Needle Time

  The Durutti Column - Sex And Death [FBN 201 UK 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Originally ever only released as a compact disc or a CD-Rom by Factory Too Records (FACD2.01) in 1994, Sex And Death is revered as one of the very best and most accessible Durutti Column albums. Produced by Stephen Street and featuring New Order's Peter Hook on bass, Martin Jackson (ex-Magazine and Swing Out Sister) & violinist turned composer/conductor John Metcalfe. This record is a thing of great beauty and your scribe snapped it up upon release on double vinyl at time of limited release. This is guitarist Vini Reilly's most creative period, after his work on the debut Morrissey solo album, the failing Factory Records were able to secure a deal through Warners for the talented guitarist. The first twelve tracks comprise the original CD tracks, remastered by Peter Beckman for his Technology Works studio. Beckman has breathed life into the original works without any unnecessary compression and musically t...

  Public Image Limited - Home [VS 855-12 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] Time now for your weekly dose of PIL. The mid-eighties PiL was basically John Lydon, keyboardist Jebin Bruni & guitarist Mark Schulz with Bill Laswell becoming the non-performing  member, with the difficult task of arranging and producing the accompaniments  to Lydon's lyrical rants. Laswell also recruited Steve Vai, Ginger Baker and Ryuichi Sakamoto (quite a line-up!) for the sessions. The resulting album, Album was fairly well received, bolstered by the powerful Rise single. Home was the other single, which didn't quite achieve the chart-hit success of its predecessor.  A1 Home (Version From 'Album') B1 Round B2 Home (Single Version)

  Love And Money - All You Need Is... [MERH 89 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] From the ashes of Friends Again came pop-rockers Love And Money who hit is with the huge sound of The Candybar Express single in those heady days of 1986. Like a poppier version of Big Audio Dynamite, this Glasgow quiffed four piece tinkled with the edges of pop stardom but needed to wait a year or so before their label recruited Gary Katz to produce their only mainstream hit, Strange Kind Of Love which also featured Katz's sidekick Donald Fagen on keyboards. All You Need Is.. . was their debut album produced by Tom Dowd, with Duran Duran's Andy Taylor assuming desk duties on the key Candybar single.  Take a ride on the sugar train... A1 Candybar Express A2 River Of People A3 Twisted A4 Pain Is A Gun A5 Love & Money B1 Dear John B2 Cheeseburger B3 You're Beautiful B4 Temptation Time

  Trifecta - Fragments [KSCOPE1121 UK 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Fifteen slices of fission from the one off lockdown project from Nick Beggs, Adam Holzman and Craig Blundell. Why fill an album with 4 lengthy (& boring) prog-jazz-rock codas when 12 short & intense workouts will suffice?  Three musicians at the top of their game released this fine album just a week or so ago, I thought it would make a great rip for listening on a dreary damp Sunday evening on my part of the planet. Imagine a jazz jamming session between Stanly Clarke and Chick Corea, but instead bring in the bass player who once fronted Kajagoogoo ...and is now one of the most sought after bassists on the live and studio circuits. Every one of these tracks has enough to hold interest without drifting you off into a state of morose numbness. A1 Clean Up On Aisle Five A2 Check Engine Light A3 Proto Molecule A4 Auntie A5 Venn Diagram A6 The Enigma Of Mr. Fripp A7 SallyDoo-Dally A8   Have...

  Section 25 - Love & Hate [FACT 160 UK 1988 24-Bit FLAC] I thought now would be a good time to re-appreciate Section 25's fourth album, Love & Hate .  The band had splintered in early 1986 when Vin & Angela Cassidy decided they had enough of the music scene with Lee Shallcross following shortly afterwards. The years 1983-1985 were their most prolific period which included the majestic From The Hip album with its lead single, Looking From A Hilltop . Section 25 had also toured extensively and some of the 1985 dates in the US previewed many new song ideas, most marking a natural progression from Hip . Factory Records failed to make the most of the Crazy Wisdom single when they licensed it to their Benelux offshoot. This lack of love clearly led to the departures, but it is also worth noting that the Cassidy brothers (and their respective wives) had begun to reproduce. (The sleeve is a clue) This album was recorded in 1986 by the reduced line up of Larry & Je...

  A Certain Ratio - To Each... [FACT 35 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] I think we need a new rip of Too Each with the new cartridge... There are two myths about To Each. .. one unproven, possibly true and the other totally false myth that ACR were a bunch of Nazi's. The latter was based upon the imagery used on the inner gatefold sleeve depicting Nazi generals, however the music journalists who were quick to shout nazi clearly missed the superimposed photograph of Donald Johnson peering down from the window above. Those very same scribes were also foolishly to claim that a certain ratio of Jewish blood from one of Hitler's own speeches was the reasoning behind the band's name. Thankfully we all know better. The second myth is that Eastern Artists (E.A.R.S.) studio engineer Bruce Gerstein (or a studio cleaner in another version) zero'd all the levels on the desk before the album master tape was captured, resulting in Martin Hannett having to rework everything back at Strawberry i...

  Para One - Spectre • Machines Of Loving Grace [WRWTFWW054 CHE 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Para One is French electronic composer and film maker Jean-Baptiste de Laubier's alter-ego, Spectre is his fifth full album, released only as a double clear half-speed mastered vinyl set this year. The sleeve has an air of familiarity about it, I am thinking maybe some seventies prog-rock album - I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe somebody can? Modern electronica albums usually turn out to be lone bedroom recordings, you'll be pleased to know this album does not fit that category. De Laubier used an array of skilled musicians throughout for this sonic amalgamation of electronic dreamscapes, lush cinematics, gamelan percussion and choral drama which sits somewhere between John Carpenter and Ryuichi Sakamoto, or maybe between The Orb and Steve Reich. The vocal parts were supplied by the lovely ladies of Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares.  This pressing, by Optimal Media is superb, even thou...

  Public Image Limited - Rise [12" VS 841-12 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] Time for some more Public Image Limited - there will be no more Foo ....ever!. This time from those difficult mid-eighties when John Lydon effectively became a solo artist surrounded by session musicians, also becoming heavily reliant on Bill Laswell to hold everything together, so much so that Laswell was frequently given song writing credits. PIL were to release some of Johnny's best and his worst during this period. Rise was my favourite and I have re-ripped the twelve inch from penguinflight's archive. This is a bloody loud record, I've checked very carefully that nothing is clipped - but it will always be one of the best singles to be played loud. Headphone listeners be aware. A1 Rise B1 Rise (Instrumental)

  Dee Gees - Hail Satin [19439-88410-1 UK RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC] Novelty record time. So why on earth did I purchase half an album of Bee Gees covers by The Foo Fighters? I guess I was curious and a little attracted by the garish sleeve. I've already sold this on yesterday for four times what I paid for it - it seems there are a lot of Foo-fans out there who missed the opportunity and are willing to pay hard cash. It seems a bit daft if you ask me, they pressed tens of thousands of these. The a-side of this record is actually great fun, our hairy Seattle chums hit the high notes and lay down some serious hairy-flairy retro-disco-groove backed with some superb rock riffing. As a parody - it works just fine, I don't particularly need the b-side session tracks, although some of you may be inclined. A1 You Should Be Dancing A2 Night Fever A3 Tragedy A4 Shadow Dancing A5 More Than A Woman B1 Making A Fire B2 Shame Shame B3 Waiting On A War B4 No Son Of Mine B5 Clo...

  David Bowie - Lodger [RPL-2107 JPN 1982 24-Bit FLAC] How's about the Japanese 1982 repress of Bowie's 1979 album, Lodger ? I have been holding back on this rip until I was happy that the new cart has burned in - so here you are! I would guess that we all grew up with this record, these were the post-Berlin years where Bowie and Eno hopped over to the tranquility of Switzerland, although this album is anything but tranquil.  Adrian Belew joined the crew  adding his licks of guitar. If you want an example of how the Hana Shibata handles this superb pressing just check out the intro to Yassassin and the punchy D.J.. Enjoy! A1 Fantastic Voyage A2 African Night Flight A3 Move On A4 Yassassin (Turkish For: Long Live) A5 Red Sails B1 D.J. B2 Look Back In Anger B3 Boys Keep Swinging B4 Repetition B5 Red Money

  Purple Disco Machine - Soulmatic [SWEATA 016VG UK RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC] Bravely assuming the mighty mantle of the dearly departed Daft Funk is German producer Tino Piontek who composes & collaborates as Purple Disco Machine. I spent most of July RSD hunting down this double gold vinyl repress of his 2017 album Soulmatic . I missed out on the original pressing which is now highly desirable among nu-disco vinylheads. We have had a week of post-punk and experimental meanderings, so let's end it on something a little more upbeat. A1 Music In You A2 Body Funk A3 Love For Days B1 Pray For Me B2 Devil In Me B3 Play C1 Take It Easy C2 Soulmatic C3 Mistress D1 Falling Down D2 Let The Music Play D3 Memphis Jam D4 Encore If this wets your whistle, track down his re-work of Male Stripper ....

  A Certain Ratio - ACR:EPR [12MUTE 633 UK 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Here is the third of this year's three-pack from A Certain Ratio. $ouls In The City is the kind of dark squelchy funk of which ACR are masters. It is a six minute brooding workout which I have left as one complete track. Rather than three remixes we get three different b-sides of which the dreamy dub of Big Boy Pants stands head and shoulders above the rest of the EP. A1   $ouls In The City (Part 2 &Part 1) A2 Night People B1 Big Boy Pants B2 Downtime Vibes

  Public Image Limited - Commercial Zone  (Limited Edition) [XYZ-007 USA 1984 24-Bit FLAC] Some of you have already guessed this album was coming. I last ripped Commercial Zone on the old Debut Carbon/2M Blue combination in January 2017, after my recent rip of the Japanese pressing on Flowers Of Romance , it was the obvious follow-up. Here is a brand new rip of the album Johnny didn't want you to hear, but Keith did! Viewed by many as the last true PIL album, Commercial Zone was funded & released by  Keith Levene on his split from the band. The review of the album in Melody Maker upon release sums it up perfectly and is copied below.... THIS is not a bootleg, this is the real alternative to that other record, a private view of the Public Image, a strictly import-only insight into the way they were. This record sets the record straight from the Keith Levene point of view, a collection of original PiL ephemera which puts the tin lid on Levene's involvement in the band...

  Wire - 154 [SHSP 4105 UK 1979 24-Bit FLAC] After four attempts at a rip to break in the new cart, here is a new rip (my last one only ever featured on ESWA 2.0) of 154 - this is a quietly pressed album (an 1979 original without the bonus seven inch) hiding an unusual dynamic response (for the period) of DR10. Crank things up a bit and with a more responsive cartridge, this record bursts into life. 1979 was a very important year in music and 154 is a very important album. 154 is a very different Wire album, the opening I Should Have Known Better introduces us to Graham Lewis's dulcet tones and an air of compelling experimentation. The punky Two People In A Room is closely followed by one of my favourite Wire tracks, The 15th with superb Newman vocal harmonies and synths from Mike Horne. The Other Window is classic Gilbert & Lewis nonsense (in a good way), Colin Newman leads again on the post-punk gem A Single K.O. before Gilbert's lengthy "opus" A Touc...

  Public Image Limited - The Flowers Of Romance [YX-7291-AX JPN 1982 24-Bit FLAC] Described by Keith Levene, at the time, as the least commercial album ever handed over to a major record label. I suppose Virgin Records were known for being fairly adventurous.  The Flowers Of Romance was recorded after Jah Wobble departed with Martin Atkins on drums and John Lydon taking on the somewhat limited bass parts.  This album is not an easy listen to say the least. You would assume from subsequent Lydon & Leven interviews that this was a deliberate act of blatant uncommercialism - they certainly set out to make a difficult album following the critical acclaim of Metal Box . One of the most remarkable tracks is  Hymie's Him with it's orchestral almost film soundtrack qualities - this track surely had an influence on neo-classical industrial acts such as In The Nursery. Banging On The Door reflects more upon the bands earlier work with brooding bass over thumping rhythms...

  A Certain Ratio - Bootsy (Remix) [FAC 16612 AUS 1987 24-Bit FLAC] Factory Records failed to capitalise on A Certain Ratio's Force album, which had been their best work for a number of years. The Australian off-shoot of Factory persuaded one-time Severed Head and early techno producer Robert Rancic to re-work Bootsy off the album as a single. The Manchester label then foolishly chose to ignore the track as a single (one of the best Force tracks) in the UK. Here is my rip of that single from my original twelve. It is also highly likely that I was the one responsible for affixing that import tax label at my then employer ...hence ruining the rather excellent sleeve! A1 Bootsy (Remix) B1 Mickey Way

  The Diamond Family Archive - Ye Poor & Maimed [MAPV002 UK 2016 24-Bit FLAC] Okay, hands up who overlooked my last Diamond Family Archive rip? Breaking in the week gently, here is my second DFA rip - this time it's their third vinyl album Ye Poor & Maimed (there have also been many compact disc or download only albums between them) and it is something rather special. Lawrence Collyer and Peter Collis produce low-fi, ethereal & psychedelic folk layered with distortion and gorgeous vocal melodies at their home studio and then turn their music into self-distributed records in hand-made sleeves, complete with trinkets, maps and other random ephemera. They then tour extensively (when they can) all over Europe - often sleeping on promoter's sofas or in the back of their van.  I find their music to be enthralling, they encapsulate you in layers of sound, often made with unidentifiable instruments as these layers blend with effects and delay. I challenge you to immerse y...

  Psychic TV - Force The Hand Of Chance [PSY 1 UK 2LP 1982 24-Bit FLAC] Historically, I have made good sport of mocking Neil Andrew Megson. I think my judgement was soured by the PTV years where he just went out to take his desire to shock and appall even further. To a point Psychic TV were powerful and innovative (especially the first two albums), they then decided to claim to have invented acid house and then of course there was that Ian Curtis 'moment'. I was sad to hear of his death last year, which occurred about the same time that I was reading Cosey's revealing autobiography which painted a more disturbing image of the P-Orridge persona.  The original Psychic TV were Alex Fergusson (often forgotten as the one genuine musician in the band), Sleazy Christopherson (more of a visual artist than a musician) and Genesis. Marc Almond contributes vocals on a couple of tracks, Andrew Poppy adds some lush orchestrals and if you make it through the Themes compositions (the ...

  J. Inagaki & His Soul Media w/Y. Sawada - Dosojin 道祖神 やぶにらみ民謡考 [HMJY-144 RPN RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC] If you have been following my rips of classic Japanese album re-releases, you will have no doubt enjoyed Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media's superb Funky Stuff .  This album, originally released back in 1972 is very different ....but just as classy. Whereas Funky Stuff hit a solid funk groove, Dosojin takes its lead from early seventies progressive psychedelic rock blended into Japanese minyo with elements of deep & spiritual jazz. Superbly pressed and immaculately packaged, HMV Japan have reproduced this very rare record to the highest of standards. I know a good many of you like to hear something unusual that you've never heard before, this is just for you. After all, I could use my time to produce multiple rips of the same albums which we should already own in multiple formats. A1  いなのめ A2 きぎし A3 すそみ A4 くさかひ A5   ありそべ B1 たぶて B2   ささら B...

  For Against - In The Marshes [IP 029 USA 1990 24-Bit FLAC] Nebraska's For Against sound more like they were brought up on the dark & dreary streets of Lancashire or the cold industrial low countries rather than the heart of America's farming country. This gorgeously packaged 10" EP, In The Marshes was released on Bruce Licher's Independent Project Records as a limited edition of 2500 in 1990.  These raw tracks were laid down on a four-track in a 1986 demo session after recording their debut album Echelons , and possess a colder, much darker synthwave feel than their subsequent guitar based alternative rock releases. Personally, I consider these six tracks to be For Against best work as shifting line-ups brought a change in direction more suited to the US market. A1 Tibet A2 Amnesia A3 The Purgatory Salesman B1 Amen Yves B2 Fate B3 In The Marshes

  Cocteau Twins - Head Over Heels [CAD 313 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] I would like to start this post by offering my sincere gratitude to those who participated in last week's crowd funding drive and donated towards the cost of a replacement cartridge. After about three hours of fat fingered fumbling and stressful perspiration during installation and then rebalancing everything in my set-up, I've begun the 'burn in' process with some intensive listening. This album (from an original 1983 pressing) was in the mastering queue, ripped with the old Ortofon cart a few weeks back, however I was just not happy with how muddy it sounded. Last night, I thought I would produce a trial rip with the Hana Shibata SL to check there were no extraneous buzzes or glitches. I was so blown away by the huge improvement in sound quality that I could not resist the temptation to master the rip into a blog post. This morning, I was up at dawn levelling, de-clicking and other random general iZotope...

  The Names - Spectators Of Life [CEL 2-6554 FRA 1980 24-Bit FLAC] Originally released in Belgium on WEA International in 1979 as a seven inch (the band's only major label release), French label Celluloid Records picked up the tracks for a twelve inch release. It has to sound better than my crackly original single ....and it does. The Names from Brussels were originally punk new-wavers, The Passengers. Although they never released anything in their first identity (well not until 2017), the sound was very different from their Hannett produced, post-Manchester gloomy sound for Factory Records. Their up tempo debut,  Spectators of Life could well have been mistaken for a Devoto composition, perhaps I may not be the only one who rhears early Magazine on this three-track single. A1 Spectators Of Life B1 White Life B2 The Drive  

  The Style Council - The Cost Of Loving [20MM 0557 JPN 1987 24-Bit FLAC] With an everchanging mode, Paul Weller put highlights in his hair, dumped the raincoat in favour of an all white dresscode and tried to go eighties soul. This was possibly the album which turned me off the Bard Of Woking after seven years of teenage adoration. I thought now might be a good time for a re-appreciation..... It Didn't Matter is a dour opener and a bad choice for a opening/launch single, then who is Weller trying to kid by collaborating with The Dynamic Three on the cliché ridden pop-rap  Right To Go - the message is strong by the execution is weak. These two tracks ruin this album for me, thankfully there is better to come. Heavens Above is classic Style Council and would have made a better pop single than the opening track - it charted in the US but was never released as a single in the UK. Fairy Tales follows in much the same vein, assisted by Curtis Mayfield it is one of the few trac...

  Miles Davis - The Man With The Horn [25AP 2095 JPN 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Cue the double entendres. After six years in recluse, and to the delight of Columbia Records, Miles Davis returned to the studio with Bill Evans, Marcus Miller, Al Foster, Robert Irving III, Randy Hall & Barry Finnerty for the first of his five modern funk/jazz/rock albums. Whereas Tutu , You're Under Arrest and Decoy would acquire some longevity, Star People and The Man With The Horn are often overlooked. Here is my rip of my immaculate Japanese pressing of his come back album. Although I am no expert in the field, I have always thought that perhaps the was Mile's catch-up album as so many others in the field had already developed jazz into the modern fusion. Needless to say, expect musicianship of the highest calibre from all involved. A1 Fat Time A2 Back Seat Betty A3 Shout B1 Aida B2 The Man With The Horn B3 Ursula  

  Hiroshi Suzuki - Cat [WRJ010 LTD CHE 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Time for a half speed mastered repress of one of the most sought after Japanese jazz albums of all-time. If you don't believe me, have a look here . Originally released on Columbia Records in 1976, Cat was the second and last solo album by master of the trombone, Hiroshi Suzuki. It has been elevated towards holy grail status by jazz collectors & aficionados all over the world for its fusion of virtuoso horn over a slick funk-fusion groove.  Swiss reissue label, We Release Jazz, a subsidiary of We Release Whatever The F*ck We Want Records have unwrapped the golden ticket by securing the rights outside Japan. They have then ensured an immaculate half-speed mastered reproduction on 180gm platters in a heavy weight  350gm sleeve. This record sounds and looks bloody amazing.  Please ensure that you lend your eardrums at the superb Walk Tall . A1 Shrimp Dance A2 Kuro To Shiro B1 Walk Tall B2 Cat B3 R...

  Harry & Mac - Road To Louisiana [MHJ7-14 JPN RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC] Originally released on a ridiculously rare album on Epic Records (Japan) in 1999.  Haruomi Hosono (ex-Happy End, YMO & Sketch Show etc) and life long chum Makoto Kubota (ex-Sandii & The Sunsetz and Les Rallizes Denudes) recorded this album of New Orleans influenced southern blues rock and bayou soul using an ensemble of American and Japanese musicians at the end of the last century. Originally pressed in limited quantities, it has finally been repressed (again as a limited run) for RSD2021 in Japan. I managed to obtain a copy through a local distributor who shares a similar taste for Japanese musical obscurities. Harry & Mac cover themselves and a few others (inc. Van Morrison) in Japanese & English languages, often skillfully swapping between tongues on some tracks.  Expect vinyl mastering of the highest quality on this delightfully pressed gatefold package ...which doesn't come...

  Sven Wunder - Natura Morta [PP1003 USA 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Natura Morta (Dead Nature) is Swedish composer Sven Wunder's third album in as many years. His debut took us on a journey of funky Turkish delight's, the follow-up led us through the Sakura lined streets of springtime Kyoto, he now flies us to Naples and a trip down the Neapolitan coast, through Pompeii and onwards to Amalfi & Capri.  This could well be the perfect Sunday morning album. Recorded with 9 violins, 4 violas, 3 cellos, 1 flute, 1 piano, 1 electric piano, 1 cembalo, 1 twelve-string guitar, 1 electric guitar, 1 trumpet, 1 flugelhorn, 1 tenor horn, 1 marimba, 1 electric bass, drums and percussion, you will be pleased to know that  Natura Morta is not an album of Pro-Tools assembled bedroom recordings.  This is a lush record, thoroughly delightful in so many ways. Although tagged as jazz on many resources, there are elements of lounge, library music, chill-out, orchestral and Italian b-mov...

  Marcos Resende & Index - Marcos Resende & Index [FARO 220LP UK 2021 24-Bit FLAC] I really appreciate the current trend where small, young specialist labels dig out lost recordings or secure the rights to reissue very rare records from years gone by. Although my favourite genre is the post-punk period, I also love up-tempo & obtuse latin music and this record ticks those boxes. Marcos Resende was once one of the most in demand Brazilian keyboard player session musicians who also released a small number of solo albums. With his Index ensemble, he released  Festa Para Um Novo Rei on Phillips in 1978, which is one of the most sought after albums of Brazilian funky-jazz-fusion. That album has yet to be reissued, however shorty before he sadly died in 2020, he handed over the masters of an earlier, totally unreleased album, recorded in 1976. This album will ooze from from your speakers, it is slick, funky and übercool, it delivers the sounds & atmosphere of Brazil...

  Lavolta Lakota - Prayer [FBN 34 BEL 1984 24-Bit FLAC] For a brief period in the mid-80s Lavolta Lakota were potentially Manchester's next big thing. Formed by Stockholm Monster, Jed Duffy and featuring future Revenge member Dave Hicks on guitar and vocals, they supported Southern Death Cult, The Gun Club and New Order, exposing themselves to a wide & highly appreciative audience. Factory Records stupidly chose to release their first (and only) single on their Benelux subsidiary and despite an intensive poster campaign around the city by band members (not the label) most of the city's record stores failed to stock it. Those who did sold it at a higher price due to it's import status. In true Factory style - another opportunity missed with very few pressed and very few sold. All tracks were produced by the band's mentor, Peter Hook. Lavolta Lakota were to go on to record a large number of demos, none of which were ever to see the light of day as the band soon split...

  Cocteau Twins - Aikea-Guinea [BAD 501 UK 1985 24-Bit FLAC] I really screwed up my original ESWA rip of one of the Cocteau Twins' most gorgeous singles. The mastering to vinyl is really quite loud and I hadn't noticed some clipping and distortion. It is now time to put that right! This is a brand new rip at the perfect level, with space in the decibels for those who like to crank things up. I can now present one of 4AD's finest releases, lovingly re-ripped from a 36 year old slab of vinyl, kindly donated by long-time blog follower penguinflight .  A1 Aikea-Guinea A2 Kookaburra B1 Quisquose B2 Rococo

  Crowd Funding Appeal Folks, I need a new cartridge, my much used & abused Quintet MC is now showing signs of deterioration and will shortly need to go, consequently I am seriously considering ending my ten year relationship with Ortofon. After much research, the Hana Shibata SL cart ticks all the boxes and will, without any doubt, generate improved vinyl rips, especially when you consider it has a 15,000-32,000Hz frequency response - the equivalent Ortofon model can only clock up top 20,000Hz. In case you didn't know, Hana means brilliant and gorgeous in Japanese. I don't have deep pockets, so usually fund my upgrades through selling off old equipment and trading vinyl on Discogs. The world's biggest vinyl trading site have created huge problems for sellers around tax which has killed sales for those, like me, who regularly trade across borders. I therefore need to put this plea out to my readers and followers for donations. We have over 500 regular readers & down...

  Harold Budd ▪ Elizabeth Fraser ▪ Robin Guthrie ▪ Simon Raymonde ‎- The Moon And The Melodies [CAD 611 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] It's time to immerse yourself in an album which wraps itself around you like an ethereal fluffy duvet. Never credited to just The Cocteau Twins & Harold Budd - each artist is named in their own right, however to cut to the chase, The Moon And The Melodies is The Cocteau Twins accompanied by one of our times greatest composers, plus of course Richard Thomas from Dif Juz who gets a small credit for his sax and drums.  The results are of course more ambient than anything previously from the Grangemouth band, but there are numerous reference points to older Cocteau Twins work throughout. Four of the tracks do fit within the basic Cocteau formula -  The Moon And The Melodies  was recorded during their most prolific period. Should you seek further recommendations, the beautiful  The Ghost Has No Home is one of the most soothing composition...