Jan Esbra Beautifully Navigates Turmoil and Loss
Jan Esbra translated the pain and loss of the end of an eight-year relationship into five graceful, eloquent, mesmerizing songs.
Chris Ingalls
Chris is a Massachusetts native who spent seven years as a broadcast journalist in the U.S. Navy and was also a videotape editor for a CBS affiliate TV station, a newspaper editor at a military public affairs office in Naples, Italy, and a videographer for a cancer research institute. He currently works as an internal communications manager for a large Boston hospital. He was born in 1969 and has been a rabid music fan since at least 1970, thanks to his three older siblings. A PopMatters writer since 2016, Chris is also a contributor to the website I Have That On Vinyl, an occasional guest on the music podcast Losing My Opinion, and is on Bluesky and Instagram @Ingalls1969. He lives in the leafy suburbs outside of Boston with his wife, son, dog, two cats, and lots of records.
Erik Hall Brings an Eloquent Minimalist Trilogy to a Close
Erik Hall is an artist who understands minimalism and knows how to execute it brilliantly and uncompromisingly in a way that appeals to a broad range of listeners.
Devin Maxwell’s ‘Megadrought’ Is Ambitious and Inspiring
Devin Maxwell offers an irreverent take on the real or imagined processes we use to attempt to control the weather. The music is striking, dramatic, and unique.
Sotto Voce’s Lo-Fi Pop Is Filled with Melodic Twists
Ryan Gabos’ lo-fi bedroom pop project, Sotto Voce, scales new heights with The Sound of Trying.
Isobel Waller-Bridge Revels in Radical Stillness
British composer Isobel Waller-Bridge’s Objects is an ethereal, eerie treasure.
Pullman Climb Out of Retirement with the Exquisite ‘III’
The post-rock ambient instrumental quintet Pullman’s first album in 25 years is a mysterious, rough-hewn delight.
Robert Stillman Explores Technology’s Beating Heart
Multi-instrumentalist composer Robert Stillman finds warmth and humanity among the weirdness on his striking new album.
Rob Reiner Was the Creator of Unassuming Masterpieces
The celebrated writer, actor, director, and activist Rob Reiner had a broad appeal and a political conscience, making his untimely passing all the more tragic.
Laura Fisher’s ‘Celestina’ Is a Spellbinding Improv Performance
Laura Fisher has added another unique entry to her compelling discography, creating a piece that is impressive on a technical level and a captivating listen.
Tangerine Dream’s Classic ‘Rubycon’ at 50
Tangerine Dream’s albums from the early to mid-1970s are not only iconic in the strongest sense of the word; they’re influential beyond compare.
Jazz’s Kalia Vandever Steps Into the Dream House
Despite several moments of quiet intensity, Kalia Vandever’s Another View flows like a dream, with composition and improvisation beautifully intertwined.
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The 20 Best Experimental Albums of 2025
This year has been particularly exciting for experimental music, ranging from free-form guitar freak-outs to lush, ambient, always pushing boundaries.