With a lot good music being launched on a regular basis, it may be arduous to find out what to take heed to first. Each week, Pitchfork provides a run-down of serious new releases out there on streaming companies. This week’s batch consists of new albums from Lorde, Pi’erre Bourne, Nick León, Frankie Cosmos, Blonde Redhead, Gelli Haha, Merzbow, and Smut. Subscribe to Pitchfork’s New Music Friday newsletter to get our suggestions in your inbox each week. (All releases featured listed here are independently chosen by our editors. Once you purchase one thing by means of our affiliate hyperlinks, nonetheless, Pitchfork earns an affiliate fee.)
Lorde: Virgin [Republic]
Although self-described as an album the place “language is obvious and unsentimental” and “sounds are the identical wherever potential,” Lorde’s fourth album, Virgin, embeds its pounding electropop beats and openhearted lyrics with the vitality of somebody rejuvenated. From the wordless coos-turned-calls in opener “Hammer” to the simplicity-as-transparency strategy of single “Man of the Year,” the New Zealand pop star sounds uncooked and unbarred, just like the breezy business songs of Solar Power had been a hallucination. Co-produced by Lorde and Jim-E Stack, Virgin additionally options contributions from Daniel Nigro, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Blood Orange’s Devonté Hynes, Fabiana Palladino, Buddy Ross, and Inc. No World’s Andrew Aged.
Listen on Apple Music
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Tidal
Listen on Amazon Music
Buy at Rough Trade
Pi’erre Bourne: Made in Paris [SossHouse/Interscope]
