New Music Friday - October 20, 2023

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Jane Remover - Census Designated Watch: "Census Designated" Listen: "Video"
	Lost Girls - Selvutsletter Listen: "With the Other Hand" Listen: "Ruins"
	Maria BC - Spike Field Watch: "Amber" Watch: "Lacuna"
	Pip Blom - Bobbie Watch: "Is This Love" (with Alex Kapranos) Watch: "Kiss Me By the Candlelight" (with Personal Trainer)
	Sampha - Lahai Watch: "Only" Watch: "Spirit 2.0"

Other Full-Length Releases

Dave Harrington - The Pictures Listen: "The Pictures" Listen: "Why Did They Take Their Pictures Down?"

Glen Hansard - All That Was East Is West of Me Now Watch: "The Feast of St. John" (featuring Warr) Watch: "There’s No Mountain"

Joseph Shabason - Welcome to Hell Watch: "Jamie Thomas" Watch: "Welcome to Hell"

Promiseland - Sad but Happy Watch: "3D Flower" (featuring Julian Casablancas) Watch: "Bad Days"

Radar Peak - Radar Peak Watch: "Heaven’s Gate" Watch: "Sniper’s Muse"

The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds Watch: "Angry" Watch: "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" (featuring Lady Gaga & Stevie Wonder)

The Streets - The Darker the Shadow, the Brighter the Light Watch: "Troubled Waters" Listen: "Walk of Shame"

Sun June - Bad Dream Jaguar Watch: "Get Enough" Watch: "Easy Violence"

Valee X MVW - VALEEDATION Watch: "Tailor Swift" Watch: "Créme De La Créme" (featuring Pink Siifu)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Allegra Krieger - Fragile Plane B-Sides Listen: "Impasse" Listen: "I Want to Help You Move (No. 1)"

Big Thief - "Vampire Empire"/"Born for Loving You" Watch: "Vampire Empire" Watch: "Born for Loving You"

Cher - Christmas Watch: "DJ Play a Christmas Song" Watch: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (with Darlene Love)

Florentino - Kilometre Quinze Watch: "Pressure" (featuring Shygirl) Watch: "Constrictor" (featuring BAMBII & KD One)

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow 20th Anniversary Watch: "Saint Simon" Watch: "Kissing the Lipless"

Sleaford Mods - More UK Grim Watch: "Big Pharma" Listen: "Under the Rules"

Slothrust - I Promise Watch: "Pony" Watch: "Magic Glow"

New Music Friday - February 3, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Big Sean - I Decided Apart from his guest spots, Big Sean's early work didn't really impress me much. That started to change with the release of his last album, 2015's Dark Sky Paradise. That album introduced us to a more mature and introspective Big Sean, and this follow-up continues on those themes. He considers the record to be a concept album, centering on the idea of rebirth. Watch: "Moves" Watch: "Bounce Back"

MUNA - About U MUNA is a pop trio who met in 2013 when the members were attending the University of Southern California. They released their debut EP, More Perfect, on Bandcamp in 2014, catching the ear of RCA Records. They continued to pick up attention and accolades with the release of multiple singles and an additional EP, Loudspeaker, in 2016. They craft a solid dark pop sound with their debut album, and address topics of gender and sexual identify. Watch: "Loudspeaker" Watch: "I Know a Place"

Sampha - Process Throughout his eight year career, Sampha has become known as a reliable guest star, featuring on tracks from artists like Jessie Ware, SBTRKT, and Drake. His own creative output has been limited to a number of singles and a couple of EPs. Finally, he's released his own debut album and it's well worth the wait. It's a personal and beautifully-written record, and one that's already earned the love of fans and critics alike. Watch: "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano" Watch: "Blood on Me"

Surfer Blood - Snowdonia Surfer Blood lost Thomas Fekete, their original guitarist who had been with the since their beginning in 2009, last year. Prior to that, longtime bassist Kevin Williams left to begin a new career. They come into their fourth album with two new members, including an old friend, Lindsey Mills, on bass. The changes in the line-up have also allowed for the band to retune their sound. Snowdonia seems more focused than their previous two records, though I don't know if they'll ever make another Astro Coast. Watch: "Matter of Time" Watch: "Frozen"

Syd - Fin Syd is a member of the Odd Future group, and frontwoman of one of it's sub-projects, The Internet. She's putting out her solo debut just a week after one of her bandmates, Matt Martians, does the same. The album is influenced by 90s-era R&B/pop artists like Usher and Brandy, and also includes some trap elements. It's another record that has earned its artists early critical praise (it's a good week for debuts!). Watch: "All About Me" Listen: "Body"

Other Full-Length Releases

Communions - Blue Watch: "Come On, I’m Waiting" Listen: "Today"

Hideout - So Many Hoops, So Little Time Watch: "I Got Your Message" Listen: "Doctor"

Homeshake - Fresh Air Listen: "Call Me Up" Listen: "Every Single Thing"

Louise Burns - Young Mopes Watch: "Storms" Listen: "Who’s the Madman"

Mega Bog - Happy Together Watch: "192014" Watch: "London"

Porcelain Raft - Microclimate Listen: "Big Sur" Listen: "Distant Shore"

Red Love - Red Love Listen: "Gone Tomorrow"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Live Through Magic

Trainspotting #2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Listen: Young Fathers - "Only God Knows"

New Music Tuesday - January 21, 2014

New Full-Length Releases

Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son Ever since I heard Jurado open for Sharon van Etten in a late-2012 Cincinnati concert, I have been interested in his sound. The man is a bit of an indie/folk chameleon. Some of his work is quiet and introspective, some other is more raucous. This latest release leans more on the quiet side, which he seems to have preferred of late. Listen: "Metallic Cloud" Listen: "Silver Joy"

Marram - Sun Choir Marram is a collective of artists and musicians out of Edinburgh, Scotland. This release features the voices of kids from the Light of Love Children’s Home. Also featured are other great musicians like Jarvis Cocker and Owen Pallett. Proceeds from the album will benefit the Children's Home. Watch: "With Us Instead" Listen: "Falling from the Sun"

Warpaint - Warpaint Warpaint started getting some attention around the time of the release of debut album, The Fool, in 2010. They faded from view for a couple of years, but started gearing up last year, first with a tour (including a stop at MidPoint Music Festival) and then a few singles. Expectations have been high for their follow-up album, but these are some ladies who can live up to it! Listen: "Love Is to Die" Listen: "Biggy"

Other New Releases

BOATS BOATS is a companion to the album from Marram above. It's a compilation featuring a number of different artists, but all using the vocals from the Children's Home as samples in the songs. Featured here are Son Lux, Taken By Trees, Bear in Heaven and many others. Listen: YACHT - "Icarus Complex" Listen: Rustie - "BOATSSS"

Joe Goddard - Taking Over Remixes Joe Goddard, known for his work with The 2 Bears and Hot Chip, released his latest solo work in the summer of last year. Now, it's getting the remix treatment. This remix release features reworkings of a couple of the tracks from the Taking Over EP, as well as remixes by other producers. Listen: "Step Together" (Alternate Mix) Listen: "She Burns" (Leo Invisible Remix)

Moderat - "Last Time" Moderat released a great, but under-appreciated album, II, in June of last year. The album had a lot of good tracks, including "Last Time," which is now getting released as a stand-alone single. Watch: "Last Time" Listen: "Last Time" (Jon Hopkins Remix)

Prurient - Washed Against the Rocks 7" Washed Against the Rocks is the latest in a long string of releases from this prolific artist. The 7" is being released in a limited quantity of 500 pressings. Listen: "Doors Closed in Secrecy"

Sampha - Sundanza Sampha has become a fairly prominent musician, often a featured artist for others, but has scant solo recordings to his name. He's significantly increased the number with this latest release, which includes recordings from throughout his career so far. Listen: "Kij" Listen: "Curves"

The Soft Moon - "Feel"/"Hunger" I started listening to The Soft Moon last year after the band released their sophomore album, Zeros. There was something interesting about their dark/post-punk sound. They are following that album up with a pair of new songs, equally enthralling! Watch: "Feel" Watch: "Hunger"

New Music Tuesday - November 12, 2013

New Full-Length Releases

Cate Le Bon - Mug Museum Cate Le Bon is a Welsh singer-songwriter who's become noted for her dark lyrics and voice, which has garnered comparisons to Nico. Mug Museum is her third full-length album. Now, I haven't been previously familiar with Cate's music, but she recorded one of the songs on this album with a favorite artist of mine. "I Think I Knew" features Perfume Genius. I listened to and liked that song, so I knew I needed to check out her work. Listen/Watch: "Are You with Me Now"

Other New Releases

Andrew Bird - I Want to See Pulaski at Night EP Folk singer Andrew Bird keeps himself very busy. He seems to be constantly touring, but finds a way to put out many releases. In 2012, he managed to put out two albums and two EPs. This year has been comparatively quiet for him, but, late in the year, we are getting a short release of new material! Listen: "Pulaski at Night"

The Beatles - On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2 From 1963 to 1965, The Beatles conducted a series of performances for the BBC Light Programme. In 1994, a collection of recordings from those sessions was released, which included songs and dialog. Volume 2 is intended as a rerelease of that 1994 compilation, but also includes previously unreleased material from those programs. Listen: "You Can't Do That"

David Lynch - "Bad the John Boy"/"The Big Dream" (Venetian Snares Remix) Director and musician David Lynch released his latest album, The Big Dream, in July of this year. "Bad the John Boy" is a B-side from the album's recording sessions. Included with the single is a remixed version of a song from that album. Listen: "Bad the John Boy"

Flume - Flume Deluxe Reissue Flume is a young producer who released a self-titled solo album last year. I wasn't previously familiar with his work, but heard a song featuring Autre Ne Veut and decided to check him out. The deluxe version of his album features some new tracks as well as remixed versions of some of the original songs. Listen/Watch: "Insane"

Grizzly Bear - Shields Expanded Grizzly Bear released Shields last year and it became one of my favorites of that year. Well, here is the (now, apparently) requisite deluxe edition. It features some demos from the band, as well as remixes and bonus tracks. Listen/Watch: "gun-shy"

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Miami Pop Festival The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed at the Miami Pop Festival way back in May of 1968. A documentary, titled Hear My Train A Comin, was recently released and the release of this live album is in conjunction with that. Listen/Watch: "Foxey Lady"

Mount Eerie - Pre-Human Ideas Mount Eerie is the project of musician Phil Elverum. His latest release consists of previously-released songs that have been re-recorded using MIDI instruments and auto-tune. Listen: "House Shape"

Nat Baldwin - Dome Branches: The MVP Demos Dirty Projectors have kept Nat Baldwin busy lately (he is the bassist for that band). He has worked as a solo artist as well, though, most recently (before this, of course) releasing People Changes. This release consists of demos from his debut record, Most Valuable Player. Listen: "Look She Said"

Sampha - "Too Much"/"Happens" Sampha built his name as a guest vocalist for other artists, most notably, SBTRKT. He has been releasing a series and EPs and singles this year, though. He continues his move towards his own career with this latest single, a reworking of a song that he originally did with rapper Drake. Listen/Watch: "Happens"

Saint Heron Solange Knowles (also known as Beyoncé's little sister) recently started her own record label, Saint. She's developed a unique style that often incorporates many elements of indie music. While the songs on this record are mostly pre-recorded, it provides a good look at the music that she loves and that may be featured with her label. Listen: Solange - "Cash In"

Stornoway - You Don't Know Anything EP Stornoway is an indie folk band out of England who released an amazing debut album, Beachcomber's Windowsill, in 2010. I loved the band's music, but only found out about the release of their sophomore album a few months after its released. I was more on top of this one, though; I don't want these guys off my radar! Listen/Watch: "Farewell Appalachia"

The xx - HVNXX EP The xx have put out two albums and countless singles and EPs since they banded in 2005. Their latest EP consists of remixes of four of their previous songs. Listen: "Fiction" (Marc Pinol Remix)