The Orb’s New Compilation Is a Carefully Curated History
The Orb use technology and culture to craft genuinely astonishing music. Orboretum isn’t just a greatest hits album but an engrossing history.
electronic
Alice Ivy’s New Music Is Gorgeous with Organic Sounds
In trading sample-packs for organic instruments and whistles, Australia’s Alice Ivy returns after four years with an album that moves out of the clubs and into real stardom.
Trees Speak Sculpt the Desert’s Endless Landscape Out of Sound
Trees Speak’s attention to brevity alone on Timefold signals slightly less-chartered territory for music whose spaciousness seems so familiar.
Strangerfamiliar’s ‘La Pena’ Is a Haunting Ode to Trauma
The first full-length album from Strangerfamiliar (aka Ilichna Morasky) sees the musician incorporating synths and exotic percussion on a unique set of songs.
Meryl Streek Is Still Angry in ‘Songs for the Deceased’
In Songs for the Deceased Irish avant-garde punk’s Meryl Streek rages against the landlord class, which perpetuates the violent system of precarity.
Luke Wyland Creates Deep, Dreamy Soundscapes on ‘Kuma Cove’
Luke Wyland’s performances provide the usual Zen moments from this type of ambient minimalism, but there’s a hint of darkness within the notes.
‘How Women Made Music’ Paints a Large, Colorful Canvas
From the contributors of NPR’s Turning the Tables series, How Women Made Music paints a large, colorful canvas from years of research and dialogue.
Eli & Fur’s ‘Dreamscapes’ Casts a Low-Lit Spell
Built on pulsating beats, minimalist synth touches, and immaculate sound design, British EDM duo Eli & Fur’s Dreamscapes casts a low-lit, wee-hours spell.
Nate Mercereau Challenges the Idea of “Genre” Itself
From writing with Shawn Mendes to helping André 3000 break genre barriers, guitarist Nate Mercereau’s latest breaks ground by ignoring labels and limits.
Broadcast’s ‘Distant Call’ Shows There Were Always Haunting
Broadcast’s music always felt mysterious with a degree of distance and isolation. Broadcast were always haunting, and Distant Call leads to that realization.
Kelly Lee Owens trades Brat Summer for Dreamstate Autumn
DJ, singer, and producer Kelly Lee Owens takes the opposite path from Charli XCX, yet meets her at the crossroads of pop and electronic music on Dreamstate.
Photay’s ‘Windswept’ Is an Ecstatic Embrace of Power and Wonder
An emotional and intellectual curiosity pulses through the glitches, polyrhythms, and floating synths of Photay’s Windswept, which feels distinctly personal.