Back catalogue: Classical

Review: California's James Bernard is a much-loved regular on this label as well as being a veteran of the wider ambient scene who has been hard at it for more than three decades. His latest outing on Past Inside The Present with Anthene (aka Brad Deschamps of Toronto) is Soft Octaves, an album that finds them crafting a series of sounds using electric six-string bass. It has a huge range from the deepest depths to the wispiest of highs and each of the tracks here was recorded in one single take. The results are spellbinding indeed and the range of the bass's sonic ability is astonishing as it sounds at times like a cello, at others woodwind and is always intriguing.

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: Now comes the fifth album by German electronic trio Brandt Brauer Frick, known for their electroacoustic collisions of house and techno with live-played instrumentation. Multi Faith Prayer Room is their most ambitious album to date, including collaborations with Mykki Blanco, Azekel, Marina Herlop, Kom_I, Sophie Hunger and Duane Harden. It flaunts a mastery over a certain modern, hybrid approach to making electronic music, combining drumming, bass, piano and vocals with drum machines and synths. A diverse, sprawling, border-melting, widescreen take on many dance genres out there.

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.