters and six players are playing,
singing and moving on the stage most of the time with no connection to one
another. They take part in dreamlike situations that dissipate like soap
bubbles. Out of all these voices a complex multi-layered world evolves. The
world of Mi/Me.
Michael Chapman -
Trainsong: Guitar Compositions 1967-2010 2CD (Tompkins Square) [TSQ2530CD] $17.25
"UK's Michael Chapman began his career on the Cornish folk circuit in 1967.
He signed to the Harvest label, home to Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and many
others, recording four quasi-legendary albums. The influential Fully
Qualified Survivor was John Peel's favorite record of 1970, and featured
future Bowie collaborator Mick Ronson. (The album is set for reissue on
Light In The Attic in February 2011). After decades of recording and
touring, Chapman remains an obscure figure in the states. His profile was
raised by a lengthy interview with big fan Thurston Moore in Fretboard
Journal last year, and he also toured extensively with the late guitarist
Jack Rose, with whom Michael shared a warm kinship. Chapman has released
dozens of albums, but only a few in the states. Trainsong: Guitar
Compositions 1967-2010 is a 2CD collection of twenty-six recently recorded
solo guitar versions of tunes spanning his entire career. It is a
fascinating look at one of the most prolific and profound guitarists of our
time. This release, out one day after his 70th birthday, should finally
bring proper attention to this inspiring and masterful musician. Tompkins
Square is truly honored to be releasing this album by one of our favorite
musical heroes."
Muslimgauze -
Camel Through a Needles Eye 2CD (Muslimgauze Preservation Society) [MPS02] $25.00
"It was one of those rare occasions when you hear something, you cannot
help but think 'where the hell does this come from?" So thought Steve
Wilson in 1996 as he listened to the two Digital Audio Tapes (DATs) of
remixes by Bryn Jones aka Muslimgauze of his bands Porcupine Tree and No
Man. Wilson chuckled good-naturedly as Jones referred to the remixes as
"improvements" over his own musicianship. Actually, Wilson was flattered
since Jones, whom he met a week earlier at a Manchester pub, responded both
promptly and creatively to promo CD singles passed along as both a gesture
and musical calling card. While Wilson found the remixes intriguing, he did
not know what to do with them. The DATs held only faint resemblance to the
source material, which was smothered in the toxic waste distortion, deft
manipulations, and industrial strength beats of Muslimgauze. Perhaps a
handful of Wilson's fan base would have 'gotten it', but it would have
simply went over the heads of the majority. Wilson rang up Jones and said
there was no way he could possibly release this music. The response was yet
another DAT a week later titled, the "We cannot possibly release this'
remixes". Wilson then suggested, rather than release remixes, to work on a
collaboration which would be the basis of his then-new experimental music
project, Bass Communion. Jones agreed and sent original Muslimgauze
material which was the basis for the full-length and EP CD's Bass Communion
V. Muslimgauze (Soleilmoon 1999 and 2000, respectively). The remix DATs as
well as unused material for the collaboration languished in Wilson's studio
until the Muslimgauze Preservation Society approached Wilson about bringing
the music into the loving homes of Muslimgauze enthusiasts. The Muslimgauze
Preservation Society are proud to offer you Camel Through A Needles Eye,
featuring two discs of unreleased music that clock in at just under three
hours. Muslimgauze like you never heard it; a yin/yang of both the abrasive
textures and ethereal, beat-driven and ambient―fused into wondrous
harmony. To commemorate this release, the MPS sourced covers in Egypt to be
hand-printed onto genuine papyrus. A second cover is set amidst a 9 panel
fold insert with extensive liner notes on one side, and a fold-open poster
featuring Jones' original art work on the other. A bonus sticker of Jones'
art work is also included. The music and packaging is all set within a
super jewel case to protect this special edition limited to a run of 500.
Quantities are already selling fast!
Non Toxique Lost
- Chrrroooooom! CD (Klanggalerie) [11448] $18.75
NTL are one oft the most important bands of the German Industrial scene of
the 1980's. Most of their albums were released as cassettes only - six of
those can be found on this CD. All material here has never seen a release
outside these tapes: "Made on Cuba", "NTL", Rekonstruktionen", "Tavo Ctas
Esna", "Ware11" and "Wladiwostok 111984". Compiled by Sea Wanton, this CD
is filling an essential gap in the band's discography. Very harsh
Industrial sounds from the Golden Age of German 1980s, traces of
Einstrzende Neubauten and Sprung aus den Wolken. A perfect companion to the
SBOTHI CD released in October this year - both featuring Achim Wollscheid.
Plastikman -
Arkives Reference 1993-2010 CD Box (Minus) [MINUS100CD] $184.75
17 years of Richie Hawtin's alter-ego Plastikman in one super-limited,
luxurious box comprising 11 CDs, 1 DVD and a book! Only available on
pre-order! Richie Hawtin's triumphant return to the stage as Plastikman in
2010 proved that his best-known alias is as innovative and as relevant as
ever. Hawtin has taken Plastikman's most classic material, originally
released between 1993 and 2003, and reworked it for a truly live
performance accompanied by mind-bending, synchronized visuals. Since 2003,
Hawtin has been far better known simply as Richie Hawtin, the celebrated DJ
and mastermind behind the M_nus label. Some fans today were still infants
when Plastikman's acid ripple first began streaming from Hawtin's basement
studio in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. For long-time devotees and new fans
alike, Hawtin now presents Plastikman's Arkives, a comprehensive box set
that pulls together all 17 years of the Plastikman story so far, including
remastered versions of all six previously-released Plastikman albums and a
trove of rarities, unreleased sessions and new material. Arkives is a
strictly-limited, made-to-order edition -- only as many copies will be
manufactured as have been pre-ordered. Arkives Reference, the main
personalized edition, features 11 CDs and 1 DVD. The deluxe packaging
includes a slipcase with fold-out sleeves for all 12 discs, plus a 64-page
book that tells the Plastikman story in archival photos and a
newly-commissioned text. The set includes newly-remastered versions of all
six previously-released Plastikman albums -- Sheet One, Musik, Recycled
Plastik, Consumed, Artifakts (B.C.), and Closer -- and five further CDs of
rare and unreleased material: Rekonstruktions collects Plastikman's classic
and hard-to-find remixes for other artists, including La Funk Mob, System
7, New Order, Depeche Mode, Hardfloor, and even an unreleased remix of his
own Robotman project. Replikants features all-new remixes specially
commissioned for the project, in which Hawtin's influences and heroes
rework Plastikman's back catalog. Reaching far beyond the world of techno,
the disc features luminaries such as Vince Clarke, Cliff Martinez,
Franħois Kevorkian, Moby, Chris & Cosey, Severed Heads, Flood, and Mute's
Daniel Miller & Gareth Jones. Two further CDs contain previously-unreleased
material -- one features the never-before heard, complete recording session
from which Spastik emerged, along with an unreleased John Peel in-studio
live session. Still more previously-unreleased Plastikman material follows
on the second of these CDs, including the soon-to-be-released single
"Slinky." Finally, Nostalgik collects rare, out-of-print, vinyl-only
editions and bonus Plastikman tracks. In addition to the CDs, Optik is a
DVD of classic & rare Plastikman videos plus previously-unreleased footage
of Plastikman live at Glastonbury, 1995 and Plastikman live at Mutek,
Montreal, 2003. Arkives Reference also includes a digital download code
redeemable at m-nus.com, which will unlock additional material not included
on the CDs (or other Arkives editions), insuring that each collector
receives the most complete Plastikman Arkives to date. Just as Hawtin and
his crew used to cap admission to their underground parties, Arkives'
edition will be strictly limited to the pre-orders received. It's a
once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the full sweep of Plastikman's
journey so far.
Various Artists -
Music For Merce (1952-2009) CD Box (New World Records) [NW80712CD] $135.50
"The late Merce Cunningham was renowned for his legendary collaborations
with the most significant experimental musicians of the late 20th century.
Particularly notable is his association with John Cage, who served as the
founding musical director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company until
Cage's death in 1992. Spanning six decades from the early 1950s onward,
these recordings capture the breadth of the Cunningham repertory and the
rich diversity of Cunningham's musical collaborations. Composers whose work
features prominently in this collection include seminal figures of
late-20th-century experimental music such as John Cage, David Tudor, Gordon
Mumma, Christian Wolff, and Takehisa Kosugi, among others. For the most
part, these compositions have not been recorded elsewhere and are making
their first appearance on CD. This is a document of enormous historical
import that will be a revelation to both listeners and scholars interested
in the evolution of American experimental music over the past five decades.
Also included is a 124-page booklet featuring a 15,000-word essay by Amy
Beal, one of the foremost scholars of contemporary American music."
Featured works: Maryanne Amacher: Remainder [excerpt]; David Behrman: ...
for nearly an hour... [excerpt], Long Throw [excerpt]; Earle Brown: Indices
[excerpt]; John Cage: 108 and One8 (excerpt), Four3 (excerpt), Four6
(excerpt), Inlets (excerpt), Music for Piano 1-20, Sculptures Musicales
(excerpt),Variations V (excerpt), Voiceless Essay (excerpt); John Cage,
Gordon Mumma, David Tudor: 52/3 [excerpt]; Stuart Dempster: Underground
Overlays [excerpt]; Morton Feldman: Ixion; Jon Gibson: Equal Distribution
[excerpt]; Toshi Ichiyanagi: Activities for Orchestra; Bo Nilsson:
QuantitĤten; John King: blues '99 [excerpt], gliss in sighs,
longtermparking [excerpt]; Takehisa Kosugi: S.E. Wave/E.W. Song (excerpt),
Spacings, Spectra, Wave Code A-Z (excerpt); Annea Lockwood: Jitterbug
[excerpt]; Gordon Mumma: Mesa, Telepos; Pauline Oliveros: In Memoriam:
Nikola Tesla, Cosmic Engineer [excerpt]; Michael Pugliese: Peace Talks
[excerpt]; Yasunao Tone: Geography and Music [excerpt]; David Tudor: Neural
Network Plus (excerpt), Phonemes (excerpt), Sextet for Seven, Toneburst,
Virtual Focus (excerpt), Weatherings (excerpt), Webwork (excerpt);
Christian Wolff: Burdocks (excerpt); For 1, 2, or 3 People (excerpt); For
Magnetic Tape (pt. 1 of 4); For Piano I; Or 4 People (excerpt); Various: 13
Events (excerpts) (1993-2009)
Wade Matthews -
Early Summer CD (Con-V) [CNVCD002] $15.80
These are 10 virtual soundscapes selected from among 14 made in Madrid in
late June and early July 2009, hence the name, Early Summer. They are
improvised sound collages, real-time assemblages of field recordings
(manipulated to greater or lesser degrees), noises, electroquotes and
digital synthesis. The field recordings were made over the last two years
in the San Francisco Bay area, La Mancha, and Madrid. The noises were
recorded at my studio in Madrid. There is one electroquote, but it is
significantly altered and might thus more accurately be called an
"electro-misquote." The digital synthesis was carried out in real time,
that is, played as part of the process of improvising these pieces. My
setup contains two laptops, which I play simultaneously. The left one is
for synthesis, the right one has all the field recordings and noises. The
playing process involves triggering, stopping, filtering and mixing the
recordings on the right computer while simultaneously playing the software
synthesizer in the left computer. The results are sent to a pair of
loudspeakers, each of which has a microphone in front of it. The mics are
in turn sent to my recording setup. So these pieces are recorded in stereo,
as is. There is no remixing and a minimum of touching up—basically just a
couple of fades. I chose this setup, rather than multi-track recording,
because I wanted the end result to really reflect the improvisatory nature
of these pieces, avoiding the temptation to "recompose" them post-facto.
[ . . . ]
Ah Coma-Sotz -
Blood Will Tell CD (Bats & Cats) [11431] $20.75
hidden inside a gorgeously designed black and red cover lies a book with
stories, told by the master of creepy bedtime narrations: ah cama-sotz.
like other ah cama-sotz' albums 'blood will tell' is a narrative album
covering the orient, the middle-east, the unknown and the unspoken. eleven
tracks ranging from dark ambient soundscapes to pounding dance floor
fillers. and still the master succeeds in covering all those different
styles in between without breaking the continuous drive he is so famous
for.
Air Waves -
Dungeon Dots CD (Underwater Peoples) [UPLP004] $13.50
Underwater Peoples is proud to present the debut LP from AIR WAVES. New
York/ Austin's NICOLE SCHNEIT wrote all the songs and plays guitar
throughout the album. Her soft, clear voice careens across walking bass
lines, big cymbals and brassy guitars. Her songs are universally described
as warm, inviting and bittersweet. Nicole's pop reaches great depths,
enticing all who hear to stay and listen. Dungeon Dots features SHARON VAN
ETTEN as well as YELLOWFEVER's JENNIFER MOORE.
Alexander Tucker
& Decomposed Orchestra - Grey Onions CD (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT020CD] $13.50
"Limited edition of 1000! Here Alexander Tucker carefully constructs his
Latitude session, layering fully orchestrated pieces from deceptively
simple beginnings using guitar, mandolin, cello & most importantly his
voice. It's Tucker's voice which has always set him apart from other
psych/folk explorers: wonderfully English & simultaneously other-wordly,
something of his humble & extremely thoughtful nature comes through his
self-harmonising & often wordless refrains. Along with a playful sense of
humor you can sense something quite melancholy at its core."
Ambassador 21 -
Riot Death (Face Your Future Killers) CD (Invasion Wreck Chords) [11443] $19.25
A doom metal noise assault from pflichtkauf... we are swanika - can you
hear us in your dreams? we are swanika - can you see us in the night? we
are swanika - can you feel us in the cellar? we are swanika - can you smell
us in the hut? we are swanika - noisy, rythmical, extreme. we are swanika -
we are you!
Ambassador 21 -
Justified Thirst For Blood CD (Invasion Wreck Chords) [11445] $19.25
A doom metal noise assault from pflichtkauf... we are swanika - can you
hear us in your dreams? we are swanika - can you see us in the night? we
are swanika - can you feel us in the cellar? we are swanika - can you smell
us in the hut? we are swanika - noisy, rythmical, extreme. we are swanika -
we are you!
ANP (Absolut Null
Punkt) - Metacompound CD (Important) [IMPREC110CD] $12.50
"Metacompound is the first full length studio album from ANP in 19 years.
Lavish metallic ink on vellum packaging by ANP fan and Sunn O))) member,
Stephen O'Malley. ANP was formed in 1984 by K.K. Null & Seijiro Murayama.
In 1987 ANP broke up. 17 years later they reformed for some live
performances and released the singular Live In Japan on Important Records.
Metacompound, their first studio recordings in over 19 years, is as
indescribable as Live In Japan was. Combining free jazz, heavy rock,
industrial noise, glitch and free improvised dynamics, ANP creates a sound
that is entirely unprecedented."
Area C - Map Of
Circular Thought CD (Preservation) [CIRCA211CD] $13.25
The Preservation label presents Map Of Circular Thought from Providence,
Rhode Island's Area C. Area C is the music project for composer and
multi-media artist Erik Carlson. Carlson has recently completed the
soundtrack to a National Geographic documentary on New Orleans in the wake
of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and has worked on several projects for
NASA's Space Grant Consortium along with numerous audio, multi-media and
public art installations. Map Of Circular Thought follows several acclaimed
works including 2009's The Planetarium Project, described by The Wire
magazine as "inspiring." Map Of Circular Thought is a set of meditative,
contemplative pieces -- a sonic rendering of the connection between memory
and the present. Using minimal rhythm and melody to form constellations of
fixed tones, these compositions burst with flickering sonic detail to
create constant flux among the patterns he creates. The warm, analog sounds
on Map Of Circular Thought -- made using guitar, organ, keyboard and a drum
machine -- engage and play with states of consciousness in listening, and
in particular found inspiration in the abstract dreamscapes of UK
electronic pioneers Seefeel. Carlson also traces a line back to minimalist
composers Terry Riley and Steve Reich, and shares a kinship with the
transfixing qualities of more recent acolytes such as William Basinski and
Philip Jeck. Map Of Circular Thought mainlines to the mind but is also a
visceral, tingling thrill for the ears. This album is the second in a new
limited edition CD series from Preservation called Circa. 300 copies only
will be available of each release in the series and each will feature a
design by Mark Gowing. Each design will be realized using a
specially-created abstract alphabet of shapes, determined by artist, title
and catalog number for something both fixed and random.
Aril Brikha -
Deeparture In Time: Revisited 2CD (Art Of Vengeance) [AOV001CD] $19.75
Now a new star of deep techno, Stockholm's Aril Brikha went on tour with
his live show playing all over the world, including the Detroit Electronic
Music Festival and clubs like Fabric, Air, and Yellow, and hasn't stopped
doing so ever since. As one of the most innovative producers from Europe,
he went on to release the club-hit EP Winter on Kompakt, and more releases
on Pokerflat followed. In the summer of 2007, his long-awaited album
follow-up was released by Peacefrog -- a classic Detroit techno/house
longplayer, with elements from his previous productions. Deeparture In
Time - Revisited is released in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of
his 1999/2000 album on Transmat. This also kicks off his own label, Art Of
Vengeance. Next to the remastered originals from Deeparture In Time, the
release features a second CD with 10 previously-unreleased tracks that were
created between 1995 and 1999. All of them time travel you to the '90s,
with a sound still prevalent in modern productions, as pure as can be. This
one's for the lovers of early Detroit techno with that unique Aril Brikha
twist, and all those who'd like to discover it: One Chord To Rule Them All.
Balam Acab - See
Birds CD (Tri Angle) [TRIANGLE001CD] $9.75
Due to popular demand, the Brooklyn-based Tri Angle label has decided to
issue this critically-acclaimed witch-house EP on CD -- originally released
in August 2010 on 12" vinyl that sold-out immediately. Balam Acab's See
Birds EP presents an optimistic yet haunting glimpse of a droning future.
See Birds is the product of 19 year-old Ithaca, New York resident and solo
producer, Alec Koone. Founded by Robin Carolan of 20 Jazz Funk Greats and
distributed by the renowned Kompakt label, Tri Angle will continue with
releases by oOoOO, Creep, Nowa Huta, Stalker, and more. "He isolates and
distorts bits of source material (say, vocal loops or beat fragments) and
smears them together in new arrangements. The results are remarkably
seamless. Take opener 'See Birds (Moon)', where a scratchy drone meets
heavy, blown-out beats and a chorus of layered vocals. The way he puts them
together, a new natural rhythm for these sounds emerges and it becomes hard
to imagine them in any other order... a heck of an impressive first step."
--Pitchfork (8.0)
Bart Davenport -
Searching For Bart Davenport CD (Tapete) [TR194CD] $16.00
Bart Davenport releases an album of cover songs dear to his heart.
Davenport grew up in California, devoured his hippie parents' vinyl
collection, and learned to play guitar at 8 years old. He was the frontman
for The Loved Ones and The Kinetics. His first solo album Bart Davenport
came out in 2002. He has toured with Kings Of Convenience and opened for
many of his heroes, including Arthur Lee, Robyn Hitchcock, Jonathan Richman
and John Lee Hooker. His second solo album Game Preserve came out in 2003
and Maroon Cocoon followed in 2005. The absolutely brilliant Palaces came
out in 2008. Bart is also the singer of Honeycut. One of California's
coolest songwriter/performers, this is a totally fab collection of tracks.
"At the turn of the century I found myself at a crossroads, transforming
from axe-less frontman into solo voyager. I clearly was a singer already
but I also wanted to write. I spent days, months, years cocooning, trying
to become a songwriter. Time flew by, and eventually I re-emerged with a
handful of decent tunes and lyrics. I've been fortunate to have so many
friends around, musicos who've helped me record those little gems. I've
performed on what feels like a thousand stages and often, out of
pragmatism, I'm alone up there. Also, along the way, I've taken to
performing the songs of my heroes. That these cover versions should fit so
seamlessly into one of my sets could be seen as living proof of just how
derivative my own music is. If that's true, I'm not bothered by it. In
performance, I tend to forget which ones are mine and which ones are
theirs. I forget where the songwriter ends and the singer begins. Or
perhaps I've been trying subconsciously to reveal my influences for a long,
long time." Searching For Bart Davenport is the musical chronicle of an
artist seeking his soul with words from others made into his own. Songs by
Broadcast, Kings Of Convenience, Caetano Veloso, Sandycoates, The
Incredible String Band, Bridget St. John, Love/Arthur Lee, David Byrne,
Bert Jansch, Jackson C. Frank, The Changes, and Gil Scott-Heron.
Bastian Wegner -
Elmsfeuer CD (Sahko) [SAHKO024CD] $21.00
"A sparse, subtle jazzy, wonderful virtual sound track."
Blackdeath -
Katharsis: Kalte Lieder Aus Der Hölle CD (Hospital Productions) [HOS288CD] $13.50
"We are proud to announce the new album from this long-running Russian
black metal legend. Violent, angular, and twisting original black metal
with disturbing clear voices from the 666 dimension. Further words from
Marco of Seed Stock Records regarding the new Blackdeath: 'Hot blood in the
frozen wastes, tormented sleeps, no rest, no peace -- always some war to be
fought. Blackdeath keep fighting, living life as war. On this new album,
all of the wildness and violence that Blackdeath have been renowned for
have now hardened into an idiosyncratic and cracked style: manic vocals
that switch between black rasp and psychotic singing, nordic-style riffs
that are somehow bent into a weapon with sharper angles, and a song
progression that is equal parts percussive brawl and wide-eyed revelation.
After six albums you'd think that they would have plateaued, or grown
tired, but no. Rather, here, you find them in the strongest form since the
band's inception back in 1998. They now have finally secured themselves a
real drummer, and full-professional studio sound. For some underground
black metal bands, that might equal an awkward combination, but Blackdeath
have always been stubbornly focused on quality of riff and refined
composition of song, which translates perfectly in this level of
production. 'Blackdeath means black metal' and effectively it is presented
here on Katharsis without the trappings of politic or theologian rhetoric,
and it's given in its most potent and straightforward dosage."
Blackdeath -
Katharsis - Kalte Lieder Aus Der Holle CD (Hospital Productions) [HOS288] $14.50
BLACKDEATH keeps fighting, living life as war. Wildness and violence have
hardened into an idiosyncratic and cracked style: manic vocals that switch
from a black rasp to psychotic singing; Nordic riffs bent into a weapon
with sharper angles; and song progression equal parts percussive brawl and
wide-eyed revelation. Black metal stubbornly focused on quality of riff and
refinement of composition. Potent.
Bon Homme - Bon
Homme CD (Rent A Record Company/Motor Music) [BH002CD] $14.75
Bon Homme is the alter ego of Tomas Hĸffding, who is also known as the
singer and bass player of WhoMadeWho. After playing in bands all his life
and always having to make compromises, he decided to create a piece of
music entirely his own -- so the Dane spent every single minute while not
on tour with WhoMadeWho jamming by himself and recording tracks in his
newly-equipped studio. The result is a cutting-edge record between
sparkling dance pop, driving rhythms and psychedelic electronic sounds,
dominated by analog synthesizers and Tomas' passionate and emotional
vocals. Mainly, it makes you want to go straight onto the dancefloor --
sometimes it makes you wanna think, but it always makes you feel the music
and feel the beat. Its catchy hooks and lyrics, which were written by
Tomas' friend Uzi Frank and Danish poet Rolf Steensig, will get stuck in
your head for ages. Without wanting to compare him to anyone, it sometimes
feels like Hot Chip teamed up with Kraftwerk, with an emotionality all its
own.
Capricornus -
Halation CD (Infraction) [INFX045CD] $10.50
"'Halation gives off a flat-on-back eyes-to-skies drowsy air with its long
drawn out tone-rays. Highly amorphous in strategy, a purist ambient Enovian
ethos a la Thursday Afternoon may suggest itself. On occasion, clusters of
notes flicker within the free-floating drone, mirroring the eponymous
halation effect -- transient morning brume, or light refracted through
water vapour rendered blurred." -- Alan Lockett for Furthernoise.org.
Capricornus is the working name of Hiroshi Tanaka. This is the Japanese
artist's first release in any format. Four-panel digipak, limited to 500
copies."
COH - IIRON CD
(Editions Mego) [EMEGO114CD] $14.75
It would be too easy to simply call IIRON the COH metal album, as it goes
way beyond that. True, this album of classic Ivan Pavlov stompers contains
more than its fair share of guitars both acoustic and electric, yet it
still maintains that sense of power and purpose through electronic music
which stands out as the COH "raison d'Ä~Cªtre." Coming 11 years after IRON
(Wavetrap, 2000), which also tackled the sound of rock with alarming
results, the new album features not only recent guitar tracks recorded at
Music Research Centre at York University, but also recordings made during
Soviet-era Russia, which refer to Pavlov's underground music activities in
the early '80s when making or even consuming of "metal music" was
forbidden. IIRON is a powerful, well-executed electronic rock record, with
just a dash a humor to keep it from becoming pompous, as so much of that
kind of music can be sometimes. Packaged in a 4-panel digipack for CD, and
lavish gatefold for the vinyl, with stunning artwork by Stephen O'Malley
(Sunn O)))). Vinyl cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin,
November 29th, 2010. HAIL TO WORLD PEACE AND DEATH TO FALSE METAL. In
memoriam: Satoshi Kon and Peter Christopherson.
Config.sys -
Disco Loud CD (Pflichtkauf) [11435] $17.50
on their forth album config.sys stick to industrial / noise roots enriched
with technoid components - this time supplemented by fascinating female
vocals forcing to turn the disco loud!
Conquering Animal
Sound - Kammerspiel CD (Gizeh Records) [GZH027CD] $14.75
Conquering Animal Sound hail from Glasgow, Scotland (having recently
departed their home in Edinburgh) and comprise of Anneke Kampman and James
Scott. This is their debut full-length album for Gizeh Records. The duo
formed in 2009 and were soon making waves in the fine city of Edinburgh. A
host of labels came knocking and subsequently a split 7" single (featuring
the song "Giant") with Debutant was released via Gerry Loves Records in May
2010 and agreements were put in place with Gizeh and mini50 Records to
release Kammerspiel. Live, the duo perform the majority of what you hear on
record -- it is something of awe-inspiring greatness, creating loops, beats
and samples out of anything and everything with Anneke's sumptuous vocals
carrying the sounds to what seems like a new world. In 2010, Conquering
Animal Sound took to the road for their first UK tour, performed at
Wickerman Festival (Scotland), De Affaire (Netherlands) and played shows
with the likes of Tunng and Zola Jesus. Kammerspiel is essentially pop
music, but in the way the likes of Fever Ray or Björk portray pop music.
Where Conquering Animal Sound differ is in their love for tape-hiss and
children's toys. There is no doubt, with this record they are in a world of
their own.
Control - Deadly
Sins CD (Malignant) [11447] $12.25
frl. linientreu has been in the public eye for three years - but possibly
it is an unknown fact that ina peters had already started to make music at
the age of 5. However, besides her own project, she is also a member of the
german industrial / techno / comedy project schlauch 2 elf. and after
various live appearances in germany (also at maschinenfest 2010) and one
cd-r release on le petit machiniste, ant-zen and l.p.m. are proud to
present this outstanding artists' second album. in her own words, lifelines
is intended as a kind of biography. lots of emotions have been changed and
filtered into sound which was helpful to bring certain phases of her life
to an end but also to turn over a new leaf. music as a medium for ideas and
feelings - a reason to go further and not to remain in paralysis. as a
result of this melting pot of expressed emotions, a large variety of
musical styles is displayed here. ranging from heavy-handed fast technoid
rhythmic attacks (von schrecken und schönheit des verhörens, empty),
chilling ambient with idyllic synth melodies (ode an die stille, different
in this life), and vexing collages (licht an!) to minimalistic electro pop
with bass guitar and vocals (spiel mal minimal ey!), this album
demonstrates frl. linientreu's amazing eclectic skills. the additional
remixes append a tightrope walk between breakbeats and breakcore
(saturmzlide) and distorted dance beats combined with an unexpected radio
interference. musically and personally, lifelines displays an accumulation
of many directions. whether it is industrial (in its many forms), ambient,
soundscapes, electronica, or idm - all this and more result in frl.
linientreu's aural visualization. an album as manifold and complex as life.
Daniel Menche -
Terre Paroxysm CD (Utech Records) [UR054CD] $15.50
"Terre Paroxysm is Daniel Menche's second release for Utech Records and a
continuation in his bringing back the vehement nature of sound. A pure
acoustic-electronic recording of storms: wind, ice and rain. The field
recordings were captured by Menche and densely mixed and treated in a
manner to create a sense of the earth sleeping then cracking open with
violent emotion. An air of electronics crackles and slides around the storm
recordings in a way that only can be described as acoustic-electro. Terre
Paroxysm roars and cries with the organic sound only Menche can evoke.
Photograph by Christopher Colville. Edition of 500."
Danielle De
Picciotto & Alexander Hacke - Hitman's Heel CD (Potomak) [POTOMAK954952] $16.00
Alexander Hacke is known as the bass player of Einstürzende Neubauten
and main figure in Fatih Akins' movie Crossing The Bridge: The Sound Of
Istanbul. Besides collaborating in countless bands on the side, he has also
been composing film scores for two decades. Danielle de Picciotto was a
singer for Space Cowboys and Gudrun Gut's Ocean Club and is an icon in
Berlin's creative underground. She is also the co-founder of the Love
Parade together with Dr. Motte. Her art and film projects are exhibited
internationally. Hacke and de Picciotto have been a huge influence on
Berlin's underground scene since the '80s and have been touring the world
with their collaborations since 2000. This album goes back to the basics.
After deciding to give up their house in Berlin in 2010, the couple is on
the road in search of new horizons. Celebrating this restless nomadic
lifestyle, they decided to go back to classic songwriting, without
sequencing or electronic processing. Concentrating purely on their
instruments (guitar, autoharp, keyboards, drums), their songs can be
performed on any stage and unplugged. Disregarding fashion, conventions or
everyday standards, their lyrics speak of the world they are discovering:
solitude, magic and freedom. The brew-ballads, gypsy rolls, Italo Western
piano tunes, heavy guitar riffs and autoharp transport the audience into
the world of the uncompromising explorer.
Dave DK - Retake
One CD (Moodmusic) [MOOD013CD] $16.00
Berlin's Moodmusic label kicks off a new mix CD series called "Retake." The
first edition is being delivered by Moodmusic homeboy, Dave DK. The idea
for the Retake series was born when label head Sasse had released the
Starstyling mix on the occasion of Fashion Week 2009, including only
releases from the label. Retake One contains some classic and new,
unreleased Moodmusic tracks as well as influential material from the past
10 years. Besides Dave's edit of Sasse's "Wrapper" (Penner + Muder Remix),
the mix features three new exclusive tracks that will also be released on a
separate 12": Dave DK's "Will Be Gone," Axel Boman's "Cinquenta" and
Citycobra's "Fresh Simple." To present an 80-minute overview of his DJ
style, Dave has hand-picked some of his favorite tunes from his record box.
To present a modern and organic sound, most tracks have been recorded from
vinyl, partly from vinyl-only labels. With the focus being put not only on
the music but also on the packaging and design, Retake One stands out in
the present flood of mediocre media and music releases. Top designer
Matthias Egil Last has been called in for the artwork. No less than two
photo-shoots were necessary to come up with the final result. Last is also
responsible for the design of the Watergate mix CD series. After his
residencies at Tresor Club since 1999 as well as Panorama Bar since 2001,
Dave DK has been a key figure in Berlin's music community. Spinning
nowadays regularly throughout legendary clubs in Berlin, Dave is also
playing gigs all around the world. Having released his first 12"s on Raum
Musik in the late '90s, the albums Sensory Overload (2000, Müller
Records) and Lights And Colours (2007, Moodmusic) were the highlights of
his career which is now being crowned with Retake One. Other artists
include: Ada, Lawrence, Holger Zilske, Daso, Ian Simmonds, Smallpeople,
Chopstick & Johnjon, Jackmate, Superpitcher, Good Guy Mikesh, Christian
Löffler, Sascha Funke, Horror Inc, DJ Koze, and Nina Kraviz.
Dimitri Voudouris
- Î~QÎ~ CD (Pogus) [Î~X=Φ/UVIVI/1] $12.25
"Pogus is very pleased to release its second recording by composer Dimitri
Voudouris, a South African composer of Greek birth. As Massimo Ricci wrote
in his Touching Extremes review of the first Pogus release 'Voudouris is
interested in the 'research of cognitive psycho-acoustic behavioral
patterns in humans and the behavior of sound in relationship to continued
environmental changes'. Don't let the composer's difficult description fool
you into thinking about some kind of cerebral pretentiousness, though, as
this album contains instead four magnificent examples of his approach,
music that's always challenging and, in many of its expressions, of
extraordinary beauty.' This description applies just as well as to this new
recording. Î~QÎ~[Î~X=Φ (for text to speech synthesis with computer
assisted processing for 24 speaker interactive robotic ensemble) is a
comparative study of pathways in communication between Man and Machine and
is composed using fragments of processed speech synthesis; UVIVI is a
computer music piece that is Voudouris's fourth work that was composed for
contemporary dance theatre. UVIVI originates from Zulu -- meaning
'daybreak'. This computer music composition focuses on linearity and
infinite memory in the kinetic flow of vehicular traffic. Four languages
were chosen to represent the composition of 1:Î~XΨ4 (singing synthesis for
four artificial female voices) namely Greek, Spanish, Portuguese and
Italian. ONTA (for voice and electronics) is a project that discusses the
daily tensions encountered and focuses on the energy building up,
exploding, or imploding from these tensions in the city, be it organically
or inorganically created; this promotes musical creativity integrated into
everyday life, of familiar places and natural behaviours."
Dimitri Voudouris
- ΑΛΘ=Φ / UVIVI / 1:ΘΨ4 / ΟΝΤΑ CD (Pogus)
[POGUS21056] $12.25
"Pogus is very pleased to release its second recording by composer Dimitri
Voudouris, a South African composer of Greek birth. As Massimo Ricci wrote
in his Touching Extremes review of the first Pogus release:'Voudouris is
interested in the 'research of cognitive psycho-acoustic behavioral
patterns in humans and the behavior of sound in relationship to continued
environmental changes'. Don't let the composer's difficult description fool
you into thinking about some kind of cerebral pretentiousness, though, as
this album contains instead four magnificent examples of his approach,
music that's always challenging and, in many of its expressions, of
extraordinary beauty.'This description applies just as well as to this new
recording. ΑΛΘ=Φ (for text to speech synthesis with
computer assisted processing for 24 speaker interactive robotic ensemble)
is a comparative study of pathways in communication between Man and Machine
and is composed using fragments of processed speech synthesis; UVIVI is a
computer music piece that is Voudouris's fourth work that was composed for
contemporary dance theatre. UVIVI originates from Zulu -- meaning
'daybreak'. This computer music composition focuses on linearity and
infinite memory in the kinetic flow of vehicular traffic. Four languages
were chosen to represent the composition of 1:ΘΨ4 (singing
synthesis for four artificial female voices) namely Greek, Spanish,
Portuguese and Italian. ONTA (for voice and electronics) is a project that
discusses the daily tensions encountered and focuses on the energy building
up, exploding, or imploding from these tensions in the city, be it
organically or inorganically created; this promotes musical creativity
integrated into everyday life, of familiar places and natural behaviours."
Duo505 - Walzer
Oder Nicht CD (Morr Music) [MORR103CD] $14.00
This is the third album by Bernhard Fleischmann and Herbert Weixelbaum aka
Duo505. Forget about lyrics to convey feelings or moods: it's all in the
music, in the melodies and harmonies. After all, these tracks don't need
words to say a whole lot. The same is true of their genesis: Bernhard
Fleischmann and Herbert Weixelbaum hardly discussed any ideas or musical
concepts while in the studio. Instead, these tracks simply emerged while
they were playing together; the melodies grew out of a wordless
conversation, an exchange of sounds and notes. This newfound collaborative
spirit lies at the heart of Walzer Oder Nicht: the various tracks and
layers intertwine and complement each other on a whole new level. That's
how a song like "No Mail" came about, a track whose inner logic and
intricate composition manages to captivate the listener entirely. Yet, it's
not just the interlocking density that's new, as Duo505 present a whole new
set of arrangements: above all, Fleischmann and Weixelbaum added guitars to
the mix, which in turn means that the Roland MC-505 is no longer the
predominant element of their sound. Case in point: On the opening track
"Facing It 2010," a re-recording of a song they wrote for their debut
full-length Late (MORR 046CD/LP), they hardly use electronic elements at
all. This, however, doesn't affect the fundamental nature of Duo505's
music: Walzer Oder Nicht ultimately shows that their tracks work both as
acoustic and electronic versions. These recordings are somewhat reminiscent
of The Velvet Underground (at their catchiest), of Yo La Tengo's sense of
melody, or the kind of ballads Brian Eno or Zach Condon are known for. Make
no mistake: even though Walzer Oder Nicht certainly has its noisier
moments, some Tall Dwarfs-style clank and clatter even, this album is even
more thoughtful, quiet and warm-hearted than its predecessors. Walzer Oder
Nicht is an album that evokes child-like enthusiasm, ease, swing, and
elegance.
Eluvium - Motion
Makes Me Last CD (Temporary Residence Ltd) [TRR165] $9.00
Following the release of the artistically daring and critically-acclaimed
Similes earlier this year, we're proud to present The Motion Makes Me Last
EP, the scarcely limited companion CDEP to the equally rare Leaves Eclipse
The Light EP. In addition to the stately ambient pop title track, The
Motion Makes Me Last EP features three brand new, previously unreleased
non-album tracks. "Crash Deconstructed" is a melancholy keyboard-based
instrumental that's equal parts Sigur Ros and Hill Street Blues; "Remnant
Signals" matches the elegant, otherwordly beauty of Eluvium's most striking
ambient instrumentals; and closing this collection is a reworking of the
Similes cut "Leaves Eclipse The Light" by NICK ZAMMUTO from the BOOKS
that's as much a cover as it is a remix-and every bit as charming,
beautiful and unique as you'd expect from the Books. Strictly limited to
2,000 copies and featuring an exquisite custom die-cut cover, we don't
expect these to stick around for very long.
Empress - Empress
CD (Pehr) [pehr006] $11.50
"calls to mind the sparseness of low and the mysteriousness of movietone.
breathtaking and hearrtachingly fragile." - kickbright. empress woudl
appeal to fans of twin peaks." - outburn.
Empress -
Homeward Sounds CDEP (Pehr) [PEHR-011] $5.25
Last copies. Members of Hood, Steward, Boyracer, Hem, and Halkyn. Toured
with The Pastels. Now signed to Stephen Pastel's Geographic label on
Domino. Played UK with Low. The vinyl version is sold out on 555 Records. 5
inch mini LP sleeve, full color, with the Empress logo invisibly placed in
spot varnish. Saddest lyric: "Caught between staying here, and letting go."
Fabio Orsi -
Stand Up Before Me, Oh My Soul! CD (Preservation) [CIRCA111CD] $13.25
The Preservation label presents Stand Up Before Me, Oh My Soul! from
Italian composer Fabio Orsi. Fabio's prolific output has had him heralded
as a master of modern ambience, creating rich, freeform atmospheres with
organic instrumentation and processed sounds. Though known for momentous
pieces of hypnotic power, this work marks a dynamic new turn in Fabio's
sound. The force of his composition takes more of an overt stance on Stand
Up Before Me, Oh My Soul!. The raw and primal pulse at the heart of his
music is writ large here with a punk mind-set, unleashing a heady mass of
guitars against a backdrop of cavernous, shimmering distortion and crashing
drums (courtesy of Rich Baker, who also performs regularly with Nadja's
Aidan Baker). It also boasts a bristling sense of lysergic, hazy melody.
Brutal and glimmering, dark and beautiful, Stand Up Before Me, Oh My Soul!
drops loud and large in pursuit of pure, dissonant bliss. This is the first
in a new limited edition CD series from Preservation called Circa. 300
copies only will be available of each release in the series and each will
feature a design by Mark Gowing. Each design will be realized using a
specially-created abstract alphabet of shapes, determined by artist, title
and catalog number for something both fixed and random.
Faust - Something
Dirty CD (Bureau B) [BB065CD] $16.00
Faust has been around for over 40 years. Since 2007, the line-up of the
Krautrock legends has comprised founding members Jean-HervÄé Peron and
Zappi Diermaier, the English musician James Johnston, founder of the
brutish blues rockers Gallon Drunk and long-standing member of Nick Cave &
The Bad Seeds, plus the English painter, filmmaker, author and musician
Geraldine Swayne. On Something Dirty, the creativity and musical ideas of
these four personalities coalesce into a perfect symbiosis of sound. It is
at once hypnotic, repetitive, melodic, exhilarating, psychedelic, menacing,
Dadaist and ethereal. Johnston's guitar saws its way through Diermaier's
archaic beats, harmonically enriched by Peron's powerful bass and Swayne's
psychedelic keyboards. Time and again, Faust revisits their avant-garde
roots, experimenting with voices and unusual instruments. (A flamethrower
and goat hooves can be detected in their arsenal of sonic sources.) Best of
all, however, Faust have succeeded in reproducing the raw energy and
roughness of their live performances on Something Dirty. Breathtaking
stuff! "There is no group more mythical than Faust." Thus wrote English
musician and eccentric Julian Cope. Which says it all really, neither the
habitus nor the music of the six-piece Hamburg group was easy to grasp.
While some lauded Faust as the best thing that ever happened to rock,
others dismissed them as shameless dilettantes. Their collage of Dadaism,
avant-garde rock and free improvisation radically divided opinion. When the
first LP was unleashed on the world in 1971, Faust were very much the
prophet in his own land, as the saying goes: few were interested in
listening to their music -- in Germany. Not so across the Channel: this is
where Faust's career really kick-started. These monoliths of avant-garde
rock sold 100,000 copies of their album The Faust Tapes. Exactly 40 years
after their debut, Faust has come up with another archetypical album:
inspiring, innovative, unpredictable, anarchic and Faustian.~@¨Something
Dirty is a definitive milestone in the long history of this world-famous
musical institution from Hamburg.
Forest Swords -
Dagger Paths CD (No Pain In Pop) [NPIP016] $13.00
NOW AVAILABLE ON CD!!! Received an 8.4 rating from Pitchfork Wirral's
FOREST SWORDS make a textured, gauzy music as indebted to the Liverpool
region's rich musical heritage as it is to the bleak-yet-beautiful coastal
environment from which it was born. The result is something completely
organic, sounding like a dancehall mix of Mogwai's more luscious
soundscapes, Burial's sample-strewn claustrophobia, and Ennio Morricone's
spaghetti western scores. The record's sweaty and thunderous dub grooves
and cavernous guitar licks rub shoulders with R'n'B shuffles, dread-soaked
percussion, and heady drones to create a visceral and epic sound. Dagger
Paths consists of specially remastered versions of songs from the
out-of-print cassette singles Miarches and Glory Gongs, along with brand
new tracks. UK import.
Frivolous -
Meteorology CD (Cadenza) [CADENZA008CD] $16.00
This is the first full-length release on Cadenza from Canada's Frivolous
(Daniel Gardner). To Frivolous, dance music is about living life to the
full, about acting out all possible human emotions in the eccentric, sweaty
arena of a club. Gardner's tracks engage the crowds with grooves bursting
with life and startling, eerie atmospheres. Exotic samples arranged into
improbable yet emotionally-charged sound-scapes create a very special
Frivolous experience: the sounds of a primeval forest encounter a
dignified, aristocratic piano, a beautiful Russian waltz gets twisted into
an overturning house groove. Romance turning into contempt, one's home
becoming alien and strange, Metereology deals with the experience of
emotional extremes. Focusing strongly on the rhythmic sides of things, this
album is denser than its predecessors. The grooves have an enhanced
inertia. Short melodic sequences create sustainable loops superseding
elaborate forms on top. Frivolous merges his seminal genre-bending
qualities and jazzy intricacy into grooves that push the house sound as far
into the experimental realm as physically possible. The sonic arrangements
are fused into one immersive idea that engages dancers completely. With
these sonic landscapes, one is never quite sure which objects exist in
their immediate environment and which objects are super-imposed. The sounds
become a reality of their own, creating imaginary spaces. In an experience
as exciting as uncanny, everyone on the dancefloor realizes that the other,
sonically-projected environment is more real than anything else. The album
represents a journey with different emotional chapters: disappointment,
depression, relief, excitement and exuberance for life. The eleven tracks
span the spectrum of existential extremes and all the subtleties of
emotional dissonance that exist between them. There is a mystical,
idealistic side to Metereology, yet there is the isolated, angry,
frightened side to it as well. The songs explore the whole range of
experience from devoted love to detached solitude, from social commitment
to radical autarchy. These contradictions separate the music from obliging
escapism in order to express a significant human experience.
Frl. Linientreu -
lifelines CD (Ant-Zen) [11440] $17.50
frl. linientreu has been in the public eye for three years - but possibly
it is an unknown fact that ina peters had already started to make music at
the age of 5. However, besides her own project, she is also a member of the
german industrial / techno / comedy project schlauch 2 elf. and after
various live appearances in germany (also at maschinenfest 2010) and one
cd-r release on le petit machiniste, ant-zen and l.p.m. are proud to
present this outstanding artists' second album. in her own words, lifelines
is intended as a kind of biography. lots of emotions have been changed and
filtered into sound which was helpful to bring certain phases of her life
to an end but also to turn over a new leaf. music as a medium for ideas and
feelings - a reason to go further and not to remain in paralysis. as a
result of this melting pot of expressed emotions, a large variety of
musical styles is displayed here. ranging from heavy-handed fast technoid
rhythmic attacks (von schrecken und schönheit des verhörens, empty),
chilling ambient with idyllic synth melodies (ode an die stille, different
in this life), and vexing collages (licht an!) to minimalistic electro pop
with bass guitar and vocals (spiel mal minimal ey!), this album
demonstrates frl. linientreu's amazing eclectic skills. the additional
remixes append a tightrope walk between breakbeats and breakcore
(saturmzlide) and distorted dance beats combined with an unexpected radio
interference. musically and personally, lifelines displays an accumulation
of many directions. whether it is industrial (in its many forms), ambient,
soundscapes, electronica, or idm - all this and more result in frl.
linientreu's aural visualization. an album as manifold and complex as life.
Gang Gang Dance -
Kamakura CD (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT016CD] $13.50
"Limited edition of 1000! Gang Gang Dance define the ultimate 'world music'
for the now, & possibly for an unknown tomorrow. Utilizing avant garde
sensibilities & cut-and-paste assemblies, they approach music as pure
sound. Lizzie Bougatsos' vocals are often non-verbal communications --
words as sound rather than any immediate apparent linear meaning or
message. As interest grows in the indigenous music of many cultures of the
Far and Middle East, especially in hybridized fusions of the familiar
Western forms with local historical folk forms, so Gang Gang Dance are the
logical product of an outward looking NYC in the global age: Middle Eastern
percussion & keyboard stabs collide with Far Eastern instrumentation, &
elements of Western pop & dance."
Gog - Heavy
Fierce Brightness: Spells Of The Sun CD (Utech Records) [UR053CD] $15.50
"Pour the sun upon the ground, stand to throw a shadow, watch it grow into
a night and fill a spinning sky. Heavy Fierce Brightness: Spells of the Sun
writhes and creaks and slowly burns. Feedback, riffs and drums ignite like
a brilliant star exposing our corners and weaknesses. Black/white. There
can be no darkness until something shines. GOG's second release for Utech
Records. Four-panel poster sleeve. Illustration by Terence Hannum. Edition
of 500."
Gowns - Broken
Bones CD (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT019CD] $13.50
"Limited edition of 1000! Gowns are a band evolving around the partnership
of Erika Anderson - previously the guitar wrangler in Amps For Christ - and
Ezra Buchla - ex-horror show vocalist and programmer for The Mae Shi. Gowns
cast an apocalyptic net over a broad church of influences, hauling in their
fractured folk songs with cracked electronics, lending their confessional
lyrics the directness of a spooked grunge approach, whilst embracing their
smart oscillating pop with troubled atmospherics."
Gregory
Carmichael - Red Greg: The Sounds Of Gregory Carmichael 2CD (P&P) [TEG3312CD] $12.00
2007 release. "Producer, arranger, instrumentalist, and label owner Greg
Carmichael ran with the prominent members of the underground disco/boogie
brigade like Patrick Adams and LeRoy Burgess, but he remains one of the
lesser recognized figures from the scene. Despite this, he was every bit a
key behind-the-scenes member of the dance music world and deserves the
recognition accorded to those he worked with. Carmichael, along with Adams,
was behind Universal Robot Band, Inner Life, Phreek, and Bumblebee
Unlimited. Each of these outfits delivered a handful of club classics that
endure as house-DJ favorites decades after their original release ('Dance
and Shake Your Tamborine,' 'Barely Breaking Even,' 'Weekend,' 'Love Bug,'
'Moment of My Life,' and 'I'm Caught Up' being amongst the most popular). A
number of Bumblebee Unlimited singles were released through Carmichael's
Red Greg label, and Inner Life's 'I'm Caught Up (In a One Night Love
Affair)' was originally issued on his TCT label before Prelude purchased
the rights and catapulted it to the top of many club playlists. Carmichael
also worked closely with Burgess for the Convertion ('Let's Do It') and
Logg ('I Know You Will,' 'Dancing Into the Stars') projects, which also
yielded some cream-of-the-crop disco/boogie. The only time Carmichael truly
tasted the mainstream was when Cathy Dennis' 'Touch Me (All Night Long),' a
cover of a Fonda Rae tune written with Adams, blitzed the pop charts in
1991. By then, he was all but completely removed from the music industry.
Peter Brown and Traffic Entertainment are proud to present this rare
collective of the work of Greg Carmichael and his label, Red Gregg
Records."
Gruel - Gruel CD
(At War With False Noise) [ATWAR090] $11.75
CD reissue of classic avant-sludge, the only recording GRUEL made. Like The
Melvins playing King Crimson's Red album, this is theatrical, beautifully
composed, and troglodyte heavy. Four 15-minute, utterly immersive songs,
with quiet, atmospheric passages getting shattered by barrages of
repetitious riffing. Edition of 500 in a stickered PVC sleeve, with the
disc wrapped in a big double-sided, full-color poster.
Haare - Madon
Evankeliumi CD (At War With False Noise) [ATWAR091] $13.00
Total swirling psychedelia, heavy shifting tides of drone with evil organ
lines permeating the noise, self-described as "a slow, heavy bell." Based
on source sounds provided by OLLY PEARSON, CHRIS CHANTLER and DOM FINBOW.
Edition of 500 in foldover wallet and PVC sleeve. Art by ANDREW LABANARIS
(Electric Wizard and MOSS).
Hyperjinx
Tricycle - The Songs of Jack Medicine, Daniel Johnston & Ron English CD (Important)
[IMPREC006CD] $9.00
Year 2001 release. "Hyperjinx Tricycle is a band formed by Texas cult hero
Daniel Johnston, New York pop-surrealist Ron English and Brooklyn
singer/songwriter Jack Medicine. With the help of various producers this
album celebrates the weirdness of these three strange writers. Most songs
sung by Daniel Johnston. CD also contains two tracks of Johnston alone
singing and performing 'Keep Your Feelings To Yourself' and 'Reality.'
Highpoints of the disc include a beautiful version of 'Seasons in the Sun'
sung by Johnston ('Seasons In the Sun' features production work and
instrumentation from Kramer marking the first time these two have worked
together since 1990) as well as Daniel's rejected theme song for the Fox
program Greg The Bunny."
Igor Boxx -
Breslau CD (Ninja Tune) [ZEN166CD] $15.50
"Igor Boxx known also as Igor Pudlo (from Ninja Tune's Polish act Skalpel)
is opening a new decade with his first solo album, Breslau. Skalpel have
released two acclaimed albums on Ninja Tune -- Skalpel (2004) and Konfusion
(2005) have become one of the most important Polish music exports, well
received both in Poland and internationally. In Igor's solo debut album,
the inspiration comes like before from his home country and his home town.
Breslau tells a tale of 1945 siege of Festung Breslau undertaken by the Red
Army. The historical background might mean nothing to an average listener
not familiar with the multinational and multicultural history of Breslau
(now known as Wroclaw) but this journey is musically so emotional and
powerful that it allows anyone to follow the story."
Ironomi - Sketch
CD (Kitchen) [KI005] $21.00
RELEASE DATE: 12-14-2010
ironomi's delicate field recordings capture the tangible atmosphere of a
specfic time and place. "sketch" attempts to conjure something of the
glaring light and torpid air of a Japanese summer using sound alone. The
titles of these compositions invoke a literal kind of emotional color --
specic nuances associated with the unique hue of summer insects, or the
underside of leaves in the shade. In their own words, "sketch" is a sonic
portrait of "a summer's whispers".
Isolee - Well
Spent Youth CD (Pampa) [PAMPA001CD] $14.75
After six years, IsolÄée finally releases his third album on DJ Koze's
Pampa Records. "Over the last 15 years, IsolÄée has managed to create a
breathtaking trademark sound. Every note seems lovingly scavenged from the
depths of his analog equipment pool, then polished and woven into an
abstract, otherworldly, always morphing yet still binding and bouncing
sound composition of epic proportions. Well Spent Youth is a chameleon; it
assumes different forms depending on the volume it's played. Tunes like
'Taktell,' 'Thirteen Times An Hour,' 'Hold On,' 'One Box' and 'Celeste' set
the club on fire, quickly spreading the unique, indescribable IsolÄée
vibe, which imbues the often cold, bleak dancefloor with a unique, clever
color. The collective joy at being challenged is ubiquitous. People dance
to IsolÄée's music with their eyes closed -- opened every now and then
only to exchange knowing nods. Now, IsolÄée reminds us yet again what
electronic music is capable of -- crossing boundaries and achieving the
psychedelic." --DJ Koze
Iszoloscope -
Beyond Within CDEP (Ant-Zen) [11441] $14.25
13 track ep including new tracks and yet unreleased works, plus additional
remixes by missT, ah cama-sotz, ivardensphere, demanufacturer, norad,
mangadrive, esa and xenocode. distorted technoid industrial dance tracks,
heavy rhythmic noise, breakcore and dark ambient soundscapes enriched with
tribalistic percussion and a disturbing piano result in a well-wrapped
package of contemporary electronics to move mind and body.
Iszoloscope - The
Edge of Certainty CD (Ant-Zen) [11437] $17.50
iszoloscope's new full length album, recorded between 2007 and 2010, is
proof that waiting is worthwhile. nine powerful tracks ranging between icy
crystal clear technoid industrial to merciless rhythmic distortion, from
breakbeats to breakcore, from dark ambient to complex electronica - go find
out what lies beyond the edge of certainty!
Jono El Grande -
Phantom Stimulance CD (Rune Grammofon) [RCD2106CD] $16.00
This is the third full-length release by Jon Andreas HÄ~C¥tun aka Jono El
Grande, a self-taught composer, musician, conductor and prankster who
remains an outsider on the far margin of the Norwegian experimental music
scene. He released his debut mini-album Utopian Dances in 1999, a
collection of absurdist instrumentals recorded at home using not much more
than a workstation synth. 2003 saw the release of Fevergreens (RCD 2031CD),
an album that drew upon classic progressive rock, film music, easy
listening and a variety of pop idioms and featured a 9-piece orchestra.
2009's Neo Dada (RCD 2084CD/RLP 3084LP) was a masterstroke; brimming with
creative ideas, odd turns, weird combinations of sounds and instruments,
complex time signatures and a healthy dose of pure musical joy, all
mysteriously sugared with melodic hooks that would stick to your brain like
any annoying pop tune. As far as musical form and content goes, this can be
said to continue with Phantom Stimulance. It's put together to celebrate
Jono's 15 years as a composer and performer and 10 years as a band leader,
but it's not a mere compilation. Recorded in Athletic Studio, home to great
analog recordings by Supersilent, Motorpsycho, Scorch Trio and countless
others, it's a collection of new versions of stage favorites and
previously-unreleased songs as well as a brand-new song. Jono lists
movements like Rock In Opposition and the Canterbury Scene and artists and
composers like Frank Zappa, Stravinsky, Magma, Henry Cow and Gentle Giant
as inspirational sources but has established his own signature with his
latest releases and stage shows. Instrumentations and arrangements have
become more adventurous, he has picked up the electric guitar again and
successfully added a rougher edge to the ensemble sound.
Junk Culture -
Summer Friends CD (Illegal Art) [IA122CD] $11.25
"Junk Culture developed the sound for his newest release, Summer Friends,
from sounds captured on a handheld recorder. Drawing on the vibrant
harmonies, psychedelic noises & dance rhythms that saturated his
environment, he created alluring melodies using guitar, keyboard, &
percussion & his own explosive vocals. The warm euphoric tunes he emerged
with reflect a compelling range of influences that include everything from
west-coast style pop to hip-hop mash-ups & raw punk-informed electronic
dance tunes."
Kazuo Uehara -
Experimental Music of Japan Vol. 8: Assemblage CD (Edition Omega Point) [OPX008CD]
$23.25
This is the eighth volume in Edition Omega Point's Experimental Music Of
Japan series. Japanese composer and synthesizer artist Kazuo Uehara was
born in Osaka in 1949. He studied composition in Tokyo and in New York and
is a Professor of Music at the Osaka University of Arts, teaching
composition, experimental music and also multi-media performance. His music
has been performed in France, Germany, the U.S., and other countries and he
has also performed his interactive live music and multi-media pieces at
major festivals in Sweden, Bulgaria, Russia, France, Poland, Brazil, China,
Korea and other countries. He was the main prize-winner at the Bourge
International electroacoustic music competition in 1983. In 1990, he was
awarded a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. He has been
producing the International Festival for Contemporary Music in Japan since
the 1980s. "'Assemblage' is a word from the domain of modern art. This is
one of the techniques in the expression of art. The word means 'mixture,'
originally. I decided that assemblage would be the concept of this CD. A
collage by Picasso is similar example. Dadaism is also another similar
example. I try to express new directions in music by using the assemblage
technique. 'Music Collage Re-Mix Version' is based on the live recording of
a performance from Brazil in 1989 -- a collaboration with a Brazilian
dancer and her voice. 'Pont De l'Alma De Paris' was a piece composed at
INA-GRM, which is well-known as the place where musique concrÄ~C¨te was
created by Pierre Schaeffer. The title of this piece 'Pont De l'Alma' is
the name of the metro station in Paris. I tried to express the harmony
between traditional images and contemporary images of Paris. 'OTO Mandala
2' -- usually a mandala is created as a visual image but in this piece I
tried to create a mandala image by using sound with bandoneon by Miho
Kurosawa. 'Sound Work 1' is the first piece I composed by using a personal
computer. I used NEC PC 8-bit which came out in the beginning of the 1980s.
I tried to create very simple synthesized sounds. 'Forest Of Gombe' is a
piece on the subject of nature from a chimpanzee's forest in Africa.
'Assemblage 2004' was composed using the assemblage technique using various
sounds, noises from nature and instruments like piano and biwa. 'Meteora
Version 1.0' is the name of a strange rock from the northern part of
Greece. 'Meteora 1' is created as acousmatic music." Housed in a cardboard
paper sleeve. Including newly-written liner notes in Japanese & English by
the artist. Limited edition of 400 copies only.
Liz Janes - Say
Goodbye CD (Asthmatic Kitty) [AKR48] $13.00
Asthmatic Kitty is super stoked to announce the release of the Say Goodbye
full-length, the first LIZ JANES music in five years! This time around
she's teamed up with Asthmatic Kitty artist and ueber producer RAFTER
ROBERTS to give us her own version of a soul record-as seen through the
lens of a lady who cut her teeth in the fertile Olympia noise and improv
scene. Say Goodbye is a 11-piece collection of unpretentious life and
philosophy paired with Rafter's space-pop backing, JASON CRANE's (ROCKET
FROM THE CRYPT) soaring Motownian horn arrangements, and CHRIS SCHLARB's
smooth as chocolate gelato guitar work. Rafter and friends give new life to
Liz's beautiful, spacious voice and her attempts at making sense of the
world.
Locrian - The
Crystal World 2CD (Utech Records) [UR056/7CD] $19.75
"The Crystal World, the third studio album from Locrian, is an epic
journey. Titled after JG Ballard's 1964 novel that tells the story of a
physician who specializes in leprosy sent to a remote African outpost to
discover a jungle that is slowly crystallizing and encroaching upon
everything it touches. Disc one comprises six tracks while disc two
consists of one extended piece, 'Extinction,' that picks up on the
intensity of disc one and sustains it for close to an hour. On The Crystal
World, Terence Hannum, and André Foisy, are joined by Steven Hess (On, Pan
American, Ural Umbo) on percussion and electronics. Hess' contribution
pushes Locrian deeper into the abyss of despair rendering a sound that is
darker, bleaker, and engulfing than any of the group's previous releases.
Locrian continue the conceptual trajectory of blackened drone that the
group initially embarked on during their first studio album Drenched Lands
(2009). Masters of layering, The Crystal World finds the group manipulating
tones and textures that transport the listener to an apocalyptic wasteland.
At times, the layers are serene and somber, at other times they are
chaotic. The Crystal World is Locrian's essential release, finding the band
creating a sound all of their own. A sound that evades simplistic analogies
to black metal, power-electronics, noise, or other categories. This is the
album that will stun fans of the bands previous works with how far the
group has come from their early releases. Presented in a Stoughton gatefold
sleeve with art by Vberkvlt. Edition of 1000."
Low Five -
November CD (Saint Rose) [SRR03] $8.75
The debut full-length CD from Santa Rosa, California's LOW FIVE. Ten
tracks. 51 minutes. Full band tracks recorded by ROSS HARRIS (Emily Jane
White) with home recordings by GUY HENRY.
Mamiffer/House Of
Low Culture - Split CD (Utech Records) [UR055CD] $15.50
"A spacious, luxurious split release from Mamiffer and House of Low
Culture. Piano, guitar, synthesizer, organ and field recordings are just a
few of the devices that etch the open, free passages of music. A remarkable
piece from each contributor. Collage by Are Mokkelbost. Edition of 500."
Martino Traversa
- Manhattan Bridge CD (Neos) [NEOS11023CD] $20.50
Performed by: Mario Caroli, flute, bass flute; Garth Knox, viola; Roberta
Gottardi, clarinet; Arditti String Quartet: Irvine Arditti, Ashot
Sarkissjan, violins; Ralf Ehlers, viola; Lucas Fels, cello; Ensemble
Algoritmo, Marco Angius, conductor. "Martino Traversa, a music autodidact
at age seven, was originally a jazz musician. He went on to study
composition, electronic music, and information technology, obtaining a
diploma at the high perfecting Academy of Pescara. He attended the summer
courses in Siena, as well as those at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and at the
CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics) of Stanford
University. He studied with Luigi Nono from 1987 to 1989. In 1990, with the
support of Luigi Nono, he founded Ensemble Edgard VarÄ~C¨se. In 1991 he
instituted the international review of modern and contemporary music
Traiettorie. He's a composer and a researcher in the field of electronic
technologies applied to musical acoustics and spatialization techniques.
His works are performed by the most important international interpreters."
Stereo/multichannel hybrid SACD that can be played on any CD player.
Master Musicians
Of Bukkake - Elogia de la Sombra CD (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT024CD] $13.50
"Limited edition of 1000! Master Musicians Of Bukkake are an enchanting
collective, comprising a fine pedigree of musicians from bands as diverse
as Earth, Sun City Girls and Burning Witch. With an amalgam of global
influences drawn from music, philosophy, mysticism, and the kitchen sink,
they are difficult to pigeonhole, but this is to their credit as Master
Musicians are entirely original and when they come together, the result is
truly magical."
Maurizio Bianchi
- Computers Spa / Com.sa 2CD (At War With False Noise) [ATWAR077] $14.50
The second in At War's series of CD reissues of early tapes by noise legend
MB features very primitive use of synthesizer, tape loops and tape
manipulation. Lo-fi, otherwordly. Edition of 500.
Melvin Davis -
Detroit Soul Ambassador CD (Vampisoul) [VAMPI118CD] $15.75
Vampisoul presents the first-ever compilation of the complete early to
mid-'60s recordings by Melvin Davis -- an essential figure in Detroit music
history. One of the most talented, dynamic and prolific artists in the
history of Motor City music, Melvin Davis isn't so much a musician as he is
a musical force: songwriter, drummer, performer, producer, arranger, label
owner, etc. His bands have included everyone from a pre-Temptations David
Ruffin to a post-MC5 Wayne Kramer. His drumming helped define the Miracles'
Motown smash "Tears Of A Clown," drove the Lyman Woodard Trio's
double-sided funk masterpiece River Rouge/It's Your Thing and became the
stuff of legend on Dennis Coffey's seminal LP Hair And Thangs. He's the
evocative lead vocalist behind the 8th Day's million seller "You've Got To
Crawl (Before You Walk)" and the songwriter who penned JJ Barnes' desperate
ode "Chains Of Love." The genre that has come to be called northern soul
could hardly claim a more qualified ambassador, for Davis penned many of
its most crucial cornerstones: Johnnie Mae Matthews' "Lonely You'll Be,"
Darrell Banks' "I'm The One Who Loves You," Lonette McKee's "Stop! Don't
Worry About It," Edward Hamilton's "I'm Gonna Love You," Ann Perry's
"That's The Way He Is," Steve Mancha's "I Won't Love You And Leave You."
While Davis' very presence helped to define a myriad of local labels whose
output was every bit as essential to the soul of Detroit's golden era as
was Motown's, his profile as an artist has often been boiled down to the
northern soul floor-fillers "Find A Quiet Place (And Be Lonely)" and "I
Must Love You." As brilliant as they are, it should come as no surprise
that there is another side to Davis' early Detroit discography, one that is
the very essence of the city's rockin' soul aesthetic. A true portrait of
Melvin Davis would be incomplete without the superb sides he cut for tiny
labels such as Jack Pot and KE KE, fiercely independent imprints like
Fortune and Wheel City, and slightly larger concerns such as Groovesville.
For the first time ever, every one of them is here, along with several
unreleased cuts from the Groovesville vaults. Detroit soul is represented
in all its stylistic nuances: the garage R&B of "I Don't Want You," the
proto-northern sound of "I Won't Be Your Fool," the bohemian jazz
inflections of "It's No News," the frantic rock'n'roll of "Playboy" and
"This Ain't The Way," the persistent, minor-keyed mood of "Wedding Bells"
and the majesty of "Find A Quiet Place" and "I Must Love You."
Comprehensive liner notes by writer, historian and musician Michael Hurtt.
Monotonix - Not
Yet CD (Drag City) [DC454CD] $13.00
"Not Yet, the second Monotonix full-length album, focuses the band's energy
like a beam, searing away everything extraneous, leaving only the
essentials. Monotonix are kicking it with pure, slamming rawness from start
to finish on Not Yet, with short and fast songs, direct to the point;
Yonatan's riffs, doubled up and driving forward, Haggai rattling jaws with
blow after blow on the kit as Ami sings and screams of you and me, of the
thrill and dismay of too much, of action and release, his voice almost
swallowed in the din but cutting through with the rigor of a scalpel and
the fury of a fanatic. These enhancements are due in some degree to
Monotonix recording with Steve Albini. They booked time at Electrical, then
went about writing the music back in Tel Aviv in between tour runs. While
writing the songs, they cut to the chase, feeling the joy in the bones of
the songs and the way they fit together. This made working on the record
very easy and fun. The finished sound is trembling with distortion,
screaming with release. Even the extended break on 'Late Night' is a
surging, rhythmic outing -- one that conveys the very real qualities of
Monotonix in an inspired performance Not Yet is the livest, loudest, most
focused set of songs and sounds that we and Monotonix can have. The
question you have to ask yourself is, if Not Yet, then when?"
Mount Eerie -
Black Wooden CD (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT018CD] $13.50
"Limited edition of 1000! In high summer of 2007, Phil Elverum, in the
guise of Mount Eerie, found his way to Southern Studios, armed with a
borrowed guitar, some notebook paper, & with little time before an evening
gig, Mount Eerie & Southern's engineer Harvey Birrell recorded the six
songs of Black Wooden. Black Wooden is the coming together of ideas that
had travelled with Mount Eerie for months & had solidified into
compositions in the days & hours before the studio session. The title
itself refers acutely to the genre black metal -- perhaps less surprising a
reference considering black metal often shares Mount Eerie's appreciation
with low fidelity production aesthetics (among many other things), and that
Phil Elverum had just been in Norway before arriving in the UK."
Mr. Oizo &
Gaspard Auge - Rubber CD (Ed Banger Records) [BEC5772735] $14.75
Ed Banger Records presents the soundtrack to Quentin Dupieux's third film,
Rubber. Dupieux is not only one of the most unconventional French directors
of his generation, he also creates undeniably fierce French house under his
music alias Mr. Oizo. This short film (which chronicles the journey of a
murderous, roving car tire) debuted at Cannes Film Festival in 2010. This
soundtrack was created by Mr. Oizo and Gaspard Augé (one-half of Justice).
Seriously brain-rattling, synth-driven, banging French house on a
terrifying mission to destroy.
Mudsuckers -
Mudsuckers CD (Important) [IMPREC104CD] $12.50
Pete Swanson & Gabe Salomon (Yellow Swans), Tom Carter (Charalambides) &
Robert Horton. "Swamp noise drone. Feedback is layered like mud on the
carcass of song structure. Robert uses primitive cassette manipulation as
well as digital processing to thicken the sound into a swamp. Think
Credence Clearwater Revival without the one chord they knew. On three of
the songs, Pete uses his analog reel-to-reel wall-of-sound processing
apparatus. 'Longjaw Mudsuckers' was inspired by a mid-eighties cassette
where Merzbow mixed John Hudak's nature sounds into a screaming mass of
sonic debris. Robert recorded a stream after the huge New Year's Day storm
and Pete plugged it into his system, making it sound at times like a
stream, an ocean, and robots whispering mechanical secrets. This CD
contains some of the first recordings of Tom Carter's circuit-bending.
Individual attributes of Gabe Mindel's guitar roar, Tom Carter's ebow
laptop whirl, and Horton's clanky homemades merge into the mud stew.
Driving the swirl are samples of boogie woogie piano, riffs from the
session, and pounding drums."
Nadja - Sky
Burial CD (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT022CD] $13.50
"Limited edition of 1000! Crafting two lengthy slabs of crushing yet
ethereal instrumental material, Nadja have once again upped expectations.
Their highly unique strain of doom-infused shoegaze is little short of
trance-inducing beauty."
Near The
Parenthesis - Japanese For Beginners CD (n5MD) [MD184] $12.25
RELEASE DATE: 02-15-2011
"Japanese for Beginners" is Near The Parenthesis' 4th album via the n5MD
imprint and 5th overall. Not far behind on the contemplative artfulness of
2010's "Music For the Forest Concourse" this new album finds Tim Arndt
adding more texturally experimental treatments to his signature mix of
melodic IDM and Modern Classical. Arndt was intent on creating a decidedly
more "electronic" backdrop for the record, which includes what may be some
of the most creative drum programing of his career. Building on this new
platform, Japanese for Beginners continues Arndt's bias and skill in
constructing haunting piano motifs and, as always, brings the pieces
together seamlessly. The songs on "Japanese For Beginners" are as hopeful,
as dreamy, and as thoughtfully crafted as you want them to be. With this
album as with any of Arndt's releases, it is up to the listener to dive in
to the details or simply let it play as the soundtrack to your day.
Nicolas Jaar -
Space Is Only Noise CD (Circus Company) [CC009CD] $16.00
Four years after his debut EP on Wolf + Lamb, Nicolas Jaar, the New Yorker
by way of Chile returns to Circus Company with Space Is Only Noise, an
uncompromising manifesto on traces of the past, love lost, and spectres of
the future. Having previously-contributed to the catalog twice with his
Marks And Angels EP, Circus Company is proud to present his first foray
into the realm of the long player. Jaar has made it quite apparent over the
course of his nascent catalog and increasingly sought-after live sets that
challenge is an intrinsic part of his creative discourse. Few are the
producers of any age with the guts to ride a sub-100-bpm tempo at peak-time
in the techno Mecca of Berlin, and fewer still are those who receive an
ecstatic hands-in-the-air response for their precocious efforts. It is
precisely this sense of risk which elevates Space Is Only Noise beyond the
realm of valiant first effort or crossover dance music oddity. Those
looking to wade through the sea of Jaar's potential influences will quickly
find themselves in the deep waters of golden age Factory records, the
home-spun digitalism of Mille Plateaux, Endtroducing-era DJ Shadow and Eric
Satie. Jaar gently coaxes his listener into the experience from the opening
sounds of rolling waves on "Ä~Cªtre," but quickly transitions into the
sophisticated percussion and meandering melodies that characterize his
sound. Jaar seeks, and often finds, beauty in melancholy on the first few
tracks of the album. As the album begins to accelerate with "Too Many Kids
Finding Rain In The Dust," Jaar confronts us with the often forgotten
reality that our sadness is not mutually exclusive on the dancefloor.
Suddenly, on "Keep Me There," Jaar's voice appears over the delicious,
rumbling melody. Though your hips stir to the relentless bass line and the
sexiness of the voices, your heart is jolted out of its luxurious malaise
when horns erupt seconds later. "How can you talk about a landscape without
showing the sky and the earth?" a voice asks, translating from the French
on "Ä~Cªtre." So Jaar concludes, revisiting the same track to end the
album. Complete landscapes such as these are only realized in contrast --
the indulgent against the reserved, the sky against the earth; lightness
and darkness. Space Is Only Noise is a tour de force with few modern
equals, and a great sign of things to come from one of electronic music's
most exciting producers.
Nin Kuji -
Sayonara CD (Ant-Zen) [11442] $17.50
The one man project nin kuji was started at the end of 2001, founded to
establish a striking and powerful instrument for emotional transfer via the
medium of sound. after various demo cd-rs and tapes, the project gained the
attention of djs in the u.s., japan and germany with the self-released
album 'no way out' in 2004. since 2005 nin kuji started co-operating with
german d.i.y. label le petit machiniste where the ep 'medicine man' was
released. and since then his' musical emphasis shifted from noise, power
electronics and dark electro to rhythm'n'noise and experimental
electronica. he considers his project as an act that prefers an approach of
honest interpretation of feelings in place of technical skills. making
music means keeping grounded and giving retreat, hence there is no
segregation between the private person and the artist. 'sayonara' clearly
demonstrates nin kuji's knowledge in how to control the buttons of heavy
pounding machinery. a crossover between technoid aphex twin-based
ambient-industrial, heavily distorted electro noise and the tribal approach
displayed by the likes of muslimgauze and this morn' omina. the well
thought out tracklist order is held together by gapless, more quiet
sequences and was intended to generate a continuous flow between the
rhythmic parts which operate in ultra-repetitive spheres based on mid-tempo
rhythm textures and heavy subtle bass-drones. tracks like 'daichi no
musuko', 'tamashii' and 'theatre [stages]' should be considered as
essential for topical industrial dancefloors. an ingenious combination of
multiple layers, hypnotic patterns and sophisticated beats. nearly eight
years were needful for this release to mature. based on concepts going back
to 2002 combined with notions from various live appearances, this album
marks an essence of what nin kuji stands for from the beginning until now -
a chapter's end, maybe even a conclusion before breaking new ground. an
album of ageless, self supported personality - sayonara, medicine man!
NSI (Non Standard
Institut) - Sync CD (Non Standard Productions) [NSP009CD] $13.00
"Max Loderbauer & Tobias Freund prod. 24 pieces for drummachine and
sequencer."
Phil Manley -
Life Coach CD (Thrill Jockey) [THR258CD] $13.75
"Phil Manley, founding member of the pioneering DC-trio Trans Am, and
in-demand recording engineer (The Alps, Arp, Mi Ami, Moon Duo, Wooden
Shjips) has recorded his debut solo album. Life Coach, a title inspired by
Tony Williams Lifetime and Charles Bullen's Lifetones project, is a dynamic
collection of instrumental songs composed, performed, and recorded entirely
by Phil. While there are reflections of Phil's work in Trans Am, Oneida,
The F***ing Champs, and Jonas Reinhardt that a listener familiar with those
bands will notice, Life Coach is more minimal and adheres to the structures
of German rock of the mid 70's that has long inspired Phil, specifically
the free-spirited and loose arrangements, the propulsive 'motorik' pulse,
and the sonic textures or 'Klangfarben' (translated 'sound colors'). German
analog recording technology had reached its zenith in the late 70's. This
coincided nicely with the careers of such artists as Neu!, Kraftwerk,
Harmonia, Cluster and Popol Vuh. German recording engineer Connie Plank, a
hero of Phil's, was responsible for most of the greatest recordings of each
of these bands. Life Coach pays homage to the 'Klangfarben' of Connie
Plank's recordings."
Pim Scheelings -
Q65 - The Book Book (Ugly Things) [UTQ65] $16.75
"The five original members of Q65 first banded together in The Hague in the
Netherlands in 1965. Joop Roelofs, Frank Nuyens, Willem Bieler, Peter Vink
and Jay Baar were an unlikely, often volatile gang of outcasts and misfits,
but with their raw, unconventional music and rowdy, unkempt image they
quickly built up a large and fiercely loyal following. Their first record,
You're the Victor, kicked off a string of hit singles for the group
including 'The Life I Live,' 'From Above' and 'World of Birds.' Their 1966
debut LP, Revolution, sold over 50,000 copies, topping the Dutch album
charts ahead of new releases by the Rolling Stones, the Troggs and the
Animals. By 1969 it had all fallen apart, but in the few short years they
were together Q65 recorded some truly extraordinary music. They continue to
be regarded, quite rightly, as one of the great, unsung bands of the era.
Pim Scheelings has captured their story in all its strange, stoned,
comical, complicated, tragic glory -- the drink, the drugs, the fights and,
of course, the music -- all discussed and dissected in frank, often
brutally honest words by the surviving band members and their
collaborators. This is the story of Q65: no punches pulled -- the whole
truth and nothing but the truth. 208 pages with tons of rare photos,
interviews and discography."
Port Royal -
2000-2010: The Golden Age Of Consumerism2xCD CD (n5MD) [MD183] $13.50
RELEASE DATE: 02-15-2011
In 2010 Italian wide-screen electronica group port-royal celebrated 10
years as a band. For the occasion they have teamed up with the n5MD imprint
yet again for the release of a career spanning double album. "2000-2010:
The Golden Age Of Consumerism" collects all of the band's rarities,
compilation appearances and remixes in one unabbreviated package containing
close to 3 hours of music . Disc one includes the long out of print Kraken
EP, tracks from the Magnitogorsk split with Absent Without Leave, the
Honvéd EP, and the band's many compilation appearances. Disc 1 also boasts
two unreleased tracks. One which features port-royal siren Linda Bjalla
(aka Izumi Suzuki) on vocals. The other comes in the form of a brand new
extended version of Gļnther Anders originally heard in brief on the Onda
Drops Vol. 2 compilation. Disc two features all remixes that the band has
conceived over their decade together. Felix Da Housecat, Ladytron,
Millimetrik, D_rradio, Bitcrush and Jatun among others get the port-royal
remix treatment. This disc showcases the band's deftness in the production
of the various sub-genres of electronic music they are known to encompass.
"2000-2010: The Golden Age Of Consumerism" is a wonderful retrospective
that shows the band's musical growth, emotional dexterity and unique
approach to electronic music.
Raschèr Saxophone
Quartet, The - The Raschèr Saxophone Quartet CD (Caprice) [CAP21435CD] $16.75
Performed by: Raschèr Saxophone Quartet: (Christine Rall, soprano
saxophone; Elliot Riley, alto saxophone; Bruce Weinberger, tenor saxophone;
Kenneth Coon, baritone saxophone). Featured works: Erik Bergman (1911 -
2006): Etwas Rascher; Richard Dünser (B. 1959): Personae; Yannis Xenakis
(1922 - 2001): XAS; Michael Denhoff (B. 1955): Pnoxoud; Günter Bialas
(1907 - 1995): 6 Bagatelles; Dimitri Terzakis (B. 1938): Panta Rei.
Rimacona -
Tasogare to Piano CD (Parade) [parade03] $16.00
RELEASE DATE: 12-06-2010
Rimacona consists of two members: Natsuko Yanagimoto (vocalist and
photographer) and Marihiko Hara (pianist and composer). They are based in
Kyoto where Marihiko, in particular, produces music for theatre
performances and people involved in the field, such as visual artists and
traditional Japanese instrumentalists.
In addition to a short tour of Europe in 2009, they have also been included on Mille-Plateaux's 'Click and Cuts 5.0' compilation, of which they were the only vocal band on the album.
"Tasogare to Piano" (Piano in the Dusk) is Rimacona's first full debut
album. Their music is dynamic yet sensitive, with a strong emphasis on
progressive song development and the sounds of piano. Furthermore, their
arrangements offer a unique atmosphere, and blend vocals with natural
sounds, as well as electronics captured via the use of a tape recorder.
Rimacona's music goes beyond the boundaries of electronica, pop, jazz and
so on.
Rorschach Garden,
The - 42 Times Around the Sun CD (Bazooka Jo) [11433] $18.00
42 times around the sun, not normally a time span associated with the
completion of a lifecycle, but this album feels a lot like it. this is the
sixth full-length in six years, and it really is a musical stroll through
the styles and contents trg have explored so far, with a strong emphasis on
progress and refinement. what once started with a very retro sound has now
got a lot of modern aspects sonically. also it seems no coincidence the sun
is mentioned in the album title - not much gloominess to be found here,
positivity is the word. philipp münch has invited some well-known friends
to join him on vocals while his own style of singing has also progressed
with the vocals barely untreated, working just fine with his probably most
interesting and diverse lyrics so far. 42 times around the sun starts with
the uptempo 'automatic', something trg hasn't done in a while. more in the
classic trg vein with the more familiar melodies are 'broken' and 'unusual
romance', the latter being a heart-felt declaration of love by the charging
cable to its connected mobile (!), and yes, it does remind somehow of the b
52's. 'some reasons to call this time the hate-ies' is not only a clever
reference to the morrissey quote, not only a punch into the face of the
narrow-minded nostalgist, but also a wonderful party track. dirk ivens
delivers unmistakable backing vocals on 'living in a cage' while genevieve
pasquier does so on the anti-paparazzi track 'how to become invisible'.
'(in search) of the amber room' is a detroit-tinged electro smash with the
immortal line 'what has gone lost must be found, underwater, in the
ground.' other standout tracks are the devo-style 'micro machines', a duet
with synapscape partner tim, and the wonderful 'red light', a track in
timeless pop tradition, and maybe the ultimate earworm trg have created so
far, featuring background lyrics by scott milton of american newcomer act
the present moment. the latter also performs the entire vocals of
'rejection', a spine-tingling trance-infused ballad that makes way for the
closing title, a very upbeat remix by memmaker. 42 times around the sun is
nothing less than a classic pop album, tightly produced and with a coherent
mood, yet enough diversity in sound and content, and it
RVDS - Moments CD
(It'S) [ITS005CD] $16.00
This is the first full-length album on the It's label for Germany's Richard
von der Schulenburg aka RVDS. It's deep, acid, fragile, party, lonely, and
special. After the EP Waiting, Kiss And Love comes Moments, inspired by
classic deep and acid house. Old instruments such as the TR-808, Roland
JP-6, Wurlitzer E-Piano and some others are combined with new accents, but
always with a special bent towards Detroit music. Special tips go towards
the tracks "Acid Dream" and the vocal track "Pain."
Scuba -
Triangulation (Interpretations) 2CD (Hotflush) [HF003LTD-CD] $15.75
Hotflush presents a 2CD package of Scuba's acclaimed Triangulation album,
plus a CD of all-new artist remixes. Scuba aka Paul Rose has been at the
forefront of the dubstep scene since its birth. Having founded the
innovative and influential Hotflush Recordings label in 2003, he has
continually brought color and depth to an advancing genre, expanding its
sonic structure and increasing its influence on the wider electronic scene.
Through Scuba and seminal work by central figures including Distance, Vex'd
and more recently Mount Kimbie and Joy Orbison, Hotflush remains crucial to
the immediate moment and the developing future of the most exciting aspects
of electronic music. In addition to label and production duties, he also
runs the massively successful SUB:STANCE night at Berlin's techno Mecca,
Berghain, the sound of which he committed to plastic in a DJ mix (OSTGUT
011CD). Following the first Scuba LP, A Mutual Antipathy (2008) which was
remixed by Marcel Dettman, Martyn and Surgeon, Triangulation (2010) took
the Scuba sound to a new level. The collision of dubstep and techno has
produced startling music from a wide range of producers in the last few
years, none more than Scuba, and that has been well documented. But
Triangulation moves past the dubstep/techno axis and into new territory.
Working at multiple tempos, the album covers an area ranging from house to
experimental drum n' bass while retaining the Scuba sound that has become
so distinctive. For Triangulation (Interpretations), new allure is breathed
into Scuba's originals. The listless beauty of "Before" is imbued with a
spine-tingling warmth on Scuba's luscious opening re-edit, "Before
(After)." A remix of "Latch" by Will Saul and Mike Monday, infuses the
dubbed-out original with a dose of bumping house flavor. America's totem of
bass Faulty DL takes leave from the original "On Deck" with a low, burring
bass line and elegantly woven melodies drawn warmly across the whole.
Scuba's back with the old skool vibes on "You Got Me (I Got You)" but
confidently skips the line by keeping it firmly in this moment. Deadbeat's
remix of "Tracers" sees him in classic form, delivering a deep 7am techno
heavy-hitter. Joe's rework of "So You Think You're Special" has a slowly
blossoming groove underpinning stuttering percussion, jangling keys and an
expertly playful melody that opens out across the sparse background.
Finally, South London's Deadboy offers an understated modern jungle remix
of "Before" with skittering hats and heavy bass that can't fail to light up
floors and faces.
Shackleton -
Fabric 55 CD (Fabric) [FABRIC109CD] $16.75
"The elusive Shackleton showcases his incendiary live set on Fabric 55. A
disorienting trip through unclassifiable styles awaits those brave enough
to enter the void. The self-effacing Lancashire-born Sam Shackleton first
came to prominence during the early rise of the dubstep scene. The Skull
Disco label he ran alongside Appleblim was influential, in that it combined
more abstract or avant-garde musical forms with music that could work on
advanced dancefloors. Skull Disco was home to Shackleton's cuts such as
'Stalker', 'Death Is Not Final' and 'Blood On My Hands', reworked by
Ricardo Villalobos into an 18-minute four-to-the-floor version. Like
Ricardo Villalobos and Omar S before, Shackleton's contribution to the
Fabric series blurs the boundaries between artist album and mix CD,
featuring only his own tracks. The mix consists mainly of unreleased,
exclusive material alongside a handful of earlier tracks, and all tracks
have been re-worked into entirely new, never-before-heard versions."
Shindig -
Shindig! Vol. 2, Issue 20 Jan-Feb 2011 Magazine (Shindig) [SHINV2#20] $8.50
"The Soft Machine: Feelin' Reelin' Squealin': Is it jazz? Is it psych? Is
it pop? The groundbreaking early years; Merrell Frankhauser: His visonary
journey from surf to folk to psych to lost continents; The Lovin' & The
Nerve: From mod underdogs to Troggs-approved pop confectioners; Allied
Records: Plastic Cloud, Reign Ghost, Christmas... inside Canada's coolest
label; Euphoria: The remarkable saga of the most expensive cult album ever
made. Also Patrick Campbell-Lyons, Cat Stevens, The Holy Mackerel, and much
more!"
Sic Alps - Napa
Asylum CD (Drag City) [DC455CD] $13.00
"Napa Asylum is the Sic Alps in 2010 ? two and one half years since the
fabled release of US E.Z.! Napa Asylum accounts for the swift tilt of time
since aught-eight with twenty-two crafted tracks bubbling in the reverb
tank. The Alps are in the summer of their years, where they suddenly find a
minute to reflect on the breaking down of the years previous. Napa Asylum
is overfull with Sic pleasures, echoing half-emptily like they do as the
hooks slide into your flesh, animating you marionette-style to tip-tat your
way across the dance-floor. Let's away to the Tascam 8-Ball! Themes from
Napa Asylum include re-incarnation, magic and schizophrenia. SUCH AS: 'The
First White Man to Touch California' ties the 'discovery' of California to
the recent mortgage crisis. 'Zeppo Epp' tells parallel tales from
Midwestern homes: Zeppo Epley drives off to never be heard from again while
Charlotte Muldeen breaks up with her girlfriend and joins the Navy. And
there's more, lots of it there, all dripping through a $100 preamp for your
misunderstanding. Yeah, the sound reflects a minimal set-up, but don't let
them fool you. The process is the flavor -- and three albums in, you can
still get in on the ground floor, 'cause Sic Alps always record in the
basement. Get down your steps while you can, the songs are as short as they
are bitter-sweet. But the one that ends just makes way for the one coming
next."
Sidi Toure &
Friends - Sahel Folk CD (Thrill Jockey) [THR256CD] $13.75
"Throughout his time making music, Sidi's sound has both captured and
challenged his roots. His music moves from the translucent swaying takamba
to the trance inducing Holley, while the lyrics often address many
non-traditional issues. Sidi has a critical mind and his songs have a
purpose. At its heart, Sahel Folk, Thrill Jockey's debut release with Sidi
Touré, is an album of friends reuniting around a glass of tea. It's Sidi
Touré's second album, but the first time most of his collaborators have
been documented. Sidi Touré has been performing music in his home of Mali
since the 1970s when he formed the Songhaį Stars regional orchestra. He
has won the award for best singer two times at the Mali National Bienale.
Sidi is a peer to Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyate, and he shares a
kinship with the late Ali Farka Touré."
Sky Burial -
Kiehtan CD (Lens) [11446] $12.75
Kiehtan marks Michael's 40th appearance on recorded format since 2004. This
disc focuses on pure ambient drift and aural bliss drawing influence from
the ambient masters of the 70's. Kiehtan features a sonic reconstruction by
Mark Spybey (Dead Voices On Air, Beehatch, Reformed Faction) from Sky
Burial source material and was mastered by James Plotkin (Khanate, OLD -
mastering for Sunn O))), Earth, Isis).
Kiehtan is the name of the "creator spirit" of the Wampanoag tribe, the original inhabitants of Cape Cod where Michael lives. "Wampanoag" translates to "People of the first light" as Cape Cod is one of the first places in the continental United States to experience sunrise. Kiehtan is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes including gender. This CD is inspired by solitary evenings under autumn's receding light in the dunes and pine forests of outer Cape Cod where this spirit still seethes and breathes.
Sky Burial was formed in 2006 as a conduit for the ambient/industrial sonic meandering of Michael Page (Fire In The Head). Having well established himself in the power electronics/noise field with FITH, Michael realized he wanted to move into a musical direction that offered him more freedom of expression and room for sonic experimentation. Although initially inspired by early "industrial" music projects, electronic/ambient acts of the 70's and 80's, and Krautrock, the music of Sky Burial continues to evolve and blur genre boundaries creating its own version of "ambient" music, often citing esoteric and mythological subject matter as a muse.
Michael records in
a stubbornly "old school" manner preferring to record the majority of
source material to four-track cassette resulting in a more raw recording.
Compositions are mixed and edited from various session materials with no
pre-conceived notion of a final form, thereby letting the source material
itself dictate the musical flow resulting in completed recordings which are
largely improvised.
Sleep Chamber -
Silverstar Merry X-mas CD (Inner X) [11430] $9.75
A Christmas gift from Inner-X-Musick by SLEEPCHAMBER! Only available
through December 31 2010. Then it will be removed from the catalog till
November 2011! We hope theze magickal moods brighten your holiday
experiences. A Merry X-Mas to all from John Zewizz and enclosed
Inner-X-Musick Gang; Bob Avakian, Gimmie Sparks, Tick, Jazz, Zora, John
Gardy, Amy Nitrate, & Brad
Soft Moon - Soft
Moon CD (Captured Tracks) [CT85] $12.00
On the heels of two sensually dark 7-inches, LUIS VASQUEZ of THE SOFT MOON,
has completed his self-titled debut full-length on Captured Tracks. Raised
under the burning sun of the Mojave desert, Vasquez channels both his punk
upbringing and Afro-Cuban heritage to sculpt decidedly dystopian
soundscapes for a new generation of torn romantics. It's a record set
somewhere in the near post-apocalypse where technology enchants as much as
it destroys.
Steffi - Yours &
Mine CD (Ostgut Ton) [OSTGUT016CD] $14.75
On the debut album by Berlin-based Dutch DJ/producer Steffi, you will
discover an even further developed producer who shares her personal
journey. A long period of intense experimentation and self-discovery led to
this sensitive, instinctive and extremely insightful long-player. Carefully
mixing old and new, warm analog synth and drum textures flow in unison with
modern studio finesse over nine tracks, each telling its own story.
Ethereal, hypnotic passages and positive, uplifting messages meet
temperate, slow-building vibes and heart-wrenching moments. Often,
simplicity blurs into satisfying complexity. Moments of sheer joy arise
against the backdrop of a rich and elegantly-controlled exploration of
sound. The opening track "Lilo" is a soothing, harmonious forecast of this
deep dance music album; swirling, and reduced. A warm solid state thump
drives it however, and it becomes clear that the beauty in Steffi's house
music lies in this meeting of classic, emotion-drenched melodies and bold,
earthy drums. The tactile "Piem" rises and climbs with a strong late-night
intensity before "Yours" featuring Virginia comes to the fore. Striking a
clever balance between positive, addictive pop and straight-up club energy,
this vocal-led future-classic is a loud and proud testament to how far
Steffi has come -- not only as a producer, but as a DJ who understands the
need for balance, control and release. Perhaps an ode to the many
foundations of house that have no doubt inspired Steffi, "Arms" is a
string-led jack track, a slow burner in the best sense, and all the better
for it. Similarly, "Manic Moods" sells itself on the strength of its
handful of carefully-crafted analog synth lines, slowly fusing to become
one while her beats urge us forward. The urgent, sci-fi tones and extended,
soaring strings of "Mine" bring it back to the club as heady images of
warehouses past, present and future flash before you. This retro-futurism
is then taken further with the muscular "Nightspacer," whose NY house roots
are fleshed out by blossoming pads and an unstoppable, throbbing, traveling
vibe. Drawing the album towards its close, the deeply spaced "You Own My
Mind," featuring Virginia's beautifully smooth vocals, washes over and
wraps around you in a melancholic blanket of sound. Deeply personal to the
last, "Moving Lips" could be that special last embrace; one more moment to
end the night and yet keep you longing for more.
Subtractivelad -
Kindred CD (n5MD) [MD185] $12.25
RELEASE DATE: 02-15-2011
Now 7 albums in, Stephen Hummel has decided to push his SubtractiveLAD
project into seemingly uncharted territory. Fans of Hummel's work know that
at any given moment his songs can thoughtfully veer into more "classic"
electronic music territory. On previous efforts, artists such as Boards of
Canada and Brian Eno have been name-dropped as stylistic signposts but now
such widescreen chill-room workouts are only one part of Hummel's big
picture. Hummel has also injected elements of Jazz, Shoegaze and even
Industrial into his works and excels in making such incorporations
transparent and cohesive. With his latest album "Kindred", Hummel adds the
Berlin School era of Krautrock (and more specifically its close, more
electronically minded sibling, Kosmische Musik) to his long list of
inspirations. Hummel does so by utilizing more of the analog synthesizer
sound-bed-of-choice of artists like Cluster, Ashra, and one of his biggest
influences, Tangerine Dream. By mixing all these elements, Hummel is using
his own history as well as the tradition of his influences to create an
album that is on one hand somewhat future-retro but on the other undeniably
fresh. "Kindred" could very well be the album that Hummel was born to
create. An amalgam of the new and the old with a no apologies level of
honesty and emotion. Each song a journey to some landscape we've never seen
before.
Sufjan Stevens -
All Delighted People CD (Asthmatic Kitty) [AKR75] $10.75
The EP, All Delighted People, is built around two different versions of
SUFJAN STEVENS' long-form epic ballad "All Delighted People," a dramatic
homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon's "Sounds of
Silence." The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan's previous tour in
the fall of 2009. Other songs on the EP include the 17-minute guitar
jam-for-single-mothers "Djohariah," and the gothic piano ballad "The Owl
and the Tanager," a live-show mainstay.
Swankia - Hotel
CD (Pflichtkauf) [11436] $17.50
a doom metal noise assault from pflichtkauf... we are swanika - can you
hear us in your dreams? we are swanika - can you see us in the night? we
are swanika - can you feel us in the cellar? we are swanika - can you smell
us in the hut? we are swanika - noisy, rythmical, extreme. we are swanika -
we are you!
Teebs - Ardour CD
(Brainfeeder) [BF010CD] $15.50
"As music from the Los Angeles area thrives and swells across the globe,
one of its most beloved and deeply rooted members, Teebs, steps out with an
album full of infectious melodies, subtle hip-hop and a kaleidoscope of
sound. Music for the imagination."
Tetragrammaton -
Point Of Convergence CD (Utech Records) [UR032CD] $15.50
"Trapped on an ocean of disparate languages, sound gravitates towards
meaning, escaping the obsolescence of mother tongues by denying the slow
decay of time. In the biblical tale of the Tower of Babel, God punishes the
tower builders by scattering them across the earth, unintelligible to each
other. As they departed their blissful prison of same-think, they became
drunk with new songs, washing down their newfound 'auditory cheesecake'
with sectarian babble. In as much as their speech had been confounded, they
were offered a musical re-enchantment through floating words, alveolar
clicks and talking drums. By refusing the past, their music ceased to exist
in time, choosing instead to create it. Employing hurdy-gurdy, crystal
bowls, bells, voice, drums and waterphones, Tetragrammaton revisits the
bedraggled unlanguage of the castoff nomad builders with quantum force.
Climbing into gilded time capsules, the three members soon reappear
uttering unknown tongues and blowing ancient horns, drenched in the
embryonic saliva of Thoth, that Egyptian God of knowing-it-all. Point of
Convergence is arguably the group's finest outing yet, capturing
stripped-down harmonic explorations, overdriven dronescapes, meditative
underwater recordings and a judicious dose of blown-out psychedelia.
Edition of 500."
Thank You -
Golden Worry CD (Thrill Jockey) [THR243CD] $13.75
"Thank You could only come from one city, at one moment in time. Like Pere
Ubu's Cleveland and Joy Division's Manchester, post-industrial Baltimore
serves as simultaneous playground, obstacle course, and muse to this
show-stealing art-rock trio. Jeffrey McGrath (everything), Michael
Bouyoucas (everything), and Emmanuel Nicolaidis (everything) are veterans
of a cold era when the Baltimore music scene barely exceeded the carrying
capacity of a warehouse elevator. Things change, and the band's urgent
collision of rhythm, melody, and noise has placed them at the creative
center of today's Baltimore renaissance. Here we have guitars, drums, and
vocals -- but also '60s Vox organs, harmonica, mini-moog, jaw harp,
sampler, and Fender Twin Reverb amps -- all in the service of six hypnotic
tracks of Baltimore-built avant-rock. From the first-jangling, then-jagged
guitars of album-opener '1-2-3 Bad' to the triumphant swirls and squeals of
'Continental Divide' and the dexterously deconstructed instrumental bridge
of galvanizing closer 'Can't/Can,' these songs are intricate yet immediate
stunners. Attacked with the ecstatic, fierce energy of a Thank You live set
-- and then perfected in the studio with ears attuned to dub, Eno, 20th
Century classical, and Konono No. 1 -- Golden Worry is a new world in which
we listeners can lose ourselves: the sound of Baltimore at the vanguard as
we enter the Two-Thousand Teens."
Thollem Mcdonas &
Stefano Scodanibbio - On Debussy's Piano And... CD (Die Schachtel) [ZEITC006CD]
$16.00
Die Schachtel is proud to present a recording that embodies the virtuosity
of piano soloist/composer Thollem McDonas and contrabass soloist/composer
Stefano Scodanibbio, in the spirit of Claude Debussy's rebellious
creativity. As Terry Riley wrote: "Anyone who has heard Thollem or
Scodanibbio as a soloist might well imagine what a combination of their
unique genius could produce. Awesome, well-matched virtuosos in an ocean of
sound." During the listening of this CD, you will witness the renowned
talent of Scodanibbio, a 21st century Paganini, whose innovations on the
contrabass inspired some of the most important composers of the 20th
century, such as Cage, Berio, Scelsi and Stockhausen. Thollem devised the
improvisational scheme specifically for this occasion, demonstrating once
again his distinctive sound and his unique approach to music. This album
was recorded on the only piano Claude Debussy owned the last 14 years of
his life, kindly loaned by the City of Brive-La-Gaillard and Musée
Labenche of Art and History. Thollem and Scodanibbio's improvisational
style creates a sonic flow, resulting in a unique combination of historical
and contemporary musical genius. In his liner notes for this album Terry
Riley continues, "an imaginative idea, wonderfully realized with
virtuosity, improvisational mastery and intuitive communication of deep
sensibility all residing here in the magical marriage of their artistry."
Tim Hecker -
Ravedeath, 1972 CD (Kranky) [KRANK154CD] $13.00
"Tim Hecker's latest work approaches a form of secular musical
transcendentalism from within the battered temple of spirituality. Recorded
in a church in Reykjavik, Iceland and using a pipe organ as the primary
sound source, this new piece is essentially a live recording. In reality,
it exists in a nether world between captured live performance and
meticulous studio work, melding the two approaches to sonic artifice as a
unity. It is in parts a document of air circulating within a wooden room,
and also a pagan work of physical resonance within a space once reserved
for the hallowed breath of the divine. ! While the title of the piece
'Hatred of Music' might be a clue, the album is also partly an attempt to
confront a pervasive negativity surrounding music. Historical rituals of
destroying pianos, mountains of pirated CDRs pushed by bulldozers in
Eastern Europe, or the melancholy of the digital music era began as
sideline motifs which quickly informed the work on this record. They also
really didn't at all. ! Despite that the context is wide open in such a
form of musical abstraction, the substance of these immersive compositions
showcases Hecker's continued mastery of organizing sound into a visceral
near entity. It is an almost physical presence that the listener feels as
much as hears. This work is a significant contribution to Hecker's oeuvre,
one which spans over ten years of musical production. Ravedeath is an
enigmatic document of beauty and force. ! The album was recorded mostly
over the period of one day in July of 2010. Iceland-based musician Ben
Frost assisted with the engineering and performs on this recording."
Vanessa Van
Basten - Closer To The Small / Dark / Door CD (Robotic Empire) [ROBO078] $8.50
Italy's VANESSA VAN BASTEN reside among a rare breed of bands (loosely
categorized as "post-rock") that truly create instead of simply copy. At
times lush and layered, at others minimal and haunting, Closer to the
Small/Dark/Door's breadth is the result of years in the underground.
Although quite heavy, the album employs far more atmosphere and ambiance
than its contemporaries. Acoustic / classical instrument tracks conjure
visions of Mogwai conducted by Ennio Morricone, while programming-centric
tracks imagine Swans personnel falling hard for a Mediterranean girl who
listens to a lot of Godflesh and Jesu. Nothing fits snugly into place,
though-Vanessa Van Basten pushes genre boundaries in more than one
direction. Thankfully, these veterans know the importance of "too much" vs
"not enough." Closer to the Small/Dark/Door is a truly unique 50 minutes of
rock music. Includes large booklet with artwork specific to each song.
Various Artists -
Space Escapade 2CD (Aventura Espacial) Unit 1) [ER1153] $13.25
Elefant Spacelines presents: SPACE ESCAPADE (aventura espacial) Unit 1.
Destination: Pluto -- Sector 68.
Welcome, everyone, to the first journey on the recently inaugurated Elefant Space Airlines! We invite all of you to enjoy some of the most incredible journeys currently available, on board our amazing new space-yacht, "Lula 1", with everything necessary to make your experience unforgettable: a pool, a disco, a chill-out area, a high-end restaurantâ~@¦ The newest technology allows you to experience the most unbelievable things through the most distant planets in our Solar System, on which you can make friends while enjoying a fresh, robotic coconut (and if you don't want that, we'll clone whatever you do want), relax gravity-free in our invisible-light with narcotic effects, enjoy the thousands of digitalized pleasures we have to offer (in this case, audio, but in other journeys you will also be able to enjoy the video format) or enjoy our superstratopheric music - calmly, in the lounge, dancing non-stop on the dance floor, or intensely at a concert. Follow us on any of your devices; we assure you that the coming meetings will be of great interest.
This trip, the first of many that will take you to all those places you
could never even imagine, has the exclusive destination of Pluto, Sector
68. Renowned throughout the galaxy for its environment where specters are
instantly born, during the journey around this inimitable place we
guarantee you that you will see and hear things never before known to man.
In addition, we offer a complete range of side-trips, including our most
recommended one that takes you to Pluto's surface, dressed in a vintage
space-suit -- an imitation of the one Neil Armstrong wore in his day. As
you can see in our lovely explanatory pamphlet, designed exclusively by
Jean Duprez, this trip is definitely unique, and includes, among many other
activities, the following offers:
Various Artists -
The Matinee Holiday Soiree CDEP (Matinee) [matcd078-2] $7.00
Brilliant release featuring exclusive new seasonal songs from five of
Matinée's most beloved current artists. Seattle's Math and Physics Club
arrive with sleighbells on, as 'It Must Be Christmas' successfully manages
to knit candy canes, carolers, mistletoe, reindeer, Santa's sleigh,
snowflakes, stockings, and winter into an indie Christmas carol of their
very own. Copenhagen's Northern Portrait answer the challenge with an
acutely jangling take on Christmas tradition called 'Leave The Trees Alone'
which speeds along at a distinctly steady pace. Tis the season to be jolly,
indeed! Glasgow duo Strawberry Whiplash celebrate the season with a
reverb-drenched and highly melodic nod to our overworked chubby pal up
north called 'Santa Needs A Holiday,' while new label signing Champagne
Riot from Copenhagen set the bar high with their debut Matinée track, the
orchestral and hypnotic holiday love song 'Xmas Safari'. Finally, Glasgow's
prolific Bubblegum Lemonade deliver a Jesus and Mary Chain-infused tale of
the telly going out on Christmas day called 'White Noise Christmas.' This
is not your standard Christmas fare and we're all the better for it! Five
festive songs from Matinée's finest, the 'Matinée Holiday Soirée' is a
sparkling celebration of the season that will be an essential holiday
staple for years to come. Limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket
sleeve.
Various Artists -
Music From Vietnam Vol. 5 CD (Caprice) [CAP21674CD] $16.75
"Vietnam is a wonderfully rich country -- from a musical perspective! Here,
on Music from Vietnam Vol. 5, one has for the first time the chance to
become acquainted with music from nine of the more than fifty minorities
living in the country. The recordings were made using a modern mobile
digital studio in the central hills and on the coast of Vietnam, doing
justice to a wholly unique and exciting world of timbres, a world that has
lived its own life for hundreds of years and now is available to interested
ears. They sing and play on drums, flutes, horns, rattles, bamboo,
porcelain, and above all on gongs, handed down for generations. In a world
where the wheels of communication spin ever faster, these peoples maintain
and develop their cultural identities and their music. Meet Cham, Raglai,
Bahnar, Xo-dang, and Giarai, and revel in their music from rites and
religious ceremonies, work, and celebrations."
Various Artists -
Music From Montenegro CD (Caprice) [CAP21741CD] $16.75
"Once part of the former Yugoslavia, Montenegro is a country with a long
and dramatic history, whose music has been relatively unknown beyond its
borders. Music from Montenegro, no. 22 in a series produced jointly by SIDA
(the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) and Caprice
Records, presents for the first time 76 minutes of traditional music from
this country: heroic songs, songs from mountain villages, shepherd songs
and even songs from cities that are more influenced by the Central European
tradition. One of the groups participating in this CD, Ansambl Podgorica,
is one of MontenegroÄ~B's best-known and most-loved professional popular
music orchestras, which plays both the 'classical' entertainment music from
Montenegro and the more traditional music from the countryside."
Various Artists -
The Sound Of The Soul - Music For Quin And Xiao 2CD (Caprice) [CAP22065CD] $32.25
Performed by Deng Hong, qin; Chen Shasha, xiao. "'In no other music does
one come so close to a whole civilisation's fate, feelings and dreams as
one does with qin music,' says sinologist Cecilia Lindqvist, and describes
her relationship to qin music as one of 'a deep and lasting love for this
wonderful, meditative music which in and of itself encapsulates several
thousand years' experience in how to live one's life.' Cecilia Lindqvist
has devoted much of her life to the qin, having written the August
Prize-winning book Qin, which is now in great demand in China and Taiwan,
and been involved in the production of the earlier Caprice release Qin -
Celestial Music For Qin And Xiao. The very positive reception in Sweden and
the Asiatic world prompted Cecilia to work on the recording of a new CD.
There are, she says, many thousand pieces for the qin, and has chosen 24
for this new recording. 'Almost half of them form the very soul of qin
music and have never been recorded before, including some of the most
beautiful love songs ever written in the history of music.' The qin used on
this recording once belonged to China's foremost qin player of the 20th
century, Guan Pinghu. Cecilia explains that it is extremely important for
the sound to follow tradition and play on silk strings, since 'this music
is based on the beauty of the individual notes.' Qin player Deng Hong and
Chen Shasha, who plays the xiao, are both employed by China's
internationally renowned National Orchestra, and featured on the previous
CD. Deng Hong's performance prompted the British world music magazine
Songlines to dub her 'Qin's New Queen'." Deluxe packaging, includes a
21-page booklet.
Various Artists -
Maschinenfest '10 2CD (Pflichtkauf) [11432] $20.00
featuring tracks from performing bands of the maschinenfest 2010 (mostly
exclusive). feat. 13th monkey, abs6, ah cama-sotz, ambassador21, architect,
asche, bipol, chrysalide, config.sys, edgey, frl. linientreu, horque,
iszoloscope, killer, lingouf, mandelbrot, matta, mono no aware, niveau
zero, nullvektor, simon schall, sonic area, sonar, subheim, swanika,
winterkälte, zero degree. gatefold sleeve packaging.
Various Artists -
200 - The Mix Compilation CD (200) [200001CD] $14.75
After 2 years and 10 releases, 200 Records releases their first CD -- a mix
compilation with 11 tracks, mixed and compiled by the label owners Kai
Sasse and Dirk Middeldorf. It contains the first 200 release "Libido 200"
by RaucherEcke, Sarah Goldfarb's "Breaking Down Remix," the summer hits
"Sun Wanted" by Soukie & Windish and "Careless" by Mueller & Mitch,
Henson's great remix of BlackIsBeautiful's "Pergamon" and Marcel Janovsky's
perfect rework of RaucherEcke's "Chordhose." The remixes of
BlackIsBeautiful's "Purpur" by Einmusik and SCSI-9 as well as the originals
are also included. Till Krüger's smasher "Wumme" and "Wrong Shirt"
appear on a mix CD for the second time after Sven VÄ~C¤th had chosen them
for his In The Mix: The Sound Of The Eleventh Season CD (CORMIX 032LTD).
Additionally, the CD includes a download sticker to provide all customers
with free full-length original tracks plus a single-file version of the
mix.
Various Artists -
The Internalization Of MÄ~C¤ssy CD (Massy) [MAS202CD] $15.75
The 14 previously-unreleased tracks on The Internalization Of MÄ~C¤ssy make
up a compilation offering a worldwide vision of the skweee sound in its
current stages of development, bringing the many different strands of the
style together in a unique way; these tracks link the positive feeling they
share, beyond similarities found in technique or rhythm. These musicians do
not underestimate their listeners, everything you hear is created without
trying to give the audience what they think they want -- instead, the
record offers the possibility to its user to enlarge their capacity of
receiving sonic information. As a phenomenon, skweee has grown steadily and
reached wider audiences, while new labels are always popping out, and
promising new artists emerge to influence the whole field of modern
electronic production. In terms of music, global dispersion has made skweee
more diverse, as its practitioners take ideas and inspiration from each
other and then develop in different directions. In the almost physical
stadium-sized synthesis of Mother North, the drum machinery of JyrkkÄ~C¤
Pajulaakso, or Spartan Lover's rugged touch, these sounds convey something
to turn on and energize any life-form. Some of these tracks are more direct
and "easier" to get right away, whereas others present a more intriguing
listening challenge, inviting repeat plays, each time provoking new ways of
thinking about that piece. There's enough texture to get you hooked and
enough depth to take you far beyond, into what scientists call "the zone."
Other artists include: Misk, Randy Barracuda, Coco Bryce, Stickem, V.C.,
Motem, Beatbully, Hybakusha and Drums.
Various Artists -
Swarf Pot: Ringo Recordings 2003-2010 2CD (Ringo Records) [RNG001CD] $15.75
Transition. It's a word that takes you from one place to another. It's also
a small studio round the back of an unassuming building in South London.
More specifically, it's the working HQ of Jason Goz, the man who helped
shape the dubstep sound with his Neumann cutting lathe -- and his higher
level ears, if course -- and it is the first port of call for a whole
roll-call of artists from original nuttahs like Mala, Coki, Loefah, Burial,
Kode 9, Skream and Benga to the international artists who only want their
shit cut at Transition, as well as a heady brew of musicians including
everyone from Jah Shaka to funky man-of-the-moment DJ Paleface to
avant-garde ambient don Christian Fennesz. Initially, most of the custom
came from the reggae community. Word soon spread and thanks to some flyers
in Big Apple and a call from Magnetic Man's Arthur "Artwork" Smith, Jason
became the man that all the early dubstep producers went to for their dubs.
It's also why he runs two labels, one named after the cutting house
Transition and another named Ringo, after Jason's sadly departed dog who
would be there, lying under the desk at 2am when Jason would be cutting and
cutting for late-night sound-clash business. The labels are going strong,
which is why Ringo has compiled these CDs of past and future releases,
including 3 brand-new exclusive tracks. Other artists include: Distance,
LD, Cluekid, G Squad, Kromestar, Johnny Clarke, Mr. Lager, Alyce Be and
Silkie.
Various Artists -
Bangs & Works Vol. 1: A Chicago Footwork Compilation CD (Planet Mu) [ZIQ290] $13.25
After releasing albums by DJ NATE and DJ ROC plus an EP by DJ RASHAD,
Planet Mu presents their first compilation of music from the competitive
world of Chicago's footwork scene. For those who don't know, footwork is a
hyper-rhythmic, abstract dance music pitched around 160 BPM and largely
consists of cut-up samples and phrases twisted into repetitive rhythms and
shapes, put to offbeat, syncopated drum-machine patterns and pumping
sub-bass lines. Outside of a few low-key vinyl 12-inches, local mix CDs and
tracks posted on sites like YouTube and imeem, footwork has 'til now
remained very local to Chicago. Although it evolved from the city's
dominant form of house music since the mid '90s (sometimes known as juke or
ghetto house), this splinter scene is absent from local radio. Instead, at
competitive dances in vacant warehouses, karate gyms and on YouTube, DJs
provide the soundtrack for a circle of spectators surrounding combatants,
or "footworkers," battling each other with their legs, using the particular
style of high-speed, combat-dancing that Chicago originated. The music on
this compilation ranges from RP BOO (whose track "Baby Come On" from the
late '90s is regarded as the first footwork release) to producers who have
come through the ghetto house scene such as DJ ROC, DJ SPINN, TRAXMAN, DJ
CLENT and DJ RASHAD. In addition to established DJs, Planet Mu have picked
a number of young producers whose music is less known-DJ NATE, DJ DIAMOND,
DJ ELMOE, THA POPE, DJ KILLA E, DJ LIL ROME, YUNG TELLEM AND DJ TROUBLE. No
exports outside North America or Japan.
Various Artists -
Boysnoize Presents Super Acid CD (Boysnoize Records) [BNR008CD] $16.00
Boysnoize Records has compiled 12 modern acid jams done by BNR artists and
homies like Feadz, Joakim & Krikor and Brodinski, in a tribute to 20 years
of acid. How does one make a classic acid track? First, you need a Roland
TB-303 bass line which -- back in 1982 -- was made for musicians to replace
the actual bass or guitar. Its manual is the most annoying thing to read
because it teaches you classic music lessons -- no wonder that the concept
of the Roland TB-303 as a real instrument failed and no one wanted to buy
it. In the midle of the '80s, DJ Pierre, member of Phuture, produced a 12
minute track "Acid Trax" with just a drum machine and the 303 -- a totally
new sound created for the clubs. Shortly after, a few more producers put
that "useless" thing together with a drum machine such as the Roland TR-808
or 909, programmed a bass line pattern and recorded live sessions, abusing
its incredible filters. Acid-house was born. Because the Roland TB 303 was
so expensive, you can find diverse clones of that wonderful machine and you
can even make acid sounds with your phone. Boysnoize presents a compilation
full of new, modern acid, made in all kinds of ways. Some, well, most of
the producers on this compilation have used the classic Roland 303, some
used a 303 clone, a 303 plug-in and some even rocked the 303 iPhone
application. Some of the producers on this compilation spent their time
with all kinds of analog gear and mixers to have the original "warm" sound
they love and some others just used a f***ing laptop. Can you hear the
difference Well, WE can, but do you really? And why release new acid tracks
when you can find the best ones made 10-20 years ago? Because this is some
fresh acid you haven't heard before, produced by incredible young talents
that know everything about the acid-life -- producers that take this genre
to another level into the future. Other artists include: Boys Noize, Jan
Driver, Housemeister & Dave Tarrida, Noob, Brodinksi, Djedjotronic &
Harvard Bass, Siriusmo, Erol Alkan, Shadow Dancer, Strip Steve, and Benny
Rodrigues.
Various Artists -
Werkschau CD (Bpitch Control) [BPC227CD] $14.00
Imagine you had the difficult task of representing your entire life in the
form of seventeen songs. BPitch Control has attempted to do just that,
packing a turbulent 12-year label history onto one silver disc. The
resulting album is not just a simple reflection of the past, it's a
statement showing how comprehensive, complex, progressive, emotional and
ultimately enthralling electronic music can be; the kind of potential and
opportunities for development that can be found in a genre -- given the
necessary courage to ignore pigeon-holes and open new doors. The Werkschau
(trans. "Showcase") compilation presents BPitch Control and its
forward-thinking artists in all their stylistic elasticity. The BPC
Werkschau compilation is in no way a conventional "best of" album. Instead,
all 17 tracks are previously-unreleased works. The featured artists include
label colleagues from BPC's founding period as well as completely new faces
and musical collaborations which have been formed here for the first time.
The artists' homelands are also worthy of note, ranging from various
European countries to North and South America. Paul Kalkbrenner gives you
an ironic wink as he combines straight, catchy tech-house production with a
highly distorted Hammond organ and Mr. Statik unashamedly lays house beats
under crooner vocals. The track "Deutsche Werden" from Aérea Negrot has a
considerably more fantastical feel. The intermittent singer of Hercules and
Love Affair sets off a reaction between her apparently deranged, broken
German-speaking vocals and a unique and very coherently-arranged electro
production style. The straight-up tech-house opener "The Present" from
Irish Memo artist Cormac is carried by vocals, as is the wonderfully
atmospheric synth-pop song from the Italian duo We Love. Dillon combines
beatbox-electro with pop vocals in her collaboration with Coma. TimTim's
contribution "How We Moove" merges classic singer/songwriting with bleepy
electronic sounds, followed by the finely-woven dub textures of AGF/Delay.
Telefon Tel Aviv offer challenging, futuristic yet retro Chicago
post-rock/electronica sounds. Known and loved for being just as challenging
are Jahcoozi -- with "Day In Day Out," the trio based around
song-writer/MC/singer Sasha Perera makes a surprisingly docile appearance,
showing their laid-back, dub-sounding side. Sascha Funke spreads his epic
sound carpets over characteristic minimal techno structures while Thomas
Muller creates another irresistibly dynamic clockwork construction with
"West." Chaim's Chicago-inspired tech-house track could be a promising
taste of what's to come and Mark Broom offers up a pure and simple
dancefloor bomb with "Refund." Real house jacks Zander VT offer up a rare
pearl and Kiki & Lenz release their first co-production on this CD.
Finally, label boss Ellen Allien slots a classic house stomper in amongst
the ranks of her colleagues. Without a doubt, this is a fabulous release
with countless magic moments -- a clearly-defined point in the label
landscape and a starting point for the next twelve years.
Various Artists -
Strade Trasparenti CD (Staubgold) [STAUBDIG009CD] $16.00
Strade Trasparenti features the original exclusive music by The Necks,
David Grubbs, Mira Calix, Mute Socialite and O-Type made for the soundtrack
to Augusto Contento's film Strade Trasparenti (trans. "Transparent Roads").
The film delivers the physical sensations of a bus trip -- it's so
realistic it becomes oniric at times and portrays Brazil's human variety in
a series of encounters. The landscapes seen through the windows, the
restaurants on the road, the testimonies of common and awfully endearing
people are so touching, because they don't correspond to the stereotypes we
have about this country. The soundtrack was composed by prestigious
musicians from different countries especially for the film. Strade
Trasparenti is part of a tetralogy of films that are set in Brazil and
share the same ethic and aesthetic principles. This film is not a trip in
Brazil, it's rather a trip into the depths of the Brazilian land and
people. It is about Brazil, but not only. Brazil is a mirror used to
reflect visions and arguments that could be universally valid. Strade
Trasparenti is a cinevoyage, a ritual of initiation to the journey, to the
discovery of the unknown, the indecipherable and the irreducible. It's to
go beyond the logic of one's own national, cultural, and perceptive
borders.
Various Artists -
Pop Ambient 2011 CD (Kompakt) [KOMP087CD] $14.00
Kompakt's beloved Pop Ambient series returns for the year 2011. This is the
label's other arena of bliss -- always curated and carefully compiled by
label co-owner Wolfgang Voigt (aka Gas). Somber times call for more
introspective soundscapes -- Pop Ambient 2011 continues its mission to
slowly persuade its signature sound introduced over a decade ago. In 2011,
Kompakt sees the series leaning towards a slightly darker complexion than
its predecessors. It launches with a selection from one of Voigt's favorite
albums of 2010 -- the impeccable "Bernsteinzimmer" from ANBB aka Carsten
Nicolai/Alva Noto from Raster Noton and the legendary Blixa Bargeld of
Einstļrzende Neubauten. Marsen Jules brings classical composition to
soothing synthetic reality with "Once In A Moment." Triola is the ambient
voice of legendary Cologne producer JĶrg Burger aka The Modernist. If
compared to the melancholic but soothing and light Triola signature-sound,
"Dunkelraum" ("Darkroom") is rather dark and epic. Wolfgang Voigt chooses
to remain unveiled this year as he presents an exclusive track on Pop
Ambient 2011. "Rļckverzauberung 1" illustrates his new Profan concept.
Emotive, Gas-eous harmony that glows and leaves you wanting more. Bhutan
Tiger Rescue is the surprising duo of October and Ewan Pearson. They debut
with a sleighbell melodic drone tune that ominously breaks down in a sea of
noise. Kompakt co-founder Jļrgen Paape recalls the vintage beauty of
Ambient 4 Eno together with compelling vocals and horns to soothe the way.
Bvdub is one of today's most revered musicians and Kompakt is pleased to
welcome him back with his seemingly endless layers of depth. Kompakt's own
John Harten aka Crato could be Pop Ambient's answer to black metal -- a
most unholy matrimony but exceptionally executed! Fellow Cologne
conspirator Daniel Ansorge aka Barnt made waves in 2010 with his debut on
the Magazine imprint alongside Crato and takes the sound of the chime to
astounding levels. Mikkel Metal of Copenhagen returns after a very
successful run of releases on Echocord, contributing a masterful synth-pop
excursion. Jens-Uwe Beyer may be known to many as Popnoname and has
remained a highlight of past editions of Pop Ambient. This year, he thrills
us with a guitar treatment with "Volax" -- sincerely Beyer's, he evokes a
talent not unlike Tim Hecker. Finally, Kompakt leaves you with a production
of epic proportions. In October, 2010, The Orb's own Thomas Fehlmann
performed together with select members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Kent Nagano. Kompakt presents an exclusive, alternative
Fehlmann "solo" take of "Symphony No. 1" aka "Titan" by Gustav Mahler. The
Pop Ambient 2011 version is an exclusive solo version of this classical
recording.
Walter Marchetti
- In Terram Utopicam CD (Alga Marghen) [ALGA076-2CD] $18.50
"Walter Marchetti is one of the most original and controversial pre-Fluxus
authors. In this work he frees all of his sophisticated poeticism. In
Terram Utopican, includes 'J'aimerais Jouer Avec Un Piano Qui Aurait Une
Grosse Queue' (1974/75) and 'Per La Sete Dell'orecchio' (1981). The 16-page
booklet presents the original score of 'J'aimerais Jouer', photos of the
performances in Milano and at the Venice Biennale, and the reproduction of
the original In Terram Utopicam LP layout. All texts are published both in
English and Italian."
Walter Marchetti
- De Musica Inversa Book (Alga Marghen) [ALGAWM] $31.75
"alga marghen very proudly presents the new book by Walter Marchetti titled
De Musica Inversa, an instruction manual of both theory and practice for
the proper and improper use of music. A method for perfecting oneself in
composition annotated and commented upon by Gabriele Bonomo.'The most
amazing thing about music is its exterior aspect. High, vertical,
translucent, almost turgid, maybe a bit too monolithic. One should, in any
case, give a lot of attention to the large number of interstices which lead
to the centre of the ear, wherefrom sounds spread out through a dense
network leading to more circuits which direct these same and their
relationships directly to the brain, in a logic of musical articulation
which is nothing less than frightening. Even if, to attentive listening,
dominating all is the eye of silence.' The 180-page De Musica Inversa book
is published in both English and Italian. First included in an LP sized 4CD
box set together with other 4 CDs titled La Caccia, In Terram Utopicam,
Natura Morta and Vandalia, this book is also available now, separately from
the complete box set, in a very limited number of copies. 'Too true: in
all music there are, in effect, a lot of sounds henceforth?more than that,
too many; everything that we listen to has become heavy beyond measure,
completely unbearable. Rather than chasing it we should look for how to
escape from music. Everything in it is monolithic, frozen, and the notes of
music which slowly, more or less, are thickening around the listeners wrap
them all in dripping blankets of death.'"
White Wires -
WWII CD (Dirtnap) [ZZZ98] $12.00
"Ottawa, Ontario is exploding with good bands, easily one of our favorite
musical hotbeds in North America at the moment, and we here at Dirtnap knew
we had to get in on the action, before the action got in on us. What better
way to start than with THE WHITE WIRES WWII, a sun-soaked garage-pop gem
that will satisfy anyone's sweet tooth. Simple, spare, haunting, instantly
memorable pop songs that'll leave you glad to be alive. White Wires refers
to WWII as the band's "Dirtnap" album, in that it's a little more "punk"
and a little less "garage" than their debut. The tones are a little
brighter, the tempos a little faster, the songs a little catchier than
WWI."
Wire - Red Barked
Tree CD (Pink Flag) [PF018CD] $16.25
"At a time when back catalogue outsells fresh creativity and newcomers
achieve fame by adding a lick of paint to their parents' record
collections, it's unusual to find a band who, despite plying their trade
for decades, are willing and able to make new work that's as vital and
relevant as their own illustrious past recordings. Wire are such a band,
and with Red Barked Tree they have succeeded in making a statement that
will sound as strong in 30 years as their celebrated historical oeuvre does
today. Red Barked Tree rekindles a lyricism sometimes absent from Wire's
previous work and reconnects with the live energy of performance, harnessed
and channelled from extensive touring over the past few years. Red Barked
Tree was conceived, written and recorded mostly during 2010 by the
pared-down lineup of Colin Newman, Graham Lewis and Robert Grey -- with no
guests. Ranging from the hymnal 'Adapt' to the barking sledgehammer
art-punk of 'Two Minutes', the album encompasses the full range of style
and nuance that has always endeared Wire to pastel-tinged pop aficionados
and bleeding-edge avant-rockers alike."
Wolfram - Wolfram
CD (Permanent Vacation) [PERMVAC075CD] $14.75
Wolfram Eckart from Vienna has been on the forefront of the Italo disco
revival since 2005 with his label Diskokaine and productions under his
monikers The Diskokaines and marfloW. As Wolfram, he now releases true
electro-disco fireworks with guest appearances by Euro dance legend
Haddaway, Holy Ghost!, Hercules And Love Affair, Patrick Pulsinger, Sally
Shapiro, Legowelt, Sebastian (Heartbreak) and former Patrick Cowley
protégé Paul Parker. Andy Butler (Hercules And Love Affair) on Wolfram:
"Wolfram is a musician and producer whose record intelligently and lovingly
sings the praises of the significant contributions that the Euro sound from
those early days of electronic dance music has made on pop music. Wolfram
is an aesthete, operating in that Warholian tradition of seeing beyond what
is considered by many to be "trash" and finding the beauty in it. The songs
are listenable; so listenable, that in a way, listening feels like a guilty
pleasure. When truly analyzed and contextualized however, the listening
experience becomes a more substantial one -- one might go so far as to even
say a challenging one. The approach is fun and emotional. There are a host
of collaborators; some new and some old. The result is a truly remarkable,
colorful and diverse collection of songs that lift the spirits and will
undoubtedly inspire make-out sessions on the dancefloor."
Xavier Charles &
Terrie Ex - Addis CD (Konkurrent) [TERPIS017CD] $13.75
"In May 2009, The Ex went to Ethiopia with Silent Block from France who
perform with tables full of self-made instruments & experimental
electronica. Xavier Charles is one of the members. He is also an incredible
clarinet improviser. Suddenly Terrie Ex & Xavier Charles found themselves
playing in a room in the Baro Hotel & outside in the garden of the Bateau
Ivre bar. An adventure. 'Addis' means 'new'. That's how it felt."
Yoni Kretzmer
Trio - Nevertheless CD (Hopscotch) [HOP022CD] $13.50
"Yoni Kretzmer, newly arrived in NYC, has just produced his second CD,
Nevertheless. In it he progresses still further on his unique journey, an
emotional and quizzical investigation of naÄ~C¯ve melodies with a twist:
simple truths skeptically reexamined, which while uncompromisingly
intelligent, nonetheless -- nevertheless -- do not alienate, but rather
engage the listener on what is almost an invasively emotional plane. Yoni
is a true master of his craft: his music is challenging, never boring, and
incredibly personal, almost to the point of voyeurism. A young Israeli
avant-garde Jazz saxophonist, he has been described as a passionate and
accurate player, with the maturity and depth of a veteran jazz musician.
After his first CD, in which Kretzmer used an almost unlikely arrangement
of saxophone, bass, drums, cello and viola, in this CD Kretzmer goes back
to basics -- giving his own take on the traditional sax-bass-drums trio.
Mike and Jason are the ideal sides to this triangle: Mike Pride, despite
his sophisticated innovativeness, approaches the drums with a primal
intensity, and Jason Ajermian's extravagant bass provides an essential
depth to this trio's sound. The CD consists of ten of Kretzmer's minimally
planned ideas -- whims almost -- which provide a conceptual framework for
free exploration. The piece entitled 'four notes' is in fact an exploration
of exactly that: of four notes. That is all Kretzmer wrote down."
Zero Degree -
Probe CD (Ant-Zen) [11439] $17.50
zero degree was founded in 2004 by matthias erhard who already had a long
background in experimental music. during his 2 year stay in canada from
1999 to 2001 he discovered minimal and idm, which opened him up to a whole
new perspective of ways to express his creativity. in 2007 he met bernhard
korth, whose main attention was on creating ambient soundscapes influenced
by synthesizer pioneers like klaus schulze. while matthias' emphasis is
focused on programming complex rhythmical structures, bernhard loves to
create endless evolving pads and dreamy spheres to get lost in between time
and space. together they create a very atmospheric mixture of minimalistic
rhythmical structures and lush ambient sounds. 'probe' displays a perfect
balance between elaboration and improvisation, as each track was recorded
directly onto hard disc. zero degree have the talent to abduct the listener
into a distinct sonic universe, as calm and dark as outer space at the same
time. ethereal key sequences are combined with deliberate minimalistic
grooves that expand and contract around the listener, while sometimes
well-selected vocal samples add a mysterious, haunting touch. the organic,
fluid construction of tracks provides a constant ebb and flow and a special
subtlety that is worthy of some quality time in a darkened room at night.
with 'probe' zero degree present a well rendered and mesmerizing release
that should be able to bridge the gap between a number of electronic music
styles and will draw in fans because of its excellence rather than its
strict adherence to any narrow categorization. an album which will catch
your attention right from the first time and grow with subsequent spins -
ageless sounds composed with patience, knowledge and creativity.
[ D V D ]
Carlos Casas -
Cemetary Archive Works DVD (Von Archives) [VON09] $20.50
Research for a future film about a cemetery of elephants, part of which
experiments with archive film material as visual and sound matter. Based on
classic adventure films, documentaries, Lost World literature adaptations
and exotic adventure films from the golden period of adventure film. An
overwhelming experiment with the audiovisual matter. Edition of 500
Carlos
Casas/Prurient - Vezdekhod DVD (Von Archives) [VON08] $20.50
Field recordings from the northeastern extremity of Asia in the northern
part of the Russian Far East, radio frequency scans, ambient landscapes.
Apropos of one of the planet's most desolate and extreme environments.
Floor - Sight &
Seen 2xDVD (Chunklet) [CHKDVD005] $16.50
After years of toiling away in obscurity, followed by years of escalating
interest during their hiatus, the legendary Florida band FLOOR reunited for
a handful of shows in April 2010. Three different drummers. Three different
sets. Over two hours of material spanning their early dirgey/noise singles
to their landmark psych/drone/pop self-titled masterpiece. Filmed over two
nights at the Earl in Atlanta, Georgia, Sight & Seen is truly something
that needs to be seen to be believed. A multi-camera performance coupled
with professionally recorded and mixed audio, Sight & Seen is an
enveloping, droning wall of guitars. Floor's two guitarists, ANTHONY VIALON
and STEVE BROOKS (of TORCHE fame), spend over two hours on stage with their
various drummers. Their three drummers, BETTY, JEFF and HENRY, rotate
through the band's lineup: crashing through their early singles, smoking
the viewer with their mid-period haze and ending with the cathartic and
anthemic final album. Disc #1 of Sight & Seen also includes a 20-minute
featurette that documents the band's history with never-before-seen live
footage, photography and interviews. Disc #2 is intended lure in both
massive fans and completists alike. A data disc (which means you pop it in
your computer), it includes: a high quality audio files of both Atlanta
shows (not just the one shown on disc #1)-the complete and edited film of
Floor that ended up on the cutting room floor (which clocks in at over 2
hours of video). Also included is over an hour of archival footage spanning
Floor's career from 1993 at Churchill's in Miami to their final shows in
2002. Sight & Seen is also housed in an elegant package which was initially
used on Chunklet's landmark Anthem 2xDVD release by Harvey Milk in 2006.
All designed by Chunklet's in-house designer, HENRY H. OWINGS.
John Duncan -
Tailing DVD (Von Archives) [VON10] $20.50
A microscopical audiovisual study on pornography by the legendary American
sound artist who describes The Tailing thus: "Slow writhing in near-total
darkness. Intertwining drones from a church organ. Movement and sound
heavy, thick as oil. Erotic and forbidden."
Paul Kalkbrenner
- 2010 - A Live Documentary BLU-RAY DVD (Paul Kalkbrenner Music) [PKM001BRD] $22.25
Following the fictional account of the life of DJ Ikarus in the movie
Berlin Calling (BPitch Control), here is an exhilarating, live glimpse into
Paul Kalkbrenner's real life as a musician. With far more than 100,000
concert-goers, the 2010 live tour by Paul Kalkbrenner was a milestone for
electronic music. No other German musician within the electronic music
genre had access to the big concert halls as Kalkbrenner did, playing
himself into the hearts of fans everywhere. To capture the vibes of this
unforgettable tour, Paul Kalkbrenner and his team decided to film more than
20 shows in high quality. The finished product is a fascinating 10-track
trip through Paul Kalkbrenner's shows all over Europe, which shows his
unique status as a live electronic music artist. On the second part of the
DVD, the viewer gets a glimpse into backstage and on the road scenes from
this tour with lots of additional interview footage by Paul Kalkbrenner
himself, his brother Fritz Kalkbrenner and various other people involved in
the tour. After 140,000 sold copies (over-the-counter) of the Berlin
Calling Soundtrack (BPC 185CD) and a sold-out tour with ticket sales of
65,000 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland alone, this DVD is the next big
chapter within the success story of Paul Kalkbrenner, which started in the
early '90s in youth clubs in East Berlin. NTSC format, running time: 120
minutes. Aspect: 16:9 (DVD)/16:9 1080x1920 (Blu-ray), Sound Format: Dolby
Digital 2.0 and 5.1, DTS, English subtitles.
Paul Kalkbrenner
- 2010 - A Live Documentary DVD (Paul Kalkbrenner Music) [PKM001DVD] $18.25
Following the fictional account of the life of DJ Ikarus in the movie
Berlin Calling (BPitch Control), here is an exhilarating, live glimpse into
Paul Kalkbrenner's real life as a musician. With far more than 100,000
concert-goers, the 2010 live tour by Paul Kalkbrenner was a milestone for
electronic music. No other German musician within the electronic music
genre had access to the big concert halls as Kalkbrenner did, playing
himself into the hearts of fans everywhere. To capture the vibes of this
unforgettable tour, Paul Kalkbrenner and his team decided to film more than
20 shows in high quality. The finished product is a fascinating 10-track
trip through Paul Kalkbrenner's shows all over Europe, which shows his
unique status as a live electronic music artist. On the second part of the
DVD, the viewer gets a glimpse into backstage and on the road scenes from
this tour with lots of additional interview footage by Paul Kalkbrenner
himself, his brother Fritz Kalkbrenner and various other people involved in
the tour. After 140,000 sold copies (over-the-counter) of the Berlin
Calling Soundtrack (BPC 185CD) and a sold-out tour with ticket sales of
65,000 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland alone, this DVD is the next big
chapter within the success story of Paul Kalkbrenner, which started in the
early '90s in youth clubs in East Berlin. NTSC format, running time: 120
minutes. Aspect: 16:9 (DVD)/16:9 1080x1920 (Blu-ray), Sound Format: Dolby
Digital 2.0 and 5.1, DTS, English subtitles.
[ H I S T O R I C A L ]
Arsene Souffriau
- ExpÄériences BIMES CD Box (Metaphon) [METAPHON002CD] $45.50
"ArsÄ~C¨ne Souffriau (born Brussels 1926) is a cornerstone of the first
generation of Belgian electronic and experimental music composers along
with Henri Pousseur, Karel Goeyvaerts and Leo Küpper. Regardless of
decades of dedicated work he received even less recognition than his
Belgian contemporaries. In the late '60s Souffriau got some appreciation
among the larger public for his contribution of electronic sounds to the
Free Electronic Pop Concept LP, a psychedelic pop album around the brothers
Jess & James. But his professional musical career that started at young age
reached much further than this: he worked as a conductor, composer, sound
editor, functional music composer for film, documentary and theatre
producing a massive quantity of recordings. Since the early '60s, in his
free time, he has independently been working in his home studio BIMES,
where he has recorded numerous experimental, electronic music works of
which most never left his studio. The pieces on this release, which span
over a period of almost 40 years, have been selected from Souffriau's
private music archive and were mostly recorded at his BIMES studio. The
pieces clearly depict the wide spectrum of his work throughout the time
starting with the primitive concrete tape music from the early 60's, going
through his period of (group) improvisation (Groupe Fusion) with analogue
(and live) electronics towards the digital techniques in the 80's and 90's
using MIDI and computer. Hardboard linen CD box contains 3 CDs and a
40-page booklet with extensive background, photos and notes from A.S. (in
Dutch, French and English) Edition of 300 copies."
Atsuhiro Ito -
Experimental Music of Japan Vol. 6: R.G.B./Pre OPTRON 1999 CD (Edition Omega Point)
[OPX006CD] $23.25
This CD is a remastered reissue of a very limited CD-R released by Omega
Point in 1999. This is the sixth volume in Edition Omega Point's
Experimental Music Of Japan series. Atsuhiro Ito was born in 1965. He
launched his career as a visual artist in the late '80s, and in '98 began
presenting sound performances at art exhibitions. Ito made use of
fluorescent lighting (which is also an element of his art installations) in
the creation of an original musical device called the Optron. In addition,
Ito is active in a number of musical units. One of these is Optrum, the
explosively loud "extreme optical noise-core band" consisting of Ito and
drummer Yoichiro Shin, and another is free jazz trio Kazuo Imai Trio with
Kazuo Imai, a guitarist who is also a member of Marginal Consort, and
Manabu Suzuki (electronics). He published his own label Gotobai Recordings
in 2009. "My homemade instrument is called the Optron -- it outputs
flicker-noise of fluorescent lamps as sound directly. In the early years of
its conception, it was not only uncontrollable and unstable, but also the
sound was so barbaric. However, I had no intention of controlling the
system and performing it as music. I recorded the electric 'phenomenon' by
flicker of fluorescent lamp innocently. I first named the Optron sound
system when I performed a live show after the release of the CD-R. The
sound materials of this CD-R were not recorded as noise-performances, but
rather, they would be called recordings of phenomenon as effect from
experimental works, and an extension of my installation works. This
'fluorescent performance' had not gotten a good reputation from my
acquaintances in those days. However, I was interested in the lights and
sounds simply, and it is not too much to say that it's only a feeling of
'wow, it's so exciting!'" --Atsuhiro Ito; Housed in a cardboard paper
gatefold sleeve with newly-written liner notes in Japanese & English by the
artist himself. Limited edition of 400 copies only.
Ben Patterson -
Born In The State Of FLUX/us 2CD (Alga Marghen) [MARGHEN034CD] $44.75
"Published for the opening of Ben Patterson first large retrospective
exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum in Houston, this double CD
anthology includes both historical recordings taken from the Early Works
(issued some years ago by alga marghen), from 370 Flies CDs (an art
multiple also issued by alga marghen and long sold out) as well as the
first digital version of the no longer available LP titled A Fluxus Elegy
and a previously unpublished track. The first CD starts with the first ever
recording of 'Ants' (1960), one of Ben Patterson first graphic scores,
pre-dating the Fluxus group. Also included in this CD are two essential
1961 documents: 'Duo For Voice And A String Instrument' and 'Variations for
Double-bass', both recorded in concert at the Galerie Parnass in 1962; this
event has special historic significance in that it included the first
public presentation by George Maciunas of his Fluxus manifesto and plans
for the Wiesbaden Fluxus Festival. Two more tracks titled 'Paper
Piece'(1960), the work that cut the umbilical cord to all of the author's
previous classical and contemporary musical training and experience, and
'Pond' (1962), a piece that reminds of Richard Maxfield's electronic music
with voice collage, see the collaboration of Philip Corner, Walter
Marchetti and Davide Mosconi. The second CD includes more recent works as
'A Simple Opera' (1995), a repetitive hommage to Emmett Willons on his 70th
birthday, also recorded in collaboration with Philip Corner, Walter
Marchetti and Davide Mosconi; '370 Flies' (2003) for electronic loops and
voice; as well as 'A Fluxus Elegy' (2006), previously issued on Alga
Marghen's VocSon LP series and based on the basic principles of the
polyphonic music of the Bantu tribes of West and Central Africa, applied to
the initials of artists listed in Fluxus: The Most Radical and Experimental
Art Movement of the Sixties, through encoding them in basic International
Morse Code. Starting as a virtuoso double-bass performer of classical
music, Ben Patterson was one of the very first founders of the Fluxus Group
in Wiesban. This digipak CD will introduce you to some American
neo-avantgarde music classics, a crossover between John Cage exploding
influences and the experimental art atmosphere of the early 1960s in
Europe. Edition limited to 200 copies in silkscreened digipack sleeve,
including a 4 page folded insert with liner notes, original score as well
as performance photos and program from the 1962 concert at Galerie Parnass,
Wuppertal."
Blackwood Apology
- The House Of Leather CD (Aurora) [AU5015CD] $16.00
The brainchild of 23 year-old writer/guitarist Dale Menten, The House Of
Leather is a rock opera set in a bordello during the U.S. Civil War. It was
originally released in December 1968, shortly before it was staged as a
sell-out rock opera in Minnesota. A fine mixture of acid-tinged pop-rock
and ballads, it makes its long-overdue CD debut here -- together with liner
notes that tell the story of the production's ill-fated move to New York in
1970.
Cluster - Cluster
71 CD (Bureau B) [BB058CD] $14.00
Originally released on the Philips label in 1971, Bureau B reissues
Cluster's eponymous debut full-length album. According to The Wire, Cluster
71 is one of the "One Hundred Records That Set The World On Fire." Very few
albums from Germany can lay claim to this honor. This album is a mere three
untitled tracks and was quite an ordeal for untrained ears at the time of
its release, yet the album pointed the way forward like no other electronic
opus. Cluster's previous incarnation was a trio named Kluster. A change in
direction and musical differences moved Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim
Roedelius to split from their third member, Konrad Schnitzler, in 1970. The
following year, as well as playing live, they recorded their first album,
Cluster 71, in publisher Ralf Arnie's Star Musik Studio in Hamburg. Here
they first met Conny Plank, who would himself become a legend. They
remained close friends until his death in 1987. Early Cluster music was new
-- new in the sense that it did not continue any tradition, instead laying
the foundations for a future tradition. The duo's utter renunciation of
conventional harmony and rhythm, their embracing of near total aural
abstraction, confident use of noise, rigorous live electronic improvisation
and a positive mind-set tuned to winning rather than losing -- these were
all factors in Cluster's innovative trailblazing of 1971. For want of a
better category, Cluster 71 was classified rather inappropriately and
incorrectly as "cosmic." Few recognized Cluster for what it was -- the
synthesis of pop music stripped of embarrassing glamour and so-called
serious music without intellectual constraints. Moebius and Roedelius took
the liberty of raiding both disciplines to perfect their musical concept. A
common enough practice today, but akin to a palace revolution in 1971. So
it is that three pieces of electronic music meander and pulsate through
Cluster 71, with no beginning and no end. Cluster's music is free and open
in all directions. There are sounds, noises and structures to be heard on
this album which would become ingrained in the electronic pop music of the
1980s and 1990s. Cluster had taken the first step into the future with
Cluster 71. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
Corpus - Creation
A Child CD (Axis UK) [AX1016CD] $16.00
From Corpus Christi, Texas, this gritty quintet produced one of the best
underground rock LPs of the early 1970s, which appeared on the tiny Acorn
label in 1972. Their song structures reflect the influence of psychedelia,
while the jamming guitars pay homage to southern rock greats like the
Allman Bros. Original copies now sell for several hundred dollars, making
this long-awaited reissue especially welcome.
Crass - The
Feeding Of The 5000 CD (Crassical Collection/Southern) [CRASS001CD] $18.00
"Part 1 of 'The Crassical Collection' reissue series, the legendary Crass
album has been been restored from the original analogue studio tapes,
repackaged with a 64-page booklet replete with lyrics, liner notes from
band members Steve Ignorant & Penny Rimbaud, a CD sized recreation of the
original fold-out poster sleeve, & bolstered by rare & unreleased tracks, &
stunning new artwork from Gee Vaucher, who has lovingly created what could
only be considered a real artifact. First released in 1978 on Small Wonder
Records, & later re-released on the band's own Crass Records, The Feeding
of the Five Thousand showed Crass as an anti-establishment & highly
uncompromising act, & one that would influence countless other bands to
follow."
Crass - Stations
Of The Crass CD (Crassical Collection/Southern) [CRASS002CD] $18.00
"Part 2 of The Crassical Collection reissue series, the legendary Crass
album has been been restored from the original analog studio tapes,
repackaged with a 64-page booklet replete with lyrics, liner notes from
band members Steve Ignorant & Penny Rimbaud, a CD sized recreation of the
original fold-out poster sleeve, & bolstered by rare & unreleased tracks, &
stunning new artwork from Gee Vaucher, who has lovingly created what could
only be considered a real artifact. Includes Peel Session from 1979!"
Death -
Spiritual/Mental/Physical CD (Drag City) [DC447CD] $13.00
"Spiritual-Mental-Physical is a collection of wild early Death demos,
presenting the three young Hackney brothers consolidating their powers as
they embark on a trip into pure rock and roll music. For many years
following the emergence of punk rock, nothing changed. Punk bands either
signed contracts and played the rock band game or they lived in a world
parallel to the world of commercial rock and roll. Farther along came 'the
year that punk broke,' a puzzling decade and a half after the whole thing
had first been absorbed into the mainstream in the last of the 1970s. And
so it was. The books were written; the pronouncements made. Then came news
of Death. They'd self-released a single in 1976; the tracks made it onto an
unheard punk compilation a couple decades later. In 2008, an obsessive
young man tracked them down and found that the surviving two brothers had
master tapes from all those years ago. These made up the truly
senses-shattering album ...For The Whole World To See. Suddenly, the book
was open again and the history of punk rock needed to be rewritten to
include Death. The sounds on ...For the Whole World To See are those of
young men, scorching their influences in the process of becoming new.
Spiritual-Mental-Physical gives us Death by transistor radio, with a
tinnyyet- furious sound representing the 1970s environment of Death. Here,
the musical landscape that inspired them is more clearly defined as they
demo material that didn't make it to the studio, but shares the same
ferocious bent as 'Politicians In My Eyes,' 'Keep On Knocking,' and the
rest of ...For The Whole World To See. Spiritual-Mental-Physical is an
inside look at Death's early days, one that fans of the group and fans of
punk rock (and, indeed, rock of all kinds) are sure to enjoy for the rest
of time."
Decima Victima -
Décima VÄctima LP Box (Munster Records) [MR305LP] $71.00
This box-set contains all the music made by Hispanic-Swedish quartet
Décima VÄctima, including two unreleased tracks, released almost 30 years
after their first record. For this edition, the sound of the original tape
recordings has been cleaned and improved. In 1981, brothers Lars and Per
formed the instrumental band Clausula Tenebrosa. After a show, they started
talking about the possibility of rehearsing with Carlos, a friend at the
time and ex-singer of Ejecutivos Agresivos. That's how the story of Décima
VÄctima starts -- rehearsing with a drum machine in the cellar of the
Mertanen's house in Madrid. "After a few months, in the year 1981, we made
our first studio recording, a demo recorded on a 4-track. A little later
on, with our friends from the band Esclarecidos, we started the independent
label Grabaciones Accidentales (GASA), and we were able to start releasing
our own records. The first single came out in 1982, with Lars playing drums
on it. Soon after, Los Esclarecidos introduced us to Jose Brena, brother of
one of the original members of their band, and he joined as our drummer.
The second single was also recorded in 1982. A few months later, we went to
Vigo for a week to try out our first LP playing our repertoire live, in
order to see which tracks the audience liked best and chose 12 for the
record. Paco Trinidad, our producer, always understood what we wanted and
he researched how to achieve it technically. The LP was very well received
by the press, especially by El Pais, one of the biggest-selling newspapers
in Spain. Our next recording was the maxi-single Un Lugar En El Pasado,
with three tracks. With regards to our audience, we didn't make any
concessions. Our shows were static. Carlos would sing sitting down like a
crooner while Lars and Per only moved as little as necessary and Jose
remained behind his drum kit. The sound, despite being made using only
three instruments and voice, managed to be as enveloping live as it was on
record, thanks to the Mertanen brothers' personal way of playing and to
having, most of the time, Paco Trinidad as our sound technician. Our last
show was at Madrid's Rock-Ola on December 3, 1983. In the winter of 1983 we
recorded live, on a 4-track, a demo of our second LP, Un Hombre Solo. A few
months later, already disbanded, we recorded it in the studio. In our
opinion, it contains some of our best tracks. The band ended mainly for
work reasons beyond our control. There were no musical or personal
differences. Although we would argue sometimes, we always were, above all,
very good friends. In 1999, Jose Brena, our drummer, died. It was a hard
blow for everyone. He appears on the cover of Los Que Faltan, reminding us
that there are things which, unfortunately, won't ever happen again."
--Décima VÄctima; Includes a 24-page LP-size booklet in Spanish and
English that tells the band's story in their own words and includes many
unseen pictures, a full discography and complete lyrics.
Deirdre Wilson
Tabac - Deirdre Wilson Tabac CD (Aurora) [AU5014CD] $16.00
Recorded in Philadelphia in 1969, this trio's irresistible blend of funk,
jazz and pop didn't connect with audiences on its original release, but has
gone on to attract a considerable cult following. Truly groovy, soulful
weirdness that you kind of can't stop listening to. Deirdre Wilson Tabac's
sole album makes its CD debut here, accompanied by background notes and two
rare bonus tracks from a post-LP 45.
Dionysos - Le
Grand Jeu CD (Axis Uk) [AX1015CD] $16.00
Dionysos was one of Canada's most influential early progressive rock bands.
Having formed in Quebec in 1969, they gained a name for combining
French-language vocals with intricate musical interplay, and played at the
prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971. This classic debut appeared the
same year, combining stoner rock with psychedelia, blues and progressive
influences, and makes a welcome return to CD here, together with background
notes.
Dirty Martha -
This Is It CD (Gear Fab) [GF247CD] $12.25
"From New Jersey, the 'sister band' Of Chaplin Harness. Their great and
unreleased 1969 psych gem recorded in the same studios as Chaplin Harness I
& II."
Drums Off Chaos &
Jens-Uwe Beyer - Drums Off Chaos & Jens-Uwe Beyer CD (Magazine) [MAGAZINE003CD]
$14.75
Founded in Cologne the early 1980s, the anarchistic formation Drums Off
Chaos has continued uninterrupted to the present day. The collective of
Jaki Liebezeit, Reiner Linke, Maf Retter, Manos Tsangaris and others make
music centered on dynamic but still very precise rhythmic codes using
carefully-selected sounds and patterns on self-constructed drums.
Previously, the group considered the shared and nonrecurring experience of
playing live more important than getting the music recorded. The latest
release, however, is the result of a collaboration with Cologne-based
musician Jens-Uwe Beyer (Popnoname). Thus, the Drums Off Chaos sound is
available on record for the first time after almost 30 years (aside from an
experimental singer collaboration available as a very limited CD mailorder
release). Beyer -- from a generation that grew up with Wolfgang Voigt's Gas
project rather than with Can -- opens the record with the beat of a gong
adding irradiant sounds and elements of soft rhythms, which over time
interweave seamlessly with the energetic drum sound. The slowly floating
melodies and punctuated bass of Beyer convey an almost monastic intensity
which underpins and reinforces the exacting rhythm of the drums. This
uncommon and multi-generational clash of musicians results in peerless
music that defies classification and comparison, as effects never before
heard on record materialize for the first time.
Floating Bridge -
Floating Bridge CD (Aurora) [AU5006CD] $16.00
Boasting two fine lead guitarists (including Rich Dangel, a longtime member
of legendary garage band the Wailers), in their brief existence, this
Seattle quartet shared stages with The Doors, Led Zeppelin and The Grateful
Dead. Their sole album came out in 1969, and combines exciting psychedelic
rock with inventive renditions of contemporary standards (including an
instrumental "Hey Jude" that has been acclaimed as one of the best Beatles
covers of all time). It's presented here together with both sides of their
rare non-album 45, and is essential listening for all fans of late '60s
acid rock. Includes liner notes.
Flower Travellin'
Band - Make Up 2CD (Phoenix Records) [ASH3033CD] $21.50
When released in 1973, Make Up, with its incredible faux-leather imitation
attaché case outer bag, looked every bit the last word in over-the-top
packaging and now originals, complete and in good condition, fetch hundreds
of dollars in the collectors' market. However, despite the lavish
packaging, Make Up did little to enhance the group's already considerable
reputation and the various band members went their separate ways
immediately after the album's release. Although the album has been
described as "inconsistent," there are some definite stand-out tracks, and
generally Make Up reflects the varied influences that the band drew on
throughout their sadly short career. This double album consists of both
live and studio recordings and features keyboardist Nobuhiko Shinohara. 2CD
housed in a replica outer slip-case and deluxe gatefold sleeve, including
the original LP insert. Numbered, limited edition.
Gray - Shades
Of... CD (Plush Safe Records) [PSR1001CD] $13.25
In downtown New York City, in 1979, painter Jean-Michel Basquiat and
performance artist Michael Holman founded their industrial-sound band,
Gray. Jean named the band after Gray's Anatomy, an important reference
source for his paintings and the perfect name to capture the haunting,
machine-like ambient music the band wrote and performed. In the Whitney
Museum's catalog for Basquiat's 1991 Retrospective, Robert Farris Thompson,
professor of Anthropology at Yale, wrote this about Gray: "They worked the
Mudd Club, CBGB's, and Hurrah's in New York, where Blondie and the Talking
Heads were at that time emerging. They performed, in other words, at the
epicenter of New Wave. Here they contended for space and recognition with a
style that, in Basquiat's own words, was 'incomplete, abrasive, and oddly
beautiful.'" In an Interview magazine review (Jan. 1981) Glenn O'Brien
wrote: "Gray became an industrial sound effects band. They played on
scaffolds ... Lately, they've really developed their own groove... it's
sort of an easy listening bebop industrial sound effects lounge ensemble."
Besides Basquiat and Holman, other members of the original group were
Nicholas Taylor, Justin Thyme and Vincent Gallo. Just after Jean-Michel
Basquiat's passing in 1988, Holman, Taylor, Thyme and Gallo re-united as
Gray and performed at Basquiat's Memorial at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in
the Citicorp Building. In 1996, the making of the MiraMax feature
production Basquiat brought Gray's three original members (Holman, Taylor &
Thyme) back together as they reenacted one of their legendary gigs at the
Mudd Club with Tony Award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright playing Jean-Michel
Basquiat. While reenacting their Mudd Club gig, the members of Gray
realized that 1990's pop/ambient music sounded a lot like what Gray was
doing in the past. Inspired by their own historic sound, the band decided
to return to the studio to create and record new music. This "new" Gray
sound evolved from industrial bebop to electronica with poetic vocals and
groovy beats. Michael Holman and Nicholas Taylor have now reunited once
again to produce the first Gray album ever, titled, Shades Of... on their
own label, Plush Safe Records, that harkens back to Gray's sonic roots --
industrial noise melded with electronic atmospheres. This multi-track
compilation includes and involves sample tracks from Gray's earliest
recordings and performances, with samples of Basquiat's music and voice.
Included is a solo performance by Basquiat (recorded by Justin Thyme)
called "Suicide Hotline," where Basquiat, in 1980, called a suicide
hotline, and in dramatic, and darkly teasing fashion, reads bits of his
poetry to the hotline operator, never allowing the operator to know for
sure if the "caller" is insane, suicidal, or simply toying with him. The
effect of the piece is powerful and disturbing, yet poignant and moving in
a way only Basquiat could produce. The other tracks range from
Stockhausen-inspired fugues, to trip-hop lanced throw-downs. Holman &
Taylor were fortunate to work with John Cale's drummer Dean Anthony on this
new music, as well as fabled Tubes drummer, Prairie Prince and downtown
scenester/drummer, Lenny Ferraro. Shades Of... is not only a living piece
of New York history, it's also an audio interpretation of a journey to
where Taylor & Holman see the future of music.
Head Over Heels -
Head Over Heels CD (Aurora) [AU5013CD] $16.00
One of the loudest acts of their time, this Detroit-based power trio made
only one album, which stands as a lost proto-metal classic. A product of
the same scene that spawned The Stooges and MC5, they play raw and dirty on
a superb selection of self-penned material, as well as a molten cover of
blues staple "Red Rooster." Unusually, the LP (originally released in June
1971) combines live and studio recordings, perfectly showcasing their
inventive take on crunching hard rock and searing power ballads. Finally
available on CD once again, with background notes.
Index - Black
Album + Red Album + Yesterday & Today 2CD (Lion Productions) [LION644CD] $23.00
"In the mid 1960's, Detroit Michigan was a thriving industrial city. It was
at the edge of a cliff, however. The great ethnic diversity in the inner
city was a brewing powder keg of civil unrest. This, coupled with a
disillusioned population struggling to make some sense of a questionable
war in the rice paddies of Vietnam, set an uneasy and troubling tempo for
the future. Still, there were pockets of communities in the Detroit area
where things were good and economic life was vibrant. The Grosse Pointes
were such communities. It was on the outskirts of this political and
racially tense era, in the affluent suburbs just outside of the city of
Detroit, that Index was formed. The music of Index has been lauded by music
heads for decades, and with good reason: it is bizarre, atmospheric, and
'home-made' (in the best of all possible ways); the band has a druggie
sound, with songs full of feedback and fuzzy guitars, hazy guitar riffs and
loud rhythms. Hidden amongst the echoing canyons of sound there's some
snotty post-punk attitude wrapped up in that trippy velvet fuzz; a
wonderful bleak sound, both droning and murky, the atonal side of late
1960's rock that would leave the most lasting impression on those who would
eventually become punk, post-punk and indie rock artists like Joy Division
or the Fall. Includes a 32-page booklet, written by Index drummer Jim
Valice, detailing the band's rock and roll adventures, replete with photos
and lyrics; printed on FSC recycled, chlorine-free, 100% post-consumer
fiber paper manufactured using biogas energy."
Jacobs Creek -
Jacobs Creek CD (Aurora) [AU5011CD] $16.00
This New Jersey band was led by brothers Lon and Derrek Van Eaton, who are
best-known for the subsequent music they made for The Beatles' Apple label.
The sole album made by Jacobs Creek is a fine collection of acid-tinged
rural rock, which first appeared in 1969. With arrangements encompassing
electric guitars, horns and sitar, it's an eclectic treat for fans of
vintage psychedelia, and makes its long-overdue CD debut here.
Jane Kennaway -
IOU CD (LTM) [LTM2565] $14.75
RELEASE DATE: 02-14-2011
LTM presents the first compilation CD by singer/songwriter Jane Kennaway,
best remembered for her smart hit single IOU in 1980.
The daughter of acclaimed Scottish writer James Kennaway, Jane released a string of superior new wave pop singles between 1980 and 1982, all of which appear in digitally remastered form on this CD together with compilation tracks, unreleased demos and a complete live concert from December 1980.
Producers include Steve Lillywhite, Thomas Dolby and Andy Duncan. The CD runs for 76 minutes, with a deluxe booklet including archive images and a detailed Jane Kennaway biography. The witty video for IOU can be watched on YouTube.
Praise for Jane Kennaway: 'A voice that could turn water
into wine, a writing talent that creates a seemingly endless supply of
golden goblets, and a level of musicianship that makes the rest of the
current crop seem like vin very ordinaire' (Melody Maker); 'A set of
future classics, original phrases hung on instantly memorable tunes' (New
Music News); 'An attractive blonde with features reminiscent of
Marianne Faithfull on a good day and a voice several hundred times better'
(Sounds); 'Lyrical intelligence blessed with commercial appeal, Jane
Kennaway will surely go very far' (NME)
John Cage - ASLSP
CD (Neos) [NEOS11042CD] $20.50
Performed by Sabine Liebner (piano). "Liebner is active primarily as a
performer of new music. Numerous recordings for radio, television, and CDs
as well as invitations to international festivals, both as chamber musician
and as soloist, document her work as an artist. She has collaborated on
projects with the composers Olga Neuwirth, Jörg Widmann, Franco
Donatoni, and Christian Wolff, among others, and given numerous world and
national premieres. In recent years Sabine Liebner's interests have focused
on American composers of the twentieth century. Her repertoire of American
music includes Henry Cowell, Earle Brown, Christian Wolff, Pauline
Oliveros, and Tom Johnson. She plays nearly all of the piano works of John
Cage, and her recording of Cage's Music for Piano 1-84 is legendary."
Mahogany -
Mahogany CD (Aurora) [AU5009CD] $16.00
Though they were contemporaries of Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, Savoy
Brown and others, this youthful British blues-rock quartet's album only saw
release in America and Holland, unfairly dooming it to obscurity.
Originally released in 1969, it features exciting rock songs as well as
more contemplative numbers, with especially fine guitar and harmonica
playing, and is sure to appeal to all fans of electric blues. It makes its
long-awaited CD debut here, complete with background notes.
Markley - A Group
CD (Aurora) [AU5012CD] $16.00
Though credited as the sole work of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental
Band frontman Bob Markley, this is in fact the final album made by
psychedelic legends WCPAEB, recorded and released towards the end of 1969,
and released under a new name in a final attempt to find commercial
success. A far cry from the experimental rock of earlier releases, the
album contains melodic songs and delicate arrangements, though the
eccentric influence of Markley is as strong as ever, making it essential
for fans of the band. Finally back on CD, with background notes.
Michael Ranta -
Mu CD Box (Metaphon) [METAPHON003CD] $37.00
"The only time this ensemble got together before was for the singular and
legendary Wired session recorded in 1970 and published on the Deutsche
Grammophon box set Free Improvisation in 1974. The Wired session also
included Karl-Heinz Böttner while this release of Mu just has the trio
of Ranta, Lewis and Plank. Mu got recorded a few months after the Wired
session, in Plank's studio, but never got released strangely enough. Yet
it's a true hidden treasure of marvelous minimal psychedelic improvisations
with an oriental touch controlled and mixed by 'Diabolis in Musica' Conny
Plank. Although the intense recording session ended early in the morning
the mixdown was still done straight afterwards of which this is the direct
result for MU1, Mu2, and Mu4. For Mu3 Michael Ranta added live percussion
to the original tape mix and dedicated it to Mike Lewis. Due to
circumstances and moving to different continents they never had the chance
to meet again. Previously unreleased studio material from 1970 recorded a
few months after the legendary Wired session. Hardboard linen CD box
contains 2 CDs and a 28-page booklet with biography text and notes from
Michael Ranta (in Dutch, German and English). Edition of 500 copies."
Michael Ranta : percussion, guitars and prepared thundersheet Mike Lewis :
keyboards, wind instruments and percussion Conny Plank : live electronics,
sound control, recording supervision, mix "What a stunning surprise
discovery of this obscure ensemble with Michael Ranta, Mike Lewis and
Krautrock master Conny Plank. As on the legendary Wired LP on the Free
Improvisation box set (Deutsche Grammophon 1974) they created an amazing
free form abstraction, a floating resonant and timeless music, similar in
many ways to the early experiments of Tangerine Dream but in a world of its
own, in all their twisted exotic and melancholy beauty... To be filed under
classic Krautrock, a masterpiece!" -- Steven Stapleton
Miguel y El
ComitÄ~c? - Para Hacer MÄ~Cºsica, Para Hacer... CD (Lion Productions) [LION647CD]
$15.00
"El Syndikato made Miguel Livichich a rock star in South America; but it
was his sole effort as Miguel y el ComitÄé that made him a groove-loving
crate-digger's dream! Livichich left El Syndikato and in an instant formed
another band, joining forces with an existing group called Feeling Rock.
This new group was called Miguel y el ComitÄé (Miguel and the Committee)
-- a clear allusion to Livichich's previous group (the Syndicate), and also
a demonstration of his leadership role; even though Miguel y el ComitÄé
worked as a proper band in their structure, Miguel Livichich made all
decisions concerning the group. As Livichich recalled, 'I told them, I want
a band to join me, but we all work together?more rock and candombe and a
few things more commercial. Accept, and we make a titanic effort. An
aggressive launch. I do not lie, in fifteen days we were recording the LP.
It was pin, pin and we were playing at all dances. It was amazing working
with Miguel y el ComitÄé.' That band's 1971 album, with Livichich firmly
at the helm, fused the local candombe rhythm with beat music in an unusual
and aggressive (oft-times funky, break-beat) way. Miguel y el ComitÄé
played mostly original songs, but they also mixed in covers of tracks by
other Uruguayan bands. They were the first to sing hits by other groups (El
Kinto, Los Shakers), which added a new dimension to the burgeoning
Uruguayan scene. Percussion plays a key role in the band's sound, although
the guitar playing is most distinctive: sometimes melodic, at other times
carving a path through the mix, with a hard and acid distorted fuzz guitar
sound, as on the title track and the fabulous cover of El Kinto's 'QuÄé
me importa.' Dynamite! Comes with a 28-page booklet, printed on FSC
recycled, chlorine-free, 100% post-consumer fiber paper manufactured using
biogas energy, with band history, photos, and bi-lingual lyrics."
Nat Dove & The
Devils - Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-In-Law Original Soundtrack CD (Magic Disc)
[TEG9910CD] $13.00
2007 release. "Official reissue of this lost funky soundtrack from 1977
that features the one and only Rudy Ray Moore, otherwise known as Dolemite,
and his band Nat Dove and the Devils, available for the first time ever on
CD! Nat Dove has been playing blues, boogie-woogie and barrelhouse music
for over four decades. And, as one of the last of a breed of blues pianist,
Dove is the most sought after and respected blues pianist in the western
United States. Dove has been featured on the recordings of Robert Cray,
George 'Harmonica' Smith, Freddie King, Big Mama Thornton, T-Bone Walker,
Pee Wee Crayton, Louis Meyers and Big Joe Turner... just to name a few. Nat
Dove and his funky combo The Devils lay down a monster set of grooves that
virtually define the Blaxploitation sound. Most of the tracks on here are
instrumentals, and a few of the cuts have vocals by Mary Love. The original
is so rare it is impossible to find, and this reissue has excellent sound
quality taken from the original master tapes. Includes the highly sought
after funk classics 'Junkie Chase', 'Zombie March', 'Ghetto Street U.S.A',
and 'Petey Wheatstraw' along with the original track listing and cover
artwork."
O Rex - My Head's
In '73 CD (Gulcher) [GULCHER433] $16.50
A forty-three-song collection of material from this band that would
eventually mutate into the AFRIKA KORPS. "O. REX was a living-room band
from Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 1973 by brothers SOLOMON and JAY
GRUBERGER, they were shortly joined by future GIZMOS founder KEN HIGHLAND.
Ken would bus down to NYC from his home in Brockport, New York to record
with the Grubergers on Solomon's cheap reel-to-reel tape recorders. Their
output was prolific, although mostly cover versions of Alice Cooper, Grand
Funk, Allman Brothers, Mountain, Black Sabbath, '60s garage bands, etc.
Fortunately they also wrote original songs, and we've dug up a big bag full
of primitive gems for ya. Proto-ounk, lo-fi, all that stuff-but deep down a
sense of songwriting and rock'n'roll that's often brilliant even as it
seems very stupid! Hey, they were young."-Eddie Flowers.
- () []
$0.00
RELEASE DATE: -
No description available at this time.
Queen Constance
Band - University Dances Of 1978 CD (Queen Constance Records) [TEG9914CD] $13.00
2007 release. "Long before anybody even coined the term disco, P&P Records
was filling speakers nationwide with grimy jams that kept people on the
dance floors. As most know, the legendary label P&P is notorious for their
disco classics, and this reissue is no exception. Queen Constance, one of
many labels that reside under the P&P umbrella, released an album called
University Dances of 1978 by their very own resident house band called none
other the Queen Constance Band. Executive produced by music legends Peter
Brown and Patrick Adams, this treasure trove of disco funk guarantee a
head-nod and booty-shake on even the stiffest of folk. Comprised of twelve
tracks, six vocal and six matching instrumentals, this great and rare
studio group album is filled to the brim with brilliant underground dance
tracks."
Residents, The -
Not Available CD (MVD Audio) [MVD5122CD] $13.00
"Recorded in 1974, originally released in 1979 and now reissued with seven
minutes of material originally edited out. While there are a million
stories about The Residents, one of the more intriguing concerns the
recording of their second LP, Not Available. Early in the career of the
band, the 'theory of obscurity' was introduced to them by the German
avant-guardist, N. Senada. The plan called for the creation of complete
projects that were literally not intended to be heard by anyone other than
its creators. The Residents realized the truth in this ideal: that music
really was difficult to record without considering the audience. They
thought the experience gained by completing such a project would prove
worthwhile toward achieving an independent attitude toward music. Not
Available was completed in 1974 and stored. Several years later, in 1978,
The Residents were severely over schedule on their opus, Eskimo. The record
company pulled Not Available from the masters room and released it.
Surprisingly, The Residents were not upset by this fact since it in no way
violated their original intent."
Roedelius -
Selbstportrait - Vol. II CD (Bureau B) [BB064CD] $16.00
This is the fourth solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius,
originally released in 1980 on Sky Records. With Selbstportrait, Roedelius
gave unequivocal confirmation that he no longer was treading the hitherto
common paths of electronic music. Selbstportrait - Vol. II corroborated the
findings: for Roedelius, electronics would no longer be a means of creating
abstract, noise-like music in the future, nor of generating utopian,
mechanical rhythmic structures. His own utopia was quite a different place,
more in keeping with his own personality and view of the world. Hence both
self-portraits, in particular Selbstportrait - Vol. II, are programmatic.
Uniquely among musicians of the German electronic scene at the time,
Roedelius succeeded in blending European and extra-European musical styles
quite intuitively, developing his own language of music, neither epigonic
nor weighed down by stereotype, as often occurred in the emerging world
music genre of the period. There is a fascinating simplicity to the music
of Roedelius: his vision does not reside in cloud-cuckoo-land. His utopia
is founded in reason, his vision sustained by a simple base: not only did
he ignore musical traditions, he also sought to create something new out of
them. He succeeded where many of his contemporaries failed, going to ground
as they attempted to bridge the postmodern gap. Not Roedelius. Roedelius'
music is littered with stumbling blocks. The listener may not necessarily
lose his footing, but will not exactly find himself sitting comfortably as
he listens. With this album, Roedelius has drawn a clearly delineated
picture of himself. Few musicians can say the same, few even harbor such
aspirations. Transcending styles, hypes and modernisms, Selbstportrait -
Vol. II is electronically-sourced music, yet sounds anything but technical,
dismantling the misconception that electronic music has to sound cold and
distant. Selbstportrait - Vol. II has never been released completely
before. Includes 5 tracks never released on CD! Liner notes by Asmus
Tietchens.
Roedelius -
Selbstportrait I CD (Bureau B) [BB063CD] $16.00
This is the third solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius,
originally released in 1979 on Sky Records. Alongside his ongoing work with
Cluster and Harmonia, Roedelius amassed an almost incalculable number of
musical notations during his time in the idyllic Weser Uplands. Fleeting
sketches, spontaneous improvisations, implied miniatures, rough
compositions -- Roedelius recorded virtually every idea he came up with
outside the studio sessions on his Revox A77 reel to reel; with the basic
intention of capturing his moments of inspiration, he simply let the tape
run as he played around on the Farfisa organ. Sound quality was not his
prime concern, as he was not as yet entertaining any notion of releasing
the results. As Roedelius recalls, costly tape spools were at a premium, so
he recorded over older tapes in mono, at a less than ideal speed.
Substandard, technically speaking (or listening), but as a self portrait,
nothing short of a masterpiece. It would be inappropriate to measure this
album by the hi-fidelity yardstick; see it as something closer to an
intimate confession, an unguarded communiqué from one person to another.
Bordering on naivety and free of conceit, Roedelius introduces us to his
world through these chiffonesque études. There may be little variation in
the Farfisa sound, but this is soon forgotten when Roedelius invites us to
listen, to enter the experience. No expensive technology, no producer, no
collaborators. This is unfiltered personality, the real Roedelius.
Musically, Selbstportrait I is characterized by a combination of lĤndler,
minimalism and harmonic simplicity. The Weser Uplands, where Roedelius
recorded his music, are certainly no Arcadia and the village of Forst is
anything but Atlantis, but perhaps it could become the Graceland of German
electronic music. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
Sea-Ders, The -
The Sea-Ders CD (Lion Productions) [LION646CD] $10.50
"This specially-priced disc contains all known recordings of infectious
Middle Eastern inflected rock/beat from the Cedars (or Sea-Ders), Lebanon's
top musical export to the world. Eight dynamic tracks, with driving
rhythms, blazing electric bouzouki (or oud?), recorded between 1966-1968.
Fantastic! Starting in 1965, many groups began to borrow elements of
Eastern music to add a little mystery and exotica to their sound. Some
prominent examples of this trend include the Kinks' 'See My Friends,' the
Beatles' 'Norwegian Wood,' and the Byrds' 'Eight Miles High'; less
well-known than the aforementioned acts, but considered masters of the form
by those in the know, were the Sea-Ders. For them it wasn't a case of
flirting with foreign culture -- they tapped right into the source, there
in their own backyard! Decca Records contacted the group and offered them a
record deal in the UK. The Sea-Ders relocated to London, and in 1967 Decca
released 'Thanks A Lot' b/w 'Undecidedly.' The record got some airplay on
the pirate stations, but failed to break into the charts. Nevertheless,
Decca went ahead with an EP release, featuring three tracks along with the
fine 'Cause I Do Care.' Apparently the record had a very limited pressing
as it's now very rare, despite being one of the most exciting releases of
the era. Booklet contains liner notes by Mike Stax (Ugly Things Magazine),
printed on FSC recycled, chlorine-free, 100% post-consumer fiber paper
manufactured using biogas energy."
Sleepy Hollow -
Sleepy Hollow CD (Aurora) [AU5016CD] $16.00
This trio's sole album has been described as one of the most uncanny
Beatles sound-alikes ever made, and now it makes its long-overdue CD debut
here. Recorded in Philadelphia in 1972, it contains several perfect pop
songs, and is sure to delight fans of the Fab Four and other early '70s pop
wizards such as Badfinger and We All Together.
Stooges, The - A
Thousand Lights: Live In 1970 CD (Easy Action) [EAR034CD] $22.00
"These are probably the only currently known live recordings of the Stooges
from the 1970 shows. Deluxe long box packaging with stunning unseen photos
of the band shot by Fan Club girl Natalie Stooge-ling on the road in 1970."
Various Artists -
The Abilene Teen Scene 1964-1967 CD (Cicadelic Records) [CIC995CD] $14.50
"In the 60s, Abilene, Texas had a thriving music scene. Bands enamored with
the British Invasion sound of The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and The
Beatles formed in droves. The top band in Abilene was The Chevelle V,
whose best known track, 'Come Back Bird' employed the British slang for
'girl' and the beat of The Yardbirds' 'I'm A Man.' The other popular
Abilene bands, such as The Livin' End, The Continentals and The Coachmen,
comprise the other recordings on this album, making this the most complete
trip yet to Abilene in the 60s. Only seven of the recordings were ever
released during the 60's, which reflects the rarity of the recordings
included on this collection."
Various Artists -
Portobello Shuffle CD (Easy Action) [EABOSS001CD] $17.25
"Two of the most legendary British underground bands of the late 1960s and
early '70s were without any doubt The Deviants and Pink Fairies. Scores of
musicians have cited them as one of their favorite bands and key
influences, yet neither enjoyed any real success during their existence.
The Deviants released three albums between 1967 and 1969, before evolving
into the Pink Fairies, who also released three albums between 1971 and
1973, the latter featuring Larry Wallis as front man. Rich Deakin, author
of Keep It Together! Cosmic Boogie With The Deviants And The Pink Fairies
has spent the best part of two years putting together an album of Deviants
and Pink Fairies songs, as well as a smattering of new numbers, performed
by artists who jumped at the chance to be included in this set. Although
featuring luminaries of both the '60s counterculture and '70s punk scene,
including current and past members of The Damned, Dead Kennedys, Faith No
More, W.A.S.P., MotĶrhead, Hawkwind, Dr Feelgood, The Blockheads, The Only
Ones, Crushed Butler, and The Deviants and the Pink Fairies themselves. It
was real coup getting three of the original members of the Fairies back
together for the first time in over thirty years to record a track with
Brian James, a founder member of The Damned, producing."
Walter Marchetti
- Natura Morta CD (Alga Marghen) [ALGA076-3CD] $18.50
"A very simple sequence of piano accidents, according to Robert Ashley one
of the most beautiful piano music ever recorded. Natura Morta, includes the
piece with the same title from 1980. The 8-page booklet reproduces original
photos of the performance at Milanopoesia in 1988, as well as the text
titled In My Music. All texts are published both in English and Italian."
Walter Marchetti
- Vandalia CD (Alga Marghen) [ALGA076-4CD] $18.50
"With Vandalia Walter Marchetti is focusing his concrete and radical
themes. Also including is an homage to John Cage. Action Music! Vandalia
includes 'Perpetuum Mobile' (1981), 'Song for John Cage' (1985) and 'Le
Secche Del Delirio' (1989). The 8-page booklet presents the photo of the
'Perpetuum Mobile' performance at Musicalia in 1981, the score of 'Song for
John Cage', the photos of two 'Musica Da Camera' installations, as well as
the reproduction of the original Vandalia CD layout. All texts are
published both in English and Italian."
West Coast Pop
Art Experimental Band, The - Where's My Daddy? CD (Aurora) [AU5010CD] $16.00
This is the fifth album by psych legends The West Coast Pop Art
Experimental Band. Recorded shortly after this legendary Californian
psychedelic band had left Reprise (where they'd made three classics), this
oddity is more pop-based than their previous efforts, though the eccentric
influence of frontman Bob Markley is still strong. Released in the summer
of 1969, it sold poorly and hasn't been widely heard since, making this CD
reissue especially welcome. Includes liner notes.
Wunder - Wunder
CD (Karaoke Kalk) [KK002CD] $14.00
2010 repress of this 1999 release! Another exquisite out-of-nowhere Karaoke
Kalk discovery "Karaoke Kalk's new talent Wunder's (= miracle, wonder)
first creation proves a talent for textured electronica combined with
strange emotional songwriting. Drawing together influences & inspiration
from jazz to Mouse On Mars, Wunder creates what would be a fine soundtrack
with occasional pop-moments."
This week's VINYL update contains releases by:
[ F E A T U R E D R E L E A S E S ]
Aardvarck & Kubus * Abner Jay * Abstract Eye, The * Air Waves
* Airway/Hijokaidan * Alex Celler * Alexander Tucker & Decomposed
Orchestra * Alexi Delano * Alfabet * Alvarius B. * Alvaro
* Anika * Anja Schneider * Anthony 'Shake' Shakir * Anthony
Selassie * Aril Brikha * Arsene Souffriau * Baobinga &
Mensah/Baobinga & DVA * Bart Davenport * Bbq * Beaches * Ben
Verse * Bessie Smith * Bfffth * Big John Patton * Biglietto
Per L'Inferno.Folk * Black Heat * Blind Willie Mctell * Bon
Homme * Brackles & Shortstuff * Brother Jack Mcduff * Burial Hex
* Burning * Buzzoven * Carlos Malcolm * Catalogue *
Chaim * Charles Wright * Chocolate Watch Band * Chora *
Christoph Heemann * Cinnaman & Jay Scarlett * Cleared * COH *
Compound One * Cyclobe * Cymande * C_utter/Dead Peni *
D'eon * Dapayk Solo * Darkstar * David Alvarado & Luca
Bacchetti * David August * David Labeij & Onno * Dead Ghosts
* Death * Decima Victima * Dels * Delta Funktionen * Demian *
Deputies Of Love * Dia * Digital Mystikz * Discodeine * DJ
Lengua * DJ Vadim * Don Carlos * Donny Hathaway * Dro
Carey * Drums Off Chaos & Jens-Uwe Beyer * Ducktails/Rangers *
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra * Duo505 * Durian Brothers, The *
Eddie Harris * Efeel * Ekoplekz * El Gusano * Electras,
The * Elephant Micah * Eliane Radigue * Elton John * Emptyset
(FEAT. Cornelius Harris) * Enemy Earth * Faust * Freak Seven
(feat. Aniff) * Freddie Hubbard * Frivolous * Gaiser * Gamits
* Gang Gang Dance * Garnett Silk * Garybaldi * Gibson Bros. *
Gnod/Robedoor * Gowentgone * Gowns * Grant Green *
Graveyards * Greymachine * Guided By Voices * Guy Gerber *
Gwen McCrae * H.O.S.H. * Hank Mobley * Harald Grosskopf *
Harlem River Drive * Harmonious Thelonious * Hatcha & Lost *
Heavy Hawaii * Hem feat. Terrible Shock * Herb Diamante * Herman
Kelly & Life * High Wolf * High Wolf/The Savage Young Taterbug *
Hobo * Holmby Hills * Horaflora/Secret Boyfriend * Hundred in the
Hands, The * Hype Williams * Igor Boxx * Ilitch *
Impressions, The * Infinite Body/No Age * Isolee * J:kenzo *
Jack Sparrow * Jam, The * James Blake * James Brown *
James Duncan * James Ferraro * Jan Driver * Jeff Rehnlund *
Jeremy Gluck & Friends * Jimmy Edgar * Joao Gilberto * John
Coltrane & Don Cherry * John Martyn & Beverly * John Wiese & C.
Spencer Yeh * Jokers * Jono El Grande * Josefus * Jules &
Moss * Juli Holz * Julian Jay Savarin * Julian's Treatment *
Katy B (Feat. Ms. Dynamite) * Kinks, The * Kito * Kohn *
Kraus * KZA * La Banda Trapera Del Rio * Laurel Halo * LHF *
Liquor Ball * Lithops * Los Cheyenes * M Ax Noi Mach *
M.in * Magical Power Mako * Mamiffer/Oakeater * Manaboo *
Manik * Marco Resmann * Marisa Anderson * Martyn * Master
Musicians Of Bukkake * Matthew Dear * Matthew Friedberger *
Maurizio Bianchi * Maxim Lany/Lemakuhlar/James Teej * Mayday * Mc
& Lx1 * Melvin Davis * Mensah * Messer Chups *
Metabolismus * Metal Mountains * Michael Ranta * Micky Y Los
Tonys * Miracles Club * Miracles Club, The * Modern Lovers *
Moloch * Monopoly Child Star Searchers * Monotonix * Moon Duo
* Morgen * Moritz von Oswald Trio/Digital Mystikz * Morphosis *
Mount Eerie * Mr. Oizo * Nadja * Naked On The Vague/Wet Hair
* Napalm Jazz * Nathan Fake/DJ Koze * Nina Simone * No Joy *
No Regular Play * Noaipre * OL * Oleg Poliakov * Oliver
Koletzki & Fran * Omurah * Oren Ambarchi/Flaherty, Corsano, Yeh
Trio * Ornette Coleman * Outer Limits Recordings * Pains of
Being Pure at Heart * Parliament * Patrick Mullins * Pauline
Oliveros * Peaking Lights * Pearson Sound * Pepe Wismeer *
Perc * Phil Cohran and Legacy * Phil Kieran * Phil Manley *
Policy * Prinzhorn Dance School * Prompt * Psychatron & Paul
Woolford * Psychic Reality/Sex Worker * QNS * Raime/Regis *
Rainbow Arabia * Ramon Tapia * Ravers, The * Residents, The *
Riya * Robert Aaron * Robert Turman * Roedelius * Roland Kirk
* Rongetz Foundation, The * Roy Ayers Ubiquity * Ruth * Ryan
Jewell * Sammy * Santana * Scuba * Secret Cinema * Serge
Gainsbourg * Shadow Dancer * Shirley Collins & Davy Graham *
Shit Robot * Shrinnirs * Sic Alps * Sidi Toure & Friends *
Siriusmo * Skinnz * Soft Moon * Sophia Knapp * Sound of Pot *
Spacemen 3 * Spite * Steffi * Stevie Wonder * Strawberry
Path * Sun Ra & The Blues Project * Teebs * Terence Fixmer *
Tete * Thank You * The Wake * Theo Parrish feat. IG Culture *
Thou * Thymolphthalein * Tiago * Tiefschwarz * Tim
Berresheim * Tim Hecker * Tony Roach * Tormentors, The *
Traversable Wormhole * Tribraque * Trolley Snatcha * Truth
and Janey * Unknown * Vincenzo * Viva L'American Death Ray
Music * VVAQRT * Walter Marchetti * Wet Hair/Peaking Lights *
Whatnauts, The * White Car * Wire * Wooden Shjips * Young,
The * Yours * Yusef Lateef * Zohar, The * ZZ Top
Harald Grosskopf
- Synthesist/Re-Synthesist LP+CD (RVNG International) [RERVNG001LP] $19.75
"Synthesist, the landmark 1980 solo album by Harald Grosskopf, the
enigmatic percussionist behind Ash Ra Temple, Klaus Schulze, Cosmic Jokers,
and YOU. A melodically rich and celebratory symbiosis of krautrock,
kosmische, and new age, restored and remastered for RVNG Intl's debut
reissue. Includes a bonus album compilation CD Re-Synthesist, featuring
reinterpretations of Synthesist by Oneohtrix Point Never, Blondes, Arp,
CFCF, Stellar Om Source, and more. The Synthesist LP comes in a deluxe
package including a unique reverse-bound record jacket and full-color liner
notes in English and German."
Jokers - Iran's
Lost Psychedelic Treasure LP (Fading Sunshine) [FS001LP] $40.50
LP version, housed in a heavy paste-on jacket. Limited edition of 500
copies. "Hailing from Tehran, Iran, the Jokers were one of Iran's heavy
underground rock groups during the early 70's. Having visited the UK for a
short period, Vaheed, the lead singer and guitarist of Jokers returned to
Iran with new ideas and influences. After hearing groups like MC 5 & Cream,
the Jokers decided to pursue this type of sound, and subsequently recorded
a heavy psychedelic blues album in a garage circa 1972 using nothing more
than a reel to reel and two microphones. Filled with heavy fuzz, loud wah
guitars and screaming vocals, the album sounds unlike any rock artifact
unearthed from Iran so far. Sadly no record label would release their
album, so they continued to perform at local venues, and even managed to
get a performance at the German Embassy before disbanding. Here for the
first time ever is a limited edition pressing taken directly from the reels
they recorded in 1972. Fully licensed, this is a one-time pressing only.
The 1000 copy CD comes in paste-on mini-LP jackets with inner sleeves."
[ . . . ]
Aardvarck & Kubus
- Gloom 12 inch (Eat Concrete) [EAT022EP] $12.25
Aardvarck presents Gloom, the second split effort between Aardvarck and
Dutch beat-master Kubus. It features Aardvarck on an oldschool techno vibe
with deep and greasy beats plus his signature style breaks. On the
flipside, Kubus delivers three insanely loud and bass-heavy bangers.
Limited white label!
Abner Jay - Last
Ole Ministrel Man 10 inch (Mississippi Records) [MR080LP] $11.75
"Abner's last recording session. Here we find him laying into 5 never
before released compositions (...& one never released version of his
popular tune - 'Cocaine') On these songs the usual one man band set up is
put aside & replaced by a simple delicate acoustic guitar & harmonica
accompaniment, with the exception of the rocking 'My Middle Name Is The
Blues' which has Abner's classic sound in full force. The first track -- 'I
Cried' -- is as sad as they come. The last track -- 'Too Poor To Live, Too
Poor To Die' -- is almost too honest to bear. Beyond that is the strange
blues number 'Love Wheel'. Altogether this 10" stands as a fitting last
testament by one of Americas most neglected musical geniuses. Tip on old
school cover. Each copy includes two commemorative photos of Abner & a 16
page booklet with extensive liner notes by Jack Teague, who recorded this
session & palled around with Abner in his final days. "
Abstract Eye, The
- Cool Warm Divine 12 inch (Upon You) [SIGN003EP] $12.25
Valentine Connexion Records presents a five-track EP from little-known
artist, The Abstract Eye. Five brilliant, analog techno tracks, which keep
the spirit of original Detroit techno alive. It will really leave you
breathless. Beautiful stuff! For fans of Dopplereffekt, Drexciya, et al.
Air Waves -
Dungeon Dots LP (Underwater Peoples) [UPLP04LP] $16.50
Underwater Peoples is proud to present the debut LP from AIR WAVES. New
York/ Austin's NICOLE SCHNEIT wrote all the songs and plays guitar
throughout the album. Her soft, clear voice careens across walking bass
lines, big cymbals and brassy guitars. Her songs are universally described
as warm, inviting and bittersweet. Nicole's pop reaches great depths,
enticing all who hear to stay and listen. Dungeon Dots features SHARON VAN
ETTEN as well as YELLOWFEVER's JENNIFER MOORE.
Airway/Hijokaidan
- Split LP (Harbinger Sound) [HAS099] $16.00
Released to coincide with the LAFMS retrospective in London. Legendary free
jazz percussionist SABU TOYOZUMI joins JOJO HIROSHIGE on guitar, JUNKO on
vocals and TOSHIJI MIKAWA and FUMIO KOSAKAI on electronics on this live
recording from late 2009. The maddest of LAFMS mad dogs feature JOE POTTS,
RICK POTTS, TOM RECCHION, DENNIS DUCK, JOHN DUNCAN, FREDRIK NILSEN, VETZA,
LINDA PITMON, and AARON MOORE on this live recording from 2009.
Alex Celler -
Wallaby 12 inch (Area Remote) [AREA026EP] $11.50
Greek by right, but a Londoner by choice, producer/DJ Alex Celler is back
again causing a stir with his energetic and intense house sounds, full of
swing, tribal rhythms & deep bass lines. "Wallaby" features a banging
industrial bass line that's powered with dancefloor diesel, taking you on a
sound excursion across funky sound snippets, sex sighs and soaring sirens.
"Montagu Bay" has some upbeat and trippy percussive action meshed with
electric space warps, pulling you into melodic madness.
Alexander Tucker
& Decomposed Orchestra - Grey Onions LP (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT020LP] $16.00
LP version, limited to 1000 copies.
Alexi Delano - Un
Do Me 12 inch (Leena) [LEENA018EP] $11.50
Alexi Delano is part of the first wave of Swedish electronic music
producers that made a name for themselves in the mid-'90s, releasing on
techno labels such as Plus 8, Missile, Primate, Hybrid, Svek and many more.
His style dwells in the perfect balance between shiny minimalism and dark,
vivacious techno, and both of these tracks pack a powerful punch and high
energy. With more than two decades on the stage, he has no intention of
slowing down.
Alfabet - A/B 12
inch (Rush Hour) [RHALFA1-EP] $12.25
Tom Trago and Awanto3 (aka Steven de Peven, one-half of Rednose Distrikt)
team up for a project they call Alfabet. This series is all about warm and
dusty house music. It will run for 13 two track singles, totaling 26
tracks. Each track represents a letter. "Roundabout" is a percussive
workout that builds up and sucks you in. "Lap The Music" does the some
thing, only this one makes use of an addictive vocal sample. Artwork from
Stefan Glerum.
Alvarius B. -
Baroque Primitiva LP (Poon Village) [PV006LP] $28.50
"By my count, Baroque Primitiva is the sixth album cut by Alvarius B. and
is, like its predecessors, a deep swim through mysterious waters. The 11
tracks here were recorded at various sessions over the course of several
years and range from "Humor Police" (a track that imagines what Syd Barrett
might have sounded like had he been a devotee of rembetika) to a trippily
Beatles-damaged version of "You Only Live Twice" (the sole surviving shard
of the aborted Alvarius B. Plays The Bond Songbook project). Baroque
Primitiva is the first long-format telegram from Alvarius B. since he lost
his mothership (the Sun City Girls, with whom he employed his slave name,
Alan Bishop) and it also feels like his most consistently non-acerbic --
perhaps even most beauty-oriented -- work. The songs often have a
meditative pace and are filled with gorgeous lo-fi blends of vocals,
guitar, bass and keys. Eyvind Kang guests on several tracks, but the bulk
of the material was broadcast direct from the naked soul of Alvarius B.,
which turns out to be a warmer, sweeter place than you might imagine. The
record also marks the return of the equally-legendary Poon Village label,
whose 1993 Sun City Girls LP, Live At C.O.N. Artists, is a rare and lovely
piece of that band's sonic puzzle. Poon Village's productions are always
extraordinary in visual terms, and Baroque Primitiva is no exception. The
cover's meditative human mandala is a brilliant ocular ode to shifting
visions of feminine pulchritude, and is worthy of the best framing job you
can afford." --Byron Coley
Alvaro - Tongue
LP (Bimbo Tower) [LPALVARTONG] $24.00
"The Chilean with the singing nose," legendary for the Drinking My Own
Sperm LP (Squeaky Shoes 1977), combines Chilean traditional music,
post-punk feeling and a little spirit of the European avant garde. Joining
ALVARO (voice and Casio) are JENS VOLK (bass and voice) and GIORGOS NOTARAS
(percussion and voice).
Anika - Anika LP
(Stones Throw) [STH2261] $15.25
"Political Journalist" isn't a credential we usually have in musician's
bios, but this is exactly what ANIKA was doing while living between Berlin
and Bristol earlier this year when she met GEOFF BARROW. The producer was
looking for a new singer to work with his band BEAK>, and it was
immediately clear they shared the same musical vision, including a love of
punk, dub and '60s girl groups. Just a week later Anika and Beak> (Barrow,
BILLY FULLER and MATT WILLIAMS) went into the studio to begin recording
material. The resulting album was recorded in twelve days, live, with the
four together in one room. Dub with no overdubs. The collaboration is
political, trashy, dub, punk, funk... a cohesive sound, and experience in
uneasy listening. In the tradition of short-lived but deeply influential 99
Records and the NYC's '80s No Wave nexus, the nine songs on Anika run the
gamut from experimental rock ("Yang Yang", "Officer Officer") to covers of
folk ("Masters of War") and pop songs ("Terry", "I Go to Sleep"), while
showcasing reverb-drenched ancient drum machine rhythms.
Anja Schneider -
Pushin 12 inch (Mobilee) [MOBILEE072EP] $11.50
For the Pushin EP, Anja Schneider partnered up with Paul Brtschitsch, with
whom she co-produced her debut LP Beyond The Valley in 2008. Famed for
playing DJ sets that always come with a powerful bass and sexy groove,
"Pushin" is the perfect production equivalent of Anja Schneider's club
performances. The title track comes with a soulful vocal, while "Strong
Way" is a female interpretation of the same track. "Don't Feel Anything"
takes you on an eerie ride with whispered utterances.
Anthony 'Shake'
Shakir - Frictionalism 1994-2009 Remixes Part 2/2 12 inch (Rush Hour) [RH110-R2EP]
$12.25
Part 2 in the Anthony "Shake" Shakir Frictionalism 1994-2009 (RH 110CD)
reissue series. MRSK and Skudge remix techno pioneer Shakir with two
floor-fillers.
Anthony Selassie
- Busy Body 7 inch (Digikiller) [DKR032EP] $6.25
"...historically under-recorded singer... Anthony Selassie's 'Busy Body',
voiced on one of the best-ever digital cuts of the 'green bay' riddim."
Aril Brikha -
Deeparture In Time: Revisited 2xLP (Art Of Vengeance) [AOV001LP] $24.00
2LP version.
Arsene Souffriau
- ExpÄériences BIMES LP Box (Metaphon) [METAPHON002LP] $96.50
Hardboard linen LP box version, contains 3 LPs and a 20-page booklet with
extensive background, photos and notes from A.S. (in Dutch, French and
English). Edition of 200 copies.
Baobinga &
Mensah/Baobinga & DVA - NSG/This One's Wavey 12 inch (Build) [BUILD004EP] $10.50
"The fourth release on Build, again mixing and matching the tempos and
styles for maximum raving fun. Support from Skream, Plastician, Mistajam,
Jackmaster, Mark Pritchard / Harmonic 313, Brackles, L-Vis & Bok Bok, 2562
and more."
Bart Davenport -
Searching For Bart Davenport LP (Tapete) [TR194LP] $16.00
Bart Davenport releases an album of cover songs dear to his heart.
Davenport grew up in California, devoured his hippie parents' vinyl
collection, and learned to play guitar at 8 years old. He was the frontman
for The Loved Ones and The Kinetics. His first solo album Bart Davenport
came out in 2002. He has toured with Kings Of Convenience and opened for
many of his heroes, including Arthur Lee, Robyn Hitchcock, Jonathan Richman
and John Lee Hooker. His second solo album Game Preserve came out in 2003
and Maroon Cocoon followed in 2005. The absolutely brilliant Palaces came
out in 2008. Bart is also the singer of Honeycut. One of California's
coolest songwriter/performers, this is a totally fab collection of tracks.
"At the turn of the century I found myself at a crossroads, transforming
from axe-less frontman into solo voyager. I clearly was a singer already
but I also wanted to write. I spent days, months, years cocooning, trying
to become a songwriter. Time flew by, and eventually I re-emerged with a
handful of decent tunes and lyrics. I've been fortunate to have so many
friends around, musicos who've helped me record those little gems. I've
performed on what feels like a thousand stages and often, out of
pragmatism, I'm alone up there. Also, along the way, I've taken to
performing the songs of my heroes. That these cover versions should fit so
seamlessly into one of my sets could be seen as living proof of just how
derivative my own music is. If that's true, I'm not bothered by it. In
performance, I tend to forget which ones are mine and which ones are
theirs. I forget where the songwriter ends and the singer begins. Or
perhaps I've been trying subconsciously to reveal my influences for a long,
long time." Searching For Bart Davenport is the musical chronicle of an
artist seeking his soul with words from others made into his own. Songs by
Broadcast, Kings Of Convenience, Caetano Veloso, Sandycoates, The
Incredible String Band, Bridget St. John, Love/Arthur Lee, David Byrne,
Bert Jansch, Jackson C. Frank, The Changes, and Gil Scott-Heron.
Bbq - My Way Home
12 inch (Cynosure) [CYN044EP] $11.50
Delivering some grooves inspired by the warmth of the summer, Brett Johnson
and Mike Shannon come together to cook up some BBQ. "BBQ Bounce" features a
playful Brett Johnson-style groove and a bubbling Mike Shannon-style lead
synth that builds to a monster walking bass line drop. "My Way Home" is a
house burner with the added sultry vocal stylings of Amsterdam's Coco Jones
-- a perfect combo of the two producers' signature styles of mutated swing
and razor-sharp synths.
Beaches - Eternal
Sphere LP (Mexican Summer) [MEX063LP] $20.75
"Beaches are Antonia Sellbach (Love of Diagrams) on guitar and vocals,
Alison Bolger (Panel of Judges) on guitar and vocals, Ali McCann on guitar
and vocals, Gill Tucker (Spider Vomit) on bass and vocals and Karla Way on
drums and vocals. The band's communal creative processes are collaborative
and intuitive, a shared stream of consciousness and subconsciousness which
allows each member's textural layers and sonic harmonics to emerge and
merge into the whole. The stylistic shades reflect the shared musical loves
of Beaches, from 1960s hit parades to 1970s psychedelia, shoegaze to prog,
southern boogie to Krautrock. Two thick, clotted sides of heavy
psychedelic, instrumental destructo rock, pupils completely dilated from
sugar cubes the size of flash cubes. Rippin' up the surf and kickin' sand
in your eyes, these three tracks are the most stunning examples in the
genre we've heard in some time." Hand-numbered limited edition of 500
copies.
Ben Verse - Dark
Star/Good Feeling 12 inch (Wheel & Deal) [WHEELY012EP] $10.50
"N Type presents two fresh cuts from the man otherwise known as the MC of
drum & bass outfit Pendulum: Ben delivers a pair beastly rollers. Proper
dubstep for the mind body and soul. Wdd atch you bass bins!"
Bfffth - Two
Phases Of Emanation Of Light 2010 LP (Heard Worse) [HW07] $11.75
MARKOS ZOGRAFOS' complete composition for music and text contains a total
of four phases; Heard Worse's LP contains the third and fourth. It's a
noise drone work, made of slow building intensity, inspired by Xenakis, one
in which "time stops [and e]verything disappears except for the sensation
of infinity...."
Biglietto Per
L'Inferno.Folk - Tra L'assurdo E La Ragione LP (Ams) [AMS043LP] $31.75
"Featuring original band members Pilly Cossa, Baffo Banfi, Mauro Gnecchi,
and blessed by the approval and contributions of singer/lyricist/flautist
Claudio Canali -- famous for having retired in a monastery, in strong
contrast to the hateful verses he wrote when playing in the original
Biglietto per l'Inferno line-up -- this release is far more than a simple
collection of newly recorded old tracks: the band's classics have been
re-arranged - therefore the suffix '.folk' has been added to the band's
name. 180gr vinyl, triple gatefold sleeve! First 500 copies in white
vinyl!"
Bon Homme - Bon
Homme LP (Rent A Record Company/Motor Music) [BH002LP] $16.00
LP version.
Brackles &
Shortstuff - Good Foundations 12 inch (Blunted Robots) [BLR005EP] $11.75
"Blunted Robots have done another record. If we say it's future garage,
will you like it more? DJs showing love include Sinden, Mr Scruff,
Jackmaster, Rob Da Bank, Hot Chip, Roska, and Toddla T."
Burial Hex -
Bagirwa Hymn LP (Von Archives) [VON03] $24.25
A tribal funeral ode in the form of two dense, obscure messes, from one of
the masters of the new mysticism. Edition of 300.
Buzzoven - At A
Loss LP (Emetic) [LPBUZZOATA] $16.50
NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!!! "BUZZOVEN has been cranking out drug-fueled,
misanthropic sludge punk in various incarnations since their inception in
1990. Known almost as much for their out-of-control and sometimes violent
live shows as they are for their music, the band carries on a tradition
shared by such fellow troublemakers as Eyehategod and Antiseen."
Catalogue -
Brussel Live LP (Metaphon) [BXLX] $38.50
"Highlights of their first 2 concerts in about 20 years, live in Brussels
(2007-2008), shows the trio of Artman, Berrocal and Pauvros anarchistic,
powerful and controversial as ever. LP with 1-sided fluo green bonus 7"
(minimal rock & roll version of 'Be bop Ä~C Lula'), edition of 200 copies
handnumbered and signed by Artman, Berrocal, Pauvros. ... after several
years on tour in different galaxies the group returns on earth, notably in
the region of Brussels." "Uncertain rockers, exacerbated freejazzmen,
pranksters, Jean-FranÄ~C§ois Pauvros: guitarist, Jac Berrocal: trumpeter
and vocalist, Gilbert Artman: drummer and pianist are a bit of everything,
rock stomping, boring the avant garde, enraging the virtuosity. Trespassing
the unbreakable with the surprises of clumsiness they reach a flamboyant
music. It smells like sulphur, like a desperate laugh."
Chaim - U & Eye
12 inch (Bpitch Control) [BPC226EP] $11.50
Chaim Avital unlocks the club cosmos, moulds moods and sounds into a
universal pop language and seduces you with enchanting grooves. This first
single from his debut album fills the listener with euphoric longing. "U &
Eye" features the voice of Meital De Razon and takes the home-listener on a
cinematic trip through a pair of headphones. The melody carries you away
and burrows deeper into your mind with every bar.
Chora - Slates LP
(Sergent Massacre) [LPCHORASLAT] $24.00
First vinyl outing for Peckham-based trio-BEN MORRIS, ROB LYE and CHRIS
BOYD-who use a revolving approach to composing, improvising and recording,
with sounds moving between shingled, skeletal percussion and kitchen-sink
Gamelan to electronic attack and ecstatic vocalization.
Christoph Heemann
- The Rings Of Saturn LP (Robot) [ROBOT040LP] $23.00
"Originally only available as an artist-released CD, The Rings Of Saturn
spans a lengthy narrative of music prepared over the years 1997-2008.
Infusing early field recordings along with recently completed studio
compositions, this new album of 'cinema pour l'oreille' (cinema for the
ear) transports the listener to discrete locations that evoke rich memories
and sympathetic recollections. This remastered vinyl edition is pressed on
clear wax in a beautiful, full-color jacket. Available initially during the
recent Christoph Heemann US Tour (October 2010), The Rings Of Saturn is one
of Heemann's finest and most anticipated new solo works."
Cinnaman & Jay
Scarlett - Beat Dimensions Vol. 2 7 inch (Rush Hour) [RH109EP] $7.25
Originally released by Rush Hour in 2009. Dutch beat-masters Cinnaman & Jay
Scarlett present a 7" on red vinyl in their Beat Dimensions Vol. 2 series.
Low Limit (Lazer Sword) and Busy push it elsewhere, shrink the format and
bump your speakers.
Cleared - Cleared
LP (Immune) [IMMUNE014LP] $15.75
"Cleared is the Chicago duo of Steven Hess and Michael Vallera. Cleared was
formed in the latter part of 2009 as a project meant to focus on repetition
and patience as central elements of composition. Hess and Vallera have
previously worked in various contexts of improvisational, long form and
experimental music. Cleared is an effort to take the knowledge both have
gained from these arenas in order to build hypnotic patterns of sound and
rhythm. The sessions that created the material for the initial tracks were
made in Steven Hess's Chicago studio in an extremely straightforward manner
of recording. Percussion, electronics, field recordings and other
experiments were arranged and supplemented with synthesis and guitar.
Frequently, parts of the original audio recordings were sampled and further
manipulated back into the work. The result is a body of songs that are
simultaneously familiar and indistinguishable in their instrumentation."
COH - IIRON 2xLP
(Editions Mego) [EMEGO114LP] $23.25
It would be too easy to simply call IIRON the COH metal album, as it goes
way beyond that. True, this album of classic Ivan Pavlov stompers contains
more than its fair share of guitars both acoustic and electric, yet it
still maintains that sense of power and purpose through electronic music
which stands out as the COH "raison d'Ä~Cªtre." Coming 11 years after IRON
(Wavetrap, 2000), which also tackled the sound of rock with alarming
results, the new album features not only recent guitar tracks recorded at
Music Research Centre at York University, but also recordings made during
Soviet-era Russia, which refer to Pavlov's underground music activities in
the early '80s when making or even consuming of "metal music" was
forbidden. IIRON is a powerful, well-executed electronic rock record, with
just a dash a humor to keep it from becoming pompous, as so much of that
kind of music can be sometimes. Packaged in a 4-panel digipack for CD, and
lavish gatefold for the vinyl, with stunning artwork by Stephen O'Malley
(Sunn O)))). Vinyl cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin,
November 29th, 2010. HAIL TO WORLD PEACE AND DEATH TO FALSE METAL. In
memoriam: Satoshi Kon and Peter Christopherson.
Compound One -
Pum Pum/Back Off 12 inch (Compound One) [CMP008EP] $11.00
"The eighth release on their self-titled label sees Compound One step out
of the darkened lab to take time out from their usual techy experiments and
head straight for the rave... A hugely diverse release that has been played
across the board by DJs such as Mista Jam, MJ Cole and Brendon Moeller. As
featured by Zero T on his recent Fabric Live 52 mix, Pum Pum Beat gets its
peculiar name from the rhythm of the kicks and snares rather than what
people seem to think! The highly swung beats and quirky percussion form a
backbone for a bassline that is hard to resist. Emotional Detroit style
stabs complete the picture and the breakdown will have your hands in the
air! Carrying on with the emo vibes of this release, 'Back Off' sees the
duo go right back to their roots with an early UK 2step garage inspired
number. Trademark Qualifide vocal cut ups and fractured breakbeats come
together to form the groove. Once again, the breakdown is pure hands in the
air."
Cyclobe - Wounded
Galaxies Tap At The Window LP (Phantom Code) [NAOS001LP] $19.00
This is the long-anticipated third album by Cyclobe. Essentially a duo
comprised of Ossian Brown and Stephen Thrower, Cyclobe have created a
thrilling and compelling collection of music, which moves effortlessly from
realms of cavernous cacophony to moments of blissful delicacy. The first
new Cyclobe music to surface since their "death-concrÄéte" missile
Paraparaparallelogrammatica (an album made in collaboration with Nurse With
Wound), Wounded Galaxies Tap At The Window showcases major new
developments, with contributions from Thighpaulsandra (synthesizer/piano),
John Contreras (cello) Cliff Stapleton (hurdy-gurdy), and Michael J. York
(duduk/pipes). Together, they've created an immersive pan-psychedelic dream
warren, rich in detail and surprise. Album opener "How Acla Disappeared
From Earth" rides on celestial waves of shimmering synthesizers and vocals,
with York's duduk providing rhapsodic arabesques. The album's longest
piece, "The Woods Are Alive With The Smell Of His Coming" (which was
premiered in the United Kingdom at The Tate Gallery St. Ives, as a part of
the exhibition "The Dark Monarch: Magick and Modernity In British Art") is
a 17-minute pagan opus which fully manifests Cyclobe's flair for endless
invention, developing from a subtly-shifting percussive motif, through
multiple layers and dizzying cello crescendos, into a truly disorientating
sonic invocation. Side two commences with "We'll Witness The Resurrection
Of Dead Butterflies (Three Moons)," in which Stapleton's hurdy-gurdy
transmutes into a keening blizzard of sound. The haunting "Sleeper," with
its clustered piano chords and Brown's beautiful, disembodied vocals,
evokes an elegant otherworldliness that's finally overwhelmed by the
monstrous electronic paroxysm of "Wounded Galaxies Tap At The Window,"
concluding the album on surges of rapturous cosmic convulsion. Wounded
Galaxies' front cover features stunning artwork by the renowned American
artist Fred Tomaselli, whose work has been exhibited at the Whitney and
MoMA. Thrower and Brown are well-known for their work in the legendary
group Coil (Thrower played on the band's seminal 1980s/early 1990s
releases, while Brown was involved in their 21st century studio and live
incarnations). Among other recent credits, Thrower plays in Unicazürn
and the improvising group The Amal Gamal Ensemble, while Brown appears on
Current 93's recent, highly-acclaimed album Aleph At Hallucinatory
Mountain. Cyclobe's unique and complex sound-world has been developing and
mutating ever since their debut album released in 1999 Luminous Darkness
and its unearthly successor The Visitors. With Wounded Galaxies, the group
has not only produced their finest and most ambitious work to date, they've
created an album which can stand tall with the year's most innovative and
exciting releases.
C_utter/Dead Peni
- Split LP (Blossoming Noise) [BN077LP] $17.25
"Collaborative split LP. This is a cooperative release from Knife Cult
(Spain), Editions Zero (Greece), HCB (Israel), & Blossoming Noise (USA)
2010." Limited edition.
D'eon -
Palinopsia 12 inch (Hippos In Tanks) [004HIT] $11.75
"Montreal's exotic digi-funk wizard, D'EON is the latest artist to escape
from HIT's vortex of future-vintage pop greats. As if from nowhere, his
debut album Palinsopia presents a fully formed package that's hard to
ignore, injecting R&B, breakbeat hardcore, and electrosoul with sublime
doses of psychedelic raga drones and a devotional pop spirit, subsequently
sounding quite like nobody else we can think of."
Dapayk Solo -
Schwarz & Kaden Remixes 12 inch (Mo's Ferry) [MFP053EP] $11.50
Mathias Kaden and Henrik Schwarz remix their favorite tracks from Dapayk's
Decade One (2000-2010) album. Kaden's remix of "All Eyes On You" seems to
be aware of the efficiency of his loop, giving it time to develop without
leaving people waiting for the drop longer than necessary. Schwarz's remix
of "Back To Me" enriches the track with his saxophone variation. In
addition to the original instruments, he uses a weird needle-scratch kind
of sound to play the solo passages.
Darkstar - Gold
12 inch (Hyperdub) [HDB043EP] $12.25
"Gold is the new single from Darkstar's highly anticipated debut album
North. In contrast to last year's very popular Aidy's Girl Is A Computer
12", Gold is indicative of Darkstar's current direction as a three piece
group."
David Alvarado &
Luca Bacchetti - Remix EP 12 inch (Ovum) [OVM212EP] $10.75
Ovum brings you updates of two seminal releases from David Alvarado and
Luca Bacchetti. On the A-side, Alvarado gives us his interpretation of
Bacchetti's 2008 Ovum debut "El Matador," a deep tribal journey that will
take you to another place. On the B-side, Luca really puts his stamp on
Alvarado's classic "Klugha," transforming this into a chunky house monster,
adding a vocal sample and taking elements of the original and making it his
own. Two incredible remixes.
David August -
Peace Of Conscience EP 12 inch (Diynamic) [DIYNAMIC045EP] $11.50
David August made his Diynamic debut with the fantastic Instant Harmony EP.
Now a treasured member of the Diynamic family, and master of ceremonies
with his residency at the label's club night, David presents his next
release on the imprint, the incredible Peace Of Conscience EP. Four choice
cuts of seriously uplifting house music, that while wonderfully melodic,
all contain a raw, biting and unique edge that will see them easily stand
out amongst the crowd.
David Labeij &
Onno - Heart Street 12 inch (Remote Area) [REMOTE031EP] $11.50
David Labeij and ONNO are two talents who've joined creative forces for the
first time ever. With their studios only 2 minutes away from each other,
they've been up and down the Hartenstraat (Heart St.) in Amsterdam to
perfect this EP. Labeij is internationally-recognized as one-half of Polder
but his solo productions have caused a huge stir soaring between hypnotic
deep house and delicate techno. ONNO has received full support from the
likes of Dubfire and has performed at many club hotspots.
Dead Ghosts -
Dead Ghosts LP (Florida's Dying) [FDR34] $14.25
This is the first proper LP from Vancouver's DEAD GHOSTS, following a live
tape turned 12-inch and a string of sold out 7-inches, and these kids knock
the ball clear out of the park. A thirteen-song non-stop hit parade of
jangly lo-fi garage rock bashers, with some doo wop prom breaks, country &
western twangy lead work, and shuffling rhythms to get the kids shinglin
and shakin. The perfect soundtrack to a sweaty basement dance party. Album
also comes with a digital download code.
Dels - Trumpalump
12 inch (Big Dada) [BD168EP] $12.25
"Hand-sprayed and numbered sleeves -- only 300 available worldwide! The
second single from his forthcoming debut album finds Kieren Dickins aka
DELS collaborating once again with Hot Chip's Joe Goddard on a tune which
throws all the rules about the correct structuring of a classic pop song
out of the window, drags them back in through the backdoor and makes of
them one of the most beautiful, funny and compelling rap records you've
heard in a good old while."
Delta Funktionen
- Setup Two: Fusion 12 inch (Ann Aimee) [ANN013EP] $12.25
Darker and more sinister than all his releases before. Beats getting
tighter and rougher, there's no chance to escape. Welcome to the world of
Delta Funktionen. This second part of his Setup EPs brings three times
dark, heavy, soaking techno tracks, with the otherworldly track "Conflict
Data" closing the Setup.
Deputies Of Love
- 1517/Suicide Is Painless 12 inch (Deputies Of Love) [DOL002EP] $11.50
Deputies Of Love release their second EP! This time, the mysterious
Deputies present a funky remix of The Whitest Boy Alive's wonderful "1517."
On the flip side, they travel back in time to the '70s with a nice remix of
the theme song from all-time favorite U.S. movie and TV-series M*A*S*H.
Dia - Make A Move
EP 12 inch (Vinyl Did It) [VDI007EP] $11.50
Brand new release from Vinyl Did It label boss Dia. Dancefloor-oriented
house at its best.
Digital Mystikz -
Urban Ethics 3x12 inch (Dmz) [DMZ002LP] $32.25
Absolutely immense new release from sub bass heaven's leading name. Seven
tracks of prime dubstep ruffage produced, arranged and mixed this time
around by Coki, with co-production by Smurks on "Intergalactic." Trademark
Mystikz style throughout: smoked head-nod action driven by mutated
interlocking polyrhythms, creeping digi-flutter and atomic bass weight.
Enormous, essential, unstoppable. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl and housed
within a full-color gatefold sleeve.
Discodeine -
Synchronize (feat. Jarvis Cocker) 12 inch (DFA) [DFA2270] $10.00
Brit pop legend JARVIS COCKER has joined creative forces with two of the
most exciting and innovative French producera-PENTILE and PILOOSKI, both
collectively known as DISCODEINE-and created the much buzzed about dance
track of 2010. Discodeine, the brainchild born from these two critically
acclaimed producers, are one of the most anticipated musical duo's to grace
our consciousness in recent years. Having discovered a mutual love for
sci-fi movies, avant-garde electro and South Western French cuisine, the
duo soon discovered they had an undeniable chemistry in the studio and
quickly started churning out killer remixes for the likes of Metronomy,
Whomadewho, Bot'ox, Photonz, Yelle. Earlier this year, the duo decided to
write and record their debut album, consisting of only original material,
written from scratch and including an honorable handful of
yet-to-be-announced guest vocalists to be featured on some of the tracks
coming next year. Right off the bat, "Synchronize" is the first single from
their highly anticipated forthcoming full-length, due early next year.
Watch out for the exclusive new video for "Synchronize," starring
Jarvis-soon to be unveiled next month.
DJ Lengua -
Cruzando 12 inch (Unicornio) [LPDJLECRUZ] $7.50
Discos Unicornio is proud to release the second 7-song 12-inch EP from Los
Angeles-based visual artist and musician DJ LENGUA. An incredible sophomore
effort from his now sold-out self-titled EP. With Cruzando, once again
Lengua "crosses-over" the rhythms and sounds of the Latina American
landscape. Through a dense concoction of electro-cumbias, boleros, and
banda, DJ Lengua manages to evoke a fusion of sounds that are in a class of
their own. Songs include: "La Jungla," "Perdido," "Dejame En Paz," and the
cumbia monster "SAMPU." Limited vinyl pressing release only. Album art by
JULIO CESAR MORALES.
DJ Vadim -
Terrorist Remixes 12 inch (Ninja Tune) [ZEN12276EP] $10.50
"As part of the ongoing celebrations of Ninja Tune's 20th anniversary, we
decided to commission some remixes of one of the label's most iconic
recordings. DJ Vadim's 'The Terrorist' was one of the standout tracks from
his 1999 album USSR: Life From The Other Side, -- the LP that perfectly
embodied his singular vision of hip-hop. Featuring crisp, addictive drums,
the charismatic, threatening voice of Motion Man, and one almighty
bass-line, it quickly became one of the album's (and the label's) all-time
classics. 'The Terrorist' has been treated to two roaring, infectious drum
n bass remixes by MIR Crew, and Zane Lowe favourites The Prototypes. These
are released on ltd. edition, heavyweight 12" vinyl, which come in a black
disco bag with a Ninja Tune XX sticker and download codes for high-quality
MP3s."
Dro Carey - Venus
Knock 12 inch (The Trilogy Tapes) [TTT002EP] $18.50
"Four tracker from Dro Carey, a high school student from Sydney. Unusual
beat maker. On Will Bankead's label, The Trilogy Tapes. Mastered and cut by
CGB at D&M. Limited edition of 200 in hand-stamped sleeve."
Drums Off Chaos &
Jens-Uwe Beyer - Drums Off Chaos & Jens-Uwe Beyer LP (Magazine) [MAGAZINE003LP]
$14.75
Founded in Cologne the early 1980s, the anarchistic formation Drums Off
Chaos has continued uninterrupted to the present day. The collective of
Jaki Liebezeit, Reiner Linke, Maf Retter, Manos Tsangaris and others make
music centered on dynamic but still very precise rhythmic codes using
carefully-selected sounds and patterns on self-constructed drums.
Previously, the group considered the shared and nonrecurring experience of
playing live more important than getting the music recorded. The latest
release, however, is the result of a collaboration with Cologne-based
musician Jens-Uwe Beyer (Popnoname). Thus, the Drums Off Chaos sound is
available on record for the first time after almost 30 years (aside from an
experimental singer collaboration available as a very limited CD mailorder
release). Beyer -- from a generation that grew up with Wolfgang Voigt's Gas
project rather than with Can -- opens the record with the beat of a gong
adding irradiant sounds and elements of soft rhythms, which over time
interweave seamlessly with the energetic drum sound. The slowly floating
melodies and punctuated bass of Beyer convey an almost monastic intensity
which underpins and reinforces the exacting rhythm of the drums. This
uncommon and multi-generational clash of musicians results in peerless
music that defies classification and comparison, as effects never before
heard on record materialize for the first time.
Ducktails/Rangers
- Bored Fortress 7 inch (Not Not Fun) [NNF203EP] $6.75
"Ridgewood, New Jersey's patron saint of palm tree listening takes a break
from the real estate market to strum out a couple summer sunset polaroid
instrumentals. Rangers serves up a similarly faded slice of TV bumper
music, 'The Bride Of Marin,' that surfs down from the clouds on a
rainbow-trailed wave of phasered guitar licks. Sleeve art by Spencer
Longo."
Duo505 - Walzer
Oder Nicht LP (Morr Music) [MORR103LP] $16.00
This is the third album by Bernhard Fleischmann and Herbert Weixelbaum aka
Duo505. Forget about lyrics to convey feelings or moods: it's all in the
music, in the melodies and harmonies. After all, these tracks don't need
words to say a whole lot. The same is true of their genesis: Bernhard
Fleischmann and Herbert Weixelbaum hardly discussed any ideas or musical
concepts while in the studio. Instead, these tracks simply emerged while
they were playing together; the melodies grew out of a wordless
conversation, an exchange of sounds and notes. This newfound collaborative
spirit lies at the heart of Walzer Oder Nicht: the various tracks and
layers intertwine and complement each other on a whole new level. That's
how a song like "No Mail" came about, a track whose inner logic and
intricate composition manages to captivate the listener entirely. Yet, it's
not just the interlocking density that's new, as Duo505 present a whole new
set of arrangements: above all, Fleischmann and Weixelbaum added guitars to
the mix, which in turn means that the Roland MC-505 is no longer the
predominant element of their sound. Case in point: On the opening track
"Facing It 2010," a re-recording of a song they wrote for their debut
full-length Late (MORR 046CD/LP), they hardly use electronic elements at
all. This, however, doesn't affect the fundamental nature of Duo505's
music: Walzer Oder Nicht ultimately shows that their tracks work both as
acoustic and electronic versions. These recordings are somewhat reminiscent
of The Velvet Underground (at their catchiest), of Yo La Tengo's sense of
melody, or the kind of ballads Brian Eno or Zach Condon are known for. Make
no mistake: even though Walzer Oder Nicht certainly has its noisier
moments, some Tall Dwarfs-style clank and clatter even, this album is even
more thoughtful, quiet and warm-hearted than its predecessors. Walzer Oder
Nicht is an album that evokes child-like enthusiasm, ease, swing, and
elegance.
Durian Brothers,
The - Cuts EP 12 inch (Diskant) [DISKANT003EP] $15.50
"African drumming inspired rhythm tracks with subtle & house/techno
compatible atmosphere."
Efeel - Do What
You Do 12 inch (International Feel) [EFEEL004EP] $11.50
Here's the next installment of International Feel's Edit series. Although
is it an edit -- can you spot the samples and who actually did it (if
indeed it is an edit)? Limited edition run of 500 copies pressed on clear
vinyl.
Ekoplekz - Stalag
Zero/Distended Dub 12 inch (Punch Drunk) [DRUNK020EP] $11.75
"300 hand-numbered copies for the world, each sheathed in individually
hand-painted sleeves. No repress, means no repress. Punch Drunk, Bristol's
esteemed electronic music imprint, celebrates its 20th release with a
strictly limited edition 12" single. This double A-side is also the
official debut release by shadowy Bristol-based experimental electronic
musician Ekoplekz. As such, it represents something of a departure for the
label, for here is an artist who shuns modern digital production techniques
in favour of primitive analogue devices, lo-fi cassette recorders and a
spontaneous, improvised approach to composition. Taking inspiration from
'Radiophonic' soundtracks, early dub reggae, Krautrock and post-punk D.I.Y.
experimenters like Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and Robert Rental,
Ekoplekz is intent on introducing a new generation to the kind of raw
eruptions of sound that first gave birth to the UK's electronic underground
over 30 years ago."
Elephant Micah -
Plays The Songs Of Bible Birds LP (Time-lag Records) [TLR047LP] $22.25
"Finally available on vinyl. Packaged in a lovely three-color,
screen-printed heavy stock tri-fold art paper cover, with heavy stock
offset printed lyric insert. Limited edition of 500 copies. We'll let Joe
himself shed a little light here: 'touring the East Coast in 2003, someone
asked, 'you're from Indiana - have you ever heard of the Bible Bird man?' I
hadn't, so I did some research. His video had already been stolen from the
library at Earlham College, but I stole it back and returned it. I began to
imagine what the musical equivalent of his evangelical bird act might sound
like. I wrote a song about the Bird Man, thinking of releasing it as a
're-issue' of a central Indiana country-gospel group that had never existed
- the Bible Birds. Then I thought maybe I would do an Elephant Micah album
of covers originally written by this (non-existent) Bible Birds band. In
the end of course the concept kind of dissipated and it just became an
Elephant Micah album. I recruited Beth Remis from Static Films (and more
recently Pillars And Tongues) to help arrange/sing harmonies for the songs,
and generally bring them up to pseudo-gospel snuff. We played the songs
around the upper midwest once with Ben Racher on a portable pump organ and
Jason Henn on upright bass. All of us got together in Indianapolis in 2006
and recorded this. I drove everyone crazy with my insistence on weird
recording methods. I think i was kind of trying to approximate the timbres
of the hymn sing broadcast on Salem, Indiana's WSLM. Who knows? I was
critical of the results and didn't finalize them for several years. Here it
is finally, a kind of 'prequel' companion to the Hindu Windmills (Time-Lag
035) album.' -- Joe O'Connell 2010. So there you have it. An overlooked
chapter from this wonderful artist finally seeing the light of day, and a
perfect companion piece to the highly praised Hindu Windmills album. Both
albums are clearly united by their warm, lo-fi intimacy, sparse production,
and stunning song-craft. Strikingly simple & beautiful stuff."
Elton John - The
Covers Record LP+CD (Lilith) [LR322LP] $25.50
"Back in the days when full-length LPs were still considered a luxury item,
record labels devised a way to get people to buy them: hire an unknown
singer to do a full-length album's worth of cover versions of all the
latest hits. People bought these albums because it was an affordable way to
amass a collection of the latest hits, and cheaper than buying the original
singles. In the late sixties Elton John was one of these 'unknown singers'
and although the cover albums did not afford him with much creative room
(given that by contract he was not allowed to reinterpret any of the
covers), they did pay the rent. An interesting glimpse at Elton before he
became a pop star...who knows if his mastery of the pop song is not in some
small way owed to this early apprenticeship inside the belly of the beast.
Includes 'Lady D'Arbanville' (Cat Stevens), 'Cottonfields' (Beach Boys),
'I'm A Natural Sinner' (Fair Weather), 'Travelin' Band' (Creedence
Clearwater Revival), 'It's All In The Game' (Four Tops), 'Signed Sealed
Delivered' (Stevie Wonder), 'Spirit In The Sky (Norman Greenbaum), and
more!"
Emptyset (FEAT.
Cornelius Harris) - Altogether Lost 12 inch (CLR) [CLR042EP] $12.25
Altogether Lost is a collaboration between the Bristol-based experimental
techno duo Emptyset and the Detroit vocalist Cornelius Harris aka Atlantis
from Underground Resistance. The project marks their first-ever joint
production and is backed up by a creative label partnership between
Multiverse and CLR, who will release different versions of remixes of the
original in a mutual promotion and release approach. CLR starts this series
with the release of the stunning original and a slamming remix by Chris
Liebing.
Enemy Earth -
Bardo LP (Eat Concrete) [EAT021LP] $16.00
After the sold-out success of their debut album, Enemy Earth returns to Eat
Concrete with Bardo, their second full-length release for the label. This
album continues where the previous Interstellar Commute ended, taking their
psychedelic sound to a much deeper and emotive level by using live piano,
guitar and bass with layers of effects and lo-fi sampling. It offers eight
songs with recurring themes and instruments, all mixed into two big
sessions, each filling one side of the LP. The result is very obscure yet
beautiful and enigmatic, sounding like a '70s psych-rock/ambient jam
session where Bibio, Fripp and Eno all play along to Buddhist chants and
drums. Bardo is a journey into the unknown, or, as the artists themselves
describe: "for a state of mind or transition in or from one's life." This
is the kind of record you won't find very often and with their mind-bending
and authentic sound, Enemy Earth establishes themselves as a favorite in
the ever-growing Eat Concrete roster. Limited edition vinyl release with
inlay.
Faust - Something
Dirty LP (Bureau B) [BB065LP] $16.00
Faust has been around for over 40 years. Since 2007, the line-up of the
Krautrock legends has comprised founding members Jean-HervÄé Peron and
Zappi Diermaier, the English musician James Johnston, founder of the
brutish blues rockers Gallon Drunk and long-standing member of Nick Cave &
The Bad Seeds, plus the English painter, filmmaker, author and musician
Geraldine Swayne. On Something Dirty, the creativity and musical ideas of
these four personalities coalesce into a perfect symbiosis of sound. It is
at once hypnotic, repetitive, melodic, exhilarating, psychedelic, menacing,
Dadaist and ethereal. Johnston's guitar saws its way through Diermaier's
archaic beats, harmonically enriched by Peron's powerful bass and Swayne's
psychedelic keyboards. Time and again, Faust revisits their avant-garde
roots, experimenting with voices and unusual instruments. (A flamethrower
and goat hooves can be detected in their arsenal of sonic sources.) Best of
all, however, Faust have succeeded in reproducing the raw energy and
roughness of their live performances on Something Dirty. Breathtaking
stuff! "There is no group more mythical than Faust." Thus wrote English
musician and eccentric Julian Cope. Which says it all really, neither the
habitus nor the music of the six-piece Hamburg group was easy to grasp.
While some lauded Faust as the best thing that ever happened to rock,
others dismissed them as shameless dilettantes. Their collage of Dadaism,
avant-garde rock and free improvisation radically divided opinion. When the
first LP was unleashed on the world in 1971, Faust were very much the
prophet in his own land, as the saying goes: few were interested in
listening to their music -- in Germany. Not so across the Channel: this is
where Faust's career really kick-started. These monoliths of avant-garde
rock sold 100,000 copies of their album The Faust Tapes. Exactly 40 years
after their debut, Faust has come up with another archetypical album:
inspiring, innovative, unpredictable, anarchic and Faustian.~@¨Something
Dirty is a definitive milestone in the long history of this world-famous
musical institution from Hamburg.
Freak Seven
(feat. Aniff) - Nano Kids/Feel 12 inch (Rush Hour) [RH032EP] $12.25
Rush Hour presents two tracks from Freak Seven, in both vox versions and
instrumental versions.
Frivolous -
Meteorology 2x12 inch (Cadenza) [CADENZA060LP] $24.00
This is the first full-length release on Cadenza from Canada's Frivolous
(Daniel Gardner). To Frivolous, dance music is about living life to the
full, about acting out all possible human emotions in the eccentric, sweaty
arena of a club. Gardner's tracks engage the crowds with grooves bursting
with life and startling, eerie atmospheres. Exotic samples arranged into
improbable yet emotionally-charged sound-scapes create a very special
Frivolous experience: the sounds of a primeval forest encounter a
dignified, aristocratic piano, a beautiful Russian waltz gets twisted into
an overturning house groove. Romance turning into contempt, one's home
becoming alien and strange, Metereology deals with the experience of
emotional extremes. Focusing strongly on the rhythmic sides of things, this
album is denser than its predecessors. The grooves have an enhanced
inertia. Short melodic sequences create sustainable loops superseding
elaborate forms on top. Frivolous merges his seminal genre-bending
qualities and jazzy intricacy into grooves that push the house sound as far
into the experimental realm as physically possible. The sonic arrangements
are fused into one immersive idea that engages dancers completely. With
these sonic landscapes, one is never quite sure which objects exist in
their immediate environment and which objects are super-imposed. The sounds
become a reality of their own, creating imaginary spaces. In an experience
as exciting as uncanny, everyone on the dancefloor realizes that the other,
sonically-projected environment is more real than anything else. The album
represents a journey with different emotional chapters: disappointment,
depression, relief, excitement and exuberance for life. The eleven tracks
span the spectrum of existential extremes and all the subtleties of
emotional dissonance that exist between them. There is a mystical,
idealistic side to Metereology, yet there is the isolated, angry,
frightened side to it as well. The songs explore the whole range of
experience from devoted love to detached solitude, from social commitment
to radical autarchy. These contradictions separate the music from obliging
escapism in order to express a significant human experience.
Gaiser - Unstable
Static 12 inch (Minus) [MINUS094EP] $10.75
Following Gaiser's recent digital-only productions, M_nus decided to create
a special vinyl release featuring the two stand-out tracks from both EPs.
"Static Level" is a trip into the insanity of late-night repetition. From
as early as the first full listen, it's obvious that Gaiser is the master
of the subtle build; patiently modulating sounds and grooves so fluidly,
it's difficult to truly know when one phase has began, and another has
ended.
Gamits - Parts LP
(Paper + Plastick / Suburban Home) [PP070] $13.50
NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!!! When THE GAMITS disbanded in 2004, they went out
on top. At a sold out show in Denver, CO, they bid farewell to the city,
the fans, old tunes, and new classics from their second full-length
entitled Antidote. Over the 10-year life-span of the band, their music had
matured from a pop punk band to that of a melodic rock trio that drew from
varied influences with intricate guitar work, thoughtful lyrics, and
beautifully simple song structure. In 2009, it all started over with a
phone call from Japan. The country that once embraced The Gamits wanted a
reunion tour. With the idea planted firmly in frontman CHRIS FOGAL's mind,
he called SCOTT WEIGEL and FORREST BARTOSH to pick up the bass and drum
duties and take a nice paid vacation to Tokyo. But the idea grew from a
simple reunion tour into a brand new album. Parts was completed in July at
Fogal's Black In Bluhm studio in Denver. This album is the next step
forward for a band who may not have played together for a while, but must
have been listening. The foundation of melodic rock is still the same, but
this time taking on more of an edge. Vocally, the album is a departure from
Fogal's sticky sweet tone of the past, and walks toward a gruffness
reminiscent of Blake from Jawbreaker or Eric from Dillinger Four. All the
hooks are there, but they still leave room for texture through time changes
and hard rock beats. Parts is the logical next step for a band that every
Gamits fan loves and everyone else hasn't heard yet.
Gang Gang Dance -
Kamakura LP (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT016LP] $16.00
LP version.
Garnett Silk -
Every Knee Shall Bow 7 inch (Digikiller) [DKR033EP] $6.25
"Garnett Silk's 'Every Knee Shall Bow.' Over ten years from his start,
Garnett was back working right where he began, with Rythem Track.
Originally released posthumously in 1997 on Callo's offshoot 2-Hyped label,
this is one of Silk's best ever, a high-water mark for both him and the
producer, a shining example of the indelible legacies of both."
Gibson Bros. -
Build A Raft 2xLP (Columbus Discount) [CDR062] $21.00
The legendary GIBSON BROS. need no introduction. "COUNTRY" JEFF EVANS, DON
HOWLAND, ELLEN HOOVER and DAN DOW put the flag on top of the whole "twisted
versions of obscure country and blues songs" hill. What we have in this
Build A Raft double-LP is a reissue of the earliest of the Gibson Bros
recordings. The first LP is a meticulous master for vinyl that follows the
original Old Age/No Age cassette format. It consists of a studio side that
was recorded many long years ago in the village of Harrisburg by MIKE REP
and TOMMY JAY, and a live side that features material recorded in '85 at
Bernie's as well as excerpts from a grade school Rock'n Roll assembly at
Avondale Elementary. The second LP is made up of six bonus songs from the
Harrisburg sessions, three of which were released on their rare first
7-inch on the band's own OKra records, the other ones were unreleased until
now. Put all of this together you get the definitive picture of the Gibsons
pre-Homestead / SFTRI / Siltbreeze / ITR career! This is where their long
and storied journey began... legendary stuff we're peddlin' here. Gatefold
includes some never before seen pictures of the Avondale Elementary
performance. Both were LPs mastered for vinyl by JOHN HULL at Musicol
recording on his '44 Scully lathe.
Gnod/Robedoor -
Bored Fortress 7 inch (Not Not Fun) [NNF202EP] $6.75
"Manchester's choicest chain gang lumber through the mildewed concrete of
some abandoned-bomb-shelter-turned-hippie-commune, spewing molten wah and
echo-vocal polemics. Turn off, dig in. The B sees LA drone thugs Robedoor
pitching Molotov cocktails of pure wraith blood through stained glass
windows. Sleeve art by Zully Adler."
Gowentgone - Walk
With Us EP 12 inch (Vidab) [VIDAB013EP] $11.50
Gowentgone presents their third release on Vidab. The Walk With Us EP is
another deep statement of Gowentgone's passion for house music and techno.
"Strange Light" focuses on a central rim-theme that is embedded in a wall
of layers. "Move Of The Day" is a dynamic and simple mover that draws you
deep into a tooly and mechanic sound. "Burning Flowers" is the pair's
interpretation of house that morphs pleasingly into a spacey chill-out
zone.
Gowns - Broken
Bones LP (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT019LP] $16.00
LP version.
Grant Green -
Shades Of Green LP (Blue Note) [BST84413LP] $11.00
Exact repro reissue, originally released in 1971. Featuring Emmanuel
Riggins (electric piano & clavinet), Billy Wooten (vibes), Wilton Felder
(fender bass), Nesbert "Stix" Hooper (drums) and King Errison
(percussionist). Songs include James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody To Give
Me Nothing, Open Up The Door I'll Get It Myself" and "Cold Sweat" and
Stevie Wonder's "If You Really Love Me."
Greymachine -
Disconnected 2xLP (Sige) [SIGE002LP] $23.50
"Much has already been said about the long and illustrious career of
Greymachine mastermind Justin K. Broadrick, but little of it can actually
describe the extent of his impact on listeners of his music in the many
forms it has taken. As an integral, founding or sole member of such bands
and projects as Godflesh, Final, Jesu, Napalm Death, Techno Animal, Ice,
etc. Broadrick has managed not only to expand upon the boundaries of
industrial, ambient, metal, and hip hop, but practically reinvented the
genres all together. With help from fellow travelers such as Aaron Turner
(ISIS, Old Man Gloom, Mamiffer, etc), Dave Cochrane (Head Of David, Jesu,
Transitional) and Diarmuid Dalton (Jesu, Final), Broadrick has yet again
smashed the barriers between often segregated musical realms, combined
elements of harsh industrial noise, hypnotic metallic riffing, and the most
unsettling aspects of modern dub to create something entirely
unclassifiable. While the aforementioned mix of styles might give the
impreesion of a scattered pastiche of sounds, Disconnected is anything but
-- an album comprised of distinct chapters dynamic and complete in their
execution, when combined forming a dark enveloping monolith of sound.
Originally released by Hydra Head Records on CD in 2009, the 2xLP version
is now finally available for the first time via SIGE records. Housed in
deluxe silkscreened covers with revamped artwork by band member Aaron
Turner, Disconnected can now be 'enjoyed' in the superior format of the
vinyl format. Limited to 500 copies."
Guided By Voices
- Live In Daytron? Go 3xLP (Rockathon) [ROCK010] $39.75
A special limited edition GUIDED BY VOICES live release! Forty-three
classic cuts running two hours. Professionally recorded with a split mic
set-up and mixed live on site in a truck outside the venue circa 2001.
SOUNDS INCREDIBLE. B Seitz APPROVES! Pressed on three colored vinyl LPs and
packaged in triple-gatefold sleeves with free digital download.
Guy Gerber - Time
For A Change 12 inch (Supplement Facts) [SFR025EP] $11.50
Guy Gerber teams up with an all-star line-up of fantastic friends to bring
Supplement Facts' 25th release to the dancefloor -- a collaborative work
featuring the likes of dOP, Ryan Crosson, Varoslav, Guti & Greg Paulus. The
title track takes charge with an almost marching tone while "The Fire
Within" is a hypnotic, 12-minute soundscape of brass band-style swells that
will make you dance in a frenzy of forgetfulness.
H.O.S.H. -
Connecting The Dots 2xLP (Diynamic) [DIYNAMIC005LP] $19.00
2LP version. Diynamic man, producer and planet-spanning DJ, H.O.S.H. aka
German Holger Behn -- serves up his debut full-length Connecting The Dots
for the Hamburg-based imprint. This is an album made up of ten dancefloor
cuts which all exhibit a trademark Diynamic musicality, hinting at
H.O.S.H.'s influences and simultaneously marking out a path into the future
of underground house music. These are not just a selection of ten mindless
cuts -- far from it. Instead, H.O.S.H. breathes new life into the
dancefloor by taking inspiration from the past and taking it very much into
the future. Furthermore, this album is stuffed with all the idiosyncrasies
and seductive sonic motifs you would expect from someone of H.O.S.H.'s
ability. An accomplished and assured debut, Connecting The Dots is likely
to attract much attention from fans old and new alike.
Harmonious
Thelonious - Mokambo EP 12 inch (Diskant) [DISKANT004EP] $18.25
"2nd EP from the Talking album; raw, dynamic, african drumming inspired
rhythm tracks."
Hatcha & Lost -
Workout/Dark Corners 12 inch (One Gun Salute) [OGS002EP] $9.25
A heavy dubplate from Tempa's Dubstep Allstars DJ Hatcha with Lost.
Hatcha & Lost -
Why So Serious/Next 2 String 12 inch (One Gun Salute) [OGS002P2-EP] $9.25
"Why So Serious" repeats a ridiculous sample of the title and the rhythm
sounds like it's systemically kicking lemmings off a cliff. The flip starts
off with some epic synth lead like it's opening for a Michael Bay movie
trailer, except the sick wobble is sharp enough to skin the gut off a
beached Val Kilmer. Bro-step of the highest caliber, exceptional for all
non-bros.
Heavy Hawaii -
Heavy Hawaii 12 inch (Art Fag) [AF011EP] $13.50
"6 song EP for San Diego's Heavy Hawaii, featuring Matt Bajaras, former
band mate of Nathan Williams of Wavves. The Heavy Hawaii EP was produced by
Jon Greene (Crocodiles, Dum Dum Girls) and Brandon Welchez of the
Crocodiles." On red vinyl with glossy insert.
Hem feat.
Terrible Shock - On A Mission (Shortstuff Remix) 12 inch (Berkane Sol Records) [BRKDUB017EP]
$10.50
"For this tune Hem and Terrible Shock take apart an '80s soul LP, add some
sci-fi synths, lazy drums and a sprinkling of analogue FX. After many
painstaking hours of recording the duo take a well earned coffee break,
then return to the studio just in time to see the back of the light-footed
Blunted Robots man Shortstuff as he runs off chuckling 'your vocals are
mine now!' Revenge plans are made, vehicles are fuelled up in preparation
-- but these activities are cut short by the arrival of an email from the
culprit -- it seems that he took the files back to his HQ for what he
describes as a 'refix' -- with the engines still running, Hem and Shox
check out the file and find it to be a work of genius -- what they hear is
an accelerated kaleidoscopic fusion of on-beat claps and snares in a
peak-time northern soul style, super heavy sub bass hits and hectic
syncopated keyboard chops. The easy tempo and flow of the original have
been transformed into a dancefloor classic, no doubt about it. Hem and Shox
call off the troops and head back to the studio -- calls are made,
contracts drawn up and everything gets sent off to Transition for the
magical transfer to vinyl. For the flipside the duo select 2 fresh beats
from the archives featuring all the trademark Hem elements - flexible
riddims, slinky edits, fat synths, warm bass tones, hip-house references...
The refix of 'On a Mission' featured on Onemans' much-loved Rinse 11 mix
CD."
Herb Diamante -
My Crawling Eye Sees All LP (Manhand) [MH115LP] $19.25
"Herb teams up with The Diminished Men, Kinski, Master Musicians of Bukkake
and more, to make this amazing collection of songs, hits, and heavy
dancefloor vibe on some tracks."
High Wolf -
Incapulco LP (Sergent Massacre) [BTR07] $24.00
Unmapped land, a place under mystic light accessible only via HIGH WOLF's
fuzzy wah guitars, trancey keyboards, delayed vocals, groovy percussion and
jungle spirit. This vinyl reissue of the CDR (Winged Sun 2009) was
remastered by PETE SWANSON. 180-gram vinyl.
High Wolf/The
Savage Young Taterbug - Bored Fortress 7 inch (Not Not Fun) [NNF205EP] $6.75
"France's fave psych-snakecharmer trances a new coiled creature from the
same thatched basket of white light fuzz, canned drums, and keyboard sign
language. Over on the wrong side of the tracks there's Midwestern madcap
Charles 'Free' Taterbug, perched on a fence with a 2-string and some rusted
tape machines, crooning to the crickets in the parking lot. Sleeve art by
Carlos Gonzalez."
Hobo - Berlin
Booty 12 inch (Minus) [MINUS103EP] $10.75
Joel Boychuk aka Hobo presents his third outing for M_nus -- a double
whammy of funkatronic hobo-techno, with both tracks showcasing two very
distinct journeys into the depths of his musical merry-making. "Berlin
Booty" is a proper party jam set to wake up the freaks and party animals
and get their asses shaking. An incredibly sinister and massive saw-wave
bass tone dominates the cut, with growling, grinding frequencies guaranteed
to make partygoers sneer a devilish grin on the dancefloor.
Holmby Hills -
Bohemia EP 12 inch (Formresonance) [FORM006EP] $11.50
Holmby Hills present two smooth'n'ruff house tracks and two hip-hop jazz
encores. Engin Oeztuerk, one-half of Here Today, and Block Barley are both
tinkering in search of music to dance to. They wickedly transform their
musical masters' ideas into something extraordinary sounding. An
off-the-grid team!
Horaflora/Secret
Boyfriend - Split LP LP (Hot Releases) [HR015LP] $14.25
"I met Raub of Horaflora during his tour down from New England when he had
his entire set-up on a bicycle. Using a clever and economical system that
included a hand drum, trumpet mouth piece, balloon, computer sub-woofer,
transducers, hand-held tape recorders and various found objects, he created
an immersive shuddering meadow mecha-organic sound environment. Empty cans
and scrap metal rattled to the same pulse, balloons exhaled lost-in-the-fog
tones on the taut drum skin, tapes whirred weird in their lascivious
carriage in the front and back : the sum being a barnyard of coldly
throbbing sounds from all angles harmonizing with the resident frogs and
insects. Two years later we have this, the vinyl debut of both Horaflora
and Secret Boyfriend. On his side, Raub wrings pleasingly alien sounds from
his systems - taken in this instance from a live session with Andrea
Williams on KALX. The electro-acoustic room-rattling is crisply recorded
but still very inscrutable ... strange sounds mingling spatially guided by
unseen hands of a restless poltergiest . . . The Secret Boyfriend side
begins stunned in the still room where Horaflora left us, oozes and flirts
with a baroque chamber mentality giving away to exquisite / blown speaker
melodies and drooling song-form, morbid and tender. A sense of calm and
peripheral melancholy is held, abrasion dialed back. One quarter alive in a
cold apartment for twenty years. The windows are open. Pro-printed jackets,
300 copies."
Hundred in the
Hands, The - Commotion 12 inch (Warp Records) [WAP311EP] $15.50
"Limited to 300. Following the release of their album, New York's The
Hundred In The Hands' are set to drop a slice of insidiously effective
avant pop, in the form of new single Commotion. The single also includes
fresh remixes by the illusive duo Tiger and Woods and DFA's Capracara."
Hype Williams -
Find Out What Happens When People Stop Being Polite, And Start Gettin' Reel LP (DeStijl)
[IND088] $17.50
**D. BLUNT and INGA COPELAND's latest installment in DENNA FRANCES GLASS's
18-year relay project. JOSS STONE is alleged to have content and financing
connections. "Ritolin" (sic) and "Rama Lama 555" (sic) also contain the key
to understanding what this is. JOSEPH STANNARD clears up some of the
mystery, with the reminder that HYPE WILLIAMS have also operated under the
names BO KHAT ETERNAL TROOF FAMILY BAND and PARADISE SISTERS. He observes
that their "obscure, lo-fi form of dub-inflected half-pop [is] as much akin
to the post-industrial funk of 23 Skidoo and early Cabaret Voltaire as the
scratchy psych of The Skaters et al.... It's like somebody flooded the wine
bar with cough mixture..." all "hazy nihilism and sensual flow." So give it
up for Joseph Stannard.
Igor Boxx -
Breslau LP (Ninja Tune) [ZEN166LP] $17.25
"Igor Boxx known also as Igor Pudlo (from Ninja Tune's Polish act Skalpel)
is opening a new decade with his first solo album, Breslau. Skalpel have
released two acclaimed albums on Ninja Tune -- Skalpel (2004) and Konfusion
(2005) have become one of the most important Polish music exports, well
received both in Poland and internationally. In Igor's solo debut album,
the inspiration comes like before from his home country and his home town.
Breslau tells a tale of 1945 siege of Festung Breslau undertaken by the Red
Army. The historical background might mean nothing to an average listener
not familiar with the multinational and multicultural history of Breslau
(now known as Wroclaw) but this journey is musically so emotional and
powerful that it allows anyone to follow the story."
Ilitch - Dark
Summer LP (Ilitchmusic) [LPILITCDARK] $24.00
Dark guitar music from THIERRY MULLER with a strong impending doom vibe.
Distortion, feedback, samples, and raw improvisations using guitar and / or
bass, recorded on the first or second take. Edition of 250.
Infinite Body/No
Age - Bored Fortress 7 inch (Not Not Fun) [NNF204EP] $6.75
"West coast light-breather Infinite Body emits a dense harmonic sound cloud
that condenses in yr ear before evaporating into the ether. California DIY
heroes No Age get minimal on the instrumental 'Wintry KK,' burrowing into
tom-rolls and the poetry of distortion pedals. Sleeve art by Cody De
Franco."
Isolee - Well
Spent Youth 2xLP (Pampa) [PAMPA001LP] $19.00
After six years, IsolÄée finally releases his third album on DJ Koze's
Pampa Records. "Over the last 15 years, IsolÄée has managed to create a
breathtaking trademark sound. Every note seems lovingly scavenged from the
depths of his analog equipment pool, then polished and woven into an
abstract, otherworldly, always morphing yet still binding and bouncing
sound composition of epic proportions. Well Spent Youth is a chameleon; it
assumes different forms depending on the volume it's played. Tunes like
'Taktell,' 'Thirteen Times An Hour,' 'Hold On,' 'One Box' and 'Celeste' set
the club on fire, quickly spreading the unique, indescribable IsolÄée
vibe, which imbues the often cold, bleak dancefloor with a unique, clever
color. The collective joy at being challenged is ubiquitous. People dance
to IsolÄée's music with their eyes closed -- opened every now and then
only to exchange knowing nods. Now, IsolÄée reminds us yet again what
electronic music is capable of -- crossing boundaries and achieving the
psychedelic." --DJ Koze
J:kenzo -
Stomp/Between Two Worlds 12 inch (Argon) [ARG034EP] $10.50
"With an increasing fanbase and tracks released on Argon, Dub Police and
Roska Kicks & Snares, accompanied with resident plays at London's
prestigious Fabric nightclub, heat is steadily rising around the Kent-based
selector."
Jack Sparrow -
Loveless/Dread (feat. Ruckspin) 12 inch (Tectonic) [TEC041.1EP] $10.75
Jack Sparrow presents two tracks off of his Circadian album (TEC 009CD/LP).
As the restrained 4/4 kick drum of "Loveless" pounds in, fans of Mala,
Martyn, Quest and Silkie will feel right at home. The vibe switches then
for "Dread" -- a collaboration with fellow Leeds-based producer Ruckspin --
a dark, cold ragga-techno rhythm which should please fans of Headhunter, F
and 2562.
Jam, The - All
Mod Cons LP (Polydor) [PD6188LP] $11.00
1978 album, released the same year as their "News Of The World" single.
This record features the single "Down In The Tube Station At Midnight," a
great story about why you shouldn't go to England. Exact repro reissue.
James Blake -
Limit To Your Love 10 inch (Blake, James: Limit To Your Love 10") [ATLAS001EP]
$11.75
"So far 2010 has been a stellar year for James Blake; first with his
critically acclaimed The Bells Sketch EP then the huge underground smash
'CMYK' on R&S, he's gone from a left field beat-maker operating on the
fringes of dubstep to one of the brightest new names to watch in British
music today. A second R&S release -- the brilliant Klavierwerke EP - was
released in September 2010, and immediately set about defining the sound of
James' future as he cut and spliced his own voice to create an EP of
emotive, insular genius, knowingly paving the way for his full vocal debut
with Limit To Your Love. Off the back of this EP, some bloggers claimed to
have been reduced to tears by the simplicity and beauty of the sounds the
21-year-old teases from his home studio. James now rounds off an
unparalleled year of discovery by unveiling one of the most stunning male
vocals to emerge this millennium. This version of Feist & Chilly Gonzales's
'Limit To Your Love' will be the first taste of his debut album due in
early 2011. Re-worked, recorded and produced entirely alone in his bedroom,
this single is also the first time listener will have had the chance to
hear James' incredibly soulful voice. Matching a heart-stoppingly emotional
delivery to a speaker-busting, foundation-crumbling bassline, this is a
simply exceptional piece of music, the natural successor to Massive
Attack's 'Unfinished Sympathy' as the ultimate expression of UK urban
emotion."
James Duncan -
Shades Of House 12 inch (Real Soon) [RS021EP] $11.50
Toronto-based producer James Duncan returns to Real Soon with his second
release for the label. James' trademark, as fully demonstrated on this EP
of four new untitled tracks, is a raw, soulful, minimal and uncompromising
take on classic Chicago and NY house music. This is the sound of house
music taken apart and reconstructed with the most basic, rough-edged
building blocks; gritty, dirty percussion, sine wave bass, EQ'd & filtered
vocal and piano parts.
James Ferraro -
Night Dolls With Hairspray LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB59] $16.50
"While you're out tonight listening to records in reverse and getting off
slashing tires in the night in your purple mohawk and heels sacraficing
your soul to the sound all dolled up in shiny leather as a human cockroach
with studs remember to pick up a copy of Night Dolls With Hairpsray for the
ultimate halloween night experience set your brain on fire with the out of
this world sound from the planet Airhead Entertainment! The one and only
blue haired new wave freakazoid from planet shock tart, the Glaminator
himself JIMMY FERRARO of the legendary 'The Blow Up Dolls of 143rd St.'
comes now with his first solo fully produced juke box hit smasher!
Guaranteed to run shivvers up the spines of all the lipstick and studded
weirdos and queer night glammer's with big hairsprayed hairdos out there.
This one is for all the blow dryer dreamers somewhere out there singing in
the mirror of their shampoo perfumed bathrooms beckoning a mysterious moon
lit love. For the leather punkster muffins with green tongues and pockets
filled with cheez whiz on the subway, where a world just outside the subway
window leads to the back alleys of 143rd st."-OESB.
James Ferraro -
Night Dolls With Hairspray LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB059LP] $16.75
"The one and only blue haired new wave freakazoid from planet shock tart,
the Glaminator himself Jimmy Ferraro of the legendary 'The Blow Up Dolls of
143rd St.' comes now with his first solo fully produced juke box hit
smasher!! Guaranteed to run shivvers up the spines of all the lipstick and
studded weirdos and queer night glammer's with big hairsprayed hairdos out
there. This one is for all the blow dryer dreamers somewhere out there
singing in the mirror of their shampoo perfumed bathrooms beckoning a
mysterious moon lit love. For the leather punkster muffins with green
tongues and pockets filled with cheez whiz on the subway, where a world
just outside the subway window leads to the back alleys of 143rd st. where
the garbage pail kids from hell in metal bras all dolled up in New York
Cities finest 99cent store eye shadow, blush and glitter sing the
soundtrack to the seedy nether worlds of the teenage fantasy
machine...Leather High School!! Which is Saved By The Bell meets Marquis De
Sade in its principle or shall we say in its male Principal who is a
masochistic cross dresser underneath that pretty little socially acceptable
mask of his. Tune into the sound that all the lunatic love puppets are
craving, the magical pop radiance that outshines their topiary styled
hairdos and made them into hopelessly romantic cheetah spotted glam dolls
from the underground. Armed with their glammy sound that is much like the
soundtrack spilling out of a 1970s Time Square erotic/b-movie theater, they
parade the night streets as TERROR THIRSTY GLAMzoids wishing upon their
neon pop shooting stars, terrorizing New York City with their studs, high
heels and air guitars, THIS IS THE RECORD THAT MADE THEM DO IT!!"
Jan Driver - Gain
Reaction 12 inch (Boysnoize Records) [BNR053EP] $11.50
Techno mainstay Jan Driver presents a selection of 4 tracks for Boysnoize
Records -- "Gain Reaction," a good, fun, heavy bass bleep champ, "CS40M," a
slower, powerful jam that creates an energetic build-up of pink noise and
303 sounds for a very special atmosphere, "Hornetbeef," tech-house at its
best, and "MecaFunk" -- darker techno and big sounds, the right track to
close this magnificent production. What more do you need?
Jeff Rehnlund -
Smoke From The Mirror LP (Hot Releases) [HR016LP] $14.25
"Mostly recorded during a year in Las Cruces, New Mexico with a reverb unit
and other gear found in a spider- and cat-infested geodesic dome in the
desert. Smoke is a mottled sound diary of sweltering mutant pop, distressed
voices, sweaty-dense-and-deep drone in a wider, darker sky, wretching
cassettes, sparse stone garden melody, gamelan, plus a lengthy field
recording of an exorcism in India that was interrupted by a wandering bull.
All tracks evoke an overwhelming sense of heat and empty space, life and
death, distance, isolation -- carved with broader, more direct gestures
than Jeff's previous releases, but still with flourishes of his trademark
bewildering, confusing sonic style. Pro-printed jacket, 300 copies."
Jimmy Edgar -
+NXTLVLNXTLVL/My Balance (Last Priority) 12 inch (Nonplus) [NONPLUS009EP] $11.75
"Hot off the back of his sexually charged XXX album which included the
track 'Hot Raw Sex' of which Instra:mental provided one of many remixes,
Jimmy Edgar has elevated the Nonplus catalogue with this superb two track
12".) '+NXTLVLNXTLVL' : Upon listening to this track it's obvious this guy
oozes natural musical talent from every orifice. Jerky electro beats set
the backing or playful chords and melodies and the odd bit of pitch bent
Gfunkery, all spliced together with the trademark 'on the fly' sounding
sequencing like he's played the whole track from start to finish off the
top of his head. This is Jimmy Edgar doing what he does best and that is
making raw music with his raw talent."
Joao Gilberto - O
Amor, O Sirriso E A Flor LP+CD (Doxy) [DOK201LP] $22.25
"Once upon a time JoÄ~C£o Gilberto was just a reclusive and eccentric
bohemian with a guitar, then came 'Chega De Saudade,' the song that
launched both bossa nova and JoÄ~C£o's career. Over the next three years
(with the help of song writing masterminds Tom Jobim and Vicinius De
Moraes), JoÄ~C£o revolutionized Brazilian music with the three seminal
albums that have become the bibles of bossa nova: Chega De Saudade (1959),
O Amor, o Sorriso e a Flor (1960) and JoÄ~C£o Gilberto (1961)."
John Wiese & C.
Spencer Yeh - Compound 7 inch (Von Archives) [VON02] $11.75
A threshold of sound composed from the electrocacoustic improvisations of
C. SPENCER YEH and the chirurgical, abrasive noise patches of JOHN WIESE.
A majestic experiment by two unclassifiable masters of the new improv.
Edition of 300.
Jono El Grande -
Phantom Stimulance LP (Rune Grammofon) [RLP3106LP] $20.75
This is the third full-length release by Jon Andreas HÄ~C¥tun aka Jono El
Grande, a self-taught composer, musician, conductor and prankster who
remains an outsider on the far margin of the Norwegian experimental music
scene. He released his debut mini-album Utopian Dances in 1999, a
collection of absurdist instrumentals recorded at home using not much more
than a workstation synth. 2003 saw the release of Fevergreens (RCD 2031CD),
an album that drew upon classic progressive rock, film music, easy
listening and a variety of pop idioms and featured a 9-piece orchestra.
2009's Neo Dada (RCD 2084CD/RLP 3084LP) was a masterstroke; brimming with
creative ideas, odd turns, weird combinations of sounds and instruments,
complex time signatures and a healthy dose of pure musical joy, all
mysteriously sugared with melodic hooks that would stick to your brain like
any annoying pop tune. As far as musical form and content goes, this can be
said to continue with Phantom Stimulance. It's put together to celebrate
Jono's 15 years as a composer and performer and 10 years as a band leader,
but it's not a mere compilation. Recorded in Athletic Studio, home to great
analog recordings by Supersilent, Motorpsycho, Scorch Trio and countless
others, it's a collection of new versions of stage favorites and
previously-unreleased songs as well as a brand-new song. Jono lists
movements like Rock In Opposition and the Canterbury Scene and artists and
composers like Frank Zappa, Stravinsky, Magma, Henry Cow and Gentle Giant
as inspirational sources but has established his own signature with his
latest releases and stage shows. Instrumentations and arrangements have
become more adventurous, he has picked up the electric guitar again and
successfully added a rougher edge to the ensemble sound.
Jules & Moss -
Noke 12 inch (Klangfarbe Schallplatten) [KLA006EP] $11.50
Klangfarbe Schallplatten presents the first full EP by Jules & Moss,
containing three new tracks and one remix. "Kapoun" is a cool &
sophisticated accordion track in a typical French tradition, but with a
modern groove. "Noke" is a relaxed minimal groover with organic percussion,
nice melodies and some freaky sounds. Channel X have remixed this track
into a more uplifting version. "Soep Van De Dag" (Dutch for "Soup Of The
Day") starts fairly neo-trance-y but ends with nice organs.
Juli Holz -
Winterabend 12 inch (Stil Vor Talent) [SVT055EP] $11.50
The enchanting voice of singer/producer Juli Holz can now be heard again on
Stil vor Talent. On the title track, Holz sings about the cold feeling
after a break-up. Her overlaid vocals create an inner dialogue on top of a
poppy groove. Oliver Koletzki's remix keeps the speed of the original but
transforms it into a more dancefloor-oriented piece of house music. Juli
teams up with Daso to create the tech-house drift of "KĶnigskinder" -- a
neatly orchestrated piece of music.
Katy B (Feat. Ms.
Dynamite) - Lights On 12 inch (Rinse) [RINSE006EP] $10.75
The first bonafide pop star to emerge from the dubstep and UK funky
undergrounds championed by the newly-legal Rinse FM, Katy B encapsulates
the sound, spirit and energy of British youth culture right now. Seizing
the middle ground between Lily Allen, Ms. Dynamite and Neneh Cherry, Katy's
combination of pop sass, powerful voice and total immersion in London's
club culture makes her the perfect pop star. Lights On features Ms.
Dynamite and was produced by Geeneus, with remixes by Skream and Girl Unit.
Kito - Kito 2x12
inch (Disfigured Dubz) [DISF009EP] $21.75
"After a series of life-changing experiences abroad, Kito returned home to
Australia in 2008 and began to focus on cultivating the ideas which had
been germinated through her travels into her own unique sound. The
amalgamation of these efforts eventually gave rise to her seminal work
'What If,' which along with 'Cold' on the B-side was immediately recognized
and released by Skream, one of dubstep's figureheads, on his label
Disfigured Dubz in 2009. Into 2010 and Kito has continued the progression
of her style and produced a four-track for Disfigured Dubz featuring the
hugely popular 'LFO' with vocals by Reija Lee, along with 'On The Floor,'
'Don't Wanna Lose You' and her remix of Vaccine's 'Fever' which are
characterized by a pop-infused, fresh and precisely clean production style,
Kito's music has received support globally from a number of leading DJs
including Skream, Benga, Diplo, D-Bridge, Intra:mental, Joker, Jakes,
Digital Mystikz and many more."
Kraus - Faster
Than The Speed Of Time LP (Dilettante Courtoisie) [LPKRAUSFAST] $24.00
"The superpowered arrogance of the title (of an earlier KRAUS release
called I Could Destroy You With a Single Thought)," observes NZ watchdog
Jon Bywater, "Matches the pains taken to craft (it), somewhere between a
pop Moog record and the harshest no wave. Short melodic and rhythmic
figures are worked hard into the knife edge between queasy claustrophobia
and rigorous brilliance." A resident of Auckland, Kraus plays guitar,
drums, synthesizer, organ, tape loops and electronics; he played drums in
THE MURDERING MONSTERS and THE AESTHETICS, co-founded THE FUTURIANS and
played on their first album !Blastov! (Root Don Lonie For Cash 2001) and
plays currently in POUFFE (with Matthew Plunkett), THE MALTESE FALCONS
(with Duckling Monster of The Futurians), and OLYMPUS (with Stefan
Neville). Edition of 300.
KZA - Le
Troublant Acid 12 inch (Endless Flight) [EF030EP] $11.50
After their brilliant first solo album Dig And Edit, KZA return with two
fresh songs. "Le Troublant Acid" is already included on volume 4 of the
Mule/Endless Flight compilation I'm Starting To Feel OK, which KZA mixed.
This track was one of the highlights of the compilation and it's already
supported by a lot of the label's friends. "Mechanique" is more uplifting
stuff -- it's acid-y, Krautrock disco house, with Kuniyuki on keyboards.
Laurel Halo -
King Felix 12 inch (Hippos In Tanks) [006HIT] $11.75
On King Felix LAUREL HALO says hello to the world in the most ingenious
fashion: effortlessly blending the classical and modern worlds in a
presentation of tonality via a production method that is wholly new and
refreshing. Infused with extraordinary leads, pads and sequences Halo
clearly demonstrates her skills with tone generators taking stylistic
incentives from the likes of Air and Milla Jovoich. Above the steadily
flowing ocean of sine waves lie some heavy vocal harmonies making a salient
impact on our brains and their avatar like counter parts all the wile
accelerating life at a rapid pace-boyz to men. A guest appearance comes
from fellow electronic romantic ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER who ends the record
with an impassioned edit of "Metal Confection."
LHF - EP2: The
Line Path 12 inch (Keysound Recordings) [LDN019EP] $11.50
"Together, LHF have got this sound like Sun Ra's hijacked Rinse FM and is
using it to communicate with the heavens. Buried inside one corner of the
LHF collective is a junglist fighting his way out: these guys have got
drumz. Other members of the collective remind me of Horsepower's ability to
transport you to lands far, far away: to Bollywood films or damp Brazilian
riverbanks. I'm just lost in their sound right now..." --Blackdown
Liquor Ball -
Break 'n Run Live LP (Feast) [F001] $10.00
Once again SF displaced and sceneless Bay Areans LIQUOR BALL are back with
another sonic onslaughtering. The follow up to the band's Grady's Record
Refuge LP, and recorded just a few months apart, Break 'n Run Live shows
the versatility of these loser drunks. Pulling up the waders for their
classic San Francisco gutter psychedelia. Caught live in 29 Palms
California in the late summer desert heat of 2008 at the world famous
Marine's watering hole, the Break n Run. Two side-long blasssts guaranteed
to destroy speakers and piss off everyone around you! Includes members of
NOTHING PEOPLE, BAD TRIPS, INTERNATIONAL HELLO, MONOSHOCK and AMERICAN
WASTE. Limited to 540 copies
Lithops -
Formationen LP (A-musik) [A035LP] $24.75
"The A-Musik label is back with a very special release by Jan Werner, who
has been an important artist on the label since 1995. Its first release
back then was the debut LP by Microstoria, Werner's collaboration with
Oval's Markus Popp that became a milestone in the history of experimental
electronica. The sources for Formationen are early solo recordings by
Werner, which he produced with synthesizers and tapes in 1992 and 1993,
during his collaborations with F.X.Randomiz and his first experiments with
Andi Thoma that would be released a bit later under the alias Mouse on
Mars. Werner found those early tapes a while ago, remastered and carefully
re-worked them, and the result is four stunning pieces of beautiful
electronic music. Formationen closes a gap in the oeuvre of Jan Werner and
helps understand the impressive work of one of the key figures of
1990's/2000's electronica. Essential and highly recommended. Vinyl only,
strictly limited to 300 copies."
M Ax Noi Mach -
In The Shadows LP (White Denim) [WD18] $13.50
M AX NOI MACH is Philadelphia-based artist, poet and musician ROB
FRANCISCO. As M Ax Noi Mach, Francisco channels his most personal
experiences, desires and paranoia into a foreboding world of night, chasing
the listener into a maze of back alleys and city tunnels. Harsh club beats
mingle with power-electronic squall, convulsing like a Baltimore club deep
within the seventh ring of Hell. Combined with Francisco's menacing vocals,
it's a singular statement within the world of noise. Through these nine
tracks, we are reminded of artists as varied as Intrinsic Action, Atari
Teenage Riot, DJ Assault, Mammal, German Shepherds, Schleimer K,
Brainbombs, and Macronympha, but M Ax Noi Mach is its own beast entirely
M.in - Teach Me
House 12 inch (Trapez) [TRAPEZLTD096] $11.50
Teach Me House features new school versions of the early "jack" tracks.
"Lord Teach Me House" is a groove monster that plunges into the catchy
vocals of a TV preacher, evoking that early house spirit while connecting
it to M.in's indisputably funky beats. "Le Cirque Du Tambours" comes in an
original version and a remix by Den Ishu that is pure, driving house with
frantic female vocals, pumping M.in's soulfulness onto the dancefloor.
Mamiffer/Oakeater
- Split LP (Sige) [SIGE003LP] $19.75
"The split LP is a time honored tradition in the realm of underground
musics, one which has often signified an artistic and personal kinship
between the participating parties. Such is the case with this split album
between Mamiffer and Oakeater, to which both contribute lengthy side-long
tracks. Having played numerous shows together in various forms,
collaborated live as well as in the studio, Oakeater and Mamiffer embody
the idea of musical community, sharing an affinity for musical explorations
into the murkier regions of emotionally driven sound and song craft."
Manaboo -
Delinquent/SB Massive 12 inch (Immerse Records) [IME024EP] $11.50
The next single release from the Immerse label sees Brendon Moeller and
Shigeru Tanabu reappear under their Manaboo moniker for some superb
electro-techno and broken beat mayhem. "Delinquent" is a wonderful slice of
electro-fuelled techno that comes on like the modern bastard child of Lil'
Louis and Model 500. "SB Massive" is a dubbed-out journey into the outer
realms of bass-heavy electronica, taking in off-kilter drums, delayed
chords and the heavily effected "Sound Boy Massive" vocal -- pure class.
Manik - Keep That
Fresh 12 inch (Ovum) [OVM211EP] $10.75
MANIK returns to Ovum with the Keep That Fresh EP. The title track has a
funky 303 bass line with intricate grooves and a hook made up of some
chords. "Ditmars Blvd," with its heavy drums and catchy synth line, is a
stone-cold groove track. "Hold On" is inspired by the sounds of early West
Coast g-funk hip-hop with its lead synth and funked-up analog bass line.
"She's Slow Motion" features an R&B vocal floating over an incredibly deep
instrumental.
Marco Resmann -
Drop Outz 12 inch (Upon You) [UY042EP] $11.50
To prove that a streak of technical bad luck can sometimes enhance
creativity, Marco Resmann has come up with this little gem of a new single.
"Mal Pas" (trans: "difficult road") is an ode to the suffering he went
through with his computer; however, the track itself is light and sweet.
"All Out" is also a little beauty, and "What's Crackin'?" is the ultimate
proof that, no matter what happens, the sun always shines again.
Marisa Anderson -
Golden Hour LP (Mississippi Records) [MR082LP] $10.50
"Portland guitar wizard Marisa Anderson's long awaited solo guitar record.
Marisa has been a fixture on many a music scene for years & years playing
with everyone from the Evolutionary Jass Band to Tara Jane O'Neil to The
Dolly Ranchers. In any context, she can't escape her rag/blues/folk roots
no matter how hard she tries. On this LP featuring only guitar - no vocals
& no overdubs - we are treated to a very intimate sounding home recording
filled with delicate grace. Comparisons to John Fahey & his ilk who do
their hoodoo mystical rewrite of folk music is bound to occur, but close
listening reveals a very original & yet truly rooted in the old style
record that we hope will stand the test of time nicely. "
Martyn - Left
Hander/Shook Up 12 inch (3024) [3024010EP] $11.00
"After a year dominated with collaborations (the Great Lengths remix double
pack), fresh blood and inveterate genre renegades (Illum Sphere's Titan EP
& Altered Natives The Bitch/Crop Duster respectively) we at 3024 came to
the conclusion a new Martyn release was perhaps overdue. Not so much an
album preview as a standalone document of a year spent expanding dance
floor horizons over (a great many) seas. 3024's milestone 10th release
arrives with 2 brand new Martyn tracks as 'Lefthander' clatters in on
heavily filtered drums, flickering high hats & garbled radio transmissions
before a carousel synth melody breaks through the percussive murk
accompanied by a roaming bass line that prioritizes restraint over
bludgeon. Dubbed out ambience rapidly takes root in the gaps between
concrete snares & dissonant brass stabs as bass and synths elevate
themselves for one last round of call & response sparring before dissolving
back into barely audible dialogue. Steam age industrial monolith 'Shook Up'
swaps slink for haunted metronomic brutality, snapping quickly into focus
first with relentless kicks before bass akin to an Atari2600 playing
Berghain looms over the clouded horizon. Offsetting the claustrophobia is
the first hints of melody as an impossibly slight piano phrase creeps in,
countering rhythmical pummeling with ghost in the machine delicacy.
Classically spastic 808 tendrils are underpinned by soaring synth strings
as proceedings draw to a juddering close. Capturing 3024's musical progress
with typical accuracy Erosie's latest sleeve design is perhaps his best
yet, echoing the back to basics theme with beautifully austere monochrome
geometry curdling into something altogether more volatile at the edges."
Master Musicians
Of Bukkake - Elogia de la Sombra LP (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT024LP] $16.00
LP version.
Matthew Dear -
You Put A Smell On Me 12 inch (Ghostly International) [GI130] $9.25
RELEASE DATE: 12-14-2010
***If MATTHEW DEAR's Black City is an opus of bacchanalian futurism, then
second single "You Put A Smell On Me" is its presumptive climax-an
unblinking industrial march to the center of the brain s most neglected
corners. Its drums are militant, its pace is unswerving, and the squarewave
synths that start falling like mortar shells are searing and wide-eyed.
Then there s the marbled voice of Dear himself, pent-up and sexually
charged, beckoning you for a ride in his "big black car." It s the sound of
staring down the part of yourself that you are most afraid of. If that
seems too daunting, there s always the dub version. When mirrored through
the eyes of others-specifically WOLF + LAMB prodigy NICOLAS JAAR and ED
BANGER's resident boogie revivalist, BREAKBOT-"You Put A Smell On Me"
starts to feel less lobotomizing. Jaar s version is a sullen, scratchy,
headphoneready beat trip-atmospheric vibraphone samples here, stilted kicks
and snares there, all of it amorphously affecting together. And Breakbot
has no problem hamming it all up into the sort of blithe electro-funk every
prom night deserves. Limited to 200 copies for North America. No Exports.
Matthew
Friedberger - NapolÄéonette LP (Thrill Jockey) [THR262LP] $14.50
"Matthew Friedberger is one half of The Fiery Furnaces and this is his
first solo material since Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School (recorded
in 2006). NapolÄéonette is the first of six full length albums Matthew
Friedberger will release in 2011. Only 350 copies of NapolÄéonette are
available for individual purchase (most copies are being sold through a
subscription service). Do not delay. This album will not be made available
on CD or as a digital download in its entirety."
Maxim
Lany/Lemakuhlar/James Teej - WPH Red 12 inch (We Play House) [WPHRED-EP] $12.25
Here's a new Red one from Maxim Lany, Lemakuhlar and James Teej.
Mc & Lx1 -
Down/Judgement 12 inch (Tempa) [TEMPA052EP] $10.75
Tempa present 12" number three from SP:MC and LX1 (formerly known as Joker
D). Known for their deep, half-step beats and unrelenting bass weight, this
12" will not disappoint. Fans of Rinse FM's DJ Youngsta will instantly
recognize "Down" as his trademark set opener. "Judgement" keeps the same
spartan half-step vibe, with plenty of sub-bass. With these tunes first
gracing the sacred record box of Youngsta as exclusive dubplates, you know
that the mixdown and vibe are going to be on-point.
Melvin Davis -
Detroit Soul Ambassador LP (Vampisoul) [VAMPI118LP] $18.25
LP version.
Mensah - Digital
Dreamer 12 inch (Hench) [HENCH022EP] $10.50
"Mensah's debut release on the Hench imprint, Pulse 80's, turned heads with
its stylish production and out-of-the-box approach. His follow-up release,
Untitled Future Funk EP, was all the talk on the blogs and his remix of
Baby D's 'Let me be your Fantasy' has been hailed as one of the hallmark
dubstep tracks of 2010. With each new release Mensah's studio skills and
fresh thinking stand out ever clearer. This latest offering will be no
disappointment. A dreamy synth-line commences 'Digital Dreamer', which
immediately sets the scene for one of Mensah's more ethereal productions.
The harmonic lead-line builds into an other-worldly riff before releasing
that tripped-out, bouncing bass rhythm. Synths let loose overhead, twisting
and turning the track into the funky number that it is. Once again,
something different from the man like Mensah."
Messer Chups -
Heretic Channel LP (Quasipop) [QPOP0545] $20.50
This Russian cult band explores the most horrible, cynical and vicious side
of the classic rock'n'roll sound-groovy surf riffs, Fender Jazzmasters,
spring reverbs, trash drums-with this imagined soundtrack for cheap, nasty
exploitation B-movies. Evil Martians, flying saucers, sexy babes, the
living dead and dancing zombies, spies, voodoo, coffins, vampires, Satanic
orgies in castles, sci-fi machines, boobs, and mutants. 180-gram vinyl,
gatefold jacket printed on retro recycled paper. Edition of 200.
Metabolismus -
Mauser O.K. 7 inch (Amish Records) [AMI043EP] $8.75
"Mauser O.K. celebrates much of what makes this German-ensemble so
essential, drawing from a variety of sources and influences to provide
listeners with another important indication of the contribution
Metabolismus has made to psych and outsider experiments over its almost
three-decade-long existence. Whether it be lo-fi pop, free improvisation,
sixties psychedelia or music concrete tape manipulation, like the Sun City
Girls (who formed around the same year) Metabolismus 'metabolizes music' of
all styles, shapes and forms; for this release, they transform Crass'
screed 'Do They Owe Us a Living' into a Canterbury classic and resituate
Brian Brain's 'Asthma Game' into the delicate pastoral landscape of their
native Germany. These pieces were recorded and compiled over a fifteen-year
span and it has been well worth the wait."
Metal Mountains -
Golden Trees LP (Amish Records) [AMI042LP] $18.25
"...out of the ancient ruins of The Tower Recordings has now finally risen
a stealth Metal Mountains! It features Helen Rush, Pat Gubler (Mr. PG Six)
and Samara Lubelski, all former Tower soldiers, and some may say the very
key ones. There's a sort of haunted architecture to Metal Mountains, they
morph 1960s electric and psychedelic folk rock, the right VU influence,
spatial excursions, and whispery dreams into a unique whole. It is a
carefully crafted album that is real and intimate, yet has the air of ease
and playfulness about it. It is confident in its frailty, if that makes any
sense to you. Did I say it is perfectly sequenced? Y'know, that's the kind
of thing a reviewer needs to mention if he wants to be taken at all
seriously." -- Jesper Eklow / November 2010
Michael Ranta -
Mu LP Box (Metaphon) [METAPHON003LP] $85.00
Hardboard linen 2LP box version, containing 2 LPs and a 16-page booklet
with biography text and notes from Michael Ranta (in Dutch, German and
English). Edition of 300 copies.
Miracles Club - A
New Love LP (Mexican Summer) [MEX066] $20.75
"Hallelujah! MIRACLES CLUB is the brainchild of RAFAEL FAURIA and HONEY
OWENS (VALET, NUDGE, JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER). In yet another left turn from
the inherent psychedelia of those projects, this new EP presents four
excessively blissful, thumpety piano-led acid house time machine numbers,
reminiscent of the late '80s/early '90s, the Hacienda, late-period Factory
Records, big pants, Soul II Soul, shopping at the Gap, Coogi sweaters,
Stu-Stu-Studio Line hair gel and mousse, Lisa Stansfield's spitcurl ... you
get it, right? Owens is assisted here by MARK BURDEN (SILENTIST) and
JONATHAN SIELAFF (GOLDEN RETRIEVER), and there's a dancer in the mix for
live performances too. So cool, confident and energetic, you can relive the
glory days of clubbing and that awesome, fruity smell that cassette tapes
you bought (or racked!) at the mall record store had when you first took
off the cellophane."
Miracles Club,
The - A New Love LP (Mexican Summer) [MEX066LP] $21.00
"Hallelujah! Miracles Club is the brainchild of Rafael Fauria & Honey Owens
(Valet, Nudge, Jackie-O Motherf***er). In yet another left turn from the
inherent psychedelia of those projects, this new EP presents four
excessively blissful, thumpety piano-led acid house time machine numbers,
reminiscent of the late '80s/early '90s, the Hacienda, late-period Factory
Records, big pants, Soul II Soul, shopping at the Gap, Coogi sweaters,
Stu-Stu-Studio Line hair gel and mousse, Lisa Stanisfield's spitcurl ...
you get it, right? Owens is assisted here by Mark Burden (Silentist) and
Jonathan Sielaff (Golden Retriever), and there's a dancer in the mix for
live performances too. So cool, confident and energetic, you can relive the
glory days of clubbing and that awesome, fruity smell that cassette tapes
you bought (or racked!) at the mall record store had when you first took
off the cellophane." Hand-numbered limited edition of 1000 copies.
Monopoly Child
Star Searchers - Bamboo For Two LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB053LP] $16.75
"A Night's Creativity. A Parroted Companions guided tour to the most
Romantic details of a Jungle's sensbility. Imagine the elements of your
most recent landscaped vision coming to life and allowing you to witness a
hearts perception of the natural world. Charles Berlitz has reported this
eventful experience in the form of a Romantic Poem, and the Star Searchers
have invented the soundtrack. Olde English Spelling Bee and Pacific City
Sound Visions invite the listener to experience the first Studio album in
Pacific City's history! Featuring James Ferraro as Rocco Martini, Lieven
Martens of Dolphins Into the Future, and Eva Van Deuren of Orphan
Fairytale; Playing the most exotic keyboard melodies this side of a
Parrots hotly lit Plumage. This album is the first in series of Romantic
Audio recordings that will later include the titles: Make Mine, Macaw and
The Garnet Tucan. Do enjoy the excitement of this one of kind journey to
Pacific City's Nightlife and relax your mind's physical limitations."
Monotonix - Not
Yet LP (Drag City) [DC454LP] $14.75
"Not Yet, the second Monotonix full-length album, focuses the band's energy
like a beam, searing away everything extraneous, leaving only the
essentials. Monotonix are kicking it with pure, slamming rawness from start
to finish on Not Yet, with short and fast songs, direct to the point;
Yonatan's riffs, doubled up and driving forward, Haggai rattling jaws with
blow after blow on the kit as Ami sings and screams of you and me, of the
thrill and dismay of too much, of action and release, his voice almost
swallowed in the din but cutting through with the rigor of a scalpel and
the fury of a fanatic. These enhancements are due in some degree to
Monotonix recording with Steve Albini. They booked time at Electrical, then
went about writing the music back in Tel Aviv in between tour runs. While
writing the songs, they cut to the chase, feeling the joy in the bones of
the songs and the way they fit together. This made working on the record
very easy and fun. The finished sound is trembling with distortion,
screaming with release. Even the extended break on 'Late Night' is a
surging, rhythmic outing -- one that conveys the very real qualities of
Monotonix in an inspired performance Not Yet is the livest, loudest, most
focused set of songs and sounds that we and Monotonix can have. The
question you have to ask yourself is, if Not Yet, then when?"
Moon Duo - Silver
Bells / Winter 7 inch (Holy Mountain) [2010XG] $7.00
New holiday themed single from MOON DUO. ERIK and SANAE add more lilt to
the season than any combination of egg nog and booze ever will. On the B
side the duo wrap a coat around the classic Goat Head Soup deep cut
"Winter."
Moritz von Oswald
Trio/Digital Mystikz - Restructure 2/Restructure 2 Rebuild 12 inch (Honest Jon's Records)
[HJP054EP] $10.75
Musically, this new stepper appears to swell out of thin air. Immense and
minimal, the propulsive groove of this monstrous child of Krautrock is
overlain with the blues abstraction of Tikiman's guitar, the swing and
effects of Marc Muellbauer's double bass, Delay's digressive steel
percussion, and the otherworldly keys of Loderbauer and von Oswald. Mala's
rebuild ratchets up the drama and dread. A barrage of bleeps rains down on
a clopping drum pattern and steely synths. An immensely powerful record.
Morphosis - What
Have We Learned 12 inch (Liebe Detail) [MMDR001EP] $12.25
Two remixes of tracks by Morphosis. NWAQ turns in one hell of a dub! An
almost relentless 7.5 minute float that's underpinned with thriftily-placed
percussion, and a true beast of a kick drum. Just For One Day hijacks
"Androids Among Us" and throws it right into a sound system shootout,
somehow leaving the core elements from the original track in tact.
Seriously killer. For fans of 2-step, jungle and Dr. Who.
Mount Eerie -
Black Wooden LP (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT018LP] $16.00
LP version.
Mr. Oizo -
Moustache (Half A Scissor) LP (Brainfeeder) [BF012LP] $20.00
"Five years after the 2000 debut album of Mr Oizo, Analog Worms Attack, Mr
Oizo returned with his second album, Moustache (Half A Scissor). It was
heard by a young man in LA by the name of Steve Ellison. Steve is now
better known as Flying Lotus and his label, Brainfeeder is re-releasing
Moustache in an edition of 1000 vinyl copies. It's a thing of amazing,
demented beauty which Ellison felt deserved to be heard again and
reassessed."
Nadja - Sky
Burial LP (Latitudes/Southern) [GMT022LP] $16.00
LP version, limited edition of 1000 copies.
Naked On The
Vague/Wet Hair - Split LP (Night People) [NP100] $15.00
A prime split LP from Iowa City's WET HAIR and NAKED ON THE VAGUE from
Sydney Australia. Both bands have a slew of releases on a host of good
labels but this might be the best offering from both yet. The release feels
cohesive despite being a split long player with the similarities in
aesthetic ideas and sounds of the two groups being taken into
consideration. Despite both bands recently taking on new members beyond
there duo origins both stick to the duo lineup for this release. Wet Hair
is at there most composed taking on more pop sensibilities then prior
recordings, focusing on the melodies both vocally and musically but
retaining the psychedelic pulse of older material. Naked on the Vague
follow with the focus on melody but draw things out as well into
instrumental addition and subtraction, letting the effected variety of
sound sources battle it out only to decay together in the end.
Napalm Jazz - Le
Viandier De Taillevent LP (Galerie Pache) [LPNAPALLEV] $24.00
Debut album recorded in part during a 2006 European tour and in Quebec.
PHILEMON, A_DONTIGNY, and ERICK ORION are joined ERIKM, ARNAUD RIVIERE, and
ERIK MINKINNEN whose wax footprints are noted for their delicacy, subtlety,
and unorthodox approaches to improv. Edition of 181.
Nathan Fake/DJ
Koze - Xmas Rush/Mi Cyaan Believe 12 inch (Pampa) [PAMPA005EP] $13.25
Features two completely different artists. Having reportedly recorded his
track "Xmas Rush" in his London studio during a jam session, Nathan Fake
has turned in a total brain-f***. It's mercilessly exaggerated,
psychedelic, inexorable, and at the same time, sweet and heart-warming.
Unique in its consistency, we haven't heard anything like it since the
'90s. DJ Koze pays tribute to Michael Smith on "Mi Cyaan Believe It,"
recalling the ruthlessness, rawness and revolutionary energy of Public
Enemy.
No Joy - Ghost
Blonde LP (Mexican Summer) [MEX068] $21.00
"We could say a lot of things about the debut album from Montreal/LA ladies
NO JOY: that it fully delivers on the promise of their Mexican Summer
7-inch, that it builds upon the revitalization of shoegaze pop in recent
times with a melodic fervor and angst that many of their contemporaries
fail to capitalize on, that their records look and sound gorgeous, that
there are moments on Ghost Blonde that match the challenges laid down by My
Bloody Valentine and Lush years ago. We could say those things, but then
what would the bloggers think? Probably the same. Oh well. We said it.
Killer record from a band to be reckoned with. Ten new songs that'll singe
your eyelashes off."-Mexican Summer.
No Joy - Ghost
Blonde LP (Mexican Summer) [MEX067LP] $21.00
"We could say a lot of things about the debut album from Montreal/LA ladies
No Joy: that it builds upon the revitalization of shoegaze pop in recent
times with a melodic fervor and angst that many of their contemporaries
fail to capitalize on, that their records look and sound gorgeous, that
there are moments on Ghost Blonde that match the challenges laid down by My
Bloody Valentine and Lush years ago. We could say those things, but then
what would the bloggers think? Probably the same. Oh well. We said it.
Killer record from a band to be reckoned with. Ten new songs that'll singe
your eyelashes off." Hand-numbered limited edition of 2000 copies.
No Regular Play -
Serious Heat 12 inch (No19 Music) [N19015EP] $11.50
Canada's hottest musical imprint, No.19 Music, presents a stunning new
single from sometime Wolf & Lamb players No Regular Play, backed with
remixes from Art Department and Shaun Reeves. "Serious Heat" is an
incredibly hypnotic slice of deep slo-mo house that layers tight vocal
loops and delay-drenched horns to immense effect. "Walking (Next To Me)" is
a deep slab of atmospheric electronica that rides on a bed of superb
sub-bass. Tightly-looped vocals and horns create a richly entrancing vibe.
No Regular Play -
Serious Heat EP 12 inch (No19 Music) [19015EP] $11.50
Canada's hottest musical imprint, No.19 Music, presents a stunning new
single from sometime Wolf & Lamb players No Regular Play, backed with
remixes from Art Department and Shaun Reeves. "Serious Heat" is an
incredibly hypnotic slice of deep slo-mo house that layers tight vocal
loops and delay-drenched horns to immense effect. "Walking (Next To Me)" is
a deep slab of atmospheric electronica that rides on a bed of superb
sub-bass. Tightly-looped vocals and horns create a richly entrancing vibe.
Noaipre - Pretty
Psycho/Anxiety Square 10 inch (Arkestra Discos) [ARKST002EP] $12.25
Arkestra presents the first release for this mysterious Spanish producer.
Little is known about Noaipre (Rohe Rodriguez on his ID). The A-side kicks
things hard with "Pretty Psycho," a fuzzy-squared mammoth stomper greased
with glowing hot marmalade riffs and rave-ish crescendos, topped with
colorful chipmunk-diva chops that sugarcoat this urgent ode to golden-era
grime circa 2005. "Anxiety Square" features synths in a bright green, dense
waterfall of ones and zeros pouring and bubbling over spin-dry cycle
snares, toms and kicks.
OL - Kurilovo 7
inch (Faces Records) [FACES701EP] $10.75
Four-tracker 7" of quality thump from OL! Limited edition of 500.
Heavyweight vinyl and sleeve. OL aka Oleg Buyanov is an extremely talented
young Russian producer who spends most of his time skating the streets of
Moscow and making beats. Together with his crew How To Make (DZA, Lapti,
Mujuice), they deliver the new sound of Moscow. This first edition is
dedicated to the children of drum & repetitive beat lovers. For fans of
Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Onra, etc.
Oleg Poliakov -
Comet EP 12 inch (Circus Company) [CCS052EP] $11.50
Oleg Poliakov's Comet EP introduces another view to his musical approach.
With "Stellar," Oleg tightens his grooves to a maximum. Creating an
irresistible energy, the beats create an ideal stage for a reverent fanfare
and a sexy voice. "Comet" features a deep, trance-inducing bass line while
the whirl of a snare drum and the saxophone hold the dancers firmly on the
dancefloor. "Exoplanet" defies all stylistic boundaries. The frenzy of the
grooves is absorbed by the grace of detached Detroit sounds.
Oliver Koletzki &
Fran - I Might 12 inch (Stil Vor Talent) [SVT054EP] $11.50
Oliver & Fran Koletzki present another single from their album Lovestoned
(SVT 050CD). The slow, jazzy trip-hop ballad "I Might" gets remixed for the
dancefloor by Murat Kilic, who takes the original and transforms it into a
fast-paced, grooving tech-house monster, and Animal Trainer, who keeps the
jazzy ethos while still creating something new and groovy. There is also a
remix of "Strandbar Berlin" by Björn Störig, who has created a deeply
moving house treatment that is decidedly floor-fit.
Omurah -
Paranormal Symphonies 12 inch (Kindisch) [KD034EP] $11.50
Patrick Rasmussen's musical worldview goes beyond the adjectives that are
continuously used to describe his music -- eclectic, accomplished,
experimental. Weightless deep-space sounds introduce "Die Hochzeit," with
looped, finger-plucked strings, and a tide of deep, formless pulses and
harmonica trails that are pursued by galloping rhythm, created from the
marriage of bass and acoustic guitars. The original version of "Paranormal
Symphony" will undoubtedly draw comparison to Ricardo Villalobos. Hemmed by
a subtle house beat, "Paranormal Symphony" slowly buds and unfurls.
Oren
Ambarchi/Flaherty, Corsano, Yeh Trio - Split 7 inch (Krayon) [07AMBARFLAH] $10.50
THE FLAHERTY, CORSANO, YEH TRIO's oceans of bawling drum kit fire and
fluttering string overtones fuse a complex web of ear asterism. Infiltrated
by a woozy sax line that soon reduces in duration and increases the overall
vehemence, with fragmented reed chewing rasp and roar joining myriad
coordinates in this dense labyrinth of free magic. On the flip, an
unexpected monolith from OREN AMBARCHI, stunningly crafted harmonic
percolations of feedback glare, and riff particles slam into tantric drum
force blast beats by MATT SKITZ SANDERS. Art by PAUL COORS.
Outer Limits
Recordings - Julie 7 inch (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB709EP] $8.00
"New single taken from the recent series of pop videos created by Sam
Meringue of Outer Limits Recordings (aka Matrix Metals, Flashback
Repository, Yoga, 90210, The Sweethearts, Foxy Baby, Explorers, etc.).
'Julie' is an epic Brit-pop track about love/suicide/reincarnation &
'Plastik Child' channels early-'80s E.L.O. with its funky shuffle and
layers of synth-washes. Super addictive stuff."
Outer Limits
Recordings - I Need My T.V. 7 inch (Olde English Spelling Bee) [OESB710EP] $8.00
"The A-side 'I Need My T.V.' is a Squeeze-meets-XTC vibed track that will
appeal to fans of the Rangers, as it sounds like a half-remembered lost
classic from an '80s infomercial beamed onto a thrift-store VHS. 'Burnin'
Through The Nite' is performed by OLR's The Sweethearts (a collaboration
with Zak Mering of Greatest Hits/Raw Thrills) and rides its nocturnal
groove all the way to #17 of DJ TONY FRANKEL'S NIGHT BURNER HIT CHART
(circa 1972)."
Pains of Being
Pure at Heart - Heart In Your Heartbreak 7 inch (Slumberland) [SLR134] $5.50
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART return with a new 7-inch teaser to an
upcoming second album. To help bring this new batch of tunes to life they
enlisted the help of producer FLOOD (Smashing Pumpkins, U2, PJ Harvey) and
ace mixer ALAN MOULDER (My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Arctic
Monkeys). "Heart in Your Heartbreak," the first preview from the new album,
is a perfect snapshot of where Pains are headed in 2011: an infectious
slice of chunky power-pop with a great beat, sweeping synths and
well-placed guitar jangle. It's immediately obvious that the new production
team has brought out the best in the band. Pure Pains all the way, but
bolder, louder and more confident. On the flip, non-LP track "The One" is a
classic-sounding rocker that would sit just fine next to Teenage Fanclub on
any well compiled mix tape. All in all a superb single and a great taster
for that second album, due for release in February 2011. All copies on
colored vinyl with a digital download coupon. No exports to Europe.
Patrick Mullins -
Don't Go To Sleep LP (Yik Yak) [YIKYAK019] $13.25
When THEE OH SEES were still OCS, PATRICK MULLINS was half their sound.
After the band expanded to a four-piece, changed their name and recorded
Sucks Blood, Patrick left San Francisco for the greener pastures of
Louisville, Kentucky, where he started working as a bread baker. In his
spare time and with his arsenal of field recordings, electronics, musical
saw and guitar, he started working on Don't Go To Sleep, an album of
experimental / ambient folk music that expresses his love of Luc Ferrari,
folk muisc and horror movies. Limited edition of 100 copies.
Peaking Lights -
Space Primitive LP (Night People) [NP101] $15.00
PEAKING LIGHTS return with a follow up EP to their excellent Night-People
full length Imaginary Falcons and a teaser to lead into their killer next
full length album set to drop on Not Not Fun later this winter. Space
Primitive was originally released as a limited cassette on F*** It Tapes
but needed a bit more shelf life so Night-People set to work to make this
release a reality on vinyl. Aesthetically very similar to Imaginary
Falcons, the same haunted low fi electronics surfacing throughout,
cascading shimmering layers of guitar, and Indras ethereal vocals moving
through the sound like a surfer on a wave. This 12-inch comes on clear
one-sided vinyl with a silkscreen on the B side, the best looking one-sided
homemade picture disc Night-People has made yet. Artwork by SHAWN REED.
Pearson Sound -
Blanked/Blue Eyes 12 inch (Hessle Audio) [HES016EP] $10.50
"Pearson Sound, aka David Kennedy, returns to Hessle Audio for his second
solo 12" on the label. He lives in Leeds & co-owns Hessle Audio with Ben
UFO and Pangaea. Effortlessly blurring the boundaries of house, techno,
duke, funky, dubstep to devastating effect."
Pepe Wismeer -
Musi LP (Equation Records) [E=MC026LP] $21.75
"This is a 1-off pressing of 100 copies only - each numbered (in various
places). Musi features 6 tracks selected by the band from their past 11
years that forms a coherent and continuous work. While this is not a 'Best
of...', it does provide an excellent introduction to the band for those not
already familiar with them. Pepe Wismeer have a pretty extensive
discography with a vinyl LP, CD, a remix LP and numerous CD-Rs to their
name. While drawing comparisons with other artists is always difficult -
and often misleading - their warm, mature and fluid musical style and
melancholic visions may remind some of Coil, Current 93 and others. Their
work is structured around piano and voice accompanied by electric/acoustic
guitar, 5-string bass, concrete sounds, samples, oud, sitar, metallophone
... and maybe some sheep & birds & water & glass. All music recorded on
analogue equipment to add warmth and handcraft to the icy atmospheres."
Each copy comes with an 8-page stapled booklet + insert.
Perc -
Antifunk/Purple 12 inch (CLR) [CLR040EP] $12.25
Perc presents a memorable record for CLR. While "Antifunk" is
straightforward techno, characterized by Perc's ceaseless sonic
experimentation, "Purple" basically breaks with everything heard on CLR
before. But even though the beat pattern is unconventional, and even though
he uses all kinds of influences from different musical styles, Perc never
loses sight of the dancefloor. With this record, CLR releases its first
broken beat track and heralds a new, slightly more experimental phase in
the musical history of the label.
Phil Kieran -
Love Wish 12 inch (International Deejay Gigolo) [GIGOLO276EP] $11.50
Gigolo Records release two killer cuts from the prolific and legendary Phil
Kieran. "Love Wish" sounds like a lost techno lament to an erstwhile sound
that could only come from a producer with experience. Never showy, the
track builds carefully, introducing strings at the final pay-off. On the
B-side is the amazing "Odd Ball," again a master-class in reserved
arrangements that holds the dancefloor solidly, delivering subtle yet
powerful pay-offs at every turn. Truly mind-affirming techno for the body!
Phil Manley -
Life Coach LP (Thrill Jockey) [THR258LP] $15.00
"Phil Manley, founding member of the pioneering DC-trio Trans Am, and
in-demand recording engineer (The Alps, Arp, Mi Ami, Moon Duo, Wooden
Shjips) has recorded his debut solo album. Life Coach, a title inspired by
Tony Williams Lifetime and Charles Bullen's Lifetones project, is a dynamic
collection of instrumental songs composed, performed, and recorded entirely
by Phil. While there are reflections of Phil's work in Trans Am, Oneida,
The F***ing Champs, and Jonas Reinhardt that a listener familiar with those
bands will notice, Life Coach is more minimal and adheres to the structures
of German rock of the mid 70's that has long inspired Phil, specifically
the free-spirited and loose arrangements, the propulsive 'motorik' pulse,
and the sonic textures or 'Klangfarben' (translated 'sound colors'). German
analog recording technology had reached its zenith in the late 70's. This
coincided nicely with the careers of such artists as Neu!, Kraftwerk,
Harmonia, Cluster and Popol Vuh. German recording engineer Connie Plank, a
hero of Phil's, was responsible for most of the greatest recordings of each
of these bands. Life Coach pays homage to the 'Klangfarben' of Connie
Plank's recordings."
Policy -
Specialty Party 12 inch (Rush Hour) [RHDC6-EP] $12.25
Policy told Rush Hour he is from NYC, a part-time movie director and only
started making music recently. Out of the bunch of tracks the label
received, "Speciality Party" and "Light Over Fort Lee" form his debut EP.
Both tracks challenge the beat spectrum and definitely speak his cinematic
mind. Expect more music from Policy on Rush Hour -- he is definitely a
contender for best newcomer of 2011.
Prinzhorn Dance
School - Seed, Crop, Harvest 7 inch (DFA) [DFA2255] $8.75
BACK IN STOCK!!! PRINZHORN DANCE SCHOOL announce their return with new
single, "Seed, Crop, Harvest." We haven't heard a thing from TOBIN PRINZ
and SUZI HORN for three years (their debut LP was released on DFA back in
2007) but they've been far from work-shy. They toured extensively, then
came home and built their own bespoke recording studio (The Red Shed)-and
learned how to use it. Time consuming endeavors which saw them drop off the
music radar. Which might just explain the title of the equally charged
B-side "Off The Radar, Off The System."
Prompt - Sharing
Sounds 12 inch (Highgrade) [HIGH088EP] $11.50
Prompt has been producing electronic music since the mid-'90s and during
this time has made a string of outstanding EPs, some of which have even won
awards. His debut EP on Highgrade set the tone for his convincing mix of
sound design and subtle hooks. On Sharing Sounds it's all about deepness
expressed through dense, loopy forests and deep, broken valleys. Few other
techno producers have such a distinctive style or unique voice.
Psychatron & Paul
Woolford - Thunder/Cloud 9 12 inch (Cocoon) [COR081EP] $12.25
With their first co-production, DJ/producer Paul Woolford and Irish
producer team Paul Hamill and Dee Lievense aka Psycatron deliver the proof
that UK techno has not lost any of its energy or visionary power in the
year 2010. "Thunder" impresses with extremely dynamic drumming and
ever-changing percussion patterns. "Cloud 9," however, steps back at first
and stresses an explicit chord techno structure before integrating some
noise rave signals following an epic break. Watch the whole floor blast
off.
Psychic
Reality/Sex Worker - Bored Fortress 7 inch (Not Not Fun) [NNF201EP] $6.75
"Farmer's market zen learner Leyna Noel channels the swaggering lust of
Jimi's finest hour via stumbling drum machines and amplifier howls while
her beau Sex Worker mines Debbie Harry's telephonic anxieties for deeper
fears, darker secrets: 'I can't control myself.' Sleeve art by Julien
Langendorff."
QNS - QNS 5 12
inch (Hidden Hawaii) [QNS005EP] $15.75
"Berlin local one sided pressing, upfront heavy tune on the edge of
advanced half-stepping drum'n'bass & dubstepping electronica - TIP!"
Raime/Regis - If
Anywhere Was Here He Would Know Where We Are/This Foundry 12 inch (Blackest Ever Black)
[BLACKEST002EP] $12.25
"If Anywhere Was Here He Would Know Where We Are" is a tense work, with a
rolling rhythm that might make one think of jungle, if jungle were a
product of the '80s cold wave. The drum hits and synth tones seem almost
punitive, designed to admonish rather than seduce - and yet seduce they do.
On the flip, Regis reinvents "This Foundry." It's a tough but sensitive
version, true to the original's overriding atmosphere of decay and
disquiet, but also tapping into its romantic undercurrents.
Rainbow Arabia -
Kabukimono 12 inch (Manifold) [MANI016EP] $10.25
Second EP from LA duo features five new songs and two remixes of classics
from their 2008 debut. Recorded between a grueling tour schedule with
fellow exotic spice beat-makers, Gang Gang Dance, RAINBOW ARABIA kept
themselves busy digging inspiration from Sublime Frequencies compilations
and Neo-Gothic sub-culture. Kabukimono is fully committed to turn-on minds
and ears to sounds from the outer territories of time, space and uncharted
culture.
Ramon Tapia -
Year 3000 12 inch (Strictly Rhythm) [SR8587747EP] $13.25
Ramon Tapia presents the next edition of the highly-acclaimed Strictly
Rhythms series. Ramon's club hits "This Groove," and "It's That Dub Thing"
as well as brand-new tracks "Year 3000" and "Yeah Yeah" show his
outstanding quality and represent a best of selection of Strictly Rhythms
Vol. 6.
Riya - Seems
Like/The Cycle 12 inch (Autonomic) [NOMIC002EP] $11.75
"Next in line on a very busy Autonomic schedule is a single from one of the
hottest vocal talents around, Riya. Lacing the Autonomic sound with her
voice was an obvious choice for the Autonomic camp and the results are two
timeless tracks that have been picked up on by a huge cross section of DJs
such as Skream, Youngsta,dBridge, Instra:mental and many more. A) Riya -
Seems Like -Having become popular after featuring on the Fabric/dBridge and
Instra:mental Autonomic CD, this track has rightly been given a home on the
Autonomic imprint and has been eagerly awaited by many. Riya proves her
songwriting talents once again and complemented with the backing track by a
certain other Autonomic artist, this one was never going to fail. AA) Riya
- The Cycle -The AA side offers us a different angle from Riya, with a
steadily building backing track her vocals loop in a hypnotic and
enchanting cycle around Rhodes chords and a pumping heartbeatlike 4x4
bassline. Pure simplicity and an uncluttered soundscape gives this track
the listen again qualities expected from Autonomic."
Robert Aaron -
Trouble Man LP + 7 inch (Heavenly Sweetness) [HS030LP] $29.00
A soul-jazz trip from the streets of Brooklyn & Afro-Paris to the Cuban
bush by a legend of the New York music scene. Former busker and NYC no wave
scenester and all-around amazing New York life-force Robert Aaron --
working beautifully here in a timeless soul-jazz inspired mode -- capturing
that vibe wonderfully on this effort for the Heavenly Sweetness label.
Keys, smooth, but lively saxes and some great percussion are usually at
play in these tunes -- which bear the influences of greats from Pharoah
Sanders to Gato Barbieri in spirit and instrumentation. Aaron plays a lot
of instruments, here working on saxes, piano, Hammond organ and electric
bass, with Cheick Tidiane Seck on organs and piano, Marc Bertaux on bass,
Steve McCraven on drums, Roger Raspail and Emilo Del Monte on percussion,
Jose Palmer on guitar and guests Anthony Joseph who sings on "The Saddest
Kiss," guitarist Monnette Sudler and alto sax player Suleyman Hakim.
Trouble Man is a journey in jazz as it was lived and defined in the '70s;
no borders, no conventions. Robert Aaron's music, with its range of
saxophones and keyboards (piano, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer), has a unique
style that is hard to find in this age of mathematical solos. When you
listen to this album, you experience the profound and now rare feeling of
what drives the playing and writing of an exceptional musician. We call it
"soul," that paradoxical state when the profane and the sacred, joy and
sorrow merge into one. We hear it less and less in increasingly rational
musical recordings because it can only happen when there is a live
connection between two hearts. Includes "Trouble Man," "A Song For
Monette," "Maimouna," "Thembi," "Bombo" and "Sweet Obsession." Includes a
bonus 7" featuring the tracks "The Saddest Kiss" and "Flower Like A River."
Rongetz
Foundation, The - Simone/Zap Carnivorous (Patchworks Remix) 7 inch (Heavenly Sweetness)
[HS041EP] $8.25
Dancefloor jazz from trumpeter StÄéphane Ronget's band. Two vocal hits
featuring Saunders Sermons: "Simone" on the A-side and a dancefloor
treatment of "Zap Carnivorous" by Patchworks on the flip.
Ryan Jewell -
Eschew Obfuscation Espouse Elucidation LP (Hot Releases) [HR017LP] $14.25
"The long-awaited first full-length LP from conservatory-educated Columbus
OH free-improv and jazz percussionist and noise-maker Jewell is a mammoth
statement. Side A is one long stereo-melting, ear-bending composition
comprised of sounds recorded over the span of a decade, evoking the best
sense shock of harsh noise, except with organic sounds manipulated with the
class and finesse of Pierre Henry. Side B focuses on the deep drone/long
tones wrought with patience and intensity from a snare -- a beautiful
compliment to the classy frenzy of the first half. After collaborations
with the likes of Spencer Yeh, Mike Shiflet, Wasteland Jazz Unity,
Graveyards, Envenomist, Pink Reason, Psychedelic Horseshit, and Tatsuya
Nakatani, this solo wax is a serious treat. Mastered by Bhob Rainey, with
art by Dylan Nyoukis. 300 Copies, pro-printed art."
Sammy - Too Sad
To Name It 12 inch (Goodvibe Records) [GVR003EP] $11.50
Sammy's debut on Goodvibe Records is an interesting and solid debut. 4
tracks on vinyl made with a strong "dance" attitude inside. Inspiration
came to Sammy from his daily life. Bad things do happen. How we respond to
them define the quality of our life. Sammy's strengths as a producer is the
way he employs everything he does in service of a deep and groovy mood. One
can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of
everyday losses, or to rise from the pain and treasure life as it is.
Scuba - You Got
Me (I Got You)/Before (After) 12 inch (Hotflush) [TRI004EP] $10.50
"Part 2 of a series of limited 12" remixes taken from Scuba's Triangulation
(Interpretations) album. On this 12" Scuba's back with the old skool vibes
on 'You Got Me (I Got You)' but confidently skips the line by keeping it
firmly in this moment. The listless beauty of 'Before' is embued with a
spine tingling warmth on Scuba's luscious opening re-edit, 'Before
(After).'"
Scuba - Before
(Deadboy Remix)/So You Think You're Special (Joe RMX) 12 inch (Hotflush) [TRI005EP]
$10.50
"Part 3 of a limited series of 12" vinyl taken from the Triangulation
(Interpretations) album. Joe made an immediate impact on the scene with his
12"s on Hessle Audio and Applepips; his rework of 'So You Think You're
Special' has a slowly blossoming groove underpinning stuttering percussion,
jangling keys and an expertly playful melody that opens out across the
sparse background. South London's Deadboy offers an understated modern
jungle remix of Before with skittering hats and heavy bass that can't fail
to light up floors and faces."
Secret Cinema -
Timeless Altitude 2011 12 inch (Gem Records) [GEM008EP] $11.50
Created back in '94 by Secret Cinema, "Timeless Altitude" is truly
timeless. If you are into electronic music and live on this planet, there's
a 75% chance you'll recognize the weird reversed, reverbed piano riff. Now,
remixes by Slam, Egbert and Secret Cinema have made their way onto vinyl.
The Secret Cinema remix is a peak-time main room power tool, Slam take a
deeper, more subtle approach, and Egbert takes the track to a warmer,
funkier level.
Shadow Dancer -
Murder Room 12 inch (Boysnoize Records) [BNR055EP] $11.50
Paul Farrier aka Shadow Dancer is back with 4 diverse songs for all you
cool DJs. "Catmoves" is a great mix of modern disco and house. "Parallax"
is an epic disco-tech song, which will remind you of how good those old
Legowelt tracks were. On "Murder Room," Paul delivers a groovy
dancefloor-murder track, full of little sounds to brainwash ravers. "Lo
Fighters" is an unreleased Shadow Dancer song from 1999 -- classic
pre-millennium electro with a robot vocoder voice.
Shit Robot - Take
Em Up 12 inch (DFA) [DFA2271] $10.00
From the Cradle to the Rave is a near perfect album, and "Take Em Up" is
one reason why: The interplay between MARCUS "SHIT ROBOT" LAMBKIN's loping
synthesizer disco funk and NANCY WHANG's unflappable vocals is, simply,
great. Now, that track yields added dividends through its pairing with a
collection of remixes from an eclectic group of estimable artists.
Birmingham, England's MARK E contributes his Black Country Dub, a reworking
that adds a robot-precise, thudding beat to minimal arrangements, and then
overlays the whole structure with room-filling synths. MARCUS MARR takes
things slowly, opening with brooding synths and solitary vocals that burst
into blissful electronic pop at the chorus. The digital release adds two
tracks: A JOHN TALABOT remix that feels like a laidback house party that
really gets going when it relocates to a disco floor. And Germany's MICHAEL
MAYER's epically inventive take on "Tuff Enuff"-another From the Cradle to
the Rave standout-is an otherworldly listening experience that literally
builds toward take off.
Shrinnirs - Early
Singles LP (Mystra Records) [MYS006LP] $14.50
"Contains the first three 45s by New England's political punkers influenced
by The Ex, Dog-Faced Hermans, and various avant-garde movements. The Bimbo
Shrineheads/Shrin/Shrinnirs have been blowing minds at endless venues since
1988. In true Dead Moon fashion, Dawn Cook (vocalist, songwriter) and Joe
Malinowski (drummer & Tulpa Records executive) are still shredding around
New England with their unique vision. Try to see them asap! Includes
hand-painted covers with art box attached including artwork, flyers,
liners, and more. Limited to 100 copies."
Sic Alps - Napa
Asylum 2xLP (Drag City) [DC455LP] $19.25
"Napa Asylum is the Sic Alps in 2010 ? two and one half years since the
fabled release of US E.Z.! Napa Asylum accounts for the swift tilt of time
since aught-eight with twenty-two crafted tracks bubbling in the reverb
tank. The Alps are in the summer of their years, where they suddenly find a
minute to reflect on the breaking down of the years previous. Napa Asylum
is overfull with Sic pleasures, echoing half-emptily like they do as the
hooks slide into your flesh, animating you marionette-style to tip-tat your
way across the dance-floor. Let's away to the Tascam 8-Ball! Themes from
Napa Asylum include re-incarnation, magic and schizophrenia. SUCH AS: 'The
First White Man to Touch California' ties the 'discovery' of California to
the recent mortgage crisis. 'Zeppo Epp' tells parallel tales from
Midwestern homes: Zeppo Epley drives off to never be heard from again while
Charlotte Muldeen breaks up with her girlfriend and joins the Navy. And
there's more, lots of it there, all dripping through a $100 preamp for your
misunderstanding. Yeah, the sound reflects a minimal set-up, but don't let
them fool you. The process is the flavor -- and three albums in, you can
still get in on the ground floor, 'cause Sic Alps always record in the
basement. Get down your steps while you can, the songs are as short as they
are bitter-sweet. But the one that ends just makes way for the one coming
next."
Sidi Toure &
Friends - Sahel Folk LP (Thrill Jockey) [THR256LP] $15.50
"Throughout his time making music, Sidi's sound has both captured and
challenged his roots. His music moves from the translucent swaying takamba
to the trance inducing Holley, while the lyrics often address many
non-traditional issues. Sidi has a critical mind and his songs have a
purpose. At its heart, Sahel Folk, Thrill Jockey's debut release with Sidi
Touré, is an album of friends reuniting around a glass of tea. It's Sidi
Touré's second album, but the first time most of his collaborators have
been documented. Sidi Touré has been performing music in his home of Mali
since the 1970s when he formed the Songhaį Stars regional orchestra. He
has won the award for best singer two times at the Mali National Bienale.
Sidi is a peer to Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyate, and he shares a
kinship with the late Ali Farka Touré."
Siriusmo -
Feromonikon/Signal 12 inch (Monkeytown) [MONKEY009EP] $11.50
Modeselektor's Monkeytown Records imprint presents the album pre-single
Feromonikon/Signal, a surprising showcase of Siriusmo's stylistic
diversity. Not necessarily known as a techno producer, this 12" shows
Moritz Friedrich aka Siriusmo flexing his muscles. Adrenergic "Feromonikon"
slightly reminds of the best moments of Alter Ego rave anthems, paired with
Warp-esque sound elements and those typical Siriusmo trademarks. "Signal"
is not far from the melodic catchiness of "Berlin Calling" mega-seller,
Paul Kalkbrenner.
Skinnz - Keep It
Gutta/Euphorbia 12 inch (Boka) [BOK033EP] $10.50
"Bristol-based Skinnz unleashes his debut solo release after more than 5
years in the game! His productions date back to an appearance on a
Destructive Recordings compilation back in 2005 alongside the likes of
Skream, Toastyboy, Distance and Vex'd. More recently his collabs with I.D
have seen releases on labels such as Pinch's Earwax and Double Science.
'Keep It Gutta' features soaring synthetic soul chords, like Joker's
'purple wow' sound with aggro elements sublimated into a crisp urban
elegance. 'Euphorbia' strays into Martyn/Joy Orbison territory, its fizzing
drone chords and soul vocal samples compressed around a bassier but
grime-inclined beat to breathless effect!"
Soft Moon - Soft
Moon LP (Captured Tracks) [CT85LP] $15.00
On the heels of two sensually dark 7-inches, LUIS VASQUEZ of THE SOFT MOON,
has completed his self-titled debut full-length on Captured Tracks. Raised
under the burning sun of the Mojave desert, Vasquez channels both his punk
upbringing and Afro-Cuban heritage to sculpt decidedly dystopian
soundscapes for a new generation of torn romantics. It's a record set
somewhere in the near post-apocalypse where technology enchants as much as
it destroys.
Sophia Knapp -
Nothing To Lose 7 inch (Drag City) [DC456EP] $6.00
"The new single from Cliffie Swan (formerly Lights) guitarist/vocalist
Sophia Knapp. Modern melodic vocal/pop star; highly visual, saturated realm
of fragments of memories and dreams presented in familiar, warm, pure and
straightforward pop music."
Sound of Pot -
Sound of Pot LP (Manhand) [MH116LP] $19.25
"Conrad Capistran's debut solo LP. Twenty-five tracks, song-based
electronica."
Steffi - Yours &
Mine 2x12 inch (Ostgut Ton) [OSTGUT008LP] $17.25
On the debut album by Berlin-based Dutch DJ/producer Steffi, you will
discover an even further developed producer who shares her personal
journey. A long period of intense experimentation and self-discovery led to
this sensitive, instinctive and extremely insightful long-player. Carefully
mixing old and new, warm analog synth and drum textures flow in unison with
modern studio finesse over nine tracks, each telling its own story.
Ethereal, hypnotic passages and positive, uplifting messages meet
temperate, slow-building vibes and heart-wrenching moments. Often,
simplicity blurs into satisfying complexity. Moments of sheer joy arise
against the backdrop of a rich and elegantly-controlled exploration of
sound. The opening track "Lilo" is a soothing, harmonious forecast of this
deep dance music album; swirling, and reduced. A warm solid state thump
drives it however, and it becomes clear that the beauty in Steffi's house
music lies in this meeting of classic, emotion-drenched melodies and bold,
earthy drums. The tactile "Piem" rises and climbs with a strong late-night
intensity before "Yours" featuring Virginia comes to the fore. Striking a
clever balance between positive, addictive pop and straight-up club energy,
this vocal-led future-classic is a loud and proud testament to how far
Steffi has come -- not only as a producer, but as a DJ who understands the
need for balance, control and release. Perhaps an ode to the many
foundations of house that have no doubt inspired Steffi, "Arms" is a
string-led jack track, a slow burner in the best sense, and all the better
for it. Similarly, "Manic Moods" sells itself on the strength of its
handful of carefully-crafted analog synth lines, slowly fusing to become
one while her beats urge us forward. The urgent, sci-fi tones and extended,
soaring strings of "Mine" bring it back to the club as heady images of
warehouses past, present and future flash before you. This retro-futurism
is then taken further with the muscular "Nightspacer," whose NY house roots
are fleshed out by blossoming pads and an unstoppable, throbbing, traveling
vibe. Drawing the album towards its close, the deeply spaced "You Own My
Mind," featuring Virginia's beautifully smooth vocals, washes over and
wraps around you in a melancholic blanket of sound. Deeply personal to the
last, "Moving Lips" could be that special last embrace; one more moment to
end the night and yet keep you longing for more.
Stevie Wonder -
Innervisions LP (Tamla) [T326LP] $12.00
1973's Innervisions is Stevie Wonder's all-time masterpiece. Tracks include
"Too High," "Golden Lady," "Higher Ground" and "Don't You Worry 'Bout A
Thing." There's nothing to say about this record except that it deserves a
place in every American household and, before our society fails, we need to
figure out what happened to that guy on "Living For The City." Gatefold
exact repro reissue.
Teebs - Ardour
2xLP (Brainfeeder) [BF010LP] $20.00
"As music from the Los Angeles area thrives and swells across the globe,
one of its most beloved and deeply rooted members, Teebs, steps out with an
album full of infectious melodies, subtle hip-hop and a kaleidoscope of
sound. Music for the imagination."
Terence Fixmer -
Comedy Of Menace Pt. 2 12 inch (Electric Deluxe) [EDLX013EP] $11.50
Comedy Of Menace Pt. 2 is the second vinyl single from Terence Fixmer's
Comedy Of Menace album, including reworks by Niederflur and Brendon
Moeller. The vinyl includes the dubby and light original of "Phantoms" and
the sensitive rework by Niederflur, who transforms it into a more driven
techno track without losing the original's tender essence. The B-side
presents the hypnotic "Breathless" and Brendon Moeller's remix of "Things
Are Over," which will shift your dub-reality from head to toe.
Tete - Rotor 12
inch (Innervisions) [IV031EP] $13.25
2 days in Karlsruhe - Ä~B½ ChÄ~C¢teau Flight - Ä~B½ Ä~C,me - 2 accents
circonflexes - 1 Roland Jupiter-6 - 1 Roland MC-202 - 1 Roland TB-303 - 1
Roland TR-808 - 1 Yamaha YC-45D - 1 pseudonym - 2 new tracks - I:Cube and
Frank Wiedemann are TÄ~Cªte.
Thank You -
Golden Worry LP (Thrill Jockey) [THR243LP] $15.00
"Thank You could only come from one city, at one moment in time. Like Pere
Ubu's Cleveland and Joy Division's Manchester, post-industrial Baltimore
serves as simultaneous playground, obstacle course, and muse to this
show-stealing art-rock trio. Jeffrey McGrath (everything), Michael
Bouyoucas (everything), and Emmanuel Nicolaidis (everything) are veterans
of a cold era when the Baltimore music scene barely exceeded the carrying
capacity of a warehouse elevator. Things change, and the band's urgent
collision of rhythm, melody, and noise has placed them at the creative
center of today's Baltimore renaissance. Here we have guitars, drums, and
vocals -- but also '60s Vox organs, harmonica, mini-moog, jaw harp,
sampler, and Fender Twin Reverb amps -- all in the service of six hypnotic
tracks of Baltimore-built avant-rock. From the first-jangling, then-jagged
guitars of album-opener '1-2-3 Bad' to the triumphant swirls and squeals of
'Continental Divide' and the dexterously deconstructed instrumental bridge
of galvanizing closer 'Can't/Can,' these songs are intricate yet immediate
stunners. Attacked with the ecstatic, fierce energy of a Thank You live set
-- and then perfected in the studio with ears attuned to dub, Eno, 20th
Century classical, and Konono No. 1 -- Golden Worry is a new world in which
we listeners can lose ourselves: the sound of Baltimore at the vanguard as
we enter the Two-Thousand Teens."
The Wake -
Harmony LP (Drastic Plastic) [DPRLP10] $12.00
Originally released by Factory Records on the recommendation of New Order
manager Rob Gretton, Harmony is an important link between the darkness of
early post-punk efforts and later dance-driven pop beats that became the
soundtrack to the rave scene. This recording creates a memorable listening
experience that distinguishes itself by its goals and its earnest attempts
to fulfull them. Quiet and moving, rhythmic and minimally melodic, this
album is a must-have for serious vinyl collectors who follow the family
tree of underground sound. And a definite must for anyone who loves New
Order, the band who took this sound mainstream. Includes the original LP,
and for the first time, the popular 12-inch single "Something Outside" as
an additional track. Limited to 1,000 copies on 180-gram vinyl.
Theo Parrish
feat. IG Culture - Traffic 12 inch (Kindred Spirits) [KS034EP] $12.25
"Limited single-sided white label of an exclusive Theo & I.G track,
'Traffic'!! You'll have heard this one if you've been paying attention to
Mr Parrish's DJ sets over the past year or so."
Thou - Summit LP
(Southern Lord) [LORD119] $14.00
THOU are a "punk rock" doom band. They've somehow combined the ethics of
true DIY punk and the sound of sludging, droning doom to breathe life into
a creative entity that is completely passionate. Thou draws so drastically
on so many different influences, influences that find their ways through
the band's songs in a myriad of ways. Summit showcases the band at their
most progressive, melodic and diverse, all while retaining their signature
style of apocalyptically crushing metal. Six songs, 52 minutes.
Thymolphthalein -
Ni MaÄ~C®tre, Ni Marteau LP (Editions Mego) [DEMEGO015LP] $18.25
A key ingredient in disappearing ink, Thymolphthalein describes the working
method of this brilliant French-Australian quintet. Leader Anthony Pateras
(Pivixki) conceived a detailed hour-long structural premise for the group's
first tour in 2009, creating a masterful pastiche of richly dynamic,
timbrally-devastating explorations for electroacoustic ensemble, melded by
his own distinctive prepared piano and analog electronics. Natasha Anderson
combines buzzing slabs of electroacoustic sound with fractured acoustic
gestures, sculpting exquisite perceptual explorations with recorders and
electronics, producing a poetic and uncanny otherness. Will Guthrie
expertly fuses the drum kit with an array of homemade electro-acoustic
devices to produce a fluid cataclysm of sonic richness, melded by his
searing technical prowess and faultless ear. JÄérÄ~C'me Noetinger is THE
live concrÄéte maestro, electro-acoustically manipulating his bandmates
with expert timing and breathtaking invention, scrambling proceedings with
the occasional ring-modulated depth charge. Clayton Thomas' thoughtful and
virtuosic prepared double bass playing has taken Europe by storm since
moving there from Sydney in 2007 -- part groove cannon, part kinetic
sculpture, all parts BAD bass skills. Natasha Anderson (contrabass recorder
and electronics), Will Guthrie (percussion and electronics), JÄérÄ~C'me
Noetinger (tape machines and electronics), Clayton Thomas (double bass and
preparations), Anthony Pateras (prepared piano and analog synthesizer). All
music by Thymolphthalein, performed live at SWR2 New Jazz Meeting, Gare du
Nord, Basel, November 15th, 2009. Cut at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin --
45 rpm. Edition of 500 copies.
Tiago -
Disambiguation 12 inch (DFA) [DFA2269] $10.00
TIAGO's "Disambiguation" begins like an aural sea, with a surface made of
synthesized swells that rise, fall and crest again. Beneath these waves are
briefly clangorous metallic noises, searing electro hisses, long-armed
synth stretches, and a never ending beat. There are moments of understated
beauty floating through this perfect marriage of disco and house, sounds
that are there and gone: a bassline that stairsteps and synthetic strings
that follow suit; playful keyboard melodies; and percussion provided by
Tiago himself, who fell in love with music when he learned to play drums as
a kid. "Nada a Perder" ("Nothing to Lose") shies away from the extravagance
suggested by its name and instead feels relaxed-at least at its outset.
Against shape shifting synths and the sound of piano house, percussion
takes a leading role here, including finger snaps and clanging cowbells.
The energy builds to a peak but, even when things are at their most
frenetic, this track never loses its studied composure. TIAGO MIRANDA's
remixes and releases have been issued on Disco Devil, Italians Do It
Better, Rong Music, Ene, Hands of Time, Eskimo and Claremont 56. He is one
half of DJ duos SLIGHT DELAY, THE SEA POWER & CHANGE, and MENDES & ALCADA,
and also handles mutiple duties in the band GALA DROP. Tiago has been
DJ'ing seven hour sets almost every weekend for more than a decade at the
infamous Lux in Lisbon, Portugal.
Tiefschwarz -
Melted Chocolate 3 12 inch (Souvenir Music) [SOUVENIR032EP] $11.50
Tiefschwarz present volume three of remixes inspired by the candy world of
their LP Chocolate (SOUVENIR 002CD). Melted Chocolate 3 completes the
series and brings the Chocolate year of 2010 to a beautiful ending with
remixes by Reboot and Bruno Pronsato.
Tim Berresheim -
Studies In Future Blues LP (Eventuell) [EVTL008LP] $30.50
"A good three years after his first solo debut No Time Left on Eventuell,
Tim Berresheim presents Studies in Future Blues. The new album shows a
different take on experimental music. While No Time Left gave a proof of
his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, Studies in Future Blues is pure
computer music. The title is programmatic because here Berresheim presents
different takes on blues rock, from plunderphonic tracks in the tradition
of John Oswald via melancholic treatments a la Caretaker, to abstract
micro-assemblies that remind of early computer music like Horacio Vaggione,
for example. The six tracks, all entitled 'Wicked Son,' are highly
entertaining demonstrations of his craftsmanship. Cover art by Tim
Berresheim, done in conjunction with the correspondent exhibition earlier
this year at the gallery Hammelehle und Ahrens in Cologne."
Tim Hecker -
Ravedeath, 1972 2xLP (Kranky) [KRANK154LP] $16.75
"Tim Hecker's latest work approaches a form of secular musical
transcendentalism from within the battered temple of spirituality. Recorded
in a church in Reykjavik, Iceland and using a pipe organ as the primary
sound source, this new piece is essentially a live recording. In reality,
it exists in a nether world between captured live performance and
meticulous studio work, melding the two approaches to sonic artifice as a
unity. It is in parts a document of air circulating within a wooden room,
and also a pagan work of physical resonance within a space once reserved
for the hallowed breath of the divine. ! While the title of the piece
'Hatred of Music' might be a clue, the album is also partly an attempt to
confront a pervasive negativity surrounding music. Historical rituals of
destroying pianos, mountains of pirated CDRs pushed by bulldozers in
Eastern Europe, or the melancholy of the digital music era began as
sideline motifs which quickly informed the work on this record. They also
really didn't at all. ! Despite that the context is wide open in such a
form of musical abstraction, the substance of these immersive compositions
showcases Hecker's continued mastery of organizing sound into a visceral
near entity. It is an almost physical presence that the listener feels as
much as hears. This work is a significant contribution to Hecker's oeuvre,
one which spans over ten years of musical production. Ravedeath is an
enigmatic document of beauty and force. ! The album was recorded mostly
over the period of one day in July of 2010. Iceland-based musician Ben
Frost assisted with the engineering and performs on this recording."
Tony Roach -
Entertainer 7 inch (Digikiller) [DKR031EP] $6.25
"Tony Roach's 'Entertainer'....voiced on one of the best-ever digital cuts
of the 'green bay' riddim."
Tormentors, The -
Hanging Round LP (Void Records) [VOID054LP] $14.75
"Long awaited Void release of '67 California Garage folkadelia with some
fuzz. Originals like the moody 'Childhood Memories' and the rockin' 'Cause
You Don't Love Me' are highlights. Nice cover of the Beau Brummels but the
rest are originals. This is mega-rare as an original and sought after the
world over. We have used the exact cover design for this vinyl reissue."
Traversable
Wormhole - Traversable Wormhole CLR Special Edition 12 inch (Clr) [CLR041EP] $12.25
This is the final remix vinyl of the Traversable Wormhole Series Vol.
01-05, remixed by Chris Liebing and Kevin Gorman. This is a CLR special and
limited edition: music speaks louder than words!
Tribraque -
Entraxes Inegaux LP (Bimbo Tower) [LPTRIBRENTR] $28.00
Free and improvised navigation of the murky waters of organized sound,
orchestrated like New Yorkers or Koeln-ists. JEAN-FRANCOIS PAUVROS (guitars
and voice) PATRICK MULLER of ILITCH (electrosonics), JEAN-NOEL COGNARD
(drums and objects).
Trolley Snatcha -
One Trick Pony EP 2x12 inch (Dub Police) [DP044EP] $21.75
"As anyone will know, Dub Police is one of the dubstep scene's leading
labels, having helped launch the careers of artists like Caspa and Rusko
into the dance music stratosphere. The label's ethos has always been about
giving the next generation a step up and the next wave of superstar
producers has arrived as the Dub Police war machine continues to roll ever
onward towards world domination. Trolley Snatcha is the latest artist to
receive the Dub Police stamp of approval with his diverse four-tracker the
One Trick Pony EP. Proving that he is anything but, Trolley turns out a
selection of tunes that display a mature and open-minded approach to
dubstep. From the ear-battering Trolley trademarks that litter 'Pass Me By'
and 'Rocco's Revenge' to the smoothed out bliss of 'Always On My Mind' and
the light techno touches of 'We Go Deep', this EP will grab the attention
of anyone with a keen ear for quality music. DJ support: Caspa, Rusko,
Skream, The Others and Benga."
Unknown - Story
#5 12 inch (Story) [STORY005EP] $11.50
Another anonymous high priest of the Secret New House World Order presents
three deep tracks in the best Chicago tradition. "Feel About" exposes a
basic jacking beat somewhere around the magical 120bpm range, an almost
sedative walking bass line, swinging organ chords and vocal snippets that
command your butt to shake. "Gruteaussichten" packs a harder punching
groove and a slightly eerie atmosphere before a warm shower of synth chords
hits the euphoria switch in your subconscious. Resistance is futile.
Various Artists -
Rain Don't Fall On Me LP (Mississippi) [MR073] $10.00
A compilation of prewar country blues & gospel. Features popular artists
such as BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON, GARY DAVIS, BUKKA WHITE, and MEMPHIS MINNIE
alongside unfairly less documented artists such as SONNY BOY & HIS PALS,
LULU JACKSON and WILLIE MAE WILLIAMS. Could be viewed as a sequel to
Mississippi's Last Kind Words compilation. Some heavy meditative songs and
some dance numbers too.
Various Artists -
Luv.One 12 inch (Love Unlimited Vibes) [LUV001EP] $11.50
New mysterious imprint focusing on warm and soulful vibes between house,
techno and downbeat. Some well-known producers show their soft skills with
their own productions or edits/re-works.
Various Artists -
Speckto 12 inch (Mainakustik) [MUSIK002EP] $11.50
Mainakustik presents another 12" in their Stamp-Series. Label-owner Matt
Star's track "Specto" is a functional, groovy tech-house track, already
dancefloor-proofed in his various live gigs. Co-label-owner Dermaptera
presents hypnotic tool "Zeig Her" followed by a funky, minimalistic track
by Frank Leicher in collaboration with Pascal Feos. To round things out,
Ben Hoffmann presents a special track for special moments, full of emotion.
Various Artists -
Peahen 12 inch (Watergate Records) [WG004EP] $11.50
Watergate Records presents their fourth vinyl edition, focusing on
exclusive tracks from the seventh edition of the Watergate mix CD series.
Brandt Brauer Frick's exclusive track, "Melancholie II" gets the remix
treatment from Lee Jones, which results in a crafty club number. MyMy's
"Mymorial" has depth provided by analog synth pads that harmonize
seamlessly with a warm and luscious bass line. Acid Pauli's "December"
features a deep, low-slung kick, sparse melodies, and what sounds like
field recordings. A collector's 12", indeed.
Various Artists -
Texas Flashbacks Volume 2 LP (Past & Present) [PAPR1006LP] $20.75
The Past & Present label reissues the second volume of the Texas Flashbacks
compilation on digitally-remastered 180 gram virgin vinyl. The Lone Star
State was home to a disproportionate number of fine garage, psych and punk
bands in the 1960s. This stupendous 6LP series gathered together no fewer
than 95 of their greatest moments, culled from some of the rarest singles
ever issued. Complete with a full-color insert featuring discographies,
rare pictures and background info, this limited edition hand-numbered vinyl
series is an essential purchase for collectors and all fans of snarling,
snotty, sneering rock and roll. Artists include: The Jades, The Oxford
Circus, The Blue Things, Jimmy Rabbit & The Karats, Wally And The Rights,
The Boys, The One Way Street, The Twilighters, The Outcasts, S.J. And The
Crossroads, The Iguanas, The Chevelle V, The Runaways, The Six Pents and
Knights Bridge.
Various Artists -
Funky FrÄ~C¤uleins Vol. 2 LP (Bureau B) [BB061LP] $16.00
LP version on 180 gram vinyl.
Various Artists -
Ishilan n-Tenere LP (Mississippi Records) [MR079LP] $15.00
"Compilation of recent field recordings made by Chris Kirkley (Sahel
Sounds) All tracks feature acoustic guitar players & vocalists from Senegal
& Northern Mali, with the exception of the last song which is a rocking
Tuareg electric guitar band. Beautiful music by some of Africa's finest
griots. At times melancholic and at others romantic pop music. We think
this is one of our strongest releases ever. Old school tip on cover. Comes
with a 16 page full color booklet featuring descriptive notes & beautiful
never before published photos."
Various Artists -
African Calling Vol. 1 12 inch (Mule Musiq) [MUSIQ052EP] $13.50
"Mule Musiq proudly introduce the new artist & music in South Africa. There
are huge deep house scene in South Africa. You already know the one of the
star in South Africa 'Culoe De Song' who release on Innervisions and Mule
Musiq. On a side, the music remind Joe Claussell or that kind of music but
'Moodswings' put more unique touch. On b side, the music is bit closer with
Chilean stuff than Afro house. So their unique music is like a fusion of
Joe Claussell and Henrik Schwarz and Luciano."
Various Artists -
YZ(XMissing): Christmas And Seasonal Sounds LP (Mystra Records) [MYS007LP] $20.50
"LP, art book, and cassette of contemporary, bizarro and acoustic-based
Christmas And Seasonal Sounds by 24+ groups and individuals like: SOP, Ed
Askew, Exusamwa (Fat Day & Preggy Peggy folks), Dawn Cook, Bromp Treb, Pat
Conte (Secret Museum), Ralph White, Jack Callahan, Bunwinkies, Flaming
Dragons Of Middle Earth, Defneg & Tumblecat Duo, Big Kids, Cycles Inside,
Crystaline Roses, Happy Jawbone Band, Betsy Nichols, Bengeorge7, Richie &
The Zip Code?and a bunch more. Comes with a cassette with more similar
soundz and a big fold-out art cover with separate pages by Jeff Hartford,
Josh Verizon, Ruth Garbus, John Moloney and Josh Burkett. Limited to 350
copies."
Various Artists -
Sitar Beat!: Indian Style Heavy Funk Vol. II 2xLP (Guerilla Reissues) [SBR202LP]
$15.00
2007 release. "Sixteen tracks of rare and funky Indian flavor, blending
heavy beats with the sounds of the sitar and the inimitable vocal sounds of
beloved Indian singers such as the ubiquitous Asha Bhosle and
producers/songwriters like Kalyanji Ananji and R. D. Burman. Most of the
tracks are culled from Bollywood sound tracks from the 70s and early 80s.
Enormously popular, often wild and packed with action and romance, these
films put the intense music of star composers like Burman and Kalyanji &
Anandji at the forefront. The strange, psychedelic sounds possess their own
cultural mish-mash of flavors -- combining traditional Indian
instrumentation and melodies with film music's intensity, and incorporating
styles from American/Western music from about 5 years or so behind the
trend. All this to say -- expect funk, psychedelic rock, disco and
proto-electro to jump out from the grooves of Sitar Beat Volume 2 and hit
you harder than a mouth full of spicy masala. This is soul from the
Sub-continent at its best!"
Various Artists -
El Mexico '70: El Funk Pesado Y Rock LP (Le Smoke Disque) [LSD003LP] $8.75
2007 release. "Heavyweight funk and psychedelic rock from South of the
Border pressed loud on wax! The formula behind El Mexico 70 is simple --
good Mexican funk is rare as hell, obscenely expensive, and often pressed
low on poor quality vinyl. This new series -- which has aspirations to
stretch further into South America -- takes raw, funky source material, and
remasters, edits and chops it together into dance-floor filling smashes!
The psychedelic funkers Rabbits and Carrots get three songs on Side A.
Their 'Cuatro Culturas,' a Mexican stand off, if you will, with James
Brown's 'Give It Up Turn It Loose', is probably one of the only examples of
the Godfather losing to those whose music he spawned. Well, at least, tying
for first place! Their version of Rufus Thomas's 'Funky Chicken,' however,
squarely knocks the Crown Prince of Dance on his ass! Lastly, the drums
that start their cover of Jorge Ben's 'Pais Tropical' make the song worth
inclusion -- but the swinging boogaloo funk that follows is nothing to
sniff at. Side B starts off with one of the heaviest psychedelic rock jams
to originate in Mexico. Las Moskas 'Buscando La Felicidad' switches tempo
effortlessly, and never loses the groove. Jae's Soul gets a worthwhile
edit, and bonus beats to extend those funky drums, and the EP closes with
yet another band besting Rufus Thomas -- this time with a superb rendition
of his 'Push And Pull.'"
Various Artists -
Boysnoize Presents Super Acid 2xLP (Boysnoize Records) [BNR054LP] $19.00
2LP version.
Various Artists -
Desolat X-Sampler 2x12 inch (Desolat) [DESOLAT015EP] $19.00
Desolat celebrates a year packed full of music, with the second yearly
label sampler: a showcase of inspiring heavyweights alongside fresh talent
from two continents. While the previous vinyl sampler was red, this sampler
will be blue. All artists featured on the sampler have released music on
Desolat previously: some as special guests, some as cherished label
staples. Artists include Martin Buttrich, Livio & Roby, Guti & Audiofly,
Yaya, Loco Dice, Franck Roger, Premiesku, and DJ Sneak.
Various Artists -
Pop Ambient 2011 LP+CD (Kompakt) [KOM223LP] $14.00
Kompakt's beloved Pop Ambient series returns for the year 2011. This is the
label's other arena of bliss -- always curated and carefully compiled by
label co-owner Wolfgang Voigt (aka Gas). Somber times call for more
introspective soundscapes -- Pop Ambient 2011 continues its mission to
slowly persuade its signature sound introduced over a decade ago. In 2011,
Kompakt sees the series leaning towards a slightly darker complexion than
its predecessors. It launches with a selection from one of Voigt's favorite
albums of 2010 -- the impeccable "Bernsteinzimmer" from ANBB aka Carsten
Nicolai/Alva Noto from Raster Noton and the legendary Blixa Bargeld of
Einstļrzende Neubauten. Marsen Jules brings classical composition to
soothing synthetic reality with "Once In A Moment." Triola is the ambient
voice of legendary Cologne producer JĶrg Burger aka The Modernist. If
compared to the melancholic but soothing and light Triola signature-sound,
"Dunkelraum" ("Darkroom") is rather dark and epic. Wolfgang Voigt chooses
to remain unveiled this year as he presents an exclusive track on Pop
Ambient 2011. "Rļckverzauberung 1" illustrates his new Profan concept.
Emotive, Gas-eous harmony that glows and leaves you wanting more. Bhutan
Tiger Rescue is the surprising duo of October and Ewan Pearson. They debut
with a sleighbell melodic drone tune that ominously breaks down in a sea of
noise. Kompakt co-founder Jļrgen Paape recalls the vintage beauty of
Ambient 4 Eno together with compelling vocals and horns to soothe the way.
Bvdub is one of today's most revered musicians and Kompakt is pleased to
welcome him back with his seemingly endless layers of depth. Kompakt's own
John Harten aka Crato could be Pop Ambient's answer to black metal -- a
most unholy matrimony but exceptionally executed! Fellow Cologne
conspirator Daniel Ansorge aka Barnt made waves in 2010 with his debut on
the Magazine imprint alongside Crato and takes the sound of the chime to
astounding levels. Mikkel Metal of Copenhagen returns after a very
successful run of releases on Echocord, contributing a masterful synth-pop
excursion. Jens-Uwe Beyer may be known to many as Popnoname and has
remained a highlight of past editions of Pop Ambient. This year, he thrills
us with a guitar treatment with "Volax" -- sincerely Beyer's, he evokes a
talent not unlike Tim Hecker. Finally, Kompakt leaves you with a production
of epic proportions. In October, 2010, The Orb's own Thomas Fehlmann
performed together with select members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Kent Nagano. Kompakt presents an exclusive, alternative
Fehlmann "solo" take of "Symphony No. 1" aka "Titan" by Gustav Mahler. The
Pop Ambient 2011 version is an exclusive solo version of this classical
recording.
Various Artists -
MCDE 1206/07 2x12 inch (Motor City Drum Ensemble) [MCDE1206/07EP] $22.25
Double pack of MCDE label delights, including the artists Motor City Drum
Ensemble, Hundred 20, John Roberts, Stee Downes and Creative Swing
Alliance.
Vincenzo - The
Clearing 12 inch (Dessous) [DES100EP] $11.50
Vincenzo will release his next full-length album in 2011, and the first
single to be featured is the breathtaking The Clearing. Beautifully warm
and overflowing with atmosphere, this anthemic modern ode swirls and builds
with incredible depth and clarity. The dub version works the groove further
with a straighter edge and an even later-night theme. Ian Pooley's remix
pays tribute to the power of the original, while cutting up some old-school
flavors and laying down that classic Pooley key-led funk.
Viva L'American
Death Ray Music - Miles of Smiles, Towns of Frowns LP (Mexican Summer) [MEX062LP]
$20.75
"Memphis-to-Brooklyn transplant Nicholas Ray has been pushing the moniker
of Viva L'American Death Ray Music for close to fifteen years, as musical
trends have come and gone around him. Nobody wants to hear about 'the best
band you haven't heard of' anymore, but truthfully you'd have to stay
pretty low to the ground to discover any of the albums and countless
singles and EPs he's made under this name in that time. When you do find
it, you'll realize that you're down on the ground because your home is
literally ON FIRE from the excitement this guy's music has generated all
around you. Miles of Smiles, Towns of Frowns is VLADRM's sixth full-length,
following releases on Sympathy for the Record Industry, Misprint, New York
Night Train, Shattered, and Ray's own Sangre Libre label. Though the band's
entire output is uniformly recommended for you to check out at once, you
would do well to start here, with twelve songs that capture a lost-in-time
paean to glam rock, the Fall, the Velvet Underground, Britpop and dub
reggae: earworms burrowing in, effortless cool breezing across the room,
and a set of songs that will define your day/month/year/rest of life. It's
hard to describe 'total music' but it's also difficult to categorize VLADRM
in modern terms without bringing up lofty comparisons to Roxy Music or
Bowie. And yet ... here we are. It'll have to make do. This cup will never
run dry and never spill over, and no amount of clichÄés could do this
music justice. Just get yourself a copy and try to prove us wrong." Deluxe
gatefold LP on 180 gram vinyl; hand-numbered, limited edition of 750
copies.
VVAQRT - Than On
Eother and You Have 0 Answers LP (Hot Releases) [HR018LP] $14.25
"VVAQRT (say 'Vak-art' or 'Vak-ert') are a dark, crumbling consciousness
minimal synth pop duo from Saxapahaw, NC. Well-recorded, tightly-wound
succinct synth sculptures are coupled with ornately mangled text, evoking a
mind forcefed too much useless information that has begun to froth and die.
This LP is party music for the modern apocalypse... we're very proud of
this one, the record with the strongest, bitterest pop appeal that we've
released so far. Definitely not witch-house. Pro-printed jackets."
Wet Hair/Peaking
Lights - Bored Fortress 7 inch (Not Not Fun) [NNF200EP] $6.75
"Iowa City silver apple-pickers Wet Hair pitter-patter into yet another
picture-perfect futurist synth-pop raga, 'Blessed.' Yes you are. On the
flip, kindred midwestern matrimony team Peaking Lights hotbox a basement of
black ark basslines and waterlogged reggae 45s. Sleeve art by Robert
Beatty."
White Car - No
Better 12 inch (Hippos In Tanks) [002HIT] $10.50
"From the same label that brought us Daniel Lopatin's Games, comes this 12"
of twisted eighties style new wave electro industrial electronic pop from
this duo, a dizzying mix of old school synth pop and industrial crunch,
with a teeny bit of Chicago house swirled in. And some straight up eighties
MTV style pop. But it's not the parts, it's what they do with them, and
what these guys do is pretty bizarre and fantastic. Imagine Oingo Boingo
but way more minimal and druggy and psychedelic, or a way more industrial
version of The Fixx, think old Ministry, Foetus, Coil, Severed Heads, even
Portion Control, it's poppy, but dark, warped and electronic, new wavey but
also a little witch housey here and there. Woozy melodies are wrapped
around stuttery beats, deep super dramatic vox drift over angular off
kilter synths, strange sound effects swirl in the background, while the
beats skitter and pound, keyboards buzz and pulse, all somehow molded into
some retro dancefloor destroying electronic industrial pop weirdness, that
manages to totally hit the spot, referencing all of those bands we grew up
with, but also twisting that sounds into something fresh and new and
gloriously tweaked and tripped out. Pressed on super thick white vinyl, and
probably pretty limited too..."-Aquarius
Wire - Red Barked
Tree LP (Pink Flag) [PF018LP] $23.75
LP version.
Wooden Shjips -
Oh Tannenbaum / Auld Lang Syne 12 inch (Sick Thirst) [ST005] $15.00
Strap in for travels beyond the galaxy, to tranced-out festive bliss!
WOODEN SHJIPS presents "Oh Tannenbaum / Auld Lang Syne" 12-inch on Sick
Thirst as a seasonal round-off to a year that saw them release their second
compilation, Vol. 2, of hard-to-find Wooden Shjips tracks. Available on
limited edition 12-inch green or red vinyl (500 of each) with two tracks
that originally appeared on a giveaway (sent to friends and family in 2008)
cassette. Released to coincide with a clutch of UK dates in December. Each
side of the 12-inch is 8 minutes plus of West Coast groove-laden egg-nog
supping reindeer shaking stocking stuffing krautrock drenched seasonal
fuzz...absolutely addictive. UK import.
Young, The -
Sweet/Swollen 7 inch (Mexican Summer) [MEX073EP] $4.75
"Two new tracks from The Young grace this 7" single, out just in time for
the band's December 2010 East Coast tour. The Austin, TX quartet continues
to carry the torch for honest, emotive rock music, gravel-throated and pure
of intent, the way we all used to remember indie rock: as music for the
outcasts, in the years before it was co-opted as a marketing tool. 'Sweet'
and 'Swollen' both continue in the path of the group's debut album Voyagers
of Legend, a stark and sincere rally for all the proud men and women
holding back the tears out there in radioland." Hand-numbered, limited
edition of 500.
Yours - Yours 12
inch (Domeright) [DOMERIGHT001EP] $11.75
Detroit-influenced house from an unknown producer.
Zohar, The - The
Rogue 12 inch (Quintessentials) [QUINTESSE019EP] $11.50
The mysterious guy who hides himself under many pseudonyms, including The
Zohar or Ibrahim might be relevant or not. What is important is that his
music is good as hell. Exploring the inner workings of Afro-American dance
music history, from sketchy blues and jazz to disco, hip-hop and the
toughest techno, his music is a proposition of what house music is or
should be.
[ H I S T O R I C A L ]
Bessie Smith -
Them Graveyard Works LP (Monk) [MK333LP] $21.00
"Bessie Smith was the greatest of all pre-war blues singers, and perhaps
the greatest female blues singer of all time, as these meticulously
restored sides from the very apex of her career in 1927 so divinely prove.
At six feet tall and over 200 pounds, she belted out the blues of America's
poor and downtrodden with a passion not heard before or since. In her short
lifetime (she died in a car accident at age 42), she made close to 200
recordings, teaming up with just about every talented black musician of her
day, including Clarence Williams, Charlie Green, Joe Smith, James P.
Johnson, Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson, to name just a few. The
'Empress of the Blues' fought her way to the top of the recording industry
to become the biggest selling and highest paid black recording artist of
the roaring twenties, and it was also in no small part thanks to the sales
of Smith's 'race records' that Columbia Records was saved from bankruptcy.
These recordings all made in New York City in 1927 include her best known
sides, including 'Back Water Blues', 'Nobody Knows You When You're Down And
Out', and 'After You've Gone'."
Big John Patton -
Let 'Em Roll LP (Blue Note) [BLP4239LP] $11.00
With Grant Green (guitar), John Patton (organ), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes)
and Otis Finch (drums). Exact repro, originally released in 1965. "In an
unusual setting for a groove/soul jazz setting, B3 organist extraordinaire
big John Patton creates a band around himself that includes Grant Green,
drummer Otis Finch, and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. It's truly weird to
think of vibes on a groove date, but the way Patton's understated playing
works, and the way Green is literally all things to all players,
Hutcherson's role is not only a clearly defined one, but adds immeasurably
to both depth and texture on this date." -- All Music Guide
Black Heat -
Black Heat LP (Atlantic) [SD7237LP] $11.00
Debut album from Atlantic's classic '70s funk act, originally released in
1972. Reedman David "Fathead" Newman guests. Also featuring sick drumming
from Esco Cromer. Iconic cover art, too. Exact repro, manufactured by
Rhino.
Blind Willie
Mctell - Searching The Desert For The Blues 2xLP (Monk) [MK335LP] $31.75
"The 'King of the Georgia blues' and a master of the 12-string guitar,
Blind Willie McTell is credited with having created an entire subgenre of
the blues by mixing the hard roots of the Delta style with the more refined
East Coast style (Piedmont Blues). Although McTell had been busking for
change since his early teen years, his official recording career began for
Victor in 1927 in Atlanta, Georgia. This 32-track collection of rare sides
-- originally released on Okeh (as Georgia Bill), Victor (as Hot Shot
Willie) and Vocalion (as Blind Willie) -- finds McTell playing alongside
another amazing Georgia blues guitarist, Curley Weaver, and backing two
fine Atlanta blues singers Ruth (Mary) Willis and Ruby Glaze."
Brother Jack
Mcduff - Tobacco Road LP (Atlantic) [SD1472LP] $11.00
Hammond organ master Brother Jack McDuff's 1967 album, focusing on some
covers -- by the likes of Bob Dylan ("Blowin' In The Wind"), Clyde Otis
("This Bitter Earth") -- as well as originals ("Can't Get Satisfied," "Wade
In The Water"). Killer ten-piece ensemble rendition of "The Shadow Of Your
Smile." Gatefold exact repro, manufactured by Rhino.
Burning - Madrid
LP (Vinilisssimo) [MRSSS018LP] $23.25
"Almudena cemetery, Madrid, 1978. In black and white, the five members of
Burning observe, with a look between menacing and intriguing, the
photographer who is about to immortalize them. The location is not
accidental, and neither is their debut album's title -- paying homage to
the streets where they've grown up, on a diet of The Rolling Stones and
glam rock, between electric guitars and cheap make-up. They pose next to
the graveyard where they think their country's rock scene could be buried.
Surrounded by groups influenced by jazz rock, sharing stages with bands
with which they have nothing in common, Toıo, Pepe, Johnny, Quique and
Jeto decided to change that situation. They are street guys who mix the
influence of Lou Reed with Keith Richards' riffs, who won't put up with you
staring at their girl but who are dying to tell her that they love her,
perhaps under the streetlights of the back sleeve. The album features great
songs, worked on intensely at their incendiary gigs. Theirs wasn't an easy
path, neither did they win over critics and their natural audience without
having to tour the venues on the outskirts, where violence was
ever-present. Once established, the creative pair of singer Toıo and
guitarist Pepe Risi signed with Belter, a record company with an extensive
folklore catalog which was trying to catch up with the times: after
starting the Ocre label, a rock subsidiary in the broadest sense of the
word, Belter got behind the band. Sales weren't spectacular and the sound
was confusing, but the biggest legend of Spanish rock had just started to
take shape. Gone were two singles sung in a form of English that defied
every orthographic and phonetic rule, which nevertheless hinted that their
music was something serious. The near future would bring other records,
good sales, appearances on TV, film soundtracks and singles climbing up the
charts that marked the next generation, who took them as an example.
However, they paid an expensive price for their intrepid behavior. The bill
was high and created a black legend around them that evens out the balance:
immortality and death, militant rock and inner fights, a brotherhood
sentiment and toxic rows. Inside the gatefold sleeve, paraphrasing Brian
Jones, they asked not to be judged too hard. But that's another story."
--Alfred Crespo; 180 gram vinyl in a limited edition of 1,000 copies.
Includes an insert with liner notes in Spanish and English.
Carlos Malcolm -
Don't Walk, Dance! LP (Roulette) [SR25359LP] $11.00
Originally released in 1964, Carlos Malcolm and his 10-piece orchestra
blend Spanish, West Indian and jazz styles, authentically informed by
Malcolm's Jamaican roots. Exact repro reissue.
Charles Wright -
Rhythm And Poetry LP (Warner Brothers) [WS4681LP] $15.00
The first solo album from Charles Wright, originally released in 1972.
Wright was a member of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band and frequently
smoked them under the table, making his solo work suitably bent and all the
better for it. Tracks include "Soul Train," "Good Things," "Just Free Your
Mind" and a cover of "Here Comes The Sun." Exact repro.
Chocolate Watch
Band - No Way Out LP (Tower) [ST5096HLP] $15.00
180 gram reissue of this all-time psych garage classic, originally released
in 1967. Heavily Jagger-esque leader Dave Aguilar tears shit up with opener
"Let's Talk About The Girls." From then on, you'll be desperately searching
for your dad's name in the "dedicated to" section on the back cover. Exact
repro, licensed from Universal.
Chocolate Watch
Band - The Inner Mystique LP (Tower) [ST5106HLP] $13.50
Originally released in 1968, the follow-up to the garage classic No Way
Out. Covers of The Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" and Bob Dylan's
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." Exact repro, licensed to Universal.
Cymande -
Promised Heights LP (Janus) [JXS7004LP] $11.00
Gatefold exact reissue of British group Cymande's deep funk fusion release
from 1974. The classic track is "Brothers On the Slide," but "Losing
Ground," "Changes" and "Breezeman" are equally righteous.
Death -
Spiritual/Mental/Physical LP (Drag City) [DC447LP] $14.75
"Spiritual-Mental-Physical is a collection of wild early Death demos,
presenting the three young Hackney brothers consolidating their powers as
they embark on a trip into pure rock and roll music. For many years
following the emergence of punk rock, nothing changed. Punk bands either
signed contracts and played the rock band game or they lived in a world
parallel to the world of commercial rock and roll. Farther along came 'the
year that punk broke,' a puzzling decade and a half after the whole thing
had first been absorbed into the mainstream in the last of the 1970s. And
so it was. The books were written; the pronouncements made. Then came news
of Death. They'd self-released a single in 1976; the tracks made it onto an
unheard punk compilation a couple decades later. In 2008, an obsessive
young man tracked them down and found that the surviving two brothers had
master tapes from all those years ago. These made up the truly
senses-shattering album ...For The Whole World To See. Suddenly, the book
was open again and the history of punk rock needed to be rewritten to
include Death. The sounds on ...For the Whole World To See are those of
young men, scorching their influences in the process of becoming new.
Spiritual-Mental-Physical gives us Death by transistor radio, with a
tinnyyet- furious sound representing the 1970s environment of Death. Here,
the musical landscape that inspired them is more clearly defined as they
demo material that didn't make it to the studio, but shares the same
ferocious bent as 'Politicians In My Eyes,' 'Keep On Knocking,' and the
rest of ...For The Whole World To See. Spiritual-Mental-Physical is an
inside look at Death's early days, one that fans of the group and fans of
punk rock (and, indeed, rock of all kinds) are sure to enjoy for the rest
of time."
Decima Victima -
Décima VÄctima LP Box (Munster Records) [MR305LP] $71.00
This box-set contains all the music made by Hispanic-Swedish quartet
Décima VÄctima, including two unreleased tracks, released almost 30 years
after their first record. For this edition, the sound of the original tape
recordings has been cleaned and improved. In 1981, brothers Lars and Per
formed the instrumental band Clausula Tenebrosa. After a show, they started
talking about the possibility of rehearsing with Carlos, a friend at the
time and ex-singer of Ejecutivos Agresivos. That's how the story of Décima
VÄctima starts -- rehearsing with a drum machine in the cellar of the
Mertanen's house in Madrid. "After a few months, in the year 1981, we made
our first studio recording, a demo recorded on a 4-track. A little later
on, with our friends from the band Esclarecidos, we started the independent
label Grabaciones Accidentales (GASA), and we were able to start releasing
our own records. The first single came out in 1982, with Lars playing drums
on it. Soon after, Los Esclarecidos introduced us to Jose Brena, brother of
one of the original members of their band, and he joined as our drummer.
The second single was also recorded in 1982. A few months later, we went to
Vigo for a week to try out our first LP playing our repertoire live, in
order to see which tracks the audience liked best and chose 12 for the
record. Paco Trinidad, our producer, always understood what we wanted and
he researched how to achieve it technically. The LP was very well received
by the press, especially by El Pais, one of the biggest-selling newspapers
in Spain. Our next recording was the maxi-single Un Lugar En El Pasado,
with three tracks. With regards to our audience, we didn't make any
concessions. Our shows were static. Carlos would sing sitting down like a
crooner while Lars and Per only moved as little as necessary and Jose
remained behind his drum kit. The sound, despite being made using only
three instruments and voice, managed to be as enveloping live as it was on
record, thanks to the Mertanen brothers' personal way of playing and to
having, most of the time, Paco Trinidad as our sound technician. Our last
show was at Madrid's Rock-Ola on December 3, 1983. In the winter of 1983 we
recorded live, on a 4-track, a demo of our second LP, Un Hombre Solo. A few
months later, already disbanded, we recorded it in the studio. In our
opinion, it contains some of our best tracks. The band ended mainly for
work reasons beyond our control. There were no musical or personal
differences. Although we would argue sometimes, we always were, above all,
very good friends. In 1999, Jose Brena, our drummer, died. It was a hard
blow for everyone. He appears on the cover of Los Que Faltan, reminding us
that there are things which, unfortunately, won't ever happen again."
--Décima VÄctima; Includes a 24-page LP-size booklet in Spanish and
English that tells the band's story in their own words and includes many
unseen pictures, a full discography and complete lyrics.
Demian - Demian
LP (Klimt) [MJJ309LP] $24.75
"One of the bands that helped build the great Austin, TX music scene (the
'live music capital of the world'), Demian was actually Bubble Puppy with a
new name and sound. While Bubble Puppy was classic psychedelia, Demian was
hard rock in the vein of bands like Atomic Rooster. Recorded live-in-studio
at L.A.'s legendary Record Plant studio in 1970, Demain was also one of the
first bands to feature dueling lead guitars. Despite the high quality of
the songs and the local buzz this album generated at the time, due to
mismanagement, Demian soon faded into the record collecting beyond."
Don Carlos -
Favorite Cup 12 inch (Narcohz) [NARCOHSP001EP] $10.50
"Don Carlos (born Euvin Spencer) legendary reggae artist -- born and raised
in Western Kingston, Jamaica, in a district notoriously known as
Waterhouse, which incidentally is also a musical spawning ground for many
of reggae's greatest ever talents, such as King Tubby, original member of
Black Uhuru, The Jays, Junior Reid and King Jammy to name but a few. Don
Carlos started his singing career back in 1973, as one of the original
members of the aforementioned roots vocal group Black Uhuru. Don played a
prominent role in the recordings of the highly acclaimed Love Crisis (Black
Sounds of Freedom) album, for producer Prince Jammy in 1977. Don reached
the peak of his solo career during the heydays of the eighties dancehall
mania thus celebrating his impact with five top ten hits between 1982 -
1985, reggae hit such as 'Late Night Blues', 'Dice Cup', 'Hog & Goat', 'I'm
Not Getting Crazy', 'Laser Beam', 'Young Girl' and 'Favorite Cup' are
forever hailed as CLASSICS! The latter of which is included in this Narco.
Hz 12" special for your enjoyment." Features a 12" extended version and a
remix by Juju & DJG.
Donny Hathaway -
Donny Hathaway LP (Atco) [SD33360LP] $11.00
Originally released in 1971, second album from Hathaway, following 1970's
Everything Is Everything. Exact repro, manufactured by Rhino.
Duke Ellington &
His Orchestra - Jubilee Stomp LP (Monk) [MK334LP] $21.00
"During a career spanning half a century, Duke Ellington and his orchestra
composed enough songs to keep jazz musicians busy for the next half. During
this time he also popularized jazz as a legitimate form of music to white
audiences through his nightly performances at Harlem's legendary Cotton
Club, beginning in 1927. 1927 was a watershed year for Duke Ellington, not
only did he landed the prestigious Cotton Club gig (and the nationwide
radio broadcast that went along with it), but it was also the year that
Ellington signed a lucrative deal with agent Irving Mills. Mills introduced
Ellington to an even wider audience, getting him recording sessions with
Victor, Columbia and Brunswick. His reputation grew and by 1929 he was
starring in the groundbreaking all-African American RKO short film Black
And Tan. These recordings, all from 1927 and 1928, mark those significant
years when Ellington was a swiftly rising star."
Eddie Harris - Is
It In LP (Atlantic) [SD1659LP] $11.00
Originally released in 1974. Eddie Harris plays electric sax, piano,
electric piano & vocals; also featuring Ronald Muldrow on guitar, Rufus
Reid on electric & string bass and William James on drums & electric
bongos. Exact repro, manufactured by Rhino.
El Gusano -
Fantasia Del Barrio LP (Heavy Light) [HLR002LP] $16.75
"Fantasia del Barrio is the missing link between the psychedelic sounds of
Texas and the Chicano soul and funk of the late 1960's and early '70s.
Recorded soon after Eugenio Jaimez returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam,
Fantasia del Barrio is his musical meditation on life at war and the
Chicano experience at home. Skillfully performed in one marathon recording
session, Jaimez and El Gusano embraced the soul, funk and psychedelic
sounds of their day to craft this lost instrumental concept album. Long
sought after by break hunters and psych collectors, Heavy Light Records is
proud to bring Eugenio Jaimez Jr.'s masterpiece to light. Beautiful,
faithful remastering featuring color insert with historical notes and
unpublished photos. Limited hand-numbered pressing of 1,000 copies in
heavy, old school tip-on jacket."
Electras, The -
The Best Of The Electras LP (Get Hip) [GHAS5066LP] $14.50
"A collection of 8 tracks recorded in 1967 by the Electras that include the
smokin' 'Dirty Old Man' and 'This Week's Children' amongst others. Their
version of 'Action Woman' gives the Litter a run for their money on the
punk-o-meter! Also includes tracks by the Scotsmen and Victors (all
previously unreleased) as well as an info-packed 12x12 insert detailing the
Electras story. Midwest '60s garage at its best!" 180 gram vinyl.
Eliane Radigue -
Jouet Electronique/Elemental I LP (Alga Marghen) [MARGHEN029LP] $25.50
"Alga Marghen proudly presents two sublime pieces by Eliane Radigue, 'Jouet
Electronique' (1967) for feedback on magnetic tape and 'Elemental I' (1968)
for feedback of natural sounds on magnetic tape. Both works, recorded at
Pierre Henry's Studio Apsome in Paris, have not been published before.
Between 1967 and 1968, Eliane Radigue was the assistant of Pierre Henry in
his studio, mainly for the editing of 'L'Apocalypse de Jean.' He also put
her in charge of organizing his sound archive according to different
criteria. It was endless work -- there were incredible sounds, a true sound
library! Eliane Radigue really enjoyed doing this work, even if it took a
long time. So, sometimes she decided to set the machines of the studio to
do some little work on her own. 'Jouet Electronique' and 'Elemental I' were
born this way as a kind of recreation during her time as a studio
assistant. Working with feedback is something that Eliane Radigue learned
through Pierre Henry. Do you remember 'Voyage'? There's that fluid part
which is made of feedback constructed with a microphone. Everything had to
be set at a precise distance from the loudspeakers because that is the
specific problem with feedback -- you have to be at the right distance.
Afterwards, these high tone recordings were slowed down in order to
discover the deeper character of their color. This work with feedback was
in the end quite limited and the composer preferred working with two reel
tape machines to produce sounds. The first was set on the recording mode
while the other was playing and it was the accidents happening in this
phase that made the feedback richer. With some fine-tuning you could reach
very beautiful results: low pulsations, very high-pitched sounds --
sometimes both at the same time -- or long sounds. All of these sounds
could be slowed down or accelerated, which gave her a beautiful material to
work with. With 'Jouet Electronique' Eliane Radigue had a lot of fun, hence
the title. As far as 'Elemental I' is concerned, it was the first attempt
at something which was very important to her based on the theme of the
basic elements: water, fire, air and earth. Eliane had the chance to record
in open air thanks to a small Stella Vox that Arman gave her in the
beginning of the 1960's. At the time she was still living in Nice and every
now and then she went for a walk to do some recordings of the sea, the
wind, the rain, the fire?Eliane Radigue continued this way to build her
very minimal sound library, consisting of not more than ten reel tapes.
This was the starting point and in 1968 she used these recordings for her
work with two reel tape machines. First pressing limited to 300 copies,
with a text by Emmanuel Holterbach and a photo portrait by Arman."
Freddie Hubbard -
Backlash LP (Atlantic) [SD1477LP] $11.00
Originaly released in 1966. Gatefold exact repro, manufactured by Rhino.
"...this excellent set falls between hard bop and the avant-garde, often
hinting at both. Hubbard's regular group of the time (with James Spaulding
on alto and flute, pianist Albert Dailey, bassist Bob Cunningham, and
drummer Otis Ray Appleton, plus guest conga player Ray Barretto) performs
the debut version of his famous 'Little Sunflower,' an excellent remake of
'Up Jumped Spring,' and four lesser-known pieces. Hubbard and Spaulding
made for an excellent team and there are plenty of exciting moments on this
brief but potent set." -- All Music Guide
Garybaldi - Note
Perdute LP (Ams) [AMS041LP] $31.75
"An amazing collection of rarities for one of the most important bands of
Italian '70s prog-rock: Garybaldi. This anthology contains a track that was
meant to be included in their Gleemen debut, some live and alternate
versions recorded between 1969 and 1998, and an amazing gem, three live
tracks recorded during the Naples Be-In festival of 1973, one of the very
few testimonies of those legendary festivals, as in those times no one used
to record gigs in Italy! The artwork has been entirely conceived by Matteo
Guarnaccia, one of the most important psychedelic painters in Italy:
inspired by the famous Nuda cover art, he drew a marvelous triple gatefold
artwork. Triple gatefold LP with 180g black vinyl and a 25x60cm poster with
vintage pics of Garybaldi/Gleemen."
Graveyards -
Cinders LP (Sergent Massacre) [SM02] $24.00
AVAILABLE AGAIN!!! BEN HALL (NEW MONUMENTS) on percussion, HANS BUETOW on
cello, JOHN OLSON (WOLF EYES) on saxophone and electronics, and COCCYX on
reeds base this effort around high, metallic drones, with bowed and scraped
cymbals generating a metallic / electric cloud cover that attracts
lightning strikes of phantom saxophone articulation, desolate breath storms
and percussion and hallucinatory, held tones. Psychedelic and brain
re-arranging. Silkscreened jackets. Artwork by WOUTER VANHAELEMEESCH.
Gwen McCrae -
Rockin' Chair LP (Cat Records) [CAT2605LP] $11.00
Prior to her move to Atlantic, this 1975 album from the southern soul
singer featured the oft-sampled "90% Of Me Is You" and "Damn Right It's
Good." Exact repro, manufactured by Rhino.
Hank Mobley - The
Turnaround! LP (Blue Note) [BLP4186LP] $11.00
Exact repro of this 1965 release. "The Hank Mobley of the Turnaround album
was a markedly different one from a few years earlier. This session issued
in early 1965 was the product of two different sessions. The first was in
March of 1963, immediately after Mobley left the Miles Davis band. Those
recordings produced 'East of the Village,' possibly the greatest example of
Mobley's 'round tone' on record, and the other was 'The Good Life,' a
ballad. The rest was recorded nearly two years later in February of 1965.
The title cut was produced here -- an Alfred Lion answer to Lee Morgan's
'Sidewinder,' which was burning up the charts -- as well as the beautiful
'Pat 'n' Chat,' with 'Straight Ahead' and 'My Sin' rounding out the
program." -- All Music Guide
Hank Mobley - The
Flip LP (Blue Note) [BST84329LP] $11.00
Exact repro reissue, originally released in 1969. Featuring Dizzy Reece
(trumpet), Slide Hampton (trombone), Vince Benedetti (piano), Alby Cullaz
(bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). "The title track opens the set and it
lays deep in the soul-jazz cut, tempered by hard bop sensibilities: the
solos by Reece, Hampton, and Mobley are top-notch, but it is Benedetti's
muscular comping and blues-wailing piano that drives the tune. 'Feelin
Folksy,' means in an African way, with its beautifully crafted and lively
minor key melody that touches upon South African township musics and the
lyrical harmonic assertions put forth by Abdullah Ibrahim (then known as
Dollar Brand). But the personality of the tune, with its gloriously bluesy
swing, is all Mobley." -- All Music Guide
Harlem River
Drive - Harlem River Drive LP (Roulette) [ROULETTE3004LP] $11.00
1970 Latin funk album featuring Eddie Palmieri and vocalist Jimmy Norman.
Tracks include "Broken Home," "Seeds Of Life," "Idle Hands" and "If." Exact
repro, manufactured by Rhino.
Herman Kelly &
Life - Percussion Explosion LP (Electric Cat) [ECS225LP] $11.00
Disco funk and classic break album from 1978, recorded in Brazil and Miami.
Opener "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" has been sampled all over the place,
most notably by Steinski, Coldcut, DJ Shadow and about a dozen 2 Live Crew
songs. Other tracks include "Time After Time," "Who's The Funky D.J.?" and
"Share Your Love." Exact repro, manufactured by Rhino.
Impressions, The
- Finally Got Myself Together LP (Curtom) [CRS8019LP] $11.00
Exact repro reissue of this 1974 release. Soulful arrangements by Rene Hall
and Rich Tufo on tracks like "Miracle Woman," "Don't Forget What I Told
You," "Guess What I've Got" and "I'm A Changed Man."
Impressions, The
- This Is My Country LP (Curtom) [CRS8001LP] $11.00
First release on Curtis Mayfield's own label, 1968's This Is My Country is
a peak moment in late-'60s soul. Exact repro reissue, manufactured by
Rhino.
James Brown - Sho
Is Funky Down Here LP (Polydor) [KS1110LP] $11.00
Exact repro, originally released in 1971. This is basically really a
Grodeck Whipperjenny album with James Brown grunting -- contractual
obligations sometimes churn out the funniest things. "This is the funky...
the ever surprising... the never the same James Brown music. It's
instrumental all the way. It will surprise some of his fans... but will be
a delight to all." -- Hal Neely
James Brown -
There It Is LP (Polydor) [PD5028LP] $11.00
Exact repro reissue, originally released in 1972. Do you need to listen to
"King Heroin" again? What about "Public Enemy"? Because this record's got
those songs and, although the front cover color-scheme looks like it walked
out of your aunt's closet, the back cover illustration looks like a scene
right outta Last Exit To Brooklyn. F***ed.
Jeremy Gluck &
Friends - I Knew Buffalo Bill 2xLP (Munster Records) [MR293LP] $24.00
Munster Records reissues an expanded 2LP edition of the seminal 1987
indie-rock album by Jeremy Gluck & Friends -- a unique record with a
rootsy, haunting sound, which mixes dark folk, swamp blues and the ghostly
side of country music. "It was 1986, autumn. Over the years Nikki Sudden
and I had discussed, planned and written songs for an eventual
collaboration. Nikki was working on his music full-time; I was writing and
raising my kid. One day Nikki calls pretty much out of the blue and says he
is in Fairport Convention's Dave Pegg's lush Woodworm Studio recording with
his brother Epic Soundtracks and Rowland S. Howard, and do I want to tack a
week on and do an album? I started packing. When I arrived at the studio
one gorgeous afternoon, the band had just laid down the backing track to
Nikki's remarkably beautiful 'Gallery Wharf.' I was awed and enchanted. I
still love that song and my good fortune in performing its only recorded
incarnation is humbling. In the years since, I Knew Buffalo Bill has been
heard more, evaluated further, loved by a few fiercely, liked by many more,
overlooked by millions. The unusual combination of players and pieces, and
some great production, have earned it a niche all its own. In that time,
four of its key players -- Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks, Rowland S.
Howard and Jeffrey Lee Pierce (whom I only met briefly before and during
the sessions) -- have passed away. It gladdens me that our work on the
album has been the cause of one excellent shared homage (Italians Circo
Fantasma's 'I Knew Jeffrey Lee'), and that one of its latter tracks,
'Burning Skulls Rise' (from the eponymous EP that followed the original
album), was covered by Rowland and Lydia Lunch. Subsequently, it has
appeared on a handful of European compilations and even one modern B-movie
soundtrack, for I Pass For Human (2004), directed by former Flesheater
Chris D. On this deluxe edition, I've included all but one track of the
original album, demos, B-sides and, to bookend the album, live material
reinventing the songs Nikki, Rowland, Epic and I laid down recklessly over
20 years ago. My favorite line of Nikki's, from 'Gallery Wharf' -- 'What's
done can never be put down' - speaks for all of what is here for you to
remember, discover or rediscover. It's a strange pile of sounds and songs
to have helped create." --Jeremy Gluck; Vinyl-only reissue. Limited edition
of only 500 copies. Liner notes by Jeremy Gluck.
John Coltrane &
Don Cherry - The Avant-Garde LP (Atlantic) [SD1451HLP] $13.50
Originally released in 1966. With Percy Heath on bass and Ed Blackwell on
drums. Listen to "Focus On Sanity" once, that song'll be stuck in your head
for days. Then years. 180 gram exact repro reissue, manufactured by Rhino.
John Martyn &
Beverly - Stormbringer! LP (4 Men With Beards) [4M803LP] $20.50
"Originally released in February 1970 by Island Records this is the first
and classic album by John and Beverley Martyn. After being rehearsed in
Woodstock, NY Stormbringer! was recorded and mixed in only 8 days with
engineer John Wood and producer Joe Boyd. John Martyn, inspired by The
Band's Music From Big Pink, worked hard to find a distinctive guitar sound
and in two tracks ('Would You Believe Me?' and 'The Ocean') introduced his
pioneering guitar technique. Levon Helm guested on drums on two tracks
while John Simon and Paul Harris are among the other contributors. Jazzy
undertones, spirit lifting vocals, and buttery folk guitar leads for such a
unique and beautiful record." 180 gram vinyl.
Josefus - Dead
Man LP (Klimt) [MJJ312LP] $24.75
"One of the great lost albums of Southern hard rock, Dead Man was the 1970
debut album of the Houston band, Josefus. Formed in 1969, Josefus soon
garnered a huge live following, opening for acts like ZZ Top and Grand Funk
Railroad. Unfortunately, their debut album, a heavy mix of
Zeppelin-inspired acid rock with a Southern twist, was destined to
obscurity, due largely to the fact that it was not released on a proper
label (the band actually paid to have the album pressed and released on
their own 'Hookah' label). Just a few months prior to recording Dead Man,
however, Josefus had actually recorded an album's worth of material for a
producer in Phoenix, but the album was never released. This is what
prompted the band to go back into the studio with their own money to record
Dead Man. Dead Man was, therefore naturally, a mix of some of the songs
from this earlier album (tentatively called: Get Off My Case) along with
some new ones. Actually only three tracks from Get Off My Case did not make
it onto Dead Man ('Get Off My Case', 'A Social Song' and 'Fealin' Good'),
but these have been restored here as bonus tracks, so what you are actually
getting is the complete track listing from the two albums."
Julian Jay
Savarin - Waiters On The Dance LP (Guerssen Records) [GUESS076LP] $24.00
Here's the second Julian Jay Savarin album, released in 1971 on the
short-lived Birth label (a Youngblood imprint). Another stunning prog-rock
masterpiece (based on the Savarin-authored sci-fi novel of the same name),
still Hammond and keyboard/Mellotron-dominated but with a more hard-rock
approach, featuring plenty of killer guitar riffs, powerful but melodic
vocals courtesy of Lady Jo Meek (sister of Catapilla's vocalist Anna Meek)
and a solid, groovy rhythm section. A legendary album lovingly reissued
featuring original artwork, master tape sound, 180 gram vinyl and detailed
liner notes by Andy Morten (Shindig! Magazine).
Julian's
Treatment - A Time Before This 2xLP (Guerssen Records) [GUESS075LP] $32.25
Debut double album by musician/sci-fi writer Julian Jay Savarin. Originally
released on Miki Dallon's Youngblood label in 1970, this has been a classic
since the early days of record-collecting. Hammond-dominated, spacey,
psychedelic prog-rock with long tracks, cool female vocals and a cosmic,
sci-fi concept/vibe. This reissue features the original gatefold sleeve,
master tape sound on 180 gram vinyl, and detailed liner notes by Andy
Morten (Shindig! Magazine). Essential to anyone into early UK prog-rock.
Kinks, The -
Kinda Kinks LP (4 Men With Beards) [4M801LP] $20.50
"The Kinks were one of the most influential bands of the British Invasion
and Kinda Kinks is their second album released in 1965 by Pye Records
(Reprise in the States). Ray Davies and co. knew how to crank out
three-minute pop songs and the album's smash hit, 'Tired of Waiting For
You,' shows why their unique sound remained so influential. 'Nothing In The
World Can Stop Me Worryin' Bout That Girl' has been overlooked by many
until West Anderson's Rushmore popularized the track, as well as the Kinks,
to a new generation. The 12 tracks are stripped down and simple but they
retain a sort of moder perfection making Kinda Kinks an understated but
growingly catchy Kinks classic (reissued here on mono and with the original
UK track list)."
Kohn - Dimension
111: ĶhnĶch 12 inch (Slow To Speak) [DIMENSION111EP] $15.50
"ĶhnĶch," written by KĶhn, originally released by Kraak in 1999.
One-sided release in the Alice B. Toklas series. "The guardian angel of
sonic excavation returns for this latest installment of scarcely numbered
perennial tributes to the vanguard of dark ambient music. Creeping
digitalized walls of sound pile on in this mounting of patient, protracted
aural warfare, waged on the battlegrounds of a most unsettling prophecy of
isolation and loss. Approaching out of a sunless nordic expanse, 'ĶhnĶch'
begins at a distance -- and then, suddenly, it is everywhere, its metallic
tones overrun and seething over a singular distorted note of gothic
dissonance, painting a scene of a steady apocalyptic decay: slow, painfully
gorgeous disintegration. An unquestionable masterpiece, this haunting
archaeology of the fringes of introspective left-field is a definitely
disturbed take on the soundscape that manages to satisfy the most extreme
scruples of aesthetic beautify and formal perfection."
La Banda Trapera
Del Rio - La Banda Trapera Del RÄo LP (Vinilisssimo) [MRSSS017LP] $23.25
VinilÄsssimo presents the 1978 debut album by seminal Spanish rockers La
Banda Trapera Del RÄo. "CornellÄ¡ -- a satellite town on the outskirts of
Barcelona, a depot for immigrants abandoned to its own rotten luck. Spain
-- a country that had been in the dark for 40 years, then pushed to make a
quick move if it wanted to join the capitalist orbit. La Banda Trapera Del
RÄo arrived by pure surprise within such a confused context, with
devastating certainty and precise aim. Their uniqueness was their ability
to naturally present a social critique of the two realities they belonged
to, without any other mirror than their own reflection. 'Nobody is
nothing,' they said, 'we are everything.' Their conscience was exposed to
working class militance and they were musically anointed in the hard rock
that was blasted in bars and discos at the time, but La Trapera possessed
their own will. Arrogant, provocative, disobedient, they provided a
mythical and poetic credibility to the plain character of the outskirts'
juvenile delinquent. Through their music, La Trapera forged a new
archetype: the curriqui, i.e. the little thief that lives precariously, an
expert in other people's car radio cassette. With hash, a Xibeca beer and
proletarian cheekiness, unafraid to speak their mind, with nothing to lose,
they didn't give the curriqui a revolutionary voice, but they gave him
something to think about. La Trapera only wanted to have as much fun as
possible. If they wanted to change anything, it was the collective
perception of a rock scene that, in their eyes, had become complacent. In
order to do that, they had their singer Morfi Grei's shocking stage
immolation, Raf Pulido's naturalist lyrics and the inspired guitar of TÄo
Modes, without forgetting about the enthusiasm of their manager, Chiri, and
the contacts of Carlos Carrero. The latter was one of the few receptive and
independent journalists in the local press, and acted as a Svengali who,
among other things, got them a contract with Belter, the Mecca of Spanish
popular music, the only record label that gave them a chance, without
knowing the risks they were taking. Produced by Carrero, and the origin of
a stir in stuffy circles, their first single, a daring call for menstrual
normalization, appeared in the same period that produced the debuts of
Madrid's Burning and RamoncÄn & WC, originators of the cheli sound.
Although they came out the losers out of those three bands in the
commercial sense, La Trapera were winners in the legend stakes. Their first
LP was released a year after it was recorded. Just 500 copies reached the
record shops. When the band split up, leaving an unissued second album,
that first LP remained an isolated statement which captured all the mystery
they left behind. Successive generations got to know the band through the
oral transmissions of the traces left by their seminal gigs. Many would see
the light thanks to the countless bootleg tapes of their LP that spread
around the street markets of Madrid and all over Spain. Apart from their
live energy, the essence of La Trapera is preserved intact. A frantic
collusion of blues rock, hard rock, prog and proto-punk, their eclecticism
is still surprising, charting the path of a precocious evolution that would
take shape in their best and most remembered songs. Although they reformed
years later, never again would La Trapera be as immediate and universal,
nor would they enjoy a more fertile balance between chemistry and skills."
--Jaime Gonzalo; 180 gram vinyl in a limited edition of 1,000 copies.
Includes an insert with liner notes in Spanish and English.
Los Cheyenes -
Los Cheyenes LP (Vinilisssimo) [MRSSS014LP] $23.25
Los Cheyenes were four teenagers from the Poble Sec neighborhood in
Barcelona: brothers Roberto (singer and lead guitar) and Joselin Vercher
(bass, backing vocals) plus Jose Maria Garces (rhythm guitar, backing
vocals) and drummer Ramon Colom (ex- Flaming Stars and the only one with
previous musical experience). They had a cocky, defiant look. They were
angry young men with a repertoire of their own influenced by British white
R&B. They debuted in 1965 with "Valgame La Macarena" (written by the famous
Spanish songwriter Jorge Domingo), a song with an obvious Spanish flair in
the style of Los Brincos' "Flamenco" and the closest they ever got to a
hit. It was the main track on their first EP, completed by a cover of Los
Kinks' "Come On Now" ("Ven Ahora"), another title by Jorge Domingo ("No Me
Esperes") and a self-written song ("Llore Por Ti"). You could sense there
was something great in those grooves, although the lack of resources and
the rush to find a place for them within the "industry" didn't help much.
Neither did their indomitable attitude. They tried to use the censorship
incident that banned them from appearing on TVE (Spanish public TV
broadcaster) after refusing to get their hair cut, staging a parody of it
in Madrid's Gran Via which caused a traffic jam outside the Radio Madrid
studios. That same year they released their second and fantastic EP where,
right away from the cover, with a black and white picture of their faces
looking like drugged-up zombies, it was obvious they were different from
everyone else. Two self-written compositions ("Conoces El Final" and "¿Por
Que Te Fuiste?") along with a Guess Who cover via The Hollies ("Y
Olvidame") plus another song by Jorge Domingo ("Devuelveme El Corazon")
confirmed the perfection of their immediacy, energy and rage. They started
the following year with the single "He Perdido Este Juego"/"Tu No Llegaste
A Mi." The former, punk before punk, is pure teenage adrenaline: R&B with
sharp riffs, a tight rhythm and a mischievous harmonica towards the end.
The latter, featuring refined guitars, mixes melancholic folk rock with
what is known today as "popsike." A third EP rounded out the magical year
of 1966. All the songs were written by the band, and the record was the
most honest representation of who they really were. The last breath of an
unrepeatable moment that lasted almost two years -- the sum of coherence,
rigor, talent and stubbornness that only happens during brief moments in
life. And perhaps they should have left it there. Compulsory military
duties, disenchantment, people leaving the band occurred later. They still
released a half-hearted last single that did not live up to their own
legend: Borrachera/Siguiendo El Sol, without Roberto, who was replaced by a
new lead guitarist and a new singer. He would come back in 1968 but by then
the demise of Los Cheyenes was inevitable. 180 gram vinyl. Limited edition
of 1,000 copies. Includes an insert with liner notes in Spanish and English
and original sleeves.
Magical Power
Mako - Super Record LP (Phoenix Records) [ASH3039LP] $20.75
Super Record, the second of Magical Power Mako's 20-plus recordings,
originally released in 1975, is considered by those that know to be his
finest, combining as it does strong elements of Japanese folk music
alongside innovative psychedelic sounds and broad musical vistas of
extraordinary imagination. Mako was born in Shuzeni Izu in Japan in 1956,
and he began his musical education at a young age, making his first public
performance in 1973 at the age of 16 with his band Genge in the famous
Shibuya Club. Based on these impressive public performances, the precocious
Mako was invited to play with one of Japan's foremost contemporary
composers, Toru Takemitsu, playing alongside the composer on three film
scores, Inheritance For The Future, Petrified Forest and Himiko. The
response to his performances was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, elevating
Mako to almost god-like status in his native country. Mako's music has
often baffled pundits keen to place him in a particular musical slot. As
one perplexed scribe opined "Mako's music possesses a certain strange kind
of texture. It is certainly what they call rock, but contains elements we
can't describe so succinctly. It clearly goes beyond the various genres of
music and while full of them all, it sends forth a fierce glow." Another
critic wrote: "Adding to the variety of folk music from India, Turkey and
Russia, his mandolin or Taisho koto, and especially his
marvellously-performed guitar, expresses fully the odor of the soil and
mankind's universality". This limited edition has been digitally-remastered
and pressed on 180 gram vinyl with an LP replica sleeve.
Maurizio Bianchi
- Plays The Clockwork Orange LP (Hot Releases) [HR019LP] $14.25
"Reissue of a February 1980 decomposition from the Italian industrial
forereunner. Halting tape cut-ups of the classical score from the film. One
of the strangest M.B. recordings! Pro-printed jacket."
Mayday - Relics
Sampler 12 inch (Rush Hour) [RHMS1-EP] $12.25
A special reissue featuring four tracks from the 1992 Relics album. Since
then, it has been out-of-print, bar some dodgy bootlegs. These four tracks
were exclusive to the album, and this is the first time they are available
as a 12". These are landmark techno pieces considered to be among Mayday's
(Derrick May/Rhythim Is Rhythim/Long Ago/Long Long Ago/Longer Than Long
Ago) best output. Special packaging in a matte varnish and die-cut sleeve.
This is a one-time run of 1,000 units. Vinyl only.
Micky Y Los Tonys
- Micky Y Los Tonys LP (Vinilisssimo) [MRSSS013LP] $23.25
During his 50-year career, Spanish rock 'n roll pioneer Micky has done all
kinds of things. At the peak of his period fronting Los Tonys (spanning
most of the 1960s) he commanded with authority all the genres that were
around in that marvelous decade: rock 'n roll, twist, surf, beat, garage,
etc. Micky y Los Tonys developed a very personal career -- inspired, ironic
(when not sarcastic) and played songs mostly written by themselves. The
band started up at the legendary morning sessions of Madrid's Price Circus
Theatre during 1962, the real foundation stone of Madrid rock at the time,
and they immediately stood out due to their covers of Spanish and Latin
classics ("La Luna Y El Toro," "Guadalajara," "Zorongo Gitano") rocked up
by the guitar sound patented by The Shadows. However, opening this record,
from this period, you'll find their furious surf take on "La Cucaracha." In
1965, they debuted on screen with their role in the movie Megatijn Ye-Ye,
without a doubt one of the most notable Spanish contributions to the new
pop aesthetic promoted by Richard Lester and The Beatles in their A Hard
Day's Night. The movie had an excellent soundtrack which is unquestionably
one of the band's highlights, and which showed their hardest side with
garage beat gems such as "Sha-La," "Jabon De Azufre," "Pretty Baby," "Tu
Seras Muy Feliz," "Ya No Estas" and "Estoy Cansado." The change of music
style brought about by the film took them to their second golden age: "No
Comprendemos Por Que No Somos Millonarios," "Cuarto Intento De Exito" and
the arresting "Up & Down," a roaring nugget Ä la Stones that showed the
band's enormous versatility. In 1967 they visited the film studios again,
this time along with the great Spanish rock 'n roll artist Bruno Lomas and
a very young Massiel (future winner of the 1968 Eurovision Festival), in
Codo Con Codo. It was a fun movie which revved up every time the band
performed original midtempo tracks such as "Cuando Pienso En Ti" or the
fantastic "El Problema De Mis Pelos," which featured some delicious phasing
effects, shining as one of the best moments in Micky y Los Tonys' brilliant
discography. But the record doesn't end there; there's still time for two
highlights from the end of the decade, "Correcto O Falso" and "Boum, Boum,
Boum," which round up this exultant anthology. 180 gram vinyl. Limited
edition of 1,000 copies. Includes an insert with liner notes in Spanish and
English and original sleeves.
Modern Lovers -
Longbranch LP (Vinyl Lovers) [901127] $22.00
This hit-laden set, recorded in April 1972 at Berkeley's legendary
Longbranch Saloon, captures THE MODERN LOVERS as they so expertly walk that
fine line between genius and disaster. One of the few existing live
recordings of the band in their heyday, this rare recording captures the
live energy of JONATHAN RICHMAN and company as they churn through all their
'hits'. Also includes a cover of the then unreleased Velvet Underground
track, "Foggy Notion". No Export To Canada.
Moloch - Moloch
LP (Klimt) [MJJ310LP] $24.75
"Formed in Memphis in 1968 by blues guitar legend Lee Baker. Upon hearing
Baker play, Jimmy Page is said to have commented, 'that's the best white
bluesman I ever heard!' Produced, written and arranged by Don Nix (Mar-Keys
and Paris Pilot) at Memphis' Ardent Studios, Moloch's 1970 debut album was
is an excellent mix of hard blues and acid rock, with amazing guitar solos
by Baker. It was also the first time the song 'Goin' Down' appeared on
record (famously covered by Jeff Beck). Although Moloch definitely had the
chops to make it big (apparently Freddie King covered a few of the band's
songs and would hang out and jam with Baker whenever he was in town), they
lacked distribution. The band also got panned in Rolling Stone magazine,
but Rolling Stone also panned Led Zeppelin's first albums, so..."
Morgen - Morgen
LP (Probe) [CP4507HLP] $13.50
2010 repress. Exact replica exact repro; 180 Gram Vinyl. "Singer/guitarist
Steve Morgen and company originally hailed from Long Island, New York.
Signed by ABC's short-lived Probe subsidiary, their 1969 debut Morgen
teamed them with producer Murray Shiffrin. After this superb debut, the
entire band quite simply disappeared. If you're into heavy psych guitar,
then this is for you. While Morgen had a competent, if limited voice, he
was a truly amazing guitarist with the likes of Nick Saloman of Bevis Frond
becoming a staunch advocate of Morgen's status as a 'psychedelic guitar
hero.' Tracks such as 'Eternity In Between,' 'Welcome To the Void,' 'Of
Dreams' and 'Beggin' Your Pardon' (Miss Joan) were simply drenched with
fuzz and feedback guitar. Underpinned by Maiman's powerhouse drumming
(easily compared with Led Zepplin's John Bonham) and suitably trippy lyrics
and you're looking at a pseudo-classic slice of psychedelia."
Nina Simone -
Nina At Newport LP+CD (Doxy) [DOK202LP] $22.25
"When this album was recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960,
Nina Simone had just had her first Top 20 hit with 'I Loves You, Porgy,'
but the 'Porgy' found here (written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields,
most famous for 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love') is actually a
continuation of Gershwin's original version of the story. Other highlights
include 'Flo Me La,' an African work chant, and 'Little Liza Jane,' an
African-American folk song."
Nina Simone - The
Legendary First Recordings in NYC, 1957 LP+CD (Doxy) [DOK203LP] $22.25
"Nina Simone's first album is quite simply one of the finest debuts in the
history of recorded music. Backed here only by Jimmy Bond on bass and
Albert Heath on drums, this stripped down trio format brings Nina's
considerable talents (as a classically trained pianist) to the fore. Her
soulful versions of songs like 'Mood Indigo,' 'My Baby Just Cares For Me'
and 'I Loves You, Porgy' have all become standards in their own right and
Nina the declared idol of many."
Ornette Coleman -
Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation LP (Atlantic) [ATL1364LP] $11.00
Originally released in 1960, Free Jazz was recorded in one uninterrupted
take: Coleman, Scott LaFaro, Don Cherry, & Billy Higgins are on the left
stereo channel; Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden and Ed
Blackwell are on the right. "We were expressing our minds and emotions as
much as could be captured by electronics." Gatefold exact repro reissue,
manufactured by Rhino.
Ornette Coleman -
Ornette! LP (Atlantic) [ATL1378LP] $11.00
Originally released in 1962, recorded a month after Free Jazz: A Collective
Improvisation. With Don Cherry, Scott LaFaro and Ed Blackwell. "Ornette
Coleman's proposition is a very simple one: release me from the bondage of
long out-dated harmonic and formal conventions, and I will take you away
from the wallpaper-like cliches of my contemporaries and let you hear a
world of sound which you have never heard before, which is free, and which
is beholden only to its own innermost logic and discipline." Exact repro
reissue, manufactured by Rhino.
Parliament - The
Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein LP (Casablanca) [NBLP7034LP] $11.00
Exact repro of this 1976 episode of the Parliament saga, opening with
backwards-masked weirdo vocals declaring "funk is its own reward." Bernie
Worrell and Fred Wesley split the horn arrangements, while Bootsy Collins
and George Clinton address the scientific community at large. Of course,
this is a concept album... or something.
Pauline Oliveros
- To Valerie Solanas And Marilyn Monroe In Recognition.. LP (Roaratorio) [ROAR021LP]
$13.50
..Of Their Desperation. "Shortly after it was published in 1968 the SCUM
Manifesto by Valerie Solanas fell into my hands. Intrigued by the
egalitarian feminist principles set forth in the Manifesto, I wanted to
incorporate them in the structure of a new piece that I was composing. The
women's movement was surfacing and I felt the need to express my resonance
with this energy. Marilyn Monroe had taken her own life. Valerie Solanas
had attempted to take the life of Andy Warhol. Both women seemed to be
desperate and caught in the traps of inequality Monroe needed to be
recognized for her talent as an actress. Solanas wished to be supported for
her own creative work. Commissioned by the Music Department of Hope
College, Holland Michigan, To Valerie Solanas and Marilyn Monroe in
Recognition of Their Desperation had its premiere in 1970. Though everyone
knew Marilyn Monroe hardly anyone recognized Valerie Solanas or took her
Manifesto seriously. I brought the names of these two women together in the
title of the piece to draw attention to their inequality and to dedicate
the piece." -- Pauline Oliveros. "This LP contains both the 1970 Hope
College premiere, performed by a 14-piece ensemble, and a 1977 recording
from Wesleyan University, performed by a 43-piece orchestra. Roaratorio is
proud to present the first commercially available release of this eerie,
beautiful, and important Oliveros work. Cover artwork by Judith Lindbloom.
Download coupon included."
Phil Cohran and
Legacy - African Skies LP (Captcha Records) [HBSP-2X010] $19.50
Captcha Records is proud to announce the arrival of African Skies, the most
recently recorded album from the visionary BROTHER KELAN PHILIP COHRAN and
his band LEGACY. This record was influenced and realized in 1993, shortly
after the passing of Brother Phil's friend, mentor and band mate, HERMAN
BLOUNT (better known as SUN RA). It was heard publicly for the first and
only time at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois that same year. By
channeling the energy of Sun Ra, Brother Phil brings us closer to
enlightenment, closer to the cosmos with melodies that are as ancient as
time itself. Sun Ra believed that music is the voice of the spirit, the
energy we want to live within. In the aftermath of his death, Brother Phil
drew upon his mentor's cosmic perspective to produce an elegiac album that
is utopian in spirit: a vessel brim-full of primordial vibes and a memo
from some higher astral plane. In the words of its maker, African Skies is
a "nourishing and inspirational" document-a nuanced portrait of one of the
most visionary musicians of our time in his prime. African Skies,
available commercially for the first time ever, is the first record to be
released since the stellar Malcolm X Memorial (Zulu/Mississippi) record in
1969.
Ravers, The -
Bad, Bad World (Ravers Going Underground) LP (Wah Wah Records) [LPS095LP] $26.00
"Wah Wah proudly unearths another lost gem from the past, this time by
studio-exploitation German band The Ravers, a.k.a The Tonics. Under the
production of Herbert Hildebrandt (ex-member of The Rattles, credited on
some internet blogs to be some kind of German Kim Fowley), members of The
Rattles/Wonderland (Achim Reichel) and The German Bonds produced a series
of studio albums as cash-in operations, among them some very known works
like Hell Preachers Inc. or Bokaj Retsiem. Bad, Bad World is one of those
amazing releases. Having in mind the hardest beat/psych rock sounds of the
era (the LP was originally released in 1969) and the rhythms that move a
dancefloor, they produced this superb collection of groovy
Hammond/fuzz/wah-wah driven freak rockers. More than one song here should
be on any genre DJ's bag, the most direct one being 'What You Can Do For
Your Country,' but with the whole LP packed with cool songs moving from the
Kinks inspired 'We've Got Too Much' to early Deep Purple Hammond versus
lead guitar duels."
Residents, The -
Not Available LP (Mvd Audio) [MVD5122LP] $14.25
LP version.
Robert Turman -
Way Down LP (Dais) [DAIS017LP] $18.25
"Originally released as a small run cassette in 1987, only to fall into
tape label obscurity, Robert Turman's industrial genre-bending masterpiece
album Way Down finally has been excavated for a proper vinyl reissue after
twenty-three years in the shadows. This album solidifies Turman as a cut
above the rest with respect to his talent and his natural ear for
experimental composition. Turman first came onto the industrial scene in
the late '70s as the ominous 'other half' of legendary noise outfit NON,
alongside Boyd Rice, together releasing the now classic first NON single,
Mode of Infection/Knife Ladder 7~@³ in 1977. After parting ways, Turman
went on an excursion of self-released cassettes to which he fused every
possible influence at his disposal, culling together past habits of
experimental know-how and going forward into uncharted terrain. After his
previous experimental efforts included on his Flux release in 1981, and
even later in the prolific Chapter Eleven boxset, Turman turned the tables
with the creation of Way Down, using synthesizer arrangements and drum
machines alongside guitar solos, piano chords, tape loops and primitive
sampling to create a whole new concoction of dance-like minimal synth
blended together with the industrial darkwave noise he was mostly known
for. After almost vanishing from the music scene, Turman resurfaced in
2005, teaming up with seminal noise musician Aaron Dilloway to not only
reissue previous recordings, but to record and perform once again with new
releases out on Hanson and Medusa. This vinyl reissue of Way Down serves as
the blueprint of what Turman sought to render as a very accessible minimal
synth/industrial album, yet keeping it just obtuse enough to make it one of
the most brilliant and engaging albums to be ushered into the canon of '80s
experimental culture."
Roedelius -
Selbstportrait - Vol. II LP (Bureau B) [BB064LP] $16.00
This is the fourth solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius,
originally released in 1980 on Sky Records. With Selbstportrait, Roedelius
gave unequivocal confirmation that he no longer was treading the hitherto
common paths of electronic music. Selbstportrait - Vol. II corroborated the
findings: for Roedelius, electronics would no longer be a means of creating
abstract, noise-like music in the future, nor of generating utopian,
mechanical rhythmic structures. His own utopia was quite a different place,
more in keeping with his own personality and view of the world. Hence both
self-portraits, in particular Selbstportrait - Vol. II, are programmatic.
Uniquely among musicians of the German electronic scene at the time,
Roedelius succeeded in blending European and extra-European musical styles
quite intuitively, developing his own language of music, neither epigonic
nor weighed down by stereotype, as often occurred in the emerging world
music genre of the period. There is a fascinating simplicity to the music
of Roedelius: his vision does not reside in cloud-cuckoo-land. His utopia
is founded in reason, his vision sustained by a simple base: not only did
he ignore musical traditions, he also sought to create something new out of
them. He succeeded where many of his contemporaries failed, going to ground
as they attempted to bridge the postmodern gap. Not Roedelius. Roedelius'
music is littered with stumbling blocks. The listener may not necessarily
lose his footing, but will not exactly find himself sitting comfortably as
he listens. With this album, Roedelius has drawn a clearly delineated
picture of himself. Few musicians can say the same, few even harbor such
aspirations. Transcending styles, hypes and modernisms, Selbstportrait -
Vol. II is electronically-sourced music, yet sounds anything but technical,
dismantling the misconception that electronic music has to sound cold and
distant. Selbstportrait - Vol. II has never been released completely
before. Includes 5 tracks never released on CD! Liner notes by Asmus
Tietchens.
Roedelius -
Selbstportrait I LP (Bureau B) [BB063LP] $16.00
180g vinyl. This is the third solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim
Roedelius, originally released in 1979 on Sky Records. Alongside his
ongoing work with Cluster and Harmonia, Roedelius amassed an almost
incalculable number of musical notations during his time in the idyllic
Weser Uplands. Fleeting sketches, spontaneous improvisations, implied
miniatures, rough compositions -- Roedelius recorded virtually every idea
he came up with outside the studio sessions on his Revox A77 reel to reel;
with the basic intention of capturing his moments of inspiration, he simply
let the tape run as he played around on the Farfisa organ. Sound quality
was not his prime concern, as he was not as yet entertaining any notion of
releasing the results. As Roedelius recalls, costly tape spools were at a
premium, so he recorded over older tapes in mono, at a less than ideal
speed. Substandard, technically speaking (or listening), but as a self
portrait, nothing short of a masterpiece. It would be inappropriate to
measure this album by the hi-fidelity yardstick; see it as something closer
to an intimate confession, an unguarded communiqué from one person to
another. Bordering on naivety and free of conceit, Roedelius introduces us
to his world through these chiffonesque études. There may be little
variation in the Farfisa sound, but this is soon forgotten when Roedelius
invites us to listen, to enter the experience. No expensive technology, no
producer, no collaborators. This is unfiltered personality, the real
Roedelius. Musically, Selbstportrait I is characterized by a combination of
lĤndler, minimalism and harmonic simplicity. The Weser Uplands, where
Roedelius recorded his music, are certainly no Arcadia and the village of
Forst is anything but Atlantis, but perhaps it could become the Graceland
of German electronic music. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
Roland Kirk - The
Inflated Tear LP (Atlantic) [SC1502LP] $11.00
1968 album featuring Ron Burton (piano), Steve Novosel (bass) and Jimmy
Hopps (drums). Between opener "The Black And Crazy Blues" and closing track
"Lovellevelliloqui," Rahsaan Roland Kirk tenderly surrenders himself to
pure sound, although there's some "middle of the road blowing" in-between
to keep your head in place. Exact repro reissue, manufactured by Rhino.
Roy Ayers
Ubiquity - Everybody Loves The Sunshine LP (Polydor) [PD6070LP] $11.00
Exact repro of this 1976 album from one of the great jazz-funk heroes of
the 20th century. Ayers is mellowing out at this point -- and that's a good
thing. The title track is a revered classic of mid-'70s optimism.
Ruth - Polaroid /
Roman / Photo - 25th Anniversary Deluxe Special Edition LP (Angular) [ARC078] $28.00
After the acclaim and success of the Cold Waves and Minimal Electronics
compilation earlier this year, Angular is proud to announce the release of
a 25th Anniversary Deluxe Special Edition reissue from one of the artists
featured on this collection. RUTH's "Polaroid/Roman/Photo" was consistently
noted as one of the standout tracks from the comp, which received glowing
reviews across the board. This wasn't the case the first time around
though. Originally released on Paris Records in 1985 Ruth's LP sold just 50
copies and was relegated to obscurity until the track
"Polaroid/Roman/Photo" started appearing on bootlegs and compilations in
the early '00s, slowly becoming the cult synth pop classic it is nowadays.
An original copy goes for upwards of #300 on eBay and Ruth are a shining
light from an oft forgotten music scene that is becoming increasingly
influential today. Ruth was the brainchild of THIERRY MULLER, a
photographer and graphic artist from Paris who drew his inspiration from
bands and artists like Brian Eno, Stockhausen, Pere Ubu, Neu, Velvet
Underground and Kraftwerk. In the late '70s he began to work on Ruth,
releasing the lone album Polaroid/Roman/Photo in 1985. The line up of Ruth
was collaborative and fluid, brass mingles with prototype drum machines,
and squalling experimentation sits alongside sultry French girls across 40
minutes of edgy pop innovation that sounds remarkably undated alongside
contemporary pop music. This deluxe limited edition comes in a gatefold
sleeve on transparent scarlet vinyl, and features a 12-page booklet of
lyrics and photos and download codes for a digital version of the album
which includes six bonus tracks.
Santana - Tiger's
Head 2xLP+CD (Lilith) [LR323LP] $34.75
"In 1969 at Woodstock, a relatively little-known band from San Francisco,
led by a young guitar virtuoso named Carlos Santana, wowed audiences with
their new breed of Latin-tinged rock. The festival catapulted Santana's
self-titled debut album to the number one spot on the U.S. charts and on to
superstardom. However, before Woodstock, Santana had been playing live
around the Bay Area for more than two years, as these recordings a
collection of live tracks recorded during that early period 1968/69 at
different Bay Area locations, can attest. Featuring Gregg Rolie (later of
Journey) on organ. Features early versions of classic Santana tracks
'Jingo', 'Soul Sacrifice' and more."
Serge Gainsbourg
- Initials B.B. LP (4 Men With Beards) [4M196LP] $16.75
"Let's get it out right away: this 1968 album is really fantastic.
Containing a second set of songs cut with the one and only B.B. (Brigitte
Bardot) Initials B.B. sounds almost like a greatest hits of funky
decadence. The sensuous melodies and gorgeous arrangements make the songs
like little technicolor movies in sound. Initials B.B. continues to sound
as stylish and hip as it must have the day it was released: you will be
left wanting more. Contains: 'Initials B.B.', 'Comic Strip', 'Bloody Jack',
'Ford Mustang', 'Hold Up' and more."
Shirley Collins &
Davy Graham - Folk Roots, New Routes LP (4 Men With Beards) [4M802LP] $20.50
"An extraordinary and classic album originally released by Decca in 1964. A
landmark recording bringing together Shirley Collins' haunting vocals and
Davy Graham's innovative guitar style. Folk Roots, New Routes was more than
just a record when it first came out: it opened many minds and the door for
Fairport Convention and Pentangle. A gem."
Spacemen 3 -
Walkin' With Jesus 12 inch (Fire U.S.) [SFIRE1581EP] $14.50
"First 12" single for Glass Records released in 1986. Contains the early
version of 'Walkin' With Jesus (Sound Of Confusion)', the full 17-minute
monster rampage through the 13th Floor Elevators' 'Rollercoaster' and the
original 'Feel So Good'. Comes with the original insert."
Spacemen 3 -
Transparent Radiation EP 12 inch (Fire U.S.) [SFIRE1582EP] $14.50
"Second 12" single for Glass Records released in 1987. Contains
'Transparent Radiation', the complete and original version of 'Ecstasy
Symphony', 'Transparent Radiation (Flashback)', the unedited version of
'Things'll Never Be The Same' and the 10-minute lengthy remake of the MC5's
'Starship'."
Spacemen 3 - Take
Me To The Other Side 12 inch (Fire U.S.) [SFIRE1583EP] $14.50
"Third 12" single for Glass Records released in 1988. Contains 'Take Me To
The Other Side' along with The Perfect Prescription out-take unfinished
instrumental (late nite homage to Stax Records' heyday) 'Soul 1' and
'That's Just Fine'."
Spite - Violence
LP (Harbinger Sound) [HAS095] $16.00
Vinyl reissue of this scarce cassette (Broken Flag 1982) by GARY MUNDY,
recorded just before the formation of RAMLEH, and his later solo workings
as KLEISTWAHR. Simple, crude and effective power electronics created with
the same equipment used on later classic recordings. Ink-stamped sleeve.
Edition of 200.
Strawberry Path -
When The Raven Has Come To The Earth LP (Phoenix Records) [ASH3034LP] $20.75
Another lost gem for lovers of Japanese psych and hard rock, this time from
the inspirational '70s prog outfit, Strawberry Path. From its extremely
cool front cover to the last track, this is an album that will appeal to
garage fans, psych heads, mondo music lovers and acid freaks alike, merging
as it does a variety of Western influences, ranging from Jimi Hendrix
(check out Shigeru Narumo's hard psych guitar) to Black Sabbath, Led
Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Originally released in 1971, Strawberry Path were
the forerunners of Japan's Flied Egg, one of the most influential Japanese
prog bands to emerge in the '70s. This is hard psych rock at its best, and
an album which has soared in value over the last few years. Highly
collectable and highly listenable. All-analog pressing housed in a gatefold
sleeve. 180 gram virgin vinyl
Sun Ra & The
Blues Project - The Sensational Guitars Of Dan & Dale: Batman And Robin LP (Klimt)
[MJJ311LP] $24.75
"This novelty album, released in 1966 during the height of the Batman &
Robin craze, was initially credited to the 'The Sensational Guitars of Dan
and Dale' and featured an album full of tracks based on the popular TV show
like 'The Batman Theme Song', 'The Penguin Chase', and 'The Batcave'. The
album is entirely instrumental, except for someone singing 'Batmaaaan!' in
the theme song. But the interesting thing about this album, and what makes
it an absolute cult gem, are the musicians who are behind it all: basically
a joint collaboration between Sun Ra's Arkestra and Danny Kalb's Blues
Project (one of the first psychedelic rock bands as well as one of the
world's first jam bands). 'Dan and Dale' were actually blues guitarist
Danny Kalb and Steve Katz (later of Blood, Sweat & Tears) on dueling
guitars, while Sun Ra and Al Kooper take over organ duties (a Hammond B-3)
and members of Ra's Arkestra play sax. All I can think of when listening to
this record is how much fun these guys, all formidable musicians, must have
had putting it together." Gatefold sleeve.
Tony Roach - Big
Bout Yah 7 inch (Digikiller) [DKR030EP] $6.25
"Callo Collins' Rythem Track label was started in 1985, during the birth of
the digital sound. And even as such early digital productions, the first
batch of Rythem Track releases from that very year stand as some of the
freshest and best productions of the entire 1980's digital era. The Rythem
Track crew of 1985 was itself similarly fresh, a small group of talented
young artists. There was deejay Little Bimbo, who would become the late
great singer Garnett Silk, another future star named Tony Rebel, and a pair
of terrific but historically under-recorded singers, Anthony Selassie and
Tony Roach. Callo and Rythem Track continued producing quality dancehall
music well into the 1990s, with more big tunes and big artists along the
way. As evidence of Rythem Track's brilliance, here we present four of the
best Rythem Track selections, three from 1985, and one from 1997. Tony
Roach's 'Big Bout Yah' has been one of our favorite tunes for years, the
riddim a killer variation on 'tempo'."
Truth and Janey -
No Rest For The Wicked LP (Rockadrome) [ROCK030LP] $19.75
"Limited edition, high quality vinyl reissue of this underground hard rock
monster from 1976 by Iowa's legendary power trio led by guitarist BillyLee
Janey. Old style tip-on jacket and quality vinyl pressing. Includes insert
with history of the group, lyrics and rare band photos. Since the release
of No Rest for the Wicked in 1976, its stature among collectors of '60s and
'70s hard rock and psychedelia has grown steadily, with original copies now
fetching a large sum in the collector's market. It has often been lauded as
perhaps the best independent U.S. heavy rock release of the entire 1970's."
Various Artists -
In The Storm So Long LP (Mississippi) [MR066] $13.00
A compilation of gospel songs from the Pitch/Gussman label. Raw and ragged
1960s & 1970s recordings made in Georgia. Most tracks have a heavy guitar
sound with loads of reverb. At times haunting and at times joyous. Real
rockin' homemade music by and for the people. Old school "tip on" sleeve.
Liner note sheet too. Great stuff.
Various Artists -
Groove Club Vol. 2 - Cambodia Rock Spectacular 2xLP (Lion Productions) [LION112]
$19.50
Recorded in raw, bare bones conditions, mostly live and with traditional
Cambodian instruments finding their place alongside found keyboards or
guitars, the music of the Khmer rock musicians transformed the nightlife of
the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.The rise to power of the anti-Western,
fanatical Khmer Rouge in 1975 caused drastic and permanent changes for
Cambodia. These years saw social upheaval in the form of massive famines,
selective executions and a brutal campaign of genocide responsible for the
deaths of an estimated two million Cambodians, many in the notorious
"killing fields." Even the most famous and beloved Khmer musicians could
not escape. SINN SISAMOUTH ("the Emperor of Khmer Music"), ROS SEREYSOTHEA
("The Golden Voice of the Royal Capital"), and PAN RON met their deaths at
the hands of the Khmer Rouge. The music of these honored musicians and
others live on in this exclusive 2xLP edition, assembled with much love and
respect for the artists who made the Khmer rock scene as thrilling as we
find it to be. The music is wild and anarchic, rhythmic and undulating,
sometimes sweet and lyrical, but always moving. Cambodia Rock Spectacular!
captures that deep soulfulness ingrained in the best music; and along with
its sister album, Cambodia Rock Intensified!. It is perhaps the most
definitive collection of classic Cambodian rock music to appear on the
scene to date.
Various Artists -
Acid Dreams LP (Past & Present) [PAPR1007LP] $20.75
Recognized as one of the truly great comps of all time, this 1979 selection
of '60s U.S. hard guitar-psych, compiled by the owner of a record shop in
Berlin, has often been reissued on CD with the wrong tracklisting and
non-existent liner notes. Originally released on LP, only 77 copies were
pressed and apart from a few that were given to friends and family, the
remaining records were only sold through the compiler's shop or shamelessly
bootlegged. The Past & Present label is pleased to make this important
compilation available again as a deluxe 180 gram vinyl limited edition.
Acid Dreams proved that punk rock was not a new thing; kids had adopted the
same snotty attitude in the mid-to-late '60s. The opening track, White
Light's "William," sets the standard for what's to come: a compulsive,
classic, hard guitar-psych 45 rocker and 17 more psych diamonds follow in
its wake. A true gem mined and polished by Past & Present. Hand-numbered
limited edition, containing a full-color insert with the original CD liner
notes. Digitally-remastered. Artists include: White Light, Caretakers Of
Deception, Outcasts, Music Machine, Mystic Tide, Stereo Shoestrings, Velvet
Illusions, Unrelated Segments, Beautiful Daze, Painted Faces, Teddy & His
Patches, Vejtables, Faine Jade, Balloon Farm, Minds Eye, Zakary Thaks, and
Remaining Few.
Various Artists -
Funk Drops 2: Breaks, Nuggets And Rarities 2xLP (Warner Music) [WS8413LP] $16.75
...From The Vaults Of Atlantic, Atco, Reprise And Warner Bros. Records 1968
- 1975. 2002 compilation featuring Bobby Byrd, The Noble Knights, The
Mighty Hannibal, The Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band, Aretha Franklin, The
Fabulous Counts, The Mohawks, The Beginning Of The End, The T.S.U.
Toronadoes, The Southshore Commission, King Curtis, Baby Huey & The
Babysitters, Curtis Mayfield , Little Sister, Betty Wright, Society's Bag,
Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, The Meters, Cold Blood, Tower Of Power and T.J.
Kirk.
Various Artists -
Avant Marghen Vol. 4 LP Box (Alga Marghen) [MARGHEN032LP] $156.50
"New volume of the Avant Marghen series in a numbered edition of 80 copies.
This luxury black boxset edition actually includes the fourth group of 7
LPs previously issued for the VocSon series and now sold out. Each
individual LP record includes a numbered Avant Marghen inner-sleeve. LP 1
to 4) FranÄ~C§ois Dufrene Oeuvre desintegrale 4 LP set. First 80 copies
from the original pressing of 345 copies issued in 2007, presented here
with minimal hand-elaboration on each sleeve. FranÄ~C§ois Dufrene's
impressive work, along with that of Gil J. Wolman and Brion Gysin, was a
strong influence for experimental poets like Henri Chopin, Bernard
Heidsieck and Ake Hodell. LP1) Oeuvre desintegrale 1 LP includes an
18-minute-long crirythme from 1969 as well as 'Osmose-art,' a long piece
from 1969 divided into two suites where Dufrene superimposes his crirhythms
to classical music. LP2) Oeuvre desintegrale 2 LP includes six majestic
crirythmes (created between 1965 and 1976) as well as 'Eryximaque, suite
choreographique au Tombeau de Pierre Larusse,' a work halfway between the
written text and the sound poem whose unity is achieved through Dufrene
performing it, a masterpiece of synthesis of active poetry. LP3) Oeuvre
desintegrale 3 LP includes two 'Lecture-collages' dating from 1965, adding
jazz music (especially drum and percussion pieces) to poems marked by
strong Lettristic esthetic. One of his most extreme crirythmes, titled
'Belles nuisances, hantez nos nuits,' dating from 1970, is also included on
this record. LP4) Oeuvre desintegrale 4 LP includes three breathtaking
crirythmes as well as two 'Comptinuum' from his early on-progress works
started in 1958. LP5) Charlemagne Palestine Voice Studies LP, limited to 80
numbered copies pressed on dark blue vinyl and featuring a new sleeve, only
available with this boxset edition. Palestine's introduction to music or
sound was first with his own voice. This LP includes the very early
'Surrealistic Studies,' using a Webcor reel-to-reel tape recorder,
discovering a technique of shouting into the microphone and immediately
pulling it out, creating an interior echo chamber where the sound would
turn around on itself, changing and distorting. 'Voice + Piano Study I &
II' are short and beautiful piano improvisations with tape superimposition
of accelerated voice pieces. In 'Voice Study' Charlemagne sings in a
falsetto duet with himself on two separate tracks in a resonant space,
searching for intervals that resonate together and respond like electronic
sound wave oscillators played against each other. LP6) Gherasim Luca 2
Poems LP. First 80 copies from the original pressing of 385 copies issued
in 2009. Created in close connection to Sten Hanson who invited the
Rumenian artist at Fylkingen in the very beginning of the 1970's and made
him discover the possibilities of the advanced EMS electronic music studio
of Stockholm. The two recordings presented here are quite unique as they
are the only poems by Gherasim Luca created through the use of electronic
manipulations. 'Autres Secrets Du Vide Et Du Plein' (April 1971) and
'Crimes Sens Initiales' (April 1972) were both performed at the 1971 and
1972 Text-Sound Festivals of Stockholm. Including an essay by Henri Chopin.
LP7) Charlemagne Palestine & Simone Forti Illuminations LP. First 80 copies
from the original pressing of 365 copies issued in 2010. Duo interactions,
illuminated with dim red lights. The three previously unreleased recordings
on this LP were made between October and December 1971."
Various Artists -
The Perfumed Garden Volume 1 LP (Past & Present) [PAPR1005LP] $20.75
LP version pressed on 180 gram virgin vinyl. Named in honor of John Peel's
1967 late-night program on pirate radio station Radio London, which Peel
named after a 13th century Arabic sex manual, the original 3 volumes of
Past & Present's The Perfumed Garden (which many aficionados felt set the
benchmark for future compilations) were applauded for the quality of both
their content and their sound, but these accolades were often undermined by
the lack of information about the tracks and the artists who performed
them. This hand-numbered limited edition LP series contains a scholarly and
informative insert with rare photographs and exhaustive full-color liner
notes. This is full-on '60s UK garage rock and psychedelia, and every
track's a winner. Great digitally-remastered sound coupled with original
artwork and CD liner notes. Artists include: Factory, Eyes, Syn, Nimrod,
Smoke, Birds, Shy Limbs, Game, Frame, Mandrake Paddle Steamer, French
Revolution, Vamp, Syndicates, Sands, Tintern Abbey, The Craig and Open
Mind.
Various Artists -
Piccadilly Sunshine Part One: British Pop Psych and ... LP (Past & Present) [PAPR1008LP]
$20.75
Other Flavours 1968-1970. LP version. Before expert compiler Psychomania
found a limited amount of fame and even less of a fortune curating the
widely-respected Electric Asylum series, he cut his musical molars on the
little-known Piccadilly Sunshine series (most tracks were originally
released on the Desiree label in 2003), which took the wide-eyed aficionado
into the deep and wondrous valleys of British pop music culture. Daring to
bring forth the once-overlooked and sadly-neglected songs that were laid to
waste in a saturated wonderland of suburban teenage pop, Psychomania asks
the listener to join him as he tiptoes barefoot through the late '60s and
early '70s in Great Britain's vast and glorious cultural wastepaper basket.
Stepping amongst the 20 flower-powered trippers presented here, they have
been lovingly restored to their former glory. Hand-numbered limited edition
180 gram virgin vinyl, including a full-color insert with the original CD
liner notes. Digitally-remastered. Artists include: Jason James, Peppermint
Circus, Roger Bloom's Hammer, Alan David, Studio Six, The Magicians, Tin
Tin, The Cups, Billy Boyle, Sounds Inc., Svensk, Christopher, Merlin Q,
Mighty Joe Young, The Nocturnes, Mixture, Mood Of Hamilton, Jon, Tony
Fabian, and Tim Andrews.
Various Artists -
Groove Club Vol. 2: Cambodia Rock Spectacular! 2xLP (Lion Productions) [LION112LP]
$19.75
"Recorded in raw, bare bones conditions, mostly live and with traditional
Cambodian instruments finding their place alongside found keyboards or
guitars, the music of the Khmer rock musicians transformed the nightlife of
the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh -- and many years later seduced countless
listeners around the world with their groovy sound. The rise to power of
the anti-Western, fanatical Khmer Rouge in 1975 caused drastic and
permanent changes for Cambodia. These years saw social upheaval in the form
of massive famines, selective executions and a brutal campaign of genocide
responsible for the deaths of an estimated two million Cambodians, many in
the notorious 'killing fields.' Even the most famous and beloved Khmer
musicians could not escape. Sinn Sisamouth ('the Emperor of Khmer Music'),
Ros Sereysothea ('The Golden Voice of the Royal Capital'), and Pan Ron met
their deaths at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. The music of these honored
musicians and others live on in this exclusive 2xLP edition, assembled with
much love and respect for the artists who made the Khmer rock scene as
thrilling as we find it to be. The music is wild and anarchic, rhythmic and
undulating, sometimes sweet and lyrical, but always moving. Cambodia Rock
Spectacular! captures that deep soulfulness ingrained in the best music;
and along with its sister album, Cambodia Rock Intensified!, it is perhaps
the most definitive collection of classic Cambodian rock music to appear on
the scene to date."
Various Artists -
Groove Club Vol. 3: Cambodia Rock Intensified! 2xLP (Lion Productions) [LION113LP]
$19.75
Follow-up to Cambodia Rock Spectacular!. "Recorded in raw, bare bones
conditions, mostly live and with traditional Cambodian instruments finding
their place alongside found keyboards or guitars, the music of the Khmer
rock musicians transformed the nightlife of the Cambodian capital, Phnom
Penh -- and many years later seduced countless listeners around the world
with their groovy sound. The rise to power of the anti-Western, fanatical
Khmer Rouge in 1975 caused drastic and permanent changes for Cambodia.
These years saw social upheaval in the form of massive famines, selective
executions and a brutal campaign of genocide responsible for the deaths of
an estimated two million Cambodians, many in the notorious 'killing
fields.' Even the most famous and beloved Khmer musicians could not
escape."
Walter Marchetti
- La Caccia LP (Alga Marghen) [ALGA083-1LP] $24.75
LP version, previously released in the Il Divano Dell'orecchio 5LP box
(ALGA 083LP). "Includes the same materials as the original 1974 Cramps LP
titled La Caccia (1965). The LP sleeve reproduces the original scores,
photos of both the 1965 ZAJ performances and of Marchetti recording La
Caccia. The full-color inner sleeve reproduces the original La Caccia LP
layout.
Walter Marchetti
- In Terram Utopicam LP (Alga Marghen) [ALGA083-2LP] $24.75
LP version, previously released in the Il Divano Dell'orecchio 5LP box
(ALGA 083LP). "Includes the same materials as the original 1978 Cramps LP
titled In Terram Utopicam, or 'J'aimerais Jouer Avec Un Piano Qui Aurait
Une Grosse Queue' (1974/75), 'Adversus' (Home-made electric music) (1966)
and 'Osmanthus Fragrans' (Home-made electric music) (1973). The LP sleeve
reproduces the original scores of 'J'aimerais Jouer' and 'Adversus', photos
of the performance at the Venice Biennale. The full color inner sleeve
reproduces photos of various Marchetti performances as well as the original
In Terram Utopicam LP layout."
Walter Marchetti
- Per La Sete Dell'orecchio LP (Alga Marghen) [ALGA083-3LP] $24.75
"The LP includes 'Per La Sete Dell'orecchio' (1981), previously privately
issued on the LP with the same title as well as 'Song for John Cage'
(1985), never available on vinyl before. The LP sleeve reproduces the 'Song
for John Cage' score. The full color inner sleeve reproduces the original
Per La Sete Dell'orecchio LP layout. All texts are published both in
English and Italian. First included in a 5LP box set together with other 4
LPs titled La Caccia, In Terram Utopicam, Natura Morta and Vandalia, this
LP is also available now, separately from the complete box set, in a very
limited number of copies."
Walter Marchetti
- Natura Morta LP (Alga Marghen) [ALGA083-4LP] $24.75
LP version, previously released in the Il Divano Dell'orecchio 5LP box
(ALGA 083LP). "The LP sleeve reproduces a photo of the performance at
Milanopoesia in 1988, as well as the text In My Music. The full color inner
sleeve reproduces a photo of the Natura Morta installation."
Walter Marchetti
- Vandalia LP (Alga Marghen) [ALGA083-5LP] $24.75
LP version, previously released in the Il Divano Dell'orecchio 5LP box
(ALGA 083LP). "Includes 'Perpetuum Mobile' (1981) and 'Le Secche Del
Delirio' (1989). Both pieces were never available on vinyl before. The LP
sleeve reproduces a photo of the 'Perpetuum Mobile' performance at
Musicalia in 1981. The full color inner sleeve reproduces a 'Musica Da
Camera' installation and the original Vandalia layout."
Whatnauts, The -
Reaching For The Stars LP (Stang Records) [ST1012LP] $11.00
Baltimore soul group The Whatnauts released several singles in the early
'70s on New Jersey's Stang Records. Reaching For The Stars was their third
album, released in 1972. Exact repro reissue, manufactured by Rhino.
Whatnauts, The -
Whatnauts On The Rocks LP (Stang Records) [ST1018LP] $11.00
Originally released in 1974. Featuring "Why Cant People Be Colors Too?",
sampled by A Tribe Called Quest. Exact repro reissue, manufactured by
Rhino.
Yusef Lateef -
Yusef Lateef's Detroit: Latitude 42º30'-Longitude 83º LP (Atlantic) [SD1525LP]
$11.00
Originally released in 1969. Exact repro, manufactured by Rhino. "The
string section, as heard on the opener 'Bishop School,' is far from the
pastoral or classically seeking group of recordings past, but another
rhythmic and melodic construct that delves deep into the beat and the
almighty riff that this recording is so full of. For all of the soul-jazz
pouring forth from the Blue Note and Prestige labels at the time, this
album stood apart for its Eastern-tinged melodies on 'Eastern Market'; the
'Black Bottom,' gutbucket, moaning bluesiness on 'Russell and Elliot,' with
Gale and Lateef on tenor trading fours in a slowhanded, low-end groove; and
the solid, Motown-glazed, rocking Latin soul of 'Belle Isle.'" -- All Music
Guide
Yusef Lateef -
Eastern Sounds LP (Prestige) [OJC612LP] $13.50
2009 release. Classic album from Yusef Lateef (sax, oboe, flute) recorded
in 1961. Backed by pianist Barry Harris, bassist Ernie Farrow and drummer
Lex Humphries. Tracks include: "The Plum Blossom," "Blues For The Orient,"
"Purple Flower."
ZZ Top -
Fandango! LP (Warner Brothers) [WB79963LP] $13.00
This 1975 release is ZZ Top's fourth best album. One side's recorded in the
studio; one side's live. The deeply entrancing yet violently offensive
effect of their songs carry an imputed unlocking of social constraint
directly into the earlobes and subconscious netherworld of its listeners,
and it's no wonder that listeners often lose themselves completely during
songs like "Tush," "Heard It On The X," "Backdoor Love Affair No.2" and
"Nasty Dogs And Funky Kings." Perhaps the resistance that generations of
our current times put up reveals their inability to even grasp, at the base
level, music whose appeal should be as obvious as the basic pull of sexual
or violent urges; and let there be no doubt that the unlocking of these
desires are one of the last weapons the youth can wield against the
increasingly boring and unsurprising social script written by the demigods
of quasi-celebrity and stale culture, dispersed through every available
outlet of mass & minute media, and acted out over countless dinner dates,
rock concerts and club nights to the detriment of what we might call,
simply, real lived experience, the present. F***ing ZZ Top. 180 gram vinyl
with poster.