Two recent albums have got me thinking about the role of catharsis — how that feeling can depend on who makes the music and who's listening, and how that changes with time and through trauma. So after buying a new pair of boots, I got in the car and unwound two new albums that explore catharsis in similar, yet different ways: Slowly Melting by D.C. composer and cellist Janel Leppin and An Undying Love for a Burning World by Neurosis. —Lars Gotrich

Further reading/listening: 

• Janel Leppin's recent interview with Chris Richards

• Grayson Haver Currin's review of Neurosis' An Undying Love for a Burning World 

• An episode of NPR's All Songs Considered, where I talk about new music by Souled American, Tara Clerkin Trio and Neurosis

Stream the Viking's Choice mixtape. Follow me on Bandcamp and check out previous mixes via Buy Music Club. Tracklist below:

Neurosis, "First Red Rays"
Janel Leppin, "The Brink Is Home"
dagmar zuniga, "Why I Remember (Each Day of Summer)"
Ak’chamel, The Givers of Illness, "Dreams of a Dead Dreamer"
sugar plant, "calling"
Láz, "Egy kifosztott elméről"
Downtown Boys, "No Me Jodas"
DEADTREES, "Extinguished City"
Jason Moran - BlankFor.ms - Marcus Gilmore, "Shard II"
MACHA & Bedhead, "You And New Plastic"
Normal Community High School Experimental Ensemble, "To Listen"
fif, "The lower forty eight"
Horse Lords, "Brain of the Firm"
Limbo District, "Encased"
Darkthrone, "Pre-Historic Metal"
Field Commander Ali, "prefab moon"
Prymek & Sage, "Hill Blocks View"
Tara Clerkin Trio, "Somewhere Good"
Sweeping Promises (feat. Kathleen Hanna, Stella Mozgawa & Frank Figueroa), "She Goes She Goes (The Clean cover)"
Radwan Ghazi Moumneh & Frédéric D. Oberland, "Squeal of Swine خنخنة خنازير"
Hemiptera, "Notti Nere"
Unwed Sailor, "West Coast Prism"
football, etc., "Safety"
inrain, "Grow"
Bill Orcutt & Mabe Fratti, "Almost Waking"
Razen, "Jalak Bali Egg"
Lars Fredrik Frøislie, "Un Posto Sotto il Cielo"
周鳳嶺/張朋/張溪/邢凱, "望"