New Music Reviews (4/6)

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 Arlo Parks, Lauren Auder, Thundercat, Angine de Poitrine, and more. 

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Arlo Parks - Ambiguous Desire (Transgressive)

The third studio album from LA-based British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks is an engrossing celebration of the nocturnal spaces she inhabited during its creation. While described as “ambiguous,” desire pulses through these twelve infectious tracks. With her signature airy, ethereal vocals and blend of indie pop and alt-R&B, Parks explores new love, queer spaces, and destructive relationships, propelled by sparkling synths and infectious breakbeats, as she confidently saunters into a new era of her innovative artistry. –CS

Lauren Auder - Whole World As Vigil (untitled)

The sophomore album from French and British singer-songwriter Lauren Auder is an epic, spellbinding collection of evocative maximalist baroque pop. With many of these tracks originating as acapella recordings, her commanding vocals glide atop lush, sparkling arrangements of keys, guitar, looping drums, synthesized strings, and a choir, each offering gripping crescendoes and profound emotion. ‘Whole World As Vigil’ is an enthralling exploration of adventurous art pop, delving into themes of love, desire, and embracing the past with a keen eye on the future. What a triumph.  –CS

Thundercat - Distracted (Brainfeeder)

The fifth studio album from LA-based singer, songwriter, producer, and bassist extraordinaire Stephen Bruner, aka Thundercat, is an endlessly groovy collection of collaborative gems that fuse alt-R&B, psych-pop and jazz to mesmerizing effect. Featuring Lil Yachty, A$AP Rocky, WILLOW, Tame Impala, Channel Tres, and the late Mac Miller, with production contributions from Greg Kurstin, Flying Lotus, Kenneth Blume, and The Lemon Twigs, ‘Distracted’ feels like anything but that. While eclectic and playful, these fifteen tracks cohere into a focused whole, showcasing Bruner’s distinct falsetto, endearing sense of humor, signature basslines, and knack for truly funky hooks. Arriving six years after his last full-length, Thundercat hasn’t skipped a beat, leveling up in the process. –CS

Adrian Quesada - Trio Asesino (ATO)

If there’s one thing we can rely on in this world, it’s that Adrian Quesada will bring the VIBES. The Austin-based singer, songwriter, producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist unveils his new surprise album, ‘Trio Asesino,’ following its debut on tour with Hermanos Gutiérrez last year. With Joshy Soul and Jay Mumford rounding out the trio, along with stellar guest appearances from Keyon Harrold and Minta Spender, the outfit crafts an irresistible blend of Latin-tinged psychedelic soul, funk, and blues, resulting in groovy, cinematic instrumental treasures. –CS

Angine de Poitrine - Vol. II (Spectacles Bonzaï)

Breakout Québécois sensations Angine de Poitrine release their second studio album ahead of a whirlwind touring run that positions them for inevitable world domination. Their recent Live on KEXP session has been blowing minds and melting faces as viewers discover their singular sound paired with elaborate dada-esque black-and-white polka dot papier-mâché costumes. Across ‘Vol. II’ the duo rips through an extremely technical fusion of math, psych, and experimental rock with spellbinding microtonal guitar work, intricate percussion, and distorted vocals, delivering a transfixing angular soundscape entirely their own. –CS

Beatrice Deer - Inuit Legend (Uummati Records)

The eighth studio album from Montreal-based Inuk singer-songwriter Beatrice Deer features a dynamic blend of indie pop, rock, and folk to express ancestral tales and imaginative plots with a keen focus on feminine power. Incorporating elements of traditional Inuit throat singing alongside guitars, percussion, and Deer’s commanding vocals, ‘Inuit Legend’ highlights her incredible strengths as both vocalist and storyteller. The result further establishes Deer as a singular talent who speaks truth to power without losing her lust for joy. –CS

deary - Birding (Bella Union)

The debut album from London-based three-piece deary is a dreamy set of indie pop, shoegaze, and trip-hop. With breathy vocals, shimmering guitars, driving drums, and melancholic melodies, the trio explores the weight and vastness of human consequence. Arriving nearly three years after their debut EP, ‘Birding’ finds the band coming into their own, with guitarist Ben Easten stating, “Our last EP was us trying to be deary, and this album is us being deary.”  –CS

Lewis OfMan - 50KWTTS (Profil de Face)

The third full-length album from French producer, musician and vocalist Lewis OfMan (aka Lewis Delhomme) is his addictive take on Big beat as he unleashes his studio wizardry and searing electric guitar riffs through an electrifying fusion of live instrumentation, sampled breakbeats, and inventive samples. Inspired by classic breakbeat compilations as well as blockbuster rock groups like The White Stripes and The Black Keys, ‘50KWTTS’ is an intentional shift away from his sleek, collaborative-heavy, alt-pop-leaning 2024 album ‘Cristal Medium Blue’ and he brings a refreshingly fun energy to beat-oriented electronic music on this self-written, self-produced and self-recorded album. Marie Davidson makes the lone guest appearance on “Watch Me.” -AR

New German Cinema - Pain Will Polish Me (Felte)

The debut album from this new solo project of London-based artist and Fear of Men frontwoman Jessica Weis is a solid set of moody, synth-heavy, goth-tinted dream-pop. -AR

Robber Robber - Two Wheels Move the Soul (Fire Talk)

After a ferocious debut in 2024, Burlington, VT-based quartet Robber Robber return with their arresting second outing. Built on riveting angular guitars, rolling basslines, explosive percussion, and band leader Nina Cates’ entrancing vocals, their fiery blend of post-punk, krautrock, and art rock feels ready to burst at the seams, barely contained to these eleven ripping tracks. ‘Two Wheels Move the Soul’ is an artful, assured sophomore album from this endlessly promising outfit.  –CS

Stuck - Optimizer (Exploding in Sound)

The third album from this Chicago trio fronted by Greg Obis (formerly of Yeesh) is a sharp set of edgy, noisy, angular post-punk with an intense, gripping, and ripping energy. -AR

SUEP - Forever (Memorials of Distinction)

SUEP are a London-based band led by the core founding duo of Georgie Stott (formerly of Porridge Radio) and Joshua Harvey and joined by friends who also play in bands like The Tubs, Joanna Gruesome, and The Goon Sax. Their debut full-length album is a brilliant set of catchy, clever, punchy indie rock with a wildly impressive range. Garage rock, New Wave, art-rock, alt-country, pub rock, post-punk, jangle-pop, and synth-pop are all touched upon here, and it’s all confidently held together with a distinctive character and an unpretentious charm. -AR

BCUC - The Road Is Never Easy (Outhere Records)

The fifth studio album from South African outfit BCUC, short for Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness, features an electric blend of Afro-psych, folk, hip-hop, funk, gospel, Afrobeat, and jazz. With trance-inducing syncopated rhythms, vibrant percussion, and alternating vocalists, ‘The Road Is Never Easy’ is a lively, honest exploration of life in Soweto where "people always carry heavy loads," but always with hope and compassion. –CS

Ego Ella May - Good Intentions (Believe UK)

The second full-length album from London-based British-Nigerian artist Ego Ella May is a warm, lush, and sophisticated set of jazz-tinged R&B/neo-soul. -AR

Hudson Freeman & The Bedroomer - Adult Contemporary (Mom+Pop)

The latest EP from quickly-rising artist Hudson Freeman is a collaborative release with fellow Brooklyn-via-Midwest artist The Bedroomer (aka Nathaniel  Hoopes) and it’s a solid set of memorable, nuanced, smartly-crafted folk-rock that’s informed by his religious Evangelical upbringing, a subsequent radical break as a young teenager, and his steady grappling with “moral absolutism, fleeting friendships, and navigating a search for belonging online.” ‘Adult Contemporary’ arrives ahead of a massive global touring schedule for Hudson the rest of the year that includes opening up for the likes of Jesse Welles, Kings of Leon, Mumford & Sons, and Folk Bitch Trio, as well as summer stops at Pickathon and Newport Folk Festival. -AR

IREKE - Ayô Dele (Underdog)

The sophomore album from IREKE, the duo composed of multi-instrumentalist beatmakers Julien Gervaix and Damien Tesson, is a jubilant return. Translated from Yoruba as “joy comes to me,” ‘Ayô Dele’ features an infectious blend of Afrobeat, funk, highlife, jazz, and dub. With vibrant rhythms, exceptional musicianship, and lead vocals from Nayel Hoxo and Agnès Hélène, they deliver exactly that: joy and “soulshine.”  –CS

Irreversible Entanglements - Future Present Past (Impulse!)

The fifth full-length album from this renowned American collective – poet/vocalist Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother), bassist Luke Stewart, trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, saxophonist Keir Neuringer, drummer Tcheser Holmes – is another powerful set of adventurous free jazz propelled by the group’s exploratory avant-garde arrangements and Ayewa’s commanding spoken-word poetry. Multi-hyphenate artist MOTHERBOARD (aka Kyle Kidd) features on half of the album’s ten tracks and Helado Negro appears on the album’s bookends. -AR

John Andrews & The Yawns - STREETSWEEPER (Earth Libraries)

The fifth album from Brooklyn-based artist John Andrews and his rotating backing collective The Yawns – here joined by Luke Temple, Cut Worms members Noah Bond and Keven Louis Lareau, Florry’s Will Henriksen, and Emily Moales (aka Star Moles) – is a charming set of jangly lo-fi folk songs with a warm, welcoming presence. -AR

Kronos Quartet - Glorious Mahalia (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)

The latest album from the renowned San Francisco-based Kronos Quartet is a powerful and profound tribute to legendary gospel singer and activist Mahalia Jackson that pairs their hauntingly beautiful strings with archival performances and interview recordings. Structured into a three-part compositional arc, the opening triptych of ’Glorious Mahalia’ centers Mahalia’s voice and life experiences, unearthing a 1957 live performance of gospel and spirituals from her adopted hometown of Chicago and a captivating 1963 interview with her friend, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and radio broadcaster Studs Terkel, and blends them with a riveting piece composed by Stacy Garrop. A gorgeous instrumental arrangement of “God Shall Wipe All Tears Away” – a song Mahalia performed frequently early in her career – composed by Jacob Garchik serves as the midway interlude. ‘Peace Be Till’ is the album’s final movement and it pairs a gripping suite composed by Oakland-based artist Zachary James Watkins with audio from an interview recorded specifically for the album with MLK’s speechwriter and lawyer, Clarence B. Jones. This combination of engrossing conversations and passionate singing with Kronos Quartet’s intensely magnetic performances yields another fascinating, historical, and timely chapter in their robust discography. -AR

Parissa Tosif - I have this memory of you (self-released)

Parissa Tosif is a Sydney-based Iranian-Australian vocalist, songwriter, and producer best known as one-half of the synth-pop duo Vallis Alps alongside Seattle native David Ansari. Her debut solo album is a gorgeous set of evocative dream-pop with transportive Middle Eastern touches that fuses “the luminous pulse of modern pop with the spiritual inheritance of her Iranian ancestry.” Lyrically steeped in stories from family and friends who were refugees and migrants, Parissa adds her own reflections to these lived experiences in an intimate, impressive effort to “reconnect with a heritage she has only known in fragments.” -AR

Sunglaciers - Spiritual Content (Mothland)

The fourth album from this Calgary band is a solid set of expansive underground rock that touches upon post-punk, art-rock, indie rock, and psych styles before closing out with a meditative dream-pop piece for an impressively eclectic journey. -AR