New Music Reviews (4/13)

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 Hannah Lew, Lime Garden, Makthaverskan, and more. 

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Hannah Lew - Hannah Lew (Night School)
The debut solo album from Richmond, CA-based musician and Bay Area underground luminary Hannah Lew (formerly of Grass Widow and Cold Beat) is a marvelous, magnetic set of sparkling synth-pop infused with colorful touches of post-punk, girl-group, Italo-disco, and dream-pop. Over a concise and addictive nine-song run, Hannah showcases her own wonderful singular DIY spin on glistening pop anthems. –AR

Lime Garden - Maybe Not Tonight (So Young)
The sophomore album from Brighton-based four-piece Lime Garden is a technicolor expansion of their self-described “wonk pop” sound, boasting earworm after earworm. Fusing elements of indie pop, art rock, and post-punk, their playful lyricism is propelled by bright guitars, transfixing basslines, funky synths, dynamic percussion, and Chloe Howard’s compelling vocals as she explores themes of accountability and growth. Maybe Not Tonight is a wholly engrossing listen, bursting with personality, confidence, and undeniable flair. –CS

Makthaverskan - Glass and Bones (Welfare Sounds & Records)
Nearly two decades into their career, Gothenburg, Sweden-based outfit Makthaverskan continue to level up their intoxicating blend of dream pop and post-punk. With emphatic vocalist Maja Milner at the helm, the band delivers a moody, melodic set of cathartic rockers and introspective ballads with shimmering guitars and propulsive percussion, exuding strength and emotional depth across ten gripping tracks. Glass and Bones is a landmark fifth studio album from this transcendent ensemble. –CS

Bellaire - Born Funky (Le Plan/Triple Double)
After listening to his epic debut album, no one can deny that Bellaire was indeed Born Funky. With an enthralling fusion of disco, jazz, house, soul, and funk, the French DJ and producer weaves a bright, groovy sonic tapestry, featuring notable guest appearances from Barbara Tucker and Cerrone, welcoming one and all to the dance floor. –CS

Body Shop - Sex Body EP (Future Shock)
The debut EP from Chicago outfit Body Shop is an exhilarating set of disco-inflected post-punk. With bouncy basslines, spacey synths, driving drum machines, and provocative lyricism, Sex Body is utterly infectious, offering a killer introduction to this promising new trio. –CS

Iguana Death Cult - Guns Out (Greenway)
The fourth album from this Dutch band is a fun and rowdy set of scuzzy, punchy garage rock with a playfully propulsive post-punk streak. While it’s largely pedal-to-the-metal out of the gate with the opening title track, the groovy, quirky, cowbell-enhanced single “I Like It, It’s Nice,” and the organ-powered “Swinging At Ghosts” offering an early trio of highlights, Guns Out closes out with the distinctively breezy cool-down psych-pop of “Deflated.” –AR

Melanie Baker - Somebody Help Me, I’m Being Spontaneous! (Tambourhinoceros)
Newcastle, UK-based singer-songwriter Melanie Baker makes an unforgettable introduction with her magnetic debut album. Highlighting her quick wit, anthemic hooks, and confessional lyricism, Somebody Help Me, I’m Being Spontaneous! holds up a funhouse mirror to real life, offering a bizarre yet reflective escape. Ultimately, these big, bold guitar-driven alt-pop tracks weasel their way straight to the heart, setting Baker up for one heck of a breakout year. –CS

Midpak - Torpedo EP (Middy P Ink)
The latest EP from this Seattle-based outfit is a super sweet display of their “instrumental funk-fueled psychedelic” lane that delivers deep basslines, addictive grooves, and a transportive global flair with consistently stellar results. It’s all worth digging into, especially to hear the build from the low-key opener “Prelude” to the supremely funky EP highlight “Evil Extension” that closes out this exquisite instrumental journey. –AR

Wax Head - GNAT (Sour Grapes)
Manchester psych punks Wax Head are NOT messing around with their debut full-length. These high-octane, fuzzy rippers offer blistering guitars and pummeling percussion that make it impossible to sit still through these searing walls of sound. All killer, no filler, GNAT is a scorched earth sonic assault that begs to be played loudly and often. –CS

Wesley Joseph - Forever Ends Someday (Secretly Canadian)
The highly anticipated debut album from London-based singer, songwriter, producer, and director Wesley Joseph is a sensation. With seductive beats, woozy synths, and atmospheric guitars, he crafts an engrossing alt-R&B and neo-soul soundscape threaded with elements of psych and hip-hop. Across Forever Ends Someday, his introspective lyrics explore desire, conflict, and a romanticized past, with standout guest appearances from Danny Brown and Jorja Smith. The result is a captivating snapshot of an assured polymath with a distinct vision. –CS

Atabasca - Atabasca (Killer Groove Records)
The debut album from Italian cinematic funk trio Atabasca is a vibey fusion of jazz, psych, soul, and library music. Across ten transportive tracks, these instrumental treasures boast dynamic guitars, lap steel, keys, kalimba, and percussion, crafting an endlessly groovy collection to get lost in.  –CS

Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE & SURF GANG - POMPEII // UTILITY (10k/Tan Cressida)
Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE join forces with the shadowy collective SURF GANG for this heady, hefty, and at-times intoxicating double-album of wavy underground hip-hop. With MIKE kicking things off with his 15-track run (POMPEII) before Earl Sweatshirt takes the torch on a brilliant 18-track backhalf (UTILITY), each rapper’s distinctive, blurry, top-tier flows glean atop SURF GANG’s spacey, atmospheric, leftfield beats for a consistently chill and lightly psychedelic ride. Earl and MIKE each pop up for a guest appearance on their counterpart’s side, and kindred collaborators Anysia Kim, Jadasea, Niontay, Na-Kel Smith, and Lerado Khalil also contribute. –AR

Exiter - Temporary Empty (Spirit Goth)
The debut album from Seattle outfit Exiter, formed in 2024 by former members of local band Shimmertraps, is a thrilling fusion of experimental rock, dream pop, and slowcore. With electronic flourishes, vocal manipulations, and delightful textures, these guitar-driven explorations offer an adventurous breath of fresh, slightly hazy air.  –CS

Mamas Gun - DIG! (Légère Recordings)
The sixth album from this UK outfit fronted by singer, producer, and composer Andy Platts is a nice set of vintage soul that brings their own analog-rich, falsetto-laced spin on the classic sounds of '70s legends like Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Bill Withers. –AR

My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe (Rough Trade)
The new project led by black midi’s former bassist and “sometime frontman” Cameron Picton, My New Band Believe, is a fascinating, shapeshifting work of art. Featuring a kaleidoscopic blend of chamber pop and art rock, the group unveils an expansive, singular sonic tapestry filled with mindblowing theatrics and vivid storytelling, making for a thrilling introduction. –CS

Poison Ruïn - Hymns From the Hills (Relapse)
The fourth album from this Philadelphia band is a ripping set of fantastical punk and ferocious post-punk that impressively utilizes some calm, spacious, spaced-out moments to further expand upon their epic, gritty, dungeonesque, and medieval-tinted sound. –AR

Prism Shores - Softest Attack (Meritorio)
The third album from this Montreal band is a solid set of fuzzy indie rock that leans into gauzy power-pop, studious jangle-pop, glistening shoegaze, and C86-influenced pop nuggets. –AR

Psyché - Psyché II (Four Flies)
Psyché are an Italian trio composed of veteran Neapolitan musicians Marcello Giannini, Andrea De Fazio, and Paolo Petrella, all three players in Nu Genea’s live band. Their sophomore album is a colorful fusion of global psychedelic funk, cosmic deep grooves, and a transportive Mediterranean-soaked explorations. It’s a consistently instrumental-rich journey with a pair of vocal-laced highlights featuring Tunisian artist Ziad Trabelsi (“Hurriya (We Must Resist)”) and Altın Gün’s MERVE (“Yallah!”). –AR

Rachel Lime - STORIES (self-released)
The sophomore album from New York-based singer, songwriter, and producer Rachel Lime is an enchanting set of dreamy art pop. With densely layered synths, dynamic percussion, spellbinding vocals, and trance-inducing programming, STORIES, makes good on her promise to deliver “music in search of other worlds.” A palpable sense of longing runs throughout these fantastical avant-pop meditations, drawing listeners deeper into her imaginative sonic universe. –CS

Tiwayo - Outsider (Record Kicks)
French singer-songwriter Tiwayo makes a triumphant return with his new Adrián Quesada-produced album. With his smooth, buttery vocals leading the way, Outsider is a timeless collection of classic soul and R&B, featuring tender lyrics, ornate arrangements, and Quesada masterful production, resulting in a transportive gem. –CS

Vero - Razor Tongue (PNKSLM)
Stockholm, Sweden-based trio Vero deliver a solid set of guitar-driven alt pop and indie rock on their sophomore album. Bridging ‘80s and ‘90s influences with modern soundscapes, Razor Tongue strikes a balance between grit, angst, and catchy melodies, offering a sharp exploration of loneliness and obsession. –CS

War Pigs - Breakfast Music (self-released)
War Pigs are a Southern California band led by two Náhuat and Filipino kids – seemingly still in their pre-teen years – who make anti-fascist lo-fi punk rock music. With Iggy on guitar and vocals, Lolo on drums, and “dad” on bass, War Pigs blast off with an absolutely ripping debut album of DIY punk jams that thrills from the jump, features a ton of standout original songs, an amazing cover of “These Boots are Made for Walkin’” and a distinctive slow-burning psychedelic offering on “Staring at the Sun/Son.” Hat tip to KEXP DJ Kevin Sur for finding this refreshing under-the-radar gem that gives some much needed hope for the future. –AR