Back catalogue:

Review: Shai Maestro is widely regarded as one of the most original and influential jazz pianists of his generation. Since launching his trio in 2011, he has cultivated a distinctive musical voice that is fluid, expressive and richly lyrical. His sound blends jazz improvisation with global influences and cinematic depth and has won him comparisons to legends like Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. With acclaimed ECM recordings produced by Manfred Eicher, Maestro has become a major force in contemporary jazz and his latest album backs that up with a first foray into a solo piano album that explores nuance, emotion and storytelling through improvisation and composition.

Review: Matt Maltese has been picking up plenty of critical acclaim for this, his sixth studio album. Landing in May 2025, overwhelmingly favourable reviews cited the musical prowess on display here, the artist's deft songwriting and production skills - this being the first he's credited as producer on since 2019. For those who are new to this particular troubadour's universe, Maltese is the indie-chamber pop-rock talent from Reading, England, who blew up with 'Even If It's A Lie', a single released on Soundcloud. A decade later, he's become a household name for those who like their male soloists to be cut from a timeless cloth, taking influence from some of the vocal and lyrical greats of the 20th Century - Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon and Nina Simone have all been cited by the man himself. Shades of all three here.

Review: Khadim is a smart evolution of Ndagga Rhythm Force's sound-stripped down, spacious and spiritually charged. Abandoning guitars and full percussion, the four track album hones in on minimal live drumming, dubby synths (including Mark Ernestus's Prophet-5), and Mbene Diatta Seck's powerful, expressive voice. Each track is emotionally rich and narratively distinct while touching on Senegalese history, Sufi devotion and street-level struggles. Songs like 'Lamp Fall' and 'Khadim' pay homage to revered religious figures while blending traditional rhythms with contemporary electronics. After years of touring, this new direction feels deeply rooted yet forward-reaching and means this album is both devotional and radical in its dubwise majesty.

Review: OK. Let's face some facts. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Drive is up there with one of the best scores ever put together. And that goes for the compositions of Cliff Martinez as much as the guest bands and artists drafted for the other songs. Where else are you going to hear Riziro Ortolani and Katy Ranieri's operatic overture, 'Oh My Love', and The Chromatics' low sung, mood-building electro tracker 'Tick of the Clock', side by side? The answer is, of course, nowhere. And that's just skimming the surface. Deeper inspection take us to some stunning pieces of ambient and drone. 'I Drive' is a remarkable example of gong bath on record, 'Skull Crushing' is overwhelmingly heavy thanks to its use of distant sound and up front quiet. It feels like you're in a pressurised chamber. We could go on, but that wouldn't save any room to mention the trophy piece - College and Electric Youth's spectacularly emotive synth stunner, 'A Real Hero'.

Review: To mark their tenth anniversary, Discom presents Return to the Future 1984-1994, a special edition long player celebrating the influential Belgrade synth-pop duo Max & Intro. The compilation features 12 remastered tracks sourced directly from the original master tapes and the collection highlights the group's distinctive blend of melodic synth lines and pop sensibilities that very much shaped the Yugoslav electronic scene. Rare extras include a 1985 interview, full lyrics sheet and previously unseen photographs by Goran Basari?, plus artwork from Max's Poster. This is a wonderful trip back to the future with cold, angular drum rhythms and deadpan vocals.

Review: Recorded in 1975 with the classic lineup, Live At Great American Music Hall, San Francisco is the long-overdue live album that showcases The Meters at their peak. Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste and Cyril Neville all showed top form in a performance highlighting tracks from 'Rejuvenation' and previewed its follow up, Fire On The Bayou. The nine-song set features extended jams, some nearing 20 minutes, with the band blazing throughout. It has previously circulated only as a rare bootleg, so this official release offers a complete, well-mastered version on coloured vinyl, making it the ultimate edition.

Review: Madrid duo Pablo Miron and Juan Vacas return with their second album, En Perpetua, which delves deeper into their signature decayed collage and psycho-acoustic soundscape while building on their debut Of No Fixed Abode. This time out they also embrace new creative confidence and the possibilities offered by a fresh Madrid studio and use violin, harmonica, voices, guitars, a looper, FM radio and diverse array of field recordings-from the Spanish countryside to exhibition sounds-to bring it to life. They craft eight re-pitched meditations that explore fractured music and rhythmic patterns which unfold through their distinctive, open-ended and immersive tonal journeys.

Review: The sophomore full-length from New Jersey goth-punks My Chemical Romance was originally released in 2004, changing both the course of their career trajectory as a band but also altering the mainstream acceptance of the goth/emo/alt scene in the 21st century ever since. While it was 2006's third full-length The Black Parade which would cement the band as alt rock legends, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge was an unprecedented success, fusing the macabre darkness of Misfits and Alkaline Trio with stadium-sized hooks to put the likes of Blink-182 or Green Day to shame. Boasting the pop-punk hit 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)', whilst the later singles 'Helena' and 'The Ghost Of You' illustrated their expansive yet understated weaving of emo, post-hardcore and punk rock, all elevated by vocalist Gerard Way's uniquely grim lyricism, experience as a graphic novel illustrator and Billy Borgan-style vocal fractures. Selling over 3 million copies in the US alone, even being certified Platinum less than a year after initial release, this semi-modern fully classic punk staple returns with a revitalised deluxe edition, housed with updated artwork and offering an entirely new remix as well as four previously unreleased live recordings.

Review: Aachen Jazz Files is a tribute to NABEL Records, a groundbreaking German jazz label active from 1980 to 1994. This new and essential compilation has been curated by Miche and Rainer Truby and highlights NABEL's unique fusion of acoustic jazz, Brazilian rhythms and avant-garde influences. Featuring gems like Monika Linges Quartet's samba-infused grooves, John Thomas & Lifeforce's cosmic explorations and Maria Joao's expressive vocals, this collection captures Aachen's rich jazz heritage from every angle. Though it was once a hidden gem, NABEL's sound has since travelled worldwide and its sophistication and warmth shine through here from a most distinctive era of jazz.