Back catalogue: Classical

Review: A lush and evocative blend of orchestral grandeur and dreamy 80s synth work, this soundtrack is a sonic journey into steamy sci-fi. The opening theme glides effortlessly between delicate baroque flourishes and pulsing electronic rhythms, setting the tone for an adventure that is both mysterious and seductive. Sweeping string arrangements intertwine with shimmering synthesisers, evoking a sense of exotic wonder while maintaining an undeniable sense of nostalgia. The compositions balance classical sophistication with experimental textures, capturing the film's mix of pulp adventure and fantasy-tinged eroticism. Tracks shift from ethereal, atmospheric moments to more urgent, rhythm-driven passages, mirroring the story's dramatic turns. The use of vintage synth tones alongside lush orchestration results in a sound that feels both timeless and unmistakably rooted in its era. Remastered from pristine stereo master tapes, this edition restores every intricate detail with warmth and clarity. An exquisite rediscovery of an underrated gem.

Review: Music on Vinyl gives the full treatment to Volker Bertelmann's epic score to All Quiet On The Western Front and serves it up on limited and numbered 180-gram audiophile transparent smokey vinyl with a four-page booklet featuring movie still to boot. Set during World War I, the film follows an idealistic young German soldier and received a leading 14 nominations at the 76th British Academy Film Awards, including one for Best Original Score. It is a truly immersive listen that captures the range of emotions conveyed in the film.

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: This recording of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Sergei Prokofiev's 1936 story and orchestral score Peter and the Wolf was recorded in 1977 and was originally released in 1978. The role of the narrator on the recording was initially offered to both Peter Ustinov and Alec Guinness who both turned it down, before David Bowie agreed to take on the role, supposedly as a Christmas present to his son. On the B-side is another equally as charming piece of recent classical history, Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra as narrated by Hugh Downs.