an exploratory record that dances across time and genre, guided by fidgety miniatures and jazz inflected collage. throughout, the band pool together their instrumental chops, moving from fluid and serpentine r&b to meditative, minimalistic piano, evoking a contrast of virtuosity and self-surrender.

if you want something done right, sometimes you just have to do it yourself. in a world filled with false gurus and misguided leaders, so goes the mantra of the new york duo walker & royce. after a swift rise in recent years during which time they pioneered a sound that is often imitated but never replicated sam walker and gavin royce have used this mantra as the impetus for their debut album self help, on their label home dirtybird. in order to grow, one often has to look inward, and the pair set out on a trail of self-discovery and advancement. their journey has resulted in a diverse album that evokes a range of emotion and fervor, one that can be appreciated both on the way to a club as well as feverishly dancing to it in one. walker & royces signature production is in exceptional form on their solo tracks, such as why tho, warkin it, best track ever and sunday. the way they contrast heavy, low-end bass and beats with pristine melodies arises from the first thing they ask themselves when they fire up their studio: will we play this? the pair has also continued to push the boundaries of their minted formula for a bigger purpose, enlisting several distinct vocalists and collaborators to captivating effect. the legendary green velvet lends his vocal talent to rub anotha dub, and longtime friend dances with white girls appear on two memorable tracks, including the hit single take me to your leader. other collaborators such as sophiegrophy, oncue, forrest and mr. jpatt each introduce their own individual elements to the album, rounding out the varied tones and feelings that comprise the self help masterpiece. the road to self-discovery is filled with many bumps and obstacles, but with self help, walker & royce have proven that theyve got the keys and in the driver’s seat

you can forgive a band who set out to create something even just a little bit different and get it horrendously wrong, but its tough to have sympathy for a band who shy away from the challenge altogether. such was the case with autokratz on their first album, animal, which, apart from a passable opening track, consisted of a series of bland electronic pastiches Ð dance music that conversely made the listener want to sit and wait it out. that didnt stop the hype building around the duo, though, thanks in no small part to the fact that the album was released through in-vogue french label kitsunŽ music. the confusing positivity surrounding the lp suggesting, perhaps, that style overcomes substance once a record company has received the hipster seal of approval.this time around, however, kitsune has stepped aside, with autokratz releasing the follow-up on their own label, bad life. but has the sense of responsibility that surely comes with this step made them re-evaluate their direction? has it inspired them to inject a much-needed shot of creativity into their work? not a hope. if anything, autokratz descend even further into mediocrity on self help for beginners. once again, their best tunes are loaded towards the front of the album, starting with the lead single, -opposite of love. its far from outstanding, helped in no small part by the terribly contrived lyrics, but does possess a catchy synth melody Ð enough to earn it a place on club playlists, at least. its a similar story with -becoming the wraith, which has peter hook on hand to deliver an overtly new order-esque bassline. beyond that, however, the quality dips dramatically. tracks like -the seventh seal and -r.i.s.e. are typical of the selection on offer, underwhelmingly vapid, derivative tunes which show up a disappointing, but not totally unexpected, scarcity of guile on the part of their creators.where autokratz do excel is as producers Ð a quality evident not only in their own work, but also in their remixes for other artists. unfortunately, this only serves to exacerbate their deficiencies on the other side of the control room desk. ultimately it may mean that, having failed to address the shortcomings of their debut, autokratz will be fated to be filed under -also rans in the annals of music history. thats assuming, of course, that someone out there will actually remember them at all.

ltd to 150

fast-rising dutch dj/producer bella becomes the first new artist signing to sally c s big saldo s chunkers imprint, with the inspiring note to self ep – her debut production. 300 copies only

mrs. piss is a new collaboration between chelsea wolfe and jess gowrie.

red vinyl inkl. cd

cassette / tape

black cassette tape, handmade printed fabric case, riso printed paper cover, dl code. limited to 40 copies.

incl famous female vocals, huge tip!!

metalcore, transparent curacao blue vinyl

ltd. col. lp: (black & white marble vinyl)

multicolour splattered vinyl

ltd. col. lp: (silver nugget vinyl), das neue album der britischen metalcore-Überflieger!

cd digisleeve w/ lyric sheet

transparent blue vinyl edition.

techno / electro / industrial various artists ep

four tracks with rolling basslines, hypnotic rhythms, familiar echoes from our past and now pressed on vinyl. new label, new chapter.

ltd red vinyl, lyric sheet (indies only)