iliana Voutchkova's first original music album Modus of Raw is an important landmark in her career. It is the first official documentation of her highly individual musical language, combining the sound of the violin and the voice - work that started as a natural development of her investigation of new and different soundings and developed into a strong personal artistic signature. The album was recorded during Biliana's residency in Poschiavo/ Switzerland in 2015. Three weeks of concentrated work, inspired by the great outdoors in the heart of the Alps brought a very specific aesthetic to the music making and concluded in the birth of Modus of Raw. The official release was in September 2016, followed by a number of broadcasts and reviews - here a short selection: “…A courageous, uncompromising, ultimately successful work.” Bertl , FreiStil #70 “…her solo record is a sensation. …glimmering performance, one of the most personal and beautiful albums I have heard in a very long time. a solo performance carried by necessity. this will be a classic album…" Thomas Millroth, Orkesterjournalen “Biliana Voutchkova came from heaven… …music of extraordinary imagination, sensitivity and artistic audacity, which effectively protects against self-restraint in the arduous process of building the history of this (improvised) music.” Andrzej Nowak, Spontaneous Music Tribune

It was some line up, even for the most open-minded: Emmanuelle Parrenin and her musicians, in 1981, opening for the Clash in Paris, at the Zénith! Unsurprisingly, the crowd roared the name of the English band as soon as the French musicians appeared on stage. Didier Malherbe responded with a saxophone improvisation with all the others joining in behind. If we believe the musician improvising, rather than following the cult playlist of Maison Rose, was what saved them. Created from previously unpublished recordings from 1978, 1981 and 1982, Pérélandra is a wonderful array of the experiments so unique to Emmanuelle Parrenin. Rather than being improvised, like the legendary show at the Zénith, these experimental tracks have a more composed instrumental form and were conceived for choreographers: mainly Pérélandra, staged with dancers from Carolyn Carlson's troupe, but also Nomade, some of the sonic environment of which can be discovered here in (superb) bits and pieces found on cassettes. In total, just under a dozen tracks are presented, including contributions on bandoneon from the Argentinian Juan José Mosalini, electric piano from the ex-Double Six Jacques Denjean, or elsewhere great electroacoustic work from the wonderful and ever-faithful Bruno Menny. All of this steeped in a sonic mix typical of the most way-out acid-folk freak-outs of the 1970s. Didier Malherbe (who just before was still playing in Gong with Daevid Allen) is on three tracks, his heady graceful agility instantly identifiable, adding to a magical and spiritual universe created with spinet dulcimer, flute, hurdy-gurdy and other-worldly vocals (amongst other ingredients). Though very difficult to label, Pérélandra could evoke a meeting between Trees Community, Heron and Robin Williamson with Ellen Fullman, Meredith Monk and Ligeti. The whole thing is steeped in an atmosphere as intense as the ecstatic hymns of Hildegard von Bingen. Emmanuelle Parrenin continues to explore similar territory in her concerts, always surprising us with, Etienne Jaumet, Pierre Bastien (in what is a most promising collaboration) or (occasionally) Jandek.

1. Masani Cisse ... a rich nobleman, a very important person, close to god. Began very poor, making a living cutting and selling firewood. One day he saw a big dead tree. Long long time ago a rich warrior, a king, stranded at the tree, dying. A ghost promised him to guard the money at the tree. Masani Cisse started to cut. After three times, the ghost appeared and asked what he was doing. "I'm hungry," Masani answered. The ghost answered that he could do anything because the money was there in the spirit of the king. "If you are really hungry, you can take the money. But some things you are not allowed to do with it. You can not seduce women from someone else with it, for example." The story of Masani Cisse runs parallel with the beginning of the kora. The founder of the kora is called: Moussa Boulouge... 2. Enkonen Sava ... "my sweetheart, everything goes well." A song of joy and love. Important for all generations... 3. Kouyate ... praise to the Kouyate family. Djibrils real mother is a Kouyate. "The door of the tradition." The Kouyates are one of the most important and best griot families... 4. Amadi ... a nobleman, very rich, has everything, but cannot get children. If he is crying, the griots sing this song to support him... 5. Adjamadinaka ... a welcome for the people who have been to Mecca. At the return the older women in the village sing this song... 6. Alfayaya ... if you play this song for a nobleman, you give him something good. You support him in the struggle against unjustice. And while you play this song, you say to everyone who listens, "do something good." Everyone likes this song... 7. Noumou Fasa ... praise for the families of the blacksmiths. In the tradition, the toolmakers were always very important, for the harvest etc. The family Kouloubali even had a kingdom, one time... 8. Mande Fasa ... if you say this, you talk about the history of the Mandingues, the descendents of Soundjata, the famous king from the 12th century, the founder of the kingdom of Mali... 9. Fakoli ... song of all the Sissokos, the family who "knows". They are magicians and prophets. They are a "bit" noble, a "bit" griot, but they do many incredible things! Fakoli is the name of a man with a lot of success... 10. Kasumama ... for all the tailors, the people who make the "boubou", the traditional dress. It is about measuring and seeing that it is alright...

'In March 2001, Andy (also guitarist in The Ex) and I were in Addis Abeba, checking out possibilities for The Ex to play some concerts in Ethiopia. But also to check out other music. There is so much amazing stuff there. One day, in the middle of the Mercato, we were struck by something that we had never heard before. Out of the street speaker of a little cassette shop, flowed a sound that was dark, heavy and serious, but also light, fragile and spiritual. We couldn't quite pin it down. We knew the great Ethiopiques 11 of Alemu Aga, but this was different. Slightly embarrassed at the fact that the shopkeeper had had to take the cassette out of the machine and that the street was suddenly silent, we bought the tape. It turned out to be Zerfu Demissie. In March 2004, we organized a series of concerts in Holland called "An Ethiopian music night". The programme consisted of The Ex + Han Bennink, nine of the greatest Azmaris from Addis and Alemu Aga on the begena. Quite a contrasting line-up! In Ethiopia, the Azmaris and Alemu are from completely opposite sides of the musical spectrum. The Azmaris' music is about drinking, politics, sex, dancing, jokes. Playing the begena, on the other hand, is rooted in meditation, concentration and prayer. Deeply devoted to the Orthodox Christian tradition, Alemu was in his fasting period during the tour, which for him meant an even stronger spiritual commitment and no meat and alcohol. He played his songs and right after, The Ex performed. A very different music from a very different background. But when we were finished, Alemu was there standing at the side of the stage, offering us some cold beers. This is not a rigid religion and culture. This is about people. We became more and more intrigued by Ethiopian music and culture. We were also intrigued by the begena, an instrument that dates back thousands of years; with its mesmerizing buzzing sound and its special role in the musical, sociological palette. There are the fascinating lyrics, sometimes hundreds of years old and occasionally very contemporary. At times biblical, at other times tapped from different sources. But all including this typical Ethiopian phenomenon known as "Wax 'n' Gold", the subtle poetry with double meaning, which is deciphered as an abstract art form. This music is unique to this worid. We had to find out more. August 2006, and we were back in Ethiopia. Jeroen took his mobile studio and Emma her camera. We were hoping to find Zerfu to make a recording with him. And we did find him. He agreed to the project, and a few days later, we recorded him in his empty bedroom at home. Beautiful! Enjoy the sounds within!' Terrie Ex - Wormer, November 2007. --- Zertu Demissie - begena, vocals --- Recorded August 12, 2006 at Zerfu's home in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia Mixed & Engineered By – Jeroen Visser Terp AS 12 Released 2007

Rock. It's still angular, rubbery and twitchy, but this fifth full-length contains their most straight-up Rock 'n Roll since their debut.

Loose Trax presents Roots of Empathy, the debut album from London-based artist Henry Cyer. Roots of Empathy is a collection of songs written between 2019 and 2022 about fear. Conceived as an act of purging, the album explores empathy and fear through the perspective of different people. Roots of Empathy manifests itself as an album of songs, a collection of photographs and a series of videos.

Yes, indeed! The emphatic duo of Laurie Tompkins and Otto Willberg return for their third release, ‘Rotten Luck’ - a record we fell in love with watching the two of them gleefully headbanging in time, shrouded in the much beloved fog of Spanners club.Their first LP ‘Exorcise’, clobbered those that dared drop the needle with a brand of shrieking dadaism that lay impermeable but to the insane. It freaked us out, that cacophony soup. On ‘Rotten Luck’ - their funkiest number yet - there are tunes instead, good ones, meaty ones, soaked in bass riffs and lairy lyrics. There are hooks to grip on to and little silly grins to catch in the gloaming synth holds.Around the time of Yes Indeed's last release I was listening to a lot of Blue Gene Tyranny, working in the shop and selling loads of copies of the boxset that sadly marked his death. Listening to Willberg's squelching synth slap on ‘Our Dads’, I’m reminded of Blue Gene’s ‘Any Fine Afternoon' - a goofy kind of song whose bass line caused me to listen to the whole Theme Hospital soundtrack in earnest appreciation. ‘Awe’ on ‘Rotten Luck’ has a kind of Dreamtime energy to it, it’s jazzy double bass laced with wavy keys. It would seem I wasn’t the only one listening to the boxset.Primarily a composer, Laurie Tompkins is one third of the energy behind pop mulchers Slip. In the year between Yes Indeed releases, Tompkins has done 3 more CDs (33–33, Entrac’te and Hyperdelia), in a marvellous flurry of productiveness. Otto Willberg is bass player in Ray (alongside Ashley Paul and Yoni Silver) and Historically Fucked - a band who make songs as quick as they can and tear them down even faster. The mutual ground between the two is rich then, in pop, rock and the nonsensical. On ‘Rotten Luck’ it seems at its most fertile. Weirdness isn’t a mask - it’s not self conscious. It’s headbanging without realising it, slaying your arranged oddities with your mate, grinning the whole time and giving that out generously.  Extra samples on 5 by Gwilly EdmondezSax and melodica on 8 and 10 by Sam AndreaeMusic by Laurie Tompkins & Otto WillbergMastered by Mark KlonArtwork by FridgeLayout by Carey Alborough

Previously released on accompanied by “Gone, Gone Beyond”, “The Mirror” is the dreamy soundtrack of an a/v project from collage artist extraordinaire Vicki Bennett aka People Like Us.With ‘’The Mirror’’ Bennett continues her eternal disassembling of popular music by exploring how the narrative of familiar sounds/songs can change dramatically under a new context, with that context always changing, in a never-ending flow.Each song is singular. And each song is a collage of and undefined number of other songs from other artists. It sounds familiar because that has been the modus operandi of People Like Us since the early 1990s. But “The Mirror” plays with the notion of familiar, driving around a collection of famous pop songs/artists, messing around with the memory of the listener and, of course, his unique comprehension of those specific songs applied in a new context.Because of the use of familiar pop sounds, “The Mirror” is often grandiose. Like an epic film only with highs, never letting the listener down or letting him doubt the power of pop. Even, of course, when the coordinates are twisted, mixed, over or underrepresented. Each moment feels like something that could only happen in a parallel universe. Although that may sound naïve, it’s just a lost thought of reaction to the beautiful collages of People Like Us in “The Mirror”. This mirror doesn’t reflect an image of ourselves or an image of pop. But an image on the way memories drift and are being constant rebuilt. An unfinished collage.

The latest chapter in the unfolding musical story of Bill Wells finds the Scottish jazz outsider’s compositions played by a trio of tuba players with contributions from young brass players from his adopted hometown of Glasgow.The results, The Viaduct Tuba Trio Plays The Music Of Bill Wells, are alternately ruminative, playful and profound, ranging from the cyclical opener Fanfare For Three Tubas to a mischievous interpretation of The Midges, a comic tribute to the entomological scourge of the Highlands by Scottish singer Kenneth McKellar, and the doleful Chorale 4K before the arresting finale of Stone Throw Dream Anthem. Throughout the record you are reminded of both the power and tenderness of brass instruments – their capacity to astound and reassure, to soothe and tickle.The trio in the title – Antony Hook, Danielle Price and Mark Reynolds – formed in 2018 to perform in the lee of the Glenfinnan Viaduct as part of the Loch Shiel Festival. Built on the West Highland Line and opened in 1901, the 21-span viaduct is nowadays best known for its appearance carrying the Hogwarts Express. Wells contributed three tunes for the performance, including Fanfare For Three Tubas, and composed the remainder after being commissioned by Glasgow’s underground/experimental festival Counterflows as a direct result of the Glenfinnan Viaduct performance. The trio subsequently performed Wells’ tunes in Glasgow with the Gorbals Youth Brass Band, who play on three of the album’s 10 tracks, sharing a bill with a duo featuring Chicago composer, flautist and educator Nicole Mitchell and London-based percussionist Mark Sanders. The Viaduct Tuba Trio Plays The Music Of Bill Wells represents another creative achievement for the prolific composer and multi-instrumentalist, whose output in recent years includes an album for an Estonian indie label (Remixes For Seksound, 2018), the eponymous debut LP by The Sensory Illusions, his guitar-and-tuba duo with Danielle Price (Karaoke Kalk, 2019), and Standards Vol V by his mischievously titled National Jazz Trio of Scotland (Karaoke Kalk, 2019), featuring the voice of Gerard Black (Rozi Plain, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Francois and the Atlas Mountains).Prior to these Bill collaborated with artists including Yo La Tengo, Amy Allison and Syd Straw on Nursery Rhymes (Karaoke Kalk, 2015) and Aidan Moffat on Everything’s Getting Older (2011) and The Most Important Place In The World (2015), both on Chemikal Underground. He has also recorded albums with Jad Fair, Maher Halal Hash Baz and Stefan Schneider of To Rococo Rot among others.The Viaduct Tuba TrioMark Reynolds studied in Glasgow and Munich. During his time there he performed with, among others, the Munich Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Bavarian State Opera and the Munich Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, he was appointed principal Tuba of the Royal Philharmonic of Flanders, Belgium and became a founder member of the Ottone Brass Quintet. He has frequently performed as a soloist including performances of the Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic of Flanders and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.Rising star Antony Hook was Loch Shiel Festival’s Young Artist for 2018 and currently studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.Supported by the Countess of Munster Trust, Danielle Price studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and graduated with distinction from the Master of Music Course in 2013. She has since enjoyed a versatile career playing in a range of projects and ensembles including Pure Brass Quintet, The Sensory Illusions, Dopey Monkey, Red Note Ensemble, The Old Fountain Jazz Orchestra, New Antonine Brass Quintet (current Live Music Now Scotland artists) besides traditional jazz ensembles The Copper Cats and The Red Hot Rhythm Makers. She has also performed in the bands of Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat, Ashley Paul, Bella Hardy and Oxbow, and as an extra musician with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra.The Gorbals Youth Brass BandThe band was formed in 2012 in Glasgow to offer local children free instrumental tuition. Each child is provided with a brass instrument and attends weekly lessons and rehearsals. GYBB also attend competitions, masterclasses and concerts.    The Viaduct Tuba Trio Plays The Music Of Bill Wells was recorded at Castle of Doom studios in Glasgow by Tony Doogan, mixed by Bill at Loathsome Reels and mastered by Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub. The cover art is by longtime collaborator Annabel Wright.

Available as a digital download in 320k MP3 or 16bit FLAC Recording of the stunning first set performed by the trio of Peter Brötzmann, Steve Noble and John Edwards at Cafe OTO in January 2010 during Brotzmann's first residency at the venue. This was also the first time the trio had played together. Recorded at Cafe OTO by Shane Browne, mixed by John Edwards and Mastered by Andres [LUPO] Lupich at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. REVIEWS "On an east London side street, Café Oto hosts a programme of international experimental sounds to shame subsidised arts temples, drawing demographic-defying crowds of all ages through its doors. The first release on Oto's own label, available as an authentic vinyl slab or a slippery download, is a 40-minute splurge of sax, drums and bass skronk, live at the venue in 2010, from the German free-jazz giant Brötzmann and two stars of the London improv scene. Unrepeatable moments of collective inspiration and sudden sunlit shafts of modal near melody punctuate the continuing energy blur. Business as usual down Dalston Junction." Stewart Lee, The Sunday Times  "Since it opened in Dalston in April 2008, Café OTO has become London's new music venue of choice for the likes of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Joe McPhee, Mats Gustafsson – and Peter Brötzmann, whose first residency at the club in January 2010 yielded this inaugural release on OtoRoku, Café OTO’s new in-house label. The night in question was the first time Brötzmann had played with bassist John Edwards and drummer Steve Noble, and the decision to team them up was inspired. With Alan Wilkinson, or in Decoy with Alex Hawkins and NEW with Alex Ward, Edwards and Noble have a deserved reputation as a thrilling high-energy rhythm section. And as Brötzmann is no slouch when it comes to high-energy playing, the combination is explosive. Right from the start of the set – the first that evening – it's obvious why this was selected to christen the label. All three players jump straight into top gear, with Brötzmann setting a cracking pace, his torrent of sound characterised by that hard-edged tone which makes him such compelling listening. ...the worse the better sets a high standard for subsequent releases to match. But, as every night at Café OTO is recorded and there's a wealth of fine music waiting in the wings, including quality recordings from Otomo Yoshihide and Wadada Leo Smith, OtoRoku looks like a label to watch." John Eyles, Paris Transatlantic "These two extended improvisations, recorded in January 2010 during Brötzmann’s first residency at OTO, finds the group attaining near-telepathic modes of interconnectedness, despite this being the trio’s first outing together. From the off, Brötzmann’s gills are gurning, throwing up torrents of molten roar, while Noble’s mule-kicking at the traps reels out ride hits like a baby sporting a bonnet of bees." - Spencer Grady, BBC Music "Does the world need another Brötzmann album? Probably not, but as the inaugural release on Cafe OTO's in-house high quality vinyl-only label, this one is cause for celebration. Recorded there - superbly well, too - during Brötzmann's residency in January 2012, this is no frills straight-up free jazz, solos and all, pitting the Firebreather of Wuppertal against the might local rhythm team (yes, they can and do swing hard) of John Edwards and Steve Noble. All three are on outstanding form, from the opening yelp - when it comes to Big Bang beginning, nobody does it better than Brötzmann - to Edwards's snarling drone 38 minutes later. Shame engineer Shane Browne slammed thos faders down so brutally: for once, you feel like joining in with the whoops and hollers of the punters." - Dan Warburton, The WIRE

Over the last 25 years Cusack and Eastley have been gradually adding episodes to the collection of compositions that make up this CD. The foundation of this work consists of location recordings layered with the live or recycled sounds of Eastley's kinetic sculpture. Over the same period that this CD evolved Cusack helped with setting up the LMC, worked for 2 years at Studio Steim in Holland, co-founded Bead Records and released several LP's on this label. His long term musical collaborators have included: Clive Bell, Nic Collins and Viv Corringham, as well as the group Alterations (with Steve Beresford, Terry Day and David Toop). Recent CD's are available on Platelunch, ReR and Resonance. He also frequently works with artists in other fields, including most recently in September 2000, "The Week of Small Miracles", a large scale outdoor project in the Lea Valley area of East London which he curated. Meanwhile Eastley's last 25 years have been spent more in the art gallery than the concert hall, with exhibitions in the UK at The Serpentine Gallery (1976) and The Arnolfini (1980). Overseas installations include The Apollohuis in Holland (1984), the Museum Of Modern Art, Nagoya, Japan and Xebec Hall, Kobe, Japan (both 1994). His most recent exhibits were seen this year as part of Sonic Boom at the Hayward Art Gallery in London. He has also been involved in musical performance, especially the Whirled Music project in the 80s and also ongoing collaborations with David Toop and occasional work with Thomas Köner. He has recorded for many labels including Incus, Quartz and most memorably his 2 releases with David Toop (New and Rediscovered Instruments, originally on Obscure, 1975, and Buried Dreams, on Beyond, 1994). Eastley's work is concerned with creating delicate and elegant kinetic sound devices, either motor driven or animated by environmental forces like the wind, streams or the sea.

Hot of the the presses from the amazing, London based imprint, Infant Tree: the debut full-legth from the Georgian composer / musician Elina Bolshenkova, interwining a vast range of sound sources into complex sheets ambience and drone. 'These songs were written during a terrifying period of time that hasn’t ended yet.

For over four decades, composer-performer David Rosenboom has developed unique circuitry and software for making musical models of the wondrous natural world come alive. Traversing the raucous and the sublime, ROUNDUP TWO presents live performances with vacuum tube analog computers, solid-state manifestations of chaos and harmony, musical interventions on political tunes, virtuoso performers interlinked with hybrid processing, and more. ROUNDUP TWO is an essential, historical document containing important examples from a sixteen-year period in this innovative artist’s extraordinary, pioneering work."Several of these pieces appeared in an audio, cassette package released in 1987 by Slowscan editions, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, titled Roundup, A Live electro-acoustic retrospective (1968-1984). For Roundup Two, all those pieces have been re-mastered from tapes in audio archives that were in various states of preservation. Several that were originally presented only in excerpts are now presented in complete, unedited versions, and other works not on the original Roundup have been added." - David Rosenboom

Souffle Continu's first-ever reissue of Kristen Nogues's legendary 1976 debut Marc'h Gouez. Mindblowing holy grail of French folk that's totally essential for fans of Brigitte Fontaine / Areski, Catherine Ribeiro, Emmanuelle Parrenin, etc. “Why would I sing in French? I have Breton culture, I speak Breton, I live in Brittany, and the Breton language is the language of this country…” So explained Kristen Noguès, of whom this is the first of the (rare) albums that she recorded Marc’h Gouez, is a fabulous voyage in space on each listening. Noguès learned the Breton language as a child, at the same time as the Celtic harp, – taking lessons with Denise Mégevand, who would go on to teach others, notably Alan Stivell. At the beginning of the 1970s, she discovered the Breton song tradition (soniou and gwerziou) through Yann Poëns and became involved in Névénoé, a cooperative of traditional expression founded by Gérard Delahaye and Patrick Ewen. It was under this label that her first album Marc’h Gouez, was released in 1976. With a dozen friends playing guitar, piano, violins, flutes…, Noguès composed not Breton music, but music from Brittany: a type of shared folklore in which imagination is married to the reality of the moment, that of social demands and companionship. At the very beginning of the record, we can hear her drawing up a chair, before the plucked notes of the harp become a cascade: “Enez Rouz”, is an invitation to listen up close. We are reminded here of the Meredith Monk of “Greensleeves”, there of the early albums of Brigitte Fontaine / Areski, elsewhere of Emmanuelle Parrenin, Pascal Comelade... Noguès rhyming pattern is ever changing: airy (“Hunvre”), cosmopolitain (“Pinvidik Eo Va C'hemener”), enigmatic (“Ar Bugel Koar”), profound (“Ar Gemenerez”) or enchanting (“Hirness An Devezhiou”). And then there is the track from which the album takes its’ name: Marc’h Gouez which, between nursery rhyme and chamber music, weaves a fabulous web in which the auditor is obliged to be caught. “Brittany equals poetry”: so said André… Breton; and Kristen Noguès proves it to be true.

Klaus Wiese (1942-2009) was a German musician and sound researcher. Wiese brought the teachings of Sufi Hazrat Inayat Khan to Germany from his travels in the East. His album "El-Hadra, the Mystik Dance," which he created with Mathias Grassow and Ted de Jong, made him famous in the genre. Under his own name, From 1981 until his unexpected death in 2009 he released upwards of 60 recordings, not including collaborations(with Oophoi, Mathias Grassow, Ted De Jong, Jim Cole, Al Gromer Khan... to name a few). Wiese’s music exists at the nexus of several overlapping modes - ritual, dark ambient, environmental - yet new age exerted an influence as well, most audibly on these late 1980s outings. On his recordings, Wiese used Persian stringed instruments, Tibetan singing bowls, bells, voice, and other exotic instruments. "Qumra" duology was released in 1986 and 1987 by a German label Aquamarin Verlag and reissued on small run cd-r by Gianluigi Gasparetti (Oöphoi) on his own label Umbra. Since then both parts became extremely rare items and top-wanted albums for searchers of spiritual ambient music. "Qumra II" was included in the 20 best new age albums ever recorded, by FACT magazine. "Qumra" is one of the most beautiful ambient recordings I have ever heard. A sweet stream of otherworldly music dissolves time and space and brings you to a place of perfect and endless tranquility. This is a sound of a moment that is equal to eternity. Being in love with the albums for many years, the idea of reissue always bothered us, and finally, with the help of our friends The Fact Of Being, we're blessed to release it first time on a CD and hope these 2 small beautiful plastic circles, like a right puzzle, will take its place in your heart and collection.

Available as a 320MP3 or 24bit FLAC Please note - the LP and 2CD contain different material. If you'd like to order both at once, please select LP/CD.  LP Tracklisting: A1. Donnie and Zouïna A2. Are You Ready / Sans-Papiers (Original poem by Vicky Scrivener)A3. Steady Eddie and the FireflyA4. Like the LotusB1. La Vie S’en Va (Life Is Fleeting)(Improvisation around original song by Zouïna Benhalla. “What’s the ugliest part of your body?” is a quote from Frank Zappa’s song of the same name.) CD1 Tracklisting: “Songs” 1. Slow Within The Urgency - 6:12(Inspired by mindfulness teacher Jeff Warren)2. Donnie and Zouïna - 5:423. Are You Ready / Sans Papiers - 5:49(Original poem ‘Sans Papiers’ by Vicky Scrivener)4. You Darkness - 8:26(Original poem by Rainer Maria Rilke)5. Steady Eddie and The Firefly - 6:096. Like The Lotus - 2:187. Music Is The Healing Force of The Universe - 5:10(Music and lyrics by Mary Maria Parks) CD2 Tracklisting: “Whatever Arises” Part 1 - 5:59Part 2 - 1:58Part 3 - 3:18Part 4 - 3:43Part 5 - 6:55Part 6 - 4:40Part 7 - 3:16Prelude - 9:36First physical solo release from legendary vocal improvisor, dancer, and performer Maggie Nicols, and the follow up to Creative Contradiction (Takuroku 2020). "This is music as social commentary, memoir, love letter, confessional. It’s Nicols doing what comes naturally, on a basis of practice and trust." Julian Cowley, The Wire While she might be best known as an improviser (most notably in Spontaneous Music Ensemble, the Feminist Improvising Group and more recently with the likes of Les Diaboliques), Maggie Nicols’ talents stretch into song, dance, poetry, performance and composition. When Cafe OTO was shut over lockdown we invited her to follow up the wonderful solo ‘Creative Contradiction’ with some time spent singing alone at the piano. ‘Are You Ready?’ comprises an LP of songs and a 2CD edition which includes a companion disk of freely improvised meditations entitled, ‘Whatever Arises’. Songs - seemingly contradictory to the practices of free improvisation - have been a vital part in Nicols’ relationship to music. It was singing bebop with pianist Dennis Rose which nurtured and challenged Nicols, allowing her to develop her own skills and sound amongst a repertoire of standards sung in clubs and pubs. Vocalising alongside Julie Tippetts in Centipede showed her how heady experimentation could be woven into composition, and more recently a gig with pianist Steve Lodder played out ‘The Maggie Nicols Songbook.’ 'Are You Ready?' recalls Nicols’ own compositions from memory, working out tunes and turning them over. New routes down old paths form in moments of improvisation and all wrong turns are played out with joyous discovery. What John Stevens dubbed Maggie's “ability to find the ‘rhythmelodic’” meets a willingness to be understood and to understand. Solo at the piano, Nicols is still firmly rooted in the collective however - “Sans Papiers” sets the words of poet Vicky Scrivener to tune; a story of migration and struggle which is as important to Nicols as the songs her mother wrote.  Such an intimate recording of her own compositions came with a certain amount of reflection and anxiety - best confronted with time spent freely improvising. ‘Whatever Arises’ - a companion disk to ‘Songs’ - is a meditation of sorts, a process of ‘following the energy’ which has its roots in John Stevens’ work. “Improvisation gives the confidence to compose,” Nicols told us in an interview about some of her archival tapes, and here the two are as important as each other. Beginning with breath and repetition, ‘Whatever Arises’ allows Nicols’ to find new voices, accompanied by the piano and over dubbings of her tap shoes on the concrete floor. Brilliantly she is able to share her moments of discovery with the listener, finding comfort in vulnerability. Whilst rooted in Stevens’ work, Nicols’ improvisational techniques also remind us of Pauline Oliveros’ Sonic Meditations. They are what has allowed Nicols to find her own sound, to ‘teach herself to fly.’ They have allowed Nicols to grow and share and to be able to keep close the songs that mean so much to her, now shared with us. — Please note - the LP and 2CD contain different material. If you'd like to order both at once, please select LP/CD.  Recorded at Cafe OTO on July 15th, 16th and 17th 2021 by Shaun Crook. Mixed by Shaun Crook. Mastered by Sean McCann. Artwork by Annalisa Colombara. Lettering by Rosella Garavaglia. Layout by Maja Larrson. ‘Slow Within The Urgency’ inspired by mindfulness teacher Jeff Warren. Original poem ‘Sans Papiers’ by Vicky Scrivener. Original poem ‘You Darkness’ by Rainer Maria Rilke. Music and lyrics to ‘Music Is The Healing Force of The Universe’ by Mary Maria Parks. LP printed on 100% recycled black vinyl.

Coming 8 years after Volume 2 and 23 years after the first installment, Volume 3 of Music And Words is the 4th solo release by Adam Bohman on Paradigm Discs. All 4 releases have focused on his earliest recordings, mostly from the 80s, mostly domestic and all using cassette recorders. There are 4 principle styles that are employed in this early phase of Adam’s work - most unexpectedly there are songs, often constructed with trumpet as the lead instrument, then more typically there are improvised experimental pieces using home made stringed instruments. Thirdly we have ‘pause pieces’ - consisting of rapid edit collages using found media (typically radio and bargain bin LPs), and the 4th element is Adam’s spoken word recordings. Anyone who has met Adam will have seen him recording his observations and thoughts onto a small tape recorder, documenting his way through life. In fact the Music And Words CD series is roughly 50% composed from these peripatetic ‘talking tapes’. On Music And Words 3 we hear him at the seaside in both Brighton and Clacton-On-Sea. Overall the CD ranges widely over these various styles, and bursts with ideas and humour. In addition to the 4 solo releases on Paradigm Discs there is also a compilation track plus his contribution as a member of Morphogenesis on 3 further CDs. I’m proud to say that Adam is by far the most represented artist on the label.