Otis Shanty Make Jangle Pop Magic ‘Up on the Hill’
With Up on the Hill, Otis Shanty have taken the guitar-based, dream pop template and reinvented it beautifully for a new era.
dream pop
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.
Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Romance’ Is a Full-Fledged Triumph
Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Romance’ should be considered a high-water mark for them, a work that is equally challenging and considerably more gratifying.
Spirit of the Beehive Balance Experimentation and Songcraft
Spirit of the Beehive offer their most rangy yet integrated album, each track striking a notable balance between sonic exploration and hook-leaning songcraft.
Wishy Offer a Fresh Take on Proven Sounds
Wishy’s debut LP reflects a band figuring out their style early in their career, but the strength of this album is likely to catapult them into indie stardom.
The Black Watch Might Be Signaling the Beginning of Their End
With Weird Rooms, John Andrew Fredrick and the Black Watch are at the late height of their powers and perhaps the end of their life as a group.
Pretty When She Cries: Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ultraviolence’ at 10
Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence used rock to kickstart a new career direction that culminated in autobiographical work without spoiling the mystery of her persona.
DIIV Go Deep on ‘Frog in Boiling Water’
DIIV’s Frog in Boiling Water aspires to be a statement album, reflecting our zeitgeist of right-wing extremism, global conflict, and environmental collapse.
Jackie West Dazzles on the Stunning ‘Close to the Mystery’
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jackie West effortlessly transcends genres and generations on her outstanding debut album, Close to the Mystery.
Poland’s Coals Seek Solace in Relaxing Melancholy on ‘Sanatorium’
Polish duo Coals always looks for something new in music, and Sanatorium is no different. But in the lyrics and emotions, it’s a return to the past.
Ride Turn Dreamy on New Album ‘Interplay’
Ride continue their second phase with ‘Interplay’, an album full of melodic atmosphere lacking some of the creative yearning heard in their earlier work.
Against All Odds, Laetitia Sadier Is Still ‘Rooting for Love’
Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab sees love as a solution for our contemporary ills, whether personal, political, or planetary. The stakes couldn’t be higher.