Welcome to September. New music awaits when the calendar flips. These are the best new singles, albums and EPs that came out this week.
New Music Friday headliners:
Slowdive – everything is alive
Pioneers of shoegaze Slowdive arrive to show they’re still innovators just as the genre hits a high point in its resurgence. Many of the 2020’s best noisy albums can redirect their influence here. This album pulls from Slowdive’s own influences and builds on a sound some argue they’ve perfected.
Tracks like closer “the slab” are multifaceted. Psychedelic rock and 80’s electronic can be heard pounding to break down a door on this tune, which the band says they wanted to feel like a proper banger. Vocalist and guitarist Neil Halstead called it the heaviest track on the record, continuing that Slowdive “wanted it to feel like a big slab of music,” and “to feel very dense.”
Now Slowdive embarks on a nearly sold-out tour ready to return not just “the hits” to their loyal fans and newfound ones, but present a refreshing take too.
Mannequin Pussy – “I Got Heaven”
Mannequin Pussy shared their first bit of new music in two years this week, but that’s not to say they’ve been silent over that time. They made noise in 2021 when their van was stolen after a show in Akron, Ohio. Mannequin Pussy said they lost all of their gear during the final stretch of a tour with Angel Du$t and Pinkshift. That made enough noise to put them on the map for many music lovers. Their GoFundMe raised just shy of $45,000 to help replace their equipment.
Now they’re giving many thanks by using their new instruments to get back on the map with real music, not just the noise that comes with being victims of a senseless theft.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is currently home to the most intense scene in America. Mannequin Pussy may have propelled themselves to the top of the list, surrounded by contemporaries like Soul Glo and SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. What sets this crew apart is their accessibility. It’s indie punk with a deeper edge. In just under three minutes they shout and have poppier beats and bass grooves. They talk about everything from our parents’ repetitive go-nowhere do-nothing language to making explicit profanities about Jesus Christ. Nobody is safe from Mannequin Pussy. Knock them down by stealing their van, they’ll hit you harder with tom-toms, fuzzy guitars and angry vocals.
Icona Pop – CLUB ROMANTECH
The sophomore album from global chart-topping duo Icona Pop showcases a bit of what is making British pop a standout scene these days. Icona Pop boasts a classic bubblegum tone and even hard dancefloor tracks.
Those ideas shined on their summertime singles “Desire” and “Shit We Do For Love.” The record gets a guiding hand from house artist Rain Radio plus producer Joel Corry. It’s as diverse as any pop record this year and lets a scene in need of a renaissance exhale with a breath of fresh air that will likely push Icona Pop back to the top.
New Music Friday Top Picks:
Bullant – Late Life Circ : King Gizzard’s Joey Walker releases a catchy synthwave record.
MAY-A – ANALYSIS PARALYSIS: A new EP from the Australian popstar sets up a snappingly fun world in time for a fall tour supporting Nessa Barrett.
Lily Williams – “Things That Fall”: This is a fresh track about new beginnings with a deeply romantic feel.
Jeff Rosenstock – HELLMODE: Everything Jeff Rosenstock releases is a goldmine.
Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you be adding to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!
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