Clockwise from top left: UMI, BENEE, Kidd Kenn, Winona Oak, Sorcha Richardson and Alexander 23. Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time to sort through all that? RIFF does! We pooled our resources to find…

Clockwise from top left: Thaiboy Digital, Blu DeTiger, Annika Rose, Patrick Watson, Drama Relax with Jeremih, and Inhaler. Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips. Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but…

Clockwise from top left: Scarypoolparty, Dizzy Fae, Seratones, Angelica Garcia, Kelsey Waldon and Wild Rivers. Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips. Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time…

Altin Gün, including Merve Dasdemir (second from left), and Daniel Smienk (third from left). Courtesy photo. NEW YORK — Merve Dasdemir and Daniel Smienk are outside the Rough Trade record store in Brooklyn, taking a smoke break and chatting about their Amsterdam-based Turkish psychedelic folk band Altin Gün while their…

Clockwise from top left: Lil Tjay, Clairo, Gigi Rowe and NATIIVE, The Amazons, Rarity and Girl Wilde. Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips. Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who…

Of Monsters and Men, “Fever Dream.” Of Monsters and Men’s third album, Fever Dream, is aptly titled. It follows a subconscious trajectory; starting off nice and slow and bringing the listener into a state of calm. That is until the deep cuts introduce chaos and uncertainty into the dreamlike state. Reaching…

Khalid performs on the Free Spirit World Tour at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 28, 2019. Photos: Steve Carlson. OAKLAND — Khalid took the Oracle stage for the first time on Friday night with a sold-out show in support of his sophomore album, Free Spirit. He kicked it off with…

Clockwise from top left: RØYLS, Chloe Flower, Girl Wilde, Killstation, Delac and Alex Wnston. Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips. Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time to…

Madonna, “Madame X.” Ever since she stepped into the spotlight in the ’80s, Madonna has been putting out iconic pop anthems that transcend time. She’s reinvented herself many times, so it’s surprising that her newest album Madame X falls flat in comparison. The album lacks a central theme, leading to…

Aurora, ‘A Different Kind of Human’ Aurora is no stranger to experimentation, but her third album, A Different Kind of Human (Step II), takes far more chances than her previous work. The Norwegian art-pop singer-songwriter takes a more imaginative approach, and it works. Each song’s distinct sound flourishes within the thematic…