If there was a word we wanted to assign this week, it would be "robust" or something equally globular. There might not have been a lot of sonic lines to trace along, but there was a lot of a lot, and we can talk about that. From Dej Loaf's explosive breakout to Lydia Ainsworth's debut album inspiring Deputy Editor Ruth Saxelby to wax poetic about "world-building," the music we premiered this week felt really, really big. We put out a lot of LPs, and that's a kind of largeness all on its own: there's a lot to comb through here, and a lot of it is pretty fucking good. And you can't get much bigger than new Bunji Garlin, so on that note, we out. Bye haters, hi Friday.
Lydia Ainsworth, Right From Real
"Right from Real, which gathers material from her first EP together with a clutch of new songs, takes an zoomed-in approach to world-building—her songs wriggle like amoeba under a microscope, holding secrets only a few millenniums can unlock."—Ruth Saxelby. Read the full write up here.
Daedelus, The Light Brigade
"The album was inspired by war, specifically the Crimean War of the 1800s."—David Turner. Read the full write up here.
Porches, "Prism"
"Last time we checked in on New York singer-songwriter Aaron Maine, aka Porches, he was wandering around the streets of lower Manhattan with collaborator and real-life girlfriend Greta Klein, aka Frankie Cosmos, crooning a seasick little love song that included a line about wanting to trade in [his] jeans for leather."—Emilie Friedlander. Read the full write up.
Rochelle Jordan, Killah
"DJ extraordinaire Kitty Cash presents Rochelle Jordan's Killah, a collection of demos, b-sides, and remixes we found essential."—Matthew Trammell. Read the full write up here.
Chris Baio, On&On&On&On/Missive
"Yes, there are parallels to be drawn with the likes of Four Tet and Caribou but there's a gentleness here that is worth some time in your ear."—Ruth Saxelby. Read the full write up here.
Alina Baraz & Galimatias, "Fantasy"
"Starts out as a sultry slow jam complete with gently undulating tones. Then, in the blink of an eye, a lil tropical vibe tiptoes in, lending some swing to the proceedings."—Ruth Saxelby. Read the full write up.
Jammer, Skepta and J-Cush's Grime Set from August's Lit City Rave
"The crowd was a little confused at first, being largely unacclimated to the rapid-fire mixing style, 1000% testosterone, and rewind-heavy nature of grime performances, but by the end they were won over."—Alexander Iadarola. Read the full write up here.
Bunji Garlin, "Red Light District (Remix)"
"The resulting song lies somewhere the precincts of soca, soulful house, and reggae—an unlikely yet undeniable hybrid that we've been bumping all Friday long. Bless Garlin for his fearless spirit and stubborn ways."—Deidre Dyer. Read the full write up here.
Dej Loaf, "Try Me" & "We Good"
"The 23-year-old spits like Fredo Santana with the voice of a Disney child star: Tell me how you want it, I'm on it, I really mean it I'm not just recording."—Matthew Trammell. Read the full write up here.
Rome Fortune, "One Time For"
"Rome Fortune was one of the earlier names getting nods in Atlanta for making the center a bit weirder: when he linked up with Dun Deal (of "Stoner" and "Hannah Montana" fame) for Drive, Thighs & Lies, it featured formless beats suspended a thousand feet in the air and verses that unrolled slowly but surely."—Matthew Trammell. Read the full write up here.
