Music

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On UGLY, Slowthai lets it all out

Slowthai’s dogged insistence on finding joy is deeply hopeful, and his commitment to exposing the ugliest parts of himself is undeniably cathartic.

By April 20, 2023

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Step into Kali Uchis’ fantasy garden on Red Moon in Venus

Her third studio album, Red Moon in Venus (2023), is the most mesmerizing yet.

By April 10, 2023

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Lana Del Rey takes the sad girls to church in Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

While a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard suggests a hidden complexity to the physical plane, the album also demonstrates an added layer of complexity in its production.

By April 3, 2023

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10,000 gecs: So many gecs, so little time

In 10,000 gecs (2023), Laura Les and Dylan Brady take their maximalist and absurdist sound to a whole new level.

By March 30, 2023

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Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation is right on time for you to ditch that spring fling

When Cyrus released her eighth studio album Endless Summer Vacation, it was no surprise that it displayed the star’s many powerful facets as an artist—be it as a popstar, balladeer, or soulful rockstar.

By March 29, 2023

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This Is Why is the raging return of rock royalty

This Is Why is the explosive yet polished result of six years’ worth of pent-up emotion.

By March 4, 2023

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Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here. courageously ventures into uncharted waters

Let’s Start Here. is a groundbreaking and delightfully experimental soundscape that draws upon pop and psychedelic rock.

By February 13, 2023

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Måneskin’s latest album gives the glam-rockers a Rush! to the top

With their first studio album since their Eurovision victory, Måneskin is making a bid for global recognition.

By February 12, 2023

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SZA’s SOS pushes R&B boundaries in her vulnerable exploration of self-worth

SZA’s musical and lyrical brilliance work together to create an album that was well worth the five-year wait.

By January 21, 2023

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Meghan Trainor’s Takin’ It Back is a little bit of a trainwreck

As could be inferred by its not-so-subtle title, Takin’ it Back tries to take us back to Trainor’s glory days.

By December 13, 2022

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If Joji’s SMITHEREENS accomplishes anything, it’s making his audience cry

The majority of SMITHEREENS feels reminiscent of (and even indistinguishable from) Joji songs we’ve already heard. 

By and December 12, 2022

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Growing up, not growing old: Phoenix shimmers on Alpha Zulu

Ultimately, the band maintains their expressive, ambiguous lyricism but showcases it against a glitzier background.

By November 17, 2022

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Cavetown’s worm food is for deteriorating and decomposing—in a (mostly) good way

In general, Cavetown’s music has an almost otherworldly quality, like a reality slightly suspended from this one, and his latest album worm food is no different.

By November 17, 2022

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Noah Kahan’s Stick Season dives headfirst into who we are and where we come from

Despite his rising popularity, Kahan’s latest album is undeniably authentic in its depiction of coming of age in small-town New England.

By November 9, 2022

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The 1975 revisits their roots in Being Funny in a Foreign Language

The band has figured out how to cut to the point without getting lost in the details.

By October 28, 2022

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On Midnights, all of Taylor Swift’s late-night thoughts come alive

But on the darkly mysterious Midnights, Swift uses the vulnerability of the late night to reflect on these raw emotions.

By October 28, 2022

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Marcus Mumford’s (self-titled) is a meditative and powerful solo debut

On (self-titled) (2022), Mumford doesn’t need to reinvent; he explores, reflects, and reveals his individual artistry. 

By October 19, 2022

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Post-therapy revelations: Hold the Girl (2022) is Rina Sawayama’s love letter to healing

Coupled with electropop instrumentals, Hold the Girl humanizes Sawayama; on her 14-track album, Sawayama holds a light to her past pain and current healing. 

By October 16, 2022

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Maude Latour takes us on a tour of self-discovery with 001

Latour is one of the freshest faces in the pop scene right now with her psychedelic aesthetic and distinct vocals and lyrical style.  

By October 12, 2022

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HDTV brings Tai Verdes’ genre-bending music into high definition

Though both of his albums are musically and thematically lighthearted, Verdes elevates HDTV through experimentation with new sounds.

By October 7, 2022