A Curated Selection of This Week’s Essential New Music
With a relentless stream of new music hitting platforms daily, navigating the landscape to find the most significant releases can be a daunting task. Each week, Pitchfork cuts through the noise to highlight the essential drops you need to hear. This week’s selection spans a diverse range of genres, from the baroque-pop sensibilities of My New Band Believe to the intricate, percussive textures of upsammy and Valentina Magaletti.
My New Band Believe: My New Band Believe [Rough Trade]
Following the 2024 hiatus of Black Midi, bassist and co-singer Cameron Picton has returned with a project that feels both fresh and deeply rooted in his past creative output. My New Band Believe emerged from a moment of serendipitous inspiration, resulting in an album that masterfully blends baroque-pop, piano-driven ballads, and hallucinatory folk. It is a testament to Picton’s growth as a bandleader, showcasing a flair for composition that feels both eerie and charming.
Listen on Apple Music | Listen on Spotify | Listen/Buy at Bandcamp
upsammy & Valentina Magaletti: Seismo [Pan]
Seismo is a masterclass in percussive collaboration. By pairing Valentina Magaletti’s world-class drumming with upsammy’s production prowess, the duo has crafted a record that feels tactile and alive. Utilizing contact microphones to capture the raw essence of their instruments, the album translates the energy of their live performances into a series of modern, textured lullabies that are as unpredictable as they are dazzling.
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Lone: Hyperphantasia [Greco-Roman]
After a five-year hiatus, UK producer Lone returns with Hyperphantasia, a record he describes as “unhinged, unrestrained, self-indulgent bat-shit pop music.” The album is a kaleidoscopic journey through dance music history, from rave-inspired openers to garage house and future-pop. It is a synthetic hall of mirrors that manages to feel perfectly contemporary despite its nostalgic foundations.
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Mei Semones: Kurage [Bayonet]
Mei Semones continues to refine her unique brand of bossa nova indie-pop on her latest EP, Kurage. Building on the success of her debut Animaru, this project highlights her collaborative spirit, featuring contributions from Liana Flores, John Roseboro, and her father, Don Semones. The result is a polyglot collection of tracks that feel both intimate and expansive.
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WU LYF: A Wave That Will Never Break [L Y F]
Fifteen years after their debut, WU LYF returns with their second album. Eschewing traditional streaming platforms, the band invites listeners to engage with the music in isolation via their website and Bandcamp. It is a bold reintroduction to the reverberant, high-stakes indie rock that defined their early sound, anchored by the unmistakable intensity of Ellery James Roberts.
Squarepusher: Kammerkonzert [Warp]
Tom Jenkins, better known as Squarepusher, proves once again why he is a veteran of the Warp label. Kammerkonzert is a dexterous exploration of ambient, experimental orchestral, and drum ’n’ bass styles. Drawing from influences as diverse as giallo soundtracks and French progressive rock, Jenkins proves that he remains a one-man symphony capable of constant reinvention.
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Bossman Dlow: Chicken Talkin’ Bastard [Alamo]
Florida rapper Bossman Dlow keeps the momentum going with his latest full-length. Chicken Talkin’ Bastard is a high-energy tour of contemporary rap, blending regional influences from Michigan with Southern rap traditions. With high-profile features, it serves as a definitive hustler’s manifesto.
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Spirit Adrift: Infinite Illumination [20 Buck Spin]
Spirit Adrift delivers a powerful follow-up to 2023’s Ghost at the Gallows. Infinite Illumination is a masterclass in heavy metal architecture, moving seamlessly between delicate, daydreamy interludes and explosive, wrathful crescendos. It is a record that documents personal struggle while maintaining an aura of invincible heaviness.
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Hoavi: Architectonics [Peak Oil]
Russian producer Kirill Vasin, known as Hoavi, crafts a haunting, reverb-drenched electronic landscape on Architectonics. Inspired by Indonesian gamelan, the album is built from everyday sounds—railings, empty glasses—layered into complex rhythmic patterns. It is a beguiling work that bridges the gap between minimalist classical and contemporary electronic music.
Listen on Apple Music | Listen on Spotify | Listen/Buy at Bandcamp
Steve Gunn: Shape of a Wave [No Quarter]
Steve Gunn’s Shape of a Wave serves as a companion to his previous work, Daylight Daylight. Featuring two original tracks and two remixes by Sonic Boom, the EP reimagines Gunn’s songwriting through a lens of atmospheric renewal. It is a beautiful, introspective project that highlights Gunn’s ability to drift into new sonic stratospheres.
Listen on Apple Music | Listen on Spotify | Listen/Buy at Bandcamp