New Music Friday is back and better than ever with some solid indie and rap releases this week. Despite the overwhelming amount of Christmas albums released this week, there’s still a little bit of something for everyone who isn’t quite ready for the holiday season to start just yet. And that’s exactly what we like to hear.
Moonface – This One’s for the Dancer & This One’s for the Dancer’s Bouquet
Moonface is a solo endeavor from Spencer Krug, one half of Wolf Parade, and is littered with marimba and steel drum accents. The 16 song album is so lavish, Krug himself recommends breaking it down into quarters. Or, as he claims, enjoy each four song quartet as its own own little journey.
Chromatics – Camera
Chromatics released this EP earlier this summer as vinyl only, but it is now available digitally with a few tracks added. This release aims to quench the thirst for their long awaited Dear Tommy album, or at least appease the masses with their unique sound until the real deal is out.
PAINT – PAINT
It’s good to see garage rock is still alive and well in Los Angeles. The album released by Pedrum Siadatian is retro and lo-fi, with accents of trippy ’60s West Coast psychedelia to keep you interested.
Kris Wu – Antares
While he might be new on your release radar, Kris Wu is no stranger to fame; he’s a Chinese hit sensation. And now, Wu has broken away from pop fame to release a debut solo hip-hop album featuring Rich the Kid, Travis Scott, and Jhené Aiko.
Vince Staples – FM!!
To be clear: Vince Staples has titled this a “special project,” not a full album. It’s a concise, fun, playful collection of songs ringing in at 22 minutes with a few lyrical nods to his well-known dark side. Definitely worth a listen.
Yung Lean – Poison Ivy
Swedish rapper Yung Lean is back with his third album, or what is currently being called a mixtape. The album varies between “pop culture informed rap” and “lackadaisical crooning” on top of dreamy beats.
Majetic – Club Dread
Brooklyn native Justin Majetich has released his newest LP under a new nomiker, Majetic. Club Dread is an emotion packed indie album with complex and sometimes erratic compositions.
VHS Collection – Retrofuturism
Did you forget about New York-based trio VHS Collection? We sure didn’t. The electro-rock group is back with their first album since 2016, with the sound we know and love, featuring some retro synthesizers.
Bonus Single: LSD – “Mountains”
Allow this single, “Mountains,” to introduce you to the newest collaborative project by Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth, each contributing a letter to their name “LSD”. It’s a new creative outlet for the trio and a fun note to end New Music Friday on.
