Plenty of musical furrows to plough this week, come join us.
Hello, Friends.
Our first Record of the Week for July 2020 is Melt Yourself Down's euphoric return with 100% YES. As you all well know, the band were scheduled to join us as our Friday night headliner at Sea Change 2020 so we're super attached to this one. Although politically charged, it plays out like a party album at breakneck speed, it's just irresistible.
Home is the new full-length album from the excellent ambient composer-songwriter Hania Rani. Really beautiful textures and tones that build up, very special stuff on the Gondwana label.
+ Limited Indie Edition on Clear vinyl.
+ Buy a copy this week and we'll put you in the hat to win a test pressing.
Toronto-based Little Kid release Transfiguration Highway this week and we were delighted to have worked with them on a Dinked Edition. A sort of post-folk-rock sound with plenty of Christian mysticism and some fascinatingly modern stylings too. It's really quite a treat, this.
+ Dinked Edition No 53, pressed on Clear with Baby Blue, Opaque Orange and Opaque Gold Splatter vinyl is in stock now.
Hull/Leeds based five-piece bdrmm release their much-anticipated debut Bedroom via Sonic Cathedral. Loads and loads of musical reference points, but this is a case of substance over style and bdrmm really do have their own vibe already set out clearly in fuzzy shapes with this fine debut.
Paul Weller releases his new solo LP this week, On Sunset. Some great songs here, some really weird changes of pace too, which is very welcome.
+ Deluxe Indies Exclusive Purple vinyl Heavyweight gatefold Double LP.
The self-titled Keleketla! is out this week on the Ninja Tune-affiliated label Ahead Of Our Time. A collaborative project reaching outward from Johannesburg to London, Lagos, L.A. and West Papua under the steward of Ninja co-founders Coldcut. An amazing cast of layers and some serious grooves, including the late Tony Allen.
In This Moment is the fourth studio LP from Polly Scattergood. She has such a lush voice, fragile but still really commanding and although the album is big and cinematic, she never feels anywhere other than at the front of it all.
+ Indie limited edition clear vinyl.
+ Polly will be playing a virtual instore at Drift on Monday 6th July at 7pm. [Instagram]
So When You Gonna… is the second album from London-based Dream Wife. Adrenaline-fuelled punk with great drive, lots of super smart guitar lines going on and plenty of bite to the lyrics.
+ Indie Edition on Neon Pink Vinyl.
+ Polly will be playing a virtual instore at Drift on Thursday 9th July at 7pm. [Instagram]
Pioneering pop perennials Sparks – Ron and Russell Mael – return with their new studio album A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. Break-neck changes in pace, bubbling production and - as ever - it's really funny.
+ Limited Indie version of the double LP is a picture disc edition with a 12" booklet.
+ We have some limited postcard packs to hand out whilst stocks last.
Also in this very-big week...The most excellent Pozi return on Prah with their new EP 176. Masaki Batoh (The Silence) releases his fifth solo LP Smile Jesus Loves YOU, beautiful and addictive psychedelic riddles. Brainfeeder release the 2017 collaboration between Jameszoo & The Metropole Orkest, really dazzling this, incredible in its fluidity and scale. Empress Of (musician and producer Lorely Rodriguez) returns with the brilliantly smart pop I'm Your Empress Of, her vocals really dazzle here. Bella Union present another wonderful new voice with A.A. Williams' impressive debut Forever Blue. Ray Lamontagne returns with his new long player Monovision, which sounds like it has been produced entirely in silk. Mulatu Astatke - the Father of Ethio-Jazz - returns with the Black Jesus Experience and the new LP To Know Without Knowing. EMS Synthi 100 (aka David & Stephen Dewaele - aka Soulwax 2manydjs) release DEEWEE Sessions Vol. 01, synth experiments and all-round lush analogue vibes.
Brazilian musician, composer and produce Thiago Nassif releases his new LP Mente this week on Gearbox Records and boy does it have us scratching our heads. Somewhere between pop, Tropicália and ever-so-dark no wave. It's a gloriously disarming listen, this one.
The Charlatans reissue Between 10th & 11th - their second album - as an expanded edition this week. Alongside the original album there are remastered tracks from the oft-bootlegged live show from Chicago in 1991. Very handsome on double clear vinyl, with the CD edition to follow next month.
Following the roaring success of the first compilation, Acid Jazz affiliate, dedicated music fan and actor Martin Freeman again partners up with the label’s head honcho Eddie Piller to present an extensive sweep of their favourite tracks. Jazz on The Corner Two is such a great collection, really friendly entrance points and some deep cuts, a great trip.
Talking of trips.... THE ACID IS BAD... We're so hyped to once again get our hands on Numero's amazing Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares compilation. It was one of our Albums of the Year in 2017 and Numero have pressed up a very small number on Neon Purple colour vinyl for those shops amongst us that like to bend out minds. Grizzly psychedelic rock and roll with all sorts of weird hues. WE LOVE THIS. Don't miss out, we only have a few.
Last one this week is a very special reissue on Third Man Records. Albert Ayler's commercially "remarkably unsuccessful" New Grass LP from 1969. People were not ready for this; a dense, complex and really mind bending album that incorporates soul, free-jazz and funk. The sleeve's hype sticker says "FREE-SOUL-JAZZ-FUNK-MASTERPEICE", which our Lee slightly doubted before we dropped the needle on it this week... He is another convert! Honestly can't rave about this one enough, it starts out with wild squealing and honking before taking a trip through spiritual levels of funk and soul. Amazing stuff, a proper gem.
As ever, all of this and more up on our blog as part of the weekly playlist, clocking in at three hours this week so you can follow all the musical directions with us.
- Drift
