New Music Friday - May 31, 2024

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Arooj Aftab - Night Reign Watch: "Raat Ki Rani" Watch: "Whiskey"
	Bat for Lashes - The Dream of Delphi Watch: "The Dream of Delphi" Watch: "Letter to My Daughter"
	King Hannah - Big Swimmer Watch: "Big Swimmer" Watch: "Davey Says"
	Swamp Dogg - Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St Watch: "Count the Days" (featuring Jenny Lewis) Watch: "Ugly Man’s Wife"
	Willie Nelson - The Border Watch: "The Border" Watch: "Made in Texas"

Other Full-Length Releases

Another Michael - Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down Watch: "Is There a World?" Watch: "Mudslide"

Bernard Butler - Good Grief Watch: "Camber Sands" Watch: "Living the Dream"

Maya Hawke - Chaos Angel Watch: "Missing Out" Watch: "Dark"

Sam Jr. - Inner Shadow Watch: "YRU" Watch: "Get Found" (featuring Tess Parks)

Thou - Umbilical Watch: "Unbidden Guest" Listen: "I Feel Nothing When You Cry"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Concrete Jungle [The OST] Watch: BAD OMENS x HEALTH x SWARM - "THE DRAIN" Watch: BAD OMENS - "EVEN"

Half Waif - Ephemeral Being Listen: "Big Dipper" Listen: "Service"

The Other Two - The Other Two & You 2024 Edition Watch: "Selfish" Watch: "Tasty Fish"

New Music Friday - July 1, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Bat for Lashes - The Bride Natasha Khan debuted a new project, Sexwitch, last year, but is already back with a new solo record. Following 2012's The Haunted Man, her new album is a conceptual piece, told from the perspective of a woman whose fiancé (spoiler alert) dies on the way to their wedding. The album was announced with materials that made me think that the artist may just be announcing her own wedding. I was pretty excited for her, but I guess this is cool, too! Watch: "In God’s House" Watch: "Sunday Love"

Blood Orange - Freetown Sound Blood Orange is Dev Hynes and Freetown Sound is his third album under the name, which he has been his alias since putting Lightspeed Champion on hiatus in 2010. The album, which was released a few days ahead of time, is meant to speak to people who find themselves at odds between their identity and other people's expectations of them. Watch: "Augustine" Listen: "By Ourselves"

Sara Watkins - Young in All the Wrong Ways Nickel Creek may have reunited two years ago for a new album, A Dotted Line, but that hasn't stopped its members from continuing in their solo careers. Both of her previous bandmates have released albums since and now Sara is back with her third solo record. Watch: "Move Me" Watch: "Young in All the Wrong Ways"

Other Full-Length Releases

GØGGS - GØGGS Listen: "Glendale Junkyard" Listen: "Needle Trade Off"

Metronomy - Summer 08 Watch: "Old Skool" Listen: "Back Together"

Stephen Steinbrink - Anagrams Listen: "Building Machines" Listen: "Absent Mind"

Terry - Terry HQ Listen: "Third War" Listen: "Chitter Chatter"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Adam Olenius - Looking Forward to the New Me Watch: "Feels Like Feels Right" Listen: "News Are Saying"

Nite-Funk - Nite-Funk Listen: "Let Me Be Me" Listen: "U Can Make It"

Porcelain Raft - Pressed Flowers EP Listen: "That's What I See When I See You"

Thee Oh Sees - Live in San Francisco

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending March 12)

Kanye West has proclaimed that he will release three more albums this year. While his inability to release one album last year leaves me doubtful, if it does actually happen, keep an eye on my Upcoming Releases page for their release dates and artwork. You can see other, non-Kanye albums set to come out, as well!

There were a huge number of new albums announced this week, but I will focus on a new album announced by Natasha Khan under her best-known moniker, Bat for Lashes. This week, she announced the project's fourth album, The Bride.

pitchfork.com

The announcement came after some hinting back in February of something arriving on July 1. She released a new song, "I Do," and posted a picture of a "save the date" card. Most presumed it would be the date of a forthcoming album (the date was a Friday, after all), but you couldn't rule out the possibility she was inviting all of her fans to an upcoming wedding!



Turns out, it was the latter. The album comes four years after the incredible The Haunted Man and just a year after her self-titled collaboration, as Sexwitch, with the band TOY. The official announcement came with another new song, "In God's House."

The Bride is set for release July 1.

Also announced this week:

ANOHNI - Hopelessness (May 6)
Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman (May 20)
Band of Skulls - By Default (May 27)
Domo Genesis - Genesis (March 25)
Garbage - Strange Little Birds (June 10)
Guided By Voices - Please Be Honest (April 22)
John Doe - The Westerner (April 29)
Julianna Barwick - Will (May 6)
Ladyhawke - Wild Things (June 3)
Linda Perhacs - The Dancer (May 6)
Lindstrøm - Closing Shot EP (July 8)
LUH - Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing (May 6)
Night Shift (April 1)
Peter Bjorn and John - Breaking Point (June 10)
Record Store Day Releases
Robert Glasper - Everything’s Beautiful (May 27)
Sremmlife Crew - Trailmix (March 15)
Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death (June 3)
Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (May 13)

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending August 29)

As always, you can click over to my Upcoming Album Releases page for a broader list of exciting music set to be released over the ensuing months!

This week, Natasha Khan (who performs as Bat for Lashes) announced a new project with TOY and Dan Carey, and an album of the same name, Sexwitch.

pitchfork.com

In the week before the announcement, Khan posted a game of hangman on her Twitter account, revealing a new letter each day. On the 19th, with _EX_ITC_ revealed, she also shared a short clip of a new song. General speculation from music publications and blogs assumed that a new album would shortly be announced, but none guessed at a brand new project from the musician.

pic.twitter.com/LTtLg1XnBV

— Bat for Lashes (@Bat_for_Lashes) August 19, 2015

For the new project, she partners with producer Dan Carey and the psychedelic British band TOY, who she has previously worked with for a cover of the song "The Bride," a pre-revolution Iranian song. This album follows on that initial collaboration, consisting of seven covers of American, Iranian, Moroccan and Thai folk songs.





Now, if you still prefer Khan on her own, she's not done with Bat for Lashes. She has indicated that she has nearly completed her fourth album and hopes to have it out next year!

Also announced this week:

Adele - 25 (November)
Andrew Hung - Rare Cave 2 EP (November 13)
Chris Walla - Tape Loops (October 19)
Jamie xx - “Loud Places” Remix 12” (out now)
Jean-Michel Jarre - Electronica 1: The Time Machine (October 16)
Made of Oak - Penumbra (November 6)
Mark Kozelek - Down in the Willow Garden EP (October 7)
Ricked Wicky - Swimmer to a Liquid Armchair (September 25)
Toro Y Moi - Samantha mixtape (out now)
The Velvet Underground - Loaded Reissue (October 30)
Weyes Blood - Cardamom Times EP (October 9)