Each week KEXP's Music Director Don Yates and other KEXP DJs share brief insights on new and upcoming releases. See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Iceage, DJ Koze, Damien Jurado, and more.
Iceage – Beyondless (Matador)
This Danish band's fourth and finest album to date is a powerful set of expansive goth-tinged post-punk ranging from chugging rockers to ritualistic ballads, featuring a more dynamic, densely textured sound combining guitars, keyboards, horns, strings and more with Elias Bender Rønnenfelt's tortured vocals and dark lyrics.
DJ Koze – Knock Knock (Pampa)
The latest album from this German DJ/producer (aka Stefan Kozalla) is an expansive, sample-heavy blend of house, R&B, hip-hop, folk-pop and more, featuring emotive, intricately arranged grooves and an impressive lineup of guest vocalists including Roisin Murphy, Jose Gonzalez, Speech, Kurt Wagner, Sophia Kennedy, and Mano le tough.
Ruler – Winning Star Champion (Barsuk)
The debut full-length from this Seattle artist (aka Matt Batey) is a smartly crafted set ranging from buoyant, hook-filled power-pop to moody, 80s-steeped rock and haunting acoustic ballads, with many of the songs juxtaposing sunny melodies with intensely personal, anxiety-filled lyrics.
Damien Jurado – The Horizon Just Laughed (Secretly Canadian)
This veteran Seattle artist's 13th studio album is one of his more intimate-sounding recordings, featuring a beautifully crafted and deeply melancholy blend of wistful dream-pop, sparse folk balladry, soul-tinged chamber-pop, moody psych-rock and more.
La Luz – Floating Features (Hardly Art)
This LA-via-Seattle band's third album is a dreamier and more lushly produced take on the band's psych-tinged surf-pop.
Wooden Shjips – V. (Thrill Jockey)
This San Francisco-bred band's fifth album is an evocative set of hazy, summery psych-rock jams with fuzzy, melodic guitars, atmospheric keyboards, hypnotic rhythms and blissful song hooks.
The Sea and Cake – Any Day (Thrill Jockey)
This veteran Chicago band's 11th album is a typically strong set of jazz-tinged indie-pop, intricately arranged with intertwining guitars, breezy rhythms, atmospheric organ and occasional other instrumentation, airy vocals, and bittersweet melodies.
Del & Amp Live – Gate 13 (self-released)
These two Bay Area hip-hop veterans teamed up for a potent set of expansive hip hop combining Del's colorful battle raps with Amp Live's adventurous, shape-shifting beats.
Illuminati Hotties – Kiss Yr Frenemies (Tiny Engines)
The debut album from this LA-based artist (aka Sarah Tudzin) is a promising set of emotive indie-pop ranging from sunny, hook-filled power pop to sparse, fragile ballads.
Amber Mark - Conexão EP (PMR/Virgin EMI)
This New York-based vocalist/producer's second official EP is a strong 4-song set of expansive R&B inflected with jazz, bossa nova and other styles, combining a dreamy, atmospheric sound with her supple vocals and intimate lyrics.
Horse Feathers – Appreciation (Kill Rock Stars)
The sixth album from this Portland band led by Justin Ringle features a brighter, more muscular and hook-filled take on the band's chamber folk-pop while incorporating elements of soul, '70s country-rock and other styles.
Middle Kids – Lost Friends (Domino)
This Australian trio's debut full-length is a well-crafted set of anthemic, folk-tinged pop-rock, though about all of the high points were previously released as singles and/or on their earlier EP.
(Various) – African Scream Contest 2 (Analog Africa)
The latest compilation from Analog Africa is a sequel to an earlier 2008 collection, and like that one, this one's an excellent set of sizzling Afro-funk from the small West African country of Benin from 1963-80.
Eleanor Friedberger – Rebound (Frenchkiss)
The former Fiery Furnaces frontwoman's fourth solo album features a generally more subdued and synth-oriented sound on this solid set of moody, '80s-steeped pop.
Walter Wolfman Washington – My Future Is My Past (Anti-)
This veteran New Orleans guitarist/vocalist's latest album finds him setting aside his usual exuberant blues-funk in favor of this stylish and soulful blend of late-night jazz, blues & R&B, combining a warm, spare sound with his intimate, sand-papered vocals.
Perel – Hermetica (DFA)
The debut album from this Berlin-based DJ/producer (aka Annegret Fiedler) is a hypnotic blend of space disco, house, techno, and dark wave grooves, combining spacy synths with propulsive beats and occasional vocals.
Samba Touré – Wande (Glitterbeat)
This Malian guitarist/vocalist's latest album is a potent set of hypnotic desert blues ranging from driving rockers to haunting ballads.
Jon Hopkins – Singularity (Domino)
This LA-based British producer's fifth regular studio album is a masterfully constructed set of atmospheric ambient techno that effortlessly moves from gentle, psych-tinged ambient tracks to pile-driving techno beats.
Leon Bridges – Good Thing (Columbia)
This Fort Worth, TX-bred artist's second album finds him moving beyond the breezy '60s-influenced soul of his debut and embracing a wider variety of sounds (along with more modern and polished production) to mixed effect, though the high points are worth checking out.
Boys – Rest In Peace (PNKSLM)
The debut album from this Swedish artist (aka Nora Karlsson) is a hazy, lo-fi blend of dreamy synth-pop, jangly psych, wistful '60s girl-group pop, driving garage-rock and more.
Nickodemus – A Long Engagement (Wonderwheel)
The latest album from this New York DJ/producer is another dance-friendly set of global grooves combining house, disco, and hip-hop with an impressive variety of styles from around the world with help from an eclectic supporting cast.
Casual Hex – Zig Zag Lady Illusion (Water Wing)
This Seattle trio's debut full-length is a bewitching blend of dark, goth-tinged post-punk and dissonant No Wave.
Belly – Dove (self-released)
The first album in 23 years (and third overall) from this Rhode Island-bred band led by Throwing Muses member Tanya Donelly is a more mature and reflective take on the band's swirling guitar-pop.
Curse League – Laying By the Fire in Good Company (self-released)
This Seattle band's debut full-length is an energetic blend of intricate math-rock and emotive punk with angular guitars, tricky, shape-shifting rhythms, impassioned vocals and anthemic song hooks.
Big Buddy – Strange Splendor EP (self-released)
This Seattle band's debut EP is a fine 4-song set of lo-fi, folk-tinged slacker-rock with scuzzy guitars, wry lyrics, and catchy song hooks.
Fuzz Mutt – Colorless EP (self-released)
This Everett trio's third EP is a potent 5-song set of '90s-influenced garage-pop with crunchy guitars, energetic rhythms, and buoyant song hooks.
Buzzy Lee – Facepaint EP (Future Classic)
The debut EP from this LA artist (aka Sasha Spielberg) is a solid set of downtempo electro-pop with atmospheric production courtesy of her old college bandmate Nicolas Jaar.
Each week KEXP's Music Director Don Yates shares brief insights on new and upcoming releases. See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Beach House, Wussy, Bombino, and more.
Each week KEXP's Music Director Don Yates shares brief insights on new and upcoming releases. See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Janelle Monae, Speedy Ortiz, Forth Wanderers, and more.
Each week KEXP's Music Director Don Yates shares brief insights on new and upcoming releases. See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Lord Huron, War On Women, The Vaccines, and more.
Each week KEXP's Music Director Don Yates and other KEXP DJs share brief insights on new and upcoming releases. See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Kali Uchis, Say Sue Me, A Place To Bury Strangers, and more.
