A weekly rundown of the music our staff and listeners are loving lately! Are you interested in contributing some thoughts on your favorite new music albums? Drop us a line!

Beautiful poetry set to song and accompanied by sensitive piano playing.  A sparkling collection of delicate and dazzling art songs – it’s worth buying for “The Vineyard Songs” alone. – by Rachele Hales

Despite living principally in the familiar chamber ensemble world of piano, strings, and winds, “The South Shore” feels like a different place and time. Through extensive use of simple, pure modal scales and harmonies, composer Michael Vincent Waller is able to effortlessly conjure impressions of otherness, without pointing directly to any particular era or locale. While these miniatures are beautiful in their simplicity, they are by no means unsophisticated – Waller is clearly familiar with the chamber music language, and each instrument speaks strongly in its individuality, while remaining blissfully uncomplicated as a whole. Evocative, unfettered, and at times even bucolic, Waller’s music transports, and all this music asks of us is to come along for the ride. – by Sarah Anthony

DJing was Henrik’s his first love, having built a reputation at major events in the early nineties and working as a remixer for artists like Mary J. Blige and Coldplay.  With genuine curiosity, Henrik simply wanted to see what his music would sound like for a body of classical instruments.  It goes a bit deeper, literally, with the use of low woodwinds (bass flute, bass clarinet, and bassoon) to help replace the low electronic bass sounds and kick drums.  Pulsing strings and percussion provide a rhythmic aura not unreminiscent of night club culture, like trance music for classical instruments.  This music is coming to a dance club near you, I hope! – by Maggie Stapleton