Describe it 1 sentence: A manifold crusade of Americana – folk, punk, indie, fantastic.

Favorite tracks: “My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars” and “Dan the Dancer”

How I heard about it: Mitski popped up in my Spotify “Discover Weekly” playlist.

Interesting line from artist’s Wikipedia: “Mitski reflects her cross-cultural identity as ‘half Japanese, half American but not fully either’, a feeling that is often reflected in her music, which occasionally discusses issues of belonging.”

Describe it 1 sentence: A strange, energetic, and optimistic album of raptastic fantasy.

Favorite tracks: The whole album is pretty great, but I’ll go with “Favorite Song”

How I heard about it: Popped up in my Spotify “Discover Weekly”

Best line from artist’s Wikipedia: I learned that the origin of his stage name comes from his real first name, Chancelor.

Describe it 1 sentence: Pulsing, sometimes with strange, irregular rythms electronic music.

Favorite tracks: “Emeral Rush”

How I heard about it: Saw Jon Hopkins while scrolling the AV Club.

Best line from artist’s Wikipedia: “According to reviews, ‘Hopkins’s aesthetic is perpetually intriguing. He transcends genres, melding digital coldness with subtle, bucolic textures; veering from skewed elegance to strange, unsettling depths.'”

Describe it 1 sentence: You’re on your first mission for NASA, freely orbiting the earth in a space suit, and you get a phone call from your girlfriend – she dumps you.

Favorite tracks: “Andromeda”

How I heard about it: Saw Weyes Blood while scrolling the AV Club.

Best line from artist’s Wikipedia: “When I record, I think about sacred space and I think about what would be the sound of your soul if there is music coming out of it. It would probably be an echoey, strange chamber.”

Describe it 1 sentence: This album is soooo freakin’ fun running through many different flavors of pop and R&B.

Favorite tracks: “Your Teeth On My Neck” and “In My Dreams

How I heard about it: Saw Kali Uchis while scrolling the AV Club.

Best line from artist’s Wikipedia: In the first sentence there’s two words I was looking for to describe Ms. Uchis: “genre-defying”

Describe it 1 sentence: Trancy, keyboard driven funk with a wide range of emotions.

Favorite tracks: “Most Events Aren’t Planned” & “Fresh Tube”

How I heard about it: The band leader plays keyboard in my all-time favorite band.

Best line from artist’s Wikipedia: “A screamo band from Iowa City, Iowa had been using the same name through part of 2001. The band subsequently changed their name to Ten Grand after they sold the rights to the band name to McConnell for $10,000”