|
Recent Best Sellers
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
3LP BOX
|
|
BEA 003LP
|
"A legendary concert by one of the great unrecorded bands in free jazz history is here at last. WEBO, the third installment in the Black Editions Archive series of previously unreleased recordings from Milford Graves' private tape library, roars into the station June 21, 2024. For the first time, Charles Gayle, Milford Graves, & William Parker -- three lions of the Black American jazz avantgarde -- are finally heard together on record, presented here across three audiophile-quality LPs for two brutalizingly joyous hours of real ju-ju & musical mastery. The trio of Charles Gayle, Milford Graves, & William Parker gave only seven public performances between 1985 and 2013, and released no recordings. Their June 1991 two-night stand at the short-lived Lower East Side venue Webo, long referenced as a signal event in New York free jazz's 1990s resurgence, has been a topic of discussion among close followers of the music for decades. In the uncompromising grassroots spirit of the 1970s New York Musicians Organization and loft jazz movements from which they had emerged, the band produced and promoted the WEBO concerts themselves. Photography and audio recording were not allowed at the concerts, and this official recording, commissioned by the artists, was never released -- until now. So vivid was the lore surrounding WEBO that it topped the list of recordings sought by Black Editions Archive from Graves' private collection. The tapes maximally substantiate eyewitness accounts describing extra-sensory levels of communication within the band, and the extraordinary clarity and impact of their performance. From William Parker's liner notes: 'Imagine a village or choir of drummers, horn players and strings. You can hear the bass and drums churning with a call and response, a melodic-rhythmic propulsion. In reality there is only one drummer, one bass, and one saxophone.' Age 52 at the time of these concerts, Charles Gayle had only recently made his first recordings. To all but the most immediate insiders he was still more myth than reality. Milford Graves, two months out from his 50th birthday, was about halfway into his body of recorded work and had sanctioned just one appearance on a commercially released recording in the last 14 years (Pieces of Time by an all-drummer quartet with Kenny Clarke, Andrew Cyrille, and Famoudou Don Moye). William Parker, the young man of the group at age 39, was a mere fifty entries into his discography, now 500+ entries and counting. All three musicians were at least a quarter century into passionately developing a personal and collective music rooted in the cultural values and radical aesthetics of the 1960s and '70s Black American avant-garde. 30+ years after the WEBO concerts, Black Editions Archive is honored to make these historical recordings available to the public. The three LPs are presented in a heavy black, pigment-stamped box with mounted cover painting along with liner notes by William Parker, commentary from Alan Licht (witness to night one of the WEBO concerts), a reproduction of the original concert flyer, and a set of 6"x9" printed photos from the 2021 WEBO reunion outside MoMA PS1, Queens, NY. Cover Painting by Jeff Schlanger/musicWitness, made June 8, 1991, at Webo during the band's performance. Vinyl pressed at RTI, lacquers cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio." --Michael Ehlers, 2024
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FARO 117X-LP
|
2024 repress. Far Out Recordings present a reissue of the seminal debut album from Azymuth, Azimüth, originally released in 1975. Having never seen a vinyl release outside of Brazil, Azimüth is considered a milestone in Brazilian music. Azymuth -- Jose Roberto Bertrami, Ivan Conti, and Alex Malheiros, as well as Ariovaldo Contesini -- formed in the late '60s just as Os Mutantes released their debut record (1968). Whilst Mutantes were honing a psychedelic "Amazonian" version of western pop music, Azymuth were creating a futuristic, electric interpretation of US jazz -- also driven by the same rootsy Brazilian "swing" that Mutantes had harnessed. Bertrami was the drive behind Azymuth's sound -- a control freak and musical genius obsessed with the latest technology who wanted to use it to push the boundaries of music in a way that no one else in Brazil had done. His use of keyboards has drawn comparisons between Azymuth's work and Herbie Hancock's early '70s output, yet with its Brazilian swing Azymuth's electric jazz sound is unmistakably their own. Conti is an impulsive and an incredibly energetic drummer. Alex Malheiros, who learned his trade playing from the master of Brazilian swing Ed Lincoln, is one of Brazil's original groove masters. Bertrami rose to fame as an arranger in the mid-60s, and by the late '60s he was arranging for the queen of Brazilian music, Elis Regina. Released in summer 1975, the album was a minor commercial success selling 200,000 copies. Opening track "Linha do Horizonte" -- a sublime piece of melancholic electronic saudade where deep cinematic synths melt into gently strummed acoustic jazz guitar -- was chosen for a TV novella and went on to sell half a million, propelling Azymuth onto the Brazilian music scene. The rest of the album doesn't disappoint -- "Melô Dos Dois Bicudos" sees Azymuth plugging them into the Brazilian national grid for a slice of electrified psyched out samba funk with crashing military drums, shrieking sirens and psych synths. "Brazil" is a lolloping bass led groover with Bertrami's melody giving the track a charming, innocent naivety, and "Caça A Raposa" is a boogie jazz funk groover. Azimüth is the album that kick-started it all for them, the record that was the blueprint and definition of their "samba doido/crazy samba" sound. Comes in a gatefold sleeve; 180 gram vinyl.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WRJ 010LTD-LP
|
2024 repress; LP version. 180 gram vinyl, half speed mastered; heavy sleeve with obi and gold ink. We Release Jazz announce the official reissue of Hiroshi Suzuki's Cat, a glorious jazz-fusion-funk holy grail originally released in 1976. Cat was recorded in October 1975 at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting his home country of Japan after moving to Las Vegas in 1971 to play with Buddy Rich and perfect his craft. Back on his old stomping grounds, the man known as Neko (Cat) immediately reunited with his dear friends for an epic two-day session of groove magic. The chemistry was still intact. The skills and style had grown. The result, Cat, is a smooth masterpiece, a deep and soulful affair where stunning trombone solos by Hiroshi Suzuki flirt with Takeru Muraoka's heavenly saxophone and the sensual rhythm section of Hiromasa Suzuki (keyboards), Kunimitsu Inaba (bass), and Akira Ishikawa (drums). Celebrated in jazz collectors circles, in the lo-fi beat scene, and among music diggers around the world, Cat has become one of the most sought-after Japanese jazz albums of all time and, much like Ryo Fukui's Scenery, has fascinated old and young generations alike. Sourced from the original masters. Liner notes by Teruo Isono.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
AUK 004LP
|
2024 repress; black vinyl. Gatefold 180 gram double vinyl version. Truth in advertising: the Brian Jonestown Massacre's sophomore album does, as promised, spring forth from the Rolling Stones' long-underrated 1967 masterpiece Their Satanic Majesties Request, copping not only Mick and Keith's leering bad-boy attitude but also their rock-and-roll-circus spirit. Opening with the brilliant "All Around You (Intro)," a tongue-in-cheek guide to the mind-altering journey ahead, the record is a kaleidoscopic, drug-fueled freakout -- like the Stones' namesake album, Second Request is painted by Eastern drones and psychedelic tangents, each track bubbling with dozens of sound effects including sitars, mellotrons, farfisas, didgeridoos, tablas, congas, and glockenspiels. Travelling through the past, darkly, the Massacre arrives on the other side unscathed; their music is too rich to be merely retro, and too knowing to be merely slavish -- the Stones themselves haven't made a record this strong or entertaining in years.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 089LP
|
LP version. Wewantsounds announces the reissue of Norio Maeda's cult classic Rock Communication Yagibushi, released in Japan in 1970. The album has since become a Japanese jazz funk cornerstone and is now highly sought-after on the international DJ scene. The album reinterprets 14 traditional Japanese folk songs into jaw-dropping jazz funk instrumentals featuring killer arrangements by Maeda that would fit perfectly between David Axelrod and Lalo Schifrin. One of the most prolific Nippon arrangers, Norio Maeda on a par with Yuji Ohno and Kentaro Haneda and this album has long been on many collectors' wantlist. Rock Communication Yagibushi is reissued internationally for the first time, with newly remastered audio, original gatefold artwork and new liner notes by Paul Bowler. Norio Maeda was born in Osaka Prefecture in 1934 and learnt to read music from an early age thanks to his father. He was largely self-taught on piano and quickly got into jazz, before moving to Tokyo in the mid '50s to immerse himself in the city's thriving jazz scene. There Maeda started his own group before joining The West Liners led by saxophonist Konosuke Saijo as pianist and arranger in 1959. Maeda arranged many pop and jazz albums by the likes of Nobuo Hara, Terumasa Hino, jazz singer Mieko Irota and, in 1969, he released the album This is Jazz Rock with saxophonist Jiro Inagaki, reinterpreting international pop, jazz and soul hits with groove arrangements which would pave the way for Rock Communication Yagibushi a year later. For the album, Maeda used two lineups -- a reduced one comprising Takeshi Inomata on drums, Shigeo Suzuki on sax and flute, Kiyoshi Sugimoto on guitar, and Tetsuo Fushimi on trumpet -- and an extended one adding three trumpets, four trombones and a different drummer, Takahiro Suzuki. The album is an explosive succession of instrumental funk and breakbeat nuggets that are reminiscent of David Axelrod with shades of Italian cinematic groove adding a Japanese twist to the mix. It's hard to pick a favorite track as Norio Maeda hits the mark every time and manages to display many fascinating shades of funk throughout the album. One of the most coveted Japanese classics on the international diggers scene, Rock Communication Yagibushi is finally available internationally and will please Japanese jazz funk's many fans.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
AUK 005LP
|
2024 repress. Originally released on CD in 1996, now reissued on A Recordings, Anton Newcombe's own record label. Released on 180 gram vinyl. The Brian Jonestown Massacre's obsession with the Rolling Stones continues unabated on the brilliant Take It from the Man!; where the group resurrected psychedelic-era excesses on the previous Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request, here they jump further back in time to the Stones' mid-'60s period, with even more superlative results. From the opening "Vacuum Boots" onward, Take It from the Man! is gritty, swaggering R&B-influenced rock, delivered with remarkable assurance and attitude; singer Anton Newcombe is half-madman and half-shaman, and he commands each delirious moment with absolute mastery, emerging not so much a disciple of Mick Jagger but as a serious threat to the throne.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEC 5772110
|
2023 repress. Justice's highly-acclaimed debut album from 2007. French-only vinyl version, in deluxe gatefold sleeve. Retreating to their underground post-nuclear shelter/studio, French duo Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay worked on their first album as if their lives depended on it. The result is a mind-fuck of an album that proves that Justice's unique talent is to be found where least expected. Take for example "Let There Be Light" and its strident, angry electro, driven by a jabbing bassline; "D.A.N.C.E," a pure piece of vicious house sung innocently by a choir of children; "Newjack," a funky parody of the opulent times of the French Touch; "Phantom," taking over where "Waters Of Nazareth" left off to drift towards "Phantom Pt. II" and its head-swirling disco violins; "Valentine," an erotic, melancholic nursery rhyme, like a tribute to Vladimir Cosma and "Tthhee Ppaarrttyy," a pure electro-funk track where the sexy Uffie plays more than ever the cheeky Lolita. Justice have thrown established rules out the window (the notion of good and bad taste, the thin line between underground and pop music, the pigeon hole labeling between rock and electro, etc.) with a fantastic talent for synthesizing and mixing their influences with total candor, be it the cosmic disco of Larry Levan or Vladimir Cosma's panty-wetting romantics, Camel's prog rock or the anxious theme of Goblin for Dario Argento, to the flashy funk of the Brothers Johnson or "ABC" by the Jackson 5. Cross isn't a collection of random dancefloor singles. Cross is for listening at home or in clubs. Cross is a link between pop at its purest and experimental music. Cross brings together hardcore elements and cheese. Cross makes the Goths link arms with the rave kids. A generational manifest, ideally positioned on the side of the dancefloor, Cross, insolent with youth, is a testimony that the French electro scene is healthier than ever.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
BISON 014LP
|
LP version.If I don't make it, I love u is Still House Plants third album and the fullest embodiment of their sound to date. Where Fast Edit formed with quick attachment and jump cuts, If I don't make it is shaped by persistence -- a commitment to the songs that makes the music solid, warmer and accepted. Marking the trio's decade of friendship, this is the first record written whilst all live in the same city since 2017's Assemblages. The band rehearsed it relentlessly, playing for nobody except themselves, consistently building support for one another and growing the way they play. Jess's voice is deeper. Fin's guitar is full size, richer. David drums harder. Focused on one point together, everyone gets bigger and nothing falls apart. The guitar and the drums blend, raise the voice, make room for what is being said, what is felt. When able to finally record, production allowed layers, gave elasticity, a chance to fully stretch. Playing with length and connections, the band brought in analog techniques -- a Leslie cabinet on "Headlight", sidechaining the snare with the guitar, pushing vocals through cheap DJ software -- each process an attempt to bring one instrument closer to another, to give bass, body, backup. If I don't make it, I love u seeks beauty, holds feeling maximum and builds surety with its sound. The most generous SHP record to date, the music is wide open, demands less. Play it again, it will come clear.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FKR 118LP
|
The very first Buchla synthesizer performance by revolutionary composer Suzanne Ciani finally makes its fifty-year journey from its switch-on New York art gallery to its long deserved and discerning global phonographic audience. With this previously unheard vinyl pressing, Finders Keepers Records present an archival project of "art music" that not only redefines musical history but lays genuine claim to the overused buzzwords such as pioneering, maverick, experimental, groundbreaking and esoteric, while questioning social politics and the evolution of music technology as we have come to understand it. To describe Italian-American composer Suzanne Ciani's resurrected Buchla Concert records as genuine gamechangers would be a gross understatement. These records represent a musical revolution, an artistic revelation, a scientific benchmark and a trophy in the cabinet of counterculture creativity. This sonic installation album, alongside her recently liberated WBAI/Phill Niblock 1975 sessions (FKR 082X-LP), are triumphant yardsticks in the synthesizer space race and the untold story of the first woman on the proverbial musical moon. While pondering the early accolades attached to these golden era New York recordings it's daunting to learn that these records were in fact not even records at all. What exists on this disc now was a manifesto and a one-time gateway to a new world, which somehow was only partially pushed ajar. Captured here is a genuine live act exploring new territories with a fully performable music instrument. If the unfamiliar, modernistic, melodic pulses, tones and harmonics found on these 1970s artistic gallery collaborations/live presentations (then soon to be followed by academic grant applications and educational demonstrations) had been placed in a phonographic context alongside the widely marketed work of Morton Subotnick, Walter Carlos, or Tomita, then the name Suzanne Ciani and her infectious influence would have already radically changed the shape, sound and gender of our record. With the light of Buchla and Ciani's initial flame Finders Keepers continues the journey through the vaults of this increasingly celebrated music legacy, illuminating these "non-records" that evaded the limelight for almost half a century.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
NA 5258LP
|
"Celebrated Zambian guitarist and bandleader Paul Ngozi's concept album about the struggles of those living in Africa's 1970s townships. Includes oversized eight-page booklet that details Paul Ngozi and the Ngozi family's arc, including rare photographs, discography, and annotation. The third entry in an era-defining reissue series on Now-Again centered around this Zamrock legend and his band - previous entries include Day Of Judgement and 45,000 Volts. Zamrock was a bona-fide rock scene: on the African continent, only Nigeria can claim one so comprehensive, and Nigeria's was largely catalyzed and funded by subsidiaries of the European major labels. Zamrock was as independent as the newly-named country, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. Zamrock is starting in its completeness, especially for a scene that emerged, unfurled and disappeared so quickly. From Musi-O-Tunyaís fusion of Fela's Afro-beat, Hendrix's rock, South African jazz and traditional Zambian melodies and rhythms to Salty Dog's acid folk/rock, Zambia's rock scene contained all of rock's subgenres. Zamrock was much more than an imitation of American and European rock music: it quickly became a uniquely Zambian movement, befitting of its name. WITCH, Paul Ngozi, and Amanaz sound nothing like other rock music from the African continent -- or elsewhere."
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MGART 904LP
|
2024 repress. 180-gram LP version with embossed chessboard artwork print and printed inner sleeve. In celebration of the 2016 35th anniversary of the December 12, 1981, recording of Manuel Göttsching's legendary E2-E4, one of electronic music's most influential recordings, Göttsching's MG.ART label presents an official reissue, carefully overseen by the master himself. Includes liner notes by Manuel Göttsching, archival photos, and an excerpt of David Elliott's review in Sounds from June 16, 1984.
"As the story is sometimes told, Göttsching stopped in the studio for a couple of hours in 1981 and invented techno. E2-E4 is the most compelling argument that techno came from Germany-- more so than any single Kraftwerk album, anyway. The sleeve credits the former Ash Ra Tempel leader with 'guitar and electronics', but few could stretch that meager toolkit like Göttsching. Over a heavenly two-chord synth vamp and simple sequenced drum and bass, Göttsching's played his guitar like a percussion instrument, creating music that defines the word 'hypnotic' over the sixty minutes . . . A key piece in the electronic music puzzle that's been name-checked, reworked and expanded upon countless times." --Mark Richardson, Pitchfork
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FKR 082X-LP
|
Finders Keepers presents these incredible early Buchla synthesizer concerts/demonstrations providing a distinctive feminine alternative to The Silver Apples Of The Moon if they had ever been presented in phonographic form. This record is a triumphant yardstick in the synthesizer space race and the untold story of the first woman on the proverbial moon. If the unfamiliar, modernistic, melodic, pulses, tones and harmonics found on this 1975 live presentation/grant application/educational demonstration had been placed in a phonographic context alongside the promoted work of Morton Subotnick, Walter Carlos, or Tomita then the name Suzanne Ciani and her influence would have already radically changed the shape, sound and gender of record collections. Suzanne was a self-imposed twenty-year-old employee of the Buchla modular synthesizer company, San Francisco's neck and neck contender to New York's Moog. Suzanne Ciani, as one of the very few female composers on the frontline (and also providing the back line) did not lose faith. These "concerts" are the epitome of rare music technology historic documents, performed by a real musician whose skills and academic education in classical composition already outweighed her male synthesizer contemporaries of twice her age. In denouncing her own precocious polymathmatic past in a bid to persuade the world to sing from a new hymn sheet, Suzanne Ciani created a bi-product of never before heard music that would render the pigeon holes "ambient" and "futuristic" utterly inadequate. Providing nothing short of an entirely different feminine take on the experimental "records" of Morton Subotnick and proving to a small, judgmental audience and jury the true versatility of one of the most radical and idiosyncratic musical instruments of the 20th century. These recordings have not been heard since then. The importance of these genuinely lost pieces of electronic music's puzzle almost eclipses the glaring detail of Suzanne's gender as a distinct minority in an almost exclusively male dominated, faceless, coldly scientific landscape. With the light of Buchla and Ciani's initial flame Finders Keepers continues to take a torch through the vaults of this lesser-celebrated music legacy shining a beam on these "non-records" that evaded the limelight for almost half a century.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WRJ 002LP
|
2024 repress. "Regular edition" on 140 gram vinyl. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, originally released in 1977. Released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor 1976's Scenery (WRJ 001CD/LP/LTD-LP). Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop, and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent "Mellow Dream" and "My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui's work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic "Baron Potato Blues" or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced "Horizon" which sees each member of the trio -- Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums -- demonstrating their virtuosity for nine exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, and reminds you that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists. After releasing the outstanding Scenery and Mellow Dream back-to-back, Ryo Fukui worked on developing his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui), and even releasing two live albums. He sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that all jazz lovers should explore. Sourced from the original masters. Mastered at half speed; 140 gram vinyl; includes sticker.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
LTJC 016LP
|
Gatefold packaging. Terumasa Hino is undoubtedly one of the most famous Japanese jazzmen. Learning the trumpet at the age of nine, he began his career as a professional musician by playing in the orchestra of an US Army base, before joining Hideo Shiraki's Quintet and then forming his own band in 1964. On Hi-Nology, his brother Motohiko Hino appears on drums, Hiroma Suzuki on electric piano, Kumitsu Inaba on electric bass and Takeru Muraoka on tenor sax. The inspiration from the "electric period" of Miles Davis (notably Miles In The Sky released in 1968) is felt and is even accepted, since the opening piece is entitled "Like Miles." Coincidentally, Hi-Nology was recorded on July 31, 1969, the day after the release of In a Silent Way and has nothing to envy of this great record by Miles Davis.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 060LP
|
2024 restock. Wewantsounds release Sharayet El Disco a selection of Egyptian '80s disco and boogie tracks curated by Egyptian DJ Disco Arabesquo from his vast collection of cassettes. Most tracks have never been released on any other format and are making their vinyl debut with this set. A journey through the funky sound of '80s Egypt, Sharayet El Disco (which can be translated by "Disco Cassettes") features Simone, Ammar El Sherei, and more obscure names from Cairo's cassette culture. Sharayet El Disco is part of an important mission for Moataz Rageb aka Disco Arabesquo. The Amsterdam-based Egyptian DJ has been collecting cassettes from Arab-speaking countries and its diaspora for many years and has amassed a vast collection of Egyptian music concentrating on the '80s, the sound he grew up listening to. His goal has been to search for these rare sounds and make them known to a new vinyl-hungry audience. During this decade, the rich Egyptian music industry, which had seen such stars as Oum Kalthoum, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Warda take the Arab world by storm in the '60s and '70s, was going through a new phase and the cassette format was the cause. This radical change enabled many young musicians and producers to spread their music directly to consumers duplicating cassettes themselves. A new vibrant music scene erupted in Cairo blending their sound with trends coming from the US and Europe including, of course, disco, soul, and funk. The cream from this scene was soon picked up by the most daring labels, including Mohsen Gaber's Alam El Phan, Sout El Hob, and Americana. Sharayet El Disco gives you a glimpse of these great tracks which -- for most of them -- were only ever released on cassette. The set is a unique insight into the diversity of the Egyptian disco sound, from the pulsating disco of "Hezeny" by Hany Shenouda's Al Massrieen band to the boogie of Simone's "Merci", via Firkit El Asdekaa's tongue-in-cheek "Eklib el Sheriet" ("turn the cassette to the other side"), produced by legendary Egyptian musician Ammar El Sherei. The music is both inventive and funky and played with both Western and Arab instruments proving that quality of Egyptian music. Audio remastered for vinyl by David Hachour/Colorsound Studio in Paris. LP artwork by young Egyptian graphic designer Heba Tarek. Includes two-page insert featuring artwork of the original cassettes plus insightful liner notes by Moataz Rageb. Also features Afaf Rady, Dr. Ezat Abou Ouf & el four M, FIrkIt el Ensan, Eman el Bahr Darwish, Firkit Americana Show, and Lebleba.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
AUK 026LP
|
2024 repress. Pressed on 180 gram black vinyl and housed in a gatefold sleeve. Remastered for a vinyl release. This 15-track compilation spans the years 1995-2004, featuring key tracks from all their albums as well as live recordings and many unreleased tracks. The Brian Jonestown Massacre is a psychedelic rock band originally from San Francisco, California, led by guitarist/singer Anton Newcombe. Since 1995 The Brian Jonestown Massacre has released numerous albums, first for Bomp! Records, the label which gave them their start, and later for TVT and Tee Pee. BJM has been essential in the development of the modern U.S. garage scene, and many L.A. and SF musicians got their start playing with Newcombe, including Peter Hayes of The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Originally Newcombe was heavily influenced by The Rolling Stones' psychedelic phase -- the name comes from Stones guitarist Brian Jones combined with a reference to cult leader Jim Jones, but his work in the 2000s has expanded into aesthetic dimensions approximating the UK shoegazing genre of the 1990s, and incorporates influences from world music, especially Middle Eastern and Brazilian music.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MAR 098LP
|
A tribute to a glorious and sophisticated era in Brazil music. Disco E Cultura: Vol. 2 brings 15 tracks of the funkiest Brazilian music from the '70s and '80s. Soul and funk were taking the world by storm in the 1970s. Brazilians developed their own sound by combining influences from funk and soul music from abroad to create something uniquely Brazilian. Featuring Jorge Ben, Almir Ricardi, Guilherme Arantes, Marcos Valle, Sandra Sá, Tony Bizarro, Viva Voz, Hanna, Marilia Barbosa, Tony Bizarro, Coral Som Livre, Ana Maria E Mauricio, Djalma Dias, Inema Trio, and Jeremias. 180g vinyl in deluxe hard-cardboard sleeve cover with obi.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WE 010LP
|
Keith Hudson, who temporarily worked as a dentist in the ghettos of Kingston, emigrated to New York City in 1976 and died there prematurely in 1984. He is best known for his work as a producer for artists such as U-Roy, Big Youth, Ken Boothe, and Horace Andy and within short order Hudson brought his all-round talent to full fruition. In 1974, he produced two ground-breaking albums. Pick A Dub was one of the first official dub albums ever, and is still considered to be one of the greatest moments of Jamaican music. In addition, the unique Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood became the first concept album in reggae history. Thematically dedicated entirely to black history, this masterpiece captivates with an atmosphere that is as dark as it is deeply spiritual, charged by Hudson's eccentric vocals. In 1981, he created the dub masterpiece Playing It Cool, Playing It Right which he produced with the help of Wackie's founder and mastermind Lloyd 'Bullywackie' Barnes. It remained the only collaboration between the two producers. Hudson decided to release it on his own label Joint International as he has done on his previous releases. The album continues Hudson's psycho-acoustic journey into the abyss of existence and has the power to overwhelm the listener with the beauty of artistic self-empowerment. "Too Much Formula" sings Hudson, whose voice occasionally recalls Sly Stone, "Darkest Night" answers an echoing background chorus found elsewhere on the track "California." Hudson's production techniques are fascinating on this album. There is often a kind of flashing-whip sound on the snare, which adds dynamics to the whole album. Rarely has a dub record sounded so electrifying, with radical spatial sound spreading out in all directions and rarely has it been as crystal clear, with warm bass and echophonic treatments as contained within these 30 minutes of music. 43 years after its first release and 20 years after its last re-release on the German-British label Basic Replay (Basic Channel/Honest Jon's), Playing It Cool, Playing It Right is now finally available again via Week-End Records, with a newly revised master and a rare interview with Lloyd 'Bullywackie' Barnes, talking about the making of this amazing album.
"It feels fresh and sounds amazing." --Lloyd Barnes Wackie's
"Legendary, strange, compelling music." --Mark Ainley, Honest Jon's
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
LTJC 015LP
|
Gatefold packaging. Le Tres Jazz Club can't really say that Japanese jazzmen benefit (not justify in fact) from a great international fame. However, trumpet player Terumasa Hino is an exception, undoubtedly because since the '70s he has collaborated with numerous American musicians: Gary Burton, Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock -- on Into the Heaven, which was released in 1970, Terumasa Hino is surrounded by the same musicians as on Hi- Nology (LTJC 016LP), released a year earlier: his brother Motohiko Hino on drums, Hiromasa Suzuki on electric piano, Kunimitsu Inaba on electric bass, and Takeru Muraoka on tenor sax. The eponymous piece, which lasts more than 20 minutes, is a jazz fusion giving room to choruses and which is reminiscent of the music that Miles Davis then offered. B side opens with "Love More Train," a brilliant and long hard bop song, while the album closes melancholy with the peaceful "Feeling Blues As You Are Feeling."
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
ZEDD 037LP
|
Gatefold double LP version. The Z Records label, run by Dave Lee aka Joey Negro, is arguably the contemporary go-to disco label, and it was only a matter of time before Lee would delve into his vinyl vaults and pull out a selection of tracks inspired by the late-'70s Chic sound. "Back when I was listening to commercial radio as a music-mad teenager in 1979/80, their records were omnipresent on the airwaves... when one of their own songs just dropped out of the hit parade, it was replaced by a production for another act -- be it Diana Ross, Sheila & B. Devotion, or Sister Sledge -- it was a constant stream of hits. When I heard songs like Norma Jean's 'High Society' (a solo release from one of Chic's singers) blasting out my transistor radio, I knew straight away it was an Edwards & Rogers production... the playing and sound of both the guitar and bass was a giveaway, along with the precise vocal phrasing, rippling piano, and discreet string parts. If it was the 12" mix then the bass breakdown and slow instrumental build up in the second half of the record was also part of the blueprint. Generally, Chic songs eschewed ad-libs or long solos; the style is more defined with each instrument having an exact placing -- including the vocals. Records like 'Good Times' and 'We Are Family' weren't just big club hits -- yes, they were massive on dance floors but they were also pop crossovers all around the world... even the rock guys I was friendly with (who generally despised disco) quietly liked Chic and admired their rock solid playing and grooves. I guess the best music has this universal appeal... The only track on here Edwards and Rogers were behind is Odyssey's 'Together,' which is one of their more obscure productions... The only actual cover is from Charanga 76 who released an album in 1979 which featured several raw, Latin disco-style Chic reworks, of which their 'Good Times' was perhaps the best -- otherwise, the likes of Delegation's, Van Jones's, and Michael Zager's are original songs, not pastiches -- just simply great music inspired by Chic's blueprint. Hope you enjoy" --Dave Lee aka Joey Negro, August 2015.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP+CD
|
|
LR 336LP
|
2024 repress. Lilith present a reissue of Os Mutantes' self-titled debut, originally released in 1968. With the release of their debut LP in 1968, Os Mutantes cracked the already red hot Tropicalia scene wide open. Fusing traditional Brazilian music, psychedelia, rock, and a good dose of pure experimentation, they quickly became giants both in Brazil and in the outer fringes of pop music, where they have managed to reign supreme for the past four decades. Not an easy task in such a crowded arena. Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Jorge Ben, Tom Zé, and Os Mutantes? What do these people put in their drinking water? The band went on to release several more albums, but this one was their magnum opus. Obi "bookmark" Japanese style; 180 gram vinyl; Includes CD.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MR 456LP
|
Originally released in 1980, this was Stiv Bators' first solo album. Now reissued with two bonus tracks, not available on the original version, a slightly different picture on the cover (the actual unfiltered photo as used on the 1980 issue) and a booklet with extensive liner notes and photos. Bators was the man who destroyed Rocket from the Tombs, from which he hijacked half the members to found one of the most influential American punk bands to have existed, The Dead Boys. Stiv had turned in his broken teeth for a more power pop oriented solo career. This is not an album recorded by a has-been former punk idealist; instead it's a true step forward into another unknown arena packing all the glare and attitude that remained from the last. The music is more similar to '60s power pop than the vicious punk rock that Bators became known for originally, while a member of The Dead Boys. New generations continue to discover it. It still holds up very well and sounds as fresh and vibrant as ever.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
7CD BOX
|
|
DPRMBX 167CD
|
The Long Shadow Falls is Current 93's first-ever CD box-set, and is as beautiful as the moon! This gorgeous, elaborate, boxset consists of 7CDs, plus a 7" single, and a beautiful 48-page art-book. The Long Shadow Falls collects the 41 unknown and redreamt mixes that C93 created for two (long-ago sold-out) lathe-cut 12" releases, respectively titled The Long Shadow Falls and Why Can't We All Just Walk Away?, which were both issued in editions of just 39 copies, cut by The Bricoleur at Bladud Flies!, which came with hand-painted covers by David Tibet, and with original artwork by him inserted into each copy. It also adds two final mixes of "The Long Shadow Falls" that were not released on vinyl. The box-set cover, booklet, CD covers, and 7" single all carry images from David Tibet's Channelled Hallucinatory Shadowed Found Fotograph series. For these photographs of ghosts, C93 spelled: David Tibet, Andrew Liles, and ChoirBoyHigh.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
HE 65002LP
|
The Astrud Gilberto Album (with Antonio Carlos Jobim) is the debut studio album by Astrud Gilberto. With Antonio Carlos Jobim on guitar and the arrangements by Marty Paich, it was released via Verve Records in 1965. It peaked at number 41 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2017, NPR placed it at number 73 on the "150 Greatest Albums Made by Women" list.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
OP 048LP
|
2024 restock. Nicolas Jaar shows he is paying attention to the masses by issuing a widely called for vinyl press of his A.A.L. (Against All Logic) album 2012-2017. Originally issued as a digital-only release back in February of 2018, it's slowly grown to become one of the most cherished releases in the entire Other People discography. Much like Kerrier District did to disco, A.A.L. (Against All Logic) borrows heavily from the samples and sounds ingrained deep within Jaar's listening habits and evidently a record collection packed to the brim with classic soul, house, and most importantly, funk hooks. Keenly twisting these sounds and filtering them through a studio set up that's leaning heavily on the beefed-up kick drums and reverb units to make a well-executed homage to these sounds, pieced together with the inherent idea of making the listener unable to resist the urge to move, be it in a bedroom, basement, or just sat in work staring at a computer screen. A.A.L. (Against All Logic) is both a well-executed homage to all of the above references, yet also just a really strong and enjoyable record from Nicolas Jaar. Its undeniable popularity digitally is sure to see the vinyl evaporate in no time at all.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
AKU 1009LP
|
Music of Southern Laos, subtitled Provinces of Champasak, Attapeu, Sekong and Saravan. One part of Akuphone's collection of Laotian music. Includes liner notes in English, French, and Japanese and a download code. Akuphone presents a collection of recordings of various musical practices from the Laotian provinces of Champasak, Attapeu, Sekong, Saravan, Luang Namtha and Phongsaly. These documents are a perfect introduction to the traditional music of South Laos minority groups. Popular modern music is widely spread but visitors are barely ever exposed to ancient acoustic practices from villages. As a matter of fact, mouth organs of various sizes exist among the Hmong and Bit as well as amazing vocal techniques among the Lantene, Ahka, or Khmu who combine simultaneous singing and flute notes. This collection also compels one to discover the Brao gongs, the Triang bamboo flutes, the Lao, Ta Oy, Alak, OI, Pacoh, or Nyaheun mouth organs as well as the powerful singing accompanying these instruments. Caught on the spot, these outstanding testimonies were collected between 2006 and 2013 by Laurent Jeanneau, aka Kink Gong. Through his researches, this self-taught ethnologist has gradually become one of the specialists of the field, building up a collection of complete and fascinating sound archives which contribute documenting parts of this immaterial heritage. Music of Southern and Northern Laos brings some light on a region of South East Asia still largely unknown from the general audience as well as the recently reborn ethnographic musical industry. This compilation will delight both molam/khene lovers and beginners unused to South East Asian sounds.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
VL 900051LP
|
2024 repress. Although Warhol, who was listed as producer on the album, allegedly gave the Velvets free reign over their sound, it was on his insistence that Nico performed on this album. However, this does not detract from the fact that when this album was made the Red Sea parted, and the Velvet Underground crossed into the Promised Land. Deluxe gatefold jacket with peeling banana and "Chelsea Girls" bonus track on B5
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FFL 084LP
|
LP version. The Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra was created in 1971 by French free jazz pianist legend, François Tusques. "Free Jazz" was also the name of the 1965 recording Tusques made along with Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin, and Charles Saudrais. Six years later, in 1971 Tusques would go ahead of free jazz. Wondering if free jazz wasn't a bit of a dead end together with Barney Wilen ("Le Nouveau Jazz") or even solo ("Piano Dazibao" and "Dazibao N°2"), Tusques formed the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra, an association under the banner of which the different communities of the country would come together and compose, quite simply. If at first the structure was made up of professional musicians from the jazz scene it would rapidly seek out talent in the lively world of the MPF (Musique Populaire Française). As with L'Inter Communal a few years earlier, Le Musichien follows on from the group of varying musicians that Tusques had conceived as a "people's jazz workshop." In 1981, at the famous Paris address, 28 rue Dunois, the pianist sang with his partner Carlos Andreu "Le Musichien," an Afro-Catalan tale over an exceptional bass line from Jean-Jacques Avenel backed by percussion from Kilikus, saxophones from Sylvain Kassap, and Yebga Likoba and trombone from Ramadolf which presented a myriad of constellations. "Les Amis d'Afrique" is recorded the following year, at the Tombées de la Nuit festival in Rennes, bassist Tanguy Le Doré would weave with Tusques the fabric on which would evolve an explosive "brotherhood of breath." Featuring Bernard Vitet on trumpet, Danièle Dumas and Sylvain Kassap on saxophones, Jean-Louis Le Vallegant and Philippe Le Strat on bombards. With hints of modal jazz inspired by Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders, the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra is an ecumenical project which speaks to the whole world.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
EPR 076LP
|
LP version. On From The Source, Causa Sui's first new studio album since 2020, the band has created some of their most ambitious music ever -- simultaneously travelling through the sonic landscapes that has come to define the group's sound and pushing towards new horizons. With the four bandmember's ties to jazz, experimental and ambient music, Causa Sui is something of an anomaly in the ever-growing European psychedelic rock scene. Always following their own path. Never before has the group's wide-ranging influences been more meticulously weaved together as on From The Source, from groovy Zamrock and electric jazz to floating post-rock, Sabbath riffage and hypnotic kosmische. The album was recorded during months of sessions in their own studio, refining each part gradually through intense explorations, yet keeping room for improvisation and favoring "magic" takes over clinical perfection. The temperament of the music spans white-iron hot and sub-zero chilled with every ebb and flow in between. Dynamic range has always been central to Causa Sui but on this set the band explores it to a new degree -- every track twists and turns, seamlessly leading the listener down unpredictable paths. The pinnacle of the album, and arguably of the band's singular ethos in general, is the sidelong odyssey, "Visions of a New Horizon" -- a 24-minute suite in seven parts. An appropriate closing monument on the album that marks the 20th anniversary of the band.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
V 25AH506LP
|
2023 repress. Victory present a reissue of Haruomi Hosono, Takahiko Ishikawa, and Masataka Matsutoya's The Aegean Sea originally released in 1979. The album is somewhat of a companion piece to the previous year's Pacific (V 25AH426). A beautiful piece of Japanese smooth fusion-jazz with elements of traditional Greek music and Balearic grooves, it's one of Hosono's cleanest and most focused works to date. Long sought-after by collectors, this record is nearly impossible to find in original pressings outside of Japan and this is a welcome reissue of one of the greatest titles in Hosono's seemingly infinite catalog. Essential Japanese jazz fusion.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FFL 083LP
|
LP version. The Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra was created in 1971 by French free jazz pianist legend, François Tusques. "Free Jazz" was also the name of the 1965 recording Tusques made along with Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin, and Charles Saudrais. Six years later, in 1971 Tusques would go ahead of free jazz. Wondering if free jazz wasn't a bit of a dead end together with Barney Wilen ("Le Nouveau Jazz") or even solo ("Piano Dazibao" and "Dazibao N°2"), Tusques formed the Inter Communal Free Dance Music Orchestra, an association under the banner of which the different communities of the country would come together and compose, quite simply. If at first the structure was made up of professional musicians from the jazz scene it would rapidly seek out talent in the lively world of the MPF (Musique Populaire Française). Compiling extracts from concerts given between 1976 and 1978, L'Inter Communal demonstrate the "social function" which inhabited free jazz and popular music at the time calling upon Spanish singer Carlos Andreu along with Michel Marre, Jo Maka, Adolf Winkler, and Jean Méreu. Andreu, claimed Tusques, was a griot "who created of new genre of popular song improvised with our music, based on events going on at the time." L'Inter Communal can start the festivities: on "Blues pour Miguel Enriquez," it is first Thelonious Monk who is invoked in an homage to one of the leading figures of the Chilean revolution, and a victim of Pinochet. The circumstances may be serious, the music, though, is not. The musicians light a bonfire to bring together on the same frequency France and Spain, the Americas and Africa: "L'heure est à la lute," is the new song offered by the l'Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. As if proof were needed that their music is still more than timely!
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 056LP
|
2024 repress. Be With Records present a reissue of Sweet And Nice, the vital debut album from Jamaica's undisputed first lady of song Marica Griffiths, originally released in 1974. It's reggae at its most soulful. Slinking through a tight ten tracks of R&B and pop-sourced material, it became an instant best seller. Sweet And Nice has appeared over the years with a revised running order and under different titles. But the original's opening sequence of loping soul is legendary, even beyond reggae circles. These songs are now returned to how they were presented on that first Jamaican release, and under their intended album title. Be With doesn't mess with magic. Marcia's version of "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" has long been lusted after, played by genre-hopping selectors to snapping necks for decades now. It's followed by the sophisticated, rollicking wah-wah funk of "Everything I Own" and the slice of smooth lovers soul par excellence that is "Green Grasshopper" and her ace, lilting Neil Diamond cover "Play Me". The thundering, humid funk of "Children At Play" "sounds uncannily like a precursor of Massive Attack", as FACT Mag astutely noted when they put Sweet And Nice at number 16 in their list of the 100 best albums of the 1970s. Otherworldly, moody, and essential. Side two keeps the fire burning. "Sweet, Bitter Love" should leave you swooning, and is also one of the album's alternate titles. Curtis Mayfield's already-eternal "Gypsy Man" follows, recast as proto-lovers rock. "There's No Me Without You" is elevated to canonical status by the majestic, forlorn horns of the Federal Soul Givers and Marcia's heartbreaking delivery. And if this doesn't get you then surely the next track will: arguably the definitive version of Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". "I Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" re-takes its rightful place at the end of the LP's second side... but Be With Records added an entire second record of rare material recorded around the same time as Sweet And Nice, much of it unavailable since it was originally released. Amongst these 14 extra tracks you'll find the exquisite late-60s singles "Melody Life" and "Mark My Word" which, along with the sumptuous reading of "Band Of Gold". All material is remastered. 140 gram vinyl.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MR 459LP
|
Between 1967 and 1974 Saúl and Manuel Cornejo led a series of epoch-making groups on the MAG label (New Juggler Sound, Laghonia, and We All Together) in the history of Peruvian rock. All these bands were directly influenced by the British invasion and used new sounds from Hammond, phase shifters, synthesizers and tapes played backwards, which stimulated rivalry with other groups. Another hallmark of the brothers was the technical quality of their records, thanks to Saul's supervision of all MAG recordings between 1972 and 1974. At the end of 1971, when Laghonia was working on the last tracks of Etcétera, they met Manuel Antonio Guerrero's (MAG) son, Carlos, who had just got back from the USA, and gladly joined in the choruses of the last songs Laghonia was recording. They met up again soon after to rehearse some of Paul McCartney's songs. As soon as he heard them play, Guerrero Senior urged them to form a group focused on cover versions of foreign hits not yet known in Peru. Initially, the Cornejo brothers weren't enthused by a project so different from Laghonia, but ended up accepting as it gave them the opportunity to spend time in the studio. Carlos' melodic voice was another incentive, although they made it clear that the new group, We All Together (WAT), would stick to the mixing desk: "The group isn't into presentations or shows, we're about recording music and purifying it to the max," stated Saúl at that time. Their first album included four covers of Paul McCartney and Badfinger, several compositions by Carlos Guerrero -- appealing Beatles-style melodies -- and two songs from Saúl and Manuel's archives. "Children," by keyboardist Carlos Salom, opens the LP: a nostalgic description of childhood, with the distinctive piano sound (achieved through mixing) that permeates the record. Although WAT sang and composed in English, they had no intention of undermining or alienating national culture. Their aim was much more innocent: they simply wanted to make it in the English-speaking world. "It's a Sin to Go Away" was composed during Laghonía's lifetime as a band and it features guitars played backwards and a psychedelic-progressive style closely attuned to the era. After being included on several compilations, praise for the song has flowed from Europe and the United States in recent years. The album was released in July 1972 and became one of the best-selling Peruvian rock LPs.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
OPT4 056LP
|
10th-anniversary edition of Tess Parks' debut album. A native of Toronto, Tess Parks moved to London, England at the age of seventeen where she briefly studied photography before deciding to focus on music. Tess made an impression on industry legend Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records, albeit the timing of their meeting could hardly have been less ideal; McGee was no longer involved in music and Tess was due to move back to Toronto. After moving back to her hometown in 2012, Tess formed a band on the advice of McGee and less than a year after their meeting, he returned to music with his new label, 359 Music. Tess became one of his first signings and released her debut record Blood Hot in November 2013 to excellent reviews. One reviewer described her as "Patti Smith on Quaaludes." Others have mentioned her "gauzy psychedelic sound" and "smouldering voice." Blood Hot is inimitably confident. It's slow and psychedelic at times, while being loud and ready to fill a stadium at others. There isn't a moment on the album that isn't relatable or that doesn't ring to the tune of a timeless classic to be talked about for years to come (the same way people discuss The Velvet Underground or My Bloody Valentine records today). Her cult-like following has turned into a movement. Incredibly relevant yet timeless. Cool and anti-cool. An enigma that doesn't need solving. Tess Parks is as she's always been. Her best work is already out there. And her best yet is still to come. Printed on gold vinyl with gatefold sleeve and including a handwritten lyric booklet.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
4CD/DVD BOX
|
|
LMS 1725127
|
35th Anniversary edition of the seminal 1989 Durutti Column album Vini Reilly. Produced by Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, The Cranberries, New Order). Remastered and heavily expanded five-disc version, featuring over 75 tracks. Disc 1 features the Vini Reilly album plus three bonus tracks. The original album is presented in the famous (and as to now unseen) "rejected" sleeve by 8vo. Disc 2 features The Sporadic Recordings (28 tracks), a limited-edition CD from 1989. Disc 3 features Womad Live EP, plus bonus live tracks and demos (16 tracks). Disc 4 is an exclusive DVD, Live from Porto 1988. Disc 5 features a bonus one-track 3" mini-CD titled I Know Very Well How I Got My Name, a replica of the bonus addition from the original CD pressing. Expansive booklet includes new essay by Durutti Column/Factory Records expert James Nice, liner notes by band member Bruce Mitchell, liner notes from Anthony Wilson, interview extracts with Vini Reilly and restored images and outtake images. DVD is NTSC format, region 0.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
VAMPI 295LP
|
2024 restock. The Bronx in the 1970s, marked by the presence of notorious gangs, presented a complex and challenging urban landscape. Amidst the crumbling infrastructure and economic decline, neighborhoods bore the scars of disinvestment, reflected in abandoned buildings and neglected public spaces. The prevalence of street gangs, such as the Ghetto Brothers, contributed to an atmosphere of heightened tension and occasional violence. Graffiti adorned subway cars and buildings, expressing both social unrest and the vibrant creativity of the community. Despite the challenges, there was a resilient spirit among residents, evidenced by grassroots efforts to address social issues. The Bronx during this era was a dynamic yet tumultuous mix of cultural expression, social struggle, and the determined spirit of a community facing adversity. The Ghetto Brothers, originating from the Melendez family who moved from Puerto Rico to the South Bronx in the 1950s, faced challenges involving violence and crime. Despite this, Benjy, a key figure, directed the group towards community improvement. The Ghetto Brothers embraced music, crafting a potent, NYC-flavored musical fusion that caught the attention of record mogul Ismael Maisonave (Salsa Records). Their collaboration resulted in the recording of eight tracks in a single electrifying day at Manhattan's Fine Tone Studios, skillfully produced by Latin studio maestro Bobby Marin (Harvey Averne, La Lupe, Brooklyn Sounds). This musical odyssey showcases the band's ability to seamlessly blend genres, creating a NYC-flavored stew that captivates listeners with its authenticity. The hypnotic rhythms, infectious guitar riffs, and impassioned vocals reflect the Ghetto Brothers' commitment to expressing their unique experiences and uplifting their community through the universal language of music. Power-Fuerza is not just an album; it's a sonic testament to the Ghetto Brothers' fusion of resilience, cultural richness, and musical innovation. Each track is a vibrant tapestry, weaving together the raw energy of the South Bronx streets and the soulful melodies born from the trio's Puerto Rican heritage. Embrace the timeless resonance of the Ghetto Brothers' Power-Fuerza, one of the best Latin funk albums ever recorded.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
PSP 1014LP
|
"An essential collection from Lee 'Scratch' Perry and his house band of Jamaican music hit makers at the peak of their game. From soulful vocal numbers to pumping instrumental tracks, this record is a must for any reggae, rock steady (or Jamaican music in general) aficionado. A tour de force from a talented bunch of individuals conducted by one of the most legendary producers of all time!"
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
AUK 008LP
|
2023 repress. Released on 180 gram black vinyl. Deluxe gatefold with printed inner sleeves. 2007 release -- originally released in 1995. Redolent with the spirit of such high priests of effects and delay as Loop, Spaceman 3, and My Bloody Valentine, not to mention a fair dollop of the Jesus And Mary Chain, Methodrone clearly is the sum of its influences. Thankfully, BJM does a very solid job with them throughout the album's course of over 70 minutes.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
FAITBACK 001LP
|
2024 restock. Faitiche presents a long-lost vinyl album. Since 2003, Jan Jelinek's Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records, originally released in 2001 on ~scape, existed only as a download. Now the album is available again on vinyl, as a double LP with two bonus tracks, "Moiré (Guitar & Horns)" and "Poren", B-sides from Tendency EP (2000).
"Don't be misled by the title, though for there isn't a finger-snapping rhythm bebop lead anywhere on the album. Instead, Jelinek chooses to explore the visual effect moiré - two shifting patterns creating an implied third dimension - in the audio realm." --Alternative Press
"The title acts as explanation for the studio technique that provided the basis for this album, snippets of other people's arrangements deconstructed through a sampler into loops and then splashed onto an audio canvas." --ATM
"Jelinek's sound evolved out of his dislike for (and inability to play) keyboards." --RPM
"Jelinek has abstracted his sources beyond recognition, looping his millisecond samples into flickering patterns of sonic moiré laid atop a dub techno framework. . . . Jelinek might as well have sampled a horn player's hissing intake of breath - it would have been 'jazz' enough for his purposes." --The Wire
"It's a perfect inversion of conventional music, a sonic negative. Everything that would typically be foreground is moved back or pushed off the screen altogether, and the flecks of sonic debris that would normally be covered by other sounds are left to carry the melody and rhythm." --Pitchfork
"All you need to know is that these onomatopoeic non-specific songs . . . are warm, paradisiacal creations." --NME
"Listen carefully and you'll hear textures slowly unfolding and mutating. Presuming you've not fallen asleep of course." --iDJ
"At times, it's all a bit dripping tap Japanese water torture; so sedentary it drowns in its own motionlessness" --DJ
"Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records is a genuine modern classic whose re-release is anything but a cynical mortgage repayment exercise. Consider this a second chance, then pretend you had it all along." --Boomkat
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
CD
|
|
ELE 035CD
|
Robert Johnson of Indonesia's Orkes Melayu music finally comes out from the shadows. Between 1961 and 1964, Kelana Ria recorded 48 songs that were spread over four records, Kafilah, Yam El Shamah, Ya Mahmud, and Ya Hamidah, which became the primary sources for this compilation. In the early 1960s, two of the best talents in the Indonesian music scene, songwriter and band leader Adi Karso and Gambus musician Munif Bahasuan teamed up to form Orkes Melayu (Malay Orchestra) Kelana Ria. These four recordings changed the trajectory of Indonesian popular music. "Renungkanlah" has been covered by many countless other musicians in Indonesia and Malaysia and it has become a hit many times over. The song has become a go-to song in karaoke bars in the region, with fans oblivious to who actually wrote this song or who performed it the first time. Or take the song "Ratapan Anak Tiri" ("Lament of a Stepchild"), a song that has traversed national boundaries and has become a universal sad song in the Malay world, turning into a shorthand for melancholia that permeates this archipelago of nations. Another stunner is the melancholia-laden "Kesunyian Jiwa" ("Silence of the Soul"), an operatic tune so majestic that it could open any black and white Kurosawa film from the late 1940s. The songs and the soulful vocal performance belong to Muhamad Mashabi, who despite the popularity of the songs he created is now largely forgotten, whose history was kept alive only in the neighborhood where he grew up in Central Jakarta. With only a short musical career and only nine recorded songs from almost 40 compositions, Mashabi fell by the wayside in the early 1970s, especially with the rise of pop and rock from bands like Koes Plus, Panbers, and God Bless. Yet his songs, inspired by Malay traditional songs but performed in the modern studio setting, lay the foundations for what would become the biggest musical genre in the country, dangdut, especially the kind that was popularized by the self-styled king of the genre, Rhoma Irama.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
VAMPI 300LP
|
Unknown spiritual jazz gem recorded in Argentina in the '80s, under the influence of Pharoah Sanders, Don Cherry, Archie Shepp, and originally released on Litto Nebbia´s label Melopea. Already supported by Gilles Peterson on his radio show, this mind-blowing album combines ethno-free jazz passages and deep progressive compositions led by saxophonist Marcelo Peralta resulting a very impressive ode to the legacy of Coltrane. This is the first and only album ever released by this band, Grupo de Improvisación Tercer Mundo ("Third World Improvisation Group"), formed by a quartet of young musicians based in Buenos Aires accompanied by drummer Norberto Minchillo (López Fürst, Fernando Gelbard, Jorge Navarro) and Litto Nebbia himself during the recording sessions. They would also organize weekly jam sessions in public spaces in Buenos Aires, getting visual artists, poets and even passersby involved in these communal actions that aimed to promote self-expression in an environment of total freedom. After the gigs they'd gather again for intense listening sessions of deep jazz for hours. "Almas Liberadas" and "Un Hilo de Luz" sound as a clear tribute to Pharoah Sanders, as the subtitle of the latter openly states. First time reissue. Includes extensive notes and many previously unpublished photos.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
FREAK 071LP
|
Limited restock. "Finally on vinyl! There's not much musical output from the twisted and magical mind of the legendary Syd Barrett, so these two complete and amazingly sounding two sessions he recorded for the BBC are absolutely essential for anyone remotely interested in Barrett's incredible music. The legendary Pink Floyd founding father is captured here at the peak of his delicate power, making this beautiful record an astonishing psychedelic ride through the mind of a mad genius. A must!"
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
AUK 006LP
|
2024 repress; 180 gram black vinyl for the first time. This 1997 album is seen as a classic Brian Jonestown Massacre release. The Brian Jonestown Massacre is a psychedelic rock band originally from San Francisco, California, led by guitarist/singer Anton Newcombe. Since 1995 The Brian Jonestown Massacre has released numerous albums, first for Bomp! Records, the label which gave them their start, and later for TVT, Tee Pee, and now on Anton Newcombe's own A Recordings label. BJM has been essential in the development of the modern U.S. garage scene, and many L.A. and SF musicians got their start playing with Newcombe, including Peter Hayes of The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Originally Newcombe was heavily influenced by The Rolling Stones' psychedelic phase -- the name comes from Stones guitarist Brian Jones combined with a reference to cult leader Jim Jones, but his work in the 2000s has expanded into aesthetic dimensions approximating the UK shoegazing genre of the 1990s, and incorporates influences from world music, especially Middle Eastern and Brazilian music.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
CREP 103LP
|
The long running vessel for Cameron Stallones' psychedelic excursions, Sun Araw, returns to Discrepant after 2023's split with Tarzana via Keroxen sister label. Without much precedent in his own -- already wide-ranging -- back-catalog, Cetacean Sensation discards the dubby vibes, psych-rock sunburnt jams, tropical visions, or stalking sensibilities of such classic efforts as On Patrol or Ancient Romans towards a deeply focused and vivid solitary approach, while still retaining this Sun Araw blissed out escapist feeling. Composed of hydrophone recordings of whales and dolphins sourced during a summer in Galicia, Cetacean Sensation paints an impressionistic and sensory floating canvas that expertly escapes both academic-like documentarian purposes and any new-age spa vibrations one could associate with such subject matter. Processing those raw recordings into alluring collages that flow gracefully between moments of clear eco-location and submerged impressions of wildlife social dynamics. By the third track -- "Dance of the Minke"-- listeners are introduced to this ringing MIDI tone that evokes a CD-ROM era of mystic educational programs and click-and-deploy strategies that still feel very much like an unfulfilled future, conjured again by "Spider Crab Elegy's" sparse keyboard pads and sound effects that give way to this properly elegiac tentative melody. "The Spider Crab Point" ends the album on a more uneasy vibe, with synth tones pointing towards no particular direction, confounding and strangely inviting at the same time. As sensations often do. Music written and produced by Cameron Stallones using hydrophones and digital synthesis. Recorded in 2019 in Galicia, ES Mastering by Rashad Becker.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
MIR 100708LP
|
2024 repress. Edward Artemiev's re-recording of his score to Andrei Tarkovsky's classic 1972 film Солярис (Solaris), reissued on 180-gram vinyl. When Artemiev recorded this score in Moscow in 1989 and '90, there was no legitimately available releases of the original soundtrack. Artemiev chose to fill that void himself with this recording, released on Torso Kino in the Netherlands as part of a 1990 double-LP set also containing re-recordings of Artemiev's scores to Зеркало (Mirror) (1975) and Сталкер (Stalker) (1979). This set is now long out of print, and Mirumir is pleased to present the collection on two separate LP releases, remastered, with new artwork, and officially licensed by the artist himself.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
COSMR 027LP
|
Reverse side print. Another lost gem from the non-jazz Verve catalogue, Color Him In is a daydream experience from loner singer/songwriter Bobby Jameson. Released in 1967, the album is an orchestrated psychedelic trip, so it's no surprise then Jameson had a part in the cult film Mondo Hollywood. Produced by Curt Boettcher the album had several psych-pop numbers with rare female vocals harmonization.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
KOY 002LP
|
Long-awaited reissue of this rare Jamaican ska record, originally released in 1964. In 1961 Byron Lee And The Dragonaries took a huge break when they were part of the first James Bond film -- Dr. No -- as the hotel band. In 1964, the band was also featured in a broadcast called "This is Ska!" alongside Jimmy Cliff, Prince Buster, and Toots and the Maytals. Amazing back cover illustrations: how to learn classic ska dance in 12 easy steps!
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
WWSLP 057LP
|
2024 restock. Wewantsounds announce an ambitious Makoto Kubota reissue program with his three albums recorded with The Sunset Gang between 1973 and 1977. The albums feature Haruomi Hosono (who also co-produced Hawaii Champroo) and also includes Minako Yoshida, Taeko Ohnuki and Tatsuo Hayachi to name a few. Makoto Kubota has been one of Japan's true musical innovators and following his involvement with Les Rallizes Dénudés in the early '70s, he developed a unique sound bringing American, Hawaiian and Okinawan music influences to his own Japanese folk music mix. Recorded in Honolulu in 1975. Recorded in 1975 at the famed Sounds of Hawaii studio in Honolulu, Hawaii Champroo was co-produced by Haruomi Hosono and marks the start of Kubota's keen interest in Hawaiian and Okinawan music (Champroo is derived from Chanpurū, the traditional Okinawan stir-fry dish). A companion album to Hosono's own Tropical Dandy and Bon Voyage Co. albums (on which Kubota plays), the album was at the forefront of a tropical musical movement started in Japan in the mid-70s. The core Sunset Gang consists of Kubota on Guitar, Takashi Onzo on bass, Yosuke Fujita on guitars and mandolin, Keni Inoue on lead guitar and Hiroki Komazawa on pedal steel guitar. They are joined on the album by Hosono on drums and Teriyuki Kokubu on piano. Having travelled to the United States in the early '70s, Makoto Kubota had fallen in love with American music and had brought back many influences from his sojourn on the East and West coast. these are evident from the tracks covered by the band on Hawaii Champroo, including Jesse Fuller's "San Francisco Blues", The Rooftop Singers' "Walk Right In" (an old Gus Cannon ragtime) or The Texas Playboys' classic "Steel Guitar Rag". Hawaii Champroo also features originals such as the funky "Shanghai Gaeri" and a nod to the Hula Hawaiian dance "Moonlight Hula". One of the highlights of the album is the classic "Haisai Ozisan", the Okinawan 1972 cult classic by Shoukichi Kina which has become a standard in Japan. All in all, Hawaii Champroo is a timeless classic and one of the key Japanese albums from the '70s. This is the first time the albums are released outside of Japan. Newly remastered by Makoto Kubota. Comes with original artwork, OBI and the original Japanese inserts.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
KEPLARREV 019LP
|
Released in 1999 on Taylor Deupree's 12k label, optimal.lp was the debut album by Dan Abrams under his Shuttle358 moniker. For its 25th anniversary, Keplar presents it on vinyl for the first time with three previously unreleased tracks, as well as a new artwork recreated by Daniel Castrejón and a remaster by Andreas [LUPO] Lubich based on the original pre-masters that were been restored and cleaned up for the reissue project by Abrams. optimal.lp was inspired by the rich tradition of ambient music and the rhythmic complexity of 1990s electronica while also sharing many traits with the then-emerging clicks'n'cuts movement, making it a true sui generis piece of work -- both informed by tradition and visionary, idiosyncratic and seminal for many artists after him. During the 1990s, Abrams increasingly immersed himself in the electronica scene and the output of labels such as Instinct, where Deupree worked as an art director and released his first records as Human Mesh Dance. Abrams found a home on 12k after sending Deupree a demo tape that would later evolve into optimal.lp, released as the label's fifth catalogue number. This sense of timelessness remains tangible after a quarter of a century after the album's original CD release and is even being expanded upon by the vinyl reissue, which is complemented by three pieces that were made while Abrams was working on the album. The digital release even features an entirely new take on the original album's final piece, "Tank." While Abrams let one of the masters go through his customized reverb unit when preparing the reissue, he started recording the results of this accidental dialogue between past and present. It's a fitting tribute to an album whose delicate circular rhythms, rich textures, and ethereal melodies are precisely so exhilarating because their interplay seems to suspend the passing of time altogether.
|
|
|
# |
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
|
LP
|
|
SOW 002LP
|
2024 repress. Sowing Records present a reissue of Hip Harp by Dorothy Ashby with Frank Wess, originally released in 1958. Born in Detroit in 1932, Dorothy Ashby can be easily recognized as the woman who gave the harp a jazz voice. In her hands, the harp, an originally classical instrument which seemed to just scare people, became a highly versatile swinging voice able to drive a whole jazz rhythm section. Recorded in 1958 by master Rudy Van Gelder and originally released on the Prestige label, Hip Harp is a perfect example of Ashby's artistry. At the head of a fine quartet featuring the great Frank Wess on flute, Herman Wright on bass, and master Art Taylor on drums, Ashby creates a unique combination of deeply jazz elements expressed through a totally new sound. Clear vinyl.
|
|