Mylo Xyloto

iTunes Editors' Notes

Even at its most grandiose—and Mylo Xyloto is a huge, colorful explosion of sounds and textures, and colors—Coldplay's music never loses the inviting warmth that made them one of the planet's most successful rock bands. Reuniting with producer Brian Eno, Coldplay doubled down on the filigreed sound that had characterized Viva La Vida, setting Mylo's widescreen sci-fi story about love and graffiti against a backdrop of shimmering guitars, kaleidoscopic synths and soaring choruses. Even sparingly arranged songs like the acoustic guitar–driven "Us Against the World" pulse with the drama of piano chords and gauzy atmospherics. And when the band cut loose on anthems like "Paradise" and "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", they sound intent on provoking nothing less than rapturous delight. With its fantastical themes and electronic flourishes, Mylo Xyloto is not only a jaw-dropping rock album, it’s as grand a pageant as any Coldplay has produced.