A gifted vocalist whose instrument is both strong and sensual, British jazz singer Malia was born into a family of mixed African and English heritage in the small East African country of Malawi, which borders Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Malia had limited exposure to music growing up - her neighborhood could only tune in two radio stations (one in the native language of Chewa; the other in English), and her father's record collection was dominated by the Beatles. That changed when political unrest forced her family to flee Malawi and relocate to London when Malia was 14 years old. She took great interest in the rich musical landscape that surrounded her, immersing herself in the dance-oriented new wave sounds dominating the English music scene. The music of Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday soon attracted her and transformed her worldview, as she was introduced to influential Black artists for the first time…

Demon are often the subject of hot debate whenever the New Wave of British Heavy Metal is discussed: are they or aren't they supposed to be cited alongside the likes of Iron Maiden, Saxon and Def Leppard, as a rejuvenating force in the evolution of heavy metal? After all, their debut album, Night of the Demon, had shown that the Staffordshire quintet were far more indebted to Britain's heavyweights of melodic hard rock, like UFO and Thin Lizzy, than full-fledged heavy metal titans Black Sabbath or Judas Priest. But, then again, so were Def Leppard! And, in any case, this debate would not find easy answers in Demon's second long player, 1982's The Unexpected Guest.

Deluxe 2-CD Book edition of this legendary album! Hotfoil finished sleeve, 64 pages with artwork, lyrics, unseen pictures, liner notes, and a special interview.
Agalloch's 'The Mantle' isn't just a great and influential album; it's a transformative journey, one that showed the band breaking away from their early direction in favor of its intricate blend of atmospheric metal mixed with an unheard amount of folk, and post-rock canvas. Originally released in 2002, and met with surprise and mixed emotions, it continues to captivate listeners with its atmospheric depth and emotional resonance decades later. One could say, there is no other album like this, none other whose artwork and imagery are so intertwined, every image resonates so well with the music, it feels almost impeccable, as if pictures could tell the songs by themselves…

The playing and leadership are exceptional in every quarter. Petter Sundkvist never misses a trick when it comes to coaxing the right color at the appropriate moment and unerringly shaping the melodic contours of Kraus's scores. The performances brim with energy and commitment that would undoubtedly elude others who might attempt to tread here. Commended by energy, elegance, and charm, and crowned by a clear and bright aural perspective, this recording and its precursors are "must haves" for any lover of the Classical era.

…There's no such thing as having too many recordings of Alessandro Scarlatti cantatas. Presented here are five cantatas for soprano on the theme of the pain of love, three for basso continuo only, one with b.c. and flute, and one with b.c., violin and flute. Two harpsichord improvisations and an adagio from a toccata of 1723 act as sinfonias of sorts for three of the works - only one has its own original introductory sonata.

In love as in music, let pleasure be your guide…
Thus was born Sex Lounge and the desire to unite for the first time the most enticing Lounge and Downtempo selection ever dedicated to love and sensuality.
Sensual and sexual, it is the subtle and perfect mingling of these musical inspirations that guarantee the tenderness of this erogenous and erotic journey in which what lies ahead belongs to you and you alone… or not so alone…

Like several of Hammond's early albums, this 1968 effort would ultimately sound less impressive than it did at the time, simply because the original versions of the ten songs Hammond covered would become much more accessible. The material selected did testify to his good taste, but also stuck to the tried-and-true, including classics like "Dust My Broom," "Crosscut Saw," Sonny Boy Williamson's "Nine Below Zero" and "Don't Start Me Talking," and Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years." The title track, a slow Jimmy McCracklin piano tune, is about the least-familiar number on a program that's essentially revamped classic and still rather recent electric (and largely Chicago) blues classics with a very slightly more rock- and soul-oriented groove. Still, it's a lean and respectably hard-hitting electric blues set, comfortably integrating piano and (on occasion) Willie Bridges' saxes into the arrangements.

This collection of baroque hurdy-gurdy music represents, in a way, that instrument's comeback after a century of neglect and scorn (although, one presumes, that back then the scorn was at least being heaped upon the actual hurdy-gurdy, and not the glorified music box that has usurped its name in the current popular imagination). In the medieval period, the hurdy-gurdy was depicted as being played by angels as the appropriate accompaniment to the singing of the Psalms. However, its association with peasants (not to mention the limited range of the instrument in the pre-baroque era) tainted its musical reputation considerably. Relegated to an attention-getting device of blind beggars, the hurdy-gurdy was a solidly lower class instrument.

François Cosset (c. 1610-1664) composed a proportion of his music for performance in a convent. It is therefore scored for high voices, and this includes the present work - a polyphonic Missa Super flumina Babylonis for six high voices and small complement of period instruments. Interspersed among the Mass movements here are a number of ‘petits motets’ by Lully and others, also for soprano voices, along with a few instrumental pieces.