At first, I thought June was a bit of a breather – not at all, as it turned out. There were not a lot of high -profile records I resonated with, but that made room for some smaller, overlooked albums which deserve every bit of spotlight they can get. So, let’s get it on, right?
El Peso De Respirvr – La vida se obstruye conforme avanza este invierno
June 5 // Independent
Nadah El Shazly – Laini Tani
June 6 // One Little Independent Records
Activity – A Thousand Years In Another Way
June 6 // Western Vinyl
Ben Lamar Gay – Yowzers
June 6 // International Anthem
Little Simz – Lotus
June 6 // AWAL Recordings
I really thought the magic was gone. I didn’t like “Flood”, the first single from this album, at all. Has Simbi lost her mojo? Lotus proved me wrong. At this point, we just have to assume that Little Simz will be one of the greatest modern rappers until she decides otherwise. Another stunning accomplishment!
McKinley Dixon – Magic, Alive!
June 6 // City Slang
Coincidentally, another hip-hop artist, albeit less high-profile, released an album on the same day as Simbi. McKinley Dixon has been scratching my itch for jazzy, conscious hip-hop for a while now. While Magic, Alive! isn’t the masterpiece that Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? was, it’s still more McKinley, and I’m grateful for that.
Loaded Honey – Love Made Trees
June 6 // Vetra Records
Aiko Takahashi – The Grass Harp
June 9 // laaps
Subsonic Eye – Singapore Dreaming
June 11 // Topshelf Records
Goldkimono – This One’s On The House
June 13 // Camp Kimono Records
I was a big fan of Goldkimono‘s last album, S.O.O.N., which was full of incredibly catchy indie pop songs packed with great hooks and sunbeams. Naturally, I was looking forward to its predecessor. While This One’s on the House isn’t as infectious as I had hoped, it’s still an integral part of my summer playlist.
PALESKIN – Euphoric End
June 13 // Out Of Line Music
I will ride the altgaze wave for as long as I please, as long as bands like PALESKIN keep popping up. Yeah, technically, this is pure altgaze, but the songs are good, and that’s all I want. Honestly, I might forget about this album by the end of the year, but right now, I’m enjoying it.
Mary Halvorson – About Ghosts
June 13 // Nonesuch Records
Joe Armon-Jones – All The Quiet (Part II)
June 13 // Aquaril Records
Holden & Zimpel – The Universe Will Take Care Of You
June 13 // Border Community Recordings
Gloios – Polvorosa
June 13 // Independent
I had never listened to this project before, but let me tell you – this album blew me away! Polvorosa is a unique-sounding album that leans toward experimental rock, similar to Wreck & Reference, but with wholesome bedroom pop vibes. Listen to it, or you’ll miss out on a unique experience.
Goldmund – Layers of Afternoon
June 13 // Western Vinyl
Annahstasia – Tether
June 13 // drink sum wtr
UNIVERSITY – McCartney, It’ll Be OK
June 13 // Transgressive
Apathy – Mom & Dad
June 13 // Coalmine Records
Yamê – ÉBĒM
June 13 // DBS Records
Time and time again, I’ve lamented the focus of the larger hip-hop conversation. This conversation is mostly held in the US, and you will rarely find mentions of non-US artists. Talks about artists who don’t use English are pretty much nonexistent. It’s a shame, because Yamé is one of the most interesting rappers out there and is not part of the aforementioned conversation. A lot of people are missing out big time because of that.
Chad Kouri – Mixed
June 20 // Independent
Chad Kouri‘s Mixed features not only vibrant arrangements but also a captivating use of sound design. This is my first time checking out material from this Chicago-based artist, and I’m having a damn good time. Free-flowing and full of the energy that only improvisation can have, this is a fresh-sounding jazz album through and through.
Joliette – Pérdidas Variables
June 20 // Persistent Vision Records
Yaya Bey – do it afraid
June 20 // drink sum wtr
Returning – Numinous
June 20 // Bindrune
mi memoria tomando forma – la carrera universal hacia no entendernos
June 20 // Independent
This is a lot to unpack. Most of it is unfocused and confused. However, there is something profound to be found within la carrera universal hacia no entendernos, a record unlike any other this year.
Loyle Carner – hopefully !
June 20 // EMI
Che Noir – The Color Chocolate 2
June 20 // Poetic Publishing
Aries Mond – Edge Angles
June 21 // whitelabrecs
Whitelabrecs is one of the few places as magical as its reputation suggests. It is a home for great ambient music, unrivaled in quality. With Aries Mond‘s new album, Edge Angles, Whitelabrecs adds a fantastic addition not only to its roster but also to the ambient genre as a whole.
Durand Jones & The Indications – Flowers
June 27 // Dead Oceans
The classic soul revival has been going on for quite some time, and I’m still enjoying it. Alongside well-known artists like Black Pumas and Michael Kiwanuka, there are lesser-known acts like Durand Jones & The Indications, who perform soulful music for those in need. Flowers is a fantastic album for those looking for that exact sound.
All Men Unto Me – Requiem
June 27 // The Larvarium
Noise Trail Immersion – Tutta La Morte In Un Solo Punto
June 27 // I, The Voidhanger Records
It’s another triumphant return for a band I thought was finished. A couple of years ago, Noise Trail Immersion was one of the hottest names in European underground metal, and then they vanished. Now, the boys are back in town – angry and pissed – but with a touch of grace to their sonic chaos. Welcome back.
Tim Barnes – Lost Words
June 27 // Drag City Records
Moving Mountains – Pruning of the Lower Limbs
June 27 // Wax Bodega
Ten years have passed, and we have another comeback on our hands. Moving Mountains has always been a special band with a devoted fan base, and their new album has sparked some excitement. This album contains all the magic and greatness this band has always had, but with a more contemporary sound.
Herbert & Momoko – Clay
June 27 // Strut
Chevalier – Un dolore a cui non so dare nome
June 27 // Independent
Let’s wrap things up with some fine skramz, shall we?
Thanks for scrolling.
thank you for the spotlight on my album “la carrera universal hacia no entendernos”
this album displayed my thought output on very troubled times I lived through.
a mini-analysis song by song started being written around the time I finished volume 3. I believe it helps digest the work and also understand some of my own complex motifs.
I want to say I fully understand the described unfocused sense of all the material the album presents, because that’s how it was recorded and interpreted. it’s a work of just 42 days on recording, mixing, composing and writing. (volume 1 was one week, volume 2 were two, though exactly how many days volume 3 took I can’t really recall right now) it really felt at the time like outputting my brain into connected words and taking them into an interactive medium of art like music.
at the same time, I really love how you still found the value on how profound it is what it delivers.
for me, it’s a very human album. depicting a very unstable state of mind that WILL be unfocused to deliver, it doesn’t know these feelings, doesn’t know how to act on them, so it may even be awkward to listen to what this mind has to say as well. however, the value, human value on these feelings of trial and error, human learning, they seem to come through the barriers of eachother despite it all.
it was very, very lovely to read this entry on ein
thank you! (it’s my birthday too, this is a wonderful unintentional gift for me ha)
you can read the analysis and introduction inside my website.
estebanestebandotneocitiesdotorgslashespantodothtml
this pdf document is always advertised on my socials and spotify profile, but not other streaming platforms, I haven’t gotten to it yet, really.
:’-)