MUSIC

Ethereal psychedelic wizards Animal Collective returned as a full band in 2022, the first time in exactly ten years that the four members, Avey Tare, Deakin, Geologist, and Panda Bear, have collaborated in the studio together. As only their fifth record as a complete group, does Time Skiffs hold up with the strong legacy they established over a decade ago? Continue below to find out!

Josh Tillman, better known by his stage name Father John Misty, returns after four long years with his fifth album, Chloë and the Next 20th Century, on April 8th, 2022. Except for a 4-song covers EP released in 2020, Tillman has been relatively quiet on all fronts since his last full-length record, God’s Favorite Customer. Now, after recording in 2020 and spending the next year adding his signature expanded tweaks like string, brass, and woodwind accompaniment, Chloë and the Next 20th Century is only a few weeks away, following some typically unique marketing from this individual artist.

The 2021 debut of the British septet Black Country, New Road declared its existence with innovative confidence, circulating music forums and ranking as one of the best-reviewed rock albums of the year. With instrumental prowess and ranting, oblique lyrics, For the First Time won over audiences after brewing for a few years with the release of 2019 singles “Athens, France” and “Sunglasses.” In 2022, the follow-up record Ants From Up There releases one day short of one year after their debut, with even better reviews from listeners and critics than their first. With this album, the band improves on their debut by highlighting their potency in the group effort, finding more concise and more substantial ways to develop an already original approach as the new leaders of art-rock.

The Seattle, Washington record company Sub Pop, known for its top-notch slate of indie bands, will release the third record from Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever on May 6th, 2022. Though they have flown mostly under the radar save for one breakout single, this Australian band deserves further attention from the world at large, with a catchy three-guitarist/three-vocalist vigor and surprisingly sharp songwriting to match.

The kings of weird indie craziness are back after five long years, and the group returns with a long-awaited worthy follow-up to their trend-setting debut, An Awesome Wave. Known for their “everything and the kitchen sink” approach, Alt-J have spent four albums exploring the balance between unexpected diversions and songwriting clarity; with The Dream, they have found a stable and perpetually exciting formula at last.

Are you craving a fix for the recent best songs in hip-hop? Though two new songs from Nicki Minaj have graced the charts, look no further for the other essentials of this month. For better or worse, these are the songs blowing up right now!

While radio-inspired sequencing is nothing new in the history of concept albums, Dawn FM, the latest by Canadian singer/songwriter The Weeknd, utilizes the approach for a presentation more concise and exciting than his previous records. Where older imitations of the airwaves made by DJ Shadow and Queens of the Stone Age compellingly demonstrated an uninterrupted flow on an album, recent records like Vince Staples and Oneohtrix Point Never infused more diverse musical styles to show appreciation for their inspirations. Adding in a consistently retro late-90s aesthetic throughout, Dawn FM brings this method into the limelight by effectively balancing his pop appeal with this niche affection.

Concentrating ten tracks into 24 minutes admittedly sounds like a recipe for empty brevity on paper. However, rap fans already know about Thebe Kgositsile (Earl Sweatshirt) and his demonstrated power of shorter songs from his critically-acclaimed masterwork Some Rap Songs. Released early this year, SICK! follows the Chicago rapper’s trajectory of reduced album lengths, yet it plays like his most musically expansive. Assertive but atmospheric production buoys each track with a mix of nostalgic references and modern synth flourishes, and Kgositsile’s lyrics on the whole album are more contemplative than ever before.

Nicki Minaj returned in early February with the back-to-basics track 'Do We Have A Problem?' featuring fellow rapper Lil Baby, hopefully indicating that a new album for Minaj is right around the corner. By all accounts, this song demonstrates the two wordsmiths in peak form, with Lil Baby highlighting Minaj's classic hardcore image by weaving an intricate web of references in his verse reminiscent of rap giants like Jay-Z. On the production side, one can instantly catch the signature tag of Papi Yerr, a Miami-based artist who has also produced for Tory Lanez.

Sarah Ikumu is only 15-years-old and she killed it on the stage of Britain's Got Talent. She sang 'And I Am Telling You' and the audience absolutely loved it! Simon Cowell, of the jury, was a bit unsure at first, but then said yes...

Conservatism is not just in Muslim societies or in the Middle East; it's also in the western world. Even Hollywood celebrities, recognized by the whole world, may have grown up with strict rules in conservative families. Somewhere along the way, they must have figured something out and changed their paths but they were all raised in either religious or very conservative families. Let's see who these rebels are!

The song is written in the form of a letter. The lyric tells the story of a love triangle between the speaker, a woman named Jane, and the male addressee, who is identified only briefly as 'my brother, my killer.'

Stimulation doesn't only come with touch, as other senses play a big role in it. One song can change your mood, make you want to take your clothes off. Here is a list of the 21 most aphrodisiacal songs of all times, for the restless romantic in you.

Bonnie Tyler is a Welsh musician, born in 1951. She is known for her distinctive husky voice and her song 'Total Eclipse of Heart.' This song has managed to be considered the most difficult piece composed in the world. Why? Here is a short story of a loooooong time.

Someone mysteriously leaves flute remakes of popular songs on YouTube but unfortunately he sucks at it.Warning! These shitty remixes can lead to addiction or auditory impairment. Enter at your own risk.