Featured New Album Releases

Arca

Kick ii

XL Recordings

Electronic, Avant-Garde

The second volume of the producer's Kick series focuses on reggaeton, but breaks some boundaries along the way.

— Heather Phares

Arca

KicK III

XL

Electronic, Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde

The third volume of the producer's Kick series delivers heavy club beats with relentless intensity and outlandish sonics.

— Heather Phares

Arca

kick iiii

XL

Electronic, Avant-Garde

The fourth volume of the producer's Kick series concentrates on her music's hyperreal sensuality and vulnerability.

— Heather Phares

Arca

kiCK iiiii

XL

Electronic, Avant-Garde

Delicate and hopeful, the fifth volume of the producer's Kick series brings the ambitious project to a satisfying end.

— Heather Phares

Can

Live in Brighton 1975

Mute

Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde

The second in an ongoing series of officially released live recordings by Can, capturing their raw, spontaneous on-stage brilliance.

— Paul Simpson

Modern Nature

Island of Noise

Bella Union

Pop/Rock

The U.K. band's third LP resembles a meandering waterway of clean post-rock, jazz, and earthy folk.

— Timothy Monger

Geese

Projector

Partisan / Play It Again Sam

Pop/Rock

An impressive debut of tightly wound post-punk and wiry rhythms from this young Brooklyn band.

— Timothy Monger

Volbeat

Servant of the Mind

Republic

Pop/Rock

Recorded in three weeks during the pandemic, this 13-song set offers offers the band sounding more energized, imaginative and accessible.

— Thom Jurek

Beauty Pill

Instant Night

Northern Spy

Pop/Rock

This four-song EP from the shape-shifting Washington, D.C. band finds equal levels of intensity in moments of restraint and bombastic, layered production.

— Fred Thomas

Rival Consoles

Overflow

Erased Tapes Records

Electronic

The score for Alexander Whitley's contemporary dance production, examining technology in the age of social media.

— Paul Simpson

The Times

My Picture Gallery: The Artpop! Recordings

Cherry Red

Pop/Rock

Giant collection of snarky mod revival tracks, snappy new wave gems, and slick pop nuggets from the mind of the prolific Edward Ball.

— Tim Sendra

Phương Tâm

Magical Nights: Saigon Surf, Twist & Soul 1964-1966

Sublime Frequencies

Pop/Rock, International

Stunning archival collection of rousing rockers and sultry ballads from Saigon sung by the leading practitioner of the so-called Action Music scene.

— Tim Sendra

Bola Sete

Samba in Seattle [Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968]

Tompkins Square

International

Three previously unissued concerts at the Seattle jazz club showcase the great Brazilian guitarist at the peak of his powers solo and with his trio.

— Thom Jurek

Sloppy Jane

Madison

Dead Oceans / Saddest Factory

Pop/Rock

Haley Dahl delivers a theatrical concept album recorded in a cave with a 21-piece rock orchestra to mirror the set's grandiose, morbid fantasy life.

— Marcy Donelson

Juçara Marçal

Delta Estácio Blues

Mais Um Discos

International, Avant-Garde

The iconic Brazilian singer's overtly political second solo album is a sumptuous rhythm collision with lyric contributions from many collaborators.

— Thom Jurek

Kenny G

New Standards

Concord

Easy Listening, Jazz

The sax star evokes a mood of old-school romanticism on his album of original ballads.

— Matt Collar

New Found Glory

December's Here

Hopeless Records

Pop/Rock, Holiday

Full-length holiday sleigh ride with the pop-punk vets is surprisingly touching, heartfelt, and hopeful.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Robert Sotelo

Celebrant

Upset the Rhythm

Pop/Rock

The fifth album from U.K. psych-pop home brewer Andrew Doig is full of contradictions as it celebrates getting married in the face of a global pandemic.

— Marcy Donelson