Staff playlist

“Birth in Reverse”
ST. VINCENT
After a collaborative album and tour with David Byrne, Annie Clark (a.k.a. St Vincent) is returning with more solo material. Like the best of Clark’s past work, this track from her upcoming self-titled album features a fuzzy guitar lick, off-kilter rhythms and an all-around weirdness that’s more catchy than annoying.

“Hotel Valentine”
CIBO MATTO
After a 15-year hiatus, this indie J-pop act is back with tongue-in-cheek new album Hotel Valentine, out Feb. 14 of course, and a litany of curious collaboratorsincluding Wilco string-shredder Nels Cline and comedian-musician Reggie Watts. The title track is a welcome return with magnetic beats and feather-light vocals.

“New Leaders”
TALIB KWELI
Kweli taps fellow Brooklyn rappers The Underacheivers to deliver bold social commentary, a call for the uncritical masses to embrace accountability and leadership. Sharp lyrics make for a penetrating message, one that Kweli himself follows with a non-stop work ethic. Gravitas is his second album in less than 8 months.

“Fall in Love”
PHANTOGRAM
This upstate New York duo has been expertly mashing up atmospheric electronic pop with hip-hop beats for years now. Their album, Voices, comes out this month and the lead single features Sarah Barthel’s breathy but also powerful vocals taking center stage over a sputtering string sample and plenty of other slick flourishes.