New Music Reviews (1/26)

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 DJ Harrison, Fazed on a Pony, Katie Tupper, and more. 

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DJ Harrison - ElectroSoul (Stones Throw)

The latest solo album from veteran Richmond, VA-based multi-instrumentalist, drummer, DJ, producer, singer, songwriter, and composer Devonne Harris (aka DJ Harrison, also a member of numerous groups including Butcher Brown) does indeed revel in an ‘ElectroSoul’ lane, with an emphasis on the latter, and it's all infused with DJ Harrison’s deep bag of psych, funk, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop touches. A sweet gathering of his friends that includes Yaya Bey, Yazmin Lacey, Angélica Garcia, Kiefer, Fly Anakin, Nigel Hal, Pink Siifu, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson all swing by to add their own flavor to this heady, groovy, eclectic soul party. -AR

Fazed on a Pony - swan (Meritorio)

The second full-length album from this project spearheaded by New Zealand singer/songwriter Peter McCall is a brilliant set of nuanced, memorable, and idiosyncratic indie rock with an alt-country streak that consistently deligts. Quietly distinguished by Peter’s personable delivery, distinctive twang, and clever songwriting, Fazed on a Pony delivers an understated gem of a breakout record with ‘swan’ and its skips-free 10-song run. -AR

Katie Tupper - Greyhound (Arts & Crafts)

The debut album from Saskatoon-based singer-songwriter Katie Tupper is a sensational collection of heartfelt indie soul with jazz and pop undertones. Showcasing her rich, mind-blowing, breathy vocals, ‘Greyhound’ highlights Tupper’s beautifully understated alt-R&B steeped in themes of desire, connection, and change. –CS

LISASINSON - Desde Cuándo Todo (Elefant)

The new album from Valencia’s LISASINSON, now primarily the project of Míriam Ferrer after multiple lineup changes, is an infectious set of melodic, pop-infused punk glory. With bright guitar lines, sugary vocals, killer hooks, and undeniable momentum, ‘Desde Cuándo Todo’ walks the line between melancholy and hopeful energy, inviting listeners along for the ride. –CS

Lucinda Williams - World’s Gone Wrong (Highway 20/Thirty Tigers)

Iconic singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams returns with her smoldering sixteenth studio album. Not one to mince words, she rings the alarm on the current state of the world across nine new original songs and a reimagined version of Bob Marley’s “So Much Trouble In The World” with fellow living legend Mavis Staples. Traversing rock, country, blues, and folk, Williams employs her signature gravelly vocals to deliver earnest, urgent lyricism, shouting from the rooftops: ‘World’s Gone Wrong.’ –CS

Shintaro Sakamoto - Yoo-hoo (Zelone Records)

The fifth solo album from Japanese singer, composer, producer, and writer Shintaro Sakamoto is a magnetic tour de force. With a spellbinding fusion of psych, ‘60s soul, funk, surf, and mood kayō, ‘Yoo-hoo’ effortlessly moves from a nuanced pop tune that feels like a gentle breeze (“Dear Grandpa”) to a funky groove that truly pulls out all of the stops (“Numb”). This kaleidoscopic journey transcends genres and generations, resulting in a thoroughly delightful trip. –CS

YARD - YARD II EP (self-released)

Dublin trio YARD return with another scintillating EP. Blending electropunk, noise, industrial, and post-punk, their intense, immersive soundscapes deliver a welcome assault on the senses, pairing punishing electronics with propulsive rhythms and visceral vocals. –CS

Flip Top Head - Trilateral Machine EP (Blitzcat Records)

The sophomore EP from Brighton outfit Flip Top Head is a remarkable set of lavish art-rock and theatrical chamber pop. Marked by big, sweeping peaks and valleys, their densely layered arrangements and emotive vocals deliver a gripping balance of urgency and tenderness. –CS

jo passed - Away (Youth Riot)

The second full-length album this Vancouver/Toronto-based band led by Jo Hirabayashi arrives eight years after their Sub Pop debut album ‘Their Prime’ and it finds them diving deeper into their dynamic, angular, restless indie rock. With a potent DIY vision that’s infused with post-punk, psych, grunge, and garage rock influences, there’s a knotty, unpredictable, zig-zagging vision to Jo Passed’s music that also yields some wild standout moments, like “Ico” with its lurching bass and “339” and its skonking sax. Welcome back Jo! -AR

Joe Glass - Snakewards (self-released)

Joe Glass is a Chicago-based artist who plays bass live in Kai Slater’s breakout DIY project Sharp Pins. His debut solo album is a sharp and charming set of classic, scrappy, fuzzy lo-fi pop/rock nuggets that rests comfortably alongside Sharp Pins’ output. -AR

Local Weatherman - Right One EP (Karol Records)

The new EP from this NYC outfit led by Fritz Ortman is a supremely catchy blend of power pop, indie rock, and emo. Featuring emphatic vocals and expressive guitar lines, Local Weatherman’s ‘Right One’ toes the line between fresh and familiar, offering a succinct snapshot into their trademark sound. –CS

plash - i live alone (Porchlight)

The debut album from this Seattle-based four-piece band led by Jeseul Oh is a rad set of dynamic, shape-shifting, guitar-heavy songs that sits at the intersection of math-rock, art-rock, indie rock, and heavy rock and features Jeseul singing in both Korean and English. With influences ranging from Asian artists such as toe, Cornelius, and Mid-Air Thief, to the likes of Adult Jazz, Deerhoof, and Don Caballero, plash have emerged with a smart, soaring, labyrinthian sound propelled by their fierce four-guitar-fueled attack. -AR

PORTIA - NEED EP (self-released)

The debut EP from London-based, Sydney-born Australian singer, songwriter, and producer PORTIA (aka Portia Brajkovic) is an impressive set of dreamy, sultry, evocative alt-R&B that taps into an early 2010s Soundcloud-fueled vibe defined by the emergence of artists like Tinashe, Kelela, and SZA shifting R&B into a more spacious, atmospheric, DIY realm. -AR

Samm Henshaw - It Could Be Worse (Dorm Seven / AWAL)

Sit back, relax, and let the smooth, soulful stylings of British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Samm Henshaw wash right over you. Originally a vinyl-only project, ‘It Could Be Worse’ now finds wide release, showcasing his buttery, sultry vocals, and smooth, slow-burn grooves. Drawing from classic R&B and the modern pop flair of today, Henshaw explores themes of heartbreak and emotional growth with undeniable warmth and sincerity. –CS

Skinshape & The Horus All Stars - Skinshape x Horus (Lewis Recordings)

Horus Records is a London-based label run by British musicians Will Dorey (aka Skinshape) and Ben Bell (co-owner of Lion Vibes Record Shop, one of London's leading reggae specialists) that began as a reissue label before serving as a homebase for the duo’s own dub/reggae music inspired by their shared passion for the iconic sounds of Jamaica’s pioneers. Their excellent debut full-length album is a love letter to the foundational dub/reggae sound that spotlights their analog production wizardry over a set of both covers and originals – including a cool reggae reworking of the ‘Interstellar’ theme song – with guest vocalists Andy Platts, Modou Touré, and Winston Reedy each stopping by to add their own respective throwback touch. -AR

Whodamanny - Onda Biloba (Periodica)

The solo debut album from Italian DJ/producer Rafaelle Arcella (aka Whodamanny) is a fresh set of tropical dancefloor grooves that’s a time portal to the late 1980s when Latin elements permeated the Italo-Disco scene. It’s a colorful, buoyant, and summery vibe throughout, and while it boasts an eclectic range of tempos, standout track “Loca Loca” and its irresistible disco/house beat is a perfect entry point. -AR

YĪN YĪN - Yatta! (Glitterbeat)

The fourth album from Dutch outfit YĪN YĪN is vibrant and full of life. Heavily influenced by Southeast Asian soundscapes and Italo Disco, they weave together a bewitching fusion of psych, funk, disco, and soul driven by captivating rhythms. Seamlessly moving from meditative flows to vigorous psychedelic trips, ‘Yatta!’ encompasses the inventive spirit of this groove-forward quartet. –CS