The music world is still riding high from Beyoncé’s instant classic Renaissance, so this week may feel light in comparison, but these are all great records to play between listens of the Queen. KOKOROKO drop their debut album today, Could We Be More, following their great EP from 2019 and subsequent singles. The afro-jazz collective bring polyrhythmic funk to the ever-expanding London jazz scene and made a wonderful late-summer groove record.
Cheekface surprised released their new album earlier this week and with it, make a run for a classic indie record to fill end of summer nostalgia. Marci, the solo project from TOPS singer Marta Cikojevic, released her debut this week and brings glowing synth-pop and breezy melodies.
Long-time activists and art collective Pussy Riot have released their debut mixtape today and it’s produced by Tove Lo. Consisting primarily of member Nadya Tolokonnikova the mixtape also features Hudson Mohawke, Big Freedia, and iLoveMakonnen.
I don’t generally follow big-name EDM artists, but the new record from Calvin Harris flows more like a compilation of some of the best names in popular music and the last one featured the classic “Slide” with Frank Ocean so it’s definitely worth a play as well. In true, non-stop form, Neil Young has another new live album out this week which was recorded on his last European tour in 2019.
Panda Bear and Sonic Boom shared the sunny, doo-wop sampling “Edge of the Edge” ahead of their collaborative album which is out next week. Also due next week is another new record from Boris and this week they shared another single, the ripping “My name is blank.” Earlier this week, Carly Rae Jepsen announced her new album would be out in October and today we get the new jam, “Beach House.”
Cindy shared two songs that were originally released as a bonus 7" as part of the limited edition Dinked pressing of the band's third album, 1:2. “Little Lulaby” is a glistening instrumental track and “Take My Place” feels like quintessential lo-fi indie. Peel Dream Magazine announced a new album and shared the transformative lead single, “Pad,” which ditches the velvety shoegaze sound for something airy and light. Also out this week is another new single from the synth-pop legends Hot Chip and this one is a throbbing number that goes further into rock music than we’ve heard from the band in the past, but still manages to bring dance into the mix like only they can.
Jangle-pop band Ducks Ltd. followed up their cover of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Head On” with another ‘80s classic, the Cure’s “In Between Days.” Stereolab shared two tracks from their upcoming reissue compilation Switched On Volume 5 and both feature industrial legends Nurse with Wound. “Simple Headphone Mind” is the shorter of the two tracks, although both clock-in at over ten minutes, and the easiest to groove to without getting overwhelmed by rhythm.
Albums:
KOKOROKO | Could We Be More
Cheekface | Too Much To Ask
Calvin Harris | Funk Wav Bounces Vol 2
Marci | Marci
Pussy Riot | Matriarchy Now
Neil Young + Promise Of The Real | Noise & Flowers [Live Album]
Songs:
Panda Bear / Sonic Boom | “Edge of the Edge”
Cindy | “Little Liability” / “Take My Place”
Boris | “My name is blank”
Peel Dream Magazine | “Pad”
Hot Chip | “Freakout/Release”
The Killers | “boy”
Carly Rae Jepsen | “Beach House”
Gordi | “Stranger”
Winter | “atonement” (ft Hatchie)
Frankie Cosmos | “One Year Stand”
Stereolab | “Simple Headphone Mind” (ft Nurse with Wound)
Ducks Ltd. | “In Between Days” (ft Jane Inc.) [The Cure cover]
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2022) here!