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.
neoclassical
Kelly Moran’s ‘Moves in the Field’ Calms Fear and Anxiety
Kelly Moran explores the ghost in the machine on Moves in the Field, a delicate, thoughtful album of “solo” neoclassical piano explorations.
Yann Tiersen’s ‘Kerber’ Is a Sonic Tribute to His Home of Ushant
Yann Tiersen integrates synth elements, redefining his piano arrangements and giving each piece otherworldly layers on Kerber.
Bruno Bavota Finds Calm in a Crazy World with ‘For Apartments: Songs & Loops’
Italian composer Bruno Bavota’s pandemic-related fear and anxiety morph into bursts of creativity on his terrific new album For Apartments: Songs & Loops.
Carmen Q. Rothwell Turns Catharsis Into Unique Art on ‘Don’t Get Comfy / Nowhere
The first solo album from experimental upright bassist and vocalist Carmen Q. Rothwell uses heartbreak and loss as emotional touchstones.
Elori Saxl Fuses Technology and Nature on ‘The Blue of Distance’
The latest work from multifaceted artist Elori Saxl is a deeply satisfying, occasionally jarring work that takes minimalism, sampling, and chamber orchestras to a whole new level.
Luke Cissell Creates Dreamy, Electronic Soundscapes on the Eclectic ‘Nightside’
Nightside, the new album from composer and multi-instrumentalist Luke Cissell, is largely synthetic and electronic but contains a great deal of warmth and melody.
Buster Keaton on a Laptop: Haiku Salut Bring ‘The General’ Into the 21st Century
British instrumental trio Haiku Salut create a new soundtrack for Buster Keaton's classic 1926 film The General with brilliant and unconventional results.
Yann Tiersen and the Project of a Lifetime
For an album that is so geographically and linguistically focused, Yann Tiersen's ALL is strangely beautiful when robbed of all its context.
With ‘Temporal’ Julia Kent Fuses the Tactile and the Abstract
With an understanding of detail and texture, cellist Julia Kent's Temporal displays her intimate understanding of acoustic and electronic elements.
Makeshift Constellations: The Seemingly Infinite Influences of GADADU
Brooklyn's GADADU create a mesmerizing blend of jazz, soul, classical, and dream pop that's impossible to classify but easy to love. They recently talked about their musical influences, their unique approach to the recording process, and John Lennon's knack for interesting chord structures.
Dead Can Dance Draw on Nietzsche, Pagan Gods, and High Tech to Celebrate Humanity’s Relationship with Nature
Dead Can Dance's Dionysus is a unique concept album for the celebrated musical duo, putting all of their ideas into two songs that stretch the course of an entire album.