wed 16/07/2025

New releases on CD & DVD

Album: The Near Jazz Experience - Tritone

Guy Oddy

As the name suggests, the Near Jazz Experience owe a huge musical debt to jazz, but that’s not the full story by any means. For a start, the rhythm section has more in common with the motorik groove of Can and the general atmosphere is closer to the soundtracks of ‘60s TV shows and films like The Avengers and Bullitt than any of Miles Davis’ famous ensembles.

Blu-ray: Heart of Stone

Graham Rickson

Heart of Stone (Das kalte Herz) was the first colour film produced by East Germany’s state film studio DEFA, a big-budget spectacular which attracted huge audiences upon its release in 1950.

Album: Kokoroko - Tuff Times Never Last

Peter Quinn

This second album from London-based septet Kokoroko welcomes you into its warm embrace with the gorgeous, beatific vocal harmonies of “Never Lost”...

Album: Wet Leg - moisturizer

Kathryn Reilly

War, pestilence, famine, death. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had my fill of them all. So what better time to visit the genuinely sunny uplands –...

Album: Tami Neilson - Neon Cowgirl

Thomas H Green

Tami Neilson’s career is long and storied. The short version is that she began with a 1990s Canadian family band (opening for Kitty Wells, aged 10...

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Album: Mark Stewart - The Fateful Symmetry

Joe Muggs

The Bristol agit-prop hero on philosophical form on his final album

Album: Gwenno - Utopia

Kieron Tyler

The Welsh musical explorer surveys her life

Blu-ray: A Hard Day's Night

John Carvill

The 'Citizen Kane' of jukebox musicals? Richard Lester's film captures Beatlemania in full flight

Album: Olafur Arnalds and Talos - A Dawning

Tim Cumming

Shimmery, shiny Icelandic-Irish ambience steeped in beauty

Album: Barry Can't Swim - Loner

Kathryn Reilly

Dive in to some sizzling summer dance music

Album: Kesha - .

Thomas H Green

After a decade of tribulation, a new beginning matches stadium heft to club-pop bounce

Album: Claudia Brücken - Night Mirror

Thomas H Green

The Propaganda singer returns with an album of elegant, varied grown-up pop

Album: Mocky - Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1)

Joe Muggs

Is the Canadian polymath hiding behind his exquisite production and arrangement skill?

Album: Brìghde Chaimbeul - Sunwise

Kieron Tyler

A singular sonic auteur reshapes traditional Celtic music

Album: JF Robitaille & Lail Arad - Wild Moves

Thomas H Green

A set of graceful, wry melancholy from an Anglo-Canadian singer-songwriter duo

Album: Lorde - Virgin

James Mellen

Sombre self-examination and scratchy cellos fail to ignite on the New Zealander's new LP

Album: Bruce Springsteen - Tracks II: The Lost Albums

Liz Thomson

The Boss: Finding joy in imperfections

Album: BC Camplight - A Sober Conversation

Kieron Tyler

Brian Christinzio exorcises childhood trauma

Album: Durand and the Indications - Flowers

Mark Kidel

Languorous neo-soul to chill by

Album: Yungblud - Idols

Guy Oddy

Dominic Harrison’s latest disc fails to live up to the hype

Album: Loyle Carner - Hopefully!

Ibi Keita

The rapper takes a deep breath with his latest release

Album: HAIM - I Quit

Thomas H Green

The Californian trio convincingly continue their ascent to the top of the pop-rock tree

Blu-ray: Darling

Demetrios Matheou

John Schlesinger's Sixties classic now feels problematic, but retains an icky fascination

Album: Yaya Bey - do it afraid

Joe Muggs

The continued maturation of Yaya Bey and of modern R&B dazzles and nourishes at every turn

Album: The Young Gods - Appear Disappear

Guy Oddy

Swiss electro-rockers unleash a techno-metal monster

Album: Sam Binga - Sam Binga Presents Club Orthodontics

Joe Muggs

A thrilling whirlwind tour of bass culture across decades and continents

Album: Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts - Talkin' to the Trees

Guy Oddy

Musical titan reflects on his life as he careers towards his 80th birthday

Album: Mary Halvorson - About Ghosts

Kieron Tyler

Lauded US jazz guitarist strikes a balance between the composed and the improvised

Album: Marina - Princess of Power

Thomas H Green

Sixth album from L.A.-based Welsh singer is over-the-top but rife with pop gems

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