Back catalogue: Classical

Review: Few artists have had such a global impact on electronic music than Thomas Bangalter, the legendary DJ, producer and songwriter who is best known as one-half of the former dance titans Daft Punk. He has many more skills up his sleeve though as he has proven since leading the duo. One is writing soundtracks such as this one, Chiroptera, for Acte 2: Retour a la Caverne, which was a JR creation with choreography from Damien Jalet. It was performed in Paris in front of the Opera de Paris (Opera Garnier) on November 12th, 2023 and involved more than 150 dancers. You can now relive it musically with this limited 12".

Review: September 23rd is the first release in William Basinski's new Arcadia Archive series. Recorded in September 1982 in his first loft in the DUMBO neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, September 23rd is a recently unearthed early entry in what has become a hugely inspirational and influential catalogue. Built from a piano piece that Basinski composed in high school in the mid-1970s, September 23rd quickly evolved into a vastly different work, upon its revisitation. Using the John Giorno and William Burroughs cut-up technique, Basinski fabricated an elaborate Frippertronics and feedback loop tape delay system, resulting in the quiet but dramatic set of sounds and resounds you hear here.

Review: After five years apart, Italian composer Eraldo Bernochi and Japanese violinist, electronica producer and current Tangerine Dream member Hoshiko Yamana return with a sequel to their much-loved 2020 album Mujo. Described by the pair's label, Denovali, as "a deeply cinematic experience", Sabi cannily combines the slow-burn, trance-inducing synthesizer sequences of Tangerine Dream, the intergalactic electronic expressiveness of ambient techno, the thematic movements of modern classical, Yamana's emotive violin motifs and the spaced-out ambient iciness often associated with Geir Jensson's Biosphere project. It's a genuinely brilliant album all told, with the pair smartly sashaying between hazy melancholia, string-laden creepiness and picturesque aural colour.

Review: Bersarin Quartett is the work of Thomas Bucker, who since 2012 has released his flagship ambient project via Denovali. The Munster-based artist employs a grandiose orchestral lilt to the compositions on Systeme, threading considered sound design touches in amongst the sweep and swell of strings that rise from his imaginary quartet of players. It's neo-classical with a plaintive, soundtrack-ready quality, but as ever Bucker weaves tension, dissonance and texture in amongst the foreground melodic content to make for a richly compelling listen.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


David Boulter returns to Clay Pipe with St Ann's, an evocative tribute to the Nottingham council estate that shaped his early years. Since his Yarmouth LP in 2020 and Lovers Walk in 2021, Boulter has focused on soundtrack work, scoring films like Volkan Uce's Displaced and Gregorio Graziosi's Tinnitus. St Ann's chronicles Boulter's childhood, contrasting the harsh conditions of the old estate with the improved, vibrant new development. The album's subtle use of guitar, double bass, vibraphone, tenor recorder, and field recordings vividly recreates the atmosphere of crumbling Victorian streets and the optimism of the post-1960s renewal. Boulter's narrative delves into personal memories, painting a poignant picture of community transformation. His reflection on moving to a new house with modern amenities, while still attending an old Victorian school being demolished, adds depth to the story. The project was deeply influenced by Boulter's emotional experience of clearing out his family home at the end of 2022. St Ann's is more than a personal memoir; it's a celebration of inner-city renewal and the enduring spirit of community. This album resonates with nostalgia, capturing the key moments of Boulter's formative years.

Review: This is a real gem of the English jazz revolution - Chitinous by cellist Paul Buckmaster stands tall as an obscure masterpiece. Renowned for his collaborations with legends like Miles Davis and David Bowie, Buckmaster leads a colossal orchestra of 51 players, featuring top English musicians including trumpeter Ian Carr and drummer John Marshall. Recorded in 1970, the album showcases Buckmaster's mastery of the cello and keyboards and is organised into suites where the music seamlessly blends classical, contemporary and jazz influences, offering broad yet evocative compositions. This reissue reminds us of Buckmaster's innovation as well as the era's renowned musical experimentation.

Review: Berlin-based composer Andrea Burelli's new album Sonic Mystics for Poems (of Life and Death of a Phoenix) is an autobiographical work that draws on the vulnerability of the human existence. It takes the form of 15 pieces written for polyphonic voices, strings, and synthesizers and arrives on super limited, hand-numbered 180 g vinyl. The pieces are all intricately constructed with rich harmonic structures taking inspiration from experimental electronica, classical from both the West and the Middle East, plus folk from across all of Europe. It's a beautiful, confessional and thought-provoking work that makes a devastating impact despite its delicate artistry.