We are full of both high spirituality and dark and weird atmospherics. Spooky.
Okay, so even as pretty big Alice Coltrane fans, this wasn’t a release that we really knew much about or were expecting, so The Carnegie Hall Concert is a proper early Christmas present (nine months today guys!). The album was recorded live by Impulse! at a charity gala given at Carnegie Hall for the benefit of the Integral Yoga Institute in 1971. Unbelievably, this incredible set never saw a commercial release, until now. A couple of minutes into the first side, that iconic bassline from Journey in Satchidananda (which had just been released at the time) starts and plays and plays and plays until Coltrane fills every inch of the stereo with rolls of harp. It is positively transcendental. For all of the other-worldly spirituality of the first two sides, man alive does she bring the flames on the second half of the album with two incendiary versions of tracks from her late husband, John Coltrane. An amazing band, but distinctively, Coltrane is an amazing band leader.
We know that you all love a bold proclamation, so how about this; I can’t see anything being played more on the Drift stereo this year than this one.
A more recent record next, but one that we are just as hyped to have back in the racks. On Flute was originally released in 2016 by London musician and producer (also head of 22a Music, the much-respected London-based label) Tenderlonious. A six track release that articulates his skills and diversity across the flute-led tracks. From up-tempo afro beats through to soundtrack ambience and dark and mysterious atmospherics. It really is a treat, highly recommended.
+ This repress is on Blue Curacao colour vinyl.
+ Hand numbered, hand signed.
Legendary Texas bizarro rockers The Butthole Surfers have started a reissues campaign with Matador Records this week across their wild, weird and pretty wonderful career. We start off with Psychic.... Powerless.... Another Man’s Sac, Rembrandt Pussyhorse, and PCPPEP. Noisy post-punk, dark humour and some pretty bad-acid tape loops. All of the records have been remastered under supervision from the group and they sound really crisp, it’s the perfect time to finally go and investigate.
Soul Jazz reissue jazz drummer David Lee Jr.’s powerful Evolution this week. It was originally cut as a private press back in 1974 and remains a rare treasure for crate diggers. Afro-futurist pulse with spiritual jazz exploration, it’s one that needs playing loud.
+ Pressed on Magenta colour vinyl.
To celebrate the Shriek album’s tenth anniversary, Merge released a special “Shriek: Variations” of Wye Oak’s 2014 album. This fresh package includes the original LP, plus new orchestral reimaginations from William Brittelle.
+ Pressed on double Orange swirl colour vinyl.
Also turning ten is Tycho’s Awake album, and we have a very handsome Blue & Beige colour vinyl pressing on Ghostly International. Way more drive to it than we remembered, it’s been cool to revisit.
Also this week; We have a new Yellow vinyl pressing of The Triffids’ Born Sandy Devotional. They really could blast out euphoria from the shadows of melancholy. The Cure release a 30th anniversary re-issue of their iconic Paris live album, expanded with the addition of two previously unreleased live tracks. We also did manage to get hold of more copies of Alice in Chains’ acoustic-heavy Jar of Flies EP. Not that many mind!
Lastly for this time, we have a double from Belarusian post-punks Molchat Doma. We have an all-new ‘Egg Drop’ pressing of their third LP, Monument, plus we managed to get more of the proceeding Этажи LP on that Coke Bottle Clear pressing. Their signature doomy cold wave is just so evocative, old and new at once and if it doesn’t make you do a weird flinchy dance, you might not have a pulse.
- Drift
