It's October. We have lots of new stuff and we have parties for even newer stuff.
Hello, Friends.
We're starting October in fine fettle with an absolutely stunning new Record of the Month from Angel Olsen. All Mirrors really is a quite remarkable album. Angel Olsen has always tightly wound her songs with emotion, and the stakes are ever higher on her fourth LP. The introduction of strings (working with Ben Babbitt, Jherek Bischoff and John Congelton) is just utterly devastating, a filmic and swooning reimagining of Mowtown orchestrations. Vocally she is as alluring as a siren and these are the best songs she has written to date, in particular Lark and Chance that bookend the album exquisitely. An instant classic, utterly brilliant stuff.
+ Available whilst stocks last on a limited crystal clear vinyl edition.
Record of the Week is Memory Streams, the triumphant return of Portico Quartet. The album uses the timbres and pallets they have made their own (frenetic drums, saxophone, bass and Hang-Drums), but drives them ever more progressively into minimalism, ambient and electronic music. Hazy, futuristic and really evocative. We were thrilled to work on the album as the 27th Dinked Edition and you'll be thrilled to learn that we have held a few back... they are going online now!!
+ Exclusive Dinked edition number 27
+ Translucent blue vinyl LP
+ Poster of album artwork designed by Duncan Bellamy
+ Spot gloss cover
+ Limited to 500 copies
Another big return this week with Deceiver, the third studio LP from DIIV. There are flashes of the melodic melancholia of their debut Oshin, and plenty of the sprawling and messy guitars of 2016's Is the Is Are, but overall it sounds like both elements coming sharply into focus. Huge MBV-esque riffs with dashes of light in the darkness. Really good stuff.
+ Limited Indie Edition is pressed on a marbled grey coloured vinyl LP, housed in a gatefold sleeve
+ Whilst stocks last, we have some sick Captured Tracks 2019 Sampler CDs to give away with this title
JOHN return with the pounding new Out Here On The Fringes LP. We loved God Speed In The National Limit and this new LP has got all the same charm with pounding drums and plenty of riffs.
+ Limited to just 400 copies on grey vinyl.
The magnificent Wilco return with Ode To Joy. They sound especially Wilco-ey here, Jeff practically whispering under the weight of the songs with everything at a meandering and pastoral pace. As the title suggests, it is a Joyous affair and it is another fine addition to their later career cannon. Great writers, great producers, great band.
+ Limited edition LP pressed on pink vinyl.
LφVE & EVφL is a new double album release from Japan's Psych Lords, Boris. In turns dynamic, droney, stoney, dreamy and beautiful, these albums contain multitudes. Boris continues to push their sonic palette into new mind-shreddy directions. More stock on the lush Third Man edition incoming... we hope.
We also this week have reissues of the Akuma No Uta and Feedbacker albums, both essentials for all you doom heads.
Erased Tapes present Handfuls of Night - the highly anticipated follow-up to Penguin Cafe's much applauded 2017 album The Imperfect Sea. It is inspired by the Antarctic and Arthur Jeffes' journey following in Scott’s footsteps and our penguin friends that reside there.
+ VERY limited clear vinyl pressing.
City Slang release So Removed, the debut album from Wives. Excellent post-punk vibes from the NY four-piece.
+ Indie edition pressed on purple vinyl.
Spectre is the fourth LP from Lightning Dust, the duo of Canadian musician Amber Webber and Josh Wells, who are both former members of Black Mountain. Spooky synth vibes.
+ Limited colour vinyl pressing for indie shops.
Air Con Eden is the debut LP from Jerkcurb. Woozy surf guitar and surreal late night imagery, got plenty of the Lynchian about it. It was out a few weeks ago but we just took stock.
The Heavy Steps Of Dreaming is the debut album from Vancouver-based Minor Pieces, a new songwriting partnership comprising acclaimed singer/composer Ian William Craig and newcomer Missy Donaldson, a singer and multi-instrumentalist. Loads of subtlty here, well worth plenty of attention.
Active Listening: Night On Earth is the debut album from Philadelphia based noise punks, Empath. Featuring members of Perfect Pussy and Waxahatchee.
+ First run on LP format is pressed on white coloured vinyl.
Duo Kacy & Clayton return with Carrying On. English-folk-meets-Americana-meets-folk-rock, really feeling this. Good tie-in to the rest of the week as it is produced once again by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco at his Loft studio in Chicago.
Last new this week is another corker. Guitar-and-bass duo Gong Gong Gong release Phantom Rhythm [幽靈節奏] on Wharf Cat. Bo Diddley rhythmics with no-wave sonics, really enthralling stuff.
Not a reissue, but we finally have stock of Tyler, The Creator's IGOR on vinyl. Well, we did, but they actually sold super fast when we put a picture up on instagram, but we believe we have more coming... which will likely do the self same thing... so keep an eye out.
Domino physically release Blood Orange's latest critically acclaimed mixtape, Angel's Pulse. We've been absolutely trashing this, includes collaborations with Toro Y Moi, Kelsey Lu, Arca, Porches, Ian Isiah, Justine Skye, Tinashe, Project Pay, Gangsta Boo, BennY Revival and Brockhampton's Joba. It's got such a light vibe. We have a limited blue vinyl pressing.
A compilation (as ever) right up our street this week from Soul Jazz, with Congo Revolution - Revolutionary and Evolutionary Sounds from the Two Congos 1955-62. It examines the explosion of music that came out of the Congo in the years leading up to independence in 1960. Laid back through to up-tempo Jazz that feels like hot ancient nights. Highly recommended.
Couple of excellent Beastie Boys reissues this week. The Root Down LP was first releases as an EP with three variations of the title track. It was extended out to the LP with seven tracks recorded live in Europe, late 1995. Marking it's 30th Anniversary Edition, we have a really hefty double LP pressing of the seminal Paul's Boutique. Sounds great and the sleeve really does look impressive here.
Last one this week is a twentieth anniversary pressing of an album we've loved to bits over the years. "Has it really been twenty years?" "i'm afraid so" the cover stickers explain. Mr Scruff deliciously joyous Keep It Unreal is back in print with a very limited edition green vinyl pressing and alt sleeve and artwork. We have hardly any so don't miss out.
What a killer start to the month... one that is looking bonkers on paper too! A reminder to you locals to join us for the playback parties tonight (Nick Cave) and next Tuesday (Big Thief) for first listens and some really limited prizes.
- Drift