Capitol Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Ill Communication, the Beastie Boys' fourth studio album, remains a hallmark of their creative versatility. Released in 1994, this groundbreaking record merges hip-hop with punk rock, jazz, and funk, marking a significant shift towards live instrumentationia progression from their previous album, Check Your Head. Co-produced by the Beasties and Mario C, the album showcases their talent for genre-blending, featuring iconic tracks like the explosive 'Sabotage,' the funky 'Get It Together' with Q-Tip, and the raw 'Do It' with Biz Markie. The album also includes jazzy breakbeat grooves such as 'Root Down' and 'The Scoop,' along with instrumental jazz-funk tracks like 'Ricky's Theme' and 'Sabrosa,' and even nods to their punk roots with 'Heart Attack Man.' With further contributions from Money Mark, Eric Bobo, and Amery 'AWOL' Smith, Ill Communication is a testament to the Beastie Boys' ability to innovate. Now available on cassette for the first time ever, it continues to resonate as one of the band's most diverse and celebrated works.

Review: Beastie Boys' classic 1994 album, Ill Communication, is getting a special deluxe edition reissue on vinyl to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The remastered 3xLP set resurrects a rare version initially released as a limited run in 2009 that includes 12 bonus tracks - rarities, a live version of Check Your Head's 'The Maestro,' B-sides, and remixes - all adding to what is already a spectacularly varied and wonderfully sprawling album. Ill Communication was the fourth studio album by the New York-based hip-hop ensemble, featuring hit singles like 'Sabotage' and 'Get It Together.' This reissue follows recent re-releases of other Beastie Boys' albums, including Hello, Nasty and Check Your Head and further highlights the group's 'giants of the 90s' status.

Review: This beautifully curated collection spans the Bee Gees' remarkable career. Selected by co-founder Barry Gibb and released on limited clear & translucent blue vinyl, this set is a celebration of the trio's enduring legacy, featuring 21 of their most iconic tracks in chronological order. The compilation opens with the early hit 'Spicks and Specks' (1966), showcasing their early Australian success, before transitioning into timeless classics like 'To Love Somebody' and 'Massachusetts'. The Bee Gees' evolution into disco legends is marked by the infectious energy of 'Stayin' Alive', 'Night Fever' and 'How Deep Is Your Love' from Saturday Night Fever, tracks that became cultural anthems in the late 70s. The album also features later gems like 'Too Much Heaven' and 'Tragedy', which highlight their ability to blend lush harmonies with catchy hooks. Closing with the 1987 hit 'You Win Again', this compilation reinforces their musical brilliance, even in their later years. Barry Gibb's personal touch in the song selection adds a layer of intimacy and nostalgia to the album. A fitting tribute to this legendary trio.

Review: Alligator Bites Never Heal sees Doechii at her most introspective and ambitious, a 19-track mixtape (and now LP) where vulnerability takes centre stage. Departing from her club-ready bangers she explores raw themes of loss, pressure and self-worth. Opener 'Stanka Pooh' dives deep into spiralling anxieties but Doechii's wit keeps things balanced as she snaps back with her signature humour. Tracks like 'Bullfrog' and 'Nissan Altima' are drenched in Tampa's humid, swampy vibes while moments like 'Bloom' and 'Beverly Hills' highlight her melodic strengths. Navigating between raunchy bravado and emotional honesty, Doechii proves she's an artist defying any box.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve split on the bottom but otherwise in excellent condition***


Alligator Bites Never Heal sees Doechii at her most introspective and ambitious, a 19-track mixtape (and now LP) where vulnerability takes centre stage. Departing from her club-ready bangers she explores raw themes of loss, pressure and self-worth. Opener 'Stanka Pooh' dives deep into spiralling anxieties but Doechii's wit keeps things balanced as she snaps back with her signature humour. Tracks like 'Bullfrog' and 'Nissan Altima' are drenched in Tampa's humid, swampy vibes while moments like 'Bloom' and 'Beverly Hills' highlight her melodic strengths. Navigating between raunchy bravado and emotional honesty, Doechii proves she's an artist defying any box.

Review: Rotten Apples chronicles a decade of the band's evolution from their debut album Gish to their final album Machina/The Machines of God. This compilation features quintessential tracks like 'Cherub Rock,' 'Today,' 'Zero,' and 'Stand Inside Your Love,' showcasing Billy Corgan's emotive vocals, powerful guitars, and dynamic drum beats. The album balances heavy, angst-filled anthems with softer, more melodic pieces like 'Tonight, Tonight' and 'Try, Try, Try.' The band's journey is reflected in their music, from their meteoric rise with Siamese Dream to their struggles with personal turmoil. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin's heroin overdose and the tragic death of keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin nearly led to the band's collapse, but they rebounded with the critically acclaimed Adore album. Despite disbanding in 2000, this greatest hits collection ensures their legacy remains intact.

Review: Since appearing on Gorillaz fifth album, Humanz, in 2017, Kali Uchis has been on an upward trajectory. Now a major international star with a quartet of major label backed solo albums to her name, the Colombian American rapper and singer arrives at album number five, Sincerely, at the peak of her powers. Inspired in part by an unexplained "life-altering event", the set's lyrics explore "the complexities of life" and her desire to "find joy in life despite of the world". In truth, it's more joy than pain, with Uchis gravitating towards head-nodding, string-laden grooves, r&b-influenced pop, guitar-laden trip-hop torch songs, and immersive, dream-like soundscapes.

Review: Kali Uchis has always had a gift for building dreamy, insular worlds, but her fifth studio album feels like a quiet reckoning. She channels existential uncertainty into lush, open-hearted pop i a mix of glittery r&b, woozy soul, and downcast slow jams that seem to float between time zones. Written in the aftermath of what she's described as a "life-altering" experience, there's a newfound stillness here. 'Sunshine & Rain...' is all candlelight and quiet yearning, its soft-focus production the perfect backdrop for a voice that's more hushed and inward than ever. 'ILYSMIH' (short for "I love you so much it hurts") doubles down on vulnerability, with lyrics that feel read straight from a diary, tangled up in delay-drenched strings and pillowy keys. There's punchier stuff too i 'Territorial' and 'Daggers!' lean towards funk and psychedelia, but the tempo never really rises. Instead, the energy folds inwards. 'Silk Lingerie,' 'Lose My Cool,' and 'It's Just Us' feel like whispered confessions, suspended between dream and memory. Across all 14 tracks, there's a strong sense of intimacy and solitude: of letters written and maybe never sent, of a person quietly finding the strength to stay soft in a world that rarely offers the same back.

Review: The Bridgerton Season 3 soundtrack continues the series' tradition of blending regency-era elegance with modern pop hits. Season 3 focuses on the romance between Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton), featuring string covers of iconic songs and the series' first-ever original track, 'All I Want,' performed by Tori Kelly. Episode highlights include Gayle's 'Abcdefu,' BTS's 'Dynamite,' Nick Jonas's 'Jealous,' and Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey's 'Snow on the Beach.' Billie Eilish's 'Happier Than Ever' and Sia's 'Cheap Thrills' also shine, while Coldplay's 'Yellow' and Ellie Goulding's 'Lights (Stripped Down)' close out the season beautifully. Available on wedding band-coloured vinyl, not something we get to say very often.