Gold Soundz: May 9, 2025

This week's suggested new music, curated by omg!nyc

May 09, 2025

Following his album of the year record Maps, the greatest rapper of the moment, billy woods is back with another contender for the best record of 2025 and this time he’s brought an onslaught of guests and producers into the fold as he makes some of the most challenging, yet rewarding, music of his career. There’s no one out there rapping over these kinds of beats and his ability to drop bar after bar without the need of a chorus continues to amaze and affirms his status as the underground rap king of not just his hometown of New York, but the ruler of the underground at large.

When noisey art-rockers Women disbanded, the band split into two camps. One of them now records as Cindy Lee and two of them started the band Vietcong, now known as Preoccupations. Continuing on the path of Women’s raw, post-punk style, Preoccupations has stayed true to their sound without getting too repetitive over the years and now they’re back with perhaps their slickest record to date as they incorporate more industrial and synth tones into their still rough and bruising style.

Electroacoustic saxophonist, improviser, and composer Cole Pulice has a knack for making heavenly music that transports you to the cosmos with shimmering details and walls of illustrious, sparkling sounds. The stunning craftsmanship is abundant here and the textures are glorious, creating epic soundscapes that venture into new realms via moving arrangements.

Recently, Erika de Casier put up a cassette tape on her Bandcamp page with little warning or explanation. This week, she put it online for streaming and purchase options and unveiled it as her fourth studio album following last year’s great Still. Swift R&B melodies, trip-hop beats, and creative rhythms grab hold here making for a luxurious and smooth listen with rich details littered throughout.

Earlier this year, Men I Trust released an album that hit with infectious jazz grooves and deliberately cool melodies. On their second album of the year, the trio shifts towards synth-pop vibes that offer a different take on coolness and the results, while not as immediately satisfying, showcase their range and ability to test new sounds.

If you’re still hoping that André 3000 will one day return to rapping, you’re gonna need to keep waiting. On Monday night, while attending the Met Gala, Three Stacks dropped a surprise new EP that finds him behind the piano on this go around and features seven improvised pieces recorded mostly on his phone as he maneuvers around the keys with no knowledge of chords and still stumbles on incredible grooves and riffs that recall Dave Brubeck by way of Vince Guaraldi.

The hot streak continues for Marcus Brown, better known as Nourished by Time. Following his debut album and last year’s excellent EP Catching Chickens, the singer returns with a new single and the announcement of his sophomore record which is due at the end of August. This is another sleek R&B jam that hits with dreamy guitar melodies and a suave demeanor.

While we anxiously await the follow-up to the best album of the decade so far, Fiona Apple did deliver a new song this week (her first fully original tune in nearly five years) and it’s another sharp, acoustic track that hits on some of the similar notes from her most recent work and serves to bring attention to the many systemic issues people of color face in our judicial system.

After a few successful EPs, Chicago’s Lifeguard will release their debut studio album next month and it’s gearing up to be a good one. The record’s second single is another great punk-influenced ripper that goes full steam ahead on ragged guitars and lo-fi charm which gives it an immediate feeling of raw-boned rock music from powerful young minds.

After serving as one of the best producers in the indie rap game, DJ Haram has announced a record of her own and the lead single is more of the chaotic and frenetic energy you’d expect from her past work. There’s a collision of sounds that come together to break-up the chaos and level the grounds for something rather inspiring and totally unique.

The duo of Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer have linked up once again for a new record of ambient, cosmic instrumental tunes that sounds like opening a door to a new world. Taking celestial jams to new heights, their new track is a quick one, but delivers something totally serene.

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If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2025) here!

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