Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Conjunto Medialuna's latest album on Little Beat More is a direct trip to the heart of Bogota's rich cumbia scene. The record blends traditional rhythms with psychedelic influences driven by the Colombian accordion and ecstatic percussion that is so strongly associated with this style. These are two of the jams from it, but frankly you should also check out the full LP. It's a tribute to the guacharaca and the lively street parrandas where each song explores new interpretations of classic sounds. Featuring collaborations with N. Hardem, Mismo Perro, Son Rompe Pera, MC Hydro and Japanese-Latin percussionist Muupy, Noches de Medialuna, it transcends cultural boundaries and joins the dots between traditional and modern urban Latin music which is now so hugely popular around the world.

Review: There have now been almost 100 hundred entries on Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series and as far as we can tell not one of them has been a dud. This time they opt for a big and airy soul sound from The Harmony Cats. They were an all female vocal quintet that hailed from Sao Paulo and banded together in 1976. Most prolific in the disco days, the b-side here is their best known tune outside of Brazil. It's got a cosmic breakbeat and light vocals that soar to the skies. A-side 'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' is a just as sweet sound that transports you to Latin America in an instant.

Review: The Brazil45 series has always been pure gold and now come a pair f beauties from Harmony Cats, a vocal quintet-turned-trio from Sao Paulo known for their disco-era hits. Harmony Cats' 'Theme' from 1976 is their most recognised track outside Brazil and is inspired by Rhythm Heritage's Barretta's Theme with its spacey breakbeats, lush vocals and percussive flair, all of which have made it a true crossover classic. On the B-side, 'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' delivers an exuberant Brazilian twist on The Jacksons' 'Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)'- it's a guaranteed floor-filler with radiant disco energy and Harmony Cats' signature vocal style.

Review: While best known for their funk and soul reissues, Dynamite Cuts do frequently dig deeper and look further afield for musical inspiration. They're at it again here, offering up a lavishly packaged "45" featuring two killer cuts from Brazilian saxophonist and flautist Hector Costita's jazz-funk/jazz-fusion album 1981 (which, you guessed it, was first released in 1981). A-side 'Avessos' is warming, gentle and groovy, with Costita's jaunty sax motifs rising above a samba-jazz beat, restless triangle percussion and some seriously toasty electric piano lines. 'Divagacao' is a more up-tempo nd rhythmically interesting affair that reminded us of Azymuth while also boasting some genuinely dazzling sax solos.

Review: Some expansive, cinematic, orchestral spiritual jazz for you here, from the trio of talents that Fumio Itabashi, Kuniyiki and Henrik Schwarz. While the latter two are generally better-known for their deep and sometimes tech-tinged house and ambient productions, the original mix of 'Watarese' (featured here on side B) is a dense, immersive jazz soundscape laden with evocative Japanese vocals, improvised piano, moody orchestration and definite nods towards vintage free-jazz. Spiritual Life supremo Joaquin 'Joe' Clausell provides the remix and, somewhat predictably, steals the show. His take is gently rhythmic, sun-splashed spiritual jazz full of hand percussion, fluid piano motifs and rubbery double bass.

Review: The celebration of this series continues with a reissue of the second installment of the legendary Christmas salsa album. Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe returned here to bring the unique sounds that made Volume I a Latin music classic. For this one, Colon and Lavoe were joined by renowned cuatro player Yomo Toro and legendary percussionists Milton Cardona and Jose Mangual Jr. Together, they crafted salsa versions of beloved Puerto Rican Christmas songs while mixing traditional musica jibara with Cuban guaguanco, son montuno and African-American jazz. It delivers on all fronts with vibrant, festive blends that bring real Puerto Rican authenticity to salsa fans worldwide.

Review: Tigran Hamasyan's latest album, The Bird of a Thousand Voices, is his most ambitious work yet and one inspired by a traditional Armenian tale. This transmedia project includes a staged play that premiered at the Holland Festival back in June of this year plus two cinematic music videos, a documentary video, and an online game. The ancient firebird tale, passed down through spoken word over the generations, symbolises the modern world's quest for connection amidst ecological, psychological, and spiritual challenges. By blending Armenian traditional music with jazz improvisation, Tigran, who himself is one of today's most innovative jazz pianists, continues his artistic collaboration with filmmaker Ruben Van Leer to create unique musical experiences.

Review: Those interested in Japanese cartoons should know Space Adventure Cobra. First broadcast in 1982, it is now considered one of the country's finest animated TV series. This triple-vinyl box set celebrates Kentano Haneda and Yuji Ono's music from the series, combining compositions featured on the show with unheard extended versions and tracks that never made the cut first time round. Musically, it's a mix of Japanese disco, sax-sporting lounge jazz, jazz-funk, neo-classical movements and eccentric interludes, all doused in layers of cosmic dust and stargazing colour. The release also comes packaged with a 12-page booklet telling the story of the series and the making of the appealing, endlessly entertaining soundtrack.

Review: The original motion picture soundtrack for The Truck Turner delivers a thrilling blend of gritty funk, soul and high-energy jazz that perfectly complemented the 1974 blaxploitation classic. Composed by the great Isaac Hayes, the soundtrack is a dynamic showcase of his signature style that blends soulful melodies with intense orchestral arrangements. Tracks like 'Main Theme' and 'Breaking Into The Business' capture the raw energy and tension of the film while Hayes' deep voice and lush arrangements bring an added layer of sophistication to the score.

Review: The 20th Anniversary Edition of the Beyond Good & Evil official soundtrack offers a revitalised take on the game's original music. The soundtrack features a full orchestra which manages to preserve the intimate, improvised feel of the original compositions while adding new tracks recorded with unconventional instruments. Christophe Heral, the composer, speaks of the balance between modern orchestration and the quirky, spontaneous creativity that defined the 2003 release in the accompanying notes. With additions like a broken guitar and unique tuning, this anniversary edition celebrates the artistic spirit of the franchise and offers a fresh yet faithful homage to the original music.

Review: Habibi Funk does a great job of introducing or reacquainting the world with niche but rich musical scenes from all across the Arab world. This latest album takes us to the reggae sounds of Libya and specifically the work of Ibrahim Hesnawi, who is known amongst those who know as "The Father of Libyan Reggae." He draws on roots, dub and dancehall with a distinctive Arabic twist that plots a line from Tripoli to Kingston. This artist is so revered for the way he fused the those two musical worlds so effortlessly while colouring it with elements of jazz, soul and disco. An enchanting album that was first recorded more than 40 years ago.

Review: Pirates have always had a pretty rough time in the land of video games. On the face of it, there's so much about bandits-on-the-waves that should work perfectly for a playable adventure. And yet so few have managed to really crack the formula, save for the likes of Assassin's Creed Black Flag and Sid Meier's standard-bearing Pirates. Enter Skull & Bones, a high spec 2024 release which - having reportedly spent the best part of a decade in development hell - really wants to change the sketchy track record. Sadly, it only partly manages it, with reviews pointing to a title that's "almost great", but not really. Nevertheless, the aesthetics and effects have been praised, as has the music. Created by Tom Holkenborg, AKA Junkie XL, while much of it is relatively bombastic classical stuff, there's more than a garnish of experimentalism, ambient and avant garde here, too.

Review: How do you start describing the Mad Max universe to someone who's never been to the Mad Max universe? A relentless post-apocalyptic chase sequence across waterless badlands where H20, oil and ammo are the key motivators, alongside personal safety? A landmark science fiction that swerves high tech in favour of brute force and scavenged equipment and infrastructure? How about: a vision of a dried up, barren, desolate future where desertification and the absence of stuff are the defining factors? Australian cinema is at its best when opting for unsettling quiet and sparse settings, and Mad Max set a precedent for that. The modern incarnation of the 1979 original upped the special effects ante and made things a whole lot busier, but never lost that feeling of isolation and vulnerability. Now the latest instalment in the 21st Century series continues where predecessor, Fury Road, left off, and Tom Holkenborg clearly understands what it should mostly sound like. The dull thud of distant machines, a spluttering engine passing by, and near silent tension are the highlights here.

Review: Moviegoers have been obsessed with man v beast since the first cameras were rolling on the earliest motion pictures. Der Golem, a 1915 German silent film buy Paul Wegener, is often cited as the first example of an on-screen creature, and since then they have come thick, fast, and usually pretty scary. At least at first. Of all the monsters out there, though, none come close to the scale of King Kong. Well, OK, maybe Godzilla. The pair certainly give each other a run for their money in the size stakes, and they've been pitted against each other several times before. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is the latest incarnation of that premise, Adam Wingard's 2024 flick. Here's the soundtrack, which is as bombastic and thrilling as you would hope from a major blockbuster like this.

Review: Fans of this one have long been waiting for a reissue and it is now finally here. It's a soundtrack to the movie Marusa no Onna which was directed by Juzo Itami and was set in the National Tax Bureau Inspection Department. The film's main theme marks the start of the album with its epic sax melody. It really shows off Toshiyuki Honda's impressive sound and kicks off an immersive and evocative record that was first released back in 1987 and has been a real digger's delight ever since.

Review: .Hollywood heavyweight James Newton Howard has turned his hand to a wide variety of movie soundtrack styles in his tenure as one of the go-to names for Hollywood scores. Allow us a moment to reel off the names, or a few of them at least: Pretty Woman, The Fugitive, Space Jam, The Sixth Sense - a list that could go on, and on, but you get the point. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sits at the more pomp and ceremony-filled end of things, epic classical overtures that invoke a sense of adventure, overcoming adversity, mild peril and inner strength. Even when heard without the visual accompaniment of the film itself you can't get away from those feelings, making for a rousing and compelling listening experience.

Review: It looks like Damien Chazelle, the young, impressive director of Whiplash and the more recent La La Land, likes to surround himself with equally talented youngsters. For the latter film, he's chosen Justin Hurwitz to compose the score for his successful musical featuring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, and we have to say that this is a real keeper. There's a bit of everything in here, a little vintage pop, some classical elements here and there, but jazz is what's at the core of this original score, and that's why we think it's great. What's more, you can listen to Gosling and Stone sing on your turntables. Check it out.