SORROW - 'UNDER THE YEW POSSESSED'

Formats

• LSSN061 - LP

  5060446122235

• LSSN061CD - CD

  5060446122532

Details

**NOW AVAILABLE ON CD AND BLACK VINYL VINYL REPRESS **Under The Yew Possessed is the debut album by Sorrow, a group comprised primarily by Rose McDowall and her then husband Robert Lee. Originally released on World Serpent in 1993, Under The Yew Possessed was a stylistic jump from an artist associated primarily with sparkling pop music and a cult hit in the growing neo-folk movement. Self-recorded by the duo with guest musicians from the hidden reverse of the U.K.’s post industrial landscape.

Tracks

1. Die
2. Forgive Me
3. Songbird
4. Dew Of The Sea
5. Emptiness
6. Ice And I
7. Ruby Tears
8. Darkness
9. Loki And Evil
10. Under The Yew Possessed

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Audio & Video

MASAYOSHI FUJITA - 'BOOK OF LIFE'

Formats

• ERATP111CD - CD

  4050486115060

• ERATP111LP - LP

  4050486115053

Details

Following on from his acclaimed works Stories and Apologues, Berlin-based composer and vibraphonist Masayoshi Fujita will release his new album Book of Life, the third instalment in a trilogy of solo vibraphone recordings, on July 27th via Erased Tapes. Stories, the first in the series and Masayoshi’s debut under his own name, will be re-issued by Erased Tapes at the same time. With Book of Life Masayoshi continues his mission in bringing the vibraphone — a relatively new invention in the history of instruments often kept in the background in orchestras and jazz outfits — into the spotlight. Having trained as a drummer, Masayoshi began experimenting with the vibraphone, preparing its bars with kitchen foil or beads, playing it with the cello bow such as in Fog or using the other end of the mallets to create a more ambient texture of sound, as with the title track. Focussing on the vibraphone in this way sets Masayoshi apart, dedicating his artistic life to celebrating this fascinating and often underappreciated instrument and making his take on ambient and modern compositional styles a unique one. “I think the vibraphone is capable of more interesting and beautiful sounds that haven’t been heard before. It’s quite a new instrument but it’s often played in a similar way. I feel that there is a lot more to explore with this exciting instrument.” Book of Life sees Masayoshi expand on his compositional skills, bringing in more orchestral elements such as strings, brass and even a choir to interact with the vibraphone. And not just any choir — members of this chorus include musical friends Peter Broderick, Hatis Noit, David Allred and Shards who featured on Nils Frahm’s latest album All Melody. The instruments come to represent characters in Masayoshi’s stories, hinted at in each accompanying text contained in the album booklet, which Masayoshi recites at his live performances. They set the scene for each piece, for example “the choir in Misty Avalanche is meant to resemble the blizzard, while the vibraphone is the bird hovering above,” he explains. The title track however, was unusual from the start; “Book Of Life is very different to my other songs. It was about humans, whereas the other songs are all about animals and nature. And it was improvised initially, whereas normally my songs are composed and planned. This one was free. I scratched the vibraphone bar as if I was writing something. An image connected in my mind: these two people meeting and sharing their lives. This image was the book of life.” The upbeat lead single It’s Magical features two cellos and a flute as extensions of the vibraphone; “like a man who’s put artificial wings on his arms to attempt to fly like a bird, before an airplane was invented,” says Masayoshi. A different version of the song, called Spaceship Magical, also appears on the Erased Tapes 10th anniversary box set 1+1=X. “Like most of my songs, It’s Magical started from one simple phrase that I’d played again and again. But at one point I had two very different versions; one acoustic with orchestral arrangement, whilst the other had distorted guitars with electronic bass that perfectly suited the collaborative nature of the label residency when Robert invited me to participate.” His new album arrives at a time of renewed interest for percussive, ambient music following the reissue of minimalist composer Midori Takada’s seminal album Through The Looking Glass last year and compounded by the comeback of Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose cinematic compositions parallel Masayoshi’s storytelling soundscapes. BBC Radio 3 confirmed this renaissance of Japanese music and culture, dedicating their recent Night Blossoms season to new experimental artists, including fellow Erased Tapes vocal performer Hatis Noit. Masayoshi previously released two albums under his alias El Fog that touched on the vibraphone but appeared mostly in a supporting role, accompanying his intricate electronic production. Much like his instrument, he has often been a collaborator as opposed to a front man — his sympathetic musicianship complimenting a variety of creative outputs. Most frequently with the adventurous German producer Jan Jelinek. Their most recent offering Schaum displays a dialogue between the two that makes it hard to tell just where Fujita’s vibraphone ends and Jelinek’s whirring loops begin. Another fruitful partnership was the experimental Needle Six piece, a BBC Radio 3 recording of an improvised session with UK electronic artist Guy Andrews for Late Junction. The mesmeric and compelling 30-minute piece was released for Record Store Day in 2016. In addition his label peer and fellow Berlin resident Nils Frahm mastered Stories, providing a fitting symmetry to its re-issue on Erased Tapes now.

Tracks

1. Snowy Night Tale
2. Fog
3. It?s Magical
4. Old Automation
5. Book Of Life
6. Harp
7. Mountain Deer
8. Sadness
9. Misty Avalanche
10. Cloud Of Light

Press

Audio & Video

MASAYOSHI FUJITA - 'STORIES (REISSUE)'

Formats

• ERATP110CD - CD

  4050486115008

• ERATP110LP - LP

  4050486114995

• ERATP110LE - LP (COLOURED)

  4050486115022

Details

Ahead of the release of his new album Book Of Life, Erased Tapes will re-issue Stories, the first in a trilogy of vibraphone solo albums by Berlin-based composer Masayoshi Fujita. This quietly exquisite album is like a book of illustrations, evoking scenes of natural beauty and poetic poignancy that combines climactic crescendos laced with electronic detail and luxurious melody. Stories is the beginning of Masayoshi’s mission in bringing the vibraphone — a relatively new invention in the history of instruments often kept in the background in orchestras and jazz outfits — into the spotlight. Having trained as a drummer, Masayoshi began experimenting with the vibraphone, preparing its bars with kitchen foil or beads, playing it with the cello bow or using the other end of the mallets to create a more ambient texture of sound. Focussing on the vibraphone in this way sets Masayoshi apart, dedicating his artistic life to celebrating this fascinating and often under appreciated instrument and making his take on ambient and modern compositional styles a unique one.

Tracks

1. Deers
2. Snow Storm
3. Cloud
4. Story Of Forest
5. Story Of Waterfall I. & II.
6. Swan And Morning Dews
7. River
8. Memories Of The Wind

Press

Audio & Video

EARTH GIRL HELEN BROWN - 'FOUR SATELITTES VOL: 1'

Formats

• ITR323 - 2xLPs

  759718532319

• ITR323CD - CD

  759718532326

Details

The Earth Girl Helen Brown Center For Planetary Intelligence Band (E.G.H.B.C.F.P.I.B.) is pleased to join forces with In the Red Records and Empty Cellar Records, presenting the first vinyl release of their protolanetary series Four Satelittes Vol. 1. Double gate-folded LP (three sides + etching), the release is a collection of songs and information from the band’s 2017 consumer recycled cassette series: Spring: Mercury: Fire, Summer: Mars: War, Fall: Saturn: Communication, and Winter: Venus: Love. The band, related media artists and technicians includes: Heidi Alexander, Jamie Barron, Jamin Barton, Eric Bauer, Aylin Beyce, Emilee Booher, Ryan Browne, Tim Cohen, Grace Cooper, Dave Cousin, Brad Caulkins, Mikal Cronin, Bart Davenport, Brigid Dawson, John Dwyer, Chris Fallon, Lars Finberg, James Finch Jr., Davin Givhan, Dylan Hadley, Dustin Hamman, Kiran Harlow, Wilder Harlow, Graeme Gibson, Tahlia Harbour, Anna Hillburg, Douglas Hilsinger, Warren Huegel, Emmett Kelly, Nora Keys, Shannon Lay, Raven Mahon, Rusty Miller, Charlie Moonheart, Jack Name, Ethan Novikoff, Tim Presley, Ty Segall, Dave Sitek, Sean Smith, Sonny Smith, Kelley Stoltz, Enrique Tena, Alica Vanden Heuvel, Lida Vanden Heuvel and Mikey Young.

Tracks

1. Earth Elevator 2. Set The Woods On Fire 3. Tommy D & The Atomic B 4. Flower Of Darkness 5. Helicopter 6. Chisa Ramapolo 7. Language Of Love 8. My A.I. 9. Oh! What A War 10. Starlight

Press

Compilation of Heidi Alexander?s (The Sandwitches) space psychedelic folk project?s cassette releases that features a huge cast of guests, including Ty Segall, John Dwyer, Kelley Stoltz, Mikey Young, Lars Finberg, Tim Presley, Mikal Cronin, and many, many more

Audio & Video

BENNI - 'THE RETURN'

Formats

• 153GONECD - CD

  647603401423

Details

Benny Divine’s impressive musical CV includes quantities such as The Gary Wrong Group, Wizzard Sleeve and Nashville’s prolific purveyor’s of Foghat-pop, Natural Child, but it was just a short year ago that Goner gave wide release to the Bênní debut album, I & II, which launched the new sub-genre we now know as “Hi-NRG New Age” and had its creator casually glancing over his shoulder for the rumored mobs of outraged Skyfax, Mannheim Steamroller and Windham Hill Records loyalists that could never quite catch up to his live performances, as they were not listed in back issues of TV Guide and Reader’s Digest: Large Print Editions. Whereas I & II was, as its title explicitly implicates, the combination of two previouslyreleased cassettes, The Return is a nine-track song-cycle composed for the full-length format. Imagine this album as an alternative historical narrative: not as a source of soundtrack afterthought, but rather the initial spark of inspiration for an entire ’70s sub-genre of gritty crime and science fiction films. Additionally, the fuzzy electropop chops are just as impressive as the spacey burps and gurgles that made his debut so gripping.

Tracks

1. The Return Pt. 1 2. Ancient Plains 3. The Maze 4. Final Take-Off 5. The Return Pt. 2 6. Dance Of The Eridani 7. In The Shadows 8. Master?s Dream 9. End Of Light

Press

Benny Divine (The Gary Wrong Group, Wizzard Sleeve, Natural Child) returns with his Hi-NRG New Age music

Audio & Video

POWER - 'TURNED ON'

Formats

• ITR319 - LP

  759718531916

• ITR319CD - CD

  759718531923

Details

Being that Power is a band with just three members has meant that everybody carves their own name into the stone, a trio de force who share the Atlantic weight equally upon their shoulders. In the time since their debut album, Electric Glitter Boogie, finer details have been ironed out, their craft honed to a sharp point: 2018’s Turned On is a sonic triumph. Three days in the studio has given birth to a titan—a thunderous recording that’d make Lemmy and the fellas blush. From the get-go there’s an outrageousness in songwriting that is present on many classic R‘n’R follow up albums. Stomping boogie, raw glam, punk‘n’roll, blues bashing and primitive heavy metal exaltation. There’s not a moment of falter or doubt to be heard, it’s purely sweat and confidence here. They’ve created an album equally drenched in the classic moves of loud guitar music (think the sounds oozed by Australian acts of the ’70s and a certain band from England featuring Fast Eddie Clarke on guitar, Philthy Animal Taylor on drums and God himself on bass) while also completely stepping forward on their own hero’s journey—a journey through many moons of rock and roll. Be turned on.

Tracks

1. No Morals
2. Lickspittler
3. Honey
4. Rising
5. Filthy
6. Road Dog
7. Shine A Light
8. Death Kid
9. Turned On Boogie

Press

Stomping boogie, raw glam, punk?n?roll,
blues bashing and primitive heavy metal
exaltation from Aussie band.
For Fans of: Coloured Balls, Motorhead(!), Denim and Leather? turn it up!!!!

Audio & Video

SANDY (ALEX G) - 'LIVE AT THIRD MAN RECORDS'

Formats

• TMR530 - LP

  813547026187

Details

Third Man is absolutely ecstatic to be releasing the excellent live document of (Sandy) Alex G's Blue Room performance. Recorded on the 2017 US tour supporting his critically-acclaimed album Rocket (Pitchfork Best New Music) and not long after a notable feature on Frank Ocean's album Blonde, this standalone LP is his first live set to be captured and made widely available for his very loyal fanbase to enjoy. Featuring work from self-released tapes, Orchid Tapes and Domino Recordings, this daydreamy and intricate retrospective opens a private window into (Sandy) Alex G's lovely lyrical wordplay and cozy stage persona. Not one to be missed, for real

Tracks

Side One:
1. Judge
2. Forever
3. Kute
4. Proud
5. Bobby
6. Witch
7. Brick
8. Horse


Side Two
1. Sportstar
2. Guilty
3. So
4. Gnaw
5. Mary

Press

Audio & Video

THE GRIFTERS - 'SO HAPPY TOGETHER'

Formats

• SORC1007LP - LP

  0748079898561

Details

Memphis’ Grifters made some of the finest recordings of Clinton-era America, with a number of albums on labels such as Shangri-La (their second and third LPs) and then Sub Pop for their remaining two albums. Their mixture of Memphis blues/roots influences, classic pop songwriting and lo-fi aesthetics saw them as one of the shining lights of the ‘90s indie-rock scene. Sorcerer Records is pleased as heck to announce that it is reissuing their first full-length LP, So Happy Together, out of circulation for over two decades. Originally released in 1992 on the Chicago indie label, Sonic Noise, which ceased operations not long after the album was released (hence many Grifters fans having never heard this very recording), the Grifters’ So Happy Together is an absolute masterpiece of lo-fi slapped-together rock & roll. Less ‘rootsy’ than their subsequent music, it sees the band navigating their way through 10 sublimely inventive, non-generic ‘rock’ tracks which beggar comparison. Well, at the time they were compared to the likes of Pavement, Guided By Voices, Trumans Water et al and other practitioners of stumbling no-fi sounds, but the Grifters’ deft grasp of song dynamics, mixing up quiet balladry with booming guitar explosions inhabiting the same song surely puts them in their own bracket, no? In a review I penned at the time, I even claimed them as the missing link twixt the Wipers and Mission Of Burma (stealing comparisons from others, I believe), and 25 years later, such a claim still doesn’t seem totally ridiculous. Anyway! The time is ripe for the world to rediscover the sheer genius of the Grifters. The Fat Possum label reissued their 2nd/3rd albums just a couple of years back, and now it’s time to hear where it all began. So Happy Together comes fully remastered from the original tapes by Mikey Young, housed in the original artwork in a heavy 425gm sleeve with an insert featuring exclusive photos from the time and new liner notes from the band’s Tripp Lamkins. What a treat!

Tracks

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