New Music Reviews (10/28)

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 Amyl and The Sniffers, Soccer Mommy, Fantastic Negrito, and more. 

Amyl and The Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness (Amyl and The Sniffers/Virgin Music)
Amyl and The Sniffers don’t pull any punches. On their third studio album, the Melbourne punk outfit are as ferocious as ever, delivering razor-sharp, quick-witted lyricism propelled by ripping guitars and potent percussion. Expanding their sound with more melodic tendencies, they stomp and saunter through timely themes of crisis, war, tech and politics, guiding listeners through the Cartoon Darkness of the present day with their specific fierceness and flair. –CS

Soccer Mommy - Evergreen (Loma Vista)
The fourth studio album from Sophie Allison is a remarkable showcase of the artist’s growth and evolution. Evergreen is rich and warm, featuring layered acoustic guitars, flutes, and strings that create a lush, organic soundscape to get lost in. While she’s certainly not afraid to rock–as heard on rippers like “Driver” and “Abigail”–the gentler, more nuanced songs carry just as much weight. Best experienced as a cohesive whole, this new Soccer Mommy album feels like the beginning of an exciting new chapter. –CS

Fantastic Negrito - Son of a Broken Man (Storefront Records)
Oakland’s Fantastic Negrito never treads lightly. On his sixth studio album, the acclaimed singer-songwriter weaves a kaleidoscopic fusion of blues, rock, funk, soul and roots, featuring exhilarating keys, horns, strings and guitars. Ranging from heartfelt ballads to rough-and-tumble rockers, he delves deeper into his personal narrative than ever before on Son of a Broken Man, all while continuing to expand upon his expressive and unique sound. –CS

Naked Roommate - Pass the Loofah (Trouble In Mind)
The second album from this Oakland collective originally founded by real-life partners Amber Sermeno and Andy Jordan (both formerly of The World) is a stellar display of vocal-laced dance music with an attitude and a sweet experimental/absurdist streak. The band delivers top-shelf rhythmic grooves that revel in a bassline-rooted blend of mutant disco, post-punk, No Wave, and chic art-pop, and it’s all accented by the playful, goofy, charismatic lead vocals of Amber Sermeno (with Andy handling lead vocals on the excellent “Successful Friend”) alongside the band’s frequent communal, convivial backing vocals. -AR

Pixies - The Night the Zombies Came (BMG)
The Night the Zombies Came finds Pixies in prime form. The tenth album (if you count 1987 mini album Come On Pilgrim, which come on you should) from these alt-rock legends showcases all their classic touchstones: inventive songwriting, melodic guitars and a perfect balance of dark and light. With elements of punk, alt-country and '60s pop, this album delivers another unforgettable set of Pixies gems. –CS

Pom Pom Squad - Mirror Starts Moving Without Me (City Slang)
The sophomore album from the NYC outfit led by Mia Berrin is bursting at the seams with angsty, tongue-in-cheek lyricism, grungy guitars, pop-forward indie-rock bangers, and dramatic ballads. Inspired by the push and pull of opposing forces, Berrin and her bandmates explore how far they can push themselves while examining life’s obstacles, resulting in another thrilling set of Pom Pom Squad glory. –CS

Shigeto - Cherry Blossom Baby (Ghostly International)
Detroit-based Japanese-American musician Zach Saginaw returns with his first Shigeto full-length album since 2017, and it’s a fantastic dive into his free-flowing, Detroit-steeped sound that weaves through hip-hop, house, jazz, funk, R&B, soul, boogie and more. With Shigeto serving as producer/bandleader/composer/hub, Cherry Blossom Baby is a testament to Shigeto’s genre-blurring talent and collaborative spirit, as he welcomes numerous Detroit artists to the party, including a breakout performance from KESSWA on half of the album’s tracks, who each bring their own gritty, soulful, cerebral flavor to the proceedings. -AR

2nd Grade - Scheduled Explosions (Double Double Whammy)
The fourth album from this Philadelphia project spearheaded by singer-songwriter Peter Gill (who’s also a member of Friendship) is an excellent journey into rough, rugged, nostalgic pop nuggets filtered through a refined prism of buoyant power pop, scrappy garage rock, and lo-fi psych styles. With most of the albums’ 23 songs clocking in around 90 seconds, Scheduled Explosions is packed with blink-and-they’re-gone pop anthems that consistently showcase Gill’s gifted knack for writing super catchy, concise, and charming songs. -AR

Boyscott - Spellbound (Topshelf)
The sophomore album from Scott Hermo Jr.’s Boyscott project is an endearing collection of infectious indie-rock. Infused with elements of bedroom pop and early aughts nostalgia, Spellbound has plenty of charm, wit and guitar hooks to keep listeners entranced. –CS

Dear Dea - When You Go Home Again EP (EveryDejaVu)
The debut EP from Helsinki based Dea Juris–aka Dear Dea– is a captivating blend of pop-infused contemporary soul with a jazz sensibility. With infectious hooks, smooth grooves and a touch of reggaeton in the mix, When You Go Home Again, serves as a solid introduction to an artist to watch. –CS

Elias Rønnenfelt - Heavy Glory (Escho)
The debut solo album from Danish musician Elias Rønnenfelt, best known as the lead singer of explosive post-punk band Iceage, finds him maturing into his poetic singer-songwriter lane and lyrically baring “tales of isolation, excess, and perseverance in the face of chaos” over diverse, sweeping folk-rock backdrops. Distinguished by his impassioned delivery and diaristic songwriting, Elias closes out Heavy Glory with covers of Spacemen 3 and Townes Van Zandt. -AR

Fashion Club - A Love You Cannot Shake (felte)
The sophomore album from LA-based Pascal Stevenson is an expansive set of art-rock and experimental pop that skillfully ebbs and flows between bold walls of sound to delicate ruminations. Featuring inventive synth work, distorted guitars, sweeping strings and stunning guest vocalists Perfume Genius, Jay Som and Julie Byrne, A Love You Cannot Shake is an alluring and innovative second outing. –CS

Fievel Is Glauque - Rong Weicknes (Fat Possum)
The project led by multi-hyphenate Zach Phillips, alongside co-writer and vocalist Ma Clément, is an exhilarating display of contemporary jazz fusion and progressive pop. The kinetic movement of these dizzying, intricate arrangements is utterly spellbinding as Phillps and Clément conjure whirlwinds of sound. It’s a truly thrilling and complex listen. –CS

GEMZ - See the Future EP (Sonic Ritual)
GEMZ is a new collaborative project from a pair of longtime Seattle musicians, singer-songwriter Jen Wood (celebrated solo artist and member of The Postal Service) and electronic musician Ted Chen (member of CMYK/The Long Ranger and The Stereo Future). Now both based in California with Jen in Palm Springs and Ted in Sebastopol, they’ve teamed up for a sweet debut EP of emotive, dreamy, optimistic synth-pop that lyrically “tackles the human experience of learning, growing and healing from various life difficulties and past traumas” and “how tough challenges can also be an inspiration for positive change and self-transformation.” -AR

Jean Dawson - Glimmer of God (P+)
The fourth full-length album from San Diego-born musician David Sanders aka Jean Dawson – a versatile artist who has collaborated with SZA and Mac DeMarco and appeared on A24’s recent Talking Heads covers album – is an adventurous set of expansive experimental R&B and emotive hip-hop. There’s an exciting chameleonic streak that runs throughout Glimmer of God with plenty of surprises. The sweeping, piano-led, string-enhanced art-pop ballad “The Boy and the Swan” and the psych/funk stomp of “Black Sugar” that boasts a ridiculously catchy The 1975-esque chorus offer a pair of highlights that showcase just a taste of his eclectic range. -AR

King Pari - There It Goes (Stones Throw)
If you’re looking for a blissed-out journey through lo-fi psychedelic R&B and soul, look no further. The Los Angeles-via-Minneapolis duo Joe Paris Christensen and Cameron Kinghorn–aka King Pari– deliver dusty grooves with funky basslines, smooth hooks and woozy production on There It Goes. This album is perfect for late nights, early mornings and everything in between, radiating good vibes throughout. –CS

Laura Marling - Patterns in Repeat (Chrysalis/Partisan)
The latest from beloved London-based songstress Laura Marling is a beautifully intimate reflection on motherhood and family. With lush, string-laced arrangements, her remarkable poetry, and breathtaking vocals, the songs on Patterns in Repeat float straight to the heart. When reaching the chorus of “Caroline”, there's something profoundly powerful and striking about hearing one of the greatest songwriters of our time struggle to find the words: “la la la la, something something, Caroline.” This eighth album is yet another hallmark in her outstanding discography. –CS

Lyrics Born - Goodbye, Sticky Rice (self-released)
The final album from Lyrics Born finds the Bay Area artist hanging his hat on his own terms. On Goodbye, Sticky Rice, he’s exiting the rap game with a bang, delivering a final set of funk-infused classic hip-hop jams for fans to groove to. –CS

Miners - A Healthy Future on Earth (Kitty/Flesh and Bone)
The second album from this Wollongong, Australia-based band is an impressive set of fuzzy indie rock jams that bring a melodic, distortion-heavy touch to their potent mix of shoegaze, slacker rock, noise rock, post-punk, and other 90s-leaning alternative styles. -AR

Nap Eyes - The Neon Gate (Paradise of Bachelors)
Listening to a Nap Eyes album feels like catching up with an old friend sharing a great story; the voice is familiar, and the cadence is welcoming, making it easy to relax and feel at peace while soaking in every word and every note. Their fifth full-length is a transfixing collection of expertly crafted indie folk rock tunes, featuring adaptations of Alexander Pushkin and W. B. Yeats poems alongside original works by principal songwriter Nigel Chapman. The result is a compelling array of unconventional songs from a talented outfit that knows no bounds. –CS

RIP Swirl - Perfectly Blue (In Real Life Music/Heavy Duty Music)
The second album from Berlin-based multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and producer Luka Seifert (aka RIP Swirl) is a cool set of sludgy shoegaze, murky trip-hop, and grimy dream-pop that continues to confidently fuse his longtime role as DJ and producer in Berlin’s club scene with his lifelong love for the guitar and analog recording techniques. With his shadowy, atmospheric, and fuzzy productions as its immersive foundation, he invites a stellar roster of like-minded artists – Tanukichan, untitled (halo), Maria Somerville, alias error of a.s.o., Winter – to add their ethereal, simmering vocals to the mix for more immediate highlights. -AR

Shower Curtain - words from a wishing well (Angel Tapes/Fire Talk)
The debut album from NYC’s Shower Curtain is a delightfully sludgy exploration of shoegaze and indie rock. Fronted by Brazilian-American vocalist and guitarist Victoria Winter, the quartet skillfully layers guitars, vocals, atmospherics and emotions to create a solid set of fuzzy dreamgaze. –CS

Two Shell - Two Shell (Young)
The debut album from enigmatic London duo Two Shell is an intricately woven, delightfully chaotic barrage of electronic soundscapes. Despite the genre-hopping through techno, post-dubstep, club, UK garage, jungle and hyperpop, this eponymous album is a remarkably focused effort. Featuring distorted vocals, entrancing drum breaks, potent synths, and electrifying glitches, these adventurous, energetic tracks leave a lasting impression. –CS

Briana Marela - Teardrop Star (self-released)
The latest album from Oakland-based, Seattle-raised Peruvian-American artist Briana Marela continues to showcase her celestial, dreamy, introspective style of arty synth-pop that marries her soaring vocals and intimate lyrics with colorful, kaleidoscopic, exploratory productions. -AR

Ruthven - Rough & Ready (Paul Institute)
The debut album from this London-based singer, songwriter, and electronic producer is a solid set of romantic, synth-heavy, experimental R&B that mines sweet, sleek elements from past decades – '90s slow jams, '80s new jack swing + new wave, '10s wonky beats – with a distinctive Paul Institute vision that fuses a silky falsetto and sophisticated songwriting with unhurried, unpredictable productions and intimate leftfield-pop instincts. -AR

Sleeping Bag - Beam Me Up (Earth Libraries)
The latest album from this Seattle-via-Indiana trio is a solid set of scrappy indie rock that balances classic alternative touchstones with deceptively sharp pop hooks and an endearing lo-fi slacker streak. -AR

TeZATalks - Black Girl American Horror Story (self-released)
The official debut album from Seattle-based artist TeZATalks is a bold, captivating, and unapologetically unfiltered record that signals the birth of (the self-coined genre) “hardcore-pop, a fusion of nu-metal, punk, alternative hip-hop, and electro-pop, that takes listeners on a high-energy, emotional journey unlike anything heard before.” Ranging from emphatic modernized rap-rock to stirring piano-led pop ballads while leaning heavily into an edgy, enveloping rap/R&B lane, Black Girl American Horror Story explores an astoundingly vast sonic landscape that yields one of the most unique local albums of the year. -AR

Vessna Scheff - NEVERMIND THE MOON (self-released)
The debut album from this Bay Area-raised, Philadelphia-based singer, songwriter, producer, and visual artist is a sweet set of slinky R&B infused with house, disco, hip-hop, boogie, jazz, pop, and club-adjacent flavors. With its buttery smooth, groovy, romantic sound, the album is fittingly a “concept record tracking a dreamscape that takes place throughout a night at the roller-skating rink.” -AR