New Music Reviews (11/18)

Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder share 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 070 Shake, Fazerdaze, _BY.ALEXANDER, and more. 

070 Shake - Petrichor (Getting Out Our Dreams/Def Jam)
On her third studio album 070 Shake creates a vast, innovative sonic landscape that invites listeners to get lost in its depths. Flowing through dark distortions, meditative reflections, and bewitching bursts of sound, Petrichor offers a bold, experimental fusion of alternative R&B, pop and electronic atmospherics. A remarkable showcase of Shake’s unique vision, the album highlights her immense talent as a producer, singer and songwriter as she ventures into exciting new creative territory. –CS

Fazerdaze - Soft Power (section1)
The highly anticipated sophomore album from New Zealand’s Amelia Murray is an extraordinary collection of guitar and synth driven dream pop. Written during a period of profound personal growth, the album finds Murray at her most focused, confident, and expressive. With lush, dynamic soundscapes, ethereal vocals and unforgettable melodies, Soft Power proves that immense strength can be found in a delicate, sophisticated package. –CS

_BY.ALEXANDER - MEMORIES FOR SALE ---AT---> 66 GREENE ST SOHO NY (self-released)
_BY.ALEXANDER is both a luxury fashion label and solo alias from the creative mind of NYC-based British artist Alexander Grant, an in-demand producer (fka Alex da Kid) who’s worked with a diverse cast of major label rap and rock artists such as Rihanna, Eminem, Imagine Dragons, Dr. Dre, and more. Named after the location of his newly launched NYC store, his second _BY.ALEXANDER album is a fresh, dynamic, hard-hitting blend of jazz, hip-hop, trap, R&B, pop, and innovative club styles that boasts exceptional sound design, a handful of thrilling highlights, and guest appearances from 070 Shake, CASISDEAD, A$AP Ferg, 070 Shake, and more. -AR

Carlita - Sentimental (Ninja Tune)
If you’re seeking a creative burst of euphoria, look no further than Sentimental, the debut album from Turkish-Italian DJ, producer and multi-instrumentalist Carla Frayman–aka Carlita. This album is a masterful blend of lavish, meticulously crafted electronic soundscapes, boasting infectious hooks, groovy beats, and standout guest appearances from Cleo Simone to DJ Tennis. –CS

Maverick Sabre - Burn the Right Things Down (FAMM)
The fifth album from Irish singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Michael Stafford (aka Maverick Sabre) is another solid set of expansive UK-steeped soul/pop infused with rich, cinematic undertones of psych, R&B, rock, blues, and dub flavors. A low-key prolific artist who has collaborated closely with Jorja Smith and provided vocals for a grip of British club/pop anthems, Maverick Sabre continues to explore an eclectic soul landscape on his own. -AR

Primal Scream - Come Ahead (BMG)
Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and producer extraordinaire David Holmes join forces for a bold disco, funk and soul infused alt-rock record. Come Ahead, the band’s 12th studio album, features grandiose, cinematic soundscapes with a vibrant choir and timely lyrics that tackle themes of class inequality, colonization and hope. Over 40 years since their formation, the project pushes new creative boundaries with an album that feels both fresh and urgent. –CS

Wallice - The Jester (Dirty Hit)
On her debut album, LA-based singer-songwriter Wallice unveils a fully realized sound and vision. Across these fourteen captivating tracks, she seamlessly moves between moody bedroom pop, gritty rockers, and melancholic ballads, featuring an array of bright synths, dynamic guitars, catchy drum patterns and a deeply expressive vocal performance. –CS

Wussy - Cincinnati Ohio (Shake It! Records)
On their first album in six years, Cincinnati’s Wussy deliver a hazy, wistful blend of indie-rock, shoegaze and Americana. With richly layered acoustic and electric guitars, pedal steel, accordion, keys and percussion, the five-piece creates an enveloping, melancholic tapestry perfect for resting a weary head. Cincinnati Ohio is yet another incredibly solid collection of timeless tunes from these indie-rock stalwarts. –CS

Becky and the Birds - Only music makes me cry now (4AD)
The debut self-produced album from Thea Gustafsson, aka Becky and the Birds, is a thrilling fusion of alternative R&B, experimental electro-pop, and ambient soundscapes. These intimate, all-encompassing tracks pull listeners deeper with each note, drawing them in with her ethereal vocals, vulnerable lyrics and pristine production. Only music makes me cry now is nothing short of breathtaking. –CS

Denzel Curry - KING OF THE MISCHIEVOUS SOUTH (Loma Vista)
Miami-based Denzel Curry unveils the deluxe edition of King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2. continuing to pay homage to his southern hip-hop roots with his signature inventive flows and grimy production. The fiery new cuts feature collaborations with Duke Deuce, Slim Guerilla, Key Nyata, Sauce Walka and 454, bringing fresh energy and exciting new flavor to this already solid collection. –CS

FAKETHIAS - Afterimage (self-released)
Norwegian artist FAKETHIAS follows up his industrial-leaning 2023 debut album Core Echo with a sharp 7-track mini-album of “colossal yet subversive pop songs, marrying big melodies with gritty analog fuzz and blissful digital sonics.” With guest vocal contributions from Sassy 009 and Ecco2k collaborator Fresh Jame, Afterimage is a smart pivot towards a loud, gauzy, and catchy rock vision bolstered by enveloping electronic textures that sound like they're collapsing in on themselves. -AR

Homer - ​​Ensatina (Big Crown)
Homer is the simplified moniker of NYC-based musician Homer Steinweiss, a prolific and in-demand drummer who’s deeply ingrained in the Daptone and Big Crown camps as a member of The Dap-Kings, El Michels Affair, Menahan Street Band, and more, and a previous collaborator with marquee acts like Adele, Solange, Adele, Clairo, Fleet Foxes, and Bruno Mars, to name a few. Written following the dissolution of his band Holy Hive and the end of a long-term relationship, his debut solo album is a strong set of nostalgic, dreamy, deeply-felt soul music featuring contributions from a bunch of the close musician friends he’s made along his storied career. -AR

Painted Vein - Dripping Only Black (self-released)
The debut album from this solo project of Seattle-based Italian musician Andrea Volpato (formerly of the Italian band New Candys) is a solid set of grungy alternative rock with a dark, dreamy, shadowy streak. Bolstered by brooding guitars, moody vocals, and nocturnal atmospherics, Painted Vein’s nostalgic rock harkens back to both the early 2000s and grunge’s '90s heyday, a link directly drawn with a solid, sludgy cover of Nirvana’s  “Something in the Way.” -AR

Public Service Broadcasting - The Last Flight (SO Recordings)
The fifth studio album from London-based Public Service Broadcasting finds the outfit continuing their tradition of expansive concept albums, this time chronicling the final journey of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. With their signature cinematic post-rock sound, ‘The Last Flight’ is a deeply immersive opus that pays tribute to Earhart’s legacy. The album features lush orchestral arrangements, sweeping electronic textures and striking guest vocal performances from This Is The Kit, Andreya Casablanca and EERA. –CS

Raquel Rodriguez - Housewife (Blue Dream)
The third full-length album from this LA-based Mexican-American singer is another stellar set of '90s-steeped R&B, soul, and disco-pop gems that balances sparkling midtempo cuts, vibrant uptempo grooves, and sultry, smoky (“Greens”) slow jams. Continuing to prove she’s a gem within the contemporary R&B landscape, Raquel says, “This album is a way for me to let myself and others know that it’s ok to say fuck the “rules" and do your own thing to find happiness.” -AR

Straw Man Army - Earthworks (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
The third studio album from anarcho-punk duo Straw Man Army is a fervent exploration of the apathy and rage surrounding modern existence, tackling issues like climate change, colonialism, capitalism and politics. With a captivating fusion of punk, krautrock, free jazz, ambient, and post-punk sonics, Earthworks delivers the raw, urgent energy needed for our ongoing battles. –CS

Tuxedo - Tuxedo IV (Funk On Sight)
The fourth album from this feel-good collaborative project between LA-based singer, songwriter, and musician Mayer Hawthorne and low-key legendary Seattle producer Jake One is another fun, breezy, and slick collection of 80s-influenced boogie, R&B, funk, and disco jams. -AR

TYSON - Chaos EP (LUCKYME)
The new EP from London-born singer, songwriter and producer TYSON is a hypnotic fusion of R&B, soul, trip-hop and electropop. Co-produced with longtime friend Oscar Scheller, Chaos evokes a sense of both calm and adventure, as they effortlessly blend ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s influences into a contemporary, moody, and expansive R&B soundscape. –CS

Agalisiga - Nasgino Inage Nidayulenvi (It Started in the Woods) (Horton)
The debut album from Kenwood, OK-based Cherokee singer-songwriter and language teacher Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey is a unique Indigenous take on classic country and roots music. Entirely written, sung, and performed in his native Cherokee language, Nasgino Inage Nidayulenvi is a spotlight for Agalisiga’s deep baritone voice, warm melodies, and rich, nostalgic instrumentation that reflects his desire to “preserve the Cherokee language and pass along his love of country-western music,” complete with the inclusion of a yodeling song (“Gatlohiha”). -AR

anaiis & Grupo Cosmo - anaiis & Grupo Cosmo (5dB)
This breezy and beautiful mini-album from London-based French-Senegalese artist anaiis was written in collaboration with the Brazilian trio Grupo Cosmo – Biel Basile, Sessa & Marcelo Cabral – and it’s a soulful, sublime melding of anaiis’ lush, organic, folky R&B with Grupo Cosmo’s exceptionally warm arrangements informed by bossa nova, '70s psychedelic, and Tropicália styles. -AR

i///u - Play For Someone You Love (i///u Stew Headquarters)
The debut album from this Seattle 7-member collective – formed seven years while all students at University of Washington – fronted by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Katyrose Jordan is a nice set of jazzy neo-soul with a warm, dreamy, melodic touch. MCs Nathan Nzanga and Wakai make guest appearances for a pair of hip-hop-infused highlights. -AR

Shai Foxx - Hear Me Out (self-released)
The debut EP from this young Seattle duo composed of sisters Shai (singer, songwriter, guitarist) and Monet (bassist) is a promising set of youthful alternative pop/rock with a pair of highlights in early singles “(if I) Runaway” and “Burnt Out.” -AR