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Leslie Winer

Witch

Label: Superior Viaduct

Format: LP

Genre: Jazz

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Produced in the twilight of the '80s in London and originally released on white-label LP with homemade rubber stamp impression, Witch is the mysterious and powerful debut from poet, artist, and musician Leslie Winer. It's an infectious patchwork of dub beats, tasteful samples and Winer's sultry blend of spoken word with cool, folksy lullabies that later became popularized by acts such as massive attack and tricky. Even though Witch predates those artists' breakthroughs by a year or more, Winer quickly rejected NME's christening her as the "grandmother of trip-hop."

No stranger to the concept of fame and its pitfalls, Winer moved to New York in the late '70s to attend university and befriended William S. Burroughs and Jean-Michel Basquiat, among other street-level luminaries. Her striking, androgynous looks eventually led to a successful modeling career. As the '80s closed, Winer chose to use © instead of her own name as a moniker; the front cover of Witch features an ouroboros around the letter C to form a copyright symbol.

Winer's spoken delivery evokes the frank realism of beat poetry; her lyrics grapple with socially constructed notions of beauty, womanhood and domestic roles. These stark challenges to power structures are articulate and staggeringly direct, pushing the boundaries of pop music's form. This message, matched with Winer's uncanny approach and melodic ear, fitted with an electro-acoustic palette built on tension and restraint, culminates in the extraordinary work that – as John Peel said – is "the very definition of a hidden gem."

This first-time domestic release is pressed in a limited edition.

Details
Cat. number: SV040
Year: 2014
Notes:

2014 reissue in gatefold jacket.

This music is dedicated to the music, Ohnedaruth, known as John Coltrane during the period from September 23, 1926 to July 17, 1967.

Back cover (bottom right) reads:
Originally released in 1968 on Impulse Records. ©2014 The Verve Music Group. Manufactured by Universal Music Enterprises, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc., 2220 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Warning: All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Superior Viaduct PO Box 193563 San Francisco, CA 94119 USA