Singing Dust
Singing Dust

J-ZBEL mysterious crew is in town. The new release on Lyon-based label BFDM is made of acronyms, weird titles and masked faces. It sails between genres: Acid, Jungle, House & Ambient. Each track defines itself in a specific leitmotiv,embracing the spirit of a voodoo sorcerer. Massive piece of freaky vibes combined to make you dance the hell out of you.

The compilation “Celestial Birds” reveals and focuses on the widely unkown electronic compositions of the AACM founder and jazz pianist MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS. #5 in the Perihel Series, curated by zeitkratzer director REINHOLD FRIEDL.Anybody interested in jazz knows that Chicago has always been an impressive hot spot for new talents – and still is. One essential landmark in the history and development of jazz was the founding of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) in May 1965. This non-profit organization was a melting pot (and starting point) for artists like ANTHONY BRAXTON, ROSCOE MITCHELL, GEORGE LEWIS or LESTER BOWIE and his ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO but one of its actual founding members is known only to the deep connaisseurs: MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS (1930 – 2017). The autodidact pianist and composer left music school and university, deciding to learn music by himself. From 1961 on, the EXPERIMENTAL BAND was his first ensemble, but it soon turned out that ABRAMS‘ interests went beyond jazz and that he was open to the avant-garde and new music and most of all: electronic music. Which led to a double problem: On the one hand, black musicians had almost no access to the rare electronic music studios located in and funded by universities or broadcasting corporations. On the other hand, there were strong reservations regarding electronic music in the black music community. In his important book “A Power Stranger Than Itself – The AACM and American Experimental Music” GEORGE LEWIS writes that “the use of electronics … proved controversial and widely misunderstood in a world of jazz in which acoustic instruments became conflated with musical, and eventually, cultural and even racial authenticity.” ABRAMS‘ response was to actually „hide“ his electronic pieces on the B-sides of his albums, and this compilation focuses on some of his best electronic experiments: the 22-minute long epic „The Bird Song“ from 1968 in its original version incl. the reverb that was removed on the later CD reissue on DELMARK, the synthesizer compositions „Conversations With The Three Of Me” (1989) and “Think All, Focus One” 1995) plus “ Spihumonesty” (1980) with a 2nd synthesizer played by GEORGE LEWIS and YOUSEF YANCEY on theremin.“Celestial Birds” casts a new light on the underrated experimenter MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS, his innovative approach to composition and pieces that lay dormant for way too long!

After years of anticipation, here are the Iration Steppa “90s CLASSIC CUTZ”, an exclusive re- edition of five seminal UK Dub tracks that revolutionised reggae & electronic music in the 90s! Including: Reminiscence, Kilimanjaro, What's Wrong, Lightning Dub & High Rise Vibrations All tracks have been remastered to perfection by Fédé (DK Mastering) and put onto five separate 12” slabs of wax. And to spice it up even more, each release features original mixes + previously unreleased dubplate cutz that could only be heard live on the sound system! These tracks were produced and mixed by Iration's founding members Mark Iration and Dennis Rootical at the High Rise Studio in Chapeltown, Leeds. At the time, the dub-making-duo were heavily experimenting with new sounds, blending dub with acid soundscapes in a way that had never been done before. Their pioneering approach resulted in the creation of a whole new sub- genre, later inspiring future generations to create their own...ALL 12" come in thick heavy card printed "Iration Steppas" White Sleeves!

Switching RhetoricsFirst-ever vinyl edition of Shora & Merzbow’s split release Switching Rhetorics, originally published on CD in 2001, with remastered audio and updated artwork.Following the release of their acclaimed first record Shaping The Random in June 2000, Shora spent the next year touring and gigging around Europe, eventually reconvening in the studio in the summer of 2001 to record four tracks for a collaborative project with Japanese noise-meister Merzbow, a pairing initiated by Bisect Bleep Industries. The band’s sound had by that point coalesced into a tighter and arguably even more hard-hitting affair, however no less puzzling. The blistering first three tracks exude formidable confidence, embracing Dazzling Killmen-styled noise-rock and apocalyptic black metal alike, while maintaining all of Shora’s eloquent singularity. The drumming particularly shines ­throughout, with its multidirectional eruptions of seemingly pure kinetic energy. As its title suggests, the record’s grandiose and repetitive closing piece “To Further Confines” is a clear indication of the Swiss band’s desire to keep challenging itself and looking ahead. Completed with Merzbow’s extended psychedelic digital noise études, Switching Rhetorics is an era-defining record of genuinely great artistry.

Deep Funky House with great classic edit as Green Room bas line will tell you !!! Get it TIPTOESGood Vibes Incoming EPSB JAMZ

Six albums deep and showing no signs of slowing, White Lies are taking things even more confessional than before on their new album As I Try Not To Fall Apart. Don't be fooled by the anthemic tone of the title track, which has been doing the rounds since the release was announced back in September - this is an album which looks inwards with unflinching honesty. From 'Am I Really Going To Die' to 'I Don't Want To Go To Mars', this is a record taking in the heaviness of the human condition in the modern age. Fortunately, such ominous portents go down much smoother encased in the shimmer of plush synth pop, and White Lies do that oh so very well.