Solange Knowles turned 30 in June, and it seems clear that her Saturn Returns manifested in an artistic surge. A Seat at the Table , her third full-length album, is the work of a woman who’s truly grown into herself, and discovered within a clear, exhilarating statement of self and community that’s…

The circus around Oasis ’ third album, Be Here Now , makes the modern hoopla surrounding Frank Ocean , Kanye West , and Beyoncé look like amateur hour. Never was the hunger for new product greater, and never was the infrastructure designed to supply it in poorer shape. Back in the summer of 1997,…

Mike Eagle doesn’t rap; he talks to you in rhythmic form, calmly unpacking his narrative as the world around him spirals out of control. Emcees like Eagle, Action Bronson , Aesop Rock , and Homeboy Sandman have this uncanny way of drawing you into what they say, despite unusual references that don’t…

Spotify is negotiating to buy SoundCloud, the Financial Times reports. Discussions between the two streaming services were “advanced,” according to the FT , which cited “people briefed on the discussions.” Representatives for Spotify and SoundCloud declined to comment to Pitchfork. Spotify has said…

There are only about 45 seconds left on Nicolas Jaar ’s new album Sirens when something astounding happens. Heralded by a selection of drums and birdcall synths, a gospel cry arrives, shrouded in distortion and punctuated by sharp arrhythmic drumming. The most useful words to describe this are the…

Danny Brown is an auteur. Hip-hop has a tradition of collaboration, but the Detroit rapper is a one-man show who, while he reps his own Bruiser Brigade and works frequently with a handful of producers, has a voice and vision completely his own. You can think of his progression over the last five…