MINT

Melbourne`s Left Ear have polished a lost, late `80s, Antipodean, Electro Soul gem. It`s creation no doubt inspired by the music of L.A.`s Egyptian Lover and the genre-defining output of New York`s Tommy Boy. However, the gear used, the sparse mix, the Eastern keys in the detail, and its erotic intent, make it sound more like Chris & Cosey backing a would-be Michael Jackson.

Following the recent reissue of Jose Mauro’s Obnoxius, Far Out Recordings presents the second release in the treasure trove of the Quartin catalogue, Victor Assis Brasil Plays Jobim.Over the course of the 60s, Roberto Quartin released more than 20 albums in Brazil on his label Forma, by artists including the likes of Eumir Deodato, Quarteto Em Cy, Baden Powell and Vinicius De Moraës. Selling the rights of Forma to Polygram in 1969, Quartin struck out for pastures new at the dawn of the 1970s with the launch of his self-titled label. Significant works and high-water marks for Brazilian music overall followed in that decade’s first year, with Victor Assis Brasil Plays Antonio Carlos Jobim and the aforementioned Obnoxious. These singular gems in Brazilian music, difficult to categorise yet compellingly haunting, have for too long gone unheard.Unlike Jose Mauro, whose biography is almost completely shrouded in mystery, Victor Assis Brasil’s tragically short life is a better known story. He passed away aged just thirty-five, but by this point his status was already cemented as one of Brazil’s top players. Gifted his first saxophone by his aunt at the age of fourteen, his debut LP was recorded just four years later, alongside some mercurial greats of Brazilian jazz, Tenorio Jr and Edson Lobo. Following the release of his first two albums, Victor was granted a place to study at Berklee College of Music, and it was during this period he recorded toca antonio carlos jobim upon returning to Brazil in the summer of 1970. At a time in Brazil when the smooth n’ easy groove of the bossa beat no longer reflected the inflamed politics of a nation under the cosh of military dictatorship, Victor Assis Brasil morphed Jobim’s soothing originals into raw, deep jazz cuts, with the help of Brazilian legends Edison Lobo, Helio Delmiro and Edison Machado. The album’s influences spans both American continents, finding a meeting point for Latin jazz and North American post-bop, with Roberto Quartin’s perfectionist approach to sound elevating the already incandescent music to divine new heights.Like all Far Out reissues, the album has been remastered from the original tapes, and pressed to high quality heavyweight vinyl. A second Victor Assis Brasil release Esperanto will appear later in the series, alongside another Jose Mauro release A Viagem Des Horas and Piri’s long forgotten gem Vocês Querem Mate?

Following last year’s compilation of archival recordings by Suso Saiz titled ’Odisea’, Music From Memory are thrilled to mark their 20th release to date with an album of new works by the Spanish electronic music pioneer. Recorded in Madrid between January and February 2016, this is Suso Saiz’s first release of new music in nearly 10 years.Titled ‘Rainworks’ this double LP release was originally part of a commission from a Canary Islands water company. The first ideas for the compositions developed from a documentary that Suso had seen suggesting the possibility of water molecules having their own ‘memory’. As Suso himself explains, he became fascinated with the “possibility of an eternal being, changing its cyclical condition from solid to gaseous state, travelling through and between the Earth and the Sky, as a witness and keeper of the true history of Earth and Mankind”.Suso, his son Emil Saiz and pianist Raph Killhertz set out to explore this metaphysical process of cyclical movement through music in ‘Rainworks’. Developing from the original commissioned tracks into a much more elaborate project, the album’s process became something of a mystical journey, drawing on aspects of minimalism and modernism. The music is also embedded in textured natural soundscapes and spoken word passages which were recorded and processed by Suso himself.Despite having the immediacy of an improvised piece, ‘Rainworks’ was in entirely composed by Suso. Whilst on one hand it appears very much as an electronic album there are in fact many acoustic elements to the recording. A resonant piano (a grand piano re-amplified using its resonant box and harp to generate effects) as well as guitars (with simple effects) are played in Suso’s inimitable hypnotic way, slowly drawing the listener into a transportive state or lucid dream.

For the first release in 2017, Echovolt draws from the Canadian continent to bring an ep from mysterious producer from the west coast.An inventory of thoughtful cuts bringing dubby motifs, early Italian house elements, and moody synth-work. A diverse expansive 12" presented with an all around deep, straight to tape sound quality.

Heavy debut release by Melbourne based music agency/record store Crown Ruler. This is a three track EP by South African studio outfit Focus. Comprised of Sello Mmutung and Keith Hutchinson, the original six track album 'Zulu Disco' was laid down in Johannesburg circa 1983.The original release has almost mystical qualities, no-one actually knows if it had a vinyl release or not. The only known media that exists is the cassette this was mastered from. A super strong EP that doesn't have a weak moment, side A for the full dancefloor, side B for deep afrocentric, mid-tempo chuggers. Including the original version of Picnic, later covered by Starlight and Kumasi..

Including a free download card and a poster