Best New Releases

Check out some of our on-air and music teams’ favorite releases of this season!

From Patrick Meigs, host of The Mixtape

Altin Gun – “On”

Altin Gun is a band out of Amsterdam, Netherlands. They are a self-described “Turkish psychedelic” rock band. The psychedelic sound coupled with funk roots makes their new record “On” a must for the collection.

Black Belt Eagle Scout – “The Land, The Sky, The Water”

Black Belt Eagle Scout newest record The Land, The Sky, The Water is a powerful follow-up to their last record. The music is a rich tapestry of music, lyrics and emotion. The songs are filled with both sadness and hope that draw you in powerful ways. It is a record you will listen to again and again.

Vieux Farka Toure, Khruangbin – “Ali”

On their own Vieux Farka Toure and Khruangbin are musical forces but put them together, the sound that is created is moving and deeply engaging. Their new record Ali is a record filled with intricate musical journeys. Each song is great, and when you are done with side two, all you want to do is flip the record over and listen again.

From Veronica Bisesti, host of Subculture

Screaming Females – “Desire Pathway”

Guitar-driven and headbangin’ ready, this latest release from Screaming Females is a worthy listen. This Jersey trio continues to approach music with a DIY sentiment – melody and time changes are ever-present – despite a smoother production value. If you are a fan of “All at Once” (their 2018 release), check out “Desire Pathway”.

Johnny Thunders – “Finally Alone: The Sticks & Stones Tapes”

We love it when hidden gems of punk’s past come to light. This new collection of rarities from Johnny Thunders solidifies his stature as a true glam-punk legend. 17 songs – bluesy, dirty, gritty, heartfelt – perfectly chronicle his far too short musical career. This is a collectors collection, true hard-to-find tunes – enter at your own risk, you may not want to leave.

From Brooke Carlson, host of Petit Dejeuner Club

Flavien Berger – “Dans cet ans”

The full release of “Dans cet ans” from French pop artist Falvien Berger came out just days ago, but the three tracks which had an early release – “D’ici La,” “Les yeux, le reste,” “Feux follets” – have already made their way into my regular rotation. This album offers tasty psychedelic electronic bites, all of which are fully danceable and, and in true Berger-style, pleasantly strange.

IkeN – “Galatea”

Kenya-based R&B artist IkeN, released his 2023 single, “Galatea” and I fell in love. A smooth, sweet ballad for the hopeless romantics in all of us, this track is the perfect melody for a late-night date night.

From Penelope Misceo, host of Past Future Present

boygenius – “$20”

Finding out this supergroup was getting together and releasing another album together was super exciting and this single definitely doesn’t disappoint. It’s a real gem sonically and their incorporation of harder sounds and instrumentals was super unique in comparison to their past work.

Lana Del Rey – “A & W”

This track is a real treat for those who have listened to Lana Del Rey for a while; it sort of pays homage to her old sound which was lots of fun to hear!

From Jonny Polivka, host of Jonny’s Playlist

Quazi – “Breaking the Balls of History“

“Consisting of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss, and Breaking the Balls of History is their tenth LP. Remarkably, they have been together off and on for 30 years, starting in 1993. This is their first release in a decade since Mole City in 2013. They belong to a loose-knit indie rock tradition of purported side projects – Sebadoh, Silver Jews, Portastatic – that have since become esteemed musical acts on their own. If there is any justice in this world, Breaking the Balls of History should receive at least as much attention as Wet Leg‘s debut last year, which recently won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.”

The GO! Team – “Get Up Sequences, Pt. 2“

“The Go! Team’s mode of operation has been pretty much the same since they began, mashing up funk, bubblegum soul, indie rock, and whatever tickled their fancy into songs so sunny and/or propulsive that listening to their music was like getting a giant shot of B12 and adrenaline simultaneously. Their 2020 album, Get Up Sequences, Pt. 1, showed that the band hadn’t lost any of their charm or fire as it played to their familiar strengths and expanded their pool of collaborators. They further that effort on Get Up Sequences, Pt. 2 with a vibrant, speaker-rattling set of songs that have all the bounce and soul of their best work, as the group mix and match sounds in their typically head-rush-inducing way.”

Gorillaz – “Cracker Island“

“Gorillaz take snapshots of a diverse music scene – from psych-fused pop to reggaeton – and put a unique spin on it. There’s no broad concept or industry-busting roll-out, just 10 pristine, richly satisfying tracks; no more, no less.”

From Jenna D, host of Theme for a Tuesday

Caroline Polachek – “Desire, I Want to Turn Into You”

“It’s in her own vocal and musical versatility that Polachek can create a new map to discover, and the results are nothing short of thrilling.”
– Consequence of Sound

Inhaler – “Cuts & Bruises”

“‘Cuts and Bruises’ is a record that shows instead of tells: lead singles ‘Love Will Get You There’ and ‘These are The Days’ are ambitious as most pop songs ought to be, leaving a subtle and indelible trace. The album may not be teeming with experimentation – and somewhat understated in places – but it’s certainly potent enough.
– NME