Best New Releases, July 19: Denzel Curry, Los Campesinos!, and more
We’re in the depths of summer, which is typically a busy time for touring and festivals, but not necessarily new releases (though recent weeks have contradicted that somewhat). This week finds the schedule cooling down temporarily, but there’s still some gems to be found among the list of albums hitting shelves, including the latest from one of the best artists in hip-hop right now, the return of a few longtime indie rock favorites, and more.
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Denzel Curry – King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2
Early on in his career, Denzel Curry released a mixtape titled King of the Mischievous South, which featured beats steeped in a dark Memphis rap menace and a young Denzel showcasing his raw skills. He’s released a lot more music since then, much of it fantastic, but he revisits the roots of his early mixtape on its follow-up (of sorts), which arrives 12 years after that early release. Featuring appearances from the likes of Maxo Kream, A$AP Ferg, Project Pat, Juicy J, and Ty Dolla$ign, while temporarily pushing aside the introspection of 2022’s Melt My Eyez See Your Future in favor of something darker yet just as immersive and psychedelic. We’ll have more on this one soon.
Listen/Buy: Bandcamp | Turntable Lab (vinyl)
Los Campesinos! – All Hell
Cardiff, Wales indie heroes Los Campesinos! released a series of great rock records in the ’00s and ’10s with songs that covered the spread from buoyant, energetic anthems to witty reflections on love and young adulthood. Their first new album in seven years, All Hell, is one of their strongest to date, a more slow-burning and nuanced set of songs that builds on their already strong track record with added dimension and characteristic introspection. We’ll have more on this one soon.
Listen/Buy: Bandcamp | Amazon (vinyl)
Oneida – Expensive Air
Oneida have built up an ample catalog of psychedelic excursions, krautrock pulses and noise rock bashing, all of which are present on the group’s latest, Expensive Air. From the propulsive rhythms of opening track “Reason to Hide,” the group makes a return to the fuzzed-out sprawl of earlier records after fully embracing a more melodic rock ‘n’ roll approach with 2022’s Success. Yet it feels connected to that album’s energetic rush of guitar-driven anthems as well, albeit with an even more intense driving force on standouts like “La Plage.” We’ll have more on this one soon.
Listen/Buy: Bandcamp | Rough Trade (vinyl)
Beachwood Sparks – Across the River of Stars
Southern California janglers Beachwood Sparks are back with their first new album in over a decade, tapping into the country-laden Byrds-esque guitar chime of their cult-classic series of records from the late ’90s and early ’00s once again on Across the River of Stars. The group recaptures that vintage twang and rootsy melodicism, with a dreamy, cosmic undercurrent that keeps their Gram Parsons influence intact as they find new ground to unearth in their gorgeous, signature psych-pop and Americana sound. We’ll have more to say on this one soon.
Listen/Buy: Bandcamp | Rough Trade (vinyl)
Zelienople – Everything is Happening
Prolific, long-running Chicago slowcore group Zelienople returns with their seventeenth album, Everything is Happening, a gorgeously abstract blend of oblique drones and shimmering layers. The group’s latest is reminiscent of the early, most experimental days of post-rock in the UK, echoing the free-flowing dirges of groups like Talk Talk and Bark Psychosis, with hypnotic rhythms, melancholy traces of saxophone and nocturnal twinkles throughout. A masterfully exploratory release.
Listen/Buy: Bandcamp
