If we weren’t retiring, we’d be talking about the virtues of a couple of these all-year long, you know.
EXPO is the fourth album from Ulrika Spacek and if enough people hear it, this one is rightfully going to get so many flowers. It has a really trippy quality to it, some feverish moments and lots of gorgeous swells. The compositions and production are complicated and mathsy, but it never trips over even though it changes pace quite a bit. We did a back to back play this morning and it was the sort of haze we could have spent loads of time in. Really great stuff.
+ Available on limited Crystal Clear vinyl.
We mentioned a few weeks back that De La Soul’s Cabin In The Sky was about to land, and it has landed and we’ve been playing that one a lot in the shop. The album was hugely impacted by the loss of Trugoy the Dove, who died while making the record. Perhaps its greatest achievement is that it honours him beautifully and still has that irrepressible DLS bounce. Sunny beats, lots of guests and all good vibes. As they always were.
+ Available on double Sky Blue colour vinyl with an alternative cover.
+ Available on double Duckie Yellow colour vinyl.
Cardiff-based quintet Midding return with all-new .44 EP (an oblique reference to Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz) and it is a crackling and tense little treat. The drums pound and the vocals and fizzing guitars practically chew up the tape. Really into this.
There are six albums released this week (S I X ! ! !) that we have had the pleasure of being part of with Dinked Editions.
Firstly, URGH is the Sacred Bones debut for the experimental four-piece Mandy, Indiana and it is just spectacular. Hard and essential listening, with loads of dynamic changes of intensity. Absolutely can’t rave about this one enough. We might just have a couple more copies of the Dinked Edition next week so keep clicking. Or, set up one of those robots that so many of you love to use when you’re buying them ‘for your mates’… Flippers don’t have mates, pure oxymorons!
Laughter In Summer is the beautifully hushed new set from Beverly Glenn-Copeland, mostly sung in duet with his partner in life and music Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland. Such striking intimacy, and the standout moments are endless.
London trio Voka Gentle return with the transmorphic Domestic Bliss and it really is a right groover. The way they move between so many different timbres and vibes is pretty wild. Good music people, this is a good music people record if ever I’ve heard one.
We have two hugely impressive releases from Ones To Watch with Puma Blue’s Croak Dream and Ellur’s At Home In My Mind. Both have sold out with us over here, but do check them out for sure where all good records are sold.
We have a Dinked Heavy Rotation pressing of The New Eves’ fantastic The New Eve Is Rising album. Do you remember what we said about it in the award-winning Deluxe magazine?
“The debut LP from the Brighton quartet is a heady mix of droning rock and roll, eerie folk traditionalism, and bursts of punk energy. Weird, funny, and full of cultish charm, it sounds gloriously alive — a raw, vintage-sounding recording of people in a room making brilliant noise.”
Whilst we remember, we actually have a last few copies of Courtney Marie Andrews and Searows as Dinked Editions too.
Lastly today, Love & Poetry is a 1969 dreamboat of a record from Andwellas Dream, led by Belfast songwriter David Lewis. A pastoral fever dream of pretty folk and swirling psych pop, with some lush vintage guitar crunch too. Originally released on CBS, the Numero crew have stuck it back on wax and thank goodness they did!