Angel Dust Money aka Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch

Label: Run for Cover

Genre: Rock, Baltimore Hardcore

Reviewed by: Alicya James

Cold 2 the Touch plunges you into raw, genre-defying energy fueled by the urgency of hardcore while touching on the roots of melodic instincts of alternative rock. Angel Du$t thrives in the spaces between genres, blending punk, hardcore, and subtle indie together, creating a sound that feels effortless and lived in. The unpredictability allows for nods to bands like Title Fight and Turnstile, balancing out the album's aggression with an unexpected warmth and groove. The vocals carry a gritty sincerity that keeps the entire album grounded and overall super enjoyable to bang your head to

Parlor Greens - Emeralds

Label: Colemine

Genre: Soul Jazz

Reviewed by: Len Comaratta

Sophomore effort finds the trio serving up a beautifully curated sampler of what funky organ music can be.

Shop Talk - Shop Talk

Label: One Track Mind

Genre: Punk / Indie Rock

Reviewed by: Alicya James

Shop Talk's self-titled album immediately throws you into its world, opening strong with raw, no frills energy that feels like stepping into a packed basement show. From its first moments, the band immerses itself in a gritty punk atmosphere that never really lets up. But the chaotic urgency is perfectly balanced with a more controlled and slightly eerie edge. Some tracks hit hard with scrappy intensity, while others let their warped melodies and tone breathe a bit more. This was such a fun listen and overall delivers everything one looks for in a punk album.

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Future Soul

Label: Fantasy

Genre: Blues / Americana

Reviewed by: Judah Horrell

"Um, yeah, it slaps." - Judah Horrell when asked to describe this album. Future Soul doesn't really try anything new for the Tedeschi Trucks Band, but it honestly doesn't need to. This is some tried-and-true country/blues/americana/jam/rock and roll music. Susan Tedeschi sounds amazing as always, Derek Trucks' playing is just as mesmerizing as ever, and the rest of the band is impeccable. They do not miss. If you're looking for some music to listen to whilst sitting in a truck bed on a cool summer night, then you've come to the right place.

the Notwist - News from Planet Zombie

Label: Morr Music

Genre: Alt Pop

Reviewed by: Hayden Swenson

On their first album in five years, the Notwist dial back their signature electronic influence while continuing to showcase their talent for writing genre-bending, introspective, anxious-yet-hopeful indie rock tunes. Many feature arrangements of marimba, woodwind, and strings, giving the album a cinematic post-rock-ish edge. Markus Archer's voice is soft, vulnerable, and melancholic; this isn't necessarily sad music, but it's definitely packed full of emotion! The album's more energetic tracks (2,5,7) are the most immediately enjoyable, but the album also includes its fair share of dreamy and folkish moments, which are equally well executed. Very good stuff!

Underscores - U

Label: Virgin

Genre: Indie Pop Rock

Reviewed by: Lauren Hagin

It seems as if Alice Grey has fully settled into her element with the release of “U”. This album is incredibly polished, carefully mixing hyperpop and indie pop sounds to create a refreshing, catchy lineup of songs. The influences from Grey’s favorite spaces- airplanes, malls, hotels- are extremely clear throughout the album as she can craft a fleshed-out musical setting that makes the listener feel like they are occupying those spaces. If you ever have the chance to listen to this on an ACTUAL airplane, I highly recommend doing so.

Ben Flocks - Moonshades

Label: West Cliff

Genre: Post Bop

Reviewed by: Finn Stephens

Ben Flocks, you have successfully serenaded me. Your smooth, intimate chords, saxophone, and percussion have swayed my heart out of my body and left it floating in a beam of moonlight. Moonshades seems to aim to interpret the title of each song in musical form and, for the record, sounds beautiful while doing so. All of the songs here are very carefully put together and take their time to unravel as each song progresses. You'll hear a lot of sweet, sweet saxophone accompanied by soft strings and percussion that'll have you wanting to go listen on a park bench in the middle of a full moon. I WILL be playing this during my next fancy dinner date.

DoYeon Kim - Wellspring

Label: Aum Fidelity

Genre: TAO Forms

Reviewed by: Len Comaratta

Masterful composer-improviser DoYeon Kim is an unparalleled practitioner of the Korean gayageum (a silk-string zither) and is also in possession of a purposeful vocal intensity. Armed with an unlikely traditional instrument, flanked by three extraordinary improvisers, radiating a brash, acoustic strategy that simultaneously invokes folk universalism and a No Wave battle-stance, the Brooklyn-based virtuoso will drop a volcanic sonic statement with grand humanist goals. Kim mingles Korean lullabies, fervent interactions between drums and strings, and pure instrumental expressions of musical self.

Remember Sports - The Refrigerator

Label: Get Better

Genre: Indie Rock

Reviewed by: Alexa Hammond

This new release from Remember Sports was a very enjoyable listening experience. The lead singer, Carmen Perry, has a yodel-esque quality to it that meshes interestingly and endearingly with the distorted guitars. It has some bouncy basslines that tie all the songs together quite nicely and give it a playful tone. I can totally picture these tracks in a 2010s indie coming-of-age movie. Track 5 has a really cool synth-folk sound and was my personal favorite.

Jose Gonzalez - Against the Dying of the Light

Label: Mute

Genre: Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter

Reviewed by: Finn Stephens

Against the Dying of the Light is a soft, stripped-back album that puts Jose Gonzalez's voice and acoustic guitar at the center of focus. The album journeys between English, Spanish, and Swedish with such softness that the songs could nearly be classified as lullabies if they wished. Gonzalez focuses on themes of fighting against death, whether that comes from living as full a life as possible or avoiding extinction through external forces. Give it a listen, especially at night!