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THE FIRST LIVE RENDITION OF THE WORLD FAMOUS TUBULAR BELLS! Mike Oldfield was a member of rock-band Barefoot for a while, and then became bass player for Kevin Ayers’ backing group The Whole World. He also played on an album by the Edgar Broughton Band, worked as reserve guitarist in the London production of Hair, and gigged with Alex Harvey. Then he met Richard Branson. Working at Branson’s recently acquired Manor studios as a backing guitarist, Oldfield played some of his own tapes to Branson’s engineer Simon Draper, who played them to Branson – Branson then offered Oldfield a six-album deal with his new label Virgin Records. Tubular Bells was released on 25 May 1973 as the first album on the Virgin label. The title track became a top 10 hit single in the US after the opening was used in the 1973 movie The Exorcist. Virgin now decided to organise a live performance of Tubular Bells at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall to promote the LP. Oldfield assembled a line-up to perform the music that on record he’d all-but single-handedly created. Mick Taylor, then still with the Rolling Stones played, alongside David Bedford, Robert Wyatt, Steve Hillage and members of the band Henry Cow – all of whom, save for Taylor, ended up making records for Virgin subsequently. At a later date Mike was to comment that he was unhappy with the performance adding, “I stood on the stage at the end of the concert and looked at the audience, and they looked at me. And do you know what they did? They actually applauded. I was amazed. I hated that concert”. However, the assembled masses who witnessed the first live rendition of this ground-breaking record disagreed, and Mike Oldfield’s preconceived ideas about the project not working were totally unfounded. The concert was recorded for live radio broadcast both in the UK and across the US, where it was synched by a number of networks and is now at last available on vinyl! SIDE A1. Tubular Bells Part One SIDE B2. Tubular Bells Part Two 3. The Sailor’s Hornpipe

"Indonesian rock trio Voice Of Baceprot (vob) have had to weather many challenges after they decided to carve a career in music. With the lack of music-related facilities in their village of Singajaya in Garut, West Java, they had to practically build their own modest practice studio. And they could only get a gig in the nearest city of Garut, three-and-a-half hours away. They had to face more significant adversities, namely the stigmas and unsolicited suggestions regarding religion and decency directed at them.

"You must remember that we come from a village where many see women as inferior to men. After completing high school, we did not have a lot of options. It was either work at home or for a relative at a convenience store. Or marry someone our parents choose," vocalist/guitarist Marsya recalls. It is a mindset that has survived from one generation to the other, even to this day. Hence, garnering support from even their family members became an uphill battle. ""No wonder only the three of us managed to come this far when you consider that VOB started with 15 members in 2014!"" drummer Sitti exclaims.

With all the setbacks that have come from all directions for an extended period, it is no surprise that they have played a massive part in developing VOB's character as a band and as individuals. Rather than dampening their spirits, however, they have moulded the trio to become stronger. "We have become rocks now. Hardened, rigid, and stiff due to all the doctrines in our minds. But through music and our friendship, we became fully aware that they must be cut through and broken regardless," Marsya explains. And from the trials and tribulations that they have had to suffer, VOB chose to name their debut album “Retas”. In Bahasa Indonesia, ""retas"" is ""a body of igneous rocks that breaks through by cutting through other rocks"". It epitomises how the band see themselves: igneous rocks, the end product of the socio-economic challenges that have shaped them into who they are now. ""Retas"" is a collection of songs that embody their solid determination to break free and carve out their path as a band, as musicians, and as independent women. With Ntrl guitarist Coki Bollemeyer at the helm as producer for the newer songs on the album, “Retas” comprises nine tracks, including album focus track “Age Oriented”, fan-favourite “What’s the Holy (Nobel) Today?”, “The Enemy of Earth is You”, instrumental track “Kawani”, and four previous singles that they have released since 2018, including their breakthrough single “School Revolution” and the smash hit “God, Allow Me (Please) to Play Music”. ""We really enjoyed making this album, thanks in no small part to Coki. His support and appreciation towards the hard work we put into the process have made a huge difference. It gave us the energy and confidence to give our very best,"" Marsya acknowledges. Most of the songs have roots since VOB were still in middle school, each immaculately capturing their emotional responses to the variety of experiences they have gone through, transcribed and transformed into a combination of lyrics and melodies feeding off of raw energy and passion. Focus track ""Age Oriented"" is a protest song aimed towards age restriction that they once had to endure because they were playing rock music at such a young age. The piece lays bare their anger as tight and heavy riffs roar atop Sitti's groovy thumping beats and Widi's dexterous basslines. “More often than not, we were told it was ‘inappropriate and too soon’ and we ‘did not have enough experience’. There is a partiality towards age being the main benchmark to determine the merit of one’s artistic work. It meant the young must wait until they reach a certain age deemed worthy of independence to show their true potential,” Marsya remarks. The role of vocal director Irvan Natadiningrat has also become more significant in developing VOB's trademark sound. Take What's the Holy (Nobel) Today?"" for example. Irvan suggested the inclusion of the dramatic marching chant in the song. This powerful addition could make it the anti-war anthem for the modern generation. "The Enemy of Earth is You"" addresses the negative impacts of climate change. Never in their wildest dreams would they expect massive natural disasters to affect their village. Were they simply a show of might by nature's customary dynamics? Or are we, as human beings, to blame for our greed, ignorance, and narcissism? Writing instrumental “Kawani” felt fresh and intriguing for VOB. They had a unique opportunity to express their enthusiasm for Sundanese music, which they likewise hold in high regard. "In Sundanese, 'Kawani' means courage. This song represents the bravery with which we girls have refused to be treated as something ‘sweet and beautiful’. We are greater than that. That courage is reflected in the rhythms' dynamic quality. We may appear to be serene and unruffled, yet we can abruptly change into something else that is challenging to control,” according to Sitti.

LA-based Japanese DJ/beatmaker Kapsoul, boasting over 20 years of career, announces the release of his first album "ascent"!

Known in Japan for his collaboration with Japanese rapper Senninso ("GaryPayton"), Kapsoul has garnered a reputation among hardcore hip-hop fans, and many have been eagerly anticipating this debut release. The album features a diverse lineup of artists, including NY rapper AA Rashid, a regular contributor to Westside Gunn's projects, LA underground favorite BLU, Declaime (Dudley Perkins) and Georgia Anne Muldrow, known for their releases on Stones Throw, and Kapsoul's own group Black HairImperial, among others. Additionally, instrumental tracks featuring jazz musicians with close ties to Kapsoul are also included, resulting in a project with musicality that transcends the boundaries of hip-hop.

First time on vinyl! 17 Classic songs fully remastered! Soundtrack from the Original Series (1993 1998) on Vintage Black Wax Music by Animaniacs Album Art by Dan Haskett, Tony Craig, and Roman Laney Animaniacs was a golden moment in television history, a bona-fide & fully-featured animated variety show harkening back to the early days of American cartoons featuring short skits, biting satirical wit, and, of course, ludicrously catchy tunes.

Impressively orchestrated and lyrically playful, music was a part of Animaniacs’ core identity from the show’s very beginning. Original songs were built into the show’s DNA and set the series’ signature tone — sometimes educational, oftentimes irreverent, and always, always gut-bustingly hilarious.

Surprisingly, this classic music has never before been collected on vinyl. We at iam8bit are teaming up with our friends at WaterTower Music to correct that.

Introducing…Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs (Soundtrack from the Original Series) Vinyl Soundtrack! Meme-spawning classics like “Yakko’s World” and silly send-ups like “I Am the Very Model of A Cartoon Individual” are all represented here, performed by The Animaniacs themselves and presented in their full glory on classic black vinyl.

But what would Animaniacs be without golden-age-inspired cel-tacular cartoon art? We tapped an absolutely prolific cabal of iconic Animaniacs alumni, new and old: Original character artist Dan Haskett, who has touched classics like Scooby-Doo!, and Looney Tunes, storyboard artist Tony Craig, whose expansive credits include Ben 10 and House of Mouse, and Roman Laney, who helped build El Tigre, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, and so much more. These are giants of American animation, and we are humbled to help bring their creations to you. To ensure absolute historic perfection, the whole project was also creatively directed by cartoony expert Gabe Swarr, executive producer of the Animaniacs show revival.

It’s Animaney, totally insane-y, (here’s the product’s name-y!)...It’s the Animaniacs Vinyl Soundtrack!

And those, friends, are indeed the facts.

Svart Records is proud to reissue the production of Argentinian blues rock legend Pappo's Blues as vinyl versions. Guitarist-singer Pappo aka Norberto Aníbal Napolitano (1950 – 2005) is one of his country's biggest rock legends, who also managed to make a career outside his home country. He was there right from the beginning of Argentine rock, as guitarist of the first version of Los Abuelos de la Nada, Conexión Nº 5, Engranaje and Los Gatos, the band that made Argentine rock a household name thanks to the success of their first single, “La Balsa”, which sold more than 200.000 copies in 1967.

Jorge Álvarez (co-founder of the first Argentinian independent rock label Mandioca) encouraged Pappo to develop his own music. What followed was the formation of the first version of Pappo’s Blues in 1971, a trio that had Pappo himself on guitar and vocals, David Lebón on bass and Black Amaya on drums. Their self-named debut album was an unqualified success among the ever-growing audience of Argentine rock. It contained a bundle of all-time classics such as “El hombre suburbano” (The suburban man), “El viejo” (The old man) and “Adónde está la Libertad” (Where is freedom?).

Pappo’s Blues (1971, also known as “Volume One”) introduced a new element to Argentine rock: a harder rock and blues sound, combined with intelligent and sensitive lyrics with centered on the vicissitudes of a typical young man trying to live life according to his own rules, surrounded by the mores of an intolerant society. The arabesques of Pappo’s guitar, complemented by a solid and yet elastic rhythm section, made for an exciting and daring sound, where his trademark rock and blues sound also extended to embrace blues ballads and even excursions into psychedelia.

Svart Records proudly present the vinyl reissue of Grave Pleasures’ modern classic album Motherblood

There are still those rare bands out there in the world that have a unique ability to combine macabre, mystifying rock with a more pop-oriented flare, a la early Bowie or early The Cure. Grave Pleasures are such a band that is equally suited for playing on a stadium stage, or in some Lynchian nightmare. It’s that duality and electrifying contradiction that makes their music so exhilarating.

Lead guitarist Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu) steps up to write the majority of the songs together with British-born outcast Mat McNerney (Hexvessel, ex- Beastmilk/DHG/Code). His screaming telecaster and unique interplay of discord and harmony has become a trademark of the band’s sound. Together with guitarist Aleksi Kiiskilä (ex - Kohu 63), their strings shimmer, hammer and howl out a web of sound which is distinctly Grave Pleasures. Fleshed out by the hypnotic signature rhythms of Valtteri Arino (ex- Beastmilk) on bass and Rainer Tuomikanto frenetically pounding the funeral drums (Ajattara, ex- Shining Swe), this group of well-established punks have started to reach up to their zenith on their sordid testament Motherblood.

Motherblood was recorded at Orgone Studios in the UK with Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Ulver, Paradise Lost) in March 2017 and originally released by Century Media on the same year. The studio was suitably situated on the site of an old WW2 coding bunker and brought with it the isolation of the bleak British countryside. The setting helped give the album an intense and smiling urgency that picks up where 80s UK bands such as Magazine, The Wire and Echo And The Bunnymen left off, but never stopping long enough to look back too much into the past. Featuring guest vocals from David Tibet from Current 93, the band sets the tone for their inspirations, from the esoteric underground of England’s hidden reverse to Manchester’s sound of misery. With their own metallic raw tone clashed with pop hooks, Motherblood is a furiously passionate and contemporary record, which re-defines post-punk as a “war-cry for the eternally doomed.”

They have been described as "A post-punk wet dream," or perhaps more honestly as "bat-shit lunatics," and their music is in a funereal world of its own. Motherblood is a truly danceable, pop-feast of raw, banging pleasure – in all its primitive, gothic tribalism. Dance-floor death rock that brings with it an uncanny sense of inspired song craft that made Bowie’s Berlin era sound so fresh and revolutionary, Killing Joke’s tribal anthems so desperately ominous and dark throbbing melancholy of Depeche Mode’s atmospheric pop so damn sexy. Just about every part of this record bleeds menace, or emanates nuclear fumes. It’s unsafe territory which in turn makes it thrilling, sexy and most dangerously of all, catchy.

Brand-new RP material on SCHARNHORST delivering some dubby magic! Only on vinyl.

The first few months of 2024 has seen IST IST’s growing popularity expand further. Now a full-time band, they played to over 8,000 people across the UK and Europe including a first visit to Scandinavia and the sell-out signs going up at multiple German and Dutch shows including the 1,100 capacity Doornroosje in Nijmegen. ‘Light A Bigger Fire’ will be the follow-up to ‘Protagonists’, which reached number 41 in the Official Album Chart on release in March 2023 as well as securing them their third set of top ten positions in the vinyl, independent and physical charts as well as the number one download in the week of release.

Als Cope das erste Mal vor knapp 10 Jahren veröffentlicht wurde, erklärte Manchester Orchestra das dies ihre „ungeschminkte Heavy-Rock-Platte“ sei. Und damit sollten sie recht behalten, während die Band sich mehr und mehr ihren eigenen Sphärischen Sound schuf, bleibt Cope das lauteste & härteste Album ihres Schaffens. Zur Feier dieses 10-jährigen Jubiläums spielte Manchester Orchestra die Platte einmal komplett in dem kleinen Club in The Earl in Atlanta durch - das Ergebnis findet sich auf diesem Live Album.

The Passion has always been a track that resonated deep within me, a true gem by the infamous 90s duo GTO, also known as Technohead. It is a classic that has been a constant source of inspiration and emotion in my musical journey. I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to rework this timeless track into a modern Techno anthem that embraces Peaktime and Psy elements, infused with my signature production style.

A big welcome back to Kaspar with his next Terminal M release.

The Stanley Parable may be satire, but its artistry is sincere. Developer Crows Crows Crows understood that on a fundamental level, in order for its scathing deconstruction of interactive storytelling to really hit, The Stanley Parable had to feel like a polished, impressive piece of narrative fiction, in and of itself. That polish is present everywhere in the game, from its stark, corporate-approved visuals to its superb voice acting, to its extraordinary soundtrack.

The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra, Yiannis Ioannides, Christiaan Bakker, and Tom Schley all contributed pieces to this indelible score. The resulting product is an eclectic mix of whimsical orchestral tunes, surprisingly tense ambient sounds, and heroically inspiring themes, sure to stir something deep within your formerly settled soul. Parody, tribute, and unexpectedly original moments of brilliance are present across the tracklist here in equal measure, each working towards the same cohesive final score.

Now, we at iam8bit are here to bring that very same score to you, presented on wax, with all of the care and consideration it deserves. Introducing The Stanley Parable 2xLP, a collection of the very best songs from the hallmark indie title, spread across two discs and pressed on 100% recycled black wax.

Lovely designers, Dominik Johann and William Pugh, crafted the cover art, which, much like the game itself (and indeed the soundtrack, too) is understated and brilliant — a loving tribute to Stanley’s possibly-traitorous sole companion, The Reassurance Bucket. It makes a mighty fine companion to your very own commemorative The Stanley Parable Collectible Bucket, if we do say so ourselves. And what’s more, that art is printed on recycled, eco-friendly packaging.

Now’s your chance to take home a piece of indie game history. Don’t miss out!

20% of net proceeds from your Stanley Parable purchase will be donated to the non-profit charity 350.org to fight climate change.

Known for her powerful vocals, dynamic stage presence, and diverse musical influences, LA-based soul and funk singer Nikka Costa returns from a musical career break with future-forward disco-inspired sounds on ‘Dirty Disco’.

The lyric “Everyone is welcome, everyone’s an Avatar” denotes a place where anyone can go to be themselves and let their freak flag fly! and sets the tone for her disco and soul fused, progressive album, which is recorded with and produced by Justin Stanley (Prince, Jamie Lidell, Beck etc). Along with the talents of versatile musicians such as Brandon Coleman (Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Donald Glover, Flying Lotus), Greg Phillinganes (Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder) and Kaveh Rastegar (John Legend, Beck), Nikka Costa invites you to immerse yourself in her “Dirty Disco” world.

“Dirty Disco is about a place anyone can go to be themselves and let their freak flag fly! It’s about a place where no one is looking, no one cares what you're doing or what you're into. It could be a disco, but it could also be another planet or headspace or vibe. It's dark and sparkly, blue and purple. Gritty, raw and sexy. Whatever you want it to be.” - Nikka Costa

To experience Justin R. Cruz Gallego's pulverizing Sub Pop debut is to get burned down to ashes and burst forth, born anew. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), the Tacoma-based artist's second album, is driven by opposing forces: noisy abstractions and tightly structured beats, anguish and dissolution at the outside world and empowerment within, apathy and catharsis. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) weds scouring electronics to hooky songs and Gallego's powerful drumming in a way that feels visceral and new. It's his most personal statement to date, at once playful and intent, driven and combustible, total fucking chaos mixed into glints of broken-glass beauty. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Gallego experienced culture shock as a child after relocating to the frigid climes of the Pacific Northwest. He found solace in the Seattle punk scene centered around Iron Lung Records and has since remained a fixture in the underground community. "I see this record as first and foremost a musical statement," Gallego says. "I grew up in punk and DIY subcultures, but before that I had Latin music playing in the background through my childhood and every phase of adolescence. It was surprisingly natural to incorporate. I realized I wanted to go deeper into these rhythms. I wanted to make a record that felt as experimental as much as it felt from the perspective of a Latino. When I got a glimmer of that possibility, it felt exciting." Lead single "Dogear" is a face-melting party starter that sounds like someone forced Talking Heads and Rudimentary Peni to share a practice space. "I wanted a song that felt playful in the way it attempted to be dissonant without taking itself too seriously," Gallego says. "Cholla Beat" is even more ambitious, an anthemic mix of WAR and Wire led by unruly synthesizers spiraling down a labyrinth of production. Gallego's influences for the album are vast, ranging from British documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis to electric Miles Davis to audio miscreants like Demdike Stare and Oneohtrix Point Never. But it's Gallego's assured sonic vision that resounds the loudest. And, while J.R.C.G. is a solo project, conceived and executed primarily in Gallego's home studio, he found strength in opening the project to others, starting with Seth Manchester as co-producer. Manchester's penchant for bone-rattling frequencies, as seen in his production work with The Body, Battles, and Mdou Moctar, made him a natural fit for Gallego. Together, they retained the intimacy of Gallego's home recordings while taking advantage of the hi-fi stylings of his Machines With Magnets Studio in Rhode Island. The closing song, "World i," offers a glimpse into the live experience of Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), with upwards of seven band members blasting off. The album features a fascinating mix of supporting players, many of whom cycle through J.R.C.G.'s live lineup: Morgan Henderson (The Blood Brothers, Fleet Foxes), Jason Clackley (Dreamdecay, The Exquisites), Jon Scheid (Dreamdecay, U Sco), Erica Miller (Casual Hex, Big Bite), Veronica Dye (Terminator) Phil Cleary (U Sco), and Alex Gaziano (Dreamdecay, Kidcrash, Science Amplification). Taken as a whole, G.I.S.M. is a whirlwind of sound, pummeling, and cleansing. It's a sweaty, thrilling aural adventure and, like a great basement show, it'll leave you breathless, exhausted, and wanting to repeat it all over again. As any good mantra should.

EXCELLENT BROADCAST FROM LED ZEPPELIN’S 1972 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR1972 was the first year since 1969 that Led Zeppelin didn’t release an album. The highly praised Led Zeppelin IV had come out in November ’71, and their next LP, Houses Of The Holy, was released in March ’73. Instead, Zeppelin spent the majority of ’72 on the road.Having spent February in Australia, they then spent June touring North America. Kicking things off on June 6th in Detroit, followed by a quick hop over the Canadian border to play the following night in Montreal, by the 9th of the month the band were in North Carolina, at the state’s most populous city, Charlotte. Performing at the city’s Coliseum venue, Led Zeppelin performed one of the finest shows of the entire tour. Playing a number of cuts from their latest record, including a superb version of the ubiquitous ‘Stairway To Heaven’, alongside a fine selection of back catalogue classics, the concert remains a fan favourite to this day.Recorded for live radio broadcast, the gig has not previously been released on vinyl, but that changes with this new two-instalment which now houses the complete show for the first time. SIDE A:1. Dazed And Confused 24:42Total side length – 24:42SIDE B:2. What Is And What Should Never Be 5:313. Moby Dick 19:12Total side length – 24:43SIDE C:4. Whole Lotta Love 8:05Total side length – 8:05SIDE D:5. Rock And Roll 4:436. Communication Breakdown 4:30Total side length – 9:13

The 5th original release of Soultape. The entire EP is permeated with the vivid influence of house music. As always, in a masterful performance with the characteristic unique handwriting of the maestro. Four excellent grooves for the dance floor. Enjoy it!

Some more FunFunFun, this time brought to you by Hamburg stalwart Rupert Marnie. Playful acid-drenched exotica and metamorphic electroid blends are his sounds of choice. Expertly melting and recasting sounds into off-kilter weapons and one-off sonic experiences to repurpose the club system. Marnie combines hi-octane stunts and unsuspected u-turns to present us with his own de-finition of club material... All tracks written and produced by Matthias Schubert. Mastered by Analogcut in Berlin. System Error MM GmbH, Berlin, Germany, Earth © 2024.

The superb Philoxenia Records, which is spearheaded by Luigi Di Venere and Neu Verboten, here unveils a coveted addition to its collection with the the super limited Last Place On Earth EP from Vilnius-based Dovydas Platakis aka Jokios Kulturos. It's a cinematic work that immerses listeners in a dystopian realm that blends avant-garde tones with manga-inspired cyberpunk vibes. Each track serves as a gateway to a world where technological progress intertwines with societal decline, which is of course often the focus of classic cyberpunk literature. Di Venere and Verboten also combine under their Affekt Unit alias to deliver captivating remixes and bring trance and tribal techno elements to the party.