Activity: Unmask Whoever

A concept album exploring themes of broadcast communications, Radio-Activity marked Kraftwerk's return to more obtuse territory, extensively utilizing static, oscillators, and even Cage-like moments of silence to approximate the sense of radio transmission; a pivotal record in the group's continuing development, the title track – the first they ever recorded in English – is their most fully realized electro-pop effort to date, while "The Voice of Energy" precipitates the robot voice so crucial to their subsequent work.

It all happened in a haze. I am not sure everyone was prepared to obey the summons and forsake the shore in order to be pulled under by the loudness of sound. Yet the ethos on that crisp October night was clear in its wording: Drone Activity.

Legendary label and compilers Cafe Del Mar deliver Terrace Decade Mix! With a contemporary cast of artists keeping the label in the limelight, the sound and feeling of this compilation still very much harks back to the original sentiments of those legendary mixes from back in the day. Headlining numbers include Fritz Kalkbrenner & Thalstroem's (aka Kollektiv Turmstrasse) piano dub to Till Von Sein's "Blueprint" fitting sweetly with the oil drum memories of Mop Mop's "Kamakumba (Simbad dub)". Keeping with the pianos still is Volen Sentir's retouch to About : River alongside some cultural touches of afrocentric styles by wildcard artist Aunti Flo in his remix to Bosq's "Tumbala". '90s Trance plays a huge and effervescent role in Budakid's "The End" next to the spiraling Krautrock and Italo sentiments of Frankey & Sandrino's "Acamar" and other basslines dubs from Mollono.Bass' "Feeling Good". Take it to the terrace - feel good.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents the world-premiere recording of Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell’s opera The Shining (2016). Based on the novel by Stephen King, this opera “elevates the tale from horror story to a human drama” (Wall Street Journal) thanks to Moravec’s atmospheric, electrifying score and Campbell’s deft libretto. While staged performances have received critical and public acclaim, this engaging masterpiece can now be enjoyed as a recording for the first time.