12 Compositions to Introduce You to Classical Music Post-1950
Classical and compositional music have continued to thrive in the 20th and 21st centuries, reaching new heights of dissonance and beauty.
minimalism
Max Richter’s ‘In a Landscape’ Connects Nature and Humanity
In a Landscape reconciles nature with humanity through lush soundscapes, and it feels like a revelation for newcomers to composer Max Richter’s oeuvre.
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.
Cocteau Twins and Harold Budd Visit ‘The Moon and the Melodies’
The collaboration between ethereal pop trio Cocteau Twins and avant-gardist Harold Budd, The Moon and the Melodies, hits vinyl for the first time since 1986.
Arooj Aftab Unleashes Moody, Nocturnal Bliss on ‘Night Reign’
Arooj Aftab’s Night Reign is filled with dark, mysterious corners and an intoxicating blend of jazz and her Pakistani roots with stunning results.
Explosions in the Sky’s ‘The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place’ at 20
The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place is Explosions in the Sky’s most acclaimed album, establishing themselves as figureheads of epic, instrumental post-rock.
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NYC’s Underground Scene: ‘This Must Be the Place’
Music may be the glue of every NYC underground scene This Must Be the Place covers, but Jesse Rifkin’s primary interest is in the community held together by that glue.
The Nuanced History Eluvium’s Many Clockwork Fables
Ambient maestro Matthew Robert Cooper (Eluvium) is two decades into his career, and on his latest LP, overcomes surprising obstacles physical and geographical.
Erik Hall Creates Minimalist Compositions with Warm Beauty on ‘Canto Ostinato’
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Erik Hall shares his second installment of a trilogy with a tribute to Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt on Canto Ostinato.
Faten Kanaan Revels in Ever-Molting Textures on ‘Afterpoem’
Faten Kanaan’s musical molting feels more organic than the repetition in Steve Reich or Philip Glass; her music doesn’t rely on an unwavering framework for effect.
Phillip Golub Gives Processed-Based Composition an Uncommon Warmth on ‘Filters’
Approached as neo-classical minimalist jazz, Filters is a triumphant solo debut from Phillip Golub and another fascinating album from greyfade.
Greg Davis Dives Into Compositional Properties of Prime Numbers with ‘New Primes’
On New Primes, Vermont experimentalist Greg Davis explores process-based composition, with a little help from a record label that revels in the concept.