Brian Eno
Keyboardist/electronic musician Eno has long worn his head chef’s hat at the ice-carving station of ambient/space/minimalist melodies and textures. This applies in a big way to his soundtrack work, and while the music on this maginifcent collection will provide immediate association to films you’ve loved, it’s most revealing because of how well the material works on its own. Rick Koster
Taylor Swift
Leave it to Swift to use her pandemic-shutdown time productively, writing and recording this CD. It’s not typical Taylor fare; she tried her hand at an introspective, hushed indie aesthetic. And, boy, did she succeed. She created earworm tunes like “The One,” “Exile” and “August.” Local fans, take note: She used the history of her Watch Hill mansion as inspiration for “The Last Great American Dynasty.” Oh, and then she released a second CD, “evermore.”