New releases last four weeks: Modern Classical

Review: Survival horror franchise Alan Wake saw its second instalment in 2023, following the game series' 2010 debut. Again, we follow novelist Alan Wake, as he attempts to escape his imprisonment in an alternate dimension by penning a horror story about an FBI agent, Saga Anderson. Both a detective story and a shoot 'em up, the second game bolsters the franchise's neo-noir and gothic Midwestern tropes; the soundtrack is fittingly both lachrymose and chilling, with its contributing scorers - Petri Alanko, Old Gods Of Asgard, Jean Castel and more - portraying Nordic moods of modern, nailbiting mystery. Through stark, grim, minor-keyed anthems, trip-hop furrowers and trembly orchestral laments, we find dead bodies found in the woods, fight spriggan-esque creatures, and soak in moods of noir crime psychodrama, all chillingly captured in a single sonic melange.

Review: Billow Observatory returns to the fully ambient realms of their 2012 debut with a deeply introspective, percussion-free release that drifts through spectral soundscapes. Created by Jason Kolb and Jonas Munk, the duo's transatlantic collaboration has matured across four full-length albums marked by precision and emotional depth. Here, abandoning traditional structure, the album instead looks to harness the power of chance and randomness with shimmering guitar textures that crackle and dissolve like dust in water. It evokes a world slightly out of sync that is brooding, haunting and beautifully immersive while underlining their place as masters of refined, atmospheric ambient music.

Review: An experimental dark folk group from Wurzburg, Germany, Brannten Schnure's 2017 release gets a well-deserved reissue, retaining its distinctive experimental dark folk essence. The duo, Christian Schoppik and Katie Rich, crafts immersive soundscapes where traditional instruments, eerie vocals, and looped, crackling recordings converge. Tracks like 'Das Jungfrauliche Ohr' and 'Die Milchlinse' set the tone, blending atonal elements with haunting, dreamlike atmospheres. 'Die Geschandete Venus' takes a darker, more melancholic turn, with its slow, creeping build. On the B-side, tracks such as 'Der Kleinere Mit Gefleckten Linien Umgebene Papillonsflugel' offer intricate compositions that evoke a surreal, almost cinematic quality. With influences from Nico and Novy Svet, their music pours out and creates a world that's both unsettling and strangely beautiful.

Review: The third LP in the Chypho series from Jahbulon Records, Episodes in Oceanography, features striking cover art that helps make it another collector's gem. Chypho hails from Huntsville, Alabama and the music here does what it says not he tine - profiles an underwater world in painterly and immersive ambient tones. There are plenty of microscopic details that drift by, shimmering sun rays that piece the surface and implied rhythms that sway to and fro like the shifting sands of the ocean floor. It's a real soother for the soul but a great bit of nourishment for the mind.

Review: Chypho is on a roll with this super trio of albums on Jahbulon Records. The second album in the Episodes in Oceanography series, is another must-cop for ambient lovers and it is enhanced by striking cover art and great mastering. Hailing from Huntsville, Alabama, Chypho's music vividly explores an underwater world through immersive ambient tones and this edition captures subtle, microscopic details in deft melodies, with bright keys breaking the surface and supple rhythms swaying like ocean currents. It's a soothing journey for the soul, offering both relaxation and nourishment for the mind, and is a tranquil, yet thought-provoking place to get lost. Very nice indeed.

Review: Decca and CAM Sugar present the complete edition of Francois de Roubaix's historic La Scoumoune score, contracting unreleased tracks, demos, and alternate takes. The 1970 thriller, directed by Jose Giovanni and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, witnesses a small-time crook entangle himself in a torrid torsion of crime and fate, themes mirrored in de Roubaix's palpating score. Roubaix blended barrel organs, synths and unconventional sounds like rattles and springs, inculcating in the viewer the thrill of the chase, while the formal strategy to use entirely different instruments for each track went on to nail its touchstone status. Now a well of versatility, it comes regularly sampled in hip-hop and electronica; remixes by Alessandro Baldessari, Jean-Michel Bernard, and Benjamin de Roubaix, doing justice to a record whose very being seems to beg out loud for the remixing.

Review: Taylor Deupree and The Humble Bee have hooked up for their first collaborative album, Re: Case Studies, an immersive and pensive ambient beauty. It was originally conceived as a solo project and Deupree's abstract feedback loop-based compositions were shelved until discussions with the label prompted him to invite a collaborator. Craig Tattersall, aka The Humble Bee, responded with his own sonic interpretations and built on Deupree's foundations. The result is a cohesive yet distinct collaboration that honours the original while evolving into something new so what began as an unfinished idea is now a full-fledged and thoughtful, layered exploration of sound.

Review: Trying to figure out exactly when you'll stick on the soundtrack to Game of Thrones Season 7 isn't easy. But that's not to say Rabin Djawadi's epic score isn't something to behold. From the word go, this is adventurous stuff, rooted in classical but clearly inspired by visions of fantastical beasts, mythical lands and legendary quests. You almost feel like Cersei Lannister or Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen are about to knock on for their dinner. Like pretty much everything the Iranian-German film and TV composer touches - Clash of the Titans, Warcraft, Iron Man - there's little here you'd describe as subtle or understated. Even the more sweeping overtures sound like they were born for grand concert halls. So, providing you have the space at home, go for it.

Review: Djrum (Felix Manuel) presents his latest full album in six years, in what has been described as a "literal creative rebirth". Beginning in earnest in the 2020 COVID lockdown, this a record whose creation treads a path of almost archetypal infamy: all the best electronica albums, in our view, are born of hard-drive losses. And Djrum's hard-drive meltdown, of course, seemed to correspond to a literal collapse and renewal; such ostensible catastrophes are painful at first, but they tend to breed re-incarnal transformations. Reflecting in the shaking disaster-piece stutters of 'Three Foxes Chasing Each Other' to the ambi-spatially adept 'A Tune For Us', the record spans prodigious instrumentality and electronica abstractions, verging on speedcore, jazz and techno-halftime in places. From vinyl DJ to reckoner of hardcore musicianship.

Review: A deeply reflective solo piano album that bridges the ambient side of synthpop/electronic pioneer Foxx's career with classical music. Largely composed this in the quiet, early hours of the morning, following one of his rare live performances at Kings Place, London, he creates a serene and evocative experience. The stillness of dawn, when the piano faces a misty valley at sunrise, serves as the perfect backdrop for Foxx's contemplative compositions. The album reflects Foxx's thoughts on the enduring influence of time and the people we encounter. Each note seems to resonate with memories and fleeting moments, creating a sense of calm introspection. Drawing on his experience with electronic textures, Foxx seamlessly blends ambient sounds with classical motifs, resulting in a series of compositions that are both haunting and beautiful. Each piece offers a glimpse into Foxx's emotional landscape, where the echoes of past experiences intertwine with a peaceful acceptance of the present. A tranquil, elegant work.

Review: Some 37 haiku poems are given an avant-garde, 64-minute musical backing with translations from poet Harry Gilonis, on this unique project by composer and multi-instrumentalist Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow) and vocalist Atsuko Kamura. We hear a vignetting lingual interplay, with lines in English by Hodgkinson sung in Japanese by Kamura, as a wide instrumental span covers percussions, violin, viola, harp, clarinets, guitars and electronics result. Recorded between Tokyo and London, the album offers a startlingly satisfying sonic renga (a Japanese poetic form encompassing a succession of haikus), lending the brevity of classic haiku an expansive, stretched-out prosthesis. From the 17th through to the 20th-century, this is a subduing but still irregular experience, as it formally demonstrates the laconic and aphoristic essence of the haiku.

Review: Following fast on the scorched heels of his most recent record Kosmische Pitch, Jan Jelinek now releases a fresh one for Faitiche: a recorded issuance of his 2022 performance, The Carpenters. Held at Uferstudio 1 in Berlin on July 20, 2022, two pieces transform an irrecognisable Carpenters' sample (the original song name is asterisked for perhaps obvious reasons) into salivatory stretch-scape. The original source is slowly unveiled near the end of the first half, almost of a moment of awakening from hypnosis. Then in the second half, Jelinek re-blurs the material, as if to descend the trough of a sinusoid wave. The Faitiche edition series houses such captivations exclusively on cassette, whose deprecatory format matches the exclusivity of the performance (though tape deck owners can also request a free digital download code).

Review: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." So said Henry V before the battle of Agincourt in one of Shakespeare's many lauded histories. The quote went on to Christen Stephen Ambrose's 1993 novel and a subsequent American war drama miniseries of the same name, chronicling the journey of the "Easy Company," a group of American paratroopers during World War II. Training, combat tussles, and fraternal bonds are given a brutal portrayal in the film, and this mood of brutality and endurance was not unnoticeably underscored by Michael Kamen's soundtrack, now reissued on gatefold 2xLP. Kamen, known for his scores for Die Hard, X-Men and Memento, brought out a mood of orchestral fortuity, successfully mirroring the film's intent to portray themes of glory, tragedy and camaraderie, all of which ooze from its many orchestral swells and windfalls.

Review: Kali Malone's The Sacrificial Code stands as a defining work of 21st Century minimalism, shaped by years of intensive study. Originally released in 2019, the album emerged from her time at Stockholm's Royal College of Music, where she explored sound, space, and alternate tuning systems under the guidance of organ tuner Jan Borjeson. Stripping composition down to its starkest form, she embraced canons and slow-moving harmonic shifts, slowly but surely stepping into a sound emphasising monumentality. Now, six years later, The Sacrificial Code is reissued via Ideologic Organ, featuring a new 2023 recording of the title track on a 16th-century organ. Malone's self-taught recording techniques bring out the instrument's spirant resonance, creating a time-dilating sound. Less mournful, more tranquil, the new version mirrors the concurrent transformations of music and listeners in step, over time.

Review: In 1976 Anthony Howarth produced a documentary film about the Badabi tribe in Southern Iran. Each spring, this indigenous group would make the difficult journey across the Zagros mountains and valleys to ensure their sheep had new pastures to graze. Led by Jafar Qoli, the movie chronicles this epic trek and various events along the way. Taking breathers only for weddings and mediation between contacts, and grappling with torrential rain and perilous terrain, among other challenges, it's an inspiring odyssey to say the least. The music fits the bill perfectly, bringing together the legendary Persian songwriter, editor and singer Shush? Guppy and revered English singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Gerald Thomas Moore, transporting us to a time, place and people long-since committed to memory.

Review: Yumiko Morioka's Resonance was originally released in 1987 on Akira Ito's Green & Water imprint. Album, artist and label would all trifect to help along the enviro-ambient sound of which Ito was to become a part. For its quiescent but heartrending chamber pianos, Resonance was known for its use mostly in documentaries and as background music for spas, which hardly befitted the weight of Morioka's actual achievement at the time. By 1994, Morioka had moved to California, where she had shifted her focus to family life, unaware that Resonance had gained a new following outside Japan via online platforms. In 2017, when Morioka learned of this, she was recovering from a devastating California wildfire that destroyed her home and belongings. Despite the tragedy, she returned to Japan, worked in commercial music, and later opened a chocolate shop in Tokyo. Resonance, recorded on a Bosendorfer grand, blends improvisation with calm, introspective beauty, influenced by both Japanese environmental music and Western composers such as Erik Satie. The album was remastered in 2023, preserving its serene quality.

Review: Morricone aficonadi will be champing at their costume jewellery for this one. Scored for the Sergio Martino film Ruba Al Prossimo Tuo (1976), Morricone provided a hauntingly atmospheric soundtrack, marking the flick out from the rest in the Italian Giallo wave, and its usually otherwise funk-backed, upbeat exploitation emotes. The film follows a chilling, traitorous femme-noir formula, as a young woman, Giulia, is put through a seedy ringer after witnessing a brutal murder. As Edda Dell'Orso sings above Morricone's samba arrangements, the record is notable for its renderings of classic Latin style in much broodier, more dubious tones.

Review: Definitely not to be confused with the 2005 Neo-noir US movie of the same name, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a 1966 Eurospy comedy directed by Duccio Tessari. The plot, which contains several genre tropes, revolves around a retired espionage agent who receives a death sentence after being caught trying to steal L1 million dollars. At the last minute, he's offered a reprieve, if he can steal a secret formula before terrorist Mr X does. We won't divulge what happens next, but as spy movies tend to, there are plenty of curveballs and red herrings thrown at us. Bruno Nicolai, a powerhouse of Italian cinema during this time, whose tracks have found their way into Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 2 and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, delivers an archetypal score for this cinematic canon, packed with tension building percussive movements, swooning and sweeping string and woodwind pop, and even the odd gentle slow dance.

Review: Arvo Part stands as one of the most influential composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, pioneering the "holy minimalism" movement with a sound that is both stark and transcendent. Emerging from Soviet-occupied Estonia, his early experiments in serialism gave way to a deeply spiritual style influenced by Gregorian chant and Orthodox choral traditions. His self-developed tintinnabuli technique, marked by bell-like harmonies and spacious phrasing, has made his work beloved across classical and contemporary circles. This collection highlights Part's signature meditative depth. At its core is a never-before-released version of 'Silentium,' performed by Boston's A Far Cry at an unhurried pace, stretching the piece's time-suspending qualities to their limit. The album also includes the warm yet solemn 'Vater Unser,' the introspective piano piece 'Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka,' and a stirring interpretation of 'Fratres for Strings and Percussion.' Each piece reflects Part's belief in music as a form of prayeriunspoken, yet profoundly resonant.

Review: Estonian contemporary classical musician Arvo Part is by now perhaps best known for his devastating opus 'Spiegel Im Spiegel'. But to focus solely on this ascendant piece would be to do a disservice to the best of his works, of which there is not only much, but also a personally idiosyncratic method that suggests genius. Mississippi Records expand on this elusive and fascinating musician's oeuvre, helping disseminate a new collection of renditions by Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry. Part's music is ternary, and he is responsible for the use of the term "tintinnabular" in music theory: a far cry from the bell-related meaning of the term, tintinnabular music refers to a specific compositional style in which one hand arpeggiates the tonic triad (plays notes 1, 3 and 5), while the other hand ascends the remaining notes of the scale in stepwise motion. Decidedly minimalist, then, the versions of 'Silentium' and 'Vater Unser' in particular render Part's technique in full naked technicolour, with their thin strings building to gobsmacking, tearjerking heights. No wonder that, so famously, of his sparse compositions, Part had this to say: "I have nothing to say... It is dangerous to say anything, because if I've said it already in words there might be nothing left for my music."

Review: In celebration of Arvo Part's 90th year, his latest release showcases the Estonian composer's continued exploration of minimalist, spiritually charged sound . Part's work has always sought to blend the sacred with the secular, and this collection of new renditions brings forward the timeless resonance of his choral and orchestral compositions. Opening with 'Littlemore Tractus,' based on John Henry Newman's reflections, the piece sets the tone of quiet, introspective change that permeates the entire work. His music, a dialogue between sound and silence, invites profound contemplation, with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir under Tonu Kaljuste's direction offering nuanced, deeply attentive performances. Compositions like 'Vater unser,' showcase Part's ability to transform liturgical text into transcendent musical experience. There's an undeniable spiritual gravity in pieces such as 'Cantique des degres' and 'Sequentia,' where strings and vocals weave in delicate yet forceful patterns, revealing a steady undercurrent of renewal. The rich textures in these works evoke both a longing for and a reconciliation with the past, capturing Part's life-long exploration of sacred music's dialogue with the world. The album culminates with 'Vater unser,' an evocative reworking that brings together choir, strings, and piano, offering a meditative close to an album that is as much about reflection as it is about the continued forward momentum of Part's artistry. Recorded in Tallinn's Methodist Church, this latest chapter is a continuation of the Part-Eicher partnership that has defined so much of his career, expanding the legacy of albums like Tabula rasa and reinforcing Part's place as one of the most significant voices in contemporary classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Review: Parus is a Belarusian ethno-ambient project blending pagan songs with modern soundscapes and Zara is their debut album. Led by ethnographer and folk singer Hanna Silivonchyk, the record features traditional Belarusian songs in various dialects, all accompanied by synths and field recordings crafted by Anton Anishchanka. The tracks were gathered during ethnographic expeditions across Belarusian national parks, and songs like 'Soniejka' and the title cut offer intimate reflections on life, love and mythology. It connects to the past while maintaining a deep personal edge that makes Zara a fascinating exploration of Belarusian culture.

Review: Pianist. Conductor. Composer. Impressario. Extraordinaire. We could probably leave it at that with Piero Piccioni, but for the sake of clarity let's get clear. One of Italy's most prolific film composers of the mid-late-20th Century, this monolith of big band and jazz wrote more than 300 movie scores in his career, and also lays claim to membership of 013, the first jazz outfit broadcast in his home country following the fall of Fascism in 1944. Born in Turin, one of the epicentres of Italian music, Cadaveri Eccellenti was a 1977 crime thriller about Lino Ventura, Italy's top homicide detective, who is investigating the assassination of a judge. Full of intrigue, mystery, and tension, not to mention that underlying sense of sexiness which seems to pervade European flicks of this era, by now you can probably imagine how cool the score is.

Review: Lacinia is the newest cycle of compositions by Italian composer and guitarist Stefano Pilia and it extends the metaphysical and mathematical explorations introduced in his acclaimed 2022 album Spiralis Aurea. Drawing from sacred geometry, number theory and ancient musical traditions, Lacinia unfolds as a series of immersive sonic meditations. Acoustic and electroacoustic textures from strings, horns, organ, percussion and synths are all carefully interwoven and Pilia creates cyclical, ritualistic structures that evoke composers like Arvo Part, Eliane Radigue and Sarah Davachi. Inspired by liturgical music and the eternal return of transformation, Lacinia aims to seek meaning through harmony, stillness and resonance. The

Review: Munich-based trio Prepared craft a hypnotic and high-energy journey that blurs the lines between chamber music, jazz and minimal dance. The trio i Chris Gall on prepared piano, Flo Riedl on bass clarinet and Christoph Holzhauser on drums i merges cyclical motifs and layered patterns into a trance-inducing soundscape. Drawing comparisons to Steve Reich, Jonny Greenwood and Dawn of Midi, their music pulses with rhythm and repetition, creating a hypnotic Gesamtkunstwerk that feels both innovative and timeless. Recorded live in a single room without overdubs, Module is a state-of-the-art production. Utilizing advanced 3D miking techniques for Dolby Atmos, the recording captures the raw interplay between instruments with breathtaking clarity. Across four expansive tracks divided into ten parts, the album flows through moods and textures. 'Modul Eins' opens with a downtempo introduction before evolving into an upbeat, swinging groove. 'Modul Zwei' offers a cinematic, film noir feel, while 'Modul Drei' dips into hip-hop beats with introspective breaks. The 15-minute opus 'Modul Vier' swells through four sections like changing seasons, showcasing the trio's virtuosity and cohesion. With Module, Prepared prove that repetition can be a riveting genre-defying experience that's impossible to forget.

Review: Recorded at the legendary Eglise du Saint-Esprit in Paris, Blue Veil is the very first time we've been given a record fully dedicated to the incredible solo cello work of Lucy Railton. A spectacularly talented composer who is a master of the world's most mournful-yet-beautiful instrument, this is as much of a heart-stopping performance as it is a concept work of art. In many ways, Blue Veil is an experiment in resonance. If it were synthesised, we might refer to it as drone, although by nature the label infers a level of dullness. Here, we're talking about the natural refrains of an orchestral sunrise, the ebb and flow of contemporary classical tides. We're invited in, hypnotised, lulled and then let go. Free to wander back into the world after a brief respite from its relentless pace.

Review: It's hard to believe that Steve Roach's landmark space ambient exploration is now four decades young. Emphasis on the young, considering we're getting new releases through that sound pretty similar. No disrespect to those that do - the point is Structures From Silence was so massively ahead of its time it still feels like the rest of us are catching up. Floating on a dust ring somewhere close to Saturn, maybe, this is lush, dreamy, cosmic synth stuff to lose yourself in. Just be sure there's a yurt close by, because this one's all about lying down and staring into your own thoughts. An exercise in escapism, without needing to move a muscle. In 2025, there's plenty of off-world talk as Earth buckles under the weight of capitalism. Little do they know some of us left that place behind decades ago.

Review: As the official soundtrack to Claire Sanford and Josephine Anderson's documentary Texada, New-York based composer Elori Saxl's latest record comes issued on a steadfast, standalone vinyl edition. Texada explores the evolving connection between people and the remote Texada Island, British Columbia, shaped by ancient limestone formations and industrial history. Saxl transforms these themes into sound, blending analog synthesizers, processed baritone saxophone (by Henry Solomon) and field recordings of water and rock. Her compositions evoke stone textures and the lunar-tidal motion of waves, with tracks like 'The Quarry' capturing the drive of resource extraction, and 'The Most Special Place' reflecting nostalgia and discovery, merging human and geological scales.

Review: River: The Timbre of Guitar #2 Rei Harakami is a luminous tribute to the late Japanese electronic composer Rei Harakami by Ayane Shino. By reimagining his ambient soundscapes through classical guitar, Shino delicately transforms 10 of his compositions into serene, intricate acoustic pieces. Her interpretations capture the warmth and floating quality of Harakami's originals but offer a fresh, introspective perspective. Her masterful ability to bridge electronic and classical genres leaves you in awe as you float amongst the mellifluous melodies and expressive guitar playing, with the sound of squeaking fingers on fret boards adding a sense of character that adds to its allure. A magical listen.

Review: An ambitious, thought-provoking collaboration that merges radical improvisation with meticulous songcraft. Inspired by Francisco Goya's Los Caprichos painting, the album interrogates modern anxieties through a fusion of classical composition and lyrical introspection. Mark Springer, known for his spontaneous, real-time piano compositions, crafts haunting pieces performed by the Sacconi Quartet, while Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant 's unmistakable vocals lend a poetic depth to the work. Recorded across multiple locations in 2023istrings in Surrey and Tetbury, piano in Brussels and vocals in Londonithe album benefits from its layered, almost collage-like construction. This fragmentation mirrors the project's thematic preoccupations: the disjointed state of contemporary society, the corruption of truth and the divisiveness of social media. Tennant's lyrics, shaped by Goya's grotesque and satirical visions, meditate on deception, power and the erosion of collective trust. The interplay between Springer's expressive piano and the Sacconi Quartet's controlled precision is key to the album's success. Tracks move fluidly between moments of stark beauty and eerie unease. Tennant's vocal performances are restrained yet evocative, delivering lines that echo both personal reflection and broader cultural critique. The arrangements are elegant yet unsettling, reinforcing the album's central tension between order and chaos. Sleep of Reason is not an easy listen, nor does it aim to be. It is an intellectual and emotional work, one that rewards deep engagement. In blending classical refinement with pop craftsmanship, Springer and Tennant have created an album that is an eloquent response to a world teetering between enlightenment and darkness.

Review: British conspiracy thriller Utopia follows a group of young adults who, after discovering a mysterious comic book - The Utopia Experiments - embark on a manic quest for corporate restitution and prophetic fulfilment. As a shadowy government organisation detects their plans and resolves to track their every move, we watch an empathic but deadly game of cat-and-mouse; and Cristobal Tapia de Veer's acclaimed score only heightens the tension. This new 2xLP edition includes such instantly recognisable motifs as 'Brainwave Playground', 'Satan's Waltz' and 'The Monarch's Pyramid', capturing the series' eerie and intense atmosphere. The score continues to resonate to this day, following Tapia de Veer's success with The White Lotus and Babygirl.

Review: Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk reimagines the war film as a tense, near-wordless "single-take" experience. Set during the 1940 evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk, the film captures the claustrophobic chaos faced by Allied forces encircled by German troops. German composer Hans Zimmer's score centrally shapes the film's pressure-cooker atmosphere, as a ticking motif sampled from Nolan's own pocket watch circumvolves a Shepard tone, never ceasing to up the audiovisual tension. This limited edition release of 500 hand-numbered copies on dark green vinyl includes liner notes from Nolan himself, offering insight into the film's sonic and structural design. More than just a soundtrack, Dunkirk was marked out as a landmark in psychological intensity through sound, precision-engineered for immersive listening.