Album releases are slowing down as we approach the holidays, but there are still some standouts to be found. Actor/writer/producer/comedian/musician Donald Glover returns for his third LP under the Childish Gambino alias, an album KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls, "easily his strongest musical set to date. Awaken, My Love! finds him taking a sharp left turn with an expansive blend of psych-tinged funk and astral soul reminiscent of Parliament/Funkadelic, Sly & The Family Stone and Prince."
Psych-folk band Woods release their Live at Third Man Records album, showcasing tracks from their latest, City Sun Eater in the River of Light, with a few older surprises, like "Suffering Season" from 2010's At Echo Lake. Jessy Lanza follows up her acclaimed LP Oh No with the EP Oh No No No, featuring remixes from Morgan Geist, DJ Taye, and more. Icelandic chanteuse Emilíana Torrini teams up with The Colorist Orchestra, an eight-piece ensemble who set out to "re-color" songs, the "same way a colorist would do in a movie or comic book."
And in compilations, Cherry Red Records bring us another archival collection, a 4-CD set documenting the UK independent punk scene in the late '70s. Meanwhile, Soundway continue their excavation of hidden gems, spotlighting the boogie, pop and disco sounds that were coming out of Nigeria at the time.
(Various Artists)
from Action Time Vision: A Story of UK Independent Punk 1976-1979 on Cherry Red
(Various Artists) Willy Roy - "Don't Give It Up"
from Doing It in Lagos: Boogie, Pop & Disco in 1980s Nigeria on Soundway
Ab-Soul - "Lonely Soul (feat. Punch)"
from Do What Thou Wilt. on Top Dawg Entertainment
Anthony Child - "Amoré"
from Electronic Recordings from Maui Jungle, Vol. 2 on Editions Mego
Ash - "Lose Control"
from Live on Mars: London Astoria 1997 on Atom
Bert Jansch - "Strolling Down The Highway"
from Strolling Down the Highway on Secret Records
Big Freedia - "Rudy, The Big Booty Reindeer"
from A Very Big Freedia Christmazz on Queen Diva Music
Bladee & Thaiboy Digital - "Painkillers"
from AvP on Year0001
Buck Owens & His Buckaroos - "Together Again"
from The Complete Capitol Singles: 1957-1966 on Omnivore
Charles Hamilton - "Stay There"
from Charles Hamilton on Republic Records
CJ Fly - "Now You Know"
from FLYTRAP on Cinematic Music Group/Pro Era
The Colorist / Emiliana Torrini - "Speed Of Dark"
from The Colorist / Emiliana Torrini on Rough Trade
The Coral - "everyone asked about you"
from Holy Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues on XXXXXXXXXXX
Yasiin Bey - "Tall Sleeves"
from December 99th on A Country Called Earth
Demdike Stare - "Sourcer"
from Wonderland on Modern Love
Deniece Williams - "Black Butterfly (Original 1984 Album Version)"
from Black Butterfly: The Essential Niecy on BBR
Enemies - "Leaves"
from Valuables on Topshelf Records
Future PEERS - "Craft"
from Future PEERS on Phi Rho Sigma
Gnaw Their Tongues - "Hold High The Banners Of Truth Among The Swollen Dead"
from Hymns for the Broken, Swollen And Silent on Consouling Sounds
Hodgy - "Barbell"
from Fireplace: TheNotTheOtherSide on Odd Future
Holly Bowling
from Better Left Unsung on The Royal Potato / Rpf Studio Productions
Jeen - "Modern Life (Electrified)"
from Modern Life on Paper Bag Records
Jeff Healey
from Holding On: A Heal My Soul Companion on Provogue
Jessy Lanza - "VV Violence"
from Oh No No No on Hyperdub
John Cale - "Hallelujah"
from Fragments of a Rainy Season on Domino
John Fatum - "Ride On Nebraska"
from John Fatum on Dala Records
Justin Hurwitz - "City of Stars' (Duet ft. Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone)"
from La La Land [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] on Interscope
Mano Brown - "Sinta-se Bem Com o Boogie Naipe (feat. Wilson Simoninha)"
from Boogie Naipe on self-released
Maria Taylor
from In the Next Life on Flower Moon
Marian Hill & Lauren Jauregui - "Back To Me"
from Back to Me on Republic
Marker Starling - "A Perfect Day feat. Laetitia Sadier"
from I'm Willing on Tin Angel
Mica Levi - "The End"
from Jackie [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] on Milan
The Microphones - "Compressor"
from Early Tapes, 1996-1998 on P.W. Elverum & Sun
Neil Young - "Show Me"
from Peace Trail on Reprise
Nina Kraviz - "Save Fabric"
from Fabric 91 on Fabric Records
Niro
from Les Autres on Capitol Music
Nude With Lyre - "Purple"
from Blood on self-released
Old Gray - "Blunt Trauma"
from Slow Burn on Flower Girl Records
oVo - "Satanam"
from Creatura on Dio Drone
Peter Broderick - "Eyes Closed And Traveling"
from Grunewald on Erased Tapes
Post Malone - "Stoney"
from Stoney on Republic
Raf Rundell - "Carried Away"
from The Adventures of Selfie Boy, Pt. 1 on 1965 Records
Richard Youngs - "Like An Astronaut"
from The Rest Is Scenery on Glass Records Redux
Ricky Eat Acid - "Hey"
from Talk to You Soon on Caroline / Terrible
Stove - "Bubblegum Lightning"
from Is The Meat That Fell Out on Exploding in Sound Records
Sun Ra - "I Am An Instrument"
from Singles: The Definitive 45s Collection 1952-1991 on Strut
Tech N9ne - "Sriracha ft. Logic & Joyner Lucas"
from The Storm on Strange Music
Those Who Fear - "Ten Years"
from State of Mind on Facedown Records
Woods - "Suffering Season"
from Live at Third Man Records on Third Man Records
Zao - "Observed/Observer"
from The Well-Intentioned Virus on Observed/Observer Recordings
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