New Music Reviews (3/10)

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 HotWax, Moreish Idols, SASAMI, and more. 

HotWax - Hot Shock (Marathon Artists)
The debut album from UK trio HotWax is an absolute ripper. Striking a perfect balance between melodic and ferocious, Hot Shock features fierce guitar work, explosive drums and fiery vocals that hook the listener from the outset. This collection is not to be taken softly, as it begs to be played loud and often. –CS

Moreish Idols - All In The Game (Speedy Wunderground)
Following an impressive string of EPs, South London quintet Moreish Idols finally unleash their first full-length album. These densely textured tracks are all-consuming, with intricate arrangements that weave intoxicating layers of sound to craft immersive, expansive atmospherics. Fusing elements of post-punk, prog, psych, and art-rock for an experimental soundscape that is so uniquely theirs, Moreish Idols are clearly All In The Game, coming out swinging with this knockout of a debut.  –CS

SASAMI - Blood On the Silver Screen (Domino)
SASAMI has truly embodied Heraclitus’s theory that “the only constant in life is change.” Genre-hopping from album to album, the LA-based songwriter has now unveiled her exhilarating pop record. Working with producers Jenn Decilveo and Rostam, she has created a grandiose, cinematic soundscape that highlights her untouchable skills as a songwriter, composer and vocalist. Featuring bewitching hooks, riveting arrangements, and themes of love, sex, and power, Blood On the Silver Screen is further proof that SASAMI can shine in any light. –CS

Antony Szmierek - Service Station at the End of the Universe (Mushroom)
The official debut full-length album from Manchester, UK-based artist Antony Szmierek is a captivating showcase of his poetic spoken word rapping, club/festival-ready electronic beats, and smart pop sensibilities that yields a magnetic sound and brings a modern, largely optimistic sheen to a blueprint laid out by The Streets’ Original Pirate Material 23 years ago. There’s an infectious, honest, communal energy to Service Station at the End of the Universe, its profound stream-of-consciousness musings, and its numerous addictive highlights. Or as Antony shares in regards to his distinctive sound: “It’s sincerity on overdrive – a space where people can connect with each other.” -AR

Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy (Ganary Music/BMG)
On his fifteenth solo album, the iconic Bob Mould serves up clear and succinct power-pop. His ripping guitar and urgent vocals are backed by drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy, as the trio wields some truly memorable jams with killer hooks. Speaking of the album, Mould says: “On the surface, this is a group of straightforward guitar pop songs. I’m refining my primary sound and style through simplicity, brevity, and clarity. Under the hood, there’s a number of contrasting themes. Control and chaos, hypervigilance and helplessness, uncertainly and unconditional love.” –CS

Clive From Accounts - The Very Best of Clive From Accounts (Razor-N-Tape)
Following a steady run of EPs over the past seven years, London-based electronic producer Richard Day (aka Clive From Accounts) delivers his cheekily-titled debut full-length album and it’s a fresh set of colorful, diverse, dancefloor-focused grooves that bounces around house, UKG, disco, synth-pop, hip-hop, grime, and more. While it’s largely an eclectic dance party, UK rapper Riko Dan makes a standout appearance on the distinctively intense highlight “Heavier” and Cleveland rapper Kipp Stone guests on the smooth hip-hop cut “All That Matters.” -AR

Fust - Big Ugly (Dear Life Records)
The third studio album from the project led by singer-songwriter Aaron Dowdy is an instant classic. Through rich, layered arrangements — including pedal steel, fiddle, horns, keys and more — the Durham, NC outfit showcases their impeccable alt-country sound. With Dowdy’s twangy vocals guiding listeners through tales of the South, personal struggles, and community, Big Ugly leaves a big and lasting impression. –CS

Hamilton Leithauser - This Side of the Island (Glassnote)
On his latest solo effort, Hamilton Leithauser expertly walks the line between nostalgic and contemporary, incorporating modern grooves and ‘60s psych into his soulful, folk-tinged rock sound. Propelled by Leithauser’s distinct vocals, the bright keys, funky basslines, flourishes of horns, and witty lyricism welcome one and all to This Side of the Island for a truly pleasant stay. –CS

Kuna Maze - Layers (Tru Thoughts)
The sophomore album from Brussels-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Kuna Maze is a kaleidoscopic fusion of jazz, broken beat, psych and house, resulting in an invigorating listen. Layers delivers just that, with woozy synths, syncopated drum patterns, enthralling saxophone, and so much more. Inspired by the improvisational nature of performing live, this album is full of life, inviting listeners to sit back and let the energy flow through them. –CS

LAKE - Bucolic Gone (Don Giovanni)
Sometimes you just need a warm, lush, inviting album that feels like a hug. Enter: Bucolic Gone. On their tenth studio album, the Washington trio celebrates two decades together and welcomes listeners into the “wonderful sunlight” they cast with their dynamic, orchestral indie-pop, featuring sweet harmonies, enchanting cadences, and compelling grooves. With lyrics that toe the line between hopeful and mournful, LAKE has created a deep, intimate and timeless record for fans new and old to cherish. –CS

Nia Wyn - A Pleasure To Have In Class (Republic of Music)
The debut album from London-based Welsh singer/songwriter/producer is a fantastic showcase of classic soul. Led by her powerful, expressive vocals and a nostalgic sound rooted in a love for Northern Soul as well as the iconic sounds coming out of Philadelphia, Memphis and Detroit in the 1960s and 1970s, A Pleasure To Have In Class is further accented by Nia’s vivid, memorable, intimate lyrics that discuss being queer, mental health issues, and the hard times young people face in the UK. -AR

The Tubs - Cotton Crown (Trouble In Mind)
The second album from this London-based “Celtic Jangle boyband” fronted by former Joanna Gruesome guitarist Owen “O” Williams (and featuring other members of that band) is another strong set of infectious jangle-pop, melancholic power-pop, and propulsive indie rock with a strong ‘80s/’90s streak. The band perfectly offset Williams’ “lyrical bleakness with joyous, hook-laden blasts of pop perfection,” a combination that yields a bunch of spritely highlights that sounds like alternative rock hits from a popular 1990s soundtrack. -AR

TOKiMONSTA - Eternal Reverie (Young Art)
The latest from LA-based producer, DJ, labelhead, and overall mastermind TOKiMONSTA is a euphoric blend of electronic, R&B, and hip-hop with a distinct pop sensibility. With standout guests including Gavin Turek, Anderson .Paak, Cakes Da Killa and PARTYOF2, TOKi bobs and weaves through dancefloor-ready house cuts, sultry, soulful numbers, and atmospheric ruminations, featuring slick beats, infectious hooks and vibrant synth work. What a treat it is to get lost in this Eternal Reverie. –CS

Vundabar - Surgery and Pleasure (Loma Vista)
On their sixth full-length and first for Loma Vista, the Boston-based trio have truly leveled up. Surgery and Pleasure boasts angular guitars, punchy vocals, and propulsive drums, resulting in an irresistible fusion of post-punk, jangle-pop, garage, and indie-rock. With this stellar collection, Vundabar is clearly signaling a new, exciting era. –CS

Cloakroom - Last Leg of the Human Table (Closed Casket Activities)
The fourth album from this Indiana band is a solid set of varied alternative rock that kicks off with heavy post-hardcore, closes out with glacial slowcore, and journeys in-between through an expansive shoegaze/space-rock landscape that’s sludgy, rumbling, trippy, and dreamy. -AR

Don Leisure - Tyrchu Sain (Sain)
The latest sweet sample-heavy beats record from renowned Welsh producer Don Leisure – one-half of Darkhouse Family and past collaborator with the likes of Angel Bat Dawid, Gruff Rhys, DJ Spinna, Amanda Whiting – finds him digging through the 55-years-deep catalog of Sain Records, the the oldest independent record label in Wales. Translated as Digging Sain, Tyrchu Sain is packed with psychedelic hip-hop nuggets that flips the passionate label’s diverse collection through Don Leisure’s kaleidoscopic, heady, funky filter for a record that exists somewhere between J Dilla’s iconic Donuts and The Free Design’s The Now Sound Redesigned. -AR

Frog Eyes - The Open Up (Paper Bag)
On their tenth studio album, and second since reforming in 2021, Vancouver cult outfit Frog Eyes deliver a solid collection of guitar-driven art-rock. With Carey Mercer’s unique vocals front and center, The Open Up boasts melancholic lyricism, inventive arrangements, and captivating twists and turns throughout. –CS

Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers)
The new solo album from Nashville-based, Alabama-born singer-songwriter Jason Isbell is a raw, heartfelt collection of acoustic folk tunes. Featuring his guitar-playing prowess with stunning fingerpicking, his signature vocals, and vivid storytelling, this intimate collection gives listeners a look at his songwriting in its purest form.  –CS

JJULIUS - Vol. 3 (DFA/Mamma's Mysteriska Jukebox)
The third album from this Gothenburg, Swedish outfit is a delightful set of homespun, psychedelic, dancey indie pop infused with a cool underground charm. Early single “Brinna ut” opens up the album on a dreamy, orchestral-tinted high note that’s reminiscent of múm, and Vol. 3 proceeds to swim through a deceptively eclectic terrain that’s colorful, kaleidoscopic, and groovy. The album’s loose, trippy tone results from each song being written over beats originally played by Viagra Boys’ Tor Sjödén, his hypnotic drumming inspired by tracks from the likes of Patrick Cowley, CAN, Count Ossie, Black Devil Disco Club, and others that JJULIUS would send him as reference points. -AR

Kedr Livanskiy - Myrtus Myth (2MR)
The fifth album from this solo project of Moscow-based artist Yana Kedrina is her latest evolution in mesmerizing ethereal pop with her airy voice floating from crystalline dream-pop to vaporous cloud rap, hazy club-pop to sweeping art-pop. Sung entirely in Russian, ‘Myrtus Myth’ also continues her close collaboration with Russian producer and her Kosaya Gora bandmate Flaty, who produced and wrote the entire record. -AR

Kinski - Stumbledown Terrace (Comedy Minus One)
The tenth studio album from Seattle’s Kinski is a remarkable showcase of their expressive post-rock. Featuring exceptional guitar work and moody arrangements, Stumbledown Terrace takes listeners on one heck of a journey. –CS

Lust for Youth & Croatian Amor - All Worlds (Sacred Bones)
All Worlds marks a reunion between Copenhagen duo Lust For Youth (Hannes Norrvide and Malthe Fischer) and Copenhagen-based artist Croatian Amor (aka Loke Rahbek, founder/curator of the excellent Posh Isolation label), the latter a member of the band before leaving in the late 2010s to focus on his solo endeavors. Back together, their renewed creative spark yields a stellar record that brilliantly fuses Lust For Youth’s gloomy post-punk and icy New Wave with Croatian Amor’s cerebral, skittering techno-pop. There’s an alluring Scandinavian mood to these icy, atmospheric, kinetic songs, which is propelled by the trio’s exceptional production talents and feels like a high point within the stacked catalogs of both artists. -AR

Saint Levant - Love Letters / رسائل حب (SALXCO UAM LLC)
The latest “double” EP – 6 songs split over 2 sides – from this rising Palestinian musician is a promising set of sleek R&B with a “more poppy, ‘80s Arab” sound that takes inspiration from both the global marquee R&B/pop artists of today and the traditional sounds of his Algerian and Palestinian heritage. -AR

Şatellites - Aylar (Batov)
The second album from this Haifa, Israel-based six-member band is another vibrant and loving homage to the glorious, colorful, and eternally groovy legacy of Turkish psychedelic funk music. Serving up a balance of originals alongside reimagined covers of classic Turkish songs, the intoxicating grooves of Aylar are frequently boosted with sweet, soaring vocals from Şatellites singer Rotem Bahar. -AR

Tobacco City - Horses (Scissor Tail)
The second album from this Chicago band led by singer/songwriters Chris Coleslaw and Lexi Goddard is a sweet set of cosmic, dreamy, '70s-influenced country-folk tunes full of expansive arrangements, rich harmonies, and sweet pedal steel accents. -AR