Legendary indie folk singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens released his second album of 2021, A Beginner’s Mind, in late September. On the heels of Stevens’ ambient LP, Convocations, A Beginner’s Mind is a joint artistic effort with fellow singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine. This collaborative album was conceived in a very atypical fashion: The duo watched a variety of films and wrote music fueled by the inspiration they felt from the movies. The cinematic references throughout the album are noticeable but not overbearing or cheesy. The films referenced throughout transcend eras and genres, ranging from the Wizard of Oz to Hellraiser, and even Silence of the Lambs.The timbres throughout the record are reminiscent of the variety of styles Sufjan Stevens is known for, from the lush, cinematic arrangements in “Reach Out” that sound straight from Stevens’ Illinois, to The Age of Adz-esque IDM-influenced drums in the outro of “Lady Macbeth in Chains.”And though many songs feel like a callback to earlier albums, the tracks on A Beginner’s Mind are not just disingenuous rehash of old material. Augustine’s additional backing harmonies add an ethereal layer to many of the more dramatic moments on the album. The instrumentation on the album often has a cinematic flair and fits in with the overarching cinematic theme. However, the most beautiful moments on A Beginner’s Mind occur on the more stripped-back songs that rely only on vocals, piano, and sometimes, the guitar.

Top songs: Reach Out, The Pillar Of Souls, Back to Oz, It’s Your Own Body and Mind