summary 
Thursday, 23 May
CD // £9.99"Sean Nicholas Savage is a gifted narrator, driven by his own melodic and emotional odysseys. A fixture of the Montreal music scene, Savage expresses both the strength and fragility of the human experience. In his writing, Sean has the keen ability to articulate the intricate emotions of everyday life and romance with a measure of specificity and maturity uncommon to most singer-songwriters. This is a collection of deep and personal songs, which showcases a focused, darker side not seen on his previous titles. Welcome to Savage's Other Life."
**Includes digital download code redeemable from the label** "Sean Nicholas Savage is a gifted narrator, driven by his own melodic and emotional odysseys. A fixture of the Montreal music scene, Savage expresses both the strength and fragility of the human experience. In his writing, Sean has the keen ability to articulate the intricate emotions of everyday life and romance with a measure of specificity and maturity uncommon to most singer-songwriters. This is a collection of deep and personal songs, which showcases a focused, darker side not seen on his previous titles. Welcome to Savage's Other Life."
Stimming, Sleepers, Netik and Torb give dramatic dancefloor remixes to 'Kyrie' by Francesco Tristano and co's Aufgang trio. Netik mixes Ed Banger-style electro and dubstep with a mannered swing; Stimming affords a classy triplet tech-house mix making use of the original's operatic elements; Sleepers Work hear it as a muggy downtempo chug with somnolent pads and sparse dubbing; Torb gives an energy boosting Italo-esque mix with hints of classic Goblin.
DAMIEN JURADO
Where Shall You Take Me (Deluxe Reissue)
Secretly Canadian
2LP // £13.99
Cat. Number: SC084DLXLP
**2013 Deluxe Reissue - Expanded with demos unearthed from a box in Damien's basement. Comes with a download code redeemable from the label** Damien jurado is the sort of songwriter who straddles rock’s past and future, and with each record contributes a new chapter to an ever fruitful body of work This is his fifth ful length, his first for the burgeoning secretly canadian label, and is a beautiful collection of ten raymond carver-esque vignettes of terror and bliss in middle america. Mostly acoustic with sparse band arrangements, Jurado puts the darker, more complicated side of the heartland back on the map. Check.
"Majical Cloudz is the voice of Montreal songwriter Devon Welsh, exploring the negative space within electronic music, using his powerful vocals to say “no” to the infinite possibilities digital instruments provide and instead choosing to focus his attention inwardly. Joined by Matthew Otto to collaboratively produce and perform his songs, the 2012 debut album ‘II’ and the ‘Turns Turns Turns’ EP released on Arbutus / Merok in December gained praise for their simplicity and honestly. Now, ‘Impersonator’ brings Welsh’s songs into even sharper focus as the expressive power and swagger belie t… Read more
**Includes digital download code redeemable from the label** "Majical Cloudz is the voice of Montreal songwriter Devon Welsh, exploring the negative space within electronic music, using his powerful vocals to say “no” to the infinite possibilities digital instruments provide and instead choosing to focus his attention inwardly. Joined by Matthew Otto to collaboratively produce and perform his songs, the 2012 debut album ‘II’ and the ‘Turns Turns Turns’ EP released on Arbutus / Merok in December gained praise for their simplicity and honestly. Now, ‘Impersonator’ brings Welsh’s songs int… Read more
Aggy halfstep by a relative newcomer with a stash of weapons issued on Distance's Chestplate label. A-side 'Narcissus' takes no prisoners with indiscriminate, scything synthlines and pendulous subs obviously out for blood; 'Burning Spears' is gloomier tribalist dread for the strongback steppers.
Review to follow shortly…
Review to follow shortly…
*The first ever retrospective of fabled band Rodion G.A., one of Romania’s best kept musical secrets of the last 30 years* "As a band, Rodion G.A. were a unique phenomenon in their homeland, operating in their own universe during a prolific period of recording from 1978 to 1984 at a time of significant political repression under the Ceausescu regime. Bandleader, Rodion Ladislau Rosca, was an enigma. As half-Hungarian, half-Romanian, he lived near the border in Cluj, a city with a healthy music culture which had spawned important prog rock bands incuding Cromatic, Experimental Quintet and Semn… Read more
*Vinyl includes a copy of the CD free inside. This is the first ever retrospective of fabled band Rodion G.A., one of Romania’s best kept musical secrets of the last 30 years* "As a band, Rodion G.A. were a unique phenomenon in their homeland, operating in their own universe during a prolific period of recording from 1978 to 1984 at a time of significant political repression under the Ceausescu regime. Bandleader, Rodion Ladislau Rosca, was an enigma. As half-Hungarian, half-Romanian, he lived near the border in Cluj, a city with a healthy music culture which had spawned important prog rock… Read more
Lean and supple groovers from the top dog of American tech-house. The follow-up to his widely acclaimed 'The Predicting Machine' offers up the slinky, slightly sleazy swing and piquant modular synth tweaks of 'Somewhere' on the A-face and the ruggedly pendulous, claps-driven rhythm and smooth, bubbling chords of 'Elsewhere' for nice contrast on the flip.
"En Cavale was the debut solo album by Isabelle Antena, originally issued by Les Disques du Crépuscule in April 1986. Following the demise of chic French trio Antena, En Cavale (‘on the run’) marked Isabelle’s transition from minimalist electro-samba to smooth pop sophistication. Largely produced by Martin Hayles (Rip It Up era Orange Juice) the album’s synth and dance-pop stylings embrace disco (Be Pop, Don’t Think About It), Latin jazz (Play Back) and cool ballads (Seaside Weekend, Ten Minutes). Little wonder, for at the time Antena cited Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto and Sister Sledge … Read more
"Hoping for Love was the second solo album by Isabelle Antena, originally issued by Les Disques du Crépuscule in March 1987. After "Camino Del Sol" and "En Cavale", "Hoping for Love" saw Isabelle Antena step left of the dancefloor, expanding her Latin, funk and samba palette to include jazz and acoustic styles. With the originally vinyl running order now restored, the first five tracks offer dance and synth pop tracks, while the second half of Hoping for Love is a suite arranged and produced by Isabelle herself, and featuring crack jazz musicians such as Danny Cordova and Johnny … Read more
"Sal Mineo is a Jamie Stewart/XIU XIU + Eugene S. Robinson/Oxbow production - a pure/impure distillate of experimentalism based on 30 second to 3 minute long focused bursts of sonic crime, that plumbs the cooling depths of a pleasure cruised death trip. These two undisputed heavyweights of musical and emotional non-compromise, whose music leaves tender bruises by whatever sweet blow it is rendered, are ready to crack rooms in two with their high precision silencer of a duo show, combining the best and most free-roaming of both their artistic domains. Description "One minu… Read more
'Secret Diary' is the debut album by David Grellier's College, who're best known for penning Drive OST's pivotal anthem, 'A Real Hero'. Originally issued in 2008, it's a deeply nostalgic reverie synthesizing the music he grew up with - from '80s movie scores and soap themes to American pop culture, Daft Punk and DJ Falcon - in a perfectly retro-futurist cycle of 14 emotional electro-pop paeans. There are three vocal tracks, 'The Energy Story' starring Futur Records boss Minitel Rose, his soaring 'She Never Came Back' featuring Electric Youth, and the beautifully cinematic 'Fantasy Park' with Anora… Read more
'Teenage Color' is the debut EP by David Grellier's College, who is best known as the guy behind Drive OST's mighty anthem, 'A Real Hero'. It was first issued back in 2007/8 and should now find a very receptive new audience to its perfect synthesis of '80s American movie themes and pop culture. All five tracks are entirely instrumental and packed with the kind of nerve-tweaking melodies and adrenalising drum machines that gave you brainfreeze as a kid watching French/Japanese cartoons and John Hughes movies. It's only 17 minutes long, but we can clearly hear those classic hooks in germination, primed for canny DJs and lovers of the most romantic electro-pop.
**Clear vinyl edition of 250** South London's famed music scene yields sweeter, rooted pop by Barnaby Keen's Flying Ibex. Taking inspiration from African tapes, Brazilian Maracatu, and vintage analogue gear, this taster from their 2nd album incorporates bassist Nathaniel Keen and drummer Dave De Rose on the lilting Afro-beat snares and Caribbean bass bobbing beneath Barnaby's vocal on 'You Dared Me', and tucked tighter in-the-pocket with choppy guitars for the breezy B-side shuffler 'Something Was Cured'. RIYL King Krule, Bullion, Vampire Weekend.
Brendon Moeller, The Echologist, reshapes his sound moody and fluid to Prologue's individual aesthetic. A-side sheds the highlight of 'Head On' with its guttural, offset bass roll and white noise washes beside the bubbling acid house chug of 'The Mechanics Of Joy'. B-side 'More Instinct' gets muckier with driving kicks, frayed acid licks and clinical industrial dubbing, for 'Crossing Over' to contrast with an effervescent Berlin dub house appeal.
Scotland's finest reggae producer meets legendary vocalist Kenny Knots inna eight-track grip of rooted but future-looking dancehall. Each one a finely crafted mash of classic soundsystem memes and up-to-the-minute studio nous, rollin' and skankin' from the acidic digi-dub of 'Brand New Bangarang' to Smith & Mighty-like stepper 'Word Sound And Power' featuring Mikey Murka and the overproof sub-weight of 'One Life To Live' thru to the chiselled digickal styles of 'Rock Inna Dancehall' and the outright bassline murder and weed chat of 'Gimme Gimme'.
**Punk damaged blues rock 'n roll delivered with seething attitude. Edition of 250 copies** "Fat White Family, a band who've crawled out from the crevices of Peckham and Brixton to find gourmet burger bars, designer prams and soulless gastropubs taking over the town. Faced with the yuppie invasion their sole purpose is to cause havoc and deliver something real... Despite the inevitable incidents of chaos, blood, nudity and weirdness that seem to have plagued/fuelled this first year of their mission, they are still the band that everyone in London wants to see."
"The C.S. Crew's Funky Pack can be best described as Nigeria's own blend of Kool & the Gang, Mandrill and the Ohio Players - with a Moog synthesizer thrown in for good measure. Reissued for the first time this late 70s Nigerian raw funk masterpiece includes bonus tracks from the related group Youths of the Universe and liner notes written by Comb and Razor label owner (and Nigerian record collector extraordinaire) Uchenna Ikonne. Funky Pack features nine cuts of rare Nigerian funk including the sweaty and growling tracks Bread Power, Doin' the Good Thing and Freaky Funkyfied Fix, along with the p… Read more
4Hero's Marc Mac indulges his funkiest boogie side as Nu Era. Tooled up with classic analogue arsenal and a laptop, the legendary producer projects 15 futurist funk instrumentals synthesising elements of Detroit techno, classic Reinforced hyper-funk and broken beat in a loose but rude fusion of ideas.
UK garage-house laced with extra bass for the cool kids. A-side 'Late Reaction' is the one - meshing Funky house drum cadence with full sunk subs and a cheeky Mancunion bridge to 'floor-winnign effect. 'Help Yourself' is more stripped down, sensuous, shaking 2-step drums and smothered soul vox in a hollowed-out and glowing groove, whilst flipside gets Citizen on the action for a strutting, electro-flecked overhaul of 'Love Saves The Day' and 'Keep On Loving Me Dry' swings with whirring 2-step soul syncopations.
Hamburg's notorious Golden Püdel paws out Circuit Diagram's debut pair of motorik kraut-rock dance instrumentals. A-side is 'Amanar''s winning mix of "cellphone from sahara"-like chant with swinging, organic rhythms and sweeter modular synth curves progressing with the vision of a classic Villalobos, but sounding more like Can gone to modern day Africa. In much the same manner - minus the chants - 'Iklig' locks into another loose but driving rhythm relying on mean-hipped bassline and steppin' drums to give flight to flurries of jazz keys and sparing vocal stabs with a wonderfully limber psych-band feel.
Diverse debut album from the Danish producer. Over nine tracks Tobias Pedersen aka Beastie Respond builds on the crooked techno and smudged funk of his previous 12"s, yielding a wider spectrum of electronic emotions and rhythmic patterns. From the top 'Werk' pulls off a cool blend of Carpenter-esque synth intrigue and swinging electro, Autonomic styles, and 'VV10' leans on a fruity boogie tip. 'Please Stop Running' pairs Emilie Reimers with a dBridge-styled emo-electro rhythm and 'The Busdriver' sits on a muggy mission boogie vibe. Flipside the rugged Linn3 smack and colourful bu… Read more
Fabric resident Craig Richards swings out three cuts on his Nothing Special label. A-side is a side-stepping minimal tech-house play; B-side he flexes his experimental muscle with one shot of slow/fast dubstep delay trickery and another echo chamber exercise.
Dungeon-steppin' dubs from the OG Macabre Unit label. 'Music Mi Luv' is proper dread dub weight carved from a steely techno palatte inna Kryptic Minds style. 'Badman Culture Pt.2' is ice-cold rollige buttoned up with precise, 'ard-ass drums and bowel-worrying subs; label boss Demon gets in on the action with a slicing halfstepper called 'Cursed'. Big with Youngsta and Hatcha.
One for the London tech-house set: three tracks of stripped down swing from Sui Generis. A-side side is a tougher piece of shunting bass, clunky drums and incessant synthlines, the sort that make you wonder what you're still doing out at 5am. B-side features a bouncier little number driven by percolating chords and a hiccuping vocal for the swingers, plus a darker warehouse kink.
PETER JEFFERIES
The Last Great Challenge In A Dull World
De Stijl Records
LP // £18.49
Cat. Number: IND123
"Peter Jefferies’s extraordinary debut solo album, The Last Great Challenge in a Dull World, first saw life as a cassette via the Xpressway label of Port Chalmers, New Zealand, in 1990. As a result of some international underground acclaim in fanzines and mailorder catalogs – for both the album and a striking 7-inch, “The Fate of the Human Carbine,” released around the same time – it soon appeared on LP and CD as well, through the Ajax label of Chicago. Within a handful of years it slipped out of print and out of sight. Roughly 20 years later that situation is… Read more
