‘IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS’ IS COMING OUT THIS MAY.
Originally released in 2002 via Divot Records, the remastered EP from the Chicago-based emo pioneers would include unreleased material. Coming out May 20th.
Expert Work Records is happy to follow up the original announcement on the upcoming release of ‘In Recognition of Your Significant Accomplishments’ premiering the new single – ‘Transmission’. The acclaimed 2002 EP from Chicago post-emo pioneers Tekulvi originally got released on Divot Records, this reissue will include previously unreleased material, remastered audio, and a refreshed presentation of the original artwork, giving longtime fans and new listeners alike a chance to experience the band’s visceral, dynamic sound in an entirely new format. Commenting on today’s premiere band stresses: “Musically its both tight and dissonant. Lyrically it deals with cognitive dissonance and conflicting thoughts. Sometimes dissonance, off kilter ideas, and tight rhythms are a thing of beauty!”.
The inspiration for this reissue was sparked by a bittersweet reunion. Following the passing of Steve Sostak (Sweep the Leg Johnny), who played saxophone on the track Distance and Focus, Almodovar and Sharp reconnected: “In 2023 Greg and I got together to hang out, reminisce, and jam for fun. When Greg and I moved to Chicago, Steve was influential to us, and we became fast friends. Steve was supportive of Tekulvi, and we were huge Sweep the Leg fans. Those jam sessions in 2023 led to the writing of several new songs.”
Growing up in New York City, Chris Almodovar was captivated by the story of Frank Serpico, the NYPD officer who risked his life to expose police corruption. “It almost got him killed,” Chris says. “He feared for his life and eventually fled to Europe before returning to the States. Sometimes you fail even when you try your hardest to do the right thing—but sometimes, in the long run, it all works out. That was the inspiration.”
Track-list:
1 . Serpico
2 . Honor Among Thieves
3 . Low Center of Gravity
4 . Distance and Focus
5 . Transmission
6 . Whatever Happened to William Friedkin after 1986 ?
7 . Go Fuck Yourself (live on WFMU 2002)
That sense of struggle and resilience shaped ‘Serpico,’ the first single from Tekulvi’s upcoming release. “We chose it as the first single because it’s a great kickoff point for this version of the band,” Chris explains. “It’s essentially controlled chaos. Lyrically, the song is about accepting that no matter how hard you try, things can still fail—and learning to live with how the chips may fall.”
The project found a passionate champion in Justin Nardy of Expert Work Records, who had admired the band since their early days. “Tekulvi was always on my shortlist of bands I wanted to work with,” Nardy recalls. “That EP never got the vinyl treatment it deserved. When I saw the band was active again, I reached out, and to my surprise, they had no plans to release it—so I offered. We decided to expand the record by including unreleased tracks, making it feel more like a full LP.”
For Almodovar and Sharp, revisiting ‘In Recognition…’ has been a surreal experience. “We dedicated so much time to writing, practicing, and touring—all DIY, booking everything ourselves,” says Almodovar. “Listening to all the songs now, it feels like the music stood the test of time and serves as a baseline and inspiration to keep writing material and recording.”