NPR's favorite music of March, from sledgehammer punk to a radiant cantata

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Clockwise, from top left: Soul Glo, Kilo Kish, rusowsky, Jenny Hval, Jóhann Jóhannsson. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

Clockwise, from top left: Soul Glo, Kilo Kish, rusowsky, Jenny Hval, Jóhann Jóhannsson.

Courtesy of the artists

The best music we heard in March wrestled with the American dream — its broken promises of health, wealth and equality for all. On AMERICAN GURL, Kilo Kish plays the impossible game called life; Jenny Hval explores her relationship with art-making and capitalism on Classic Objects; And Soul Glo's Diaspora Problems sledgehammers several extreme styles to rage at the world outside and within its vocalist, Pierce Jordan.

We're also introduced to the Spanish bedroom-techno artist rusowsky and float above the Earth to Jóhann Jóhannsson's posthumously released Drone Mass. NPR Music's LaTesha Harris, Hazel Cills, Anamaria Sayre and Tom Huizenga join host Lars Gotrich as they share their picks for the best music they heard in the month of March.

Featured Tracks And Artists:

1. Kilo Kish: "DISTRACTIONS III: SPOILED ROTTEN" from AMERICAN GURL

2. Jenny Hval: "American Coffee" from Classic Objects

3. Soul Glo: "Jump! (Or Get Jumped!!!) ((by the future))" from Diaspora Problems

4. rusowsky, "pikito" (single)

5. Jóhann Jóhannsson: "The Mountain View, the Majesty of the Snow-Clad Peaks, from a Place of Contemplation and Reflection" from Drone Mass

Other notable releases for March:

• Lous and The Yakuza, "Kisé" (single)
• Cécile McLorin Salvant — Ghost Song
• Charli XCX — Crash
• Rosalía — MOTOMAMI
• Emmanuelle Parrenin — Targala, la maison qui n'en est pas une