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In commemoration of soul singing legend Ural Thomas's 85th birthday, Cairo Records and The Albina Music Trust present Nat. - Ural! This giant tribute to Ural's 70 year music career includes an LP, a 7", a thirty six page 12 X 12 full color book, five postcards, a newspaper fold out, a 11 X 17 poster and beautiful printed inner sleeves.

Here's a detailed description of the contents -

THE LP - These 8-track recordings are from the early 90s - possibly some begun as early as late 80s. There are synthesizers, drum machines, a chorus of vocal overdubs, guitars, bass, drums...a full band all Ural, recorded at home and now for the first time on LP.

THE 7" - Two songs Ural recorded in the early 1960's at home with a bunch of kids from the neighborhood. Side A is the avant garde funk masterpiece Fade Away - featuring kids blowing into ten foot long bed posts outfitted with trombone slides. Side B is the sweet, simple soulful and life affirming ballad, "Smile".

THE BOOKLET - This 12 X 12 full color book features a long interview with Ural, interviews with his contemporaries and tons of great photos. It covers his whole career as a soul singing legend.

THE POSTCARDS - Five postcards featuring pictures of Ural from various stages of his career.

THE FOLD OUT NEWSPAPER - An old article about Ural's struggles with the city of Portland and a new article about how great Ural is on the other side.

THE INNER SLEEVES - Two large beautiful alternate covers for Nat - Ural are printed on the inner sleeves.

THE POSTER - Full color promo shot of Ural in a mesh outfit hanging out in a birdbath. 

Citron Citron is back! The ethereal sister-and-brother duo has worked hard over the past two years on their new album “Maréeternelle,” set to be released next autumn. Maintaining their majestic compositions, dual lead vocals, and home-made organic sound machinery, Citron Citron delves deeper into their sonic universe, singing about daily life, death, and love with the same poetic and personal vibe.

The first single, “Par un temps pareil,” showcases Augustin as the lead vocalist for the first time. With its heavy drum machine and groovy vibe, the track, built around a pun about idleness, is set to make your sunny summer days even shinier.

Strut proudly reintroduces a classic from the Topomic catalogue, Ice’s ‘Each Man Makes His Destiny’, officially available on vinyl for the first time.

After relocating from the United States to Paris, Ice began performing regularly in the city’s Barbès district, a vibrant area with a large North African immigrant community.

The band’s heavy Afro-funk sound caught the attention of producer Pierre Jaubert, leading them to become the resident session musicians at his independent Parisound studio.

Immersed in the local influences, Ice began integrating African-inspired chants, textures, and rhythms into their distinct funk style. In 1973, the group recorded their debut album, ‘Each Man Makes His Destiny’, a psychedelic funk exploration that hinted at the evolving sound that would later define them as the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band and, eventually, Ice once more.

Produced by Jaubert, the album brings some powerful social commentary on claustrophobic tracks like ‘Too Little Room’ and ‘Suicide’, under-pinned by a determination to succeed despite the adversity.

Remastered by The Carvery.

The New York Contemporary Five was formed by Archie Shepp and John Chikai, who had emigrated from Europe, The New York Contemporary Five was formed around John Chickai, who had emigrated from Europe, and included Archie Shepp, Don Cherry, and John Chickai as core members. This album is one of the culmination of their activities, and contains compositions strongly influenced by Bill Dixon, Ornette Coleman, Monk, and others. It also includes “Trio” by Bill Dixon and a wonderful cover of Monk's "Crepuscule with Nellie. This album is still highly valuable today as a record of the early days of free jazz, and as a work that foreshadows the later activities of each of the members.

Cape Verdean insiders say “we export all they have to other countries, only to import it back again”. Cape Verdeans have migrated all over the world, mainly to cities with big harbours, like New York, Boston and Rotterdam (Holland). Rotterdam became one of the main destinations
(next to Portugal) on the European mainland. When Americo, like many of his friends and relatives moved to Rotterdam, he quickly became infected with the music virus. Surrounded on a daily basis by Cape Verdean music in Portuguese pensions and small hotels, this was where sailors ingested a dose of “sodade” through the interpretations of their beloved music by the local Cape Verdean artists. Americo took to the stage with his band Djarama in the 70s and 80s. The live music scene was buzzing and the Cape Verdean community had their own infrastructure for arranging shows, often in nightclubs where the band had to bring their own soundsystem. Interestingly, Americo didn’t stick to performing and recording music. He found another way to help spread the Cape Verdean magical secret of music across Rotterdam, Holland and beyond: “There was this spot in Rotterdam where all foreign radio stations were housed, all these different nationalities together, Surinam, Cape Verdean, Hindustani…Guy Ramos and some of my other friends made radio in the 80s there. I got involved in their radio activities. Later on I started to work as a technician and eventually as producer and radio DJ for “Radio Voz De Cabo Verde”. Radio became bigger and there were around 4 different Cape Verdean stations active at one point in Rotterdam. instrumental in the development of this was the attic of a Dutch friend, where “Radio Babalu” came to life. Radio has always held a special place in my heart.” Americo’s music collection stems from this era, also aided by his many travels across Europe to cities with Cape Verdean communities. Alongside Rotterdam local, Arp Frique, Americo unveils some of these songs: dancefloor hits and beloved radio gems known in the Cape Verdean scene by younger and older generations alike, and so far undiscovered by a “bigger” audience. The compilation showcases the worldly view of Cape Verdean music, incorporating knowledge from their travels in their compositions. It ranges from the obvious funana and coladeira, to the more unexpected influences of deep disco, new wave, uptempo reggae, jazz-funk and Brazilian pop music; demonstrating just the tip of the iceberg, but what an amazing t(r)ip it is! 

Diving once more into the forgotten corners of the electric Spanish music scene from the 80's and early 90's, Soundway reissue Scan Man's full single "Arabian". Bringing together a Furious Five retro styled bounce and rhyme and a bite of UK street soul, the track is taken from 2021's hugely popular compilation Ritmo Fantasía. Expect soulful American expat rap layered over sitar-like sounds, and a tumbling, rattling, 808 pattern. Along with the original track and instrumental, DJs Trujillo and Ray Mang serve a souped up instrumental primed for modern dancefloors. Recorded at the CEV Studios in Madrid, Arabian was the first composition and production of Marcos Manzanares to get an official release. Using an Ensoniq Mirage Sampler (one of the early, affordable synth samplers), and with Stephen Sutton providing the vocals for the track, he first made his entry into the Spanish music scene. A short while later he would go onto make a career for himself under the name of Tension808, releasing with major labels like Sony Music and EMI Chrysalis.

Introducing Hamed Farras! The singer, musician and performer from Abidjan. Hamed has been at the center of Ivorian reggae for over thirty years, the sound made famous by Alpha Blondy in the eighties. In 1991 Hamed released his first album Deni: named after his breakthrough track, however two tracks on his debut album never received the attention they deserve… Chef, C'est Pas Moi or "Chef, It wasn't me" features a 17 year old Hamed singing about his friend ‘Polo’ who got into trouble with the police. Slaman Djougou is about a cultural muslim who only prays during festivities. Both tracks feature Hamed’s characteristic singing and have an infectious groove that can match any of the famous Ivorian Reggae classics. Together with composer and arranger Georges Kouakou, who worked with Alpha Blondy on many of his projects, and Hamed’s brothers, magic was created in downtown Abidjan (see picture above). As the album Deni was only released on very limited cassette and CD copies at the time, Chef C’est Pas Moi and Slaman Djougou never saw the light of day. Until now... It is with great pleasure to release these songs with Hamed for the first time on vinyl after almost 30 years. The release is accompanied by a stellar DJ remix by one of our favorite producers: Lipelis!

アトランタ出身の知られざるレアソウルグループWilkie & The Wayyが83年に悪名高いCold Wave Recordsに残した唯一の7インチ・シングル音源『It Only Happened Once』と未発表音源を収録したコンピレーション盤。

ロンドン拠点のプロデューサーImaginary ForcesことAnthoney J Hartが2016年に〈Halcyon Veil〉からリリースした12インチEP。

Strut introduces the highly anticipated third volume in the Disques Debs International series, diving deeper into the archives of one of the greatest French Caribbean labels, Disques Debs, based in Guadeloupe. Founded by the visionary Henri Debs in the late ‘50s, the label and studio operated for over 50 years, releasing more than 300 7” singles and 200 LPs, making it a cornerstone of Caribbean music history. By the dawn of the 1980s, Henri Debs had already established himself as a prolific producer, with a record of releases unmatched in Guadeloupe and Martinique. From its humble beginnings with a 2-track tape machine in the back of a clothes shop, Disques Debs evolved into a powerhouse, boasting a state- of-the-art studio in downtown Pointe-à-Pitre, retail shops for records and musical instruments in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Paris, a nightclub in Gosier, and international distribution deals reaching Europe, the U.S., and South America. Disques Debs played a pivotal role in shaping modern Caribbean music. The label bridged traditional genres like biguine and gwoka with contemporary styles like cadence, compas, and zouk, the latter becoming a global phenomenon in the 1980s with contributions from iconic acts like Kassav’ and Zouk Machine. The period also saw Disques Debs champion a new generation of artists while maintaining ties with legendary figures from earlier decades. Volume 3 in this series spotlights one of the label’s most dynamic and influential periods as it expanded its global reach during the 1980s. Across 2 LPs, the release features a curated selection of tracks from the Disques Debs circle, highlighting both emerging talents and established artists who defined the era. This collection not only celebrates Henri Debs’ unmatched legacy but also offers a snapshot of Caribbean music’s golden age, cementing Disques Debs as a cultural institution.

Compiled by Hugo Mendez and Emile Omar 

Sonor Music Editions is honored to announce the reissue of the very rare LP Aquarium Sounds by Italian composer Filippo Trecca. Originally released in 1979 as a promo-only item, “Aquarium Sounds” is a hybrid collection of tracks; some were used as the soundtrack to the thriller TV series “Così Per Gioco” (1979), directed by Leonardo Cortese; others from the talk show “Acquario” (1978-1979) hosted by Italian journalist and writer Maurizio Costanzo. The album also includes “Elena Tip” which features playful vocals by a young Ilona Staller (aka Cicciolina).

Aquarium Sounds were composed by Trecca himself, Achille Oliva (bass), Alessandro Alessandroni Jr. (keys), Giancarlo de Matteis (guitars), and Marco Parisi (drums), playing together for the creation of this progressive pop gem sought after by many collectors from around the world.

The album, recorded using simple acoustic elements and early synths, is a treasure buried deep into the ocean of time that Sonor Music Editions is bringing back to the surface; a journey into the depths of our music memory as well into the universe of Italian music heritage.

Dmitry Krylov is a musician and sound artist. His latest project, entitled After All, is centred around apocalyptic poetics of electronic music and offers a spectacular meditation on the end of time. The album's dramatic structure demonstrates a gradual transition from the spacious oscillations of bowed instruments to plasmatic noise rhythms, which dissolve in an area of uncertainty and its revealing sonic imagery.

Based in Samara, Krylov interprets the ambient genre as primarily music of grief and sorrow. Over the past few years, he has produced a number of ambient albums characterised by sustained textures and grainy field recordings that capture various planes of human sentiment; After All is the final release in a series of albums that examine personal and universal sadness. The first album, Right Moment Will Never Come (2022), explores the unbearable grief of losing a family member through Stars-of-the-Lid-like utmost sensibility and downtempo composure, verging on sonic sharpness of ambient dub. Last year's Untitled (2023), mostly nocturnal and haunting project, yet at times decisively fast-paced, exhibits the lasting affective imprint of Russia's disastrous invasion of Ukraine. Embracing different tragedies — from the individual to the universal one — Krylov maintains a consistently authorial vision in his music, characterised by the evocative prevalence of the composer's thinking, despite the relevance of electroacoustic experiments for his work.

The final instalment in Krylov's “trilogy of catastrophes”, After All invokes the motif of apocalypse, universal purifying destruction. Having addressed the past and the present, Krylov turns his attention to the coming time and the promise of change. A substantial proportion of the album is made up of smooth vibratory canvases created by the bowed instruments, urban noises and liminal synths; now and then breaking into a crescendo, they are more akin to lamenting voices that can be barely controlled by ones who perform the labour of mourning. The power of lament appears to be enchanting only to reach its terrifying climax in the composition But Death is Not the End, where pain and devastation pour out in energetic torrents of power noise. Still the lament not only celebrates the bygone, but also prepares it for the afterlife. The remaining faith in the possibility of starting over is traced in the elegiac sequence of compositions, the looped structure of which is asserted by the eponymous final track. After All manifests: the essence of destruction only seems to exclude the prospect of tranquillity; a new beginning hides ultimately within it. 

An imperial phase Actress commits a lushly amorphous installation piece made for the Berliner Festspiele to vinyl, rendering a post-industrial symphony full of iridescent shifts in gyring, OOBE-like spatial coordinates landing somewhere between nutopian ambient, kankyō ongaku and sawn-off bass science. 

‘Grey Interiors’ was made in collaboration with Actual Objects and is an absorbing animation and navigation of those post-human ideals that have prompted Darren J. Cunningham to his best work across the preceding two decades. In its hypnagogic symphony of the elements, he short-circuits distinctions of classical music’s metric freedoms and the hyperspatial sensuality of concrète/electro-acoustic and ambient musics with an artistic license that has come to distinguish his work in the contemporary field, and arguably identified him as this generation’s most vital electronic abstractionist. 

The first half of the album is bewitchingly airless, materialised in a twinkling vacuum. Naturalistic environmental recordings and a half-heard piano swirl around nauseous airlock whooshes and eerie bass drones. It's all pulverised to a powdery, shimmering residue; if Actress's music is defined by its character and texture - that sweet spot between the bedroom and the soundsystem - then this one advances the narrative without losing its backbone. And like a lot of his best work, it comes into its own on the back of zonked eyelids, conjuring a play of shifting geometric patterns within its imaginary physics and nuanced narration of ephemeral melodic phrasing and vaporous textures.

At about the halfway point, that dissociated piano finds its groove, coalescing into a jerky drum machine rhythm popping like bubbles in the stifling atmosphere. We can draw some intersecting lines here thru electronic music lore - traces of vintage AE, Push Button Objects, UR - but Actress always leaves an indelible fingerprint on anything he touches. Even when he's rubbing against the gallery-industrial complex, he manages to fill a stagnant space with electricity and wit; look at the title itself: is it a reference to the "landscape beyond man" as the installation's press release might have us believe, or the institutions themselves? 

Proper high grade brain food; if you peeped Deathprod's stunning 'Dark Transit', 'Grey Interiors' makes it an epic double-bill. 

The seductive sounds of Portugal swing to Dark Entries on Rock Rendez Vous: Música Moderna Portuguesa 1985-1986, a compilation of vintage Iberian synth, wave, and postpunk gems. The legendary club Rock Rendez Vous (RRV) opened its doors in Lisbon in 1980, heralding a new era in the Portuguese underground. Although touring acts like Killing Joke, Danse Society, or Echo & the Bunnymen graced its stage, RRV more vitally served as ground zero for a new generation of Portuguese bands, one simultaneously in touch with broader international musical movements while being invested in establishing a national sonic identity. Rock Rendez Vous culls 9 tracks of prime Portuguese indie tunes from the Música Moderna Portuguesa compilations released in 1985 and 1986, documenting the heyday of this movement. Jangly and brooding postpunk gems like “Levante” from Jovem Guarda, Projecto Azul’s “New Sides,” and Essa Entente’s “Festa Final” are well-represented here. Meanwhile, quirky Balearic-laced synthpop gems like D. W. Art’s “Mate” or Zona Proibida’s “Musak” add a subtly regional flare. Rock Rendez Vous: Música Moderna Portuguesa comes housed in a sleeve designed by Eloise Leigh featuring a photo of the club RRV, and also includes a double-sided insert with lyrics, photos, and liner notes.

Linear Labs: São Paulo sparks a new golden era of musical genius defined by the maestro Adrian Younge, encapsulating what he’s learned in building the first era of Linear Labs and its successor label Jazz Is Dead. 
Linear Labs: São Paulo marks the evolution of this journey.

Step into an extraordinary psychedelic and soulful experience with Adrian Younge presents Linear Labs: Sao Paulo: a compilation of new songs showcasing the musical brilliance of Adrian Younge with artists from around the world. Essentially, the album features one unreleased song from an array of forthcoming albums Younge has produced for Linear Labs, including Something About April III, the tertiary installment of Younge's masterwork trilogy, and a new blaxploitation adventure from hip hop legend Snoop Dogg, entitled Don’t Cry For the Devil. 

Also included on this preview is Brazilian actress/ singer Samantha Schmütz, Middle-Eastern singer Liraz, London-based jazz vocalist ALA.NI, afro-futuristic soul singer Bilal and a bonus song with Stereolab’s Lætitia Sadier. 

“For the last 30 years, I’ve studied rare and obscure records in an attempt to become the most unique producer in the world. A world where I create music with no expiration date…a vortex where the composers of yesterday and today sonically meet to discuss the way that hip hop has informed modern ears…essentially, my music is for the heads. This is São Paulo!” ⁃ Adrian Younge 

It’s a new era for Adrian Younge’s recording outfit, Linear Labs. Since the start of 2020, Adrian Younge has been at the helm of production of 30 albums for his Jazz Is Dead label alongside his partner Ali Shaheed Muhammad. These albums include collaborations with iconic artists such as Roy Ayers, Ebo Taylor, Marcos Valle, Gary Bartz, Doug and Jean Carn, Dom Salvador, Carlos Dafé and countless others, helping reshape and refocus their careers. For the last 12 months, Younge has refocused his energies into his own music and the outcome has been what he describes as "the pinnacle of his career.” In these new offerings, he takes everything he has learned in his illustrious career and reaches new heights to be heard on Linear Labs: São Paulo.

The first single to be released is “Esperando por Você,” a dark and psychedelic glimpse into the world of Something About April III, the third installment to Younge’s fabled and most sampled works. Fans of Younge will immediately recognize his signature Something About April sound, but with a twist: the entire album is in Portuguese!

“Rules of the Game” offers the first glimpse into Snoop Dogg and Adrian Younge’s blaxploitation adventure, Don’t Cry for the Devil. The album features Snoop Dogg’s embodiment of the fictional ‘70s pimp, Silky Slim, rappin’ about life in the game. Younge’s production echoes the tone of Snoop’s debut album, Doggystyle, as if it was produced by Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield and Johnny Pate circa ‘76.

“Fire in the Disco” is a standout track from Younge’s upbeat and dance heavy Afrobeat project, Afrodisco Makossa. The six-track album is the follow-up to Younge’s collaborations with Afrobeat pioneers Tony Allen and Ebo Taylor, released on the Jazz Is Dead label. Featuring an ensemble of Ghanian and Black American vocalists, this song embodies the rich heritage of African music with a vibrant mix of Afrobeat-inspired disco tracks.

Hear Younge’s foray into the world of middle eastern psych and funk on “Farrar Konam,” a song created with Middle-Eastern singer, Liraz. Renowned for her outspoken activism through music, Liraz champions women's freedom worldwide. Sung in her family’s native Farsi language, her powerful message resonates universally. Her forthcoming album with Younge is entitled, Azadi, which means “Freedom.”

“Nossa Cor” is a classic love samba composed by Younge and Brazilian actress/singer Samantha Schumütz. This song is a preview into their majestic album, Samantha e Adrian. The partnership between Schmutz and Younge is heavily inspired by the revolutionary Brazilian music created during the MPB and tropicalia era of the ‘60s and ‘70s. While many know Schmütz for as an actress and comedian, few are aware of her singing prowess.
The song “Human Absence” comes from YOUNGE, the eponymously named instrumental album, a first of its kind. Created with a live 30-piece orchestra, the fuzz guitars, cinematic arrangements and funky percussion showcase Younge’s mastery as a conductor from a bygone era.

On Proud, Adrian Younge showcases the Parisian jazz singer ALA.NI. With her unique blend of vocal harmonies and unparalleled emotion, ALA.NI establishes herself as one of the most distinctive and enchanting Black voices emanating from Paris.

In 2015, Bilal and Adrian Younge released In Another Life, an album crafted by Younge to highlight the soul singer’s impressive vocal range and distinctive style, featuring guest appearances by Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T. and more. In Another Life: Redux is a re-release of the acclaimed album, remastered with three unreleased songs as it was always intended by Younge to be released. 
Note to editors:

Adrian Younge is an Emmy Award winning composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Los Angeles, CA. Renowned for his analog sound, Younge has been sampled by artists like Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Common, DJ Premier and counteless others. He’s also produced for icons including Roy Ayers, Cee Lo, Rakim, Tony Allen, Ebo Taylor, Marcos Valle, Céu, Dom Salvador, Azymuth, Wu Tang Clan and many more. He’s also known for his work as a film and television composer (Marvel’s Luke Cage, Black Dynamite, etc.) Younge is the owner and brainchild of the record label Linear Labs; he also is the co-owner of the record label and events company Jazz Is Dead. <iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 439px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2991648685/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=333333/artwork=none/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://adrianyounge.bandcamp.com/album/adrian-younge-presents-linear-labs-s-o-paulo">Adrian Younge presents Linear Labs: São Paulo by Adrian Younge</a></iframe>

Blind musician Hrant Kenkulian (1901-1978), generally known as Oudi Hrant was a master of the oud (fretless lute) who was probably best known for his taksims. He was an Armenian born in Adapazar, a city close to Istanbul which had a large Armenian population before the Genocide of 1915. After WWI, Hrant's family settled in Istanbul. Hrant started out singing in the church choir, but soon moved on to the oud. He made his career in Istanbul, but he toured the US in 1950, and did a world tour in 1963 to Paris, Beirut, Greece, America, and Yerevan, Soviet Armenia. He was a teacher of many Armenian-American oudists including Richard Hagopian. He was the pride of the Armenian people, and many consider him to be the most soulful oudist ever to emerge from Turkey. Released in 1964 on jazz label Prestige the record shows the stunning classical inspiration of the musician.

Comprising a selection of songs masterfully recorded and produced by Greg Freeman right after the sessions that yielded 1993’s Admonishing The Bishops EP, The Funeral Pudding could be thought of as a sister release to that EP; indeed, the band originally considered combining tracks from both sessions into a single album. Had it been released, that record would’ve followed the pattern of the previous album in which the band’s pop and avant-garde leanings are yoked together cheek by jowl. Instead, Admonishing showcases the band at its most accessible while The Funeral Pudding flaunts their more expansive, abrasive and absurdist side without forfeiting the earlier EP’s miraculously high standards for songwriting and sonic clarity.

What makes The Funeral Pudding a unique feather in the Fellers’ cap is that most of the tracks are sung by bassist Anne Eickelberg and guitarist Hugh Swarts — a notable departure from the Davies/Hageman vocal dominance on most of the other albums. With Eickelberg’s soaring vocals leading the proceedings, tracks like “Waited Too Long” and “Heavy Head” are some of the most beloved in the band’s discography. And “23 Kings Crossing” is a whiplash-inducing psych/prog stunner that adds another metric ton to the burden of proof demonstrating that TFUL282 was creating some of the most thrilling, enduring and sonically autonomous music of its era

Refracted's "In Veil" materialises as the third emission in the Titrate series. A gradual unfolding across six passages, each step a study in the dissolution of boundaries. 

Here, time becomes elastic - synthetic textures breathe alongside captured moments of reality, neither demanding prominence nor seeking refuge in the background. Percussion appears as memory rather than rhythm, while drones hover like fog over unknown lands. 

Cut to 180g vinyl and embraced by 350gsm reverse board, "In Veil" doesn't announce its presence but rather seeps into awareness.

Gabriel da Rosa signed to Stones Throw Records in 2022 after moving to LA from Brazil to start a new life. He met Stones Throw’s founder Peanut Butter Wolf and the two bonded over their shared love for Brazil, bossa nova, and records.  
Since then Gabriel has connected with all types of musicians in LA, including Pedro Dom, who's worked with some of Brazil's best internationally known artists (Seu Jorge, Rodrigo Amarante and Latin Grammy Award winner Ian Ramil). 

The Great Sun Ra’s Magic Lives On in Debut Album from Old Friends Michael Sarian, Matthew Putman, Federico Ughi, and Newcomer Ledian Mola
 
577 Records’ The Sea, The Space, and Egypt, Vol. 1 is what happened when old friends and a new connection united in the name of music.  A heartfelt tribute to the great Sun Ra, the otherworldly album debuts the collaborative gifts of Michael Sarian (on the trumpet), Matthew Putman (on the keys), Federico Ughi (on the drums), and up-and-coming Cuban bassist Ledian Mola.
Sure, most of these musicians have played together in the past.  Sarian and Putman have made many albums together, while Putman and Ughi have conspired on melodies for fifteen years.  However, we guarantee you have never heard them all in one spot like this.
Alabama’s Sun Ra rose to the top of the Chicago music scene in the 1940s with something unprecedented.  A cosmic pioneer of Afrofuturism, he became known for his diverse and unique avant-garde experimentalism.  Modern artists champion him as a true innovator.
The new band revives the late Sun Ra’s magic in this appropriately named new release.  Matthew Putman even plays the same keyboard model as the experimental music icon (the Rocksichord). Even the cover art is a nod to Sun Ra's ancient Egyptian influences, featuring an upside-down pyramid over a galactic setting created by Robert Mirolo.
Meanwhile, Ledian Mola adds vocals inspired by Cuban folklore to these incredible improvisations.  The album marks Mola’s first time recording with the other artists in the group (and 577 Records), but you would never know it.  Their abstract rhythms sound like they’ve been playing together for a lifetime!  He was hand-chosen for this project from 577 Records’ 2022 SOF music residency in Italy and has performed at several of the New York Forward Festival's live events.
From the label guided by Daniel Carter, The Sea, The Space, and Egypt will be presented in two parts.  Vol. 1 will be available January 17, 2025 on LP and CD (in limited numbers).  Vol. 2 will drop soon after! 

"In 1971, Dr Tree emerged as a highly innovative jazz-fusion ensemble from Auckland, formed by two of New Zealand's most seasoned session musicians, Frank Gibson Jr. and Murray McNabb - the pair had jammed together since grammar school. Drawing sizable crowds while working the Auckland circuit, the band caught the attention of EMI scout, Alan Galbraith, who wasted no time signing them up for an album. Galbraith, a trained musician and adventurous producer, brought in additional support from Julian Lee, an internationally acclaimed arranger and producer (who had recently returned to New Zealand after a decade Stateside on Frank Sinatra's insistence). The album's an all-instrumental excursion into territory mapped out by the likes of Return To Forever, Weather Report and Tony Williams Lifetime - all acolytes of Miles Davis's late- 60s explorations. The session combines experimental studio techniques with blazing artistry, juxtapositioning trippy electronic textures and improvised jazz, creating a hypnotic kaleidoscope of sound." Double LP featuring previously unreleased recordings and outtakes. Restored and remastered at�Abbey Road Studios by Grammy award-winning engineer Sean Mage. Heavyweight tip-on gatefold sleeve featuring archival band photography. Restored and newly remastered at Abbey Road Studios. Limited edition of 600 copies (300 in New Zealand, remaining 300 worldwide).

Bob Rutman's life could be compared to the life of Odysseus, although we're not here to write his biography. Putojefe is happy to present his phenomenal Noise In The Library, recorded with the U.S. Steel Cello Ensemble, an all-steel string quartet established by himself in Boston in 1976.

The Ensemble consists of one Steel Cello and three Bow Chimes, played by Rutman and a rotating cast of guest musicians: in this instance, Daniel Orlansky –one of Rutman’s closest collaborators and longest-lasting member of the band–, Stephanie Wolff and Alex Dorsch. The instruments, built and developed by Rutman, are impressive sound sculptures in themselves, made of large flexible sheets of metal and defined by the artist as "American Industrial folk instruments".

The „Bürgermeister von Mitte” needs no introduction. He has literally traveled history, from Nazi Germany to the New York of the Seventies, landing again in Berlin in recent years. A tireless performer aged 87, he has toured the US and Europe extensively, playing both small galleries and underground venues as well as established cultural institutions as the MoMA, London’s ICE and the Berlin Atonal Festival.

Rutman is internationally recognised as the multifaceted avant-garde artist par excellence, as attested by his diverse collaboration with key figures of post-war culture: Dorothy Carter, Merce Cunningham, Laurie Anderson, Philip Lamantia, Wim Wenders, Asmus Tietchens and many others.

Captivating from the beginning to the end, primitive and futuristic in its form, Noise In The Library remains as the U.S. Steel Cello Ensemble’s sole recording featuring the exceptional overtone singer Stephanie Wolff, whose vocals are intertwined with Bob Rutman’s chant in Tibetan Buddhist style. Prior to this, Wolff had only appeared as a guest singer with the groundbreaking krautrock outfit Brainticket. Her deep and delicate tones go beyond spirituality and take listeners on a space travel to open skies.

Recorded live at Passionskirche in Berlin on May 31st, 1989, in the prime of the Ensemble’s career, this is one of the last few examples of great, powerful music made by humans without the indiscriminate use of electronics or binary codes.
A sometimes frightening and breathtakingly intense performance, as thoroughly mysterious as early American soil, as it first appeared to the eyes of visionary European minds.

Legendary producer Ant, best known for his work with Atmosphere, proves once again how irreplaceable he is with Collection of Sounds: Vol. 4. This latest release showcases the lifetime of dedication behind his craft, blending his unparalleled skills with a fresh, expanded vision.

With previous volumes in the Collection of Sounds series, Ant has traced his musical evolution, spanning hip-hop, funk, reggae and more, all influenced and inspired by extensive travel dating back to his youth. Vol. 4 deepens this exploration, introducing rock-inspired elements—guitars that wail, gnaw, and groove—while maintaining his signature sound.

Despite these genre experiments, Vol. 4 is firmly grounded in hip-hop. The opening track, “Hearing In Dark Colors,” sets the tone, evoking long drives up desolate highways in the dead of night. Tracks like “Created With a Heavy Brush” and “Just Another Three A.M.” reveal a mastery of diverse soundscapes, while the triumphant “Day After 2010” takes listeners on an unexpected journey. As the album circles back to hip-hop on tracks like “A Pinch Brighter” and “Prelude Revisited,” it leaves listeners transformed, further solidifying Ant’s status as a visionary artist.

A first Relaxin Records release by Dr. Pit, one half of the band Primitive Art. For Vista Mare version, Dr. Pit operates on Lolina's "Music Is The Drug”, taking it to a sinister cocktail bar terrace with an unexpected view.