Classical music influences like choral passages and Wagnerian horn work are never far away from Laibach's palette, so it's fitting that they'd now turn their vast energies to a symphony of sorts. Alamut is the culmination of a collaboration with A/POLITICAL and two Iranian composers, Idin Samimi Mofakham and Nima A. Rowshan. It's based on an 11th century Persian tale whose modern retelling by Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol has influenced such cultural heavyweights as William S. Burroughs and Hawkwind; it also inspired the video game Assassin's Creed. Alamut mixes the poetry of Omar Khayyam with the band's belief that "cultural and political differences in these complex times must be overcome through profoundly open cooperation, against all odds." Laibach and the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra are bolstered by the Iranian-based Human-Voice Ensemble, and two Slovenian ensembles—Gallina Vocal Group and the 60-piece AccordiOna accordion orchestra.

Live At The Leather Fly is a previously unreleased live album from legendary experimental rockers Butthole Surfers. Mixed by the band’s guitarist Paul Leary, it consists of twenty-one skull-busting live renditions of favourites from across their career, including ‘Human Cannonball’ and ‘The Annoying Song’

“Underground” is a relative term. One could argue that all the ‘60s San Francisco psychedelic bands were underground, because the music they made was so far removed from the pop and rock sounds that came before them. But of all the bands in the scene, Lamb was perhaps the most underground of them all. It wasn’t just that their blend of rock, folk, classical, country, blues, and gospel was as hard to classify as any of the era. It was also their vibe. Along with classically trained guitarist and songwriting partner Bob Swanson, Barbara Mauritz’s versatile vocals paced material often imbued with a haunting, mystical aura. Yet they could also be earthy and rootsy, occasionally drifting into spacey psychedelia with hints of raga-rock. Released in the early ‘70s, Lamb’s first two albums, A Sign of Change and Cross Between, did indeed offer some of the most intriguing and eclectic music of any San Francisco rock band on the psychedelic scene.

Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke are set to release their debut album as a duo via Warp Records. Following Pritchard’s remixes for Radiohead, the pair struck upon an otherworldly synergy with the track ‘Beautiful People’, a centrepiece of Mark’s 2016 solo album Under The Sun. Now presenting a whole album, Tall Tales showcases Pritchard’s mastery of archaic machines that he had previously unearthed in synthesizer archives, guiding the music down unexpected and experimental paths. Yorke meanwhile delivers a haunting and expansive vocal performance, evoking Radiohead’s OK Computer-era digital FX while delving into dark, introspective storytelling.

'Aperture' is the affirming result of that realization and letting in the light. The six members took the lessons they learned into studios in their hometowns Seattle, WA and Richmond, VA; patiently shaping and self-producing an album. More than any other record by The Head And The Heart, 'Aperture' feels like the collaborative work of a real band. With every song fortified by the sense of beginning again, 'Aperture' is The Head And The Heart's most vital and poignant album.

Keith Hudson’s Nuh Skin Up Dub is a heavyweight dub album that stands out as one of the most potent statements in the genre’s history. Released in 1979, this sonic masterpiece showcases Hudson’s dark, almost mystical production style, where heavy bass lines, echo-drenched drums, and ghostly fragments of vocals swirl together in a hypnotic haze. It was also the first time Hudson highlighted the significant role played by his favorite studio band, the legendary Soul Syndicate, who he had already been working with for some years. Despite providing backing tracks for many important Jamaican artists and big hits, the band rarely received the recognition due.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon got her start singing gospel at home and in church as a child in her native Kentucky, and then singing country songs in her teens on her own weekly radio show, followed by rockabilly in the late 1950s. But her career really started in full swing after she moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s and signed to Liberty Records and its song publishing arm, Metric Music, where she would write on her own as well as in collaboration with Sharon Sheely, Randy Newman, Jack Nitzsche, and Jimmy Page.

In 1835 Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor made its triumphant debut at the San Carlo in Naples.

By the age of 30 Erich Zeisl was considered one of Vienna’s leading composers. His compositions included chamber works, choral and orchestral pieces, opera and ballet, and Lieder.

Korean violinist Bomsori releases a further pre-release track of her upcoming second solo album on DG that focuses around two masterpieces of the violin repertoire: the Bruch and Korngold violin concertos.

Sleep Token returns with 'Even In Arcadia', their fourth offering and first under RCA Records.

Progressive pioneers Haken spent 2024 celebrating their most recent acclaimed studio album, 'Fauna', in the most comprehensive way possible, as part of their 'An Evening With' run throughout the world.

Strike Up The Band is Little Feat's triumph return to rock n roll with plenty of swampy southern soul with Bill Payne (keys/vocals), Scott Sharrard (guitar/vocals), Tony Leone (drums/vocals), Fred Tackett (guitar), Kenny Gradney (bass), and Sam Clayton (percussion/vocals).

Introspection can be born from any number of events. Losing a valued mentor is a moment that would give anyone pause. Esthesis Quartet members Dawn Clement and Elsa Nilsson searched deep inside to come to terms with the loss of their mentor, Ron Miles.