Kendrick Lamar. Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella.
Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
The fifth studio album from Kendrick Lamar is here. His last album, Damn., won a Pulitzer. Today's not just a marquee event for rap in 2022, but music as a whole in recent years. What else needs to be said, really? Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers wasn't previewed with any singles, though Lamar did release the loose song "The Heart Part 5" this week.
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The Smile, A Light for Attracting Attention
The highly-anticipated new project from Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead and Sons of Kesmet's Tom Skinner sounds, well, like a Radiohead album. This is a very, very good thing. After debuting at Glastonbury last year, the band shared its debut single "You'll Never Work In Television Again." That was followed by "The Smoke," "Skrting On The Surface," "Pana-vision," "Free in the Knowledge," and "Thin Thing."
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Kevin Morby, This Is a Photograph
The Texas-born singer-songwriter made a conscious effort to imbue his sixth solo album with a more joyful vibe. Speaking on The FADER Interview, he said, "I wanted there to be an element of 'time is passing so we need to celebrate the time that we do have,' whereas on past records, it’s been 'I’m speaking about death. We are all going to die and how sad is that?'"
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Florence & The Machine, Dance Fever
Florence Welch returns to conduct her indie rock project for its fifth studio album. Dance Fever was announced in March with the single "My Love." Later this year, the group will embark on a big world tour. Go-to pop megaproducer Jack Antonoff co-produces six of the project's 14 tracks with Welch.
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Leikeli47, Shape Up
After a delay, the anonymous masked rapper Leikeli47 follows up 2018's Acrylic with her third solo project. It's the conclusion of her "Beauty" trilogy of albums. "I feel like this is my first time out and no one knows me," she said in a press statement. "I'm finally about to embark on a journey where I'm diving into my fans and they’re diving into me. It’s a fun process.”
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Obongjayar, Some Nights I Dream of Doors
On his debut album, the beautifully titled Some Nights I Dream of Doors, Obongjayar builds a lush world with Afrobeat spirit and adventurous electronic production. "Message In A Hammer," "Try," and "Tinko Tinko (Don't Play Me for a Fool)" were shared in advance of today's release.
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Sam Gendel & Antonia Cytrynowicz, Live a Little
Sam Gendel is known for his ambitious projects, like last year's 52-track Fresh Bread (its follow-up, the 34-song Superstore, comes out on June 10). Live a Little is a joint project with 11-year-old Antonia Cyntrynowicz, the little sister of Gendel's partner.
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Quelle Chris, Deathfame
Quelle Chris has seen his status as a critical darling unfurl in recent years. His projects Guns and Everything's Fine with Jean Gray took the Detroit rapper and producer to another level, and he co-composed the score for last year's Judas & The Black Messiah. Deathfame features appearances from Pink Siifu, Navy Blue, and more.
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They Hate Change, Finally, New
Tampa duo Von and Dre a.k.a. They Hate Change have been building anticipation for their debut album thanks to a string of promising singles that blur genre lines with playfulness and style. Finally, New was preceded by "1000 Horses," "From The Floor," "Blatant Localism," and "Some Days I Hate My Voice."
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Yves Jarvis, The Zug
Canadian singer-songwriter Yves Jarvis returns with another project of joyfully beguiling indie-folk experiments. The Zug was announced with a gorgeous lead single called "Bootstrap Jubilee."
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VARG²™, Lonestar Pandemonium
Lonestar Pandemonium features four new tracks from the Swedish producer. His frequent collaborators Bladee, Ecco2k, and whiteamoor all show up for features. Here's the vibe, as described by the artist himself: "I’m sitting lost in a hypnotic pit, falling in love with a fallen angel. Dressed in nothing but shame and a crop top raw dogging reality."
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