Pop: All Mirrors – Angel Olsen
“All Mirrors,” released in October of 2019, is the fourth studio album from singer-songwriter Angel Olsen. “All Mirrors” is a deeply atmospheric and reflective album combining elements of dream pop with dark, solemn vocals and cinematic orchestral backing. It’s a perfect album to take you into the colder parts of the year and help you carry a sense of self acceptance with you while you’re at it.
Rock: Masterpiece – Big Thief
The debut album from now seminal indie rock band Big Thief, “Masterpiece,” is as perfect an album for watching the leaves change as any, with its cutting guitars, gentle folk influences and reflective and intimate lyrics courteous of “Adrianne Lenker,” the album evokes a sense of melancholy that can only be found in the turn of the season.
Alternative: The Moon and the Melodies – Cocteau Twins & Harold Budd
If you ever find yourself stuck inside on a cold night by rain or by snow, which in a southern Indiana autumn is bound to happen, you can cozy up to the fire with comfort knowing you have the perfect mix of dream pop, and dark ambient frequencies to reveal in the chill of the impending winter solstice. Featuring the swirling guitars of Robin Guthrie, the ever powerful voice of Elizabeth Frazier, and the ambient mastery of Harold Budd, “The Moon and the Melodies,” is the perfect companion for the gloomier days of the transitional period.
Rap/Hip-Hop: Blowout Comb: Digable Planets
The Brooklyn based rap group, seminal Jazz Rap LP is a perfect hazy mix of conscious lyricism and stellar Jazz instrumentation. While they seem to flow under the radar in comparison to their contemporaries, Digable Planets are one of the most talented and innovative rap groups to come out of the 90s, and “Blowout Comb” is a seminal piece of East Coast history. Just as “Blowout Comb” expertly blends Jazz and Rap into a sweltering flow of vibration, the album blends the seasons of fall and winter into a wintery melodic mix that you can’t miss.
Folk: Pink Moon – Nick Drake
If you’re ever feeling indicative one melancholic afternoon in this short period between the autumn and winter, give Nick Drake’s Folk classic “Pink Moon” a spin. A masterpiece of the sublime and gentle, and coming in at just 27 mins, “Pink Moon” is able to transport any listener into a lofty caress of acoustic sounds paired perfectly with tender, achingly exposed lyricism. Heartfelt and distant, beautiful yet sorrowful, “Pink Moon” is an unforgettable soliloquy from the falling of leaves to the settling of snow.
