Music Releases for Friday 01-31-25
THE WORLD OF HANS ZIMMER - PART II: A NEW DIMENSION is the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed 2019 album The World of Hans Zimmer - A Symphonic Celebration. Melding the grandeur of symphonic music with the dynamic power of his cinematic compositions, Zimmer transforms 17 more of his most successful soundtracks into new epic orchestral suites on this double album. Highlights of the over 2 hours long record include a short, captivating "cello-concerto-like" version of Final Ascent from No Time to Die, a tranquil rendition of A Time of Quiet Between the Storms from Dune II, and a new romantic suite from The Prince of Egypt. Additionally, Zimmer revisits one of his classic 90s soundtracks with a newly crafted suite of The Rock.
THE WORLD OF HANS ZIMMER - PART II: A NEW DIMENSION features Zimmer accompanied by a stellar ensemble of soloists and collaborators, including singers Lebo M, Lisa Gerrard, Gan-ya Ben-gur Akselrod, and Nokukhanya Dlamini; multi-woodwind wizard Pedro Eustache; bass player Juan GarcÃa-Herreros; guitarist Alexios Anest; pianist Eliane Correa; cellist Mariko Muranaka; violinist Rusanda Panfili; and percussionists Aleksandra cuklar, Luis Ribeiro, and Lucy Landymore. Together, they perform alongside the Odessa Orchestra & Friends and the Nairobi Chamber Choir, under the baton of conductor Gavin Greenaway.
- 3 x 180g black vinyl, Gatefold, poly lined inner sleeve
The World of Hans Zimmer Part II - A New Dimension
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Live at Forest Hills Stadium '24 [8 LPs Splatter vinyl]
Vinyl: $175.98 Buy
Eccentric Soul: The Cobra Label / Various (Colv)
Eccentric Soul: The Cobra Label / Various [Colored Vinyl]
Vinyl: $36.98 Buy
Seattle’s beloved subterranean music iconoclast Skerik has long found the city of New Orleans a balm for his inherently subversive musical approach. Currently calling the Crescent City his second home, the saxophonist fully embraces this dichotomy between his own profane instincts and the Big Easy’s rich jazz traditions with Compersion Quartet — a band in which the he’s joined by fellow incendiary musicians: pianist Brian Hass, bassist James Singleton and drummer Simon Lott. Recorded in New Orleans, the quartet's self-titled debut album presents a series of studio improvisations that amalgamate in fits and starts of cinematic beauty, syncopated melodism and mystic sonic experimentalism. The inception of Compersion Quartet can be traced back to Saucefest, the multimedia festival within a festival, founded and curated by Skerik, that happens annually on the middle Tuesday night of New Orleans Jazzfest when a disparate gathering of local and traveling musicians come together in various configurations for an evening of fearless, no-holds-barred musical collaboration. "The history between the four of us goes way back, but this specific quartet would eventually come together through Saucefest," explains Skerik. "I met Brian Haas in the early years of his trio Jacob Jazz Odyssey after he heard me in Critters Buggin. I used to play with Simon Lott in Malestrom Trio along with Brian Coogan. They were both part of the early Saucefest events. I started playing with James Singleton on Johnny Vidacovich gigs and in other combinations. He also did some early Saucefest performances. We share a related collective history. We all are from the same mother of music, siblings without rivalry." Throughout the album's 11 tracks, Compersion Quartet explores deconstruction and rebirth, while undermining the math of music through enigmatic human vibrations intrinsic to improvisation. Like the green lizard adorning the album's cover art, just when the listener thinks they've captured the music’s essence, its tail detaches and it escapes back into the unknown. "To us, Compersion Quartet means to support each other and everyone on earth. Let's leave it at that. I want there to be more mystery and less analytical talk about this music," concludes Skerik. "There's really no point in trying to describe the indescribable."