Jul Dans L'rs3

XIV Dark Centuries are one of those bands that I have known of since 2003 or so, however, for whatever reason, I always delayed in checking out their material until this little EP came out and, needless to say, after hearing it, I was kicking myself for not checking out the debut album (… Den Ahnen Zum Grusse …) sooner; Jul is definitely a pristine and perfect starting point for a newcomer to XIV Dark Centuries since, for one, it's rather easy to sit down and listen to it anytime since it's about 17 minutes long (which, umm, could not be said of Equilibrium's 80-minute Sagas beast, for example) and, besides that, it captures everything the band is about.

In these trying times, where intimacy and closeness are fraught with danger, Dans Dans (Dance Dance) brings you the sound of connection, communication, passion and togetherness.

The latest volume in a series which is rapidly accumulating critical superlatives. Described by International Piano as ‘one of the most gifted pianists of his generation’, Mark Viner is steadily gaining a reputation as one of Britain’s leading concert pianists; his unique blend of individual artistry combined with his bold exploration of the byways of the piano literature garnering international renown.

Considered as one of the most inspired pianists of his generation, Severin von Eckardstein explores three major cycles of French music from the 1900s, associating Claude Debussy’s two revolutionary books Images (1904-1907) and Gabriel Dupont’s La Maison dans les dunes (1907-1909) as part of this debut album under the Artalinna label: this suite of 10 pieces with memorable atmospheres filled with luminous colours and heady melodies will stand out for many as a musical revelation!

Dans Dans is back (already), with their most unfiltered, most spantenous, most 'punk' album to date. Three musicians, three days in the studio, one burst of energy.

The prospect of listening to a trio of soprano saxophones will make some of you cringe. After all, this instrument can turn into a head-drilling implement – let alone three. But Placés dans l'Air (literally: "placed in the air" or more elegantly "placed in space") is gentle on the ear, despite its high demands in terms of listening attention and open-mindedness. There are no endless circular-breathing tirades, no screeching solos, no out-breathing contests…