Music On Vinyl レコード& CD

Review: Although they're widely considered to be a shoegaze band, Chapterhouse were quite wide-ranging in their sound, and that's best demonstrated on their run of EPs. Music On Vinyl continue their mission to reissue all these landmark records from the early 90s, and so we come to the third record, Mesmerise. Ahead of their debut album, this four-track selection speaks to the unique space the band occupied between the baggy sound from Manchester and the ethereal grandeur of shoegaze. It's a sound which has a strong nostalgic tint from a modern perspective, truly a product of the time with a rose-tinted power to sweep you away. Just put on 'Precious One' and try to resist the sentimental swell.

Review: In all honesty, moving straight from the rousing, slightly grinding wall of sound with which 'We Are The Beautiful' signs off, into the lunging bass of a stomping Spooky dub edit of the same track, is both unexpected and a bit jarring. The noisy end of shoegaze-leaning indie into pared back prog-hued tech house from one of the all-time masters, anyone? But then that's kind of the point we want to celebrate.

Chapterhouse may only just be getting the reappraisal they deserve now, over a decade after their last and rather brief reunion tour (with She's A Vision also hitting our shelves early-2023), but their influence on heads and artists alike was significant. Debut album Whirlpool, for example, remains for many a high point of the entire shoegaze movement. Here are three more tracks to prove that point, and one belting - if sonically isolated - remix.

Review: Dutch band Golden Earring scored a huge hit in 1982 with 'Twilight Zone.' It's inspired by The Bourne Identity book and spent over six months in the US Pop Charts and was the band's only No. 1 hit in America when it hit the top spot on the Billboard Top Album Tracks chart. The band's guitarist George Kooymans wrote the tune and shares vocal responsibilities with Barry Hay. It's as big as pop rock gets with its soaring chords and big drums, and on the flip is 'When The Lady Smiles' which is another classic 80s anthem.

Review: The Music on Vinyl label has linked up with Sony Music and Alex Callier in order to put out four different remix EPs this year. Each one tackles a different album by Belgian band Hooverphonic with A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular, Blue Wonder Power Milk, The Magnificent Tree and Presents Jackie Cane all being reworked. Callier selected the remixes and they have all been cut to 180g 45rpms. The often thought of as a trip hop group, the outfit went on to do so much more and mixed up rock, downtempo, alternative electronica and pop. These first four remixes are all sultry late night jams for close listening and cosy atmospheres.

Review: To celebrate the 25th birthday of their celebrated debut album, A New Sound Spectacular, the Belgian band has decided to offer-up this selection of long-forgotten remixes of two tracks from the set, '2Wicky' and 'Inhaler', both of which were originally released on now delated 12" singles. The A-side highlight is undoubtedly DJ Pulse's terrifically spacey drum & bass revision of '2Wicky', though the heavy trip-hop psychedelia of the 'Not So Extended Hoovering' version is also surprisingly good. Over on the flip, you'll find two more D&B-inspired takes on 'Inhaler': a wonderfully deep and jazzy 'Mr Pink' revision courtesy of Pierre Job AKA Hector Zazou, and the band's own string-laden 'Drum & Orch' revision.

Review: The backstory to this one is great. It starts in 1978 when a New York producer was in need of some studio musicians to lay down some fast and funky rhythms for a band he was working with, The Imperials. Minneapolis talents Andre Cymone and Prince Rogers Nelson duly stepped up and recorded 'Fast Freddy The Roller Disco King'. An album from the Imperials was set to follow but it never did, leaving us with this one majestic cut. It's soul-drenched and cosmic disco with a killer vocal back with a more leggy and slow-motion cosmic wonder, 'I Just Wanna Be Your Lovin' Man.'

Review: Modern Talking is the German pair consisting of Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen who were rather prolific back in the 80s and beyond. There has been a revived interest in their music of late and for that reason much of it is being reissued, including this new, limited edition and nice heavyweight 12" edition of 'Give Me Peace On Earth.' It's a three track disco odyssey that starts with the sentimental and syrupy sweet vocals of the title track, which is doused in loved up 80s chords. 'Stranded In The Middle Of Nowhere' is just as devastatingly heart broken with its slow, crashing drums and yearning vocals then bonus cut 'Sweet Little Sheila' picks up the pace for a lively dance floor disco workout.

Review: Hugely successful German disco duo Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen are Modern Talking, and they made lots of sentimental as well dance floor-ready disco sounds back in the 80s. Much of it is being reissued by the behemoth that is Music On Vinyl and next is a limited edition marble red and blue vinyl version of this three-track 12". There is a campness to this which fans of the likes of Erasure are sure to enjoy - 'Jet Airliner# (Fasten Seat Belt mix) has big 80s drum sounds and glistening synths while the vocals drown in reverb. The instrumental is a little more clean though the drums and arps still make for a big impact and the radio version is also included to close.

Review: Modern Talking was one of the most successful German disco-pop acts of all time. It's an alias for writers, composers, producers and vocalists Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen and they put out a busy run of music back in the 80s that is reconnecting today with modern audiences. As such much of it is being made available again thanks to the Music On Vinyl label, and on various different coloured slabs of wax, no less. 'Lonely Tears In Chinatown' has all the playful pomp and campness of a Eurovision song winner with its big synth stabs and cold drum machine grooves. 'Give Me Peace On Earth' is an over-the-top ballad that drowns you in more 80s nostalgia.

Review: 'Don't Worry' is a classic song by Modern Talking, the German duo of Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders which was released in 1987 as part of their fifth album, 'Romantic Warriors'. The song features the signature sound of the acclaimed duo, with catchy synth melodies, disco beats and harmonised vocals. The song is a classic example of the Euro disco genre that the West Berlin duo popularised in the 80s and has certainly stood the test of time.

Review: Modern Talking is the German duo of Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders - hit making disco artists from the 1980s who penned plenty of seminal tracks, many of which are in the process of being reissued now. 'In 100 Years' comes on limited and hand numbered 180 gram silver marble vinyl courtesy of Music On Vinyl. UP first is the long version of the single - a crashing and foot-stomping maximal disco workout with withering sci-fi effects and a heartbroken vocal. On the flip you'll find the track split into two equally dramatic parts.

Review: A Very Spidey Christmas was first released only on digital platforms back in 2018. It entails five of the Christmas tunes that were first recorded for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. There is the lovely holiday song 'Spidey-Bells (A Hero's Lament)' by Chris Pine, who is also behind the festive 'Up On The House Top'. Other cast members such as Shameik Moore appear on 'Joy To The World', with Jake Johnson doing a fine turn on 'Deck The Halls' and Jorma Taccone on 'The Night Before Christmas 1967'. These are fun tunes with plenty of warming festive cheer on crystal clear vinyl 10" picture disc that is going to send collectors wild.

Review: Sasha & Digweed are known for their heavy hands in pop and trance, but the former's best known work has to be 'Xpander', which set him apart from his myriad remixes of Madonna, Moby and The Chemical Brothers back in the day. Now the 4-track EP version of 'Xpander' sees a double 12" reissue from Music On Vinyl, showing off Sasha's taste for advanced breaks-trance, psychic themes and everything in between.

Review: Sevdaliza's debut EP The Suspended Kid was first released in 2015. She put it out on her own Twisted Elegance label and at the time said that "The title is how people responded to me in social situations. I realised that those things that deflect me from social situations - not getting along with your coach or your boss or whatever - it made me realise I had to choose a different path."It is a highly creative work of experimental electronic which has since seen her go on to your 35 countries. Now for the fist time ever the album is pressed up to 2000 individually numbered copies of clear vinyl.