"This Lahti Sibelius cycle is healthy and extremely well recorded. The sense of front to back perspective and of quiet details in the foreground registering despite fff activity above is remarkable and a tribute to Ingo Petry, Robert Suff, Jeffrey Ginn and Jens Braun.
The set is sui generis in that it gives both versions of the Fifth Symphony… It is fascinating to hear the Fifth in its four movement 1915 issue playing 35:16 against the 3 movement 31:20 final version of 1919. After so many years of hearing the Fifth in the tighter 3 movement structure it is impossible to make a reliable snap appraisal. All I can do is to celebrate the chance to hear what amounts to a new Sibelius work… Vänskä knows his way to the elusive realm between gestural defiance and grateful descant." — Rob Barnett

Heart Full of Soul: The Motown Anthology is the definitive 2-CD retrospective celebrating Sondra "Blinky" Williams, long regarded as Motown's greatest "lost" superstar. Released in 2019 by Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records with full artist cooperation, this 46-track collection gathers almost three hours of deep soul, gospel-infused R&B, and classic Motown sound recorded between 1968 and 1973. Disc 1 premieres her unreleased 1970 album Sunny and Warm in its complete form alongside rare singles and live Motortown Revue cuts. Disc 2 unearths over 20 previously unreleased vault treasures produced by legends like Ashford & Simpson, Frank Wilson, Stevie Wonder, and Deke Richards. Produced by Joe Marchese and Andrew Skurow and remastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Reeves, this anthology stands as an essential monument to one of the most powerful vocalists in soul music history.

"The late '60s in Brasil produced an explosion of creativity that is still reverberating throughout the world… and Os Mutantes (The Mutants) were the most outrageous band of that period. Their creative cannibalism produced psychedelic gems unlike anything else, and they sound as relevant today as anything happening anywhere. They were exactly what their name implies—a mutant genetic recombination of John Cage, The Beatles, and bossa nova. A creature that was too strange and beautiful to live for very long, but too strong to ever fade away. It lives again. Be prepared." — David Byrne
Compiled by David Byrne for Luaka Bop, Everything Is Possible! is the definitive anthology celebrating Os Mutantes, the legendary Brazilian psychedelic rock pioneers formed by Rita Lee, Arnaldo Baptista, and Sérgio Dias. Gathering 14 key tracks spanning 1968 to 1971, this compilation captures the wild experimental spirit, tropicalia fuzz, and avant-garde pop brilliance of songs like A Minha Menina, Panis Et Circenses, Bat Macumba, and Ando Meio Desligado. An absolute essential introduction to the most revolutionary band in Latin American rock history.

50 Great Oldies is a essential 3-CD compilation released in 2008 by Sony BMG Music, gathering half a century's worth of iconic hits from the 1960s and 1970s. Across three discs and nearly three hours of remastered classics, this collection spans timeless pop standard melodies, classic rock standards, soulful grooves, and disco anthems. Disc 1 showcases 1960s pop and folk-rock gems from legends like Roy Orbison, The Byrds, Neil Sedaka, and The Lovin' Spoonful. Disc 2 highlights 1970s chart-toppers including Norman Greenbaum, Bill Withers, Smokie, and The Sweet, while Disc 3 delivers dancefloor staples and glam pop hits by LaBelle, Wild Cherry, Baccara, Hall & Oates, and Tina Charles. Essential listening for retro music enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

Expansion Soul Sauce Volume 1-3 is an outstanding 3-volume compilation series released between 1992 and 1994 by the esteemed UK soul label Expansion Records. Gathering 44 exquisite tracks across over three and a half hours, this collection highlights the finest modern soul, rare groove, urban R&B, and smooth funk jams from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Featuring revered soul icons and underground vocalists—including Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, Gary Taylor, Gwen McCrae, Keni Burke, Josie James, and The Valentine Brothers—this trilogy serves as an indispensable showcase of soulful grooves, lush arrangements, and timeless rhythm & blues for collectors and soul aficionados alike.

Nossa Imaginação is the celebrated 1978 debut album by Uruguayan-born Brazilian singer, guitarist, and composer Don Beto. Reissued on CD in 2006 as part of the esteemed "Som Livre Masters" series, this 12-track, 34-minute gem represents a classic milestone in 1970s Brazilian boogie, soul, and disco-funk (MPB / Black Rio sound). Arranged by maestro Lincoln Olivetti and producer Hugo Bellard, the album features infectious basslines, lush horn arrangements, and silky vocals across beloved tracks like Não Quero Mais, Menina Mulher, Pensando Nela, and the title track Nossa Imaginação. Rescued from the original Som Livre tapes for collectors and music historians, this album remains a revered centerpiece of Brazilian funk-soul history.

Nara Leão Anos 60 (1964-1969) is an essential, comprehensive 14-CD box set celebrating the formative 1960s catalog of Nara Leão, universally revered as the "Muse of Bossa Nova" and a crucial figure in Brazilian popular music (MPB). Released by Universal Music in 2013, this definitive anthology gathers remastered editions of her 12 landmark studio and live albums from her classic era—spanning her iconic 1964 debut album Nara, pivotal political and theatrical recordings like Show Opinião and Liberdade, Liberdade, through to her protest-era MPB masterworks and Tropicália collaborations (featuring early compositions by Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, and Edu Lobo). The box set is completed by a dedicated double disc titled "Raridades" (Nara Rara), which unearths rare singles, alternate takes, foreign language recordings, and collaborations with Chico Buarque, Maria Bethânia, Fagner, and Quinteto Violado. Accompanying the pristine audio remastering is a biographical liner essay by music scholar Rodrigo Faour, making this collection an indispensable monument of 20th-century Brazilian culture.

Live at OM is a landmark double-disc DJ set recording capturing two house music titans, Derrick Carter and Mark Farina, performing live over Valentine's Day weekend in 2004. Released by San Francisco's influential OM Records, this unedited 40-track, two-and-a-half-hour compilation showcases the signature Chicago house sound at its finest. Disc 1 features Mark Farina delivering a tight, jackin' set packed with underground cuts from Lawnchair Generals, Cajmere, Jason Hodges, and Phil Weeks. Disc 2 highlights Derrick Carter's legendary, technical mixing prowess, blending dub-infused rhythms, steady syncopations, and rare re-edits—featuring tracks by Freaks, Daft Punk, Steve Poindexter, and DJ Sneak. Live at OM stands as an essential snapshot of 2000s American deep house culture and DJ artistry.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is the acclaimed self-titled debut studio album by the New York indie pop outfit The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Originally released in early 2009 and reissued in expanded Japanese CD editions via Yoshimoto R and C, this 19-track edition pairs the original 10-track debut album with 9 bonus tracks—including non-album singles, EP highlights, and B-sides such as Higher Than The Stars, Say No To Love, and Ramona. Recorded at Honeyland Studios in Brooklyn and mixed by Archie Moore, the album blends fuzz-drenched guitars, driving rhythm sections, soaring synthesizers, and melancholic, romantic lyricism inspired by classic C86, 1990s shoegaze, and noise pop icons like My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Sarah Records acts.

The Best of Disco Demands is a monumental 5-CD compilation curated by renowned Scottish DJ, record collector, and disco connoisseur Al Kent. Released in 2011 by BBE Disco, this massive 45-track collection spans over four and a half hours of obscure, rare, and private-press disco, funk, and modern soul treasures originally released during the genre's golden era. Handpicked from Kent's legendary series of limited vinyl compilations, the release unearths forgotten gems from obscure groups, private labels, and regional scenes across North America and the Caribbean. Highlights include obscure dancefloor bombs by Cheryl Berdell, The Firebolts, Don Renaldo Strings, Arts & Crafts, and Brooklyn Express, alongside rare cuts by Chocolate City Connection, The Legal Defense, and Sizzle. Sourced from pristine vinyl pressings and tapes, this compilation stands as an essential archive for die-hard disco collectors, diggers, and lovers of underground 1970s dance music.

The Million Dollar Orchestra is the dazzling, authentic modern disco opus conceived and produced by Scottish DJ, producer, and legendary disco authority Al Kent. Released in 2007 by Better Days Records, this 8-track, 61-minute collection represents the culmination of years of dedicated craftsmanship and a lifelong devotion to the golden era of 1970s dancefloor music. Moving away from standard sampling and digital loops, Kent assembled a massive, fully organic ensemble featuring a driving rhythm section, lush live strings, punching brass, rich percussion, and soaring chorus vocals to recreate the grandeur of classic orchestral disco. Spanning sprawling, groove-heavy tracks averaging seven to eight minutes each, the album delivers hypnotic dancefloor workouts like Dontcha Wanna Get Down, Canal Street Bus Stop, Rock Freak Boogie, and Makin Love. Infused with Philadelphia international and Salsoul influences, The Million Dollar Orchestra stands as a masterclass in modern, hand-crafted disco, funk, and soul.

Gold is a definitive collection featuring newly recorded high-definition stereo renditions of timeless classics by The Ventures, universally recognized as the best-selling instrumental rock band in music history. Released in 2000 by The Gold Label, this 20-track, 57-minute anthology showcases core members Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, Gerry McGee, and Mel Taylor performing pristine re-recordings of the iconic tunes that defined 1960s surf guitar culture and instrumental rock and roll. The collection gathers landmark hits including their historic breakthrough Walk Don't Run, alongside high-energy surf standards and pop culture themes like Wipe Out, Pipeline, Perfidia, Apache, Telstar, and the James Bond Theme. Enhanced by guest appearances on saxophone, steel guitar, and keyboards, Gold stands as a vibrant tribute to the unique, influence-heavy sound that earned the legendary group over 120 million record sales and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Pronounced Toe-Nay is the ambitious and groundbreaking major-label debut album by San Diego gospel pioneer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Tonéx (Anthony Charles Williams II). Originally recorded in his basement and released independently in 1997 before being picked up and re-released worldwide in 2000 by Rescue, Verity, and Jive Records, this sprawling 75-minute masterpiece peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. Divided into seven distinct musical movements—ranging from Hip-Hop/Rap and Retro/Funk to Jazz, Mellow Grooves, and Soul/Gospel—the album seamlessly blends funky basslines, rubbery clavinet grooves, and avant-garde vocal arrangements inspired by Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. Featuring acclaimed tracks like the infectious One Good Reason, the social-conscious anthem The Good Song, and the soul-stirring altar call Untitled, Pronounced Toe-Nay stands as a bold, boundary-pushing landmark in modern urban contemporary gospel and progressive R&B.

Waleeco & Space Kids is an essential archival split compilation that brings together two rare pieces of late-1960s Boston garage and psychedelic rock history. Released in 1993 by the archival label Arf! Arf! and sourced directly from the original master tapes, this 29-track collection spans over 77 minutes of vintage audio treasures. The first half features the complete reissue of Flat Earth Society's sought-after 1968 psychedelic album Waleeco, packed with organ-driven garage rock, baroque pop textures, and fuzzy guitar arrangements. The second half unearths Space Kids, a previously unreleased 30-minute sci-fi audio fairy tale recorded in 1967 by legendary Boston outfit The Lost, complete with narration, futuristic sound effects, and incidental music tracks. Highlighting key figures of the Boston scene like Willie Alexander and Walter Powers (both later of The Velvet Underground), this release stands as an indispensable piece of American psychedelic and cult garage rock history.

Love Songs is an extensive double-disc anthology celebrating the enduring romantic repertoire of iconic rock and roll pioneer Roy Orbison. Released in 2001 by Virgin Records, this comprehensive 41-track collection spans over two hours, offering a thorough survey of the singer's most heartbreaking ballads, sweeping pop melodies, and impassioned vocal performances. Disc one highlights his legendary late-career resurgence, featuring late-1980s classics like You Got It and She's A Mystery To Me alongside his acclaimed duet with k.d. lang on Crying, his driving rendition of I Drove All Night, and pristine re-recordings of his classic hits. Disc two dives deep into his original 1960s Sun and Monument era breakthroughs, gathering essential timeless standards such as Only The Lonely, Oh, Pretty Woman, In Dreams, It's Over, and Blue Bayou. Characterized by Orbison's soaring operatic bel canto vocal range, dramatic orchestral arrangements, and vulnerable songwriting, Love Songs stands as a definitive tribute to one of popular music's greatest and most emotive vocalists.