Franco Battiato

Originally released on Polydor in 1974, "Fragments of Light" does not bend to mid-'70s genre-classism. Fluid, meditative guitar leads and innovative use of synthesizers, combined with a noted lack of percussion (and vocals) on all but a few songs, have drawn comparisons to Kosmische legends Tangerine Dream and Popol Vuh. "Space Closure," the only track with live drums, resembles the kinetic progressive rock of fellow Italian Franco Battiato, while the shimmering bliss of "Do You Love Me?" rivals the American power pop that Falsini surely absorbed during his time in the States. A certain airy, homespun feel lends "Fragments of Light" its unique character.

The violinist Ara Malikian (Lebanon, 1968) has a new album, quite different from everything he has recorded so far. "Royal Garage" is the title chosen to name a double album in which for the first time he dares to sing and in which he has surrounded himself with a large group of national and international artists such as Andrés Calamaro, Enrique Bunbury , Estrella Morente, Franco Battiato, Kase O, Pablo Milanés and Serj Tankian, from System of a Down. Malikian picks up the violin on all subjects to bring his sensibility. as we are used to, although on this occasion the audience to which it is addressed is not that of the Royal Albert Hall or the Royal Theater of Madrid. although you can also get in this more popular record that listeners hold their breath, enthralled by the virtuosity of this genius of the rubbed strings: "It's a lot of things but all with my own vision. There is flamenco, tango, rock, classical, jazz. … that of Serj Tankian is directly heavy. But none in the traditional way. It's all my way, with wonderful companions who have lent themselves to help me, "explains the artist.

Coming 40 years after he first started performing in bands in his native North West of England, Butterfly Mind is the most surprising release yet from Tim Bowness. From the short, sharp shocks of Always The Stranger and Only A Fool to the long-form ambition of the sensuous Dark Nevada Dream, the cinematic Electro-Ballroom of Glitter Fades and the dystopian paranoia of Say Your Goodbyes Parts 1 and 2, Butterfly Mind delivers a thrilling fusion of Art Rock invention, Post-Punk energy and epic soulful ballads. Tim’s seventh solo album features the stellar rhythm section of Richard Jupp (in his first major session since leaving Elbow) and Nick Beggs alongside a spectacular guest list including Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Dave Formula (Magazine), Peter Hammill (Van Der Graaf Generator), Martha Goddard (The Hushtones), Gregory Spawton (Big Big Train), Mark Tranmer (The Montgolfier Brothers / GNAC), Saro Cosentino (Franco Battiato), Italian Jazz musician Nicola Alesini, US singer Devon Dunaway (Ganga), Stephen W Tayler (Kate Bush) and, marking his first studio work with Tim for nearly three decades, former No-Man violinist Ben Coleman. Produced by Tim Bowness and Brian Hulse (Plenty), the album was mixed and mastered by Steven Wilson.