April comes to a close with a slim, but stellar selection of new releases. Dawn Richard is the main draw for me this week. After gaining attention as part of Danity Kane, Richard’s solo career has taken an interesting path landing her an underrated spot on Dirty Projectors’ excellent track “Cool Your Heart” and now she’s signed with Merge Records for her new record Second Line. The move from Bad Boy Records to Merge Records is enough of a reason to check out this album, but the leading singles have also been awesome.
Tacoma Washington band Enumclaw released their debut EP, Jimbo Demo, and if this is any impression of where these newcomers are headed in their career, we’re in for a fun ride. The Alchemist also has a new, guest-heavy EP out today.
Elusive producer Burial also mades a surprise return with a new, collaborative EP with Blackdown.
Billie Eilish announced her sophomore record, Happier Than Ever, and shared the acoustic guitar driven lead single “Your Power,” and Lana Del Ray announced her third new album for 2021, Blue Bannisters, which is out on July 4.
In the singles department, Squid and black midi both dropped new tracks from their upcoming albums and continued to relish in their artful post-punk glamor. Elsewhere, Faye Webster announced a new album and shared a new track and just a week after releasing a new record with his main effort Dinosaur Jr., bassist Lou Barlow shared another track from his new solo album.
Albums:
Dawn Richard | Second Line
Tony Allen | There is No End
Flying Lotus | Yasuke [soundtrack]
Sufjan Stevens | Convocations - Vol. IV Celebrations
The Alchemist | This Thing of Ours EP
Enumclaw | Jimbo Demo EP
Burial / Blackdown | Shock Power of Love EP
Songs:
Mykki Blanco | “Love Me”
Squid | “Pamphlets”
Jessie Ware | “Please”
Faye Webster | “Cheers”
black midi | “Slow”
Cold Cave | “Prayer from Nowhere”
Lou Barlow | “Love Intervenes”
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2021) here!