Flyying Colours - Mindfullness [12", LP]

Right. So i've got some serious, serious catching up to do with this little blog of mine. Didn't feel like writing anything for the past 4 months (except for the obligatory but fun Finest Vinyl of 2016) and the good thing is when you're not getting any income from ads or sponsors, there's no pressure whatsoever anyway - so why bother? But tonight i decided it would be good to make a new start, and what album would be better to write something about than the debut full length by FLYYING COLOURS that came out last year. MINDFULLNESS is amazing album. Exactly like i hoped for, after being completely blown away previously by their two awesome EP's (s/t and Roygbiv). And this album is even better. It's not without reason that it ended up on #2 in my yearlist, after Bowie (who was impossible to beat; let's be honest). First of all i'm really happy that it doesn't contain a song from any of the EP's, even though one of the songs is called ROYGBIV like their 2nd EP. It's all brand new stuff; so that's always a good sign that they're still full of inspiration. And they've perfectioned their sound. It's epic, it's intense, it's almost like a live show. If you've never heard of this band but you're into bands like Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel or Slowdive, you really should check out Flyying Colours. Modern shoegaze at its best.


Label: Club AC30
Cat.nr.: AC3013061
Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:
01. It's Tomorrow Now
02. Long Holiday
03. This Is What You Wanted
04. 1987
05. Morning Stoner

SIDE B:
01. Mellow
02. ROYGBIV
03. Sun, Hail And Rain
04. Mindfullness
05. When

Minor Victories - Minor Victories [12", LP]

They've been called a "super-group", due to the fact that most of the band members play in wellknown other bands (Editors, Slowdive, Mogwai). MINOR VICTORIES just released their debut album and i love it. It's absolutely gorgeous. Even though all parts were recorded separately, it's barely noticeable. Besides Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), Justin Lockey (Editors) and his brother James Lockey, there are also guest appearances. The song with James Graham (from The Twilight Sad), Scattered Ashes (Song For Richard), is one of my favourite songs on the album. For You Always, a duet between Rachel Goswell and Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters) is musically perhaps not the most adventurous one, but the lyrics are very personal and therefore interesting. Folk Arp is a beauty as well, and so is Breaking My Light. I'd love to see these people play live together, and they will be playing some festivals this summer, but unfortunately i can't make it to any of their shows. Bummer! Hope there will be a second chance for some club shows eventually.

Label: PIAS

Cat.nr.: PIASR885LP

Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:

01. Give Up The Ghost

02. A Hundred Ropes

03. Breaking My Light

04. Scattered Ashes (Song For Richard)

05. Folk Arp

SIDE B:

01. Cogs

02. For You Always

03. Out To Sea

04. The Thief

05. Higher Ropes

Serena Maneesh - D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D. [12"]

It's been quiet around SERENA MANEESH way too long, to my taste. Emil Nikolaisen did of course collaborate with Todd Rundgren and Hans-Peter Lindstrøm on the Runddans album last year, but his own band's last release 2:Abyss in B Minor already dates back from 2010. I really hope there will be some new stuff released anytime soon.

This 12" contains remixes from that second album. Stereolab did a great job on D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D. (i actually like their krautrock-ish take better than the album version), and also the Melchior version of that song isn't bad at all. Ayisha Abyss on the B-side is transferred into a dance floor filler by Lindstrøm (Hans-Peter indeed), who even put a little Popcorn into the track at the end. All in all, a very pleasant remix EP.

Label: 4AD

Cat.nr.: BAD3X46

Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:

01. D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D. (Stereolab Mix)

02. Dressed In White She Walks Through The Door (Melchior Mix)

SIDE B:

01. Ayisha Abyss (Lindstrøm Mix)

Secret Shine - Untouched [12", LP]

UNTOUCHED was the only full length album that SECRET SHINE released during their first period of existence (during the early nineties). It originally came out on Sarah Records, and original copies of this album go for high prices on Discogs and eBay. Saint Marie Records had the brilliant idea to get it reissued, and they started a Pledgemusic project to get it financed. Because i love this album to death, and wanted to be sure to have a copy on vinyl finally, i stepped into it and pledged for a coloured copy and a test press. There were only 500 LP's made, and 300 of them are coloured (purple/white). The rest are black. Even though black is more limited for that matter, i wanted the coloured version because it's so beautiful and fits extremely well with the artwork.

What can i say about the album... some people say it was the last of the original great shoegaze albums of the early nineties. That might indeed be true. It's definitely become a classic in the genre, over the years. Songs like Spellbound, Into The Ether and So Close I Come can definitely compete with the best songs of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.

Label: Saint Marie Records

Cat.nr.: SMR079

Year of release: 2015 (originally released in 1993)

SIDE A:

01. Suck Me Down

02. Temporal

03. Spellbound

04. So Close I Come

SIDE B:

01. Into The Ether

02. Toward The Sky

03. Underworld

04. Sun Warmed Water

Spectres / Lorelle Meets The Obsolete - Record Store Day Is Dying [7"]

Back from my summer break now, and this split 7" by SPECTRES and LORELLE MEETS THE OBSOLETE was one of the last things i bought before my holiday started. There's been a lot of fuzz about this RECORD STORE DAY IS DYING release. The statement by the labels (about RSD having turned into a big circus with useless reissues for crazy prices, only feeding the greed of the major labels and resulting in indie labels getting into trouble and having to wait for months before their new releases can be pressed) and RSD's reaction to that, caused many discussions online and beyond. Personally i think these two labels absolutely have a point, although there's still a lot of excellent stuff coming out on the majors for RSD each year (not just reissues, let alone useless reissues) and the waiting times for vinyl pressing affect any record company, during the whole year - simply because all major companies have dismantled and sold their own plants years ago. So everyone's depending on the same independent pressing plants these days. The demand for vinyl during the past years has grown so tremendously that there is by far not enough capacity worldwide to get things pressed in time, throughout the year. Obviously, RSD is causing a peak in the production. This increased demand, just for the record, had already started quite some time before the first RSD took place and to my opinion the RSD organisation is taking way too much credit for the returned interest in the format we all love so dearly.
Anyway, this 7" is being released one copy per day until RSD 2016, with a stamp of the date on it, distributed in various ways. Mine was obtained via the most boring way: simply by being the first who clicked the webshop link that Sonic Cathedral put on their Facebook page, that 16th of July.
Both bands cover one of eachother's songs (Lorelle's Sealed Scene being renamed to Stealed Scene here) and they do it in an equally cool way. Even if it had been a "regular" RSD release without the fuzz around it, it would've been one of the musically most interesting releases of RSD 2015. Especially Spectres have been one of the revelations of this year as far as i'm concerned, and i'm happy i managed to get hold of a copy of this single. Unfortunately i can't make it to their show in Den Haag next month, but i'd urge anyone to go and see them. And i surely hope they'll return to the Netherlands not too long after that, so i can finally see them on stage myself as well.

Label: Sonic Cathedral / Howling Owl Records
Cat.nr.: SCR 086 / HOWL 038
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. SPECTRES - Stealed Scene

SIDE B:
01. LORELLE MEETS THE OBSOLETE - The Sky Of All Places

The Telescopes / A Place To Bury Strangers - Split [10"]

A nice 10" on white coloured vinyl, this split release by THE TELESCOPES and A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS. It's number 6 in a series of splits on Fuzz Club. 1000 copies were made of this; 200 on orange and 800 on white, all numbered on the inlay. The Telescopes came up with a cover of the Iggy & The Stooges classic, I Wanna Be Your Dog. It's a lengthy version, and certainly a solid and noisy one, but still i'd prefer the original. Nothing beats Iggy, you know. APTBS provided a furious skull-crushing ice cold tune, called Down The Stairs. It's one of the best new songs i heard in years by them, actually. Their recent Transfixiation album wasn't bad at all, but this track is representing the APTBS sound i really like.

Label: Fuzz Club
Cat.nr.: none
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. THE TELESCOPES - I Wanna Be Your Dog

SIDE B:
01. A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS - Down The Stairs

Venera 4 - Eidôlon [12", LP]

The EIDÔLON album by VENERA 4 is definitely one of the best shoegaze albums of 2015. Very danceable for most parts as well. It's got wailing guitars, sexy rhythms and ditto whispering vocals. Think of a mixture of Curve and Charlotte Gainsbourg. You only have to listen to songs like Red Blooms and Black Paws as an example, and you'll understand what i mean. Brilliant stuff. I was already stoked about their Seabed Terror 7" and Deaf Hearts EP, but this full length meets all expectations. Also the artwork (front, back, insert) by singer Morgane Caux is classy. This limited edition on white vinyl was pressed in 500 copies. Hopefully they'll do some touring this year because i'd love to see them over here in the Netherlands. It's not that far from Paris, guys - hint, hint ;)

Label: Requiem Pour Un Twister
Cat.nr.: RPUT 15
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Pygmalion
02. Red Blooms
03. Black Paws
04. Eidôlon
05. 3 Studies For A Portrait

SIDE B:
01. Aimer Ann
02. Orange
03. Some Girls
04. Colored Fields
05. Metal Shells

The Black Angels - Phosgene Nightmare [10", Limited Edition]

Another Record Store Day release from previous years. This one's from 2011. PHOSGENE NIGHTMARE is a B-sides collection according to the sticker, although i couldn't find out to which songs these tracks would have been the B-sides. I saw they had been digital bonus tracks in iTunes so maybe that's what they meant with that. Anyway, it's a mighty fine set of tunes by THE BLACK ANGELS. Ronettes is one of my favourites, and also the hypnotic "Rain Dance Version" of Entrance Song is pretty awesome. The original appears of course on Phosphene Dream, the album they had released half a year before this special 10" saw the light of day.

Label: Blue Horizon Ventures
Cat.nr.: BHV-16782-1
Year of release: 2011

SIDE A:
01. Melanie's Melody
02. Ronettes
03. The Boat Song

SIDE B:
01. At Night
02. Choose To Choose
03. Entrance Song (Rain Dance Version)

Red Sparowes - At The Soundless Dawn [12", 2LP]

AT THE SOUNDLESS DAWN is the debut album by RED SPAROWES. Instrumental post-metal at its best; slow-paced and epic. Their second, Every Red Heart Shines Toward The Red Sun is still my favourite, but this one's great too. The underlying theme to this album is the so-called sixth extinction: the extinction of species caused by humans. Heavy stuff. The version i have of this album is the third pressing (500 made) on white/blue "cloudy sky" vinyl. Looks gorgeous.

Label: Robotic Empire
Cat.nr.: ROBO-043
Year of release: 2005

SIDE A:
01. Alone And Unaware, The Landscape Was Transformed In Front Of Our Eyes
02. Buildings Began To Stretch Wide Across The Sky, And The Air Filled With A Reddish Glow

SIDE B:
01. The Soundless Dawn Came Alive As Cities Began To Mark The Horizon
02. Mechanical Sounds Cascaded Through The City Walls And Everyone Reveled In Their Ignorance

SIDE C:
01. A Brief Moment Of Clarity Broke Through The Deafening Hum, But It Was Too Late
02. Our Happiest Days Slowly Began To Turn Into Dust

SIDE D:
01. The Sixth Extinction Crept Up Slowly, Like Sunlight Through The Shutters, As We Looked Back In Regret   

Be Forest - Earthbeat [12", LP]

For some reason i completely missed this great album last year when it came out, and only discovered it last January. BE FOREST is a band from Italy and they play a seductive, rhythmic type of music. Kind of a mix between the XX, Esben And The Witch and Warpaint. It's also got some post-punk (Joy Division, Echo & The Bunnymen) influences. While the percussive rhythms seem to derive from world music, the ethereal vocals definitely make this band fit into the dreampop category. Be Forest creates a very distinctive sound for that matter and EARTHBEAT is a very pleasant album from start to finish. The day i'm writing this, they embark on a European tour for the next two and half weeks, and they'll be playing Amsterdam so i'll make sure i'm gonna see them. Stoked for that!

Label: We Were Never Being Boring
Cat.nr.: WWNBB#51
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Totem
02. Captured Heart
03. Lost Boy
04. Ghost Dance
05. Airwaves

SIDE B:
01. Totem II
02. Colours
03. Sparkle
04. Hideway

Hum - You'd Prefer An Astronaut [12", LP]

When i found out that Shop Radio Cast had done a reissue of YOU'D PREFER AN ASTRONAUT by HUM, i just needed to get myself a copy. If only for the absolutely brilliant track "Stars", which i had been looking for on vinyl for ages. But also the rest of the album is definitely worth the purchase. Some great post-hardcore tunes, leaning a bit towards grunge and indie rock à la early Smashing Pumpkins. Hum was never big over here in Europe but i don't think they were very big in the States either actually. "Stars" was a modest radio hit over there, but that's as far as it goes. The reissue was done in 3 colours (green, clear and white) and on black vinyl. As you can see on the picture, i have a copy of the white one.

Label: Shop Radio Cast
Cat.nr.: SRC016
Year of release: 2013 (originally: 1995)

SIDE A:
01. Little Dipper
02. The Pod
03. Stars
04. Suicide Machine
05. The Very Old Man

SIDE B:
01. Why I Like The Robins
02. I'd Like Your Hair Long
03. I Hate It Too
04. Songs Of Farewell And Departure

The Fauns - Lights [12", 2LP]

They've been working on this album for quite some time. Around the time when i wrote about THE FAUNS' self-titled debut, the band already mentioned that they had started working on a new album. Nearly two years later LIGHTS is finally here, and it certainly has been worth the wait! It only came out last weekend over here, but it was actually released in the UK somewhere in December and should have been in my Finest Vinyl Of 2013 list for that matter. Ah well.
The single Seven Hours that preceded the release is to my opinion one of the best tracks of this album, but also Nothing Ever (MBV-esque drum fill, ♥) and especially With You have become personal favourites of mine. The uptempo In Flames could've been a Pains Of Being Pure At Heart song (which is meant as a compliment, because i really like that band and it is just a damn good indie rock tune). Ease Down and closing song Give Me Your Love still remind me the most of their debut album.
I really look forward to finally be able to see them perform live in one and half week when their tour with Alcest and Hexvessel hits Arnhem. And i don't mind driving to the other side of the country for that; been waiting for an opportunity to see them since their planned tour with Ringo Deathstarr at the end of 2012 was sadly cancelled. In the meantime i'll be giving this double white vinyl gem a few more spins.

Label: Invada
Cat.nr.: INV 129 LP
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Point Zero
02. Seven Hours

SIDE B:
01. Ease Down
02. In Flames
03. Nothing Ever

SIDE C:
01. Lights
02. Rise
03. 4AM

SIDE D:
01. With You
02. Let's Go
03. Give Me Your Love

Younghusband - Dromes [12", LP]

DROMES is the debut full length by YOUNGHUSBAND from the UK. A great mix of 60’s psychedelica, shoegaze and krautrock. I really like the artwork as well; totally fits with the music. The title track and "Silver Sisters" are my favourite songs of the album, but the rest is also really good. Some bands that come to mind when you listen to this album are for example the Byrds, Spacemen 3, Ride - and more recent bands like Deerhunter and TOY. The Sonic Cathedral label usually stands for quality releases and this is no exception.
For Younghusband it’s a shame that so many other good albums got released in 2013: it was a close call, but otherwise they surely would have had the honour to end up in my Finest Vinyl list ;)

Label: Sonic Cathedral
Cat.nr.: SCR060LP
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Running Water
02. Comets Crossed
03. Left Of The Rocks
04. Sunstroke
05. *
06. Silver Sisters

SIDE B:
01. Reunion Message
02. **
03. Wavelength
04. Divisions
05. Constantly In Love
06. Dromes

David Bowie - Love Is Lost [12"]

In this year's Finest Vinyl list, DAVID BOWIE's album The Next Day came second after My Bloody Valentine. Only just, though. While i had a lot of trouble making up my mind what would be 2013's best album, it would be an easy victory for Bowie if i would make a list of the year's best remixes. Because as far as i'm concerned, the version that James "LCD Soundstystem" Murphy did of the song LOVE IS LOST is definitely the best remix of the year. The mix is called "Hello Steve Reich Mix By James Murphy For The DFA" and it combines Clapping Music, a minimalist piece by composer Steve Reich, and Love Is Lost from Bowie's latest album. But where it gets really interesting is in the middle of the song, where the distinctive piano intro from Bowie's Ashes To Ashes suddenly kicks in. I'm not very often putting audio or video links on this blog, but for this one i'll gladly make an exception. Check Clapping Music, Ashes To Ashes and then this great remix of Love Is Lost.
Besides the 10+ minute version there's also an edited version of around 4 minutes on side B, plus a somewhat baroque sounding remix of I'd Rather Be High.

Label: Columbia
Cat.nr.: 88843016561
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Love Is Lost (Hello Steve Reich Mix By James Murphy For The DFA)

SIDE B:
01. I'd Rather Be High (Venetian Mix)
02. Love Is Lost (Hello Steve Reich Mix By James Murphy For The DFA - edit)

Dråpe - Blue Skies [7"]

It's always cool to learn about some good local bands when you're visiting a foreign country. Recently i was in Norway, and when i asked they guy in record shop Tiger in Oslo if he could recommend some good Norwegian shoegaze vinyl releases, this recent 7" by DRÅPE was something he suggested. Indeed really good stuff! The dreampop tune BLUE SKIES on the A-side reminds me a bit of Cocteau Twins, while the uptempo Wash Away with its much louder guitars on side B, fits more into the shoegaze category of bands like good ol' My Bloody Valentine. Dråpe is definitely a band to keep an eye on!


Label: Riot Factory
Cat.nr.: -
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Blue Skies

SIDE B:
02. Wash Away

Team Ghost - Rituals [12", LP]

RITUALS by TEAM GHOST is a really good debut album. I wondered if they'd ever release an album at all anymore, having waited for it quite some time after two great EP's that were released in 2010. The cover of course immediately reveals that there are more people now involved besides Nicolas Fromageau and Christophe Guerin. While checking the names, it turns out that most of them were already involved with the other releases as well. Now mentioned on the sleeve as band members, Jean-Philippe Talaga, Felix Delacroix and Benoit de Villeneuve already did the previous artwork, producing and drums, for example. Speaking of the artwork, i think it's a bit too much over the top - but that's to my personal taste. I think it's neo-romantic kitsch with the skull and armors and i liked the artwork on the EP's way better.
But hey, it's the music that counts, and like i mentioned earlier it's a really good album. As long as Team Ghost will create epic songs i can't help but comparing them to M83, but it's quite noticeable that they've evolved and have become a real band now. An electronic indie rock band, with a much darker and heavier sound than M83 that Fromageau was first a part of. I'm happy they took that path. They'll be playing the London Calling Festival over here in Amsterdam in a few weeks and i really look forward to see them.

Label: wSphere Records
Cat.nr.:3267826
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Away
02. Curtains
03. Somebody's Watching
04. Dead Film Star
05. Things Are Sometimes Tragic
06. Broken Devices

SIDE B:
01. All We Left Behind
02. Fireworks
03. Montreuil
04. Pleasure That Hurts
05. Team Ghost
06. We Won't Fall

Slowdive - Pygmalion [12", LP]

Only a few months ago i wrote about the original pressing on Creation of this album, and that it was the only one of the three SLOWDIVE albums that had not been reissued yet by Music On Vinyl. They did a mighty fine job with Just For A Day and Souvlaki earlier. But the time has come now: they are completing the trilogy and here we have the reissue of PYGMALION. It's an exact replica of the original edition from 1995 when it comes to the sleeve (plain grey paperboard). A small difference in detail i noticed, however: on the original, the tracklisting on the back of the sleeve simply runs from 1 to 9 without specifying the tracks per side. On this reissue the sides are specified. No idea why that was done, but it must have had a reason.
But of course the biggest difference is that these are numbered to 1000 copies (with stylish embossed golden digits at the bottom left corner of the back side) and that they're on coloured vinyl. It's white, with a slight touch of green mixed through it. Looks really nice.


Label: Music On Vinyl
Cat.nr.: MOVLP 604
Year of release: 2012

SIDE A:
01. Rutti
02. Crazy For You
03. Miranda
04. Trellisaze

SIDE B:
01. Cello
02. J's Heaven
03. Visions Of LA
04. Blue Skied An' Clear
05. All Of Us

The Radio Dept. - Clinging To A Scheme [12", LP]

CLINGING TO A SCHEME is a lovely album by THE RADIO DEPT., a Swedish band from Lund that's been around for more than 15 years already - however this is only their 3rd album. Great songwriting on this one. They're quite often simply labelled as a shoegaze band but when you listen to this album you'll hear that it doesn't quite do them justice. They're much more than that. It's a fine mixture of indie rock, twee pop, chillwave and er... yes: shoegaze. Would love to see them perform live some day. This particular copy i have is one of the second pressing (white vinyl, 1000 pcs).


Label: Labrador
Cat.nr.: LAB105
Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:
01. Domestic Scene
02. Heaven's On Fire
03. This Time Around
04. Never Follow Suit
05. A Token Of Gratitude

SIDE B:
01. The Video Dept.
02. Memory Loss
03. David
04. Four Months In The Shade
05. You Stopped Making Sense

Taffy - Flower Chain [7"]

TAFFY... the first time i read about this band i immediately thought about the Italo disco act with the same name, that had a hit with I Love My Radio which blasted through my speakers in the mid 80's. But no, this is something different. Way different.
This is a band from Japan and they play britpop/shoegaze. I checked out a few of their tunes online and thought they were pretty cool, or well at least: OK. Until i heard a song called Theron and found out it was going to be the B-side of their single FLOWER CHAIN. This was not just OK, this was simply awesome and i just had to have it on vinyl. Haven't heard a new song that catchy for quite a while. A rather simple tune, i admit - but fuzzy and distorted, just the way i like it. Kinda like a mix of Ride and Smashing Pumpkins or so, with female vocals. Judge for yourself...
So here i am now: the single arrived for me today and i've been playing the B-side over and over. The A-side ain't bad either by the way ;)

Label: Club AC30
Cat.nr.: AC309097
Year of release: 2012

SIDE A:
01. Flower Chain

SIDE B:
01. Theron

Airiel - Kid Games [12"]

AIRIEL from Chicago has been around for something like 15 years already, but as far as i know, this KID GAMES EP from earlier this year is their first ever vinyl release. It contains 4 beautiful shoegaze/dreampop tracks in the vein of Ride and Slowdive. Awesome stuff, and hopefully they'll release some of their older works like The Battle Of Sealand on vinyl as well some day.


Label: Shelflife
Cat.nr.: LIFE083
Year of release: 2012

SIDE A:
01. Funerals
02. You Against The Rest Of Us

SIDE B:
01. Flashlight Tag
02. Daydreamer