Edge November 2019

We are on the Edge: A 50th Anniversary Celebration is a commemoration of a half-century of magical music making from The Art Ensemble of Chicago, a band that has been at the forefront of creative improvised music since forming in 1969. It has also long served as the flagship ensemble of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), the august Chicago-based organization that also fostered the careers of members such as Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, and Wadada Leo Smith, among many others. Now led by the surviving members Roscoe Mitchell and drummer Famoudou Don Moye, the album is also a loving tribute to the band’s three original members who have passed: Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, and most recently, Joseph Jarman.

Mark E Smith and The Fall are currently having their back catalogue reassessed by Cherry Red Records. The latest in what looks like a long line of forthcoming releases is ‘1982’. Featuring 2 acclaimed albums, a clutch of session tracks and 2 live albums plus a fresh 4,000 word essay by Daryl Easlea, this collection is a majestically compiled dive into the vaults of this much lauded band…

Undisputed kings of symphonic power metal BLIND GUARDIAN have been beavering away at a brand new project, and it is finally here for all to enjoy. But know this, true believers: the new project isn’t the same epic power metal band we know and love. It is, instead, the BLIND GUARDIAN TWILIGHT ORCHESTRA. It’s a whole new thing, and in collaboration with celebrated German fantasy author Markus Heitz, they have brought to light a fantasy tale of epic proportions in the form of Legacy of the Dark Lands…

It has been 25 years since the first Café del Mar Volume was released. To celebrate this milestone we have carefully selected a mix of classics & brand new tracks to reflect the essence of Café del Mar. The double CD release features brand new tracks & remixes by Quantic, The Cinematic Orchestra, Zero 7, Peggu Gou, BadBadNotGood and timeless classics by Chicane, A Man Called Adam, Trio Mocoto, Planet Funk, just to name but a few.

Electronic music duo Groove Armada are to release Twenty One, a four-CD deluxe compilation curated by Andy Cato and Tom Findley to celebrate their 21 years together. Over the years Groove Armada have issued eight studio albums and this new set features all their hits via a themed approach across the four CDs (64 tracks in total). CD 1 (‘Club Mix’) is a new continuous club mix featuring new ‘GA21’ version of ‘Superstylin” while CD 2 (‘Balearic’) features similar fresh reinterpretations of ‘Paper Romance,’ ‘Edge Hill,’ and ‘Little By Little’. The third disc (‘Live’) includes their live performance at Brixton while CD 4 (‘Radio’) covers radio edits and includes new versions of ‘I’ll Be Searching For You’ and ‘Superstylin”.