Composer and musician Daniel Rafet Grima, offers a thematic debut release via Research Records titled ‘You Are In the Embrace of the History’. 

The double A side wanders ambient music, jazz and devotional musics in its arrangement and lyricism; penned as an act of faith in something other. 

Research Records’ 12” vinyl release of ‘You Are In the Embrace of The History’ will feature reworks by Iti (UK) and Kuniyuki Takahashi (Japan) released at a later date.

Rafet - You Are In the Embrace of the History (RESEARCH12)

Likulli Fadāin Eqāéh لكلّ فضاءٍ إيقاعه [to each space its own rhythm] 2019–23

a landscape of ever amusing contradictions on unstretched canvas: – of predictable rhythms (day and night, high tide and low tide, routine and intuition, rent and bureaucracy) and unpredictable rhythms (good fortune, bad poetry, chance, mistakes and chaos).

Berlin-based Syrian musician Khaled Kurbeh makes his Research Records debut with Likulli Fadāin Eqāéh, a tapestry of soundscapes written, performed and recorded across four years as part of his practice muhawalāt [attempts, variations] and hawāmesh [margins]: an outlet of gestures, sonic footnotes and observations from the everyday.

Kurbeh’s first release in seven years departs from his largely acoustic debut, Aphorisms, a collaboration with oud player Raman Khalaf and ensemble with elements of maqām and jazz.

Likulli Fadāin Eqāéh offers a collection of 10 electroacoustic compositions – they’re brooding and experimental with hints of musique concrète. The tracklist implies a mapping or an itinerary. Field recordings of swallows and the snapping and un-shelling of sunflower seeds on interlude Nuzha I [Excursion I] are countered by sparse composition of low-end synth, harmonium, upright piano and prepared fender rhodes played with mallets on Darb I–II [Path I–II]. Patterns of cymbals and agitated bells appear on Jauqét Ajrās [Choir of Bells], while currents of bowed strings shiver and stutter on al-Ajrāf [The Cliffs]. The release captures four years of overlapping sonic wanders, finely balancing tensions of harmony and dissonance, stillness and resonance, texture and rhythm – recorded inside and outside.

The gatefold vinyl features artworks by Ida Lawrence and includes a booklet of 10 painted variations of the one scene. On the outer cover, paths stretch under a dramatically accented and vivid sky; while inside, the same landscape appears over and over in another light.

Likulli Fadāin Eqāéh لكلّ فضاءٍ إيقاعه [to each space its own rhythm], is set for release on June 27th 2025 via Research Records, Naarm/Melbourne. A follow up solo piano album by Kurbeh, recorded in his studio in Kreuzberg, Berlin, will be released later this year.

Khaled Kurbeh - Likulli Fadāin Eqāéh لكلّ فضاءٍ إيقاعه (RESEARCH014)

Prolific digi-dub recording artist Tapes heads up the new year for Research, debuting with a two track 7” of slow and melodic synth cuts. At once playful and naïve yet masterfully constructed, the pieces unravel in unison to create the drowsy headspace associated with pitched down G-funk beats or vintage Italian library. Sharing a similarly visual immediacy to Amedeo Tomassi’s compositions for Biologia Marina, both ‘Sauna Research’ and ‘Aquarium Trousers’ conjure up subaquatic atmospheres of macrophytes and crill, wetsuits and snorkels. Tropical flora and fauna float by in the distance. Fittingly soundtracking the Australian summer, the new release follows on from recent daydream-like stoned outings for EM and Good Morning Tapes.

https://researchrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sauna-research-aquarium-trousers

Tapes – Sauna Research / Aquarium Trousers | snippets

Research Records indicate their inclination for cosmic instrumentation and kraut pervaded polyrhythms once again with an introduction to newcomer Glass Beams. Recorded at the beginning of 2020, Mirage is the first release from the artist, issuing four compositions that lend from a profusion of sounds and influences.

"I was looking for new energy & inspiration to write a bunch of new music. I recalled a childhood memory of my parents and I watching a DVD they had bought: ‘Concert For George’ (a tribute concert for George Harrison from the Beatles). George’s long time collaborator and friend Ravi Shanka put an Indian Orchestra together for that concert, and even though I hadn’t even started playing music at the time that I watched this, the sounds really stuck with me.

My father was born in India and moved here when he was 17, and after recalling this memory I decided to look up musicians from my father’s hometown and surrounding areas. I found a wealth of Indian classical, disco and pop music that formed the building blocks for this record. As soon as I had that vision of what I wanted to write and why I wanted to write it, the songs just flowed out really." – Glass Beams

The album's opener and title Mirage arrives with a coiling vocal mantra that conspires with a sliding bassline and transcendent synthwork, reminiscent of early 70’s prog jams yet inverted and futuristic. Taurus is a brisk arrangement, steeped with spaghetti-western elements and space-jazz to pave the way for the agile Kong. Rife with psych-fusion guitar phrases and instrumentation, Kong unfolds like a forecast lysergic voyage. The finale Rattlesnake nudges the serpent with intergalactic scales and spellbinding riffs. We may not know much about the enigmatic Glass Beams but Mirage is one epic inauguration, leaving the listener with more questions than answers.

Mirage

Glass Beams - Mirage EP | snippets

A morning puff up with Research Records founders Maryos Syawish and Alessandra Peach, direct from the couch at the Independent Music Exchange. Recorded at IME 6.11.2023

IME w/ Research Records on Skylab Radio

Genre-benders Big Yawn team up with Naarm based future rapper Teether for their latest high-octane single ‘2Stroke’. After a wild collaborative film score to Good Time, the formidable partnership kicked on to the studio to immortalise ‘2Stroke’.

The result is nothing short of perfection. Big Yawn’s notorious head nodding drum show and platter of dub-wise sound effects and synths sit in perfect harmony with Teether’s signature low slung and seemingly effortless rapping.

Album ‘NGBE’ out mid-July 2024.

NGBE

2Stroke

2Stroke (Ft. Teether) – Big Yawn

You Are In the Embrace of the History (A1)

You Are In the Embrace of the History Now (A2)

A5. Khaled Kurbeh - Sunūnū al-Manara (سنونو المنارة)

B4. Khaled Kurbeh - Jauqét Ajrās (جوقة أجراس)

A2. Khaled Kurbeh - Nuzha I (نُزهة ١)

B5. Khaled Kurbeh - E'tām Bati_ (إعتام بطيء)

B3. Khaled Kurbeh - Nuzha II (نُزهة ٢)

A4. Khaled Kurbeh - al-Ajrāf (الأجراف)

A1. Khaled Kurbeh - Darb I–II (دَرْب ١–٢)

B2. Khaled Kurbeh - Jazir (جزْر)

B1. Khaled Kurbeh - Madd (مدّ)

A3. Khaled Kurbeh - Estihlāl (اِستهلال)

‘Idling on the walls, there is a pleasant orange light…’ Memory is like this. Even More Familiar Than The Sparrows And The Car Horns is a piecing together of fragments, falling in and out of focus. We’re guided through a series of rooms that are undeniably his, yet lays no claim to them. Rafet’s latest release, armed with the resonance of nostalgia and longing, mysticism and colour, takes a simultaneously personal and distanced thesis of the translation of experience. 



For an instrumental composition, the track is rich with image. His arrangement remains evasive, never quite taking full flight. It remains held in anticipation, shimmering with recollection. The soul wants to depart, to return, but much like our attempts at reaching back into the corners of our mind, Rafet’s subject is but a visitation to memory and trace. 

Written and produced by Daniel Grima 
Mixed by Zubin Hensler 
Mastered by Zino Mikorey 
Artwork by Leonard Brown 
Copy by Chris Gaynor
Design by Tulip Hazbar 
Photography by Annika Kafcaloudis

Rafet - Even More Familiar Than The Sparrows And The Car Horns

Our second release and the debut single from Melbourne four piece, Mildlife is finally here! 

Narrowing down the group's style into a genre is almost impossible, as they bond over the desire to push musical boundaries. No strangers to the Melbourne band scene, the four old friends have been drawing crowds through an epic journey at intimate venues and festivals for the best part of the past 4 years. Developing a tight live show bolstered by wild improvisation, the group have left punters itching for their first full length studio album that mines jazz, psych and disco for its irresistible groove.

"The Magnificent Moon" a 9 minute psychedelic disco journey is the opening track taken from Mildlife’s debut LP "Phase" due for release early 2018. Capturing the spirit of the band, this kaleidoscope jam is the interplanetary path between jazz, funk and disco with the perfect amalgamation of cosmic electronics and soulful acoustic instrumentation. 

Tom Shanahan explains its entrancing grip, “The Magnificent Moon feels like the veteran journeyman to the rest of the album. I’m not sure if that’s because it was written first or because it seems to know what it wants and has a more considered direction. It never really second guesses itself except for maybe just before the outro when he realises he may have journeyed too far and his space suit has a hole in it. But then he just jams some gum in the hole and gets on with it anyway.”

Single available here: https://mildlife.bandcamp.com/track/the-magnificent-moon

Mildlife - The Magnificent Moon

The debut LP by mildlife soundcloud is finally here!

Narrowing down Mildlife’s style into a genre is almost impossible, as they bond over the desire to push musical boundaries. No strangers to the Melbourne band scene, the four old friends have been drawing crowds through an epic journey at intimate venues and festivals for the best part of the past 4 years. Developing a tight live show bolstered by wild improvisation, the group have left punters itching for their first full length studio album “Phase” that mines jazz, psych and disco for its irresistible groove. 

Capturing the spirit of the band, the 6 track debut LP of kaleidoscope jams is the interplanetary path between jazz, funk and disco with the perfect amalgamation of cosmic electronics and soulful acoustic instrumentation.

Two Horizons

The Gloves Don't Bite

Phase

Zwango Zop

Im Blau

On a trip to Cuba in 1996, Barney McAll was invited to a ceremony in honour of the Yoruba goddess Yemaya. The experience drew McAll, one of Australia's leading jazz pianists who had moved to New York to join Gary Bartz' band, to delve deeper into Cuban music and culture. 

Originally released as a CD on the Jazzhead label in 2006, beside Hermeto Pascoal, Paul Grabowsky and many more, 'Mother of Dreams and Secrets' is a continuation of Barney's innovative exploration of sacred Afro-Cuban rhythms that has stood the test of time. Over the 9 track McAll shows many different shades of his Cuban schooling. The opening track 'Ellegua' captivates the listener with a hypnotic percussion, rhythmic vocals and McAlls astounding piano skills, backed by the use of his very own 'Chucky' a "homemade musical instrument for textural enterprise and underwater landscapes". Further into the LP we are treated to the almost ambient 'Yemaya Prayer' an alluring piece featuring Dreiser Durruthy's breathtaking vocals. 

This album was recorded at Ergrem Studios in Havana with some of Cuba's finest percussionists and musicians, alongside New York based American and Australian players including the likes of Kurt Rosenwinkel and Billy Harper. 

Available for the first time on vinyl, spread over a double LP for optimum sound quality.

C1. Barney McAll - Heavenly Waters (7:41)

A1. Barney McAll - Ellegua (7:18)

Following the success of Mildlife's 'Phase', Research brings you an all-star cast delivering their take on their pick from Mildlife's debut album released early 2018 via Research Records. 

Melbourne-Berlin transplant, master producer Tornado Wallace kicks off the EP with his take on 'The Magnificent Moon'. Wallace delivers a stripped back, break infused cruiser, mutating Kevin McDowell's vocals into an unknown alien tongue whilst staying true to the originals infectious melodies. 

Joining Wallace on the A side is Melbourne's own, Butter Sessions label-bosses, beat makers and party starters, Sleep D.The duo takes you on uncharted odyssey through their version of 'Im Blau'. Psychedelic swells lurk under dubbed out chords, cosmic fragments of the original are revealed before a bounty of bongos and congas take over! 

On the flipside Swedish disco-house rockers Mount Liberation Unlimited turn 'The Gloves Don't Bite' on its head with an extended 12-minute take! A re-imagined bass line mixed with quirky Swedish vocals, and their signature drum freak-outs makes for a memorable ending to this diverse EP.

A1. The Magnificent Moon (Tornado Wallace Remix)

Early in 2018, the world was introduced to Mildlife through their debut album Phase. Few first releases amass praise from Mojo, The Guardian, BBC 6 Music, The Express, and Shindig, then go on to be celebrated by DJ Mag, Resident Advisor, Worldwide FM, Dummy and Indie Shuffle. But it’s precisely this eclectic mix of genres, tastes, and influences that brought Mildlife together, and what they committed to reflecting in their sound. After a surreal start to 2018, the four-piece completed a sold-out national tour of Australia, and recently announced plans to cross the oceans for their debut Europe and UK tours.

With the release of their debut imminent, Mildlife took retreat at Research Records HQ in Melbourne, staying overnight after recording each morning and afternoon. It resulted in the evolution of the title track, newly imagined and re-contextualised at increased tempo with swathes of improvisation throughout. The studio recording was the culmination of the song’s growth in a live setting, evolving on club stages and at festivals throughout 2017.

Mildlife’s knack for locked-in grooves and celestial tones features heavily across ‘Phase II’, a more than 11-minute sonic journey. Kevin McDowell's synth soars while Adam Halliwell’s growing prowess as a flautist is peppered over James Donald’s shimmering percussion. Shortly after, Tom Shanahan's phased bass appears, and the four lock into a groove that gives a subtle nod to 1960s Krautrock band, Can. It’s not long before ‘Phase II’ erupts into a cosmic jazz-funk that urges you to move. It sucks you in, free of worry and consequence; utterly otherworldly. It’s no surprise that the band has been described as “kaleidoscopic”, “irresistible” and “enchanting”. With Mildlife, you’ll always leave wanting more.

Phase II

Mildlife - Phase II (RREP02)

A1. By The Light Of The Pyramids
B1. Postcards From Gortupal

In an era of boundless self promotion, anonymity is a rare and precious thing. Listening to Trevor Jackson's NTS show one night we heard a glorious piece of music by something called Elite Beat. A quick search found 10 years worth of recorded material but not a single photo or youtube clip. They had made a record with Niger born guitarist Mdou Moctar but were based in Portland, Oregon. More questions than answers but we knew we had just heard one helluva cosmic link up! 

We still don't know what they look like but we can tell you Elite Beat is a 6 piece ensemble now in their 12th year as a musical collective. Their sound is non prescribed rhythm music with an emphasis on live playing, free form expression and dubbing techniques. Players who have absorbed the plethora of global grooves from dub, Ethiopoques and Tuareg guitar music (probably the odd Dead bootleg too). They aren't retromaniacs or here to revive a genre. Just some cats from Oregon talking that universal language, fueled by laugher and a vision of the eternal. 

*To preserve audio quality, the vinyl versions have been carefully shortened*

Elite Beat - By The Light Of The Pyramids (RREP03)

Dreamin’ Wild’s second album Heaven in Thirty Eleven owes a lot to Footscray. The inner-western suburb of Melbourne features not only in the album title (its postcode is 3011) but goes deeper to form a central part of the record’s narrative and reflection. 

For all six members - Chris Jennings (Swazi Gold, Sagamore, Sledgehammer), Sam Cooper (Crepes, Swazi Gold, Sagamore, Sledgehammer), Tim Karmouche (Crepes, Swazi Gold, The Murlocs), Sarah Quirk, Monty Hartnett (Sleep Decade, Miris, Sagamore) and James Guida (Laguna, Environments) - Footscray buoyed periods of music exploration and discovery. After more than six year of writing, rehearsing and recording in the suburb, there’s no doubt that Footscray is home for the band. 

Jennings adds that the album is, “a bit of a recap of the last three years for Dreamin’ Wild,” drawing attention to the change and growth many of the eight songs have undergone since creation. 

“I Don’t Disagree” is an album highlight; an almost seven-minute track that struts along calmly, taking life as it is. Quirk’s soulful refrain soars atop Jennings’ laconic vocals, carrying the song to its end. “Dynon Life” is another album gem, reminiscent of summer in the city, and happy seeking excess. 

Heaven in Thirty Eleven is an ode to a Melbourne suburb brimming with culture and stories, made by artists who are proud to call it home.

I Don't Disagree

A1. Skinrat
B1. Thomas

After just 6 months since first seeing Big Yawn perform, we are thrilled to welcome them to the Research family. A compelling prelude to their debut album "No!" due out in late 2019.

Over six years the Melbourne-based group has evolved, with members of the band running various releases through label and collective Fallopian Tunes. As of 2019, Big Yawn had become a four-member music group, motivated by a history of studio production, prolific collaboration and quality hangout time.

The groups freshest effort 'Skin Rat/Thomas' captures the band performing live in the studio, and it's typical Big Yawn: fat and punchy low-end bass; drums and live drum processing; delay fx samples; thick syrupy synths. 'Skin Rat' is a hyperbolically dubbed out, tongue in cheek, magnetic blend of UK garage, footwork and breaks. And 'Thomas' takes cues from a slightly damaged post-punk sound, amplifying a brittle and sinister type of atomic porn-funk.

Limited to 200 copies. Hand numbered and housed in a screen-printed sleeve, artwork by Julian Hocking.

Big Yawn - Skinrat (RREP04)

Elite Beat is a musical collective from Portland, Oregon with a history spanning back to 2006.

'Selected Rhythms' captures the finest moments from all three of their ultra limited cassette series 'Casual Rhythms'.

Packed full of DIY dub mixing, cosmic orchestration and raw, percussion driven polyrhythms, the recordings have been remastered and put to vinyl for the first time with sections from Casual Rhythms Vol. 1 being re-shaped into previously unavailable single tracks.

Recording plays a big role in the Elite Beat creative process. The studio as an instrument. Much of the Elite Beat music is mixed in an all-hands-on-deck dub style approach - live with an analog mixer and loads of FX being thrown and dubbed in real time. The sound is genre-less rhythm music with an emphasis on live playing, free form expression and technique that borrows from soundsystem culture. Inspiration can be heard from all parts of time and place. Some Ethio Jazz, Black Ark psychedelia, Exotica, Malian blues, even Haight-Ashbury in the summer of love. Each member an accomplished musician in their own right, Elite Beat thrive on collaboration. 2018 saw the release of their astral-Saharan jams with celebrated Taureg guitarist Mdou Moctar.

The players get together every Wednesday evening, sometimes to chat, sometimes to play. The 'record' button gets pressed when they find what they are searching for. For this crew it's all about 'Casual Rhythms / Harmonious Lifestyles' - if things don't fall under that mantra, then it's got to go. 'Less is more' for Elite Beat and their cosmic sounds.

A SIDE:

Roggish & Unclean 
Go Back To Oly
Budget Dancehall
Mellow Fellows
B SIDE:

North Trini 
Powerdance
Sports Radio
RLC (Ambient Mix)

Selected Rhythms

Elite Beat - Selected Rhythms (RESEARCH07) snippets

Research is a Melbourne based, independent record label since 2017.

For any enquiries including Australian distribution get in touch at hello@researchrecords.com.au For distribution outside of Australia please contact luke@kudosrecords.co.uk

Research Records

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