TURNTABLE LAB

Andy Votel
Twisted Nerve 10th Anniversary CD

master psych digger mixes the Twisted Nerve catalog

Hi-speed mutant mixtape from B-Musicologist Andy Votel using tracks exclusively selected from the vaults his own ferociously independent non-record label. A 40 track masala of T.N. (Twisted Nerve) D.I.Y classics, b-sides, rarities and remixes celebrating a decade of teenage garage jams, Mancunian psychsploitation, arkhestral communism and workshop pop. Twisted Nerve Mixed features tracks from Voice Of the Seven Woods, Samandtheplants the first ever release by BADLY DRAWN BOY rare remixes from CHERRYSTONES and Homelife and psyched-out side projects from Jane Weaver (Misty Dixon), Clearspot (Duophonic), Graham Massey (808 STATE) and CD debuts of vinyl only cuts from label stalwarts Sirconical, Dakota Oak and many more lubricated in custom- built sound effects and dialogue - Twisted Nerve's roster has never been so digestible! About 80 minutes of continues "out-there" music.
reviewed by label review


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Black Moth Super Rainbow
Eating Us CD

psychedelic sounds for fans of Air and Broadcast

Hailing from the woods of western Pennsylvania, Black Moth Super Rainbow delivers an album for lovers of modern psych and prog rock.  While still holding on to their offbeat style and general weirdness, the songs have taken on a decidedly more linear approach.  The record was produced by Dave Fridmann, the former Mercury Rev drummer whose other notable productions include The Flaming Lips, MGMT and Mogwai.  His touch is evident throughout the album having made some space for the swirling psychedelic synth action, gritty drums, dusty vocoder love and overall hazy feel that are BMSR’s trademark.  From the opening track, "Born On A Day The Sun Didn’t Rise(1)," this record totally caught me off guard in the best of ways.  Far from what I was expecting, it hit right where my inner Broadcast and Air appreciation societies were patiently waiting to be sated.  Other standout tracks include "Iron Lemonade(2), Smile The Day After Today(3), The Sticky(4)," and "Tooth Decay(5)." 11 tracks in all, plus 1 hidden track.
reviewed by Michu Meszaros


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Brazilian Beat
Baile Funk, Vol.1 CD

There's a party I go to sometimes where all these gorgeous Brazilian women are packed into this little spot, dancing to tune after tune of incredible music that I have never heard before. I mean, no party filler, no hits you've heard a million times, just a world of great music that happens to originate in the southern hemisphere planet of Brazil. This mix CD was put together by the three DJs who select the songs for the night, Sean Marquand, Claudio Medusa and Greg Caz, who some might know from his contributions to the TTL review crew, and I can vouch that it's a fair representation of how they get down (...if anything about this set can be called fair, I mean it's really un-fair to tantalize me with these great records I have no chance of finding). The mix eschews pure samba and batucada to focus on fierce sweet and sour melodies and funky orchestrations that groove for days. This is the kind of stuff you wish would make a comp but never does. Records you might find if you dug hardcore in Sao Paulo. OK, I've heard of Gilberto Gil, Azymuth and Tim Maia. You seen their Brazilian releases around anywhere though? Didn't think so. How about Trio Esperanca(1)? Maybe Os Diagonais(2)? Uh huh, now you're getting the picture: these are special records. The disc flows like sugar from a diner dispenser, right from Cassiano's Mayfield-esque opening cut(3) through to a Tim Maia jam that bumps like Cutie Pie(4). Breakheads check out Carlos Dafe's offering(5). Blends are unobtrusive and right on, letting the songs breath. I like this CD a lot. And the party? Well you're going to have to get the CD for that info.
reviewed by monk

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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Brazilian Beat
Baile Funk, Vol.2 CD

They've done it again! Greg Caz and Sean Marquand, resident selectors at the great Brazilian Beat party and two of NYC's top spinners of South America's sexiest soul, have put together the long anticipated sequel to their necessary Baile Funk mix. There's no weak spots in this collection of searing hot Brazilian funk, and in fact, if you get the impression that these guys could go on for days with this heat, you're probably right. The mix presents a feast of hooks, beats, grooves and melodies, as well as a collector's attention to obscure b-sides and forgotten album tracks (detailed in the informative liner notes). Picking highlights is as simple as hitting the "random" button on your CD player, but I'll try to narrow things down to a couple of my favorites. Os Incriveis get things popping right from the jump with their wicked dedication to Herbie the Love Bug(1), a cut that demonstrates the fun and funky elements that remain constant throughout (and really, how could you go wrong when the Love Bug's involved?). A few minutes later the boys turn up an unusual groover from legend Claudette Soares before moving on to "A Festa(2)" by Silvio Cesar, a slinky, mesmerizing cut. Breakbeat heads will not be disappointed either. Drum master Chico Batera has you covered with "Oxossi(3);" or perhaps the Boogaloo Combo(4) is more your style. The One Way/Al Hudson-esque jam "To Parado Na Tua" and Jorge & Olivetti's "Aleluia(5)," which could be a Rodney Franklin outtake, showcase a slick '80s West Coast funk feel that rounds out the summertime vibe of the set. I'm running out of room, and I haven't even mentioned the devastating Tim Maia jam(6), Wilson Simonal's amazing Bacharach cover, or the ridiculously rare Jorge Ben and Azymuth cuts. This is a mix that anyone could enjoy, and an absolutely essential chapter for fans of Brazilian funk.
reviewed by monk

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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Chromatics
IV: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD

The Chromatics are on fire lately and are popping up everywhere I look - DJ Dixon's Body Language mix, the After Dark CD, and the Italians Do It Better 12's, etc...I see what's going on. Ruth Radelet is actually a powerful mage and we're all quickly falling under her spell. If those releases weren't powerful enough, they go ahead and give us the NIGHT DRIVE SOUNDTRACK! Whether this is a real soundtrack to a movie is unclear, and frankly, I don't give a damn. Sure it would be awesome to see the beautiful Ruth Radelet starring in a film, but I'm just happy to hear more of her music. "Night Drive(1)" is the only track I've seen appear on another comp. That means 9 tracks of all new material! Sweet for you (and me -Ed.). Now you have tons of new music to make-out to. The cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill(2)" is an awesome slow burner especially good for the fireplace, while "Healer(3)" and "Tomorrow Is So Far Away(4)" brings the beat to the heat for that extra bump. The saucy synthwork with Ruth's poetic vocals is magically seductive and will have you demanding multiple listens. And just in case you're not in the mood for words, there's the instrumentals "I Want Your Love(5)" and "Let's Make This A Moment To Remember." Sounds like Smokey Robinson singles? Not quite, but they are smokey for sure. Highly Recommended.
reviewed by C'mish

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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Dabaaz
Moi, Ma Gueule & Ma Propre Personne CD

LAB US EXCLUSIVO. New album from French rap supastar Dabaaz featuring production from some of Disque Primeur / Institubes' most trusted names. A-Trak scratches all over an obscure Clipse sample for "Regardes Les(1)," Drixxxe tinkles the ivories on the jaunty, piano-driven "En Plein Effet(2)," and Para One puts down a nasty, squelchy beat on "Le Da(3)." If you slept on Dabaaz's "Open Bar" single last year, you get the remix(4), just another of many dope Drixxxe productions here. (Feeling the "Whisper Song" update on "La Plus Belle Ce Soir(5)" - pretty sure I heard him say "Durex.") I can't understand a word this dude is saying and I still dig this album. Check the samples. 12 tracks; 46 minutes.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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DJ Soulscape
More Sound Of Seoul (Korean Funk) CD

recommended mix of rare korean rock, soul, jazz

Incredible, never thought I'd see a volume two, but Soulscape just had someone hand-deliver these from Seoul! The first volume of this Korean diggers' series sold out very quickly, and with good reason, you're not going to find this stuff anywhere else (still have my Peter Luger porterhouse bet open). Soulscape gives us a little background: "The Postwar Korean Peninsula was a melting pot where different cultures from the east and west collide. The music business grew significantly as clubs were founded around the US military bases and musicians playing for the clubs had interpreted and localized rock, jazz, soul, and boogaloo in various styles. However, such unique music was suppressed and vanished for the political interests of the military regime in the mid 70s an it still remains discontinued and underestimated." DEEP! Essential for Koreans and record heads. 40 tracks mixed, one hour, recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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Gaslamp Killer
All Killer: Finders Keepers Records Mixed By The Gaslamp Killer CD

rare psych gems from the Finders Keepers catalog mixed by GLK

Who better than the motherf*ckin' GLK to tackle the insanely deep Finders Keepers catalog for a mix? Nobody, that's who! Our man Gaslamp does a seriously sick job mixing up tracks from the first 20 Finders Keepers releases. Only the rarest and most potent psych, fuzz, and folk rock from around the world gets handpicked and repressed on Finders Keepers so you can bet GLK was positively amped at the chance to dive in and do his thing... and the outcome is nothing short of masterful! Psychedelic breaks for days, spooky interludes, dubbed-out synth madness, trippy experiments in sound, plus dope scratching to boot for just about an hour to blow your mind. Includes tracks from Ersen, Vampires of Dartmoore, Sarolta Zalatnay, Bruno Spoerri, Selda, Mustafa Ozkent, and much much more.
Recommended.
reviewed by snackmaster

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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Girl Talk
Night Ripper CD

Girl Talk is a motherfucker. His Night Ripper mash up CD takes every jukebox favorite, radio jam, billboard hit, and wedding DJ request and mixes it into this hellspawn of a PARTY mix. Love it or leave it, this is the definitive ADD blend style and the hype factor is reaching critical levels! Here's a sample of the artists in the blender...

2 Live Crew, 2Pac, 50 Cent, 69 Boyz, ABBA, Paula Abdul, Aerosmith, Amerie, Annie, Arrested Development, David banner, Rob Base, Bel Biv Devoe, George Benson, Beyonce, Black Box, Black Crowes, Black Eyed Peas, Black Rob, Black Sheep, Chris Brown, Boredoms, Boston, Bow Wow, Boyz II Men, Breeders, Bun B, Busta, Candyman, Mariah Carey, Cassidy, Chicago, Ciara, Diplomats, Dinosaur Jr, Dr Dre, Jermaine Dupree, Elastica, Missy Elliot, Eminem, Emotions, En Vogue, Fabolous, Fall out Boy, Fatman Scoop, Fleetwood Mac, Folk Implosions, Foo Fighters, G-Unit, Game, Garbage, Genesis, Al Green, Peter Gunz, Hall And Oates, Sophie B. Hawkins, Honey Drippers, Hum, Donnie iris, J-Kwon, J Fad, Jay-Z, LCD Soundsystem, LL Cool J, Lady Sov, Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Manfred's Mann's Earth Band, Marky Mark, M.I.A., madonna, Main Ingredient, Mobb Deep, NIN, Nirvana, Noreaga, Notorious BIG, Pharcyde, Pharrell, Pilot, Pixies, Positive K, Salt-n-Pepa- Juelz Santana, Seals And Croft, Kanye West, Three 6 Mafia, Ying-Yang Twins, and many many more...

Did I mention its only 41 minutes long?
reviewed by C'mish


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Girl Talk
Secret Diary CD

This is the 2002 debut album from the guy who made the word "mash up" a household term. Greg Gillis' earlier stuff sounds a lot more glitchy, and gets weirder and more experimental than the ADD blends that made him famous. While the tracks on this one definitely move quickly, the effect is more like a scratched CD in many places. If you've ever wondered what it would sound like if Oval took on pop music, here's your answer.
reviewed by suicide bangs


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Girl Talk
Unstoppable CD

Unstoppable is Girl Talk's sophomore album for Illegal Art label. While it still samples and mashes heavily (both trademark's of Mr. Gillis' work), the material here is a lot glitchier than the CDs that made him famous. Many samples are sped up and chopped up to form beats that are reminiscent of drum n bass or IDM artists like Squarepusher. This one might take fans of Night Ripper off guard, but still a nice look at Girl Talk's early work and influences.
reviewed by suicide bangs


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Jai-Alai Savant
Flight Of The Bass Delegate CD

Talk to Cosmo Baker or any real Philly dude for long enough and you'll hear Ralph Darden's name mentioned. A lot. After DJing under the name Major Taylor, holding down Philly for years and influencing crews like Hollertronix and Flosstradamus, Ralph set up shop in Chicago and now fronts The Jai-Alai Savant, a bass-fueled ROCK trio who just dropped this debut long-player for Cali hardcore label Gold Standard Labs. If you're into dub-influenced punk sounds (Fugazi, The Clash, The Police), you really can't go wrong here. The band is tight, Ralph's vocals are totally unique, and this album isn't like anything we've heard this year. Check out "Arcane Theories(1)," "Scarlett Johansson, Why Don't You Love Me(2)," "Akebono(3)," "Sugar Free(4)" or "White On White Crime(5)" for a taste. 13 tracks; 40 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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Kiln
Sunbox CD

IDM is one of those genres that has a smattering of producers that really fuck it up for the rest of the good guys. It's a hard style to really perfect, and people think that smashing a mish-mash of dumb noises, effects, and some droning bassline equals success - but thank fucking GOD for Kiln. Sunbox was one of those albums I used to listen to while driving around Michigan with my windows down, late at night, cruising through tree-lined streets and just enjoying the fact I wasn't doing anything. I could honestly listen to "Ghost(1)" on repeat for days on end and never get sick of its subtle blurps and crackles. Equally impressive is "Season(2)," with this calming chords and a warmth that shows that ambient is much like a fine wine - it just goes better when it's simple, and it's best to let it sit for a while before you dive in to it (Boy - that was the queerest thing I've said in... well... probably five minutes). Anyway... "Lux(3)" bubbles and broods along magically, and I honestly can say that its probably one of the most relaxing tracks Kiln has ever produced. This trio of producers sure know how to make some insanely good ambient - god bless Ghostly for putting out yet another marvelous album. Recommended.
reviewed by minimal man

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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M.I.A.
Boyz (Bonus Features) CD

Now on CD with enhanced content, including the various "parts" of the track to make your own remix, the music video, and a "making of." First single from M.I.A.'s new album - do I really have to keep writing? Produced by London's Switch, "Boyz" sounds bigger and more set on party-starting than anything off of Arular, and that's a good look for ol' M.I.A. It's a bit more tame than the excessively weird early leaker "Bird Flu," but considering this is Switch producing a pop record, I'd say it lands right where it needs to be. Okay, I've filled enough space, you can add this to your cart now. Includes main, instrumental and acapella versions.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
Echos Hypnotiques: From The Vaults of Albarika Store 1969-1979 CD

hypnotic afro-sounds fused with latin, funk and psych

Four years in the making, Analog Africa finally presents the second volume of Africa's funkiest band, the mythical Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou. What had started as a children entertainment group became one of the greatest bands of their era. The idea for this compilation was born 5 years ago when Samy Ben Redjeb, founder and compiler of Analog Africa, received the addictive funk track "Malin Kpon O" released in 1975 on the Albarika Store Label. That discovery triggered the compilers curiosity and what followed was a long journey through the musical history of Benin and the history of its most important ambassador, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou. The result: approximately 100 pictures, 120 master tapes, 20 hours of interviews and a few hundred Orchestre Poly-Rythmo vinyl records - 500 songs in total - some of which were previously unreleased. 15 out of 200 tracks were carefully selected for this compilation which comes with a massive 44 page-booklet stuffed with amazing pictures of the band and its members, a complete discography and a biography tracing the history of the bands from its foundation as Groupe Meloclem in 1964 via Sunny Blacks band (1965), Orchestre Poly-Disco (1966), El Ritmo (1967) and finally Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou in 1968. During the period presented here - 1969 to 1979 - the mighty Orchestra was without any doubt one of Africa's most innovative group. Capable of playing any style of music, the band moved from Traditional Vodoun Rhythms to Funk, Salsa or Afro-beat seamlessly and quickly became the powerhouse of Benin's music scene. Some of the planets most exciting rhythms are related to the complex Vodoun Religion born in Benin. Those rhythms, supported by chants and dances, have been transmitted from generation to generation and are still being performed to this date - a few hundred years after they were created. The composers and arrangers of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo understood that they were surrounded by a gold mine of inspirational sounds which, if modernised and mixed in with whatever was in fashion at that particular moment, could have a strong impact on the urban population. Those astonishing combinations can be heard here: Afro-Beat, Sato, Funk, Sakpata, Psychedelia and Latin sounds all mixed into a heavy hypnotic Sound - Les Echos Hypnotiques.
reviewed by label review


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Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
The Vodoun Effect: Funk & Sato From Benin's Obscure Labels 1972-1975 CD

rare West African funk and rock

Yet another gem from Orchestre Poly-Rythmo dug up by the folks over at Analog Africa. This volume focuses on the songs that they released for small Benin record labels on the sly, when the head of their main label was tending to his other business. Because these small labels often had limited budgets for equipment, the quality varies and most of these songs were recorded in one take. This is pretty rare stuff, most of these had only been distributed in small runs within the town of Benin, and haven't been widely released until Analog Africa got their hands on them. If you're into Western African funk and rock, this CD is a treasure trove of undiscovered sounds. 14 tracks total, packaged with a very detailed 43-page booklet that tells the history of the group and their songs. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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The Amorphous Androgynous
A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Vol.2: Pagan Love Vibrations 2CD

mind blowing psyche mix

Second helping of sublime cosmic psych to blow your mind from the Amorphous Androgynous (aka Future Sound Of London). The first volume flew of the shelves when we had it and you can expect the same with this one. This volume (subtitled "Pagan Love Vibrations") follows the same structure and formula as the first - it is a MASSIVE double disc mix, 44 tracks deep covering vintage psych and rock from the 60's to today. Artists include everyone from Hawkwind, Dzyan, Ultimate Spinach, Bo Diddley, Jean Claude Vannier, Faust, Ananda Shankar, and Grover Washington Jr. to contemporary artists like Dungen, Oasis, Holy Fuck, Bright Black Morning Light, and Animal Collective. A truly psychedelic experience that bridges gaps and breaks down the walls of time. Recommended.
reviewed by snackmaster

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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The Wire
Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Tracks from The Wire CD

A dope Baltimore-only companion to the Wire soundtrack, Beyond Hamsterdam offers up 11 slices of Bmore club and rap. There's club classics from Rod Lee(1) and DJ Technics(2), DoMaJe's version of the theme song ("Way Down In The Hole(3)"), plus recent Charm City hits like "Ayo(4)" by Bossman and "Projects(5)" by Tyree Colion. But my pick has to be the slightly lesser known "When You See Us(6)" from the Get 'Em Mamis, plus Mullyman with "The Life, The Hood, The Streetz(7)." The series is almost over for good, so you better have something on hand to console you when those final credits roll... 11 tracks; 43 minutes.
reviewed by Larri Byrd


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V/A
A Psychedelic Guide To Monsterism Island CD

laid back, psychedelic sounds

A Message From Your Narrator:

“Come, hold my hand and let me take you on a trip to a mythical realm. A realm where you will encounter all manner of strange and beautiful creatures…a land that will boggle both the mind and the eyes. Oh, and there will be music… not music like you've heard before, oh no dear reader, but the most other-worldly, unusual and beauteous music - psychedelic surf salutations, acid jug band blues and spooked voodoo lullabies. Music created by myself and my fiends to make your trip to Monsterism Island a truly unforgettable one.”

Pete Fowler's Monsterism Island has long been known as a musical cornucopia and an album full of esoteric musical treats makes perfect sense. This CD contains original compositions from some of the underground’s most intrepid musical explorers. Spanning monstrous rock fry ups, electronic exotica via psychedelic folk and spooky krautrock, and featuring members of The Super Furry Animals (Gruff Rhys), Jerry Dammers, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (Peter Brooke-Turner), The Future Sound of London (Brian Dougans, Gary Cobain), Beyond The Wizards Sleeve (Richard Norris), Luke Vibert, Cherrystones, Circulus, Belbury Poly, The Advisory Circle and Wolf People to name but a few, who unleash their most creative tendencies to bring you the kind of music you would only hear on Monsterism Island.
reviewed by label review


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V/A
Back To Black CD

comp of radical black music of 60/70s, striking packaging

Lo Recordings presents Back to Black, and no it's not a compilation of tracks by rock legends AC/DC but a fascinating collection of black music from the 60's and 70's that reflects the political and musical radicalism that lies at the heart of so much of the most important music of the 20th Century. Compiled by legendary London crate digger Steve Picton and released in conjunction with the Rich Mix exhibition at The Whitechapel Gallery in London, the Back to Black album features music which has not received widespread recognition, bringing to the fore artists who are lesser known but whose work has not only musical but political and social significance. Very few of the selected tracks have been re-released since the time of their production. Beautifully packaged in a striking gold slipcase with solid black cd case, the album features a superb selection of music from the R&B of The Lost Generation, the classic dub of King Tubby, the cosmic jazz of Andy Bey, the resonant Brit Funk of Cymande to authentic gangland street rhythms from the late 1950's. 13 tracks in all.
reviewed by label review


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V/A
Bite Harder: The Music De Wolfe Studio Sampler Vol.2 CD

highest quality comp of library funk

The De Wolfe Studio library seems to be an endless trove of lost funk moments. This is the second OFFICIAL foray into the vaults, this time curated by Joel Martin of Quiet Village. He pulls out gem after gem, there isn't a weak moment (in contrast to the bootleg releases that are limited in resources). You'll hear samples from some of your favorite hip-hop producers, but mostly these are untouched jewels, full of psyche guitar, drums, expert instrument solos, and that library brand of clinical funk. The liner notes detail each track and the original record that they were dug from. 19 tracks, recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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V/A
Colombia: The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes 1960-76 CD

CD includes 3 new tracks not available on the LP. All the info you need on this one is right in the title: hand-picked by those crafty Soundway folks (who did that cool Panama comp last year), this import-only CD features 17 gems from the vaults of Colombia's largest and longest-running record label, Discos Fuentes. Just like the label, this comp contains a wide variety of Latin styles (cumbia, salsa, calypso, gaita, etc.), but there are outside influences popping up all over - just check the psychedelic harmonies on Frunk y Sus Tesos' "Improvisando(1)." Los Corraleros de Majagual's 10+ minute descarga take on "El Mondongo(2)" is pretty spicy, but nothing here begs to be chopped by a DJ like Pedro Laza's horn-heavy "La Picua(3)." Also check Michi Sarmiento's "Hong Kong(4)" and the wild cumbia of "La Piojosa(5)" - "The Flea-Bitten Woman." This is the type of thing we could throw on all day long in the office and nobody would complain. Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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V/A
Do It Yourself: The Rise In The Independent Music Industry After Punk CD

English post-punk compiled

Do It Yourself charts the rise of the independent music industry after punk - from the hundreds of bands and tiny labels that sprung up with like-minded ideals, to the network of shops, manufacturers, studios, printers etc, all connected via a loose network of record distributors that would help define independent music over the following thirty years. Beginning with The Buzzcocks' Spiral Scratch EP released in early 1977, on the newly formed New Hormones label, in Manchester, it soon seemed that every town in Britain had its own music scene complete with bands, small labels, record shops and studios. Directly influenced by the ideals of Punk - self-determination, freedom of expression, etc. - as much as the music meant that these bands were interested in alternatives to the status-quo in managing their careers. This meant finding new ways of getting their music heard outside of the mainstream music industry. It also meant new ways of making music away from the traditional guitar, bass, drums and vocals line-up of rock bands. The reasons for these two factors would be sometimes practical (they couldn't get signed/they couldn't play) and sometimes ideological. Pivotal to the development of the scene was the Rough Trade Records shop run by music fan Geoff Travis. Geoff Travis: "The first records I remember bands bringing into the shop were The Buzzcocks' "Spiral Scratch," Scritti Politti's "Skank Bloc Bologna" and The Desperate Bicycles." Rough Trade Records had started as a second-hand record shop. In 1977 customers began to bring their own newly pressed-up records into the shop, Travis soon began distributing the records to a handful of like-minded shops throughout the country. This developed into a network and bands soon found they could sell 1000s of their own records with no marketing, management, agents etc. At first the records were all coming from people bringing in music to Rough Trade in London, but soon new bands would turn up at their local store with their locally-pressed record and this led to the emergence of a music scene in each town. All the bands on this record released their music independently, either themselves or on a small label. Some went on to be incredibly famous and others didn't. This record celebrates all factions and discusses the social and economic conditions that allowed independent music to thrive in the years to follow up to the present day.
reviewed by label review


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V/A
Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges 1968-1974 CD w/ FREE Fan Club 45

heavy psyche comp by Egon and Stones Throw crew

LAB EXCLUSIVO: purchase this CD and receive the corresponding Stones Throw Fan Club for free.

This is as close as record digging gets to "grown and sexy." Now Again strikes again with a 15 track compilation of heavy psyche compiled by label head Egon. There's been numerous bootleg psyche comps that have trickled to collectors over the years, but this official compilation wipes the slate clean and allows even the newbie to get deep into this nerdus genre. Here's what the label has to say:

"Those of us birthed into record collecting by the Hip Hop midwife revered Jimi Hendrix as well as James Brown. We searched for albums by Mulatu Astatke and Power of Zeus with the same fervor," Egon writes in his introduction to the comp. Forge Your Own Chains showcases music from all corners of the world: Colombia, Nigeria, Sweden, South Korea, Thailand and Iran. The focus is on melody, driving rhythms and accessibility. Not one song is included on this compilation because it is from a "rare" album. Certainly, many of these songs do spring from albums that exchange hands for many thousands of dollars and many of these songs have never seen reissue. But these songs are all beautiful in their own right and work to form a coherent album. Psychedelic records, long the mainstay of older, grizzled collectors and seemingly quaint, are, in the hands of Egon and those of his generation, giving up new ghosts.

15 tracks in all, includes a 40 page detail booklet. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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V/A
Freedom Rhythm & Sound: Revolutionary Jazz & The Civil Rights Movement 1963-82 2CD

jazz from the Civil Rights era compiled

Freedom Rhythm & Sound features the work of revolutionary jazz artists who created new radical music infused with the values of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Self-determination, economic power and musical freedoms explode as the avant-garde collided with Black Power and Afro-centricity. Released to coincide with the book by Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker on Soul Jazz Records, this album is jam-packed with super rare, deep jazz from artists many of which all feature heavily in the new book. These include Mary Lou Williams, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra, Phil Cohran and many more. 23 tracks with full liner notes and photos, all packaged in a gatefold digipack. Recommended.
reviewed by Soul Jazz

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reviewer recommended / reviewer reccomended / dance - lab recommended

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V/A
Music For Robots Vol.1 CD

To grossly misquote Snoop Dogg, "with so much [terrible music] in the world today, it's kind of hard being [someone who can discern between good and bad while everyone else enjoys mash-up and reggaeton just a little too much]." So what do you do when you and your friends are the last bastion of taste? Why, you start a music blog, of course. Then after it gets blown up (NY Times/MTV holla!), you put out a comp of your favorite up-and-coming releases for the masses. That labor of love is expressed perfectly on this CD, the first comp of unreleased tracks from the excellent blog music.for-robots.com (think Turntablelab but almost exclusively new music). Featuring 19 tracks of exclusive remixes and generally unheard artists like Vice darlings DFA79(1) and Peaches disciples Avenue D(2), the comp covers every genre from super melodic synth-pop (Stratageme(3)) to indie hiphop (APSCi feat. Mr Lif(4)) to DIY emo swansongs (David Brusie(5)). This is how I maintain an awareness of what's out there without actually having to go out there: I let the good people at MFR find it first.
reviewed by the Woodman


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V/A
Panama! 3: Calypso Panameno, Guajira Jazz & Cumbia Tipica on the Isthmus 1960-75 CD

rare Panamanian music compiled by Quantic

Panama! 3 is the latest edition of the much lauded and heavily championed Panama compilations and continues to explore the extraordinary dimensions of Panamanian music during the 1960s and 70s. Panama! 3 digs that little bit deeper into the cross-cultural soul of the Isthmus with track selections from Will Holland (Quantic) alongside Panama! series compilers Roberto Gyemant and Miles Cleret.Due to its totally unique geographical location connecting North and South America, Panama's music is a soulful blend of Latin American, Caribbean, European and indigenous forms. From bilingual calypsos to guajira jazz, from tropical guarachas to cumbia tamboreras, Panamanian musicians fearlessly combined and brilliantly executed styles that reflected their multicultural environment during a turbulent time in the young country's history. This collection presents more of the golden age of Panamanian music and the music of the combos nacionales on rare recordings that have never been released outside the isthmus until now.
reviewed by Soundway Records


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Psych-Funk 101: A Global Psychedelic Funk Curriculum 1968-1975 CD

pick, supreme collection of psyche-funk from all around the world

This is a record collector's wet dream. Here's 14 impossibly rare psyche-funk gems from around the world with many unexpected sources like Istanbul, Seoul, Rome, Beirut, Cairo, Moscow, etc. The musical quality and beat sensibilities (drum breaks galore) are ridiculously high here, every track is a revelation (that Korean joint is my shit!). In addition, the in-depth linear notes, complete with original cover shots, reads like an issue of Wax Poetics. Highly recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / stones throw shop / now again + soul cal (stones throw) / reviewer recommended / and more

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School Me! Vol.1: High School & Collegiate Jazz, Funk, Soul & Psychedelia 1968-1975 CD

New label Stage Band Research presents this, the first in a series of high school and college level stage recordings. As a former band nerd myself, just hearing recordings like this definitely took me back (no, the recordings of my high school performances don't sound as cool as the ones here). Check out "Come Together(1)," "Hummin'(2)," "Funky Soup(3)" "Us(4)" and the wild, glee club version of "Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In(5)." Detailed liner notes tell the stories behind each track, 15 tracks total.
reviewed by Hires


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The Minimal Wave Tapes, Vol.1 CD

early ancestors of synth pop and new wave

If you're not up on your genres, Minimal Wave is primitive synth music, predominantly recorded in the early 1980s, and it basically sounds like the soundtrack to an educational film you might have watched in high school. Seriously, I felt like I should have been watching a video about photosynthesis when I listened to some of these, and I mean that in a good way. These songs were compiled by Stones Throw grand-honcho Peanut Butter Wolf and Veronica Vasicka, who founded Minimal Wave Records, so you know it doesn't get much more legit than that (they even took the time to give you a history of each artist here in the liner notes!). Not just a great introduction to the genre, but an excellent way to hear the seeds for synth pop, new wave and italo disco being planted. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
stones throw shop

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