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Review: Brazilian producer Zopelar is a real wizard when at work in the studio. He has done disco-tinged full lengths, synth-laced house sounds, deeper than deep grooves and now steps up to Sudd Wax with another brilliantly musical EP. It opens with the shimmering pads and free-flowing keys of 'Papaia' which then gets a Byron The Aquarius Jazz Twist mix that cuts even more free and gets even more cosmic. 'Jazz Class' is a funky one with golden chords and astral pads and the flip brings three more house gems laced up with the sort of meaningful melodies you don't often hear in this genre.

Review: There is no messing about on this ninth transmission from the Neighbourhood label, which comes from the studio of Yant and is comprised of well designed tool-like techno cuts that pack a serious punch. 'Broken Strings' is a linear pile drive with warped, twisted synth sounds peeling off the groove, while 'The Stunter' is stripped back to a lithe rhythm and more smooth synth details that dance up top. 'Conquering' again gets more ragged and raw with edgy, unresolved loops and some massive hi hats while last of all it is 'Lost Hours' that melts the mind with its sublime and subliminal mix of drums and synth.

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


Pleasure of Love reissue imprint, New Islands, launches with a quiet stormy, soulful Balearic stunner. Kim Yaffa's 'Once Bitten' was recorded in LA and released on a 1989 private press 7", only to be buried in American record bins for decades after. A re-emergence of Yaffa's music on the internet in the last couple years has reached a fever pitch, with collectors thirsting after copies of the record. Now, New Islands has worked directly with the artist to deliver an official reissue, professionally transferred from the mixdown reels, carefully restored, and remastered. The track is an effortless class-act pop tune, with 80s blue eyed soul / Sade inspired sounds, and unknowingly Balearic production that renders it timeless (it's reminiscent of Linda Di Franco, Edie Brickell or 80s Fleetwood Mac). The 12" is rounded out by new mixes from Michael David (Classixx) and Nick the Record & Dan Tyler (Record Mission).

Review: Wots My Code has been back on our shelves recently with some of his most seminal EPs getting reissued. His self-titled effort from 1992 came back in October, as did his All Seasons EP also on Kiteforce, both of which sounded as good as they did back when first crafted. Now his The New Dubplates EP drops on Just Another Label with 'Dubplate' kicking off as a remix by Bay B Kane that takes no prisoners. A Sikka remix then tweaks the energy level and on the flip is 'Pass Me A Dubplate (92-3)' a short but sweet closer.

Review: This very tasty one-sided 7" here from Mah's is a great tool for DJs who want to inject some serious soul into their set. Bobby Womack's 'Home Is Where The Heart Is' resonates with heartfelt soulfulness as he weaves tales of love, longing, and the journey back to one's roots. Released in 1976, this single showcases Womack's signature gritty vocals and masterful storytelling over lush arrangements of soul, funk, and gospel-infused rhythms as Womack's emotive delivery captures the essence of homecoming and the universal quest for belonging.

Review: Gothic songstress Chelsea Wolfe makes her illustrious return on the much anticipated seventh full-length She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She. Following on from 2021's immense collaborative project with artcore auteurs Converge, the album shall serve as Wolfe's first solo endeavour since the minimal, folk-centric Birth Of Violence released in 2019, while serving as her first output since departing long-time label-home Sargent House (following a diatribe of controversies best saved for another time) in favour of Loma Vista; home to outsider artists of numerous sonic shapes. As this new chapter appears to be marrying elements of industrial fury with complex trip-hop motifs akin to Merzbow producing for Portishead, all the while maintaining her sultry, Wiccan hypnotism; 2024 looks set to be the year of the Wolfe.

Review: Renowned saxophonist and flautist Chip Wickham has his 2022 album on Gondwana reissued by P-Vine here and it is fair to say that Cloud 10 is his most soulful album yet. Hailing from Brighton and honing his craft in Manchester, Wickham blends the spiritual jazz influences of Roland Kirk and Yusef Lateef with British jazz legends like Tubby Hayes. Having collaborated with diverse acts from The Pharcyde to Nightmares On Wax, his debut for Gondwana Records offers a timeless fusion of soulful, spiritual jazz and hard-hitting modal hard-bop. Wickham's dynamic flute and tenor work drive the album, reflecting his passion for connecting deeply with audiences and leaving a lasting musical legacy.

Review: Gospel, FM funk and house collide on the latest offering by The Whole Truth aka. Tom Giles. Following up last year's 'E Da Boss' on Star Creature, 'Believe' is an impassioned plea to the would-be testifier, enjoining them to give over and into their inherent faith, which, if only it weren't for their psychic occlusion of a certain inner harmony, is bound to be fleshed out soon; aside from this sampled command on the vox, the track is effortlessly glitzy and modally shifts between bass harmonies. The inverse club mix is far sparser and dubbier at first, though slowly reveals its inner truth by way of a more stripped-back, mod-wheeled and trigger-padded experimentation.

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


Before George Michael went solo, he was of course one half of the mega popular duo Wham! Their debut album 'Fantastic' vaulted them to instant stardom and boy band of the generation status. The album featured four top ten songs in the UK alone and set the stage for George to become the household name and performer we came to enjoy. The singles included are Wham 'Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)', 'Young Guns (Go for It)', 'Bad Boys' and 'Club Tropicana'. This reissue comes on red vinyl.

Review: Dave Seaman and Steve Parry's Selador Recordings imprint releases most of its music digitally, serving up the most in-demand tracks on vinyl via the ongoing Magic Black Plastic Series. Volume five in the series boasts four more tried-and-tested treats, beginning with Clavis' gorgeous remix of Charles Webster and Ursula Rucker's 'Begin Anew' - all bubbly, hypnotic electronic bass, trippy tech-house noises, immersive chords, bouncy beats and poetic spoken word vocals. Timanto blurs the boundaries between warming deep house and melody-rich progressive house on 'Other Side', before Dave Seaman joins forces with Thomas Gandey on the low-slung dark room moodiness of 'Heavyweight Residue'. To round off the EP, Harcourt delivers a hypnotic, soft-touch tech-house take on 'Red James' by Robert Babicz.

Review: Waxahatchee, the solo project of Alabama-born and Kansas City-based Katie Crutchfield, returns with her most confident and resilient album to date. Boosted by lead single '365', shortly followed by 'Right Back To It' and 'Bored', Tigers Blood follows an avowed 'hot hand spell' experienced by the artist while on tour at the end of 2022. But despite the enjoyment, Tigers Blood emotes in many different directions, dealing in every theme from codependency to ennui - that is, between the cracks of joy. A contemporary alt-country rock delight, Tigers Blood hears Waxahatchee do pop music right.

Notes: Analogue Ring Modulation Pedal With LFO, MOD, Frequency & RATE Controls.

Reviving An Avant-Garde Pedal For Music's Trailblazers

From light Lo-Fi modulation all the way to the piercing sound of infinity ring-modulation, the Warm Audio RingerBringer accurately recreates the ultimate all-analogue ring modulation effect used for experimental tones. Like the original, loved by artists like Jeff Beck, Radiohead, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Trent Reznor, and many more, RingerBringer delivers the original distinct set of controls, extensive in/out options, and rich sonic textures to inspire boundless sonic experimentation.

Don't Just Play, Create

The ideal platform for the sonic tinkerer, RingerBringer inspires you to generate layered frequencies and harmonics, explore a wide range of sonic possibilities for guitar & beyond, and design your own sounds from the ground up. Extensive controls including LFO, MOD, Frequency & RATE open up sonic possibilities that range from subtle overdriven textures all the way to wobbling, warped leads soaked in texture and tone. RingerBringer is 100% analogue and sports premium components including hand-selected op-amps and transistors. RingerBringer is no emulation or "patch", instead it delivers true-to-spec performance of the boutique, analogue original.

For Original Artists Building Memorable Sounds

Delivering tones ranging from nuanced drive to out-of-this world modulation, RingerBringer helps develop a unique sonic signature for any instrument, on any track.

A Sandbox For Synths & Keys:

Send any keyboard or synth through the WA-RB for added harmonic content and endless modulation. Try sending digital synths, keys, and pads from your interface through the WA-RB for added analogue vibe and "fattened up" tone on otherwise dry digital signals.

Technical Specifications

100% Analogue Ring Modulation Pedal With LFO, MOD, Frequency & RATE Controls
Accurate Recreation Of The Ultimate Ring Modulator For Experimental Tones
Premium Components Including LM13700M & TL072ACDR Op-Amps + Hand-Selected Transistors (DMMT3906W & MMBT3904) For True-To-Spec Performance
LFO Controls: Amount, Rate, & Sine/Square Wave Switch
Modulation Controls: Mix, Frequency, & Lo/Hi Switch
Universal Drive Control + LED Indicators For Level, LFO, & Bypass
CV Inputs: Rate | Amount | Mix | Frequency
1/4" Input Jacks: Audio In | Audio Out | LFO Out | Carrier IN/Out
Output Impedance: 600 Ohms | Buffered Bypass
9-Volt Battery Or /External 9V Regulated (Centre-Negative) DC Adapter
Nominal Current Draw: 100 mA (9V)
Custom Black Panel Enclosure With Retro Faux-Wood Sides
Dimensions: 6.5" x 5.25" x 3" | Product Weight: 1.90 lbs

Notes: In the high woodlands of the north, undiscovered by most inhabitants, there ruled a clan of old, mystic Treefolk. On the first new moon of spring, these Treefolk could be heard grafting limbs to grow their young - splicing bits of branches from each generation to produce the next line of Treefolk. These new beings keep the lifeblood of all who came before in their new skin. These sounds are in part very old, but in part very new. They are referred to as... Fable.

Let your storybook adventure grows with the Fable Granular Soundscape Generator. The Fable gives you five all-new programs centered around sample and chop delay algorithms to create bizarrely beautiful networks of sampled and resampled sounds. The Fable uses a powerful dual DSP architecture to combine delay programs in series with granular sampling algorithms, each with its own analogue feedback path. Find unique soundscapes ranging from smooth, flowing ambience; to bizarre, organic reverberance; to chaotic, glitchy swarms.

So, what exactly is this granular effect and why is it a magical experience when combined with delay? Granular is a digital processing technique of micro-sampling, wherein short samples called grains are read from a delay buffer. In the Fable, players can adjust these grains by manipulating their sampling length, position, and buffer size from which they're read. They can be played at double or half speed for pitch shift and time stretching effects, play them in reverse, read from multiple positions, and more, in order to achieve different effects.

It's a powerful but complex technique and Walrus Audio created five streamlined programs in the Fable that explore different aspects of its sonic range.

Programs

I. Reverse Delay into Reverse Granular

Program 1 runs a reverse delay into a reverse granular algorithm, in which sampled grains are played backwards. Reversal and re-reversal build up in the feedback paths, creating a complex and organically shifting soundscape. Turn grain size down for long, smooth reversed transients, and grain size up for stuttering reverse glitch madness.

II. Forward Delay into Octave Up Granular

Program 2 runs a forward delay into an octave-up granular program, in which sampled grains are played at double speed. Swarms of double-speed grains build up in the feedback path for bright and airy cascades of sound.

III. Analog Delay into Octave Down Granular

Program 3 runs a warm, dark analogue-style delay into an octave-down granular program, in which sampled grains are played back at half speed. Slowed down repeats combine with analogue-style processing to create deep, thunderous footfalls and thick, murky ambience.

IV. Multi-Tap Granular into Multi-Tap Granular (Grain-Verb)

Program 4 runs two multi-tap granular algorithms in series, in which multiple samples are played back from each granular buffer simultaneously. Multiple points of sampled sound build upon each other in the feedback paths to create glitchy clouds and unique organic reverberance. Time in this program controls time-stretching of both granular algorithms, changing both the length and tonal character of the granular effect.

V. Forward Delay into Randomized Pitch Granular

Program 5 runs a forward delay into a randomized pitch granular program, in which each grain is played back at a randomly selected speed and direction, varying between pitched up double speed, pitched down half speed, normal speed, plus forward and reversed playback from grain to grain. Pitch changes with each new grain, so play with the X knob in this program to control the rate of randomized pitch modulation.

Granular soundscape generator
Unique soundscapes ranging from smooth ambience to bizarre reverberance to chaotic glitchy swarms
Powerful dual DSP architecture with individual feedback paths
Combine delay programs in series with granular sampling algorithms
5 programs centered around sample and chop delay algorithms
Program 1: Reverse Delay into Reverse Granular
Program 2: Forward Delay into Octave Up Granular
Program 3: Analog Delay into Octave Down Granular
Program 4: Multi-Tap Granular into Multi-Tap Granular (Grain-Verb)
Program 5: Forward Delay into Randomized Pitch Granular
Manipulate sampling length, position and buffer size of grains (short samples)
Play grains at double- or half-speed, reverse or from multiple positions to achieve different effects
Tap Tempo switch
Top-mounted Input and Output
Coated in a slate grey enclosure with white, black, cream, red, and orange ink
9-volt DC, Centre Negative, 300mA minimum
Buffered bypass
Power supply not included.
Designed and assembled in USA

Review: The mysterious Vibez '93 are as prolific as they come; the 'Bad Kingdom' EP is certainly not the first of this productive drum & bass project/imprint's outputs to make it through our floodgates this year. Four slices of various productive forces - ranging from paddy jungle ('Jelly Swim'), to an unusual foray for '93: drilled-out techstep ('Labrea'). Otherwise, expect no nonsense, as this record spans both casual and not-so-casual floorfillers.

Review: Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, of Cramps fame, team up to deliver Leather Jackets and Diesel Smoke, a whopping 50-track compilation that documents their utmost personal favourite rock recordings, in the micro-veins of acid folk, rockabilly and psychobilly. We'll doff and eat our hats if both said punk legends' rising signs aren't Scorpio. With madcap performances from Donnie James with the Mighty Joe Houston Orchestra, Tall Tonio And The Mello-Dees, Chris Christian And The Chordaires, Elisabeth Waldo, Fred Katz and John Reedy and His Stone Mountain Trio among many more, this is a cavalcade of no-hit wonders, every last one of them a gem. Amounting to a contemporaneous account of the music that The Cramps heard and loved during their rise to notoriety, not to mention the lesser-known music that would've graced the halls of New York's CBGB club, of which they were favourite performers.

Review: Olindo are thrilled and honored to celebrate one of Venezuela's most significant record labels, and to share a slice of their enduring influence in advancing Venezuelan-made Salsa music, with this fresh new 4xLP compilation in the style. Established in 1948 by Cesar Roldan, Discomoda is one of the nation's earliest record labels, as well as the oldest family operated label in the country. Home to one of the most complete folkloric and popular music catalogues of Venezuela, the label also invested heavily in Afro-Caribbean and tropical rhythms that became popular in the 60s and 70s. Discomoda's efforts saw to the increasing popularity of new local bands, such as Nelson y sus Estrellas, Los Kenya, Principe y su Sexteto and Los Satelites. As a result, this would kick off what could be considered a golden era of Salsa in Venezuela and which lasted until at least the mid-70s.

Review: French label Wagram is a go-to when it comes to quality compilations that take a broad look at certain sounds and scenes, and this one is an on-going series that focuses on house sounds with an Afro undertone. The grooves are lively and often come with plenty of percussion. The drums hit hard but with funk, the vocals are Afro-centric and plenty of irresistible hits come thick and fast from the jazzy tribal swagger of 'Imbalaye' to the big steel drum party sounds of 'Viet Dao' (Klement Bonelli & Yann DL remix). Another great collection of colourful Afro house sounds.