Quentin Harrison

The pearl of Aotearoa, Bic Runga, returns with her sixth album Red Sunset, an aesthetic blend of the familiar with a lively, blossoming charge.

Perimenopop doesn’t disguise that the mirrorball is the muse here, but don’t mistake this as some retreat into dance music indulgence. Instead, as stated previously, reclamation and refinement sit at the heart of Perimenopop with a few other sonic surprises tucked in.

Laufey colours both inside and outside her established lines to create a joyful tension on A Matter of Time. It makes for the boldest chapter in her artistic story yet.

The sharp craft of Tension II confirms that this is Kylie Minogue’s world, we’re just fortunate enough to live in it.

What makes Pages thrilling is that it demonstrates a commitment to the refinement and renewal of craft; and it also makes one thing abundantly clear: there’s no one quite like Shaznay Lewis.

It’s hard to see Evolution as anything less than a gift – something positive put out into the world. Sheryl Crow is just what the doctor ordered.

Jones places a premium on tonal variance and equilibrium throughout Visions; it’s a wise chess move, ensuring an absorbing listen with every spin.

In her own inimitable fashion, Tension finds her assessing where we are in the musical present and delivering something well-timed and consistent. We cannot ask for more.

From the beginning, Ellis-Bextor always understood that style and substance do not have to be mutually exclusive ideas. HANA is proof positive of this belief, and it stands as a current career triumph.

It’s safe to assume that Gregory and Goldfrapp will reteam someday. In the meantime, we’re fortunate to have Goldfrapp on her own, standing tall, as she actions an engaging, contemporary pop genre experience with The Love Invention.

Jepsen expands her musical-lyrical palette with a rainbow of layers and textures. The Loneliest Time will make every return listen an experience to be savored.

Life In Plastic is Tom Aspaul leveling up—pay attention to this young man if you haven’t been already, only the sky is the limit for him.

In Real Life is her most thrilling collection yet; fully realized and superbly constructed, it positions Moore to move forward in any direction she sees fit with a sound wholly her own.

Two is a lean, masterful stroke of modern pop that stands on its own, but doesn’t disavow its link with what came before with Dubstar’s anterior efforts.

To my ears, Jewel’s Freewheelin’ Woman is another awesome entry into a back catalog of already worthy projects, and there’s more to come.

For eleven years, Diamandis has allowed her muse to guide her wherever it may lead. Having closed any sort of divide between the two sides of her creative mind with Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land, she is currently acting with a new level of control and confidence over her songcraft. 

evermore manages to build out on the world Swift birthed with its predecessor while achieving some of its own stylistic independence.

Decades removed from that prefabricated incarnation, DISCO is the product of a woman keenly aware of her strengths, but not constrained by them.

The Rarities offers us a unique window into this songbird’s nuanced creative processes and abiding passions—and we are all the better for it.