Smiling C

Dennis & Karen — Up Down (SC7-01)

Limited edition 7” vinyl — 100 copies only.

Two previously unreleased recordings drawn from the personal archives of Karen Mantero & Dennis Genovese. Beginning in early-1960s New Jersey, the duo quietly recorded together across four decades, documenting an evolving private world of homespun psychedelia and experimental pop.

After featuring their song “Get Free” (released under the name Karen Ghee) on our recent compilation Neon Castle, Dennis entrusted us with the keys to his tape vault. Inside were dozens of forgotten recordings spanning nearly forty years.

One track immediately stopped us in our tracks: “Up Down” (1971) — a candlelit swirl of orchestral psych folk tinged with arpeggiated harp, eerie electronics, and dreamy vocal harmonies. Like a lost session by The United States of America with Trish Keenan-esque vocals.

Paired with it is “It’s A New Day, Jodi” (1966), an earlier glimpse into Karen & Dennis’ partnership: fragile homemade psych pop filled with youthful warmth and melancholy. Potentially the earliest surviving recording by the pair.

Together, these recordings capture two distinct moments in the evolution of an overlooked songwriting duo — from tender mid-60s pop psych to exploratory early-70s experimentation.

RIYL: Broadcast, The United States of America, Wendy & Bonnie, White Noise, and Rosemary’s Baby, Sister Irene O’Connor

Vinyl is housed in a thick screen-printed PVC sleeve with holographic paper and black hot foil stamped lettering — shipping around June, 12th

Available exclusivel through Bandcamp or via DM.

Design .tomate.cornichon
Mastering
Sleeve printed

Neon Castle Minstrels 🪈🏰🪉

Light Patterns vinyl has landed in the USA!

Hard to do this sleeve justice with the digital mock-up. Check the video for silver varnish and sticker in full glisten.

Pre-orders have already shipped out this week - and there are still copies available on our Bandcamp if you want to purchase direct from the Label within in the States 🇺🇸—>🏡

Copies will also be available for distro in the States and Canada through 🐑👖

Rest of the world can order copies from our European distro, 🚘

Light Patterns ephemera Pt. 3: Album Inserts, stickers & etchings…

There were a slew of inserts and bonuses included with the original Light Patterns vinyl - A full experience.

📝 Bio insert: The Ultimate in Cultural Fables - A Letter From Manchester by Kevin, where he dreamed of an album made entirely of S P A C E Y songs. David shared the vision, and together they stepped into the land of NO FLOORS.

💿 In the run-in-groove dead wax was a hand-etched message: “Kaftans, Candles, And Be Cool Man” ✌️ — cut by the legendary George “Porky” Peckham.

☕ Tea mats as inserts? Yep. Sheet Records head honcho, Peter Jenner (ex-Pink Floyd / Syd Barrett manager) added coasters with cheeky sayings like “Take Sheet – It’s the Doctor’s Orders.”

⚠️ And the sticker on the sleeve warned: “This album contains a sound tranquilizer for screwed up heads… cheaper than Valium.”

All of it nodded at the same thing: this is album is a full-drift-off listening event. Sip your tea, puff your spliff, and float.

✨ Light Patterns repress out end of next week Sept. 19. Pre-order now via Bandcamp — link in bio.

Light Patterns ephemera Pt. 2: Light Patterns Live

In support of the album, Kevin and David played a few gigs around Manchester. They were put on at Rafters (nightclub) and Gallery (a pub venue) by Alan Wise, one of the architects behind Hacienda, manager of Nico, and supporter of post-punk acts of the city like Joy Division and The Fall. Kevin commented that people were surprised to see two blokes sitting in chairs strumming acoustic guitars in support of noisier post-punk act, Pigbag.

Perhaps their biggest show was at the legendary Manchester venue, Band On The Wall. The name came from artists originally playing up ‘on the wall’ in a stage set up within the corner of the room. It ended up being one of their last gigs together. Kevin returned to BotW the next year with another project involving double bassist, Stuart Stead - a show about poems & dreams & other things…

Light Patterns repress out Sept. 18th. Now available for pre-order on our Bandcamp – link in bio.

Hullo! Here’s some cool Light Patterns design ephemera from Kevin McCormick’s archive.

Kevin held on to Barney Bubbles’ original hand-drawn drafts of the sleeve. One idea Barney had originally pitched to the label was to use a drawing of Fudge from Ken Reid’s Manchester Evening News comic strip “The Adventures Of Fudge The Elf”. Kevin mentioned Fudge was a favorite of his growing up, and although Barney didn’t know that, there was something in the music that spoke to a fable-like innocence that Kev and Dave tapped into with their sound. They eventually went with his optically-bending typography patterned sleeve, but it’s nice seeing the process Barney went through connecting their music to image.

Light Patterns repress is coming in just three weeks! Order a copy now on our Bandcamp.

SC #:15 The Voice Of Love 🗣️💕 is out today!

You can now get the full digital album on our Bandcamp or streaming services. Vinyl version is moving quick! Still have some copies and those start shipping out on Monday ❤️📦🛫

Shams Dinn Photos 🥋💥

Really lovely feature about America Dream Reserve by on Bandcamp today!