The latest post in Egon’s NPR series Funk Archaeology follows him on a trip to New York as he attempts to find five great records for less than $100. Well, we shouldn’t write “attempts:” since the column has been published, it’s obvious he succeeded. With that in mind, we’re offering an additional download by the Swedish psych-weirdo Prefix below – his altogether mind-blowing “Duke Of War.”

Link: It’s a Buyer’s Market: Digging For $100 A Day – Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR
Download: Prefix: “Duke of War.”
More: Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR.

Now-Again is happy to announce the inaugural release on Orivious Records: the official, from-the-master-tapes issue of the most sought after sweet-funk single ever recorded! Worldwide street date: Feb. 7th.

Now-Again launches New York funk/soul researcher and archivist David Griffith’s Orivious Records with a masterpiece: the sole document of a lost and unlikely teenage “sweet-funk” collaboration between Rochester, NY vocalists The Darling Dears and backing band Funky Heavy. Originally issued in 1972, the record never made it beyond city’s west side. Today, this rare and exquisite blend of fragile female harmony atop an unexpected bed of raw, plodding funk commands four figures at auction when it appears in its original form.

Tracking the band and finding their assumed-lost master tapes took Griffiths the better part of seven years. In recognition of this Herculean task, we’ve spared no cost in assembly: the masters were officially licensed from the band; lacquers were cut directly from the original master tape by vet John Hull at his historic Musicol in Columbus, Ohio; test press after test press were rejected until near-perfect sound quality was achieved.

A limited variation – 100 numbered, hand made silk-screened picture sleeves – will be made available for a while supplies last; more details to come soon. Both of the Darling Dears and Funky Heavy’s songs will appear on the forthcoming anthology Loving On The Flip Side, which is scheduled for release in mid 2012.

Download: Darling Dears And Funky Heavy “And I Love You.”

The collected recordings (1973-1977) of India’s best-known psychedelic rock ensemble, and the story behind their genesis in an extensive booklet full of rare photographs and ephemera. Out NOW!

Now-Again Records presents an important document of India’s little know psychedelic rock period. Obsession collects a wealth of rare and unreleased psychedelic rock and funk from the various incarnations of the Atomic Forest.

The Atomic Forest’s mix of blistering, fuzzy rock and synth-lead funk inspired collectors the world over to fork over thousands of dollars for original copies of their solitary release, Obession ‘77. Part of the interest certainly stemmed from its liberal doses of searing fuzz guitar. Part of it sprung from the oddity of it all: India, a country that had, quite literally, churned out tens of thousands of albums during psych- and hard-rock’s heyday, only produced this one, lonely psychedelic album? Part of it sprung from the album’s rarity: unknown for years, Obsession ’77 suddenly became a top want on every global-rock collector’s short-list. Now, packaged in a paste on CD Sleeve with O-Card and a in a deluxe 2LP slip case, this ungodly fusion of funk and psychedelia – along with Egon’s extensive liner notes and annotation – is available to all.

Download an example of Atomic Forest’s fury below – the title track “Obsession ‘77 (Slow)” from our Obsession anthology. Pictured above – the incarnation of Atomic Forest that recorded Obsession ‘77 at the Jonny Castle rehearsal space in Mumbai, India. 1978.

Buy: Atomic Forest: Obsession
Download: Atomic Forest “Obsession ‘77.”

In his third annual reissue round-up, Egon discusses five of 2011’s essential reissues at NPR. This year, the focus is on redefining “psychedelic rock,” and includes entries by five record companies – Numero Group, Mr. Bongo, Light In The Attic, Faded Sunshine and Shadoks Music – sympathetic to Now-Again’s cause: finding the nexus between the best of 60s and 70s psych-rock and funk. Plug in, listen and, above all, try to support those imprints boldly going where no-one has gone before.

As a bonus to you, the visitor to Now-Again’s site, we’re offering a free download of WITCH’s “Toloka,” which Egon references in his piece but wasn’t included in NPR’s playlist. This song will be included on the WITCH 4 CD/6LP box set We Intend To Cause Havoc!, due out in May 2012.

Link: Psych Rock Redefined: Egon’s Top 2011 Reissues at NPR.
Download: WITCH “Toloka” from the forthcoming anthology We Intend To Cause Havoc! here.

Last year, we shared a special single by Zambian guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Ngozi – who, along with his Ngozi Family, will be presented in a compendium on Now-Again in late 2012. This year, we present something a bit harder-edged, in keeping with the garage-psych tradition of the Ngozi Family’s early recordings. “Jesus Christ” is from Ngozi’s The Ghetto, an album that we’ve recently reissued in conjunction with Shadoks Music. If you’re a follower of the music we reissue, this should be a perfect Christmas carol.

Download: Paul Ngozi: “Jesus Christ”.

And, if you missed it last year:

Download: Paul Ngozi: “Happy New Year”.