... LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's very much in the subtle sonic territory that the late drummer Paul Motian might have appreciated – but one that also comes cross in ways that are nicely different than any sort of music Motian recorded himself! There's definitely drums on the record – handled by Joey Baron and Jorge Rossy – but the twin leaders really shape the voice of the sound – Jakob Bro on spacious, dark-toned guitar – and Joe Lovano, blowing mostly tenor, but with an edge that's very different than his straighter records. Other musical elements include the basses of Larry Grenadier and Thomas Morgan, plus some really great bass guitar from Anders Christensen – on titles that include "Sound Creation", "As It Should Be", "For The Love Of Paul", "Pause", "Drum Music", and "Song To An Old Friend". CD

An underground British classic that's every bit as dark as you'd expect from its cover – served up by a group that features a young Andy Scott on guitar, in the years before he ended up in The Sweet – already playing with a hell of an edge that brings plenty of fire to the proceedings! Like the best groups of this magical moment, Expansions Of Life have clear influences, but a sound that's never slavish to them – really marking their own territory through the mad vocals of Ted Yeadon, who also plays organ, piano, flute, and harmonica on the record – the last of which is maybe a slight nod to the group's blues inspirations – although, as you can see from the cover, these guys aren't a blues rock band at all! Instead, they're really set free in the heady new territory of the time – sounding great on titles that include "Mother Goose", "Last Person In The Bar", "Crabtree Farm", "That's Life", "Sad Jazz", and "Room Full Of Room". CD

Freddie Gibbs had been riding a creative peak for a few years in the run up to his high stakes move to Warner – and he comes out with a winning hand! His smart, charismatic, densely packed lyrics are as smart and slyly soul searching as ever on an album that almost serves as a concept album on the hollowness of fame – but with so many standout tracks with varied guests and producers, there's a little something for everyone here. Guests vocalists and producers include Madlib, Pusha T, Kelly Price, DJ Paul and others. Includes "Couldn't Be Done" with Kelly Price, "Blackest In The Room", "Pain & Strife" feat Offset, "Zipper Bags", "Rabbit Vision", "Dark Hearted", "Gold Rings", "Grandma's Stove" with Musiq Soulchild, "CIA" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Human Expression – a group with this moody, dark quality that's completely mindblowing, especially given their young years at the time of these recordings! The music certainly falls into the garagey sounds of the Sunset Strip scene at the time – but there's also a quality here that really sets these guys apart – this stark, bracing vibe that's hinted at in some of the really bleak song titles of their tunes, and which comes through strongly in the mix of offbeat vocalizations, unusual guitar tunings, and really raw production throughout! Tracks include "Reading Your Will", "Love At Psychedelic Velocity", "Every Night", "Cam Me Down", "Sweet Child Of Nothingness", "I Told Her", "Return Nevermore", "Judgement Of Rejection", "I Don't Need Nobody", "Room Of Shadows", "Who Is Burning", and "Outside Of It All". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A stone 70s classic in the Island Records catalog – proof that although the label was scoring big with some of their superstar acts, they still had a great ear out for groundbreaking reggae material! The mighty Max Romeo works here with Lee Scratch Perry in the studio – who gives him fantastic support, at a level that opens up really righteous currents in his music – a fantastic blend of the roots reggae spirit of Romeo and the studio genius of Perry! Romeo's soulful inflections matched perfectly to the dark, swampy Black Ark grooves – on titles that include "War Ina Babylon", "Chase The Devil", "Stealin'", "One Step Forward", "Smile Out Of Style", "Uptown Babies", "Tan And See", "Smokey Room", and "Norman". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime late 50s hardbop – recorded in the best Prestige blowing session mode! The record has an incredibly open-ended feel – as you might probably guess from the track "All Night Long", which runs for all of side one, and gives all the players included plenty of room to work out their best solo moments! Members of the group here include Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Mobley on tenor, Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Mal Waldron on piano – really holding the whole thing together with his dark lines on the keys! The groove is laidback, but never sloppy – and the spaciousness of side one is matched by 3 shorter tracks on side two – "Boo Lu", "Flickers", and "Little Hankie". CD

2 mid 70s albums from Shirley Bassey – back to back as a 2CD set! Nobody Does It Like Me has shirley working in New York with arrangements by Gene Page and Nick Perito – both of whom give Shirley a sound that's smooth, sophisticated, and sometimes soulful – yet still filled with some of the powerful punch of her earlier British recordings. There's almost echoes of mid 70s Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson at times – although the overall feel is a bit more pop in the end. Titles include "Leave A Little Room", "When you Smile", "Davy", "All That Love Went To Waste", "I'm Nothing Without You", and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life". Love Life & Feelings is a serious British session arranged and conducted by Arthur Greenslade – done in a mood that's often mellow, and which has more dark corners than we'd expect from Shirley – a sad-tinged sound that often features a bit of organ brewing down in the low range of the sound spectrum. Bassey's vocals are surprisingly well suited to the setting, and there's a restraint here that really helps her take one of her best new steps in years – one that's perhaps a bit too late in her career to really make a difference, but which would have really done wonders at the start of the 70s! Titles include "Alone Again Naturally", "Midnight Blue", "Isn't It A Shame", "What I Did For Love", "Born To Lose", "The Hungry Years", "The Way I Want To Touch You", and "You've Made Me So Very Happy". CD

Sublime late 50s hardbop – recorded in the best Prestige blowing session mode! The record has an incredibly open-ended feel – as you might probably guess from the track "All Night Long", which runs for all of side one, and gives all the players included plenty of room to work out their best solo moments! Members of the group here include Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Mobley on tenor, Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Mal Waldron on piano – really holding the whole thing together with his dark lines on the keys! The groove is laidback, but never sloppy – and the spaciousness of side one is matched by 3 shorter tracks on side two – "Boo Lu", "Flickers", and "Little Hankie". LP, Vinyl record album

Freddie Gibbs had been riding a creative peak for a few years in the run up to his high stakes move to Warner – and he comes out with a winning hand! His smart, charismatic, densely packed lyrics are as smart and slyly soul searching as ever on an album that almost serves as a concept album on the hollowness of fame – but with so many standout tracks with varied guests and producers, there's a little something for everyone here. Guests vocalists and producers include Madlib, Pusha T, Kelly Price, DJ Paul and others. Includes "Couldn't Be Done" with Kelly Price, "Blackest In The Room", "Pain & Strife" feat Offset, "Zipper Bags", "Rabbit Vision", "Dark Hearted", "Gold Rings", "Grandma's Stove" with Musiq Soulchild, "CIA" and more. CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A stone 70s classic in the Island Records catalog – proof that although the label was scoring big with some of their superstar acts, they still had a great ear out for groundbreaking reggae material! The mighty Max Romeo works here with Lee Scratch Perry in the studio – who gives him fantastic support, at a level that opens up really righteous currents in his music – a fantastic blend of the roots reggae spirit of Romeo and the studio genius of Perry! Romeo's soulful inflections matched perfectly to the dark, swampy Black Ark grooves – on titles that include "War Ina Babylon", "Chase The Devil", "Stealin'", "One Step Forward", "Smile Out Of Style", "Uptown Babies", "Tan And See", "Smokey Room", and "Norman". 5 excellent bonus tracks: 2 dubs, "Revelation Dub"("War Ina Babylon" rhythm) and "One Step Dub", the 7" single versions of "One Step Forward" and 'War Ina Babylon" and the discomix of "Norman" featuring Jah Lloyd. CD

An unusual slice of work by trumpeter Charlie Shavers – proof of his vitality and the range of his powers during the 50s! The first 4 tracks feature Shavers in a sextet with Hank D'Amico, Bennie Morton, Ken Kersey, Aaron Bell and Panama Francis, and some narration by Al Jazzbo Collins! Collins provides some hipster speak that sets that stage for a variety of older tunes featuring Shavers on solo. The set list includes "Dark Eyes", "Dawn On The Desert", "Story Of The Jazz Trumpet", and "Moten Swing" – all done in pretty cool, swinging versions. Side 2 of the LP features Shavers leading another sextet in front of the John Kirby Orchestra with vocalist Maxine Sullivan alongside too, and all of which include Buster Bailey on clarinet, Russell Procope on alto, and Billy Kyle on piano – on tunes that include "Windy", "Rose Room", "If I Had A Ribbon Row", "Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm", and "Molly Malone". CD

A tribute to Marilyn Monroe, but one that's way different than you might expect – as the music here is highly electronic, and often quite dark – served up in a mix of experimental and jazz-based modes by a very unusual Finnish group from the early 70s! The quintet features drummer Edward Vesala on percussion – with Antero Honkanen on electronics and more percussion, Teppo Hauta-aho on bass, Mikael Helasvuo on flute, and Jarmo Sermila on trumpet and organ – all instruments used in very unconventional ways, on songs that might well have sent the original Marilyn screaming from the room! Things are outside, but also quite thoughtful too – a nice mix of electric and acoustic elements used to evoke very moody, modern moments – on titles that include "Painajaisia/Nightmares", "Nuku Itku/A Doll's Cry", "Heraaminen/Awakening", "Lohdutus/Consolation", "Keskiyo/Midnight", and "Myytti Itkee Jalleen/The Myth Is Weeping Again". CD

A deep dig into the farther reaches of the exotica boom of the late 50s – served up with the same sort of focus on unusual tracks that we love on the other collections from Lux & Ivy! Given the raunchy sound of The Cramps, you might not expect the duo to have as strong of an ear for the softer sounds of the islands – but there was always such a mish-mash of influences going into the postwar pastiche of their sound, and exotica certainly left its mark too! These tracks run from familiar names to much more obscure albums and singles – a very heady package that's divided up into a light CD, and a dark CD – with 34 titles that are awash in exotic percussion, strange sound effects, flute lines, echoey keyboards, vibes, and lots lots more. Titles include "Besame Mucho" by Ralph Font, "Ochun" by Johnny Richards, "Room 43" by Ray Anthony, "125th Street Prophet" by Phil Moore, "Hysteria" by Richard Shores, "Foggy Recollections" by Jack Fascinato, "Algiers" by Bianchi, "Now Is The Hour" by Leo Addeo, "Dawn Under The Sea" by Les Baxter, "Caravan" by Tak Shindo, "I Talk To The Trees" by Ruth Welcome, "Balsa Boat" by Elisabeth Windo, "Ebb Tide" by The Living Strings, "Legend Of The Rain" by Arthur Lyman, and "Head Hunters" by John McFarland. CD

Strange mixture of poetry and UK post-punk dancefloor tracks (with sort of a Factory Records sound). Hard to believe, but the cut "Our Darkness" was actually a huge one in the Chicago House scene of the early 80s – and is exemplary of the kind of European import crossover tracks that were fueling a lot of the work of Chicago's legendary DJs. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Darkly expressive work from Wallace Roney – one of those key albums that seems to push his original Muse Records sound even further with a range of more expansive elements! Roney's still got that brooding post-Miles sound in his horn – but here, it's used in some more complicated soundscapes at points – still mostly jazz, but almost with a soundtrack element too – especially in the way the keyboards drift in and out of the mix. Other players include Antoine Roney and Steve Hall on saxes, Geri Allen on Fender Rhodes and piano, Adam Holzman on organ, Buster Williams on bass, and Lenny White on drums – plus a fair bit of samples dropped into the mix by Val Gelder Jeanty. Titles include "NeuBeings", "Cygroove", "Metropolis", "Straight To Nothing", "No Room For Argument", and "Midnight Blue". CD

An amazing package – three great albums by The Fall, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Hex Enduction Hour – one of our key go-to albums by The Fall – a set in which all their early promise really came into focus – with even more wit and power than before! The jagged lyricism of Mark E Smith is razor-sharp – as is the instrumentation, which is heavy on that trademark noisy guitar from Craig Scanlon, weird keyboards from Marc Riley, and the driving power of the double drummers in the group! The music is every bit as textually explosive as the words on the cover – and titles include "Who Makes The Nazis", "And This Day", "Jawbone & The Air Rifle", "The Classical", "Mere Psued Mag Ed", "Fortress/Deer Park", and the classic "Hip Priest". Is Room To Live the greatest album ever by the Fall? We're always tempted to say so – because there's something here so perfect, so focused, it's hard to think of a better album to illustrate the genius of Mark E Smith! The rhythms are weirder, the lyrics more poetic, and the guitars a bit more razor sharp than before – yet the record's also not going as easily for the catchy hooks and clever turns of phrase that would take a bit of steam out of the whole Fall sound in years to come. Darkness, but delivered with a smirk – and a record that still brings us limitless joy today! Titles include "Joker Hysterical Face", "Hard Life In The Country", "Marquis Cha Cha", "Room To Live", "Papal Visit", and "Solicitor In Studio". In A Hole is a fantastic double-length live album by The Fall – recorded at a time when the group was at the height of their creative powers! Tracks are pulled from their important early albums and singles, and delivered with a searing intensity that shows just how much the group could hang on to their jagged edge and razor-sharp wit in front of a live audience – especially one on the other side of the globe! Titles include "The Container Drivers", "Fantastic Life", "English Scheme", "Impression Of J Temperance", "Room To Live", "Hip Priest", "Marquis Cha Cha", "Backdrop", "Hard Life In The Country", "Who Makes The Nazis", "Gramme Friday", "Slags Slates Etc", and "Look Know". Box set features a bonus CD with Sessions, Singles, and Soundchecks – including material from live sets in Leeds, Manchester, and London, plus John Peel material from 1981. And another bonus CD with a full live set recorded in Melbourne, in 1982 – 14 tracks in all! CD

Hard to go wrong with the sublime "Candy's Room" – and the rest of the album is pretty darn amazing too! Titles include "Badlands", "Adam Raised A Cain", "Racing In The Street", "Factory", "Streets Of Fire", and "Darkness On The Edge Of Town". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of hard rock, a bit of freakbeat, and a plenty darn great album from Bulldog Breed – one that's got a lot more edge than you might expect from the slightly corny cover! The album's an obscure Decca release from the tail end of the 60s – and like some of the other more revolutionary Decca sides of the time, it's got a really free approach to the structure of the music – unexpected twists and turns that keep things interesting, as the album unravels through a tapestry of shorter tunes that mix sweet moments with much harder ones! Some tracks are heavy in fuzz, both on guitars and vocals – while others are far gentler, but with a really dark undercurrent. Titles include "Paper Man", "Broomstick Ride", "When The Sun Stands Still", "Friday Hill", "Reborn", "Dougal", "Austin Osmanspare", and "Top O The Pops Cock". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Halo In My Hair" and "Porticullis Gate". CD

A warm batch of instrumental beats and atmospherics from Express Rising – and a much-anticipated second project from funk archivist Dante Carfagna! Dante's a name you probably know best from his work writing liner notes or Wax Poetics – and helping out in countless important compilations over the years – but a decade ago, Dante dropped his first mysterious project under the Express Rising name – and finally returns here with a second album! The sound is even more enticing this time around – still drawing a bit from the world of DJ Shadow – a frequent Carfagna collaborator on archive projects – but the sound is also surprisingly warm and lyrical too – bits of beats, layers of older sounds, and these spare keyboard bits all served up together in a style that's really unique – and which avoids any of the cliches of both the downtempo world, and the instrumental hip hop scene The approach is often quite poetic, yet still soulful as well – and the whole thing's got a laidback vibe that's neither sleepy nor muddled – a really sort of special space between the grooves. Titles include "Horse Opera", "Dark Early", "Answering Echo So Near", "Winter The Heart", "A Treasure Smile", "Rooms Between Us", and "Memorabilia". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music for the Alejandro Jodorowsky film The Holy Mountain – even more compelling and complex than his sounds for El Topo! The score is a wonderful mix of earthy, organic elements and a few more composed and equally groovy parts – handled by Jodorowsky in collaboration with trumpeter Don Cherry and pop producer/arranger Ron Frangipane! Some of the work has the hypnotic blend of global elements you'll find in Cherry's recordings of the time – particularly his groundbreaking early 70s work in Sweden – and although Frangipane brings in some bigger, fuller charts, he always does so with a sense of irony, and this undercurrent of darkness that continues to link his sounds with those of Cherry. The double-length score is a wonder throughout – maybe Jodorowsky's highest musical moment – and titles include "Psychedelic Weapons", "Rainbow Room", "Alchemical Room", "Mattresses Masks & Pearls", "City Of Freedom", "Starfish", and "Violence Of The Lambs". LP, Vinyl record album

Tangerine Dream delivered a number of famous soundtracks in the late 70s and early 80s – but this set is one of the most obscure, and maybe one of the wildest too! The music was done for an Australian horror film, and has a very dark, moody vibe – still plenty of the Tangerine Dream touches you'd know, but also a bit more noise and murky moments too – and less of the fast-running keyboard lines and electronics that usually grace most of their moments in film! Much of the instrumentation is electronic, but abstracted in all these cool ways – and certainly handled with a lot more depth than some of the younger film composers who were often turning out music like this on a limited budget, with limited instrumentation. Titles include "Murder In The Classroom", "Horror In The Bathroom", "Experiments In Tension", "Tension In The Graveyard", "Kill The Professor/Cleaning Up", and "Pete Goes In For The Kill". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music for the Alejandro Jodorowsky film The Holy Mountain – even more compelling and complex than his sounds for El Topo! The score is a wonderful mix of earthy, organic elements and a few more composed and equally groovy parts – handled by Jodorowsky in collaboration with trumpeter Don Cherry and pop producer/arranger Ron Frangipane! Some of the work has the hypnotic blend of global elements you'll find in Cherry's recordings of the time – particularly his groundbreaking early 70s work in Sweden – and although Frangipane brings in some bigger, fuller charts, he always does so with a sense of irony, and this undercurrent of darkness that continues to link his sounds with those of Cherry. The double-length score is a wonder throughout – maybe Jodorowsky's highest musical moment – and titles include "Psychedelic Weapons", "Rainbow Room", "Alchemical Room", "Mattresses Masks & Pearls", "City Of Freedom", "Starfish", and "Violence Of The Lambs". LP, Vinyl record album

Gritty funk from East Of Underground – an uber-obscure LP recorded in 1971 by a group of US Army serviceman at the Armed Forces Network studios in Frankfurt, Germany – originally used as a recruiting tool during the Vietnam war! Given the strength of the set, we wouldn't be surprised if plenty of folks signed up for a tour of duty after hearing it – as the set cooks like some of the best American funk from the indie 45 world at the time. The production is nice and dark – with an echoey quality that makes us guess the album was a live recording – done by American servicemen with the feel of some backroom funk show from the Indy or Ohio scene of the 70s. Some of the tracks are familiar numbers from American hits – but redone here with a nicely gritty feel – and titles include the awesome medley "Bet'Ya Never Lose My Love California Dreamer" – plus "Higher", "Smiling Faces", "Hell Below", "Getting Over", "Popcorn/Santana", "I Love You", "Java Girl", and "Walk On By". LP, Vinyl record album

Eminem at an early, angry, darkly comic peak –mixing rawly personal storytelling and revenge fantasies with a cynical sense of humor in ways that weren't entirely unheard of in underground hip hop, but his voice was so distinctive in both sound and style, and blew up so huge, he pretty much redefined popular hip hop and pop music forever. The production by The Bass Brothers, Dr Dre and Eminem himself aren't exactly raw or spare, but they leave so much room for Em's scary, funny, disturbing rhymes to do their damage – and for all the hype about how offensive they are, Em went after himself as viciously as anyone else. It's fascinating to this day. Includes "My Name Is", "Guilty Conscience", "Paul", "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" "Rock Bottom", "As The World Turns", "Bad Meets Evil" and more. CD

One of Hugo Montenegro's greatest soundtracks ever – and one of the grooviest 60s scores we can think of! The album's filled with incredible jazzy tracks – darkly tinged, but bubbling, strident, and wonderful – the kind of hard-driving numbers that make a soundtrack like this so great, and which you rarely find in such strong form overall. A few tunes are standards, but even these are handled well – and titles include "Lady In Cement", "Jilly's Joint", "Kit", "The Shark", "Yale's Pool Room", "Ruby's Burlesque", "Again", and "Tony's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Prince Paul returns to the hard-hitting, ambitious narrative format of his great Prince Among Thieves LP with this all star effort that features Guru, Masta Ace, Trugoy, Planet Asia, the Beatnuts, Chuck D, Ice T, Jean Grae, Premier, Kardinal Official, Erick Sermon, Sly Boogie, MF Doom, comedians Dave Chappelle & Chris Rock, and others. This time the story line covers the life span of a hip hop record, and the hard truths of a life in the business. The incisively satirical skits that Paul's famous for (he's one of the VERY few cats that can actually pull those things off, possibly because he hires actual comics to play them out) are here in abundance, and so are the darker-edged, lean & popping beats and surprising samples that he does so incredibly well! Another great piece of work from one of the most innovative producers of the last couple of decades. Lots of tracks and skits including "Make Room", "So What", "The Drive By", "Politics Of The Business", "What I Need" and more. Dialogue sample: "C'mon Paul, this is backpacking music. We'll be lucky if we can go double wood with this $h!t. Take back these wackass records and bring me something I can sell!" Highly recommended! CD

Tangerine Dream delivered a number of famous soundtracks in the late 70s and early 80s – but this set is one of the most obscure, and maybe one of the wildest too! The music was done for an Australian horror film, and has a very dark, moody vibe – still plenty of the Tangerine Dream touches you'd know, but also a bit more noise and murky moments too – and less of the fast-running keyboard lines and electronics that usually grace most of their moments in film! Much of the instrumentation is electronic, but abstracted in all these cool ways – and certainly handled with a lot more depth than some of the younger film composers who were often turning out music like this on a limited budget, with limited instrumentation. Titles include "Murder In The Classroom", "Horror In The Bathroom", "Experiments In Tension", "Tension In The Graveyard", "Kill The Professor/Cleaning Up", and "Pete Goes In For The Kill". CD

Rare tracks, unissued material, and lots of un-reissued tracks too – all pulled together to present a great second chapter of the legendary R&B powerhouse – RPM Records! RPM was a key force in shaping the sound of the west coast during the 50s – and in addition to recording important sounds from artists in LA and San Francisco, the label also drew from points as far east as Memphis or New Orleans– as you'll hear in this overstuffed batch of tracks! Familiar names from the RPM/Modern catalog are here, next to much more obscure artists, and a few we never knew recorded for the label – and the overall vibe here is top-shelf R&B, with lots of soulful currents throughout. Titles include "Snake Eyed Mama" by Don Cole, "Bim Bam" by BB King, "Memories Of You" by Prentice Moreland, "Speak Easy" by Vido Musso, "Blues In The Dark" by Little George Smith, "Whoopin & A Hollerin" by Preacher Stephens, "Real Pretty Mama" by The Meadow Larks, "Feel My Broom" by Quinn Kimble, "Ruben" by Johnny Guitar Watson, "I Ain't Drunk" by Lonnie The Cat, "Love Me Pretty Baby" by Connie Mack Booker, "One Whole Year Baby" by Earl Curry, "Hands Off" by Donna Hightower, and "The Dream (parts 1 & 2)" by The Fox. 54 tracks in all – and great notes too! CD

A weird little record from underground romantic singer Lewis – an artist who's partially in a European tradition that runs from French singers up through the New Romantics generation – but one who's also a definitely individual, with an approach that's all his own! The album's got a slinky, classy sort of feel – one that befits Lewis' white suit on the cover, standing in front of a private jet and Mercedes – but the backings are also oddly dark, almost some ironic commentary on romance, with these moody undercurrents that almost make the whole thing feel like it comes from the Genesis P Orridge side of the universe! Let's put it this way: If you tried to use the record in an act of seduction, you might find yourself driving your partner out of the bedroom in a hurry – but if you're looking for a wonderfully weird, wonderfully oddball record, you've definitely found it. Titles include "We Danced All Night", "Bon Voyage", "As The Boats Go By", "So Be In Love With Me", "It's A New Day", and "Don't Stop It Now". CD

We've always felt the Opus were one of Chicago's under appreciated hip hop talents, creating dark, moody beats for the local juggernaut Rubberoom before their demise. They continue in that tradition with their own LP with dark washes of sound floating over crisp high hats, tight snare and kick, and throbbing bass, with guest vocals courtesy Aesop Rock, Slug, Lumba of Rubberoom, Murs, Lord 360, Iselfdivine, Kenny B, Ricky swords and DJ Oats and DJ Stizo. 11 tracks, including "First Contact", 'Take Me To The Basement", "Luna Landing", "Mind Surfas", "Veteran's Day", "Enlightened" and "Guide To The Other Side". LP, Vinyl record album

Tangerine Dream delivered a number of famous soundtracks in the late 70s and early 80s – but this set is one of the most obscure, and maybe one of the wildest too! The music was done for an Australian horror film, and has a very dark, moody vibe – still plenty of the Tangerine Dream touches you'd know, but also a bit more noise and murky moments too – and less of the fast-running keyboard lines and electronics that usually grace most of their moments in film! Much of the instrumentation is electronic, but abstracted in all these cool ways – and certainly handled with a lot more depth than some of the younger film composers who were often turning out music like this on a limited budget, with limited instrumentation. Titles include "Murder In The Classroom", "Horror In The Bathroom", "Experiments In Tension", "Tension In The Graveyard", "Kill The Professor/Cleaning Up", and "Pete Goes In For The Kill". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Some of the punkiest funk ever recorded – the legendary first recordings by A Certain Ratio, originally issued only on cassette! The group hailed from the same Manchester scene as Joy Division and other famous Factory Records groups – so they have a sound that's filled with fast and frenetic choppy guitars and lots of dark post punk rhythms – but they also have an approach that's highly percussive, and the drums and bass in the group often dominate, setting up these tight rhythms that are as close to funk as punk rock ever came at the time! There's lots of strange production twists and turns on the set, and the occasional jazzy instrumental riff – but the core groove is laid down by lots of drums, fast and funky bass, and these guitars that are sharp enough to rip through a steel door – all of which set the stage for some playfully dark lyrics that were some of the best from the early Factory scene. Titles include "All Night Party", "Crippled Child", "Faceless", "Choir", "Flight", "Strain", "Genotype/Phenotype", and "I Feel". This is the first time the material has ever been issued on CD – and the set features 2 bonus tunes "And Then Again" and "The Thin Boys", originally only on a single! CD