New Music Reviews (1/20)

Each week, Music Director Chris Sanley and Associate Music Director Alex Ruder (joined this week by Albina Cabrera, host of El Sonido and KEXP's Latin Partnerships and Editorial Manager) 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 Ela Minus, Bad Bunny, Delivery, and more. 

Ela Minus - DÍA (Domino)
The sophomore album from Brooklyn-based Colombian electro-pop sensation Ela Minus is, simply put, a fucking masterpiece. Opening with haunting, warbly distortions on “ABRIR MONTE”, the innovative producer and multi-instrumentalist quickly immerses listeners in her multidimensional world of layered, dynamic synths, bilingual lyrics, layered vocals, and infectious beats. The tantalizing textures and emotional depth woven throughout ‘DÍA’ are truly spellbinding, making this an outstanding achievement from a singular artist. –CS

Bad Bunny - DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Rimas Entertainment)
In DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS (I Should Have Taken More Pictures), Bad Bunny proves that only by honoring your cultural roots can you reach the highest heights. After five studio albums and global success, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio returns to Puerto Rico to educate us about his homeland. This album is a journey through the island’s musical past and present, exploring traditional genres like plena, salsa, and bolero, combined with perreo and dembow, which have been fundamental to his career. Benito revisits his origins, both geographical and musical, alongside Puerto Rican historians and a legend of Puerto Rican cinema, Jacobo Morales, during a politically and socially turbulent time for the island following the electoral defeat of the independence party. Tracks like “NUEVAYoL,” which pays homage to El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, “El Baile Inolvidable,” and political anthems like “Lo que le pasó a Hawaii” are among the pieces where Bad Bunny denounces gentrification in Puerto Rico, the theft of beaches and land, the desire for independence, and the deep solidarity and resilience of the Puerto Rican people. This album is not just a testament to Bad Bunny’s artistic evolution but also an invitation to reflect on Puerto Rican identity and cultural resistance. –AC

Delivery - Force Majeure (Heavenly/PIAS)
The sophomore album from Melbourne quintet Delivery is a blistering set of melodic garage-punk. With ripping guitars, explosive drums, fierce vocals and undeniable hooks, they didn’t come to play with Force Majeure. Each of the twelve songs packs a serious punch, leaving an unforgettable impression. –CS

jasmine.4.t - You Are The Morning (Saddest Factory Records)
The debut album from Manchester-based trans singer-songwriter jasmine.4.t.--aka Jasmine Cruickshank– hits like a ton of bricks. Across these thirteen transfixing indie-rock tracks, she builds layers of sound and emotion, with raw lyrics, solid arrangements and stellar vocals that hit all the right marks. Walking the fine line between soft and hard, light and dark, You Are The Morning is a triumph, positioning her for one hell of a breakout year. –CS

Melissa Mary Ahern - Kerosene (FatCat)
The debut album from Brooklyn-based musician Melissa Mary Ahern is a strong set of sweeping indie pop, sophisticated alternative pop, and honest folk-pop with a couple dips into dreamy doo-wop terrain. Carried by consistently sharp songwriting, lush arrangements, diaristic lyrics, and Melissa’s honeyed vocals, Kerosene is a poignant introduction that lyrically explores her struggles with sobriety and the loss of her brother to cancer through these poetic, powerful songs. -AR

Niambi - Taboo EP (Easier Said)
The debut solo EP from OSHUN’s Niambi is an infectious fusion of hip-hop and alt-R&B that finds multidisciplinary artist reflecting on becoming a new mother, Black joy, spirituality, societal rules, and femininity. With a balanced blend of organic and synthesized sounds, her killer hooks and smooth flows are undeniable. –CS

The Weather Station - Humanhood (Fat Possum)
On her seventh studio album as The Weather Station, Tamara Lindeman takes listeners on a cinematic journey through her rich, orchestral folk-pop. Humanhood flows effortlessly from beautifully chaotic catharsis to delicate serenity, driven by a frenzied whirlwind of lush orchestration including saxophone, clarinet, flute, piano, wurlitzer, synths, banjo, fiddle, guitars, varied percussion, and more. The result is nothing short of breathtaking. –CS

Amayo - Lion Awakes (self-released)
Amayo is the shortened alias of Duke Amayo, a Nigerian-born musician who was lead singer of the acclaimed Brooklyn-based band Antibalas from 1999 through 2021. His solo debut album is a vibrant set of colorful, fierce, cross-cultural Afrobeat that doesn’t stray too far from the lively sounds of his previous band. Spread out over five lengthy songs, Lion Awakes features rich, robust, exploratory compositions and his expressive multi-lingual vocals sung in Yoruba, Edo, pidgin English, and Cantonese, the latter informed by his longtime Kung Fu practice as a Lion Dancer. -AR

Early James - Medium Raw (Easy Eye Sound)
For his third studio album, Birmingham-based Early James teamed up with producer Dan Auerbach at the “Honky Chateau”–a century old house in Nashville, TN– to capture the timeless soul that his music demands. Medium Raw delivers exactly that: a dusty, gritty collection of classic folk, blues and country tunes that highlight his gothic, theatrical vocals and compelling song structures.  –CS

Flora Hibberd - Swirl (22TWENTY)
The debut album from Paris-based British songwriter Flora Hibberd is a timeless collection of sweeping folk-pop, featuring intricate guitar work, dynamic flourishes of pedal steel, and shimmering keys. Her whimsical arrangements, rich vocals and enchanting lyricism invite listeners to Swirl through these memorable tracks again and again. –CS

Gabriel Teodros - GT REMIXES (self-released)
Seattle hip-hop artist and former KEXP DJ Gabriel Teodros has long been heralded for his lyrical gifts as a writer and rapper, but he’s been adding a new feather in his cap as a producer. He provides a stellar snapshot of his quickly blossoming talents to close out 2024 with a 25-track remix collection featuring his lush, soulful, top-shelf beats applied to some of his favorite tracks from 2024. While this DIY release is packed with standout flips, it’s also a nice trip down memory lane to Gabriel’s KEXP shows as the selections here all revolve around Gabriel’s predilection for warm, conscious, often politically-minded hip-hop, R&B, world, and soul songs. -AR

lots of hands - into a pretty room (Fire Talk)
The fourth album from this young British duo composed of Billy Woodhouse and Elliot Dryden is a fascinating blend of experimental lo-fi pop, intimate folk-pop, scrappy bedroom rock, glitchy indietronica, and evocative ambient moments that’s all carried by the duo’s delicate details, melancholic emotions, endearing melodies, and introspective charm. -AR

mary eliza - Spider (self-released)
The debut album from Portland-based musician mary eliza is a quietly potent set of punchy indie rock, raw alt-folk, and confessional alt-pop carried by a stoic perseverance stemming from her struggle with a myriad of mystery illnesses she's contended with since she was four-years-old. In between the several hours every week she has to be seen at a hospital while perpetually navigating our country’s crippling healthcare system, she’s carved out an impressive record that captures the sound of someone yearning to find comfort, humor, grace, and happiness within a fragile and confusing world. -AR

pigeon pit - Crazy Arms (Ernest Jenning Record Co.)
The fifth, self-produced album from Olympia’s folk-punk heroes pigeon pit is a captivating collection of twang-laden anarchist punk anthems. Recorded mostly live, the urgency is palpable throughout Crazy Arms as frontwoman Lomes Oleander leads the six-piece through spirited rockers and pensive ballads about “how fucked up we are, and how beautiful it is how we try anyway.” –CS

Rose Gray - Louder Please (Play It Again Sam)
On her debut album, London-based singer, songwriter and DJ Rose Gray showcases her vibrant, euphoric dance-pop. Striking a perfect balance between sleek and gritty, Louder Please pulses with intoxicating beats and elaborate synth work, while Gray’s hypnotic vocals pull listeners in with every note. –CS

Secret School - ENOUGH! (Nine Knocks)
The fourth album from this solo project of Seattle-based musician Andrew Sutherland is another blissful set of glistening electronic grooves, skittering beats, and gorgeous ambient/classical moments. In similar fashion to Fred again.., Secret School injects shifty ethereal vocals and intimate home recording snippets into the mix, giving ENOUGH! a cinematic, introspective, homespun touch. -AR

Songhoy Blues - Héritage (Transgressive/[PIAS])
The fourth album from this renowned Malian four-piece band finds them shifting their desert-blues-rock from the fierce, fiery, and electric energy of their 2020 album ‘Optimisme’ towards a more subdued, acoustic, and laidback sound. While it’s a more low-key affair than its predecessor, Héritage continues to spotlight the band’s phenomenal instrumental talents, knack for hypnotic melodies, and lyrical guitar lines. -AR

The Bures Band - Fool Circle (Love Police Records & Tapes)
The sophomore album from this Perth-based band formed around three primary songwriters is a sweet set of warm, breezy, harmonic-rich tunes heavily indebted to the cosmic folk-rock and laidback psych-pop of the late 1960s and 1970s. Aptly billed as “Western Australia’s answer to seventies-style CSNY-esque vocals and harmonies,” Fool Circle is full of luscious four-part harmonies, jangly guitars, gently rolling rhythms, soaring melodies, and expansive vistas. -AR

The Pro-Teens - MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed (College of Knowledge)
The second album from this Melbourne-based outfit led by Hudson Whitlock, the prolific drummer and percussionist of Karate Boogaloo and Surprise Chef, finds them paying homage to the late, great MF Doom with groovy, funky, crispy instrumental interpretations of 14 tracks from his iconic cult catalog.  -AR

Yola - My Way EP (S-Curve)
Yola’s new EP is a triumphant declaration of freedom. Leaning into 80s tinged pop with an R&B sensibility and bold production, My Way finds the NY-based British singer-songwriter exploring and expanding upon her sound on her own terms, now with full control of her creative process. –CS