On the Mesmerising "Green Prism" Hilary Jeffery Refracts Keith Tippett’s Legacy

There are tribute albums, and then there are records that feel like conversations across time. On Green Prism, Berlin-based British trombonist and composer Hilary Jeffery achieves the latter, transforming the music of the late Keith Tippett into something that is both a heartfelt homage and a bold creative statement in its own right.

The origins of Green Prism stretch back several years. Tippett had originally composed a suite titled Winter's Welcome for Jeffery's brass ensemble Zinc & Copper, premiered in Berlin in 2019. Tragically, ill health prevented Tippett from fully participating in the project before his death in 2020. Rather than allowing the music to remain unfinished, Jeffery returned to the material with fresh perspective, rebuilding it through layers of multi-tracked brass, improvisation and adventurous arrangements.

Keith Tippett. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Licenced under Creative Commons 2.0.
Courtesy of the original photographer and Wikimedia Commons.

The result is a record that feels expansive and cinematic. Jeffery's brass arrangements form the album's backbone, but the surrounding cast brings remarkable colour to the music. Saxophonists Paul Dunmall and Tobias Delius inject moments of urgency and exploration, while Eleni Poulou's synthesizers and electronics add an atmospheric glow that pushes the music beyond conventional jazz territory. At the emotional centre stands Julie Tippetts, whose voice and lyrics provide a direct human connection to Keith Tippett's legacy.

What makes Green Prism especially compelling is its refusal to become a museum piece. Rather than recreating Tippett's compositions note for note, Jeffery treats them like living organisms, allowing them to evolve through improvisation, texture and reinterpretation. The album moves between moments of quiet reflection and powerful brass-driven grandeur, creating a listening experience that feels simultaneously intimate and vast. Critics have highlighted its rich use of space, silence and texture, qualities that give the music an almost filmic quality.

For longtime followers of Keith Tippett's work, Green Prism offers a fresh lens through which to revisit a towering figure of British jazz. For newcomers, it serves as an accessible entry point into a musical world built on curiosity, collaboration and fearless experimentation. The remarkable achievement is that Jeffery manages to honour Tippett's spirit without being constrained by it.

Keith Tippett and Louis Moholo-Moholo performing.
Licenced under Creative Commons 2.0.
Courtesy of the original photographer and Wikimedia Commons.

Released through Discus Music in May 2026, Green Prism stands as one of the most thoughtful and imaginative jazz releases of the year—a record that doesn't simply remember Keith Tippett, but actively extends the reach of his musical imagination.

On Circadian Promise: An Epic, Crushing and Cathartic Release By Fires in the Distance

Connecticut's Fires in the Distance have never been a band afraid of staring into the abyss, but on Circadian Promise they do something even more impressive: they find beauty within it.

The New England melodic death/doom outfit's third full-length album arrives as the eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2023's acclaimed Air Not Meant For Us, a record that helped elevate the band from underground favourites to one of the most exciting names in modern melodic death metal. Now, with Circadian Promise, Fires in the Distance return with a release that feels bigger, bolder, and even more emotionally devastating.

Originally formed as guitarist and songwriter Yegor Savonin's solo project in 2016 before evolving into a full band, Fires in the Distance have steadily built a reputation for combining crushing heaviness with sweeping orchestration and deeply reflective songwriting. That formula remains intact here, but Circadian Promise pushes every element further.

The album also marks the arrival of vocalist and guitarist Brendan Hayter, whose addition ushers in a new chapter for the band. Rather than simply recreating the sound of previous releases, Hayter's performance helps shape an album that feels both familiar and refreshed. The result is a record that balances melancholy and aggression with remarkable confidence.

Opening track "Of Radiance and Levitation" immediately establishes the album's grand scale. Expansive orchestration, soaring melodies and towering riffs create a cinematic atmosphere that has become a hallmark of the band's sound. Elsewhere, "To You, Author of My Fade" explores darker and more confrontational territory, showcasing the band's ability to move seamlessly between crushing heaviness and moments of haunting beauty.

Photo: Matt Jackson / Courtesy of Prosthetic Records

What makes Circadian Promise so compelling is its sense of emotional authenticity. Fires in the Distance have spoken about creating music from raw feeling, and that sincerity resonates throughout the album. Themes of mortality, perseverance, ageing and acceptance are woven into compositions that feel less like individual songs and more like immersive journeys.

Across six expansive tracks spanning nearly fifty minutes, the band demonstrates an impressive command of pacing. Delicate passages of orchestral grandeur give way to waves of melodic death metal intensity before receding again into moments of introspection. It's a dynamic approach that rewards repeated listens and keeps the album feeling fresh despite its epic running time.

The early reaction from critics and fans alike has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the album's balance of doom-laden atmosphere, melodic sophistication and emotional depth. For a band already riding significant momentum after Air Not Meant For Us, Circadian Promise feels less like a continuation and more like a statement of intent.

In a genre often defined by extremes, Fires in the Distance have found a rare middle ground where darkness and beauty coexist. Circadian Promise doesn't merely embrace the shadows—it transforms them into something breathtaking.

For fans of Insomnium, Swallow the Sun, Amorphis and the ever-evolving landscape of melodic death/doom metal, this is essential listening and one of the standout heavy releases of the year.

Accelerating Into A New Era With "Ton Up": Gold Panda's Upcoming Album

Electronic music favourite Gold Panda is back on the road and heading full throttle into a brand-new chapter. The Essex-born producer, whose intricate blend of sample-heavy electronica and emotive dance music has earned him a devoted following over the past decade and a half, has announced his latest album, Ton Up.

Scheduled for release on 26 June via Studio Barnhus, the record marks Gold Panda’s first full-length project since 2023’s critically acclaimed The Work. According to the artist, Ton Up is built from “eight rough-hewn dance tracks and two cozy little service-station interludes” — a description that immediately suggests a record balancing raw club energy with the reflective atmosphere that has long defined his best work.

Gold Panda in Shinjuku, Tokyo (2010) by Masao Nakagami, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

The announcement arrives alongside the release of the album’s first preview, “Ding the Motor,” a track that hints at the rhythmic, road-worn aesthetic suggested by the album’s title. Long-time listeners will recognise Gold Panda’s knack for transforming tiny fragments of sound into deeply immersive compositions, and early indications suggest Ton Upcontinues that tradition while leaning more heavily into dancefloor-focused territory.

The album’s title itself carries a sense of movement and momentum. In British motorcycling slang, “doing the ton” traditionally refers to hitting 100 miles per hour — an apt metaphor for a record that appears to be fuelled by motion, travel and restless energy. That theme is reflected throughout the tracklist, which includes titles such as “Loser Mentality,” “Wakō Heights,” “Life Is Hard Off,” “Double Arrows,” and the intriguingly self-referential closer, “Do You Know Gold Panda?”.

Gold Panda performing at Primavera Sound 2011 by Ferran (Amposta), via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)

For an artist whose career has often thrived in the spaces between genres, Ton Up feels like a particularly exciting prospect. Since breakthrough releases such as Lucky Shiner and Half of Where You Live, Gold Panda has consistently evolved without losing the intimate, handcrafted quality that made his music stand out in the first place. His records have always felt personal, even when aimed squarely at the dancefloor.

With Ton Up now on the horizon and “Ding the Motor” providing a first glimpse of its direction, Gold Panda appears ready to remind listeners why he remains one of electronic music’s most distinctive voices. If the album delivers on the promise of its lead single and intriguing concept, summer 2026 could belong to one of the genre’s most quietly influential producers.

From Atlanta to Antiquity: The Strange Journey Behind Chariots Overdrive's Epic Metal Odyssey

Heavy metal has always loved a grand quest. Dragons, forgotten kingdoms, doomed warriors and mythical landscapes have long fuelled the genre's imagination. But every so often a real-life story emerges that feels just as unlikely as anything found in a fantasy lyric sheet. Enter Chariots Overdrive.

The Atlanta-based quartet have quickly become one of the most intriguing names in underground traditional metal, thanks to their debut album The End of Antiquity. Yet what makes the band fascinating isn't simply their music—it's the unusual path that brought them together in the first place.

All four members were born in China before eventually finding themselves in Atlanta, where band founder G.H.Z. assembled the group after completing graduate studies at Georgia Tech. In an unusual twist, the band's story mirrors one of the most important chapters in Chinese heavy metal history. Decades earlier, Chinese-American guitarist Kaiser Kuo helped introduce Western metal influences to Beijing audiences through pioneering outfit Tang Dynasty, a band widely regarded as one of the first major Chinese heavy metal acts. Chariots Overdrive almost represent the reverse journey: musicians from China embracing classic metal traditions while building their identity in the United States.

That collision of cultures is all over The End of Antiquity. The album blends the raw energy of classic heavy metal with themes drawn from Chinese history, mythology and legend. Rather than relying on the familiar swords-and-sorcery clichés often found in traditional metal, Chariots Overdrive carve out their own narrative world, one populated by ancient tales, mysterious figures and historical imagery.

Nowhere is that more evident than on the album's centrepiece—or perhaps its final destination—"A Bizarre Pilgrimage to the Cubik Mansion." Clocking in at just over twelve minutes, the song towers over the rest of the record and serves as a fitting finale to the band's debut statement. The track reportedly grew from experiments with slower doom-metal influences before evolving into a sprawling heavy metal epic that stretches well beyond the band's core sound.

The title alone sounds like something lifted from a long-lost cult fantasy novel, but that's exactly what makes Chariots Overdrive so compelling. In an era when countless bands are content to recreate the past, they use traditional heavy metal as a launching pad for something stranger and more personal. The riffs may owe a debt to the genre's golden age, but the storytelling feels entirely their own.

For a band that only formed in 2023, the early response has been remarkably enthusiastic. Critics and fans have praised The End of Antiquity for its balance of classic metal energy, adventurous songwriting and distinctive cultural perspective. The album doesn't feel like a nostalgic exercise—it feels like the beginning of a new chapter.

And perhaps that's the real pilgrimage at the heart of Chariots Overdrive's story: a journey that stretches across continents, generations and musical traditions, ultimately arriving at a sound that feels both ancient and refreshingly new.

Dead Stars Never Fade: Pulsar1081 Celebrate Eterno on Expanded Album Release

There are album reissues, and then there are releases that carry genuine emotional weight. Athens experimental ambient duo Pulsar1081 have delivered the latter with the arrival of an expanded physical edition of their debut full-length, L’inizio della Fine (“The Beginning of the End”).

Originally released in digital format in 2025, the album introduced listeners to the immersive and often unsettling sonic world created by the partnership of Eterno and Momento. Blending dark ambient textures, avant-garde experimentation and cinematic sound design, the record quickly established itself as a compelling statement from a project determined to explore musical territory beyond the boundaries of traditional rock and metal.

Image credit: Anthony Ross Studio / Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal.

Now, a year after its initial release, L’inizio della Fine has been given a new lease of life through a special digipak edition that carries an additional track, Dead Star. More than simply a bonus song, the track serves as a moving tribute to Eterno, whose passing in August 2025 left a profound impact on those who followed the project.

The inclusion of Dead Star adds a deeper emotional dimension to an album that already felt haunted by themes of isolation, transformation and finality. Described as one of several pre-production pieces developed during the album’s creation, the track now takes on an entirely different significance, standing as a final artistic connection to one half of the duo.

For listeners discovering Pulsar1081 for the first time, L’inizio della Fine remains a fascinating journey through shadowy soundscapes and experimental atmospheres. Tracks such as Darkness, Inferno and the sprawling Aglaf showcase the duo’s ability to create music that feels both meditative and unsettling, constantly shifting between beauty and tension.

Image credit: Anthony Ross Studio / Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal.

The expanded edition arrives not only as a celebration of the album itself but also as a memorial to the creative spirit of Eterno. Rather than revisiting the past, Pulsar1081 have transformed this release into something more meaningful: a lasting document of artistic collaboration and friendship.

In a musical landscape often driven by speed and disposable content, L’inizio della Fine stands as a reminder that some records grow stronger with time. With the addition of Dead Star, the album becomes more than a debut—it becomes a tribute, a farewell, and a powerful testament to the enduring impact of a creative partnership.

For fans of dark ambient, avant-garde soundscapes and emotionally resonant experimental music, this expanded edition is not merely worth revisiting—it feels essential.