New Music Reviews (11/3)

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 Anna von Hausswolff, Snocaps, The Belair Lip Bombs, and more. 

Anna von Hausswolff - ICONOCLASTS (YEAR0001)
The epic sixth studio album from Swedish vocalist, composer, and producer Anna von Hausswolff is a masterclass in cinematic chamber pop. With her dizzying, ornate arrangements and expressive, theatrical vocals, ICONOCLASTS enraptures listeners from the first note to the last, taking fascinating twists and turns throughout. From meditative ambient expressions to menacing orchestral cacophony, von Hausswolff holds listeners firmly in her grip on this transportive, otherworldly collection. An absolute triumph. –CS

Snocaps - Snocaps (ANTI-)
The surprise debut album from twin sisters Allison and Katie Crutchfield’s new collaborative project is the stuff P.S. Eliot fans’ dreams are made of. Marking their first new music together in over a decade, the sisters bring their lived experiences, both shared and separate, to the project, staying true to their southern roots with a healthy dose of twang woven into these anthemic indie-rock gems. Featuring their signature vocals, familial harmonies, and raw lyricism, Snocaps is a thrilling new adventure for the Crutchfields, and one fans will be eager to join. –CS

The Belair Lip Bombs - Again (Third Man Records)
The sophomore album and official Third Man Records debut (following a vinyl reissue of their first full-length) from Australian quartet The Belair Lip Bombs is a dynamic and melodic set of vibrant indie rock. With infectious hooks, sweet harmonies, and compelling arrangements featuring intricate, layered guitar work, Again is tight, confident, and begging for repeat listens as the band gears up for extensive touring through 2026. –CS

Florence + The Machine - Everybody Scream (Polydor/Republic)
The sixth studio album from the UK outfit led by Florence Welch is an extraordinary display of theatrical art-pop. A deeply collaborative project, Everybody Scream features production and writing contributions from Aaron Dessner, Mitski, Mark Bowen, and Danny L Harle, among others, helping bring this epic album to life. With such a dynamic team behind her, Welch explores profoundly personal themes, from mortality to womanhood and unrequited love, through dramatic swells of sound and her powerful, celestial, almost operatic vocals. The result is a jaw-dropping collection of contemporary pop perfection. –CS

Gab Ferreira - Carrossel (DVLPMNT)
The third album from this São Paolo-based singer, songwriter, and model is a gorgeous set of dreamy psych-pop infused with a magnetic Brazilian breeziness alongside sprinkles of trip-hop, City Pop, and lounge-pop flavors. From the Sade/Caroline Polachek hybrid of standout opener “Laws of Nature” to the sweet folky breakbeats of “Seu Olhar,” there’s an impressive kaleidoscopic fluidity to Carrossel that’s enhanced by Gab’s vocals sung in both English and Portuguese. –AR

Georgia Knight - Beanpole (Poison City)
The debut album from this Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, and musician is an evocative set of dimly-lit, hypnotic, psych-tinted pop songs that roam from fuzzy psych-pop to magnetic trip-hop to delicate psych-folk with a bewitching touch. Georgia primarily composes and performs her songs on an autoharp, which lends a captivating spell to her transportive songs, which features a trio of unmissable highpoints with early singles “Mingle” and “Desire” alongside “Rockerbilly.” –AR

keiyaA - hooke’s law (XL Recordings)
The sophomore album from NYC-based, Chicago-born singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist keiyaA is a bewitching fusion of jazz, R&B, neo-soul, and hip hop. With her kaleidoscopic arrangements and fearless introspection, she examines “the eternal relationship with the self,” defiantly confronting societal stereotypes, particularly those aimed at fat Black and brown women. The expansive and dynamically textured hooke’s law features entrancing synths, intricate beats, and vocal manipulations that showcase her exceptional artistry.  –CS

Shad - Start Anew (Secret City)
The seventh full-length album from Toronto-based rapper Shad is another consistently solid set of soul-steeped boom-bap hip-hop carried by his sharp, witty, insightful lyrical talents. After teaming up with a single producer over his last few stellar EPs, Shad collaborates with a wide variety of underground beatmakers on Start Anew to give the album a versatile, eclectic vibe. –AR

7xvethegenius - Self7xve3 (Broadband Sound)
For the final installment of her “Self 7xve” trilogy, Buffalo, NY-based emcee 7xvethegenius leans into lush R&B soundscapes to explore the complexities of a relationship in decline, culminating in a powerful return to self and self-love. With intricate arrangements, rich instrumentation, and raw lyricism, 7xve elevates her distinctive hip-hop sensibilities on this compelling and deeply personal collection. –CS

Carlos Dafé & Adrian Younge - Carlos Dafé JID025 (Jazz Is Dead)
Brazil’s “Prince of Soul” joins forces with innovative composer and producer Adrian Younge for an expansive celebration of samba, soul, and funk. Balancing his legendary roots with contemporary influences, Carlos Dafé showcases his remarkable talent against Younge’s cinematic production wizardry.  –CS

Cookin’ On 3 Burners - Cookin’ The Books (Soul Messin’)
The latest album from this veteran Melbourne outfit and “Australia’s hardest hitting Hammond Organ Trio” is a fun, feel-good, analog-rich journey through deep funk, cinematic soul, groovy jazz, and dusty hip-hop with a balanced mix of vocal-laced gems and lively instrumentals. Tucked into the setlist are some cool covers, including Mos Def’s “Ms. Fat Booy” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” –AR

Cusp - What I Want Doesn’t Want Me Back (Exploding In Sound)
The sophomore album from Chicago outfit Cusp marks their first release with fifth member Tessa O’Connell and their debut on Exploding In Sound. With a fresh mix of indie rock, shoegaze, grunge, and power pop, What I Want Doesn’t Want Me Back was recorded almost entirely live, capturing the band’s infectious and palpable energy.  –CS

Daniel Avery - Tremor (Domino)
The fifth album from renowned London electronic producer Daniel Avery further expands upon his dark, shadowy, amorphous sonic world with an adventurous journey through gritty synth-pop, sludgy industrial rock, gothy trip-hop, murky techno, heavy shoegaze, spectral art-pop, and intermittent blissful ambient terrain. A stacked roster of guest artists, including The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, yunè pinku, Cecile Believe, yeuele, and NewDad’s Julie Dawson, apply their own unique shade to his immersive, enveloping productions for a vast yet cohesive journey. –AR

Living Hour - Internal Drone Infinity (Keeled Scales)
The fourth album from this Winnipeg-based band is an expansive set of evocative indie rock that combines shoegaze, grunge, slowcore, fuzz-pop, noise-rock, dream-pop, and spectral folk into a sound the band self-describes as “yearn-core.” Led by Sam Sarty’s vivid lyricism and longing delivery, Living Hour cohesively and confidently cover a wide spectrum of styles on Internal Drone Infinity with help from album producer Melina Duterte of Jay Som. –AR

Mel Blue - nomorejacketsplease (Nettwerk)
The second full-length album from this London/Sydney trio is a fresh set of sleek, smart, slippery dance-pop propelled by club-ready beats, shimmery vocals, and flickering samples that often recalls Toro y Moi at his friskiest. –AR

Miguel - CAOS (ByStorm Entertainment/RCA Records)
Los Angeles artist Miguel continues to explore an adventurous alt-R&B and sultry psychedelic soul lane on CAOS, his fifth studio album and first since his stellar 2017 record, War & Leisure. Also his first since the dissolution of his long-term relationship with Nazanin Mandi, there’s a darker, grittier, and more daring energy to these provocative pop cuts that finds Miguel further expanding upon his passion-fueled crossover sound and closing out with the album’s lone guest appearance from the legendary funkateer George Clinton. –AR

Ouri - Daisy Cutter (Born Twice)
The latest solo release from the multi-faceted Montreal-based vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, harpist, and producer Ouri (aka Ourielle Auvé, also one-half of Hildegard alongside Helena Deland) is another gorgeous set of hypnotic, ethereal, spacious songs that blend innovative atmospheric R&B with delicate yet progressive electronic production flourishes. An intimate, romantic, nocturnal affair and an aural treat on headphones, Daisy Cutter contains shades of Oklou, FKA twigs, and Kelela, yet exists firmly in Ouri’s intricately woven sonic world. –AR

Saintseneca - Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs (Lame-O Records)
On his first album in over seven years, Columbus, OH-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zac Little returns with an expansive set of Americana. Following a period of burnout, he turned to painting, a practice that ultimately led him back to music. Across twenty-one tracks, he fuses folk, pop, country, experimental, and punk elements into a soundscape that is decidedly “unamericana.” With an emphasis on expression through lush instrumentation and poetic lyricism, this genre-bending collection cuts deep. –CS

The Barr Brothers - Let It Hiss (Secret City)
The fourth album (and first in eight years) from this Montreal-based band led by brothers Brad and Andrew Barr is a well-crafted set of expansive, melodic, widescreen folk-rock that ranges from propulsive anthems (“Run Right Into It”) to beautiful ballads (“Another Tangerine”) to low-key grooves (“Let It Hiss”) with a consistently assured touch. –AR

Wilby - Center of Affection (Hit The North Records)
The debut album from Maria Crawford’s Wilby project is a confident and gripping first outing. With endearing vocals and intimate, diaristic lyrics, Center of Affection is delightfully varied, moving from hushed ballads into intricately layered rockers and anthemic bedroom-pop. Exploring themes of disconnection and dissociation that ultimately give way to self-discovery, connection, and compassion, this assured collection resonates deeply.  –CS