Mid-month releases with different directions, from the sublime to the crunchin’.
As longtime fans, it’ll come as very little surprise to you all that our Record of the Week is Three, the new studio LP from Four Tet. But guys, there is no idle fan-crushing here, it’s dead good! Kieran Hebden has accomplished something pretty special across these eight tracks, encompassing gestures towards his previous releases whilst creating an album with a totally distinct identity of it’s own. It is so dreamy. Hypnotic rhythms loop and evolve amongst shimmering lead lines that sound like bouncing light around the skittering beats. Languorous ambience and a few sections that roll straight into a right banger. There is a lot of subtlety, so do go in a few listens, you’ll love it!
Engelchen (translating to ‘little angels’) is a new concept album from Alison Cotton and it is really powerful stuff. It focuses on the story of opera-loving sisters Ida and Louise Cook who risked everything to aid Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. Structured with beautifully uncomplicated arrangements - just voice, strings, organs and clunking percussion - it is hugely enthralling. An amazing story and a really gripping piece of work here.
Southern rock band The Black Crowes make an eagerly anticipated return with the all-new Happiness Bastards LP. It’s the first new music in fifteen years from the reconciled Robinson Brothers and they don’t sound to have lost any pace on this celebratory set. A good hum to the guitars and organs, some euphoric oooooohs and even some well placed claps alongside the signature gnarled rock and roll vocals of yesteryear.
+ Available on limited and exclusive Clear vinyl.
Boeckner! Is the semi-eponymous solo debut from Canadian musician Daniel Boeckner. Actually, it’s mononymous thinking about it. The prolific Boeckner is best known as part of Wolf Parade, but he’s done loads of other things and this new LP brings in lots of new tones, from driving synths to some brittle noise and plenty of euphoric alt-rock. When it gets up to a pace, it’s really got it going on.
+ Available on “Loser” Orange colour vinyl.
UK folk great John Smith returns this week with his new The Living Kind album and it is a soother. As technically masterful as ever, this one has a strong American pastoral atmosphere with big choruses. We have signed prints on this release too!
Oh, we also have just a few very limited copies of Cola’s Bitter Melon, a new zine housing a flexi single of the same name. A very cool artefact from a very cool band.
We have restocks just landing from; Dry Cleaning, Kim Gordon, Pixies, Faye Webster, Master Peace, Whitelands, Brittany Howard, Jeremiah Chiu and the divine Kali Malone. We also have the limited red vinyl copies of Ariana Grande knowing that a few folks were asking.
The week’s reissues are really fantastic, including; Andwella & Andwellas Dream via Numero, anniversary Thundercat, AC/DC, Joe Henderson, Toumani Dibate with Ballake Sissoko, loads of Studio One and the ‘Funk Tide’ compilation.
