published by Ben Hogwood, with text from the press release
Acclaimed Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche releases euphoric new single Follow The River – a flamboyant 9-minute pop-odyssey that captures the Norwegian songwriter in an unabashedly romantic, ecstatic state of mind, energised by renewed faith in love and life. Follow The River marks the second reveal from Lerche’s newly announced eleventh studio album Acrobats, out on Friday 21 August via PLZ / Virgin.
Acrobats – his first full-length of brand new music in over four years, marks the return of the beloved Norwegian artist with an album that’s bold and bombastic; a polarising reflection on the dichotomy of finding love while in times of soulless global unrest and unfathomable human atrocities.
Originally beginning life as “quite a small and simple song”, new single Follow The River gradually expanded into what Lerche describes as his “very first disco odyssey” – a sprawling nine-minute epic in its full album form, packed with ever-new scenes, encounters and experiences.
Each of its six verses zooms in on the profound and mundane details of two lost dreamers meeting and falling in love through music, scent and taste, on breezy bar visits and through sticky, sweaty city streets in summer.
“This one doesn’t make excuses for being completely overcome with feelings of love and desire,” says Lerche. “So naturally I thought, ‘I need a gospel choir on this,’ because it’s almost indulging, maybe, as an act of defiance, in the beauty of two humans finding each other, reveling in all the little, mundane moments of that.”
Featuring a rousing gospel-style choir and adlibs from singer Suzanne Sumbudu, Follow The River stands in striking contrast to much of the wider Acrobats album – unashamedly upbeat, optimistic and love drunk in all its glory.
Musically, the recording shamelessly embraces music history with nods to everyone from Pet Shop Boys, Janet Jackson and Steve Reich to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, which inspired the track after Lerche found himself “crying his eyes out” during a performance at the Oslo Opera. “It actually started out as quite a small and simple song, but the story expanded into more of an epic, and I felt the urge to turn the entire recording into a groovy adventure, with ever-new scenes, encounters, and experiences,” says Lerche. The track also features what is perhaps Lerche’s most natural and simplistic chorus so far in his ever-expanding catalogue.
Alongside the sprawling album version – which even includes its own remix in the spirit of Pet Shop Boys’ Introspective – the song will also be released as an elegant and concise single edit clocking in at four effective minutes before summer takes over.
The expansive album version features contributions from saxophonist Jonas Hamre, clarinetist Solveig Wang and vocalist Gabriela Garrubo, alongside Lerche’s longtime collaborators, drummer Dave Heilman and producer Kato Ådland.
‘Acrobats’ physical pre-order is available as a webstore exclusive 2xLP gatefold ‘Splendor’ edition including recent EP ‘Turning Up The Heat Again’, a standard 1xLP edition on transparent red vinyl, and CD.
Sondre Lerche‘s new album ‘Acrobats’ is out 21st August via PLZ / Virgin. Sondre Lerche will embark on an extensive headline tour in support of the new album, which will take him across the UK, Europe and the US. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit his website HERE.
by Ben Hogwood, incorporating text from the press release
Following the announcement of his DJ-Kicks mix and the release of first offering Never Seen You Dance (DJ-Kicks Version)”, TEED today shares Another Day, the first original track to be unveiled from the forthcoming compilation, arriving 26th June via !K7. You can listen here:
One of five exclusive productions created for the project, Another Day provides one of the deeper, mysterious and introspectively soulful moments on the release. Built around warm melodies, understated rhythms and a quietly hypnotic atmosphere, the track reveals another side of a mix largely driven by uplifting house music and dancefloor energy.
Inspired by what Americans call “pre-gaming” before a night out, DJ-Kicks: TEED draws on more than a decade of life in Los Angeles. While the mix opens with big, vocal-led house music and the carefree energy of a night just beginning, Another Day arrives as the mood starts to shift, offering a more reflective moment amongst the momentum.
At the heart of the release are five TEED exclusives in total: two reworks, two original tracks and a cover of KC & The Sunshine Band’s Please Don’t Go. Alongside these sit carefully selected tracks and exclusives from artists including Joe Goddard, Austin Ato, Jacques Greene, Casino Times and Oscar Farrell, each helping shape the mix’s journey through house, deeper club sounds and increasingly atmospheric territory.
As the mix unfolds, the energy sources flicker, the synths grow heavier and the drums become crunchier. House gradually unfurls into more progressive and psychedelic spaces, with tracks such as Under the Metal pushing further into rolling, cerebral grooves and euphoric release. Another Day sits comfortably within this world, bridging the warmth of the opening stretch with the dreamier, more introspective moments that follow.
Arriving on 26 June via !K7, DJ-Kicks: TEED captures the excitement, possibility and transformation of a night out, moving seamlessly between moments of movement and reflection before drifting into a hazy, ambient close.
by Ben Hogwood, incorporating text from the press release
Gaspar Claus has announced a new album, CELLS, featuring collaborations with Matt Elliott (The Third Eye Foundations) and producer Basile3. It will be released by InFiné on 25 September, but has been prefaced by two singles. The second of these, Désir des astres, is available now:
On the track, Gaspar said, “This theme comes from music written for a documentary. It ultimately wasn’t used: the cello often carries that melancholic sweetness so unique to it, and it weighed the film down a bit. So I dug it up, reworked it, and pushed it towards an almost epic boldness. It’s an ideal way to kick off the journey this album offers.”
The title of the piece also plays with the etymology of the word “désir”, which shares the same root as the word “sidéral”, placing the track in a resonance that is both intimate and cosmic.
It is a passionate piece, played with searching expression by the cellist – whose accents bring a humid, almost Mediterranean flavour to the track. I was reminded, in a good way, of the music of Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo.
Désir des astres follows the single release of the album’s opening track, World of Idols, in edit form:
CELLS will be released on Biovinyl LP and Digipack CD (all-paper packaging), with all details on the Bandcamp link below:
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) has announced its 2026–27 Season: a year of artistic ambition, civic pride and musical breadth under Music Director Kazuki Yamada. The season brings together major symphonic journeys – including Beethoven and Mahler cycles – with new commissions, international touring and landmark moments such as the CBSO Chorus’s 1000th performance. Looking both forwards and back, the orchestra returns to Coventry Cathedral for Britten’s War Requiem, while a wide‑ranging programme that embraces film, popular music and cross‑genre collaborations reflects the CBSO’s commitment to sharing exceptional music with the widest possible audiences.
Shaped by extensive listening to the people of Birmingham, the 2026-27 Season responds to a city where music plays a vital role in daily life, with 96% of residents saying it is important to them. Research also revealed a strong desire for live music and shared cultural experiences, with more than half of respondents valuing a ‘great night out’ with family and friends, alongside a growing appetite for diverse and cross‑genre programming. Embracing scale, risk and joy in equal measure, the new season opens on 17 September 2026.
Looking ahead to the new season, Emma Stenning, CEO at the CBSO comments: “Over the past two years we have listened closely to the people of Birmingham – through research, audience feedback and the work of our Community Board – and that dialogue has shaped a season designed to offer something for everyone. We continue our Mahler journey and present a complete Beethoven symphony cycle with our Music Director Kazuki Yamada, while welcoming Ilan Volkov as our new Principal Guest Conductor and Collaborative Artists Jess Gillam, Alice Sara Ott and Rushil Ranjan, each bringing fresh energy and ideas to the CBSO. Our return to Coventry Cathedral for Britten’s War Requiem will be a defining moment of the season, sharing a powerful message of peace that feels especially resonant today. Alongside this, film and pop concerts, cross‑cultural collaborations and our family programming allow us to broaden our audiences, reflect the diversity of our city and invest in the next generation of music‑lovers. We hope you’ll join us for a truly special year of music‑making.”
For Remembrance Day, Kazuki Yamada brings Britten’s humanitarian masterpiece home to Coventry Cathedral, with a plea for peace as resonant now as the day it was written. A timeless, intensely moving meditation on man’s inhumanity to man, the CBSO gave the world premiere of the piece at Coventry Cathedral in 1962 and the Orchestra’s return in 2026 also marks 50-years since Benjamin Britten’s death. This performance will be followed by an international tour.
Mahler symphonies to open and close the season
KazukiYamada and the CBSO continue their Mahler cycle: a signature artistic journey that explores music grappling with life, death and renewal. The 2026-27 Season opens with Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony, in a concert which also celebrates the 1000th performance of the CBSO Chorus. The season will close in June 2027 with Mahler’s 3rd Symphony.
Three Collaborative Artists redefining what an orchestra can do
This season sees the CBSO welcome Alice Sara Ott, Jess Gillam and Rushil Ranjan as Collaborative Artists, who each offer fresh perspectives and exciting programming across genres, venues and formats. Pianist Alice Sara Ott brings major concerto and chamber performances at home and on tour, saxophonist Jess Gillam appears as a soloist, presenter and creative collaborator across concerts and education projects, and composer‑producer Rushil Ranjan expands the orchestra’s sound world through his genre‑defying Orchestral Qawwali Project.
Beethoven’s full symphony cycle
Marking 200 years since Beethoven’s death, Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO will perform all nine symphonies in 2027, celebrating one of the most famous and enduring symphonic cycles of all time alongside performances of the Violin Concerto and a wide‑ranging programme of chamber music.
A major commitment to new music
In addition to exciting projects with CBSO’s Collaborative Artists – Alice Sara Ott, Jess Gillam and Rushil Ranjan – the CBSO’s first Composer in Residence, GRAMMY-nominated composer Anna Clyne, is central to the season; including the world premiere of her new viola concerto ‘Resonant Forms’ with Lawrence Power, a performance of PALETTE by the CBSO Orchestral Residency scheme, and a Decca recording of Glasslands with Jess Gillam and Alpesh Chauhan.
Ilan Volkov debut season
The CBSO will welcome Ilan Volkov for his first season as Principal Guest Conductor and repertoire will feature Bruckner’s 7th Symphony, Messiaen’s Turangalila and a Shakespeare inspired programme.
Film and pop music concerts
From Classic FM Hall of Fame and Jules Buckley’s Quincy Jones celebration to Guitar Heroes, ABBA and Home Alone – the CBSO season is packed with popular family-orientated concerts that celebrate milestones in popular culture. There will also be concerts that celebrate special anniversaries; such as 50 years of Star Wars: A New Hope and the 20th anniversary of Casino Royale in partnership with esk live and B:Music; and 25 years of the legendary film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring presented by The Flying Music Company at BP Pulse Live.
Kazuki Yamada’s generous and joyful programming
The CBSO’s Music Director,Kazuki Yamada also champions programmes that invite audiences in through joy and familiarity this season, treating much‑loved repertoire with the same care, imagination and musical rigour as the symphonic canon. From a festive ‘double Nutcracker’ that sets Tchaikovsky alongside Duke Ellington’s sparkling reinvention, to a Night at the Opera with an all-star cast, celebrating the enduring power of great melody and drama.
Concerts for young children and families
From toddlers to teenagers, the CBSO’s family and Notelets concerts are presented by CBSO musicians and designed to remove barriers and spark a lifelong connection with music. Created especially for under‑6s, Notelets are joyful, interactive performances where children can sing, dance and discover orchestral instruments for the very first time, supported by free creative activities and opportunities to meet the musicians. Across the season, BSL‑interpreted family concerts further widen access, ensuring orchestral music is welcoming and inclusive for audiences of all ages.
A season that embraces scale, risk and joy in equal measure
From vast, ambitious works such as Messiaen’s Turangalila Symphony and Weinberg’s rarely performed operatic epic The Passenger, to symphonic film, jazz‑inflected reimaginings and large‑scale popular orchestral projects, the season demonstrates a willingness to programme at full stretch – artistically, logistically and imaginatively. Rather than separating the serious from the celebratory, the CBSO places demanding contemporary and 20th‑century masterpieces alongside exuberant, high‑craft crossover, asserting that ambition, curiosity and pleasure can and should coexist on the same stage.
Kazuki Yamada, Music Director, CBSO, comments:“It brings me so much happiness to be looking forward to another season with this wonderful orchestra and our fantastic audiences. And what a year of music making it’s going to be: 18 concerts at home and another 21 across the UK and around the world. Wherever we perform, I am always proud to share the CBSO’s incredible energy, openness and spirit with our audiences.” The CBSO would also like to thank the many guest musicians, soloists and ensembles that will join them for the 2026–27 season.
Glacial Movements, the ambient and electronic music label founded in Rome in 2006 by Alessandro Tedeschi (Netherworld), celebrates its 20th anniversary with the release of The Hermit, a collection of restored archival recordings from the early 2000s. These recordings, originally stored on deteriorated CD-r and Minidisc formats, were recovered and restored to reveal early experimental sounds full of mystery and emotional depth. These earliest sound experiments emerged while the Netherworld project was still evolving, years before Glacial Movements came into existence.
“I have been going through one of the most difficult periods of my life”, says Tedeschi. “The last two years have had a profound impact on my existence, with a succession of dark thoughts, moments of high tension, and anxiety. At times, I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Inevitably, this has had a significant impact on my professional life, on the management of Glacial Movements, and on the Netherworld project. One rainy day a few months ago, I was home alone with my three-year-old daughter Dafne. The sky was gray with clouds heavy with rain and strong storms. I was in my studio working when, at one point, Dafne started pulling my entire collection of CDs, accumulated over the years, off the shelves. They were all scattered on the floor, total chaos reigned.
As I was tidying everything up, I noticed that there were some old CD-Rs and minidiscs with “2002” and “Netherworld” written on them. I had completely forgotten about these sounds… they were my first experiments, unreleased, never published and never heard by anyone, composed with very basic, low-quality equipment, but full of mystery. I used a microphone to record sounds captured from metal surfaces, broken toys, breaths, voices, and a Tibetan gong. The only synth used was the Novation A-Station rack. I realized that the physical media had deteriorated over time.
Together with my friend and sound engineer Matteo Spinazzè, we carried out a lengthy process of recovering and restoring the audio files. Unfortunately, some of them were completely corrupted and therefore lost forever. However, seven of these files were made available again. Listening to them was a succession of strong emotions. Although they were made many years ago, they resonate with my current state of mind. Anguish, loneliness, darkness… I felt like a hermit, alone in the glacial vastness of my essence. The photos accompanying the artwork are very old, dating back to the first scientific explorations of the 1900s in the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the planet. They were chosen and selected from the archives of museums and libraries in Sweden, Australia, and Wales.”
Glacial Movements has steadily gained international recognition in the ambient and electronic music scenes. The label has collaborated with a wide array of notable artists such as Rapoon, Lull, Aidan Baker, Machinefabriek, Scanner, Murcof, Oophoi, bvdub, Loscil, Paul Schutze and many others, as well as supporting lesser-known talents. Their collective work reflects themes related to the pristine nature of the Great North and addresses urgent issues like climate change affecting the planet. The label expresses gratitude to its artists, audience, and the specialized press for their ongoing support and engagement with Glacial Movements’ activities.
