The number seven is one of perfection, security, rest and divine nature. From its usage in religious texts to the number of notes within the diatonic scale, the mystical nature of “seven” continues to fascinate. Diffusing into the membrane of popular music, this fascination is intensified by the equally…

Arctic Monkeys, “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino.” In the nearly five years since Arctic Monkeys released their commercial breakthrough, A.M., the band has done much reinventing, reimagining and reestablishing itself on new album Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino. Exploring a new terrain of piano-dominated melodies, along with spacey synths, while…

Middle Kids‘ lively debut album, Lost Friends, is full of stylistic diversions and genre-blending tunes, making for a strong introductory statement by the Australian trio. With songs covering a gamut of influences from early 2000s punk to more modern indie rock melodies, Middle Kids know how to paint with multiple musical palettes. Lost…

The intricate universe of mergers is often a chaotic endeavor for many musicians, one where few artists have found success unless that artist’s name is Brian Eno. But let it be a pair of Canadian producers to subvert this notion. Venetian Snares x Daniel Lanois Venetian Snares & Daniel…

Three years after the release of Coming Home, 28-year-old Leon Bridges breaks from the traditional bluesy sound he pursued on his debut, smoothly sailing into funky territory with his sophomore album, Good Thing. Gone are the 1960s R&B beats and the smooth rasp reminiscent of Marvin Gaye and San…

Montreal bandmates Addy Weitzman and Patrick A. Boivin co-produced and co-wrote the lyrics on their debut, a project exemplifying their progress since two first met while attending university. The Beat Escape have taken listeners on a futuristic voyage on its debut album, Life Is Short The Answer’s Long. Life Is Short The…

Forget, Twin Shadow’s 2010 debut album, introduced to listeners a voice of pure repose—one that alternates between comparisons to Prince and Peter Gabriel—as it is infused with a smooth huskiness seldom heard in pop music. With a stunning sophomore LP, Confess, George Lewis, Jr. swiftly asserted himself as a contemporary pop…

  When California garage rocker Tim Presley of White Fence joined forces with Welsh singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon, the results subverted everyone’s expectations not only of them but of music in general. Under the moniker Drinks, the duo’s 2015 debut, Hermits On Holiday, flaunted its disdain for convention. Presley’s raw…

Hot Chip member Alexis Taylor stretches his instrumental stylings across indietronica through that band and his improvisational rock through About Group. But with his new solo album, Beautiful Thing, Taylor makes quite the impression in the synth-pop space. Beautiful Thing Alexis Taylor April 20 Beautiful Thing opens with a song that pays homage to Phil…

“Vide Noir” by Lord Huron. With the extraordinary worldwide popularity of indie folk band Lord Huron’s last album, Strange Trails, Ben Schneider and company have set a high bar for themselves. We have all heard and reheard “The Night We Met” since it was made famous by a feature in…