A solo record, but one that's got the sound of more things at once than you might expect – as saxophonist Josh Johnson has this great way of processing the sound from his horns, then layering them with samples and other elements too – but all in a way that's never gimmicky, and really retains the jazz energy at the core! Johnson is already a great saxophonist in a conventional setting, with a sense of tone that's wonderful – and here, he carves out a space that's all his own – with a sense of uniqueness and post-jazz creativity that resonates with some of the hippest recent experiments on the London and Chicago scenes! Titles include "Marvis", "Deep Dark", "Quince", "Telling You", "Jeanette", "Reddish", "Local City Of Industry", and "Free Mechanical". CD

A solo record, but one that's got the sound of more things at once than you might expect – as saxophonist Josh Johnson has this great way of processing the sound from his horns, then layering them with samples and other elements too – but all in a way that's never gimmicky, and really retains the jazz energy at the core! Johnson is already a great saxophonist in a conventional setting, with a sense of tone that's wonderful – and here, he carves out a space that's all his own – with a sense of uniqueness and post-jazz creativity that resonates with some of the hippest recent experiments on the London and Chicago scenes! Titles include "Marvis", "Deep Dark", "Quince", "Telling You", "Jeanette", "Reddish", "Local City Of Industry", and "Free Mechanical". LP, Vinyl record album

This compilation contains The whole 1st album of UFO 1 and the whole 2nd album except for it's last and longest song 'Flying'. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Collects tons of 1966-67 live material, interviews, and other tracks that chart the genesis and gestation of his early pschedelic classic "Freak Out!". Deluxe Edition includes 72 tracks over 4 discs of sprawling Zappa mayhem housed in a cool puffy plastic fold-out box! CD

A really massive package – one that features six full albums from Starpoint, plus 34 bonus tracks as well! The group began as a more conventional funk outfit, but by the time of these records, they'd really found a sound that was strongly their own – a way of taking older ensemble modes forward to the 80s generation, yet without losing any of the warmth and beating heart that made them so great in the first place! There's so many different elements that come into play that make these records great – including key lead vocal performances from Renee Diggs, and well-crafted production that kept things fresh from record to record. The package features loads of classics amidst the full albums within – including the cuts "It's So Delicious", "Don't Be So Serious", "Breakout", "Am I Still The One", "Let Go", "Restless", "Object Of My Desire", "He Wants My Body", "DYBO", "Another Night", "Touch Of Your Love", "Say You Will", "I Want You You Want Me", "Midnight Love", and "One Step Closer To Your Love" – and each album is expanded with bonus tracks that include all the rare single mixes issued at the time. CD

Includes the original 1969 vinyl mix, reconstructed original sequence, and lots outtakes. CD

A set that's headed up by guitarist Max Light, who wrote most of the material on the set – but one that's got some equally strong contributions from tenorist Noah Preminger, who's got this great way of weaving lines around the guitar – all while getting this deft rhythm accompaniment from Kim Cass on bass and Dan Weiss on drums! Cass has a rich, deep tone that's perfect – and Light is at his best here, but seems to get even more from the fullness of Preminger's presence – a mode that's a bit hard to describe in easy words, but which has the album crackling and bristling with energy throughout! Titles include "Luftrauser", "Subjective Object", "Barney & Sid", "Animals", "Half Marathon", and "Henceforth". CD

One of the moogiest records of all time – a legendary LP of "electronic pop music of the future" – sourced and claimed as an influence by everyone from Stereolab to the Beastie Boys! The legendary team of Gershon Kingsley and Jean-Jaques Perry are working here in early tape experiments that chop up quirky analogue electronics – and uses them to produce moogy songbits and space sounds, all with a really groovy beat! There's a simple magic here that has made the album hold up for years, and stand apart from a legion of later imitators with a clear, simple, and effective style that makes the best of all the bleeps and blonks in the set! Titles include "Unidentified Flying Object", "Spooks in Space", "Barnyard In Orbit", "Swan's Splashdown", and "Girl From Venus". A loving musical space party! CD

Maybe one of the most mindblowing sets ever put together by the Dust To Digital label – a set that follows on their long-running exploration of 78rpm music from around the globe, and one that presents all these rare tracks in a really incredible format! The set's got a box for the package, which contains a huge 184 page book that's filled with notes, images, and illustrations – a beautiful object in and of itself, which is then matched with 4CDs worth of recordings you'll never hear otherwise – sounds from the start of the 20th century all the way through the late 60s, working together to provide an alternate history of global sounds – all with a sensitivity for track selection that may well match the famous Harry Smith look at American recordings. There's a total of 100 tracks in all – music from Russia, Cuba, Mexico, Macedonia, Surniname, Romania, Morocco, Nigeria, and many other points from around the globe – mindblowing sounds in a really lavish package! And yes, the whole thing is crazy expensive – but if you tally the cost of tracking down the scratchy original 78s, you're getting a heck of a deal – especially with the box and book. CD

One of the moogiest records of all time – a legendary LP of "electronic pop music of the future" – sourced and claimed as an influence by everyone from Stereolab to the Beastie Boys! The legendary team of Gershon Kingsley and Jean-Jaques Perry are working here in early tape experiments that chop up quirky analogue electronics – and uses them to produce moogy songbits and space sounds, all with a really groovy beat! There's a simple magic here that has made the album hold up for years, and stand apart from a legion of later imitators with a clear, simple, and effective style that makes the best of all the bleeps and blonks in the set! Titles include "Unidentified Flying Object", "Spooks in Space", "Barnyard In Orbit", "Swan's Splashdown", and "Girl From Venus". A loving musical space party! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Jivin' The Vibes", "Stomp", "Rhythm, Rhythm (I Got Rhythm)", "China Stomp (Chinatown, My Chinatown)", "I Know That You Know","Drum Stomp (Crazy Rhythm)", "I Surrender, Dear", "The Object Of My Affection", "After You've Gone", "You're My Ideal", "Rock Hill Special", "High Society", "Johnny Get Your Horn And Blow It", "Sweethearts On Parade", "Shufflin' At The Hollywood, Take 1", "Wizzin' The Wizz", "Big Wig In The Wigwam", "Memories Of You", "The Jumpin' Jive", "When Lights Are Low, Take 2", "I'm On My Way From You", and "Haven't Named It Yet". CD

Starpoint's one of those groups that always seem to be working a notch or two above most of their 80s contemporaries – and even on this mid-decade set, they're still going strong – bouncing around in upbeat rhythms, catchy hooks, and well-balanced instrumentation. Renee Diggs' vocals still sound great on top of the grooves, and even though the overall sound is moving more towards the charts at the time, Starpoint still keep away from ever getting too commercial. Titles include "Emotions", "Object Of My Desire", "See The Light", "Till The End Of Time", "Don't Take Your Love Away", "Restless", and "What You Been Missing". LP, Vinyl record album

Compelling photographic portraits snapped during the pandemic – done at a distance, as most of the faces here were presented to the photographer via Facebook Messenger – but also given a very organic component, as the camera shot the images through a real-world filter – often a transparent object of glass, which creates all sorts of distortion in the image! The resulting photographs come across in a variety of modes – sometimes very abstract, some with a more shadowy, edgey kind of Berman-esque sort of vibe – dozens of images, presented in full color throughout. Book

The amazing debut of UFO – different than their later hard rock commercial fame, with an unusual blend of late beat influences, a touch of prog, and some space rock elements too! The group features searing guitar from the young Mick Bolton, and Phil Mogg's vocals are already top-notch – on titles that include "Evil", "Treacle People", "Timothy", "Unidentified Flying Object", and "Shake It About". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's got Flying Lotus working in his best old school mode – that sharp yet sophisticated style that's opened so many doors for him in recent years on other projects – very nicely fitted here to deft lyrical contributions from Smoke DZA! The record's a short one, but not out of not trying – maybe more in that it's got a focus that doesn't obscure the energy at the core, even when there's a bit of space for guests who include Black Thought, Estelle, and Conway The Machine. Titles include "Spiritual", "Painted Houses", "Drug Trade", "Zelle Transfers", and "Harlem World 97" – and this vinyl pressing features both vocal and instrumental versions of all tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of images from pre-Revolutionary Cuba – posters, flyers, advertisements, and images of other ephemera from a time when US citizens used to pop down for a weekend in Havana! The book is filled with photos of rare objects from famous hotels and nite spots too – glassware, souvenirs, and even cigar wrappers – next to lots of other images that resonate strongly with the classic vibe of the cover! There's some introductory text and other introductions to the images too – the authors clearly know how to present the material – but the book is very heavy on images, and this softcover edition is full color throughout, and 165 pages. Book

Rob Mazurek has always been more of a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a cornet player – but on this amazing solo set, he really pushes the boundaries even further – by taking up a huge host of different elements and different sounds! That soaring, spacious horn is still in the lead – a legacy that Rob seems to have inherited from 70s Miles Davis, but taken to even trippier territory – but the record also features flute, electronics, maracas, and bells – as well as weird objects like books, boxes, and apples! Mazurek uses a bit of distortion at times, which really helps unlike things resonate together – and the set's easily some of his most personal, evocative music to date. Titles include "Toward New Light", "Quiet The Thunder Bells", "The Breath Of Life You Gave To Me", "You Were Born With Sun In Your Eyes", and "Toward Enlightenment". CD

Maybe one of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from the mesmerizing Zeena Parkins – a set of solo work, mostly done on her electric harp – an instrument that she hasn't used in awhile, but which is wonderfully reawakened here! There's a sonic sensitivity to the record that really brings us back to why we first fell in love with Parkins so many years ago – and the electric harp sounds hardly like you might guess from an instrument of such a name – as Zeena turns it into a conveyor of all sorts of sounds and tones, with extra help from percussion, assorted pedals,a nd some found objects! The album features ten tracks, all really beautiful – making this one of the real standouts in this Black Cross series. CD

These guys already had our attention the moment we looked at the back cover – and noted that they were playing songs by Phil Cohran, Sun Ra, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre – then they really won us over once we heard the very first few notes of the set! The group's only a quartet on most tracks, but they've got a sense of majesty to really live up to the music – definitely making magic with the roots they refer to in their name – in a lineup that features Alberto Popolla on clarinet and bass clarinet, Errico De Fabritiis on alto and baritone sax, Gianfranco Tedeschi on bass, and Fabrizio Spera on drums and percussion. There's some nice surprises along the way – harmonica, zither, and "objects" used in the performances – and there's a way of reworking avant traditions that remind us of some of the most innovative sides of the Italian scene at the end of the 80s – on titles that include "When There Is No Sun", "Karen On Monday", "Frankiphone Blues", "Devil Got My Woman", "Humility In The Light Of The Creator", and "A Girl Named Rainbow". CD

A cool set from a percussionist who was both a figure in the more cutting-edge side of the New York downtown scene of the early 80s – and who had done some work for bigger groups as well! The album's one of the few under Van Tieghem's name – and features the artist on a huge amount of percussion instruments, both electric and acoustic – plus keyboards and a variety of objects. Peter Gordon co-produced, and plays saxes on the set – and the record's a nice one in the same territory of Laurie Anderson and David Byrne experiments on early 80s Warner. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to believe this excellent series is hitting its ninth volume – and this time around, Ryley Walker is at the helm – making excellent musical choices that really keep things fresh! As with previous volumes, the focus is on the most creative talents of the acoustic underground – usually heard here in a solo setting, but sometimes with light additional instrumentation – pushing forward that tradition of music that Tompkins Square has been so essential in capturing in recent years – almost as if the label has become the Takoma Records of the 21st Century! Walker makes some great choices here, and focuses on some overlooked and up-and-coming talents, including a few from our hometown of Chicago. Tracks include "Wooden Waltz" by Eli Winter, "Leicester Hwy" by Shane Parish, "Boat Ride" by Kendra Amalie, "World Of Objects (guitar edit)" by Fire Toolz, "Knots Where Never Was" by Lucas Brode, "Seedlings" by Dave Miller, "Variations On Themes For Blind Dogs" by Pete Fosco, and "I Used To Sing" by Matthew Rolin. CD

Mark O'Leary on guitars, Jeff Kaiser and John Fumo on trumpet, and Alex Cline on drums, percussion, and small objects. CD

A hefty journal that's almost bigger than a book – 300+ pages, all delivered with the kind of well-penned text and really compelling subjects that always makes Blank Forms such a winner! This time around, there's a very long interview with Detroit underground legend Theo Parrish – referenced in the title, and served up with a huge amount of full color images as well – of posters, records, fliers, and more – so that the Theo Parrish section alone is over 175 pages in length! The rest of the book also features a combination of interviews and writings from creative forces – also illustrated – the first a long section that interviews dhrupad singer Amelia Cuni, followed by two pieces penned by her – the second a discussion of the music of Takehisa Kosugi by Akio Suzuki and Aki Onda, followed by writings by Kosugi on the sound objects of Suzuki! 324 pages, softcover, with illustrations throughout. Book

Think you dig The Clash? Well, you've got nothing on Koji Takahashi – a Japanese collector who seems to have dedicated his life to the band! This unusual book documents Takahashi's huge collection of Clash records, and Clash-related material – not just vinyl, but posters, shirts, magazines, buttons, flyers, and plenty more – all served up here in a book that documents what must have been a lifetime of collecting! The book is from Japan, and main text is in Japanese – which you can either read with a translator app on your phone, or just skip overall – because there's hundreds of images in the book, of rare objects sure to please any fan of The Clash. Softcover edition is 191 pages, with images in color and black and white – filled with surprises throughout! Book

Ruben Turba on amplified surfaces, electronics, and recordings and Minami Saeki on voice, viola, and objects. CD

A beautiful collection of images by Ivan Brunetti – a cartoonist we've followed for decades here on the Chicago scene, and have watched with great appreciation as he's gotten worldwide attention for his work in the New Yorker and numerous other publications over the years! Brunetti's an amazing individual, with a character that goes even deeper than his artwork – and this book is something of a memoir, told by Ivan in words that go alongside the images – little stories about their creation, or his own place on the planet at the time – with some cartoons, some cover illustrations, and lots of obscure drawings, sculptures, and physical objects that are a real discovery, even if you've bought his comix and other books. The layout is great – as illuminating as the contents – and the hardcover book is color throughout. Book

Aleck Karis plays prepared piano here – handling some key sonatas and interludes by John Cage – all with that wonderfully fractured, fragmented feel you get when you stick odd objects under the strings of the piano! Karis plays for over an hour on CD 1 – and then CD 2 features Cage reading his own work, "Composition In Retrospect". CD

A really amazing look at the secret art and language of gang culture in Chicago – the most detailed book we've ever seen to examine the words on the street during the 60s, 70s, and 80s! Chicago had a very special sort of language to communicate gang activity and culture during the heyday of the city's big gangs – graffiti that was filled with codes and symbols, and which really predated major street art in New York – plus a network of patches, business cards, and other objects that conveyed a special sort of numerology and message – sometimes harmless words about parties and events, sometimes essential details about the criminal underworld. This book is fascinating on so many different levels – not just a prurient true crime story, but instead a very detailed examination of gang culture in terms of linguistics, visual media, and representation. Yet all that detail doesn't make things too dry, either – as the book is overflowing with photos and images – examples of street graffiti, countless business cards, patches, portraits, and more – even some maps at the back. The whole thing is a massive 375 pages, full color throughout, and very beautifully done! Book

If you'd told us years ago we'd be digging this sort of late 80s commercial soul, we'd have laughed in your face. But nostalgia has taken hold, and we can't argue with the songcraft here, even if the production (and band's fashion sense) is a bit dated. Not a classic, by any means, but not as objectionable to us as it once was. Includes "Pull Over", "Just Coolin" and "Let's Get Romantic". LP, Vinyl record album

A lively little book dedicated to the ever-evolving artform of the small enamel pin – not the button, the patch, or the brooch – but those small, whimsical accessories which have really gained traction in recent years, thanks partly to the American crafting underground! The book is less historical than it is a portrait of styles and objects in recent years – and it begins with a short section on the current pin craze, then moves into a very large middle part that's broken down into different categories, with full color images throughout – before ending with a small section on making your own pins. The hardcover book is full color throughout, very nicely laid out, and 126 squarebound pages. Book

A weird and wonderful assortment of things from the collection of Andy Warhol – not his own artwork, but a mix of popular culture and special objects that certainly inform his creations! The slight bit of material on the front cover is only the tip of the iceberg – as the huge color volume is filled with things that include stencils, autographs, magazines, stamps, and so much more – all set up into a chapter-by-chapter structure that's based on the alphabet! That last aspect of the book is sometimes a bit of a reach, but it gives us a great way in to this amazing collection of objects that Andy Warhol brought together during his time on the planet – served up in a very heavy hardcover book, full color throughout, 320 pages in all. Book

A really beautiful book, and one that's very different than most other hip hop books we've ever stocked – as this well-done volume is a companion piece to a show at the Baltimore Museum of Art – one that looks at the way that hip hop has influenced different strands of art and culture in the 21st Century – presented here in a variety of ways that are sometimes very subtle, sometimes a lot more direct! The book is full color, and has a really unique design – and presents 70 different art objects, by artists who include Devin Allen, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Hank Willis Thomas, Vivienne Westwood, Pharrell Williams, Stan Douglas, Shabez Jamal, Gordon Parks, Kahlil Joseph, and many others – next to essays by Greg Tate, Lester Spence, Devin Allen, Simon Reynolds, Seph Rodney, Noriko Manabe, Ebony Haynes, and many others too! Book