Mitlon + esperanza [2024]

Published on PostGenre

esperanza spalding has made no secret of her love for Milton Nascimento’s music. Her sophomore album features a spirited rendition of Nascimento’s “Ponta de Areia” - early evidence of her strong affinity with the Brazilian legend’s compositions. After having heard Nascimento and spalding on Milton + esperanza (Concord, 2024), listening to spalding’s “Ponta de Areia” makes the album feel like something that was destined to happen. Making an album with Nascimento is a dream come true for spalding, and with how impressive Milton + esperanza is, it definitely sounds like one. 

Mary Halvorson - Cloudward [2024]

Published on PostGenre

Mary Halvorson gives a wide range of effects and musical roles to her guitar, and the result is always idiosyncratic. The guitarist's compositions have a complex, innovative edge, and Cloudward is more evidence as to why she deserves all the acclaim that comes her way. The intensity and progression of "Desiderata" is a fantastic display of her compositional and instrumental chops. The tune opens with a rock verve that dissipates into reserved trumpet and trombone melodies that the guitar tastefully punctuates. Things get hectic once Halvorson turns on the distortion and ignites the mood with an aggressive solo full of technical mastery and otherworldly effects. 

Luiza Lian - 7 estrelas | Quem arrancou o céu? [2023]

Luiza Lian's 7 estrelas | Quem arrancou o céu? has a woozy, submerged electronic style with a futuristic aesthetic. Due to this, the evolution Lian displays on the album may be ideal for fans whose favorite Lian album is Oya Tempo. 7 Estrelas has Lian and producer Charles Tixier's most prominent use of vocal effects and samples yet, and both are key to the captivating atmosphere of the album. In "Tecnicolor," a standout track that features Céu, Lian sings with an alluring metallic gloss. The track has an addicting instrumental that mesmerizingly shifts between languid waves and club-ready bounces. A catchy upbeat rhythm and smooth keys make "Desabriga" another tune with portions that could work on the dance floor. 

Minhwi Lee - 미래의 고향 (Hometown to Come) [2023]

Minhwi Lee's 미래의 고향 (Hometown to Come) has an inviting melancholy that is always in tune with its subject matter. The album features Lee ruminating on how distance contorts the essence of home. On "정거장 (The Station)," the steady haze of electric guitar and delicate keys provide a fitting ambiance for Lee to sing of the fleeting yet cyclical nature of emotional journeys. She has a gorgeous voice that is key to the success of this album, and how it lingers onto the words of "귀향 (Returning)" is one of its finest moments. There is a soft, welcoming sadness to the tune, which contemplates the feeling of displacement upon returning home. The synergy between Lee's vocal melody, tender piano, and Oki Kim's warm sax make "귀향 (Returning)" an entrancing listen. 

L'Rain - I Killed Your Dog [2023]

The music Taja Cheek makes as L'Rain is surreal and hypnotic. On the third L'Rain album, I Killed Your Dog, Cheek builds on the ethereal Fatigue by showcasing different aspects of her artistry. The title track is a beguiling, unconventional break-up tune. Cheek's warped vocals sing a slow, alluring melody with a sinister edge as the instrumentation progresses towards a mesmerizing, immersive finish. "Our Funeral," is another tune that evolves in fascinating ways as Cheek twists an ominous mantra into a deceptively addicting song over beautiful keys and sax. She channels the energy of her live show in the driving, spacey pulse of "Uncertainty Principle," which impressively crashes out with aggressive improvisation. I Killed Your Dog is a short album that is packed with a diverse range of fascinating songs. The dreamy folk of "5 to 8 Hours a Day (WWwaG)," the psychedelic rock of "Pet Rock," and the bubbly, house-infused bounce of "New Year's UnResolution" all exist and succeed on an album that never sounds anywhere near disjointed. Fatigue is a great album, but I Killed Your Dog may be the best L'Rain album. Cheek's songwriting has become catchier, and her forward-thinking, untethered-to-genre approach is better than ever.