For every bad album we get sent to the station, we get a whole bunch of good records that are more than worth the attention from your ears. From mind-bending electronics to honest indie rock, here are some the best new arrivals that really made our music staff go crazy this week.
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Aphex Twin – Syro
The first album in 13 years from the elusive Aphex Twin is the opposite of a letdown. Incorporating styles of material from all realms of his twenty-two year career, Aphex Twin has created one of his most cohesive works to date; making an album that is more on the pleasant side. With bubbling synths and frothy techno patterns, this album is sure to please longtime fans of the electronic virtuoso.
Recommended Tracks: Minipops 67 (Source Field Mix), Produk 29, 4 bit 9d api+e+6, 180db, Syro u473t8+e (piezoluminescence mix), PAPAT4 (Pineal Mix), s950tx16wasr10 (earth portal mix) & Aisatasana.
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Whirr – Sway
Bay Area shoegaze group smashes out another album of loud, distorted rock songs that hold up to some of the other shoegaze greats of the early 90s. The ominous, whispered vocals are buried underneath impressive walls of guitar, noise and drums makes for an album that fits into the archetype but manages to stand out in the end.
Recommended Tracks: Mumble, Clear, Heavy, Lines & Feel.
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LVL UP – Hoodwink’d
Purchase, NY group LVL UP have gained a cult following around these parts and other places in the New England area for their tight indie pop tunes that have traces of the local pop-punk and emo scenes. Their sophomore effort, Hoodwink’d, catches the band creating a satisfying blend of songs that one could use to aptly soundtrack the nostalgic season of fall.
Recommended Tracks: Angel From Space, Soft Power, I Feel OK, DBTS, Ski Vacation & If I Leave.
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Lydia Ainsworth – Right From Real
Composer/producer/musician Lydia Ainsworth has tapped into a musical universe that hasn’t been explored by many on her debut record, Right From Real. Using pitch manipulation, unorthodox sampling technique, string arrangements & a basis of minimalism, Ainsworth has crafted one of the most intriguing and expressive records of the year.
Recommended Tracks: Candle, Malachite, Take Your Face Off, Moonstone & Hologram.
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Tweedy – Sukirae
The debut record from duo Jeff Tweedy, most well known as the founder of rock band Wilco, and his son Spencer Tweedy is one that all fathers and songs could understand. It’s a celebration of soulful folk rock that is as much of a fun time for the listener as it probably was for them.
Recommended Tracks: World Away, Low Key, I’ll Sing It, Summer Noon & Down From Above.