Alabaster DePlume
A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole

Available on LP/CD
record stores worldwide
this Friday March 7th, 2025

out on all music platforms
March 25th, 2025

"Weaves a tapestry of sounds — spiritual jazz, folk, classical, and beyond — into a potent missive of grace."
FLOOD

“The Mancunian saxophonist and Jujitsuka dusts himself down and fires up the big strings for an album of fighting songs with healing sounds.”
The Quietus

“Conjuring chamber-based folk/ jazz collages with a bespoke philosophical twist .. assiduously pushing the boundaries.”
MOJO

“Traversing folk-jazz and elegantly-rendered orchestral suites, atmosphere and allegory, DePlume looks inward and confronts his own struggles.”
Clash

“His singing is murmured, pressurized, prayerful. His self-taught sax is his most distinctive voice, though, at times a shivering, Arabic thing like a quaking ghost, or sinuously sensual and serenely beautiful.”
UNCUT

"A simple yet beautifully executed reminder to reflect, find healing and resist vanity."
The Skinny

Listen.

(*A Blade* modeled here by our friend Jesse at Rust & Wax in West Palm Beach, Florida)

!!! Buy it IRL !!!

We are proud to say that – for lovers of physical media and/or believers in proper ritualistic listening experience and/or fans who just want to support the music ecosystem as holistically as possible – Alabaster DePlume's daring new disc A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole is available in record stores worldwide this Friday March 7th (i.e. three weeks sooner than it comes out digital music platforms) !!!

To facilitate the communal beauty of a real life retail experience, we've compiled below (and here on our website) a list of record shops that we've confirmed to be stocking A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole.

If you're planning to buy this album, we encourage you to look for your town or your favorite record shop on this list and get it from them! It truly doesn't get any better than shopping for records in three-dimensional space.

London, UK - Rough Trade
London, UK - Stranger Than Paradise Records
London, UK - World Of Echo
Los Angeles, CA - Amoeba Music
Loveland, OH - Plaid Room Records
Manchester, UK - Limited Addition Records
Manchester, UK - Piccadilly Records
Medford, OR - Biscuits & Vinyl
Miami, FL - Sweat Records
Milwaukee, WI - Lilliput Records
Minneapolis, MN - Agharta Records
Minneapolis, MN - Electric Fetus
Montreal, QC - Atom Heart
Montréal, QC - Aux 33 Tours
Montréal, QC - La Rama Records
Montréal, QC - Le Vacarme
Mooresville, NC - Sell Your Soul Records
München, DE - Amazon EU SàrL - Niederlassung DLD
München, DE - MediaMarktSaturn GmbH München
München, DE - Optimal! Schallplatten
Nashville, TN - Grimey's
New Orleans, LA - Euclid Records
Norwich, UK - Venus Vinyl
Nottingham, UK - Nottingham Record Co-Op
Nürnberg, DE - Mono-Ton
Opelika, AL - 10,000 Hz Records
Orlando, FL - Park Ave. CD's
Oxford, MS - The End of All Music
Oxford, UK - Truck Store
Paris, FR - Le Silence De La Rue
Paris, FR - Bar Italia
Paris, FR - Ground zero
Phoenix, AZ - Stinkweeds
Phoenix, AZ - Zia Enterprises, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA - The Government Center
Portland, ME - Bull Moose Music
Portland, OR - Everyday Music
Portland, OR - Music Millennium
Portland, OR - Passenger Seat Records
Princeton, NJ - Princeton Record Exchange
Québec, QC - Explosive Groove Disquaire
Redruth, UK - Lucky's Record Bar
Richmond, VA - Plan 9
Richmond, VA - Small Friend Records & Books
Rotterdam, NL - Velvet Music
Saint Paul, MN - Barely Brothers Records
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC - Frequences Le Disquaire
Salt Lake City, UT - Randy's Record Shop
San Diego, CA - Folk Arts Rare Records
San Francisco, CA - Amoeba Music
San Luis Obispo, CA - Boo Boo Records
Santa Cruz, CA - Redwood Records
Santa Cruz, CA - Streetlight Records
Scarborough, UK - Record Revivals
Seattle, WA - Hex Enduction Records & Books
Seattle, WA - Light In The Attic Record Shop
Seattle, WA - Silver Platters
Seattle, WA - Sonic Boom Records
Sheffield, UK - Beartree Records
Siegen, DE - Henning Belz
Somerville, MA - Vinyl Index
Stroud, UK - Sound Records
St. John's, NL - Fred's Records
St. Louis, MO - Euclid Records
Stourbridge, UK - Record Culture
Stuttgart, DE - Ratzer Records
Stuttgart, DE - Second Hand Records
Tacoma, WA - Hi-Voltage Records
Tarzana, CA - CD Trader
Toronto, ON - Rotate This
Toronto, ON - Sonic Boom
Totnes, UK - The Drift Record Shop
Troy, NY - Sound House Records
Twickenham, UK - Eel Pie Records
Vancouver, BC - Audiopile Records
Vancouver, BC - Dandelion Records
Vancouver, BC - Neptoon Records
Venlo, NL - Sounds
Ventnor, UK - The Ventnor Exchange
Ventura, CA - Salzer's
Victoria, BC - Ditch Records & CDs
Wallingford, CT - Redscroll Records
Wenden, DE - Denovali GmbH
West Lafayette, IN - Von's Records
West Palm Beach, FL - Rust & Wax
Wien, AT - MediaMarkt Wien Mariahilfer GmbH
Wien, AT - SUBSTANCE RECORDSTORE OG
Winchester, UK - Elephant Records
Winooski, VT - Autumn Records

Akron, OH - Square Records
Amsterdam, NL - Mania
Asheville, NC - Harvest Records
Austin, TX - Breakaway Records
Baltimore, MD - Sound Garden
Bath, UK - Resolution Records
Belfast, UK - First Press
Berkeley, CA - Amoeba Music
Berlin, DE - Bis auf's Messer Records
Berlin, DE - Dussmann - das KulturKaufhaus GmbH
Berlin, DE - HHV Handels GmbH
Berlin, DE - Morr Music Distribution GmbH
Berlin, DE - OLDSCHOOL
Berlin, DE - Saturn Electro Handels GmbH (S 304)
Bexhill-on-Sea, UK - Music's Not Dead
Birmingham, AL - Seasick Records
Birmingham, UK - Polar Bear
Bloomington, IN - Landlocked Music
Bochum, DE - DISCover c/o Rebecca Boehmelt
Boise, ID - Record Exchange Boise
Brighton, UK - Family Store Records & Gallery
Brighton, UK - Resident Music
Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade
Calgary, AB - Blackbyrd Myoozik
Canterbury, UK - Vinylstore Jr
Cardiff, UK - Mint And Sealed
Chattanooga, TN - Yellow Racket Records
Cheltenham, UK - Badlands
Chemnitz, DE - Krumpelt & Spreer GbR
Chicago, IL - 606 Records
Chicago, IL - Dusty Groove
Chicago, IL - Laurie's Planet of Sound
Chicago, IL - Reckless Records (Belmont)
Chicago, IL - Reckless Records (Loop)
Chicago, IL - Reckless Records (Wicker Park)
Chicago, IL - Tone Deaf Records
Cincinnatti, OH - Shake It
Coventry, UK - Just Dropped In
Deal, UK - Smugglers Records
Dearborn, MI - Dearborn Music
Denver, CO - Twist & Shout
Denver, CO - Wax Trax Main Store HQ
Dortmund, DE - BLACK PLASTIC
Dresden, DE - Sweetwater
Düsseldorf, DE - A & O Medien GmbH
Edinburgh, UK - Good Vibes Neighbourhood Store
Edinburgh, UK - Thorne Records
Edinburgh, UK - Underground Solushn
Edmonton, AB - Blackbyrd Myoozik
Fredericton, NB - Backstreet Records
Freiburg, DE - Der Plattenladen GmbH
Freiburg, DE - Flight 13 Records
Fulda, DE - MARLEEN Schallplatten
Georgsmarienhütte, DE - jpc-schallplatten
Glasgow, UK - One Finn
Glasgow, UK - Second Line Records
Glasgow, UK - Some Great Reward
Golden Valley, MN - Down in the Valley
Greenville, SC - Horizon
Guadalajara, Jal - Tea Recs
Halifax, NS - Taz Records
Hamburg, DE - Groove City
Hamburg, DE - Klas van Hasselt
Hamburg, DE - MediaMarktSaturn Hamburg GmbH
Hamburg, DE - VEB Michelle GmbH
Hamburg, DE - Zardoz Schallplatten GmbH
Hannover, DE - 25 Music
Hove, UK - Capsule Records
Indianapolis, IN - Square Cat Vinyl
Iowa City, IA - Record Collector
Kamloops, BC - Barnacle Records
Kansas City, MO - Mills Record Company
Karlsruhe, DE - Musikhaus Schlaile GmbH
Kassel, DE - Scheibenbeisser
Kilkenny, IE - Rollercoaster Records
Kingston, ON - Something Else Records
Köln, DE - Groove Attack Recordstore
Köln, DE - Parallel Schallplatten
Landsberg/Lech, DE - Discy GmbH
Lawrence, KS - Love Garden Sounds
Leamington Spa, UK - Head Records
Leeds, UK - Crash Records
Leeds, UK - Jumbo Records
Leigh, UK - Sticky Black Tarmac
Lewes, UK - Union Music Store
Lille, FR - Furet du Nord
Little Canada, MN - Cheapo Discs
Liverpool, UK - Jacaranda Records
London, UK - Dreamhouse Records
London, UK - Honest Jons Records
London, UK - Phonica

Join us for a
(Virtual) Listening Party
on Bandcamp

Friday, March 7th
2pm Chicago // 8pm London

Join us for an exclusive listening party for A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole via our Bandcamp page! Enjoy a full album listen-through while Alabaster and our IARC crew helm the chat room.

RSVP here.

2025 Tour Dates

DePlume will be touring the United States, the UK, and Europe in support of A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole throughout the spring — see full dates below, more information here. US dates will feature multi-instrumentalist Shazad Ismaily (“one of music’s most coveted collaborators,” according to The New York Times) plus more musicians TBA, with saxophonist/composer Patrick Shiroishi doing supporting opening sets at every show. DePlume’s band for the UK/EU tour will feature percussionist Julian Sartorius, drummer Seb Rochford, bassist Ruth Goller, and Mikey Kenney on strings. More guests to be announced.

March 14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
March 15 - Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s
March 16 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
March 18 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat
March 19 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
March 21 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
March 22 - Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall
March 23 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
March 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent
March 28 - Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival
April 29 - Norwich, UK @ Norwich Arts Centre
April 30 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
May 1 - Newcastle, UK @ Gosforth Civic Hall
May 2 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono
May 3 - Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
May 6 - Bristol, UK @ Trinity Centre
May 7 - Exeter, UK @ Phoenix
May 8 - Southampton, UK @ Papillon
May 9 - London, UK @ Hackney Church
May 10 - Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
May 15 - Istanbul, TK @ Salon IKSV
May 16 - Warsaw, PL @ Niebo
May 17 - Berlin, DE @ XJAZZ!
May 21 - Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain
May 22 - Lille, FR @ L'Aéronef
May 23 - Brussels, BE @ La Botanique
May 24 - Amsterdam, NL @ Zonnehuis
May 25 - Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
May 26 - Rotterdam, NL @ Bird
June 1 - Torino, Italy @ Bunker (Jazz Is Dead)
June 7 - Cluj-Napoca, RO @ Jazz In The Park
July 2/5 - Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
July 4 - Sete, FR @ Worldwide
July 17 - Molde, NO @ Moldejazz

Get Tickets

...about...

A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole

In the eleven songs of A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole, DePlume’s reflections on healing, dignity, and struggle are communicated through a stirring assemblage of disparate musics: ghostly and ancient folk melodies, groove-anchored maelstroms of swirling folk-jazz, elegant string arrangements that strike a midpoint between Ravel and Gainsbourg (courtesy of Macie Stewart), disembodied voices reconfiguring into the shape of a post-modern Greek chorus, noir atmosphere, and allegoric, troubadouric song.

Throughout, Alabaster’s intimate, confessional croon (a la Donovan or Devendra Banhart) and vibrato-laced tenor saxophone playing (a la Getatchew Mekurya) convey, with a startling humanistic touch, everything from dejected fragility to resolute strength.

As with all of DePlume’s work, A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole is driven by intention. In this case, a desire to interrogate the concept of healing. As DePlume shared with album essayist Pelly: “When I meet people who love my work I ask them, ‘what do people need?’ Many of them were answering ‘healing’, so I worked on that, first of all by healing myself. I found that it was an activity I could choose, and that it had a lot to do with my ownership of myself, dignity and independence. Instead of waiting for healing to ‘happen to me’ I could heal myself and own myself. That is what this album is.”

Read Liz Pelly’s full essay on the album here.

Deluxe Vinyl Package

A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole comes on a 140g vinyl LP in heavyweight jacket with photo insert sheet, IARC 2025 obi strip & poly-lined inner sleeve. Pressed at Pallas in Germany, with lacquers cut by Daniel K @ SST.

Available on limited edition 'That Was My Garden' color vinyl for $29 USD.
Also available on classic black vinyl for $24 USD.

Order a copy today!

The 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 ‘𝟮𝟱 𝗕𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗟𝗘 is now available !!

It is indeed time for a new season of new releases and the Winter ‘25 Bundle collects all 3 yet-to-be-announced new LPs, (including Alabaster DePlume's A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole) and ships them to you - the fervent, faithful collector of our output - as a single parcel.

Purchase gets you a bundle-exclusive discount of 10% off the LP prices as well as a discounted shipping cost.

The bundle will ship from our warehouses in the US, EU, and UK, but don’t wait too long, the quantity available in each warehouse is limited! Early purchase is recommended to ensure the lowest possible shipping, tax, and VAT costs.

All items will ship together in one package around March 7th, so you will receive one LP by its street date and the other two releases shortly ahead of their release dates. Bandcamp downloads will be sent via email for all the releases by, or on, the ship date. Thank you as always for your trust in our label’s output and for your support <𝟯

Order the bundle on Limited Edition Color Vinyl

Order the bundle on Classic Black Vinyl