Kimya Dawson writes sweet, posi children's folk songs that sad adults eventually come to realize have been ingrained in their subconscious. Whether you found Dawson through the Moldy Peaches (her anti-folk project with Adam Green); her extensive back catalog with Rough Trade, Plan It X, and K Records; the Juno soundtrack; or that random radical zine you found in a friend's bathroom, you have at one time or another found yourself humming one of Dawson's oddly but beautifully arranged tunes. And even if you haven't heard her music in years, you can somehow muster all the words to at least one of her songs. Dawson is a special artist in this way, and with every note of melodic melancholy comes a deep sense of empathy and understanding of people's complexities. There's hardly anything more grounding and comfortable than that.

by Cameron Crowell