Coto and the Plagues (2021)
Los Angeles trio, Coto and the Plagues, initially united around a passion for lo-fi horror films. While the band’s eleven track debut rarely makes direct reference to any element of cinematic history, their music parallels the dark mood of horror culture’s massive timeline. Coto and the Plagues recalls the peak of goth rock and new-wave as though it were straight out of a 1980’s slasher film.
Hidemi (2021)
Jazz saxophonist, Patrick Shiroishi, has created a career exploring the history of Asian-American oppression. On his latest album, Hidemi, Shiroishi delivers one of his most personal albums to date, with a focus on his grandparents and their time spent in a Japanese internment camp circa World War II. Hidemi incorporates the healing power of spiritual jazz as Shiroishi travels through his family’s resilient history.
Painful Enlightenment (2021)
Whether they live in her native Chicago or Eastern Europe, fans of Jana Rush have patiently awaited her second album for four years. Jana’s debut, Pariah, was a fresh take on footwork, blending soothing synth melodies with unsettling rigid basslines. On her follow-up, Painful Enlightenment, Rush steps away from her juke/footwork foundation, and explores human emotion through a combination of jungle and harsh noise.
Aromanticism (2017)
On his first record, Moses Sumney invited listeners to join him on an introspective journey towards self-care and confidence. The minimalist musical build of his debut is the perfect companion to his emotional lyrical themes that explore the beauty in being alone. Aromanticism is a stunning record layered with poetry and unique song structure, providing a thought-provoking foundation for an artist who has since redefined many age-old norms across pop music.
Myrtle Soup (2021)
Like most of the world, British-based indie rocker John Myrtle spent most of the past year alone in his home amid the global pandemic. His new LP, Myrtle Soup, was created during his time in isolation, driven by internal uneasiness from a sudden lack of scheduled structure. A massive amount of pandemic-based art created over the past twelve months focuses on mortality, destruction and the end of the world. Myrtle’s debut avoids this cliche, and instead centers his pleasant ten-track debut on the feeling of having too much time, rather than not enough.