Modern Classical preorders

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: The sixth instalment in Anthony Braxton’s Trillium cycle pushes the boundaries of the operatic form into new metaphysical and improvisational dimensions. Rooted in Chicago’s avant-garde tradition but unfolding via a live recording in Prague and a studio session in Darmstadt, the project spans four acts—‘Voyage To The New World’, ‘Robots Versus Humans’, ‘The Three Sisters’ and ‘Four Disasters’—each one housed in an abstract narrative world that operates on dream logic. Braxton, now 80, spent five years developing this work, his most ambitious opera to date. Alongside Swiss conductor Roland Dahinden and the PMP Ensemble I Orchestra—one of Europe’s most forward-thinking groups—he weaves twelve solo voices through dense and shifting compositional systems. The box set includes over six hours of material, from the operatic performances themselves to behind-the-scenes footage and a feature-length documentary. This feels like a culmination—an 8-CD monument to Braxton’s singular synthesis of AACM-rooted jazz, experimental classical and radical improvisation.