Mixtape #87

We're ecstatic to start September with a very special selection of tunes picked by the incredibly talented and imaginative multi-instrumentalist and composer Quinta. The Quick of The Heart, her second album, is one of the most exhilarating, enchanting and engaging albums we've heard in a long time. Quinta is also part of the experimental arts quartet Collectress and regularly lends her wizardry skills and inventiveness to other projects, collaborating with many renowned artists and composing for theatre, contemporary dance and circus. So, press play and indulge your ears.

  1. Emily Hall – mantra [Bedroom Community]
  2. Sufjan Stevens – All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands [Sounds Familyre]
  3. Serafina Steer – The Valley [Static Caravan]
  4. John Adams – Shaker Loops: I. Shaking and Trembling [nonesuch]
  5. Albert Tétard & Daniel Barenboim & Luben Yordanoff & Claude Desurmont – Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps – 5. Louange à l’Eternité de Jésus [Deutsche Grammophon]
  6. Owen Pallett – E Is For Estranged [Secret City]
  7. Joan As Police Woman – Christobel [PIAS / Reveal Records]
  8. tUnE-yArDs – News [4AD]
  9. Scott Walker – Plastic Palace People [Philips]
  10. Baby Dee – Black But Comely [Drag City / Tin Angel Records]
  11. Errollyn Wallen – Photography: IV. Moderato Keep Very Rhythmic [NMC]
  12. Radiohead – Daydreaming [XL Recordings]

Mixtape #84

We're very excited to have Oiseaux-Tempête, the French band spearheaded by Frédéric D. Oberland and Stéphane Pigneul, behind the wheel of this month's mixtape. The band's music, strangely beautiful and beautifully strange, explores and experiments with many varied genres. To shed some light on their influences, here's their thrilling mix, about which they had this to say:

"16 tracks which fell off the back of our van during our last Spring tour in France and Belgium with Mondkopf, G.W.Sok, As Human Pattern, Two Or The Dragon & Charbel Haber. Recent discoveries or forever inspirations, hidden covers and rare gems, all the music you need for a perfect highway ambience."

  1. Einstürzende Neubauten – NNNAAAMMM [Potomak]
  2. Bästard –  Golden Lad [Ici D'Ailleurs]
  3. Jerusalem In My Heart – Al Affaq, Lau Mat, Lau Lau Lau Lau Lau Lau [Constellation]
  4. Om – Cremation Ghat I [Drag City]
  5. BIG|BRAVE -(Re)collection pt 2 [Southern Lord]
  6. David Lynch – The Ballad of Hollis Brown [Sunday Best Recordings]
  7. Silver Apples – I Have Known Love [Kapp Records]
  8. The Ex & Getatchew Mekuria – Tezalegn Yetentu [Terp Records]
  9. Faust / Nurse With Wound – Lass Mich [Art-errorist]
  10. Alice Coltrane – Atomic Peace [Impulse]
  11. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Plain Gold Ring [Mute]
  12. Pharmakon – Crawling On Bruised Knees [Sacred Bones]
  13. Scrambled Eggs & “A” Trio – Koji Kabuto (Ya Akruto) [Johnny Kafta's Kid Menu]
  14. Vangelis O. Papathanassiou – Sunny Earth [Vertigo]
  15. John Vartan and His Ensemble – Asa Inch Anem [Monitor Records]
  16. Scott Walker – Corps De Blah [4AD]

Mixtape #49

Earlier this year, we were stunned by the new album from Bristolian quartet Get The Blessing. They won us over with their wonderful blend of sounds drawing from jazz to pop and electronica. So this month we've asked them to put together our mixtape and even though they were busy (and still are) touring Europe, they obliged. And we're sure glad they did, press play already!

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Mixtape #45

We've never kept our love for Oakland based psychedelic pop band Mwahaha a secret. Their mind blowing 2011 self-titled debut album, which was re-released last summer, remains an active favourite of ours. So we're excited to announce that this month's mixtape was handpicked by Ross Peacock, the band's vocal, synth, and drum-machine wizard. He lined up fifteen tracks that will take you on a journey through time and space, and then back. Enjoy the trip!


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Scott Walker unveils first single and video from upcoming LP

American avant-garde singer-songwriter Scott Walker  hasn’t released an album in six years but he’s been busy preparing the forthcoming one for half of that time. Bish Bosch, which marks his fourteenth full-length release, will see the light of day on December 3rd in Europe and a day later in America via 4AD.

Co-produced by Peter Walsh, Bish Bosch is, according to the press release, a more colourful experience than Scott’s previous effort, The Drift.  Other than his regular core of musicians, Bish Bosch features guest collaborations with trumpeter Guy Barker, pedal steel guitarist BJ Cole and musical director Mark Warman who plays the role of conductor and keyboardist.

The first taste off Bish Bosch, ‘Epizootics!’, has emerged yesterday in the shape of a monochromatic video. “Epizootics! soundtracks its descriptions of sweaty street hassle with swinging, strident percussion and the raucous sub-tones of the rare brass instrument, the tubax”, which is a combination of a tuba and a saxophone.

Olivier Groulx directed the fittingly beautiful, dark and humorous video for the epic ten-minute long ‘Epizootics!’. “It was a real privilege to work on this project” said Olivier about the video. “It’s rare to work with someone who is uncompromising and meticulous while still being very open to new ideas.” Watch the video beneath.