Renaissance “Scheherazade & Other Stories” Re-Mastered 3 Disc Boxed Set Available November 26, 2021

• A NEWLY RE-MASTERED 3 DISC (2 CD / DVD) EXPANDED CLAMSHELL BOXED SET EDITION OF THIS CLASSIC RENAISSANCE ALBUM
• RE-MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL FIRST-GENERATION MASTER TAPES
• FEATURING 11 ADDITIONAL TRACKS INCLUDING A NEW 5.1 SURROUND SOUND UPMIX OF THE ALBUM, A CONCERT IN NOTTINGHAM FROM JANUARY 1976 & PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED STUDIO OUT-TAKES
• DVD ALSO INCLUDES A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED LIVE PROMOTIONAL FILM FROM 1976

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a newly re-mastered and expanded 3 Disc clamshell box edition of the classic album, “Scheherazade & Other Stories” by Renaissance.

Recorded at Abbey Road studios in May 1975, the album is rightly regarded as one of the band’s finest works, featuring the epic “Song of Scheherazade” (which dominated the album’s second side on the original LP release) and other classic tracks “Trip to the Fair”, “Ocean Gypsy” and “The Vultures Fly High”. Upon its release the album reached the US Top 50 and was one of the best-selling Renaissance albums.

This expanded edition of “Scheherazade & Other Stories” has been newly re-mastered from the original first generation master tapes and also features a stunning 5.1 Surround Sound up-mix on a DVD (NTSC / Region Free) which also includes a high resolution stereo mix and a wonderful bonus feature of a previously unreleased 1976 live promotional film.  

The set also includes a bonus CD of a concert recorded in January 1976 in Nottingham, England and a previously unreleased bonus track. The release also features an illustrated booklet with a new essay featuring exclusive interviews.

Disc One: Scheherazade & Other Stories Remastered  
1. Trip To The Fair
2. The Vultures Fly High
3. Ocean Gypsy
4. Song Of Scheherazade
I. Fanfare
II. The Betrayal
III. The Sultan
IV. Love Theme
V. The Young Prince And Princess As Told By Scheherazade
VI. Festival Preparations
VII. Fugue For The Sultan
VIII. The Festival
IX. Finale
Bonus Track
5. Ocean Gypsy (Single Version)
(Previously Unreleased On Cd)

Disc Two: Live At Nottingham University January 1976
1. Can You Understand
2. Running Hard
3. Ocean Gypsy
4. Prologue
5. Song Of Scheherazade
I. Fanfare
II. The Betrayal
III. The Sultan
IV. Love Theme
V. The Young Prince And Princess As Told By Scheherazade
VI. Festival Preparations
VII. Fugue For The Sultan
VIII. The Festival
IX. Finale
6. Ashes Are Burning

Disc Three: Scheherazade & Other Stories
96 Khz / 24-Bit 5.1 Surround Sound Upmix & High Resolution Stereo Mix  
1. Trip To The Fair (5.1 Surround Upmix)
2. The Vultures Fly High (5.1 Surround Upmix)
3. Ocean Gypsy (5.1 Surround Upmix)
4. Song Of Scheherazade
I. Fanfare
II. The Betrayal
III. The Sultan
IV. Love Theme
V. The Young Prince And Princess As Told By Scheherazade
VI. Festival Preparations
VII. Fugue For The Sultan
VIII. The Festival
IX. Finale
Bonus Video Content Renaissance – Live 1976 Promotional Film (Previously Unreleased)
1. Ocean Gypsy (Live Promotional Film)
2. Prologue (Live Promotional Film)

To pre-order: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/renaissance-scheherazade-other-stories-remastered-expanded-3cd-box-set/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Leena Punks reveals energetic new contender 'Something'

London based artist Leena Punks is an immersive artist that evolved into a DJ, producer and label boss after digging through her father’s vinyl crates at an early age. Having started her DJ career as a radio host for Kiss FM and NRJ in Athens, she soon became a DJ herself playing at bars and clubs in Mykonos and Athens. Returning with progressive house infused contender ‘Something’, the track sees Leena team up with singer Emilie Rachel.

Speaking about the inspiration behind creating ‘Something’, Leena Punks shares, “'I was listening to a lot of CamelPhat, Eric Prydz and Cristoph at the time and I wanted to create an emotional progressive house track with melodic elements. Working with Em was a blast! She's amazing with toplines and superquick with lyrics.”

Receiving previous praise from New Noise Magazine, Roadie Music, Electronic Groove and Flavour Mag to name a few, Leena has also turned heads within the Spotify world. Sitting at over 257,000 streams on Spotify alone across five releases, Leena’s career is moving in only one direction - up.

After studying Electronic Music composition and Production at Pointblank Music College in London she soon secured residencies across the city and played for clubs such as Egg, Cargo, Aquarium, Ministry of Sound, The Cause and Fabric. International gigs followed in Berlin, Zurich and Ibiza playing for Float Your Boat and Amnesia as well as Paris Fashion week. 

An advocate for women's issues she regularly writes for different publications including the Times and the Evening Standard. In June 2019 going full circle she joined her icons on stage Chic and Nile Rodgers supporting key4life - an organisation that helps reduce young offending and gang warfare. In 2020, she created her own label 'Punks Trade' featuring emerging female electronic artists to combat the misrepresentation of women in electronic music.

Indie meets psychedelic dream-pop project Di Ivories reveal hypnotising single 'Have U Noticed?'

 

Indie meets psychedelic dream-pop project Di Ivories dive into realms of disco in hypnotising new single ‘Have U Noticed?’. Led by singer, keyboardist and composer Diego Martinez, the immersive project have received praise from Under the Radar, The Stumble Upon, Music Crowns and BTR Radio to name a few. Combining indie rock with unpredictable instrumentation, Diego’s chaotic music may be eccentric but it’s certainly able to win over your heart. Written in fall-winter 2020 where the dark days of the pandemic were still fully upon us, there’s elements of relatability throughout the new release.

Speaking about his electric new single, Diego shares, “Have U Noticed? Came at a time where I had to address my feelings for someone that I’ve had after several years of friendship. This song is probably the strongest song of the EP because it is so emotionally charged. Heart Break is one of the purest forms of raw energy we feel and try to understand while it’s happening to us, but we never really realize how shattered our heart is until after it’s already broken. We tracked this song with an upright piano in the intro and then in a flash the beat drops and you feel the intensity of the song, like something is catching fire in front of you. 

This song brought out the fire in me to do something magical, like try to walk on water. Was written in the Fall-Winter, where the darkest days so far of the pandemic loomed upon us. I wanted to capture the raw emotion of a personal heartbreak along with the pain everyone is feeling and create a chord structure that would help me cry the pain away in order to mold into later strength.”

A huge fan of expressing himself through fashion, Diego comes across as a powerful role model with a passion for colours. Adding to how he created ‘Have U Noticed?’, Diego shares, “It started with an inventive little piano diddle that kind of rattled my emotions in a way that gave off a deep sadness when playing it. It got hooked into my brain and shortly afterwards the words started coming out. That ended up being the verse and throughout the seasons as the days grew colder I started to feel that too and it ultimately shattered me. I was heartbroken, the song beautifully captured my heartbreak while also guiding me towards a new light.”

Be transported into a heavenly production produced by Garret de Block, mixed at Strange Weather Studios and mastered by Alex de Turk. 

Northeast based duo PSiMiTAR reveal vibrant release 'Better Believe It'

 

Northeast based duo PSiMiTAR return with the new contender ‘Better Believe It’. Composed of producer/rapper Steesh aka Baron Von Alias, and vocalist & DJ, LKP, they’ve been putting out their unique take on UK hip-hop soul under this alias since 2020. Receiving praise from BBC Radio 1, Grammy award-winning Brasstracks, BBC Introducing and Narc Magazine to name a few, the duo has had tens of thousands of streams and support from DJs across the globe. Back with the astonishing new single, ‘Better Believe It’ sounds somewhere between the grooves of Tom Misch and the style of Anderson .Paak.

Speaking about their new release, the duo share, “Better Believe is about the little voice in your “head that tells you to never give up, and how we have to have self-belief to succeed at anything.”

Dedicated to self-belief and finding your feet, ‘Better Believe It’ comes across as entirely empowering and able to give anyone a well-needed serotonin boost. Jam-packed with a range of live instruments, the track includes a talk-box, skilful melodic bars from rapper Steesh and soulful R&B vocals from LKP that will leave you with goosebumps. Already receiving great support from Nick Roberts and Lee Hawthorn at BBC Introducing in North East and Yorkshire, HyperTribe and Wayne C McDonald's key tastemaker Sugar Radio show, it’s safe to say, the track is becoming the talk of the town.

King Crimson “Music Is Our Friend” Live 2CD Set Available For Pre-order

“Music is our Friend” – Named after the tour from which the performances were taken, “Music Is Our Friend” is an official bootleg featuring all of King Crimson’s final performance in North America in Washington, D.C. in September, 2021.

This 2CD set is completed with four pieces from the first concert of the tour’s second leg in Albany. Taken together, these tracks represent both a beginning and an end of a tour that took place despite almost insurmountable issues.

Originally scheduled for 2020, postponed for a full year because of the pandemic, the tour began July in Florida as the latest Covid wave hit and the band moved across the country in a tour bus bubble.

Following a two-week break due to scheduling conflicts, they returned to the road again, with the Zappa Band appearing nightly before Crimson.

Now facing gigs that had to be moved due to extreme weather, with one venue flooded a day before a concert, an open-air venue in New York transferred to the more familiar Beacon Theatre, and even a band member flown to hospital via helicopter, King Crimson faced a range of challenging conditions. Happily, the band member was fully recovered and no gigs were missed despite the array of setbacks and obstacles.

By the time King Crimson reached Washington, the band was in ferocious form with a powerful, energetic set with some arrangements reworked and differing from previous tours. Featuring a restored middle section of “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part One” that had not been played since 1973, substantial keyboard arrangements, Tony Levin on upright bass during “Neurotica” giving the piece an extra swing, there’s an emotional set-closer, Starless and an immensely powerful “21st Century Schizoid Man” as an encore.

King Crimson completed their tour in style and to much acclaim from fans and critics alike. As Robert Fripp notes in his diary entry included in the notes: “David (Singleton, KC manager/producer), pointed out that the very first piece KC played in the US, at Godard College, Montpelier, Vermont on October 29th. 1969, was the same piece as completed KC’s 52 years – 21CSM”.

In contrast to the Washington show, the four performances from the ‘Friends and Family’ concert in late August 2021 at The Egg in Albany, opening show of the second leg of the tour and the same venue where the current band played its first US gig in 2014, have a more intimate feel. As befits a small venue/invited audience, the sound and pacing provide an opportunity to hear a run of material not played in Washington due to time constraints.

Bringing the second disc with a poignant performance of “Islands” – perhaps the best recording of this song by this band, David Singleton, who also prepared all the audio for this release, thought it one of the best sets the band played on this or previous tours.

The release features photos from the concerts, sleeve notes by David Singleton and diary entries for the concert days from Robert Fripp in a 24-page accompanying booklet.

A completion is a new beginning – Robert Fripp, September, 2021

CD One
1. Introductory Soundscape
2. The Hell Hounds Of Krim
3. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part I
4. Pictures Of A City
5. The Court Of The Crimson King
6. Red
7. Tony Cadenza Deals It Slitheryacious-To-The-Max
8. Neurotica
9. One More Red Nightmare
10. Indiscipline

CD Two
1. Epitaph
2. Radical Action II
3. Level Five
4. Starless
5. 21st Century Schizoid Man
6. Tony Cadenza Serves It Piping Hot
7. Discipline
8. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part II
9. Islands

Release date November 19, 2021

Order from Inner Knot (USA): https://shop.schizoidshop.com/king-crimson---music-is-our-friend-live-in-washington-dc-and-albany-2021-cd-p1900.aspx

For more information: www.dgmlive.com
painting by Francesca Sundsten

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com