Category Archives: Blog

Thiago Nassif shares Cornelius remix of ‘Pele de Leopardo’ from latest album Mente

03 July 2021

A year on from the release of Thiago Nassif’s widely acclaimed album Mente, the phenomenal multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer has shared a remix of album track ‘Pele de Leopardo’ by maverick musician and producer Cornelius. DJ and broadcaster Nick Luscombe, who triggered this collaboration, commented:

“So for me, it’s been really wonderful to be able to connect two of my all time favourite artists from each country via this brilliant remix! I’m certain there will be more to follow and I am already excited by the potential of a new collaboration between Keigo and Thiago – which already sounds like a perfect Japan/Brazil duo!”

Reflecting about the remix, Thiago said:

“Pele de Leopardo means Leopard Skin, some would say it’s a method of changing your own skin into something else, like wearing a disguise or an overlapping layer. Somehow Cornelius found my music and posted it on his famous Instagram song playlist. This skin that travelled from one continent to another at leopard’s speed got to Japan! His skin got to me way before with “Sensuous” and “Point”-his way of composing music was like sacred geometry to me. Now, in the form of a remix, here is Cornelius’ way of overlapping his skin on mine. It is not a disguise but something that reveals the song even more.”

Listen to the remix below.

In other related news, Gearbox Records is also releasing Thiago’s third album Três as a Japanese Edition CD on June 30th.

Black Dice return with seventh album Mod Prog Sic

03 July 2021

Photo: Dan Hougland

Long-running experimental art noise outfit Black Dice are back with their first album in nearly a decade, having last released Mr. Impossible back in 2012. Entitled Mod Prog Sic, the new album also marks the first release on FourFour Records, the new label from DFA Records label head and co-founder Jonathan Galkin.

Ahead of the album’s release on October 1st, Black Dice have released the first taste of what’s to come, the bonkers and boisterous ‘White Sugar’. The track comes with an accompanying video directed by Aaron Anderson.  Watch it now.

In support of the new album, Black Dice are hitting the road this Autumn for a North American tour.

ECHT! announce debut full length album Inwane

02 July 2021

Belgian instrumental outfit ECHT! got our full attention a couple of years ago with the release of their first EP, DOUF. They are ready to follow it up with their debut album this Autum. Entitled Inwane, the effort arrives on September 24th through Sdban Ultra. Martin Méreau, Dorian Dumont, Florent Jeunieaux and Federico Pecoraro, who make up the band, had this to say about it:

“For our first album, we wanted to go into deeper beats. We were listening a lot to trap, gritty hip-hop & bass music, and we tried to emulate those kinds of beats on our instruments. The darkish mood of those music genres was fitting for us with this strangest year of 2020. But we also wanted to give a contrast with some brighter parts, where the human feeling is more present. This duality continued in the mixing process by pushing or destroying some sounds, adding electronic textures & effects, but also keeping some sounds really acoustic & organic. The result is for us a mature album: the feeling of electronic music emulated on instruments is confirmed but the human vibe stays central.”

Along with the news, ECHT! have shared the first single, ‘500 gr.’, an intoxicating and hypnotic track that heads straight to the depths of the dancefloor. Here it is.

Manu Delago unveils new single, ‘Interference’, from upcoming album Environ Me

01 July 2021

Manu Delago is no stranger to extraordinary feats and challenges, having recorded his 2018 album Parasol Peak with an ensemble of seven musicians on a mountaineering expedition in the Alps. Two albums later, the tremendously talented percussionist and composer recently undertook another phenomenal feat, embarking on a tour of Austria with his band, where he played 25 shows in 35 days, travelling solely by bike with all their gear. And there’s no stopping him! Delago is ready to gift the world with a new album entitled Environ Me, with the environment placed at the heart of it. An audio-visual effort, Environ Me is offered with a collection of expertly made films and each of its 12 tracks “represent a different element and contains its own inspired and individual concept, varying from the use of wildlife, fire and water to the manmade steel, gears, Velcro and more”, as the press release describes.

Along with the news, Delago has shared the staggering single ‘Interference’, of which he says:

“The track is symbolic for human interference on the planet. As visual and sonic symbols I chose an electricity pole and the metal framework of a mountain draglift next to it because they appear in the middle of nowhere, where one would expect pure nature. This symbol could be anything else that humans created like square crop fields, glowing cities, never-ending motorways or a cut-down rain forest. ‘Interference’ is also the opening track of my new album and in a way builds a transition from my last album ‘Circadian’. I even used some recordings at the start which were left over from those sessions. But then the track takes a more electronic direction, and especially at the end it’s a real outburst of energy with a drum solo and metallic sounds recorded on that metal framework.”

Environ Me arrives on September 24th through One Little Independent Records. Now lend you ears to ‘Interference’.

Rodrigo Leão announces new album, A Estranha Beleza; shares first single ‘Friend of a Friend’ feat. Michelle Gurevich

27 June 2021

Photo: Angela Muñoz

For over 25 years, Rodrigo Leão has drawn high praise as one of the most influential contemporary composers in his native Portugal. He has also cemented a reputation internationaly as an acclaimed composer, having collaborated with artists like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ludovico Einaudi, Jóhann Jóhansson, Beth Gibbons, Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy, Scott Matthew, and Joan as Police Woman, amongst many more.

Rodrigo has announced the release of a new album, A Estranha Beleza, arriving on October 15th through BMG / Modern Recordings. Throughout his incredibly rich and singular career, Rodrigo told stories through his albums, composing them as if they were films. As the press release explains, Rodrigo “casts guest musicians who are right for each character, who then takes on a role in the narrative, which is complemented by locations, sets and moods created by music and sound design.” As with his previous records, A Estranha Beleza bears the same cinematic sentiment.

‘Friend of a Friend’ is first sublime single to be lifted from the album with voice and lyrics by Canadian singer-songwriter Michelle Gurevich. “It was a theme that initially started from the search for a happy rhythm, with some influence from the music of the 50s, and that gave me the enthusiasm I was looking for to find new ideas”, explained Rodrigo. “It takes us to a time very different from the one we live in today”.

’Friend Of A Friend’ comes paired with a video starring both Rodrigo in Lisbon and Michelle in Copenhagen. Watch it below.

Suuns set to release new album The Witness in September

27 June 2021

We’re big fans of Suuns, the Canadian band who boasts excellent musicianship, reflected and augmented on live shows. So we’re excited to know they have a new album on the way called The Witness. “There’s something interesting about the idea of a collective witness, being a witness to the time we’re living in now,” Ben Shemie notes. “And the connectedness of what we all have in common. But also, literally: bearing witness to all sorts of things and how that desensitises you. There’s a recurring line that comes back on the record: “I know that you’ve seen it too.” A song like ‘Clarity’ is also about pulling the veil off and seeing things for what they really are. It kind of comes down to being true to yourself and acknowledging what is and isn’t real.”

Now a trio following the amicable departure of Max Henry in 2018, and with Shemie living in Paris, Suuns had “to find each other again, both socially and creatively.” Suuns have been touring relentlessly in both Europe and North America in recent years and just like their live shows, the upcoming album sees them incorporate more spontaneous moments. “We just do that more improvised stuff so naturally live,” Joe Yarmush commented. “It’s kind of weird that it hasn’t been a big part of our albums up till now.. We’re trying to embrace that side of the band for sure. That’s also part of SUUNS just being the three of us now.”

The Witness arrives on September 3rd through Joyful Noise Recordings and Suuns are giving us the first taste from it with lead single ‘Witness Protection’. The track features Max Henry as studio collaborator and comes with an accompanying video directed by Antoine Dasseville. Take a look.

In support of The Witness, Suuns have announced tour dates in Canada and Europe throught September and October. Check all their stops and other info here.