New Music Reviews (11/16)

Each week, KEXP’s Music Director Don Yates shares brief insights on new and upcoming releases (joined this week by DJ Alex Ruder). See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Anderson .Paak, Jon Spencer, The Good, The Bad & The Queen, and more.

Anderson .Paak – Oxnard (Aftermath)
Named after his Southern California hometown, this LA artist’s third album is a vibrant, cinematic blend of hip-hop, funk, and R&B. Featuring Dr. Dre as executive producer and a stellar guest lineup including Kendrick Lamar, Kadhja Bonet, Pusha T, Q-Tip and Snoop Dogg, the album’s rhythm-driven sound combines powerful drum tracks and sun-kissed melodies with his raspy vocals and often-lascivious lyrics. — DY

Jon Spencer – Spencer Sings The Hits! (In The Red)
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion frontman’s first official solo release isn’t far removed from his work with the Blues Explosion. With accompaniment from Quasi’s Sam Coomes and drummer M. Sord, it’s a solid enough set of raw, R&B-tinged garage-rock with scuzzy guitars, bright keyboards and energetic rhythms providing the backdrop for his exhortatory vocals. — DY

The Good, The Bad & The Queen – Merrie Land (Studio 13)
The second album from this British band led by Damon Albarn and also featuring Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, and Tony Allen is a solid set of baroque, psych-tinged folk-pop with a haunting, uneasy sound fleshing out anxiety-fueled, often politically charged songs of a country falling apart. — DY

Rose Droll – Your Dog (Father/Daughter)
This San Francisco artist’s official debut album is a fine set of often-spooky lo-fi pop combining a variety of atmospheric instrumentation with her hushed, conversational vocals and frank, smartly crafted lyrics of love, loss, and alienation from religion. — DY

Grupo Magnético – Positivo (Athens of the North)
Led by Toby "El León" Shippey, Grupo Magnético is a Scotland-based salsa band comprised of legendary musicians from Cuba, Venezuela, and America that's inspired and united by a love of Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Fania, and classic New York salsa. After holding down a 10-year residence at Henry's Cellar Bar in Edinburgh under various lineups and names, Positivo marks their vibrant debut album of lively salsa, Latin funk, and groovy soul jams. — AR

Planningtorock – Powerhouse (DFA)
The fourth album from this Berlin-based British producer (aka Jam Rostron) is a solid set of emotive electro-pop with moody synths, propulsive beats, pitch-shifted vocals and lyrics of identity, sexuality, abuse, and resilience. — DY

The Maghreban – 01DEAS (R&S)
Following a prolific run of hotly-tipped 12" releases over the past four years, UK-based electronic producer Ayman Rostom (aka The Maghreban) delivers his debut full-length album and it's a strong set of adventurous and immersive electronic grooves that display his affinity for hypnotic jazz-tinged house rhythms and thick rolling bass, while also sprinkling in hip-hop, broken beat, Afro-beat, funk, global pop, and psychedelic flavors. — AR

Westerman – Ark EP (Blue Flowers Music/PIAS)
The second EP from London artist Will Westerman is a well-crafted four-song set of dreamy electro-pop with atmospheric synths and guitars and gently propulsive beats accompanying his serene vocals and reflective lyrics. — DY

Shelf Nunny – Different Light EP (Hush Hush)
The third EP from this Seattle electronic producer (aka Christian Gunning) brings a bit brighter sound to his downtempo beats, combining twinkling synths with sunlit melodies. — DY

Not3s – Take Not3s II (Relentless)
Reminiscent of J Hus and Avelino, the sophomore release from London-based Nigerian musician Lukman Odunaike (aka Not3s, pronounced "notes") is a promising set of vibrant UK grime infused with Afro Bashment, R&B, pop, house, and dancehall flavors. — AR

Jerry Paper – Like A Baby (Stones Throw)
The latest album (and Stones Throw debut) from prolific Los Angeles-based musician Lucas Nathan (aka Jerry Paper) is another playful set of short and sweet songs that embody a loose, breezy, idiosyncratic psych-pop sound with jazz, soft-rock, and bossa nova flourishes that's all steeped in a tropical, laid-back, summery touch. Weyes Blood, Mild High Club, and Charlotte Day Wilson make guest appearances, while Matthew Tavares of BADBADNOTGOOD co-produced the album. — AR

Clifford Brown & Jeen Bassa – Samba Del Sol (Banoffee Pies)
The third entry in Banoffee Pies' Beats series, this debut collaborative release between UK-based underground producers Clifford Brown and Jeen Bassa finds them teaming up with vocalist Ella Mae for a sweet set of Latin-flavored hip-hop/soul tunes driven by a love of dusty instrumental hip-hop beats, the lively spirit of Carnival, and UK's robust neo-soul movement. — AR

The Autumn Stones – Into The Light EP (Chic Monk)
This Toronto band’s latest release is a solid 4-song EP ranging from driving post-punk to an acoustic version of a song from their previous album. — DY

School Damage – Sings... Four Songs About One Cat (Upset The Rhythm)
Following a pair of albums for Chapter Music, the latest EP from this Melbourne-based quartet finds them joining Upset The Rhythm for a fun set of scrappy DIY garage-pop infused with jangly post-punk that lyrically tackles the trials and tribulations of being pet owners to a very independently-minded feline that they share their life with named Lumpy (also known as Scump) in quirky, comical fashion. — AR

Nana Adjoa – Down At The Root (Pt. 2) (Bloomer)
The second EP from this Dutch-Ghanian singer-songwriter is a promising set of earthy jazz-tinged R&B and winsome low-key folk-pop that showcases her lovely honeyed vocals and knack for warm and craftily simplistic arrangements. — AR

CLUBKELLY – GLOBAL 93 (Crazylegs)
The second EP from this underground Parisian electronic producer is a fun set of massive blown-out club jams infused with filter-happy samples and propulsive 4x4 rhythms. — AR

Yasha – Landing In SW9 + Max 95, Donnin' (Orphan.)
Yasha is the solo alias of Seattle-based electronic producer Joe Gillick, one-half of local synth-pop duo FKL. This disc collects his first two solo A/B single releases that showcase his bass-heavy UK-centric club productions, blending house, techno, grime, and UKG rhythms in promising fashion. — AR