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From left to right: Taiwo and Kehinde Hassan of Christian Rich.

From left to right: Taiwo and Kehinde Hassan of Christian Rich. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of the artists

First Listen

First Listen: Christian Rich, 'FW14'

Best known for hard-hitting hip-hop beats, the Nigeria-raised, L.A.-based production duo uses its debut album to showcase its ability to flip the script — again and again and again.

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The Foreign Exchange's new album comes out August 21.

The Foreign Exchange's new album comes out August 21. Chris Charles/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Chris Charles/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: The Foreign Exchange, 'Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey'

The duo delivers an R&B album that is as fun as it is grown-up.

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Advance Base's new album comes out August 21.

Advance Base's new album comes out August 21. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Advance Base, 'Nephew In The Wild'

Once known as Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Owen Ashworth explores vivid and morose detail in the second album by his newest project.

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Arturo O'Farrill's new album, Cuba: The Conversation Continues, comes out August 21.

Arturo O'Farrill's new album, Cuba: The Conversation Continues, comes out August 21. Laura Maria/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Laura Maria/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Arturo O'Farrill, 'Cuba: The Conversation Continues'

The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's perfectly timed collaboration between U.S. and Cuban musicians features cutting-edge works by a carefully selected group of composers.

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Mick Jenkins' new mixtape, Wave[s], is out August 21.

Mick Jenkins' new mixtape, Wave[s], is out August 21. Lawrence Agyei/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Lawrence Agyei/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Mick Jenkins, 'Wave[s]'

The Chicago rapper's latest H2O-themed project is evidence that being smart doesn't have to mean being stiff.

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Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ gives a Gershwin classic an expressive, evocative twist with the đàn bâù, a traditional Vietnamese instrument.

Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ gives a Gershwin classic an expressive, evocative twist with the đàn bâù, a traditional Vietnamese instrument. Nguyen Nhat Hoang/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Nguyen Nhat Hoang/Courtesy of the artist

Deceptive Cadence

'Summertime' In Hanoi

Performer and composer Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ gives the Gershwin classic a distinct Vietnamese twist with the đàn bâù, an evocative traditional instrument.

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Dr. Dre's album Compton, his first release in 16 years, came out today.

Dr. Dre's album Compton, his first release in 16 years, came out today. Scott Council/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Scott Council/Courtesy of the artist

After 16 Years, Dr. Dre Returns With 'Compton'

The producer behind the West Coast gangsta rap sound looks back over his career on a long-awaited album that sounds less like one man's vanity project than a grand group effort.

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Palehound's new album, Dry Food, comes out August 14.

Palehound's new album, Dry Food, comes out August 14. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Palehound, 'Dry Food'

Ellen Kempner and her band document a fraught transition from childhood to adulthood — and do a great job, in part because they're still living through the process.

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CFCF's new album, The Colours Of Life, comes out August 14.

CFCF's new album, The Colours Of Life, comes out August 14. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: CFCF, 'The Colours Of Life'

On his new album, Montreal musician and producer Michael Silver brings his diverse sounds together to form a sumptuous whole that draws extensively on the music of the 1980s.

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