Guiding Light is the third instrumental release from Arild Brøter's Pymlico outfit, where the main protagonist wrote, arranged and produced every note, as well as playing drums and keyboards on the finished pieces. However this is no vanity project, Brøter fully utilising the skills of another thirteen musicians to bring his creations to life; something they and he do extremely well…

Wholly instrumental, prog/jazz fusion in approach, the band is led by drummer Arild Brøter who writes most of the material. Together with his henchmen - including Marie Faerevaag on saxophone - they create a musical landscape as exhilarating and energising as a Norwegian fjord. ‘Crab Key’ and ‘Erised’ are good examples with Oyvind’s Broter’s sweeping keys complementing Stephan Hvinden’s heavier guitar figures - ‘Erised’ could even be a theme to a Scandi crime thriller. ‘Second Rate Punk’ develops into a funky wig-out where the guitar plays off the added brass section with great effect. This Chicago brassiness (as in Chicago, the band) continues on the strangely entitled NOL861613060…

Jason Becker’s life story teaches two important lessons. Firstly, it teaches perspective—which was the apt title of his second solo album—because no matter how difficult your life is, it could be worse, so learn to appreciate what you have. Secondly, it teaches perseverance, because no matter what challenges lie in your way, perseverance will help you overcome them…

Familiars, the fourth album from Brooklyn-based indie/chamber/electronic trio Antlers, comes as a glacially slow step in the slow-moving progress that marked both their death-themed 2009 breakthrough album Hospice and its more electronica-leaning 2011 follow-up, Burst Apart. The nine songs here are sprawling pocket symphonies, longer songs brimming over with the horn arrangements that were just hinted at on previous work, if a little lighter on airy keyboards and Boards of Canada-influenced dreaminess.