This Bu Dunya

The Russian composer Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020), who died at the beginning of the pandemic-related cultural hiatus which has been unique with regard to world history, was able to experience considerable appreciation in his last two decades, which recently gained more and more momentum. Coming from the best Soviet aristocracy of piano teaching - Kapustin was a pupil of a pupil of Horowitz's teacher Blumenfeld and then studied with the great Alexander Goldenweiser until 1961 - he was denied great recognition in the Soviet Union. As with many great piano composers since Chopin, the cycle of concert etudes from the middle of his life is particularly suitable for an introduction to this world of works. Kapustin's typical reference to jazz, which probably kept him from greater success in the Soviet years, is based on the highly individual, deliberate adaptation of stylistic elements. He got to know jazz greats such as Ellington, Basie, Cole, Garner, Peterson and others through records and the radio and picked out what suited him. The extremely sensitive, not monotonously hammering as is so often the case, approach of the Chinese pianist A Bu, who is also trained in jazz, is pleasing with regard to interpretation, and he demonstrates his affinity for Kapustin's music through two samples of his own work.

Like the Occitan troubadours and the trouvères of northern France, the Minnesänger celebrated courtly love and gave medieval German its letters of nobility. These "singers of love" — Minne is the old German word for love — thus perpetuated a poetic and musical tradition that had begun nearly two centuries earlier in Occitania. The Minnesänger, generally of noble and knightly blood, gradually emancipated themselves from their French models and developed their own styles and forms during the 13th century.

Hailed from UK, a rock quintet This Winter Machine - Al Wynter (vocals), Gary Jevon (guitars), Marcus Murray (drums), Mark Numan (keyboards), and Peter Priestly (bass) - have got started with remarkable influences from the pioneers of 70s Symphonic Progressive or 80s Neo-Progressive scene, especially from Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Rush and Genesis. Their first cry was heard in the beginning of 2017, as the debut album titled "The Man Who Never Was". They bring the sound right up to date combining soaring and emotive vocals, thought provoking lyrics, consummate and evocative musicianship and melodies that linger long after the music stops.

The first of 4AD owner Ivo Watts-Russell's multi-artist studio sessions under the This Mortal Coil name, 1984's It'll End in Tears was a surprisingly influential album in many circles, key in the reawakening of interest in artists like Alex Chilton and the late Tim Buckley by a younger generation of listeners…

The third and final album by This Mortal Coil, 1991's Blood is neither as unfocused as Filigree & Shadow or as conceptually pure as It'll End in Tears, but it's a solidly enjoyable set. Once again, nearly half the tracks are instrumentals (or tracks with minimal and often wordless female vocals) written by Ivo Watts-Russell and John Fryer, but this batch of tunes holds together much better than the much more amorphous originals on Filigree & Shadow; lengthy atmospheric explorations like "Dreams Are Like Water" sound composed and thoughtful rather than merely pretty…

This Oceanic Feeling is a new cinematic three piece band featuring singer/songwriter and producer Chris Braide, bass player Lee Pomeroy and drummer Ash Soan. The album features 12 songs about dualism and ego death. Recorded during winter 2014 and featuring some of the most dynamic musicianship you are likely to hear this year. This album is a must for fans of great melodies, meaningful lyrics in the age of mass consumerism, empty self-obsession and the selfie.

"Vespertine" is the musical score that This Will Destroy You composed for Chef Jordan Kahn's 2-Michelin Star restaurant of the same name. The score originally ran exclusively at the physical site of the restaurant in Culver City, California since its grand opening in late 2017. The program consists of seven pieces specifically written for moments within the building itself (and even the space around and on top of it).

This Winter Machine sign to White Knight Records. The album is the first to feature new members Leigh Perkins on keys and backing vocals and John Cook on guitar. Returning are Dave Close on bass, Alan Wilson on drums and Al Winter on vocals. The Clockwork Man is a concept album in the traditional sense. It covers issues such as personal identity, bigotry and freedom of choice wrapped up in a story about cloning and identity".

Hailed from UK, a rock quintet This Winter Machine - Al Wynter (vocals), Gary Jevon (guitars), Marcus Murray (drums), Mark Numan (keyboards), and Peter Priestly (bass) - have got started with remarkable influences from the pioneers of 70s Symphonic Progressive or 80s Neo-Progressive scene, especially from Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Rush and Genesis.
Kites, the conceptual third album from This Winter Machine, showcases a new line-up and refreshed sound…