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.

We’ve snuck out another couple of releases since our last update, and mighty fine they are too. And there’s much more to come…

Kettle Blacksmith‘s Well, We Get These Rashes is supremely silly, and we really don’t blame you if you hate it. But in the right mood, it’s absolutely wonderful. It’s the brainchild of Patrick Farmer (who’s played with- among others- Chora, The Family Elan, Dom Lash, Matt Milton,  Fuzzy Lights, Last of the Real Hardmen, Birmingham Improvisers’ Orchestra and The Exploits of Elaine, and who runs the mighty Compost and Height netlabel) and Ben Houlihan, who played with Patrick in Welshpool’s Beefheartian loons Call it a Clunes.  Patch made me promise I wouldn’t mention Chris Corsano, so I won’t- but think of your other favourite improv drummer and imagine him having a fight with a tramp and you’ll be halfway there.

Altogether more sober is Talk Less, Say More‘s Proof Rock. Not only does this have quite possibly the best bad pun for an album title since Mercury Rev’s Yerself Is Steam, it’s a mighty combination of dubstep wobble, metal guitars and heartbreakingly gorgeous pop melody. Oh yeah, and it’s a concept album built around Jennings’ relationship with the poetry of T.S. Eliot and the City of London (as well as Eliot’s representation of London). It’s quite sumptuous stuff.

In the not too distant future we have releases from…

Earth Defence Force – Earth Defence Force

This’ll be our heaviest album yet. Another mighty Shropshire export, EDF take influence from all your favourite loud and fast bands. Check ’em out on MurdochSpace. ‘Who Did It’ is particularly highly recommended.

The Exploits of Elaine – Plateau Suite.

A joint release with the mighty Gravid Hands (who’ll be putting out a lovely CD-R). Plateau Suite is a rollicking, clattering and rocking work of improv mayhem for those who like urban gamelan, balls out kraut grooves, ghostly melodies and morass like textures. Hear a couple of tracks (or ‘intensities’) here.

Les Etoiles – Little Measurements

More heart-breaking melancholy from Cardiff’s most brutal songwriter. Features contributions from EL Heath (among others), and higher production values than previous releases.

Spiral Jacobs – Prolegomenon

International Socialist Black Metal from the author of the mighty Cold World: The Aesthetics of Dejection and the Politics of Militant Despair. Cold, soaking blackened ambience somewhere between Aphex Twin and Burzum (but with far better politics).

Keep checking back. And follow us on twitter for updates and unsurpassed aphoristic wisdom.

A good day for Badger, and a good day for fans of avant jazz-rock brilliance. For Sweet Potato’s Mash is finally upon us! And goodness knows it’s been worth the wait. A rollocking ride- like Faith No More hopping into a time machine and emerging in Canterbury circa 1971 (stopping off in Twin Peaks along the way)- it’s available now for download or to buy (as a carbon neutral jewel cased CD with 8 page colour artwork) for a mere £5. It’s a co-release with the good people at Foetal Orange and an album we’re extremely proud to be putting out.

It is also the first release we have put out on Bittorrent as MP3, FLAC and Ogg Vorbis. If you are into such things, give the links a click and download this way – the more that do, the faster it becomes for everyone to do so, provided you keep seeding. Fire up those torrent clients immediately!

And we’re pleased to confirm three more forthcoming releases too…

The Exploits of Elaine: 2003-2005
In their current incarnation, The Exploits of Elaine are an improvising collective making music that sounds a little like This Heat playing folk music from the planet Saturn. But prior to that, they made bloody awesome post-rock music. Their songs were direct, emotionally powerful and contained more ideas than most bands in that genre have across a whole career. This is a compilation containing tracks from their untitled 2003 EP and some unreleased material from 2005, including the mighty Laputa, which replace that bloody Sigur Ros song on every single nature/sports programme trailer.

Talk Less, Say More – ‘It’s About Time’
A companion album to the mighty “It’s About Time” EP released on RoR. Tolstoy, Greek tragedy and theories of the life, the universe and everything delivered in devastating rhymes with slickly impressive production and a knowing nod in the direction of pop.

Les Etoiles – To Leave A Mark
Another fine album of haunting confessionals. The sparse beauty and devastating lyrical ability of ‘Never to Alight’ remains, but Mr Fitzpatrick has added lusher, richer instrumentation this time around. Another one for lonely nights.

Hi all. An exciting month here at Records on Ribs towers. Scroll down to be filled with  joyous news some good news and some now less good news (starting with the latter).

No Lovve

That news that was here before, it might not happen. You can probably guess why if you read what it was.

Radio, Live Transmission

We were very humbled to be designated ‘Website of the Week’ on BBC 6Music’s Tom Robinson show on Saturday. Some lovely things were said about this here label and Talk Less, Say More’s Song About a Dream About a Phonecall from ‘Go Lucky’ was flung out across the airwaves (and down fibre-optics) to listeners across the globe. To listen to the show, click here. We’re mentioned about 1hr20 in, but listen to the whole thing: it’s worth it.

We’ve also been picked up by the good people (and believe us, they really are good people) over at indiestreetradio. Many of our releases are featured- along with much other fine music- on this podcast and this podcast.

Last & Least

Some little titbits of tantalisation for your perusal and consideration. Firstly, we point you in the direction of re:press– a fine group of people who’re releasing some top notch philosophy/critical theory/fiction/poetry for free under Creative Commons via the internet (with the request that you ask your local library to stock them, or buy one yourself if you have the cash) – including works by philosopher de rigeur – Alain Badiou. And lastly, we leave you with the news that new releases from Talk Less, Say More and El Heath are in the pipeline of hope and we should have something from The Exploits of Elaine- those psychedelic dwellers of the folky subconscious- around the new year.