It’s already the end of March, and this week sees the first major release of 2024. There’s been a lot of chatter (and casual racism) surrounding Beyoncé and her new album, which sees her pursuing her Country side. It’s bound to sell very well, and even though I may or may not recommend it, I hope she shuts up the idiots.
Beyoncé – TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
There are a fair amount of known Artists also releasing New Music this week, including Sum 41, Trippie Redd, Ride, Sheryl Crow and Enrique Iglesias.
RIDE – Monaco
There’s a healthy helping of titles from Artists I’m curious to hear, including Alejandro Escovedo, Texas & Spooner Oldham, fanclubwallet, The High Llamas, Ed Harcourt, and Saya Gray.
Alejandro Escovedo – John Conquest
My BandCamp Wishlist is sitting with seven releases on tap for this week. My highlight is Seattle Experimental Hip-Hop Artist Shabazz Palaces’ new record, Exotic Birds of Prey. Intriguing beats and rhymes make this a promising release.
Good day to you and yours. I hope your sky is bright and sunny, and the winds are quiet enough to enjoy some New Music with me. It truly is a big week in releases, and I have twelve titles to recommend. Hopefully you can find something that clicks with you!
If you had “Beyoncé releases a Country Album” on your 2024 Bingo Card, congratulations. It comes out at the end of March. She released two teaser singles this week, and I’d like to draw your attention to 16 CARRIAGES. It’s a track that begins tenderly, giving Bey a chance to demonstrate her perfect vocal control, as it grows in intensity. It piques my interest for an Artist who is still showing all her tricks.
If you’re a regular reader of my words, you may know that I’m a big fan of Brooklyn MC Homeboy Sandman. His flow tickles my neuroreceptors, and I’m down for anything he releases. On the weekend he put out a new single. How is it? Real Good.
This next single blew my tiny little mind. Fatboi Sharif is an MC from New Jersey, and there are bars on Something About Shirley. Solid bars. But it is the production work of Roper Williams on this ten-minute track that verges on Avant Garde audio collage. At time’s unsettling, others exhilarating. Smoke a bowl and immerse yourself.
Portland, Oregon has long been a Sanctuary City for artistic misfits. It is, not coincidentally, the home of Electronic Producer and Vocalist abbymachines. Her latest EP, AB, is SynthPop and Dance, with Spanish and English vocals. Do you wanna ride with me is filling the dancefloor in My Imaginary Nightclub.
The dancefloor is full and it is getting sweaty for a DJ and Producer from Buenos Aires, Colombia. Carlos Quebrada performs as Genosidra. His latest album, Haxan Tek, is seven instrumental tracks of unique beats and turnarounds, keeping your ears flexing and your body moving.
Mohammad Syfkhan is a Kurdish/Syrian Singer and Bouzouki player who lives in Ireland. His new album, I Am Kurdish is uptempo and joyful, and designed for dancing and celebration. Masterful musicianship.
Nathalie Joachim is a Brooklyn-born Haitian-American and is also a flutist, composer and vocalist. On Ki moun ou yeher vibrant voice is joined by drums and electronics, along with strings to create a rich tapestry.
Irish Producer Jacknife Lee has a knack for choosing interesting Artists to work with. This week finds him at the helm of a new record from a female quartet from Mali called Les Amazones d’Afrique. The two entities combine the traditional vocals with Electronic beats on Musow Dance. Exhilarating.
A bizarro Country singer from Montreal got my attention back in November, and he’s already returned with a new collaboration. On Tandoori Knights, Bloodshot Bill is joined by fellow Underground legend King Khan. Classic Rock & Roll and Rockabilly with universal themes such as the love of bacon and soiling one’s pants. Does humor belong in Music? Only if it’s funny.
Detroit, Michigan is thriving, with multiple Music Scenes creating a vibrant Arts community. One band that is bubbling up and due their flowers is the three-piece Shadow Show. Their second album, Fantasy Now!, is a shiny self-produced collection of Garage Pop, bright harmonies and bubblegum hooks.
I’ve mentioned before that there is a genre of Music out of the UK that’s like to call “Lad Rock.” It features a frontman that talk-sings the woes of living in Post-Brexit England. It’s quite catchy if done well, but it’s a little One Note. One such band is Bristol’s IDLES, and on their new album TANGK, there is notable growth from the tired old tropes. Perhaps co-production from Nigel Godrich helped broaden the aural tapestry. Vocalist Joe Talbot has definitely grown nuance and depth to his delivery; less geezer, more singer. Solid.
Deep Search Collective is an assemblage of Artists in San Francisco, California. Among them is Poet and MC Jun Dax aka Quiet. She’s released her debut album, The Ten Doors Of February, and it is a gem of a release. Throughout the ten tracks Dax drops confident and thoughtful rhymes, with brilliant downtempo production from JusOneOh. Recommended if you like A Tribe Called Quest or Digable Planets. It hits the heart hard, and is my Feature Pick this week.
I should mention that I have been posting New Music as I find it throughout the week on BlueSky, and now that it’s open to all, you can find me at New Music Jason. Maybe I’ll see you there. Say hi!
We’re at our rented hideaway in Northern Ontario, alongside the Muskoka River, for a much-needed family getaway. Our little cottage is at the end of a 2.5 km unpaved, uneven road, with several blind hills. Between that tedious obstacle, and the beautiful scenery (and “Special Edition” Northern Fresh Aire™️) you may never see us again.
We are, however, “roughing it” in our way. No speaker system to listen to music properly makes Jason something something. But I still have at least one ear to my tinny phone speaker, and surprisingly good wifi, to continue my search for New Music unabated.
It looks to be a very good release week in the offing, with one very big name taking a lot of the oxygen, and some other quality artists who will try to pick up whatever sales are left over. Beyoncé will own the number one position for at least this week, and probably next. Wiz Khalifa, Maggie Rogers, and of Montreal are some of the established artists with new wares. I’m looking forward to Domi & JD Beck’s new album, as well as Electronic legends Orbital.
Domi & JD Beck – WHATUP
In terms of my BandCamp Wishlist, I have six on deck for final approval upon release. Today I will feature a band from Kentucky, called Wombo. The pre-release single, “Snakey” is a tight bop with stabbing guitar.
Wombo – Snakey
As I mentioned last week, we shall be returning home on Friday, so my ability to post my new findings will be hindered. Stay tuned on Saturday, when I’ll be able to listen to music properly again, and we can share together. Take care!
New Music Jason’s Picks 