Vinyl, CD & Tape 5 Items

World Circuit Records has made its reputation by producing some of the finest albums of the past three decades. The label is best known for the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club album (and associated solo artists Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo and Rubén González), which is the biggest selling world music album of all time and has contributed to the phenomenal rise in popularity of Cuban, as well as Latin American, music. World Circuit is also home to a number of revered African artists including the late Tony Allen (whose Afrobeat-jazz collaboration with Hugh Masekela ‘Rejoice’ was released to great critical acclaim in March), iconic blues pioneer Ali Farka Touré (whose classic Grammy-winning ‘Talking Timbuktu’ album, recorded with Ry Cooder, brought the label early international acclaim), Malian divas and social activists Oumou Sangaré and Fatoumata Diawara, master kora player Toumani Diabaté, the illustrious Orchestra Baobab and musical iconoclast Cheikh Lô. With further brand new releases planned for 2021 and beyond, World Circuit continues to bring diverse, genre-defying music to a wider audience.

Overview:
Remastered from the original tapes in 2004 for release on World Circuit, 2021 sees this classic album back on vinyl for the first time since its original 1984 release. In 1982, the great Malian singer songwriter and guitarist Ali Farka Touré, then still in the early years of his recording career, teamed up with the brilliant percussionist Hama Sankare. Together, from a base in Ali’s home village of Niafunké they travelled through Northern Mali, refining a collection of new songs. When they were ready to record they followed the River Niger as it wound down through the desert, to the capital city of Bamako. In one afternoon, the great Radio Mali house engineer Boubacar Traore captured these eight superb performances on two microphones: two voices so close it was thought they were double tracked, one guitar (the distinctive Bulgarian acoustic model that Ali treasured) and Hama’s calabash percussion making its first appearance on record. The album, which includes some of Touré’s best loved songs, was released self-titled with no sleeve notes, just an enigmatic group photo on the cover. It became known as the ‘Red’ album due to the colour of its original sleeve. Vinyl and cassette copies of ‘Red’ began to circulate in West Africa, as well as making their way to Ry Cooder in the US and to specialist journalists and DJs in the UK and France. It was popular in Mali and the Tuareg refugee camps in Libya, where it became an influence on the musicians who came together as Tinariwen. On a tip from Toumani Diabaté and with a copy of ‘Red’ in hand, World Circuit’s Anne Hunt travelled to Mali in the mid 80s to find Ali to invite him to record and tour. An appeal was broadcast over Radio Mali, and Ali, who by chance was visiting the capital Bamako, heard it. Thus began Ali’s incredibly successful international career which took him around the world and resulted in the release of eight acclaimed albums including three GRAMMY winning collaborations, with Ry Cooder (Talking Timbuktu) and Toumani Diabaté (Ali & Toumani; In The Heart of the Moo

2023 repress -

Born under August sun, in year of the dog, brings luck for great times, like a pup in summer.

D.Dan launches his own label, summerpup, as a home for his unique blend of deep, groovy, rolling sounds steeped in psychedelia. The label's playful name and mantra derives from heritage knowledge from his Korean roots passed down by his mother, based on his time of birth.

Happy 20th to Lemon Demon! We've reissued HIP TO THE Javabean and Damn Skippy, Neil Cicierega's 3rd & 4th albums under the name. Everything has been Remastered by the supremely talented Angel Marcloid of Fire-Toolz!

Hot off the metaphorical heels of our rousing Spirit Phone success, Needlejuice is delighted to bring you another Lemon Demon release. This time around we’re offering Neil’s 2012 Christmas EP I Am Become Christmas. Lightheartedly exploring such dark topics as a government-funded Santa Claus and seasonal affective disorder, this set of 5 spooky holiday songs hinted at the direction Neil was headed toward on Spirit Phone.

Reissue with updated art on the box and on the inner sleeves. Includes a 36-page full-color art book featuring band member notes, photos, and credits, and a 28-page lyric book with illustrations. Current reissue of the 4 LP Boxset. No hype sticker on the front of the shrink wrap.