MUSIC

Following the incredible (and successful) compilation Taiwan Disco, the master minds behind Aberrant Records present this delicious record. Subtitled Disco Divas, Funky Queens and Psych Ladies from Asia from the 70s to the Early 90s you don't have to take a wild guess to figure out what you'll find here, a treasure trove filled with exotic jewels from Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and South Korea, from Asian funk to psych-tinged awesomeness, disco madness and much more. Features Chailai & Sawanee, Chantana Kittiyapan, Lei Si Si, Ding Dai, Yasmin, Wong Foong Foong, XYZ, Fatimah Razak, Chen Qiong Mei, Sum Sum & Pan Pan, Grace Simon, and Hit Girls.

French multi-instrumentalist Teddy Lasry's story is noteworthy not just in regards to the music he released, but in the ways that he approached the craft of composing and experimenting with sounds and sonics. Always intrigued with the capabilities of instruments, their groove and their feel, it was very much his family’s influence that helped to fuel these life long affections. As a performer in a parisien cabaret, Teddy’s father Jacques would mingle with giants like Serge Gainsbourg and Charlie Chaplin (impressed by his ability to improvise, Chaplin wanted him to become his accompanist, but the pianist politely refused). Jacques and his wife (Teddy’s mother Yvonne), would later become members of the innovative experimental group Les Structures Sonores, and surround their children’s lives with sounds. Electronic music was still in its infancy and Les Structures Sonores, with their resonators that produced long, mysterious tones, were deemed ‘cosmic’. It was the era of the launching of the first Russian Sputnik and every time a radio or television station wanted music for their science fiction programs, they turned to one of their compositions. Showing a natural ability with multi instrumentalism, Teddy was rewarded with a spot in the band, allowing him to really explore unconventional methods of composition. Following a brief stint with Ariane Mnouchkine's avant-garde Théâtre du Soleil after graduating school, Teddy joined the pioneering prog band Magma, with whom he would record three groundbreaking albums during the early 1970s (According to former member Laurent Thibault, their LP Mëkanïk ‘Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh‘ and its sound were strong influences on David Bowie during the recording of ‘Low‘ and Iggy Pop’s ‘The Idiot‘ at Hérouville). Despite the successes with these projects, Teddy was constantly searching for new ways of expressing himself through music, leading him into the beginnings of a solo career that would last the better part of three decades. Teddy’s transition into his solo career came with contrasting fortunes, in that he was now becoming a music to image composer but with the unfortunate realisation that his eyesight was gradually worsening (due to being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at an early age). Nonetheless, his solo career would begin in 1975, and for the rest of the decade his sound would become increasingly mired in electrified Funk-Fusion and its endless sonic possibilities. The resulting music would serve to highlight Teddy’s love affair with the possibilities found within tireless instrumentation, with the flute and particularly synthesisers becoming a mini-obession of his (he once spent a 7,000 Francs loan, which was meant to be spent on fixing his roof, on synths). To this day Teddy continues to record and experiment with music, a passion which in many ways has never left his side, even at the age of 75. His career was one that was fuelled by innate curiosity and an intrinsic desire to discover new methods of expressionism, be it through the realms of Jazz-Funk, ambient electronics, Swing music or indeed through the medium of instrumentation itself. On this compilation, we look to encapsulate the essence of his innovative sound, and from start to finish a sense of his ingenious approach to composing structure and mood is made abundantly clear. The funk-jazz fusion style that embodied the majority of his 70s work is on full display here, with the vibrant flute driven "Los Angeles", the Miles Davis inspired "Blue Theme", the progressive and driving "Chamonix", and the deeply intricate "Krazy Kat", along with one of his finest 80s slow jams, "Funky Ghost". Two cuts off the ‘Back To Amazonia’ album are also featured (Teddy’s last album including his Prophet T8, Yamaha DX7 and Oberheim drum machines). "Raising Sun in Bali" and the title piece both emphasise an ever present passion for synthesisers. "Birds of Space", a standout track off the ’e=mc2’ album, closes the comp, and is a fitting way to end this journey. To sit through this compilation is to listen to a musician at ease with his abilities and his eagerness, with the music taking the listener one way before building upon that anticipation and guiding it beyond the realms of reality - and into a sphere where the imagination is allowed to run free. Pulled together in close collaboration with Teddy and his family, this collection of songs looks to introduce new listeners to his work and we are proud to present this limited and carefully remastered compilation on vinyl, including extensive liner notes. credits

Daphne Oram is best-known for the design of her Oramics system, and also for co-founding the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1957, but until the release of this material, the only easily-available piece of music by her on CD was the 8-minute long "Four Aspects." There was also a 7" EP from 1962 on HMV, released as part of the Listen, Move and Dance series that was specifically designed to help children dance. Although the short pieces on this record are very basic, it could be argued that this is the first-ever electronic dance record! This is a survey of nearly all the major pieces that she produced since her departure from the BBC in January 1959 until her final tape piece in 1977. During this time, she worked independently in her home studio, and thanks to a grant from the Gulbenkian Foundation in 1962, she was able to pursue her interests. In Britain there were no state-funded studios other than the Radiophonic Workshop, which mainly existed at the behest of the drama studio and was not generally seen as a place to develop personal artistic ideas. There were also no university studios at this time, so it was necessary for British electronic composers to be self-funded. Throughout this period, she devoted her attention to developing her Oramics "drawn sound" system, which consisted of a large machine that enabled drawn patterns to be converted into sound. This system was eventually fully realized in the late '60s and several pieces here incorporate its use. The two and-a-half hours of music on this 2CD set covers the whole range of Oram's post-BBC output. All of the music is electronic with some occasional use of real instruments, especially small percussion and piano frame. There is also some use of musique concrète techniques. The works fall roughly into the following categories: works for TV and cinema advertising, film soundtracks, music for theater productions, installations and exhibitions as well as concert pieces and several studio experiments. There are also a few short pieces that resulted from an experimental music course given by Oram at a high school in Yorkshire in 1967.

"1 Of IV" and "Big Mother Is Watching You" were both made in the summer of 1966 at the University of Toronto Electronic Music Studio. "1 Of IV" was previously released in 1967, on Odyssey, alongside works by 2 other young composers - "Come out" by Steve Reich and "Night music" by Richard Maxfield. "Big Mother..." is a previously unreleased piece. The 3rd (and final) piece on this compilation was made at the San Francisco Tape Music Center in 1965 and was first released in 1977 on the compilation New Music For Electronic And Recorded Media, released on 1750 Arch Records. The 3 pieces on this CD are all live experiments, which at the simplest level use either an array of oscillators and filters, a mixer and one spool of tape feeding a series of (variously set up) stereo tape machines. Long delay lines, pile ups of noise and rich sonorities are the stuff of this music. The third piece also uses samples taken from Pucini's Madame Butterfly. All 3 pieces on this CD are not included on the 12 CD boxset of early electronic music by Oliveros, released by Important Records.

Bola Sete - Samba in Seattle : Live at the Penthouse, 1966-1968 is the first official release of the legendary and influential Brazilian acoustic guitarist BOLA SETE's live recordings at the Penthouse jazz club in Seattle, WA featuring bassist SEBASTIÃO NETO and drummer PAULINHO MAGALHÃES. Produced by Grammy-nominated jazz detective ZEV FELDMAN, and remastered from the original tape reels in cooperation with THE BOLA SETE ESTATE, this deluxe 3-CD set includes an extensive 40 page booklet with rare photos from THE PENTHOUSE; essay by music critic GREG CASSEUS (aka GREG CAZ); new interviews and statements by guitar icon CARLOS SANTANA, legendary composer/pianist LALO SCHIFRIN, Sete's friend, pianist and producer, GEORGE WINSTON, and Bola Sete's widow ANNE SETE; plus an effusive tribute by the late guitar great JOHN FAHEY. Samba in Seattle is a significant addition to the recorded legacy of an oft–sampled musician (A Tribe Called Quest, J Dilla and Dan The Automator) whose career straddled bossa nova, jazz–pop and early New Age.

A Certain Frank is the Düsseldorf based duo of Frank Fenstermacher and Kurt “Pyrolater” Dalhke. Through the 80s and early 90s, they made speedy, wild coldwave as Der Plan, releasing music on their own label Ata Tak (which also released Oval’s wonderful debut ‘Wohnton’!). In the mid-90s, influenced by a lifelong love for the exotica and tiki bar jazz of Martin Deny and Les Baxter, the two formed A Certain Frank. Hence, the sounds of A Certain Frank are far warmer, sensual and sultry than that of Der Plan. “Without You,” from their 2001 album ‘Nothing,’ approaches something like Sade across its pulsating, truly gorgeous six minutes. And the New Age composition “Naïve,” from A Certain Frank’s 1996 debut ‘No End No…’ (and appearing on DSPs for the first time courtesy of your friends here at ULYSSA), drifts back-and-forth between enchanting flute lines and brooding, synth stabs. And then, there’s “Nothing,” a shadowy triphop earworm that stands confidently alongside the work of Skalpel or Portishead. Yes, A Certain Frank is that good and, sadly, that overlooked. In fact, taken altogether on ‘Ulyssa presents: A Certain Frank,’ it becomes quite clear that their austere dada experiments in electronic lounge and jazz are as curious and captivating as more celebrated albums like Nuno Canavarro’s ‘Plux Quba’ and Björk’s ‘Debut.’ The time has come to give A Certain Frank its due. ‘ULYSSA presents: A Certain Frank’ is the first time any of these songs have been released on cassette and the first time songs from ‘No End No…’ have come to streaming services. ULYSSA Season 2 begins here. Sploosh.

Architecture, music, mathematics. From the series Recollection GRM, which reissues the INA-GRM works, the history of Greek-French people who controlled a large amount of uncontrollable sounds by architecture and mathematical methodologies and transformed them into music with unparalleled strength. Introducing contemporary music composer Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001).

Constructed the Philips Pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair (1958). Also included is'Concret PH', which was performed using 400 speakers, along with Edgard Varese's blockbuster electronic music "Poem Electronique" at the Philips Hall. You can't taste this tingling sensation that is ejected from a very esoteric and incomprehensible range that incorporates mathematics into music. Others, such as the chaotic concrète'Bohor'dedicated to Pierre Schaeffer, are a number of sound images that make you feel as if you are looking at a complete building in front of you.

The long-awaited repress! The world's first compilation that covers the miracle of Spanish NEW WAVE-ambient-progressive music, the masterpiece of Finis Africae, and the footprints of 17 years!
This is a must-listen work with a number of spiritual, deep, afro and ambient spiritual organic grooves!

Spiritual Afro, NEW WAVE, Ambient Dance Music! A number of miraculous sound sources that include African music, contemporary music, natural sounds from NEW WAVE and field recording, and even jazz and folklore tastes from Spain. It seems that he was influenced by many music genres, but the music is a beautiful combination of ambient and spiritual extracts, and the track with the synthesizer has a new age that is similar to that of IASOS! Great content that would not have been possible without an aesthetic eye for sharp music. 16P booklet included. Commentary posted in Spanish / English / Japanese.

"Late 1980s to early '90s guitar pop/rock n roll band from Dunedin, New Zealand. Stephen featured David Kilgour, Alf Danielson, Geoff Hoani, and Stephen Kilroy. Formed by David Kilgour after The Clean first split. They released an EP on Flying Nun records in 1988 as a three piece, later added another guitarist and recorded for a record that didn't happen. Remastered, rescued and compiled for this release. New art and liner notes, insert with prev. unseen photos and fliers. Tracks from the Dumb EP, Radar of Small Dogs, as well as studio tracks from sessions towards the never-completed LP. Interview with David Kilgour about the band coming up in the next Maggot Brain issue." "Stephen Kilroy recently reminded me that my idea for the band was to have no aspirations, apart from making new music, and that it was a casual experiment. I'd forgotten that. I remember having a long break after the Clean first split. I wanted to keep making music in a low-key way, and with other musicians I could write and share the spotlight with. I've always wanted to be in someone else's band." --David Kilgour (from the Maggot Brain interview)

These 28 tracks, 72 minutes in total, cover a wide range of musical styles and eras, from the 60s to the present, urban to rural, primarily by Thai vocalists and musicians, with contributions from Japan and the Philippines. 60s-America-style pop by Suri Yamuhi and the Babylon Band as well as contemporary EDM, trap and hip hop sounds are all present, but the core of this soundtrack are luk thung and molam classics from the 70s and 80s by Angkhanang Khunchai, On-uma Singsiri, Dao Bandon, Khwanta Fasawang and “The Countryside is Great” by Rungphet Laemsing, a pivotal song in the film. All tracks are complete versions, some incorporating dialogue from the film. This CD-only OST features English lyrics, and liner notes by the film’s directors Katsuya Tomita and Toranosuke Aizawa, plus Iwao Yamazaki, Young-G and MMM of the Kuzok team, and Soi 48. This is the first soundtrack release by EM Records. 

TRACKS: 

01. Pai Tuktuk Dwai - DJ Pai Dwai 
02. Pai Massage Dwai - Young-G (stillichimiya/ Omiyuki CHANNEL) 
03. The Smell of Money - Suri Yamuhi & The Babylon Band 
04. You've Left Me Alone - Suri Yamuhi & The Babylon Band 
05. Porra - XXXSSS Tokyo 
06. Only Som Tam - On-uma Singsiri 
07. The Countryside is Great - Rungphet Laemsing 
08. Isan Radio 
09. Bong Ja Bong (Pipe, oh Pipe!) - Dao Bandon 
10. Burn! Burn! Burn! ~ Surfin' Dien Bien Phu - Suri Yamuhi & The Babylon Band 
11. I Will Buy You Back - Bar Nong Khai Band 
12. Samet Love - DJ Pai Dwai 
13. That Goddam Motorsai - Khwanta Fasawang 
14. The Stench of Night – from Chit Phumisak's poem - Surachai Jantimathawn 
15. Saramanda - DJ Pai Dwai 
16. Tamarind Leaf (molam) - Angkhanang Khunchai 
17. Bahn Swairon - Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band 
18. Khaen Whistle Reprise (JRP Tondo mix) - DJ Kensei feat. Tondo Tribe 
19. Vang Vieng Bank (Change Yen to Lao) OST mix - DJ Kensei 
20. Xieng Khouang's Daughter - Thong Boonma (lam), Le Boonma (khaen) 
21. Get Em - XLII 
22. Paun's House - Suri Yamuhi & The Babylon Band 
23. Xanadu - Young-G (stillichimiya/ Omiyuki CHANNEL) 
24. Kanom Party - Young-G (stillichimiya/ Omiyuki CHANNEL) 
25. The Song of an Angel - Suri Yamuhi & The Babylon Band 
26. Ying's Story - Subenja Pongkon 
27. Isan Lam Phloen - Angkhanang Khunchai & The Ubon Phatthana Band 
28. Full Moon (Atsani Phonlachan) - Yuzo Toyoda, Takeshi Yamamura 

6 tracks including a couple of edits mixes from Paolo Baldini 'Dubfiles'. Upsetter magic at its finest. Comes in a grey custom bag. Because Upsetter does it better!!

He made his debut at the age of 17 on Vanity Records. He is also a member of Tristan Disco, a no-wave dub obscure unit. A pioneer in the world of Japanese techno, Takayuki Shiraishi compiled a compilation of his rare recordings under the name MLD between 1983 and 1986. This is a piece that confirms Shiraishi's unique and offbeat style that crosses over from post-punk to dub to industrial. This is a must-have for fans of Mannequin Records and Minimal Wave. Mastered by the French genius Krikor Kouchian, limited to 500 copies.

An unknown duo who started singing as a duo in their mid-teens, they recorded more than 600 songs over 29 years, starting with , , , , and nowadays. Honest Jon's is a compilation album of the incredible love songs of the 1960s by Gonzalo Benitez and Luis Alberto Valencia, who have also left their work on labels such as Caife, which also has a compilation to unravel the fascinating catalog. > Arrived from. A work that fully packages their unknown music that is intensely beautiful and desolate, supported by exquisitely romantic harmony and heart-pounding guitar play!

A collection of stunning Persian-tuned piano pieces cut from Iranian national radio broadcasts made for the Golha programmes between 1956 & 1965...

Morteza Mahjubi (1900-1965) was a Iranian pianist & composer who developed a unique tuning system for the piano which enabled the instrument to be played in all the different modes and dastgahs of traditional Persian art music. Known as Piano-ye Sonnati, this technique allowed Mahjubi to express the unique ornamental and monophonic nature of Persian classical music on this western instrument - mimicking the tar, setar & santur and extracting sounds from the piano which are still unprecedented to this day.

An active performer and composer from a young age, Mahjubi made his most notable mark as key contributor and soloist for the Golha (Flowers of Persian Song and Poetry) radio programmes. These seminal broadcasts platformed an encyclopaedic wealth of traditional Persian classical music and poetry on Iranian national radio between 1956 until the revolution in 1979.

Presented here is a collection of Morteza Mahjubi's stunningly virtuosic improvised pieces broadcast on Golha between the programme's inception until Mahjubi's death in 1965 - mostly solo, though at times peppered with tombak, violin & some segments of poetry.

The vast collection of Golha radio programmes was put together thanks to the incredible work of Jane Lewisohn & the Golha Project as part of the British Library's Endangered Archives programme, comprising 1,578 radio programs consisting of approximately 847 hours of broadcasts. 

From the late 1950s onwards a music scene developed around Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, inspired by the prevalence of imported rock & pop records arriving in the country from US & UK and also chanson and bolero records from France & Latin America. This collection documents some of these early home-grown slow rock, pop & rnb 45 recordings from the early 60s, prior to the further embrace of US psych & garage rock-orientated sounds in the mid 60s and into the Vietnam war era.

“Absorb the pain and react smoothly… don’t become distracted by the white noise of possibilities… experience a flow-like state, even an Ultra Instinct” — Platinum Mike Perry The collection of instrumental piano-based pieces, Kirby says, is the outcome of “trying to accept the duality of the world, and through that find peace”. Though he recorded Conflict about a year ago, Kirby decided to spontaneously release it in response to the escalating global crisis, with the hope that it might help fortify the listener and induce inner calm.

From the late 1950s onwards a music scene developed around Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, inspired by the prevalence of imported rock & pop records arriving in the country from US & UK and also chanson and bolero records from France & Latin America. This collection documents some of these early home-grown slow rock, pop & rnb 45 recordings from the early 60s, prior to the further embrace of US psych & garage rock-orientated sounds in the mid 60s and into the Vietnam war era.

On behalf of re:discovery records, it is with great excitement that we announce the release of the Mysteries of Science compilation. Mysteries of Science aka Dominic Woosey (Neutron 9000) was a fixture of the ambient, ambient house and trance scene in the late 80s until the mid 90's.

These selections have been carefully chosen to show the timeless sound crafting Dominic was capable of with his wide array of sound modules. They range from space music, ambient to a proto-techno and back again. In the vein of Berlin School ambient or Tangerine Dream type sequencing, but made during the post-rave world of the early 1990s during the chill out era. Tracks to search the stars with! All of them are here for the first time on vinyl and were chosen in this order for the best listening experience.

'Virtual Wake' starts off the a side with the opening track from the self titled Mysteries of Science album. Eerie and spacey it welcomes you to the scientific space music Dominic Woosey so much excelled in. 'Technological Womb' is from the 2nd self-titled album and further hones in on the sci-fi ominous journey. 'Diffusion' bridges the album with a fantastic voyage into floating space. Finally on side d has 2 tracks featured on compilations only at the time. 'Chaos Pleasures' & 'Stranger in a Strange Land'. Both show the avante-garde approach Dominic took with this project even including an acid line combined with a violin! Yes, you heard that right! Space music at it's pinnacle in the analog sequencer realm before the true digital age. 5 songs with nearly 60 minutes of beauty. Take a listen! 

On behalf of re:discovery records, it is with great excitement that we announce the release of Deep Space Network's 'Big Rooms'. Deep Space Network was a joint project by David Moufang (Move D) & Jonas Grossman and it explored electronic music that wonderfully combined ambient, chill out themes, sci-f techno and IDM. Originally released on David Moufang's Source Records and distributed by Instinct Records in America a year after. Now, 27 years later, finally released on vinyl for the very first time with original artwork with a gatefold cover

ミュージック・コンクレート創始者、ピエール・シェフェールによって設立されたフランス音楽研究グループ〈INA-GRM〉の最重要人物にして、Aphex TwinやAutechre、Keith Fullerton Whitmanにも影響を与えた仏の電子音楽家Bernard Parmegiani。69年にLPリリースされた激レア・アルバム「Violostries / Bidule En Ré / Capture Éphémère」より”Violostries”、そして、同アルバムに収録された”Capture éphémère”の88年ステレオ・リミックス版、72年度発表「Chronos」に収録されていた”La Roue Ferris”の3曲をコンパイルした電子音楽好き必携の特大編集盤が〈Editions Mego〉と〈INA-GRM〉協賛で運営される重要レーベル〈RECOLLECTION GRM〉から登場！1965年4月にフランスの“Royan Festival”にて、Devy ErlihとBernard Parmegianiによって初演及び録音された作品であり、作曲家／演奏者と楽器／オーケストラの同時対話として提示される、幾つかの音楽研究の方向性の交差点を表すという”Violostries”（1963年〜64年）、パリの〈Maison de la Radio〉のStudio 105にて67年5月に初演、録音したにも関わらず存在し続ける存在し続ける「時間の経過と共に循環するノイズ」である”Capture éphémère”（1967年に作曲、88年版）、マントンの”Festival des chantiers navals”にて71年8月26日に初演、観覧車を回転させることで、そのレゾナンスと融合して、そのバリエーションをどこまでも永続させ、一定の軸を中心に定期的に進化する動きをスケッチするという”La Roue Ferris” (1971年)の3作品を収録。Rashad Beckerによって〈Dubplates & Mastering〉にてカッティング。Stephen O'Malleyによるレイアウト。やはりクオリティは折り紙付きです！

“Abner Jay is the most unusual talent in the world. A true Southerner from South G.A. He was raised layin on his belly, drinkin water from the ol Swaunee River. Jay claims the secret for his good health and being the father of sixteen young’uns, and gonna git some more, layin on his belly drinkin water from that ol Swaunee. Abner still go to the Swaunee River every Sunday, and lay down on his belly. Abner is twenty five years older than you think.” - Abner Jay Stunning one-man band tunes from one of the United States’ great unsung artists. A new album of previously unreleased tracks from Abner’s vast catalog of home recordings, showcasing some of his most haunting and powerful vocal performances on revelatory new renditions of classics like “I’m So Depressed” and “Ol Man River.” Abner recorded the majority of the songs found on this LP over and over - some were recorded with R&B bands in the late 1950's, some as earnest folk ballads in the early 1960's and some as homemade one man band recordings on electric banjo, drum and harmonica throughout the 1970's. Here Abner plays these songs more deeply felt than at any other point, accompanied by his electric guitar, plaintive harmonica and solid almost tribal bass drum. We don't know exactly what date these recordings were made, but they stand as absolutely timeless. A truly independent artist who performed at swap meets and fairs out of his custom converted trailer, Abner Jay traveled the United States from the 1930s until his passing in 1993. Told with his characteristic blend of humor and pathos, I Don’t Have Time To Lie To You is an unsparing take on the country Abner knew so well, and possibly the best full album of his music to date. Licensed from Brandie Records and Abner’s family.

Alan Lomax (1915-2002) was a legend in collecting and documenting folk, blues, and folk music from all over the U.S. from his very early days. These legendary performances by RL Burnside, Napoleon Strickland, Boyd Rivers, Tommy Jarrell, and many others have been overlooked in the history of American folk/blues. This is the first time they have been recorded. Traveling through the South and Southwest of the United States with a video crew, he captured over 350 hours of folklore from Kentucky coal miners, fiddlers, string bands, gospel quartets, and pre-war blues circuit players. In 1991, it was edited into the "American Patchwork" series and broadcast on American public television. However, because of the format, hundreds of individual performances and fascinating scenes went unheard. This set is a selection of notable recordings made to document the last of the "local surrounds" in Mississippi, Appalachia and Louisiana. The booklet includes lavish liner notes by Nathan Salsburg of the Alan Lomax Archive.

Ultra-positive consciousness from Afro-Caribbean London, circa 1979. Members of the legendary 20th Century Steel Band (one of Grand Master Flash's favourites) sailing Trinidad-wise over gratifyingly intricate African ritual rhythms. Strong vocals compliment reggae, funk, disco and soul influences to form a relentless groove machine. 

Steel an' Skin, a unit composed of young nightclub musicians born in Ghana, Nigeria, St. Kitts, Trinidad and the U.K., who once performed with Ginger Johnson's Afrikan Drummers, a highlife band under the tutelage of the late Ginger Johnson and played at Johnson's Iroko Country Club in Hampstead, London. Steel an' Skin began activities giving concerts and workshops in London schools, expanding nationwide to schools, prisons, psychiatric hospitals and summer festivals, including the world-famous Notting Hill Carnival. The group combined an admirably brave, open and unironic mix of musical forms with community outreach, non-cynical and untainted by preachiness or "social work." Good feelings from good hearts. 

This EM reissue consists of Steel an' Skin's 1979 debut 12 inch single "Reggae is Here Once Again", featuring "Afro Punk Reggae (Dub)", a fine disco-dub workout, plus some tracks from their 1984 recordings, as well as one unissued track.

"Rhythmic Brutalism" is the title of this release, available also as a double CD set or two separate 12" vinyl LPs; the title is also a very apt description of the music itself. Romania-born Alexandra Atnif is fascinated by the harsh, grey concrete beauty and minimally repetitive force of the brutalist post-war architecture of her homeland, and this fascination has given rise to the music here. Vol. 1 is an EM Records edition, compiled from an earlier self-released double CD featuring recordings from 2014-15. Vol. 2 consists of previously unreleased recordings from 2015 to 2017. Using elemental, inexpensive technology, Atnifs music is heavy and harsh, stripped down to distressed skeletal frameworks, rhythmic noise, rusting metal and weathered concrete, a distorted DIY realization of her beautifully brutal vision. With a background in European modernist/avant-garde music, Atnif has been influenced by early rhythmic industrial music such as Throbbing Gristle, Esplendor Geometrico and Muslimgauze, as well as later practitioners of rhythm and noise including Pan Sonic, Autechre, Winterkälte, Prurient and Scorn. Across the relatively brief span of years contained within these two volumes, we hear the rhythmic structures begin to fracture and fray, and the outlines darken and become more obscure, with Antif's sensibility evident throughout.