New releases last four weeks: Modern Classical

Review: Survival horror franchise Alan Wake saw its second instalment in 2023, following the game series' 2010 debut. Again, we follow novelist Alan Wake, as he attempts to escape his imprisonment in an alternate dimension by penning a horror story about an FBI agent, Saga Anderson. Both a detective story and a shoot 'em up, the second game bolsters the franchise's neo-noir and gothic Midwestern tropes; the soundtrack is fittingly both lachrymose and chilling, with its contributing scorers - Petri Alanko, Old Gods Of Asgard, Jean Castel and more - portraying Nordic moods of modern, nailbiting mystery. Through stark, grim, minor-keyed anthems, trip-hop furrowers and trembly orchestral laments, we find dead bodies found in the woods, fight spriggan-esque creatures, and soak in moods of noir crime psychodrama, all chillingly captured in a single sonic melange.

Review: Billow Observatory returns to the fully ambient realms of their 2012 debut with a deeply introspective, percussion-free release that drifts through spectral soundscapes. Created by Jason Kolb and Jonas Munk, the duo's transatlantic collaboration has matured across four full-length albums marked by precision and emotional depth. Here, abandoning traditional structure, the album instead looks to harness the power of chance and randomness with shimmering guitar textures that crackle and dissolve like dust in water. It evokes a world slightly out of sync that is brooding, haunting and beautifully immersive while underlining their place as masters of refined, atmospheric ambient music.

Review: The soundtrack for Risk of Rain 2's Seekers of the Storm, is here making its vinyl debut, and it's an edition fans won't want to miss. Composed by Chris Christodoulou, with a special contribution from Stavros Markonis, this release brings some atmospheric and powerful music to life on a stunning looking record. The vinyl itself is a visual treat, featuring a striking blue, white, dark green, sky blue, and black marbled design. This soundtrack is housed in a beautifully crafted gatefold sleeve with artwork by Daniele Giardini. Christodoulou's compositions delve into new, unexplored territories with a blend of intense and emotive pieces. The use of a seven-string guitar adds a new layer of depth to the music, delivering some of the most elaborate and heavy tracks ever written for the series. Markonis' contribution introduces a fresh sound, seamlessly integrating into the Risk of Rain universe while also bringing something unique to the table. The recent uptick in soundtracks released on vinyl have really shown that fans love connecting with the music of many movies and TV shows. Even if you may not know the series, this is one the best in recent weeks for you to enjoy.

Review: A series of vivid, nocturnal transmissions blending altered-state refinements and rich storytelling as Canadian composer and producer Coverdale merges synthesis with live instrumentation, creating a multi-dimensional sound that feels both intensely personal and universally resonant. Drawing on a wide range of influences, including 19th-century programmatic music - that's music with spoken narrative, like Provokiev's Peter & The Wolf - and mid-70s jazz, her compositions balance improvisation with deeply emotional content. Each track explores a range of textures, from the ethereal, soaring flights of 'Daze' to the grounded, material energy of 'Freedom.' The use of strings, woodwind, brass and modular synthesis intertwines with Coverdale's voice to create a language that feels alive and constantly evolving. Whether navigating the turbulent gales of 'Coming Around' or finding catharsis in the drummed sequences of 'Offload Flip,' the music speaks to the physicality of sound and the emotional charge it carries. The narrative arcs throughout, painting an intricate portrait of grief, dislocation, and the quest for self-connection, each track embodying a different facet of this deeply personal yet expansive journey.

Review: Taylor Deupree and The Humble Bee have hooked up for their first collaborative album, Re: Case Studies, an immersive and pensive ambient beauty. It was originally conceived as a solo project and Deupree's abstract feedback loop-based compositions were shelved until discussions with the label prompted him to invite a collaborator. Craig Tattersall, aka The Humble Bee, responded with his own sonic interpretations and built on Deupree's foundations. The result is a cohesive yet distinct collaboration that honours the original while evolving into something new so what began as an unfinished idea is now a full-fledged and thoughtful, layered exploration of sound.

Review: A decade on from its original release, this compilation remains a spellbinding window into the musical mind of one of modern music's most innovative figures. As comfortable behind a grand piano as a homemade synth, Frahm brings his taste for boundary-blurring to this curated journey. Consider this a love letter to his inspirations and a reflection of his multifaceted artistry. The compilation weaves classical greats, jazz legends, ambient pioneers and experimental mavericks into a singular, late-night odyssey. Vladimir Horowitz's crackling rendition of 'The Flight of the Bumblebee' connects Frahm's own virtuosic piano play to the classical canon, while Miles Davis' smoky 'Generique' and 'Concierto de Aranjuez (Adagio)' speak to the atmospheric jazz undercurrents that color much of his work. Nina Simone's aching rendition of 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes' carries the same stripped emotional core that Frahm achieves in his more minimalist moments. Elsewhere, the warmth of Dub Tractor's 'Cirkel' and the ghostly dub of Rhythm & Sound's 'Mango Drive' nod to his love of minimalism beyond genre. Boards of Canada's slow-burning 'In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country' is also featured, showing the esteem Frahm holds these newer tracks in, nestling among legendary musical acts of the past. From Colin Stetson's avant-garde saxophone to Bibio's lush textures, the compilation spans eras and aesthetics with cohesion and care. It's not just a mixtape - it's a tribute, a seriously rich tapestry of influences that shaped a singular voice.

Review: Mississippi Recs provide yet another delta stream's worth of Ethio musics by nun and composer Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru, presenting a remarkable body of work shaped by faith, solitude, and a deep reverence for sound. First self-released in 1972 and now enlarged over two formerly unheard piano pieces, this new curatorial crimp reveals Emahoy's profound engagement with the liturgical traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church: all laid to record across sacred spaces in Jerusalem, they hear her play piano, harmonium and organ, with tactful piano fingers assuring a chiming touch on 'Ave Maria' and 'Essay on Mahlet', both religious chants heard to echo against ancient stone. Also inside are two compositions from the near-lost album Der Sang Des Meeres (1963), salvaged from obscurity and restored here with equal reverence.

Review: Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru's deeply spiritual music has long remained a hidden gem and this release offers a rare chance to experience her most poignant works. Recorded in churches across Jerusalem, her performances on piano, harmonium and pipe organ transcend genre that blends Ethiopian Orthodox liturgy with the technical sophistication of her classical training. There's a serenity to these pieces, particularly in 'Ave Maria,' where her piano's crystalline chimes fill the sacred spaces, while 'Spring Ode - Meskerem' brings new life to familiar melodies, played through the rich drones of the harmonium. The collection moves from meditative to dramatic, with 'Essay on Mahlet' offering a slow, introspective journey as Emahoy translates the free verse of Orthodox liturgy into a delicate piano composition. The inclusion of 'The Storm' provides a moment of intense contrast, its stormy narrative unfolding through sharp, thunderous piano lines. Emahoy's ability to blend devotional themes with emotional depth is most apparent in 'Via Dolorosa,' where the music mirrors the weight of the stations of the cross with breathtaking gravity. Her music, though niche, stands out for its seamless fusion of Ethiopian spirituality with the grand traditions of Western classical music, feeling entirely distinct in its expression. The recordings, originally made in 1972, show a stark simplicity and restrained power that speaks directly to the soul. It's a rare treasure and an essential contribution to the world of spiritual music.

Review: You don't sell 5.27 million copies of anything without doing something right. Winner of the E3 Game Critics award for Best Platform Game in 1999, to name just one of countless nominations and awards, Donkey Kong 64 was one of the best loved titles on the iconic Nintendo 64, and represented two years of programming, coding and designing on the part of legendary software house, Rare. Amazingly, considering this was almost three decades ago and cartridge-based titles are usually regarded as the stronghold of chip music, Grant Kirkhope's score is anything but and still sounds fresh. From aptly titled opener, 'DK Rap', to the meandering jazz closer 'Candy Kong', featuring David Leo Kemp on sax, via 'Angry Aztec' and its Indiana Jones vibe, and the John Williams-esque 'Mine Cart', it's all so enjoyable.

Review: Laibach and A/political present Alamut, a new, symphonic album inspired by Vladimir Bartol's 1938 novel of the same name. Recounting an 11th-century Persian tale - centered on the charismatic and enigmatic Hassan-i Sabbah, leader of the Nizari Ismailis and founder of the Order of Assassins - this is a shadowy, ninja-black-wax initiation into an esoteric order of spies. Laibach's work blends classical Persian poetry, minimalist orchestral textures, and industrial elements, reflecting both historical propaganda tactics and Bartol's critique of rising Fascism in 1930s Italy. Released on double vinyl and CD box set through Mute, the album was recorded in 2022 at a former Crusader castle in Ljubljana; it features the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, Tehran's Human-Voice Ensemble, the Gallina Women's Choir, and the women's accordion orchestra AccordiOna, conducted by Navid Goharib.

Review: Dominique Baumard's 2025 detective comedy drama, Les Regles de l'art, is a chuckle-inducing exploration of art theft and scandal, reenacting a legendary pilfering of paintings from the Musee d'Art Moderne in Paris in 2010. The plot centres on the trio of thieves who stole €100 million worth of works of art by Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani; they were sentenced to prison, but the paintings were never found. Now the OST by soundtrack artists Lionel LimiNana (more known for his chanson-adjacent project The LimiNanas) and David Menke (more associated with experimental electronica) surfaces. An intermixing of suspenseful legato syntheses and humoured pizzicati help them nail an eternal artistic conundrum - the tradeoff between authenticity of artifice.

Review: What a gem this is to follow up the much-loved 2024 stop-motion animated Netflix classic directed by series creator Nick Park. Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl earned critical acclaim, winning two BAFTA awards and receiving an Academy Award nomination in the process. The story follows Gromit as he tries to save Wallace, whose new "smart" gnome invention seems to have a mind of its own and may be linked to a vengeful figure from the past. The film's score was crafted by Emmy-nominated Lorne Balfe and BAFTA-nominated Julian Nott and adds depth to the adventure with theme tunes, dramatic operatic moments, more tender interludes and plenty of great musical narratives. The release includes a four-page booklet with an exclusive Nick Park drawing.

Review: Originally conceived as a suite for electronics and ensemble but then abandoned, the latest from Vancouver-based ambient producer Scott Morgan aka Loscil sees him restructure, remix and transform the ashes of it into something newian album that feels like a smouldering landscape, its textures layered with both loss and rebirth. Loscil's Lake Fire is an album born from destruction and reinvention. Thematically, Lake Fire draws inspiration from a road trip into the mountains Morgan took to mark his personal half-century milestone. eventually surrounded by wildfires and thick smoke, and that experience seeps into the album's DNA, shaping its dense, hazy atmospheres. The title itself reflects a haunting ironyiforest fires often take their names from nearby lakes, a stark juxtaposition of destruction and serenity. The album unfolds like a shifting mist. 'Spark' is dynamic and drenched in deep chords that ripple through a cloudy haze. 'Arrhythmia' carries a heavy build, swelling with intensity before receding into silence. These pieces, along with the rest of the album, feel like echoes from another worldidistant yet deeply resonant. Released on Kranky, which has long been a home and supporter of his music, Lake Fire is another great example at Morgan's ability to craft ambient soundscapes that are both vast and intimate. It's a hypnotic listen and an exploration of impermanence and transformation wrapped in a thick sonic fog.

Review: In 1976 Anthony Howarth produced a documentary film about the Badabi tribe in Southern Iran. Each spring, this indigenous group would make the difficult journey across the Zagros mountains and valleys to ensure their sheep had new pastures to graze. Led by Jafar Qoli, the movie chronicles this epic trek and various events along the way. Taking breathers only for weddings and mediation between contacts, and grappling with torrential rain and perilous terrain, among other challenges, it's an inspiring odyssey to say the least. The music fits the bill perfectly, bringing together the legendary Persian songwriter, editor and singer Shush? Guppy and revered English singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Gerald Thomas Moore, transporting us to a time, place and people long-since committed to memory.

Review: Japanese artists Yumiko Morioka and Takashi Kokubo unite for a journey through blended piano, atmospheric synth and nighttime field recording. Both Morioka and Kokubo are pioneers of Japanese new age import, with the former lyricist, pianist and composer trailblazing with her sole 1987 album Resonance and the latter composer and musical environmentalist responsible for a string of geometrically-charged, fantastical LPs from 1980 onwards. Morioka herself makes a welcome return to music after taking a staunch step back to raise her family in the late 80s; her music has since been quietly cherished, and now Gaiaphilia evidences her not-lost ivorian flair, with her piano melding blissfully with pop-out sea- and soundscapes.

Review: The legendary film composer is back with a reissue of one of his most haunting and suspenseful i a perfect canvas for Morricone's groundbreaking score. Morricone's contribution to the thriller genre remains unparalleled, blending haunting lyricism with avant-garde experimentation. This score is no exception. From the eerie waltz of the main title, performed by the ethereal Edda Dell'Orso, to the unsettling dissonance that creeps beneath the surface, every note is designed to disturb and captivate. The music mirrors the film's dark narrative of a journalist trapped inside his own lifeless body, racing against time to solve a chilling conspiracy. Originally intended for a vinyl release in 1971, the full score was shelved until a limited CD surfaced in 1998, followed by an expanded 2009 edition that quickly sold out. This newly remastered release by Chris Malone is a great way to experience Morricone's work, offering a pristine listening experience for both avid collectors and newcomers. Accompanied by insightful liner notes from Miguel Angel OrdoNez, it stands as a great addition to any film score collection.

Review: Daniel O Sullivan, known as a producer for the likes of Tim Burgess and for his astounding art pop band Grumbling Fur, makes his first foray into classically informed chamber music. With some sort of superhuman genius mind, the unassuming Mancunian wrote these arrangements for a 14-piece ensemble and nailed it. 'Golden Verses' is stately, pastoral, yet menacing. Another highlight, 'Painting Rose' is some of the most psychedelic classical music you'll ever hear. So, if you're looking for chamber music that spans eras, genres and takes you on a transcendent journey, then look no further.

Review: In celebration of Arvo Part's 90th year, his latest release showcases the Estonian composer's continued exploration of minimalist, spiritually charged sound . Part's work has always sought to blend the sacred with the secular, and this collection of new renditions brings forward the timeless resonance of his choral and orchestral compositions. Opening with 'Littlemore Tractus,' based on John Henry Newman's reflections, the piece sets the tone of quiet, introspective change that permeates the entire work. His music, a dialogue between sound and silence, invites profound contemplation, with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir under Tonu Kaljuste's direction offering nuanced, deeply attentive performances. Compositions like 'Vater unser,' showcase Part's ability to transform liturgical text into transcendent musical experience. There's an undeniable spiritual gravity in pieces such as 'Cantique des degres' and 'Sequentia,' where strings and vocals weave in delicate yet forceful patterns, revealing a steady undercurrent of renewal. The rich textures in these works evoke both a longing for and a reconciliation with the past, capturing Part's life-long exploration of sacred music's dialogue with the world. The album culminates with 'Vater unser,' an evocative reworking that brings together choir, strings, and piano, offering a meditative close to an album that is as much about reflection as it is about the continued forward momentum of Part's artistry. Recorded in Tallinn's Methodist Church, this latest chapter is a continuation of the Part-Eicher partnership that has defined so much of his career, expanding the legacy of albums like Tabula rasa and reinforcing Part's place as one of the most significant voices in contemporary classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Review: Parus is a Belarusian ethno-ambient project blending pagan songs with modern soundscapes and Zara is their debut album. Led by ethnographer and folk singer Hanna Silivonchyk, the record features traditional Belarusian songs in various dialects, all accompanied by synths and field recordings crafted by Anton Anishchanka. The tracks were gathered during ethnographic expeditions across Belarusian national parks, and songs like 'Soniejka' and the title cut offer intimate reflections on life, love and mythology. It connects to the past while maintaining a deep personal edge that makes Zara a fascinating exploration of Belarusian culture.

Review: It's hard to believe that Steve Roach's landmark space ambient exploration is now four decades young. Emphasis on the young, considering we're getting new releases through that sound pretty similar. No disrespect to those that do - the point is Structures From Silence was so massively ahead of its time it still feels like the rest of us are catching up. Floating on a dust ring somewhere close to Saturn, maybe, this is lush, dreamy, cosmic synth stuff to lose yourself in. Just be sure there's a yurt close by, because this one's all about lying down and staring into your own thoughts. An exercise in escapism, without needing to move a muscle. In 2025, there's plenty of off-world talk as Earth buckles under the weight of capitalism. Little do they know some of us left that place behind decades ago.

Review: Secret Garden is the Norwegian-Irish duo of Rolf Lovland and violinist Fionnuala Sherry and here they celebrate the 30th anniversary of their iconic debut, Songs from a Secret Garden. First released in 1995, the album won over global audiences with its blend of classical and folk, laced with Celtic and Norwegian emotion and some subtle new age undertones. It features the Eurovision-winning track 'Nocturne', which helped launch the duo into international acclaim. Elsewhere, there are whimsical melodies, ancient flutes, Lord of the Rings style Middle Age soundscapes, heartfelt emotions and plenty of clean, serene and timeless sounds that still offer great catharsis three decades on.

Review: River: The Timbre of Guitar #2 Rei Harakami is a luminous tribute to the late Japanese electronic composer Rei Harakami by Ayane Shino. By reimagining his ambient soundscapes through classical guitar, Shino delicately transforms 10 of his compositions into serene, intricate acoustic pieces. Her interpretations capture the warmth and floating quality of Harakami's originals but offer a fresh, introspective perspective. Her masterful ability to bridge electronic and classical genres leaves you in awe as you float amongst the mellifluous melodies and expressive guitar playing, with the sound of squeaking fingers on fret boards adding a sense of character that adds to its allure. A magical listen.

Review: An ambitious, thought-provoking collaboration that merges radical improvisation with meticulous songcraft. Inspired by Francisco Goya's Los Caprichos painting, the album interrogates modern anxieties through a fusion of classical composition and lyrical introspection. Mark Springer, known for his spontaneous, real-time piano compositions, crafts haunting pieces performed by the Sacconi Quartet, while Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant 's unmistakable vocals lend a poetic depth to the work. Recorded across multiple locations in 2023istrings in Surrey and Tetbury, piano in Brussels and vocals in Londonithe album benefits from its layered, almost collage-like construction. This fragmentation mirrors the project's thematic preoccupations: the disjointed state of contemporary society, the corruption of truth and the divisiveness of social media. Tennant's lyrics, shaped by Goya's grotesque and satirical visions, meditate on deception, power and the erosion of collective trust. The interplay between Springer's expressive piano and the Sacconi Quartet's controlled precision is key to the album's success. Tracks move fluidly between moments of stark beauty and eerie unease. Tennant's vocal performances are restrained yet evocative, delivering lines that echo both personal reflection and broader cultural critique. The arrangements are elegant yet unsettling, reinforcing the album's central tension between order and chaos. Sleep of Reason is not an easy listen, nor does it aim to be. It is an intellectual and emotional work, one that rewards deep engagement. In blending classical refinement with pop craftsmanship, Springer and Tennant have created an album that is an eloquent response to a world teetering between enlightenment and darkness.

Review: If Inside the Rose, the fourth album from These New Puritans, was a long-winded production process - spanning six years of work - but saw the Essex outfit return with immediate force, the follow up is much more of a slow-burner at the consumption end. It's a stranger, more experimental and, arguably, visionary example of what these guys do best. And it couldn't feel more engrossing. Deep, immersive, almost ceremonial, powerfully uplifting ('Bells' is particularly life-affirming stuff), it saturates you in gorgeous emotional indie-choral-chimes, and sucks you into these gripping narratives that fall somewhere between swooning electronic, drummy alternative rock and a place which is really only These New Puritans.

Review: Spanning eight tracks of electronic and acoustic ingenuity, this compilation captures a transformative era in Japanese composition, where anime soundtracks became a playground for sonic exploration. This vinyl-only collection, curated by Time Capsule, bridges new age aesthetics with percussive traditions, blending synthesisers, gamelan influences and orchestral grandeur. At the heart of the compilation is Akira's electrifying 'Kaneda' by Geinoh Yamashirogumi, where the group's signature blend of Balinese gamelan and electronic textures defines the dystopian atmosphere. 'Yas-Kaz's Hei '(Theme of Shikioni), from Peacock King - Spirit Warrior, and Norihiro Tsuru's 'Farsighted Person', composed for The Heroic Legend of Arslan, transport listeners to distant landscapes, reflecting anime's thematic reach beyond Japan. Yoichiro Yoshikawa's Tassili N'Ajjer and Fiesta Del Fuego, composed for NHK's 'The Miracle Planet', embody an ethereal grandeur, merging environmental themes with lush, ambient layers. Meanwhile, Chumei Watanabe's 'Fushigi Song', performed by Korogi '72, delivers a hypnotic groove reminiscent of Don Cherry's 'Brown Rice'. Columbia Orchestra's 'Hearts Beats - Theme for Andrew Glasgow' shows Tokyo's jazz-funk session musicians at their peak, and Kan Ogasawara's Gishin Anki provides a dramatic, cinematic finale. More than a nostalgia trip, this compilation celebrates anime's role in shaping Japan's new age soundia period where innovation thrived, unbound by genre constraints.

Review: Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk reimagines the war film as a tense, near-wordless "single-take" experience. Set during the 1940 evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk, the film captures the claustrophobic chaos faced by Allied forces encircled by German troops. German composer Hans Zimmer's score centrally shapes the film's pressure-cooker atmosphere, as a ticking motif sampled from Nolan's own pocket watch circumvolves a Shepard tone, never ceasing to up the audiovisual tension. This limited edition release of 500 hand-numbered copies on dark green vinyl includes liner notes from Nolan himself, offering insight into the film's sonic and structural design. More than just a soundtrack, Dunkirk was marked out as a landmark in psychological intensity through sound, precision-engineered for immersive listening.