New Music Reviews (8/18)

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 Alison Goldfrapp, Cass McCombs, Murs, and more. 

Alison Goldfrapp - Flux (A.G. Records)
On her second solo album, Alison Goldfrapp delivers what she does best: infectious, emotive, prismatic pop perfection. Her unmistakable ethereal vocals take center stage, while sparkling synths tinged with murky undertones propel Flux through explorations of creative expression, the duality of light and dark, and the power of letting go. –CS

Cass McCombs - Interior Live Oak (Domino)
The humbly ambitious eleventh studio album from Bay Area native Cass McCombs is a breathtaking collection of folk-tinged indie rock. With his signature vocals and impeccable storytelling at the helm, he weaves a dynamic sonic tapestry with classic singer-songwriter ballads, groove-laden jam sessions, and blistering rockers. Interior Live Oak is a fluid, living, breathing double album that leans into collaboration with old friends like Matt Sweeney and Chris Cohen, and showcases a master at work more than two decades into his storied career. –CS

Murs - Love & Rockets 3:16 (The Emancipation) (Mello Music Group)
For the final chapter of his Love & Rockets trilogy and his last release before retiring from the rap game (“I love the culture, not the game”), legendary emcee Murs delivers his signature pointed lyricism over dynamic instrumentation and magnetic beats, with exceptional production from Jesse Shatkin. After more than two decades as “L.A.’s Best Rapper,” he caps off his career with a remarkable parting gift: a mesmerizing, socially conscious statement from the belly of the beast, marking his transition from music man to family man. –CS

Shaki Tavi - Minor Slip (Felte)
The second album from this project spearheaded by Oklahoma-born, LA-based DIY lifer Leon Manson is a strong set of heavy, fuzzy, soaring rock. Billed on Bandcamp as “the loudest band in Los Angeles,” Shaki Tavi weaves together immersive, enveloping waves of feedback and distortion with Leon’s baritone delivery and gauzy earworm melodies to create deceptively catchy alternative anthems. Early breakbeat-led single “Breaker” is a major highlight on Minor Slip and one of the standout rock songs of the year (imo).  –AR

The Youth Play - someday, forever EP (self-released)
The new EP from London outfit The Youth Play is a tight, riveting set of moody, melodic post-punk. Led by guitarist and vocalist Diego Bracho, the quartet expertly crafts densely layered soundscapes that blend elements of shoegaze, psych, punk, and Britpop, as they explore themes of the immigrant experience, self-discovery, resilience, and injustice. someday, forever feels like a proper introduction to The Youth Play, marking them as one to watch.  –CS

Anamanaguchi - Anyway (Polyvinyl)
The third album from this veteran American band finds them largely ditching their beloved chiptune roots – they’re well-known for creating the official soundtrack to the awesome 2010 film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – in favor of a maximalist indie rock sound blended with widescreen power-pop and expressive pop-punk that’s all frequently infused with their trademark glitchy electronic production touches. Written while the band stayed at the American Football house (which graces the album cover, and was saved from destruction in 2023 by Polyvinyl Records and American Football) in Urbana, Illinois, and produced by former Mercury Rev member Dave Fridmann who’s handled masterpieces by The Flaming Lips, Sleater-Kinney, Sparklehorse, Low, MGMT, and countless others, Anyway is an epic, dense, busy, ambitious, and super fun blast of impassioned rock with a soaring, sweaty, nostalgic streak that serves as arguably the band’s strongest album to date. –AR

Case Oats - Last Missouri Exit (Merge Records)
The debut album from Chicago-based outfit Case Oats is a strong and confident first outing. Steeped in a healthy dose of fiddle, pedal steel, and organ, Last Missouri Exit is a compelling showcase of their raw, hook-laden alt-country sound and evocative lyricism, led by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Case Gomez Walker.  –CS

Evidence - Unlearning, Vol. 2 (Rhymesayers)
The fifth solo album from veteran LA-based rapper, producer and Dilated Peoples member Evidence (aka Michael Perretta) is another sturdy set of moody, introspective, no-frills hip-hop. Evidence largely delegates production duties to kindred producers – The Alchemist and Conductor Williams included – who properly serve up loop-heavy boom-bap beats for Evidence to share his wisened lyrical perspective. –AR

For Those I Love - Carving the Stone (September Recordings)
The second album from this alias of Irish producer, visual artist and songwriter David Balfe is a captivating collection of poetic, powerful, and intense songs that pairs his gripping spoken-word delivery and seething lyrics that directly addresses how Irish capitalism ravages working-class communities with thrilling, dynamic productions that fuse big-room electronics through a gritty rock prism. As with his critically-acclaimed eponymous debut album that served a eulogy for his best friend who committed suicide, Carving the Stone is another passionate, engrossing, soul-baring statement that defies simple categorization. –AR

Land of Echo - Almost Music (Wah Wah 45s)
The debut album from this new project of veteran UK DJ/producer Rob Mac is a sweet set of soulful dancefloor grooves that dip through disco, house, broken beat, downtempo, and more, and gets some wonderful vocal assists along the way, including four standout contributions from the immaculate Kathy Diamond. –AR

Mae Powell - Making Room for the Light (Karma Chief Records)
The sophomore album from Bay Area singer-songwriter Mae Powell is an endearing collection of folk and jazz inflected pop magic. Her captivating vocals and dynamic arrangements guide listeners through bittersweet storytelling, resulting in a rich and vibrant listen. –CS

Marissa Nadler - New Radiations (Sacred Bones)
Marissa Nadler’s haunting vocals cut straight to the bone. Her tenth studio album, New Radiations, is an emotive set of dark Americana that still radiates warmth, thanks to the rich, vivid textures achieved by her breathy voice, captivating guitar picking, and atmospheric keys. With raw, intimate lyricism and song structures that balance minimalism and ornamentation, this is another crowning achievement in her sensational catalogue. –CS

Oh, Rose - For Art EP (Antiquated Future)
This Olympia/Portland band led by Olivia Rose follows up their excellent 2024 album Dorothy with another strong EP that confidently showcases their smart, scintillating sound that blends art-rock, dream-pop, and indie-folk. There’s a more grounded and mature tone that runs throughout For Art than its predecessor as the EP explores themes of long-term commitment, intimacy, and partnership, both in romantic and platonic relationships, as well as to artistic practice itself.” –AR

Pool Kids - Easier Said Than Done (Epitaph)
On their third studio album, Tallahassee-based Pool Kids return to Seattle to rekindle the magic they found with producer Mike Vernon Davis on their sophomore release. Easier Said Than Done boasts intricate arrangements with mathy guitars, expressive vocals, propulsive drumming, and sweet hooks, gripping listeners with each high-octane track. –CS

SE SO NEON - <now></now> (AWAL)
SE SO NEON is a South Korean band that quickly catapulted to critical acclaim in their home country with their Korean Music Award-winning debut EP Summer Plumage in 2017. Now the solo project of founding member Soyoon Hwang, their debut full-length album is an impressive showcase of their expansive and versatile pop/rock sound that’s capable of churning out sleek pure-pop jams (“Remember!”), pummeling shoegaze (“NOW”), and searing psych-tinted grooves (“3 Revolution”), while also tapping into plenty of other tangential styles within those margins. –AR

she’s green - Chrysalis EP (Photo Finish)
The second EP from this rising Minneapolis-based band fronted by vocalist Zofia Smith is a strong set of dreamy shoegaze that nails the genre’s crucial, dynamic heavy/light balance with Zofia’s ethereal vocals and airy melodies nestled beautifully within the band’s lush, fuzzy, shimmering backdrops. –AR

Small Shake - Platonics EP (self-released)
Born from a sincere sense of “awe and wonder,” Aarin Wright’s Small Shake project takes shape with her debut EP. Now based in LA, the Washington native has nurtured her songwriting project for years, and the time and care she has devoted to it are evident. Featuring Wright’s endearing vocals, an alluring delivery that shifts from languid to emphatic, and lush guitar-driven arrangements, the aptly titled Platonics explores the nuanced experience of losing a friendship, and the unique heartbreak that follows.  –CS