Sufjan Stevens

A preoccupation with epic ideas has seen the revered multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens produce two concept albums about US states, a collection of sacred songs, an album for the animals of the Chinese zodiac and two Christmas box sets. Most recently, he collaborated with New York City Ballet choreographer Justin Peck on two orchestral scores, and earlier this year he performed his second commission for Brooklyn Academy of Music, an instrumental accompaniment to slow-motion rodeo footage.

Back with a new, universally acclaimed album Carrie & Lowell (named for his mother and stepfather), Stevens returns to his indie folk roots with eleven masterful songs that address life, death and the artist’s struggle to make sense of the beauty and ugliness of love.

‘As important questions about music's worth in the age of free continue to swirl around him, Sufjan's still combating instant gratification culture the best way he knows how’ Pitchfork