{"title":"Tough Love Records","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"girls-names-the-new-life-bonus-material","title":"Girls Names 'The New Life + Bonus Material' CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eBelfast-based four-piece Girls Names are a singular proposition, both geographically and psychically removed from their contemporaries at home and abroad. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving released a series of singles and EPs on various independent labels, Girls Names made their first significant impression on the wider world in 2011 with their debut album, Dead To Me, earning plaudits from the likes of Pitchfork, NME and Loud \u0026amp; Quiet amongst a host of others. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe New Life, stands as a brave statement; the mark of the band untying themselves from the past and easing forth into the unknown. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe New Life is a must listen ' \u003cstrong\u003eNME (8\/10)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA minor-chord menace - \u003cstrong\u003eQ (4\/5)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGirls Names is slowly becoming a band for all seasons '\u003cstrong\u003e Pitchfork\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGirls Names make sadness moreish and hypnotic - \u003cstrong\u003eThe Fly (4\/5)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn terms of a band upping their game, it's a bit like when Deerhunter followed Turn It Up Faggot with Cryptograms -\u003cstrong\u003e Dazed \u0026amp; Confused\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe New Life is a frontrunner for one of the best albums of the year so far - \u003cstrong\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Portrait \u003cbr\u003e2. Pittura Infamante \u003cbr\u003e3. Drawing Lines \u003cbr\u003e4. Hypnotic Regression \u003cbr\u003e5. Occultation \u003cbr\u003e6. A Second Skin \u003cbr\u003e7. The Olympia \u003cbr\u003e8. Notion \u003cbr\u003e9. Projektion \u003cbr\u003e10. The New Life\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBonus Material:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e11. Visions\u003cbr\u003e12. The New Life (David Holmes Remix)\u003cbr\u003e13. The New Life (A Jd Twitch Optimo Remix)\u003cbr\u003e14. Projektion (Gabe Gurnsey Factory Floor Remix)\u003cbr\u003e15. Drawing Lines (Mark Van Hoen Remix)\u003cbr\u003e16. Occultation (The Soft Walls Remix)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":43440185606387,"sku":"TLV062CDX","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Girls_Names_The_New_Life_ALBUM.jpeg?v=1571438610"},{"product_id":"girls-name-dead-to-me","title":"Girls Name 'Dead To Me'","description":"\u003cp\u003e1. Lawrence \u003cbr\u003e 2. I Could Die \u003cbr\u003e 3. When You Cry \u003cbr\u003e 4. No More Words \u003cbr\u003e 5. Nothing More To Say \u003cbr\u003e 6. I Lose \u003cbr\u003e 7. Cut Up \u003cbr\u003e 8. Bury Me \u003cbr\u003e 9. Kiss Goodbye \u003cbr\u003e 10. Séance On A Wet Afternoon\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":658891225,"sku":"TLV047LP","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":658891221,"sku":"TLV047CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/girls_names_dead.jpeg?v=1571438615"},{"product_id":"big-ups-eighteen-hours-of-static","title":"Big Ups 'Eighteen Hours Of Static'","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrendan Finn, Joe Galarraga, Amar Lal, and Carlos Salguero Jr. met whilst learning about specifications of Cat 5 cables in New York City. Shortly after, they formed a band. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBig Ups blend punk, post-punk, metal, and indie rock into a salty mash that gets stuck to the roof of your mouth. At their brightest, they have been likened to \u003cstrong\u003eThe Descendents\u003c\/strong\u003e, but at their sludgiest, they call to mind bands like \u003cstrong\u003ePissed Jeans\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Jesus Lizard\u003c\/strong\u003e, albeit with an Albini-esque metallic clang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir debut album, \u003cem\u003eEighteen Hours of Static\u003c\/em\u003e, was recorded by \u003cstrong\u003eCharles DeChants\u003c\/strong\u003e in the rock 'n' roll labyrinth known as \u003cstrong\u003eExcello Recording\u003c\/strong\u003e in Brooklyn over three days. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album is one characterised by aggressive mood swings. The band slows their usual frantic pace on the burner Wool ' a song about dealing with suffering. They toy with dynamics on white-knuckle grip of TMI, Little Kid, and Fresh Meat. But not to worry ' the mania is still there; first single Goes Black and Atheist Self-Help demand attention with their searing guitars and colossal drums. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLyrically, the album is a meditation on truth, faith, and science (the record's title is a reference to \u003cstrong\u003eCarl Sagan\u003c\/strong\u003e's Contact), but like all the best bands, Big Ups don't necessarily have all of the answers, but they'll keep asking the right questions¦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003cbr\u003eSide A:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e1. Body Parts \u003cbr\u003e2. Goes Black \u003cbr\u003e3. Justice \u003cbr\u003e4. Grin \u003cbr\u003e5. Wool\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSide B:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. TMI \u003cbr\u003e2. Little Kid \u003cbr\u003e3. Atheist Self-Help \u003cbr\u003e4. Disposer \u003cbr\u003e5. Fresh Meat \u003cbr\u003e6. Fine Line\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":658884601,"sku":"TLV069CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP + Download","offer_id":658884597,"sku":"TLV069LP","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Big_Ups_-_Eighteen_Hours_of_Static.jpeg?v=1571438622"},{"product_id":"cymbals-eat-guitars-lose","title":"Cymbals Eat Guitars 'LOSE'","description":"a cosmic, philosophical treatise disguised as an indie rock record. ' \u003cstrong\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWanna wake up wanting to listen to records \/ But those old feelings elude me  \/ I raise a toast to the rock n' roll ghost, sings Cymbals Eat Guitars frontman Joseph D'Agostino on the hyper-adrenalized XR, which sounds like a Tonight's the Night outtake recorded at triple speed, with its braying harmonica and spitfire vocal delivery. It's the track that perhaps best captures the spirit of the band's third LP, LOSE, one of coping with abject loss and grief by rediscovering what you've always loved, as difficult as it may be'?the redemptive power of music. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor D'Agostino, this entailed coming to terms with his best friend and musical collaborator Benjamin High, who passed away suddenly seven years ago, just as Cymbals Eat Guitars began recording in earnest. LOSE is a very apropos title because it refers not only to losing Ben, but also it's about a sort of nostalgia, a longing for a time when music meant everything to you and your friends, and it seemed like one great rock record could change everyone's life the way it changed yours, \u003cstrong\u003esays D'Agostino\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's about being in mourning for your long-held belief that music could literally change the world. That's the contradiction at the heart of LOSE... You're disillusioned, but somehow you can do nothing else but rail against that feeling mightily and try, once again, to make a record that makes you and everyone else 'wake up wanting to listen to records'. And indeed, the band, rounded out by bassist Matthew Whipple, keyboardist Brian Hamilton, and drummer Andrew Dole, alongside producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile), do little wallowing. This is a raucous affair, an Irish Wake, ultimately rooted in nothing less than a celebration of just being alive. What's perhaps most impressive about LOSE is the manner in which D'Agostino comes clean with his emotions, tackling seemingly ineffable mourning without equivocation.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are no $5 words that you'll have to pull up dictionary.com for... some of the lyrics are directly confessional. Very open, no obfuscation, he explains. I lost my dear friend a while ago and I've sort of been addressing it in song for most of my career, though you probably couldn't really tell until now. It's just a direct expression of grief. I figured if I confronted it head-on on record it'd make for some interesting music. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e1. Jackson \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e2. Warning  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e3. XR \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e4. Place Names \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e5. Child Bride \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e6. Laramie \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e7. Chambers \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e8. Lifenet \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e9. Hip Soul\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":837281185,"sku":"TLV074CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Pink + Download Card","offer_id":837277493,"sku":"TLV074LP","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Cymbals_Eat_Guitars_LOSE.jpg?v=1571438642"},{"product_id":"autobahn-dissemble","title":"AUTOBAHN 'Dissemble'","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #9900ff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lHpXgc-ATE8\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e'I don't have any repressed emotions that I know of. The world I write about is a jaded version of reality, but where it comes from isn't quite apparent to me yet'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Following the release of two self-titled EPs over the past 12 months, AUTOBAHN announce details of debut album, \u003cem\u003eDissemble, \u003c\/em\u003eout on 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e August via Tough Love. \u003cem\u003eDissemble \u003c\/em\u003ewas recorded with Matt Peel at The Nave, a hometown studio situated in the wholly appropriate setting of a disused church. The band co-produced the record with Peel over six intense weeks at the start of 2015, dedicating all of their time to the studio and taking potentially unhealthy cues from the legacy of notorious obsessive, Martin Hannett. The result is an album that pushes the band through various degrees of light and shade, but ultimately into new, unexpected sonic spaces. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou need to remember all of this world I write about is a warped reality of people I've known or experiences I've been in. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eI think you can just tell when a bands from Leeds, can't you?'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMotivated by the encouragement of a supportive local scene, AUTOBAHN formed in Leeds in early 2013, and immediately began playing live across the north of England. Those early forays across the Pennines were vital in not only helping the band form their own sound, but also hold a symbolic role in understanding their genesis. The North as both idea and identity is integral to what AUTOBAHN are, where post-industrial landscapes intersect with sudden wide open spaces, a place where community is central, but loneliness can be palpable. There's a dark, oppressive edge to their music, but a hopefulness too. Sisters of Mercy, yes, but also brothers in arms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e'The first track was intended to be a link to the past records. We leave the past behind after that.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e AUTOBAHN first came to the attention of Tough Love via a local support slot with Tampa romantics, Merchandise, and reached the wider world with the release of two now sold out 12's. Those first recordings suggested a classic modern punk band with a penchant for death and glamour, and an impatience to be heard. Time and touring has afforded them the ability to shift gear significantly, and the renewed ambition of \u003cem\u003eDissemble \u003c\/em\u003estands as testament to that. The band were immediately a thrilling live force, but on this album they're wider, more urgent when they want to be, more thoughtful when required. \u003cem\u003eDissemble\u003c\/em\u003e is an appropriate title (meaning to conceal one's true motives), because there's something canny at work here. The surface suggests despair, but scratch deeper and the lyrics display a lightness of touch that skewers the over-earnest and overly-serious.   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e '\u003cem\u003eDissemble\u003c\/em\u003e is a twisted romantic view of how AUTOBAHN think: don't take life too seriously'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Life is a joke, but AUTOBAHN aren't laughing. How could they?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":43440178594035,"sku":"TLV082CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Transparent + Download","offer_id":43440178626803,"sku":"TLV082LPX","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":43509434614003,"sku":"TLV082LP","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/AUTOBAHN_-_Dissemble_-_front_cover.jpg?v=1571438660"},{"product_id":"girls-names-arms-around-a-vision","title":"Girls Names 'Arms Around a Vision'","description":"\u003cspan style=\"color: #9900ff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Xa1TshNz8YA\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimited Cream Vinyl \/ Black Vinyl \/ CD.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNorthern Ireland's Girls Names return this autumn with their third full-length album, Arms Around a Vision, \u003cstrong\u003edue for an October 2nd release\u003c\/strong\u003e via long-term home, Tough Love Records.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'We look to Europe for inspiration. For romance. For the idea of a better life,' says the band's frontman, Cathal Cully, when discussing the album. 'For me, living in Belfast just makes you focus on your own art.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTrue, Girls Names formed in Belfast, but they've long considered themselves a European band. The distinction is important  -  their vision of Europe is one of weird, labyrinthian histories, blackest-ever-black coffee, and long drives to dismal places. Romantic notions for those of a certain disposition, but behind the thousand-yard stares they've always been a soft-hearted lot. As the title of Arms Around a Vision would suggest, they're all set to let love in. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe band initially came together as a relatively lean two-piece back in the summer of 2010, but over the course of a handful of EPs and three very different albums, they've grown in number and ambition. Their last album, The New Life, was an unexpected underground hit in early 2013, taking the band around the world and garnering much critical praise, culminating in nominations for both the Northern Irish and Irish \u003cstrong\u003eMusic Prizes\u003c\/strong\u003e. Emboldened by the reception to that record, in March they returned with an 11-minute single that was played in full on \u003cstrong\u003eRadio 1\u003c\/strong\u003e and, typically, does not feature on their new album. Girls Names like to do things a little differently. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn Arms Around a Vision, they're more widescreen than ever but also more direct and aggressive. The bass, drums and guitars are still there, but so are saxophones, organs, detuned broken guitars and pianos, and even sheets of metal assaulted with hammers. Conceptually, Arms Around a Vision acts as a love letter to European elegance  -  Italian futurism, Russian constructivism, Germany's Zero Group and both \u003cstrong\u003eNeubaten\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eBowie\u003c\/strong\u003e's Berlin. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLove and pain, romance and fucking. It's all in there somewhere. Grand claims, perhaps, but in an ever bleak world, why not skygaze? The album opens with Reticence', a song in two parts that's half metallic knockout, half midnight swagger. It sounds unlike anything they've ever done before, and is a perfect primer for an album that treads a course between Eno-era Roxy sleaze, Birthday Party dissonance and M.E.S'three R's: repetition, repetition, repetition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs confident as it sounds, hardship has equally played a role in shaping Arms Around a Vision. 'I'm not starving or anything, but I've practically been living hand to mouth since I was 22,' confirms Cully. 'Most guitar music now is just a playground for the rich middle classes and it's really boring and elitist. We're elitist in our own way, in that we're on our own and you can't fuck with us when we've nothing to lose'. The near-6 minute A Hunger Artist'tackles that subject full on, addressing that age old adage of suffering for one's art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile the songs aren't narrative-driven as such  -  the band still generally favour abstraction and ambiguity  -  there is a consistent underlying message: 'We've got nothing. We've never had anything. And we don't expect to. The only person I ever wanted to impress was myself. I've never got anywhere close to succeeding in doing that until this album. I'm proud of it. I think I can start saying I'm a musician now.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Reticence\u003cbr\u003e2. An Artificial Spring\u003cbr\u003e3. Desire Oscillations\u003cbr\u003e4. (Obsession)\u003cbr\u003e5. Chrome Rose\u003cbr\u003e6. A Hunger Artist\u003cbr\u003e7. Málaga\u003cbr\u003e8. Dysmorphia\u003cbr\u003e9. (Convalescence)\u003cbr\u003e10. Exploit Me\u003cbr\u003e11. Take Out the Hand\u003cbr\u003e12. I Was You\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP + Download","offer_id":2412986564,"sku":"TLV083LP","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":2412858308,"sku":"TLV083CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Limited Cream Wax + Download Card","offer_id":2412830084,"sku":"TLV083LPX","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Girls_Names_-_Arms_Around_a_Vision.jpg?v=1571438662"},{"product_id":"yvette-process","title":"Yvette 'Process'","description":"\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimited edition transparent vinyl, with a free download code which includes 9 bonus tracks.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYVETTE are Noah Kardos-Fein and Dale Eisinger. The duo is based in Brooklyn, and make deeply spiritual, wildly aggressive noise music in the tradition of early post-punk and industrial artists like Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, and This Heat. A barrage of rolling toms and sub-bass triggers, processed guitar noise, and monk-like incantations means the music is always physical, but the joy of YVETTE is how well they structure the chaos.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Theirs is a noise molded into the contours'if not the sound'of pop music, offering an accessible entry point into a world of ugly brutalism,\" wrote Pitchfork's Stuart Berman, who gave the band's debut record, Process, an 8.1. YVETTE have performed alongside the The Rapture, Hisham Bharoocha, White Suns, Metz, Talk Normal, and are part of the Godmode Music family.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e1. Pure Pleasure \u003cbr\u003e2. Cuts Me In Half \u003cbr\u003e3. Mirrored Walls \u003cbr\u003e4. Carbon Copy \u003cbr\u003e5. Tempered Glass \u003cbr\u003e6. Everything in Reverse \u003cbr\u003e7. Attrition \u003cbr\u003e8. Holding Nothing \u003cbr\u003e9. Cold Comfort \u003cbr\u003e10. Absolutes \u003cbr\u003e11. Radiation \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDownload:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e12. Release (b-side from Cuts Me In Half cassette) \u003cbr\u003e13. Four Ways (b-side from Process) \u003cbr\u003e14. Scrape It Off (b-side from Radiation 7\") \u003cbr\u003e15. Erosion (a-side from Erosion 7\") \u003cbr\u003e16. Cold Sweat (b-side from Erosion 7\") \u003cbr\u003e17. Vibrations (from YVETTE EP) \u003cbr\u003e18. Plussed (from YVETTE EP) \u003cbr\u003e19. With Fangs (from YVETTE EP) \u003cbr\u003e20. Less (from YVETTE EP)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Transparent","offer_id":2899358084,"sku":"TLV071LP","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Yvette_Process.jpg?v=1571438663"},{"product_id":"ulrika-spacek-the-album-paranoia","title":"ULRIKA SPACEK 'The Album Paranoia'","description":"\u003cp\u003eUlrika Spacek is a British experimental rock band formed in Berlin by \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Williams\u003c\/strong\u003e, relocated to Homerton, London.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWork on debut album The Album Paranoia'began in the summer of 2014 in the band's shared house KEN, and was finished there last month. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn conjunction to the making of The Album Paranoia', the band has curated a number of nights under the name Oysterland'combining their first live performances with a series of exhibitions. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe band's music has drawn various interpretations, a cross pollination of hypnotic fuzz, Verlain-Malkmus guitar idiosyncrasies and intertwining feelings of both angst and melancholia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e1. I Don't Know\u003cbr\u003e2. Porcelain\u003cbr\u003e3. Circa 1954\u003cbr\u003e4. Strawberry Glue\u003cbr\u003e5. Beta Male\u003cbr\u003e6. NK \u003cbr\u003e7. Ultra Vivid\u003cbr\u003e8. She's A Cult\u003cbr\u003e9. There's A Little Passing Cloud in You\u003cbr\u003e10. Airportism\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD - Digipack","offer_id":8681631685,"sku":"TLV086CD","price":5.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP + Download Card","offer_id":8681414725,"sku":"TLV086LP","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Ulrika_Spacek_-_The_Album_Paranoia.jpg?v=1571438670"},{"product_id":"big-ups-before-a-million-universes","title":"Big Ups 'Before A Million Universes'","description":"\u003cspan style=\"color: #9900ff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CiPV7T56iyU\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBig Ups' second LP, Before A Million Universes, is at once a fist in the face of complacency and a sonic affirmation to, in Walt Whitman's words, \"let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePretty heady subject matter... \u003cstrong\u003eJoe Galarraga\u003c\/strong\u003e (vocals), \u003cstrong\u003eAmar Lal\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitar), \u003cstrong\u003eCarlos Salguero Jr.\u003c\/strong\u003e (bass), and \u003cstrong\u003eBrendan Finn\u003c\/strong\u003e (drums), met studying music technology at NYU. Five years later, the city's notorious crucible of garbage, money, and humanity has had a profound and delightful impact on their art. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tell me what you're worth \/ Salary, two weeks off work?\" Galarraga screams on \"Capitalized,\" as the bassline frantically roams our conscience like a wet-nosed dog. Galarraga's vocals burn with the heat of a thousand day jobs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet all this righteousness is worth as much as a Che t-shirt if it lacks humility, and more than any of the band's previous work, Before A Million Universes plumbs the depths of self-deception in wickedly clever ways. Who doesn't own a coat made of \"The Feathers Of Yes\"? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Count the ideas in my head so I can love every one,\" our protagonist coos before Lal's guitar tosses lightning bolts through his cloud. \"And it feels so warm \/ wrapped in self-righteous truths.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yawp\" unspools the exercise in futility that is the overexamined life to the tune of a lumbering giant stomping across a field of insecurities. \"How many times can you be poured through the still to the point of perfection? \/ I've dropped myself through the coils so many times but always come out with something missing \/ And the proof's so high it makes me dizzy.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album's emotional and musical core lies in \"National Parks,\" a song Galarraga wrote as a tribute to the sacrifices his mother made to raise him. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe're led through the anger and bewilderment'at his mom's solitary walks through their neighborhood and the selfishness inherent to childhood'and into a coda where you can almost see the sun streaming through the trees of Galarraga's park, drums steady and swelling, a transition in tone and mood that this band has nearly perfected. \"I think I saw her say to herself \/ This is everything I've missed.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBefore A Million Universes is Big Ups at their most sincere, urgent, and vital' a salty kiss from the wet lips of Brooklyn's bard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e1. Contain Myself\u003cbr\u003e2. Capitalized\u003cbr\u003e3. Posture\u003cbr\u003e4. Feathers of Yes\u003cbr\u003e5. Meet Where We Are\u003cbr\u003e6. Negative (intro)\u003cbr\u003e7. Negative\u003cbr\u003e8. Hope For Someone\u003cbr\u003e9. Knight\u003cbr\u003e10. National Parks\u003cbr\u003e11. So Much You\u003cbr\u003e12. Proximity Effect\u003cbr\u003e13. Yawp","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":10036496325,"sku":"TLV087CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Black","offer_id":10036468869,"sku":"TLV087LP","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Purple + Download","offer_id":10036414661,"sku":"TLV087LPS","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Big_Ups.jpg?v=1571438671"},{"product_id":"david-west-peace-or-love","title":"David West 'Peace or Love'","description":"LP is ltd , colour is called 'blue suede shoes'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRIYL: \u003cstrong\u003eFelt\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTelevision Personalities\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Wake\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eOrange Juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Pastels\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eYoung Marble Giants\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Falls\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'angels of light have your souls in a vice \/ we want to be free \/ we want to be loved \/ we want to be kissed from heaven above' \u003cstrong\u003eDavid West, Dream on Dreamer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Tough Love first began putting out records, one of the guiding motivations was to release music that sounds like the music David West makes. We didn't know it at the time, because we hadn't yet heard of him. It's funny how the very thing you're looking for falls into your lap. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you don't already know of David, and the various guises he performs under, then I'm a little envious, for you have a lot to discover for the first time. Peace or Love, is the second album to be issued under his own name. That can be either your starting point, or your continuation down a road. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe facts:\u003c\/strong\u003e Peace or Love is the follow-up to USA\/Australia-based musical artist David West's 2015 cassette release, Drop Out Of Collage. Peace or Love is a collection of songs stemming from wild and free bedroom four-track cassette recordings and personal hard drive sample raiding, with contributions from various musical friends in Perth, Western Australia and SF\/LA, California. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWest draws inspiration from free-thinking artists of the past and present on this polyphonic platter, from soft indie strumming and free soundscapes, to disco and soul-pop. West currently plays in the guitar pop band \u003cstrong\u003eRat Columns\u003c\/strong\u003e, synth-pop project \u003cstrong\u003eLiberation\u003c\/strong\u003e and post-punk trio \u003cstrong\u003eRank\/Xerox\u003c\/strong\u003e, and has been in varied acts such as \u003cstrong\u003eLace Curtain\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBurning Sensation\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTotal Control\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eWhalehammer\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you were feeling particularly grand, you could say that David West has created his own ecology, or you could just say he's a very busy man. I told David over email that Peace or Love feels like an album that was made specifically for me. His reply? 'It is for YOU. And YOU. And YOU. And YOU - ¦Peace or love is the same thing - you want to be free and you want to be loved....but you gotta choose one' This is music from the margins that deserves a place in the middle of anyone's heart. \/\/ 'it's peace or love baby \/ you said it before \/ that you want it all \/ it's peace or love, baby' - David West, Peace or Love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e1. Untitled \u003cbr\u003e2. Peace or Love \u003cbr\u003e3. Do You Miss Me Around \u003cbr\u003e4. Dream on Dreamer \u003cbr\u003e5. Darkness in My Heart \u003cbr\u003e6. At Pease \u003cbr\u003e7. Darkness in My Heart 2 \u003cbr\u003e8. Happiest Man In The Room \u003cbr\u003e9. Au Contraire \u003cbr\u003e10. In Love \u003cbr\u003e11. Darkness in My Heart 3","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":18625791301,"sku":"TLV089CD","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Blue Suede Shoes","offer_id":18625731973,"sku":"TLV089LP","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/David_West_-_Peace_or_Love.jpg?v=1571438679"},{"product_id":"proper-ornaments-foxhole","title":"Proper Ornaments 'Foxhole'","description":"Proper Ornaments is the project of \u003cstrong\u003eJames Hoare\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cstrong\u003eUltimate Painting\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Falls\u003c\/strong\u003e) and \u003cstrong\u003eMax Oscarnold\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cstrong\u003eToy\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ePink Flames\u003c\/strong\u003e). Debut LP Wooden Head'(FortunaPop 2014) perfected the unique slant of their previous work. James and Max started out writing the follow-up in January 2015. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn Foxhole'they've sliced away a whole stratum of their sound, removing some distortion and lowering the frequency of plectrum strokes to allow more nuanced, piano-led ideas to emerge. The title isn't a reference to Television's jaunty proto-punk record but seems to be more of a dark, protective interior, a head space sketched out on Jeremy's Song'. While their particularly recognisable production style (a bright, frozen counterpoint to the airless mixes one encounters more often) remains, three things stand out as likely reasons for the shift in mood. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy the time they got around to recording again in James'bedroom in Finsbury Park that Summer, the instability around the recording of Wooden Head'(and the five years before) had slid into a deep and seething acrimony. Second, they both bought pianos. Third, when the band, with Daniel Nellis and Bobby Syme joining on bass and drums went to record at Tin Room in Hackney in June, the pinch wheel on the 8 track machine was broken and somehow no one noticed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll but one recording, The Frozen Stare,'was hopelessly warped, so they went and did it all again from scratch back at James'. 'We ended up doing the whole thing there as the atmosphere suited the direction of the foxhole and we were more comfortable working on it in our own time,' says James. That's why the record has a laid back, conversational, not imposing or anxious feel in my opinion. If Always There'was the most melodically fluid but dimly lit point of the first record, there are another half album of songs here at least that are as strikingly gorgeous and unsettling. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMemories,'Just a Dream,'The Frozen Stare'and When We Were Young'are in this mould, as is the icy, slightly devastated goodbye that closes the record The Devils,'filled out with piano reminiscent of Big Star's Third'or Lou Reed's Berlin'and cracked double bass. What was in evidence in two of their earliest songs - You Still'and Are You Going Blind?' -  an understated, poetic play of moral sensitivity against a callous distance, of warmth and hostility, has reached its most sustained expression yet and gives their pop moments of a haunted love song quality along the lines of \u003cstrong\u003eDel Shannon\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eLesley Gore\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003eRoy Orbison\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBridge by a Tunnel'and 'I Know You Know', on the other hand, share in the breezily abstracted character of 2014 single Magazine,'the later laying a sardonic (non)apology - I know you know, things could've been different\/but they're not'over careful daubs of slide guitar. Cremated'is also guitar-lead, and reaches an early apogee of morbid oblivion baiting, while 1969'is a really perfectly recorded grand sweep of sound that recalls \u003cstrong\u003eSerge Gainsbourg\u003c\/strong\u003e and Harvest'-era \u003cstrong\u003eNeil Young\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProper Ornaments hold the attraction of seeming to not try very hard at all and achieve something outstanding nonetheless.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRIYL\u003c\/strong\u003e: The Velvet Underground, Elliott Smith, Veronica Falls, The Bats, Ultimate Painting, Toy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Back Pages 2 \u003cbr\u003e2. Cremated (Blown Away) \u003cbr\u003e3. Memories \u003cbr\u003e4. Just a Dream \u003cbr\u003e5. 1969 \u003cbr\u003e6. The Frozen Stare \u003cbr\u003e7. Jeremy's Song \u003cbr\u003e8. When We Were Young \u003cbr\u003e9. Bridge By a Tunnel \u003cbr\u003e10. I Know You Know \u003cbr\u003e11. The Devils","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":43440175284467,"sku":"TLV093CD","price":6.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":43440175317235,"sku":"TLV093LP","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Proper_Ornaments_Foxhole.jpg?v=1571438685"},{"product_id":"ulrika-spacek-modern-english-decoration","title":"ULRIKA SPACEK 'Modern English Decoration'","description":"Ulrika Spacek return on June 2nd with the release of their second album, Modern English Decoration. Much like their debut album released in early 2016, the band chose to record, produce and mix the entirety of the record in their shared house  -  a former art gallery called KEN', so named because of a cryptic inscription found above the front door.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The relatively short amount of time between their first and second albums is testament to the band's self-contained creative environment and the productivity it encourages. There's a tendency to label this degree of self-reliant creativity DIY'- and the band do certainly feel emboldened by that ethos - yet to consider Modern English Decoration solely in these terms is a disservice. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheir craft is considered and purposeful, the means of its production reflecting the band's overall vision rather than the value system of an often haphazard and accidental DIY culture. 'We enjoy listening to music through the album format and want our records to reflect that', says \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitars, vocals, synthesiser).\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Ulrika Spacek formed in Berlin in one night, when 14-year-long friends \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Williams\u003c\/strong\u003e conceptualised Ulrika Spacek'and came up with The Album Paranoia as their debut album title. Moving back to London with the intention to record it, they were joined by \u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Stone\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitars, organ, synths, violin), \u003cstrong\u003eBen White\u003c\/strong\u003e (bass) and \u003cstrong\u003eCallum Brown\u003c\/strong\u003e (drums, percussion), ossifying into the five-piece they are now. The album was released soon after with little forewarning  and was accompanied by a year long, near-monthly club night called Oysterland.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Given the lyrics often favour abstraction and the vocals can be more impressionistic than declarative, the album title itself offers perhaps the most telling entry point to the record. In part, it's a self-effacing play on an interior design cliché that references the meticulous creative processes the band adheres to. There's also a nod towards the environment in which it was created  -  a Victorian house turned art gallery turned home studio\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Unsurprisingly given the context of its creation, Modern English Decoration might be considered a companion piece of sorts to The Album Paranoia.But there are crucial differences. Most notably, this isn't the work of the Ulrika Spacek conceptualised by Edwards and Williams in Berlin  -  Modern English Decoration is the band as five rather than two people, and it shows. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThose who have witnessed the intensity of their live show will instantly recognise the merits in this. The bass and drums provide a versatile anchor, at once soft, then aggressive, while the vocals drift woozily in and out, like druggy hindsight or skewed premonition. With three guitarists in the band guitars were always going to be central to the music, but what is less expected is the dynamic interplay between the trio that suggests a three-headed version of the Verlaine-Lloyd axis at the heart of Television. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat's more, the absence of reverb is integral, in part attributable to the ambience of the studio, but also a conscious decision in order to add focus. And focus is the abiding term: this is an album designed to be just so - a 45 minute commitment, a surrender.  - ¨\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Mimi Pretend\u003cbr\u003e 2. Silvertonic\u003cbr\u003e 3. Dead Museum\u003cbr\u003e 4. Ziggy\u003cbr\u003e 5. Everything, all the time\u003cbr\u003e 6. Modern English Decoration\u003cbr\u003e 7. Full of Men\u003cbr\u003e 8. Saw A Habit Forming\u003cbr\u003e 9. Victorian Acid\u003cbr\u003e 10. Protestant Work Slump","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":31109888658,"sku":"TLV098CD","price":5.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":31109808658,"sku":"TLV098LP","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Yellow + 7\"","offer_id":31109486674,"sku":"TLV098LPX","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Ulrika_Spacek_-_Modern_English_Decoration.jpg?v=1571438688"},{"product_id":"the-proper-ornaments-waiting-for-the-summer","title":"The Proper Ornaments 'Waiting for the Summer'","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eLP (transparent yellow vinyl).\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing the release of Foxhole in January of this year, Tough Love will issue on vinyl for the first time The Proper Ornaments debut long-player, Waiting for the Summer: a compilation of their first 10 songs, originally released on CD in 2013. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat they said in 2013 - ¦ Is perfect pop still possible? It's hard to imagine, but the answer is Yes, and The Proper Ornaments are here to prove it. A timeless beauty that reminds us of \u003cstrong\u003eThe Velvet Underground\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Jesus \u0026amp; Mary Chain\u003c\/strong\u003e and yet sounds classic and effortlessly original. Produced by Charlie March of NZCA Lines and featuring ten golden nuggets of pure pleasure. James Hoare and Max Claps formed The Proper Ornaments in 2010. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first line up included bassist \u003cstrong\u003eMichael Lovett\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eLets Wrestle\u003c\/strong\u003e front man \u003cstrong\u003eWesley Patrick Gonzalez\u003c\/strong\u003e. Micheal went on to form \u003cstrong\u003eNZCA LINES\u003c\/strong\u003e, but Wes remained part of the tag team thanks to a nifty half nelson and the offer of a night in the corner of London's darkest stages and the theft of his organ - ¦. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Waiting for the Summer \u003cbr\u003e2. Are You Going Blind? \u003cbr\u003e3. Who Thought? \u003cbr\u003e4. Drop Off \u003cbr\u003e5. Recalling B \u003cbr\u003e6. You Still \u003cbr\u003e7. Shining Bright \u003cbr\u003e8. Riverboat \u003cbr\u003e9. Nervous Breakdown \u003cbr\u003e10. Take a Break","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Transpatent Yellow","offer_id":31352059218,"sku":"TLV099LP","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Proper_Ornaments_-_Waiting_for_the_Summer_LP.jpg?v=1571438688"},{"product_id":"autobahn-the-moral-crossing","title":"Autobahn 'The Moral Crossing'","description":"\u003cem\u003e'Melancholy and darkness, and dissonant, uncomfortable music, resonates with us, for whatever reason,' \u003c\/em\u003esays singer and spokesman Craig Johnson.\u003cem\u003e 'The new record is more melancholy than dissonant. I feel we're just opening up a bit more on this record.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e A sliver of strings, a squeal of feedback, pulsing drums, sheets of steely guitar and sonorous bass, and a rough, declamatory voice - from these primary components, Leeds quintet \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN\u003c\/strong\u003e unfurl their second album, The Moral Crossing, which adds more finesse, dynamic and colour to the commitment and energy shown on their 2014 debut Dissemble  -  an album that Louder Than War described as, \u003cem\u003e'driving, powerful and passionate - ¦ tapping into addictive darkness of our past and reminding us that that we cannot escape its attractive desolation.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e While Dissemble was made by imagining what the late, great producer Martin Hannett would do, The Moral Crossing is the sound of what \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN\u003c\/strong\u003e would do. To capture the new sonic details of the band, lead singer and principal songwriter Craig Johnson, guitarists Michael Pedel and Gavin Cobb, bassist Daniel Sleight and drummer Liam Hilton decided to give up their practice room that doubled as a hardcore\/punk venue (which influenced their original sound, as did a love of The Birthday Party) and build their own studio space.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e They found a former double-glazing firm, under a disused bridge, in Holbeck (Leeds'red light district), and despite having no experience of such a job, they undertook this feat. It took a year from ripping out the existing contents to finishing the album  -  which was then mixed in New York by Ben Greenberg, known for his work with the Sacred Bones label.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e On top, Johnson taught himself how to make a record after the studio was built.\u003cem\u003e 'I was down there nearly every night,'\u003c\/em\u003e Johnson recalls.\u003cem\u003e 'It was pretty horrible at times, but worth the pain to have control over everything. We've had the chance to create the sound we want, at times it's more melancholic, and romantic.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Part of the shift comes from Johnson's newly honed melodies such as Vessel'and Torment', part from a greater use of electronics, such as the synthesiser underpinning a haunting Future', evoking neon-lit rainy-nocturnal rides through a cityscape, likewise the album's title track, which is one song to benefit from the judicious addition of violin and cello. \u003cem\u003e'!'d been listening to classical music, and I'd seen the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra doing Beethoven's Ninth, which was mint, but I felt out of place, that people were looking down at me,'\u003c\/em\u003e Johnson recalls. \u003cem\u003e'So, it's good to bring some of that to the record. A couple of tracks, Torment'was one, we ended up replacing the guitars with strings  -  whatever was best for the song. Like the French female voice in Torment'too, it just felt right.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e This time around, \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN\u003c\/strong\u003e decided to create their fearsome depth charges by building the tracks as they went along rather than working on completed songs. As a name, \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN\u003c\/strong\u003e has been a bit misleading, as they sound quintessentially Leeds, not Munich or Dusseldorf, but Johnson chose the name because he loved the repetition of rhythm. With Hilton  -  surely one of the best young drummers alive  -  driving, Johnson requested they all, \u003cem\u003e'imagine they were all different part of a machine: a steam engine, say. Again, it just felt right. And then we put it all together. The lyrics came right at the end.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Johnson's lyrics on The Moral Crossing combine to form a whole: the theme of a birth, \u003cem\u003e'but that person had no choice in the decision. And then it's about the different outcomes that could happen. Which could be glorious or torturous.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The words and songtitles suggest more torture than glory  -  for example,\u003cem\u003e 'A selfless crucifixion \/ You've nailed in the hard sell' \u003c\/em\u003ein the manic Obituary': \u003cem\u003e'Pain out of control'\u003c\/em\u003e in Torment': \u003cem\u003e'With your withered hand \/ Drag me deeper into the fallen ground'\u003c\/em\u003e in the escalating drama of Fallen'- a word, alongside \u003cem\u003e'fall',\u003c\/em\u003e that crops up in several songs. Though Johnson points out that another line from\u003cem\u003e 'Fallen'\u003c\/em\u003e, 'Give a break to that child in the noose' is an example of \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN's\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem\u003e'dark northern humour'\u003c\/em\u003e (another example was the billboard ad for Dissemble: a hearse, parked outside a funeral parlour, with the band's name in flowers, next to a group of kids holding balloons - ¦)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e And though Johnson admits to sudden negative episodes (documented by Low\/High', another slowburner that eventually bursts into flames),\u003cem\u003e 'they don't last long. Actually, as a band, we're more optimists. I don't find talking about this stuff as dark', but it's stuff people don't usually want to talk about - execution, rising from the dead, depression, feeling utterly lost and unsure where to go. To understand the moral crossing, to go one way or the other, and how it can change your life. For me, saying this stuff out loud give the feeling that there's a future.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e On Low\/High', Johnson sings,\u003cem\u003e 'You're floating higher now \/ No more discontent'\u003c\/em\u003e and in the part-spoken word litany that is Creation', \u003cem\u003e'I want to be there for you \/ I want to rise on through.'\u003c\/em\u003e To reinforce the optimistic feeling, gospel singers from the local church sing on both tracks.\u003cem\u003e 'I wouldn't call it holy'but some of the lyrics they were singing were about going to a higher place, even if the whole lyric might contradict that,'\u003c\/em\u003e says Johnson.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN\u003c\/strong\u003e have checked their own moral compass, and chosen the hard way  -  not just building their own studio, but to keep confronting the dark stuff. But their music is infused with the joy of exorcising the darkness: to be there, and rise on through. There is a future, and \u003cstrong\u003eAUTOBAHN\u003c\/strong\u003e and The Moral Crossing are very much part of it.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Martin Aston, August 2017\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting :\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1. Prologue\u003cbr\u003e 2. Obituary\u003cbr\u003e 3. Future\u003cbr\u003e 4. The Moral Crossing\u003cbr\u003e 5. Torment\u003cbr\u003e 6. Low\/High\u003cbr\u003e 7. Execution\/Rise\u003cbr\u003e 8. Creation\u003cbr\u003e 9. Fallen\u003cbr\u003e 10. Vessel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 03\/11\/2017","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":43483858066,"sku":"TLV105CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":43483822098,"sku":"TLV105LP","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Red","offer_id":43481511442,"sku":"TLV105LPX","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Autobahn_The_Moral_Crossing.jpg?v=1571438701"},{"product_id":"david-west-with-teardrops-cherry-on-willow","title":"David West with Teardrops 'Cherry On Willow'","description":"David West is a musical artist from Western Australia based in New York City. He's been active in the shifting sands of underground pop for over a decade. Not dissimilar to the main character in Star Wars, his musical career began in a backwater desert village, in this case, Perth, before he migrated to more glittering metropolises like San Francisco and Melbourne, and finally landing in his current home of New York. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe presently plays in the contemporary outfits \u003cstrong\u003eRat Columns\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRank\/Xerox\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eLiberation\u003c\/strong\u003e. In the past he has participated in such groups as \u003cstrong\u003eLace Curtain\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBurning Sensation\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eTotal Control\u003c\/strong\u003e. DW began releasing eponymous platters in 2015 with the Night People\/Happy Endin' full-length cassette Drop Out Of Collage. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis was followed in 2016 by the Peace Or Love LP which featured the radio semi-hit Dream On Dreamer'. DW's move into the \"own-name\" category of artists came as his other bands began to develop defined identities. He felt that recording under his own name would be an excellent umbrella for both roving experimentation and a more frivolous, post-modern style of pop music that would not fit in the frameworks of his other projects. Also, after crafting band names for over a decade, it was just time. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCherry On Willow is DW's audio pop vision for 2017. It differs from the last two DW releases by introducing a more collaborative framework, creating the backing group Teardrops - an open ensemble of friends and collaborators, including \u003cstrong\u003eBob Jones\u003c\/strong\u003e of \u003cstrong\u003eEaters\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eLouis Hooper\u003c\/strong\u003e of \u003cstrong\u003eRat Columns\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMikey Young\u003c\/strong\u003e of \u003cstrong\u003eTotal Control\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eEddy Current Suppression Ring\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRaven Mahon\u003c\/strong\u003e of \u003cstrong\u003eGrass Widow\u003c\/strong\u003e, dynamite drummer \u003cstrong\u003eGriffin Harrison\u003c\/strong\u003e and other supremely talented individuals from the past and future. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe recordings were quite live and spontaneous, hoping to catch some of the magic involved in speed and improvisation, harvesting creative sparks from his musical colleagues and himself. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album was recorded in various places in the latter half of 2016 - by DW in his practice space in New York City; in a rental rehearsal room in Glasgow; and a garage studio in Guildford, Western Australia, where Rat Columns' recent LP Candle Power was also recorded. Cherry On Willow was recorded quickly and with a 'first thought best thought' philosophy, to capture an old-school pop feeling, with rough edges intact, human movements tracked and uncut. Swiping liberally from various strains of underground pop, glam, rock'n'roll, synth-pop and disco.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRIYL:\u003c\/strong\u003e Felt, The Wake, Orange Juice, The Pastels, Feelies, Belle and Sebastian, Rat Columns.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Morning Rain \u003cbr\u003e2. Cherry On Willow \u003cbr\u003e3. Joy \u003cbr\u003e4. Love Comes On \u003cbr\u003e5. Time To Forget \u003cbr\u003e6. Reds For The Blues \u003cbr\u003e7. Soft \u003cbr\u003e8. Swan's Beat \u003cbr\u003e9. Call Me Sometime\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 20\/10\/2017","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44028410898,"sku":"TLV107CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":44028389906,"sku":"TLV107LP","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Cherry Cola Coloured","offer_id":44028004178,"sku":"TLV107LPX","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/David_West_with_Teardrops_-_Cherry_On_Willow.jpg?v=1571438701"},{"product_id":"the-stroppies-the-stroppies","title":"The Stroppies 'The Stroppies'","description":"Starting out as a recording project between \u003cstrong\u003eAngus Lord\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eClaudia Serfaty\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eStephanie Hughes\u003c\/strong\u003e, the germ of what would eventually become the Stroppies was formed around a kitchen table in Melbourne's inner west early 2016. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe initial idea was to create open ended music, collaged quickly and haphazardly together on a Tascam 4 track Portastudio that drew on stream of consciousness creativity and a DIY attitude a la \u003cstrong\u003eGuided By Voices\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Great Unwashed\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe desire to move beyond the pre programmed drum patterns available on their Casio Keyboard led to the addition of \u003cstrong\u003eRory Heane\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums and a more conventional band dynamic. In Late 2016, \u003cstrong\u003eAlex Macfarlane\u003c\/strong\u003e recorded the band in their lounge room direct to 4 track, capturing 7 songs that would become their 2017 self titled cassette tape debut. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe songs were bounced back and forth from tape machine to computer to tape machine to computer again. In keeping with the bands initial aesthetic, dubs were laid over a 4 month period incrementally on different devices as members had babies, explored intercontinental love affairs and set up homes together. Since the release of the tape, \u003cstrong\u003eAdam Hewwit\u003c\/strong\u003e has joined the group on third guitar as they settle down into exploring the new band dynamic and focus on their next recording project. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Stroppies is composed of members of many Melbourne and UK bands (Claudia is originally from London) including \u003cstrong\u003eDick Diver\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ePrimetime\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ePossible Humans\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eWhite Walls\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBoomgates\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Stevens\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSee\/Saw\u003c\/strong\u003e to name a few. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey make modest, idiosyncratic pop songs that reward with repeated listening. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Gravity Is Stern \u003cbr\u003e2. Go Ahead \u003cbr\u003e3. No Joke \u003cbr\u003e4. Under Your Sweater \u003cbr\u003e5. Courtesy Calls \u003cbr\u003e6. Celebration Day \u003cbr\u003e7. All The Lines\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 27\/10\/2017","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":45886678866,"sku":"TLV108LP","price":13.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Stroppies_EP.jpg?v=1571438703"},{"product_id":"girls-names-primitive-desire","title":"Girls Names 'Primitive Desire' Vinyl LP Green","description":"Primitive Desire is an 11-track collection of the first ever studio sessions by Girls Names, recorded in 2009 in Belfast. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt compiles their debut EP originally released on Captured Tracks, the eight songs that originally featured on the long-out-of print You Should Know By Now mini-EP released on Tough Love, and a hereto-unreleased bonus track. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrimitive Desire is exactly as labeled and provides fans with a document of the band's early years as a two-piece, fuelled by a distinct nervous energy and nascent dark edge that would manifest itself much more obviously on subsequent albums. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSide A:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Blood River \u003cbr\u003e2.Tear Me Down \u003cbr\u003e3. Blood Well \u003cbr\u003e4. Graveyard \u003cbr\u003e5. I Guess \u003cbr\u003e6. Warm Hands, Cold Heart \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSide B:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. Running Scared \u003cbr\u003e8. If I... \u003cbr\u003e9. Oh, Girl! \u003cbr\u003e10. Don't Let Me In \u003cbr\u003e11. Don't Let Me Drown","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Green + Download Card","offer_id":12177200545869,"sku":"TLV110LP","price":20.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Girls_Names_-_Primitive_Desire.jpg?v=1571438712"},{"product_id":"girls-names-stains-on-silence","title":"Girls Names 'Stains on Silence'","description":"It stands to reason that many vital albums come critically close to never being made. The eight-track upshot of doubt, upheaval and financial strain, Stains on Silence by Girls Names is one such release. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing 2015's blitzing Arms Around a Vision, and the parting of drummer \u003cstrong\u003eGib Cassidy\u003c\/strong\u003e just over a year later, the Belfast band suddenly found themselves facing down a looming void.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e'There was a finished  -  and then aborted  -  mix of the album, which was shelved for six months,'\u003c\/em\u003e reveals \u003cstrong\u003eGirls Names frontman Cathal Cully\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cem\u003e'We then took a break from all music and went back to full-time work. We chilled out from the stress of rushing the record and not being happy with it, as well as being skint with no impending touring on the cards and constantly having to worry about rent.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The stumbling blocks that proved a strain became the album's defining breakthrough. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded in various locations including Belfast's Start Together Studio with \u003cstrong\u003eBen McAuley\u003c\/strong\u003e, Cully's home and the band's practice space, spontaneous creation, cut-up techniques and self-editing took centre-stage for the first time.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e\"We started tearing the material apart and rebuilding, re-editing and re-recording different parts in my home in early Autumn last year,'\u003c\/em\u003e says\u003cstrong\u003e Cully\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cem\u003e 'When we got them to a place we were happier with we went back into Start Together Studio with Ben McAuley to finalise the mixes to what they are now.\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Where AAAV proved a brazen statement of intent, Stains on Silence bounds forth as its feature-length comedown. What could have seen the band buckle became an opportunity for approaching things tabula rasa. During its two-year transmutation, \u003cstrong\u003eCully\u003c\/strong\u003e, bassist \u003cstrong\u003eClaire Miskimmin \u003c\/strong\u003eand guitarist \u003cstrong\u003ePhilip Quinn\u003c\/strong\u003e had a single aim for their fourth album: to make an old-fashioned record clocking in around 30 to 35 minutes in length that made the listener reach straight for repeat. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the Bang Bang bar-summoning swoon of opener '25'and the submerged disco doom of Haus Proud'to the rapt, dub-leaning Fragments of a Portrait', Girls Names have excelled in their goal by forging an LP of synchronous nuance and defiance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarked by the presence of drum machines and programming throughout, these eight masterfully-woven tales are once again commandeered by founder \u003cstrong\u003eCully,\u003c\/strong\u003e whose words, understated yet defiant, mine purpose and meaning from the mire (\u003cem\u003e\"I want to bathe again, I want to swim again \/ In a pool of twisting bodies, blackened gold.\" ' 25'\u003c\/em\u003e). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut while Stains on Silence came critically close to never being made, having lived with it, reconfigured it, and guided its metamorphosis from flickers of inspiration and half-formed schemes, it's both a statement of pure perseverance, and a head-on confrontation with ambivalence that couldn't be more assured. (\u003cstrong\u003eBrian Coney\u003c\/strong\u003e March 2018).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1. 25\u003cbr\u003e 2. Haus Proud\u003cbr\u003e 3. The Process\u003cbr\u003e 4. The Impaled Mystique\u003cbr\u003e 5. Fragments of a Portrait\u003cbr\u003e 6. A Moment and a Year\u003cbr\u003e 7. Stains on Silence\u003cbr\u003e 8. Karoline\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 15\/06\/2018","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12224336658509,"sku":"TLV113CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP Black Sleeve - Orange","offer_id":12224335282253,"sku":"TLV113LPX","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":12224332398669,"sku":"TLV113LP","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Girls_Names_Stains_On_Silence.jpg?v=1571438713"},{"product_id":"holm-dappled-ep","title":"Holm 'Dappled EP' Vinyl 12\"","description":"\u003cspan\u003eHolm is the solo project of Danish multi-instrumentalist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMikkel Holm-Silkjær\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and the latest iteration of an impressive musical trajectory that has seen him record and play with \u003cstrong\u003eYung\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBrooch\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTears\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eUrban Achievers\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eHappy Hookers for Jesus\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt just 23 and with a discography already in double figures, Holm-Silkjær is nothing if not prolific. Yet his work as Holm might prove to be his most complete. While previous projects were often collaborative, all four songs on Dappled, his debut EP for Tough Love, were written, recorded, performed, and mixed by Holm-Silkjær himself in a shared rehearsal space. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis resourcefulness has long been characteristic of the music he makes, defined by an overarching DIY ethos that has also seen him champion the music of others through the two record labels he runs (100 and Shordwood, the latter of which also released the first Holm recordings as a 7\") and the organisation of numerous live events in both Aarhus and Copenhagen. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThose familiar with Holm-Silkjær's other music will certainly recognise Dappled as his - that unmistakable metallic vocal, brash chiming guitars, and a preternatural melodic sensibility. Where Dappled differs from previous work, however, is in song structure, most obviously on 'Hope' and 'Grow', the opening and closing tracks respectively. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough anchored by recurring motifs (not quite choruses!), these are sprawling and explorative songs, matched by lyrics unusually insightful and clear-sighted for someone so young. Take the neat double-meaning in the repeated coda of 'Grow' for example: \"I'm growing, growing, growing, this arrangement, it's not in tune\". \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn that line there's a convenient way of understanding what Holm-Silkjær has arrived at with Dappled - a relatable reflection on finding personal identity through his own ever-evolving music. Holm is, after-all, his own name. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1. Hope \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2. Dappled \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3. Erase and Repeat \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e4. Grow\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 04\/05\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl 12\"","offer_id":12229168169037,"sku":"TLV112LP","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Holm_-_Dappled_EP.jpg?v=1571438713"},{"product_id":"toy-happy-in-the-hollow-1","title":"Toy 'Happy In The Hollow'","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eTOY\u003c\/strong\u003e have announced details of their new album, Happy In The Hollow, which is released on Friday January 25th 2019. Their fourth album, and their first for new label Tough Lough Records, it's unquestionably their most direct and propulsive album to date.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded between their own home tape studios and mixed at Dan Carey's Studio B in South London, the album was entirely produced and mixed by the band.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Having recently released a limited 12' featuring \u003cem\u003eThe Willo'\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eEnergy'\u003c\/em\u003e, the band have today shared the latest track from the album, \u003cem\u003eSequence One'\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Talking about the track, \u003cstrong\u003eToy\u003c\/strong\u003e say:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cem\u003eSequence One'is about running through a war zone of post apocalyptic proportions with your significant other. It was one of the first tracks we wrote when we started making Happy In The Hollow. We wrote it on the 5th Of April.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Happy In The Hollow is entirely uncompromising: an atmospheric capturing of a state of mind that touches on Post Punk, electronic dissonance, acid folk and Krautrock. Familiar qualities like metronomic rhythms, warping guitars, undulating synths and Tom's gentle, reedy vocals are all in there, but so is a greater emphasis on melody, a wider scope, and a combining of the reassuring and the sinister that is as unnerving as it is captivating.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eThe sound has without doubt expanded ' and grown more confident ' in part because this is the first album for which \u003cstrong\u003eToy\u003c\/strong\u003e has become a self-sufficient five-person unit doing everything for themselves.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Each song was a blank canvas,' says Maxim. 'Producers inevitably develop their own patterns over \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003etime, right down to certain drum sounds. We were starting from scratch and it felt very creative as a result. It's an album we feel deeply connected to'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eSince 2010, \u003cstrong\u003eToy\u003c\/strong\u003e have earned a reputation as a band of integrity, virtuosity and taste, with Tom, Maxim, Dominic, Charlie and (joining in 2015) Max creating a sound that is embedded in the underground tradition, yet distinctly their own. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince their inception, they have released the acclaimed albums Toy (2012), Join The Dots (2013) and Clear Shot (2016), and toured everywhere from Serbia to China.\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eTOY are: \u003cstrong\u003eTom Dougall\u003c\/strong\u003e (vocals \/ guitar), \u003cstrong\u003eDominic O'Dair\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitars), \u003cstrong\u003eMaxim Barron\u003c\/strong\u003e (bass \/ vocals), \u003cstrong\u003eMax Oscarnold\u003c\/strong\u003e (synths \/ modulations), \u003cstrong\u003eCharlie Salvidge\u003c\/strong\u003e (drums \/ vocals).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e1. Sequence One\u003cbr\u003e2. Mistake A Stranger\u003cbr\u003e3. Energy\u003cbr\u003e4. Last Warmth Of The Day\u003cbr\u003e5. The Willo\u003cbr\u003e6. Jolt Awake\u003cbr\u003e7. Mechanism\u003cbr\u003e8. Strangulation Day\u003cbr\u003e9. You Make Me Forget Myself\u003cbr\u003e10. Charlie's House\u003cbr\u003e11. Move Through The Dark\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 25\/01\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":13060169891917,"sku":"TLV118CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP + Download Card","offer_id":13060165435469,"sku":"TLV118LP","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP - Pale Blue + Download Card","offer_id":13060141187149,"sku":"TLV118LPC","price":20.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Toy_-_Happy_In_The_Hollow_LP_CD.jpg?v=1571438720"},{"product_id":"the-stroppies-whoosh","title":"The Stroppies 'Whoosh'","description":"Whoosh is a silly word,' says Gus Lord of the Stroppies. 'There is something completely nonsense about it, especially when removed from any kind of context. For me it conjures up images of something absurd and transient - two things fundamental in the experience of listening to or making good pop music.' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhoosh may indeed be a silly word but it almost onomatopoeically captures the sound and essence of The Stroppies first proper debut album, one that breezes along with boundless energy, a refrained pop strut, infectious grooves and the sort of jangling guitar melodies that sound like a prime-era Flying Nun band. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBetween them, the Melbourne-based band - currently comprising of \u003cstrong\u003eGus Lord\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRory Heane\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eClaudia Serfaty\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eAdam Hewitt\u003c\/strong\u003e - have been in countless bands such as \u003cstrong\u003eBoomgates\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTwerps\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTyrannamen\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ePrimetime\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBlank Statements\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Blinds\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eWhite Walls\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSee Saw\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ePossible Humans\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe band formed together around a kitchen table in 2016 with a heavy focus around the essence of collaboration and a DIY ethos. This led to an acclaimed cassette release of lounge room recordings, which was then pressed onto vinyl to more acclaim. The Stroppies next step was then taking their DIY approach to home recordings into the studio to make a transitional leap to what would become their proper studio debut. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Whoosh is our first concerted effort to make something with a bit more sonic depth,'says Claudia Serfaty (the bands other primary songwriter). It's a record that possesses all the spunk and gusto of a young band hurtling forward yet also knowing when to take their foot off the accelerator. It's an album that simultaneously feels young and fresh but wise beyond its years. 'Whoosh is the most robust sounding release we have ever recorded,' Serfaty says. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCombining taut post-punk rhythms, indie jangle, seamless melody and sugary pop, it's a record that Lord says is influenced by: 'All sorts of things - life, work, relationships, old cartoons and the last 60+ years of guitar-based pop music in some form or another. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis includes everything from \u003cstrong\u003eBill Fay\u003c\/strong\u003e to the Clean to \u003cstrong\u003eStephen Malkmus\u003c\/strong\u003e.' We utilised whatever was on hand to pull sounds, including but not limited to vintage synths, rain sticks and an old door frame that we used for percussion.' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis was done with \u003cstrong\u003eZachary Schneider\u003c\/strong\u003e, a friend of the band, budding producer and established musician who is most notable for his guitar work in bands such as \u003cstrong\u003eTotally Mild\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eFree Time\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eFull Ugly\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Nothing At All \u003cbr\u003e2. Present Tense \u003cbr\u003e3. First Time Favourites \u003cbr\u003e4. My Style, My Substance \u003cbr\u003e5. Pen Name \u003cbr\u003e6. Cellophane Car \u003cbr\u003e7. Better than Before \u003cbr\u003e8. The Spy \u003cbr\u003e9. Entropy \u003cbr\u003e10. Switched On\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 01\/03\/2019","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":21087029198925,"sku":"TLV119CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":21087026872397,"sku":"TLV119LP","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Vinyl LP - White","offer_id":21087022284877,"sku":"TLV119LPX","price":20.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/products\/Stroppies_-_Whoosh.jpg?v=1571438723"},{"product_id":"ulrika-spacek-compact-trauma","title":"Ulrika Spacek 'Compact Trauma'","description":"Close to 5 years on from their last transmission, Ulrika Spacek resurface from self-imposed exile with their 3\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003erd\u003c\/sup\u003e album, Compact Trauma, a collection of songs that function as a chance treatise of sorts for our current collective condition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith a title like that arriving at this point in time, it’s tempting to interpret the record solely in the context of the global events of the past few years, but the roots of these 10 songs arc back much further in time, charged with their own personalised internal damage. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMid 2018, approaching exhaustion and feeling increasingly fragile from the stresses of itinerant road life, the 5 piece of \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Williams\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Stone\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSyd Kemp\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eCallum Brown\u003c\/strong\u003e began work in earnest on the follow up to their 2\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003end\u003c\/sup\u003e album. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReleased less than a year earlier and having promoted it constantly in the months that followed, now might have represented a fine moment for the band to take a breath. Yet Ulrika Spacek were not familiar with the concept of slowing down, conditioned by a strong work ethnic and the demands of capricious touring cycles that necessitated more content and at speed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe band’s previous albums had both been recorded in KEN, a studio and rehearsal space that also doubled as their shared home. As writing for album 3 began, KEN suddenly became another victim to the indiscriminate violence of gentrification. Writing and recording was then abruptly shifted to a professional studio in Hackney. Tensions and logistical difficulties soon became apparent. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe enforced switch to an unfamiliar locale would have been discomforting enough, but when allied with the fractures already beginning to splinter through the band, made for an especially frazzled experience. Somehow, a record began to emerge though it was one obviously infected with its circumstances. In its first phase of life, Compact Trauma was a document of a band striving to perfect an idea while the universe around them seemed to want to shut down. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd then, at an impasse of sorts and with a record halfway complete, it suddenly did. If Ulrika Spacek were a band in need of the breaks applying, it was the force of a global pandemic that made it happen. As the world stood still, Compact Trauma was filed away, unfinished and unheard by the wider world. The prolonged break enforced by myriad lockdowns may have separated the group but it also afforded the 5 time to reflect on what had already been committed to tape... As the lights came back on and the shutters up, they found themselves drawn back towards Compact Trauma. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat they rediscovered was a record that seemed to pre-empt the shared grief of a global pandemic. Addressing existential freak out, displacement, substance reliance and encroaching self-doubt, these highly personalised songs suddenly took on a wider significance, speaking in part to a bigger narrative. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOpening track, ‘The Sheer Drop’, begins with the line “Homerton is caving in”; ‘It Will Come Sometime’ describes a “liver like a lightbulb and swelling”; and Lounge Angst (an almost perfect description of those maddening lockdown days indoors) laments, ‘seems my friends grew up or left’. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe fear and panic is palpable. The lyrics are matched to a soundtrack that oscillates between the febrile and the off-kilter, unconventional song structures and knotty arrangements either spinning the listener in unexpected directions or offering some kind of cathartic release. Take, as example, the aforementioned opener, ‘The Sheer Drop’. A wire-taut exercise in tension-and-release rendered in 3 parts, a whimsical synth opening giving way to characteristic chiming guitars before a nail biting coda sets its controls for the heart of the sun or the end of the world, whichever comes first. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEither way, it’s a hell of a way to reintroduce yourself after a 5 year absence. ‘If The Wheels Are Coming Off, The Wheels Are Coming Off’ is equally instructive, a lacerating exposition of self-doubt that bursts into ecstatic release at its climax, demanding repeat listens, while ‘Stuck At The Door’ is an 11-minute Pacific North West-style epic that threatens, ‘the worst of it’s to come’. But it’s the title track that might be the true heartbeat of the record. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEither addressing itself or some unknown assailant, it begins by demanding that they “take your hands and your head off the table”, while spiralling around a breathless riff fuelled by an infectious anxious energy, before changing tact completely and shifting to a lullaby-like finale, concluding with the ominous thought, “compact trauma? Or full blown disaster? I'll be back in an hour (Or so i think)”. It’s a fitting encapsulation of a highly complex record. They could have left it alone, but in coming back to what they knew, Ulrika Spacek found their best work yet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1. The Sheer Drop \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2. Accidental Momentary Blur \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e3. It Will Come Sometime \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e4. Lounge Angst \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e5. Diskbänksrealism \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e6. Through France With Snow \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e7. If The Wheels Are Coming Off, The Wheels Are Coming Off \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e8. Compact Trauma \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e9. Stuck At The Door \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e10. No Design\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Frosted Clear","offer_id":43853723009267,"sku":"TLV161LPX","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":43853723828467,"sku":"TLV161LP","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":43853723992307,"sku":"TLV161CD","price":5.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/UlrikaSpacek_CompactTrauma.jpg?v=1690990867"},{"product_id":"the-reds-pinks-and-purples-unwishing-well","title":"The Reds, Pinks And Purples 'Unwishing Well'","description":"The cinema of the scenes as told from the heart and spirit of the omniscient narrator shines through the awe-inspiring oeuvre of \u003cstrong\u003eGlenn Donaldson\u003c\/strong\u003e's canonical titan that is The Reds, Pinks \u0026amp; Purples. The storied and esoteric histories of every underserved underdog becomes immortalized in records and poignantly penned paeans that evoke the eras and underachievers that became synonymous with their own respective corresponding localized micro-movements. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDonaldson channels that psychic spirit and journeyman earned wisdom to provide contemporary era rock operas that eulogize tales of infinitely influential rises and falls. Crystalizing the tragic self-celebrating kingdoms of fortunate failures, false heroes, music press deities of limitless deceit, hometown dive gods and humanity in the grips of all its romanticized wonder and woe — the latest sortie of the sensational and spectacular takes aim at the threads of hope and an untethered abandon into the intimacy and dualities of idolatry and isolation with Unwishing Well.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEver since its emergence from the harried late 2010s — The Reds, Pinks \u0026amp; Purples have become the absolute encapsulation of Donaldson's own proliferation and prestige. From a musical legacy that chronicles a long list of minor successes and major tragedies; Glenn distills the timelines of distinction from yesterday, today, tomorrow and whatever may be into a musical phenomenon that embodies something more than all of its analogous inspirations. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeyond the clamor about the retro cult pop artistic allusions and tropes that can be found in those spirit expanding kaleidoscope chord chimes; Donaldson takes you on a guided tour through the San Francisco underground movements that would have been, could have been or perhaps never were at all from the start. The Reds, Pinks \u0026amp; Purples’ coveted catalog inadvertently, consciously or unconsciously, offers an authorized and anonymous history of imperfect and ambitious debutantes, dilettantes, auteurs, et al. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe lauded visionaries whose volition informed the big money touring stage headliners, but only enjoyed a fleeting jaunt through the glorious corporate clad carnival canopies from the touring circuit routes and tech funded festival tent tabernacles. Unwishing Well is a eulogy for the buzz bands that crashed, the wily one hit wizards, and omnipresent (and often uninspired) eternal aesthetes who work the lucrative outlets of licensing media markets.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGlenn pulls no punches with the promiscuity of the pop machines and their exploited propped up brand ambassadors on the cutting \"Your Worst Song is Your Greatest Hit\" that tangles with the lumbering and inescapable creatives and careerist trajectories that trade in boardroom playbooks and verticals. Expressions and influencers break out into the collective commissaries of commerce exhibitionism on “Public Art”, to auditing the forums of fandom that pertain to developed affinities and the roads to rabid infatuation with the obsessive in earnest, “Learning to Love a Band”.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAnd while the Glenn spins many yarns on the under-appreciated secret histories of DIY, Unwishing Well offers cathartic hymns of modern malaise. Sighing in lamentation of regressive trends, “What’s Going on with Ordinary People'' balks with concern over contemporary states of devolution, while “Faith in Daydreaming Youth” questions what vestiges of hope and valor can be found in the new vanguards of political bodies that govern the world’s sovereign daydream nations. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe dustbins of dastardly discontinuity are imbued with desire and grief on the dramatist tragedy of “Dead Stars in Your Eyes”, to basking in the discarded ditches of the damned below in voids of obscurity on “Nothing Between the Lines at All”. The human addiction to languishing in anguish, misery and negativity tussles, tosses and turns on “We Only Hear the Bad Things People Say”, the penultimate ode to inherent human infallibility as Donaldson rides the audience out into the gilded sunset glow of “Goodbye Bobby”.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe central set piece of Unwishing Well revolves around the title track that wrestles with wellness and wishes tempered by the sobering reality of ultra pragmatic skepticism. Donaldson shows the audience where the dream falls short, an indictment on the fickleness of wants and the life\/work\/art balances of making it all work. It's the group that never makes it, the idea that never gets off the ground, the recognition that never arrives, the raise that is never awarded, nor the promotion to the next ladder rung that remains laughably inaccessible. Glenn has the gift of bridging the divide between the hunger artist, their adoring cult public and the common threads that connect these local and global communities through the humanist cause of collective commiseration.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs increasingly found in the continued adventures of The Reds, Pinks and Purples canon — Glenn circles the drain of surrendering to unabashed sentimentality in passions worthy of being showcased as the top headlining spot that your favorite revered then later reviled pop act never even had the chance to claim or ascend. Unwishing Well uplifts and uproots the undercurrents that carry the commonalities between the spectators and the spectacles. Donaldson pays homage in heart to everything and everyone that never got their due or to the lucky ones that made the grade, but paid an ultimate price. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe cycle of these pop vignettes depict successes and failures in the same sentences, existing within the same stanzas, where the stories of making it and breaking it operate as events that live on different sides of the same coin. Unwishing Well is a reflection of us, the icons we adore, the Adonises we worship, the false prophets that proselytize the edicts from theses cults of personality, the fallouts, the third acts and the artistic fabrics that spool these sub-sects of artful dodgers into the stuff of legend.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1. What’s Going on with Ordinary people\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2. Learning to Love a Band\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e3. Unwishing Well\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e4. Faith in Daydreaming Youth\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e5. Your Worst Song is Your Greatest Hit\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e6. Dead Stars in your Eyes\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e7. Nothing Between the Lines at all\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e8. Public Art\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e9. We Only Hear the Bad Things People Say\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e10. Goodbye Bobby\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - White","offer_id":44723335856371,"sku":"TLV169LP","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44723339264243,"sku":"TLV169CD","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/Reds_PinksAndPurples-UnwishingWell.jpg?v=1706877832"},{"product_id":"astrel-k-the-foreign-department","title":"Astrel K 'The Foreign Department'","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“But into my miserable brain, always concerned with looking for noon at two o’clock\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e- Charles Baudelaire (1869)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Foreign Department is the second album by Astrel K, the solo project helmed by Stockholm-based British ex-pat, \u003cstrong\u003eRhys Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e. Those already familiar with Edwards’ work will likely know him for fronting the cultishly great \u003cstrong\u003eUlrika Spacek\u003c\/strong\u003e, and given he operates as the principal songwriter in both projects, much of the same hallmarks of his cathartic, elliptical songwriting are present in Astrel K. Nonetheless, The Foreign Department feels like a rubicon moment of sorts, and the album that Edwards has unconsciously been working towards his entire creative life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs a title, The Foreign Department offers an instructive guide for the listener, framing a life-in-transition\/artist-in-exile document that maps two impromptu moves in twelve months for its songwriter: the first from London in pursuit of a relationship, the second between homes in Stockholm as that decade long relationship then suddenly dissolved. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIndeed, diffusion, dissolution and reconstitution feel like appropriate touchstones for its recurring themes. Written amidst the flux of two states, at once isolated from home and then any established emotional anchor, the resulting eleven tracks came to represent a precognitive search for shifting identity and with it forming an unwittingly biographical record. It's commendable and somewhat telling that during this shake up, Edwards somehow landed upon his most realised and original work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWith a former life stripped away, there emerged an opportunity to reinvent a sense of self through art, now not just as a writer, but a composer also. Developing the confidence to arrange songs in ways he'd previously considered off-limits, while also taking cues from the opulent string and brass arrangements of records like \u003cstrong\u003eMercury Rev\u003c\/strong\u003e's Deserters' Songs and Death of A Ladies Man by \u003cstrong\u003eLeonard Cohen\u003c\/strong\u003e, Edwards enlisted a range of performers to bring to life the mini-symphonies forming in his head. Perhaps it's inevitable that an album written while facing the consequences of being alone would eventually ossify around the process of bringing people together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFor all its troubled origins, The Foreign Department is a remarkably warm sounding collection. Edwards' lyrics are typically knotty and neurotic, dancing around the poetry of quarter-life anxiety, but the music itself is often joyous and even uplifting, the combination expressing that neat duality of melancholic euphoria. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEdwards sings variously of crises, \"torrid pieces of art\", of \"houses on fire\" and not \"having the guts for it\", yet these troubling sentiments are framed by seemingly incongruous swelling strings, chirping horns or motorik percussion, creating that sense of pushing forward or floating above, of wrapping your troubles in dreams, a salve for the moments when you get a bit too much for yourself.\u003c\/p\u003e\nLead single, 'Darkness At Noon', likely captures this all best. Named for the French idiom \"midi a quatorze heures\", the maddening idea of attempting the impossible for the sake of some greater possibly pointless cause, it directly grapples with the opposing notions of wanting and not wanting, of being here and being there at the same time. The conflicting and impossible self. It’s something Edwards addresses in the song at perhaps his most open, opining, “I know I want to be seen, but I hate most of what comes out of me”. And yet here is, putting it all out in the open and on the line, the dialectics of his enlightenment up on show.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1. Heavy Is the Head\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2. Darkness At Noon\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e3. By Depol\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e4. Brighter Spells\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e5. Firma\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e6. Birds In Vacant Lots\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e7. The Foreign Department\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e8. C Ya!\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e9. A Rudderless Ship\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e10. Daffodil\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e11. R U A Literal Child?\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":44723469025523,"sku":"TLV171LP","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44723482525939,"sku":"TLV171CD","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/AstrelK-TheForeignDepartment.jpg?v=1706880064"},{"product_id":"william-doyle-springs-eternal","title":"William Doyle 'Springs Eternal'","description":"Serving up art-pop for the anthropocene, Springs Eternal is the Mercury-nominated, critically acclaimed artist William Doyle’s most ambitious and most playful creation to date. Taking a panoramic view of the ecstasies and agonies of life in the 2020s, the record asks how we exist as fragile flesh and blood – our hearts beating and our minds racing – in an unprecedented, almost unimaginable time of runaway climate destruction and technological expansion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSprings Eternal presents a strange and thrilling cast of characters – from cowboys to castaways – who just might be Doyle, once or twice removed. “Most of the songs are in the first-person, but rather than being autobiographical, I was trying to imagine hyperreality versions of myself,” Doyle says. “What if decisions I made in my life had resulted in the self of each particular song? How many degrees of separation am I from those realities? It’s a frightening thought, and frightening thoughts often make for good songs.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAcross 11 tracks, we hear from narrators teetering on the precipice of global disaster, heartbreak, addiction, indoctrination and mental illness, until they pass into the great unknown. The lyrics, by turns earnest and ironic, upfront and allegorical, are paired with infectious melodies and often outright swagger. Co-produced by indie superproducer Mike Lindsay (Tunng, LUMP) at his MESS studio in Margate, we hear the siren song of the sea washing around pulsating electronics and stirring instrumentation, featuring contributions from musicians Alexander Painter, Genevieve Dawson and Brian Eno.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA recurring theme of water and flooding runs through the record, alluding simultaneously to the global climate crisis and the deluge of overwhelm these parallel-universe Williams are experiencing. “It wasn’t until we were mixing the record that I realised how many water references there are,” Doyle says. “I guess there’s a fluid border between our inner selves and the outside world that allows things to flood in, in unstoppable or perhaps irresistible ways.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSprings Eternal is the next chapter in the William Doyle sonic odyssey that began with his incarnation as East India Youth (Total Strife Forever, 2014; Culture of Volume, 2015) and developed under his own name, producing the critically acclaimed records Your Wilderness Revisited (2019) and Great Spans of Muddy Time (2021). Alongside his own output, Doyle recently produced Anna B Savage’s celebrated debut album A Common Turn (2021) and plays in Orlando Weeks’ band both live and on his upcoming record.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Springs Eternal” follows 2021’s critically acclaimed Great Spans of Muddy Time album (10\/10 Loud \u0026amp; Quiet, 9\/10 Line of Best Fit, 4\/5 Mojo, 8\/10 Uncut, 5th The Quietus 100 Albums of the Year).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1. Garden of the Morning\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2. Now in Motion\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e3. Relentless Melt\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e4. Soft to the Touch\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e5. Eternal Spring\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e6. Cannot Unsee\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e7. Castawayed\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e8. Surrender Yourself\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e9. A Short Illness\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e10. A Long Life\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e11. Because of a Dream\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Blue","offer_id":45228032295155,"sku":"TLV164LP","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":45228041699571,"sku":"TLV164CD","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/WilliamDoyle-SpringsEternal.jpg?v=1711641171"},{"product_id":"cindy-why-not-now","title":"Cindy 'Why Not Now' Vinyl LP - Cream (Slightly Damaged Sleeve)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFew copies in stock with minor wear on sleeves, pictures can be sent upon request.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Everyone’s hoping that nobody sees\/all our little efforts at dignity” This last line of the title track from Cindy’s fourth LP Why Not Now? works as a slogan for \u003cstrong\u003eKarina Gill\u003c\/strong\u003e's evolving musical vision. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer music is simple out of necessity and introverted in delivery, but the songs contain vivid worlds and are quietly ambitious. With this latest batch, Gill pulled the process of making Cindy music even more inward. “Some of these songs were first recorded as demos alone in my basement. I think that process set the tone for the record…Maybe it set up a kind of starkness,” she says. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMoving on from the fixed quartet that performed the first three albums, Gill worked alongside original keyboardist \u003cstrong\u003eAaron Diko\u003c\/strong\u003e to develop the songs and they enlisted players from the ever-blossoming SF pop scene to realise her minimalist vision -- members of \u003cstrong\u003eFlowertown\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTelephone Numbers\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eApril Magazine\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eFamous Mammals\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eSad Eyed Beatniks\u003c\/strong\u003e to name a few. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe collective sounds fill out the record perfectly with John Cale-esque viola on ‘August’, lo-fi fairground organs, and a tasteful full-band sound that crops up throughout. ‘A Trumpet on a Hillside’ is the most triumphant Cindy has ever sounded, all ascending chords and a wedding march melody tumbling out of an old synth. Still, some of the best moments are Gill alone, as on ‘Playboy’, just naked guitar and voice, and when the forlorn whistling solo kicks in, it feels like the loneliest star is imploding in a distant galaxy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile the dream-pop tag is probably still relevant, this isn’t algorithm-fed genre ambience. Gill’s vocal\/lyrical presence can be as gently momentous as \u003cstrong\u003eLeonard Cohen\u003c\/strong\u003e or as intellectually potent as any ’79-’80 Rough Trade post-punk. “In writing a song”, Gill says, ”all the disparate parts of being me momentarily correspond, like car alarms and party music momentarily matching beats.” Cindy’s Why Not Now? is that muffled street symphony inside a passing daydream. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Why Not Now\u003cbr\u003e2. Standard Candle #3\u003cbr\u003e3. Earthly Belonging\u003cbr\u003e4. August\u003cbr\u003e5. Wednesday\u003cbr\u003e6. A Trumpet On The Hillside \u003cbr\u003e7. The Price Is Right\u003cbr\u003e8. Playboy\u003cbr\u003e9. Et Surtout\u003cbr\u003e10. Standard Candle #4\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":54819143221625,"sku":"TLV163LPOFF","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/Cindy-WhyNotNow.jpg?v=1733154807"},{"product_id":"autobahn-ecstasy-of-ruin","title":"Autobahn 'Ecstasy of Ruin'","description":"\u003cp\u003eReports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated - the North has risen again. Close to five years since their last record, Leeds denizens AUTOBAHN re-enter the fray with the release of their third record, Ecstasy of Ruin, on 28th April via Tough Love. Half a decade is both a long time and no time at all: forever changes while some things remain eternal… \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo it goes that AUTOBAHN may have re-emerged with many of the hallmarks of their characteristic blend of industrial post-punk intact, but under the bonnet they’re a much leaner, more focused machine. AUTOBAHN 3.0. If 2017’s The Moral Crossing was a record defined by its dramatic rhythm section, then it’s not insignificant that the 2023 incarnation of AUTOBAHN arrives shaved to a four piece and sans their previous drummer. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe change necessitates an evolution. Live drums have given way to drum-machines and sample-based percussion, and with it see the band reconfigure their typically blackened aesthetic into a hardened take on Electronic Body Music. As with their previous record, it’s an entirely self-produced collection, recorded between two self-built studios on a range of analogue equipment, the ghosts of their industrial forefathers haunting the circuits. Indeed, some of Ecstasy of Ruin was made with pieces salvaged from Martin Hannett’s legendary studio. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe mark of their presence is clear and AUTOBAHN certainly feel part of the long tradition of crepuscular music to emanate from Northern Britain, be that the transgressive activities of COUM Transmissions from Hull, Sheffield Steel City or the gothic history of their very own hometown. It’s a noble torch they carry. Still, if Ecstasy of Ruin forms part of a rich lineage, it also speaks to right now. No album opens with a song titled ‘Post-History’ and closes with another called ‘Class War’ without some concession to the current condition and its place within it. Industrial music by its very nature is a physical concern, often placing the human body and its experience in the context of technology, reflecting the varying travails of late capitalism. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAUTOBAHN strive towards some kind of articulation of that conflict. The music is unrelentingly taut and terse, and the vocals of frontman Craig Johnson are invariably intense, though lyrically there are repeated allusions to beauty, empowerment and, ostensibly, hope. As such, the title of the album is an instructive one - there’s some kind of bliss in all this mess. AUTOBAHN don’t so much push against the pain as ride it out to its (il)logical ends. As Johnson implores on the title track, “focus on living, the pain won't be forgotten”. It’s a relatable sentiment. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A clear understanding of the dynamics of gothy industrial foreboding. Great” - \u003cstrong\u003eMOJO\u003c\/strong\u003e (⅘) \/\/ \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An expanded, widescreen sound [...] showcasing Craig Johnson’s amazing vocal talents and range” - \u003cstrong\u003eLouder than War\u003c\/strong\u003e (8\/10)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The Moral Crossing is as punchy as it comes, mixing electronica with post-punk but with cavernous propulsion and intensity” - \u003cstrong\u003eUncut\u003c\/strong\u003e (7\/10) \/\/ \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“‘Future’ is all motoric beats, fuzzed-out vocals, swirling synths and gritty riffs, nestling up against each other in a dazzling package” – \u003cstrong\u003eDIY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Post-history \u003cbr\u003e2. Silver \u003cbr\u003e3. Acid Child \u003cbr\u003e4. Fields of Blood \u003cbr\u003e5. Tension \u003cbr\u003e6. Cylinder \u003cbr\u003e7. Ecstasy of Ruin \u003cbr\u003e8. Breather \u003cbr\u003e9. Vanity \u003cbr\u003e10. Class War\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - White","offer_id":54853730337145,"sku":"TLV162LP","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":54853731090809,"sku":"TLV162CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/1200x1200bf-60.jpg?v=1735902585"},{"product_id":"autobahn-ecstasy-of-ruin-copy","title":"Autobahn 'Ecstasy of Ruin' (Slightly Damaged Sleeve) Vinyl LP - White","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFew copies in stock with minor wear on sleeves, pictures can be sent upon request.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated - the North has risen again. Close to five years since their last record, Leeds denizens AUTOBAHN re-enter the fray with the release of their third record, Ecstasy of Ruin, on 28th April via Tough Love. Half a decade is both a long time and no time at all: forever changes while some things remain eternal… \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo it goes that AUTOBAHN may have re-emerged with many of the hallmarks of their characteristic blend of industrial post-punk intact, but under the bonnet they’re a much leaner, more focused machine. AUTOBAHN 3.0. If 2017’s The Moral Crossing was a record defined by its dramatic rhythm section, then it’s not insignificant that the 2023 incarnation of AUTOBAHN arrives shaved to a four piece and sans their previous drummer. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe change necessitates an evolution. Live drums have given way to drum-machines and sample-based percussion, and with it see the band reconfigure their typically blackened aesthetic into a hardened take on Electronic Body Music. As with their previous record, it’s an entirely self-produced collection, recorded between two self-built studios on a range of analogue equipment, the ghosts of their industrial forefathers haunting the circuits. Indeed, some of Ecstasy of Ruin was made with pieces salvaged from Martin Hannett’s legendary studio. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe mark of their presence is clear and AUTOBAHN certainly feel part of the long tradition of crepuscular music to emanate from Northern Britain, be that the transgressive activities of COUM Transmissions from Hull, Sheffield Steel City or the gothic history of their very own hometown. It’s a noble torch they carry. Still, if Ecstasy of Ruin forms part of a rich lineage, it also speaks to right now. No album opens with a song titled ‘Post-History’ and closes with another called ‘Class War’ without some concession to the current condition and its place within it. Industrial music by its very nature is a physical concern, often placing the human body and its experience in the context of technology, reflecting the varying travails of late capitalism. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAUTOBAHN strive towards some kind of articulation of that conflict. The music is unrelentingly taut and terse, and the vocals of frontman Craig Johnson are invariably intense, though lyrically there are repeated allusions to beauty, empowerment and, ostensibly, hope. As such, the title of the album is an instructive one - there’s some kind of bliss in all this mess. AUTOBAHN don’t so much push against the pain as ride it out to its (il)logical ends. As Johnson implores on the title track, “focus on living, the pain won't be forgotten”. It’s a relatable sentiment. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A clear understanding of the dynamics of gothy industrial foreboding. Great” - \u003cstrong\u003eMOJO\u003c\/strong\u003e (⅘)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An expanded, widescreen sound [...] showcasing Craig Johnson’s amazing vocal talents and range” - \u003cstrong\u003eLouder than War\u003c\/strong\u003e (8\/10)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The Moral Crossing is as punchy as it comes, mixing electronica with post-punk but with cavernous propulsion and intensity” - \u003cstrong\u003eUncut\u003c\/strong\u003e (7\/10)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“‘Future’ is all motoric beats, fuzzed-out vocals, swirling synths and gritty riffs, nestling up against each other in a dazzling package” – \u003cstrong\u003eDIY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Post-history \u003cbr\u003e2. Silver \u003cbr\u003e3. Acid Child \u003cbr\u003e4. Fields of Blood \u003cbr\u003e5. Tension \u003cbr\u003e6. Cylinder \u003cbr\u003e7. Ecstasy of Ruin \u003cbr\u003e8. Breather \u003cbr\u003e9. Vanity \u003cbr\u003e10. Class War\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - White","offer_id":54853849416057,"sku":"TLV162LPOFF","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/1200x1200bf-60.jpg?v=1735902585"},{"product_id":"daily-toll-a-profound-non-event-1","title":"Daily Toll 'A Profound Non-Event'","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Profound Non-Event, the debut album by Sydney-based three piece Daily Toll, comprises 11 songs traversing three years of forged friendships, collaborative experimentation and a shared love of growing through words and song.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThose attuned to the ever-vibrant Australian underground may already be well familiar with Daily Toll, their consistent live presence since their inception in 2021 embroidered by a handful of (mostly) home-recorded, (mostly) digital self-releases that have steadily accumulated an appreciative following. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInitially the project of self taught musician, poet \u0026amp; artist Kata Szász-Komlós(they\/them) and Jasper Craig-Adams(he\/him), and expended to a three piece with the more recent addition of friend Tom Stephens(he\/him), Daily Toll represents the union of three unique creative dispositions, of relationships blooming through the push and pull of creative practice. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMapping the band’s existence through their recorded output is to bear witness to the flux of three people learning to respond to one another and gently ossify into a collective vision that at once calls to mind folk song intimacy, post-punk dynamics and the artful poeticism of an adjacent Flying Nun legacy.\u003cbr\u003eIf those earlier recordings reflect a band imagining themselves into being in real time, A Profound Non-Event observes a clear shift in both conviction and approach. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded in just three days with Alex Bennett at the purely analogue Sound Recordings studio in Castlemaine and holing up at night in the century old cottage situated beside the studio, sheltering from the late-June wind and rain within walls littered with instruments and microphones, lighting fires to stay warm. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKata describes the experience as defined by “candle light and creative camaraderie”, an idyllic account of a collection of songs that glide with an undeniably warm, easy charm, evidenced in particular in the record’s second half as the tone turns increasingly introspective, the very sound of a cold evening’s drift into night. When contrasted with the moody swirl and sing-song bounce of the opening trio of tracks, there’s clear evidence of a band not simply in the process of becoming, but committed to finding their truth in that process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStill, if Daily Toll display a reluctance to be wholly defined, then album centerpiece ‘Killincs‘ (positioned in the middle for a reason) might just be their Rosetta Stone. A verbose rumination on unsettled feelings of isolation and longing, exploring the challenges in making peace with one's decisions amidst the uncertainty of an often harsh world and the realisation that some things remain best unresolved - “I have the keys still, but I’ve buried the path”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Profound Non-Event is released on LP, CD and all digital formats via Tough Love on 20th June.\u003cbr\u003e           \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Another World\u003cbr\u003e2. Fleeting\u003cbr\u003e3. I’m Bored\u003cbr\u003e4. Easy Man\u003cbr\u003e5. Killincs\u003cbr\u003e6. My Sister’s Loom\u003cbr\u003e7. Mountain Song\u003cbr\u003e8. Belljar Convenience\u003cbr\u003e9. Fated To Pretend\u003cbr\u003e10. Waiting Game\u003cbr\u003e11. A Light\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Green","offer_id":55659349705081,"sku":"TLV178LPXX","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/DailyToll-AProfoundNon-Event_efdcc46b-1b3b-4c73-9050-ce8df9ef0669.jpg?v=1756731226"},{"product_id":"ryan-davis-and-the-roadhouse-band-dancing-on-the-edge","title":"Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band 'Dancing on the Edge'","description":"\u003cp\u003e“What Dancing On The Edge is is a demonstration, brought to life by Davis’ unique voice. that there’s joy in all this messiness, a certain triumph in overcoming your demons.” The Quietus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[Davis is] someone with the originality, wit and ambition to cut through the murk.” Uncut. \u003cbr\u003eOriginally released via Ryan's own label, Sophomore Lounge, in the US late 2023, it picked up some incredible reviews: best of 2023 in both Pitchfork and Rolling Stones, 9\/10 lead review in Uncut, and a raft of other notable publications. \"At the frayed bottom-edge of Indiana – just a moderate bike ride north of Louisville, Kentucky – multi-instrumentalist, artist and songwriter Ryan Davis’’ Americana-noir soundwaves have been emanating for years in a myriad of forms. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs driving force for the lauded State Champion, long-running member of Tropical Trash, administrator of the esoteric and excellent Cropped Out festival, and lone proprietor of the Sophomore Lounge label, Davis lays down his first proper ‘solo’ release with Dancing On The Edge, a rich, 2LP tapestry of tunes that absolutely glows over seven expansive cuts. It’s a pure collage of modernity and heritage. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A treasure trove of brilliant songwriting and winding, unhurried alt-americana.” - \u003cstrong\u003eJoe Graham\u003c\/strong\u003e (Americana UK). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Free From the Guillotine (08:22) \u003cbr\u003e2. Learn 2 Re-Luv (06:03) \u003cbr\u003e3. Flashes of Orange (09:56) \u003cbr\u003e4. Bluebirds in a Fight (07:07) \u003cbr\u003e5. Junk Drawer Heart (06:25) \u003cbr\u003e6. A Suitable Exit (09:20) \u003cbr\u003e7. Bluebirds Revisited (03:57)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl 2xLP - Clear","offer_id":55659383128441,"sku":"TLV172LP","price":32.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":55659383161209,"sku":"TLV172CD","price":13.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/RyanDavisandtheRoadhouseBand-DancingontheEdge.jpg?v=1756394258"},{"product_id":"various-tough-love-20-don-t-do-anything-important-with-anybody-else","title":"Various 'Tough Love 20: Don’t Do Anything Important With Anybody Else'","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfter so long it becomes harder to say new things about older things you now just do. Some things you’ve become. Some things you simply (never simply) are. The thing becomes a slippery notion. The self slides along with it. After this long, the story is whatever are the songs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are 11 new ones, from the current constellation, and a future still to come. The cement is still wet on that one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the forest near where I now live you can hear a chorus of different birds in voice at once, competing but each defined, in defence of a territory or to attract a mate. There’s an app that tells you so. I wonder, too, what that app doesn’t reveal, if their nature need not share those same purposes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is simply (never simply) how it exists. If we can’t speak to the mysteries of these strategies, they at least persist, regardless of who picks up the frequency. Singing to itself, and there will always be these kinds of songs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelf-portrait at two decades. \u003cbr\u003eFor Roman P. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Ulrika Spacek - 'Interesting Corners' \u003cbr\u003e2. Empty Country - 'D3SP4IR' \u003cbr\u003e3. The Reds, Pinks \u0026amp; Purples - 'New Market Space (Down the Stairs Ver.) \u003cbr\u003e4. Cindy - 'The Thousand First' \u003cbr\u003e5. April Magazine - 'U Bop' \u003cbr\u003e6. Index For Working Musik - 'Going to Heaven On the End of A String' \u003cbr\u003e7. Midding - 'Do As You Would' \u003cbr\u003e8. Luft - ‘My Third Eye’ \u003cbr\u003e9. Hospital - '25 Jade Place' \u003cbr\u003e10. William Doyle - 'The Sun Ain't Doing It For Me Lately' \u003cbr\u003e11. Daily Toll - 'Begin Again'\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP - Blue","offer_id":55774126571897,"sku":"TLV180LPX","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":55774126604665,"sku":"TLV180LP","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/ToughLove20Don_tDoAnythingImportantWithAnybodyElse.jpg?v=1758017706"},{"product_id":"cindy-another-country","title":"Cindy 'Another Country'","description":"\u003cp\u003eAnother Country is the fifth full-length album by Cindy, the San Francisco-based group built around the songwriting of Karina Gill. Recorded, like all of its predecessors, in their hometown and with a consistent line-up held over from their previous record (the Swan Lake EP from 2024), it is replete with the poetry of private vistas, eavesdropped dramas and confusing winds. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese are classic Cindy concerns, and yet, as always, contain new mystery and charm to somehow feel like quiet revelations each time. Another Country is both opaque in its intentions and specific in its presentation, and as such presents the kind of truth that keeps the listener on the search for answers just out of reach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The title of this record, Another Country, refers to the James Baldwin novel of that name. The book has a kind of drama that makes sense to me. When I look around, the obvious explanations are not enough. The miasma of feelings and ideas that is supposed to account for it all, doesn't. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBaldwin washes past that to longings that begin to explain. Cindy songs come out of the x-rays my particular brain makes out of what I see and experience. What you hear on this record is the result of collaboration with the members of Cindy that transforms that shadowy thing into full color, fully fleshed. Each of them, in music, is sure-footed and unblinking, and making this record together felt like, yes, yes, you see what I mean.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCindy is Karina, Staizsh, Will \u0026amp; Oli. Another Country will be released on 1st May 2026 via Tough Love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Another Country (04:11) \u003cbr\u003e2. Daytime (02:31) \u003cbr\u003e3. Soft Inheritance (02:04) \u003cbr\u003e4. Killer Kid in the Camaro (02:32) \u003cbr\u003e5. Procession (03:47) \u003cbr\u003e6. The Violins (02:21) \u003cbr\u003e7. The Thousand First (02:59) \u003cbr\u003e8. Talking to Mary (01:23) \u003cbr\u003e9. Another Country II (03:48)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":56914899501433,"sku":"TLV184LP","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":56914899534201,"sku":"TLV184CD","price":13.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/Cindy-AnotherCountry.jpg?v=1775053660"},{"product_id":"index-for-working-musik-bunker-intimations-ii","title":"Index For Working Musik 'Bunker Intimations II'","description":"\u003cp\u003eBunker Intimations II by London-based anti-formalists Index For Working Musik is a sister record to their second album Which Direction Goes The Beam, originally issued as a limited edition cassette with early copies of the vinyl pressing of that record. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 50-minute long collection of recordings was made across an intense three day period in March ‘25 under the duress of a very strict deadline. All tracks were improvised and mixed-down on the spot, a genuine document of a moment in time. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome of us think that it’s better than the record that it was trying to sell. And so here it now stands for wider judgment. Bunker Intimations II is released digitally and on vinyl via Tough Love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1 In Order That The First World May Fail \u003cbr\u003e2 Clown Utopia \u003cbr\u003e3 Rice Timeshare \u003cbr\u003e4 11 Days, 700 Years \u003cbr\u003e5 Going To Heaven On The End Of A String \u003cbr\u003e6 Ick Fantasia \u003cbr\u003e7 Geordie Vision \u003cbr\u003e8 Athena Allenby \u003cbr\u003e9 World Goodnight.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":56914925879673,"sku":"TLV177TV","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/IndexForWorkingMusik-BunkerIntimationsIILP.jpg?v=1775048863"},{"product_id":"taste-fantasy","title":"Taste '½ Fantasy'","description":"\u003cp\u003eTaste is the solo project of Oli Lipton (Now, Cindy) born of countless after-hours time spent in his home studio and the hoarded recordings those efforts produced. 1\/2 Fantasy, released via Tough Love, splits two previously self-released tapes down the middle, side by side, to form a debut LP of sorts. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s like summer wine and starshine on a night that lasts for years or just a few minutes. Habits, loves, money spent, Friday night, Saturday morning— a rock 'n' roll heart steps out with a Les Paul, a pen, and tongue firmly in cheek. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLooking sharp and clean but feeling dirty, a hip priest Nikki Sudden if he cared to hone a craft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklisting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Lucy \u003cbr\u003e2. Staying Underground \u003cbr\u003e3. Name of Love \u003cbr\u003e4. Snap Reaction \u003cbr\u003e5. Half Off \u003cbr\u003e6. Lowlife or Hero \u003cbr\u003e7. All In \u003cbr\u003e8. A Second Thought \u003cbr\u003e9. In Her Own Time \u003cbr\u003e10. In Style \u003cbr\u003e11. Dirty Dream \u003cbr\u003e12. Stevie Wrote A Letter \u003cbr\u003e13. To Be Young \u003cbr\u003e14. My Condition\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tough Love Records","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":57274153533817,"sku":"TLV185LP","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/8053\/files\/Taste-_Fantasy.jpg?v=1778856321"}],"url":"https:\/\/cargorecordsdirect.co.uk\/collections\/tough-love-records-1.oembed","provider":"Cargo Independent Distribution","version":"1.0","type":"link"}