New releases last two weeks: All genres

Review: Cafe Tacvba's Re was released in July 1994 but remains one of the most groundbreaking albums in Latin rock. The sprawling double LP produced by Gustavo Santaolalla fused punk, norteNo, funk and traditional Mexican sounds into a daring, genre-defying opus. Tracks like 'El Baile y El Salon' and 'La Ingrata' became almost instant anthems, while deeper cuts elsewhere explored death, identity and national pride. Often compared to The White Album by The Beatles, Re delivered cohesion through diversity and elevated Mexican rock to new artistic heights. Thirty years on, it's a cult classic and cultural cornerstone and is essential listening that reshaped rock en espaNol and inspired generations who came after.

Review: Funk legend Bootsy Collins drops his rather indelible 23rd studio album at the age of 73. Despite the advancing years, Bootsy remains a restless innovator and tireless blender of funk, punk, rock, r&b and futuristic sounds. This latest concoction album features collaborations with icons like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Dave Stewart alongside fresh talents such as October London and Fantaazma. Bootsy embraces his role as mentor here and ensures that his singular grooves are embellished with new school energy. Beyond music, he's also launching the Bootsy Collins Network, a streaming hub for live shows, tech and gaming that could well be worth a look.

Review: The hugely prolific and endlessly touring Australian rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's latest is Rave Gizzard: Live in San Francisco 2024 via Reverberation Appreciation Society, a hefty triple-LP capturing their legendary first-ever full synth set. It was recorded live at The Regency Ballroom on November 6, 2024, and is a nine-track set with technicolour performances of tracks like 'Theia,' 'Gilgamesh' and 'Extinction' all reimagined with razor-sharp synth textures. It was an epic show lapped up by fans who revelled in the overwhelming bass and immersive, rave-like energy, all of which is conveyed when listening back. This limited-edition bootleg is a document of the band's adventurous leap into synth-driven psychedelia that is sure to swiftly sell out.

Review: Futurespective is a carefully remastered compilation showcasing the finest work of Les Animaux Sauvages, the legendary Bulgarian band known for their blazing blend of post-punk, new wave and dark wave. For the first time, these classic tracks are available on vinyl, which is literally music to the ears of fans of Eastern European underground sounds. The band is a trio of artistic kindred spirits who united in 2014 with Ivo Stoyadinov Charlie on guitar, synths and programming alongside Sibylla Seraphim, who brings her haunting vocals and synth work to the mix. Together, they craft a moody, atmospheric sound that is distantly lo-fi, with prowling and sleazy guitars that Andrew Weatherall would love, chugging dark disco groves and tripped-out machine soul and wiry electronics.

Review: Legendary composer Ennio Morricone's soundtrack for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly remains a towering achievement in film music. Effortlessly blending operatic grandeur with raw Western grit, it fuses whistles, guitars, choral howls and sharp percussion into one of cinema's most iconic themes. Each character receives a unique motif, Wagnerian in concept but rooted in 1960s pop flair. Tracks like 'The Ecstasy of Gold' are emotional epics on their own but really elevate the cinematic scenes into legend. Morricone didn't just score the film-he shaped its soul and this new limited-edition reissue is a great way to relive it.

Review: Mixed by Japanese producer and DJ Muro, who has a background in hip-hop, this connoisseur is never short on deep cuts and takes us on a journey through soulful, vintage AOR sonics from his home country. Whilst no two tracks are by the same artist, there's a cohesion to the tracklist thanks to Muro's ear in pulling out things that sit so well together. Asakawa Mak's 1988 cut 'American Night' is a smooth nod to sophisti pop greats Prefab Sprout; whilst Seri Ishikawa's elegant and lush number, 'Eternal 1/2', highlights how innovative she was in forging new sounds back in 1985. These two cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, yet this compilation is an ideal entry point to some of the finest Japanese music of the late 20th century. You can bank on Muro delivering the goods.

Review: London hi-fi bar Space Talk's in-house label, ST Records, kicks off with a 12-track vinyl-only compilation featuring exclusive music from artists who performed at the venue of the same name over the past year. Crafted specifically for the unique acoustics and energy of the venue, some tracks were even recorded live or during intimate Sunday sessions. There is everything from murky dub soundscapes like Kristina May's 'Slow Down, You're Missing Out' to classic era hip-hop from The Village Fools, blue-eyed soul from Sholto's 'There Once Was A Talk Space' and plenty in between. All profits from ST01 will be donated to a UK charity supporting young musicians from underrepresented backgrounds.

Review: A quarter of a century is a long time in any form of media or entertainment. But when it comes to video games and music, it might as well be a full century. What feels like a lifetime ago, in 2000 The Sims helped define a playable genre that had only seen niche popularity in the past with titles like Little Computer People and Creatures, and more mainstream attention with the standalone pet-in-your-pocket craze kickstarted by Tamagotchis. Breaking open the barriers between regular folk and the idea of living an entire life through a character on screen - now something we've become very used to - The Sims was revolutionary and appealed across the board. So it needed a soundtrack that could do the same. And that's exactly what it got. Beautifully immersive piano overtures, bouncy chip tunes, the kind of tracks you might find on a home shopping channel interlude... you get the point.