Editors' Picks

A$AP Rocky recently dropped a track titled Taylor Swift, and it’s a classic trap banger, packed with hard-hitting drums and clever bars throughout. Before diving in further, I highly recommend watching the video while listening for the first time. It’s an unexplainable mix of abstract imagery, cleverly put together, that pulls you in and makes you want to pay attention. Filmed in Kyiv, Ukraine, the video blends street visuals with a dose of surreal film magic.

It’s been over a year since I last saw Tenille Arts perform at Canvas Manchester, where we had the chance to interview her. Since then, she’s released a collaborative song with LeAnn Rimes, opened for Luke Bryan on his Canadian tour dates, and seen her latest album, To Be Honest, featured in Time Square Spotify billboard ads. Things are certainly looking promising for the Canadian country singer.

Floating Points has released a new three song mini-ep titled “Ocotillo”. It is hard to accurately describe everything that is going on in these tracks with words. I wish I could formulate three quick sentences that just made it so you went and gave these tracks a go and listened to them as soon as possible. The more people that listened to this music the quicker, the better off we would be. When I hear these tracks, they feel so refreshing. 

Blink-182 has dropped two new singles, "All In My Head" and "No Fun," which will be featured on their upcoming album, One More Time… Part 2. These tracks stay true to the band's signature sound, echoing the familiar sonic and stylistic vibes that long-time fans will recognize.

Fie Eike has just released a new track titled “Fluid.” If you haven't listened to Fie before, I highly recommend exploring her other projects before, during, or after reading this article. Born and raised in Denmark, Fie crafts atmospheric, vibey songs with subtle yet impactful vocals. Her early releases have all revolved around the theme of water, and the production on these tracks is exceptional. Every element feels cohesive, from the structure of the parts to the unique sounds that surface throughout. Fie has a remarkable talent for weaving together different elements, ensuring that not only do they stand out individually, but they also collectively reinforce the overarching theme of her music.

Halsey has released a new pop/rock/punk banger titled “Lonely is the Muse”. This track makes me, as a person in the age range 22-30, pretty nostalgic. Even to someone that had a front row seat to the wave of pop punk songs released in the 2000’s, the track still feels fresh. Halsey delivers heart-wrenching vocals, mixing smooth harmonies with her lead vocal which at some points also goes over into screaming. The backing music is basic instruments, but very well played. Drums, guitar and bass. The distorted guitars are not taking over, but are filling up a lot of empty room just on their own.

The artist under review today goes by several names. He has released six solo albums under his own name, “Luke Temple”; another four as “Here We Go Magic”; three as his alter ego “Art Feynman”; and the album under review is released with his new group, “Cascading Moms.”

Diamond-certified and award-winning artist The Weeknd revealed his 2024 tour dates in Australia, extending his record-breaking 2022/2023 After Hours Til Dawn Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the Australia leg will start on Saturday, October 5, in Melbourne with back-to-back shows, followed by performances in Sydney on October 22 and 23 at Accor Stadium. These shows will mark The Weeknd’s first-ever stadium performances in Australia and his return to the region since 2017. Mike Dean, Chxrry22, and Sydney’s own Anna Lunoe will be joining as support for the four Australia dates.

Die With A Smile is the latest banger released by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Bruno is following his own footsteps and carrying on towards a more soulful path. I am personally very pleased to see Lady Gaga hop on the same path and walk with Bruno, if only for a little while. There is a lot to say about Bruno Mars. How incredibly soulful his songwriting is, the raw power emanating from his voice and much more. I think this track shows that whatever you are going to compliment Bruno Mars for, you can just as well do the same for Lady Gaga.

Whenever Moses Sumney comes to mind, it’s hard not to imagine him parting seas or enchanting creatures—biblical allusions that might seem cliché at first. Yet, in many ways, they’re not far off the mark. Sumney’s music, particularly in his previous album Græ, felt like a vast, living ocean—a place where all manner of sonic beings thrived, with silence acting as a powerful, sea-dividing force. In a genre that often fears quiet, Sumney embraced it, making every pause as meaningful as the sound it framed.

Previously, we reviewed “These Dreams Are Killing Me,” a single by Louis Cole that served as a preview for “Nothing,” the album we will discuss in this article.

Earlier this year, we explored the lush, international success of Orquídeas, Kali Uchis’s first foray into a fully Spanish-language album. The record, a beautiful fusion of dreamy atmospheres and Latin influences, quickly became a landmark in her discography. Now, Uchis returns to this fertile ground with a second installment, offering three new tracks and a remaster that extend the delicate, intoxicating allure of the original release.

Schoolboy Q has long been a fascinating figure in the rap scene, deftly straddling the line between high-concept rap and infectious musical escapades. He's an artist who can effortlessly transition from raucous raves and parties to the realm of intimate music, where complexity and contemplation are well treasured.

After a necessary abstinence from songwriting, Julia Holter finally returns strong with a new album and intriguing collaborations. The pandemic, new motherhood, and the recent deaths of relatives have profoundly affected the composer in recent years, and it seems that these experiences have nurtured her latest release, “Something in the Room She Moves”.

As a music reviewer, I never thought I'd find myself discussing Twin Peaks in the middle of an article—my favorite television series of all time—within the context of a music review. Yet here we are.

If you are a music enthusiast with and weird enough, you might someday find documenting yourself about minimalism as a musical style. What could be more intriguing than examining a genre defined by the mantra “Less is more”? In my own research, one of the most beguiling aspects of minimalism is its pursuit of a trance-like, mystical experience through stasis. Yet, I personally find it challenging to achieve such a state with simplistic music. My most profound musical epiphanies have emerged from the organic yet intricate compositions of Toru Takemitsu, the meticulously constructed works of Dai Fujikura, or the symmetric complexity of Messiaen’s rhythms and harmonies. However, today's focus, Toe with his newest release “Now i see the light”, stands as a notable exception to this perception on minimalism..

“Symbiosis” is a refreshing and hopeful term, especially considering its origins in biology. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with the science that studies living organisms, some interpretations of key biological theories have given rise to harmful and modernist ideologies. Social Darwinism, perhaps the most destructive, posits that societies evolve in the same manner as living organisms. This notion of "progress" deeply influenced the 20th century, affecting economics, philosophy, and the arts, including music. We also see the misinterpretation of terms like “survival of the fittest,” used to justify individualism and competition, based on the idea that since biology studies the natural state of living organisms, “selfishness” must be the natural state of human beings.

We previously reviewed Haruomi Hosono's 50th anniversary since his first solo album. Now, in this entry, we will celebrate his friend Keigo Oyamada, who this year reaches the 30th anniversary of releasing music under the name of “Cornelius.”

Rita Payés is a trombonist and singer who began her pop career as a cover artist. However, the mix of musicians and composers she has covered throughout her career is curious and varied, ranging from the brilliant Brazilian classical composer Heitor Villalobos to popular Argentinian classics written by Ariel Ramirez, as well as contemporary and old masters like Bola de Nieve and Chico Buarque.

This February, a compilation album was announced to honor “Hosono House,” the debut album of Haruomi Hosono’s solo career. I can't hide my excitement in this article. Of all the YMO members, I feel Hosono is the least known outside of Japan and, at the same time, the most interesting character.

On July 9th, the German composer and producer Ben Böhmer released “Hiding” a three track single with exciting collaborators, including the renowned singer Lykke Li and emerging talents JONAH and Felix Raphael. The songs feature shimmering pads that flood the stereo signal with wavering soundscapes. Beneath these, there are joyous rhythms with interesting sound design. Everything is crafted in a way that is attractive, shiny, and detailed while emphasizing the guests' vocals. Many of the tracks have a UK pop happiness feel, which I believe would be an interesting experience for optimistic listeners. It also showcases production decisions more akin to the techno and hip-hop scenes. The vocals make interesting but moderated counterpoints with the synths throughout, giving it a vintage electronica feel.

Due to his past as a former Genesis member, Anthony Phillips is a name that may not need much introduction within prog rock circles. However, I wanted to write this entry because his latest two releases are worth discussing beyond the borders of taste niches, thanks to their unique exploration of ambient music infused with classical sensitivity and subtle hints of his prog rock background.

At the beginning of this year, Kali Uchis became a sensation with her latest album “Orquídeas”. Once again, we are covering the Colombian-American musician who recently released her long-awaited single, “Never Be Yours”.

Below is a concise quote of one of the most revered Koans from Japanese Zen tradition. The essence of these inquiries wasn't to yield a correct answer, but rather to engage in the pursuit of understanding unanswerable questions—a core tenet of Zen Koans. The unsolvable nature of these questions, eventually transform the problem into a meditative device, where no answer is the only correct answer, or to put it in modern terms where logic and reason are not the main operators to understand life and problems.

Several suns away, a Coyote—or perhaps a peyote's hallucination—gave us precious and weird gifts: a telescope, a cheat code for love, and… friends? After a long hiatus, we finally have the full album available. With its newest issue, Hiatus Kaiyote shows us they are capable of simpler things without sacrificing beauty. This might be their least baroque release to date, but for this always-experimenting group, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

A series of beautiful, albeit conventional, violin arpeggios initiate the composition, echoing the jubilance and brilliance of English rock-pop productions, something like an orchestral Coldplay. The orchestra gains weight and vigor with the sudden addition of techno-driven drums, a robust big band ensemble, and a crazy bass line.

Jake Bugg's latest single, "All Kinds of People," yesterday, marks a refreshing return for the artist, showcasing his evolving style while retaining the authenticity that has endeared him to fans over the years.

Thomas Rhett's new track, "Feelin' Country," featured on the upcoming "Twisters" movie soundtrack, is a refreshing anthem that encapsulates the essence of country living. This upbeat, feel-good song blends traditional country elements with modern twists, creating a sound that's both nostalgic and contemporary.

Jessie Ware and Romy have collaborated on a new track titled "Lift You Up," which stands out as a vibrant addition to the dance-pop genre. The song seamlessly blends Jessie Ware's soulful vocal prowess with Romy's adept production skills, resulting in a track that exudes both energy and emotion.

Brian Eno is an immensely influential figure in the history of music, often regarded as the father of ambient music. We can thank or reproach him for the new philosophies of musical composition in film, video games, and even public spaces, where music is not the main actor but an element integrated into the whole. The best ambient music is that which can be ignored; hence, composers in this genre exert immense effort, using all their technique and skill to create coherent works devoid of tension, cleverly disguising harmonic changes (if any) while reinforcing the intentions of the space it inhabits.

Kamasi Washington's new album enumerates and magnifies all the virtues of his previous work: his explosiveness, thematic density, the lyricism of his improvisations, and that unique signature that spells "KAMASI WASHINGTON" in capital letters.

Featuring Thundercat, PinkPantheress, Channel Tres, Mariah the Scientist, and Childish Gambino.

Lara Sarkissian is an emerging audio designer, DJ, and composer whose unique approach sets her apart from other dance musicians. What distinguishes Lara is her interest in and reference to non-Western sources, very often drawing from her Armenian heritage. For her samples, usually references her Armenian origins, layering them with dense synthesizers, VST instruments, and intricate audio design.

Jazz is constantly reinventing itself, though many jazz musicians seem bound by a strong commitment to Bebop from which they cannot escape. Bebop, which emerged as a liberation—both musically and socially—has become a creative curse, much like Bach remains the unmissable blanket for the Western musical picnic.

I am delighted to witness the flourishing democratization of electronic music. Each day, with every emerging artist, the boundaries between producer and composer blur further. Pop music is once again embracing experimentation, a trend reflected in the mainstream and viral successes of recent years, exemplified by artists like Kali Uchis and Helado Negro.