Symphonic metal institution Sirenia are renewed in darkness on their tenth studio album, Riddles, Ruins & Revelations. The quartet around mastermind, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and producer Morten Veland is certainly not afraid of combining a heavy symphonic sound with modern influences, which their record, Arcane Astral Aeons (2018) is proof of. This time, Sirenia offer an exciting new twist to their songs, spicing them with electronic vibes, but never losing sight of their musical core.
The four-piece remains as true to their album title word-play as they do to their dedication to symphonic soundscapes, drawing the listener into a pounding narrative about the darkest aspects of life…
There seems something soberingly final about the title of Deutsche Grammophon's collection, which brings together recordings of all the music Pierre Boulez acknowledges, from the 12 Notations for piano of 1946 to Dérive 2, the churning, turbulent ensemble piece that reached its latest, 44-minute form in 2006. Boulez is now 88; his eyesight is known to be failing, and new works such as the Waiting for Godot opera planned for La Scala may never be fulfilled. Similarly, the scores long marked "work in progress" in his catalogue may for ever remain just that. As Claude Samuel says in his wonderfully perceptive and informative notes to the set, "more than anyone else's, Pierre Boulez's oeuvre has not known completion and never will". What's on these 13 discs, then, is likely to be the body of work on which Boulez's place in the history of 20th-century music will be assessed.
Passion Jaroussky marks 20 years since Philippe Jaroussky made his professional debut and commenced his rapid ascent to stardom. As the French countertenor says, “Even after all these years, my passion for music is undimmed.” Ranging musically from the 16th to the 21st century, the triple album comprises both new recordings and highlights from recent albums, and it also showcases Jaroussky’s collaborations with a host of major singers – from the worlds of both classical music and pop – instrumentalists, conductors and orchestras.