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Perfume Genius Purges Himself and It's Contagious

You need to care so much about your art to pack this much meaning into not only the words, but the tones that adorn and deliver them. Perfume Genius cares so much it hurts on Set My Heart on Fire Immediately.

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Music

Agnes Obel's Chamber Pop Hits a New Peak on 'Myopia'

Agnes Obel's Myopia is delicate and personal, employing treated vocals and piano to plow depths of sorrow and interrogate dark storms of the soul.

Music

Cabane's 'Grande Est La Maison' Is So Sweet, You May Get Cavities

Brussels-based composer Cabane's latest work aims to pep you up or seduce you, but often makes the sweet too sugary.

Music

Blue Canopy Say Goodbye to New York, Hello to Portland With "656" (premiere)

Former Modern Rivals member Alex Schiff recruits former bandmates for Blue Canopy's "656", which is filled with childlike wonder and bright-eyed instrumentation.

Music

"A Certain Kind of Dream Quality": An Interview with Donovan Quinn

Donovan Quinn's (Skygreen Leopards) first solo album in seven years explores memory, love, and loss in no uncertain psych-folk terms.

Events

Florence Welch Discussion and Acoustic Set at New Yorker Festival

Florence Welch participated in a deep discussion and gave a short performance as part of the 2019 New Yorker Festival.

Music

Norwegian/Welsh Duo Firewoodisland Deliver Exquisite Chamber Pop Positivity on "Hollow Coves" (premiere)

Folk poppers Firewoodisland deliver peak chamber pop with the gorgeously arranged and performed ode, "Hollow Coves".

Music

Jamie Drake Champions Finding Your Voice With "Allison" (premiere)

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Jamie Drake's debut Everything Is Fine is informed by deeply personal but universal themes. Hear her latest single "Allison".

Music

Chicago's the Safes Deepen Sounds and Emotions on 'Winning Combination' (album stream)

The Safes gather extended family for a gorgeous chamber pop album that stands as the group's finest hour to date. Full of surprise and sorrow, Winning Combination is the perfect Safes album.

Music

Bon Iver's 'i,i' Hangs Between Surrealism and Meaning

Justin Vernon's (Bon Iver) lyricism is as cryptic as ever, but the firmness with which he sings his abstractions robs his fourth album of much of its mystery.

Music

'Fever Dream' Is a Mixed Bag of Synthpop Zeal and Treasured Of Monsters and Men Trademarks

Of Monsters and Men lose some uniqueness and quality jumping on a more commercial bandwagon, but their beloved singularity is mostly intact on Fever Dream.

Music

With 'Outer Song' GADADU Help Redefine Jazz in Contemporary Culture

The second album from the unique New York jazz/pop/soul outfit GADADU is an odd – and oddly inviting – collection of songs that combine old-school tradition with new ideas.

Music

Mirah Offers a Message of 'Understanding' During Difficult Times

Mirah has often embraced a DIY ethos that suggested experimentation and working with found materials. On Understanding, she goes much further out into the sonic stratosphere.

Music

A Night With Florence + the Machine

On the High As Hope tour, Florence + the Machine delivers empathy-fueled hope and community.

Music

The Moles Return With Powerful, Brilliant New LP, 'Code Word' and New Single "Moon in the Daytime" (premiere)

One of the most inventive bands to emerge from Australia in the 1990s, the Moles get a new lease on life in 2018 with various lineups, searing new tunes destined for your autumn/winter playlists.

Jedd Beaudoin
Music

Florence and the Machine Show the Universality of Pain and Vulnerability on 'High As Hope'

High as Hope dials down Florence and the Machine's trademark theatrics to forge a vulnerable and visceral musical achievement.

Music

Hilary Woods' 'Colt' Captures a Palpable Sense of Aloneness

Hilary Woods evokes open spaces, creeping darkness, contemplation at dusk. Given time, the melodies will gently wrap around the listener like ribbons.

Music

New Indiana Issues "Media" Ahead of Debut Album (premiere)

Longtime friends in New Indiana turn their habit of recording conversations into art on "Media", a cross between contemporary classical and chamber pop.

Jedd Beaudoin
Music

Modern Studies' 'Welcome Strangers' Possesses a Timeless Cinematic Quality

Scottish chamber pop ensemble Modern Studies document and detail the unknown with strong writing and recording on their second album Welcome Strangers.

Music

Eliza Rickman Loses "Pretty Little Head" (premiere)

Welcome to Night Vale regular Eliza Rickman bleeds for art in a new crowdfunded video for "Pretty Little Head".

Jedd Beaudoin
Music

Jon Brion's Soundtrack for 'Lady Bird' Possesses All the Baroque Charm You'd Expect

Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion lends his melodic, baroque charm to the most acclaimed film of 2017.

Music

Gracie and Rachel Resist the Surveillance State on "Don't Know" (premiere)

Gracie and Rachel resist the surveillance state and the dull dreariness of modern culture - here represented by harsh shots of isolated texters and gray concrete - in favor of freedom.

Music

San Fermin Stun Crowd at Brooklyn Bowl

The baroque pop group San Fermin is a formidable band to watch. They hit Brooklyn for two nights and are on tour now.

Music

Belle & Sebastian: How to Solve Our Human Problems Part 1 EP

Belle & Sebastian may be 20 years older, but the band still feels young. That's the problem of being human. There's not a person over 40 that doesn't feel 20.

Music

Björk: Utopia

On her latest album, Björk leaves heartbreak behind and shares a dazzling world of love and perfection.

Music

OWEL - "Too Young to Fall in Love" (video) (premiere)

OWEL releases a video for "Too Young to Fall in Love" which tackles the surrealisms of love in the Instagram age.

Music

Lydia Ainsworth: Darling of the Afterglow

Lydia Ainsworth's sophomore LP is a warmer and more open effort than Right from Real, one that achieves remarkable consistency throughout.

Music

King Creosote: Astronaut Meets Appleman

Kenny Anderson, the mad pop genius behind the King Creosote moniker, begins his sixth decade of existence with this loosely cohesive, moderately trippy, and deeply enjoyable record.

Music

Aufgang: Turbulences

For all its technical acuity and lavish spectacle, this album is decidedly lacking in emotional nuance.

Music

The Divine Comedy: Foreverland

With the Divine Comedy's 11th studio album songwriter Neil Hannon delivers romance, comedy, and 18th century Russian history.

Music

Anohni: Hopelessness

Anohni didn't reinvent the wheel on her new album, but she did get it spinning in another direction.

Chad Miller
Music

Foxes: All I Need

All I Need does not aim to make Foxes stand out amidst an overcrowded pop scene, but it still guarantees some of the pop singles this year will see.

Music

Miracles of Modern Science: Mean Dreams

Mean Dreams is a thought experiment of an album, a set of possible answers to an unsolvable problem.

Music

San Fermin: Jackrabbit

San Fermin's second outing offers extensive chamber pop that's both exhilarating and exhausting.

Music

Saint Saviour: In the Seams

Saint Saviour explores a sound that effortlessly flits between intimate folk and string-laden chamber pop. Sublime. Gorgeous. Pick a glowing adjective. In The Seams is one of the best albums of the year.

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