Amoeba Music

The follow-up to her internationally successful debut Heaven & Hell, Diamonds & Dancefloors continues the really excellent electro-pop showcased by Ava. Just like her debut effort - a catchy, well-produced and consistently enjoyable album. Definitely recommended! [Available on CD/LP]

Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? is the debut album from Kara Jackson, named National Youth Poet Laureate in 2019. The lyrics are ultra relatable, as rooted in love and compassion as they are in confusion about the nature of existence and what we’ve all signed up for as members of society. Jackson’s compositions take elements from indie, blues, and even some twangy Hawaiian-sounding guitar to create a sound that’s completely unique and utterly compelling. Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? is meditative, moving, and meandering, mirroring the way thoughts float through our heads and we float through (or sink in) the currents of life.

NF's Hope is the sort of good-natured hip-hop album the world needs now. NF is a real one: his lyrics are as focused on self-doubt and painful memories as they are on working toward a better future and believing in your dreams. His flow and his goofy sense of humor call to mind Eminem and NF displays his fellow Michigan rapper's penchant for balancing grit and good humor. With plinking piano, self-deprecating vocal interludes, and rhythmic strings, Hope stands out from the crowd.

After a seven-year pause, Daughter is back with Stereo Mind Game. The arrangements are gauzy and shimmering, augmented at times by London-based string orchestra the 12 Ensemble's keening, gorgeous sounds. Lyrically the album is all about connection: longing to be closer, in some cases, and in others, letting go and giving up with grace. The interplay of light and shadow on Stereo Mind Game gives these tracks real staying power, the lyrics often imbued with loneliness and despair, the melodies soaring above with hope for transcendence and healing. A richly layered album that easily balances the dark side of life with moments of beauty, love, and honesty.

Bo Burnham's Netflix special is the gift that keeps giving, this time in the form of the limited deluxe 3LP vinyl edition of Inside. If you dug the wickedly funny songs from the show, then this box set is a must. It features the original 20 ultra-topical, self-aware, hysterical songs from the Netflix special, along with 13 tracks from the Inside outtakes, and 13 score tracks, all housed in a beautiful box including 3 dual-cover LP jackets and individual RGB translucent outer sleeves.

North Americans, the fusion of guitarist Patrick McDermott and pedal steel player Barry Walker create a lush, minimal soundscape on their latest release, Long Cool World. McDermott and Walker have melded elements of ambient and drone across acoustic American Primitive melodies like alchemists, crafting a unique sound that is light and tranquil yet with a pensive seriousness.

Seattle’s grunge legends are back, celebrating their 35th anniversary with a new album, Plastic Eternity. On their 11th studio album, the band has stayed true to their punky alterno-grunge roots while weaving elements of ‘60s psychedelic rock throughout the album, most notably on the trippy lead single, “Almost Everything.”

Trugoy the Dove has passed on from this world, but the timeless hip-hop of De La Soul lives on! De La silenced the naysayers on their sophomore album, De La Soul Is Dead, shedding their hippie shroud and delivering a knockout punch. This crucial classic from Long Island’s finest finally gets the long-awaited reissue that it deserves.

The originators of kawaii metal, Babymetal, return with a smashing new album, The Other One. Fusing J-pop (albeit with a darker, more melancholy bent) with heavy metal, the songs feature ripping, brutal guitar riffs and honey-sweet yet powerful vocals from main vocalist Su-metal. Be assured that while "kawaii" (or "cute") is often associated with this band, they truly, truly do kick ass. The Other One is a thoroughly enjoyable thrill ride of an album from one of the most innovative, exciting, and just straight-up fun bands pushing the typically dude-heavy genre into new territory.

Ladytron are back with one of their best records in recent memory, Time's Arrow. The band’s distinctive crystalline, icy sound is as darkly enchanting as always, but this time there’s some light amongst the shadows. The mood of the album moves naturally from tightly-wound, near-claustrophobic motorik electro-pop to more ethereal, dreamy, searching sounds. Ladytron sound like they’re stretching their wings on these songs; it’s a fitting soundtrack for our contemporary moment, in which things can sometimes feel so dark, but yet there’s always a glimmer of hope and transcendence.

Paris-based Oracle Sisters recorded Hydranism on the Greek island of Hydra during the 2020 lockdowns. In what has to be the most romantic pandemic-album backstory of all time, the band sang together in a ballroom, dined in a wine cellar, and made the best of being trapped on an island where the boats were suddenly grounded. Perhaps it’s this sense of adventure and experimentation that gives the resulting album such a dreamy yet angst-free feel. “Tramp Like You” is folksy and charming while “RBH” is one of those catchy, easy-going tracks that’s destined to drift your way across multiple car stereos this summer. “Hot Summer” runs in the vein of Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, and other languid-voiced chroniclers of daily life, in this case, a sax-inflected summer day loaded with possibilities. Hydranism may have a great story behind it, but it’s the well-crafted songs and lovely atmosphere that’ll keep you coming back for more.