On April 28th, as winter was coming to a close, American rock band The National released their ninth studio album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. Anchored by evocative melodies and an enthralling lyrical narrative, the record signaled a thrilling new chapter in the band’s beloved discography. Channeling the group’s natural chemistry, the 11-song album beautifully balances elegant musicality with the National’s more idiosyncratic impulses. “To me the power of this record has to do with the intentionality and structure of the music meeting with a lot of accidental magic,” says Aaron Dessner. First Two Pages of Frankenstein was produced by The National at Long Pond Studios in upstate New York and featured guest appearances by Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens.

Earlier in the month, on April 7th, NYC-via-Seoul artist Yaeji, whose introspective, genre-pushing tracks have made her a global icon occupying a space all her own, released her debut album, With A Hammer. The 13-track full-length from the producer, vocalist, DJ, visual-artist and creative director is an exploration of shapeshifting sonics – blending her dance music roots with Korean indie rock, electronica and pop from the ‘90s and early 2000s. Yaeji has excavated her inner world with full force, smashing everything in order to build it back up into the true visions of her dreams. With A Hammer was quickly followed up with 3 sold-out Canadian shows in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.