John Bence Turns to His ‘Archangels’ for Detoxification
John Bence’s Archangels has got to be one of the quietest new albums. He’s conjured a storm’s eye, making it a fascinating aesthetic contradiction.
classical
Stephanie Lamprea Creates a Fearless Interpretation of an Avant-Garde Song Cycle
Colombian-American soprano Stephanie Lamprea brings a spectacular amount of vocal technique to a challenging, unique, and weirdly playful piece of music.
Anne H. Goldberg-Baldwin Interprets Bespoke 21st-Century Compositions on ‘Permutations’
Composer Anne H. Goldberg-Baldwin tackles 15 contemporary pieces for solo piano on her deeply felt and surprisingly varied album, Permutations.
Lutist/Composer Jozef Van Wissem Hears ‘The Call of the Deathbird’
Longtime Jim Jarmusch collaborator Jozef Van Wissem turns his attention to another film soundtrack with Nosferatu, which redefines the lute.
Battle Trance’s ‘Green of Winter’ Blends the Beautiful and Eerie With Saxophones
Battle Trance’s Green of Winter goes further down the rabbit hole of abstraction, minimalism, and impressionism while testing the limits of the saxophone.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin Shows That Beethoven’s Symphonies Remain Open to Reinterpretation
Beethoven’s symphonies remain open to reinterpretation, as Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe demonstrate.
Vadim Neselovskyi Takes Us to ‘Odesa: A Musical Walk Through a Legendary City’
Taking inspiration from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Vadim Neselovskyi takes us on a guided tour through the city of his childhood, leaving a bittersweet impression.
Nancy Mounir Mines Music from Egypt’s Past to Write Its Profound Musical Future
Sampling recordings over a century old, Egyptian composer Nancy Mounir delivers an album where the past and present converse to help write the future.
Yann Tiersen’s ’11 5 18 2 5 18′ Is Surprising and Entrancing
11 5 18 2 5 18 makes it sound like Yann Tiersen has been dabbling in deeply abstract instrumental synthesizer mood music for decades. Yes, he pulls it off.
Peter Manning Robinson Turns His Piano Into a Prism on ‘Celestial Candy’
Peter Manning Robinson’s Celestial Candy is an album unlike any other. It takes one of Western music’s oldest instruments and gives it an intensely new twist.
Chicago Artist Lia Kohl and the Art of Experimentation
Experimentalist Lia Kohl thrives on the spirit of collaboration, but her striking new album shows a propensity for creating compelling art in a solo environment.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Brian Chase Joins Pianist/Composer Anthony Coleman for ‘Arcades’
Anthony Coleman and Brian Chase’s Arcades is a celebration of sound, sound reacting to sound, and the effect of two musicians constantly upping the ante.