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.
Review: An artist so effortlessly apt to reinvent herself such as Laurie Anderson should be more than any other worthy of the reissue treatment. Music On Vinyl here present the legendary New York musician and performance artist's 1989 avant-garde album 'Bright Red', which followed a brief stint in the chart-worthy realm of pop. Co-produced with Brian Eno and informed by her then relationship with Lou Reed, Anderson's musings on love, landscape and death are more than submerged in Eno's proto-ambient pop and reverb techniques. It's also yet another stalwart album in vocal synthesis, with cuts such as 'Puppet Motel' showing off Anderson's longstanding penchant for gender-bending throat mods.
Review: Between A Rock And A Hard Place, the 1994 debut from Newark's Artifacts, is a snapshot of East Coast hip-hop with its roots in graffiti culture. Comprising Tame One and El Da Sensei, the duo delivers a mix of underground hits and gritty street anthems. While the album boasts production from heavyweights like Buckwild, T-Ray, and Redman, it's a mixed bag of standout tracks and underwhelming moments. Tracks like 'Wrong Side of Da Tracks' shine, paying homage to graffiti over a mellow backdrop with a soothing horn loop, marking it as a 90s gem. The album captures the glory parts of the era, with tracks like 'Whayback' offering nostalgic reflections on their journey into hip-hop. The reissue on 180-gram gold vinyl is a worthy nod to its legacy for this cult classic.
Review: Black Grape was founded by former members of The Happy Mondays, Shaun Ryder and Bez (a.k.a. Mark Berry). New band members included rappers Paul "Kermit" Leveridge, Carl "Psycho" McCarthy, drummer Ged Lynch (all three from the first wave of UK hip-hop and influential Hulme, Manchester act Ruthless Rap Assassins), guitarist Paul Wagstaff (from the Paris Angels), and Oli "Dirtycash" Dillon on ocarina. It's Great When You're Straight... Yeah contains ten catchy songs, most prominently the album's preceding hit single 'In The Name Of The Father', with influences from indie-pop, alternative, funk, disco, with rough guitar, rapping all glued together and produced by American Danny Saber. On release in 1993, the debut album immediately charted at the very top of the UK Albums chart and was certified Platinum.
Fat Boys, Run DMC, Sheila E & Kurtis Blow - "Krush Groovin'" (bonus track) (5:00)
Rene & Angela - "Save Your Love (For #1)" (feat Kurtis Blow - bonus track) (4:16)
Kool & The Gang - "Funky Stuff" (feat Kurtis Blow - bonus track) (3:51)
Review: Kurtis Walker, known as Kurtis Blow, made history as the first rapper signed to a major US record label, Mercury, in 1979. His debut single, the fun and festive 'Christmas Rappin',' sold nearly half a million copies. It was followed by 'The Breaks,' the first rap single to go Gold with over a million copies sold. His self-titled debut album in 1980 led to international performances in Europe and Japan and helped to spread hip-hop globally. Kurtis Blow's prolific career includes fifteen albums and hits like 'America,' 'If I Ruled The World' (famously later sampled by The Fugees and Nas), and collaborations with The Fat Boys, Run D.M.C., Sheila E., and Kool & The Gang. This double vinyl collection rightly celebrates his influential legacy.
Review: This 1991 release stands as a cornerstone of West Coast gangsta rap, delivering a raw, unflinching portrayal of early 90s Los Angeles street life. With hard-hitting beats and vivid storytelling, the album builds on the group's debut, offering a more refined and confident sound. The deep basslines and funky grooves, courtesy of seasoned production, lay the groundwork for narratives steeped in urban realities. The album's heaviest tracks are a masterclass in gritty storytelling. 'Growin' Up in the Hood,' featured in the world renown movie Boyz N the Hood, pairs evocative rhymes with strings and drums sampling Funk Inc and Mountain, creating a tense, cinematic backdrop. The song captures the struggles of street life, blending hardened perspectives with a sense of inevitability. 'Raised in Compton' dives deeper, painting a stark picture of how systemic decay and gang violence perpetuate cycles of destruction. Meanwhile, 'Driveby Miss Daisy' haunting depiction of violence is another gem, layered with somber samples and a chilling piano solo that amplifies the track's nightmarish aura. Throughout, the album balances braggadocio with complex street narratives, offering a visceral and authentic glimpse into its environment. Along with NWA and Above The Law, this is West Coast rap at its most compelling and unapologetic for the time.
Get Up, Get On It (feat MellowMan Ace, Rude, Sen Dog)
Western Ways (La Seleccion) (part II)
Review: A standout album fusing Latin and hip-hop influences released in 1998, Here Comes The Horns sees the Norwalk, California crew seamlessly blend bilingual lyrics, smooth beats and a vibrant mariachi-inspired sound. Tracks like 'This Is L.A.' and the title number highlight the trio's lyrical prowess and their knack for crafting infectious rhythms. Bold horn sections and undeniable West Coast vibe add further depth and character, creating a sonic experience that's both nostalgic and refreshingly original.
Review: Krush's eighth - and last - album Jaku is up there with Endtroducing and Donuts in terms of seminal, influential and forward-thinking beat longer players. 10 years since its release and it still sounds as timeless, unique and exciting as it did in 2004. The slick licks of a young Mr Lif on "Nosferatu", the post-apocalyptic tension of "Univearth" the sludgy, swampy cosmic hip-hop of the Aesop Rock-featured "Kill Switch" and the unashamed sax sex of "Slit Of Cloud"..... Do we need to go on? Limited edition, 180g transparent vinyl; even if you already have this in your collection this is a very, very appealing investment.
Inorganizm (feat DJ Kensei & DJ Hide For Kemuri Productions) (6:40)
Deltaforest (feat Jun Sawada) (5:09)
Crimson (2:30)
The Dawn (feat Shawn J Period For Fruition music) (5:12)
Interlude (2:10)
85 Loop (4:58)
Rust (feat KK Of The Lo-Vibes Crew) (3:12)
1200 (feat Hideo) (5:13)
Krushed Wall With Rhythm Troops (5:04)
The Kinetics (feat Sinista Of The X-Ecutioners) (3:13)
Final Home (4:33)
No More (feat DJ Yas & DJ Hazu For Kemuri Productions) (6:08)
Outro (1:38)
Final Home (bonus track - vocal version) (4:42)
Review: By the time he released Kakusei in 1998, DJ Krush was already a veteran of trip-hop production, now enjoying the wider reach afforded on a major label after James Lavelle's Mo'Wax label initially brought him to upfront Western ears. Even if it was released on Sony, Kakusei found the Japanese beatsmith taking his sound deeper and further out. Just check the likes of 'Parallel Distortion', with its icy atmospherics and staggered rhythmic ripples punctuated by DJ Sak's cuts. Cutting up his source material with ever-increasing confidence and creating something positively murky in the process, Krush created a truly evergreen album in Kakusei and now it's being repressed on heavyweight vinyl and sounding phatter than ever before.
Review: On its original 1986 release, Ministry's "Twitch" album - Al Jourgensen and company's second in total - was seen as something of a departure from their established new-wave synth-pop sound. These days, the Adrian Sherwood co-produced set is considered a vital release that helped to cement the growing global influence of industrial music and, more pertinently, electronic body music (EBM). As this timely reissue proves, it remains one of the band's greatest albums; a throbbing, synthesizer and drum machine driven romp through dark, macabre and muscular musical passions rich in dancefloor-friendly classics (see "We Believe", the surprisingly funky "All Day Remix", Cabaret Voltaire-esque "Over The Shoulder" and "Where You At Now?/Crash & Burn/Twitch", a paranoid and noisy suite of cuts that rounds off the album in breathless fashion.
Review: Originally released way back in 1969, Terry Riley's "A Rainbow In Curved Air" album remains one of the minimal maestro's most significant works. Crafted using overdubbing techniques, the three-movement title track features Riley playing layer upon layer of electric organ and electric Harpsichord motifs to create a hypnotic, Indian style raga. It was hugely influential at the time - inside and outside of the emerging minimalism scene - and later influenced the ambient and ambient house movements. Here it gets the audiophile reissue treatment, with the title track once again being joined by original flipside "Poppy Nogood & The Phantom Band" - a trippy wig-out in which Riley pays tribute to soprano saxophonist John Coltrane over more hypnotic, fast-past organ refrains.
Review: The reissue of Pete Rock & CL Smooth's Main Ingredient reminds hip-hop heads what a timeless masterpiece it really is. The record has a sure place in hip-hop history and has since it was originally released in 1994. The album showcases the duo's famous and unparalleled chemistry, with Pete Rock's soulful production and CL Smooth's smooth lyricism blending seamlessly on tracks that continue to resonate with listeners and very much capture the essence of 90s hip-hop while still remaining relevant today. 'Sun Won't Come Out', 'The Main Ingredient', and 'Get On The Mic' all demand to be played loud and proud
Review: Sevdaliza comes back with a seance album that capitalises on the critical reception of her first, exploring notions of good and evil through complex songwriting and enigmatic lyrics. Her stylised vocals are front and centre of each tune, with sombre chords and aching piano a consistent accompaniment throughout. She explores many shades of night and packs in plenty of very real emotion, despite the delicate nature of many songs. The gothic synths and post-trip hop beats are a fine vehicle for her musical messages, making this another vital record.
Rapper's Delight (single version - bonus track) (3:57)
Review: American rap outfit Sugarhill Gang changed music history with their fresh hip-hop sounds and never more so than on their self-titled album. It is often said to be the first rap full length and it came in 1980, a full four-plus decades ago now so gets a special, if possibly slighty late, 40th-anniversary reissue on limited edition and numbered heavyweight vinyl. It, of course, includes the band's most seminal tune, 'Rapper's Delight', in two different versions, as well as equally timeless joints like 'Rapper's Reprise (Jam-Jam)' and the much loved 'Sugar Hill Groove'. A bona fide classic, this one.
Review: US3's debut album Hand On The Torch was a landmark record when it dropped back in 1993. At a time when the world was getting to grips with sample culture, Blue Note reached out to the London-based crew and gave them access to the archives. With such a rich pool of source material, they got busy strapping iconic breaks and licks from one of the great jazz stables to crisp beats. There's a lot of ground covered, with hip-hop jams sidling up alongside funky beatdowns and plenty more besides. It's a stone cold classic given the reissue treatment, bringing the likes of 'Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)' back to life for a new generation.
Theme From The TV Series "Cosmos" (Heaven & Hell, 3rd Movement) (3:57)
12 O'Clock (5:18)
Bacchanale (5:00)
Review: Vangelis best-of compilations have been a fixture of the popular music landscape since at least the late 80s, owing to the fact that this sagaciously bearded bard fulfils something of the visual archetype of the multi-talented film compositional genius. But you'll likely find that most of them exist on cassette, and'll be languishing sadly in bargain bins, given decades of wear. That all changes with Music On Vinyl's new reissue of the first ever vinyl comp to essentialise Vangelis' skyscraping career, 1993's Best Of: which reaches the highest firmament point of the late composer's repertoire. From compositional climaxes like 'Alpha' and 'To The Unknown Man' to prog-adjacent collabs such as 'Long Ago, So Clear' (featuring Jon Anderson from the band Yes), the album impresses all the best themes and motifs in the annals of latter-20th Century directorial greatness, including Blade Runner, Alexander, Chariots Of Fire, Antarctica, and The Bounty.
Theme From The TV Series Cosmos (Heaven & Hell Third Movement)
Pulstar
Page Of Life (feat Jon Anderson)
Alpha
Sword Of Orion
The Motion Of The Stars
A Way Heaven & Hell Suite (Excerpts)
So Long Ago, So Clear (feat Jon Anderson)
Heaven & Hell (Excerpt) (part II)
12 O'clock
The Will Of The Wind
Gloriana (Hymn A La Femme)
Metallic Rain
Shine For Me (feat Jon Anderson)
Intergalactic Radio Station
Review: By 1996 Greek synth composer extraordinaire Vangelis - real name Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou - had become such an icon of electronic music not one but two retrospective anthologies arrived around the same time. Not bad considering this was only around halfway through his recording career, and in many ways his work was still in an evolutionary process. Gift was one of those compilations, and focuses attention on the first four records made by this Hellenic legend. Starting out with work from 1975's Heaven & Hell, from which an excerpt of the original (rather longwinded) 'Heaven & Hell Part II' has been lifted, we also get 'So Long Ago, So Clear', the artist's first collaboration with Jon Anderson (the musician-singer-songwriter whose name is credited on several other tracks here), and outstanding outings such as 'Pulstar' and 'Alpha'. A joy from start to finish.
Review: WHODINI's Open Sesame album is a perfect example of the best of 1980s hip-hop. It showcases the group's pioneering blend of catchy beats, slick rhymes, and infectious energy. Originally back released in 1987, the album features iconic tracks like 'Funky Beat' and 'Rock You Again (Again & Again).' With its innovative production and charismatic performances, 'Open Sesame' solidified WHODINI's status as one of the most influential groups in the genre. From start to finish, the album exudes a sense of excitement and creativity, leaving a lasting impact on hip-hop music which means it might sound of its time but it remains a classic and an essential listen for any fan of old-school rap.
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