New releases last eight weeks: All genres

Review: This 2017 remaster revisits Paul McCartney's 1989 return to critical favour i a release that saw the UK artist bridging new studio technology with classic songwriting craft. Working with Elvis Costello on several co-writes, and producers including Trevor Horn, Mitchell Froom and Steve Lipson, the record pulls in tight arrangements, layered instrumentation and a refreshed lyrical sharpness. Tracks like 'My Brave Face' and 'This One' pair bounce and brightness with detailed melodic phrasing, while deeper cuts like 'Don't Be Careless Love' and 'That Day Is Done' show a darker, more reflective register. The band lineup features long-time collaborators including Hamish Stuart, Robbie McIntosh and Chris Whitten, laying down solid, versatile performances across brass-led pop, mid-tempo ballads and soft rock with orchestral touches. It's a reissue that doesn't add much new material, but the pressing is clean and the Japanese-translated lyric booklet adds an archival touch. A sharply focused, musically rich snapshot of McCartney reasserting himself in the late 80s, with arrangements that still hold shape and detail decades on.

Review: This 2xCD edition goes well beyond nostalgia, offering the definitive take on Soft Cell's most illicit and club-focused chapter. Originally released in 1982 their second album was a bold pivot: less of the noir cabaret that had its roots in their Leeds Poly days, more MDMA-drenched disco detachment. But what felt fleeting at the time now reads like a fully formed vision. The first disc captures the original six-track run, including a furious remake of 'Memorabilia', the twisted funk of 'Sex Dwarf' and their glam-stomp take on 'What' i a track that somehow hit Number Three in the UK while sounding like it belonged in a haunted backroom. The second disc expands the picture with extended cuts like 'Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go' and 'Torch', all of which showcase how Soft Cell flirted with pop but refused to smooth their edges. It's a new reissue, but more importantly, it's a reminder of just how ahead of their time they were i turning sleaze into sophistication and dancefloor detritus into poetry. Digitally remastered and packed with rarities, this is as complete a portrait of Soft Cell's ecstatic peak as you'll find.

Review: A decade has now passed since long-serving British DJ Pete Tong joined forces with arranger/conductor Jules Buckley to create covers of classic dance anthems with the help of the latter's expansive Heritage Orchestra collective. Since then, there have been countless concerts and albums - the latter frequently featuring vocal performances from high-profile artists. This tenth anniversary 'best of' collection is therefore welcome. There are some new standalone 'edits' of tracks previously featured on medleys - see 'Finally' (featuring Jessie Ware), 'Man With The Red Face', 'Yeke Yeke' and the sweeping, soaring 'Cafe Del Mar' - but otherwise you're getting fan favourites and familiar anthems, including tasty versions of Orbital's 'Belfast', Adamski's 'Killer' (featuring original singer and now superstar Seal), Joe Smooth's 'Promised Land' and Robert Miles' 'Children'.