Currently, there are very few artists whose music I can get as lost in, that I have such a visceral, sometimes unexplainable connection to, like Alex G. His 2011 song Pretend, which wasn’t released on streaming, will likely be the song I’ve played most this year. This project of Philly-based artist, Alexander Giannascoli, can feel enigmatic. His lyrics, often more poetry than prose, can seem cryptic and vague. His willingness to experiment with different instruments, song structure, vocal processing, and even a bit of nails-on-the-chalk-board dissonance keeps him from fitting into a clean category. But what has me hooked is the way Giannascoli is able to bring all of this together cohesively, with what feels like a very personal, if abstract, sense of creativity and storytelling. The sense of mystery is more a reflection of depth to be unraveled, than something he is trying to build for its own sake. It may take a few listens, but once his music hits for me, it’s positively infectious. Though for me, Alex G’s music requires a little patience, the payoff at the end is well worth it.

Listen to: This playlist I made of Alex G songs I like, his new album God Save the Animals