First Listen: Shabazz Palaces, 'Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines'
The second of two new LPs finds Ishmael Butler, a.k.a. Palaceer Lazaro, drawing out the ironies of trap's outsider aesthetic.
Music Reviews
First Listen: Shabazz Palaces, 'Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star'
Ishmael Butler, aka Palaceer Lazaro, takes on a sentient persona to illuminate hip-hop's darkest corners.
First Listen: Sheer Mag, 'Need To Feel Your Love'
On its debut album, Sheer Mag prove to be rock 'n' roll scholars who can map history onto present concerns.
An Estonian Choir Channels Emily Brontë's Windswept Blues
On a new album, the Grammy-winning Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir sings new music by native son Tõnu Kõrvits and probes the windswept melancholy of the 18th-century English author's poetry.
First Listen: Broken Social Scene, 'Hug Of Thunder'
The Toronto-based collective returns after seven years with a collection of ethereal anthems.
The Collaborative Concept Album 'Planetarium' Captures Cosmic Grandeur And Desolation
Four talented musicians — Nico Muhly, Sufjan Stevens, James McAlister and Bryce Dessner — joined forces to create a constellation of sound dedicated to the planets, black holes and comets.
Nigerian Drummer Tony Allen Revisits His Jazz Roots In A Salute To Art Blakey
Allen mixes African, European and American beats on his new album, A Tribute to Art Blakey. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the record showcases the way that musicians "bat ideas back and forth."
JAY-Z Bares His Soul On '4:44'
On his new album, the rapper and entrepreneur continues to push himself to the forefront of the genre, paving the way for the next generation of MCs to age gracefully on the mic.
Songs We Love: Hiss Golden Messenger, 'Standing In The Doorway'
M.C. Taylor has a rueful, weary reediness that makes the tensions in his songs pull that much harder. In a beautiful outtake from Heart Like A Levee, dreaming and reality are at odds.
Songs We Love: Phat Lip, 'Stranger's Love'
The new single from South Carolina musician Kelly Jo Ramirez's project is an infectious break-up song with Latin rhythms and pop harmonies. "I wanted to show the spectrum of Latino sound," she says.