New Music Reviews (11/11)

Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder share brief insights on new and upcoming releases for KEXP's rotation. These reviews help our DJs decide on what they want to play. See what we added this week below (and on our Charts page), including new releases from Negative Shawdy, Adrian Younge, Freak Slug, and more. 

Negative Shawdy - Dancing with the Lights Out (Future Gods/Silver Lab(s))
The debut album from Arkansas-based Negative Shawdy is purely electric. With an inventive, effortless mix of hyperpop, R&B, indie-pop and hip-hop, she has crafted an intoxicating, expressive, futuristic-pop soundscape. Dancing with the Lights Out features insane hooks, showcases her clear vision and marks the exciting arrival of this incredible talent. –CS

Adrian Younge - Linear Labs: São Paulo (Linear Labs)
Adrian Younge returns with another rich, soulful, global exploration of his musical prowess. The songs of São Paulo stem from a diverse collection of upcoming albums that Younge has been meticulously producing for his label, Linear Labs. Tapping in extraordinary guests like Snoop Dog, Lætitia Sadier and Bilal, Younge and his collaborators create a lush, psychedelic, and cinematic soundscape that transports listeners to the heart of his genius. –CS

Freak Slug - I Blow Out Big Candles (Future Classic)
Manchester’s Xenya Genovese, aka Freak Slug, is making a damn good first impression with her debut album. Her inventive, sharp indie-pop sound is fresh and refined, focused and playful, boasting dreamy melodies, infectious hooks and a little grit for good measure. I Blow Out Big Candles is undoubtedly the first of many standout albums from this artist to watch. –CS

Friedberg - Hardcore Workout Queen (Clouds Hill)
The debut album from London’s Friedberg is bursting with addictive alt pop jams that infuse elements of dance-punk, psych, garage, dream pop, and more. With captivating arrangements and Anna Friedberg’s alluring vocals, Hardcore Workout Queen stands as a confident first full-length from an outfit that effortlessly mixes diverse sounds and emotions. –CS

Khana Bierbood - Monolam (Guruguru Brain)
The second album from Thai band Khana Bierbood (“Strange Brew” in Thai) is a solid set of groovy psych jams that blends '60s surf music, '70s garage rock, and traditional Thai music through a kaleidoscopic psychedelic filter that’s right at home on Guruguru Brain, the adventurous label founded by members of Kikagaku Moyo. -AR

Man/Woman/Chainsaw - Eazy Peazy EP (Fat Possum)
Orchestral punk? Yes, please. The debut EP from London quintet Man/Woman/Chainsaw is an explosive display of intricate art punk, with fiery vocals layered over lush strings, guitars and keys. The result is truly innovative, as these raw and urgent tracks demand attention. –CS

Nice Biscuit - SOS (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
The second album from this Brisbane-based Australian five-piece band co-fronted by Billie Star and Grace Cuell is a strong set of magnetic, groovy, kaleidoscopic psych-rock distinguished by Billie and Grace’s dreamy harmonies and the band’s adventurous Krautrock-tinted backdrops. -AR

Strangerfamiliar - La Pena (El Ojo y La Boca Records)
The debut album from Ilichna Morasky, a Chilean-born, Canadian-raised multidisciplinary artist now based in Copenhagen, is nothing short of spellbinding. Her unique, haunting avant-pop sound–crafted with pronounced synths, complex rhythms and her soaring vocals–navigates themes of trauma, healing and growth. Recorded over several years and across multiple continents, La Pena is a true tour de force. –CS

The Slaps - Mudglimmer (self-released)
In a time when it often feels like we’re all stuck in a “mudglimmer” (whatever that is, but somehow it makes sense, right?), the new album from Chicago outfit The Slaps is a delightful surprise–a true bright spot in dark, uncertain times. With an enticing fusion of Americana, free jazz, experimental rock and so much more, this genre-bending collection, born from deep improvisation and traditional country songwriting, offers listeners a much needed respite before they saunter off to “flip the bird again.” –CS

Bag of Cans - Favourite Shirt EP (Fierce Panda)
This Norwich, UK band follow-up their 2023 debut album ‘We Are A Band’ with a rowdy, cheeky, and entertaining blast of “ragged and restless and gently reckless poet-punk rock with exasperated vocals and manic guitar interludes and lovely harmonic drop-ins.” Packed with big herky-jerky momentum swings, boisterous trumpet, brash vocals, and a fun sense of humor, Favourite Shirt captures a distinctively scrappy British punk-rock sound and energy. -AR

Bananagun - Why is the Colour of the Sky? (Full Time Hobby)
The sophomore album from Melbourne/Naarm’s Bananagun is a delectable slice of psychedelia. Traversing ‘60s pop, psych, garage, tropicalia and jazz, it bursts with a frenzy of flutes, percussion, clarinet, guitars, and saxophone. Why is the Colour of the Sky? is a vibrant trip and a half, oozing with creativity and positive energy. –CS

Bricknasty - XONGZ አስቀያሚ ጡብ (FAMM)
The debut mixtape from this rising Dublin-based collective led by oft-masked artist Fatboy is a gritty, dank, fascinating showcase that blurs together jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and neo-soul with an experimental, shapeshifting touch. At times reminiscent of the chameleonic communal creativity of BROCKHAMPTON, King Krule working with The Neptunes, or adventurous soulful crews like Phony Ppl, Bricknasty feel right at-home on trendsetting UK label FAMM Records. -AR

Chimers - Through Today (12XU/Poison City)
The second album from Australia-based husband/wife duo Chimers – Irish musician Padraic Skehan (vocals, guitar) and Australian musician Binx (vocals, drums) – is a stellar set of intense, visceral, consuming rock music infused with noise, punk, post-punk, and post-rock elements. With the duo intent on capturing the energy and intensity of their live show, Chimers teamed up with Jono Boulet  of Australian noise-rock duo Party Dozen to produce Through Today and he successfully brings their powerful sound to life on this adrenaline rush of a record. -AR

Class - A Healthy Alternative (Feel It)
The latest album from this Tucson-based band is a blistering set of garage punk rock with a classic and concise catchiness that glances back at punk pioneers of the late 1970s and early 1980s for its refreshingly nostalgic sound. -AR

Curses - Another Heaven (Ombra International)
The latest album from Berlin-via-NYC singer, songwriter, and electronic musician Luca Venezia (aka Curses) is an excellent set of anthemic 80s-influenced dark wave that brews together synth-pop, new wave, disco, goth, post-punk, and EBM into dark dancefloor gems. -AR

Grumpy - Wolfed EP (Bayonet)
The new EP from Queens, NY-based Grumpy, fronted by Heaven Schmitt, is an endearing as hell collection of textured bedroom pop and indie rock. With swirling layers of guitars and synths, emotive vocals, and touches of clarinet, xylophone and viola, Schmitt and co traverse through the complexities of relationships while delivering captivating hooks and undeniable charm. –CS

Karl Blau - Vultures of Love (Otherly Love)
On his latest album, longtime Pacific Northwest favorite – now based in Philadelphia – Karl Blau blends indie-folk, alt-country and experimental rock with expressive flair. Featuring guitars, harmonica, saxophone, keys, melodica and flugelhorn, Blau and his talented cast of collaborators create intricate yet fluid soundscapes that carry his distinctive vocals through themes that resonate with both depth and timeliness. –CS

Leifur James - Magic Seeds (Night Time Stories)
The third album from producer, composer and vocalist Leifur James is a dreamy, kaleidoscopic exploration of experimental electronic bliss. With layered keys, strings and vocals, its captivating drum patterns and inventive production lead listeners on a hypnotic journey. –CS

MLiR - Pulpo Fiction (Studio Barnhus)
The debut album from Swedish duo MLiR – an acronym for “Modern Life is Rubbish” – is a fun set of expansive, slinky, playful electronic grooves that exude a carefree, kaleidoscopic joy through their elastic rhythms and bouncy beats. A handful of guest singers and rappers swing through to add their own colorful worldly vibes. -AR

Our Girl - The Good Kind (Bella Union)
The sophomore album from London trio Our Girl is a bold, sweeping collection of melodic indie-rock. Through the big hooks and Soph Nathan’s enticing vocals, the arrangements on The Good Kind highlight the true collaborative spirit of the band: you can hear the members speaking to one another through their instruments. A narrative of relationships, community and perseverance, drummer Lauren Wilson explains, “A lot of the songs are about taking setbacks and turning them into superpowers.” –CS

SLUGS - in btwn (Anxiety Blanket Records)
The debut album from Marissa Longstreet’s SLUGS project is a rich, melodic and tender indie-rock record. Featuring colorful arrangements and deeply personal lyrics, Longstreet and co-producer Sean Donnelley navigate themes of addiction, grief and recovery through these 11 heartfelt tunes. –CS

Swirls - Top of the Line (À tant rêver du roi/Howlin Banana)
The debut album from this Parisian four-piece band is a solid set of emphatic post-punk, rowdy indie rock, and ripping garage rock that captures an energetic, propulsive, scrappy sound reminiscent of Mad Foxes, IDLES, SYBS, and SPRINTS. Album opener “Young Blood” gently lulls the listener in for the first 90 seconds with a false sense of calm before Top of the Line fully kicks in and storms through 10 blistering tracks. -AR

Various Artists - Like Someone I Know: A Celebration of Margo Guryan (Sub Pop)
This outstanding compilation honors Margo Guryan’s cult classic 1968 album, Take a Picture. Featuring stunning interpretations from the likes of TOPS, Clairo, Empress Of, Frankie Cosmos & Good Morning and Margo Price, Like Someone I Know highlights the timeless ingenuity of Guryan’s folk-pop gems, introducing her work to a whole new generation of adoring fans. –CS

wonderbug - scrap EP (self-released)
The debut EP from London outfit wonderbug is an impressive and expressive set of grunge infused indie-rock. With impassioned vocals, delicious guitar licks and killer hooks, the quartet deliver a solid first offering. –CS

Desert Liminal - Black Ocean (Whited Sepulchre)
Desert Liminal is a Chicago trio fronted by primary singer-songwriter and keyboardist Sarah Jane Quillin alongside multi-instrumentalist Rob Cohen and violinist/multi-instrumentalist Mallory Linehan (aka Chelsea Bridge). Their third album is a captivating, string-enhanced set of sweeping art-rock, cinematic shoegaze, and poetic dream-pop featuring a lush, enveloping sound. Album opener “Some Memories Burn” and its hypnotic, swelling build to a massive chorus is a perfectly epic introduction to the record. -AR

Matt Duncan - I Will Write Your Song (SNAFU)
The latest album (and 1st in 9 years) from this Brooklyn-based, Kentucky-born singer-songwriter is a charming set of buoyant, analog-heavy, '70s-obsessed pop songs with an impeccably clean, pure, melodic sound that’s perfect for “fans of AM Gold who are burned out on love songs.” -AR

Moin - You Never End (AD 93)
Moin is a London-based trio composed of Joe Andrews and Tom Halstead (both part of the electronic production duo Raime) alongside visionary Italo-British percussionist Valentina Magaletti (also of Vanishing Twin, and many other projects). Their third album is an enveloping set of gritty, abstract, dank experimental rock featuring a distinctive cast of guest vocalists – Olan Monk, james K, Coby Sey, Sophia Al-Maria – who add their own poetic, leftfield flair to Moin’s distorted, labyrinthian textures. -AR

Sofía Valdés - Sofía Valdés (Warner)
The debut full-length album from this LA-based Panamanian singer-songwriter is a promising set of vibrant, youthful, expansive pop distinguished by her bilingual vocals and an eclectic palette that’s all accented by her familial roots. She shares, “I want girls from Panama to look at me and be like oh, I can do this type of music. It’s giving space for other people to do whatever they want.” -AR

Speakers Corner Quartet - Mr. Loverman (Original Score) (OTIH)
South London collective Speakers Corner Quartet follow-up their excellent, star-studded 2023 debut album Further Out On the Edge with their first original score composed for the new BBC One show Mr. Loverman. A largely instrumental affair, the album spotlights the crew’s versatile compositional talents as they weave together evocative, fleeting, cinematic vignettes that blend classical, ambient, soul, jazz, hip-hop, electronics, and more, while also sneaking in a few vocal-laced highlights, including a standout cover of Arthur Russell’s “This Is How We Walk on the Moon” featuring Tirzah. -AR