There was a musical language that we created; something without a guiding pattern that you could really just jump into and see where things could go,” Maryland folk musician Michael Nau says of the process of recording his forthcoming third solo album, Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread. He’s wildly poetic, especially when recounting his dedication to music, and the work that led to this particular collection of delicately passionate songs. “These things became the vehicle by which we traveled, giving us reason to spend most of our lives in a van of uncertainty.

The Pittsburgh artist went through a breakup with Ariana Grande and was arrested for a drunken car crash – but his troubles result in a wiser, sadder, better album. There are those years when it seems the only way through is to tell yourself: “Hey, one day, this will make for some good writing material.” Mac Miller has had one of those years. This spring, the 26-year-old rapper’s two-year relationship with Ariana Grande ended; weeks later, he was arrested after drunkenly crashing his car into a telegraph pole.

On Spirit Animal's full-length debut, Born Yesterday, the band not only proves 808s and guitars can coexist in harmony, they also craft airtight songs that would delight in any era. "We want this album to stick with you, but we also want it to be fun" Cal says. "It's more than just a good time, but it shouldn't feel like more than a just good time." Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, singer Steve Cooper, guitarist Cal Stamp, drummer Ronen Evron, and bassist Paul Michel make music that both bottles and transcends the moment. The band's backstory begins in 2013 with a single that quickly topped a million plays on Spotify. Building a buzz, the foursome landed looks from Consequence of Sound, Entertainment Weekly, and The Washington Post. They toured relentlessly along the way, developing a diverse and devout audience. Signing to Atlantic Records in 2017, the band wrote and recorded what became Born Yesterday at Steve's apartment, as well as studios in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville.