Experimental / Free Improvisation

*300 copies limited edition* "Martina Verhoeven is a Flemish pianist who likes to seek musical adventure, in different line-ups. The album Martina Verhoeven Invites contains two sessions recorded at Cafe Oto in London on July 23, 2023. During the concert, Gina Southgate made the painting that appears on the cover of the sleeve, which manages to capture the action of the musicians perfectly, as far as I am concerned - lots of color, lots of movement, and a special way of playing together. Two lon…

Reading Group is thrilled to announce a new album from the celebrated trio of Fred Moten (voice), Brandon López (double bass), and Gerald Cleaver (drums). Following the release of their 2022 self-titled debut album, also on Reading Group (RG23), the trio has been developing their improvisatory language in concerts across North America and the UK. While growing from their first album’s perpetually restrained simmer, their infamous live shows explore a propulsive, relentless, and massively energet…

*200 copies limited edition* Reading Group is proud to present the debut album of a new ensemble of some of the most adventurous artists in and around London’s contemporary music scene. X-Ray Hex Tet is the confluence of Seymour Wright (alto saxophone), Crystabel Riley (drums), Edward George (words and recordings), Pat Thomas (piano and electronics), Paul Abbott (real and imaginary drums), and Billy Steiger (celeste and violin). Wright and Abbott, elsewhere as XT, have developed a private langua…

*300 copies limited edition* “Two In Teer (two in the tar) contains five cycles of poems spread over fourteen tracks, always implemented differently in terms of sound. Poetry and sound poetry turn into fragile and lonely noises. An excessive collage of voices, piano, and increasingly distorted and destroyed tape recorders. Solo and in duet with the voices of Alice Kemp, Mara Genschel, Anna Schimkat, and the violins of Hans Essel and Inge Salcher.Perhaps the most naked, embarassing and most indet…

*100 copies limited edition* Since moving to Europe from Los Angeles in 1990 Jason Kahn has been a fixture on the European improvised and experimental music scenes. He lives in Zürich since 2000, where he is also active as a writer and visual artist. Tours and exhibitions throughout Europa, the USA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, Turkey, Singapore, …

In 1976 the Entourage Music and Theater Ensemble reached a creative zenith. The nomadic troupe had just released The Neptune Collection, its iconic second album for Moses Asch’s Folkways Records, and decided to present the music to audiences across the rust belt in its most miasmic, elemental form. Extended stretches of full-group improvisation mingled with folk-tune like melodies during these performances, which featured multiple dancers spontaneously interpreting the music, at times in elabora…

The Franco-Czech duo Kesherul Neg Pineg casts a spell on ritual reductionism, offering unsettling, even gloomy, psychedelic grooves. Frenzied attacks, atmospheric soundscapes, the music remains unpredictable but full of abundant energy and unexpected turns. The two musicians bewilder the senses, creating illusions and deceptions, diverting their instruments, extended trumpet, dizzying analog synthesis, prepared percussion… These two activists of improvised and experimental music met in Prague in…

Toc loves encounters and saxophonists. Alongside saxophonist Paulina Owczarek, the trio crafts a music composed of desynchronized layers, a mille-feuille of raw energy where rhythms are both suggested and suggestive. By exploring autonomous temporalities, the musicians naturally converge, with the saxophone finding its place seamlessly within Toc’s improvised kraut maelstrom, where one might even glimpse a few psychedelic jellyfish, a flapjack octopus, or a harp sponge. Regularly crossing paths …

*25 copies limited edition* Aalfang mit Pferdekopf & EMERGE - Die Kosmische Zygote + Pausenmusik- C90 Tape in Snapbox with J-Card. With cards that contains Art by Mirko Uhlig and a wooden art-Egg, sprankled with spray-paint (ltd.25)

*40 copies limited edition* A double length Album 90 Minutes of Industrial and Kraut Improvisations. Selected Works from 2014 till 2021.

There is an imaginary line crossing the surface of the earth shaping a circle around the globe. Crossing this line in the winter you leave all daylight behind you, and in the summer you leave darkness, and enter constant light. This you might call outer land - in a similar language as when you talk about outer space. Remote and far away from the roads that mankind usually travels on, and the hectic metropoles where most people are cluttered together. Ytterlandet means this: a land far away, an o…

"This is a duet for electric guitar (Olsson) and trombone (Rubin) and much of the time it sounds like something else" - Vital Weekly number 1215

"In his own way, Olsson has been able to bring to life a very exciting and refreshing musical phenomenon" - Jouko Kirstilä, Jazzrytmit

"It´s inhumanly human noise. (...) It's a record for those who are curious, without prejudice. It's dangerous and thrilling." - Niels Overgård for Jazznyt

*300 copies limited edition* "Permanent Parts is the second album released by visual artist Katharina Grosse (synthesizer) and musician Stefan Schneider (synthesizer; So Sner, To Rococo Rot, Mapstation). Grosse and Schneider were joined at Galerie Max Hetzler on 29 April 2023, performing as part of the Spectrum without Traces exhibition, by three artists who all generally work within improvised music – Carina Khorkhordina (trumpet), Tintin Patrone (trombone and electronics), and Billy Roisz (noi…

*150 copies limited edition* Sergio Merce (born in 1973) is a sax player and sound artist based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is well known for his unique musical style, which makes full use of a wide range of instruments, electronics and field recordings. In 2023, Merce released two solo albums in succession on the Hitorri label: "Traslasierra (expanded landscape)" in April, and "Amplified Resonances" in December. "Prosa" is his third solo album on Hitorri. This CD is made up of two pieces rec…

"In the beginning, was the voice, before there were instruments even the oldest ones - percussion! The voice has always been there, and when voices resound in a musical space, in a pure improvised creative act then extraordinary things happen! Such was the case when four outstanding vocalists Anna Gadt, Natalia Kordiak, Marta Grzywacz and Gosia Zagajewska met in the Warsaw space “Prześwit” to improvise a new unique sound world. Did they succeed? We think it succeeded more than great!!!!!!!!" - F…

As this four-disc retrospective shows, Australian violinist Jon Rose has done more than any musician to revolutionise the approach to his instrument, with technical developments and radical performance strategies. Jon Rose is one of the most productive, original and focused people I know; he's also an extraordinary musician and an inspired composer. To mark his 60th anniversary we are releasing this three CD box of previously unreleased works ranging from radio documentary and radio fiction to v…

*In process of stocking* ‘A grain of Earth’ is the first solo venture and expression of several years of working with instant compositions and the timbral possibilities of an acoustic piano. This has been wrapped in an idea of realities beyond our perception, and a thought that we are a part of a big organism where everything goes endlessly bigger and smaller in scale of size, time and speed. Everything moves in constantly interfering waves of energy; echoing and reflecting, in ceaseless dance o…

Tip! *2024 stock. 300 copies limited edition. 180g black vinyl. 390g paper folder. with obi. 4 page booklet in chinese and english. The cover Art is an oil painting by the famous Chinese contemporary artist Wang Guangle*  Two Other Comrades + Yan Jun "Nanjing Live" Produced by Godstalker Music: Two Other Comrades + Yan JunHuan Qing: Kalimba (Thumb Piano), Mouth ChordsGuitar Effects, Field Recording, MixerChen Zhipeng: TambourineYan Jun: samples, electronics, field recordings Recorded by Huan Qin…

The duo of Yan Jun and Eric Wong focus on the temporal and spatial interplay of organic and digital sound. Using human voice, sine waves, and white noise as their instruments, the musicians modulate the sound sources to bring out resonance as well as to create sonic movements that blurs the borders among the sonic events. Eric says “When I perform with Yan Jun, I swing my arm holding a Bluetooth speaker as he filters his voice by moving his head and body. I remember I did it for the first time w…

This recording documents the first ever meeting between Susan Alcorn and Catherine Sikora. When musicians improvise with each other, a space is created that is unique and specific to the musicians who are playing. With Susan and Catherine, the space that presented itself was enormous, with great freedom and tonal flexibility, opening up endless possibilities for expression.

Monophonic is the name of the new album by Maria Bertel. As the title hints the album is a study of music played with 'one voice'. The amplification of the trombone mimics the effect of a magnifying glass, that let otherwise inaudible sounds be heard and brought forward. The compositions are long swathes of sound slowly developing, heavily inspired by drone and noise.

"Tenor saxophonist Ada Rave, born and raised in Argentina, decided to move to Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 2013. She had heard ‘the call’, followed her musical intuition and became part of the colorful community of Dutch creative improvised music. Educated in the jazz tradition she started to look for a more personal language. A deep search. Not an easy path to go. The destination is always changing. Each step made will call for a next step. A slow process of collecting material, sounds, techni…

Conic Tube comes from the idea that the saxophone is nothing but a metal conical tube that amplifies, modifies and pushes the air through the room, if the instrument is just an object and sound is just air and air is inside-out of us, pushing this air becomes the tool to structure our space and surroundings making possible changes on our environment and energies. With this in mind and spirit this record was produced with the intent to fulfill and open new possibilities for the minds and spirits …

The first solo release of baritone saxophonist Sofia Salvo, “Rotarota” consists of a series of improvised pieces. They evoke emotional memories aspiring to set them free and mutate them into blaring music.

'Making a Journey to a Bright Nowhere' series - marking Eddie Prévost's 80th birthday. Volume 1, Cafe OTO 9th July 2022

The newest release from 29 Speedway, UltraBody, is a compilation record featuring the music of Jake Muir, Pent & Dylan Kerr, Nexcyia & Mu Tate, James K, Flora Yin-Wong, Ex Wiish & Dorothy Carlos, Kamran Sadeghi, Tati au Miel, James Hoff, Eric Frye, Muein and Maxwell Sterling. The record is emblematic of the artists who have performed at 29 Speedway shows in New York and Europe during the past two years, and is the third in a series released by the label. The record was born out of a desire to in…

Tip! **Edition of 230** This is alga marghen’s third installment of Smegma’s original “Suburban Primitive Avant-folk music” Period (1973-1975) based in Pasadena, featuring three previously unreleased tracks from the deep vault of their home recordings. In the beginning, the Band Smegma had only one rule. No Musicians. Starting from scratch, they took the Road much less traveled. They were inspired by outsider musical artists of the time such as John Cage, Sun Ra, Captain Beefheart, Wild Man Fish…

Recorded live -no overdubs- in Koto Tama Records Studio (Aug. - Oct. 2007). Packaged in a 'matchbook' style cover.

Recorded 20th - 24th of May 2008 at Q02, Brussels. Research center for the definition of happiness (Istanbul branch). Edition of 500 copies. Packaged in a round six-panel textured card cover.

Tip! In "Handle, Nail and Rubber Dinosaur", Jun-Y Ciao plays soprano saxophone and Zhu Wenbo plays clarinet. Before recording there was very little pre-planning, the only decision was that they each play a few short passages. They recorded a single take, during which there were some naturally occurring pauses and breaks – these make up the first 13 tracks of the album. After that they decided to make another recording with a more defined limitation: they maintain fixed fingerings, limiting the s…

From September 1 to September 9, 2023, Li Song, Zhao Cong and Zhu Wenbo went on a South China tour together. They performed 8 shows in four cities, and almost every show was different. In two of these venues, they gave very unique trio performances. This album features these live recordings. At E^dge 一脊 in Wuhan (September 6th) they used the "3 lines" feedback system developed by Zhu Wenbo using transducers, elastic ropes and other objects (foil, paper...). They performed in a small alley in fro…

MTDM (acronym from the Chinese name mei tui de ma, “horse without legs”) is the duet of Jun-Y Ciao and Tao Yi, both born in 1978, Year of the Horse. Tao Yi plays drums and trumpet, and Jun-Y Ciao, woodwinds, including different sizes of saxophone and clarinet. Around 2008, MTDM returned to Shanghai from Europe, and straight away got involved in the local experimental music scene, giving entirely improvised performances using only acoustic instruments. From their overall musical style, to their a…

Tip! *2024 stock* I first met Takashi in a duo performance by Seijiro Murayama & Tetuzi Akiyama at Permian. I recall that the small underground venue was packed and that the interplay between these two great musicians was vivid, tense and loud. After the performance we scheduled to meet and play at a later date. There’s always some aura (in my mind) when two improvising musicians meet for the first time, as if there is still a chance for an infinite amount of possibilities. It felt natural for m…

There is not a lot to say when a young talented percussionist meet one of the master of improvised music, also percussionist ; we can just sit and listen what happens. this is what exactly did the guys at cosabeat studio during "mirrors" recording session. the result is incredible. you can really feel the musicians concentration and then understand the importance of every sound they created. this is a focused, brilliant, top class "sound dialogue" between two of the most dedicated artist i …

*2024 stock* Jaap Blonk - voice, electronics Damon Smith - double bass Ra Kalam Bob Moses drums, percussion Recorded by Ryan Wasoba at Birdcloud Studios, Collinsvile, Il November 1st. 2022 Mixed & Mastered by Weasel Walter Design by Alan Anzalone Cover art by Damon Smith Untitled micro-collages 2003-2004 Oil, graphite, bass rosin, collage & objects on graph paper 3" x 3.5" Concrete Poem / liner notes Ra Kalam Bob Moses / Jaap Blonk All Titles from text messages from Ra Kalam

Piotr Dabrowski: Primitive lyre, Voice. Giacomo Salis: Objects, Caxixì, Radio, Frequency sound generator. Paolo Sanna: African bells (Apitua set.) Tubophone set, Cicada, African seed rattles.

Relatum features two compositions revolving around the relationship and interplay between the human and the algorithmic, bringing together musicians and artificial performers.

Improv/metal. If you like your improvised music on the noisy side of the spectrum, we're here for you. Purchase includes pdf of artwork, photos, text etc