ATIC Records - News

If you're in or around Manchester on the 19th of Decmber come and join us for the Follow the Outline Album Launch Party / ATIC Records Christmas Party at the wonderful Odder Bar on Oxford Road. Tickets are available now from The Odd Bar, The Odder Bar, and The Oddest Bar. Call the nice people at Odder on 01612389132 to reserve tickets as it's looking like this will sell out well in advance. The night boasts DJ sets from Aim, Crowhead and Gripper, live PA's from Niko and Mikey D.O.N. (Krispy) and the hosting and toasting abilities of Manchester legend MC Kwasi. We can't wait!!! See you there?

Set up in 2005 by Andy ‘Aim’ Turner and Nicole ‘Niko’ Vergel de Dios after both decided to leave their old label Grand Central, ATIC Records is gearing up for the release it’s first full compilation, ‘Follow The Outline’.

"Our time at Grand Central had come to an end. The label had lost its direction somewhat and I didn't want to put any more music out with them. There were no fireworks or anything, it just felt like our relationship had run its course. At that point we had the option of either looking for another label or starting our own. I'd had enough of arguing about artwork or meeting deadlines so we decided to start ATIC Records and do it ourselves," explains Andy.

Thus far, it sounds like it was the right decision and at only 4 years young ATIC clearly has something good going on. As well as a handful of 12"s and his fourth Aim album, 'Flight 602', Andy got the rights back to all his music following the demise of GC and in 2007 released extended versions of his classic LPs ‘Cold Water Music’, ‘Hinterland’ and ‘Means Of Production’. ATIC has since released acclaimed albums by four other very special artists - Death of the Neighbourhood, The Witch and the Robot, Crowhead, and Gripper - and boasts what’s fast-becoming the makings of a back catalogue to be proud of.

‘Follow the Outline’ is a celebration of this. It’s also a brief pause for the label as it comes to the end of one chapter and takes a breather before cracking on with the next. According to Andy “It's a chance to take stock of what we've done and where we stand, music and business wise. Now's the time to make sure we have everything set and ready for our next wave of releases in 2010”.

The compilation contains unreleased songs, B-sides and tracks written for limited edition EP's. There are also a couple of tracks that have been remixed especially for ‘Follow The Outline’ - 'Zombie' (Crowhead Remix) and 'Cokeholes' (Aim Remix).

We’re told it's the first in an ongoing series so don’t expect Andy, Niko or indeed any of the ATIC family to be slowing down any time soon. “We already have half of the second volume ready as well as new albums due for release in 2010 by Aim, Niko, Paperboy and QNC” reveals Andy. Exciting times indeed.

This Friday ATIC Records goes head to head with Manchester's famed club night and Independent label Akousik Anarkhy. Aim and Gripper will be on the decks and The Witch and the Robot live on stage performing tracks from their debut album 'On Safari'. From aA live on stage we have Mechanical Owl and aA’s resident DJs Lego & Will. The night will take place at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Mcr from 8pm till 3am. Tickets are £5 advanced and you can get these here .

The Witch And The Robot are a band. They grew up together in the English Lake District. Their self-produced debut LP, ‘On Safari’ is out now on ATIC Records.

Using guitars, accordions, ukuleles and keyboards, Mold's Mechanical Owl are creating new sounds and winning lots of acclaim. Radio 1 plays, Becks Fusions appearances and upcoming record releases are all about the Owl...

Aim runs ATIC and for the last two years Andy has been hard at work in the studio overseeing the production of Crowhead’s upcoming LP ‘Born With Teeth’. He’s also producing Niko’s second album and preparing tracks for his own eagerly awaited new long player featuring collaborations with QNC, Mikey D.O.N., Death of the Neighbourhood and James Yorkston.

Gripper released his debut album 'A Life of Consummate Ease' on ATIC in 2008 and since has been busy DJing and co-producing Crowhead's 'Born With Teeth' he is currently in the studio working on his second album. 

Lego & Will are residents at aA so expect folk, psych, soul, pop, tropicalla, electronica, kraut, harmonies & oddball rock from the leftfield 'til the early hours.

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'The Bends EP' is the second single from Crowhead's upcoming debut LP 'Born With Teeth'. It's a DJ-friendly 4-track maxi-disc featuring the title track and instrumental, along with two brand new and exclusive non-lp tracks that have been going down a storm off test pressings mailed out this summer - 'Tackle Lad' is an old-school rave anthem with dirty synth bass lines and dusty break-beats giving way to a tuff 4/4 kick. If you're a DJ you need this in your box. 'Broken Unit' is a cosmic hip-hop groove that bubbles and builds towards a shimmering acoustic guitar climax. Beautiful. The EP is getting plays and support from discerning industry heavyweights such as Laurent Garnier, Robert Owens, Qool DJ Marv (NYC), and Andrew Weatherall and it's available NOW on MP3 and Limited Edition 12" vinyl.

Robert Owens - "Old school styles! I like these ATIC guys."
Laurent Garnier - "I liked 'Best Kept Secret' which I played on my radio show and now I will play 'The Bends' too - thanks!"
Andrew Weatherall - "'Tackle Lad' going down well with the kids, well done to these boys - I need to listen to this more."
Aim - "Easily the biggest and best 12" we've released so far, playing all the tracks but 'Tackle Lad' is the one. Covers all the bases and sounds massive on a proper sound-system."

LISTEN & BUY NOW

Listen to this clip of TWATr LIVE on BBC Radio 6 with Mark Riley.  Here they play 'The Beatification of St Thomas Aquinas'. The show ends with a lump of raw meat landing on Mark Riley's desk...
Pre-order your copy of 'On Safari' Now!!

Thanks to everyone who came to see us at Kendal Calling! The Witch and the Robot played a blinding set featuring tracks from their upcoming debut album 'On Safari', whilst in the Traffic Dance tent you turned out in force for Aim who brought the tent down with 'Cold Water Music'. Crowhead premiered two tracks from his upcoming LP and was joined on-stage by Mikey D.O.N.and Niko. The party didn't end there though as TWATr rocked their 'Freakshow Disco' well into the early hours. We hope you enjoyed the weekend as much as we did - if you've taken any good shots please send them to us at  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we'll pop them in the 'you took these!' gallery.
 

Earier this month, Rob Hughes played 'The Beatification of Thomas Aquinas' from The Witch and the Robot's forthcoming album 'On Safari' on Mark Riley's BBC 6 Music radio show. The following week, Marc Riley himself played 'No Flies on Me' (The Ballad of the Jam Head). Indeed, such fans are they, that the band has been asked to perform a live session for the show on 31st August. We are thrilled to have such wonderful support for what we reckon to be a serious contender for album of the year. Click below to hear the radio snip -

Be Fans of Friends with The Witch and the Robot!   

This First single from the album sees Crowhead re-connect with Milwaukee's Rusy P's on 'Best Kept Secret (I Guess)', a club smashing hip-hop anthem the likes of which you just don't hear anymore!!! Meanwhile, 'Brand New' finds Chorley resident and pioneering UK hip-hop legend Mikey D.O.N. (of 'Krispy' fame) pushing himself hard with line after line of exquisitely crafted lyrics over minimal synth squelches and a scratchy breakbeat. Serious stuff.

The limited edition, DJ friendly 12" vinyl version includes instrumentals and acappellas(!) of both tracks, whilst the digital release features an exclusive , non-LP track, 'But No'. Vinyl is Ultra-limited. Pre-oreder your vinyl today to avoid disappointment! 

To hear full tracks visit Crowhead's myspace page .

Based in New York, Alicia Vergel de Dios is the artist responsible for a great deal of the artwork for many ATIC releases. We have been working closely with her for many years and her illustation and designs have become integral to what we do. From Gripper's 'A Life of Consummmate Ease' back to Niko's debut album 'Life on Earth', and right up to ATIC's newest series 'Follow the Ouline'. Her work was featured both on the original ATIC website and here on the new site. We wish to give Alicia a big 'Thank You!' Please check out her own website here for more of her amazing work!

A lifetime in the making, Gripper's debut LP is OUT NOW on CD, ultra limited, double vinyl (50 copies!) and available in MP3 format direct from ATIC Records or from all the usual outlets. Check out what the press have said so far...

 “GOING TO CREATE A BUZZ” 4 /5 - IDJ
"THE QUALITY IS CONSISTENT RIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD" - Basic Soul
"…QUALITY ENDURES THROUGHOUT. EXPECT TO BE SOOTHED AND COSSETED” - Shook
“IT'S A LOVELY PEICE OF WORK, BAGS OF QUALITY…” - DMCUpdate 
"… A LESSON IN ALTERNATIVE WORLD MUSIC ARTFULLY PIECED TOGETHER WITH HOUSE INFLUENCES” - Stranger.com