Chandos’ new exclusive collaboration with the recent Salzburg and Leeds competition winner Federico Colli is kicking off with this first volume in a unique Scarlatti series. Playing on a modern Steinway, the Italian pianist – internationally recognised for his intelligent, imaginative interpretations and impeccable technique – here explores the keyboard sonatas of Scarlatti, taking a fresh approach from a philosophical angle, by grouping the compositions into ‘chapters’ in order to reflect the many contrasts of his life and his contradictory personality.

For the latest highly anticipated release in the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra's Mahler symphony cycle under the direction of its chief conductor Mariss Jansons, the orchestra now turns its attention to the Third Symphony. Once again, Jansons stands out in this performance for his astonishingly keen eye for the minutest details. Like no other, Jansons possesses the ability to integrate all this beautiful detailing into the virtually infinite overarching climaxes that can make listening to Mahler's symphonies such an exciting experience.

Although little known outside of his native Burkina Faso, Pierre Sandwidi was once one of the leading lights of the country's post-independence "Voltaic" musical movement. The travelling vocalist and musician was dubbed "the troubadour of the bush" and was seen as a man of the people thanks to his stated socialism and frequent criticism of the country's ruling elite. This fine collection gathers together the best of his work as a solo artist, offering up tracks recorded between 1976 and 80.

The rising mega talent, multi-instrumentalist, striking bandleader and *actually* ambidextrous musician and producer returns to deliver Ley Lines – a true showcase of her talents. From the horns, to the choir, to the drums, to the rest, everything was written, produced, laid down and mixed by Emma-Jean.

Makeness is pleased to announce his debut album, Loud Patterns, coming out April 6th on Secretly Canadian. Crafting tracks which make a virtue of disparate influences, Kyle Molleson manages to pull off something difficult: songs which have been tirelessly worked on, although sound loose-limbed and to-the-point. Loud Patterns is noticeably indebted to house and techno; there are 4/4 rhythms, and a no-nonsense directness that harks back to the Detroit pioneers.

A Masterpiece and a Must-have! A double album Collaboration Between the Two Great Masters of Indian Instrumental Music, Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, was a Rare Occurrance and this Recording was Made at their Memorable Concert at the Philharmonic Hall, New York on October 8th, 1972. The Strict Rules and Intricacies Governing Indian Classical Music Pose Difficulties for an Improvising Musican, However These Two Geniuses Manage to Conjure Up Phrases to Tantalize One Another, to Coax Certain Responses, to Challenge and Query, Each Time with a Result More Fantastic Than Before. Truly a Meeting of the Souls.

The Dresdner Philharmoniker is one of Germany’s most celebrated orchestras. They have received top laurels for their three albums with the symphonies of Beethoven and Shostakovich: “a delightful combination” (Fono Forum) and “very precise and brilliantly lucid” (hr2 Kultur). Their new album offers a riveting comparison of these two composers’ fifth symphonies. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, composed in 1808, is considered the ne plus ultra of classical music.

New Jersey pop singer Charlie Puth first found fame through the very 21st century route of YouTube, and his first album - 2015’s Nine Track Mind - was a viral success, even if not a critical one. This time around he’s channelling self-described “dark R&B”, feeling the need to distance himself from the inoffensive, loved-up debut - a direction that Puth has since hinted he was uncomfortable with. Whether album two measures up to his lofty Babyface ambitions is perhaps in the ear of the beholder, but with features from Boyz II Men, James Taylor and Kehlani, Puth is certainly pushing to be taken seriously by fans of both old and new school sounds.

Jean-Michel Blais paints intimate portraits of human vulnerabilities—sleep, illness, uncertainty, anger—on a captivating second album. His delicate piano compositions are fertile with musical references to, among others, Leo Sayer, Mendelssohn, and Radiohead (“roses”), and are blended with subtle electronic, vocal, and ambient dance effects. In “god(s)," Blais explores the idea of religious harmony with textures rich in Eastern flavor, while “a heartbeat away” ponders our mortality with music that reflects, races, and finally rests. The title track both reassures and unnerves, while ‘’sourdine” is a haunting meditation on our nighttime realms.

The classic debut album from Senegal's Cheikh Lô gets a welcome reissue on remastered CD.