fter dropping seven different visuals in recent weeks, performing on Samantha Bee last month, and hosting a surprise-packed multimedia event last evening, Sylvan Esso have finally released their much-anticipated 3rd LP Free Love today on Loma Vista Recordings. Early raves are in, with Entertainment Weekly deeming it “one of the year’s most resonant, warm, necessary albums” in an extensive feature. Today at 3PM Eastern, Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn will join NPR Music and Bob Boilen for a live listening party, to discuss Free Love and listen to it in full, live with fans. Watch here.

Last night Sylvan Esso counted down to the release of Free Love with Opening Night, a record release party for the COVID age that dove deep into Nick and Amelia’s creative world and artistic community. Part gallery opening, part late-night telethon, it featured Jeff Tweedy performing a new, unreleased song, the world premiere of “Numb” with a choreographed dance by Emma Portner, live performances of songs from Free Love by Sylvan Esso, a DJ sets by Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards, an improvised modular set from Nick using sounds from the album, and more. You can still watch Opening Night in full here.

Other highlights from recent weeks include the music video for “Frequency,” directed by friend and collaborator Moses Sumney, and the video for “Ferris Wheel,” the first track released from Free Love, which was then re-made as both an ASL video and entirely in Animal Crossing, prompting The Verge to say “Game of the summer, meet song of the summer.”

Free Love has been named one of the Most Anticipated Fall Albums by Pitchfork, AV Club, Consequence of Sound, Paste and others. See below for what critics are already saying.