Back catalogue: All genres

Review: When it comes to classical and orchestral worlds things often look painfully whitewashed and very male dominated, at least in so far as conduction goes. Talk about understatements. Enter Jongnic Bontemps, one name on a growing list of incredible talent changing that stereotype up for the better. Schooled in church and jam music, formally educated in classical, to date he has been responsible for no less than 50 significant projects spanning video games, cinema, TV series, shorts and documentary films. His contribution to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is emblematic of his dexterity, a collection that shifts between bombastic and high tech, machines supporting brass and string crescendos, then quiet, patient, and at times tense work, marking him out as a true musical storyteller extraordinaire.

Review: Trying to figure out exactly when you'll stick on the soundtrack to Game of Thrones Season 7 isn't easy. But that's not to say Rabin Djawadi's epic score isn't something to behold. From the word go, this is adventurous stuff, rooted in classical but clearly inspired by visions of fantastical beasts, mythical lands and legendary quests. You almost feel like Cersei Lannister or Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen are about to knock on for their dinner. Like pretty much everything the Iranian-German film and TV composer touches - Clash of the Titans, Warcraft, Iron Man - there's little here you'd describe as subtle or understated. Even the more sweeping overtures sound like they were born for grand concert halls. So, providing you have the space at home, go for it.

Review: It's pretty hard these days to keep up with all the different new Spider-Man movies, but you should try because somehow they all seem to be pretty good despite it being such a well-worn character. The music, too, always manages to reach new levels as did this, the original soundtrack for the 2017 version, Spider-Man: Homecoming, by Michael Giacchino. It is full of dramatic and wide-screen orchestration, sweeping strings and rousing musical adventure but also the more quiet moments of reflection and tenderness. This version comes with a poster in a deluxe sleeve on blue vinyl.

Review: .Hollywood heavyweight James Newton Howard has turned his hand to a wide variety of movie soundtrack styles in his tenure as one of the go-to names for Hollywood scores. Allow us a moment to reel off the names, or a few of them at least: Pretty Woman, The Fugitive, Space Jam, The Sixth Sense - a list that could go on, and on, but you get the point. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sits at the more pomp and ceremony-filled end of things, epic classical overtures that invoke a sense of adventure, overcoming adversity, mild peril and inner strength. Even when heard without the visual accompaniment of the film itself you can't get away from those feelings, making for a rousing and compelling listening experience.

Review: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." So said Henry V before the battle of Agincourt in one of Shakespeare's many lauded histories. The quote went on to Christen Stephen Ambrose's 1993 novel and a subsequent American war drama miniseries of the same name, chronicling the journey of the "Easy Company," a group of American paratroopers during World War II. Training, combat tussles, and fraternal bonds are given a brutal portrayal in the film, and this mood of brutality and endurance was not unnoticeably underscored by Michael Kamen's soundtrack, now reissued on gatefold 2xLP. Kamen, known for his scores for Die Hard, X-Men and Memento, brought out a mood of orchestral fortuity, successfully mirroring the film's intent to portray themes of glory, tragedy and camaraderie, all of which ooze from its many orchestral swells and windfalls.

Review: What a gem this is to follow up the much-loved 2024 stop-motion animated Netflix classic directed by series creator Nick Park. Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl earned critical acclaim, winning two BAFTA awards and receiving an Academy Award nomination in the process. The story follows Gromit as he tries to save Wallace, whose new "smart" gnome invention seems to have a mind of its own and may be linked to a vengeful figure from the past. The film's score was crafted by Emmy-nominated Lorne Balfe and BAFTA-nominated Julian Nott and adds depth to the adventure with theme tunes, dramatic operatic moments, more tender interludes and plenty of great musical narratives. The release includes a four-page booklet with an exclusive Nick Park drawing.

Review: First released more than two decades ago in 2004, Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone features the renowned cellist performing pieces from the legendary composer's very many iconic film scores. It was recorded with the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra and pianist Gilda Butta and Morricone himself served as orchestrator, conductor and producer. The album remained on the Billboard Top Classical Albums chart for 105 weeks after its initial release and now this resisted and stunning collection again offers up music from Once Upon a Time in America, The Legend of 1900, The Untouchables, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and more. It is a masterful tribute done with sheer class and beautifully orchestrated collaboration.

Review: Soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone is back with Psycho, the second in a series of five double vinyl releases that collect his best filmic work. This volume is focussed on his work with Italian directors from the late 1960s up to the 1980s and the music was made for dark films and the occasional horror. This is the Italian's milieu, though, where he feels most at home and gets his best results. This limited pressing on translucent red vinyl includes a four page insert with liner notes written by Claudio Fuiano and plenty of eerie tracks that will have you looking over your shoulder.

Review: For many people of a certain generation. Shawshank Redemption was the first grown-up film they ever saw which is why it is atop so many best-ever lists. No matter when you see it though, it remains a classic with an engaging story, great characters and an immersive soundtrack. To mark the 30th anniversary of the great movie, that soundtrack has now been pressed up on limited, numbered 180-gram audiophile black & white marbled vinyl with an insert. Plenty of the film's musical motifs and most memorable scenes feature and make for a great stand-alone listen.

Review: Fargo Year Five is the fifth instalment of the acclaimed series Fargo and it debuted on screens back in November 21, 2023, and rolled out ten more gripping episodes. Continuing the tradition, Jeff Russo crafted the captivating music for this season, as he did for the preceding four. Notably, Russo clinched the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special in 2017 for his exceptional work on Fargo. Besides his prowess in television composition, Russo is revered as one of the founding members of the band Tonic, showcasing his multifaceted talent across various facets of the music industry, and this score is as good as all the ones that came before it.

Review: For most Star Wars fans, the spin-off series' and standalone films have been some of the best additions to the franchise. Now you can savour some of the excellent soundtrack work from those additions to the canon on one classily presented compilation. There are pieces from The Madalorian, Rogue One and Solo which will plunge you back into the expanded Star Wars universe, whether that's the good times with Grogu or tense missions with Jyn Erso you're reminded of. Presented in a gatefold sleeve and pressed onto 180 gram vinyl, this is a collectors' edition, no doubt about it.

Review: It's surprisingly not that common for a director to pick music for their movie. There are accomplished experts at scouring and sourcing the most powerful and moving tunes for cinema, and, of course, composers who have established themselves as maestros of silver screen scores. Luca Guadagnino is an exception to the rule, then, with his coming-of-age drama, Call Me By Your Name, soundtracked via his choices. And what choices they are. The film itself is beautiful and incredibly moving, adjectives which also apply to the accompanying sounds. From the theatrical pop of Loredana Berte, to the staggering instrumentation of Ryuichi Sakamoto and heartfelt cries of Sufjan Stevens, this collection of tones is as varied as it is captivating from beginning to end, and - whether you've seen the flick or not - deserves a place on everyone's shelf.

Review: Martin Scorsese's Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues series may not be the Academy Award-winning director's most famous contribution to popular culture, but the PBS documentary film saga, in which the legendary director takes us on a journey through the development of a sound he holds dear to his heart, is well worth looking for. Featuring luminaries such as John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, and more, each episode welcomes a different filmmaker, allowing them to refocus on artists they love. For this album spin-off, we centre attention on the mighty Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of the most influential of all blues musicians who tragically died at the age of 35 in a helicopter crash. Although far younger than many of the greats he's often listed alongside, his exceptional abilities on the guitar, and often unique sonics, set him apart from almost anyone else, alive or dead. Listen to what we mean here.

Review: Twilight of the Gods features one of many evocative soundtracks from Hans Zimmer, Omer Benyamin and Steven Doar. Between them, they bring a sweeping cinematic scope to an epic narrative with their usual sense of masterful scoring. Zimmer and his collaborators blend orchestral intensity with atmospheric depth here to enhance the mythic tone of the story. From haunting melodies to powerful crescendos, this soundtrack captures the emotional gravity and grandeur of the gods' twilight moments and each track layers intricate instrumentation that pulls listeners into a vivid, immersive world that echoes the film's themes of fate, power and destiny.