Back catalogue: Modern Classical

Review: Rafet's You Are In The Embrace Of The History is a thought-provoking debut released on Research Records, where Daniel Rafet Grima delves into ambient and drone music with a sense of reverence for ancestral memory. Side-1 begins with the title track, a piece that carries an air of longing and introspection. The atmosphere is rich with layers of ambient sound and chamber music depths. The next song featuring DGrima, adds another dimension with its haunting, immersive quality. On Side-2, Iti's remix introduces a delicate piano melody and a subtle beat, infusing the original with a fresh, creative energy. In contrast, Kuniyuki Takahashi's remix takes a more abstract approach, deconstructing the track into an intriguing exploration of sound and texture. You Are In The Embrace Of The History is a meditative and deeply reflective work that resonates with both beauty and depth.

Review: The celebrated 'Live from Studio S2' performance is now available on vinyl once more featuring all four tracks from the session, including the unreleased 'Hawaii Oslo' and 'Glass'. Premiered on the Gondwana Records YouTube channel back in 2021, this session has since picked up over three million views and captivated fans worldwide in the process. It was recorded this session at the Berlinale Film Festival's EFM sessions in Studio S2 in Warsaw, where Hania Rani had previously recorded for her debut album Esja. The set includes new arrangements of beloved tracks that are all sumptuous and beautiful.

Review: Max Richter's latest work Sleep: Tranquillity Base first arrived on Deutsche Grammophon for World Sleep Day. Ot is a thirty minute work split across two parts and are inspired by the moon landings. It is music that "functions as a vessel that disconnects and travels through the body of work, allowing art to provide something which resembles peace within ourselves." It also comes with a couple of belting remixes from much loved contemporary innovators Alva Noto and Kelly Lee Owens. There is a reason Max Richter is so well revered and his music has had over three billion streams and this EP is one of them.

Review: The state51 Conspiracy label comes very much correct early on in the New Year with this two-track grey marbled vinyl 12" in a fancy spot-varnished sleeve. It takes the form of two fresh Santaka reworks of original compositions by Rytis Mazulis and avant-garde choir Melos Collective which were first released back in 2020. Santaka, which means "confluence" in Lithuanian, is the coming together of DJ and producer Manfredas and drummer and producer Marijus Aleksa and here they layer up disembodied vocals and dark jazz melodies on 'Ramybe' and then 'Autoportretas' is a textural ambient exploration packed with fascinating sound designs.

Review: It's fair to say Placelessness is the work of an Australian experimental supergroup. Oren Ambarchi has been a towering figure of hyper-minimalism since the mid-80s, most notably creating tense and elongated stretches of recordings and performance using guitar tone. Robbie Avenaim is an accomplished experimental drummer, and Chris Abrahams heads up The Necks. That's a very condensed biography for three incredibly accomplished musicians who finally make good on years of live collaborations and criss-crossed pathways to deliver a stunning album which brings their respective qualities into sharp relief, somehow fuller than their solo efforts without losing the vital subtlety and patience which has guided them to greatness.

Review: Vrioon was the first ever collaboration album between Alva Noto and legendary synth man and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. 20 years after it became the first instalments of V.I.R.U.S.'s five records together it gets the full reissue treatment. The original tracks from the album are joined by an all new composition 'Landscape Skizze' which was laid down in 2005. The record is defined by alternate piano chords, lush electronic tones and quivering timbres that are delicate yet impactful.

Review: A cinematic sensation and an instant classic and record breaker, Disney's animated movie 'Frozen' celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year with this special zoetrope double picture disc featuring scenes from one of the, now, most iconic movies of all time moving before your eyes. Included is, of course, Idina Menzel's award-winning score 'Let it Go' which charted around the world and wormed its way into the ears of parents to this day. Not to be slept on, though, is Demi Lovato's rendition that plays over the credits sequence or 'Fixer Upper', the jovial chorus musical number.The perfect Christmas gift for the fan in your life, and trust us, there is statistically one somewhere, no matter how old.

Review: Hardanger is a collaboration between Mariska Baars, Niki Jansen and Rutger Zuydervelt. Named after Jansen's Hardanger fiddle, the album expands on Baars and Zuydervelt's established chemistry after beginning as Jansen's improvisations with Baars adding vocals and guitar, all later shaped by Zuydervelt into two long-form tracks-one an electro-acoustic collage, the other more meditative. Baars blends ambient and folk and is known for collaborating with artists like Peter Broderick, while Jansen is a folk violinist and Zuydervel's prolific output as Machinefabriek is well worth checking as are his film scores and collabs as Piiptsjilling and Fean with Baars.

Review: In a first-time collaboration, psychedelic trance godhead Simon Posford (best known as Hallucinogen and a founding member of Shpongle) teams up with fellow hippie and flutist Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield) on a welling improvisatory record, Improvisations For Piano And Flute. Though both are highly esteemed artists in their respective micro-corners of the electronic music scene, Posford and Rothfield both depart significantly from their usually danceable ends for a living-room recorded set of ambiences. With a synth placed atop an antique Bluthner piano, Raj and Simon would join in after the other first begun playing, delivering a 44-minute effluence for the spontaneous soul.

Review: This is the CD version of Ghosts, the third solo album from Polish pianist and composer Hania Rani, courtesy of Mathew Halsall's Gondwana. It comes after an artist residency in Switzerland in an abandoned sanitarium amongst the mountains so is inspired by the numerous rumoured ghosts that inhabit the hills. Lead singles 'Hello' and 'Dancing with Ghosts' take drastically different approaches, with the former being an electro-ambient take on lounge jazz sensibilities and 'Dancing with Ghosts' being a moody and grumbling duet ballad with Patrick Whatson. The whole album has a lingering sense of finality and creeping doom and is another absorbing listen from front to back.

Review: Ghosts is the third solo album from Polish pianist and composer Hania Rani. It comes after an artist residency in Switzerland in an abandoned sanitarium amongst the mountains so is inspired by the numerous rumoured ghosts that inhabit the hills. Lead singles 'Hello' and 'Dancing with Ghosts' take drastically different approaches, with the former being an electro-ambient take on lounge jazz sensibilities and 'Dancing with Ghosts' being a moody and grumbling duet ballad with Patrick Whatson. The whole album has a lingering sense of finality and creeping doom, but with keys, strings and layered vocals making for a brilliantly atmospheric and moving listen.

Review: Hania Rani has a knack for blending the ethereal with the intimate, and her latest offering, Nostalgia, captures that perfectly. This is her first live album, but it's much more than just a performance recording. Filmed at the Polish Radio studios in Warsaw, it feels like a love letter to a place steeped in history and meaning for her. The space itself, with all its ghosts and hidden stories, becomes a character in the album, lending an air of mystery and depth to Rani's signature mix of piano, voice, and electronics. Nostalgia moves through delicate melodies and cinematic arrangements, with Rani's touch feeling both familiar and experimental. She brings the studio's spirit alive, layering sound and memory in a way that feels both spontaneous and deliberate. This isn't just a snapshot of a live show; it's an immersive, intimate dive into Rani's creative world. With its mix of lush textures and haunting vocals, Nostalgia solidifies her status as an artist who can create both in the moment and with timeless grace.

Review: Hana Rani presents Nostalgia, a live album recorded at Witold Lutoslawski's Concert Studio at the Polish Radio in Warsaw, captured in breath-held detail, shortly after the release of her third solo album Ghosts. An homage to the Polish radio station, Rani describes the nine-piece record as a response to her visitation in 2018, just before the release of her debut record Esja. Soon establishing a recording studio in the proximate municipality of Mokotow, Rani channelled Polish Radio's historic broadcast energies into a locus of inspiration; Nostalgia builds on this in concert, in turn responding to a set of personal video recordings and photographs taken on a quiet, snowy day in the building. Weaving tinkling, clastic acoustic and electric piano around intervalent drones, and backed up by a string ensemble, Rani sound-paints a unique picture of Polish radiophonic history through a personal lens.

Review: Was there anyone who combined soul and synth pop this well with such expert instrumentation as this band?! This collection captures two iconic sessions for the John peel show recorded during the early 1980s, showcasing a beloved band at their creative peak. Remastered for a fresh listen, the album highlights their ability to craft memorable melodies and intricate synth-driven soundscapes. The funky, melodic opener boasts a strong chorus and infectious groove, setting the tone for an engaging journey through soulful pop. An upbeat, feel-good gem in 'Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives ' follows, blending frenetic rhythms with shimmering synth textures that radiate warmth and optimism. An important hit for the band, 'Wishful Thinking' demonstrates clever songwriting and a catchy structure that's impossible to resist, solidifying its place as a synth pop classic. The collection also includes a stunning downtempo track with 'Watching The Rainclouds' , rich with soulfulness and unique instrumentation, showing the band's range and ability to evoke deep emotion through delicate melodies and expressive keyboard work. This compilation is a fantastic snapshot of their evolution and a reminder of their enduring influence. Fans old and new will find much to love in this expertly curated and beautifully remastered release. China Crisis continues to be more respected as time goes on.

Review: This album marks a departure for Rauelsson, embracing simplicity and minimalism to create an atmosphere of silence and solitude. 'Niu' is a predominantly raw and acoustic recording, a nine-song journey through orchestral compositions, delicate synth miniatures, and sparse brass and woodwind drones. The album features a diverse range of instrumentation, including orchestral pieces like 'Prelude No. 7', airy synth arpeggios and fairytale flute compositions with guest flutist Heather Woods Broderick. Katrine Grarup Elbo lends her voice to a spoken-word piece, adding another layer of depth to this introspective and evocative album. Recorded primarily in Sofia and Berlin, 'Niu' is a fantastic illustration of Rauelsson's artistry and ability to create music that's both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Review: Rain and experimental music have long shared an intriguing connection. Hanns Eisler's 1941 work "ierzehn Arten, den Regen zu beschreiben explored rain's musical qualities while later artists like The Beatles and David Toop found inspiration in its rhythms. Today, amidst pressing climate change, rain's once poetic allure has dimmed. However, Razen's album Rain Without Rain, which was recorded in an abandoned Dusseldorf tunnel, revisits rain's musical potential. Blending early electronics and traditional instruments, the Brussels collective led by Brecht Ameel and Kim Delcour captures raw acoustics in unconventional spaces and cook up a unique soundscape that thrives on restraint and silence.

Review: Samuel Reinhard's latest release, Movement, feels like a deep dive into the possibilities of space, texture, and repetition. Known for his intricate chamber compositions, Reinhard steps into electroacoustic territory, crafting a piece that's as much about what isn't there as what is. The title track 'No. 1', at a staggering 20 minutes, unfolds at a near-glacial pace. Piano notes decay as they meet fragments of cello, bass flute, double bass, baritone sax, and harp - all contributing to a sonic landscape where time feels stretched. The minimalist arrangement isn't about creating immersive soundscapes but rather letting each note breathe, decay, and be accompanied by the physical actions that produced them. It's a stark reminder that silence, or near-silence, can be just as powerful as sound. In keeping with his usual method, Reinhard uses a predetermined system to arrange these instrumental recordings. It's not the grand layering of instruments into a single cohesive whole, but rather the augmentation of subtle textures, crafting a free-floating counterpoint. There's no rush to move from one point to the next, leaving listeners to focus on the resonance of each note, the breath that fills an instrument, or the bow held in mid-air. As with previous releases on Hallow Ground and Prasens Editionen, including names like Lawrence English and Kali Malone, Movement is an exploration of perception, duration, and attention. Reinhard has produced a suite that manages to evoke both stillness and motion - a paradox that's central to his compositional style.

Review: Fans of this album originally from 1960 need this new reissue in their lives: it is part of the RCA Living Stereo classical LP series which those in the know recognise as the best in the game when it comes to top-quality orchestral performance and sound. It has been remastered from original master tapes and comes on hefty 200g vinyl for the ultimate listening experience. It finds Respighi, the Chicago Symphony and Fritz Reiner really setting a standard for classical music with thundering bass drum, crashing cymbals and gongs next to bellowing brass all jumping right out of the speakers.

Review: Finish dub techno powerhouse Joachim Spieth welcomes UK artist Rhubiqs to his well-regarded Affin label for a debut appearance that sinks you into a widescreen world of ambient lushness. His Aegis of Silence album takes cues from divergent sounds like post-rock and soft ambient as well as drone and even modern classical. It's an ever-shifting soundscape with smeared pads and nostalgia dreams, half-remembered thoughts and a sense of mood that ranges from escapist and blissed out to more ominous and paranoid.

Review: There have been some incredible movies made about memory over the years. We had Arnold Schwarzenegger missioning to Mars to find his brain (well, the remembering part anyway) in Total Recall, and a piss poor reboot a few decades later. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind asked us all to really think about the value of memory and its ability to hurt and heal. Overboard positioned Goldie Hawn as amnesiac getting a lesson in humility from the carpenter she was horrible to. We can add to that The Almond & The Seahorse, a 2022 film that focused on two couples coping with their inability to make new memories. Weird, at times wonderful, by drafting Gruff Rhys in for the score the producers were guaranteed a soundtrack that would be every bit as unique as the plot. Form haunting, melodic pianos to touches of 1960s pop rendered raw and rough.

Review: Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn reunite for new album Quiet in a World Full of Noise, which is driven by their shared curiosity and desire to defy genre conventions. Following their 2022 collaboration Pigments, this new work together blends atmospheric, orchestral soundscapes with soulful jazz and intimate, confessional vocals and the result is a raw and exposed performance from Richard who delivers stark lyricism that feels both personal and profound. The album redefines the worlds of progressive, avant-garde r&b and jazz with an ethereal yet grounded approach, heavenly melodies and plenty of wide open space in which to luxuriate. By merging the familiar with the unexpected, this fine pair create a sound that makes a lasting impression.

Review: Max Richter's album, In A Landscape, is his ninth studio effort, and has been recorded at his Studio Richter Mahr in Oxfordshireia space designed with his wife, artist Yulia Mahr. This album marks a significant chapter in Richter's illustrious career. Described by Richter as a exploration of "reconciling polarities," weaves together electronic textures with acoustic instrumentation, bridging the human with the natural world and addressing life's profound questions alongside its simple pleasures. Richter elaborates that the album continues the thematic exploration begun with his 2004 work, The Blue Notebooks, but viewed through the lens of contemporary life. The lead track, 'Movement, Before All Flowers,' exemplifies this blend of depth and delicacy, offering a look into Richter's contemplation on existence and the passage of time. In A Landscape is not just a musical journey but a reflective self-portrait. It shows a composer ever in dialogue with the world around him.

Review: Spring has sprung, and for many, Vivaldi's original 'Spring' composition might have just as quickly sprung into the minds of most classical heads. But perhaps most of y'all didn't see this one coming. We were bowled over on hearing news of Max Richter's electronic recompositions of Vivaldi's 'Seasons' 10 years ago; there hadn't been a proper vogue for electronic resources of classical music since Wendy Carlos did 'Switched-On Bach'. Now it gets another 'alternative rendering' (keyword: rendering); performed by an ensemble that almost entirely consists of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse musicians, we hear yet another futuristic take on a stone cold classic, with Richter himself playing a vintage '70s Moog.

Review: Max Richter's ninth solo album, In A Landscape, is his first recorded at his tranquil new studio in rural Oxfordshire, Studio Richter Mahr, which is a minimalist, eco-conscious retreat he shares with his wife. The album explores "reconciling polarities" and blends electronic and acoustic elements with the human experience and elements from the natural world. Comprising 19 exquisitely well-crafted and coherent tracks, this record serves as a reflective counterweight to the urgency of previous projects and focuses on Richter's immediate surroundings and a range of influences from Bach to Keats. In capturing moments of introspection using a simple palette of string quintet, piano, organ, and analogue synths, Richter impresses once again here.

Review: Originally released way back in 1969, Terry Riley's "A Rainbow In Curved Air" album remains one of the minimal maestro's most significant works. Crafted using overdubbing techniques, the three-movement title track features Riley playing layer upon layer of electric organ and electric Harpsichord motifs to create a hypnotic, Indian style raga. It was hugely influential at the time - inside and outside of the emerging minimalism scene - and later influenced the ambient and ambient house movements. Here it gets the audiophile reissue treatment, with the title track once again being joined by original flipside "Poppy Nogood & The Phantom Band" - a trippy wig-out in which Riley pays tribute to soprano saxophonist John Coltrane over more hypnotic, fast-past organ refrains.

Review: Space ambient stalwart Steve Roach first released Dreamtime Return in 1988, seemingly a long time ago, yet in a galaxy not so far away. It's since earned its reputation as a genuine classic; the two-CD magnum opus is one of the most important, widely known and highly respected releases in Steve Roach's vast body of work. Emergent from Roach's travels in the Australian outback, along with studies of the Aboriginal dreamtime, and his desert walkabouts in California, all such influences were the key threshers of this recording, which even today sounds like a transmission from both the near future and the very distant past. A fortnight's worth of tracks hear Roach hankering after a rhythmick, spatio-temporal everywhen, musing on suspended time and desert wanderings through scape-spanning chords and boundlessly exponential decays via a distinctly 80s drum bank. He takes only a few relatively muted, percussive and turbid detours on redoubts like 'Songline' and 'Red Twilight With The Old Ones'.

Review: A quadruple box set spanning recordings made between 1968 and 1980 on two-track Revox tape, these previously unreleased works showcase the hypnotic cycles and textural explorations that define kosmische musik. Using his signature Farfisa organ and Echolette tape delay, the pieces evoke the spirit of Roedelius' Selbstportrait series and collaborations with Dieter Moebius and Michael Rother. Rather than a strict retrospective, 90 feels like a timeless sound journey, blending cascading minimalist loops with the organic warmth that has inspired generations. Tracks are unnamed and unmoored from chronology, allowing the listener to experience them as fluid expressions of Roedelius's artistry. The music recalls the meditative brilliance of contemporaries like Terry Riley, while firmly rooted in the experimental ethos of early German electronic music. Released to celebrate Roedelius's 90th birthday, this collection is both a celebration and a rediscovery, offering a vivid portrait of a visionary artist. 90 is a masterclass in innovation and introspection, essential for fans of kosmische and beyond.

Review: In a collaboration for the ages, we hear German kosmische musician Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Cluster, Harmonia) team up with Japanese flutist Yuko Matsuzaki and Berlin Philharmonic analog musician sound engineer Onnen Bock for a nacreous improv blast. Spanning soft, pearly electronica and neoclassical, Moon Garden comprises five works, incorporating techniques and fragments of songs already released. A mythical aura unfurls through synth koto and organic harmonics; 'In The Forest Of Syrinx' establishes a singing bowled, new age aesthetic, segueing into the purely vocal threnody 'Sapphire Jellyfish'. Bridging electronic washes, piano and female vocals, this is a borderless soundscape of exciting proportions.

Review: Polish audio artist and sound designer Wojciech Rubin apparently draws a lot of inspiration from gnostic texts. If that's your blank drawn, we're talking about a collection of religious beliefs that took root in the first century AD and pointed to humankind's salvation coming through knowledge, as oppose to faith. To quote South Park, "we didn't listen" and so we are where we are today. Thankfully, at least someone remembers this moment in the story of civilisation, although you'll need to listen pretty closely to spot how this has influenced Rusin. Nevertheless, Honey For The Ants is captivating stuff, giving us powerful and somewhat spiritual vocal solos, meandering piano wonders, droning didgeridoos, soft string movements and a sense of the fantastical, forgotten, and dreamt throughout.

Review: Fargo Year Five is the fifth instalment of the acclaimed series Fargo and it debuted on screens back in November 21, 2023, and rolled out ten more gripping episodes. Continuing the tradition, Jeff Russo crafted the captivating music for this season, as he did for the preceding four. Notably, Russo clinched the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special in 2017 for his exceptional work on Fargo. Besides his prowess in television composition, Russo is revered as one of the founding members of the band Tonic, showcasing his multifaceted talent across various facets of the music industry, and this score is as good as all the ones that came before it.

Review: RZA has always been an interesting character who has dabbled in many different projects alongside his legendary presence as part of the Wu-Tang Crew. For this new album, he makes his first foray into the world of classical music and fans have already dubbed it a masterpiece. It's an emotional rollercoaster with turbulent moods, beautiful finales, and plenty in between, all of which have been designed as a way of attempting to get people into classical music who might previously have ignored the genre. It will surely work wonders on that front.