So many artists, so little time. Each week we review a handful of new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we'd call "indie," and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, track premieres, and more all day. We update a playlist weekly of some of our current favorite tracks. Here's a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.
NORMANI - "WILD SIDE" (ft. CARDI B)
Normani of the on-hiatus Fifth Harmony has teamed up with Cardi B for her new single "Wild Side." It finds her channelling minimal, atmospheric R&B, until the beat drops out and Cardi comes in with her characteristically boisterous rapped verse.
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KEVIN ABSTRACT - "SLUGGER" (ft. $NOT & SLOWTHAI)
Brockhampton's Kevin Abstract has put out his first new solo single in over two years, and it finds him teaming with $NOT and slowthai over some maximalist, Brockhampton-esque production.
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WIKI - "STARTING TODAY"
Prolific New York rapper Wiki just keeps dropping new songs, and that continues today with "Starting Today," which finds Wiki spitting over warm, mid-tempo, lightly psychedelic production.
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BLONDIE - VIVIR EN LA HABANA
Blondie have released the soundtrack to their short documentary, Vivir En La Habana, which is about their 2019 performance in Havana, Cuba that was part of a cultural exchange through the Cuban Ministry of Culture and their first performance in the country. It includes live versions of "Heart of Glass," "Call Me" and more.
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JOHN VANDERSLICE - JOHN, I CAN’T BELIEVE CIVILIZATION IS STILL GOING HERE IN 2021! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US, LOVE, DCB
John Vanderslice's mostly instrumental EP, inspired by late Silver Jews and Purple Mountains main man David Berman, is out today. “This is a love letter to David and an anti-suicide pact with myself," says John.
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GLOSSER - GLOSSER (EP STREAM)
Bartees Strange produced the first EP from Washington DC duo Glosser, and it's full of pretty, lulling dream pop.
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BLACK MANTRA - "S.U.V. (SICK & USELESS VANITY)
French punk (and sometimes reggae) band Black Mantra are gearing up for a split with French streetpunks Pavasse and the rap group HPS Crew, and they've shared this new ripper from it, which finds them channelling early '80s American hardcore.
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SHENSEEA - "RUN RUN"
Shenseea is back with her first proper single of 2021, and it's an instantly-satisfying dose of dancehall-infused pop.
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HEARTLESS BASTARDS - "PHOTOGRAPH"
The latest single from Heartless Bastard's new album A Beautiful Live is "Photograph," which frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom says "is about building bridges. We have to approach each other with love and give each other some room to grow. When we went into the studio the song was conceptual in form, and with its complicated structure, I wasn’t even sure it was going to work. I put trust in my instincts and had faith it was all going to translate. There weren’t a lot of rehearsals leading up to it. It was fresh and exciting to dive right in. There can be a lot of magic in those moments where you’re vulnerably finding your way through a new song and the recording light is on. Having the brilliant musicianship of Jesse Ebaugh, Greg Clifford, and Lauren Gurgiolo was monumental. Lauren and I trading leads over a psychedelic landscape might be one of my favorite musical moments to date. It was everything I hoped it would be and then some. I really feel the stars aligned and we created something really special."
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FREDO BANG - "WAR TIME"
Baton Rouge rapper Fredo Bang has a new album on the way, and today he follows recent single "Bless His Soul" (ft. Polo G) with "War Time," a track that's as confrontational as it is sweetly melodic.
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RETCH x V DON - "DEVIL ON MY BACK" (ft. DAVE EAST)
Here's the latest taste of Retch and V Don's upcoming album Gone 'Til Autumn, and this one features Dave East, who fits right in with Retch and V Don's gritty, throwback New York sound.
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MABEL - "TAKE IT HOME"
The Pokémon 25: The Album compilation arrives this fall in honor of Pokémon's 25th anniversary, and it'll feature this new song from UK pop singer Mabel. It's a mid-tempo pop stomper and the video is Pokémon-themed.
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TOOSII - "HEAD OVER HILLS"
Syracuse-born, North Carolina-raised sing-rapper Toosii continues to rise, and he follows recent single "Heart Cold" with this emotive, infectiously melodic song.
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SEPULTURA - "APES OF GOD" (ft. DEATH ANGEL'S ROB CAVESTANY)
During the pandemic, Sepultura did a SepulQuarta video series where they collaborated on new versions of their songs with guest musicians, and they've now compiled those collaborations to be released as an album on August 13 via Nuclear Blast. It includes this one with Death Angel guitarist Rob Cavestany.
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FLESHDRIVER - "SOUL TAX" & "EXTINCTION MANTRA"
The worlds of hardcore and death metal continue to merge, and Tallahassee's Fleshdriver toe the line expertly (and brutally) on this new two-song single for K.O.T.P. Records.
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GIRL K - "GIRL K IS FOR THE PEOPLE"
Chicago's Girl K will release a new EP, Girl K Is For The People, on September 10 via Take This To Heart. The title track is out now and it's a very catchy fusion of airy dream pop and grungy punk.
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INSOMNIUM - "THE ANTAGONIST"
After dropping some new singles, Finnish metal band Insomnium have announced a new EP, Argent Moon, due September 17. It features recent singles "The Conjurer" and "The Reticent," as well as the just-released "The Antagonist," a creepy, howling dose of gothic metal.
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ONE TRUE PAIRING (EX WILD BEASTS) - "GOLDEN ARCHES" & "EVER NEW" (BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND COVER)
One True Pairing, aka former Wild Beasts co-founder Tom Fleming, is back with new single "Golden Arches," to which he says, "I make no apologies for it being hugely romantic and escapist, I’m always grubbing down in the dirt, trying to make the flowers grow." The b-side is a cover of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s “Ever New," noting, "it's a record that’s given me great solace and sounded a note of hope with me, and I hope I have done it some justice."
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NATE SMITH - "FLY (FOR MIKE)" Ft. BRITTANY HOWARD
Brittany Howard adds vocals to jazz drummer Nate Smith's (who appeared on her 2019 album Jamie) new single "Fly (For Mike)," which is off his new album Kinfolk 2: See the Birds, due out September 17. "Every time I fly, I think of my late father, to whom this song is dedicated," Smith says. "When I wrote it, I wanted the music to evoke a feeling of freedom from suffering. I’m so grateful that Brittany wrote such gorgeous lyrics, and sang them so beautifully. It’s my hope that this song will bring comfort to anyone who has experienced loss, along with the reassurance that their loved ones are no longer suffering."
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HAIM - "CHERRY FLAVORED STOMACH ACHE"
Haim have shared a new single, off the soundtrack for Netflix film The Last Letter From Your Lover. "Made this in the depths of quar which was the biggest gift," they write.
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THE CRIBS - "FINGER-NAILED FOR YOU" (COMET GAIN COVER)
The Cribs have covered Comet Gain's "Finger-Nailed For You" as part of Kill Rock Stars' 30th anniversary covers series. "We covered our favourite band, Comet Gain, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of our favourite label," say The Cribs. "You all know how much this band and label mean to us, so it was a great honour for us to be involved."
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F.S. BLUMM & NILS FRAHM - "DESERT MULE"
F.S. Blumm and Nils Frahm are releasing their fourth collaborative album, 2X1=4, on September 3 via Frahm’s new imprint, Leiter. “We had a certain sound in the back of our heads,” Blumm says, “which was influenced by these 80s rhythm machines, and we suddenly discovered a common love for dub.” Frahm adds, "None of this is too serious. The record is only as much of a dub record as the ones before are jazz records." Check out first single "Desert Mule."
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SIGRID - "MIRROR" (KELLY LEE OWENS REMIX)
Kelly Lee Owens has remixed Sigrid's "Mirror." "“It was such a joy to work on this remix," says Kelly. "The song itself is incredible and I wanted to take it to clubbier heights with my reimagining of it. I feel it’s more important than ever that we keep dancing.”
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FRYARS - GOD MELODIES (FT SEAN O'HAGAN OF HIGH LLAMAS)
Fryars, aka musical polymath Benjamin Garrett, has released new album God Melodies today. He made it in his home studio with his wife Rae Morris and Sean O’Hagan of High Llamas and Stereolab.
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WOMEN OF THE NIGHT - SUB ROSA
Rootsy NYC trio just released new album Sub Rosa which was produced by Matt Verta-Ray (Madder Rose, Speedball Baby, Heavy Trash) and rides a twangy lost highway. If you're in NYC you can catch them at 18th Ward Brewery on Sunday (7/18) as part of a free afternoon show with SAVAK and Tuff Sunshine.
ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS, JUANES - "PUMP IT UP"
Elvis Costello is presenting a new version of his classic second album, This Year's Model, that features the original 1978 backing tracks by The Attractions but with new vocals by Spanish language artists. Check out "Pump it Up" featuring Juanes.
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SHORTLY - "SCIENCE"
Michigan singer/songwriter Shortly (aka Alexandria Maniak) has announced their debut album for Triple Crown and shared this new song, which you can read more about here.
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SYD - "FAST CAR"
"I wanted to make something for the gay Black girls," Syd says of her new single. "I want them to see themselves in this and in me."
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DARE - "HARD TO COPE" (ft. TERROR'S SCOTT VOGEL)
Fullerton, CA hardcore band DARE have shared "Hard To Cope," the second single off their anticipated debut LP Against All Odds. It features Terror's Scott Vogel, and you can read more about it here.
Pick up the album on limited transparent yellow vinyl.
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Looking for even more new songs? Browse the ‘New Songs archive.