Reviews of popular culture related areas, including music, film, TV, books, games, comics, and more.
MIO: Memories in Orbit isn’t just another entry in the Metroidvania catalog; it’s a meditation on consciousness and identity in a space where the line between organic and artificial life is blurred.
Swans’ Birthing isn’t so much music as a reaction against music—a disavowal of melody, pleasure, and your nervous system’s comfort threshold.
Garbage’s new LP is driven by a message above all, and there are some truly exquisite moments in which music and lyrics merge and soar even in the face of social collapse.
Irresistible hooks and cunning arrangements abound on Peaceful Faces’ new record led by singer-songwriter Tree Palmedo.
I’m left with a new idea of who Addison Rae is, and this idea is way more interesting than how I feel about most of the pop music in those algorithmic playlists.
Ghost’s more measured approach lends an appealing atmosphere of sadness, but fans will be clamoring for more energy and menace amidst the garishness next time.
With this curated compilation, Mississippi Records provides a compelling primer into Arvo Pärt, the world’s most performed living composer.
Tim O’Brien’s new LP isn’t meant to shake the room and get everybody partying, but it will bring a smile and a tear to those who appreciate bluegrass and folk.
In May’s best metal albums, Pelican turn back the clock, Drouth ascend to black/death glory, and Obsidian Tongue relish the early Agalloch-ian teachings.
A parade of high-thread-count nihilism, the Jon Hamm-led Your Friends and Neighbors isn’t a sorely needed critique of the American elite; it’s a product of them.
Swiss-Moroccan producer Sami Galbi crafts a warm, inviting blend of chaabi, North African folk music, trap, and global club sounds, creating a DIY street party
The Head and the Heart take artistic control, and the result is a self-produced LP that leans into vulnerability underlined by personal and creative agency.
