ZAÄAR
Magická Džungl’a

Seance Centre: ...INCANTATIONS is a collection of sixteen visual and sonic experiments centred around the idea of score as spell, curated and produced by Séance Centre’s Brandon Hocura and Naomi Okabe.A spell and its incantation are distinct, but conjoined by a symbolic, almost umbilical force. A spell is a totem text, a material call for change — a seed, a recipe, an instruction, a potential. The incantation of a spell gives it life, brings breath to body, raises hairs, moves minds. For this project, eight spell-scores were created by visual/text-based artists for a musician/composer to incant. Taking a wide interpretation of what can be considered a score, these works include concrete poetry, collage, painting, drawing, spell-poetry, instructional art, and recipe. The resulting sound works give voice to these evocative “texts”, residing in the liminal space between musical form and magical utterance.

Mekbuda, translated from Arabic is the "lion's folded paw" as well as a star in the constellation of Gemini and in this case Russia's preeminent entry into the burgeoning contemporary jazz scene with their debut album Convincing Delusional. Residing on the spacier and cosmic side of the jazz spectrum, the quartet consists of Roman Zyryanov on drums, Dmitry Rubanov on bass, Alex Petrov on Rhodes and keys, rounded out by Igor Shilov on trumpet. Informed by the UK's jazz and electronic scene, spiritual and modal jazz, along with ambient and a tinge of hip-hop, Mekbuda's sound is a heady brew of instrumental soundscapes. The 6-track album seamlessly crescendoes from uptempo drum and bass to dubbed out rhythmic excursions, all layered within a brooding and hypnotic atmosphere.

Considered to be one of two Holy Grails on Strata Records, Maulawi Nururdin, 180 Proof presents a stellar reissue featuring a previously unheard instrumental version of ‘Street Rap’. This 180 Gram vinyl album has been remastered from the original reel to reel master tapes and is presented with an alternate cover artwork done by Ge-ology and Mr. Krum.

Efficient Space: ...For the first time since its inception 36 years ago, Steve Hiett’s elusive 'Down On The Road By The Beach' is finally made available outside of Japan. Most recognized in the fashion sphere as an English photographer and graphic designer, Hiett's transportive audio portraits amplify his serpentine guitar to the infinite blue, recorded across Paris, Tokyo and New York with no coastline in sight. Now widely celebrated as a desert island disc, very little is actually known of its unfathomable genesis.Produced in coordination between Be With, Efficient Space and the artist, this definitive reissue is restored from original masters with vivid reproductions of the 'Down On The Road By The Beach' exhibition catalogue, intended to accompany its original release, and extensive liner notes penned by fellow Steve Hiett obsessive Mikey IQ Jones.