Torn Light Records › Staff Picks

Intersystems – S/T

What our staff has to say: “Fantastic boxset that collects all 3 LP’s from Canada’s Intersystems, includes a lovely 132-page book. For anyone interested in Canada’s [...]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

Zero Magazine – Volume One (Japanese HC Photo book)

$30.00 | Book, Print Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Insane document of Japanese 80s punk & hardcore. Unreal spreads of punks & skins and grind freaks. Flyers & photos that will make you […]

GENRE:

Equipment Pointed Ankh – Without Human Permission

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “One of my favorite bands making music in the world today. All star cast of Kentucky HEADS – members of Flanger Magazine (Torn Light), […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

New Monuments – Language Is The Skin CD

$13.00 | CD Ships on/around Jun 30, 2022 Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “The birth of NEW FREE JAZZ. A completely unhinged document of New Monuments. Fresh new quartet line-up. This is the next level, and the […]

GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz

Tiny Vipers ? Hands Across The Void

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Achingly beautiful, sparse, acoustic singer-songwriter tracks with occasional noise moments, situated somewhere in the Cat Power, Adrianne Lenker, and even [...]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Scritti Politti – Early

$23.00 | 2xLP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Been jamming a lot of the early Rough Trade singles lately, so gotta throw on these early Scritti Politti one’s included on this comp.” […]

GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth

Dead C – Tusk

$29.00 | 2xLP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Ba Da Bing! dropping the heat with three Dead C reissues from their mid 90’s period, The Operation of the Sonne, White House, and […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise, Indie / Alternative

Love Cry Want – S/T

$30.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Wild record on many levels, recorded at an anti-war rally in DC in ’72, featuring organist Larry Young and percussionist Joe Gallivan. Organ heavy, […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych, Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz

Osmo Lindeman – Electronic Works

$35.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Incredible works from Finnish electronic music composer. Fits right in with the Sahko catalog.” – Alex *includes a CD featuring all tracks from the [...]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith

$31.00 | Book, Print Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “The Harry Smith resurgence is upon us.” – Jack He was an anthropologist, filmmaker, painter, folklorist, mystic, and walking encyclopedia. He taught [...]

GENRE: Art/Photography, Folk / Country, Non-Fiction

Magn?s P?lsson ? Enginn Gleypir S_?_lina CD + Book

$21.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Audio from a Magnus Palsson exhibit. Very Runzelstirn Gurgelstock or Hermann Nitsch energy here. Lots of of grunting, moaning and intimate human sounds. Includes [...]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Chlorine – Wait For The Light To Shine

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “The instrumentals on this record are fantastic – super hazy synths, steady drum machine, all creating this surreal wash of sound. Perfect for lonely […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative, Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth

Gong – Magick Brother

$29.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Gong’s first, a previously hard to get album is back in print. Comparatively to the albums they did a few years after, this one […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

T.V. Star – Hallucinate Me

$16.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Seattle’s TV Star Hallucinate Me is a short but sweet 12″ EP. 6 songs of killer Alt Country Twangy Psych Rock.” – Dan The […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Dead C – Operation Of The Sonne

$21.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “The weird, undersung cousin of Tusk & The White House. Operation Of The Sonne is the closest Dead C’s gotten to touching on the […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise, Indie / Alternative

Technical Space Composer’s Crew – Canaxis 5

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Holger Czukay & Rolf Dammers getting so wild. Stockhausen zoned experimental. Incredibly various and musical. ‘Shook Eyes Ammunition’ is the best song title ever.” [...]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

Twink – You Reached For The Stars: The Best Of Twink (Violet Vinyl)

$25.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Wild British psych from Twink, of Pretty Things and Pink Fairies. His Think Pink record is classic, and this combines a number of tracks […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

Bill Nace – Through A Room

$22.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Fever dream experimental guitar with an array of other instruments that are all completely abstracted. Uneasy listening.” – Hannah Using the [...]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise

Magnus J?verling ? Bowdark

$22.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Feels and sounds like a real movie score. For fans of electronic music sounds.” – Jack Bowdark is the name of a fictitious town […]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Equipment Pointed Ankh – Downtown! LP

$22.00 | LP Add to cart

Ships prior to release date of 9/29/2023. What our staff has to say: “‘Kentucky Kraut Rock’ If you are not yet familiar with EPA, please make it a point to […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

Colin Andrew Sheffield – Images

$15.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Gorgeous ambient soundscapes through manipulated samples of jazz records. While the source material is mostly unrecognizable, completely repurposed into amorphous [...]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Alternative TV – Vibing Up The Senile Man

$21.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

Possibly one of the weirdest experiments in the post-punk realm, Vibing Up the Senile Man (Part One) is the second studio album by English anti-heroes Alternative TV, originally released in […]

GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth

VA ? Revolutions Per Minute (The Art Record)

$20.00 | 2xLP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Originally released in 1982 and now available from Song Cycle Records, Revolutions Per Minute (The Art Record) showcases 3 to 5 minute sound pieces […]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Alan Licht and John Krausbauer – Self Titled 7″

$12.00 | 7" Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Insane amplified violin shredding on top of electric guitar on A side – I’ve never heard a violin sounding like that, blending completely with […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise, Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Albert Ayler – Europe 1966 (RSD)

$125.00 | Box Set, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Lovely boxset of select dates from Ayler’s 1966 Euro tour. Live material from this tour has been dug up over the years, most notably […]

GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz

XV – On The Creekbeds On The Thrones

$16.00 | LP Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Psycho garage jammers XV with an incredible LP of mangled rock. 10/10 Beyond measure, it’s a perfect album. Disjointed jangle garage stoner thrift midnight […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Shirese – Rose Of Smiling Faces LP

$23.00 | LP Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “If the almighty Grapefruit Records has a hand in it, you know it’s going to be good. Killer psyched out rock very reminiscent of […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

Auntie Pus – Halfway to Venezuela b/w Marmalade Freak (Pink Vinyl)

$10.00 | 7" Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Leave it for General Speech to show you something you’ve never heard of. This time it’s Auntie Pus. Early UK punk, friends and contemporaries […]

GENRE: Punk / Hardcore

V/A – Sound

$24.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Etats-Unis (Superior Viaduct’s more experimental reissue label) had a recent LAFMS drop (Smegma, ID Art #2, Blorp Esette Volume One, and the La Forte […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise, Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Beat Happening – Black Candy

$23.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Some records should never go out of print, Beat Happening’s output is a staple of indie rock. Glad these are available again, for now.” […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World

$31.00 | 2xLP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Absolutely floored by this, feels like it’s already 20 years old. Everything from the recording to the writing feels genuine for YLT and the […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

The 12th Annual International Sound Poetry Festival – Boxset & Book

$85.00 | Book, CS Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Almost 5 hours of recordings from the 12th Annual International Sound Poetry Festival on 4 cassettes and including a lovely 240 page book documenting […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise

Faust – The Faust Tapes

$27.00 | LP Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Meant to be more of a promotional album on being signed to Virgin Records and only costing the amount of a single, this one […]

GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych

Matthew J Rolin – Passing

$22.00 | LP Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “I’m a big fan of Matthew Rolin’s guitar style, and this recent record is stunning. Each track is a dense, glimmering passage of fingerstyle […]

GENRE: Folk / Country

Unica Zurn – The Man of Jasmine & Other Texts

$24.00 | Book, Print Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “A unique and disturbing memoir from an underread surrealist master” – Cleo Anagram play meets psychic crisis in Unica Zürn’s acclaimed [...]

GENRE: Memoir, Weird Fiction/Sci-Fi/Unexplained Phenomena

Equipment Pointed Ankh – Changing Legs

$10.00 | CD Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “EPA return with a disc of duos. I would say this is a good disc for all Improv Heads, Kraut Rock Dropouts, & Kentucky […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise

Chronophage – S/T

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Chronophage is one of those bands that I will forever be interested in their output. This most recent record feels like a small departure […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Fuxter Schittly – “1998 – 1999 God Particles”

$10.00 | CD, CD Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “An excellent example that we have no real grasp on what is going on around us. In a world of fake news and discordianism, […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise

Sorry Eric – The Problem With Fun LP

$14.00 | LP Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Honestly how does a record this good get made??? Sorry Eric – The Problem with fun is the perfect driving the car record, it’s […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Sluggo – Sluggo LP

$18.00 | LP Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Sluggo was that band, and The Contradiction E.P. that gave me pride of being from the midwest. Amazing reissue with the first EP and […]

GENRE: Punk / Hardcore

Karger Traum ? III LP

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Great LP from a cool label Fixed Rhythms. Joocha and Das Ende are the standout tracks for me, a great record to grab if […]

GENRE: Techno / House / Electronic

Lea Bertucci – Metal Aether / Resonant Field

$15.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “I’ve been following Lea Bertucci since we stocked her 7″ on IDDB. This LP is very melancholic and a lesson in tonal energy. I […]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise

Don Cherry – Organic Music Theatre – Festival de jazz de Chateauvallon 1972

$30.00 | 2xLP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Don Cherry at the start of his ‘communal mystical period’ joined by audience members and children. Love both of the archival releases from Blank […]

GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz

Spoils – Find Later CS

$8.00 | CS Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Spoils are my favorite band in Ohio. Rock for life.” – Kobe “Ohio style baby you know what we mean haha” Upon first listen […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Intermedia, Fluxus and the Something Else Press: Selected Writings by Dick Higgins

$35.00 | Book, Print Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Fun book on one of the centers of the Fluxus movement. At the very least the one who helped create a written documentation of […]

GENRE: Art/Photography, Fiction/Poetry/Essays/Criticism/Transgressive

Alan Harman – Human Research Program CS

$11.00 | Cassette Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Cold Minimal synth cassette! It’s good.” – Jack Label Description: Alan Harman is the solo minimal synth project of Ethan Harman from the small […]

GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth

Nordvest – Grøndal LP (Sleeparchive)

$11.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Absolute stunner of a minimalist synth LP from techno legend, SLEEPARCHIVE (Tresor etc.) Apparently these recordings were ‘rejected’ under that [...]

GENRE: Techno / House / Electronic

Mikey Young – You Feelin Me?

$12.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “The solo endeavor of Mikey Young, who’s resume of bands include Total Control and Eddy Current Suppression Ring just to name a few. You […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Kanye West – Donda

$30.00 | Box Set, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Donda is the nexus of Kanye’s genius and mania. Praising god, remembering his mother and grieving the breakup of his family. It is easy […]

GENRE: Hip Hop / Rap / Neo Soul

Iggy & The Stooges – Metallic K.O.

$25.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Absolutely beyond Raw, Stooges at their best.” – Cleo IGGY and the STOOGES ‘METALLIC K.O.’ The Original 1976 Album – the notorious [...]

GENRE: Punk / Hardcore, Rock / Pop

Otto Kentrol – No Mistakes (RSD)

$18.00 | 2xLP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Not often mentioned when people discuss New York’s no wave scene, Otto Kentrol aka Bill Yitalo, finally gets his dues with a 2xLP archival […]

GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth

Itasca – Spring

$9.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “One of my favorite folk albums of the past 10 years. Laurel Canyon styled folk. Joni Mitchell – breezy afternoon. Heavy southwest vibe. Bitchin […]

GENRE: Indie / Alternative

Ndikho Xaba and the Natives – S/T

$20.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “South African pianist / percussionist with a crew of San Francisco & Chicago players, including Plunky Nkabinde and Lon Moshe from Oneness Of Juju. […]

GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz

Birth! – I Will

$6.00 | CD Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Revisited this Midwest classic after hearing of Doug’s passing. An album ahead of its time – and even though it has been years since […]

GENRE: Industrial / Power Electronics

David Tholfsen – Walk With Me

$15.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Layered vocal melodies that guide you through a natural world. FFO Avant yodeling.” – Dan David Tholfsen is an American musician and artist living [...]

GENRE: Experimental / Noise

V/A – INASOUND: retour aux sources de l’électro avec l’INA GRM

$13.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Found this gem hidden inside the modern comp section. Ranging from sparse musique concrete to early synth compositions, this comp is a fascinating document […]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Marv – Basse Danse CS

$10.00 | Cassette, CS Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “Magical little tape here, hits on all cylinders. Label hails from Boone NC, artists from Durham NC. Places both family and friends are located […]

GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic

Larry Clark – Tulsa

$25.00 | Book, Print Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “The only time glamorizing self annihilation as art has worked.” – Cleo When it first appeared in 1971, Larry Clark’s groundbreaking book Tulsa [...]

GENRE: Art/Photography

As Serious As Your Life: Black Music & The Free Jazz Revolution 1957-1977

$19.00 | Book, Print Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “A very good book about the scope of free jazz. The author being a music journalist has first hand accounts of viewing and interviewing […]

GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz, Non-Fiction

Wanda Jackson – There’s A Party Goin’ On

$7.00 | LP, Vinyl Add to cart

What our staff has to say: “When it comes to people who I think have some of the most interesting voices in rock, Wanda Jackson is on that list. The […]

GENRE: Folk / Country, Rock / Pop