Editors' Choice for February 2025

Album cover for Pine

Pine

Playground / Playground Music

The Swedish multi-instrumentalist creates soft, golden hour instrumentals that heavily evoke his band Dina Ögon.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for 1991

1991

Wharf Cat Records

Gathering remastered versions of the cult favorite band's early demos for official release, this time capsule also captures the feel of the era.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Wish Defense

Wish Defense

Trouble in Mind

Rejoined by founding member Jonathan Van Herik, the trio explores dualities with dazzling clarity and charred distortion.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Universe Room

Universe Room

GBV

On their 41st studio album, this indie rock superpower scatters their approaches of songwriting, production, and arrangement so very little repeats.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Phonetics On and On

Phonetics On and On

Matador

The band's near-perfect second album dispenses with noise in favor of space and restraint while adding more hooks and tenderness along the way.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Luminescent Creatures

Luminescent Creatures

hermine

Whispery vocals, delicate classical guitar, and impressionistic chamber accompaniment etch the transportive sequel to Windswept Adan.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Spirit Fall

Spirit Fall

Edition

With drummer Brian Blade and saxophonist Chris Potter, the bassist delivers one of his most intimate, forward-thinking albums.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for New Dawn

New Dawn

Mexican Summer

The longtime Sun Ra Arkestra leader releases his first solo album at the age of 100.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Nyron Higor

Nyron Higor

Far Out Recordings

The Brazilian composer embraces the ghosts of '70s MPB and samba while extending the tradition into jazz, soul, and psychedelia.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Sinister Grift

Sinister Grift

Domino

While just as sunny and dreamlike as earlier work, live band instrumentation makes this Animal Collective member's solo album sound uncharacteristically friendly and carefree.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for GNOSIS

GNOSIS

Incienso

Stirring ambient techno from the unpredictable Bay Area producer, his first LP for the label co-founded by Anthony Naples.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Cowards

Cowards

Warp

The Brighton post-punk quintet heads into the heart of darkness with vigor and energy.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Plus One

Plus One

Mercury / Mercury Nashville

The powerful country-soul duo follow up their first two Grammy nominations with an 18-track Valentine's Day LP that plays like a talent reel.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Barnyard Beehive
Various Artists

Barnyard Beehive

Numero / Numero Group

This 16-song compilation focuses on obscure female country artists who aimed for commercial success but often landed in far stranger places.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for It Will Be Like Now

It Will Be Like Now

Felte

Musically and emotionally heavier than their debut album, the band's sophomore effort offers transfixing post-punk with a formidable amount of empathy.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for A Paradise in the Hold

A Paradise in the Hold

Night Time Stories

Ten years in the making, the composer/trumpeter and her stellar cast juxtapose modern electric jazz and Bahraini folk sounds.

— Thom Jurek