Category Archives: Featured Articles
ACL 2025 ~ Winter Music Preview: Ambient & Drone
Happy New Year! We’re not wasting any time, as winter is already ten days old and the first big release day of the year is only two days away. This is already shaping up to be one of the best
ACL 2025 ~ Winter Music Preview: Ambient & Drone
Happy New Year! We’re not wasting any time, as winter is already ten days old and the first big release day of the year is only two days away. This is already shaping up to be one of the best
Ukrainian Field Notes XXXIX
For the last episode of 2024 we discuss the metaphor of a bomb’s impact zone with Alexey Shmurak, we get to hear a modernist self-portrait from Alisa Zaika, and we chat about a “lost generation” with Mixmag Ukraine’s editor in
Ukrainian Field Notes XXXIX
For the last episode of 2024 we discuss the metaphor of a bomb’s impact zone with Alexey Shmurak, we get to hear a modernist self-portrait from Alisa Zaika, and we chat about a “lost generation” with Mixmag Ukraine’s editor in
ACL 2024 ~ The Top 20 Albums of the Year
This year, A Closer Listen received thousands of submissions and reviewed hundreds; today our international staff chooses twenty. Three former chart-toppers appear on this year’s list, while one artist appears for the fifth time, but half are new, while our
ACL 2024 ~ The Top 20 Albums of the Year
This year, A Closer Listen received thousands of submissions and reviewed hundreds; today our international staff chooses twenty. Three former chart-toppers appear on this year’s list, while one artist appears for the fifth time, but half are new, while our
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz
Post-rock returned with a roar this year as three of the scene’s stalwarts, with discographies stretching back 20, 25 and 30 years, proved that they remain relevant. But this article celebrates far more than just post-rock. We also include a
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz
Post-rock returned with a roar this year as three of the scene’s stalwarts, with discographies stretching back 20, 25 and 30 years, proved that they remain relevant. But this article celebrates far more than just post-rock. We also include a
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Modern Composition
When a composer dies, a world falls silent; two of the composers honored below are no longer with us, but their music lives on. One album stretches back even further to highlight a 9th century princess; another recalls the woman
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Modern Composition
When a composer dies, a world falls silent; two of the composers honored below are no longer with us, but their music lives on. One album stretches back even further to highlight a 9th century princess; another recalls the woman
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Field Recording & Soundscape
A huge congratulations to Manja Ristić, who appears on this chart three times, twice with collaborators and once solo. We believe that this is the first time such an event has taken place; and these were not the artist’s only
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Field Recording & Soundscape
A huge congratulations to Manja Ristić, who appears on this chart three times, twice with collaborators and once solo. We believe that this is the first time such an event has taken place; and these were not the artist’s only
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Experimental
Perhaps the greatest joy found in a year-end list of experimental music is that it rewards not only the experimentalism, but the overall appeal. This is the landing spot for albums that stand out for being different, yet are embraced
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Experimental
Perhaps the greatest joy found in a year-end list of experimental music is that it rewards not only the experimentalism, but the overall appeal. This is the landing spot for albums that stand out for being different, yet are embraced
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Electronic
Dancing is a primal activity; sometimes we want to dance, and other times we need to dance, as shown in the presence of two Ukrainian albums on this list. And while club music is a subset of electronic music, there are club
ACL 2024 ~ Top Ten Electronic
Dancing is a primal activity; sometimes we want to dance, and other times we need to dance, as shown in the presence of two Ukrainian albums on this list. And while club music is a subset of electronic music, there are club
a closer listen 