Every Friday we get a wide array of gifts in the form of albums, and we hope you’re remembering to claim yours every week. Today’s New Music Friday spans reggaeton, post-hardcore, shoegaze, psych-rock, rap and more. Some of the most notable releases include Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams’ new solo album Petals for Armor, Shiner’s first album in nearly two decades and Cafe Racer’s impeccable art rock LP Shadow Talk. Scroll down for 10 essential new albums out today (May 8).
1. Buscabulla: Regresa
Regresa, the title of Buscabulla’s anticipated debut, references duo Raquel and Luis Alfredo’s 2018 return to their native Puerto Rico after living in New York. Together, they make organic electronica with reggaeton inflections that is equal parts tense and starkly immediate. Through the drumline beat of “Vámono” and the tribal shimmer of “NTE,” Buscabulla ruminate on coming back to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria, amidst growing income inequality and steadfast Boriqua traditions that persevere. Nothing sounds like this right now and it’s informed by a unique journey and distinct musical reconnaissance that begs for your ears. Watch the trailer for the album’s accompanying mini-doc for a preview into their fascinating world. —Adrian Spinelli
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2. Cafe Racer: Shadow Talk
Chicago experimental five-piece Cafe Racer have released their new album Shadow Talk, the follow-up to 2018’s Famous Dust. Earlier this week, Paste premiered the video for their new single “Faces,” which you can watch below. “Faces” is led by immensely blustery vocal distortion and anchored with a steady, blissfully lulling beat. Then come the frenzied guitar whooshes, cutting through the monochromatic, meditative grooves and injecting radiant chaos. It’s both a graceful, psychedelic retreat and a hyperaware paradox of art rock sounds. —Lizzie Manno
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3. Choir Boy: Gathering Swans
Gathering Swans is Choir Boy’s sophomore album, following 2016’s Passive with Desire, where we were introduced to singer Adam Klopp’s alarmingly sincere vocals, which are legitimately difficult to describe without the overused adage “voice of an angel.” Klopp impressed on the debut, but on Gathering Swans he is absolutely hypnotizing. Tracks like opener “It’s Over” and single “Nites Like This” prove his worth as one of the best vocalists working. His voice is on full display, keeping the record afloat through even the most experimental tracks. Musically, this record is full of surprises. Chaz Costello’s bass work alone is worth applause, especially on “Eat The Frog,” where it provides enough underlying groove to offset a few classic pop flourishes that could have easily been written off as cheesy rather than charming. —Annie Black
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4. Deau Eyes: Let It Leave
Let It Leave introduces us to Richmond, Va., native Ali Thibodeau, known behind the microphone as Deau Eyes. She left high school before graduating and has since held an impressively varied array of jobs, some of the most colorful including a Harry Potter World witch and a twinkle-toed elf. Hers has been a life of music and relative transience, brimming with fodder for songs. The album, which was actually recorded at Trace Horse Studios in Nashville, Tenn., back in January 2018, lyrically serves as a fitting glimpse into Thibodeau’s life. On the opening track “Some Do,” she asserts that the typical nine-to-five life is not for her, singing, “And I don’t belong in an hourglass room / with timers and deadlines and shrinking balloons.” We get a sense of her empathy for the underdog on “Paper Stickers,” a raucous, previously released single from the perspective of her eight-year-old niece. Her resilience is showcased on “Autonomy,” in which she extricates herself from a relationship in order to find renewed power within. —Clare Martin
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5. Hayley Williams: Petals for Armor
Hayley Williams is an alternative American sweetheart, capturing the hearts of millions with her band Paramore. Her crossover appeal has made her a favorite among angsty teens and vaguely familiar amongst even the most culturally unaware. Williams’ striking voice and lyricism set them apart from their emo counterparts as they found the sweet spot between counterculture and pop stardom. Over the past decade, Williams has slowly forayed into a solo career with the occasional guest vocal spot, ultimately culminating with Petals for Armor, her solo debut. After her decade-long relationship and highly publicized divorce with New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert, the now 31-year old Williams took to her solo work as a way to open up about her struggles with mental health and romance. While Williams used Paramore’s later efforts as an opportunity to express herself without the constraints of sticking to their original pop punk roots, Petals for Armor feels like a true liberation done not out of frustration, but out of realization. —Jade Gomez
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6. I Break Horses: Warnings
Swedish indie dream-pop group I Break Horses have shared their first album in six years, Warnings. The band’s last endeavor was 2014’s Chiaroscuro, their sophomore album after their 2011 debut Hearts. Both albums were regarded as successful melds of shoegaze-y layered sounds and the soft, ethereal vocals of dream-pop. The band doesn’t stray far from this aesthetic on Warnings, but there is also an aura of despair and uncertainty that is unique to the project. “It’s not a political album,” says singer/songwriter Maria Lindén in a statement. “Though it relates to the alarmist times we live in. Each song is a subtle warning of something not being quite right.” —Natalia Keogan
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7. Little Simz: Drop 6
North London rapper Little Simz has shared her first new music since her Mercury Prize-nominated 2019 album GREY Area, which Paste named as one of the 10 best hip-hop albums of that year. This week, Little Simz shared an EP of new material written and recorded while in quarantine. The five-track EP opens with a bang. “You ain’t seen no one like me since Lauryn Hill back in the ‘90s, bitch,” Simz raps over a sly bass line on “might bang, might not,” and the venom doesn’t stop there: “I’m fuckboy resistant / Looking like a bulletproof vest.” Then comes “one life, might live” with its echoing, old school hip-hop percussion. The EP concludes with the sax-laden closer “where’s my lighter,” which features breathy vocals from Alewya and shows off Simz’ tender side: “Never sorry that I won but I’m sorry that you lost.” —Lizzie Manno
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8. Melenas: Dias Raros
Pamplona, Spain four-piece Melenas have shared their forthcoming album Dias Raros, out digitally today and physically on June 5 (the physical release was delayed due to COVID-19). It’s their first album released outside of Spain thanks to Chicago label Trouble in Mind. One highlight is “Primer tiempo,” which follows previous singles “3 segundos” and “No puedo pensar,” and it comes with a self-directed and self-shot video of the band in quarantine. “Primer tiempo” is a charming blend of krautrock instrumentals and indie-pop harmonies. Their droning keyboards glisten and contort, resulting in a visceral hypnotic rush. Their accompanying video is similarly trippy: there’s balloons, moonwalking, mirrors, bubbles, monkeys and kaleidoscopic camera effects. —Lizzie Manno
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9. Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin: They Call Me Disco
Following 2017’s Negrow Disco and 2018’s BANBA, Chicago funk/disco rapper Ric Wilson has shared a collaborative EP with jazz musician and hip-hop producer Terrace Martin (Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg). The pair began work on the EP last year, which continued into 2020. The EP also features appearances from Corbin Dallas, BJ The Chicago Kid, Malaya and Kiela Adira. They Call Me Disco is smooth, fun-loving and charismatic, blending retro funk-pop, playful hip-hop, exuberant disco and even psych-tinged R&B. “The disco-inspired funk never stops,” says Wilson. “Me and Terrace wanted to make something people can move to and free themselves.” Martin adds, “This record is a beautiful reminder the disco never stops. Keep smiling, keep dancing, and keep loving.” —Lizzie Manno
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10. Shiner: Schadenfreude
Kansas City post-hardcore band have released their first album in nearly 20 years, Schadenfreude. It’s their first new music since 2001’s The Egg. Having reformed in 2012 to bigger crowds than they’ve ever had, they decided the prospect of making new music was enticing, so they made some phone calls in 2018 and the rest is history. Schadenfreude is melodic, moody and dissonant, and their driving rhythms indicate the kind of hardiness and determination you’d want from a comeback record. Guitarist Josh Newton says of the new record, “a lot of themes on the album are pretty dark but always with a silver lining around the edges. The title itself is a commentary on the most common human trait of enjoying your rivals’ demise. Or your apparent enemies.” —Lizzie Manno
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