Looks like you made it through August. Nice.
Dntel – Hate In My Heart (Bandcamp)
A tape of bleeps and bloops, wooshes and swoops for your hazy late afternoon enjoyment.
JFDR – Brazil (Bandcamp)
Enchanting and haunting like the ghost of a siren. Gorgeous and exquisitely produced.
You Drive – You Drive (Bandcamp)
Makeup & Vanity Set backs up singer Jasmin Kaset and takes synthwave to the next level: actual songs, with killer choruses.
Omma – Teplo (Bandcamp)
Gently balearic dream pop with a good helping of both bass and whimsy. Put this on, look at a gif of a palm tree swaying in the breeze, and make your day better.
Odd Nosdam – Burner (Bandcamp)
A noisy and emotional sound collage album that gets impressively transcendent more than a few times.
Steve Hauschildt – Dissolvi (Bandcamp)
An album that takes the vibe of the legendary 90s Pure Moods compilation and updates it with a dark edge, Julianna Barwick, and a 2018 feel.
Anaphylaxis – One Million Tomorrows (Bandcamp)
A beautiful illustration of how close the borders are between psychedelic jams, blackened doom metal, and crushing noise. It’s a beautiful place in the underdark.
Aretha Franklin – Live at Fillmore West (Spotify)
The woman, the myth, the legend. Live in 1971 and on fire.
Hilary Woods – Colt (Bandcamp)
Heavy and goth-dark, this drifts towards Twin Peaks but avoids nostalgia in favor of confidence.
X George & Jonathan – III (Bandcamp)
Smooth Sega Genesis jams perfect for neon nights and summer beach days. (This is on Spotify but not Apple Music)
Open Mike Eagle – Brick Body Kids Still Daydream (Bandcamp)
Dense, intricate verses flow impeccably over beats bordering on experimental. Chock full of a whole bunch of low-key jams that engage heart, mind, and body.
Optiganally Yours – O.Y. In Hi-Fi (Bandcamp)
A slab of charming pop with surprisingly layered production.
Lineland – Logos for Love (Bandcamp)
Complex electro-acoustic instrumental tracks equally adept at deepening your chill or motivating you to get stuff done.
Joey Dosik – Inside Voice (Bandcamp)
A nice young man with a golden voice singing smooth, catchy soul with lush, classic production. Some good easy livin’ music for a Monday morning.
Switched on SNES – The Lost Levels Vol. 1 (Bandcamp)
An album of gorgeous instrumental synthesizer tracks inspired by 16-bit Super Nintendo soundtracks. Warm and friendly and super chill.
Demon Queen – Exorcise Tape (Bandcamp)
Grimy synth funk that’s both sonically and lyrically dirty. Funky as hell though.
Renick Bell – Turning Points (Bandcamp)
Music for hacking, made by robots. This is algorave, music created by writing code live on stage which generates music and I, for one, welcome our new robotic music overlords.
Aretha Franklin – Amazing Grace (Spotify)
Don’t forget that besides being a world-changing soul/R&B/pop/Motown singer, Aretha absolutely tore the roof off when singing to The Almighty. Makes “modern worship” seem like whispering.