New strings.

Autumn into Winter 2025 has brought with it three new releases and two acclaimed artists to the label. The first, This Illusionment (XIK005), is emerging artist Sophie Rocks compelling debut album for solo harp. The eponymous work is a premiere recording of Richard Greer’s evocative new work dealing with the shifting nature of our reality and how we adapt to it. Hear Richard and Sophie discuss the piece in the atmospheric mini-doc over on YouTube. Alongside this work Sophie offers three pieces which showcase the harp beyond its known quality for evoking calm, elegance, and beauty, revealing the surprising dynamic, percussive, loud, and all-encompassing nature of the instrument.

Following on from this debut, two releases from leading classical guitarist Amanda Cook. Dubbed "the guitar queen with a silken touch" by The Independent, Amanda is one of the UK's most celebrated classical guitarists. A Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music, she has performed at prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall and the South Bank, earning acclaim for her sensitive musicality and fluid technique.

Selected Works of William Lovelady (XIK006) features the title composer's key works for guitar. Lovelady is a celebrated composer, classical guitarist and teacher whose eclectic career spans chart-topping reggae hits, Emmy-nominated film scores and deeply moving choral works performed at royal occasions including Prince Philip's funeral. His recent orchestral works have been premiered by the English Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra of the Swan. He has written for leading classical guitarists including Amanda Cook herself, Xuefei Yang and Craig Ogden—the latter featuring as a guest on the album's hypnotic closing track, Nartuby River. Recorded back in 2010 and originally released in 2012, the album has been lovingly remastered and is now available for the first time in high-resolution format.

The last of this clutch of releases is Darn That Dream (XIK007), an EP of reimagined guitar arrangements taken from the Great American Songbook, bringing together some of the most iconic jazz standards from the early 20th century. The songs were selected and arranged by William Lovelady, and the recording was made at the same session as Selected Works—but has remained in the archives, unreleased until now.

Waltzer remastered.

We are delighted to reissue the world premiere recording of Gordon McPherson’s exhilarating composition, Waltzer. The work was commissioned by Hebrides Ensemble who premiered it in 2007 and, while still fresh, recorded it for Eleven Kinds director’s former label Natural Studio Records (sadly disbanded in 2013).

It is a vital, visceral rendition of the work. The recording hasn't been widely available for a number of years now, so it gives us great pleasure to make this work available again. It has received a fresh remastering for 2024 and new artwork. Head on over to the album page to take a look/listen. If you enjoy what you hear, a hi-res (88.2kHz/24bit) download is available for a modest price, which includes a complementary e-booklet with insightful commentary by Dr. Martin Dixon:

[…] buried within early adolescence, are thresholds: tipping points where the child is put away and the burgeoning adult steps forwards. The modern Fairground is a psychological equivalent of the Forest in fairytales. It is a place of danger, a place in which to lose oneself, take risks, be cheated, be preyed upon. The Fairground, a forest of mirrors, lights and gaudy deceptions, is a homeless, fantastical place, where the moral jurisdiction of mummy-and-daddy breaks down and where desire holds sway: here, writ large and in neon, is greed, competition, cheap thrill, sexual licence. McPherson writes: “King in this arena is the Waltzer—dark and wavy undercover—just round the corner where the bad girls stand staring at the guys who spin the cars all blue eyeshadow and chewing gum nodding to androgynous Bowie and Ronson and Sweet—losing the downbeat in the screams and swirls and turns…”

Introducing Lewis Banks.

Virtuoso saxophonist Lewis Banks joins Eleven Kinds with the release of Chrysalis (XIK003). No stranger to diverse and adventurous concert programming, his new album is equally broad, a sentiment exemplified by the new works specially commissioned for this recording. Electra Perivolaris's contemporary classical stylings and experimental soundscapes sit unapologetically alongside Stuart McCallum's jazz-tinged electronica. Straddling the divide, Graham Fitkin's 2005 work, Passing, hypnotises with its brooding drone backing and genre-ambiguous saxophone lines.

Lumière finds a home.

We are pleased to announce the re-issue of Opalińska & Whates's album Lumière. Featuring piano and bass arrangements of music initially scored for arthouse film, the original 2012 release was met with critical aclaim. Remastered and available for the first time as a hi-res download.