Okay, so now January is really popping. A huge new week of releases and Dinked No.8
January's Record of the Month is released today, the stunning Remind Me Tomorrow from Sharon Van Etten. It's her first LP in four years and although that instantly recognisable voice is right at the front, it all offers up a new part of her as a person and the honesty is pretty special. Its a gothic sort of LP, without ever feeling over-jacked it can get pretty big but it's always so direct. It's going to be a big one for the year, feels pretty special.
+ First pressing is on limited pink vinyl.
As thrilling and unpredictable as anything in Deerhunter’s near 15-year career, Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? - our record of the Week - was recorded in several strategic geographic points across North America, and produced by the band, Cate Le Bon, Ben H. Allen III, and Ben Etter. It manages to cover so much and with such grace, it's big and possibly the poppiest they have ever been, but also full of rich analog sounds and the touch of human hands. It's an album of futuristic sounding nostalgic sounds... brilliantly written pop songs from a band who really sound both unlike anyone else and totally like themselves. A real corker.
For over a decade, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gunn has been one the American music’s most pivotal figures, conjuring immersive and psychedelic sonic landscapes. HIs new LP The Unseen In Between is a bit of an understated masterpiece, his quiet enigmatic narration is masterful and it's an album that skips about beautifully. Feels like a real breakthrough from one of the best singer-songwriters around.
New album - Love Hates What You Become - from Lost Under Heaven on Mute today. The band wrote the album in Ellery’s native Manchester before traveling to Los Angeles to record with producer John Congleton, known for his Grammy-winning work with St. Vincent, Swans, Explosions in the Sky and Sigur Rós. Really hyped on this as we got to hear bits early last summer with the band at Sea Change. It's tense and really grand!
From their unassuming origins as a group of school friends drawn together by a shared passion for music to the global touring force they have quietly become, The Twilight Sad’s ascent has been forged the old way with grit, graft and four exceptional studio albums. Their fifth LP - It Won't Be Like This All The Time - lands today via the excellent Rock Action label and it's pretty massive stuff.
+ Limited indie LP on exclusive blue vinyl.
About The Light is Steve Mason's fourth solo album post The Beta Band and King Biscuit Time. He has one of the most recognisable voices around and he's in fine form here too. A subtle step forward on his previous albums, some really banging pop songs here.
+ Limited indie LP on exclusive silver vinyl.
Night Beats return on Heavenly with Myth Of A Man. Less psych than before and more of a rough and rootsy sort of Rock N Roll. We'll sell a ton of this off the turntable and no doubt! Great stuff.
+ First pressing is on limited red opaque vinyl.
Neon Young is the debut LP from Sante Fe-via-Oakland duo Go Dark on Bella Union. Really smart production, crunching and woozing under really addictive vocals.
What A Wonderful Industry is the ninth solo album from M. Ward. He explains; "This is a record inspired by people in the industry I have known—heroes and villains in equal measure." Very funny in places.
+ Limited first run of LPs pressed on cloudy clear vinyl, while stocks last. 
Last new one this week - in a week full of lovely moments - is an album of really lovely moments. Tomb is the new album from Angelo De Augustine, his first recorded in a studio and produced by renowned musician Thomas Bartlett. We went absolutely wild for his home-recorded debut (also on Asthmatic Kitty), and this full studio record has retained the fragility and magic of his debut and made a really beautiful job in capturing his beautiful voice and songs. Very very highly recommended indeed.
+ Available on both limited Red or Yellow vinyl pressings.
Not new this week, Awesome Tapes from Africa reissue Sourakata Koite's En Hollande. This offering is a collection of deep, entrancing solo kora music, the Senegalese traditional harp played by a hereditary master. Recorded with audiophile sonics and put down on tape in a former chicken coop studio in 1984, then originally mastered at EMI.
Mondo present the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers' cult-classic The Big Lebowski, in honour of the film's 20th Anniversary. Featuring songs by Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Nina Simone, The Gipsy Kings, Townes Van Zandt and many more. Lush new artwork.
Lastly today, we announced this morning that Dinked Edition Number Eight will be Flamingods Levitation on Moshi Moshi. Naturally, as with all Dinked titles, this is flying out so don't miss out.
What a week full, have fun deciphering all of this conjecture, happy listening.
- Drift