ALTERNATIVE / INDIE

At The Beach, In Every Life
By Gigi Perez

Gigi Perez first went viral on TikTok for her hit single Sailor Song in 2024, which now opens her debut album, drawing in listeners with a familiar sound. The singer’s raw lyricism over a stripped back acoustic sound brings a fresh perspective, evident in Sleeping, where repeated lyrics evoke visceral emotion.

Nothing, Absolutely stands out with the singer’s haunting voice overlayed on a soothing instrumental backdrop before it softens to a lull in the last few minutes. Moving to Chemistry, the only explicitly marked track takes a louder turn, exploring themes of electric yearning and concealment. The complete opposite, Survivor’s Guilt is a one hour 20-minute instrumental track with a single yet powerful line: “I, I would be, at all.”

While Fable was released prior to the album, it makes for an intriguing listen within the context of At The Beach, In Every Life. Finally, Please Be Rude and title track At The Beach, In Every Life revert back to a laid-back, reverential sound like Sailor Song, although much less melancholy.

Ultimately, the album sounds like a parent rocking their child to sleep through a storm or two star-crossed lovers yielding to their fate – gut wrenching yet tender. Gigi Perez has only just begun her musical journey but has already made waves, revealing just a glimpse of the untapped potential she has yet to fully explore.

POP SOUL / ART POP / INDIE FOLK

SABLE, fABLE
By Bon Iver

SABLE, fABLE is Bon Iver’s fifth album, which is split into two parts: SABLE and fABLE. The album opens with a 12 second drone that acts as a prelude. THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS, the next track, is vulnerable and the lyrical repetition evokes feelings of nervousness and desperation.

SPEYSIDE is a rawer, stripped-down acoustic sound with visceral imagery woven into the lyrics. The long musical interludes hold space for appreciation and reflection. AWARDS SEASON conveys the melancholia that accompanies feelings of acceptance when a relationship has faded.

The atmospheric switch when Short Story begins is immediate. The cinematic music is emotional, as it sounds hopeful, bringing the reader out of SABLE’s depressive shadow. Everything Is Peaceful Love and Day One are catchy tunes over an addictive beat, the latter featuring Dijon and Flock of Dimes. If Only I Could Wait stands out with a feature from Danielle Haim. The track blends Danielle’s unique sound with Bon Iver’s in an exhilarating collaboration.

The album closes with Au Revoir, having moved out of SABLE’s depressive shadow and ending on a positive note, leaving the listener with feelings of clarity and hope.