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Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


We're never short of new Ricardo Villalobos material and he's generous with his time as a mixer, but this project offers something different from the Chilean mad scientist of minimal. A Mountain Of One are a duo who deal in Balearic-leaning pop with a subtle charm and an adventurous spirit, and they initially approached Villalobos for a single remix of one of their tracks. As a fan of their sound, Villalobos ran with the project and it wound up as a full remix album of seven different versions. On the earlier tracks Ricardo takes a surprisingly light touch, while the later stages find us knee deep in the mesmerising roll of his minimal house, shot through with dubbed out ingredients from the original songs. It's surprising and satisfying in equal measure, showing Villalobos at his best and quite the scoop for A Mountain Of One.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Alice in Chains' Jar of Flies from 1994 is a masterful album that showcases the band's versatility and songwriting prowess across an acoustic-driven collection of tracks. They deliver plenty of haunting melodies and introspective lyrics that make for a deeply immersive listen. There is a real melancholic beauty to 'Nutshell' while a gritty intensity pervades 'No Excuses.' Each song offers a glimpse into the band's emotional depth and musical complexity, always with raw emotion and captivating performances that make this one a standout release in Alice in Chains' discography.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Dent on the side, product in perfect working order***


Like a greatest hits of recent Analogue Solutions synths, the Ample combines sound elements from the Fusebox with jack patch points, a patch pin matrix, plus sequencer and CV touch pads from the Generator, creating something new and unique.

Supplier's Notes:
Ample combines the best elements of several of Analogue Solutions' recent products.

The sound elements of Fusebox
Jack patch points of Concussor Eurorack
Patch pin matrix of Vostok
Echo from Dr Strangelove
Sequencer and CV touch pads of Generator

It shares all this yet still has its own sound!

Ample can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be

This synth has been given a large and diverse number of controls, that along side the patch sockets, will give even the best and experienced synthesist endless possibilities.

This synth presents the controls in a user friendly and familiar synth layout that, together with this manual and other resources, enable even the new guy to get great sounds.

Synth - Percussion - Audio Processor

Ample is a compact analogue synthesizer. Analogue - as in really analogue. Aside from the MIDI chip (which has to be digital), everything else is totally analogue using real transistors and op-amps. There are no CPU stabilised and quantised circuits, no DCOs, no digital LFOs and no digital EGs, as found on other so called analogue synths. The circuitry is based on designs dating back to the mid-1970s. So Ample has a genuine old sound.

Circuits included

3x Analogue Oscillators

There are three analogue VCOs - each providing a wealth of features and modulation choices. VCO3 can easily be utilised as a LFO.

2x Analogue Low Frequency Oscillator

LFO2(/Sync) has a triangle wave output. VCO3 can be used as an LFO and has Saw, Triangle and Square wave modulation signals.

Analogue Filter

Ample uses a four pole 24bB per octave low pass filter.

Analogue Amplifier

The VCA can be set to THRU so it is always 'open'. This allows Ample to be used as an effects processor.

2x Analogue Envelopes

There are two EGs - each having full control over ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, and RELEASE.

Modulation

Great thought has been placed into modulation route choices, allowing a wide range of sounds to be produced, including percussion and 'modular' sounds further extended by patching with the jack sockets and pin matrix.

MIDI

MIDI is intentionally kept simple - so you can concentrate on making new sounds and making music - not getting tied up with SYSEX programming.

You get the all important control over filter cut-off using MIDI Velocity.

Patchable External CV Control Sockets

Ample has many input and output audio and CV sockets - to allow the synth to be effectively re-wired to make new sounds.

The sockets also enable it to be easily used with Eurorack and other modular systems. They can be patched together.

Sequencer

Ample has a vintage style 16 step sequencer.

Touch Keys

There are 6 touch keys that each output a set voltage. Use this to play the pitch or as modulation signals. A great tool for inspiration!

Pin Matrix

A neat way to patch the synth.

Echo

Nice lo-fi echo / delay.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Missing original outer sleeve but otherwise in perfect working condition***


Mikal Asher, a scion of Jamaica's Morgan family dynasty, reunites with Chocolate Star Records here and does so with a collaboration with disco legend Gary Davis. Asher, akin to his brother Denroy Morgan, upholds the family's legacy of righteousness through music. Known as the Binghiman, he crafts captivating tunes with profound lyrics and has recorded in Ghana's Hustle Hard Studios and collaborated with industry pioneers in Kingston and Brooklyn, setting new standards in musical excellence along the way. Here, 'Wicked Ah Fi' transforms into a modern dub stepper, while 'Black Woman' offers a soulful, laid-back dedication to Davis' wife, Sonjia. This 7" also comes with innovative remixes from California-based DJ and producer Knoe1.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Item refurbished, repaired and in perfect working order.***


One of our favourite DJ turntables. Clearly inspired by the classic Technics SL-1200 but clocking in at a more affordable price point. Direct drive motor, decent build quality and a few nice bonus features like adjustable pitch range.

Supplier notes:
The AT-LP140XP fully manual professional DJ turntable features a high-torque direct-drive motor and anti-resonant, mass-damped, die-cast aluminium platter to ensure stable, on-axis rotation at 33-1/3, 45, and 78 RPM. It is equipped with an S-shaped tonearm with height adjustment, adjustable tracking force (counterweight) and adjustable dynamic anti-skate control.

Audio-Technica has been a leader in phono cartridge design for more than 50 years, and that expertise shows in the durable, high-output AT-XP3 DJ cartridge with 0.6 mil conical bonded stylus included with the turntable. It comes pre-mounted to an AT-HS6 universal 1/2"-mount headshell.

Designed to connect to components with a dedicated phono input, the turntable comes with a detachable dual RCA output cable and supplies a strong 5.5 mV output.

Additional professional features include a start/stop button; forward and reverse play; selectable high-accuracy quartz-controlled pitch lock and pitch change slider control with +/-8%, +/-16%, and +/-24% adjustment ranges; a stroboscopic platter with speed indicator; a retractable plug-type stylus target light; and a removable hinged dust cover.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


This official reissue of Bela Lugosi's Dead: The Bela Session comes on black and red splattered vinyl this time around and includes previously unreleased tracks that have been mastered from the original demo tapes of their first ever recording session together. The post-punk outfit's debut single was released initially in 1979. Bela Lugosi's Dead is not only their first single, but also often gets mentioned as the first goth record. It has since been covered by Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack and Nouvelle Vague. The rest of the tunes from the demo session remain hugely innovative, reflecting their post-punk and dark-glam style with dub reggae influences that would further evolve in their output that followed and explain why the band went on to such cult status.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


2022's stunning album Once Twice Melody was a fine example of Beach House doing what they do best - living bang up to that name, with intimate-but epic instrumentation falling somewhere between surf-y jangle and grand shoegaze. 'Become' is definitely on a similar tip, and as such feels much like an extension of the long form.
Dig a little deeper, though, and scratches begin to show. While the full-length record represented Beach House reaching for the stars, or at least the moon, and stepping into the role of festival headliners, here the sense of pure confidence and occasion is less pronounced. That may not be a bad thing, mind, because while Once came across like a finished article, refined and prepared, things here seem somehow rawer, as though we're sitting in on a session as oppose to getting the signed off product.

Review: Beatconductor's Dub Spectrum EP takes listeners on a journey through Jamaica with seven tracks of dubbed-out pop covers. The EP features creative mash-ups such as The Wailers providing instrumental backing for Adele, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera, and Duran Duran, offering a fresh perspective on familiar tunes. Additionally, Amy Winehouse and The Pretenders unite to form a ska supergroup, showcasing Beatconductor's innovative approach to blending genres. Beatconductor's skillful reinterpretations breathe new life into classic tracks, infusing them with reggae and ska influences while maintaining their original essence.

Review: The Black Keys, renowned for their gritty blues-rock sound, pay homage to their Ohio roots with Ohio Players, with this album serving as a soulful tribute to the legendary funk band. With electrifying guitar riffs, pulsating rhythms and soulful vocals, each track resonates with the spirit of Ohio's musical heritage. From infectious grooves to heartfelt lyrics, this lovely long player showcases The Black Keys' versatility and reverence for their musical lineage. It's a celebration of Ohio's rich musical legacy that will delight fans old and new, cementing The Black Keys' status as modern-day rock and roll torchbearers.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Item refurbished, repaired and in perfect working order.***


Celebrating the 50th anniversary of this truly iconic synth, the 'modern' take on the classic Buchla Music Easel doesn't mess with a winning formula, paring the 208C sound source with 218e touch-sensitive keyboard.

Supplier's Notes:
The Buchla Music Easel was one of the first truly portable electronic music instruments. Fifty years ago, in 1973, only a few dozen were made. Unlike many iconic technologies, the influence was not grown through force of scale, but rather the force of the ideas. The Music Easel made available virtually every musical dimension: timbre, melody, rhythm, and time; how these dimensions intersected was no longer the court of acoustics and material, but signals and voltage. The 208 Stored Program Sound Source engendered "a new functional organization [with a] particularly rapid system of patching and program storage via plug-in cards."

Taking cues from the then-recent discipline of cybernetics, the 218 touch plate was for "real-time communication" to help realize the "potential vocabulary" of the Easel, rather than exploiting existing modes of musical virtuosity. The Stored Program Cards ensured rapid repeatability and repertoire on its own terms. The battery terminals made sure the music was as portable as any acoustic instrument. And the name let you know it was designed for art rather than science.

Buchla is ecstatic to revive the Music Easel for its third run in 50 years. Buchla first released the updated 208 Stored Program Sound Source, dubbed the Easel Command, with expanded MIDI and USB capability. Next came the update of the Easel Program Manager - a complete kit for storing and recalling sounds sources, even more rapidly than imagined in 1973. The new 218 Touch Activated Voltage Source provides the optimal input facility, as originally envisioned. It is now all together in a rugged case and the advanced EMBIO module that unifies all the audio and control inputs and outputs for integration with the rest of your musical world.

More than a retro novelty, the Music Easel still speaks to a future we strive for. A technology that invites conversation, not chats, and controls that engage expression, not work. There are many new worlds to explore in this instrument created at the crossroads of the jazz and computer ages. Designed as "an integrated assemblage of functions", rather than a collection of modules, the Music Easel's colour coding, comfortable access to controls, and solid patch connections allow for satisfying sessions of sonic discovery.

The Music Easel is available for pre-order starting June 16 at Buchla.com and your favourite Buchla Dealer. Delivery of the Music Easel (modern) is expected fall 2023.

Stored Program Sound Source Model 208C

The sound source of the Music Easel is the 208C, which includes a complex oscillator and a modulation oscillator (which can also serve as another voice), each with independent switchable waveforms, as well as a noise generator, allowing for rich and intricate sound design. The 208C also features a five-stage sequencer, envelope generator, pulser and modulation source - with switchable triggers - allowing for complex patterns and evolving textures. The dual low pass gate provides dynamic control over the tone and amplitude of the sound, as well as natural-sounding decay and sustain. The 208C has a number of modulation sources, including a random voltage generator, the envelope generator, modulation oscillator, and an envelope detector. These sources can be used to modulate various parameters via the extensive patchfield - creating movement, texture, and complexity. The 208C also includes a mixer section with spring reverb.

Touch Activated Voltage Source Model 218e (v3)

The first design appeared in the 1973 release of the Buchla Music Easel and named for the spacecraft that delivered astronauts to the moon. Providing the familiar piano key layout for this early mobile music machine, the additional controls and capabilities were an interface for exploring uncharted musical territory. With the new version 3, it's been elevated with a new foundation of stable, modern electronics with incredible sensitivity and accuracy - the lightest touch will produce triggers and control voltages. The adjustable sensor has the dynamic range and durability to handle your playing. The new texture not only improves the sensing, but provides a satisfying tactile experience. As always, pressure is an expressive output, adding an extra dimension to the control. MIDI outputs velocity and polyphony, as well as channel pressure, making the 218e a uniquely expressive controller. The 218e includes portamento and an arpeggiator, which can be driven by external inputs and are allowed to interact with the automated notes to make patterns more complex. Additional controls allow you to blend different patterns and randomness to easily change from the expected to the surprising. The classic preset voltage knobs offer several possible ways to shift your sounds into new territory. Not only can the knobs be used for quick access to voltages for your patch, they can control arpeggiation modes and octave shifting. Pads output pulses for additional control. The 218e also gives you a unique interface to playing your existing MIDI gear and soft synths. Each touch outputs note name, channel pressure, and velocity for every note, along with sustain controls from a pedal. Polyphonic MIDI mode lets you play chords. The touchstrip can act as a pitch bend control, or as a mod wheel for additional expressive control. Easily configured using the front panel controls, you can send notes and controls on any MIDI channel.

Electric Music Box Input/Output (EMBIO)

Maintaining the spirit, sound, and process from the original, the new Music Easel adds a variety of new features. Buchla's latest renditions of the Stored Program Sound Source and Touch Activated Voltage Source are tied together with the Electric Music Box Input/Output (EMBIO) module. This of course provides MIDI out (mini jack and USB) and CV out from the 218, MIDI in to the 208, and the audio out from the 208C. Additional creative control comes from the Audio Mixer, for integration with other Buchla modules and systems, and the CV conditioners and controls. The slew control can turn your sequencer into a wavy modulator, or soften up a square LFO. The attenuator and crossfader gives you the opportunity to find new levels and combinations of voltages from existing ones. The pulse converter offers new rhythms to trigger. And a simple LFO provides another valuable modulator when you just can't quite let yourself flip that Mod Osc switch from "high" to "low."

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Impex Records is shares a new, audiophile-quality LP release of Bud Shank's pivotal 1961 classic, Barefoot Adventure. With original compositions arranged by Shank for Bruce Brown's surf film of the same name, this is a swinging, hard-driving jazz session by six top-flight musicians at the height of their careers: Bud Shank (alto and baritone), Bob Cooper (tenor), Carmell Jones (trumpet), Dennis Budimir (guitar), Gary Peacock (bass), Shelly Manne (drums). The original Pacific Jazz recording features excellent sonics and showcases Shank at his most adventurous, toying with an advanced confidence and sophistication. Remastered and cut to lacquer by Kevin Gray from the original 1961 analogue master tape, this ultimate vinyl edition of Barefoot Adventure will satiate the most demanding audiophile and jazz enthusiast alike!

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


On its digital release earlier in the year, Celeste's debut album rocketed to the top of the album charts, thus making her the first British female artist to see her first set get to number one for over five years. Finally available on vinyl in a "deluxe edition" that boasts a couple of bonus tracks and an accompanying booklet, Not Your Muse remains a classy and inspired debut, with Celeste's smoky, timeless vocals fitting producer Jamie Hartman's accompanying backing tracks - a mixture of pared-back folk sounds, lavishly orchestrated easy listening, synth-laden power-pop and fuzzy, retro soul-influenced numbers - like a particularly comfortable glove.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


The Charlatans self-titled fourth album gets a lovely yellow make over for this reissue on Beggars Arkive. It's the first time for over 20 years new copies of this landmark album have been pressed, and Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road has taken care of the excellent mastering. The original release date was in 1995, and the album was the most ambitious of the band's career with plenty of number ones included along the way. The most successful of these of course was 'Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over'. It's a real piece of classic 90s indie that will always sound good.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


One of Brazil's most prominent rappers Criolo returns with his first album in almost four years. Showing a natural maturity and development, Convoque Seu Buda (Summon Your Buddha) is a spell-binding experience that digs much deeper than the harder rap he made a name for himself with years ago. Cuts like "Casa De Papelao" are smoky, cosmic soul joints while "Cartao De Visita" is a fun throwbacks to the chronic sounds of the early 90s. Sugar-sweet skanks can be found deep in the sandy groove of "Pe De Breque" while anthemic, lighter-raising vibes can be found on "Piano De Voo" where Criolo's sharp tongue gives Em a run for his money.

Review: The present face of IDM is here heard occupied by dream duo D'Arcangelo and Karsten Plum, whose latest joint effort for Acid Avengers bowls us over with its acid tweezings, pangs, twingings, twangs, thrums and flits-past. The pH scale skyrockets to the point of insanity on Pflum's side, with 'Hornfish Acid' and 'Aroe Acid' jointly corroding the full length of the Earth's core with their snippy but incisive sizzles and 'ows, until we reach a forbidden underworld uncannily reminiscent of Oz - except the faces of the protagonists are horribly twisted into a yellow, illegal-raved rictuses. D'Arcangelo's 'Gawain' does equally as much with its eerie sprung-verbed chroma-chords and muted but moving melodies; so too does 'Walker Two' raise the tempo to silly speeds, coming as a veritable velociraptor of Druqks-y breaks and drill bits, all let loose from the barrel at a surely illegal rate of fire.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


You'll have to go a long, long way to find a more important record in the back catalogue of The Damned. Strawberries marked album number five for the New Wave-Goth-punks, arriving in 1982, initially through the now-defunct UK indie label Bronze, established by Gary Bron who - incidentally - also played a pivotal role in helping Uriah Heap realise their sound. Digressions aside, this LP at once marks one of the finest moments in The Damned's history, and one of their most turbulent times.

The band's creative confidence - Captain Sensible especially was enjoying a fair share of the limelight at this time as a solo artist - helped them expand and mutate in both subtle and crystal clear ways, introducing instruments like the sitar and cello to the mix. Fans got their beloved dark room masters, and much more besides. Behind the scenes, though, this was a point in time pockmarked by fallouts and disagreements. Still, who said greatness doesn't come at a price?

Review: For the legendary label Tresor to put out a breakbeat record is something very rare. The ardent techno label for over 30 years is clearly telling us without saying, how good this music is. Tresor is always in touch with rave music though and it's not fully surprising that Tresor would support any music that is so reminiscent of the old skool days like Digital Entropy is. Datashader rises from the depths to give us their wicked debut. The EP is an audio onslaught that combines blistering breakbeat gems like 'Velocity 04.22' with eerie sci-fi pieces like 'Sync Out Off'. The AFX like 'Fong' and 'Sub Osc" are early favorites from those who have heard samples of this haunting record. It is rare to see the power of rave, breakbeat and IDM presented this well on one record.