New Music Reviews (3/2)

Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder (joined this week by Albina Cabrera, Latin Partnerships and Editorial Manager and co-host of El Sonido) 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 Amaro Freitas, Criolo y Dino D'Santiago, Bibi Club, Bill Callahan, and more. 

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Amaro Freitas, Criolo y Dino D'Santiago - CRIOLO, AMARO E DINO (Criolo Produções)
EN: 2026 began with a masterpiece from three key figures in contemporary Brazilian music: the São Paulo–based super trio formed by rapper Criolo, acclaimed jazz composer Amaro Freitas, and singer Dino d’Santiago, originally from Cape Verde and now based in Portugal. Across twelve tracks moving between Portuguese, French, and English, the album stands as compelling proof of Brazil’s musical richness and vision across rap, jazz, and its Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous traditions. CRIOLO, AMARO E DINO opens with Freitas’ unmistakable piano on “E Se Livros Fossem Líquidos (Poeta Fora da Lei Pt II),” later embracing a soft, radiant trumpet, a formula that reaches its climax on “Seka.” Percussion, violin, and the seamless vocal interplay between Criolo and d’Santiago carry the album throughout, with standout moments in “No Vento de Nós,” “Ela é Foda,” and “Mama AFRIKA.” The result is a perfectly balanced work that positions itself among the most outstanding releases of 2026. –AC

ES: El 2026 comenzó con una masterpiece a cargo de tres piezas clave de la música contemporánea de Brasil: el supertrío conformado en São Paulo por el rapero Criolo, el aclamado compositor de jazz Amaro Freitas y el cantante Dino d’Santiago, originario de Cabo Verde y radicado en Portugal. Los doce tracks, que navegan entre el idioma portugues, el francés y el inglés, son una prueba contundente de la riqueza y visión musical de Brasil en las escenas rap, jazz y sus sonidos tradicionales afrobrasileños e indígenas. CRIOLO, AMARO E DINO abre con el piano inconfundible de Freitas en “E Se Livros Fossem Líquidos (Poeta Fora da Lei Pt II)”, para luego abrazar una trompeta suave y brillante, formula que alcanza su clímax en “Seka”. Las percusiones, el violín y la excelente combinación de voces de Criolo y D’Santiago, se dan la mano durante todo el album, con momentos destacados en “No Vento de Nós”, “Ela é Foda” y “Mama AFRIKA”. Un tono perfecto que posiciona esta obra como uno de los discos más sobresalientes de 2026.  –AC

Bibi Club - Amaro (Secret City)
For their dark, shadowy, and grittier third album, this Montreal-based duo composed of married partners Adèle Trottier-Rivard and Nicolas Basque (also a member of the band Plants and Animals) infuse their adventurous bilingual art-pop with elements of coldwave, darkwave, and EBM. There’s still some tender moments, like on the distinctive, beautiful, hypnotic closing track “The Pine on the Corner,” but Amaro is largely a kinetically brooding affair with Bibi Club inviting the listener to “brave the dark beasts that shadow us beneath the surface and devote ourselves to the therapeutic power of a fierce will to live.”  –AR

Bill Callahan - My Days of 58 (Drag City)
Austin-based singer-songwriter extraordinaire Bill Callahan opens up his eighth solo studio album with the age-old question, “Why do men sing?” Confronting mortality, apathy, and connection, My Days of 58 features stream-of-consciousness lyricism with his distinct, cunning timbre, set against ornate arrangements with horns, fiddle, trombone, keys, guitars, pedal steel, and drums. A deeply human and collaborative effort, the album finds Callahan enlisting a trusted group of players to bring these twelve intimate tracks to life, with delightful surprises around every corner.  –CS

GENA - The Pleasure Is Yours (Lex)
GENA – God Energy, Naturally Amazing – is a new collaborative project from a pair of kindred spirits in renowned drummer/producer Karriem Riggins and multifaceted artist Liv.e. Their debut album fuses their individual talents in stellar, seamless fashion as they weave through a strong collection of fresh, wavy, adventurous R&B jams consistently blessed by Liv.e’s dynamic vocal performances and the duo’s top-shelf beats. –AR

Lala Lala - Heaven 2 (Sub Pop) 
“Get me out of America” are the first words Lillie West exclaims on the fourth Lala Lala album, setting the tone for Heaven 2 as her deadpan vocals, paired with lively keys and droning synths, swell with the addition of saxophone and drums. The London-born singer-songwriter has spent the last few years moving between Chicago, Taos, and Reykjavik before landing in LA, at least for now. This newfound willingness to settle down informs the collection, her grounded perspective providing the space and clarity to craft poignant lyricism and vibrant, synth-driven arrangements as she expands her infectious indie pop sound.  –CS

Momoko Gill - Momoko (Strut)
Fresh off last year’s excellent collaborative album Clay with Matthew Herbert, London-based artist Momoko Gill delivers her solo debut album and it explores a fascinating, intimate, and nimble byline through soul, jazz, R&B, art-pop, and the gentlest fringes of the avant-garde. Album highlight “When Palestine Is Free” is a downright beautiful statement – featuring a 50-person choir that includes Shabaka Hutchings, Soweto Kinch, Alabaster DePlume, Coby Sey, and Marysia Osu – and a highlight amidst a sumptuous album with a distinctive vision, as Momoko “sculpt[s] her sound through feel and expression rather than tradition.” –AR

Nothing - a short history of decay (Run For Cover)
The fifth studio album from Philly outfit Nothing is a thrilling set of heavy, reverb-washed shoegaze. Led by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Domenic “Nicky” Palermo, a short history of decay marks the band’s first release with Run For Cover Records and their first with a new lineup consisting of Palermo, Doyle Martin, Bobb Bruno, Zachary Jones, and Cam Smith. This dense, dynamic collection reflects on themes of mortality, radical honesty, and regret, as fuzzy guitars and hazy vocals sweep over listeners, blending elements of post-punk, dream pop, and grunge into their signature sound. –CS

Pina Palau - You Better Get Used To It (Mouthwatering)
The third full-length album from Zurich-based Swiss singer-songwriter Pina Palau is a stellar set of clever, nuanced, diaristic folk songs, some punchy indie rock, and unhurried alt-country that lyrically “explores everything that goes unspoken between two people: confessions, contradictions and questions, more honest than ever.” Early singles “Outdoor Guy” and “Letter to the Editor” provide a pair of immediate highlights reminiscent of early Courtney Barnett, and Pina rounds out “You Better Get Used To It” with her own memorable, vulnerable, and tender style of slice-of-life songwriting. –AR

Buck Meek - The Mirror (4AD)
The fourth solo album from Big Thief’s Buck Meek is a gorgeous collection of rich, warm folk rock. While showcasing his masterful lyricism and signature vocals, The Mirror was crafted to channel the energy of a live performance, with Meek and producer James Krivchenia working alongside Adrianne Lenker (vocals), Mary Lattimore (harp), Adam Brisbin (guitar) and many other trusted collaborators, adding synths, piano, drums, and a choir. The result is a timeless, lushly layered collection that feels like an arm outstretched in welcome.  –CS

Crooked Man - Crooked Stile (Vicious Charm)
The third Crooked Man album from this project of enigmatic and quietly prolific Sheffield, UK electronic producer Richard Barratt is another sharp set of full-bodied electronic music heavy on hypnotic old-school house grooves and squiggly techno beats with some thrillingly cerebral psychedelic excursions. From his absolutely epic 11-minute interpolation of Thelma Houston’s 1976 anthem “DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY” to the thick dubbed-out goodness of “DENKA,” Crooked Stile follows up two previous Crooked Man albums that landed on DFA Records with another deep, sophisticated, vocal-laced club record that rests sonically alongside former labelmates The Juan MacLean and Hercules & Love Affair. –AR

Hen Ogledd - Discombobulated (Weird World/Domino)
The third studio album from UK-based collective Hen Ogledd is a fascinating set of experimental art pop. With repetitive meditations and adventurous arrangements featuring horns, electronics, keys, guitars, and rotating vocalists, their avant-garde approach conjures a charming alternate universe, each track revealing another strange new world. –CS

Iron & Wine - Hen’s Teeth (Sub Pop)
On his eighth studio album and companion piece to 2024’s Light Verse, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Beam delivers a stunning set of tender indie folk. Featuring guest performances from I’m With Her and sweet harmonies with his daughter Arden Beam, Hen’s Teeth is a beautifully understated affair, with flourishes of strings and keys gently tiptoeing through themes that explore the all-consuming nature of love. –CS

Jane Remover - ♡ (deadAir)
Revered Newark-based artist Jane Remover closed out a busy 2025 with this 6-track EP featuring four previously-released singles – including 2024 SOTY candidate “Magic I Want You” – alongside two new songs that continue to revel in their all-consuming hybrid of hyperpop, rap, trap, and digicore. New song “Music Baby” blurs the lines between emo, Jersey Club, rap, and pop in astounding fashion and perfectly encapsulates Jane Remover’s thrilling sensory-overload pop vision, while closing track “Dream Sequence” finds them notably in dreamy guitar-forward territory. –AR

Kay Yoko - Yuki’s Blue Greenhouse (Les Disques Magnétiques)
The debut EP from this Geneva-based Swiss-Japanese singer/producer is a sweet set of cutting-edge bedroom pop sound that fuses scintillating alt-R&B vibes with wavy club-tinted beats. “Des Rêves Sous La Couette” is a premier moment, while “Pixie” follows it up for a distinctive hip-hop-leaning highlight. –AR

Lamisi - Let Us Clap (Real World Records) 
The new album from Ghanaian singer-songwriter Lamisi is a stunning collaborative work with producer and auteur Wanlov the Kubolor. With both artists serving as powerful activists, Lamisi advocating for the rights of women and girls and Wanlov for LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana, Let Us Clap carries equal measures of joy and protest while underscoring the inextricable link between the two. Bringing traditional sounds into communion with contemporary pop sensibilities, this spellbinding collection boasts intoxicating rhythms, powerful lyricism, and a keen awareness of how the past informs the present. –CS

LB aka LABAT - Feel So Good Around U (Because) 
The new album from Lyon-based DJ and producer LB aka LABAT (real name Baptistin Cabalou) features an intoxicating blend of deep house, club, and rave. With pulsing beats, melodic hooks, and standout guest appearances from Skin On Skin, KURT, and MJ Nebreda, among others, Feel So Good Around U bursts with positive, dance-forward jams poised to melt worries away. –CS

Maria BC - Marathon (Sacred Bones)
The third studio album from Oakland-based singer-songwriter Maria BC is a haunting collection of dark, experimental folk, ranging from acoustic-driven ballads to electronic distortions. Her breathtaking, expressive vocals shine across thirteen dynamic tracks shaped by inventive arrangements, palpable textures, and emotional depth. Aptly titled, Marathon is an immersive, evenly paced record that invites listeners to look inward and examine their place in this world as they hang on her every word. –CS

Sepalot - closer (Eskapaden Musik)
The latest album from veteran Munich-based electronic producer, DJ, and composer Sebastian Weiss (aka Sepalot) is another sharp set of cinematic boom-bap hip-hop with highlights that span sweet, soulful, sample-heavy beats (“Quit Running Around,” “No Other Moment”), dreamy psych-pop-tinted cuts (“natural beaty”), and a pair of MC-assisted gems in “My Own Way” featuring Illa J and “Time To Come Together” featuring LA underground mainstay Blu. –AR

trauma ray - Carnival (Dais)
The latest EP from this Fort Worth, Texas five-piece band centered around founding members Uriel Avila and Jonathan Perez is another solid set of heavy shoegaze that balances hefty, sludgy, gauzy wall-of-sound dynamics with some soaring vocals and dreamier moments. Early single “Hannibal” and closing track “Clown” balance out both extremes of their sound in standout fashion, while “Funhouse” kicks off with a bulldozer riff before floating towards the EP’s most tranquil passage. –AR

Usted Señalemelo - Términos y Condiciones (Sony Music)
EN: The Argentina-based trio Usted Señalemelo returns with Términos y Condiciones, consolidating a more mature, dancefloor-oriented phase. Following Tripolar (2023) — which earned them awards, nominations, and their Live on KEXP session — the band further deepens its electronic pulse: “Seúl” and “Lo siento” make that clear, while “Dando vueltas” and the closing track “Deseo” capture the album’s most expansive moments. Collaborations with Portugal. The Man and Jay de la Cueva, alongside production by Rafael Arcaute and LAMADRID, strengthen a record that projects international ambition without losing freshness or identity. –AC

ES: El trío argentino Usted Señalemelo regresa con Términos y Condiciones, consolidando una etapa más madura y orientada a la pista de baile. Tras Tripolar (2023) — que les valió premios, nominaciones y su sesión Live on KEXP — el grupo profundiza aquí su pulso electrónico: “Seúl” y “Lo siento” lo confirman, mientras “Dando vueltas” y el cierre con “Deseo” concentran los momentos más expansivos. Las colaboraciones con Portugal. The Man y Jay de la Cueva, junto a la producción de Rafael Arcaute y LAMADRID, refuerzan un álbum que proyecta ambición internacional sin perder frescura e identidad. –AC