About Universal Records

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Quezon City, Philippines
Universal Records is the NUMBER ONE independent record label in the Philippines. Bringing you quality music for the past 30 years, we are home to artists like: Jose Mari Chan, Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Jed Madela, Christian Bautista, Jay R, Billy Crawford, Kris Aquino, Edu Manzano, Marian Rivera, Mark Herras, Nina, Ronnie Liang, Gail Blanco, Sam Concepcion. Our band roster includes: Parokya Ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Sponge Cola, Imago, Silent Sanctuary, Kenyo, Paraluman. We are equally committed to bring you exciting international releases covering various genres like pop, jazz, new age, classical, alternative, indie pop, rock, electronica, dance, r&b, and hip-hop. Name it, we definitely have it!

December 16, 2008

MORE INTERNATIONAL RELEASES!

MARK GARDENER - These Beautiful Ghosts
Mark Gardener , former frontman of U.K. shoegazer luminaries Ride, releases his highly anticipated solo debut album "These Beautiful Ghosts". Gardener co-produced the album with Bill Racine (The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse) and features the brilliance of Oxford band Goldrush serving as backing band. The album sounds like Red House Painters with a Brit-popper's tune sense, languid acoustic daydreams long on vague psychedelia and hazy harmonies. The arrangements call to mind Crosby, Stills and Nash, Simon & Garfunkel, and similar acts from the softer end of the '70s rock spectrum or like something The Shins might covet. Texturally, the record does retain some of the atmospheric nuance that Ride knew so well. Featuring "The Story Of The Eye", "Beautiful Ghosts", "Snow In Mexico", "Water and Wine" and "Magdalen Sky".

MONSTER MOVIE - All Lost
U.K. dreampop act Monster Movie is formed by Christian Savill (formely of shoegazer greats Slowdive) and features Rachel Staggs from Experimental Aircraft on vocals for the majority of their records. Nearly half of the tracks on their new album “All Lost” have a feel of the Slowdive's masterpiece “Souvlaki” but the band also appropriated some California pop this time around to beautiful effect.

ADAM FRANKLIN - Bolts Of Melody
Adam Franklin is the singer/guitartist for 90’s shoegaze legends Swervedriver and labelmates with highly influential bands like Ride and My Bloody Valentine on the Creation Records label. Now he returns with his debut solo album called “Bolts of Melody”. Adam’s signature guitar playing and vocals come through strong on the album, while influences from psychedelic heroes Syd Barrett and Arthur Lee, or folk legend Nick Drake, are hinted at throughout. Fans of Adam and Swervedriver have been waiting for this record for years. “Bolts of Melody” is the answer to their prayers!

PANDA BEAR - Person Pitch
Imagine Brian Wilson drinking deep from a golden goblet of hallucinogens, plugging in a laptop and making an album of warm, layered vocals, looped hums, and supple, found sounds. The second solo album by Panda Bear - aka Noah Lennox, singer and drummer for the critically-acclaimed experimental band Animal Collective - is just such a heavenly thing, shaping psychedelic pop into blissful electronic shapes.

SALLY SHAPIRO - Disco Romance
Swedish act Sally Shapiro's debut album, "Disco Romance" is a conscious effort to recall and reproduce the sound and style of 1980’s Eurobeat and Italo disco, a genre built on cheap synthesizers, recyclable dance grooves, and vocalists reciting inane or even nonsensical lyrics. The album received strong reviews, and Shapiro has recently been championed by many prominent music blogs including Pitchfork Media. Featuring “I’ll Be By Your Side”, “Find My Soul”, “Hold Me So Tight” and “Time To Let Go”.

THE WAKE - Here Comes Everybody + Singles
Re-issue of the second Factory album (FACT 130) from 1985, including all eight album tracks, as well as the three related non-album singles for Factory: Talk About the Past, Of the Matter and Something That No One Else Could Bring. Sixteen tracks in total, plus original artwork and detailed sleevenotes.

THE WAKE - Assembly
Compilation including the January 1984 BBC session for the David Jensen show, 8 live tracks desk-recorded at Ayr Pavilion on 15 April 1983, and the two non-album singles recorded for Sarah: Crush the Flowers and Major John.

THE WAKE - Holy Head
Value for money. Both albums released on Sarah Records, Make It Loud (1991) and Tidal Wave of Hype (1994) on one disc. 72 minutes running time, new artwork.

THE WAKE - Harmony + Singles
All eight tracks from the Harmony mini album from 1982 (including the outtake Chance, only previously released on the Factory Benelux pressing), as well as the first two singles on Scan 45 and Factory Benelux, plus the legendary John Peel session from July 1983.

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