Back catalogue: Classical

Review: After numerous patches, Cyberpunk 2077 has come an astoundingly long way since Keanu Reeves himself announced it at the now-defunct E3 expo. Phantom Liberty is an expansion on the original game set in Dogtown, the ruins of an abandoned luxury development project that was forced to be scrapped when old military complexes, bunkers and labs were uncovered by construction. A tale of espionage and political intrigue ensues, scored by P.T. Adamczyk and Jacek Paciorkowski once again following the duo's Game Award-nominated original score. The highlight is, of course, 'Phantom Liberty', the title and credits track that features Polish X Factor winner and multi-diamond recording artist Dawid Podsiadlo, his voice booming in front of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Pressed on heavyweight 180gm vinyl and includes a double-sided insert with key art of Songbird for fans of the series to enjoy.

Review: The 2023 film Wonka has delighted audiences with its fantastic original soundtrack featuring performances by lead actor Timothee Chalamet and an exceptional ensemble cast including Hugh Grant, Calah Lane, and Keegan-Michael Key. Composed by Joby Talbot and penned by songwriter Neil Hannon, the score captures the essence of the golden age of Hollywood musicals while paying homage to the beloved classics of the past. Director Paul King's vision of a prequel to the iconic 1971 film comes to life with enchanting melodies and vibrant arrangements, inviting listeners on a whimsical journey through the fantastical world of Willy Wonka.

Review: Julien Jabre's Southwind comprises music taken from the new eponymous experimental film, directed by visual artists Mark Pozlep and Maxime Berthou, and released in 2023. Jabre's bold chordwork and Moogish harmonic progressions complement the art of the Franco-Slovenian duo, intertwining sublimely with the film's evocative imagery to portray an America between two crises. The project, which involved descending the Mississippi aboard a homemade steamboat, began only a few months after one of the largest floods in the United States and ended just a few weeks before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the end of Donald Trump's presidency. With these recent historical events held firmly in mind, the album remains fixated on what lies beneath, undiscovered, with titles such as 'Deep Under', 'Hard Soul', 'Stagnant', 'Sluice' and 'Mud' presenting a clear imaginary and message: however bullish it may seem, modern America is a contemporary psychic dustbowl, through which more fluent waters must be led.

Review: Director Max Kestner's documentary film portrait Copenhagen Dreams is a tribute to the Danish capital. That also happened to be the place acclaimed composer Johann Johannsson was living at the time he was asked to score the movie. As always he does so with real aplomb and devastating emotionality. This now classic soundtrack features celestial keyboard sounds, emotive string quartets, clarinet, subtle electronic and plenty of melodic magic that both swells and breaks the heart. Academy Award winner Hildur Gudnadottir plays on the soundtrack with various other of Johann's favourite Icelandic talents.

Review: The name John Williams towers over the world of movie scores. The American has made some of the most critically acclaimed soundtracks of all time over the last seven decades, and has worked with cinematic greats like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas on his way to picking up 26 Grammy Awards, five Academy Awards and countless other awards.This album collects some of his greatest ever silver screen moments, starting with maybe the biggest, the Star Wars theme. Many more from that film plus classics like Jaws and Indiana Jones also feature on what is a brilliantly nostalgic collection.

Review: Final Symphony II delves deeper into the cherished melodies of the Final Fantasy series. Renowned composers Roger Wanamo and Jonne Valtonen skillfully craft rich and intricate arrangements of Nobuo Uematsu's iconic compositions from FF5, 8 & 9. Additionally, Masashi Hamauzu offers a captivating suite inspired by his monumental original score for Final Fantasy XIII, while Valtonen sets the tone with his atmospheric opening piece 'In a Roundabout Way - Fanfare'. Pianist Mischa Cheung shines brightly in the spotlight, captivating audiences with his masterful performances in 'For the People of Gaia' and the emotive solo arrangement 'You Are Not Alone'.

Review: Let's face it, Hollywood director Christopher Nolan broke the mould with his re-envisioning of Batman. Taking things closer to the original comic books, themselves forced to 'go soft' by censors in the early-1950s, his films payed direct tribute to the saga's direction from the mid-1970s onwards. A trilogy of movies that were visually arresting, tonally dystopian, and viciously unhinged. It's not clear if we'll ever get a superhero (or anti-hero) film series of that class and calibre again, the world on screen so immersive you quickly feel like a Gotham native. A big part of that universe-building comes through the music, which enlists two of the greatest names in the history of soundtracks to help weave the tales. Hans Zimmer has composed for more than 150 films, James Newton Howard in excess of 100. This compilation of their shared caped crusader efforts proves why they're so well respected.