In Principle of Least Action, guitarist and composer Ricardo Urquiza has crafted an exceptional conceptual EP rooted in both physical law and musical structure. The title is borrowed from a fundamental idea in physics—that nature follows the path of least resistance, or least effort. Ricardo transforms this scientific principle into a musical metaphor, navigating through structured harmonic repetition and fluid improvisation with elegance and intention.

Usually, I write about classical, contemporary, and jazz music—but this time, I’m stepping outside my usual territory to explore a piece that blends pop, Latin, and hip-hop. Close Tu Di Vine by David Munoz is a genre-blurring work that caught my attention primarily because of its instrumentation.

African music has long been a wellspring of rhythmic innovation, spiritual depth, and communal storytelling. Its polyrhythmic structures, call-and-response vocals, and layered percussion have profoundly influenced global genres—from jazz to funk, and from Afrobeat to contemporary electronic music. This rich tapestry of sound and meaning forms the foundation upon which Colombian multi-instrumentalist Jaime Ospina builds his latest album, The Vessel.

Explore Jakub Poćwiardowski & Lili’s The Dark Side of the Mole, a concept album blending prog rock, classical, and ambient into an unforgettable soundscape.

The iconic brass hits ride effortlessly on a bed of funk, bass solos emerge from a post-rock soundscape, and the album flows with solos

Last week, I finally attended a performance I’ve been waiting for a long time—Lohengrin by Richard Wagner, staged by the Estonian National Opera (Rahvusooper Estonia). Yes, it’s the one with the famous wedding march, but this opera is far more than just that melody. It’s a monumental work of Romantic grandeur, and experiencing it live was unforgettable. The music was striking, the singers were nothing short of unbelievable, and the costume design was absolutely stunning.

Cornfield Reference is a six-chapter album by Graff Hoysfeld that plays like a personal log or memoir—only instead of words, it uses sound. These sounds tell stories of beauty, of light and gloom, of dawn and dusk. It’s a sentimental reflection of a private world, suspended somewhere between memory and imagination.

Music profoundly connects to the natural world, especially in regions where the landscapes are as diverse as the melodies they inspire. In Estonia, a small Baltic nation known for its vibrant cultural heritage and breathtaking wilderness, contemporary music increasingly intertwines with nature. Here we explore how Estonian composers and musicians draw inspiration from the country’s lush forests, pristine lakes, and striking seasons.

“Post Scriptum De Caelwyn et Campana” is more than just an instrumental piece—it’s a quiet revelation, a musical epilogue steeped in the mythos of Alexander Paul Burton’s fantasy novel The Hollow Vale. Though it is, at its core, a solo piano work, it manages to sound like much more. The piano becomes a storyteller here, an ancient voice whispering through melody and texture. Burton, primarily a pianist since the age of fifteen, steps into the role of a sonic world-builder wit

Music is often described as the most abstract of the arts, yet it has the power to shape images, stir emotions, and tell stories without a single word. In her debut album The Best Chapter, Italian composer and pianist Alessandra Toni does exactly that. Each of the twelve tracks feels like a finely sculpted conic form—shaped with precision, depth, and poetry. Her music doesn’t shout—it breathes, it unfolds. And through this carefully woven journey,

Jazz meets rock, and Out of the Darkness emerges as a bold, genre-defying statement from the brilliant singer and musician Stephanie Bettman. This album presents a collection of 14 original tracks that blend folk, pop, rock, jazz, and Latin influences with fearless creativity and emotional depth. More than just a stylistic experiment, it’s a testament to Bettman’s evolution as an artist—one who dares to push boundaries while staying true to the soul of her storytelling.

Lorenzo Brilli is not just a composer—he is a contemporary storyteller who uses sound as his language and rhythm as his syntax. In his latest album Vrihi, released by Esc.Rec, Brilli invites listeners into a world shaped by layers of texture, minimalism, folk traditions, and experimental electronics. The result is a sonic narrative that feels deeply rooted in the past yet strikingly modern. This is an album that demands to be experienced rather than simply heard.

What if Bach wrote music based on Swedish folk tunes? No need to wonder—just listen to Ur egen fatabur by Jon-Olov Woxlin. A collection of 21 original pieces written for solo violin, this album blends traditional folk tunes with the elegance and structure of Baroque music.

When I first encountered the music of Lauré Lussier, I wasn’t prepared for how deeply it would stir me. There’s a palpable breath in his compositions—something alive, something not imposed but revealed, unearthed. Though I sensed the subtle hand of minimalism, what truly captivated me was how seamlessly he integrates orchestral language with natural and synthetic soundscapes. His works don’t simply use sound—they become it.

uLove: Rayhan’s Version is a set of eleven pieces by the hip hop artist Rayhan — a bold debut album that hits like a wooden roller coaster: rough, thrilling, and real. From the first track to the last, this album tells a coming-of-age story soaked in love, lust, heartbreak, survival, and reflection. Rayhan, a rapper, actor, and comedian from Scarborough, Toronto, uses his full range of creativity to bring a multi-genre sound that refuses to stay in one lane.

Roads, saloons, beer, and music—that's what I feel when listening to I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere by The Ram. This nine-track collection of country-rock-blues songs sounds like the soundtrack of America, especially for those of us living outside of it. It's raw, heartfelt, and painted in earthy tones that capture both nostalgia and immediacy.

Shiprock is a collection of nine instrumental pieces composed and performed by Sam Miller and Matt Badger—two seasoned multi-instrumentalists whose collaboration speaks volumes without uttering a single word. Spanning a range of styles and emotions, the album unfolds like a cinematic narrative, inviting the listener on an intimate and expressive journey. Each track feels like a chapter in a story told through melody, rhythm, and texture—an emotional arc crafted with nuance, h

Nikola Pešić’s new release Skies is a personal diary written in sound — ten heartfelt pieces, each as expansive and open as the sky itself. With this album, Nikola shares intimate sentiments through his virtuosic fingers and the expressive keys of his piano.

Eyes Like Torches at the Gate features two solo guitar pieces by the Polish composer and guitarist Ratyński. The music is striking, expressive, and rhythmically intricate. I was especially drawn to the way different rhythmic patterns emerge and evolve, adding depth and emotional resonance to each piece.

I’ve always been drawn to the idea that consciousness isn’t a privilege reserved for humans. What if everything—objects, places, even the air between us—has its own form of awareness? It may be beyond our comprehension, but it’s a poetic and powerful notion. This idea is called panpsychism, and it’s the perfect name for Test Patterns’ latest album.