The band from Paris combines zeuhl and a pinch of jazz-rock with 70's progressive rock. Guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals and flute act predominantly in a zeuhl robe. Even if it's often built on complex rhythmic structures, the music always stays melodic without getting imprecise. The concept is that every track lives from a mixture of a certain lightness or even happiness getting regularly replaced by more intensive dramatic passages. Undoubtedly Magma and Eskaton are the biggest influences. But the typical rumbling bass sound is omitted here. The female singing lacks the emotional intensity of the aforementioned bands, instead it lifts the compositions with beautiful melodies into dreamy regions. This works best in duet with the flute.

Debussy had a certain idea of French music, and he considered Couperin and Rameau the founders of the tradition and perhaps the only French composers before him worthy of interest. The Sonatas pay undistinguished tribute to them. Moreover, with him, this conception of French music asserted himself as a reaction to Wagner, at a time when it was good form in Paris to swoon when listening to works by the master of Bayreuth. The nationalist feeling and mind bent on revenge are never far off when Debussy speaks of French music. The three sonatas, which with their grace and lightness, where to be antidotes to he « multicoloured putty » and « heroic theatrics of of the Teuton ».

New York bassist Michael Bisio pays tribute to his teacher William O. Smith in this tremendous duo with cornetist Kirk Knuffke, in a beautiful mix of lyrical playing and heavy technical skills made to sound remarkably simply; a joyful and profound jazz album.

In the depths of winter in 2017, Liz Harris—better known as the ambient folk musician Grouper—traveled to Murmansk, a post-industrial city in the Russian Arctic, for an artistic residency. After its own death is based on recordings created there and in another stint in the Azores, Portugal, and it’s the Arctic atmospheres that prevail. In these slow, lonely tracks—12, 16, even 21 minutes long—Harris’ multitracked vocal harmonies dissipate like foggy breath over drones so minimalist they evoke whiteout conditions. Gone are the acoustic guitar and piano of Grouper albums like Ruins; instead, overdriven synths buzz like flickering fluorescent bulbs at an abandoned border crossing. “After its own death: Side A” presents the core themes that will recur again and again—ethereal bell tones, growling bass, sounds of nature, and echoing footsteps—and the remainder of the album proceeds like a succession of half-forgotten memories, elements jumbling together and peeling away until all that’s left is a fuzzy outline of the deepest melancholy imaginable.

With "Meta", the ever-evolving Thy Catafalque transforms once again. The Hungarian progressive/experimental metal project, helmed by composer, lyricist, and multi-instrumentalist Tamás Kátai, takes a heavier, more direct tack than on last years sprawling "Sgùrr". Katai effortlessly weaves idiosyncratic progressive passages and folk melodies through this (much) heavier and more metallic album. Thy Catafalque's enduring unpredictability makes it one of metal's most unique bands, and 'Meta' is yet another distinct and indispensable piece of their integral catalog of albums.

The Beatles “1” was originally released in 2000 and quickly became the fastest selling album of all time. Featuring 27 of the band’s most significant singles, all of which reached #1 in the US or UK charts, this brand new 2Blu-ray/CD set represents the ultimate collectors edition of The Beatles “1”, featuring all 27 tracks on CD, all 27 promo videos on Blu-ray1…

Antenna, the diverse fourth album from The Gift signals a significant change in direction for this London based band, driven by a fresh and accessible impetus. The new album sees The Gift consciously moving away from the longer symphonic pieces that characterised their previous albums. Vocalist Mike Morton describes the album as "…rockier, more contemporary sounding - we wanted to do something more direct and punchy. Whilst there’s no concept, a lot of Antenna is about how difficult it is to communicate, how we’re sending out messages and they don’t hit the target".

Real music is hard to find. If you've ever felt suffocated in the age of fakery and hype, then Savoy Brown's latest album The Devil To Pay is a blast furnace. Driven by classic blues and age-old human truths - but dragged into contemporary relevance by stinging musicianship and modern savvy - Kim Simmonds' new songs have arrived when we need them most. "In many ways," considers the legendary guitarist, "this is the best album I've ever done. It's fresh and new, and belongs to the twenty-first century". Released on Ruf Records in 2015 - and marking Savoy Brown's 50th year as pack-leaders of the British blues scene - 'The Devil To Pay' was born during a white-knuckle burst of inspiration.

Having gained attention in the Chicago area, the Anthony Gomes Band released their debut album in 1998. Blues in Technicolor has some of the hottest blues guitar work you'll ever hear. One of the strongest tracks, "Misery for Company," has a B.B. King feel to it, with powerful emotional vocals and vibrant guitar work. "Bad Luck Child" conjures up memories of some of the great Texas blues bands with its forceful power chords and strong, driving lead guitar. Variety is not a key word in describing this album, and should not be the reason for choosing it. If you want really hardcore blues music, this fits the bill. An amazing guitarist who truly has a feel for blues arrangements is what you'll find in Gomes.