Various Artists – Eurovision Song Contest Liverpool 2023 (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:46:32 minutes | 1,30 GB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Universal Music A – S

The official compilation of Eurovision 2023, in support of Ukraine, all united by music! For this 67th edition of the competition, you will have the pleasure of finding all the artists as well as all the titles performed during the television program broadcast on May 13th.

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Various Artists – A moi la liberté – Early Electronic Raï (Algérie 1983-90) (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:17:23 minutes | 929 MB | Genre: World, Electronic
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Born Bad Records

Delving into the deepest recesses of raï, this compilation serves as a tribute to its roaring years, but also as a rejuvenation of the genre in its sulphurous, subterranean version. It seemed like a good idea to dig into nearly untraceable cassettes, thus confirming it’s in the oldest of Oranese pots that the very best of raï is to be found. Just 50 years ago, no one would have believed even a bit in a genre seemingly bound to forever turn round and round in its native Oran, laying low in one of its many coastal road clubs. In these underground venues, singers – backed up by a minimalist orchestration for lack of space – would move their audience to laughs and tears, sobbing in a beer or chuckling down (dry) whisky. Either way, the public would unfailingly be moved by their defying tunes, sounding like a challenge to the established, self-righteous order of things – complete with trumpets, electric guitars, accordions and an array of percussions. Through the pre and post-independence years, from 1950 to 1970, raï urbanised itself, with a generation growing up between asphalt and concrete to the sound of traditional flute, but also and mostly listening to twist, French variété and rock music. Their names were Boutaïba S’ghir, Messaoud Bellemou, Groupe El Azhar, Younès Benfissa or Zergui, and they passed on their collection of songs to the incoming “Chebs” –breathing a second youth into them. Oran, the capital of West-Algeria, will be at the heart of this rejuvenation.

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Various Artists – The Official Album of The Coronation: The Service (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 02:04:30 minutes | 1,16 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Decca (UMO) (Classics)

The British royal family is set to have its first coronation in 70 years on Saturday (May 6), as King Charles III is set to become the 40th Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey alongside his wife, Camilla, on Saturday (May 6).

To celebrate, the service and pre-service music will be recorded and released by Decca Records on the same day. The Official Album of the Coronation is set to be more than four hours long and will feature all music and spoken word from the global event, including Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s coronation anthem called “Make a Joyful Noise,” plus pieces from artists like Andrea Bocelli, José Carreras, Elina Garanča, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, the Sistine Chapel Choir, Lorin Maazel, Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE and many more.

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Various Artists – The Official Album of The Coronation: The Complete Recording (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 03:38:30 minutes | 2,05 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Decca (UMO) (Classics)

The British royal family is set to have its first coronation in 70 years on Saturday (May 6), as King Charles III is set to become the 40th Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey alongside his wife, Camilla, on Saturday (May 6).

To celebrate, the service and pre-service music will be recorded and released by Decca Records on the same day. The Official Album of the Coronation is set to be more than four hours long and will feature all music and spoken word from the global event, including Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s coronation anthem called “Make a Joyful Noise,” plus pieces from artists like Andrea Bocelli, José Carreras, Elina Garanča, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, the Sistine Chapel Choir, Lorin Maazel, Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE and many more.

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Various Artists – Shorter Moments – Blue Ballads (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 52:19 minutes | 960 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Posi-Tone Records

We at Posi-Tone greatly mourn the recent passing of Wayne Shorter and wish to offer our humble honors to his wonderful life and inspirational music. While this musical offering was originally scheduled to be a present for his 90th birthday later this year, we hope this helps listeners find comfort and joy in remembrance of this beautiful person. Accordingly, with this second installment of “Shorter Moments,” we would like to celebrate the sheer beauty and ineffable genius of Wayne’s ballad compositions, lovingly performed over the recent years by a wide variety of artists from our talented roster.

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Various Artists – One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to the Red Headed Stranger (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 44:57 minutes | 513 MB | Genre: Folk, Country, Americana, Folk Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © The Next Waltz

On May 1, 2022 an all-star lineup of guests backed by The Next Waltz founder Bruce Robison’s house band performed as part of an 89th birthday celebration for Willie Nelson in his very own backyard in Luck, TX.

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Various Artists – Groove of ESSR II: Funk, Soul, Disco and Jazz from Estonia (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 45:22 minutes | 900 MB | Genre: Disco, Funk
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Funk Embassy Records

“ESSR” in the “Groove of ESSR II” stands for Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Yet for Estonia, there was nothing really “republic” about the situation of being occupied by Soviet Russia. So escaping the oppression through music is a running theme for the Groove of ESSR compilation. Funk Embassy Recs returns with the second volume of tracks that hide meaning between lines or offer solace on the dancefloor. It’s an ongoing journey to uncover these jewels and meet their makers. Majority of these pieces will be released for the first time. During the production of this album, two of the most influential figures in Estonian funk and soul passed on: Marju “Maryn” Kuut (1946-2022) and Tõnu Aare (1953-2021). In music lies strength and truth. We dedicate this album to them. May they live on forever through music, alongside all of the artists represented here.

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Various Artists – Folksongs of the British Isles (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:19:45 minutes | 1,29 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © SOMM Recordings

SOMM Recordings is pleased to announce a musical journey around the four nations of the United Kingdom with Folk Songs of the British Isles. Celebrating the “living, breathing heritage of British and Irish folksong down the ages”, the 27-track recital features soprano Janis Kelly, mezzos Yvonne Howard and Maria Jagusz, tenors Nicky Spence and Wynne Evans, baritone Mark Llewelyn Evans, jazz doyenne Elaine Delmar and actor- singer Kevin Whately. Fiona Kelly (flute), Jean Kelly (harp) and pianists Michael Pollock and John Wilson provide instrumental contributions with singer Caroline McCausland accompanying herself on guitar. Much-loved songs include She Moved Through the Fair, The Last Rose of Summer, The Foggy, Foggy Dew and Down by the Salley Gardens. Local colour is provided by songs such as Blaydon Races, Skye Boat Song, Sosban Fach and The Oak and the Ash while the entirely new Song for Gwyn (words by Christopher Morley, music by John Wilson) tributes Gwyn Williams, former Principal Viola with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which he joined in 1965 and where he played for conductors Hugo Rignold, Louis Frémaux and Sir Simon Rattle. Royalties will be donated to the Gwyn Williams Bursary Fund which supports young violists at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and endows three viola chairs in the CBSO Youth Orchestra. SOMM’s long commitment to British vocal music includes the acclaimed three-volume One Hundred Years of British Song by James Gilchrist and Nathan Williamson (SOMMCD 0621, 0636, 0646), two discs of Parry’s English Lyrics (SOMMCD 257, 270), volumes by Eric Coates (SOMMCD 0192), Ethel Smyth (SOMMCD 0611) and a British song recital by Kathleen Ferrier (ARIADNE 5010). Recent releases include a first volume of songs by Stephen Dodgson (The Peasant Poet, SOMMCD 0659) and Robert Matthew-Walker’s A Bad Night in Los Angeles (SOMMCD 0662), hailed by MusicWeb International as “individual and accessible but with a sophistication and craft that repays attentive listening”.

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Various Artists – Contemporary Homemade Music from Sweden (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 53:25 minutes | 427 MB | Genre: Experimental, Rock, Electronic, Field Recording, Folk
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Discreet Music

An audio postcard from the Discreet Music family featuring new music from Astrid Øster Mortensen, Jon Collin, Blod, Charlott Malmenholt, Hugo Randulv, Sewer Election, Skogar, Incipientium, Leda, JJulius, Amateur Hour, Arv & Miljö, Klas Trollius and Treasury of Puppies.

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Various Artists – Baroque Bohemia & Beyond IX (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:14:11 minutes | 1,39 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Musical Concepts

In addition to the enchanting flute concerto by Carl Stamitz performed by Ana de la Vega and the Trondheim Soloists, this new compilation on ALTO also features the New Dutch Academy playing on period instruments with four particularly delightful string symphonies by the two best-known main representatives of the famous Mannheim School, Johann Stamitz and Franz Xaver Richter.

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