There’s a certain kind of creative freedom for an artist that feels like they have something to say and no label pressure to get it out at a certain time or in a certain way. Mitski already released her return album reflecting on her conflicting feelings with artistic pressure in 2022’s Laurel Hell. Now, she’s stretching her artistic muscles with her new album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.

It’s an album that lives in dark quiet corners, peaking out into the light with a sudden explosion of a 17-person choir, orchestration, and swells of sound.

Mythology, introspection, and confusion coalesce for the intriguing The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, your Album of the Week.