Julia Holter Goes Underwater to Find Room to Move
Julia Holter drips her semi-conscious thoughts on the musical canvas to access her artistic sensibility, but she seems a bit unsure of the process.
chamber pop
Laura Wolf Brings Emotional Resonance to Glitches and Samples on ‘Shelf Life’
Laura Wolf takes us on a true sonic adventure, marrying glitchy samples with emotional execution. It makes you want to hear more from this unique voice.
Vampire Weekend’s ‘Modern Vampires of the City’ at 10
Vampire Weekend’s Modern Vampires of the City is very much a studio creation in the 21st-century sense, born from many months of sweat and obsession behind computer screens.
The Legendary Waves Behind Fiona Apple’s Grand Debut ‘Tidal’
Using the spirals of poetry and jazz that formed her, Fiona Apple’s Tidal established the 18-year-old as an honest and revolutionary voice in music.
GADADU Make Mesmerizing Noise on Jazzy, Neo-Psychedelic ‘The Weatherman Is Wrong’
GADADU’s music has always been a balm for the dreariness and anxiety inherent in everyday life. With The Weatherman Is Wrong, they continue to confound and fascinate.
Perfume Genius’ Ugly Season’ Questions the Accepted Meaning of “Ugly”
Michael Hadreas of Perfume Genius delivers his most experimental, wandering, and gorgeously unkempt album to date with Ugly Season.
Björk Orkestral in Berlin Is an Ode to a Lifetime of Achievement
Icelandic musician extraordinaire Björk finds a new outlet for artistic expression with a series of “body exploding” “unplugged”, orchestral performances.
Florence + the Machine Are Free on ‘Dance Fever’
Creating their most conceptual, theatrical work, Florence + the Machine air out their lockdown grievances and ugly feelings by reminding us all to dance it out.
Racializing Rock: The ’60s and the White Sounds of ‘Pet Sounds’
The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds is not a racist text, but its impact was racist because it further encoded rock as a white genre, perpetuating the institutionalized prejudice that relegated African Americans to the margins of rock.
Belle and Sebastian’s ‘A Bit of Previous’ Is Wrapped Up in Hooks
On Belle and Sebastian’s first album in seven years, A Bit of Previous, the cozy Glaswegians prioritize candor and retain a bit of their previous magic.
The Dark Parts: Perfume Genius’ ‘Put Your Back N 2 It’ at 10
Perfume Genius’ 2012 album Put Your Back N 2 It offers a bleak yet comforting unpacking of sexual identity, addiction, physical abuse, and family trauma.
Beach House’s ‘Once Twice Melody’ Is an 18-Track Epic That Never Wears Out Its Welcome
Beach House are always tinkering around the edges of their sonic universe, getting darker, weirder, subtler, and more expansive. They do that on Once Twice Melody, and the payoff is enormous.