Perhaps the first example of "dragon rock" – a style perfected by bands like Iron Maiden and Dio in the early to mid-'80s – was Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, a rather pretentious 1975 collection from the guitarist's first post-Deep Purple project. Fittingly enough, a young Ronnie James Dio provides the goblin-like frontman presence required by the increasingly Baroque Blackmore. The young Dio is at his best when he fully gives in to his own and Blackmore's medieval fantasy leanings, in hard-rocking tracks like "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" and "Man on the Silver Mountain." The dark, trudging doom rock of "Self Portrait" most clearly showcases what they were capable of.

Emma's powerful vocals take center stage in this uplifting album, / where she showcases her incredible range and emotional depth. / With a mix of upbeat and introspective tracks, Emma proves herself to be a talented artist. / From the energetic "Mondiale" to the heartfelt "L'isola", this album is a must-listen for fans of Italian pop music.

Over half of this collector's four-CD box set is previously unissued studio, demo, rehearsal, or live recordings. Nothing is duplicated in this material originally recorded from 1961-1967. The Trashmen are an amazing summary of contradictions when looked at from afar. In pictures, even live ones, they are four clean-cut chaps in suits. Their nationwide 1963 hit "Bird," the 1965 version of which is included here, is a deliriously silly, primitively noisy, and utterly infectious gem. It's like playing a Black Sabbath album and showing pictures of the Bee Gees and trying to get someone to believe they are one and the same. The Trashmen's arrangements are two guitars of clarion twang and garage crunch with harmony with lead vocals often moving from one member to another. While some of their covers are saccharine (for example, Buddy Holly's "Tell Me How"), they offer such glorious trash rock as the cartoonish analysis of Bo Diddley's signature sound in "Bird Diddley Beat." The Trashmen tap straight into a democratic and transforming American spirit that celebrates the Universal Goof, a sort of holy fool spreading pure joy through music. There you have the entertainment recipe of the Trashmen: surf, doo-wop, blues, and rock & roll motifs swirled together for either devastating hilarity or smooth, slow dancing ballads.

Minos 2019 - 18 Super Hits is a 2018 compilation released by Minos-EMI, featuring a selection of contemporary Greek pop, folk, and modern laïko-influenced hits performed by a variety of well-known artists from the Greek music scene. The collection highlights the commercial sound of late-2010s Greek popular music, blending radio-friendly pop production with traditional folk and regional influences. Across the compilation, upbeat dance-pop tracks are balanced with melodic ballads, reflecting the diversity of modern Greek mainstream music. Artists such as Nikos Ikonomopoulos, Helena Paparizou, Peggy Zina, and Tamta contribute standout performances that emphasize strong vocal delivery and emotional themes centered around love, relationships, and personal expression. The production style is polished and contemporary, often incorporating electronic beats, synth layers, and rhythmic structures designed for both radio play and club environments. Overall, the album serves as a snapshot of the Greek pop music landscape during the late 2010s, showcasing some of its most recognizable voices and commercially successful styles.

Confident is a 2018 hip hop release by Lil’ Scrappy, delivering a collection of Southern rap tracks characterized by hard-hitting beats, street-oriented lyricism, and a confident, assertive performance style. The album reflects the artist’s continued presence in the Atlanta rap scene, blending trap-influenced production with classic Southern hip hop energy. Throughout the record, Lil’ Scrappy focuses on themes such as self-assurance, hustle mentality, relationships, and street credibility, supported by rhythmic flows and straightforward hooks. The production features heavy bass lines, crisp hi-hats, and melodic synth layers typical of modern trap-influenced hip hop, while still retaining elements of early 2000s Southern rap aesthetics. Tracks like “Confident” and “Countin’ the Money” emphasize ambition and success, while others explore personal relationships and resilience in a competitive environment. The album maintains a consistent tone of determination and street confidence, aligning with Lil’ Scrappy’s established artistic identity within the genre. Confident serves as a solid example of late-2010s Southern hip hop with a focus on straightforward, energetic delivery and club-ready production.

Necromantic Doom Returns is a 2018 archival release by the legendary Italian extreme metal band Mortuary Drape, compiling early demo recordings and rare live material from the group’s formative years. The collection captures the raw and occult-driven atmosphere that helped establish the band as one of the pioneering acts within the early black and death metal underground scene. Featuring the complete Necromancy demo from 1987, the Doom Return demo from 1989, and a live performance recorded in 1990 at Topsy Pub in Livorno, the album offers a detailed look into the evolution of the band’s dark and ritualistic sound. The recordings combine primitive yet intense guitar riffs, eerie atmospheric passages, aggressive drumming, and occult-themed lyricism that would later become central elements of underground black metal aesthetics. Despite the raw production quality typical of demo-era recordings, the material retains strong atmosphere and authenticity, reflecting the underground spirit of the late 1980s extreme metal scene. Necromantic Doom Returns serves as both a historical document and an essential collection for followers of early occult black and death metal traditions.

Unleashed Bastards is a 2018 thrash metal release by German band Necronomicon, delivering a relentless combination of aggressive riffing, fast-paced drumming, and dark lyrical themes rooted in classic European thrash traditions. Known for their long-standing presence in the underground metal scene, the band maintains an intense and uncompromising sound while incorporating modern production clarity that enhances the album’s impact. The record balances speed-driven attacks with heavier mid-tempo passages, allowing the songs to develop atmosphere alongside raw energy. Tracks such as “Burn and Fall” and “My Name Is Vengeance” emphasize sharp guitar work and commanding vocal delivery, while longer compositions like “Malevolent” explore darker and more complex arrangements. The production preserves the rough edge associated with old-school thrash while ensuring instrumental precision and dynamic range. Throughout the album, themes of destruction, rebellion, violence, and psychological conflict reinforce the bleak and hostile tone. Unleashed Bastards stands as a strong example of contemporary thrash metal rooted firmly in the genre’s traditional foundations while maintaining modern intensity and sonic power.

Love & Soul is a collection by Corneille that reinterprets iconic soul and R&B classics through his smooth, emotive vocal style. The album blends intimate acoustic sensibilities with polished contemporary production, offering a fresh take on well-known tracks while maintaining respect for their original emotional depth. Corneille’s performances emphasize warmth and subtlety, often stripping arrangements back to highlight melody and lyrical expression. Across the album, he navigates themes of love, nostalgia, and vulnerability, creating a cohesive listening experience that feels both personal and universal. The inclusion of acoustic versions adds an extra layer of intimacy, reinforcing the album’s reflective tone. With its mix of reinterpretations and bonus material, Love & Soul stands as both a tribute to influential songs and a showcase of Corneille’s ability to reinterpret familiar material with sincerity and stylistic consistency.

Camp Pain is a 2018 release by 96 Bitter Beings, delivering a concentrated burst of hard rock energy characterized by aggressive guitar work, tight rhythmic structures, and a raw, punchy production style. The album reflects the band’s continuation of the creative spirit associated with their earlier work, emphasizing a direct and uncompromising approach to songwriting. Across its compact runtime, the record moves through fast-paced riffs, driving percussion, and vocal lines that balance intensity with melodic hooks. Each track contributes to a cohesive yet varied listening experience, shifting between high-energy bursts and slightly more restrained passages without losing momentum. The production favors clarity and impact, allowing the instrumentation to cut through with precision while maintaining a gritty edge. Camp Pain stands as a focused hard rock statement that prioritizes energy, immediacy, and performance-driven execution, making it a concise but forceful entry in the band’s catalog.

Green Book (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the official soundtrack to the 2018 Academy Award-winning film “Green Book,” composed and curated by Kris Bowers. The album blends period-accurate blues, jazz, and classical-inspired performances with original score compositions that reflect the emotional journey and historical setting of the film. It features a combination of archival recordings, reinterpreted classics, and original piano-driven cues performed by The Don Shirley Trio and various vintage artists. The soundtrack captures the contrast between elegance and social tension portrayed in the story, moving seamlessly between upbeat jazz numbers, intimate piano pieces, and atmospheric orchestral scoring. Kris Bowers’ compositions provide emotional continuity, highlighting character development and key narrative moments with subtle yet expressive musical themes. Tracks such as “Water Boy,” “Lullaby of Birdland,” and “The Lonesome Road” showcase the virtuosity of Don Shirley’s musical style, while short score cues like “Dr. Shirley's Luggage” and “Makeup for Wounds” enhance the cinematic storytelling. The result is a richly textured soundtrack that bridges classical performance, jazz heritage, and modern film scoring.

Stevie Wonder is a soul music giant, a beloved American icon, and an indisputable genius of popular music. The musician's heightened awareness of sound – a consequence of his blindness – has helped him create vibrant music teeming with joyous positivity, even when he's written about heartbreak and addressed issues of race, spirituality, and society in general. Wonder's recordings are a richly eclectic and singular brew of soul, funk, rock & roll, Broadway/Tin Pan Alley-style pop, jazz, reggae, and African elements. Combined with his elastic voice, peerless melodic facility, gift for complex arrangements, and taste for lovely ballads, his broad appeal over the decades has been unmatched.

Ultimae proudly presents the new remastered edition of Connect.Ohm's first album 9980 a subtle and emotive story born of the musical encounter between Hidetoshi Koizumi aka Hybrid Leisureland and Alexandre Scheffer aka Cell. The nine tracks on 9980 compose a serene ballad in atmospheric realms where finely chiseled rhythms and fluid melodies are sustained by discreet downtempo grooves and deep drones. Koizumi’s widely spread, otherworldly, organic, sustained wizardry, compliments Scheffer’s spiraling, liquid, delicate yet sumptuous acid ambient type architecture. This combination creates a kinetic and spacious tapestry that stimulates the mind and soul. A pure delight for vast soundscapes audiophiles.

Digitally remastered edition of this album from the French electronic music pioneer. Geometry of Love is the fifteenth studio album by Jean-Michel Jarre, originally released in October 2003. This album has more in common with the preceding Sessions 2000 album than releases prior, but the style here is still more electronica than jazz. The music was to be lounge music, played in the background or in the chill-out area of a club. The album was commissioned by Jean-Roch, as a soundtrack for his VIP Room nightclub in France.

The Gothenburg-based duo, known for its soothing analog atmospheres and complex melodic evolutions through the minimalist cycle, has pulled digital remasters on its lush back catalog. This the band's first ambient album, made even before they took the name Carbon Based Lifeforms. For the first time on CD.

Ghetts delivers a powerful narrative on Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament, / a testament to his storytelling prowess. With features from notable UK artists, / the album showcases a unique blend of hip-hop and grime. This album is a must-listen / for fans of UK rap, with Ghetts' lyrics painting a vivid picture of life in London.