Lamya's Poem is an animated movie about a 12-year-old girl forced to flee war-torn Syria but finding a strange solace in a book of poetry. The music score by Christopher Willis is a perfectly judged mix of sound design, small chamber groups, full orchestra and the Persian ney. More....
Soar is a classical album featuring the talents of saxophonist Alastair Penman and pianist Jonathan Pease. The album brings together an interesting collection of music, and includes some dazzling displays of virtuoso sax playing. More....
The latest Music for Film album from Film Fest Gent features the festival's 2022 Guest of Honour Mark Isham with an excellent selection of individual score tracks and several Suites from the composer's many film scores over the past 4 decades. More....
The film Forbearance deals with some difficult topics, including relationship issues and the impact of the big "C". However composer Giovanni Rotondo has created a score which serves the movie well and with due sensitivity, while also including some musical surprises. More....
The Power of the Dog is a Jane Campion film set on a ranch in the 1920s American West. With some musical hints at the setting, composer Jonny Greenwood largely focuses on the turbulent family emotions. It is an uncompromising listen, yet the album makes a coherent and powerful musical experience. More...
For His Dark Materials Series 2, composer Lorne Balfe has produced more musically atmospheric 'Dark Material'. Building on his Series 1 score with an expanded collection of thematic material, he expertly paints the many character, emotional and fantasy dimensions of this ongoing series. More...
No Time to Die is Daniel Craig's last Bond film, but it is the first for composer Hans Zimmer. The musical emphasis has tipped towards action cues but Bond Music fans are amply rewarded with lots of Bond references, including the Billie Eilish Title Song, the Bond Theme itself and themes from "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". More...
For The Secret Garden composer Dario Marianelli has carefully chosen a palette of orchestral colours and a set of thematic elements. He combines these in inventive ways to create a score which is mysterious and magical and takes us on an exciting journey of discovery. More...
Airlines is a concept album from film composer Alexandre Desplat. It features some completely new arrangements based on music from his film scores and some new concert works, all showcasing the talents of flautist Emmanuel Pahud. More...
Telemann's set of 12 Fantasias for Viola da Gamba Solo were thought lost until 2015 when they and other works by the composer were uncovered. Even in Telemann's day the Viola da Gamba had been largely replaced by modern string instruments. Now the Violist Michał Bryła has transcribed and recorded these works on a modern Viola. More...
Jon Burlingame is an expert on film & TV music and his latest book Music for Prime Time looks at the origins and evolution of the small screen art form, subtitled "A History of American Television Themes and Scoring". John Caps reviews the book, with a focus on the new and ever-changing dynamics affecting TV Music. More...
Composer Segun Akinola has accompanied the 13th Doctor through all her travels, and he bows out as Doctor Who composer with scores for the Series 13 The Specials broadcast in 2022 leading up to Jodie Whittaker's regeneration. More...
Infinite Stories is the first solo album of saxophonist Gillian Blair. Though very much a personal project, the music selection is instantly accessible and shows off the instrument's considerable stylistic range in the hands of an expert player. The album is highly recommended. More...
Your goal in Jurassic World: Primal Ops as a "battle-trained dinosaur handler" is to rescue, collect and fight alongside your favourite dinosaurs. This latest game in the series is scored by Winifred Phillips, and the composer brings all her skills and experience to ensure this is an immersive thrill ride which fits perfectly into the franchise sound world. More...
Gunpowder Milkshake is stylish action movie with a stellar female-led cast. The film's composer Frank Ilfman delivers a fun score which channels knowing elements of John Barry and Ennio Morricone. It's an entertaining mix and highly recommended. More...
Cruella is a fun movie, with great performances and over-the-top characters. And its music is delightfully steeped in pop culture with a broad selection of songs on the soundtrack and an excellent film score by composer Nicholas Britell, scored for rock band and orchestra. More...
News of the World is a latter-day Western movie starring Tom Hanks. The music score by James Newton Howard is partly thematic and partly soundscape with orchestral and solo strings featuring strongly in both roles, from a warm classical violin to a folk-like fiddle. More...
Enola Holmes is adapted from the first novel in Nancy Springer's YA series about Sherlock's younger sister. The film's composer Daniel Pemberton imbues the score with a youthful confidence, featuring plenty of action and adventure, plus a whole gamut of moods and emotions. More...
There are fewer film releases at the moment, but a new live action version of Pinocchio is now hitting our screens. Composer Dario Marianelli has put together a score full of folk instrumentation and melodic invention to bring out the magic of this fairy tale. More...
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