Of Monsters And Men - we sink, 2015

"The music video is dedicated to the current refugee crisis, as millions of people are fleeing their homes in search of a safe place to live. The Icelandic folk band reached out to members of the Red Cross in Iceland, who connected them with refugees in their home country to be featured in the video."

Of Monsters And Men - i of the storm, 2015

"I of the Storm" is a single recorded by the Icelandic indie folk/indie pop rock band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the second single from their second studio album, Beneath the Skin (2015). It was written by Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson (of Of Monsters and Men). The single artwork was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky."

Of Monsters And Men - empire, 2015

"From the album: Beneath the Skin (released June 8, 2015) "Empire" is the second single from the Icelandic band’s sophomore album. It’s a sweeping, atmospheric anthem with their signature folk-pop sound layered with booming drums, gang vocals, and Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson’s intertwined voices."

Of Monsters And Men - hunger, 2015

"Beneath the Skin takes an anthemic approach to Of Monsters and Men’s familiar output of modern folk rock. However, the album fizzles out before it has any room to take hold. For a land known for doom-impending volcanoes, harsh winters, and rotten fish, Iceland sure has a lot to say. I can always tell when an Icelandic artist hits the airwaves. No, it’s not the accent — which, I still can’t quite grasp. It’s not even Icelandic pop’s knack for weirdness, like Bjork’s army of bell wielding children."

Of Monsters And Men - human, 2015

"Human" marked a slightly darker, more electronic-leaning evolution from the folk-pop sound of their debut My Head Is an Animal (2011)."

Of Monsters And Men - crystals, 2015

"Crystals" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. It is the lead single for their second studio album, Beneath the Skin. The single and album artwork was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky."

My Morning Jacket - i can’t wait, 2015

"I Can't Wait" is a standout track from My Morning Jacket's seventh studio album, The Waterfall, recorded at a cliffside house in Stinson Beach, California. The song captures the band’s signature blend of psychedelic rock, soulful melodies, and Jim James’ soaring falsetto. It’s a dreamy, mid-tempo love song with lush reverb, shimmering guitars, and a heartbeat-like rhythm section."

My Morning Jacket - in its infancy the waterfall, 2015

"And there's a scenic drive out there where you pass lots of waterfalls. Whenever I stand in front of a waterfall, I try to pause it in my mind, then rewind it and make it go backwards. Obviously you can't do that."

My Morning Jacket - like a river, 2015

“Like a River”, which is probably the album’s most breathtaking treasure. My Morning Jacket harken back to their alt country roots on The Waterfall and create a remarkable vision of the American countryside in the process, one as filled with solitude as it is with wonder."

Public Service Broadcasting - valentina, 2015

"Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova[a][b] (born 6 March 1937) is a Russian engineer, member of the State Duma, and former Soviet cosmonaut. She was the first woman in space, having flown a solo mission on Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963. She orbited the Earth 48 times, spent almost three days in space, is the only woman to have been on a solo space mission and is the last surviving Vostok programme cosmonaut. Twenty-six years old at the time of her spaceflight, she remains the youngest woman to have flown in space under the international definition of 100 km altitude, and the youngest woman to fly in Earth orbit."

The Radio Dept - occupied, 2015

"The world can probably never get enough synthy dream-pop, and The Radio Dept. have been fulfilling that need for quite some time. The Swedish duo of Johan Duncanson and Martin Carlberg have been doing their thing since the late-90’s and with their first release, in 2001, of Lesser Matters. In 2016, Sofia Coppola included several of their on her new wave soundtrack for Marie Antoinette, elevating them further by placing them beside their own heroes, 80’s legends like Siouxsie and the Banshees, New Order, Gang of Four and The Cure."

My Morning Jacket - thin line, 2015

"Literally being surrounded by trees and creatures every time we walked out of the studio doors. Every evening around sunset we would stop what we were doing and walk outside to watch the sun descend, like an enormous egg yolk slowly smashing down in a psychedelic wash of color, much like the colors of the waterfall on the album cover. Those images, the smell of ocean air and the openness of it all, seeped into every aspect of this record."

El Vy - sleeping light, 2015

"EL VY (pronounced like a plural of Elvis; rhymes with ‘hell pie’) is the musical collaboration between Matt Berninger, vocalist and lyricist of The National, and Brent Knopf, the Portland musician and producer best known for his work in Menomena and his more recent band, Ramona Falls."

Deerhunter - duplex planet, 2015

"Two of the strongest tracks get some nice assists: “Duplex Planet” has a striking electric harpsichord cameo by Tim Gane of Stereolab, while “Take Care” sees James Cargill of the brilliant Broadcast taking on synth duties and spinning tape manipulations around a sweeping, deceptively sweet waltz."

Coldplay - up and up, 2015

"The song contains a chorus choir, which featured nearly all the artists who have collaborated with the group, including Brian Eno, the children and guests of the four musicians, and Beyoncé. Guitarist and singer Noel Gallagher also contributed a guitar solo, which was omitted in the radio edit."

Coldplay - adventure of a lifetime, 2015

"the song is "incredibly vibrant in an almost childlike, blissful way that gives such an energetic rush" and that it is "the best Coldplay single in seven years".

El Vy - return to the moon, 2015

"Return to the Moon is the debut album of EL VY, a collaboration between vocalist/lyricist Matt Berninger of the National and multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Brent Knopf of Ramona Falls, formerly of Menomena. The album blends the lighter side of both indie rock artists, offering funky, catchy, if melancholy ditties that bob along Knopf's textured arrangements, which are fond of syncopated percussion and guitar, quirky new wave synths, and rich, articulate tones from top to bottom."

Car Seat Headrest - oh! starving, 2015

"Originally the final track on Car Seat Headrest’s 2010 release ‘3’ (featuring slightly different lyrics), this track has been rerecorded twice, for the 2012 EP Starving While Living as well as this version, at the close of Teens of Style. The name is an allusion to and play on the Beatles' song “Oh! Darling”

Belle And Sebastian - play for today, 2015

"Belle & Sebastian’s Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance was released early in the year to little fanfare. Twenty years into their remarkable career, the Scottish septet doesn’t excite critics the way they used to. It’s a shame, because the record is solid start to finish, not the best thing they’ve ever recorded but better than pretty much everything else released in 2015. Guess that’s just shooting par for these guys. The 7-plus minute ‘Play For Today’ grabbed me immediately. Performed as a duet by B&S frontman Stuart Murdoch and Dee Dee Penny of the L.A.-based indie band Dum Dum Girls, the song uses theater as a metaphor for depression."

Lily And Madeleine - hourglass, 2015

“As I attempt to further discover who I am as an individual, the way society wants me to define myself is becoming clearer. It seems to me that young people are the same everywhere, regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic class. All young adults are in the same boat, trying to figure out what makes us individuals and trying to find our value in society.”