Rafael Toral. (Credit: Vera Marmelo) Rafael Toral’s most recent album, 2024’s Spectral Evolution, consisted of a single 42-minute track, divided into loose, flowing movements, but based on the chord changes of the Gershwin chestnut “I […]
John 5’s Cathartic Instrumentalism
John 5. (All photos by Jen Rosenstein) Instrumental music is not for everyone. Still, lots of creative people enjoy it when they seek a vibe but not a vocal that might distract from thought or […]
Boris’ ‘Pink’ Still Simmers and Boils 20 Years Later
Though Boris has been steadily releasing albums since 1996, there will always be a before and after Pink for the band. Formed in Tokyo in 1992, Boris has released 29 studio albums, 14 EPs, and […]
Tortoise’s Slow, Steady Roll Continues On ‘Touch’
First, we need to note that Tortoise releasing a record with anyone other than Thrill Jockey after a 30-plus-year relationship is a shocker for a group not known for dramatic changes. It’s akin to Autechre […]
Soulwax Rock, Sans Guitars, On ‘All Systems Are Lying’
The intersection of rock and electronic music has been clusterfucked for years, and it takes extraordinary skills to stand out. Belgium’s Soulwax have been in that nexus for decades. The group’s creative core of David […]
Jeff Tweedy Goes Long With the Warm and Generous ‘Twilight Override’
Though he began releasing music in the early ’90s, Jeff Tweedy has been a steady, calming force for aging indie fans for the past 20 years. After kicking a painkiller addiction and seemingly moving past […]
Doja Cat’s Pop Life
Even in our post-genre era, Doja Cat remains hard to pigeonhole. Since hitting superstardom in 2019, her hits have shifted between hip-hop, pop, R&B, Afrobeat, and even indie singer-songwriter. But even with all that, I […]
Styngray Brings Bold Energy With “Be Mine” Video
Styngray continues to evolve his sound and vision with the release of “Be Mine,” pairing the track with a sleek new video that underscores his versatility. The clip mirrors the single’s lively pulse, blending polished […]
Bitchin Bajas Switch on and Bitch Out
The list of “bitchin’” things in music is select: Camaros, summers, pretty lives. Meditative, drone-filled music built on synths, drum machines, and woodwinds usually does not fit the bill. Yet the Chicago trio Bitchin Bajas […]
Sven Wunder Summons The Sublime On ‘Daybreak’
Each album by Swedish composer Sven Wunder masterfully opens a door into a different sonic mise-en-scene, from the East-meets-West psychedelia of Eastern Flowers, to the painterly restraint of Wabi Sabi or the midnight-jazz hush of […]
Juxtaposition Is The Prescription On Wednesday’s ‘Bleeds’
Bleeds, the fifth salvo from this Dead Oceans-signed, Asheville, N.C.-based indie outfit, is truly the best album of 1994. Who thought it would be so compelling to graft country rock idioms to the relentless decibels […]
Nation of Language Retreat on ‘Dance Called Memory’
Roxy Music released its final album, Avalon, in 1982, capping off a decade that saw the group morph from the shimmering art rock of its debut to something more majestic but wearier. Seven years had […]