Amoeba Music

A surreal dive into the underbelly of urban life, new VR SEX album Hard Copy is a substance-induced synth punk Odyssey through the darkest corners of Los Angeles. Since their first project in 2019, Horseplay , VR SEX has carved out a truly distinctive sound. It's punk; it's psychedelic; it's electronic; it's atmospheric; it's dystopian. This type of Orwellian punk is the perfect backing for the strange, off-kilter, bleak city stories told throughout the tracklist. More

Apparently, the moon has gotten a whole lot funkier since mankind's last visit! New York psych-funk group Ghost Funk Orchestra's fourth album, A Trip To The Moon , takes you on an immersive, psychedelic mission to Earth's closest companion. Foot-tapping percussion rhythms, vibrant horns, and fluid vocals are accompanied by archived NASA sound bites that assist in launching listeners into the space-bound theme of the project. Energetic and exciting from top to bottom, this album is an ideal summer afternoon spin. More

Much like the pink clouds gracing the cover, Keyon Harrold's Foreverland takes you on a tranquil, dreamy, atmospheric journey. The renowned trumpeter's third solo album sets forth a diverse musical palate, pulling from genres such as Afrobeat, hip hop, R&B, and post-bop. Themes of sorrow and heartache take shape within the tracklist, but Harrold also invites listeners to look-forward as seen on standout track "Beautiful Day" featuring PJ Morton. Rich and multi-layered, this project is a gorgeous auditory experience. More

Blues rock dynamo Katie Henry solidifies herself as a standout voice on her third solo album Get Goin '. The New Jersey native showcases her compelling songwriting and versatile vocal performances from start to finish. From the fiery, rebellious, hard hittin' lyrics on opener, "Love Like Kerosene" to the heartfelt, raw, and nuanced songwriting on ballad "A Doll's Heart," Henry effortlessly weaves together a range of emotions throughout the tracklist. Get Goin' is a breath of fresh air for blues rock. More

An album primed for urban wandering, structure and improvisation meld on Mary Halvorison's Cloudward . While her sextet evokes the liveliness and curiosity experienced on a bustling city street, it's her compositional texture that stands out in the crowd. Halvorson's idiosyncratic rhythmic style and compositional skills are on full display on this album. Brimming with breathtaking spontaneity, warm passages, and unique rhythms, this contemporary jazz album constructs a scene in motion. More

Twenty-three-year-old Brit Gareth Donkin makes a remarkable debut on Welcome Home . This smooth, soulful album would've absolutely ruled the airwaves in 1982; Donkin's voice and sound feels like he's the spiritual progeny of the inimitable Michael Jackson, with a little bit of Jamiroquai and Bill Evans thrown into the mix. The tracks are romantic, easygoing, and funky, with elements of jazz, hip-hop, and yacht rock thrown into the groove. This is the type of album that sets the tone, and if the one you're looking for is effortlessly cool, Welcome Home deserves a spin. More

It's about to get steamy. The legendary Canned Heat deliver a sweaty, sultry blues rocker of an album with Finyl Vinyl . The band sounds tight as hell on these tracks, with the inimitable drummer/band leader Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra at the helm, Dale Spalding on harmonica/guitar/lead vocals, Rick Reed on bass (Paul Butterfield, John Mayall, Chicago Blues Reunion), and newest member Jimmy Vivino on lead guitar/vocals ( Late Night with Conan O'Brien , Al Kooper, Charlie Musselwhite, Michael McDonald). When these guys get together, it's musical magic. Finyl Vinyl is a must-hear. More

The Old 97's want you to believe in the power of rock 'n' roll once more. Their latest, American Primitive , is a gloriously rough and rowdy, upbeat and invigorating collection of country-tinged rockers. "I believe you when you say that there's magic in the air," Rhett Miller sings on "Magic," which might as well be the manifesto for the album. The life-changing, mood-altering magic of music is present in every strand of these songs. Listening to American Primitive is no passive experience: your toe-tappin' feet won't let you rest, whether you're compelled to simply bop around the room or to get outside and start a band. More

Only God Was Above Us is the poignant, urgent new album from Vampire Weekend. With a name taken from a 1988 news article about a terrifying in-air airplane incident, it's perhaps no surprise that the songs seem to share that same sense of faith in the midst of catastrophe. "Capricorn" careens between grinding electronic noise, sweeping strings, and intimate indie guitar. "Gen-X Cops" starts off with the intensity of a high-speed car chase before shimmering, slightly melancholic harmonies kick in. Only God Was Above Us is some of Vampire Weekend's best work; fans will dig this expansion in the band's sound. More

The Black Keys continue their sonic evolution with Ohio Players . It's one of the band's lushest, liveliest albums, with soul and gospel-tinged blues rockers in abundance. "Beautiful People (Stay High)" is an ultra-hooky, bigger-than-life anthem with Britpop and bar blues influences. "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" is a Motown-meets-the-blues ballad rich in swelling strings and romantic regret. Guest appearances from Beck, Juicy J, Lil Noid, Dan the Automator, and Noel Gallagher add to the fun. More

Southern California's own Thee Sinseers bring East LA old school soul into the 21st century on Sinseerly Yours . Bandleader Joey Quinones is up front on keys and vocals, and his heavenly croon will make you sway. There are slow, smoky ballads sung from the heart – on "Can't Call Me Baby" vocalist Adriana Flores shines, and there are songs to make you shake your hips. Throw on "Talking Back" and you'll be on your feet in a beat. More

Pennsylvania hardcore heroes Pissed Jeans mark their return with their fifth album on Sub Pop, Half Divorced . It's been seven years since 2017's Why Love Now , and the break has done the band good. Woven throughout the album is their raw punkiness mixed with a heavy, sludgy, Melvins-ness that bludgeons you over the head rather than screams it in your face. "Everywhere Is Bad" has the tongue-in-cheek humor and call-and-response stylings of Black Flag's "TV Party" while lamenting that there's nowhere good left to live on this earth. This one doesn't miss – get Pissed! More

Just in time for the warm weather days, San Francisco hip-hop star Larry June is back with his fifth album collaborating with Dallas producer extraordinaire Cardo, The Night Shift . Heavy doses of g-funk, yacht rock, and jazzy grooves provide the backdrop for these two to work their magic, and with features from 2 Chainz, ScHoolboy Q, Too $hort and more, The Night Shift will be on repeat in the coming days. More

Themes of life, love, faith are explored on Weird Faith , the latest album from Madi Diaz. Coming off of a stint as a touring guitarist with Harry Styles, Diaz's unique style of introspective indie folk with a pop sheen uses minimal bells and whistles, her voice being the star of the show. The album also features "Don't Do Me Good," a duet with country star Kacey Musgraves. More

Fashionably Late , the sophomore release from metalcore/pop fusion outfit Falling In Reverse is turning 10 years old, and to commemorate the occasion, Epitaph has released the album on vinyl for the first time ever! Featuring songs like "Alone" and the title track, "Fashionably Late," the album has been pressed on stunning pink vinyl and is a must-have for Falling fans. More

Electronic trio Emeralds reintroduces their 2010 electronic masterpiece Does It Look Like I'm Here? to the masses. This can't-miss release has been deftly remastered by engineer Heba Kadry, and the CD includes seven unreleased tracks. Fans of Eno, Tangerine Dream, and psychedelics will revel in this sonic voyage through a lush electro-soundscape. More

An alchemic melding of musical styles is Eartheater's comfort zone, and she makes it shine on Powders . Electro hip-hop beats and multi-instrumentation are laid bare under her breathy, dreamlike vocals. Pop banger "Pure Smile Snake Venom" and her hauntingly beautiful take on System of a Down's "Chop Suey" are standouts on this musical mosaic. More

The two earliest EPs from UK post-punkers Dry Cleaning are getting the proper remaster and rerelease they deserve! On the group's 2018 debut Sweet Princess and the subsequent Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks from 2019, vocalist and artist Florence Shaw interpolates brief moments of singing with her unique spoken-word style over sleek, intricate melodies. More

The musical pairing of Bre Morell & Shaun Durkan, aka Crushed, has concocted the dreamiest of pop vibes on Extra Life . With nods to '90s alternative and trip-hop throughout, Extra Life 's upbeat, catchy layers of melody sail this 6-song EP into blissful waters. More

LA punk rockers CNTS return with Thoughts & Prayers , a fiery follow-up to 2019's self-titled debut. Vocalist Matt Cronk, fully recovered from a brutal auto accident, is back in fine form and unleashes the fury, while the band sears on track after track of noisy, hooky, raucous aggression. More