Mitski – Puberty 2: The arrangements and instrumentation are solid, but her words and delivery push this record into greatness. My biggest surprise is “Crack Baby,” a track that initially appears like an obnoxious joke but eventually reveals a depth of confused longing and pain. The more I listen, the more I understand why so many people hold this record in such high regard.
HAAi – DJ-Kicks: I have never heard a DJ mix that reflects the musical personality of the DJ as well as this does. In fairness, I probably listened to HAAi’s Baby We’re Ascending more than any other record last year, so I can pick up on nuances that I’d miss for most artists. Doesn’t matter, though. The nuances are here and they’re fantastic.
Pretty Girl – Fabric Presents Pretty Girl: I listened to the whole set on a flight with my eyes closed, deep breathing, occasionally falling asleep then waking up and letting my thoughts follow the music until I dozed off again. It was magical, especially because she takes her listeners on a journey across this set, a journey through different styles but also a journey into the subconscious. This is transcendent and trippy, in the best possible way.
Hollie Kenniff – We All Have Places That We Miss | Meitei – Sen’nyū: Each of these records could have come out back in the late ‘80s, when new age was widely ridiculed by critics. Today, critics laud both records as brilliant examples of electronic and ambient, respectively. It’s a good reminder to take record reviews with a grain of salt.
Sleep Token – This Place Will Become Your Tomb: I still can’t decide whether I like or hate these guys. Their premise feels ridiculous to me, but I love the community around their music. And the music is good. It’s not always my cup of tea, but it’s good.
Turnstile – Never Enough: I read something recently about how everyone in Baltimore is embracing Turnstile as our own, even if we don’t particularly like the music. This is also not my cup of tea, but man I’m trying hard to like their music because I do completely embrace this band as my own.
Grateful Dead – Dick’s Picks Vol. Eight (Harpur College, Binghamton NY, 5/2/70): That 1973 show I’ve been listening to made me forget what it’s like to hear a Dead show where the band was on fire. This is one of those shows. Truly a stunning performance.
Old friends who made it into rotation this week: A Tribe Called Quest: People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm