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FORCED EXPOSURE MAILORDER UPDATE
NEW RELEASES FOR THE WEEK OF 12/02/2024

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PRICE: $16.00

CAT #: AR 171CD

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

A journey -- that's how musicians like to describe working on a new album. In the case of krajenski.'s new LP B-3 Vol. 2 it really was a journey. Many ideas were born and discarded, several sessions were played for inspiration, plenty of songs were produced in advance -- the journey is the journey. Then the decisive missing link: krajenski. was able to find the two musicians and producers Dirk Berger (Peter Fox, Seed, Marteria) and Samon Kawamura (Joy Denalane, Max Herre, Till Br?nner) for this project. And suddenly the production took a completely different magical turn -- away from a "band album" towards a musical experiment. These three musicians locked themselves up in a studio for two days, let the inspiration flow and recorded everything that happened spontaneously and unplanned. The nucleus can be a small, melodic phrase, a beat or simply a sound from the Hammond organ. The tracks, some of which last ten minutes, were then reduced to their essence and refined with great care and diligence and finally produced -- without changing the original DNA of the material. As there were basically no musical guidelines, the songs have a wide range of styles -- from groovy-funky to atmospheric to boogaloo, bossa nova and Latin. The common thread, however, is always the wonderfully diverse sound of the Hammond organ. But B-3 Vol.2 is not just an instrumental album: Nen? V?squez from Mo' Horizons recites a hymn to the most legendary of all Hammond organs and MOORE, a rising star from Italy, enhances two further tracks with his voice.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: B 153LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Warehouse find, last copies. "At The Bunkhouse Coffeehouse was English-born folk singer David Wiffen's first solo album, recorded live in 1965 at the Bunkhouse Coffeehouse in Vancouver, Canada. Throughout the 1960s Wiffen played in numerous bands on the Canadian folk scene, but in 1971 tasted mainstream fame when his self-titled studio debut, David Wiffen, was released. The album included two hits, 'More Often Than Not' (which went to the top of the charts) and 'Driving Wheel', famously covered by Tom Rush, the Byrds, Cowboy Junkies, etc. For his next album, 1973's Coast To Coast Fever, Wiffen famously collaborated with Bruce Cockburn, who both produced and played on the album." 140 gram vinyl. Clear yellow vinyl in transparent PVC sleeve with blue lettering. Limited edition 500 copies.

 

PRICE: $30.50

CAT #: BT 126LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Carrying on a string of stunning archival releases from major figures of Indian classical tradition (including releases from members of the Dagar family and Amelia Cuni), Black Truffle presents an unheard recording from tabla master Kamalesh Maitra (1924-2005). For over fifty years, Maitra devoted himself to the rare tabla tarang, a set of between ten and sixteen hand drums tuned to the notes of the raga to be performed. While the tabla tarang has its origins in the late 19th century, Maitra was the first to recognize its potential as a solo concert instrument, using the set of tuned drums to perform full-length raags. Seated behind a semi-circular array of drums, Maitra produced stunning waves of melodic improvisation enlivened with the rhythmic invention of a master percussionist. Across his career, Maitra performed in ensembles led by Ravi Shankar, collaborated with George Harrison, and led his own East-West fusion group, the Ragatala Ensemble. However, it is in the solo setting that his remarkable artistry and the otherworldly timbral qualities of the tabla tarang are most strikingly on display. Recorded during the same 1985 Berlin sessions that produced Maitra's self-released solo LP Tabla Tarang: Ragas on Drums, on Raag Kirwani on Tabla Tarang listeners are treated to Maitra stretching out for over forty minutes on the late-night Raag Kirwani, accompanied by Laura Patchen on tabla and Mila Morgenstern and Marina Kitsos on tanpura. The performance begins with the traditional free-floating exposition section, where Maitra's spacious melodic improvisation at times almost resembles a plucked string instrument (like the sarod, which Maitra also played). For the listener unaccustomed to the tabla tarang, the sound of these microtonally inflected melodic patterns played on drums has a magic quality. As Maitra begins to imply the rhythmic cycles more strongly, Patchen joins on tabla, beginning half an hour of rhythmic-melodic exploration, where virtuosity sits side by side with delicacy and meditative attention. Accompanied by beautiful archival images and extensive liner notes from Laura Patchen, for many listeners Raag Kirwani on Tabla Tarang will be the perfect introduction to the magical world of Kamalesh Maitra, released to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of the master musician's birth.

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: BBI 043LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Can Con, the debut album from the enigmatic Canadian collective The Psych Fi's, comes via Bobo Integral. The group is an offshoot of Canadian singer-songwriter Jerry Leger's rock 'n' roll side project, The Del Fi's. Just as The Psych Fi's describe themselves as "spontaneous psychedelic rock," The Del Fi's recorded two albums characterized by spontaneity, spirit, and trust. This time Leger brings his songs to a revolving door of musicians and singers (18 members, including Jerry, in the case of Can Con). Most of the performers have not heard these compositions before recording them. They have no chance to second-guess; they must be fearless and jump in with both feet. Recorded live in a haunted Toronto studio on a cold January 2024 day by fellow "Fi" Aaron Goldstein (Espanola, Kathleen Edwards, Daniel Romano), Can Con captures a moment in time (which is relative). Leger acts as a sort of loose conductor, allowing certain soloists to emerge from the musical collage. Listeners will get lost in "Summer's Right Around the Corner", which also features Don Stevenson (founding member of the legendary '60s psychedelic rock band Moby Grape) on backing vocals, alongside Kate Boothman (Katie Cruel) and Angie Hilts. This sound has evolved out of Del Fi performances, specifically when musicians Nichol Robertson, Jason Kenemy, Dave Clark (The Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra), and Michael Eckert were involved. Leger and these "Fi's" eagerly ventured down less-traveled roads to destinations unknown. Other Psych Fi's include Ken Yoshioka, Matthew Cooke, Les Armstrong, Chris Bennett, Shawn Clarke, Katie Methot, and members of Jerry Leger & The Situation (Dan Mock, Kyle Sullivan, Alan Zemaitis).

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: BB 026LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 restock; LP version. Formed in Germany in 1971 when Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius left Conrad Schnitzler's group Kluster, Cluster can be counted among the most important protagonists of the electronic avant-garde. Some credit them with having invented ambient music, others as pioneers of synthesizer pop, while to others they are firmly embedded in the Krautrock universe. There is some truth in all of these notions. Although Cluster and "rock music" are seldom mentioned in the same breath, their early works in particular are marked by a lack of structure and futuristic, cold soundscapes typical of the Krautrock variation known as "kosmische." Recorded and released in 1979, Grosses Wasser was Cluster's fifth album as a duo. The cover art is the first indication of minimalist tendencies, reflecting the concentration, transparency and maturity of the content, almost like chamber music. While nothing is left to chance, each of the six Cluster pieces effervesces with a certain joie de vivre, providing ample scope for artistic spontaneity. Grosses Wasser was recorded at Paragon Studio, which had been set up by Peter Baumann (Tangerine Dream) not long before. Baumann had set aside plenty of time for the recording sessions, enabling Cluster to experiment with sequencers for the first time and explore some of the most up-to-date (for that period) studio gadgets on offer. Moebius and Roedelius made intelligent, measured use of the latest paraphernalia without being overwhelmed by it. New technology was deployed with an exactness designed to refine their sophisticated and fully-developed musical ideas. More than ever before in Cluster's history, acoustic elements can be heard, with the dulcet tones of Paragon's Steinway grand piano taking center stage. Electric bass, guitar, percussion and voice are all embraced. Consequently, Grosses Wasser is anything but a solely electronic album. It is, however, one of those rare LPs whose musical substance transcends its age, never sounding outdated. Grosses Wasser is the first in a series of 23 albums to be reissued by Bureau B, comprehensively documenting the superb electronic/ambient/Krautrock history of the Hamburg label, Sky Records, from whom the material has been licensed. Cluster (in their various guises) will feature heavily in the series (solo albums as well as collaborations with Brian Eno, Conny Plank, Gerd Beerbohm, Mani Neumeier, etc.). Printed inner sleeve includes liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.

 

PRICE: $16.50

CAT #: BB 469CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

The enigmatic and expressive Chikiss breaks a three-year silence with Between Time and Laziness, a brand-new LP of dramatic and dreamlike synthpop perfectly suited to Hamburg's unfaltering Bureau B. Written in St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Athens, and co-produced by Finnish multi-instrumentalist Jaakko Eino Kalevi, the album renders the existential, psychological, and philosophical in song form. Exploring motivation and self-doubt, the long shadow of the Soviet Union, and collective empathy with a cinematic flair, Chikiss weighs darkness and light, landing on the side of hope in her most considered and polished vocal album to date. Over the past two decades, Galina Ozeran, AKA Chikiss, has followed her own desire line through post-punk, minimal wave, experimental electronica, and live improvisation to build an impressive catalogue of emotive and innovative music. Taking an intuitive approach to her craft, Galina acts as a conduit for her own experiences and the turbulence of the world around her. Between Time and Laziness represents a rebirth. Though Galina makes a conscious effort to exclude any musical influences, the album is haunted by a history of electronic expression, and listeners will hear distant echoes of Soviet-era film scores, Lynchian disquiet, the Sheffield of both the late seventies and mid-nineties, and the kosmische most closely associated with Bureau B. Chikiss sets a hypnagogic tone in the intro, presenting poet Sergey Danilov's discussion of laziness and time as a broadcast from another world, crackling with radio static interference. The artist pays homage to Mikael Tariverdiev's film scores and the existential poetry of Boris Podiko with the seductive noir fantasy of "DKN," before shifting into the moody synth-psych of "Nevesta," a slow-grooving, sci-fi trip with hints of prog and post-rock, which drifts further into deep space via a dubby reprise on the title track. Galina's return as a solo artist, and to song form, is rich with groove, meaning, and melody, marrying pop perfection with emotional depth.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: BB 469LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

LP version. The enigmatic and expressive Chikiss breaks a three-year silence with Between Time and Laziness, a brand-new LP of dramatic and dreamlike synthpop perfectly suited to Hamburg's unfaltering Bureau B. Written in St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Athens, and co-produced by Finnish multi-instrumentalist Jaakko Eino Kalevi, the album renders the existential, psychological, and philosophical in song form. Exploring motivation and self-doubt, the long shadow of the Soviet Union, and collective empathy with a cinematic flair, Chikiss weighs darkness and light, landing on the side of hope in her most considered and polished vocal album to date. Over the past two decades, Galina Ozeran, AKA Chikiss, has followed her own desire line through post-punk, minimal wave, experimental electronica, and live improvisation to build an impressive catalogue of emotive and innovative music. Taking an intuitive approach to her craft, Galina acts as a conduit for her own experiences and the turbulence of the world around her. Between Time and Laziness represents a rebirth. Though Galina makes a conscious effort to exclude any musical influences, the album is haunted by a history of electronic expression, and listeners will hear distant echoes of Soviet-era film scores, Lynchian disquiet, the Sheffield of both the late seventies and mid-nineties, and the kosmische most closely associated with Bureau B. Chikiss sets a hypnagogic tone in the intro, presenting poet Sergey Danilov's discussion of laziness and time as a broadcast from another world, crackling with radio static interference. The artist pays homage to Mikael Tariverdiev's film scores and the existential poetry of Boris Podiko with the seductive noir fantasy of "DKN," before shifting into the moody synth-psych of "Nevesta," a slow-grooving, sci-fi trip with hints of prog and post-rock, which drifts further into deep space via a dubby reprise on the title track. Galina's return as a solo artist, and to song form, is rich with groove, meaning, and melody, marrying pop perfection with emotional depth.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: JACK 044CV-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Limited restock; orange color vinyl version. The Stooges were a no brakes act who careered inexorably towards annihilation. They finally hit the wall in 1974, after the most horrible blow out imaginable at the Michigan Palace, where Iggy practically begged to be crucified by an angry mob. But remember this kids, Iggy hated himself so much he wanted to live.

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: DMOO 080LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

In a long line of rock and roll outsiders hailing from Ohio, Screamin' Jay Hawkins may very well be the first. Born and raised in Cleveland, Hawkins' 1956 single "I Put A Spell On You" is one of the most instantly recognizable songs in the history of R&B and rock. Baptize Me In Wine compiles that classic track along with 18 other specimens of pure, unhinged, guttural R&B madness into what is sure to be considered the definitive Hawkins collection on the vinyl market. Most tracks were originally released as singles on the Okeh label except for the last four, which are outtakes from the first album. Before Devo, before Pere Ubu, before Guided By Voices, there was Screamin' Jay. There really must be something in the water out there.

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: DMOO 081LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

Clear color vinyl. Recorded September 20, 1963, at the Monterey Jazz Festival, this set featured Miles Davis's new quintet, with George Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. This group, minus Coleman and with the addition of Wayne Shorter, would soon go on to make some of the most highly regarded jazz LPs of all time. This smoking set features a wonderful rendition of "So What," among others. Essential live jazz classic.

 

PRICE: $10.00

CAT #: DIS 003EP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"This is a reissue of the original 7", newly pressed in 2024. The cut was initially created for the Dischord 7" box set. These songs are also available on the 1981: The Year In Seven Inches CD, the Minor Threat Complete Discography CD, and the Two Seven Inches 12" EP. Originally released on 7" in June 1981. Ian MacKaye: vocals. Lyle Preslar: guitar. Brian Baker: bass. Jeff Nelson: drums. Recorded at Inner Ear Studios. Produced by Skip Groff."

 

PRICE: $36.00

CAT #: DC 928LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"The High Llamas' classic '90s output comes back to life on vinyl for the first time in over twenty years. The vibrant and colorful sweep of their remarkable six-album arc shines in new pressings of the original masters, which include the first-ever vinyl pressing for their debut album, Santa Barbara. The High Llamas were founded by Sean O'Hagan, Jon Fell, Marcus Holdaway, and Rob Allum. Looking for greater distribution, The High Llamas signed to V2 -- an arm of Universal -- and produced two widescreen epics for the '90s: Hawaii and Cold And Bouncy. Hawaii (1996) charted an alternative path to and through America, discovering fresh iterations of exotica, soundtrack expressionism and jazz, forming a singular conception of neo-Americana in its exquisite sweep. It was not simply gorgeous; it utterly elided any concept of aggro; this was hand-made, non-heavy music at a new level of purity."

 

PRICE: $23.00

CAT #: DC 929LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"The High Llamas' classic '90s output comes back to life on vinyl for the first time in over twenty years. The vibrant and colorful sweep of their remarkable six-album arc shines in new pressings of the original masters, which include the first-ever vinyl pressing for their debut album, Santa Barbara. The High Llamas were founded by Sean O'Hagan, Jon Fell, Marcus Holdaway, and Rob Allum. Following their earlier releases, The High Llamas' popularity was ascendant. They toured America in 1996-97, experiencing great heights on the indie charts, but without producing 'hits' of the proportion that V2 required. O'Hagan's arrangement skills were called upon by groups like Saint Etienne, Super Furry Animals, Doves, and Sondre Lerche. A remix album was mooted -- to reach another growing audience demographic, perhaps? With Lollo Rosso (1998), the assembled remixers -- Mouse On Mars, Jim O'Rourke, Kid Loco, Schneider TM, Stock, Hausen & Walkman, Cornelius, and The High Llamas themselves -- provided a scintillating trip through the cutting edge of avant electronics -- yet another unique set of variations for the Llamas' sound to filter though."

 

PRICE: $12.00

CAT #: ESPDISK 5079CD

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

From Howard Mandel's liner notes: "Reut Regev is a boundary-crossing composer-trombonist born in Israel, living and active in New York City and its metroplex since 1998, noted for four previous albums with drummer and coleader Igal Foni (her husband), three featuring the quartet R*time, the last two co-starring electric guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly, all loaded with spiky, funky, free-wheeling originals, performed with a bang. Meeting Hammond after a concert in Austria, Regev and Foni were delighted to discover the man whose oeuvre they had long admired was equally enamored of their sound and attitude. Correspondence led to It's Now: R*time Plays Doug Hammond, a unique collaboration setting the eminence's mature reflections on life, love, and music with the energy to render them timeless. Doug Hammond is a veteran American composer, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, singer-songwriter, essayist, and educator who is not nearly as well known in the U.S. as his music warrants. That may be largely because he's been based in Linz, Austria since 1989 as a professor at Bruckner University, making only periodic visits back to his native Detroit. Hammond's sixty-year career, begun with bluesman Earl Hooker and the R&B duo Sam & Dave, comprises more than a dozen albums under his own leadership starting with Reflections in the Sea of Nurnen from 1975, on which he played melodica and ARP synthesizer as well as drumming, crooning, and directing an octet. Independence, originality, fundamental tunefulness, and a spirit of inquiry characterize those Reflections as well as his subsequent releases, which include an anthology spotlighting hometown colleagues and first recordings of singer Angela Bofill (Doug Hammond Special), Steve Coleman's nascent M-Base (Spaces), through-compositions for flute, piano, and cello (Pictures and Hues), trios with trumpet and bass (May Be Blue and Singing Smiles), an ambitious, eponymous (Tentette), live solo 'griot' shows (Be You). He's had professional associations with Smokey Robinson, Sonny Rollins, and Charles Mingus (who recorded 'Moves,' heard here with lyrics, as an album title track), among others. Musicians abroad regard him as a beacon.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 317CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Three years after appearing on Doom Sessions Vol 5 split, High Reeper are back with their most ambitious album yet, Renewed By Death. A true heavy metal assault of eight tracks that take you on a journey to the darkest depths and leave you there to rot. Featuring monolithic riffs that pummel you from the opening of the album to the close, guitar solos reminiscent of George Lynch and Dave Navarro, and powerful vocals that deliver a knockout blow. This album showcases the band's desire to keep evolving and exploring new sounds and ideas. Renewed By Death was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Shane Trimble at the band's brand new studio Sletner Sound, in Wilmington Delaware with Justin Di Pinto also engineering. The cover was done by Solomacello and photos of the band were done by Drew Wiedemann. Also available on black vinyl (HPS 317LP), yellow color vinyl (HPS 317LTD-LP), and orange/pink/purple color vinyl (HPS 317ULTRA-LP).

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SUBURBIA 045LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Originally released in 1996, Calgary, Alberta punk rock pioneers Chixdiggit's debut album finally reissued in its original format. Scattered with hits like "Hemp Hemp Hurray" or "Henry Rollins Is No Fun", this is pure '90s pop-punk for the light-hearted. Exclusively licensed by the indie rock label "par excellence", Sub Pop Records.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SUBURBIA 046LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Originally released on Toxic Shock records in 1989, this is the debut album of junk rockers Sloppy Seconds. It makes you want to jump around, dance, party and roll through town with the windows down and the volume up to eleven. Shirtless, sweaty and unleashed, not for the faint of heart. The junk-rock classic is back! Pressed on green vinyl.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: ANGELICA 057CD

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

Francesco Serra (Cagliari, 1980) is a self-taught guitarist living and working in Bologna. His research focuses on identifying performance practices aimed at extending the timbre qualities of the guitar and emphasizing the evocative potential of sound. Throughout his musical journey, particularly in the three albums released between 2008 and 2019 under his solo project Trees of Mint (Micro Meadow, Trees of Mint, and NW, released by Here I Stay and Trovarobato Parade), he has progressively deconstructed the song form through sound experimentation, making the physical phenomenon of sound and its interactions with the performance space the focus of his exploration. His previous album, Guest Room (i dischi di angelica, 2022), born of a residency project promoted by AngelicA/Centro di Ricerca Musicale, was actually structured as a form of dialogue between the signals generated by the minimal electro acoustic setup prepared by the musician (electric guitar, two amplifiers, three snare drums, and loop machine) and the physical and emotional responses of the unique sound architecture of Teatro San Leonardo (a former three-nave church) that hosted him for a month during the pandemic. Personal, his new release for the Angelica label, continues the musician's "reductionist" and abstract approach with an even greater essential rigor. Here the initial setup is acoustic: a sound flow beginning with sparse, exploratory phrases of acoustic guitar that, after a temporary completeness found in movement three, starts falling apart in the encounter with the resonances of a drum snare in movement four, eventually dissolving into a completely different "soundscape" (Sardinia, Serra's birthplace): a long field recording of distant night echoes, on which the guitar returns only at the end, now extended in the drone of the e-bow.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: ANGELICA 058CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Antonio Della Marina is an electronic music artist and composer who has been working for over twenty years almost exclusively with sine waves, focusing his research on the exploration of the physical properties of sound and on tuning systems derived from the laws of natural harmonics. Active in a liminal space between music and visual arts, his compositions are conceived as actual sound sculptures, for which he uses mathematical abstractions and self-built generators. For several years he has been collaborating with Alessandra Zucchi, an architect and multimedia artist who predominantly works on the physical and psychological perception of space. Drawing inspiration both from La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela's Dream House, as much as from visual artists and designers such as James Turrell, Dan Flavin, Verner Panton, and other visionaries, Della Marina and Zucchi favor the creation of spaces where the audience can enter to listen and experience a journey through sound in an all-embracing environment. Their work has been showcased in galleries and at international festivals (Electro Media Works in Athens, Logos Foundation in Gand, Experimental Intermedia in New York, etc.) and from 2011 they manage Spazioersetti in Udine, Italy, a gallery/workshop permanently hosting one of their sound and light installations. Given the hybrid and expansive nature of his production, recording media have rarely been explored by Della Marina, who in fact had only one album published under his own name so far: Fades, released by i dischi di angelica in 2006, two years after his eponymous concert hosted by AngelicA Festival. This new CD Sanje also originates from a multimedia performance: "nella notte, al cinema: The Dream" was a midnight concert for sounds and video projections by Alessandra Zucchi, which took place in July 2021 at Stazione di Topol?/Postaja Topolove, a small festival which ran for a few years in a tiny village of 20 inhabitants on the Italian-Slovenian border of Benecija.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: KSLP 022LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2024 repress. Pat Kelly possesses one of the great soul voices to come out of Jamaica. Influenced by the fantastic American singer Sam Cooke, Pat Kelly could ride over any tune that came his way and with his outstanding falsetto voice, always added a little magic to each recording. Pat Kelly (born 1949, Kingston, Jamaica) began his singing career in 1967 when he replaced Slim Smith as lead singer of The Techniques, his voice working so well with the impeccable harmonies of Winston Riley and Bruce Ruffin. Their first hit for the mighty Duke Reid stable was a version of Curtis Mayfield's tune "You'll Want Me Back" re-titled "You Don't Care," which held the #1 position in Jamaica for six weeks. Their next hit was another Curtis Mayfield cover of The Impressions' "Minstrel and Queen" again re-titled for the Jamaican market as "Queen Minstrel." Further hits followed with such cuts as "My Girl" and "Love is Not a Gamble" before Kelly, in 1968, decided to become a solo artist and hooked up with producer Bunny Lee. Bunny decided not to break the tried-and-tested formula and put Kelly on another Curtis Mayfield track, "Little Boy Blue," a style that suited his voice so well. This paid dividends and was followed with "How Long (Will I Love You)," which gave them the biggest-selling Jamaican hit of 1969. This track broke the mold in that often-used tradition where Jamaican tracks are sweetened for the foreign markets by adding string arrangements. This was reversed on this occasion, as the tune had already been released in the UK and dubbed over with strings, so it came back to the Jamaican shores and was released there. Another one of Pat Kelly's attributes was his engineering skills. Having already spent a year in America studying electronics, he put this to good use and became little-known to many as one of the chief engineers at Channel One Studios in the late 1970s and early 1980s. For this release, Kingston Sounds have focused on the fabulous singing skills of Mr. Kelly and have compiled some of his finest recording moments for your listening pleasure. The aforementioned timeless cuts of "How Long (Will I Love You)" and "Little Boy Blue" are set alongside some other killer lost classics, such as opener "It's a Good Day," "Somebody's Baby," "Give Love a Try," and "I'm in the Mood for Love." His version of "Twelfth of Never" in a rocksteady style sounds as good now as it did then. The label has also included his interpretation of the James Carr soul-hit "Dark End of the Street" which has Pat Kelly working over the same rhythm as "How Long," but giving it a different slant with these fresh lyrics. A fine set from one of the island's finest.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: KSLP 079LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2024 repress; LP version. Alton Ellis is one the finest soulful voices to come out of Jamaica. As well as writing hit singles himself, he could make a cover version known as a foreign tune sound like a Jamaican reggae tune with the greatest of ease. As the more upbeat rhythms of the earlier "ska" period began to slow down around the turn of 1966 some say due to the extreme heatwave that hit the island of Jamaica that year, slower rhythms suited the people to groove to at the various sound systems and dances. This also allowed the singers to express themselves more and allow the song to shrine through. No one did this better than Alton Ellis. Alton Ellis (b.1944, Kingston, Jamaica) started off singing at an early stage as part of a duo with singer Eddie Perkins and recorded for both Studio One and Randy's as Alton and Eddy and had a massive hit with the song "Muriel". The singing pair went their separate ways with Alton going solo with Studio One and being a much in demand voice also recorded with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio as Alton Ellis and The Flames. As stated earlier, as the beat slowed down the top singers shined through, and Alton Ellis reigned supreme. One of his tunes featured on this set, "Get Ready (Do The Rocksteady)", even gave this period in reggae's history its name "rocksteady". It's this fantastic period in rocksteady, 1966 to 1968, that Kingston Sounds feature on this release. This set carries all the big hits "Ain't That Loving You", "Girl I've Got A Date", "Cry Tuff", alongside many more classics. All the cut at Treasure Isle songs that really defined the era. So sit back and enjoy the Rocksteady sound at its finest. Enjoy the set. Features Phillis Dillion.

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: MIND 882LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Embark on a sonic time-capsule journey through Pink Floyd's pre-Ummagumma era with this unique compilation. Explore rare studio sessions and electrifying live performances, each a shimmering fragment of the band's metamorphosis in 1968-1969.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: PAMPA 042EP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

DJ Koze, Arnim Teutoburg-Wei? aka arnim, and the D?sseldorf D?sterboys enchant with a touching homage to Holger Biege -- one of the legendary architects of East German soul. DJ Koze once again proves his unparalleled sense for the extraordinary. Arnim Teutoburg-Wei? aka arnim (frontman of the iconic Beatsteaks) opens listeners hearts with his heavenly radiant voice. With full sincerity -- pure and straightforward -- he sings the love declaration of a lifetime. Floating on a cloud, the D?sseldorf D?sterboys sprinkle lyrical stardust with their brilliant harmonies -- fluffy and bizarre at the same time. It feels as if this cosmic quartet boarded a time machine and returned to the present to plant the essence of days gone by into today's matrix. "Wie sch?n du bist" is not just a tribute to Holger Biege's work, but a loving bow to his entire musical legacy. It is an anthem to the timeless magic of music and the enduring power of love that connects all listeners. Koze, arnim and the D?sterboys have created something truly unique here: a gem, a time travel, and a love letter all in one. Music can indeed be something magical. "Amor," a dandelion of a song, was created in collaboration with Brazilian singer C?sar Lacerda. It is an acoustic love letter in its purest form-warm, crackling, and everlasting.

 

PRICE: $34.00

CAT #: PROFAN 050LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Studio 1 and Freiland are the classics of Wolfgang Voigt's formally minimalist 1990s concept techno. Disc one is a continuous mix of Studio 1 classics and disc two is a continuous mix of the greatest Freiland hits! Don?t DJ!

 

PRICE: $41.00

CAT #: PROFAN 051LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

33 abstract, electronic arpeggiator sound frescoes from 1995. For the first and last time on vinyl. Because de-interpretation times timelessness equals re-enchantment.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: RRS 059SPL-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 1982. Absolutely essential UK OI! classic, originally released on the band's own label. Limited reissue on red/white splatter vinyl limited to 500 copies only, with double-sided lyrics insert included. "An unequivocal title gives way to an unrelenting sound! The Last Resort's debut album might have kicked off with a wall of noise lifted straight from Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs' ('Freedom'), but skill Skinhead Anthems does exactly what it says on the tin, ripping a dozen self-composed monsters out of the band's set list and nailing them to the studio with brutal disdain for any of the niceties. Certainly, the band's influences are loud on their sleeves -- Sham and the Cockney Rejects hang heavy over the proceedings. But Last Resort's refusal to lose their own instincts within the trappings of sociology and 'relevance' conquer all; 'Skinheads in Stapress,' 'Rebels with a Cause,' and 'Resort Boot Boys' speak to the very heart of the skinhead movement, and if it all sounds a little dated today, then that's your look-out." --AllMusic

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: RRS 203CV-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue, originally released in 2003. The first punk band from Peterborough, northwest of Cambridge, the Now spun off from the Faderz, with singer Mike McGuire, guitarist Steve Rools, drummer Joe MacColl, and bassist Paul Wicks, later replaced by Faz Farrow. Debut 45 Development Corporation charted, but the band split after Into The 80's; in 2002, German label Last Year's Youth re-released the 45s, which led to Here Come The Now, where vintage songs share space with the re-formed band's new takes of earlier work, a best-of-both-worlds approach that puts everything together in one place. A must for all fans of the Now and lovers of intelligent British punk.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SAF 50016LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Exact reproduction on the original LP jackets. Completely new re-master, fixing inherent problems with the original LPs. These LPs have never sounded better. First LP by the legendary Ali Farka Toure. Originally released in 1976."

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SAF 50020LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Exact reproduction on the original LP jackets. Completely new re-master, fixing inherent problems with the original LPs. These LPs have never sounded better. Second LP by the legendary Ali Farka Toure. Originally released in 1976."

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SAF 50032LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Exact reproduction on the original LP jackets. Completely new re-master, fixing inherent problems with the original LPs. These LPs have never sounded better. Third LP by the legendary Ali Farka Toure. Originally released in 1976."

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SAF 50060LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Exact reproduction on the original LP jackets. Completely new re-master, fixing inherent problems with the original LPs. These LPs have never sounded better. Fourth LP by the legendary Ali Farka Toure. Originally released in 1977."

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SAF 50085LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Exact reproduction on the original LP jackets. Completely new re-master, fixing inherent problems with the original LPs. These LPs have never sounded better. Fifth LP by the legendary Ali Farka Toure. Originally released in 1979."

 

PRICE: $23.00

CAT #: SOW 005LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

2024 repress. Sowing Records present a reissue of Dorothy Ashby's debut album, The Jazz Harpist, originally released in 1957 by the Regent label. Recognized as the woman who gave the harp a jazz voice, here, Ashby is at the head of a highly distinctive combo featuring Frank Wess on flute, Eddie Jones or Wendell Marshall on bass and master Ed Thigpen on drums. The Jazz Harpist is an unprecedented mix of evocative classic sounds and jazz soul, awarded by AllMusic as her first and best album, period! Clear vinyl.

 

PRICE: $32.00

CAT #: STUDIOMUL 001LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 repress; Double LP version. Mule Musiq announce their new label, Studio Mule. Midnight In Tokyo Vol. 1 is a compilation of Japanese disco, boogie, and soul music. The compilation starts off with the Afro disco classic "Mi Mi Africa" by harmonica player Nobuo Yagi. "Silver Spot" is a jazzy fusion disco track taken from composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Nobuyuki Shimizu's first album (1980), released when he was 19. The track features singer Epo. "Samba Night" is by vocalist Keisuke Yamamoto and his band Piper, from their masterpiece second album Summer Breeze (1983) -- a delightful city pop number for fans of Tatsuro Yamashita. "Akogareno Sundown" is a Japanese soul classic, sung by singer Haruko Kuwana (sister of Masahiro Kuwana). Produced by Mackey Feary Band, known for the soulful classic "A Million Stars". "Koiwa Saiko (I'm In Love)" is a mellow and groovy track by singer Aru Takamura, the great-grandchild of sculptor Kouun Takamura. It can be thought of as Japan's answer to Cheryl Lynn's "Got To Be Real". "What The Magic Is To Try" is a cult electropop track by Honma Express, a project helmed by producer Kanji Honma. Hailed as Japan's Trevor Horn, he is also known as the producer of legendary techno pop band TPO. "Colored Music" is a song by Colored Music, a duo of pianist Ichiko Hashimoto and her partner Atsuo Fujimoto. Taken from their sole album (1981), the Japanese rare groove treasure is a mesh of new wave, synth pop, and jazz influences. The dubby electronic new wave disco "Electric City" is a B side of pop idol group Shohjo-Tai & Red Bus St Project's debut 12" single. "Love Is The Competition" is a breezy disco jam by Okinawa-born bilingual artist Hitomi Tohyama, originally featured on her album Next Door (1983). Taken from Mariah project's diva Yumi Murata's first album (1979), "Krishna" is a funky and soulful rockin' disco cut. Reminiscent of Chaka Khan's "I Know You, I Live You", "Live Hard, Live Free" is a song by jazz vocalist Eri Ohno who is known for her work with DJ Krush. "Rocket 88" is a melancholic disco number by singer Minnie originally released through Sapporo's independent label Paradise Records. Closing out the 13-track compilation is Japanese disco staple "Tokyo Melody", sung by Shoody and backed by Tetsuji Hayashi's disco band the Eastern Gang. Compiled by Toshiya Kawasaki. Mastering by Kuniyuki Takahashi. Cover photo by Mika Kitamura.

 

PRICE: $31.00

CAT #: STUDIOMUL 006LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 repress; Double LP version. Midnight In Tokyo Vol. 2, the second installment to the compilation series that rounds up hidden gems by Japanese artists that's perfect for listening at night in Tokyo, is here. This time the collection brings together some tasty electric jazz fusion from the '80s, compiled by Dubby, the man behind the online record store Ondas. The compilation begins with "Hikobae", a dark and slow cosmic jazz by saxophonist Genji Sawai, followed by "Danza Lucumi", an odd Caribbean-style jam by Today's Latin Project, a band fronted by Tadaaki Misago of Tokyo Cuban Boys, with arrangements by Yasuaki Shimizu. "On The Coast" is a soulful and mellow vocal track arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto, from guitarist Shigeru Suzuki's album White Heat (1979), and fusion boogie cut "In The Hot City" is by Air Suspension Club Band, which was a one-off project by a mysterious artist. The melancholic soul jazz number "So Long America" is the title track from the album Yasunori Soryo, along with Jim Rocks, released in '82, following a stint in America with the band Brown Rice. "Twisty" is a tropical reggae tune from the album Samba Kathy, an underrated classic by Jugando which was released on Trash, a sublabel of one of Japan's finest jazz labels, Trio. "Samarkand" is an electric Latin jazz jam that sounds like something Miles Davis and Santana could have played on, performed by a Latin funk band from Fussa. "Imagery" is a primal African fusion track by Katsutoshi Morizono With Bird's Eye View, Morizono was a member of the prog rock band Yoninbayashi. "Windmill" is the most acoustic sounding tune on this compilation, a breezy Brazilian affair with a Hermeto Pascoal feel. "Mystery Of Asian Port" is by the band Parachute, which consisted of Japanese fusion giants like Akira Inoue, Tatsuo Hayashi, and Masaki Matsubara. The cosmic jazz record sounds like something Daniele Baldelli would play in his sets. "Bay Sky Provincetown 1977" is a classic Japanese fusion tune by guitarist Yuji Toriyama. The set also features the mellow but danceable "Heatwave" by keyboardist Keiichi Oku, featuring a female vocalist (which some have identified as Rie Ida), and last but not least, closing out the 13-track compilation is "Day Dream At The Bob's Beach", a wonderful urban fusion with a beautiful vibraphone melody, from the Japanese fusion classic album that was a one-off project by studio musicians, Safari. Also features Kingkong Paradise, Om, and Safari.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: TR 579LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Restocked; LP version. US singer-songwriter legend Amy Rigby presents her new album Hang In There With Me through Tapete Records. Eleven up-to-the minute songs written by Amy and recorded by Wreckless Eric at the couples' home in upstate NY, Hang In There With Me is a bracing look at life inside the vortex of the last few years. Rigby's distinctive voice bluntly traverses love, loss and DIY projects gone wrong over guitars cranked or shimmering, indelible bass lines, a raft of synthesizers, keyboards, beat boxes and the occasional drummer allowed into Amy and Erics rustic mid-century echo chamber. Like some people turn to the moon and stars for inspiration, Amy Rigby looks to creative heroes like Bob Dylan and Mike Leigh. She finds poetry in haircuts, live chat boxes; bartending and bookselling. Her music is the sound of everyday people getting by, just like the country artists she loved and learned to write songs from. The recording of Hang In There With Me was bookended by Amy performing in the round alongside Nashville compadre David Olney when he died onstage in January 2020, and the demise of Amy's dad. Along with Eric's near-fatal heart attack, it could have all made for heavy going in the studio, but Amy says: "There was nothing to hide in the few years when no one could see each other. And with my dad losing his mind and passing away, there's not much left to prove anymore. Watching key figures in our lives die just makes it clear that getting older is a gift and brings a new kind of freedom. Writing songs, making records and touring has been my life and I'm lucky I have the energy and will to keep at it. I still just want to share stories and rock out on guitar. The world is such a mess she says. Writing songs and working in the studio is a small way to make order out of the chaos. It keeps on giving me hope. Hang In There With Me looks at the impossibility of life and living it anyway, with abandon." Amy Rigby has established herself one of Americas enduring underground/cult/indie artists, combining the insight and humor of country and folk songwriting with classic rock craftsmanship and punk DIY spirit. She formed pre-Americana country band Last Roundup (Rounder) and Richard Hells' favorite girl group the Shams (Matador) in downtown NYC before launching a solo career with '90s classic album Diary Of A Mod Housewife.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: TO 125CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

This is Fennesz's most reflective album to date. Composed and recorded at the end of 2023 and completed in the summer of 2024, Fennesz set up a new studio space, the third one in four years. He had no immediate concept, this time starting from scratch, with a strict working routine. He got up early in the morning, worked until midday then had a break and worked again until evening. At first, just collecting ideas, experimenting, improvising. Then composing, mixing and correcting. Yet the title came early, Mosaic, which mirrored this process of putting an element into place one at a time to build the full picture, an ancient technique of making an image, before pixels did it in a flash. This "9 to 5" working routine had already been developed on Agora. All the other albums before were done differently; a few weeks work, then months in between and another few days or weeks of work. Mosaic was done from beginning to end without a break. Packaged in the now familiar DVD-style case with artwork and photography by Jon Wozencroft, there is an echo to Venice but 20 years later the division between the land, the horizon and the deep blue sea is more extreme. Fennesz experiments with unusual time signatures. It's not obvious, but "Love and the Framed Insects" is in 7/4. "Personare" is somehow influenced by West African pop music from the 1980s. "Goniorizon" originally consisted of six hard rock guitar riffs mixed on top of one another. Then it became this "thing" that somehow opened possibilities for new things to come -- all this adds up to a filmic, highly involving and beautiful score of diverse influences and multiple possibilities to be explored by the listener. Recorded by Christian Fennesz at Seven Fountains/Vienna between January and May 2024. Mastered by Denis Blackham. Photography and design by Jon Wozencroft.

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: TOYT 173LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Toy Tonics continues with re-releasing the best tracks of Gomma Records. The German label that between 2001 and 2015 was one of the key imprints of the then so hyped indie dance, new wave funk, and proto disco sound. The most important releases on Gomma were by Peaches, WhoMadeWho, The Rammellzee, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, and Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand. Their Gomma-tracks were on the first two parts of this Gomma Dancefloor Gems compilations series on Toy Tonics. Now here comes Vol. 3, a compilation with music by Dimitri from Paris who also did several EPs on Gomma in the 2000s. Also featuring legendary Belgian disco DJs The Glimmers and UK legend Justin Robertson aka The Deadstock 33's, and one of the first ever releases by Daniel Avery. You'll find remixes by Nicky Siano and Horse Meat Disco, who back then just started their party series and already were connected to Gomma records. There is an amazing flamenco disco track by Spanish producer Hugo Capablanca and T.Keeler that has been hammered by everybody from Optimo to Ivan Smagghe back then and Italian music diggers The Barking Dogs together with now fashion designer Marcelo Burlon are featured with an amazingly catchy electro pop track. Of course Munk, who was the founder of Gomma records, is also on the compilation. Munk is Mathias Modica and works under the name Kapote. He was the co-founder of Gomma and later Toy Tonics records. Toy Tonics actually starts as a mini sublabel of Gomma records in 2013 but took over later when Gomma closed in 2015. Gomma not only was a record label, but was also a home for cutting edge design, wild T-shirt styles, underground exhibitions with new artists from the Berlin scene and crazy poster and fanzine design.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: TRESOR 298EP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

2024 repress. Following the last Borderland single (TRESOR 296EP), the focus returns on Transport (TRESOR 285CD/LP, 2016), the last collaborative album by Juan Atkins and Moritz von Oswald. Carl Craig provides a take on "Transport". Extending and stripping the original sequence to its bone, also summoning a stepping drum sequence and a swaying array of moving delays. 12" edit is cut on the A-side -- the full version of Craig's remix clocks just above 20 minutes, available digitally; Includes download card. DJ Deep and Roman Poncet rework Carl Craig's remix, adding their signature grooves and myriad of tough drums, to full effect.

 

PRICE: $34.00

CAT #: TURBO 229LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Repressed; double LP version. The creative partnership between Tiga & Hudson Mohawke expresses a mutual love of "hardcore romance," a liminal state where the bounds between euphoria, melancholy and the raw power of friendship disintegrate completely. Recorded in Los Angeles from 2019-2023, these commonalities ebbed and flowed through various recording sessions, culminating in their debut album -- L'Ecstasy. Originally conceived as a hardcore rave project focusing on bleary-eyed 6am catharsis, the breadth of the project expanded to encompass their shared love of the music surrounding the '90s ravebiome, with chill-out quasi-IDM ambient creating space for the album's tentpole anthems to breathe. Featuring guest appearances by luminaries like Abra, Channel Tres, Elisabeth Troy, and Jesse Boykins III, as well as album artwork by Turner Prizewinning photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, the result is delivered with two friends churning out the kind of music they want to hear, want each other to hear, and hope to hear you wanting to hear too.

 

PRICE: $11.95

CAT #: UT 067

FILE UNDER: Misc

"On the cover: English musical/comedy/Dada geniuses the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, their riotous story based on interviews with the three surviving band members. And Australian '70s punk rock and roll heroes the Saints: Part One of an amazing interview with Ed Kuepper. Also featured: the tragic tale of '60s West Coast mystery group Weird Herald, Part 3 of Rob Symmons' revelatory Subway Sect memoirs, Canadian '60s garage/psychsters the Fringe, and the pre-history of one of the greatest post-sixties psychedelic bands, Plasticland. And lots more, including the indispensable review sections covering all the latest vinyl and CD reissues, and rock 'n' roll-related books."

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: SE 4617X-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 restock. "The album was produced by the band themselves, and issued in two different stereo mixes. The more widely distributed mix is the one done by MGM/Verve staff engineer Val Valentin. The other mix was done by Lou Reed, boosting his vocals and guitar solos, while reducing the level of other instruments. This version was dubbed the 'Closet Mix' by Sterling Morrison, because it sounded to him as if it had been recorded in a closet. The most dramatic difference is that the two versions use entirely different performances of 'Some Kinda Love', both taken from the same recording sessions."

 

PRICE: $17.50

CAT #: VAMPI 254LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

2024 restock. Vampisoul present the first-time vinyl reissue of Sambrasa Trio's Em Som Maior, originally released in 1965. Samba jazz gem recorded by Airto Moreira on drums, Humberto Clayber on double bass, and Hermeto Pascoal on piano in the early days of their careers. As the original notes states, the recording session of the album was such a stunning experience for those involved in the studio work: "After going through 'Aleluia' and 'Samba Novo', as a prelude to a sound cataclysm that was transmitted in the tense atmosphere of the studio, they gave us a composition by Jos? Neto Costa (Hermeto's brother), which left everyone amazed. The arrangement created for 'Duas Contas', soft, whispery, subtle, broke the local tension as if on impact. But behold, when they no longer seemed to see the possibility of new surprises, they then performed 'Nem O Mar Sabia' and 'Arrast?o', the first revealing totally unknown concepts regarding the trinomial piano-bass-drums. Clayber plays a harmonica and Hermeto unfolds into a flute! On the following tracks, the bassist and pianist would return on the same instruments. The final point of that unsurpassed recital was also a great surprise: 'A Jardineira', a carnival march from 1938! It was the 'end'! Let everyone who hears this LP know what a new phase of modern Brazilian popular music is being established in this country! This is the flag, which we will leave planted in the rich and incomparable soil of our art! Its heralds... the boys from Sambrasa!" The album also includes the killer "Jo?o Sem Bra?o" featuring Hermeto's howling flute and Airto's overwhelming percussion work. This is the only album ever released by this Brazilian all-star group and has remained unavailable for decades.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: VAMPI 267LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2024 restock; first time reissue of Wganda Kenya's Africa 5.000, originally released in 1975. Africa 5.000 (1975) has a legendary reputation as one of Colombia's best hard-to-find Afro-funk records and is a highly prized collector's piece today. The epic "La Torta" (The Cake) kicks things off with a lively Colombian interpretation of Haitian compas. The tune is still remembered as a big pic? (amplified sound system) hit at the verbenas (outdoor dance parties). "Fiebre De Lepra" (Leprosy Fever) was also released as a 45 single and is certainly one of Wganda Kenya's wilder tracks. Funky wah-wah guitar, makossa style bass, manic organ, and feverishly insane vocals (from Wilson "Saoko" Manyoma and Joe Arroyo) indicate that Fruko and his pals were having a ball goofing around in the studio. If for no other reason, Africa 5.000 is sought-after for being the album containing Fruko and Javier Garc?a's outrageously funky and off-kilter "Tifit Hayed", which has become a tropical dancefloor favorite in recent years. Again the "kitchen sink" approach is employed, including massive Latin bass lines, tasty Farfisa organ stabs, a bluesy, jazzy piano solo, and plenty of humorous vocal sound effects (including animal noises and lip burbling). However, it's the stomping break beats and cowbell counterpoint that has kept dance floors busy. Side B leaps out of the speakers with the heavy, strutting "El Caterete", which was the flipside to the "Fiebre De Lepra" single and is based on the 1970 song "Cateret?" by Brazilian singer/songwriter Marku Ribas. Like its sibling Fuentes studio band Afrosound, Wganda Kenya was ahead of its time, anticipating current contemporary Afro-Latin-funk trends in a prescient way that has inspired a legion of fans across the globe, and this reissue of Africa 5.000 will only serve to further cement the band's growing reputation amongst today's diggers of tropical psychedelia. Includes a non-album bonus cut, plus informative notes.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: VIA 009LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"While there has been plenty of precedent, regarding Alvarius B's fascination with the down and out of Anglo/American cultural refuse, That's How I Got To Memphis is certainly his most realized collection of paying homage to it. The fact that this whole album is a collection of covers that have invaded AB's current musical obsessions is testament to the timeless nature of the original artists songwriting prowess. Imagine Joe Meek coming back from the dead to produce a country western and northern album by a Saginaw miscreant fried up in the Orman botanical gardens of Cairo Egypt. That this album could be a perfect soundtrack to a Paul Lynch sequel to his portrait of failed ambition masterpiece The Hard Part Begins is irrelevant, because it stands alone as a sequel to another AB masterpiece, Baroque Primitiva. That this album also highlights actual OUTSIDER artists from the halcyon days of holy, rebellious, loner losers should give hope, cuz outsider these days means you don't have a gmail account or Meta colonized brain. That's How I Got To Memphis is a superb collection of songs about longing, love lost and found, curios picked up and dropped off, tragedy and hope, confusion and epiphany while stumbling around through back roads to nowhere." --HM

 

PRICE: $34.00

CAT #: WRJ 008LTD-LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

2024 repress; LP version. 180 gram vinyl; Half speed mastered; Heavy sleeve and obi. We Release Jazz announce the official reissue of Ryo Fukui's final album, the very personal contemporary jazz offering, A Letter from Slowboat, sourced from the original masters. Known for his miraculous albums 1976's Scenery (WRJ 001CD/LP) and 1977's Mellow Dream (WRJ 002CD/LP), legendary Hokkaido pianist Ryo Fukui, with the help of his wife Yasuko, opened his very own jazz club in Sapporo in 1995, Slowboat. This is where Ryo Fukui spent the latter half of his career, playing again and again, welcoming peers for unforgettable sessions, and perfecting the craft he lived for: jazz. A Letter from Slowboat is a poetic, soulful, and honest love letter to Hokkaido, to Fukui's jazz club, and to endless hours of practicing artistry in a place called home. Backed by longtime collaborators Takumi Awaya on bass, and Ittetsu Takemura on drums, Ryo Fukui flows through classics and originals with natural class, fluidity, and absolute precision, expressing a smooth balance between skills and heart. Slowboat, full of breathtaking solos and exquisite moments of clarity, is another crucial piece in the career of one of the most fascinating jazzmen to ever grace the piano. It was released in 2016, sadly the year Ryo Fukui passed away, leaving behind a legacy of works that is sure to captivate jazz lovers for generations to come, and Slowboat, where the magic still happens to this day. Reissued in conjunction with 1999's Ryo Fukui in New York (WRJ 009CD/LTD-LP), also available via We Release Jazz.

 

PRICE: $32.00

CAT #: WRWTFWW 087C-LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

WRWTFWW Records presents the first ever vinyl release for esteemed Japanese producer, composer, and environmental music luminary Yoshio Ojima's rare forgotten album Club, previously only released as a limited edition of 50 cassettes back in 1983. The electronica/proto-techno/experimental gem is available as an LP reissue supervised by the artist, sourced from the original masters and housed in a heavy 350gsm sleeve. Only 500 copies were made. A precious and sought-after item among collectors and enthusiasts of early Japanese electronic music, Club is a stunning and timeless collection of avant-garde electronica, proto-techno, mecha-ambient, and ear-pleasing experimentations from Yoshio Ojima, the ambient/environmental master behind the pivotal Music for Spiral albums released in 1988 (aka Une Collection Des Cha?nons I and II reissued on WRWTFWW), and producer of Hiroshi Yoshimura's Pier & Loft, Motohiko Hamase's #Notes of Forestry, and Satsuki Shibano's iconic Rendez-Vous. Filled with quirky minimalist acid-synth-and-drum-machine-handiwork, bouncy collages of beautifully childlike techno and pre-IDM, and the irresistible DIY charm of humble beginnings, the eight-track album is a fun, adventurous and risqu?-but-catchy-in-the-most-peculiar-way piece of Japanese electronic music history neatly capturing the incredible creative energy boiling through the country's scene in the 1980s. Experience the roots of Japanese electronica! For fans of electronica, ambient, minimalism, kanky? ongaku, cassettes, YMO, Hiroshi Yoshimura, DIY adventures, albums that were never on vinyl before, music that predicted the future (which is now the present -- or even the past!)