LP

Special remarks: 180g

Tracklist:

A1) Foam 05:44 min
A2) Apex 05:30 min
A3) Honda 03:34 min
A4) Rectifier 04:59 min
B1) Spirit Runs 03:27 min
B2) 1999 04:43 min
B3) Chrome 04:06 min
B4) 22bhp down 04:47 min

Info:
Munich-based quintet Fazer return to Squama with their fourth studio album, ‘Yamaha’, a record that melds indie jazz and psychedelic rock with humour and depth.
The band recorded the album in their own studio for the first time, taking time time to experiment with sound and overdubs, while retaining the vigour of a live performance.
Suspenseful two-voiced themes and tickling solo interplay by Matthias Lindermayr on trumpet and Paul Brändle on guitar is still at the core of Fazer’s music, as well as the meticulous work of their two drummers Simon Popp and Sebastian Wolfgruber, whose grooves are more rooted in the rock vernacular compared to previous records. The restrained playing of bassist and producer Martin Brugger remains a grounding force that rounds out the sound of the group.

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Special remarks : 180g Green Vinyl

Tracklist LP:

A1 Pop Up
A2 Atuo
A3 Blitzer
A4 Lina
B1 Harlesden
B2 Twin Drum
B3 Jetty
B4 Wasi

Short Info:

Limited Green Vinyl Edition of Munich-based quintet Fazer’s second album. ‘Nadi’ followed the underground success of their self-released debut ‘Mara’, which quickly sold out on vinyl and became one of the most streamed jazz records of the year. Moving freely between composition and improvisation, the band’s spacious, organic sound pitches lyrical melodies from guitar and trumpet over double-drummer polyrhythmic grooves and dub-like basslines.









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Limited Rosé Edition - 200 copies.
Special one Time Limited Edition in Rosé Colour Vinyl. 180g vinyl

MARA is the debutalbum of Munich-based jazz group FAZER.
Short Info:
MARA is the debutalbum of Munich-based jazz group FAZER. The young musicians combine African and Latin rhythms with dubby basslines and melancholic melodies. The unusual lineup with two drummers (Simon Popp, Sebastian Wolfgruber), bass (Martin Brugger), guitar (Paul Brändle) and trumpet (Matthias Lindermayr) leaves an open space for unfettered improvisation. Through the concept of repetition and finely measured dynamics, Fazer create a drawing energy that can be felt directly at their live shows and has been captured perfecty on this record.

Tracklist LP:

A1 Woody 07:00 min
A2 Asante 07:24 min
A3 Akom 04:12 min
A4 Elephant Rave 02:52 min
A5 Babel 04:36 min
B1 Mara 05:08 min
B2 Glow, Glow 03:51 min
B3 White Sedan 07:00 min
B4 Fon 06:24 min

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CD

Munich quintet Fazer are set to release their second album 'Nadi' on 12th April 2019. 'Nadi' follows the underground success of their self-released debut 'Mara', which quickly sold out on vinyl and became one of the most streamed jazz records of the year.
Moving freely between composition and improvisation, the band's spacious, organic sound pitches lyrical melodies from guitar and trumpet over double-drummer polyrhythmic grooves and dub-like basslines.
The album title 'Nadi' references a term rooted in traditional Indian medicine. Nadis are channels that connect points of intensity within the body. This reflects the band's feeling while playing of moving as one body. Contrary to the creation of the group's debut album 'Mara', both the writing and recording sessions for 'Nadi' were completed in relatively short periods of time.


Tracklist CD:
1 Pop Up, 2 Atuo, 3 Blitzer, 4 Lina, 5 Harlesden, 6 Twin Drum, 7 Jetty, 8 Wasi

Tourdates:
02/03/2019 - Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
14/05/2019 - Artheater, Köln
16/05/2019 - Kantine am Berghain, Berlin
17/05/2019 - Moritzbastei, Leipzig
18/05/2019 - Ampere, München








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LP, 180g + Downloadcode + Extra Sticker inside.

Munich quintet Fazer are set to release their second album 'Nadi' on 12th April 2019. 'Nadi' follows the underground success of their self-released debut 'Mara', which quickly sold out on vinyl and became one of the most streamed jazz records of the year.

Short Info:
Munich quintet Fazer are set to release their second album 'Nadi' on 12th April 2019. 'Nadi' follows the underground success of their self-released debut 'Mara', which quickly sold out on vinyl and became one of the most streamed jazz records of the year. Moving freely between composition and improvisation, the band's spacious, organic sound pitches lyrical melodies from guitar and trumpet over double-drummer polyrhythmic grooves and dub-like basslines.
The album title 'Nadi' references a term rooted in traditional Indian medicine. Nadis are channels that connect points of intensity within the body. This reflects the band's feeling while playing of moving as one body. Contrary to the creation of the group's debut album 'Mara', both the writing and recording sessions for 'Nadi' were completed in relatively short periods of time.


Tracklist LP:

A1 Pop Up
A2 Atuo
A3 Blitzer
A4 Lina
B1 Harlesden
B2 Twin Drum
B3 Jetty
B4 Wasi


Vital Sales Points:
- Extensive Global Promo by Echo Empire (UK) + Passionate PR (G/S/A) - EU Tour in Fall/Winter 2019
- Germany Tour in May

02/03/2019 - Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
14/05/2019 - Artheater, Köln
16/05/2019 - Kantine am Berghain, Berlin
17/05/2019 - Moritzbastei, Leipzig
18/05/2019 - Ampere, München








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Special remarks: 180g black vinyl, 45 rpm

Tracklist 12":
A White Sedan (Original Mix)
B1 White Sedan (Glenn Astro & Hodini Remix)
B2 White Sedan (Werkha Remix)

Short Info:
The German Jazz quintet Fazer releases the 12“ White Sedan with two remixes by Glenn Astro & Hodini (Apollo, Ninja Tune, Tartelet, Money $ex etc.) and Werkha (Tru Thoughts).
The band appeared on the map in March with their self-released debut album MARA. The dynamic range of their drum-centered sound combined with extensive improvisation resonated with international listeners and DJs alike, appearing in sets by Mafalda or Louise Chen and on the waves of radio stations like NTS, Le Mellotron or Worldwide FM.

The original track builds on the so called „Guaguanco“, a traditional latin rhythm that is closely tied to dance. Stretching over 7 minutes, the song opens with an introduction of the groove by the two drummers. The main theme then sets the mood that is maintained through searing trumpet kicks and two solos of remarkable restraint that is too often missing in the contemporary jazz world. After a reprise of the theme, the tune ends on a mellow note echoing its more frantic parts in a more soberly manner.
Romantic yet never tacky, White Sedan can be a special turn in an eclectic DJ-set as well as the soundtrack to a sundown getaway scene in a heist movie.

Glenn Astro & Hodini completely melted down the original stems, molding them into a glimmering warm-up gem with the usual virtuosic musicality they're both known for. While for their latest LP „Turqouise Turtle“ on Apollo Records they pooled together individual tracks, this remix is their first proper collaborative effort so far.

Werkha's take incorporates the original rhythm but adds a breath of fresh air with deep jazzy keys and ecstatic Prophet synth stabs. While it starts smoothly, inhaling the vibe of the original, the remix evolves into a peak-time banger that could tear the roof off of any party at the right moment. The distorted percussive elements give the track a breaky attitude and expose the gritty northern roots of the Manchester-based producer.

Vital Sales Points:

- B1 first actual collaboration on a track between Glenn Astro & Hodini
- Glenn Astro released on Ninja Tune, Tartelet, Apollo, Money $ex Records
- Hodini released on Apollo, Money $ex, Wolf Music
- Werkha released on Tru Thoughts
- Werkha will be playing at Gretchen Club, Berlin on 21st October with his full live show featuring Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Fergus McCreadie & Graham Costello

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LP

Special remarks: 180g

Tracklist:

A1) threadfin 05:07 min
A2) finback 04:17 min
A3) backlog 04:36 min
A4) logline 06:09 min
B1) lineage 04:04 min
B2) agelong 03:49 min
B3) longingly 08:04 min


Info:
Berlin-based duo TRAINING team up with bassist Ruth Goller for their new album ‘threads to knot’. Frenetic free-jazz is sitting next to post-rock riffs and looming microtonal atmospheres.
The record was written in a truly collaborative effort, adapting the concept of ‘cadavre exquis’, the popular drawing game: One person would start writing a few notes before passing it on to the next, revealing only the very last note, with which the composition continues.
TRAINING is comprised of drummer Max Andrzejewski and sax player Johannes Schleiermacher, whose last album ‘Three Seconds’ saw them collaborate with Deerhoof guitarist John Dieterich.
Ruth Goller, who has been hailed by the Guardian for her 'thunderous bass-guitar hooks' has made waves this year with the release of her second album 'Skyllumina'. She’s also known as a live performer with Kit Downes, Alabaster de Plume, Melt Yourself Down among others.

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LP

Special remarks: 180g

Tracklist:

A1) Foam 05:44 min
A2) Apex 05:30 min
A3) Honda 03:34 min
A4) Rectifier 04:59 min
B1) Spirit Runs 03:27 min
B2) 1999 04:43 min
B3) Chrome 04:06 min
B4) 22bhp down 04:47 min

Info:
Munich-based quintet Fazer return to Squama with their fourth studio album, ‘Yamaha’, a record that melds indie jazz and psychedelic rock with humour and depth.
The band recorded the album in their own studio for the first time, taking time time to experiment with sound and overdubs, while retaining the vigour of a live performance.
Suspenseful two-voiced themes and tickling solo interplay by Matthias Lindermayr on trumpet and Paul Brändle on guitar is still at the core of Fazer’s music, as well as the meticulous work of their two drummers Simon Popp and Sebastian Wolfgruber, whose grooves are more rooted in the rock vernacular compared to previous records. The restrained playing of bassist and producer Martin Brugger remains a grounding force that rounds out the sound of the group.

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Special remarks: 180g

Tracklist:

A1) Akin (02:51 min)
A2) Cathedral (05:45 min)
A3) Whoo (04:45 min)
A4) Anirugui (04:33 min)
B1) Buuwein Duu (02:11 min)
B2) Ybbs (04:16 min)
B3) Tunneling (03:32 min)
B4) Ipê (05:36 min)

Info:
Squama regulars Enji and Popp join forces on ‘Nant’, the debut LP by their newly minted duo ‘Poeji’, exploring the confines of Post-Dub and Downtempo.
2022’s 3-track EP ‘031921 5.24 5.53’, released as a limited run of dubplates, was the first testament to their open approach to writing, which takes only very basic ideas and relies on non-verbal communication to define form and pace.
Enji’s vocals are less centre-stage than on her solo endeavors, piercing through reverb plates and guitar pedals while Simon inked his signature set of wooden and metal percussions with chains of tape echoes and analog delay.
Listening to ‘Nant’ as a snapshot of Poeji’s artistry at a certain time and place can instill a sense of gratitude within the listener that something so fleeting can be captured.
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LP

Special remarks:
180g

Tracklist:

A1) Ago 01:22 min
A2) Solo 03:57 min
A3) Santi 03:59 min
A4) Battery 03:23 min
B1) I Can Feel My Dreams 03:35 min
B2) Soup 01:11 min
B3) Acryl 02:53 min
B4) Domenica 04:00 min
B5) Memo 04:01 min

Info:
After his debut album 'Happy Floating' in 2022, Leipzig-based producer Damian Dalla Torre returns to Squama with 'I Can Feel My Dreams'. Developed during a residency in Santiago, Chile, it incorporates electronic, jazz and ambient influences utilizing Andean quena flutes, synthesizers and field recordings and again centering on collaborations with fellow artists like Ruth Goller, Miriam Adefris and Christian Balvig.
A wistful haze runs throughout the album, coming out at the end, there's both light and darkness and no need to choose.
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CD

Tracklist:

A1) Prelude 02:42 min
A2) I. Scordatura 05:57 min
A3) II. Arpeggio 08:05 min
A4) III. Triads 06:12 min
B1) IV. Capriccio 03:56 min
B2) V. Grandezza 06:33 min
B3) VI. Ricochet 07:52 min

Info:
Contemporary classical composer Sophia Jani and violinist Teresa Allgaier announce their new collaborative work Six Pieces for Solo Violin on Squama Recordings. Characterized by its calmness and poise, each movement focuses on a particular technical aspect, bending the boundaries of the instrument while maintaining the illusion of simplicity.

Sometimes the most complicated thing anyone can do is to try to create something that feels uncomplicated. Arvo Pärt, ballet, a delicious meal we didn’t cook ourselves, Ella Fitzgerald, a safe place to lay our heads at night, a quiet pine forest – […] In all these things, it takes a lot of effort to make us feel as if something is effortless.
– David Lang (from the liner notes) More

LP

Special remarks: 180g

Tracklist:

A1) Prelude 02:42 min
A2) I. Scordatura 05:57 min
A3) II. Arpeggio 08:05 min
A4) III. Triads 06:12 min
B1) IV. Capriccio 03:56 min
B2) V. Grandezza 06:33 min
B3) VI. Ricochet 07:52 min


Info:
Contemporary classical composer Sophia Jani and violinist Teresa Allgaier announce their new collaborative work Six Pieces for Solo Violin on Squama Recordings. Characterized by its calmness and poise, each movement focuses on a particular technical aspect, bending the boundaries of the instrument while maintaining the illusion of simplicity.

Sometimes the most complicated thing anyone can do is to try to create something that feels uncomplicated. Arvo Pärt, ballet, a delicious meal we didn’t cook ourselves, Ella Fitzgerald, a safe place to lay our heads at night, a quiet pine forest – […] In all these things, it takes a lot of effort to make us feel as if something is effortless.
– David Lang (from the liner notes)
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7", LTD

Tracklist:
Side A: Nature Boy (2:38)
Side B: I live in my World (6:24)

Text:
EN:
“I’m not anti-hippie. I’m anti-unrealistic utopianism. Hell, I’m basically an anarchist.”

The realm of the hippies extends from “Nature Boy”, Eden Ahbez’s international hit song from 1948, to Charles Manson’s “Trial Testimony” from 1970. NATURE BOY by Raymond Pettibon & Oliver Augst is a romantic-anarchistic search for the sources of punk. A must-have for all Pettibon fans.

DE:
„Ich bin nicht gegen Hippies. Ich bin gegen unrealistischen Utopismus. Zum Teufel, ich bin im Grunde ein Anarchist.“

Zwischen „Nature Boy“, Eden Ahbez weltbekannter Ballade von 1948, und Charles Mansons „Trial Testimony“ von 1970 spannt sich das Reich der Hippies. NATURE BOY von Raymond Pettibon & Oliver Augst ist eine romantisch-anarchistische Suche nach den Quellen von Punk. Ein Muss für alle Pettibon-Fans.


Raymond Pettibon, Oliver Augst
Recorded in New York City 2022
Words: Eden Ahbez
Music, Production, Instruments: Oliver Augst
Vocals: Raymond Pettibon
Instrumental editing and mixing: Marcel Daemgen
Executive producer: Robert Eikmeyer
Design: Daily Dialogue
Produced by Squama Recordings

Briade Commerz More

Special remarks: 180g, Clear Red Vinyl, Limited

Tracklist:

A1) Zuud 04:33 min
A2) Taivshral 03:07 min
A3) Duulnaa 03:02 min
A4) Temeen Deerees Naran Oirhon 03:42 min
A5) Vogl 04:20 min
B1) Ulaan 03:30 min
B2) Libelle 02:38 min
B3) Picture / Three Shadows 05:21 min
B4) Encanto 01:33 min
B5) Uzegdel 04:25 min


Info:

After the success of 2021’s Ursgal, Mongolian jazz singer Enji returns with her third album Ulaan. The line-up has grown in size with drummer Mariá Portugal and clarinettist Joana Queiroz from Brazil joining the band to create an invigorating blend of grounded Folk and brooding Jazz.
More

LP

Special remarks:
180g

Tracklist:

A1) Ronpchi 02:14 min
A2) Honsu 05:48 min
A3) Lian 02:05 min
A4) Benbut 08:18 min
A5) Onyx 04:11 min
B1) Skid 02:27 min
B2) Imber 04:50 min
B3) Nakuku 05:29 min
B4) Ysop 05:40 min
B5) Eyb 01:59 min

Info:

Roots run deep on "Candid', the first LP by Munich-based producer Polygonia and drummer Simon Popp. The record is a perfect blend of their distinct voices, with Popp's drumset and his signature percussion sounds buzzing around Polygonia's bold and blooming productions.
Comprised of live material recorded at Munich's ZIRKA in late 2022 and over several studio sessions in-between touring duties, 'Candid' is a meadow of herbal Electronic, mystic at times, but joyful nonetheless.
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CD

Tracklist:

01) Zuud 04:33 min
02) Taivshral 03:07 min
03) Duulnaa 03:02 min
04) Temeen Deerees Naran Oirhon 03:42 min
05) Vogl 04:20 min
06) Ulaan 03:30 min
07) Libelle 02:38 min
08) Picture / Three Shadows 05:21 min
09) Encanto 01:33 min
10) Uzegdel 04:25 min


Info:

After the success of 2021’s Ursgal, Mongolian jazz singer Enji returns with her third album Ulaan. The line-up has grown in size with drummer Mariá Portugal and clarinettist Joana Queiroz from Brazil joining the band to create an invigorating blend of grounded Folk and brooding Jazz.
More

Special remarks: 180g

Tracklist:

A1) Zuud 04:33 min
A2) Taivshral 03:07 min
A3) Duulnaa 03:02 min
A4) Temeen Deerees Naran Oirhon 03:42 min
A5) Vogl 04:20 min
B1) Ulaan 03:30 min
B2) Libelle 02:38 min
B3) Picture / Three Shadows 05:21 min
B4) Encanto 01:33 min
B5) Uzegdel 04:25 min


Info:

After the success of 2021’s Ursgal, Mongolian jazz singer Enji returns with her third album Ulaan. The line-up has grown in size with drummer Mariá Portugal and clarinettist Joana Queiroz from Brazil joining the band to create an invigorating blend of grounded Folk and brooding Jazz.
More

LP

Special remarks:
180g

Tracklist:

A1) Homecoming 05:52 min
A2) Moonlight in Vermont 05:24 min
A3) A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 05:51 min
A4) Fab 04:02 min
B1) Awake 05:21 min
B2) As If There Were Simple Times 06:29 min
B3) 'Round Midnight 07:31 min


Info:

"Paul, Rick and River" is a programmatic title for the new album from Munich-based Paul Brändle Trio, a Modern Jazz group led by the eponymous 31-year old guitar player and band leader. Playing together for years and across continents, this recording manifests the trio's current state of matter, focusing on a no-gimmicks approach and a classic, melodic style of musical world-building.
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7", LTD

Tracklist:

Side A: TO-DAY (3:06)
Side B: Raymond Pettibon on Trains (3:24)
SQUAMA


EN:
“Almost all the trains I do are steam engines from the 1900s.”
Like the lyricism of surfing and the grace of baseball, the romance of trains is an integral part in Raymond Pettibon's imagination. TO-DAY is a wild roller coaster ride on the “A” Train with Pettibon’s favorite writers John Ruskin and Charles Manson. Pettibon at its best with terrific sound collage by Oliver Augst.

Raymond Pettibon, Oliver Augst
Side A: TO-DAY (3:06)
Side B: Raymond Pettibon on Trains (3:24


DE:
„Nahezu alle Züge im meinen Arbeiten sind Dampflokomotiven aus dem 19. Jahrhundert.“
Wie die Lyrik des Surfens und die Anmut des Baseballs ist auch die Romantik der Züge ein fester Bestandteil von Raymond Pettibons Fantasie. TO-DAY ist eine wilde Achterbahnfahrt im “A” Train mit Pettibons Lieblingsschriftstellern John Ruskin und Charles Manson. Pettibon in Höchstform mit grandioser Soundcollage von Oliver Augst.

A-Seite: TO-DAY (3:06)
B-Seite: Raymond Pettibon on Trains (3:24)


Raymond Pettibon, Oliver Augst
Recorded in New York City 2022
Words:
John Ruskin, Charles Manson, Raymond Pettibon
Music, Production, Instruments:
Oliver Augst
Vocals:
Raymond Pettibon
Additional guitar:
Alexandre B.
Executive producer:
Robert Eikmeyer
Design:
Daily Dialogue
Produced by
Squama Recordings More

LP

Special remarks:
180g

Tracklist:

A1) I Will Carry You in My Heart 00:46 min
A2) Eyelash 02:59 min
A3) Save You 03:15 min
A4) Falling Flat in Dead Silence 01:30 min
A5) Butterflies 01:54 min
A6) Dolphins & Roses 01:36 min
A7) DreamSs 02:28 min
B1) Midsummernight 03:23 min
B2) Echoes from a Theatre 03:13 min
B3) Stay With You 01:47 min
B4) Berlin 02:48 min
B5) Falling Apart 03:46 min

Info:

For Zylva, creating is a form of healing. In 2020, the producer, illustrator, and poet found herself struggling with her mental wellbeing: a fresh arrival in locked-down Berlin, and newly heartbroken in a city known for its harsh winters and fleeting connections, Zylva imagined a place for hope, creating her debut album "Poems from the Dark".
Drifting somewhere between avant pop, lo-fi and celestial R&B, "Poems from the Dark" sets out on an emotional journey that unfolds over the course of twelve deeply personal tracks.
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LP - digital

Special remarks:
180g

Tracklist:

A1) Island Theory 02:04 min
A2) These Were The Times 03:01 min
A3) April 5th 03:53 min
A4) In The Forest 03:01 min
A5) Insecure 03:32 min
A6) When Everything Dissolves 03:44 min
B1) When Trees Cry 03:35 min
B2) Always Humming 03:12 min
B3) Monte Clerigo 04:44 min
B4) When We Imitate Our Friends 03:39 min
B5) Curfews 03:33 min
B6) Last 02:56 min

Info:

On his debut LP 'Impromptu', Julian Klaas presents a stunning work of sonic ambivalence inspired by the beauty and potential of the Wurlitzer piano. "I didn't attempt to pursue grand feelings like ultimate happiness or deep sadness, I'm much more fascinated in the in-between: the moments you might not otherwise write down, and that you might have forgotten if you hadn't recorded them." With 'Impromptu' Klaas has found a way to honour these moments, revealing the depth and richness that underpins the present.

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LP

Special remarks:
180g

Tracklist:

A1) Whitepoint 04:33 min
A2) Impulse 04:30 min
A3) Circulate 04:32 min
A4) Lihan 04:34 min
B1) Childish Mind 03:10 min
B2) Fuji at Night 04:43 min
B3) Floating 04:51 min
B4) Mavi 01:52 min

Info:


On his debut album, Childish Mind, guitarist Jonathan Bockelmann presents a series of light, serene acoustic guitar vignettes. The Munich-born musician has studied classical guitar for about two decades, perfecting his technique and gaining mastery of the instrument. Childish Mind sees him explore a new compositional path by crafting delicately interwoven melodies for the acoustic guitar. From the gentle webs and patterns Jonathan creates, there’s a sense of meditativeness throughout the album—his music radiates out, filling moments with a sense of ease and calmness.


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Tracklist:

01) Whitepoint 04:33 min
02) Impulse 04:30 min
03) Circulate 04:32 min
04) Lihan 04:34 min
05) Childish Mind 03:10 min
06) Fuji at Night 04:43 min
07) Floating 04:51 min
08) Mavi 01:52 min

Info:


On his debut album, Childish Mind, guitarist Jonathan Bockelmann presents a series of light, serene acoustic guitar vignettes. The Munich-born musician has studied classical guitar for about two decades, perfecting his technique and gaining mastery of the instrument. Childish Mind sees him explore a new compositional path by crafting delicately interwoven melodies for the acoustic guitar. From the gentle webs and patterns Jonathan creates, there’s a sense of meditativeness throughout the album—his music radiates out, filling moments with a sense of ease and calmness.


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No sales to Japan!

LP: 180g vinyl, half speed mastered, heavy sleeve, obi, gold ink
Genre: Jazz, Fusion, Funk

Tracklisting LP
A1. Shrimp Dance
A2. Kuro To Shiro
B1. Walk Tall
B2. Cat
B3. Romance


Info

We Release Jazz is ecstatic (purrrr!) to announce the official reissue of Hiroshi Suzuki's glorious jazz-fusion-funk Holy Grail Cat (originally released in 1976), sourced from the original masters and available on limited edition 180 gram vinyl mastered at half speed for full audiophile sound, as well as on digipack CD. Both versions come with liner notes by Teruo Isono.
Cat was recorded in October 1975 at at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting his home country of Japan after moving to Las Vegas in 1971 to play with Buddy Rich and perfect his craft. Back on his old stomping grounds, the man known as Neko (Cat) immediately reunited with his dear friends for an epic two day session of groove magic. The chemistry was still intact. The skills and style had grown.
The result, Cat, is a smooth masterpiece, a deep and soulful affair where stunning trombone solos by Hiroshi Suzuki flirt with Takeru Muraoka's heavenly saxophone and the sensual rhythm section of Hiromasa Suzuki (keyboards), Kunimitsu Inaba (bass), and Akira Ishikawa (drums).
Celebrated in jazz collectors circles, in the lofi beat scene, and among music diggers around the world, Cat has become one of the most sought-after Japanese jazz albums of all time and, much like Ryo Fukui's Scenery, has fascinated old and young generations alike.

Points of interests

- For fans of jazz, fusion, funk, trombone, Japanese jazz, smooth rides, cats, allure.

- Official reissue of the glorious jazz-fusion album by Japanese trombonist extraordinaire Hiroshi "Neko" Suzuki.

- 10th release from We Release Jazz, following Ryo Fukui's Scenery, Mellow Dream, A Letter from Slowboat, and Ryo Fukui in New York, the soundtrack of Le Cercle Rouge by Eric Demarsan, Stuff Combe 5 + Percussion, Marc Moulin's Placebo Live 1971 and Boillat Thérace Quintet albums. We Release Jazz is the sister-label of Geneva-based WRWTFWW Records (Midori Takada's Through The Looking Glass and Lunar Cruise with Masahiko Sato, Pierre Barouh's Le Pollen, Jun Fuka-machi's Nicole, Grauzone's discography, …)
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non-exclusive
2LP R&S and Apollo Records present an official vinyl repress of this most classicand timeless album The vinyl uses the 2013 re-masters made from original DAT tapes cut by Matt Colton and presented in original artwork.

All time favourite Aphex Twin Album. Nice and accesible experimental techno. Originally released in 1992. What else could be said here, we finally are stocking copies on arguably the most important and influential electronic album of album time, Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85–92. You will always need this!!!

Tracks: A1 Xtal
A2 Tha
A3 Pulsewidth
B1 Ageispolis
B2 i
B3 Green Calx
B4 Heliosphan
C1 We Are The Music Makers
C2 Schottkey 7th Path
C3 Ptolemy
D1 Hedphelym
D2 Delphium
D3 Actium

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LP 180g Heavyweight vinyl, Remastered, with original track-list available on vinyl for the first time

"Ken Ishii has risen to be one of techno's biggest names" Bandcamp Daily

"A pivotal moment in the history of techno, ambient and electronic music from Japan. An important milestone in a journey to explore the endless possibilities of music and a precious result of our passion and adventure at the time" Manabu Yamazaki (Sublime Records)


GENRE: Techno, Ambient


Tracklist:

1. Into The Inside (2024 Remaster)
2. Fading Sky (2024 Remaster)
3. Non Essential (2024 Remaster)

Side B

1. Finite Time (2024 Remaster)
2. Interjection (2024 Remaster)
3. Scene One (2024 Remaster)


New liner notes by Martyn Pepperell

The musician and DJ Ken Ishii sits right at the pinnacle of techno's most noteworthy, but although a game changer for the artist personally - and for Japanese electronic music in general - his 1994 album 'Reference to Difference' is something of an unsung gem today.

Now reissued and remastered, released to mark the 30th anniversary of Musicmine / Sublime Records, and available on vinyl with its original track-list for the first time, this stunning, lesser-known classic is ripe for rediscovery.

Born 1970 in Sapporo, Ishii was introduced to electronic music at a young age through arcade games, and Japanese and German pioneers like Yellow Magic Orchestra, Isao Tomita and Kraftwerk. During his teens, he absorbed new wave, synth-pop, EBM and industrial, before making a life-changing discovery of Detroit techno in the late 80s.

As the 1990s dawned, so did his introduction to Black Dog Productions and Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence compilations. Blown away by the emerging British and American IDM, braindance, and ambient techno movements, he quickly folded their influence into his still-developing but cultivated aesthetic.

A futuristic confluence of unplaceable ambient atmospheres, space age techno, IDM and minimalist composition, 'Reference To Difference' unfolds as an effortless series of exercises in pristine synth textures, robust man/machine rhythm and understated melodies. It teleports the listener back to a golden moment in the mid-1990s, when a dedicated generation rose out of Tokyo's storied clubs and took the innovation, energy, and creativity of Japan's unique techno culture to the world.

Opened in 1993, Maniac Love was a new nightclub where Manabu Yamazaki aka DJ Yama promoted the Sublime parties, which soon became a crucial hub within the burgeoning Tokyo underground. It was here where Yamazaki rubbed shoulders with peers including Ishii and Susumu Yokota, and the trio's future became intertwined.

Much like Ishii, the late Susumu Yokota began his musical career by reaching out to Europe. Not long before Ishii released his debut longplayer 'Garden On The Palm' through Belgium's R&S, Yokota released his debut LP 'The Frankfurt-Tokyo Connection' through Harthouse, the German label co-founded by Sven Väth. In the wake of both records' overseas success, Ishii and Yokota set a benchmark for techno in Japan.

By 1993, as they both became in-demand producers and DJs, it felt like their dreams were coming true. Through talking with Ishii and Yokota, Yamazaki became emboldened to transform Sublime into a record label.

Soon after, Yamazaki partnered with Hideoki Amano, who was on the verge of founding Musicmine, a now respected and longstanding independent Japanese music company. As Yamazaki tells it, Amano helped him turn his dream into a reality: Sublime Records.

For Musicmine and Sublime Records' inaugural album releases, Yamazaki and Amano approached both Ishii and Yokota, resulting in the simultaneous drop of 'Reference To Difference' and 'Acid Mt. Fuji' respectively, on June 29th 1994.

Yamazaki remembered 'Reference To Difference' being well received by DJs, listeners, record store buyers and journalists, stating "people were excited by this new wave of music coming out of Japan, and had high praise for its unique sound."

With the pair of LPs further stamping Japan on the contemporary musical globe, the scene was beginning to boom at home too. Specialist record stores, and club music magazines like Ele-King and Loud spread the word, and in the wake of Maniac Love's impact, new nightclubs like the legendary Liquid Room were opening up, bringing a steady stream of world-famous DJs to the Japanese capital.

"Without a doubt, I think the arrival of Ken Ishii was a major turning point for the Japanese music industry in the 1990s," Amano reflected. "Nowadays, the Western club music scene is rediscovering Japanese techno from the 1990s, and digging our music is a common sight, but before Ken Ishii, no Japanese DJ was in sync with the global club music scene. He was the catalyst."

"Looking back, I can tell it was meaningful that this was one of the first techno albums by a Japanese artist that was released on a Japanese label," Ishii reflects. "Maybe I did something that bridged between old school Japanese electronic music and 'new school' techno in line with the Detroit sound with this record" he adds, in modest understatement.
The new liner notes were written Martyn Pepperell, a well-regarded music journalist who has covered Susumu Yokota for Wax Poetics and Midori Takada for Dazed, amongst numerous other articles.

Ken Ishi DJ dates:

Fri 14 June Tokyo, Japan : MUSICMINE 30th Anniversary @ WWW
Sat 15 June Nagano Pref, Japan : Re:birth Festival 2024 @ Kurumayama-Kogen Skypark Resort
Sat 22 June Tbilisi, Georgia : Tbilisi Open Air (Khidi Stage) @ Lisi Wonderland
Fri 12 July Tokyo, Japan : TECHNOH LAB. @ Suigian (*Non+techno performance with Manjiro Tatsumi)
Fri 12 July Tokyo, Japan : @ Vent
Fri 26 July Tokyo, Japan : @ Shinjuku Loft
Sun 28 July Naeba, Japan : @ Fuji Rock Festival
Sat 31 August Amsterdam, The Netherlands : Wooferland 2024 @ Houtrak Halfweg

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NO VINYLE OF ANY MANU CHAO ALBUM HAS BEEN AVAILABLE ON SALE FOR AGES. ALL STUDIO & LIVE ALBUMS ARE BACK ON DOUBLE VINYL GATEFOLD FEAT. THE CD
TRACKLIST
A1. CLANDESTINO - A2. DESAPARECIDO - A3. BONGO BONG - A4. JE NE T’AIME PLUS - B1. MENTIRA... - B2. LAGRIMAS DE ORO - B3. MAMA CALL - C1. LUNA Y SOL - C2. POR EL SUELO - C3. WELCOME TO TIJUANA - C4. DIA LUNA... DIA PENA - D1. MALEGRIA - D2. LA VIE A 2 - D3. MINHA GALERA - D4. LA DESPEDIDA - D5. EL VIENTO More