At the end of October we learned the sad news of the passing of New York house DJ Cevin Fisher, at the age of just 63.
There is a fitting tribute to him on the DJ Magazine website, but I wanted to share a few personal favourites, not least his most successful singles – The Freaks Come Out and (You Got Me) Burnin’ Up, the Loleatta Holloway sampling hit from the late 1990s:
Fisher was responsible for some superb house music compilations, in my view none finer than his contribution to King Street Sounds’ Mix The Vibe series, which you can hear below:
Published post no.3,074 – Tuesday 10 November 2026
Last week we heard the sad news of the death of much-loved Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt, at the ripe old age of 99.
Blomstedt was a fine conductor of symphonic music, and I wanted to choose a playlist with personal resonance which draws on that, as well as some music from the stage. My personal favourites include Nordic composers Berwald, Grieg, Nielsen and Sibelius, along with Hindemith – whose orchestral music he recorded in memorable accounts for Decca – and finally Beethoven’s Symphony no.7, which I was fortunate to watch him conduct with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 2017.
With grateful thanks to him for some wonderful music making!
by Ben Hogwood photo by Herbert Lambert, public domain work used courtesy of Wikipedia
On this day in 1883, the composer Sir Arnold Bax was born.
It is a good moment to mark one of his most enduring orchestral works, the tone poem November Woods, completed in 1917. In spite of its evocative title Bax said it “may be taken as an impression of the dank and stormy music of nature in the late autumn, but the whole piece and its origins are connected with certain rather troubled experiences I was going through myself at the time….”
You can enjoy it below in a performance with the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Bax specialist, the late Vernon Handley:
The Sick Man Of Europe may be an anonymous musical act, but there is a strong identity to their work. Having released a self-titled debut album last year, they quickly follow up with a sequel that looks to explore a more processed means of communication.
“Through repetition the message has gained weight and become something more urgent,” The Sick Man Of Europe explains on the album’s press release. “The vehicle for this message needed to evolve, grow to attain the strength to carry it. We’ve landed on something more expansive, immediate and immersive. Less is more. Until it isn’t.”
What’s the music like?
There is an impressive assurance about this music that grabs the listener right from the word go, a poise and stature to the production that is only enhanced by the vocals.
There is an extraordinary voice behind this work – The Man bringing a resonant, doom-laden and authoritative voice to music that brings to mind some of the 1980s’ leading vocalists. None more so than Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, though this instrument has a power to its lower register that even he would be proud of. The music has a Germanic feel; sleek and clinical like a well-polished automobile.
The songs are powerful and very much of their time, harnessing formidable Krautrock beats in the likes of Cadogan Gate, a superb song, or the coruscating Love Song. Apathy hammers out its conclusions in an unusual meter, while the title trackbuilds with real purpose, the voice and electronics a thrilling mixture.
Does it all work?
It does. Powerful and distinctive, this music makes a strong impression.
Is it recommended?
It is. An album whose impact only deepens with repeated listening, The Intermittent Signal is darkly uplifting, with a deep resolve that is ultimately inspiring.
For fans of…Depeche Mode, Interpol, Blancmange, The Human League, The Cure
Listen / Buy
Published post no.3,071 – Saturday 7 November 2026
by Ben Hogwood public domain image, used courtesy of Wikipedia
On this day 90 years ago, the first performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s Symphony no.3 in A minor took place, with Leopold Stokowski conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The symphony, one of the composer’s final published works, did not find favour immediately with the public, and has proved to be something of a slow burner. Yet now it has proper recognition as one of Rachmaninoff’s finest works – and indeed was one of his own favourites.
The symphony has had a number of champions over the last few decades, with few more passionate than Vladimir Ashkenazy, whose recording with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is included below:
