A really great collection of work from one of the coolest, most compelling groups to record for the legendary Factory Records label – a combo who were contemporaries of Joy Division and New Order, but who had a very different sound! A Certain Ration – or ACR for short – had a wicked approach that was part funk, part punk – but often more soulful than contemporaries like Pigbag or Bush Tetras – a quality that only advanced as the group aged a bit, and learned to play their instruments even better than before! Factory was very committed to ACR right from the start – and in addition to key albums, they also recorded the group in many ways, which also yielded plenty of unusual tracks for singles, and plenty of unreleased material too. This package brings together all the best of those moments – and features 53 tracks that are a huge addition to their smaller catalog of LP releases – titles that include the previously unissued "Houses In Motion (demo)", "And Then Again (another version)", "Piu Lento (Peel Session)", "Nostromo A Go Go (demo)", "Backs To The Wall (demo)", "It's Trippin When I'm Fine", "Mello (JD 800 perc mix)", "Teko 4 An Answer (120 bpm)", "Samba 123 (demo)", "Some Day (ACR rework)", "Say What You Mean (unfinished demo)", "WSLU", and "Happy Meal" – plus "The Planet", "Turn Me On (7" edit)", "Fever 103 (Greetings 4 version)", "Loosen Up Your Mind", "All Night Party", "Thin Boys", "Blown Away", "Funaezekea", "Abracadubra", "Sommadub", "Guess Who (12" mix)", "Tumba Rumba", "Knife Slits Water (12" version)", "There's Only This", "Si Fermir O Grido (Touch cassette version)", "Brazilia (long)", "The Runner (Greetings 4 version)", and "Sounds Like Something Dirty". CD

Quite possibly the funkiest album ever by the groundbreaking British group A Certain Ratio – filled with lots of heavy post-disco bass and percussion, all rattling away with the energy of some of the best work on Ze Records a the time! The group's dark moody feel is still largely in place, but by the time of this record, they've learned to play their instruments a bit more – and really have a way of twisting around all the inspirations they've lifted from American funk and Jamaican dub! The album features a great long take on the track "Knife Slits Water" – one of the group's catchiest tunes ever – plus the cuts "Below The Canal", "Rialto", "Rub Down", "Skipscada", "Crystal", and "Lucinda". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Early and amazing sounds from electronic genius Chris Carter – material recorded in his home studio during the mid 70s – with a style that clearly lays the blueprint for his collaborations to Throbbing Gristle! Yet without any vocals or other noise, you can really hear the Carter component of the music in a wonderful way – different even than his later collaborations with Cosi Fanni Tutti, even when spare – as the whole vibe here is maybe a more condensed version of Krautrock electronics, taken into the space of songs that are just a few minutes long – but which also have a lot more darkness than other electronic work of the time. That sense of darkness is key – as these tracks are subtle, but very different than spacier or more calming music of the type – proof that Carter was really an emotional pioneer when it came to this side of the spectrum. Titles include "Warm Hair", "Nodes", "Head Less", "Jet Age", "Hexfoil", "Black Powder", "Ghost Trains", and "See Sick". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal solo sounds from Chris Carter – best known for his work with Cosey Fanni Tutti, and as a core member of Throbbing Gristle – out here in slightly different territory on his own! Chris follows the spare electronics of his work with Cosey – and some of the tracks definitely have the "beat" promised in the title – but at a level that's nicely subtle, and never sacrifices the overall sonic complexity for the sake of a groove! The record's a very early variant of modes that would later be handled less-skillfully by the end of the decade by so many others – and sounds much better here in the hands of one of the originators – on titles that include "Mondo B", "Moonlight", "Real Life", "Noevil", "Nobadhairdo", and "Beyond Temptation". And be warned – the cover says "this record contains subliminals"! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Selection of pieces taken from the motion pictures & documentaries "The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford", "The Proposition", "The English Surgeon", "The Girls Of Phnom Penh" and a variety of pieces selected from the vaults. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Wonderfully noisy, messy grooves from the mighty Mark Stewart – working here in the best spirit of the On-U sound years – when just about anything was allowable in the studio! Stewart's equally influenced by punk and dub, but also has a sound that's completely his own – very dark and moody, and filled with political energy from the Reagan/Thatcher era – with instrumentation from a host of other On-U label mates – including musicians from New Age Steppers, African Head Charge, and The Dub Syndicate – brooding under the kind of trippy percussion that only Adrian Sherwood could deliver at the time. A huge bridge between London of the punk years, and England of the Massive Attack/Tricky generation – with titles that include "Liberty City", "The Paranoia Of Power", "High Ideals & Crazy Dreams", "None Dare Call It Conspiracy", "Learning To Cope With Cowardice", "Blessed Are Those Who Struggle", and "Don't Ever Lay Down Your Arms". Features a full bonus album of unreleased material – titles that include "Conspiracy", "May I", "High Ideals", "The Weight", "Liberty Dub", "Vision", and "Cowardice". CD

Moody genius from Can – and one of greatest albums of its time! Tons of spooky spare atmosphere, vocals that go from a lull to a cathartic echoey shriek, and that rollicking and propulsive backbeat that makes Can a band for the ages. Not just a landmark in what was to be dubbed Krautrock – truly an indispensable masterpiece regardless of genre, and a record so influential to so many movements in underground music that it is really impossible to imagine the world without it. Timeless! Tracks include "Paperchase", "Mushroom", "Oh Yeah", "Halleluwah", "Aumgn", "Peking O", and "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea". LP, Vinyl record album

The historic album by Can – capping off their classic early 70s trilogy that includes Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi – and the last one with Damo Suzuki in the line up! While very similar to Ege Bamyasi, Future Days takes a step away from their more experimental sounds and has more of the long rhythmic grooves. It's a little slicker than their earlier material but it's just as intense in it's own way! The songs are "Future Days", "Spray", "Moonshake", and the 20 minute long "Bel Air". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that comes on with the frenzy of an Ornette Coleman Quartet session – and one with a very similar lineup too – given that Nate Wooley is on trumpet, Chris Pitsiokos is on alto, Brandon Lopez is on bass, and Dre Hocevar is on drums! Yet the sound is freer, and bolder too – as the instruments flurry together in clusters, then burst out into incredible sonic territory as the set moves on – with moments that include Wooley blowing fast and tuneful with a mute, like some speed freak Miles Davis – or hitting these popping, punctuated sounds that are really unusual. The record's one that really keeps us on the edge of our seats – and furthers the sense of surprise that can make real jazz improvisation so special! CD

One of the most essential Can albums, and perhaps their best – have drums ever sounded better on a record? Ege Bamyasi features some of Jaki Liebezeit's greatest beats, from the shorter songs like the amazing "Vitamin C", "I'm So Green", and "Spoon", to the longer, stretched out tunes in the tradition of the group's previous masterpiece, Tago Mago – "Pinch", "Soup", and "One More Night". With the classic second lineup, featuring Damo Suzuki on vocals, spouting off in several languages during the course of single song, but with a few instrumental numbers too. Elastic grooves with a driving pulse! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure bit of boogie from Brief Encounter – a southern soul group known best for their mid 70s sides for the Sound Stage Seven label, stepping out here in a completely different 80s groove! Most tracks are upbeat and dancefloor funky – plenty of bass on the bottom and some sweet electric keys – but often used in a way that's more in a 70s ensemble funk mode than the keyboards you'd hear on other early 80s indie soul. There's a warmth here that's quite nice, and most tracks feature the larger group harmonizing on vocals – in a way that sounds especially sweet on the mellower tracks. And while the recording quality of the original record is sometimes a bit muted, the group themselves sound plenty great – really bouncing along wonderfully with a soaring groove and a sense of tightness that goes beyond their indie roots! Titles include "Sweet Tender Loving", "We Want To Play For You", "Now I Know I Love You", "Rocking", "Since I Met You Girl", "Just For Love", "Open Up Your Heart", and "If You Want My Love". Features the bonus track "Always". LP, Vinyl record album

Romantic Latin from the Cuarteto Mayari and trumpeter Placido Acevedo – a set of well-recorded material from the group, possibly from the later years of their reformation! Acevedo's trumpet blows a warmly muted tone over the top of the tunes – and most numbers have vocals by a male singer, who brings a nice sort of feeling to the album's bolero selections, especially on the cuts with chorus accompaniment. Titles include "Recuento", "Alma Herida", "Llena De Gracia", "Agarrate De La Brocha", "No Me Importa Lo Que Digan", and "Fatalismo". LP, Vinyl record album

Moody magic from Miles Davis and Gil Evans – one of the pair's most perfectly poised albums together, and a set with a slight bossa nova undercurrent! Evans' shimmering horn patterns are in fine form here – complicated, but never in cold and too-modern ways – just the right sort of backdrop for Miles' muted solo work – blow with a great sense of space and care throughout! There's almost a soundtrack sort of depth to the record, but the solos still keep the jazz element nicely in focus – and titles include "Summer Night", "Wait Till You See Her", "Aos Pes Da Cruz", "Song #1", "Song #2", "Corcovado", and "Once Upon A Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweeter studio Miles Davis from the 80s – a record that takes the 70s electric experiments and fuses them into a sound that's got a lot more R&B influence than before! The style is a bit poppy at times, but never in a way that's too slick – and often, Davis is using his muted trumpet to state lines boldly in ways that still have a greater sense of depth and craft than most of his contemporaries. A few tracks show some of the gritty New York rock/funk trend of the time, while others are lighter and more lyrical – and titles include covers of "Time After Time" and "Human Nature" – Miles' attempt to find standards in contemporary pop – plus the tracks "Katia", "You're Under Arrest", "Ms Morrisine", and "One Phone Call/Street Scenes". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled album from Harry "Sweets" Edison – not just because of its play on his nickname, but because of its overall sound! The set's an obscure "with strings" date for Harry – one that has his trumpet nicely wrapped up in larger backings that have a gentle, laidback feel. The moody, mellow sound is a great complement to Harry's horn – really showcasing his talents on muted ballads – and the album also features contributions from Gerald Wiggins on piano and Leroy Vinnegar on bass. Titles include "But Beautiful", "What Is There To Say", "Green Dolphin Street", "Everything Happens To Me", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Blues For Christine". LP, Vinyl record album

A serious suite of music from Jackie Gleason – his extended "Tawny" suite on side one of the record, a lush, loving portrait of an imaginary girl! The music is in the more romantic side of the Gleason spectrum – heavy on strings, with some muted horns – and a style overall that mixes mellower moments with a few slinkier, sexier ones. Side two features some more familiar numbers done with Bobby Hackett on lead trumpet – titles that include "Some Day", "Little Girl", "If I Had You", and "I Cover The Waterfront". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Charlie's best albums of the 70s – a beautifully stripped down set of duets with well-matched players that include Alice Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Paul Motian, and Keith Jarrett! The spare format is an extremely wonderful showcase for Haden's expressive bass work – and the intimacy of the tracks is different from some of the ECM recordings made during the same stretch – as the feel here is less a muted exploration of sound than it is a deeply personal interaction with some of the best talents of his generation. Tracks include "Ellen David", "For Turiya", "OC", and "For A Free Portugal". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Columbia Records set from the mighty Lee Michaels – still going strong after an amazing run of albums on A&M, but with a vibe that's maybe a bit more underground overall! Lee's still a hell of a songwriter, but he's also got an approach that's maybe slightly muted – almost as if he's done trying for charming stardom, but more than happy enough to revel in his own skills as a singer! There's a nicely relaxed vibe to the record, and clearly Columbia was more than happy to let Lee do his own thing, his own way – which he does beautifully on tunes that include "So Hard", "Olson Arrives At Two Fifty Five", "Your Breath Is Bleeding", "Went Saw Mama", "Bell", and "The Other Day". CD

A beautiful little DIY black & white photography book by Ramon Norwood, aka Radius Etc, the multi-talented Chicago abstract hip hop producer, beatmaker and artist! We don't fancy ourselves art critics here at Dusty Groove, but we know Radius's sound, and for us it's pretty nice to see how his straight-forward snapshots of the world through his eyes translate into his hazy beautiful beats and production – but this is all visual and it's a wonderful view whether you've heard him, or are only seeing his photos – of a lovely old building through a tagged doorframe, a cloudy distant Chicago skyline, lonely souls on a commuter train, stacks of records calling you from another room and lots of other stark but storied shots. It's a slim book you can flip through a little too fast – just 56 paperback pages – but we keep coming back to it! Book

An early classic from the Chicago scene – spare, moody, and not nearly as house-thumping as you might think. Jamie's vocals are very light and almost muted, and the tune kind of sparkles with a dark European-influenced sound. 12-inch, Vinyl record

An obscure bit of boogie from Brief Encounter – a southern soul group known best for their mid 70s sides for the Sound Stage Seven label, stepping out here in a completely different 80s groove! Most tracks are upbeat and dancefloor funky – plenty of bass on the bottom and some sweet electric keys – but often used in a way that's more in a 70s ensemble funk mode than the keyboards you'd hear on other early 80s indie soul. There's a warmth here that's quite nice, and most tracks feature the larger group harmonizing on vocals – in a way that sounds especially sweet on the mellower tracks. And while the recording quality of the original record is sometimes a bit muted, the group themselves sound plenty great – really bouncing along wonderfully with a soaring groove and a sense of tightness that goes beyond their indie roots! Titles include "Sweet Tender Loving", "We Want To Play For You", "Now I Know I Love You", "Rocking", "Since I Met You Girl", "Just For Love", "Open Up Your Heart", and "If You Want My Love". Features the bonus track "Always". CD

Moody magic from Miles Davis and Gil Evans – one of the pair's most perfectly poised albums together, and a set with a slight bossa nova undercurrent! Evans' shimmering horn patterns are in fine form here – complicated, but never in cold and too-modern ways – just the right sort of backdrop for Miles' muted solo work – blow with a great sense of space and care throughout! There's almost a soundtrack sort of depth to the record, but the solos still keep the jazz element nicely in focus – and titles include "Summer Night", "Wait Till You See Her", "Aos Pes Da Cruz", "Song #1", "Song #2", "Corcovado", and "Once Upon A Summertime". CD also features the great bonus track "The Time Of The Barracudas" – a 12 minute tune that wasn't on the original album! CD

Kenny may be quiet, but he's never muted – and the record is far from the sleepy session you might guess from the title! The album's a real standout in the Dorham catalog – a set that let's Kenny's trumpet sparkle beautifully in a quartet that includes piano from Tommy Flanagan, bass from Paul Chambers, and drums from Art Taylor – all bringing their own spirit to the record, but really hanging back in the space to let Dorham's sound dominate the record. Kenny's notes are beautifully shaped throughout – in a mode that has echoes of Clifford Brown's sweetness, but which also speaks with a raspier, earthier tone overall! Titles include 2 key Dorham classics – "Lotus Blossom" and "Blue Spring" – plus "Mack The Knife", "My Ideal", "Blue Friday", and "Old Folks". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible soundtrack – one of the all-time greats of the 70s! Dave Grusin really outdid himself with this one – and created a sublime mix of sound, space, and spare funky beats that holds up wonderfully all the way through! The main theme steps around in a haunting mix of electric piano, basslines, and muted trumpets over strings – and lots of other tunes on the set follow the same format – taking the best of funky Morricone and Francis Lai, and giving it an even hipper American twist! Plus, most of Grusin's soundtrack work of this nature was never properly issued (like his great tunes for Barretta!) – and this rare album is one of the few that ever made it, however briefly, to the record racks! Titles include "Condor", "Yellow Panic", "Out To Lunch", "Flight Of The Condor", and "Flashback To Terror". Loads of great keyboards! LP, Vinyl record album

Essential work from Eddie Henderson – one of the trumpeter's hippest albums of the 70s, and a key link between his early righteous days and his later smoother sound! The set's a near-perfect blend of all elements involved – tight funky rhythms, spacey soulful instrumentation, and wicked production work from the mighty Skip Drinkwater in the studio – a record that's as essential to his legacy as Gears is to that of Larry Mizell! Henderson's trumpet work is totally great – often muted, and always snakey inside the rhythms – and other players here include Julian Priester on trombone, Hadley Caliman on flute and soprano sax, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Paul Jackson on bass, and Headhunter Mike Clark on drums. Titles include the excellent groover "Inside You", plus "Kudu", "Acuphuncture", "Time & Space", "Dr Mganga", and "Dark Shadow". CD

Sweeter studio Miles Davis from the 80s – a record that takes the 70s electric experiments and fuses them into a sound that's got a lot more R&B influence than before! The style is a bit poppy at times, but never in a way that's too slick – and often, Davis is using his muted trumpet to state lines boldly in ways that still have a greater sense of depth and craft than most of his contemporaries. A few tracks show some of the gritty New York rock/funk trend of the time, while others are lighter and more lyrical – and titles include covers of "Time After Time" and "Human Nature" – Miles' attempt to find standards in contemporary pop – plus the tracks "Katia", "You're Under Arrest", "Ms Morrisine", and "One Phone Call/Street Scenes". CD

Kenny may be quiet, but he's never muted – and the record is far from the sleepy session you might guess from the title! The album's a real standout in the Dorham catalog – a set that let's Kenny's trumpet sparkle beautifully in a quartet that includes piano from Tommy Flanagan, bass from Paul Chambers, and drums from Art Taylor – all bringing their own spirit to the record, but really hanging back in the space to let Dorham's sound dominate the record. Kenny's notes are beautifully shaped throughout – in a mode that has echoes of Clifford Brown's sweetness, but which also speaks with a raspier, earthier tone overall! Titles include 2 key Dorham classics – "Lotus Blossom" and "Blue Spring Shuffle" – plus "Mack The Knife", "My Ideal", "Blue Friday", and "Old Folks". CD

Always-enigmatic work from Jon Hassell – hardly a trumpeter with a familiar sound, and a player who almost creates a genre unto himself! The work here is a great extension of the EG Records sides Hassell did with Brian Eno – and like those dates, Eno's on board for production, working here alongside Daniel Lanois – in an airy, atmospheric style that set the standard for countless imitations in years to come! As before, Hassell's horn has this compressed approach that's almost an electrification of older muted modes – quite unusual, and supported with lots of subtle sounds on keyboards, guitar, and percussion – all of which are equally abstracted too. Titles include "Power Spot", "Passage DE", "Air", "The Elephant & The Orchid", "Wing Melodies", and "Miracle Steps". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential work from Eddie Henderson – one of the trumpeter's hippest albums of the 70s, and a key link between his early righteous days and his later smoother sound! The set's a near-perfect blend of all elements involved – tight funky rhythms, spacey soulful instrumentation, and wicked production work from the mighty Skip Drinkwater in the studio – a record that's as essential to his legacy as Gears is to that of Larry Mizell! Henderson's trumpet work is totally great – often muted, and always snakey inside the rhythms – and other players here include Julian Priester on trombone, Hadley Caliman on flute and soprano sax, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Paul Jackson on bass, and Headhunter Mike Clark on drums. Titles include the excellent groover "Inside You", plus "Kudu", "Acuphuncture", "Time & Space", "Dr Mganga", and "Dark Shadow". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't think "disco" as in the New York scene at Studio 54 – as these cuts are much deeper and dubbier – served up under the supervision of Bunny Lee by studio maestros Barnabas and Pat Kelly! Instrumentation is by the Aggrovators, but the magic comes equally from the production effects as it does from the massive rhythms by the group – as all the elements are filtered out in space, and criss-cross back and forth in this wonderful way – never too sloppy or experimental, but definitely tripping out with the groove! Vocals are muted when they do make an appearance – and titles include "The Aggrovators Special Dub", "Money In My Pocket Dub", "Portobello Special Dub", "Super Rockers Dub", "The Bomb Dub", "The Killer Dub", and "The Dub Specialist". LP, Vinyl record album