The Pulse is the Uproxx Music guide to the best new albums, mixtapes, and other music releases that matter this week.
There were rumors floating around yesterday afternoon that a high-profile surprise release was coming, and the rumblings were true: Just hours ago, Future and Young Thug dropped a collaborative 13-track album completely out of nowhere. This week also saw new releases from a former One Direction member, one of electronic music’s finest producers, and more.
Future And Young Thug — Super Slimey
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The two Atlanta rappers have been circling each other for a while now, appearing on several songs together over the years. There may have been some beef between the two in the past, but that’s been put aside and they’ve dropped one of the biggest hip-hop collabs of the year (and at the same time as a new Taylor Swift song, no less).
Bully — Losing
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This one’s been streaming for a week now, but that doesn’t take any of the punch out of one of the year’s most energetic punk albums. The kinetic punk vibes are led by fierce vocals from singer Alicia Bognanno, who we recently spoke to about punk, making music personal, and audio production. Revisit our interview with Bognanno here.
Jessie Ware — Glasshouse
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“I thought I was just writing songs, but it’s become this record that’s for my husband and my baby,” Ware said about her first album since becoming a mother. Her third record is a stunning return filled with epic and soulful songs that tackle major life changes in a way that’s both intimate and huge.
Destroyer — Ken
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As shown by the twitchy ballad “Sky’s Grey” and the Leonard Cohen-leaning “Swimming In Blood,” Destroyer’s Dan Bejar is a man of many musical interests, and the new record is a reflection of that. Check out our conversation with Dan Bejar on the Celebration Rock podcast here.
Young Dolph — Thinking Out Loud
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Young Dolph is a tough guy to stop: He filmed his new video for “Believe Me” while in the hospital, recovering from gunshot wounds. He’s back, and his new album is filled with guests who believe in him, including Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Zaytoven, Mike WiLL Made-It, D.R.A.M., and others.
Lindstrøm — It’s Alright Between Us As It Is
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The Norwegian producer has been busting out dancefloor anthems for years now, and he’s ready with a new batch of hip-movers on his fifth solo album. He’s still clearly in his prime here, whether he’s crafting electronic neo-disco on songs like “Tensions” and “Shinin,” or leaning into the experimental tendencies of collaborator Jenny Hval on “Bungl (Like A Ghost).”
Makthaverskan — III
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Sweden’s Makthaverskan was tired of the boring guitar sounds they were hearing in their country’s music, so they decided to do something about it. Three album later (as the title so subtly suggests), they’re still producing soaring indie rock with equal parts propulsive post-punk and ethereal dream pop.
GWAR — The Blood Of Gods
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The hard rock group lost their lead singer Oderus Urungus (real name Dave Brockie) a few years back, so The Blood Of Gods is their first album with returning member Michael Bishop (formerly Beefcake The Mighty, now Blothar The Berserker) behind the mic. He sounds like a confident frontman on “I’ll Be Your Monster,” an AC/DC-style rocker that has all the energy you’d expect from a band of disgusting humanoid monsters.
Niall Horan — Flicker
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The massive success he achieved during his time in One Direction is a tough act to follow, but can Horan do it? “Too Much To Ask” is a perfectly palatable ballad, but what remains to be seen now is what lies beyond pop pleasantries on Horan’s first solo venture.
