I coined the term ‘curse of May’, because it’s actually ridiculous how much good shit came out in May. So much good shit that it makes it especially hard to keep track – and especially easy to overlook a lot of stuff. It’s natural, I get it, it even happens to me. So this The Noise Of is as much for you as it is for me. Also, due to circumstances, a bit longer than previous editions of this pristine feature. Here we go.
Jharis Yokley – Sometimes, Late At Night
May 3 // Rainbow Blonde Records
Kee Avil – Spine
May 3 // Constellation Records
Rich and lush, this album is a shining example of how amazing some artists are at taking pop sensibilities and adding more experimental influences. Compelling and sophisticated? Damn right it is. Catchy? Hell, yeah! Kee Avil delivers a Billie Eilish-inspired art-pop masterpiece with Spine.
Fergus McCreadie – Stream
May 3 // Edition Records
Jazz again! Edition Records strikes again as one of the best jazz labels around, bringing us Fergus McCreadie‘s fantastic new album Steam. This album has a surprisingly classic vibe, despite the more modern sound making it seem like your typical GoGo Penguin-ish modern jazz – so if you are into that, go for it!
Nubiyan Twist – Find Your Flame
May 3 // Strut
And jazz again. Yes, I know, some of you want cvlty black metal, but we are still jazzin’! How can I not celebrate a new Nubiyan Twist album? The funky and soulful jazz collective has been blessing us with great stuff for years, and they are one of the most consistent jazz outfits in London!
Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement
May 3 // Young
We have to thank Kendrick Lamar‘s To Pimp A Butterfly for making Kamasi Washington a household name, and he has been delivering amazing stuff ever since. The monumental Epic is arguably one of the most important modern jazz records, and Fearless Movement is another strong contender in that category. Kamasi is back!
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
May 3 // City Slang
Jasmine Myra – Rising
May 3 // Gondwana Records
Let’s Jazz! Let’s Gondwana! Saxophonist Jasmine Myra is back with her new album Rising – and on this, her second album, she creates a very special atmosphere. I had a hard time coming up with an adequate description of what exactly this sound reminds me of. In the end I landed on cheesy ’80s movies. There are some melody lines that are charmingly cheesy, and I can see smoke coming out of rainy streets in a movie from that era while listening to this. Intrigued? You should be.
Charlotte Day Wilson – Cyan Blue
May 3 // XL Recordings
Agriculture – Living is Easy
May 3 // The Flenser
NIBOOWIN – giving in
May 9 // Zegema Beach Records
SYK – eartHFlesh
May 10 // Season Of Mist
Criminally overlooked Italian prog death outfit SYK not only released one of the best extreme metal albums of the year, but also put themselves on my map of great bands I have misjudged in the past. Since they seem to have had a substantial line-up change, maybe it was the right nudge. In the end, this is really good.
El Moono – The Waking Sun
May 10 // Lockjaw Records
In the tradition of great UK alt-rock/post-hardcore bands like Arcane Roots or Black Peaks (both of which are underrated, and I will die on this hill), El Moono‘s debut full-length scratched an itch that I thought would die unscratched. With every spin, this album gets better and better.
Demersal – Demersal
May 10 // Tomb Tree + a bunch of others
As long as skramz is strong, the world is not completely lost. Demersal‘s impressive self-titled album is easily one of the best the genre has to offer this year, and a must-listen for all skramzy folks. Grindy, chaotic and melodic, this hardcore-adjacent slice of skramz gives you everything you need.
Villagers – That Golden Time
May 10 // Domino
As usual here, we have a follow-up to a record I really liked. Villagers‘ previous album, Fever Dream, was one of my favorite albums of 2021, with “The First Day” being one of my favorite songs of that year. With That Golden Time, Conor O’Brien has found the lush and intricate indie pop sound that made me fall in love with the project in the first place.
How To Dress Well – I Am Toward You
May 10 // Sargent House
How To Dress Well is a very special project, and I Am Toward You is probably Tom Krell‘s best album yet. Even trying to describe what’s going on with it is a Herculean task. In parts it reminded me of San Holo, but with soooo much more detail and layers. A stunning album from cover to cover.
EABS – Reflections of Purple Sun
May 10 // Astigmatic Records
When the Polish jazz project EABS teamed up with Jaubi for their collaboration In Search of a Better Tomorrow, it was immediately on my desk with great interest – of course I start to follow such projects, and with EABS‘ new album Reflections of Purple Sun, they progressed into fascinating territory with breakbeat, dance and ambient.
Tapani Rinne & Juha Mäki-Patola – Decaying Light
May 10 // bigo & twigetti
This ambient jazz duo blew some of us away with their 2022 album Open, so the announcement of their follow-up EP was greeted with excitement. Once again, their hypnotic and layered approach to minimalism and jazz transcends these four songs on a very high level, making it a worthy successor to their debut album.
BADBADNOTGOOD – Mid Spiral: Chaos
May 15 // XL Recordings
These guys seem to be pretty busy. After cool collaborations with Turnstile and, more recently, Baby Rose, BADBADNOTGOOD‘s Mid Spiral project adds even more of this modern jazz institution to the list. With Mid Spiral: Chaos, the band delivers an awesome summer soundtrack with a twisting, pumping collection of tracks!
Claire Cross – Sleep Cycle
May 17 // Art As Catharsis
Australian (!) jazz (!) bassist (!) with an album on Art As Catharsis (!) – this checks so many ‘this will be good’ boxes that I had no chance and gave up. I know I loaded this feature with jazz, but this is very special. And you can never have too much jazz in your life.
So Totally – Double Your Relaxation
May 17 // Tiny Engines
Pallbearer – Mind Burns Alive
May 17 // Nuclear Blast
Has someone in your metal friend group already raved about the new Pallbearer and told you how ridiculously good it is? If not, look for new friends. Or at least someone who will tell you how good the new Pallbearer is. These are usually the people you can rely on and bend to your will, because this new Pallbearer album is gold.
Botanist – Paleobotany
May 17 // Prophecy Productions
Wu-Lu – Learning To Swim On Empty
May 17 // Warp Records
Rapsody – Please Don’t Cry
May 17 // Roc Nation
Ghostly Kisses – Darkroom
May 17 // Akira
Especially with their last album Heaven, Wait, Ghostly Kisses became a very interesting project on my list – the dark and gloomy ambient pop, beautifully delivered. Darkroom is the latest addition and it adds more elements, makes everything richer and more interesting. Great development.
Billie Eilish – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
May 17 // Interscope
I really like Billie Eilish‘s work and I love the approach she took with HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. This is more of a homage to her early career, a bit more subdued than Happier Than Ever, a bit more angsty ’90s kid, a bit more ‘fuck a big promo campaign’. You can tell there’s not as much talk about it, but that’s a damn shame.
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
May 17 // Domino
Not surprisingly, this is spectacular. Perhaps the best album of the year. Damn, how good it is! With her first solo album, Beth Gibbons shows that the magic she created with Portishead and her collaborations is definitely still in her, and it shines brighter than ever.
Autolith – Artificial Heaven
May 17 // Independent
I first heard of Autolith when they did their great split with Knoll, and I was excited to hear their new stuff. And what can I say, this shit blows my mind. With sprinkles of black metal, death metal, hardcore and sludge, Artificial Heaven is the sonic punch in the face you need from time to time.
Frédéric D. Oberland, Grégory Dargent, Tony Elieh, Wassim Halal – SIHR
May 24 // Sub Rosa
Caoilfhionn Rose – Constellation
May 24 // Gondwana Records
Locusts And Honey – Teach Me To Live That I Dread The Grave As Little As My Bed
May 24 // Hypaethral Records
Young Jesus – The Fool
May 24 // Saddle Creek
Welcome To Conceptual Beach, the Young Jesus album from 2020, was not only one of my favorite records of that year, but also one of my absolute favorites of the last 10 years. Since then, I’ve been eagerly awaiting new music from the project – with Shepherd Head, John Rossiter continued his streak of greatness, and The Fool also lived up to my expectations.
Vince Staples – Dark Times
May 24 // Blacksmith Records/Def Jam Recordings
Ever since his self-titled album, I have loved the direction Vince Staples has taken his art in. Deeply personal, his albums, including his latest Dark Times, hit hard without the big spectacle. Witty and emotional, Dark Times is a must-listen for anyone who enjoys grounded and clever storytelling in hip-hop.
Oddisee – And Yet Still
May 30 // Outer Note
Oddisee is fantastic and y’all should listen to everything he puts out.
Thou – Umbilical
May 31 // Sacred Bones Records
Sheena Ringo – Carnival
May 31 // EMI
This is wild. Colorful and rich, Sheena Ringo‘s seventh record is the most beautiful fever dream this year, and no matter what kind of music you like, you need this experience. Like I said, it’s wild.
Norcal Nick & Blu – When the Future Finds the Past It Will Sound Like This
May 31 // Independent
Anything with Blu on it is at least worth checking out, and this EP is no exception. A fantastic little hip hop gem, full of great beats and great bars. Good stuff!
The Marías – Submarine
May 31 // Atlantic
Super warm and comforting, LA’s The Marías have been consistently releasing great material, and their new album Submarine is no exception. Sprinkled with jazz, soul and a bit of psychedelia, this is the perfect album for a lazy summer afternoon!
Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
May 31 // Verve
Arooj Aftab is a very special artist. What she does is unparalleled and I can’t compare her art to anything else. Her fantastic collaborative album Love In Exile took her to new heights, and Night Reign is an equally impressive follow-up.
Aseitas – Eden Through
May 31 // Total Dissonance Worship
Thanks for scrolling!
