Audiophile Digital

Det Norske Jentekor
Stjernebru
2L 2L-178-SABD (SACD + Pure Audio Blu-ray)

Gorgeous soundscapes galore, this time based on folk tunes which are part of the repertoire of the Norwegian Girls Choir. Composer Ørjan Matre started with the traditional songs and added modern improvisation and ‘arrangements as intermezzos’. The title means ‘Bridge Of Stars’ or the night sky, which is reflected in the character of this new release, a welcomed secular change from religious or medieval choral music. As expected of 2L, the two discs – an SACD with assorted stereo and 5.0 surround modes including MQA CD and a Pure Audio Blu-ray – let you exploit the scale and the ethereal nature of these angelic voices. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

Genesis
A Trick Of The Tail
Analogue Productions CAPA073SA

Let Genesis fans argue among themselves as to which album was their finest, this being a tad divisive because it’s the first with Phil Collins taking over lead vocals from the departed Peter Gabriel. Fifty years on, Collins having become a superstar in the 1980s, his now-familiar vocals render this more accessible for casual listeners – not that Gabriel’s vocals were any less appealing. For this philistine, A Trick Of The Tail is more approachable, less artsy-fartsy, and the remastering by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman’s renders an already superb-sounding album that much better. The crispness of the percussion on ‘Squonk’, the stereo spread – all magnificent. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

Humble Pie
Hallelujah: 1973-1983
HNE Recordings HNE5BOX204 (five CDs)

One of the UK’s most underappreciated hard rock outfits, no doubt because they concentrated on the USA, Humble Pie survived the departure of Peter Frampton and enough shake-ups to confound family tree compilers. This focuses on mid-period Pie, with two studio albums – 1980’s On To Victory and 1981’s Go For The Throat – and three live sets. Two date from 1982/’3 but Live At Winterland from May 1973 is something of a non-sequitur as it features a different lineup from the other four CDs. Regardless, this is a reminder of what a peerless singer/songwriter Steve Marriott was. A faithful cover of the Small Faces’ ‘Tin Soldier’ will put a lump in your throat. KK

Sound Quality: 85%

Michael Jackson
Dangerous
Mobile Fidelity UDSACD2289 (stereo SACD)

Again testing my ability to put aside my disinterest in Jacko to focus solely on the sonics, yup, it’s another blockbuster – but with a difference for his devotees. Jackson’s eighth studio album was his first without Quincy Jones, who produced the previous three, so sonically Dangerous is more eclectic than cohesive. This came four years after the chart-topping Bad and gave him another colossal, global No 1 in 1991. Again, it was filled with singles, nine (out of 14) including the saccharine ‘Heal The World’ and ‘Black Or White’, but it was more street thanks, one imagines, to using three different producers including hip-hop maven Teddy Riley, creator of ‘new jack swing’. KK

Sound Quality: 90%