New Music Reviews (5/10)

Each week, Music Director Don Yates shares brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP's rotation. These reviews help our DJs decide on what they want to play. See what we added this week below (and on our Charts page), including new releases from Squid, Iceage, Flying Lotus, and more.

Squid – Bright Green Field (Warp)
This British band’s debut full-length is an inventive blend of jittery post-punk with jazz, ambient, funk, prog and other styles. Produced by Dan Darey, the album features a variety of adventurous, sprawling songs combining angular guitars, keyboards, horns, strings, field recordings and more with volatile vocals and dystopian lyrics.

Iceage – Seek Shelter (Mexican Summer)
This Danish band’s fifth album is their most dynamic and diverse set to date, ranging from anthemic, gospel-steeped rock, psych-tinged dance-rock and rollicking Stones rock to breezy, jazz-inflected pop and brooding balladry.

Flying Lotus – Yasuke (Warp)
This LA producer’s latest release is the soundtrack to the new anime series on Netflix. The soundtrack features 26 mostly brief, mostly instrumental tracks offering a cinematic blend of atmospheric hip hop, electronic and more, combining icy synths, strings and traditional Japanese instruments with often-haunting melodies. Thundercat, Niki Randa, and Denzel Curry all contribute guest vocals.

Night Beats – Outlaw R&B (Fuzz Club)
The fifth album from this Texas-bred, LA-based project spearheaded by Danny Lee Blackwell is a potent set of psych-tinged garage-rock with fuzzy guitars, atmospheric keyboards and lyrics revolving around the struggle for transcendence and escape during these dystopian times.

The Bamboos – Hard Up (Pacific Theatre/BMG)
This veteran Australian band’s 10th studio album is a solid set of ‘60s/’70s-steeped soul and funk with punchy horns, bright keyboards, funky rhythm guitars, occasional flute and more accompanying Kylie Auldist’s powerhouse vocals. Durand Jones, Joey Dosik, and Ev Jones also contribute guest vocals.

Iron & Wine – Archive Series Volume No. 5: Tallahassee Recordings (Sub Pop)
The latest release in Sam Beam’s archive series of Iron & Wine recordings collects songs he recorded in 1998-1999, about three years before his debut album The Creek Drank the Cradle and before the concept of Iron & Wine even existed. The album’s spare, mostly slow-moving folk-rock sound features Beam on vocals, guitar, harmonica and drums and future Iron & Wine bandmate EJ Holowicki contributing bass.

Beachy Head – Beachy Head (Graveface)
The debut album from this band led by Slowdive guitarist Christian Savill is a solid set of well-crafted dream-pop with fuzzy guitars, atmospheric keyboards and wistful melodies.

Riley Downing – Start It Over (New West)
The debut solo album from this member of New Orleans band The Deslondes is a well-crafted blend of New Orleans R&B, roots-rock, blues, soul, country and more, combining a loose, informal sound with his deep, gravelly vocals.

Buffet Lunch – The Power of Rocks (Upset the Rhythm)
This Scottish group’s debut album is a solid set of quirky art-pop with jittery songs featuring angular guitar lines, bright keyboards, declamatory vocals, and playful lyrics.

(Various) – Sound It Out EP (Mass Appeal)
This four-song compilation is part of a new national campaign that uses music to help parents and caregivers better support their middle-school children’s emotional wellness. The music ranges from hip hop to atmospheric dream-pop.

Anjimile – Reunion EP (Father/Daughter)
This Boston artist’s latest release is an EP featuring orchestral versions of three songs from his 2020 debut album Giver Taker, combining orchestral arrangements courtesy of LA musician/composer Daniel Hart with guest vocals from Jay Som, Sasami and Lomelda.