2022: Q1 New Music Report
The first three months of 2022 have sped by. And during that span, a ton of new music was released. This is my attempt to highlight the handful of new records that left a strong impression on me. Abdullah Miniawy & HVADNotice a Tiny Scratch for the Blue Behind From the opening seconds, Notice a Tiny Scratch for the Blue Behind sounds otherworldly. Egyptian musician Abdullah Miniawy has taken more traditional Arabic sounds, and with the help of producer HVAD, they've created something that's strangely earthly and post-industrial. Aldous HardingWarm Chris There's something just slightly alien about Aldous Harding's songs. Combining elements of folk, art pop, and jazz, the New Zealand singer-songwriter works within a sonic palette that's generally familiar, and yet each of her releases sounds refreshingly unique. Warm Chris has been a slow burn for me, but it may now be my favorite Harding record. Beach HouseOnce Twice Melody With each Beach House record, the dream pop duo slightly alters the formula—never straying too far from what makes them special. As with any double album, Once Twice Melody is a lot to soak in, but it's also such a consistently rewarding listen that it never becomes a slog. No one channels