New Music Roundup with Mitchell (September)

Welcome back to the latest edition of MIC Talks Music. It's Mitchell, back again with the new and improved New Music Roundup. For those who are new, these segments used to be weekly showcases of new music that had released throughout the past seven days. I found that while this was a great way to introduce you all to some new music, it gave me little room to make a variety of different posts for you all. Additionally, in order to have a full blog post for the week, I found myself picking albums and singles that I wasn't crazy about just so I could provide a reasonable amount of content. With monthly segments, I have the time and resources needed to ensure that all of the releases I will be talking about are quality pieces of music. That said, let's check out some new music!

Albums and EPs

Ari Lennox - age/sex/location

Signed to J. Cole's Dreamville Records, Ari Lennox is one of multiple artists from the label to drop an album this summer. Following the lyrically impressive and conscious, The Forever Story by JID, Ari had a lot to live up to with her upcoming release. Luckily, she pulls through with a sensual, empowering record featuring great instrumentals and some explicit, yet fitting lyricism. This definitely isn't an album you'll listen to in the car with your grandpa, but it is a powerful commentary on the sexual needs of women, something that their male counterparts get away with talking about much more often. Ari's voice is great and features from Summer Walker and Chloe Bailey work very well off of her style.

Favorite Tracks: Waste My Time, Pressure, Stop By, Outside, Leak It

Alex G - God Save The Animals

The cult-following of Alex G rejoiced over the summer as he began to release singles, most of which I covered on this blog, to great acclaim. The difference of a track like Blessing to a track like Runner gave me a lot of hope that this upcoming project would be one of many experiments. To my delight, I got exactly what I had wished. This album has it all from vocal effects to genre shifts. Alex gives commentary on self-reflection, prayer, forgiveness, and spreading peace on this newest release. While I'm a sucker for melancholic lyrics that rip your heart out, I must admit that the hopeful sense of positivity this album makes me feel is something special. MUST LISTEN

Favorite Tracks: After All, Runner, Mission, No Bitterness, Cross The Sea, Blessing, Early Morning Waiting, Immunity, Miracles, Forgive

Pink Siifu, Real Bad Man - Real Bad Flights

Real Bad Man continues to establish itself as my producers of the year with this new album with Pink Siifu. I'd even go ahead to argue that the beats on this latest album are an improvement from those on Killing Nothing, the album with Boldy James that I covered earlier this year. Siifu's signature delivery is enhanced by the new environment of instrumentals that he's emersed himself in. Features on this album include Boldy James, Armand Hammer, Amani, Kari Faux, and many more. Most of these features are well-implemented on the tracks in a way where you forget that there's a feature in the first place.

Favorite Tracks: Looking For Water, Tokyo Blunts, Afro Russian, Off the Plane, Pour the Wine, Real Bad Gospel

Djo - DECIDE

Color me surprised. Stranger Things star, Joe Keery, has never really impressed me with his music for the most part. However, one thing that I couldn't deny was that this guy had potential. He knew what he was doing, he just needed the stars to align. With DECIDE, I believe that Djo is improving at a great rate. Adopting the neo-80s synth styles of his contemporaries such as The Weeknd, Djo finds himself having so much more fun with this new record. While I think that the album starts a little slow, it's quite solid once you get to songs like Fool and I Want Your Video. 

Favorite Tracks: Fool, On and On, End of Beginning, I Want Your Video, Change, Figure You Out

Built To Spill - When The Wind Forgets Your Name

If you have followed the blog for some time, you will know that this was one of my most anticipated albums of the year. These indie rock pioneers hit us with three great singles over the summer, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was delighted to hear that the rest of the album takes an interesting spin on the sound of the singles. While the riffs are a bit wacky, the album manages to take itself seriously, setting a bittersweet tone, something that I feel that Built To Spill is great at doing. Songs like Rocksteady, Spiderweb, and Comes A Day are some of the best of the year. MUST LISTEN

Favorite Tracks: Gonna Lose, Fool's Gold, Understood, Rocksteady, Spiderweb, Never Alright, Comes A Day

Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B

Jockstrap's 2020 EP, Wicked City, caught my eye over the summer once I found out it was a side project of Black Country, New Road. Followers of the blog should know that I am a big BC,NR fan. With that being said, Wicked City was entirely different in style from anything Black Country, New Road has ever done. I Love You Jennifer B is Jockstrap's debut album and an evolution of the sounds featured on that 2020 EP. Georgia Ellery is a brilliant vocalist on this album. Songs often feature sensual lyrics over instrumentals that hit dozens of different genres whether it's synth pop, folk, dubstep, or dance.

Favorite Tracks: Jennifer B, Greatest Hits, What's It All About, Concrete Over Water, Glasgow

Kenny Beats - LOUIE

Kenny Beats has my respect as a jack of all trades in the rap industry, carefully switching up styles to fit the needs of whoever he may be producing for. However, this skill made it hard for Kenny to create his own signature sound. Luckily, LOUIE not only solves this problem, but highlights some of Kenny's best qualities as a producer. Sprinkled throughout this beat tape are hidden features from artists such as JPEGMAFIA, Slowthai, Vince Staples, Remi Wolf, Dijon, and many more. Various styles of hip hop production are taken on in this project meaning that there's a little something for everyone here.

Favorite Tracks: Parenthesis, Hold My Head, Hooper, Still, Get Around, Eternal, Last Words, The Perch, Really Really

Mura Masa - demon time

This electro pop project from Mura Masa does a great job of not overstaying its welcome. While  I've been a fan of the dance and electronic albums that have dropped this year, many of them suffer from unnecessary length. On demon time, there isn't much of a problem with this. The songs on this record are packed with energetic beats, fun features, colorful synth work, and elements of hyperpop. As a disclaimer, this album took some time to grow on me so don't give up on this one.

Favorite Tracks: bbycakes, slomo, 2gether, prada (i like it), e-motions, blush

Harvey Gold - The Gold Vein

I stumbled across Harvey's music after finding out that a lot of my friends on Twitter love this guy. I was on the fence about putting two beat tapes on the blog this month, but I simply couldn't resist giving a feature to the lush, charismatic instrumentals on this album. The sample work on this record is so tastefully done and the features here give a wonderful showcase of some of the best that the underground has to offer right now. The highlights on this album have to be the 11-minute posse cut, Gold, which has almost a dozen feature verses, and the 15-minute outro track, funny dog, which gives off a similar vibe to a rock band having a jam session, except it's one producer and his beats. Don't miss this one. MUST LISTEN

Favorite Tracks: Hear Me When I Say, POV, Elmer Fudd, Ramshackle, New Soul Beat, Starvey Mold, Nooo!, Gold, Paid in Nun, funny dog

Blood Orange - Four Songs (EP)

The soothing vocals of Dev Hynes return on this almost-psychedelic new EP from Blood Orange. Hypnotic guitars with wet reverb and thick basslines make frequent appearances on the project's 11-minute runtime. I'd like to give a shoutout to Erika de Casier and Eva Tolkin who both provide gorgeous vocal features on the outro track, Relax and Run. All around, this EP consists of everything I like about this band. I honestly couldn't ask for more from such a short project. MUST LISTEN

Favorite Tracks: All of them, especially Relax and Run

Tracks

Frank Sanzo - milk and cereal

To start off the track showcase, we have one of MIC's very own. Frank Sanzo is a singer-songwriter who decided to branch out a little bit for his new track, milk and cereal. On this track, Frank takes a heavier approach to his instrumentals while keeping his usual songwriting style with references to childhood, nostalgia, and more. This track is so fun in every sense of the word. The short phone-call skit at the beginning of the track is goofy and the guitar solo is engaging too. I'm not much of a pop punk fan, but this track checks all the boxes for me. MUST LISTEN

Pierce The Veil - Pass The Nirvana

With this new track from the recently made three-man group, Pierce The Veil tackles a new sound that I really have no problem getting on board with. While their style of post-hardcore has never been something I've been a huge fan of, the way they've managed to make this sound their own is impeccable. The lyrics are dark, Vic hasn't sound this good in ages, and the tones are heavy and menacing throughout. Really excited to see what comes next. MUST LISTEN

The 1975 - All I Need To Hear

Wow, three must listen tracks in a row must be a record. But what can I say, this is already one of my favorite 1975 songs and it's hardly even been out. A mournful Matty Healy sings beautifully about how badly he needs to be loved, accepting even an empty "I love you," just to feel any sort of assurance. This somber lyrical content is accompanied with luxurious jazz longue-esque instrumentals. Just a blissful tune, not much more to say. MUST LISTEN

Deefhoof - My Lovely Cat!

Deehoof is one of those bands that just radiate positivity and this song is no exception. The guitar riff is reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's Houses of The Holy which I like very much. Whether this was intentional or not, this kind of riff over a goofy track about owning a cat. The band worked with producer, Mike Bridavsky on the track. Little did the band know that aside from being a producer, he was the owner of the late internet sensation, Lil Bub. The coincidence alone was wholesome enough to get this song a feature on the blog. Luckily enough, the song is great too.

Show Me The Body - We Came To Play

My favorite band in the modern punk scene is back with another hard-hitting single that just defines everything I like about the band. This track is one of the heaviest that the band has had yet. I love the concept of the track. The idea that if you aren't willing to stand up in the face of oppression, you'll get trampled. It's a brutal slap of reality in the face. I can't wait for the next Show Me The Body LP. MUST LISTEN

G Herbo - Blues (featuring Future)

This is one of the best produced trap singles of the year right here folks. The way Herbo and Future slide on this beat is so smooth that it sounds easy. My favorite part of this song has to be G Herbo's delivery. The Chicago-style vocal performance is so broad and robust here. It's a little less than two and a half minutes, but I think I speak for most who have heard this song when I say that less is more for a track like this.

Autopsy - Knife Slice, Axe Chop

I've never heard of this death metal band up until literally the day before typing this. Scrolling through new music forums has put me on some great metal tracks like this track from Autopsy. Knife Slice, Axe Chop is one of those brain-melter kinds of tracks where the guitars are spiraling, the drums are pounding, and the vocal performance is a hair-pulling freak-out. While these may not sound like compliments, I can assure you that they are. Looking back at this band, they've been around since the 80s. I'll definitely be checking out everything I've missed from these guys.

Freddie Gibbs - Dark Hearted

On arguably his most vulnerable track, Freddie tells the tales of his life before the fame and the countless downsides that came with it. Hearing braggadocious Freddie is always a treat, but it happens so often that tracks like Dark Hearted stand out tremendously. The way Freddie sings on this song makes your heart hurt for him. Because on one hand, you know how hard the lifestyle he had must have been, but on the other, you know he's had to do some bad things that he's not proud of.

Alvvays - Belinda Says

I was starting to get worried with these new Alvvays singles. While they're all passable, I was beginning to think that they were abandoning that original charm from their earlier releases. Luckily, Belinda Says is such a wonderful change of pace from the other singles, taking on some shoegaze influences with the production style. The key change on this one is splendid.

Weyes Blood - It's Not Just Me, It's Everybody

For those who aren't familiar with Weyes Blood, I highly recommend that this song is a great place to start before diving into her album, Titanic Rising. I say this, because this song captures every positive element of Weyes Blood's music. We're talking the brilliantly composed instrumentals, angelic, rich vocals, the atmosphere, all of it. I can't wait to hear this new album and I'll be sure to listen to Titanic Rising before this new one drops. MUST LISTEN

Weezer - Can't Dance, Don't Ask Me

I was going to include the entirety of Weezer's SZNZ: Autumn EP, but decided against it at the last minute. While I found it to be a solid addition to the SZNZ series, especially after the last two were not good, the inclusion of the tracks from the previous SZNZ EPs was a huge turn off for me. Because of this, I wanted to highlight Can't Dance, Don't Ask Me. This is easily one of the best songs Weezer has dropped this decade. There's just so much fun to be had with this song. It is definitive pop rock with some interesting uses of synths and the catchiest melodies I've heard in a long time. MUST LISTEN

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed reading this week's blog. Have you heard any of these tracks or albums yet? As always, I will have a link to a playlist featuring all the music I've discussed today. Feel free to give that a listen and choose what you want to check out. Be sure to let me know if you enjoyed this week's blog and if you have any suggestions for future blog posts. You can do that in the comments below or at any of my socials. Well, I think that's it for this one. See you next time!

- Mitchell

Playlist Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ewQrPrKgoCy1TkhHL1hLN?si=8a754e333b4c497e

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