Mitski, “Laurel Hell.” Getting a new Mitski album in 2022 feels surreal. The indie rock star was catapulted to fame following Puberty 2 (2016) and Be the Cowboy (2018). The intensity and size of her following led her to a decision both grueling and necessary: she announced in late…

Charli XCX IN “Alone Together.” A brief intro filmed during her 2019 headlining tour immediately sets the scene for “Alone Together,” a new documentary by Charli XCX that’s meant as a pairing for 2020’s made-at-home album How I’m Feeling Now. On the introspective deep dive, a chirpy Charli XCX is shown…

Moonchild, courtesy Taryn Dudley. The moonlit soul of Moonchild and Brittany Campbell, the unapologetic ruthlessness of Jaguar Jonze, the luminous pop of Tim Atlas, the soft glow of The Cactus Blossoms’ guitar-led reverie and Judy Collins’ trip down memory lane make up our favorite tracks of the week. Moonchild…

HVOB, courtesy Andreas Jakwerth. The eclecticism of HVOB, emotional depth of Jessie Murph, driving ambient force of Sky H1, daine’s cutthroat emo banger, Duncan Laurence’s holiday sparkle and EMELINE’s empowered electro-pop make up our favorite tracks of the week. HVOB, “Bruise” — Austrian electronic duo HVOB is entering its fifth…

Little Mix, “Between Us.” Little Mix is celebrating 10 years with its first greatest hits album, Between Us, which includes four new tracks (five in the deluxe edition). Ten years after their vertiginous rise to the rank of biggest “girl band” in the world, the women have much to look…

Clockwise from top left: All We Are, French for Rabbits, BAIRD, Neal Francis, Hope Tala and Anjimile. The contagious sincerity of Anjimile, quiet emotional cataclysm of French for Rabbits, Baird’s effortless cool, Hope Tala’s entrancing vocals, smooth funk accents of Neal Francis and All We Are’s indelible pop melodies…

Last year saw singer-songwriter-producer James Blake return to his club roots on a daring four-track EP. A step slightly left from his recent catalog’s intense melancholia, the small collection of songs paved the way for the experimentation and elegant stylings of his latest body of work, Friends That Break…

Clockwise from top left: Little Hag, Kate Bollinger, LÉON, Remi Wolf, Sloppy Jane and MUNA. The intimate world-building of Kate Bollinger, soaring orchestral pop of Sloppy Jane, the soft-lit cynicism of Little Hag, bright turn-of-the-century anthemic pop rock of MUNA, slow dance time capsule of LÉON and the funky…

It sure came as a surprise that Troye Sivan and Mark Ronson tapped Kacey Musgraves for a remix of the dance pop nostalgia trip “Easy” in late 2020. What on Earth could the kaleidoscopic country pop (and before that, just country) artist be doing on a high-energy breakup anthem?…

Aaron Dessner (The National) and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) join forces once again for their second Big Red Machine endeavor. It’s filled with so many guest appearances that you’re immediately reminded that no matter how personal it gets, music fosters community. That being said, How Long Do You Think…