#New Music Friday: Listen to new projects from skaiwater, Zsela, Martha Skye Murphy, and more

#New Music Friday: Listen to new projects from skaiwater, Zsela, Martha Skye Murphy, and more

Stream every standout album released this Friday with The FADER’s weekly roundup. (L) skaiwater. Photo via publicist. (M) Zsela. Photo by Rob Kulisek. (R) Martha Skye Murphy. Photo via publicist.   Every Friday, The FADER’s writers dive into the most exciting new projects released that week. Today, read our thoughts on skaiwater’s #gigi, Zsela’s Big…

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#Anastasia Coope’s warped folk curios

#Anastasia Coope’s warped folk curios

The 21-year-old painter-singer-songwriter discusses her unconventional path to the strange songs that populate her debut album, Darning Woman. Anastasia Coope. Photo by Grace Conrad.   Anastasia Coope’s apartment is hard to find. In a city where most every building is sequentially numbered, street-facing, and explorable from one’s personal device, the Brooklyn collective/co-op where the 21-year-old…

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#Arooj Aftab’s constellations

#Arooj Aftab’s constellations

Arooj Aftab’s constellations The Pakistani singer discusses the far-flung foundations of her new album, Night Reign. By Raphael Helfand Arooj Aftab. Photo by Shreya Dev Dube.   Arooj Aftab is a nocturnal creature by preference. It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon — Aftab is dressed in black and wears dark sunglasses — and we’re sitting outside…

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#Black Fondu’s secret is simplicity

#Black Fondu’s secret is simplicity

With only one song out, the enigmatic 20-year-old rapper-producer maintains his mystique as he discusses his patient approach to life and music. Black Fondu. Photo by Richard Mukuze.   The Opener is The FADER’s short-form profile series of casual conversations with exciting new artists. Black Fondu keeps his camera off during our video call. Over…

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#Pollution Opera regurgitate the world

#Pollution Opera regurgitate the world

The Egyptian-Welsh duo’s postmodern noise opera is one of this year’s most urgent albums so far. Pollution Opera: Nadah El Shazly (left) and Elvin Brandhi. Photo by Malik Beytrison.   Nada El Shazly’s voice is something to behold. Last weekend at 24-HOUR DRONE, I watched her perform a powerful set over a minimal backing track:…

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#A new Arthur Russell book complicates a mythic legacy

#A new Arthur Russell book complicates a mythic legacy

A new Arthur Russell book complicates a mythic legacy Richard King, author of Travels Over Feeling: Arthur Russell – A Life, discusses capturing the cult hero’s strange, slippery essence through narration, oral history, and archival artifacts. By Raphael Helfand Arthur Russell during a family holiday in Minnesota, 1986. Photo by Tom Lee via Arthur Russell…

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