First Listen: New Releases from the Last Few Weeks
Album: Vol.II
Quick Thoughts: The buzziest of buzz bands since perhaps the Letterman Future Islands appearance, the whole buildup to Angine de Poitrine's second album feels like the indie heyday. The two performers, a drummer and a dual-guitarist who wear polka-dotted alien costumes and play microtonal instrumental music, are different than most of the stuff out there these days. Yes, there is plenty of math rock playing in this particular sandbox, and AdP will not be the last pseudononymous musical act to perform behind a mask, but this is a case where the narrative does not overshadow the musicality. It's complicated music, it's catchy as hell, and it's just abrasive and weird enough to become a sort of litmus test we haven't seen in ages. For me, I absolutely love this and I haven't stopped loving it since it dropped.
Songs of Note: "Fabienk," "Mata Zyklek," "Sarniezz," "Utzp," "Angor"
Album: Lost on You
Quick Thoughts: Tigers Jaw isn't exactly an emo band (in the way that Death Cab for Cutie isn't exactly an indie band), and they feel far too polished to be pure indie (even though they are on a storied indie punk label) but I'll come right out and say that I really enjoyed this latest album from the band. "Primary Colors" in particular was stuck in my head for ages after I first heard it, and every time I hear anything new I'm hooked again. Give this a shot, and you will be too.
Songs of Note: "Light Leaks Through," "Lost on You," "Primary Colors," "BREEZER"
Album: Inuit Legend
Quick Thoughts: Indigeonous music is having a few moments as of late, and Beatrice Deer has come to the plate offering a alt-rock-radio-ready listen that will get stuck in your head and will not let go. My only problem with this album is that Deer has been making music for well over a decade now and I believe this is the first listen I've had of hers. I'm definitely a new fan, and look forward to spending time with her back catalog.
Songs of Note: "Caterpillar," "Falcon and the Woman," "Arranged," "Aukkauti," "The Loon and the Blind Boy," "Epidemic," "The Fog"
Album: Two Wheels Move the Soul
Quick Thoughts: Angular and stilted in all the right ways, "New Year's Eve" was a disorienting prerelease track that had me wanting more, and this album absolutely delivers. It's a little abrasive but still strongly melodic and addictive nonetheless. Really into this one, don't skip it.
Songs of Note: "The Sound It Made," "Pieces," "Talkback," "Again," "New Year's Eve," "Bullseye"
Album: No Tomorrow
Quick Thoughts: I don't recall exactly when I first heard of The Builders and the Butchers, but their sort of raw, rootsy music always felt super grounded and dark without being gothic. No Tomorrow has some of the more memorable tracks they've had of late, where tunes like "Mother Mary" and "Blood/Death" stay extremely sticky in my head. If you've not listened up to now, this is a fairly good place to start, but it's a good reminder of how really good this band is.
Songs of Note: "Cold Fire Hymn," "Mother Mary," "Blood/Death," "Rise My Son," "Bad Blood"
Album: The Long Way
Quick Thoughts: The occasional teamup of Eliot Lipp and Blockhead has its latest entry, this time with samples from Jim Carrey clips and god knows what else. I love goofy DJ stuff, and this has it in spades while also being a seriously good time. Go ahead, tell me "Castlegar" isn't one of the better things you've heard in 2026.
Songs of Note: "Bayou Sexual," "Guano Be Startin' Somethin'," "Inbred & Butter," "Castlegar," "Oh Face Killah"
Album: WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA
Quick Thoughts: As more and more PC Music artists move away from the harsh, abrasive hyperpop into a more mainstream territory, one of the many bright spots has been the rise of Slayyyter. Her 2019 effort was one of my favorites of the year, and everything she's put out since then shows a continued trajectory toward something much more substantial, ijncluding this major label debut. I'm really into this album, and I think a lot of people will be, too.
Songs of Note: "Dance...," "Cannibalism!," "Yes Goddd," "$t. Loser"
Album: COME CLOSER
Quick Thoughts: A collaboration of Tom Rowlands of Chemical Brothers and AURORA, "Ring the Alarm" was a big song for me in the second half of last year. The whole album certainly feels like a 1990s electronica revival in many ways, but once this album hits its stride you realize how well the two artists complement each other. AURORA in particular doesn't seem to have a comfort zone to move out of, and her voice and approach are a perfect match to the glitchy, steady Rowlands effort. Absolutely wonderful listen.
Songs of Note: "A Boy Like You," "Ring the Alarm," "My Baby," "Have You Seen Me Dance Alone?," "Somewhere Else," I Drink the Light"
Album: Carve
Quick Thoughts: Stark and gorgeous while also feeling immediate and aggressive, Kathryn Mohr is what I always thought more angsty folkies should do. It's Mohr and her electric guitar, distortion and all, singing songsd and making a compelling, incredible listen. Loved this album, and it's one I'm excited to get to.
Songs of Note: "Property," "Doorway," "I Do," "Cells"
Album: Superbloom
Quick Thoughts: For as much as Sabrina Carpenter enjoys being horny on main, she's got nothing on Jessie Ware. The modern disco queen is back with another sultry, danceable album that doesn't rewrite the playbook but still feels as modern as it can despite the era it stems from. "Sauna" and "Mr. Valentine" are true highlights, but if you like dance music, give this some time.
Songs of Note: "I Could Get Used to This," "Sauna," "Mr. Valentine," "Ride"
Of Note:
* Nic Panken - Near Divine or Merely Rhyme (Spirit Family Reunion singer's first solo effort.)
* Souled American - Sanctions (Reunion record from the No Depression-era band.)
* Frog - Frog for Sale (Quirky indie goodness.)
* They Might Be Giants - The World Is To Dig
* Tilly Vickers Willis - Silver Halide Film
* The Young Fresh Fellows - Loft
* Sunn O))) - Sunn O)))
* Guests - Common Domestic Bird
* Luke Winslow-King - Coast of Light
* Felicia Atkinson and Christina Vantzou - Reflection Vol. 3: Water Poems
* Hit Like a Girl - Burning at Both Ends
* The Dahmers - Creature Feature
* Good Sleepy - Constant Humming
* Lime Garden - Maybe Not Tonight
* Gracie and Rachel - If We Could, Would We
* Penny Arcade - Double Exposure
* Adult. - Kissing Luck Goodbye
* Black Nile - Indigo Garden
* Osian Rhys - Never / Whenever
* gobbinjr - crystal rabbit moon
* Fcukers - o
* Cry Club - High Voltage Anxiety
* Dirt Road Souls - (The Life and Times of) Johnny Moonshine
* Hiqpy - Slow Death of a Good Girl
* Holly Humberstone - Cruel World
* Squarepusher - Kammerkonzert
* Brown Horse - Total Dive
* The New Pornographers - The Former Site Of
* Holy Fuck - Event Beat
* Flore Laurentienne - Volume III
* The Jins - It's All Over
* Eaves Wilder - Little Miss Sunshine
* Buzzy Lee - Shoulder to Shoulder
* Gretel - Squish
* Freja Drakenberg - Hour of the Wolf
* The Melmacs - Euphancholia
* Wendy Eisenberg - Wendy Eisenberg
* Blanket Approval - Heartbreak City
* Robyn - Sexistential
* Courtney Barnett - Creature of Habit
* Tiffany Day - Halo
* DJ Muggs - Don't Call Me Lucky
* Rabit - Stranger in a Strange Land
* deary - Birding
* Emma Harner - Evening Star
* Marika Che - Bright Flame
* upsammy - Seismo
* Scalp Kaelo - Subterraneous
* A Place to Bury Strangers - Rare and Deadly
* Hiding Places - The Secret to Good Living
* Kronos Quartet - Glorious Mahalia
* Carsie Blanton and The Burning Hell - Everything is Great
* Parlor Greens - Emeralds
* Brad Marino - Agent of Chaos
* Sophia Yau-Weeks - Misty Mountain
* Arlo Parks - Ambiguous Desire
* Makthaverskan - Glass and Bones
* Big Harp - Runs to Blue
* Hoavi - Architectonics
* Rachel Lime - Stories
* ionnalee - ionnalee's Mouth of a River, pt. 1
* Monster Rally - Echoes of the Emerald Sands
* Sluice - Companion
* Pan-American - Fly the Ocean in a Silver Plane
* Juni Habel - Evergreen in Your Mind
* Poison Ruin - Hymns From The Hills
* Shinichi Atobe - Silent Way
* Snail Mail - Ricochet
* Good Carver - The Steps We Have to Take
* Maria Taylor - Story's End
* Prism Shores - Softest Attack
* Haiku Salut and Meg Morley - The Lost Score
* Plastic Tones - Can You Keep a Secret?
* Sunglaciers - Spiritual Content
* Charlotte Cornfield - Hurts Like Hell
* Ashley Monroe - Dear Nashville
* clubdrugs - lovesick
* Memorials - All Clouds Bring Not Rain
* Darkswoon - Antivenom
* Chad Crouch - Comet Falls Soundwalk
* Zookraught - Pressure
* Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns - Bitches Blues
* Flea - Honora
* Banshee Tree - Bad Luck
EPs:
* Sofia Isella - Something is a shell . (Amazing alt-pop effort, worth your time.)
* Tanya Donelly and Chris Brokaw - The Undone is Done Again
* The American Analog Set - Everything Ends in Spring
* Lizzie Reid - Undoing
* The Julies - Cherisher
* ~Nois - What is ~Nois
* Ceylon Sailor - the tiny wave
* Humanoid and 808 State - In Place of Language
* District Advisory Board - Tape
* Christ Dillinger - Based Revival
* Katie Alice Greer - Perfect Woman Sound Machine, Vol. 1
* Grace A. Keller - Lamb
* We Might Die - ICED OUT EP
* Hedge - Freeze Frame High Five
* Ullah - For Then
* The Wave Pictures - You're My Patient Now
* Paperclip Minimiser - Topology Transform
* Annie Blackman - Mascot
* Le Mur - Bruto
* Cissne - Awake children under the moon
* Taylor Janzen - The Water Keeps Me Clean
* Red Fountain - 100 DAYS
* GoGo Penguin - Call to the Void
* Tristan Arp - (re)weave
* PPP - Bborn Again
Live Albums / Compilations / Reissues:
* Nine Inch Nails and Boyz Noize - Nine Inch Noize
* I'm With Her - Sing Me Alive
* David Gray - Nightjar
* TOBACCO - High on Life 2 (Original Game Soundtrack)
Also Out:
* Nas - Feature Presentation 2025
