It’s been a busy time at RoR Cybertowers, for largely non-RoR related reasons. But with PhDs out of the way, house moves completed and much more besides we’re delighted to announce an exciting run of releases for you over the next few months.

This will begin on Wednesday 9th November with the much-anticipated release of Return, the third (and final) release from All The Empires of the World. It’s a monstrous record that amplifies the Jodorowsky desert vibes of Blessings with Godflesh menace and their most extreme sonic explorations yet.

All The Empires of the World's Return, out on Nov 9th

Following that we’ll be releasing England Without Rain by Talk Less, Say More. This is Jell’s poppiest album to date, and perhaps also his most experimental: the restrictive form of the pop song giving rise to all sorts of playful brilliance which will appeal to fans of Hot Chip, Junior Boys and WhoMadeWho, as well as his earlier work for us.

In the more distant future we’ve got releases from a fantastic slew of new ‘signings’. Expect insurrectionary no-wave pop from L.H.O.O.Q., haunted noise from Ghostly Porters, dissonantly beautiful modern composition from Syuzhet and broken kraut from The Exploits of Elaine. We also hope to release a recording of Surfacing‘s commission for Nottingham Contemporary art gallery. Entitled What Is This That Stands Before Me it’s a piece exploring dissonance and hope and is inspired by Klaus Weber’s sculpture Large Dark Windchime (Arab Tritone). You can book to see it performed (for free) here– there will also be a talk on dissonance, political organisation and hope (full abstract on the link).

We also hope to be able to announce a new release from EL Heath soon, but in the meantime we advise you to purchase his excellent new album on Wayside and Woodland- Haunted Woodland Vol. 2, which you can (and should) buy from Norman Records. It’s the second in a series of limited edition albums in which Wayside and Woodland artists explore the darkness and decay of the Staffordshire and Shropshire woodland and is inspired by Longnor woods in Shropshire (not to mention The White Lady of Longnor): it’s quite the ghostly treat and will appeal to fans of Ghost Box and Miasmah Records, as well as Eric’s releases for us. But be quick, there are only 50 and they won’t last long!

You might also like to check out a set from EL Heath recorded for IKON gallery’s Slow Boat Festival back in September, which is streaming here. This was recorded on a narrow boat as it trundled around Birmingham’s canals and finds Heath backed by members of epic45 and Rob Dunsford.

Ga’an self-titled debut album is now available for free download as well as a limited edition tape (70 copies). People have been rightly very excited about this release and we are very pleased that it is finally out there – we apologise for the huge delay, we have been snowed under here with other tasks. This is the first time we have distributed an album using Amazon CloudFront, which should make for a faster more enjoyable downloading experience.

We are also pleased to announce the status of Les Étoiles latest record, which has songs created in collaboration with other members of the Records On Ribs roster – Talk Less, Say More and EL Heath as well as others. I had the privilege to listen to some premastered versions – they were really genuinely beautiful, a real sonic progression, but still hugely moving. Once again, Tim Wright at Neume Audio has done an incredible production job, even adding his own work as a collaborator on a number of tracks. Indeed as a special treat you can hear his remix  of one of the tracks, A Year. On the album version the work is done in collaboration with the Martenot of EL Heath, but here Tim explores the album as a whole in a tremendously sad electroacoustic reworking. Watch the Les Étoiles MySpace for other tracks soon.

EL Heath’s new album Snailbeach Mines Trust (on Wayside & Woodland records) is now available to buy from Norman Records and is currently at #6 in their ‘This Week’s Hottest Shit’ section- above Ikonika, Disappears and Ambarchi, O’Rourke and Haino  (among others). Naturally, we can’t recommend it highly enough: it’s a stunning evocation of place and memory. Dank, desolate and utterly transcendent. And all profits go to the wonderful people at the Shropshire Mines Trust.

Here’s what Norman Records have to say about the release:

This record left our Phil feeling ecstatic.

Over the years we’ve sold about a million Epic 45 records. You guys… you love ’em! Well here’s another one for you of sorts. It’s by EL Heath which is Eric from Epic 45 and it’s released on their Wayside And Woodland label. The album is named after Snailbeach lead Mine which was the largest lead mine in the UK back in the olden days when things were harder than they are now. He used to visit there as a child and it obviously had an effect on him as he’s returned as an adult after saving up for recording equipment 🙂 and recorded some of the sounds of the rusted up machinery and built up an album around those sounds. Listening to it though you wouldn’t know that. It’s gorgeous and there’s not an industrial clank in site :)…… The Music is very much like latter Stars of The Lid (the last album comes to mind). Rich warm waves of neo classical drone wash over. Occasional vocal tracks take on a different approach as they go down a more British 60’s folk route….. They blend seamlessly as the folk tracks still have some of the those warm sounding drones in the background. A remarkably moving and soulful album which gets my highest recommendation!

We’ll be helping Wayside & Woodland host a download of the album soon. Downloading it will require a minimum donation of £1 to the Shropshire Mines Trust.

Newness imminent from Records on Ribs!

All The Empires of the World

Yes! After their critically acclaimed ‘Last Rites EP’, All The Empires of the World will (very) shortly be releasing their full length debut Blessings with us. It sees them moving in a slightly more progressive direction, but without toning down any of their trademark stargazing sludge. A second version- featuring contributions from members of Astrohenge, The Exploits of Elaine, …And Stars Collide and others will be out sometime in the new year too. Bonus!

Spiral Jacobs

Mr Dominic Fox has just published an excellent book. It is worth quoting the blurb in full:

To live well in the world one must be able to enjoy it: to love, Freud says, and work. Dejection is the state of being in which such enjoyment is no longer possible. There is an aesthetic dimension to dejection, in which the world appears in a new light. In this book, the dark serenity of dejection is examined through a study of the poetry of Hopkins and Coleridge, and the music of ‘depressive’ black metal artists such as Burzum and Xasthur. The author then develops a theory of ‘militant dysphoria’ via an analysis of the writings of the Red Army Fraction’s activist-theoretician, Ulrike Meinhof. The book argues that the ‘cold world’ of dejection is one in which new creative and political possibilities, as well as dangers, can arise. It is not enough to live well in the world: one must also be able to affirm that another world is possible.

And we will be releasing his excellent companion album, Prolegomenon. Eight dysphoric tracks of hopeful alienation: International Socialist Ambient Black Metal for a cold world and for a better world. Cover art from Toby Price.

EL Heath

Fresh from touring Europe with epic45, EL Heath is putting the finishing touches to an album about the long clsoed Snailbeach Lead Mines, which are near his Shropshire home. Tracks evoke the eerieness of desolation whilst purveying a sense of the clatter that once must have filled these mines. Three tracks can be heard on his myspace, including Heath’s first venture into ‘conventional’ songwriting with the heartbreaking ‘Tragedy at George’s Shaft’. We will be actively seeking donations for this release, with all proceeds going to the Shropshire Mines Trust. The new year will also see Heath release his mini-album Shropshire Hill Country via Wayside and Woodland.

Ga’an

We’re just a little bit excited about this one. Ga’an are a Chicago band who blend the aesthetics of prog, kraut, ambient, post-punk and black metal to create something compellingly otherworldly. They’ve self-released two tapes thus far and we’re mind-blowingly excited to be able to re-release them. Vultures of the Horn II: Living Tribunal is one of my absolute favourite pieces of music right now.

Earth Defence Force

Last but by no means least, purveyors of the finest hardcore/punk/metal Earth Defence Force will be gracing Records On Ribs with their debut album once we sort album artwork out. Recorded by production genius Ian Boult at the marvellous Stuck On A Name Recordings, Nottingham. Imminent riffs.

All The Empires of the World Announce New Album

We’re delighted to announce that AtEotW are continuing in the classic heavy metal tradition of announcing your retirement only to come back with new material. Thus spake main man Mark Thomas:

Finally! An album! We’ve decided to stop faffing around with EPs – they’re for squares: OFFICI. The provisional title is TITAN OF LIGHT

Yes. Exxxtreme slvdge kvlt epvic mvtvl. Provisional (again, because commitment is an unreliable frame of reference) track listing is as follows:

1. The Sands Of Saturn
2. Of The Father/Ghosts Of The Sargasso
3. [I Perceive Your Resonance]
4. ???? ?????
5. Titan Of Light
6. The Prophet I
7. The Prophet II: Soleil

If you’ve seen us live, you might have heard the first track – the rest are all BRAND FUCKIN NEW HOLMES. All tracks are, of course, 700 billion years long. Expect guest appearances from BARE MANS.

So now you know.

Meanwhile, the now inaccurately titled Last Rites continues to impress, making Sputnik Music’s recommended ‘Under the Radar’ releases of ’09 so far.

Leaving its Mark

Les Étoiles’ forthcoming album To Leave A Mark is more accurately titled though: a quite wonderful essay on its themes here (which we’re going to print as liner notes for physical copies) and a lovely review here. Both pieces really add worthwhile readings to this stunning album.

It is, of course, out on Friday the 18th September (as free download from here and a ltd.edition CD with photographs and lyric sheets from here and Norman Records), and we’re having a very special launch party at Jam Cafe in Nottingham to celebrate, with EL Heath and Les Étoiles playing live sets.

Wind, Thee Wind- the new EP from EL Heath- will be out on all the usual formats this Monday. More of the same, but different…

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming release of the second album form Les Étoiles entitled To Leave A Mark.

Like it’s predecesor, To Leave A Mark is an album of hesitation and sadness, memory and realisation, fear and acceptance, comfort and sorrow, all expressed with great beauty, simplicity and grace – an organ, a simple drum machine, a guitar, a hushed vocal, a moment of silence, a distant radio playing. To Leave A Mark was recorded by Les Étoiles during a period of stay in his home town and is a tribute to the places found there, many of which provided direct inspiration for the music.

The album will be available for free download and as an exclusive and gorgeously detailed limited edition boxed set. The boxed set will include the album itself as well a lyric sheets, photographs, maps, postcards and mysterious objects. Each boxed set will be individual and handmade by Les Étoiles himself. Pre-orders are now open.

This record will be the first release from Les Étoiles this year. The second as yet untitled record will feature unheard compositions by Les Étoiles finished in collaboration with Records On Ribs artists EL Heath and Talk Less, Say More as well as others. A project that is very exciting indeed.

Stand by for further updates and details of three forthcoming releases from Records On Ribs.

Goodness me.

We knew Sweet Potato’s Mash was a good album, but we’ve been overwhelmed by the response its had since we released it last week. We’ve had 400 downloads on all formats already, making it our fastest downloaded release thus far. An appearance on a popular Hungarian mp3 blog has done no harm, but we’re genuinely delighted at the response its had so far.

In other news, we will shortly be uploading an ‘online video exhibition’ of EL Heath’s. Entitled ‘Obsolete’, the exhibition- currently showing at The Hive in Shrewsbury- comprises 8 short films shot on 8mm tape and edited using archaic editing software. They’re soundtracked by EL Heath’s music- including some currently unreleased tracks. Though simple, they’re profoundly affecting and open up a whole new dimension to Heath’s work. As an added bonus we’ll upload the haunting video Heath’s made for epic45’s track ‘In All The Empty Houses’.

Hello there,

Very soon!

We’ve just taken delivery of our first professionally made release: Sweet Potato’s very very excellent album ‘Mash’. We’re doing it as a joint release with the lovely folks at Foetal Orange (run by Dom and Jack of Sweet Potato and Strap the Button) and expect it to be out within a week or two. The CDs have a four page liner booklet and are fully carbon neutral.

It’s an extraordinary record- quite unlike anything else we’ve heard. It’s somewhere between Ornette Coleman, Faith No More, Gentle Giant and post-Wyatt Soft Machine. Operatic vocals, free jazz wigouts, stonking riffs and curveballs aplenty.

Hello you.

Exciting release news shortly. For now, a couple of gigs in Nottingham we’re helping to promote. Our very own EL Heath plays the second, with a little bit of help from me.

Clique Clack & recordsonribs.com present…
@ The Hand & Heart Gallery, Derby Road (just before Canning Circus if you’re coming from town), Monday 19th January. £4 (£3 NUS)

UZI & ARI
Like all great pop bands, Uzi&Ari marry instant and intuitive songwriting with the desire to experiment and push personal boundaries. Be it through texture, tone or structure, Uzi&Ari’s songs never miss the opportunity to explore their limits or pursue things to a natural or unnatural end. There is a great patience at play in the development of each song which is perhaps masked at first by its more immediate elements – great pop hooks, joyous melodies, boy/girl vocals. The instant gratification that is the essence of pop music is to be had in abundance; yet for the more careful listener, layers upon layers of sound and rhythm can be peeled away to your heart’s content. If a musical frame of reference is needed, think The Postal Service, To Rococo Rot, or a more urgent The Album Leaf.
Watch : www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJpCx6MIxks
Listen : www.myspace.com/benshepard
Read : www.clumsycongregation.com

FISTS
Nottingham’s finest shambolic indie outfit, recalling early Pavement, Silver Jews, Cat Power, The Moldy Peaches, and a whole bunch of other music that fits in to the bracket of GOOD. Always unpredictable, always fun.
http://www.myspace.com/fistsmusic

LINE
Until recently, LINE was an electronic sideline to Neil Wells’ main musical interests, including the bands Seachange (Matador), Savoy Grand (Pickled Egg/Glitterhouse) and Escapologists. Then he realised that sounding like a depressed Kraftwer= awesome. Line’s debut LP, ‘Hearts’, spins strands of lo-fi electro, acid, indie rock and techno into heartrending love songs and is scheduled for a February 9th, 2009 release on Uncharted Audio.
http://www.myspace.com/mynameisline

And then….

Records on Ribs, Drowned In Sound & Highsoc present…
@ Lee Rosy’s Tea, Broad Street. £not much

GLISSANDO
Returning to Lee Rosy’s for the third time following supports for Stars of the Lid, this show will see Glissando accompanied by The Fleeting Glimpse Ensemble: Paul Elam (guitar/percussion), Sophie Green (violin) and Lauren Smith (cello). Haunting ambience combined with songwriting that displays a wondrous gift for melody. Fans of Low, Dead Can Dance, Bat for Lashes and Stars of the Lid will find much to enjoy.

“it plays like a majestic dream. And it’s one you’ll never want to wake up from.”- NME (album review)

“This record completely took me over for the whole 70 minutes. I was hanging on every chord waiting for their next move.”
Comfort Comes 9/10

“Low meets Mogwai, only with fragments of Regina Spektor at her most restrained. Exceptional.”
RockFood 5/5

“the more sedate moments culled from Set Fire to Flames back catalogue are an underlying influence as are both the measured and mercurial montages cast into the public eye by early career Sigur Ros and Godspeed You Black Emperor”.
Losing Today

THE AMBER SLEEP
Sumptuous chamber-folk from Graham Jones of The Exploits of Elaine/The Good Anna. Haunted memories linger in the manner of Antony & the Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens or a low key The National.

EL HEATH
EL Heath creates breathtakingly beautiful rural ambience inspired by Harmonia, Yann Tiersen, Stars of the Lid and the countryside around his Shropshire home. Heath will be playing his martenot and will be joined for this show by David Bell of The Exploits of Elaine.