Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records once again present their weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, staff from the West 4th music store provide The Track, the song that is on heavy rotation that week; The Playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig, the must see show of the week; and The Glance, a view ahead to music on the horizon. From their ears to yours, enjoy…

The Track

currently on heavy rotation in the store…

Faults from Seefeel’s brilliant new 10 inch, “Faults” (Warp).

None of us here at the shop would’ve predicted a reformation from one of our favourite UK 90s post rock bands – Seefeel – but we’re delighted with the fruits of their recent labours. Faults is a 4 song primer for their upcoming Warp LP due out in February. These songs build on the same sonic foundation that made us love Seefeel’s dubby, druggy, space jam masterpiece Quique way back in ’93. Its rare for a band that’s so tied to a specific era of music, in this case UK Post Rock, to be able to mature and develop as tastefully as what’s on display on Faults. Needless to say, we’re psyched to hear what comes next.

The Playlist

The records we can’t get enough of this week…

KANYE WEST My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Roc A Fella)

What can I say? Kanye absolutely killed with this crazy, catchy, semi-concept album that documents his personal experience of being an unparalleled genius. You want to hate him but you can’t because this album rocks too hard!

NINE INCH NAILS Pretty Hate Machine Remastered Reissue (Universal)

Trent Reznor’s premier outing is not as harsh or industrial as it would become – in fact it sounds a lot like Depeche Mode! – but it has nonetheless aged remarkably well and contains two of his best songs – Head Like A Hole and Down In It.

SOFT CIRCLE Shore Obsessed (PPM)

Soft Circle is the moniker of former Black Dice drummer and avid transcendental meditationalist, Hisham Bharoocha. Expect beautiful, meditational astral jams that carefully steer clear of full on new age pap.

CLOCKCLEANER Auf Wiedersehen (Load)

With its jet black album cover, and the badass Birthday Party/Scratch Acid dirge-rock contained within, this Clockcleaner four track has quickly earned a place in the darker chambers of our heart (no vids for Auf yet, so this refresher track is from Divine Hammer from Babylon Rules).

CHROMATICS Nite Reissue (Trouble Man Unlimited)

Chromatcis surprised with the left turn musical direction they took when Nite was originally released. Goodbye Fall/Birthday party skronk, hello smooth italo-disco sex jams. A great, atmospheric disco-pop album that’s chill and easy on my ears and my constitution.

GHOSTFACE KILLAH Apollo Kids (Def Jam)

Probably the most consistent solo artist from the Wu Tang Clan, Ghostface’s newest bangs hard and brings in the best Busta Rhymes verse in at least fifteen years.

V/A Sounds Of Siam (Soundway)

We are huge fans of the Soundway label and all the various long forgotten global music treasures that they unearth. Sounds Of Siam is a stone cold killer selection of Thai jazz, Bangkok funk, and mountainside meditations. Killer.

DUFFY AND THE DOUBTERS s/t (Triple Crown)

We keep coming back to Ladyhawk mainman Duffy Dreiger’s new solo album of garage rock bangers. An LP only release that features an awesome photo-art book that chronicles Duffy’s depraved rock n roll lifestyle. Love it.

THE MONOCHROME SET White Noise: Early Recordings 1975 – 1977 (Captured Tracks)

Bless Captured Tracks for unearthing these wonderful, early recordings that’ve never been on vinyl before, from one of the store’s favourite post punk outfits. This is great English pre-punk recordings of a band still in the garage but already crafting incredible songs.

The Gig

The upcoming show that we’re really looking forward to…

Sat JAN 15 DUFFY AND THE DOUBTERS w/ SEX CHURCH at the Interurban Gallery

Here’s a show that’s going to be great. Two shining examples of local greatness: Duffy and The Doubters and Sex Church. Duffy and the Doubters will bring the r-o-c-k with their fuzzy garagey tunes. We like this band and it’ll be nice to hear the songs from the LP come to life. And making the night even that much sweeter will be Zulu’s beloved Sex Church who are consistently great at what they do: Sun Ra meets The Penetrators deep garage gold. Come on out and we’ll have a real cool time.

The Glance

Tue JAN 11
LITTLE DRAGON – FORTUNE

Wed JAN 12
SKRILLEX – GARFINKLES (WHISTLER)

Thu JAN 13
RED CEDAR – BILTMORE

Fri JAN 14
RICK ROSS – GOSSIP

Sat JAN 15
SARAH HARMER – COMMODORE
SUBCON FEAT. DOWNLOAD – RICKSHAW
HUUN HUUR TU – CHRIST CHURCH

Sun JAN 16
PETER WOLF CRIER – MEDIA

Wed JAN 19
HANDSOME FAMILY – BILTMORE

Thu JAN 20
EXCISION – GOSSIP

Sat JAN 22
WOVENHAND – BILTMORE
SASHA – COMMODORE
THE THERMALS – MEDIA CLUB

Mon JAN 24
DARWIN DEEZ – MEDIA CLUB
WEEN – QE THEATRE

Tue JAN 25
DEVIL DRIVER – VENUE

Wed JAN 26
MARINA & THE DIAMONDS – COMMODORE

Thu JAN 27
THE WOOD BROTHERS – MEDIA

Fri JAN 28
THE PACK AD – BILTMORE
BIG RIVER – SHARK CLUB
BOBBY LONG – MEDIA

Sun JAN 30
INDIA CALLING – PLAYHOUSE

Mon JAN 31
TENNIS – MEDIA

FEBRUARY

Wed FEB 2
DANIEL LANOIS – VENUE

Thu FEB 3
RYAN DAHLE – VENUE

Sat FEB 5
THE BLOW – BILTMORE

Thu FEB 10
CHROMEO – COMMODORE

Fri FEB 11
NICOLE ATKINS & THE BLACK SEA – MEDIA CLUB
SEBADOH – RICKSHAW

Tue FEB 15
GANG OF FOUR – VENUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Wed FEB 16
GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR – VOGUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
SMITH WESTERNS – BILTMORE

Thu FEB 17
BEST COAST + WAVVES – RICKSHAW

Fri FEB 18
PLANTS & ANIMALS – COMMODORE

Fri FEB 19
YO LA TENGO – RICKSHAW
THE CORONAS – BILTMORE

Fri FEB 25
BIFFY CLYRO – VENUE
MAN OR ASTROMAN? – BILTMORE
MACEO PARKER – COMMODORE

Sat FEB 26
JIM BRYSON & THE WEAKERTHANS BAND – BILTMORE

Mon FEB 28
WILD NOTHING + ABE VIGODA – BILTMORE