The last week of August has hit and with it comes another week of stacked releases as we wind down from a summer of absolute hits. Julia Jacklin has been releasing singles from her latest album for a bit now and the indie rocker finally drops her new one this week. Stella Donnelly also has her new one out this week, another one full of sweeping riffs and steady rhythms.
Former Flight of the Concords star Bret McKenzie drops his new one this week, making his foray into music without the comedic influence. Electronic artist Pantha du Prince returns this week as well with his ambient techno wonders, perfect for late night jams.
Mdou Moctar shares what I assume to be the first of hopefully several EPs featuring new demos and live takes from last year’s excellent Afrique Victime. Vol. 1 starts off with a thirteen-minute-plus blow-out that further proves Moctar’s guitar prowess. Blondie drops a box set today full of rare tracks from the group’s early hey-day that’s a must-grab for their die-hards, but also suggested as a great set of tunes for any music fan in general.
The National dropped their first new standalone song in several years this week and it features a guest spot from Justin Vernon. Lead singer Matt Beringer says he heard Vernon’s voice while writing the track and it became clear that the collaboration needed to be the final version. Drugdealer announced a new album and shared his second single of the summer, the lite and funky “Someone to Love.”
Britney Spears teamed up with Elton John for her first new single since 2016 and the first since the end of her conservatorship, to bring together a disco-forward rework of John’s classic “Tiny Dancer.” Rina Sawayama rocked back with a banging new single this week as well that puts her powerful vocals up against high-octane guitar ready to set the party on fire.
Hyper-pop sensations Magdalena Bay are releasing a deluxe version of last year’s excellent Mercurial World and this week they shared the unreleased track, “All You Do.” Nosaj Thing returned this week and dropped the floating and enchanting new song, “Blue Hour,” which features a dreamy guest spot from Julianna Barwick.
Wild Pink continue the build-up to their new record with the glowing new single “Hold My Hand” on which Julien Baker adds her wonderful charm and grace. Tegan and Sara also had a new single this week, the third for their upcoming album on their new label, Mom + Pop.
Indie rock icons Archers of Loaf are set to return with their first album in over two decades and have shared the second great single, the fiery “Screaming Undercover,” which builds the hype for the band’s long-sought-for comeback. Stereolab dropped a live version of fan-favorite “Cybele’s Reverie” ahead of their upcoming Switched On Vol. 5 compilation taken from a 2004 show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl.
Spirit Ghost, the musical moniker of Alex Whitelaw and featuring members of Sasha and the Valentines, are releasing their new single today, the great “No Future.” sonhos tomam conta shared the double single “borderline” / “dias perdidos” which takes Cure bass lines and shoegazey melodies for homespun jams worthy of your best headphones.
Albums:
Julia Jacklin | PRE PLEASURE
Stella Donnelly | Flood
Bret McKenzie | Songs Without Jokes
Pantha du Prince | Garden Gala
Diamanda Galás | Broken Gargoyles
Ezra Furman | All Of Us Flames
Roc Marciano / The Alchemist | The Elephant Man’s Bones
Mdou Moctar | Niger EP Vol. 1
Blondie | Against The Odds: 1974-1982 [box set]
Songs:
The National | “Weird Goodbyes” (ft Bon Iver)
Drugdealer | “Someone to Love”
Magdalena Bay | “All You Do”
Wild Pink | “Hold My Hand” (ft Julien Baker)
Nosaj Thing | “Blue Hour” (ft Julianna Barwick)
Tegan and Sara | “Faded Like a Feeling”
Rina Sawayama | “Phantom”
Archers of Loaf | “Screaming Undercover”
Spirit Ghost | “No Future”
Danielle Ponder | “Only the Lonely”
Whitney | “COUNTY LINES”
Innumerable Forms | “Thrall”
sonhos tomam conta | “borderline” / “dias perdidos”
Ezra Collective | “Life Goes On” (ft Sampa the Great)
Britney Spears / Elton John | “Hold Me Closer”
Stereolab | “Cybele’s Reverie” [Live at the Hollywood Bowl]
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2022) here!