“Propagation”, much like it’s predecessor “Brains”, is a sum of its subtleties. Where “Brains” powers through via its motorik pulse of guitars and drum, “Propagation” is a swell of instrumentation breaking and bending around itself. Captivating in performance, penmanship and production “Propagation” is now available to stream at Lower Dens’ website or below.

Check the Ribbon Mart where Lower Dens’ will release the double A-side 10″ for “Brains” and “Propagation” with B-Side “Hours” on March 27th. The 10″ will be available digitally on the same day as well. Lower Dens debut album Nootropics is out May 1st / April 30th.

In addition, for those of you on the east coast of America be sure to catch Lower Dens’ release week shows! All dates below.

LOWER DENS
04-06 Harrisonburg, VA – Macrock
04-07 Swannanoa, NC – Sage Cafe
04-21 Mexico City, MX – Noise Fest
04-27 Pawtucket, RI – The Met
04-28 Hamden, CT – The Outer Space
04-29 Boston, MA – Great Scott
05-01 New York, NY- Mercury Lounge
05-02 Brooklyn, NY- Glasslands
05-03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
05-04 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
05-05 Baltimore, MD- Ottobar
05-10 Brussels, BE- La Chocolaterie
05-11 The Hague, NL – Walk the Line Festival
05-12 Gent, BE – DOKarena
05-13 Paris, FR – Le Point Ephemere
05-14 Brighton, UK – The Hope
05-15 London, UK – White Heat
05-16 London, UK – The Lexington
05-17 Rotterdam, NL – Worm
05-18 Hamburg, DE – Hafenklang
05-19 Aarhus, DK – Pop Revo
05-20 Copenhagen, DK – Loppen
05-21 Berlin, DE – West Germany
05-23 Krakow, PL – Green Zoo Festival
05-24 Prague, CZ – Club 007
05-25 Vienna, AU – Chelsea
05-26 Kleinreifling, AU – Seeweisen Festival
05-29 Turin, IT – Blah Blah
05-30 St. Gallen, CH – Palace
05-31 Dudingen, CH – Kilbi Festival
06-01 Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound
06-03 Dublin, EIR – Forbidden Fruit Festival

Lower Dens, Ribbon Music Label’s sole SxSW representative, will make five appearances between March 14th and 16th in Austin, TX. Expect to see them perform new material from their forthcoming album Nootropics. More information below plus the video for first single “Brains”.

03/14 – Austin, TX – Windish Showcase @ ND Studios (12am)
03/15 – Austin, TX – Pitchfork Day Party @ Mohawk (12:30pm)
03/15 – Austin, TX – NPR Showcase @ The Parish (3:15pm)
03/16 – Austin, TX – MWTX Party @ 1100 E. 5th Street (1pm)
03/16 – Austin, TX – Hype Machine Party @ Hype Hotel (12am)

Black Dice have announced their first full North American tour in support of Mr. Impossible but not before kicking things off with a Record Release show on April 7th at Living Bread in the neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn. The Electronic Mind Monsters Reader Tour will take Black Dice around the states and through parts of Canada ending with a homecoming show at Secret Project Robot.

To fill the void between NOW and THEN the band has made album opener and groove monster “Pinball Wizard” available to stream. Check the track and dates out below.

TOUR DATES
04/07 – Brooklyn, NY – Living Bread RECORD RELEASE SHOW
05/03 – Brookline, MA – BATV
05/04 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
05/05 – Toronto, ON – Polyhaus
05/06 – Detroit, MI – PJ’s Lager House
05/07 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
05/08 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
05/11 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
05/12 – Portland, OR – YU
05/14 – San Francisco, CA – The LAB
05/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
05/16 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
05/17 – El Paso, TX – Low Brow Palace
05/18 – Austin, TX – Red 7
05/19 – Dallas, TX – Sons of Hermann Hall
05/20 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks
05/22 – Atlanta, GA – 529
05/23 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
05/24 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
05/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Emoda Warehouse
05/26 – Brooklyn, NY – Secret Project Robot

Recently we told you of Laura Marling’s new video for “All My Rage” plus her forthcoming appearances at Coachella, Bonnaroo & Telluride. Happy to relay the trail of good news continues. Laura Marling & her band have just announced additional shows this summer including a FREE performance at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park. All dates below including the previously reported west coast run of dates with Andrew Bird.

Watch us here or on twitter for further tour announcements.. cause they’re coming…

In equally exciting news we’re pleased to report Ribbon Music will be re-issuing Laura Marling’s first two albums Alas, I Cannot Swim & I Speak Because I Can on gatefold vinyl and CD March 13th throughout North America. Both titles come digitally remastered with the record pressed on 180 gram heavy weight vinyl. Bear in mind, this will be the first ever North American vinyl pressing of I Speak Because I Can.

Visit the Ribbon Mart to pre-order your copies now.

LAURA MARLING
04/09 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre #
04/10 – Vancouver, British Columbia – The Vogue #
04/11 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall #
04/13 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater #
04/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella
04/18 – Mesa, AZ – Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center #
04/19 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center #
04/20 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater #
04/21 – Indio, CA – Coachella
06/08 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/09 – Asheville, SC – The Orange Peel
06/10 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
06/12 – Washington, DC – 930 Club
06/14 – Brooklyn, NYC – Celebrate Brooklyn!
06/15 – Boston, MA  – Berklee Performance Center
06/16 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theater
06/17 – Toronto, ON – Pheonix Concert Theater
06/19 – Chicago, IL – The Athenaeum
06/21 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Smugglers Way is Ribbon Music and Domino’s first ever limited edition zine featuring FIVE individual, multi-colored flexi discs of EXCLUSIVE, UNRELEASED songs from Dirty Projectors, Real Estate, Cass McCombs, John Maus, and Villagers. Smugglers Way will be sold exclusively at indie retail for Record Store Day, April 21st 2012.

The zine comprises 24 pages of original art and prose from Domino and Ribbon artists. Highlights include a short story penned by James Yorkston; a long form poem by Laura Marling; short form pieces by Alex Bleeker (Real Estate), Ade Blackburn (Clinic), and Tom Fleming (Wild Beasts); illustrations from Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Andrea Estella (Twin Sister), Conor O’Brien (Villagers) and Jon Hopkins; photography from Jana Hunter (Lower Dens), and an original arranged score of music by Owen Pallett. Bjorn Copeland of Black Dice designed the cover and Rob Carmichael at SEEN is responsible for the art direction and layout.

SMUGGLERS WAY Flexi Disc Tracklist

Dirty Projectors – “You Against The Larger World”
Real Estate – “In My Car”
Cass McCombs – “Teachers”
John Maus – “No Title (Molly)
Villagers – “Shards”

Smugglers Way is a limited, one of a kind item, conceived and designed exclusively for Record Store Day (April 21st, 2012).  We couldn’t be more proud of the collection, and we hope you find Smugglers Way as exciting to read and listen to as it was for us to put together. For more information click here.

Jana Hunter and director Tristan Patterson apply new meaning to the term “screen test” in the video for Lower Dens first single “Brains”.

The video was shot in Los Angeles by Tristan Patterson whose directorial debut Dragonslayer won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at SXSW 2011.

In addition to the video Lower Dens have announced release week shows in New York City and Baltimore plus a slew of North American and European headlining dates. See below.

Nootropics will be released on CD, double LP, and digitally May 1st in North America and April 30th throughout the rest of the world. In the meantime, a limited edition pre-order of Nootropics is available on gold colored double vinyl with black swirl at the Ribbon Mart along with the CD version. If you’re looking to put hands on something sooner than May 1st the ‘Brains’ / ‘Propagation’ 10″ with exclusive b-side “Hours” is also available to pre-order at the Ribbon Mart and ships to arrive March 27th. Link through for further details.

Lower Dens
02-29 Poughkeepsie, NY – Vassar
03-01 Hudson, NY – Club Helsinki
03-02 Middletown, CT – Wesleyan
03-03 Ithaca, NY – The Haunt
03-04 Albany, NY – Valentines
03-06 Ann Arbor, MI  – University of Michigan Museum of Art
03-07 Grand Rapids, MI- The Pyramid Scheme
03-08 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
03-09 Madison, WI – Der Rathskeller at University of Wisconsin
03-10 Grinnell, IA – Grinnell College
03-11 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock
03-14 SXSW
03-15 SXSW
03-16 SXSW
03-17 Houston, TX – Rice University
04-06 Harrisonburg, VA – Macrock
04-07 Swannanoa, NC – Sage Cafe
04-21 Mexico City, MX – Noise Fest
04-27 Pawtucket, RI – The Met
04-28 Hamden, CT – The Outer Space
04-29 Allston, MA – Great Scott
05-01 New York, NY- Mercury Lounge
05-02 Brooklyn, NY- Glasslands
05-03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
05-04 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
05-05 Baltimore, MD- Ottobar
05-10 Brussels, BE- La Chocolaterie
05-11 The Hague, NL – Walk the Line Festival
05-12 Gent, BE – DOKarena
05-13 Paris, FR – Le Point Ephemere
05-14 Brighton, UK – The Hope
05-16 London, UK – The Lexington
05-17 Rotterdam, NL – Worm
05-18 Hamburg, DE – Hafenklang
05-19 Aarhus, DK – Pop Revo
05-20 Copenhagen, DK – Loppen
05-21 Berlin, DE – West Germany
05-23 Krakow, PL – Green Zoo Festival
05-24 Prague, CZ – Club 007
05-25 Vienna, AU – Chelsea
05-26 Kleinreifling, AU – Seeweisen Festival
05-29 Turin, IT – Blah Blah
05-30 St. Gallen, CH – Palace
05-31 Dudingen, CH – Kilbi Festival
06-01 Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound
06-03 Dublin, EIR – Forbidden Fruit Festival

Shot this winter in the English countryside, the video for “All My Rage” shows Laura Marling & Company powering through one of A Creature I Don’t Know‘s most revered tracks. Attendees of Laura’s recent live shows will know the strength of this song as witnessed by… mortals. Now catch that same energy infused into a room of say… lesser mortals. Serious results ensue. Check it out here. Directed by Fred&Nick.

Worth adding: This year Laura Marling returns stateside twice. In April Laura will be touring in support of Andrew Bird around their Coachella shows. In June Laura and her band will return yet again to make appearances at both Telluride and Bonnaroo Festivals. More on the latter run of dates shortly. In the meantime have a look at the announced dates below.

LAURA MARLING
04/09 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre #
04/10 – Vancouver, British Columbia – The Vogue #
04/11 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall #
04/13 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater #
04/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella
04/18 – Mesa, AZ – Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center #
04/19 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center #
04/20 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater #
04/21 – Indio, CA – Coachella
06/7-10 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/21 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival

# w/ Andrew Bird

LOOK AT ‘EM ALL! 350 one-of-a-kind MR. IMPOSSIBLE screenprinted / spray painted LP jackets handmade by BLACK DICE each with their own unique signature flare. Created in Bjorn Copeland’s artist studio by all three members these LPs are available to PRE-ORDER now! In fact the majority of them are already accounted for (you know who you are, THANK YOU!) therefore waste no time. Take a deep breathe, decide if this is “for you” and if so… Make your move.

For more information on Black Dice member, Bjorn Copeland, whom designed the album’s artwork have a look here and over here.

Black Dice’s forthcoming album Mr. Impossible is out April 10th in North America and April 9th throughout the rest of the world. Need to know more? Check this out or head over this-a-way and download first single “Pigs”.

It is with much excitement we announce on May 1st in North America and April 30th throughout the rest of the world, laid back melody surrealists Lower Dens take shape with the release of their second studio album and first for Ribbon Music – Nootropics. While not a complete departure from their debut album Twin – Hand Movement [Gnomonsong], Nootropics ascends from it’s predecessor still.

With the creation of Nootropics, Lower Dens have authored the second chapter in their ongoing story and the sound is a piercing gaze outside of their once familiar beginnings.

The first offering from Nootropics, “Brains” is available to stream and/or download over at the band’s website.

In addition, you can now pre-order the “Brains” / “Propagation” double A-side 10″ single w/ B-side “Hours” over at the Ribbon shop. Limited to 750 copies! Artwork below.

Lower Dens is Jana Hunter, Geoff Graham, Will Adams, Nate Nelson and Carter Tanton.

Nootropics was engineered in Benton Harbor, MI at Key Club Recording with producer Drew Brown [whose engineering credits include Radiohead, Sandro Perri, Beck, and Blonde Redhead] and completed in Baltimore, MD.

LOWER DENS, “Brains” / “Propagation” double A-side 10″ single w/ B-side “Hours“

Seminal NYC based art punk DIY enthusiasts / purists, BLACK DICE have returned with their sixth studio album MR. IMPOSSIBLE to be released April 10th on Ribbon Music. The nine song album combines 15 years of collaboration into one explosive electronic breakout monster mash. Over the course of their career Black Dice have refined a compositional palate that is entirely their own. Inspired by the banged up punk gallery art ethos of Men’s Recovery Project, The Seeds and their own live shows Black Dice have arrived with the creation of Mr. Impossible. A being unto itself. Bridging a divide between the thrashings of punk and trance music, Mr. Impossible takes itself serious, breathes with melody and revels in a let loose , wild out , fuck off good time. Sound nuts? Well, it’s not. This is easy to enjoy fun for all frontier music! Get on it.

Mr. Impossible will be released on CD, LP and digitally on April 10th in the US and April 9th in the rest of the world. In addition a special edition hand numbered individually screen printed LP version limited to 350 copies is available for PRE-ORDER now – here.

ALSO! Watch the Black Dice directed video for “Pigs” plus download the track here.

Follow Black Dice on Twitter: @echobro

Black Dice, Mr. Impossible

1. Pinball Wizard
2. Rodriguez
3. The Jacker
4. Pigs
5. Spy Vs. Spy
6. Outer Body Drifter
7. Shithouse Drifter
8. Carnita
s
9. Brunswick Sludge (Meets Front Range Tripper)