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Friends In Noise

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Friends In Noise
Studio album by
Black Market Karma
Released13 January 2023 (2023-01-13)
GenreAlternative rock, electronica, psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop, psychedelia, neo-psychedelia
Length31 minutes
LabelFlower Power Records

Friends In Noise is a collection of collaborative songs between English rock band Black Market Karma and artists Joakim Ahlund (Les Big Byrd), Tess Parks, The Underground Youth, The Confederate Dead and Ruari Meehan.[1]

The tracks are rooted in music connection from touring and was recorded sporadically over a period of 9 years.[2]

It was released on 13 January 2023 by Flower Power Records[3] and pressed on 500 copies of black vinyl. The announcement coincided with Black Market Karma being publicly confirmed as openers for The Black Angels on their 2023 European tour.[4]

The release was supported by the premiering of two singles The Sky Was All Diseased on 2 of November 2022[5] and Aping Flair on 6 December 2022.[6]

Four music videos accompanied the record featuring footage of all six artists.[7]

Critical reception

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The album has received a warm reception from listeners and publishers alike with individual tracks repeatedly praised.

Backseat Mafia's Arun Kendall describes Wonky as "a glorious scuzzy shoegaze blast that fuses a Jesus and Mary Chain insolence with a Velvet Underground drone, all wrapped up in a sixties sparkle. It swaggers, it prowls, it scowls with a black leather-jacketed sneer and yet scales immeasurable pop heights with a fuzzy bravado. Released through Flower Power Records, the track comes off Black Market Karma's recent eleventh album, 'Friends in Noise' and is an absolute cathartic rocket-fueled blast of goodness."[8]

The Sky Was All Diseased was featured as Stereo Embers' Track Of The Day with Alex Green describing, "While the song aches beautifully away, a shiny guitar line appears like the sun poking through the clouds only to be swallowed in seconds again by the darkness. It's hard to imagine a number that can be this deceptively catchy."[9]

The Big Takeover's Dave Franklin observes, "although Belton finds himself co-writing and collaborating with artists from across the musical spectrum, there is absolute consistency to the results, the album seemingly having one foot in a version of the sixties that didn't quite exist and the other striding forward into a new horizon yet to be fully realized. More than that, it all sounds, to a greater degree, like a Black Market Karma record, which must speak volumes about Stanley Belton's exercise and control."[10]

Track listing

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Friends In Noise track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Aping Flair" (with Ruari Meehan)5:30
2."Wonky" (with The Underground Youth)4:12
3."The Sky Was All Diseased" (with Tess Parks)6:11
4."Heady Ideas" (Joakim Åhlund Remix)3:56
5."War In The Streets" (Stanley Belton Remix)4:33
6."Ageing Boy" (with The Confederate Dead)7:04

Credits

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1. Aping Flair – Black Market Karma & Ruari Meehan. Written by Stanley Belton & Ruari Meehan. Instruments: Drums, Guitar, Vocals, Keys, Percussion by Stanley Belton. Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals by Ruari Meehan. Recorded & Mixed in London by Stanley Belton.

2. Wonky – Black Market Karma & The Underground Youth. Written by Stanley Belton & Craig Dyer. Instruments: Drums, Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keys by Stanley Belton. Guitar, Vocals by Craig Dyer. Recorded by Stanley Belton & Craig Dyer in London & Berlin. Mixed by Stanley Belton.

3. The Sky Was All Diseased – Black Market Karma & Tess Parks. Written by Stanley Belton & Tess Parks. Instruments: Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keys, Percussion, Vocals. Vocals by Tess Parks. Recorded & Mixed in London by Stanley Belton.

4. Heady Ideas – Joakim Ahlund Remix. Written by Stanley Belton. Remixed by Joakim Ahlund who added synthesisers, drums & percussion. Recorded in London & Stockholm.

5. War In The Streets – Stan Belton Remix. Written by Joakim Ahlund & Frans Johansson (Les Big Byrd). Remixed by Stanley Belton. Recorded in Stockholm & London. Extra drums, guitar, keyboards and percussion were recorded for this version by Stanley Belton at his studio.

6. Ageing Boy – Black Market Karma & The Confederate Dead. Written by Butchy Davy & Stanley Belton.

All songs mastered by Stanley Belton.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Zivkovic, Ljubinko (12 January 2023). "Review: Psych band Black Market Karma's EP 'Friends in Noise'". Rock At Night.
  2. ^ Yarde, Alex. "London Psychedelic Rock Natives Black Market Karma Presents the Latest Audio-Visual Offering From Their Eleventh Full-Length Album 'Friends in Noise' (Out Now via Flower Power Records)!". Good Men Project.
  3. ^ "Black Market Karma – Friends". Discogs. 13 January 2023.
  4. ^ Tierney, Eugene. "Black Market Karma announces 'Friends In Noise' LP And European Tour Dates With The Black Angels". NYRD Cast.
  5. ^ "Black Market Karma • The Sky Was All Diseased (With Tess Parks)". Selection Sorties.
  6. ^ "Black Market Karma and Ruari Meehan release groovadelic 'Aping Flair' single". Skylight Magazine.
  7. ^ "Flower Power Records". YouTube.
  8. ^ Kendall, Arun (26 June 2023). "Premiere: Black Market Karma Exclusively Unveil Their Video For The Anthemic Shoegaze Psychedelic Joys Of 'wonky', Featuring Craig Dyer (The Underground Youth)". Backseat Mafia.
  9. ^ Green, Alex (November 2022). "Stereo Embers' TRACK OF THE DAY: Black Market Karma And Tess Parks' "The Sky Was All Diseased"". Backseat Mafia.
  10. ^ Franklin, Dave. "Friends In Noise – Black Market Karma (Flower Power Records)". The Big Takeover.
  11. ^ "Black Market Karma – Friends In Noise". Bandcamp.
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