In Stores Now 5/16

Brooklyn band The So So Glos lead this week's new release with their fifth full length. KEXP Music Director Don Yates says the LP, "finds them bringing a bit more diverse and hook-filled sound to their anthemic garage-punk, with often-politically charged lyrics contrasting anxiety, political extremism and other modern problems with the power of music and community." The latest from UK artist James Blake is "another beautifully crafted blend of intimate R&B and ambient post-dubstep with a spacious, atmospheric sound featuring moody, woozy synths, somber piano and spare downtempo beats accompanying his gorgeous, sometimes digitally manipulated falsetto and emotionally vulnerable lyrics of love lost and found."

Hamilton, ON artist Jessy Lanza returns with her sophomore release, co-produced and co-written by Junior Boys' Jeremy Greenspan. Yates calls it a "more brightly melodic take on her sultry blend of R&B, electro-pop, house, post-dubstep and other styles," noting that Greenspan "helps provide her with a spacious, atmospheric sound to surround her breathy falsetto and intimate, emotionally direct lyrics." Chicago band Twin Peaks return with a "more polished and fully realized take on their psych-tinged garage-pop, with a warm, '60-inspired sound featuring acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, occasional horns, mostly laid-back rhythms and alternating lead vocals on songs ranging from hook-filled power pop and Stones-influenced rockers to airy psych-folk ballads."

The latest from Seattle's own David Bazan "finds him adopting a more electronic-oriented sound, with atmospheric synths and drum-machine rhythms along with guitars fleshing out a batch of sturdily constructed songs reflecting the tensions between home and life on the road. (These songs were originally released as part of a limited-edition vinyl series called Bazan Monthly Volume 1 & Volume 2.)" And British artist Oscar shares his debut, "a strong set of hook-filled electro-pop with fizzy synths and a variety of beats accompanying his baritone croon reminiscent of Morrissey."

• (Various Artists) Francis Lai – “Young Freedom (Golden Rules Remix)”
• from Cosmic Machine: The Sequel on Because Music
• Arbor Labor Union – “Radiant Mountain Road”
• from I Hear You on Sub Pop
• Corinne Bailey Rae – “Hey, I Won't Break Your Heart”
• from The Heart Speaks in Whispers on Virgin
• David Bazan – “Trouble With Boys”
• from Blanco on Barsuk
• Death and Vanilla – “Follow The Light”
• from Where the Wild Things Are on Fire Records
• Digitalism – “Utopia”
• from Mirage on Magnetism / PIAS
• Drake – “Still Here”
• from Views on Island / Republic / Young Money
• Emmett Kelly / Rob Mazurek – “Back to the Ocean, Back to the Sea”
• from Alien Flower Sutra on International Anthem
• Foy Vance – “She Burns”
• from The Wild Swan on Atlantic / Gingerbread
• Fruit Bats – “Absolute Loser”
• from Absolute Loser on Easy Sound Recording Company
• Hatebreed – “Looking Down The Barrel Of Today”
• from The Concrete Confessional on Nuclear Blast
• Head Wound City – “Scraper”
• from A New Wave of Violence on Vice
• Islands – “Fear”
• from Should I Remain Here at Sea? on Manqué Music
• Islands – “No Milk, No Sugar”
• from Taste on Manqué Music
• James Blake – “Choose Me”
• from The Colour in Anything on Universal
• Jameszoo – “Flu feat. Arthur Verocai”
• from Fool on Brainfeeder
• Jennifer Nettles – “Playing With Fire”
• from Playing with Fire on Big Machine Records
• Jessy Lanza – “VV Violence”
• from Oh No on Hyperdub
• Kikagaku Moyo – “Melted Crystal”
• from House in the Tall Grass on Guruguru Brain
• Kvelertak – “Heksebrann”
• from Nattesferd on Roadrunner
• Kygo – “I'm in Love”
• from Cloud Nine on RCA
• Mark Pritchard – “Sad Alron”
• from Under the Sun on Warp
• Meghan Trainor – “Me Too”
• from Thank You on Epic / RCA
• Modern Baseball – “Everyday”
• from Holy Ghost on Run for Cover Records
• Nothing – “Vertigo Flowers”
• from Tired of Tomorrow on Relapse Records
• Oddisee – “Born Before Yesterday”
• from The Odd Tape on Mello Music Group
• Oscar – “Good Things”
• from Cut and Paste on Wichita
• Red Krayola w/ Art & Language – “No! No! No! Trust Yourself”
• from Baby and Child Care on Drag City
• Slow Steve – “Sloth”
• from Adventures on Morr Music
• The Smoking Trees – “Lifetime Experience”
• from The Archer and the Bull on Burger Records
• So So Glos – “Missionary”
• from Kamikaze on Votiv
• Those Pretty Wrongs – “Fool Of Myself”
• from Those Pretty Wrongs on Ardent Music
• Torn Hawk – “With My Back To The Tower”
• from Union and Return on Mexican Summer
• Trash Can Sinatras – “Ain't That Something”
• from Wild Pendulum on Red River
• Twin Peaks – “Holding Roses”
• from Down In Heaven on Grand Jury
• Wire – “Nocturnal Koreans”
• from Nocturnal Koreans on Pink Flag