Back catalogue:

Review: A remastering and reissue of the Jack Frost recordings, a collaboration between two acclaimed Australian songwriters: Grand McLennan from The Go-Betweens and Steve Kilbey, the lead singer and bassist in The Church. The Church are well-known for their hit 'Under The Milky Way', which made the Donnie Darko soundtrack. Included in this set is their two studio albums: The Snow Job (1995) has never been on vinyl before and the self-titled debut (1991) has been out of print for more than 20 years. There's also bonus material tucked in. This release comes as The Go-Betweens have been enjoying a renaissance recently, thanks to a successful reissue campaign, and The Church have been touring. Despite this being a side project, there's no sense it's an afterthought as the pair clearly thrived in each other's company and wrote melodic, wistful and affecting songs of the highest order. Noel Gallagher would likely have been proud to write the reverb-y love song 'Thought I Was Over You' and 'Every Hour God Sends' is up there with Echo & The Bunnymen's best stuff. Meanwhile, 'Ramble' has a stark arpeggio-laden beauty to it, building from its sparse beginning into something more textured and darkly atmospheric. There's an embarrassment of riches to delve into here and it cements the pair's reputation for being among Australia's greatest ever songwriters.

Review: Polish producer, multi-faced musician and multi-instrumental maestro Albert Karch knows his way around the sound engineer's desk. So much his finesse is unmistakeable, with a number of standout records already behind him. For example, the 2019 stunner, Celestially Light, created in collaboration with Japanese folk singer and songwriter Ichiko Aoba, Here, he delivers another exceptional joint project, teaming up with Irish ambient icon Gareth Quinn Redmond, himself no stranger to the WRWTFWW label, for a sublime outing of precise strings and pianos. A slow, meandering journey into melodic immersion which captivates and lulls, it moves between moments of sparse quiet, electronic experimentation, and more complex and full sounding arrangements in a way that holds the attention until the very last. A thing of patient beauty that deserves to be in your shopping basket.

Review: Zouk pioneers Jacob Desvarieux, Georges, and Pierre-Edouard Decimus worked together as Kassav and to mark their 40th anniversary comes this vinyl pressing of Yelele. The group was founded in 1979 and went on to leave an indelible mark on global music. From their roots in Guadeloupe and Martinique, Kassav' popularised zouk worldwide and earned numerous gold and platinum records. Despite the tragic loss of Desvarieux to Covid-19 in 2021, Kassav's legacy thrives through their ongoing live concerts. Their music is infused with Caribbean rhythms like Guadeloupe's gwo-ka and Martinique's ti-bwa so transcends cultural boundaries and hooks in dancers everywhere from Japan to Russia. Four decades later, Kassav's timeless hits still resonate as this album reminds us.

Review: "The Next World Sound Series is a collection of work by contemporary sound artists working in long form instrumental composition and translated to the tangible medium of vinyl. These modern day offerings capture the analog quality and experience of last century electronic recordings, presented to you with today's technological advances in home playback, for your environmental listening pleasure." Or so say heads at the iconic and truly enigmatic label Dark Entries of this latest addition to their catalogue. A collection of work that spans the strangely frantic sci-fi tones of 'Oberenginen 0930' to the almost monastic drone of 'Soma', dubbed and muffled drums and vocals on 'Lixsm', club-ready broken beats of 'Destruct', and the evocative futurist refrains and samples of 'John Gore'. As expansive as it is exploratory and adventurous, you'll need to set aside some serious listening time for your first play here.

Review: These are two serious legends right here: Madlib the extraordinary beatmaker behind countless seminal albums and collabs and Guilty Simpson the man who has voiced just as many classic records of his own. This limited edition gold vinyl double album version of Before The Verdict: Madlib Medicine Show #1 is considered a prelude to this pair's collaborative album O.J. and has a mix of original cuts as well as remixes from Simpson's own solo debut album Ode to the Ghetto. It's as real and raw as rap gets and features two brief guest appearances from J Dilla and MED.

Review: Since the Beach Diggin' compilation series launched a few years back, a number of its obscure, Balearic-minded selections have been given full length reissues of their own. We can probably expect a number of the tracks from this brilliant fifth volume to get the same treatment. As usual, the wide-ranging track list is thick with highlights, from the synth-heavy, French language reggae of Raphael Toine's 1986 bubbler "Femmes Pays Douces" (taken from the artist's frustratingly hard to find Ce Ta Ou album) and vibraphone-laden jazz-funk smoothness of Yasuko Agwa's sought-after "L.A Night", to the barely-known brilliance of Andre Maria Tole's Cameroonian gem "Sweet Dole". In other words, it's another essential selection.

Review: The reissue of Moltitudine in labirinto, originally released in 2003, is a profound sonic exploration by ambient pioneer Gigi Masin and electronic artist Giuseppe Caprioli. This album merges Masin's signature subtle minimalism with Caprioli's raw electronic textures, crafting an intense and introspective experience. Moltitudine in labirinto draws listeners into a maze of sound that evokes hidden corners of the psyche, with low-frequency drones and looping motifs guiding the journey. Across nine movements, Masin and Caprioli create a cinematic symphony that feels simultaneously vast and deeply personal, channeling a 'harmony of the spheres' through restrained yet emotionally powerful soundscapes. The intricate structure and fluidity reflect a complex inner world, making each listening experience unique and meditative. For long-time fans, this vinyl reissue is a welcome revival of a work that remains a cornerstone of ambient and electronic music. Moltitudine in labirinto stands as both a historical document and a timeless exploration of ambient's expressive potential, an artful encounter of melodic finesse and electronic depth that feels as relevant and poignant today as it did upon its original release.

Review: This EP weaves a labyrinth of sound, where the absence of clear genre boundaries is the only constant. The opener leads with ambient pulses, before shifting into the hypnotic, bass-heavy swells of 'Infrasound Loop,' as if crossing into a parallel dimension. As it unravels, 'Submerged Reactions' builds a wave of evolving textures, quietly oscillating between glitchy abstractions and weighty drones. Throughout, the artists' mastery of subtle, complex layers remains apparent, each track a gradual immersion into its own sonic world. On clear vinyl, it's an intricate, immersive listen-complex yet fluid, intricate yet accessible, making it easy to lose yourself in the flow.

Review: MC Money and Gangsta Gold's collaboration offers a glimpse into the hard-hitting underground sound of Memphis rap, capturing the raw energy and stark realities of the city in the 90s. The tracks feature gritty, no-frills vocals, driven by bass-heavy beats and shadowy synths that mirror the harsh streets of Frayser. The music remains unapologetically rough around the edges, yet there's an undeniable sense of purpose behind each trackian unwavering honesty that demands attention. It's not just about the aggressive delivery or tough subject matter; it's about a snapshot of a time and place that continues to resonate. Each beat pulses with a sense of urgency, while the lyrical content cuts straight to the heart of Memphis' rap scene, without pretense or over-production. There's something undeniably compelling about its rawnessia reminder of the power of minimalism when it's done with conviction.

Review: Since debuting as Grouper back in 2005, Liz Harris has delivered a swathe of experimentalist albums that explore almost every aspect of ambient and drone music. Here she launches a new project, Nivhek, via an expansive double-album of sparse, atmospheric compositions that tend towards the epic. Really, it's two albums in one. The first slab of wax is entitled "After Its Own Death" and boasts a two-part, non-stop suite of tracks built around echoing choral vocals, dark electronics and blissful bells. It's alternately melancholic, blissful and grippingly intense. In contrast, "Walking In A Spiral Towards The House", the piece stretched across both sides of the second record, is breathtakingly beautiful - a meandering, soft focus trip through chiming, reverb-laden motifs and gentle music box melodies.

Review: Or Bareket is a bassist and composer who is recognised for his great lyricism and rhythmic dexterity. Y?M on Enja Yellowbird is a new work which adds to that reputation and features a vital ensemble of jazz talent including Godwin Louis on alto and soprano sax, Jeremy Corren on piano, Savannah Harris on drums and production by vibraphonist Joel Ross. The LP is something of an evolution for Bareket as a leader and composer as it serves up energetic, focused and emotionally diverse music that reflects the personal and collective reckonings of navigating a post-COVID world.

Review: A wonderfully warm and heartrending new jazz opus from Joshua Redman - Where We Are adds to Blue Note's legacy as standing for "The Finest In Jazz". Over the past three decades, the saxophonist, composer, and bandleader has consistently demonstrated how to honor the music's verities while expanding its reach in contemporary settings. On where are we, Redman's first recording as a Blue Note artist, he delivers one of his most compelling albums to date, in a program featuring typically brilliant supporting partners and (in a first for Redman) built around a dynamic vocalist, Gabrielle Cavassa. With incisive attention to detail and impeccable recordings, this is not one to let pass by.

Review: Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow's soundtrack for the 2024 thriller drama Civil War is a triumph of atmospheric soundscaping. Known for their work on Ex Machina, the duo brings their signature touch to this film, blending ambient synths with subtle guitar to create an immersive auditory experience. The score, perfectly complements the film's intense narrative and striking visuals. Tracks like 'Body Pit' deliver a haunting, dissonant edge, while 'Flashback,' 'Aftermath,' and 'Moving Out' offer a poignant, minimalist theme that subtly underscores the emotional journey of the characters. The music's simplicity and repetitive motifs evoke a powerful sense of place and mood, making it an essential companion to the film's story. Now available on vinyl for the first time, this score is for fans of the innovative film music and those who appreciate Salisbury and Barrow's evocative style.

Review: A rare new V/A record from the diggers deific over at Time Capsule - Kay Suzuki and company - whose focus on reissues has thus far formed a dense but not unbraveable thicket of drummy disco, city pop, reggae and international rerubs. Formed out of the East London party scene centring on Brilliant Corners and Beauty & The Beat, this four-track haul of Choice Remixes is a surely credible little curation. Suzuki lends four flips to the record - first of Gaoule Mizik's 'A Ka Titine' from 2022, which reappears with expository force, providing a banging re-bake of the Guadeloupean gwoka original. The theme continues on a version of Broki's 'Es Que Lo Es', which veers Latin minimalia, before slowing to a chuggy pace on 'Sortez Les Filles', before a final, synthy piano duet leaves the proceedings on a piquant hurrah, 'Oyelo'.

Review: Mille Plateaux and Raster hero Andreas Tilliander meets Fire! Orchestra's Goran Kajfes somewhere deep - and we mean DEEP - in the jazz cosmos. The farthest reaches of a universe far, far away, but one that still seems to understand how joyful vast can sound when pierced by the haunting yet strangely alluring sound of brass. But simply defining this as jazz misses a point, then throws us well beyond the pale. In Cmin would be nothing without the electronic tricks and gadgetry that first made us feel as though we'd space-walked off the edge of the known galaxy, out past the Milky Way's stardust. Echoes, tape delays, things that add mood and timbre without necessarily shouting their presence. There's magic at work here. And, contrary to the 21st Century's obsession with under-the-hood, not knowing the how is the reason why you want this.

Review: "One might thus regard the Welsh rarebit as a Machine in which a process is applied to the conditioning and perception of the world of bread and cheese." Suffice to say, John White might not have had the same ideas about what constitutes Machine Music back in 1976 as you do today. This is also the first time we've ever managed to get a reference to Welsh rarebit into the first line of writing about a record, so everyone is learning something today. "The Machines" White refers to are the individual tracks themselves, all recorded between 1967 and 1972 and all comprising different combinations of a thing. Six pairs of "bass melody instruments" made 'Autumn Countdown Machine', different permutations of "the articulations 'ging, gang, gong, gung, ho!'" comprise 'Jews Harp Machine'. And 'Son of Gothic Chord' is crafted from the sequential chord progression of four keyboard players, spanning an octave. Conceptual experimental and wildly imaginative stuff on the borderline of electronica, abstract, mathematical and something otherworldly.

Review: This double LP, compiles all tracks from the critically acclaimed Dost 1 & 2 and Dost 2" albums, originally released in 2021 and 2022. The band's nuanced and groovy Anatolian psych-folk sound shines through in these collections, with Yildirim's sublime vocals and baglama (Turkish lute) leading the charge. "Dost" signifies a friend, comrade, and more—a connection that infuses life with meaning. This sentiment is palpable throughout the albums, which bring together sounds, people, and emotions in a harmonious blend. With Dost 2 Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek have expanded their songwriting horizons and honed their unique arrangements. The band's compositions, complemented by guitarist and flautist Antonin Voyant's melodic contributions, reach deep, meaningful places without veering into nostalgia. Lyrics penned by Yildirim in collaboration with Berlin-based writer Duygu Agal add further depth to the album.
Dost 1 & 2 is a vibrant, lively interpretation of connection and camaraderie, making it a pinnacle example of Anatolian psych-folk music's potential.

Review: Berlin-based Turkish singer and multi-instrumentalist Derya Yildirim fronts Grup Simsek - a psych-pop delight which channels the unmistakable lilt of Anatolian musical tradition. After releasing the first instalment last year, the band return to deliver the second half of their double album DOST. In the interim since that first half dropped they've recorded a BBC Radio 6 Music session, been featured all over the place and played internationally. The release of DOST 2 should cement their ascendance in a swirl of 70s informed funk driven by Yildirim's enchanting vocals and the fluid grooves of her backing band.

Notes: Amidst the turmoil of the times, such as the spread of coronavirus and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gezan searched for ways to interact with people and pursued new music with the theme of "voice", at a live concert at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall. The performance of the new system "Million Wish Collective" was unveiled for the first time, and Hibiya was shaken with shock and joy. Directed by Shuichi Bamba, the vivid camerawork with 13 cameras with different textures captures the complexity of this world and approaches the true meaning of what a rock band is. Tickets for this performance, which was greeted with the largest capacity in their career, were sold out quickly at full capacity. The package is a special jacket with a bright red photo of Taro Mizutani stamped with gold foil wrapped in a special jacket called the December Newspaper, and the newspaper consists of the members' columns and illustrations. It is a work full of imagination that presents hope after regaining human wildness and flesh in a distorted era.

Region code: 0 (universal)

Notes: Vintage performances of one of southern California's top-selling bands - Great White - captured live at the height of their success.

Vintage performances of this top-selling Southern California band, captured live at the height of their success!

This multi-concert film features their smash hit singles 'Once Bitten Twice Shy', 'Rock Me', 'Save Your Love', 'Face The Day' and many more. Bonus features include an interview with the late, great voice of Great White - Jack Russell!

Bonus Materials

Interview with Great White frontman, Jack Russell

Notes: Live performance by English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel. Filmed at London's O2 Arena in 2013, Peter performs a selection of his classic hits including 'Solsbury Hill', 'Sledgehammer' and 'Don't Give Up'. The film also includes interview footage with the man himself as he reflects on his long and prolific career.

Region code: B

Notes: As the seventies drew to a close and the media declared punk dead and buried, a whole new breed of band was emerging from the gutter. Harder and faster than their '76-'77 predecessors, not to mention more aggressive and political, the likes of Discharge, The Exploited and G.B.H. were to prove not only more relevant but arguably just as influential. Several years in the making and featuring hundreds of new interviews and photographs, "Burning Britain" is the true story of the U.K. punk scene from 1980 to 1984 told for the first time by the bands and record labels that created it. Covering the country region by region, author Ian Glasper profiles legendary bands like Vice Squad, Angelic Upstarts, Blitz, Anti-Nowhere League, Cockney Rejects and the U.K. Subs as well as the more obscure groups like Xtract, The Skroteez and Soldier Dolls. The grim reality of being a teenage punk rocker in Thatcher's Britain resulted in some of the most primal and potent music ever committed to plastic. "Burning Britain" is the definitive overview of that previously overlooked era.

Notes: Formed in Wiltshire, England, in 1980, the Subhumans are rightly held in high regard as one of the best punk rock bands to ever hail from the UK.

Over the course of five timeless studio albums and just as many classic EPs, not to mention well over 1,000 gigs around the world, they have blended serious anarcho punk with a demented sense of humour and genuinely memorable tunes to create something quite unique and utterly compelling. For the first time ever, their whole story is told, straight from the recollections of every band member past and present, as well as a dizzying array of their closest friends and peers, with not a single stone left unturned. Bolstered with hundreds of flyers and exclusive photos, it's the definitive account of the much-loved band.

Praise

"It's all here: the genesis of the band, the practising, the song-writing, the recordings, the gigs, the original split and the reformation ... in fact everything you could possibly want to know about this very special band."
Tony Whatley of Suspect Device

"Ian Glasper captures the emotion and excitement surrounding one of the most enduring punk bands on the planet. With an extensiveisome might say forensicinarrative, this book really gets under the skin of a perennial favourite who have rarely put a foot wrong."
Nathan Haywire, Louder Than War

"Subhumans have integrity in spades, and you can't buy that. They were important then and are important now."
Sean Forbes of Wat Tyler and Hard Skin

"Subhumans are special both on and off stage. It's the passion that's evident onstage, with those beautifully constructed lyrics spat out with every breathiand that charged energy they generate, that sweeps through the crowd and leaves us feeling changed."
Ruth Elias of Hagar The Womb

"They're one of my favourite bands in the world, but a band is only as good as the people in it ... and the Subhumans are the real deal."
Stu Pid of Police Bastard

"Their songs seem to exist out of time, somehow always relevant. And they've stuck to their gunsithere's this stubborn defiance in the face of fashion, and a glorious, unaffected honesty."
iWinston Smith

"They are the ultimate punk band, with the most genuine, inclusive, informative, approachable attitude, and such amazing music ... tight and edgy as fuck, and so professionalia joy to watch."
Peter Jones of Paranoid Visions

About the Author

Ian Glasper has been writing about punk since 1986, when he first started his own fanzine, Little Things Please Little Minds. Then in the early Nineties he started writing reviews for Record Collector, and a hardcore punk column for Terrorizer, the extreme music magazine that he contributed to for the next twenty years. He is the author of six other books including Burning Britain and The Day the Country Died. A father of two, and a lifelong vegetarian/vegan, he writes for Down for Life and Fistful of Metal, as well as regularly penning liner notes for retrospective punk and metal releases. He is tentatively working on the next book in his ongoing overview of the UK punk scene.