Gratien Midonet
A Cosmic Poet From Martinique 1979-1989

The music of Martinique poet and composer Gratien Midonet is being treated to a special three-track remix EP, A Cosmic Poet Revisited, providing a new context for the political activism and cosmic folk sound of the original recordings.A musician informed by his academic and spiritual pursuits, who penned albums in France that became cult anthems for the independence movement in his native Martinique, Midonet developed a unique sonic language that combined bélé and beguine rhythms, acoustic mysticism, Creole lyrics and electronic instrumentation.Releasing four albums across a ten-year period between 1979 and 1989, Midonet’s catalogue has been revisited for the first time on Time Capsule compilation, A Cosmic Poet from Martinique (TIME009).With the label also reissuing all four original albums digitally over a number of months, this extensive retrospective of Midonet’s career is joined by an EP featuring three new interpretations from a trio of like-minded sonic disciples from across the globe.On the A-Side, Sapporo-based producer and sound designer Kuniyuki Takahashi tugs at the spiritual threads of Midonet’s ‘Osana’ to unravel the sun-soaked funk devotional into an 11-minute deep house odyssey.Up next, London-based Time Capsule boss Kay Suzuki’s soft touch rework of ‘Roulo’ emphasises the organic syncopation of Midonet’s original to craft a tantalising slow-burner that ebbs and flows with a natural ease.Closing out proceedings, Romanian duo Khidja provide an acid-tinged adaptation of ‘La Reine’, the final track of the Time Capsule compilation. A minimalist affair which nods towards kosmische musik in its forward motion, Khidja bring the loose drums and elastic synth lines to the front on what is a fittingly euphoric climax to the EP.Speaking to compilation curator Cedric Lassonde, Midonet stressed the spiritual necessity of his music in approaching “the transcendental worlds whose door remains closed for most humans”.In curating a remix project that seeks not to exaggerate the intention of the originals but to compliment them, Time Capsule has succeeded in lifting Gratien Midonet’s message of mystical togetherness into new realms.

50th Anniversary Edition; gatefold sleeve, half-speed master, OBI strip, exclusive A2 poster, and insert with interview."Without question, Gal Gosta is one of the all-time greats. An inspirational, iconic figurehead in Brazilian music, her outstanding career ran from 1967 up until 2022 when we sadly lost her. Making her mark initially as one of the principal figures in the Tropicália movement of the 60s, she remained a trailblazing beacon that lit the way for decades to come. Gal continued to record and play live throughout her life, influencing and collaborating with the current cream of the Brazilian music world, such as Zé Ibarra, Rubel and Tim Bernardes.‘India’ is a post-Tropicália masterpiece that was originally released in 1973 on the Philips record label. It features a stellar line-up of musicians including Gilberto Gil, Arthur Verocai, Dominguinhos, Rogério Duprat and Tenorio Jr. amongst others.The album’s iconic, controversial cover art was banned by the Brazilian military dictatorship upon its release, which resulted in it being covered up and wrapped in a blue plastic bag when sold in record shops. It is one of Gal's strongest albums, consistently exceptional throughout and the perfect starting point for those unfamiliar with her rich catalogue. It includes the incredible ’Pontos De Luz’, one of our favourite Brazilian songs of all time, and famously sampled by Kaytranada on ’Lite Spots’. There’s also the accordion-led scorcher 'Relance’, which still rocks discerning dancefloors to this day. A wonderful album from start to finish, touching on MPB, folk, jazz, funk and rock with strong Tropicália and Nordestino influences throughout.For its 50th anniversary, we knew we had to do something special, so we enlisted the sensational mastering and lacquer-cutting engineer Miles Showell from Abbey Road to cut a half-speed master for a beautiful spacious sound. The album is housed in its original replica gatefold cover with an OBI. There is also an insert with an interview, and an A2 poster exclusive to this release.RIP Gal Maria da Graça Penna Burgos Costa, your light shines on."