As November ushered in chilly winds and cozy nights, it also brought a wave of fresh music to ignite our playlists.
Whether it’s the launch of exciting new voices or the return of beloved artists, this month has a track for every mood and moment. Let’s dive into the five albums that defined the month of November.
5. “Seed of a Seed” – Haley Heynderickx
Singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx delivers an exploration of her anxieties and connection with the natural world in her second album, “Seed of a Seed.” The record feels like an antidote to the distractions of modern life, where Heynderickx confronts the chaos of our overstimulated world and celebrates the art found in life’s small moments.
The album is playful, full of vibrant musical twists and charming production. Tracks like “Redwoods (Anxious God)” and “Sorry Fahey” highlight Heynderickx’s ability to curate textured orchestral arrangements, while other songs take the time to strip things back to a raw, minimalistic aesthetic. The versatile instrumentation showcasing Heynderickx’s ability to craft an immersive and emotionally resonant soundscape.
Tracks swell with fingerpicked guitar, creating a hauntingly anxious atmosphere, while on others the orchestral production rises and crashes like the unfolding of a revelation. But it’s Heynderickx’s voice that ties the album together, moving seamlessly from conversational phrasing to deeply emotional moments, the combination of playful storytelling, intricate instrumentation and a sense of awe for the natural world makes “Seed of a Seed” a standout of the albums released this month.
4. “Patterns in Repeat” – Laura Marling
Laura Marling returns after a five-year hiatus with her latest record, “Patterns in Repeat.” In which she delivers a collection of delicate, intimate tracks that manage to feel both familiar and refreshingly genuine. Drawing inspiration from folk icons like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, the album embraces a stripped back style where layered string passages and restrained vocals create a sense of intimacy throughout its runtime.
Marling adopts a bare bones approach, foregoing percussion to let fluttery acoustics and carefully crafted introspective songwriting shine. Each track is meticulously woven with delicate strings and soft looming vocals. Her lyrics are delivered softly, emotionally rich and perfectly restrained—a quiet force that makes a lasting impact without the need for dramatic production.
This understated beauty defines the album’s strength, drawing listeners into its quiet yet profound emotional core, earning “Patterns in Repeat” a spot as one of the most impactful albums of this November.
3. “Night Palace” – Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie’s new album, “Night Palace,”marks a shift from the sparse acoustic introspection of the artist’s earlier works to a more guarded and experimental sonic palette. With buzzing guitars and looming beats, Mount Eerie explores uncharted territory and manages to master pushing the boundary of their original sound.
It’s not gone entirely though, the albums lo-fi production and intimate, diary-like lyrics maintain Mount Eerie’s classic aesthetic. The title track captures this sincerity, with lyrics “I’m in love with the last of the light/However long I have left in life/And so what if no one ever finds this notebook” seemingly coming straight from a journal entry.
“Night Palace” is personal. It’s passionate, it’s heartbreaking and at times it’s philosophical and for all those reasons it defies genre categorization. The record captures an interplay of environment and sound, a droning piano evokes the isolation of abandoned mountaintops, glitchy distortions show the warmth of summer air and buzzing mosquitoes, there’s a lack of sonic cohesion, but that’s exactly what makes the record so great. It’s as jarring and unpredictable as nature itself, earning it a rightful place as one of the best albums of November.
2. “Songs of a Lost World” – The Cure
Sixteen years after the release of their last album, The Cure returns with the deeply nostalgic and hauntingly wintry “Songs of a Lost World.” It’s a classic Cure record, drifting in a sea of ’90s nostalgia, velvety, floaty chords linger, while the guitar notes hang in the air, allowing Robert Smith’s evergreen voice to wash over you. Like its Cure predecessors before it, “Songs of a Lost World” is a moody and bleak record, with themes of dying and the inevitable passage of time serve as an omnipresent force throughout.
The lyrics are profoundly melancholic and reflective, paired with intricate sound design and layered instrumentation, while the album’s themes of loss, grief and the passage of time intensify the disparity of the record. While the album may not capture the interest of today’s audience, perhaps that is precisely its strength—serving as a time capsule of authentic 90s angst. The record’s sincerity and ethereality set it apart from its other releases, earning it a rightful place among the best albums of the month.
1. “Chromakopia” – Tyler, The Creator
Tyler, The Creator makes his return with “Chromakopia,” his first album since his 2021 record “Call Me If You Get Lost.” The album features a stacked lineup of collaborators, including Daniel Caesar, Doechii, and newcomer Lola Young. “Chromakopia” offers a rich, eclectic mix of sounds, blending different genres and production styles. The album’s production is as diverse as its features, the artists signature lush, jazz-influenced arrangements are ever-present, but so are the off-kilter, industrial textures and glitchy, distorted sounds that give the tracks an innovative twist.
“Chromokopia” delves into Tyler’s insecurities as an artist, navigating the complexities of love, loss and personal growth throughout his career. In some moments, the album feels atmospheric, almost cinematic, while other tracks hit with a punchy, raw energy. “Chromokopia” solidifies Tyler’s evolution as an artist with bold, original production that highlights his willingness to embrace vulnerability, experiment with sound, and push the boundaries of his craft, earning “Chromokopia” the top spot of the most defining albums of the month.
This article was written by Allison Scherquist. She can be reached at allison[email protected].
