Back catalogue: Rock (All)

Review: Bullion continues to perfect his endlessly charming strain of modernist synth pop with this new album for Ghostly International. The lead single from the album sets the tone beautifully, as the mighty Carly Rae Jepsen lends her voice to 'Rare' for a blissful, woozy ride through exquisite song craft that calls back to AOR and soft rock as much as synthwave. Further guest spots arrive from Panda Bear and Charlotte Adigery, but as ever Bullion's own charisma remains the driving force on this latest dose of honey-coated audio pleasure from a master of the art.

Review: Bullion (Nathan Jenkins) returns with a surprise full-length album, Affection. Breaking from his irreverent electro-shanties for a minute, Affection reminds us of Jenkins' far-reaching capacities as a producer and songwriter, with each song on this expansive new LP centring on the titular theme of affection and intimacy. Avowing the sound advice that is not to take others' advice, Bullion's M.O. going into the record was to follow his instincts and treat the studio as a site of adventure; this is reflected as much in the album's roomy, deep and detuned pop ditties, which veer away from banger science and more into the slow dreams of warm synths, subtle progressions and emergent horizons. Carly Rae Jepsen's feature is the bait highlight on 'Rare', though star cuts like 'World_train' and 'Cinch' also catch us off guard.

Review: Kenny Burrell's Guitar Forms stands as a cornerstone of the jazz guitar genre, offering a masterful display of various styles, from the engaging Latin combo performance of 'Moon and Sand' with the Gil Evans Orchestra to the bluesy tones of 'Downstairs' and 'Terrace Theme'. Other highlights include the luxurious treatment of Harold Arlen's 'Last Night When We Were Young.' Burrell's thoughtful and concise solos, along with his switch to acoustic classical guitar on tracks like 'Prelude #2' and 'Loie,' further demonstrating his musical talent. Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analogue tapes and pressed onto 180-gram LPs at Quality Record Pressings, this audiophile reissue offers a definitive listening experience. Supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the album is packaged in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets by Stoughton Printing Co. With its rich repertoire and impeccable production, Guitar Forms is a easy purchase for any jazz enthusiast's collection, representing the timeless artistry of Kenny Burrell and his abilities in the jazz guitar genre.

Review: South London rapper Confucius MC returns to Native Rebel Recordings for a new project alongside producer and multi-instrumentalist Bastien Keb. Dedicated to the "lost travellers" of the world, this is an album of pop-filterless texture and raw admission, filled to the brim with political messaging and wisdom in the face of oppressive social machinery. Toeing lines of fairytale realism and soul-feeder contrition, Keb and Confucius muse on dilemmas of eternal life, striving, perseverance and recompense, crafting a near drumless hip-hop album for veteran ears.