Back catalogue: Classical

Review: The absorbing Crescendo album is the fruit of a collaboration between Swedish producers Emil Holmstrom and Peter Wikstrom of Ecovillage. They are joined by a talented ensemble of musicians who all share a passion for improvisation and experimentation. Recorded between 2019 and 2022 in Los Angeles and Umea in Sweden, the album explores a fusion of jazz and ambient and as it goes it aims to break new ground and challenge conventional ambient music. Featuring ten tracks, each of which offers a unique mood and style, Crescendo ranges from uplifting and energetic compositions to mellow and dreamy soundscapes. With vocals spanning soft whispers to powerful chants, the artists' creative vision and spirit is well reflected.

Review: Stockholm-based composer Isak Edberg's second release on XKatedral - arguably the finest contemporary classical label in the Swedish capital. This time round we're given two extended pieces, running towards 30-minutes each, both of which are instrumentals and focused largely on minimalist piano notes, meaning the use of space and emptiness is also prominent. The title track, which opens the package, sets the tone and pace well, with each key allowed to breathe, refrains hanging on by a thin echo fading into the deep expanse of nothingness that seems to sit behind the instrument itself. 'Vestiges' complements this perfectly, again ensuring there's plenty of what's not happening in between the staccato off-keys. Fully committing to a more experimental side of the new classical spectrum, it's one you'll want to keep revisiting again and again.

Review: Ludovico Einaudi returns with a deeply nostalgic new album that effortlessly captures the essence of childhood summers that are filled with freedom, discovery and fleeting moments of joy. Known for his evocative, minimalist compositions, Einaudi blends delicate piano melodies with rich and atmospheric textures here in a soundtrack for reflection and memory. The album's warm soundscapes evoke the golden light of late afternoons and the quiet serenity of nature - all things we can relate to even if we never actually lived them. Presented on eco-friendly FSC-certified materials, The Summer Portraits is both a tribute to the past and a celebration of timeless experiences and, as Einaudi expresses, "To our summers... endless memories."

Review: Iconic movie classic Beetlejuice is back and we for one have enjoyed its return. Tim Burton's 1988 cult classic has been reimagined for modern audiences in 2014 and came complete with a new soundtrack. The original score, composed by the legendary Danny Elfman, blends whimsical melodies with eerie undertones, perfectly capturing the film's quirky and haunting vibe. Highlights of the original include Elfman's iconic main titles, which have become synonymous with Burton's gothic style. The new soundtrack also features standout tracks like Alfie Davis & The Sylvia Young Theatre School Choir's rendition of 'Day-O' and Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting," adding fresh dimensions to this timeless, offbeat classic.

Review: Lawrence Englsh's new album was born out of a commission by curator Jonathan Wilson to create a sound environment for the Naala Badu building at the Art Gallery of NSW. It is a deeply atmospheric album that explores the relationship between sound and architecture and reflects the building's design, with its name meaning "seeing water" in the Gadigal language. The piece was crafted with a collaborative spirit by incorporating contributions from a diverse group of artists including Amby Downs, Claire Rousay and Jim O'Rourke. The resulting composition blends ambient textures and long-form sound prompts that capture the essence of place as an evolving, subjective experience. It's a work that highlights the porous nature of sound, and as a standalone work also succeeds in sinking you in deep.

Review: A true enigma, an artist that represents all that was fascinating and romantic and alluring and intriguing about 20th Century sounds, Brian Eno was always going to need a feature length documentary, when the time was right. Premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Eno, Gary Hustwit's ode to the man, myth and legend, wowed critics and blew audiences away. Not least because it uses a computer programme which selects footage and edits the movie so a different version is shown at every screening. Innovation befitting Eno, removing the visuals and focusing on the sounds readjusts our vision to bring Eno into greater focus. The breadth of what's on this soundtrack is remarkable, from upfront indie on 'Stiff' and the weird folk-pop of 'Spinning Away', a John Cale collaboration, the ghostly post-rave of 'Cmon' with Fred Again, spectacular pianos of 'Motion In The Field', ethereal ambient vocals on 'There Were Bells', the angular punk dominating 'Third Uncle' - we could go on, and on, and on.

Review: Roger and brother Brian Eno have already assured their legacy as pioneers of experimental ambient music. Mixing Colours was their first album on Deutsche Grammophon and this reissue reminds us why the par are so well known for revolutionising music-Brian through innovative pop treatments and Roger with ambient synth/piano works. This collaboration reflects their shared genius and guides you through rich soundscapes blending mood and place into immersive auditory experiences. Crafted over several years, this poetic collection highlights the brothers' mastery and is a deep dive into ambient sound.