First Listen : NPR

First Listen: Todd Terje, 'It's Album Time'

Todd Terje's It's Album Time comes out April 8. Christian Belgaux/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Christian Belgaux/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Todd Terje, 'It's Album Time'

March 31, 2014 • The Norwegian DJ and songwriter, known for his singles, crafts a cohesive album that builds to near-perfection. Even the pessimists can find escape in his nostalgic, hopeful music.

Todd Terje, 'It's Album Time'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Ratking's album So It Goes comes out April 8. Jamie-James Medina/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jamie-James Medina/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Ratking, 'So It Goes'

March 31, 2014 • The trio's debut album may be the most "New York" hip-hop project released in years.

Ratking, 'So It Goes'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen: Valentina Lisitsa, 'Chasing Pianos'

Valentina Lisitsa's new Chasing Pianos features Michael Nyman's music for the Oscar-winning film The Piano. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Valentina Lisitsa, 'Chasing Pianos'

March 30, 2014 • The pianist, the composer, his tunes and her talent. On her new album Chasing Pianos, pianist Valentina Lisitsa plays the propulsive, evocative music of Michael Nyman's film scores.

Valentina Lisitsa, 'Chasing Pianos'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Teebs' new album, E S T A R A, comes out April 8. Theo Jemison/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Theo Jemison/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Teebs, 'E S T A R A'

March 30, 2014 • The electronic artist seems to yearn for New Age music, or at least remnants of it, on his new album. In the process, he steers toward luxurious sadness and wistful contemplation.

Teebs, 'E S T A R A'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

EMA's new album, The Future's Void, comes out April 8. Leif Shackelford/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Leif Shackelford/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: EMA, 'The Future's Void'

March 30, 2014 • The singer's new album navigates an imagined future world of sad clones and shattered identities. It creates a sonic alternate universe through which many elements float.

EMA, 'The Future's Void'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen: Protomartyr, 'Under Color Of Official Right'

Protomartyr's new album, Under Color of Official Right, comes out April 8. Angel Ceballos/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Angel Ceballos/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Protomartyr, 'Under Color Of Official Right'

March 30, 2014 • You won't find silver linings on the Detroit post-punk band's new album — only overcast ennui. Poignancy and shame rule the day, and it's a brilliant thing to behold.

Protomartyr, 'Under Color Of Official Right'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen: Timber Timbre, 'Hot Dreams'

Timber Timbre's new album, Hot Dreams, comes out April 1. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Timber Timbre, 'Hot Dreams'

March 23, 2014 • Atop atmospheric sound beds that often conjure spaghetti Westerns, Taylor Kirk's dusky croon can seem seductive, inviting and, when he prefers, deeply creepy.

Timber Timbre, 'Hot Dreams'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Inventions' self-titled album comes out April 1. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Inventions, 'Inventions'

March 23, 2014 • Explosions in the Sky's Mark Smith and Eluvium's Patrick Cooper combine their atmospheric sounds — one stormy and majestic, the other plaintive and evocative.

Inventions, 'Inventions'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Mac DeMarco's album, Salad Days, comes out April 1. Robert Redfield/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Robert Redfield/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Mac DeMarco, 'Salad Days'

March 23, 2014 • The 23-year-old has made a thematically tight, formally slender album full of sun-dappled songs about frittering youth away and being mostly okay with it.

Mac DeMarco, 'Salad Days'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen: Nickel Creek, 'A Dotted Line'

Nickel Creek's new album, A Dotted Line, comes out April 1. Brantley Gutierrez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Brantley Gutierrez/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Nickel Creek, 'A Dotted Line'

March 23, 2014 • One-time bluegrass prodigies reunite with an album that plays to each musician's strengths. As always, Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins and Chris Thile balance their virtuosity with joyfulness and spunk.

Nickel Creek, 'A Dotted Line'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen: Thievery Corporation, 'Saudade'

Thievery Corporation's new album, Saudade, comes out April 1. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Thievery Corporation, 'Saudade'

March 23, 2014 • In contrast to what often grabs attention in electronic dance music, the duo's seventh album is calm, serene, uncluttered and defiantly warm.

Thievery Corporation, 'Saudade'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen: Cloud Nothings, 'Here And Nowhere Else'

Cloud Nothings new album, Here and Nowhere Else, comes out April 1. Pooneh Ghana/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Pooneh Ghana/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Cloud Nothings, 'Here And Nowhere Else'

March 23, 2014 • The Cleveland punk band's third album tightens and brightens its sound in ways that never numb its blistering, careening forcefulness.

Cloud Nothings, 'Here And Nowhere Else'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Saintseneca's new album, Dark Arc, comes out April 1. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Saintseneca, 'Dark Arc'

March 23, 2014 • The Ohio band likes its acoustic music a bit punkish, with stomping feet as a heartbeat to accompany mind-altering words and music.

Saintseneca, 'Dark Arc'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Future Islands' new album, Singles, comes our March 25. Timothy Saccenti/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Timothy Saccenti/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Future Islands, 'Singles'

March 16, 2014 • David Letterman made them famous, but there's more to Future Islands than animated GIFs of Samuel Herring's dance moves. The band's new album, Singles, is full of extremely catchy pop songs.

Future Islands, 'Singles'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Liars' new album, Mess, comes out March 25. Jiro Schneider/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jiro Schneider/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Liars, 'Mess'

March 16, 2014 • A band with a taste for reinvention takes on the blippy moodiness of '80s acts like Depeche Mode, Erasure and Yaz.

Liars, 'Mess'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

First Listen

Monday March 31, 2014

First Listen: Todd Terje, 'It's Album Time'

Todd Terje, 'It's Album Time'

First Listen: Ratking, 'So It Goes'

Ratking, 'So It Goes'

Sunday March 30, 2014

First Listen: Valentina Lisitsa, 'Chasing Pianos'

Valentina Lisitsa, 'Chasing Pianos'

First Listen: Teebs, 'E S T A R A'

Teebs, 'E S T A R A'

First Listen: EMA, 'The Future's Void'

EMA, 'The Future's Void'

First Listen: Protomartyr, 'Under Color Of Official Right'

Protomartyr, 'Under Color Of Official Right'

Sunday March 23, 2014

First Listen: Timber Timbre, 'Hot Dreams'

Timber Timbre, 'Hot Dreams'

First Listen: Inventions, 'Inventions'

Inventions, 'Inventions'

First Listen: Mac DeMarco, 'Salad Days'

Mac DeMarco, 'Salad Days'

First Listen: Nickel Creek, 'A Dotted Line'

Nickel Creek, 'A Dotted Line'

First Listen: Thievery Corporation, 'Saudade'

Thievery Corporation, 'Saudade'

First Listen: Cloud Nothings, 'Here And Nowhere Else'

Cloud Nothings, 'Here And Nowhere Else'

First Listen: Saintseneca, 'Dark Arc'

Saintseneca, 'Dark Arc'

Sunday March 16, 2014

First Listen: Future Islands, 'Singles'

Future Islands, 'Singles'

First Listen: Liars, 'Mess'

Liars, 'Mess'