Global Underground 009: San Francisco is a 1998 DJ mix album compiled and mixed by Sasha as part of the influential Global Underground series, capturing his signature progressive sound during a defining period for late 90s electronic music. The release blends trance, techno, and progressive house into a continuous journey-style mix featuring atmospheric breakdowns, evolving rhythms, and melodic transitions that reflect the peak of Sasha’s club-era artistry. Widely regarded as one of the standout entries in the series, the album showcases his refined mixing technique and selection of tracks from artists such as Breeder, Morgan King, Der Dritte Raum, and Quivver, delivering a cinematic club experience shaped by emotional build-ups and deep, driving energy throughout both discs.

Global Underground 007: New York is a 1998 double-disc DJ mix compilation by Paul Oakenfold released as part of the influential Global Underground series, capturing the energy and atmosphere of his legendary performance at the Marc Ballroom in New York City through a seamless blend of trance, progressive house, breakbeat, and downtempo sounds that defined the late 1990s club era. The compilation showcases Oakenfold’s signature style during the peak of his international success, featuring emotionally driven melodies, driving rhythms, atmospheric breakdowns, and iconic dancefloor anthems from artists such as Solar Stone, Lustral, Albion, and 3 Drives On Vinyl while reflecting the euphoric and cinematic sound that made his Cream residency and Global Underground appearances essential moments in electronic music history.

The Gothenburg-based duo, known for its soothing analog atmospheres and complex melodic evolutions through the minimalist cycle, has pulled digital remasters on its lush back catalog. This the band's first ambient album, made even before they took the name Carbon Based Lifeforms. For the first time on CD.

This CD is one of the hidden gems in the huge Naxos catalogue; three German musicians displaying consummate skill in a less well-known Beethoven work and the equally attractive Ries piece. Ries deserves the attention in my opinion as, although often described as a mere epignone of Beethoven, he is clearly his own man! Of course he was influenced by Beethoven, having served as Beethoven's factotum for some years, but Ries often has something interesting to say in his music. Ries' Op.28 is a lovely clarinet trio lasting 23 minutes, wonderfully played by Jurgen Demmler (clarinet), Markus Tillier (cello), and Peter Grabinger.

One of the most grandiose works in the piano literature written by one of the most important composers in the music history meets here the accomplished mastery of one of the foremost pianists before public today. The great Italian virtuoso Maurizio Pollini plays the Piano Concerto No.1 by Brahms with the orchestral support given by Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado.

The works of the early Baroque Italian composers featured on this CD all make some kind of use of the new virtuoso violin technique. Thus they enable us to understand how, as a result of untold experiments, a technique that was specifically suited to the violin gradually began to emerge.

Bombazo Mix 4 is a high-energy late 90s dance compilation that captures the vibrant club culture of the era through a mix of Euro House, Trance, and Italodance sounds. Released in 1998 by Max Music, this two-disc set blends chart favorites, club anthems, and energetic remakes with nonstop momentum. The first disc opens with a megamix before moving through melodic dance tracks and vocal-driven floor fillers, while the second disc continues with upbeat party classics and trance-influenced productions. The compilation reflects the colorful atmosphere of European dance music at the peak of the CD mix era, when compilations were essential for DJs and fans alike. With catchy hooks, driving beats, and polished production, Bombazo Mix 4 remains a nostalgic snapshot of the period and a rewarding listen for collectors of classic late 90s electronic dance music.

Viva Neu Bei Vol.15 is a various artists compilation released in 1998 by Invisible Halahup, featuring a broad selection of Euro House, Eurodance, and pop-oriented tracks that reflect the diverse European club and radio landscape of the late 1990s. The album brings together well-known artists alongside remixed versions and club edits, creating a dynamic cross-section of commercial dance music from the period. Its tracklist combines upbeat Eurodance productions, pop crossovers, and electronic interpretations of mainstream hits, resulting in a varied listening experience aimed at both radio audiences and club environments. The production styles range from melodic vocal-driven tracks to harder, rhythm-focused dance cuts, unified by a consistent late-90s electronic aesthetic. Several remixes introduce alternative interpretations of familiar songs, emphasizing dancefloor energy and extended arrangements. The compilation functions as a snapshot of the era’s eclectic music programming, where pop, dance, and electronic genres frequently overlapped in mainstream European media.

VIVA Eurochart Vol 8 is a various artists compilation released in 1998 by Viva Corp. int. LTD, capturing a broad snapshot of late 1990s mainstream European and international hit music. The album blends Eurodance, pop, rap, and rock crossover tracks that were heavily featured on radio and music television charts during the era. It reflects the diversity of late 90s commercial music culture, where dance-oriented European productions coexisted with global pop superstars and emerging urban and R&B influences. Each track represents a charting success, creating a continuous flow of recognizable hits that defined the period’s mainstream sound. From high-energy club tracks to emotional pop ballads and crossover rock anthems, the compilation delivers a varied listening experience that mirrors the eclectic nature of late 90s global music trends. It serves as both a nostalgic collection and a reference point for the era’s chart-driven music industry.

These lively, idiomatic and sometimes witty performances show CPE Bach’s harpsichord songs, early precursors of the Romantic Lied, to be far more than museum pieces, from the Three Different Attempts at a Single Song for Hexameters through to a Fantasy in C minor with Hamlet’s Monologue.

Equinox is a self-titled progressive rock release that embodies the melodic and atmospheric side of the genre while maintaining emotional depth and narrative flow. Released in 1998, the album blends lush keyboard textures, expressive guitar work, and dynamic rhythm sections to create a sound that is both reflective and cinematic. The compositions often move between romantic, melancholic passages and more intense, dramatic sections, showcasing a strong sense of contrast and structure. Tracks like Hearts of Illusion and Mystery Mountain highlight the band’s ability to craft memorable themes, while longer emotional pieces such as Lonely in My Dreams explore introspective moods with extended instrumental development. The inclusion of radio edits at the end of the album adds a concise, accessible dimension to key tracks without breaking the overall progressive identity. Equinox stands as a solid example of late-90s prog rock with a focus on melody, atmosphere, and emotional storytelling.

These are the recordings that Jimi Hendrix made for BBC radio in the late '60s. As such, they're loose, informal, and off-the-top-of-his-head improvisational fun. These versions of the hits "Foxey Lady," "Fire," two versions of "Purple Haze," and "Hey Joe" stay surprisingly close to the studio versions, but the tone of Hendrix's guitar on these is positively blistering and worth the price of admission alone. There's also a lot of blues on this two-disc collection, and Hendrix's versions of "Hoochie Coochie Man" (with Alexis Korner on slide guitar), "Catfish Blues," "Killing Floor," and "Hear My Train A-Comin'" find him in excellent form. But perhaps the best example of how loosely conceived these sessions were are the oddball covers that Hendrix tackles, including Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made to Love Her" (featuring Wonder on drums), Dylan's "Can You Please Crawl out Your Window?," The Beatles' "Day Tripper"…

1998's The Kindness of Strangers sees Spock's Beard returning to the more "suite" oriented format of their debut The Light, issued back in 1995. There, the set kicks off with "The Good Don't Last," a three-part ride that serves as Neal Morse's indictment of popular culture -though his lyrics are pure pop culture tripe. His screed belittles his wonderfully accessible and labyrinthine music; too bad. Things look up on "In the Mouth of Madness," with its Mellotron and heavy guitars complemented beautifully by Nick D'Virgilio's drum thud. The disc also features "June," one of Spock's most popular songs in a live setting. And it is easily the most accessible and pleasant thing the overly technical and cerebral Morse ever wrote, with its lilting vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, which give way to the rollicking metallic prog of "Strange World"…