Back catalogue: Classical

Review: Balance, the third studio album by acclaimed bassist and composer Daniel Casimir, radiates "Big Band Energy," masterfully blending Classical, Jazz, and cinematic influences. Balance is a tribute to the legacy of big band composition, honoring its historical roots while weaving in modern perspectives. The project ambitiously merges the robust sounds of a big band with the rich tones of a string section, drawing inspiration from Wayne Shorter's Emanon, which profoundly impacted Casimir during the album's creation. Building on the success of his previous album, Boxed In, which featured a jazz quintet and a mini chamber orchestra, Balance is Casimir's most ambitious work yet. It features 26 musicians, including prominent figures from the UK jazz scene like Cassie Kinoshi, Nubya Garcia, Rosie Turton, and Binker, alongside the London Contemporary Orchestra's stunning string section. Recorded at Livingston Studios in November 2022, the album's intricate production process began with the foundational trio of piano, bass, and drums, followed by brass, woodwinds, and strings. Vocalists Zola Marcelle and Ria Moran lend their powerful voices to the final recording day, adding the finishing touches to this masterpiece. Notable tracks include 'Music Not Numbers,' a rallying cry for musicians to stay true to their creativity despite streaming culture, and 'Search for Goldilocks,' which delves into the quest for life's perfect balance. Balance is a bold, innovative journey that elevates Casimir's musical vision to new heights.

Review: Highly revered jazz innovator and famous spiritualist Alice Coltrane recorded her 1972 album Lord of Lords in California and released it originally on Impulse! Records. It is a slow-building affair that was the last in a trio of hugely orchestral works that took jazz to grand new heights. It hums with cosmic energy and has a throb of organic sound at its core with cinematic, widescreen atmosphere that place you right at the centre of the American's musical universe. It is dense, too, with 25 instruments all featuring and vying for attention with violins, cellos and violas all working in harmony.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve is split at the top, but product is still in original shrink wrap and otherwise in excellent condition***


Highly revered jazz innovator and famous spiritualist Alice Coltrane recorded her 1972 album Lord of Lords in California and released it originally on Impulse! Records. It is a slow-building affair that was the last in a trio of hugely orchestral works that took jazz to grand new heights. It hums with cosmic energy and has a throb of organic sound at its core with cinematic, widescreen atmosphere that place you right at the centre of the American's musical universe. It is dense, too, with 25 instruments all featuring and vying for attention with violins, cellos and violas all working in harmony.

Review: Pascal Comelade's Le Non-Sens Du Rythmefinds the French artists play almost all of the many instruments it features. He has been active since the 1970s, crafting ever evolving and ways moving rhythms from a mix of toy instruments, French chanson, folklore and underground sounds. The sometime painter has worked with the likes of PJ Harvey, Robert Wyatt and The Liminanas ever since goring up as a child of the frenzied rock sounds of there 60s. Here he fuses the Rickenbaker e.bass, Indian harmonium, keyboards and a tin can into something utterly unique and strangely compelling.

Review: Of all the seas in the world, the Indian Ocean is up there with those that invoke the greatest sense of mystery. Filling the rather big bit between East Africa, South East Asia, Australia and Oceana, it's a vast expanse of water known for deceptively dangerous paradise islands, political uncertainty, incredible natural beauty and a somewhat wild west (or east?) seafaring culture. It's a place that feels far less familiar to us here in Britain even than the Pacific, and as such a record that looks to interpret cultures and scenes from this watery region is always going to be intriguing. This is the second thematic volume in the Aquapelagos series, split LPs that focus on societies surrounded by waves, and the communities therein. Mike Cooper and Pierre Bastien's interpretation of the Indian Ocean is mesmerising, and often sounds isolated, hypnotic noises ebbing and flowing, distant calls, percussive details, 'atmos' of bird sounds, oscillations, high pitched feedback. A place that is serene and yet disturbed, often by distinctly human elements.

Review: The Cosmic Tones Research Trio's All Is Sound is a profound blend of healing music rooted in gospel, blues, and spiritual jazz. Led by alto saxophonist Roman Norfleet, alongside cellist Harlan Silverman and pianist Kennedy Verrett, the trio creates an immersive soundscape perfect for meditation and mindfulness. Each track unfolds with a peaceful, meditative quality, gently building layers of sound through the interplay of sax, cello, piano, flutes and even didgeridoo. The album's melodies are delicate yet rich, reminiscent of the spiritual jazz of Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, and Pharoah Sanders. Tracks like 'Creation' and 'Black Rest' invite deep introspection, while 'Peace Prayer' and 'Nada Brahma' echo with a restorative, almost mystical atmosphere. With its slow-building compositions and organic instrumentation, All Is Sound offers a unique, serene listening experience a d a powerful healing force. The trio's commitment to creating purposeful, mindful music shines through, making this a great example of work in the contemporary spiritual jazz genre.