New Arrivals / Last 4 weeks
Babla's Disco Sensation
Laxmichand ‘Babla’ Shah began his career and a drummer and percussionist on Bollywood soundtracks composed by his older brothers Kalyanji V. Shah and Anandji V. Shah, and then made history through Babla’s Disco Sensation, the adventurous disco and synth-pop recasting of popular film hits released by Polydor in the late 1970s. This rare beast kicked off the ‘Disco Dandia’ craze and is a total killer from start to finish, the sitar funk grooves and eastern melodies clashing with all kinds of Moog …
Gardenia
"Gardenia is an existing land located at the Limpopo province of South Africa, right at the border with Botswana. The place's real name is Mmabolela and it's a private nature reserve covering 6500ha of subtropical savanna and part of Limpopo River. In November 2019 I had a chance to visit the location and participate in an annual residency for composers and sound artists called 'Sonic Mmabolela', initiated and curated by Francisco López. We lived in an isolated property in the middle of savanna …
Sleeping Beauty
Originally released on Saturn Records in 1979, both Sleeping Beauty and On Jupiter are studio recordings by the large Sun Ra ensemble (including electric guitar and electric bass) and, for the most part, feature the first recordings of the titles included on them (though most were played live a few months earlier). These two releases belong together, since they were recorded and released in close proximity and are both long, groove-based, pieces that range from proto-disco to relaxed groove-driv…
Daseinon
*300 copies limited edition* The new Lázsló Hortobágyi’s album on vinyl only. Limited to 300 copies. Each copy comes numbered and signed by László Hortobágyi himself.
Looping Around The Forest I Thought I Remembered
*2024 stock* Hakobune released this cassette in 2014 on the venerable American ambient label Constellation Tatsu. 10th Anniversary Cassette. This reissue can be distinguished from the original release by the lack of screws in the cassette shell.
Away From The Lunar Waters
Tip! *50 copies limited edition* Tape reissue by Hakobune. Originally released from Hibernate Recordings in 2011.
Making It Easier To Be Away
Tip! *2024 stock. 100 copies limited edition. Housed in heavy vinyl sleeve with hand-crafted wood backing* Black vinyl LP housed in unique wood sleeve, with plastic vinyl casing and beautifully designed liner notes featuring passages from Japanese literature and photos of local Kasai nature. Designed by Kyoto-based graphic designer, artist, and musician Takamitsu Ohta. Each wood sleeve was hand-crafted with care in-store at Tobira Records.
Live Improvisations
*100 copies limited edition* "The colours that appear in autumn are the soul of perennial transition and slow breath; once a chill sets in and the chlorophyll-green of the leaves migrates to the trunk of the tree, those yellows, oranges and reds emerge from chemical remnants that have in fact been there all along, awaiting their moment on the forest’s lissome stage. It is a graceful manner of self-sustenance for the organism, but a source of ineffable beauty for the observing eye. Potent, poetic…
África Brasil
África Brasil is a 1976 release by Brazilian artist Jorge Ben. It was Ben's 14th studio album and a milestone in his career with a switch to electric guitar and funk music leaks. For África Brasil Ben reworked three of his earlier compositions: "A Princesa e o Plebeu" from Sacundin Ben Samba, "Taj Mahal" from Ben, and "Zumbi" from A Tábua de Esmeralda. The album's opening track "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)", a song about an African football striker, became a well known soccer-associate…
Asylum
'Asylum' has a striking cover artwork, very typical of the style of the day, and was Cressida's second album of eight extended rock workouts, with Peter Jennings' superb keyboard playing backed by John Culley on lead guitar, enhancing the lead vocals of Angus Cullen. With extra percussion and orchestral accompaniment, Cressida's sound has often been compared to their contemporaries, the Moody Blues.
Placenta
*Limited edition "Placental Purple" color vinyl* Placenta is the fourth collection of broadly imaginative and highly collaborative Carlos Niño & Friends music released on International Anthem in the last four years. It is also the first new music to be released by Carlos Niño & Friends following the November 2023 release of André 3000’s New Blue Sun – an album which Carlos produced alongside André, while co-writing, co-creating/playing, and co-mixing every song. Placenta is announced on April 11…
Ball of Eyes
Placebo's debut album "Ball of Eyes" is a remarkably focused Soul Jazz record, without the experimentation or Free Jazz moments which were still in vogue during the first half of the '70s. Excellent covers of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" and Sam & Dave's "You Got Me Hummin'" as well as his own compositions make "Ball of Eyes" a perfect example of the genius of Marc Moulin and his incredible band.
Matthew, Mark, Luke And John
Obscure psychedelic gospel act Methuselah had its roots in Scunthorpe ‘Beat’ group the Dimples, which became Gospel Garden, whose only 45 infused Northern Soul with psycheleanings. Regrouping as Methuselah, the group signed to Elektra for this sole religious rock concept LP, their sound deceptively American, with vocal harmonies evidencing bluegrass influences; guitarist Les Nicol is never short of excellent. Certain members would later form Amazing Blondel, but Matthew, Mark, Luke And John has …
1973
The "1973" album continues in the same vein as "Ball of Eyes", though it's definitely funkier and head boppin' than the debut. The real-ear grabber is the superb Moog soloing by Moulin. Placebo is grooving your socks off in the first half of the album and a more concentrated jazzy swing can be found on the second half
Raga Jaijaivanti
*2024 stock* "Beautiful music, splendidly played on the ancient and noble rudra veena. Highly enjoyable."- Anonymous
Four Dhuns
*2024 stock* "Imaginitive and playful light classical Hundusthani bansuri" - Megan Vance
Raga Patdip, Pahadi Dhun
*2024 stock* "Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia has excelled himself in the rendition of raga Patdip in this album. His melodious alaap and creative phrases as only he can, take the listener to the lush meadows of ancient India."
Raga Bairagi Bhairav, Raga Shuddh Sarang, Raga Madhuvanti
*2024 stock* Born in Mumbai, India, Aruna Narayan Kalle is a renowned sarangi maestro.
Raga Yaman, Raga Bhupali
*2024 stock* Italian master of Hindustani classical music in collaboration with tabla player Giuseppe Fiore.