Keeping up with music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best music released in the last week.
This week, one of pop culture’s most divisive figures released his anticipated new record, a songwriting great let his own music do the talking, and the world’s first animated band returned despite losing a member. Yeah, it was a pretty good week for music. Check out the highlights below.
Kanye West – Ye
If you can get past the MAGA hat, the slavery comments, and some pretty terrible bars, this is still an album from what is essentially the most important musician of this century. And there is still a lot to like, particularly Kanye’s innovative production and appearances like the one by 070 Shake. It says something that the album is strongest when Kanye keeps his mouth shut, but it also says something that he can command such an audience even after such infuriating statements before the album’s release.
Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer
Where Pure Comedy presented one side of the talents of Father John Misty — grandiose ideas and arrangements that deal with modern existential dread — there is another side of Father John Misty that was explored on early albums that sat sidelined. God’s Favorite Customer is far more personal, and as the tightlipped lead-up to the album revealed, he doesn’t need shock value to showcase his sharp, affecting songwriting.
Natalie Prass — The Future And The Past
Natalie Prass‘ debut album was one of the best records of 2015, but her follow-up is committed to not simply repeating the formula. There are moves towards pop and ’90s R&B, with Prass singing defiantly about the political times we are living in. Just two albums in and Prass is already in career mode.
Black Thought x 9th Wonder & The Soul Council — Streams of Thought Vol. 1.
What do you get when one of the best MCs of all-time teams up with a renowned producer? You get a record that our hip-hop Editor Aaron Williams will undoubtedly listen to twenty times this weekend. This is the perfect answer to Kanye’s absurdity, some old school hip-hop for fans that don’t want the BS.
Oneohtrix Point Never — Age Of
If you like your electronic music to have overtones of doom and chaos, then Oneohtrix Point Never is for you. Perhaps the best thing that can be said of Age Of, along with much of his excellent catalog, is that it never compromises moments that make for difficult listening and still has enough beauty, intrigue, and cohesiveness to latch onto. To say it is more accessible than ever might be an oversell, but Daniel Lopatin has tapped into something special on this album, and it could easily be his most heard record yet.
Juliana Daugherty — Light
Juliana Daugherty is more than just a fantastic songwriter. She’s a talented musician who plays multiple instruments and has her MFA in poetry. On her debut album, these all come into play in a collection that recedes from collective angst and tackles inner turmoil that can seem just as daunting.
The 1975 – “Give Yourself A Try”
One of the biggest success stories of the last couple years, The 1975’s return is not safe or pandering. Instead, “Give Yourself A Try” is a wordy endeavor performed over piercing guitars, threatening to be almost abrasive if not for Matty Healy’s comforting delivery. It’s enough to whet the appetite of fans, and let them know that The 1975 are a band to take seriously.
Gorillaz – “Humility”
For the second year in a row, a new Gorillaz album will be released into the wild. But while the animated front for the band is going through the cycle of losing a core member (Murdoc), musically, Damon Albarn sounds sunnier and happier than ever. “Humility” bounces on the hot cement of a summer’s day, reminding that Albarn is a man of many moods. This one just feels particularly ripe for the moment.
Charli XCX- “5 In The Morning”
Earlier this year, Charli XCX tweeted out a simple thought: “I think I’m underrated.” After hearing her latest single, which incorporates trap into her pop stylings for something that is remarkably fresh, it’s hard to disagree with her. Over the last 6 years, her career has seen tremendous ups and downs commercially. But artistically, she’s trailblazing.
Wild Pink – “There Is A Ledger”
It feels rarer and rarer that a relatively new indie rock band emerges and actually feels like they could follow in the footsteps of The National or The War On Drugs as forces in the rock world. The path to such success is narrow, but Wild Pink’s songwriting and aesthetic puts them in fine position to do so. “There Is A Ledger” hits on a similar ’80s synth-aided guitar rock that The War On Drugs and Ryan Adams have already expanded upon, though this is a bit more singer-forward compared to TWAD’s jammier tendencies.
Pusha T – “The Story Of Adidon”
If Drake’s “Duppy Freestyle” found the Canadian rapper splashing Pusha T in the pool, Pusha goes straight for the firehose in his retaliation verses. Nothing is off the table including allegations of not being there for his child and a photo of Drizzy in blackface. We’re all looking forward to see what the next chapter brings.
Lykke Li – “Sex Money Feelings Die”
Has there ever been a more on-the-nose Lykke Li song title? Her new album, also perfectly titled So Sad So Sexy, finds the Scandinavian pop singer experimenting with more hip-hop influences, which you can hear in this one. It’s a remarkably contemporary turn for an artist whose previous album was filled with timeless torch songs. Lykke does not want to be put into a box.
