New Music Reviews (12/4)

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 GC OConnor, Midas The Jagaban, The Halluci Nation, and more. 

GC OConnor - Soul Lament EP (Low Key Source)
 
GC OConnor had me at “I feel therefore I am”. The debut EP from the Sydney/Gadigal multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer is a stunner. Influenced by soul, jazz and R&B with a pop sensibility, her sultry vocals and personal lyrics are the foundation of this project. What an extraordinary introduction to a bright new talent. –Chris Sanley
 
Midas The Jagaban - Midas Touch Vol. 2: Return of The Mask (Because) 
 
The new EP from the British-Nigerian musician is an intoxicating blend of Afrobeats, R&B,dance, pop and more. With seductive and playful lyrics paired with infectious beats and undeniable grooves, this collection is poised to get you moving as it solidifies Midas The Jagaban as a FORCE on the scene. – CS

Summer-Pearl - outmysystem (Kitto)
 
The debut album from this London-based artist of Jamaican and Grenadian descent is a strong set of free-flowing soul music that folds dub, reggae, hip-hop, R&B, and jazz into its intoxicating brew. While Summer’s magnetic vocals and sharp productions shine bright throughout, she gets a vocal assist from Liam Bailey on early single “waste your time (bag uh reasons”) and Kaidi Tatham contributes co-production on a pair of tracks. –Alex Ruder
 
Various Artists - FADER & Friends Vol. 1 (FADER)
Only available to purchase via Bandcamp during the month of November, this stacked 44-track, 170-minute charity compilation curated by The FADER features indie artists covering iconic hits and underground gems. This effort was put together to benefit trans rights organizations around the world, specifically the Transgender Law Center, Mermaids U.K., and Rainbow Railroad, and there’s lots to love here. Dig in. – AR

Various Artists - Remixes JID020 (Jazz Is Dead) 
 
Rooted in the spirit of collaboration and Jazz Is Dead’s mission to honor the legacies of their musical heroes, Remixes JID020 finds some great new catalog mixes from the likes of London based artists Shabaka Hutchins and Theon Cross, New York tastemaker Melanie Charles, Detroit based producer Tall Black Guy, and more, bringing some exciting new life to these already beloved tunes. – CS
 
Atmosphere - Talk Talk EP (Rhymesayers)
 
Slug and Ant are BACK AT IT, quickly following up the release of their 2023 album So Many Other Realities Exist. On their new Talk Talk EP, the Minneapolis duo are tapping into the electro-rap genre that truly shaped them, pairing captivating, futuristic beats with their clever storytelling and memorable bars. – CS
 
Babebee - A Prophecy EP (Epitaph)
 
The new EP from the 21 year old Korean American songwriter and producer finds the Atlanta based artist employing dreamy guitars, ethereal vocals and beats punctuated with noisy distortions to weave tales of heartbreak and human connection. Their distinct production style shines on this new collection, leaving the listener begging for more. – CS
 
The American Analog Set – For Forever (Hometown Fantasy)

Their first new music in 18 (!!!) years, beloved Austin, TX band American Analog Set return with their 7th full-length album and it’s a solid return to the slow-burning, droning, hypnotic indie rock that has defined their decades-deep catalog. – AR

The Halluci Nation - Path Of The Heel EP (Radicalized Records)
 
The Halluci Nation – fka A Tribe Called Red – are BACK with an enthralling new EP featuring Fucked Up singer Damian Abraham and the acclaimed Powwow singing group Northern Cree. Path Of The Heel is the first of a two part wrestling-inspired project entitled The Road To Halluci Mania, and finds the outfit incorporating harder elements into their sound, while still utilizing their signature fusion of dubstep, hip hop and more. Part two, The Path Of The Babyface arrives in February 2024. – CS
 
The Still Brothers - The Still Brothers EP (Lewis Recordings)
 
Although listed as an EP, this 10-track debut release from this Brooklyn-based duo composed of childhood friends Evan Heinze (of The Shacks) and Andrew LeCoche (of Ula Ruth) is a sharp and fully realized set of nostalgia-tinted soul-pop with a hip-hop/trip-hop foundation that’s both bouncy and dreamy, dusty and polished. Brazilian singer Marina B features on four standout tracks, while Kim Foxen and Shoshy also make guest vocal appearances. – AR
 
Tiga & Hudson Mohawke - L’Ecstasy (Love Minus Communications)
 
The collaboration between these electronic masterminds lives up to the high expectations. With grooves ready to take you to the club, move you on the dance floor, and accompany you home in the wee hours of the night, L’Ecstasy has it all. The long player is centered around their shared love of 90s rave culture, with some excellent vocal features from Channel Tres, Jesse Boykins III and Elisabeth Troy. – CS
 
douniah - A Lot, Not Too Much (Melting Pot Music)
 
This lengthy EP from this Agadir, Morocco-born, Berlin-based artist is an impressive set of smooth neo-soul and lush R&B with a jazzy undercurrent that consistently spotlights her enchanting vocals. Co-produced by Dhanya Langer of the duo Modha and featuring guest appearances from Moses Yoofee, K, Le Maestro, okcandice, and Pachakuti, ‘A Lot, Not Too Much’ contains quite possibly the sultriest song I’ve ever heard sung in German with the smoky slow jam “Nur Für Mich.” – AR
 
Manic Pixie Dream Boat - Manic Pixie Dream Boat EP (self-released)
 
Deliciously weird Olympia based trio featuring duel-vocals from guitarist Rees Chamberlain and drummer Ahnya Waldeck who, along with bassist Zoe Chamberlain deliver a multi-genre EP. with elements of 60's psych, post-punk, shoegaze and more. Think The Cure and Dry Cleaning hanging with Black Angels. Oh and a cover of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men" rounds out a release from a new band with (forgive me) boatloads of promise. – Owen Murphy  
 
Mito y Comadre - Guajirando (ZZK)
 
The debut album from this Venezuelan duo composed of multi-instrumentalist, producer, and musicologist Guillermo Lares (Mito) and vocalist, actress, and model Shanna Hernández (Comadre) is a solid set of synth-pop and electronic grooves that brings a colorful reimagining of traditional Venezuelan music through a contemporary lens. Originally connected while living in Bogotá, Colombia, these two native Venezuelans pay tribute to their native percussions and rhythms – “such as the quitiplás, the malembe and the quichimba of Barlovento, the macizón and perra of the Caribbean coast, the calypso of the heartland, and the flauta guajira and the gaita oriental, among other instruments” – with a vibrant sound that’s accented by Shanna’s breezy melodies and beautiful vocals. – AR