New Music :: November 2021

This month’s must-catch new releases from the artists you already love and the musicians you need to know.

Snail Mail

Valentine

Returning with an unreserved, mature sound, the bedroom-pop star Lindsey Jordan , aka Snail Mail, is putting it all out there with her sophomore album. 

After an abrupt skyrocket to fame, Valentine is an exploration of living life under the microscope and the steadfast return to healing through art and music.

Dwelling on the duality of soft, introspective melodies and bold, in-your-face rock, Snail Mail captures the ever-present complexities of embracing the destruction of life and letting go of what needs to be forgotten. Guitars swell and build into moments of chaos, only to be replaced by sounds of sweet lullabies. 

Jordan is an exceptional storyteller through song, getting in the mess and delivering an entire indie-rock album that features the growth of the artist. She is known for turning sad songs into anthemic tracks of savvy heartbreak and ultimately empowerment.

Her clean tone shines through, as she sings emotionally transparent honesty over the rustling guitars and bass. The cathartic album catches Jordan post-rehab and takes us on a journey of memories of love, both the ones that feel good and the ones that are the worst for us. 

serpentwithfeet

Deacon’s Grove

The R ’n’ B singer-songwriter who is known for tender expression is releasing a companion piece to pair with his album from earlier this year, Deacon.  Featuring two re-imagined tracks alongside two new songs, Deacon’s Grove continues to embrace serpentwithfeet’s straightforward approach to storytelling while delving into the beauty and thoughtful affection of Black, gay love. Following in the footsteps of artists whose gifts were helmed in the Black church, the beats and melodies are both a callback and fresh take on tradition.

Holly Humberstone

The Walls Are Way Too Thin

The highly anticipated sophomore EP from Holly Humberstone channels an evolution for the artist, as she grapples with the themes of growth through loss. The Walls Are Way Too Thin features songs of self-exploration, letting go, and leaning in, as the pop singer-songwriter emotes through honest lyricism and larger-than-life melodies. The tracks on the EP showcase strong, catchy hooks alongside Humberston’e  raw vulnerability, and the upbeat overtones play a nice contrast against the deeper themes within. 

JJJJJerome Ellis

The Clearing

Composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and poet JJJJJerome Ellis has found his voice through the conceptual new album The Clearing. The music is a journey of stories that show how stuttering, Blackness, and music can be practices of refusal against hegemonic governance of time, speech, and encounter. Establishing a new metaphor that frames speech dysfluency as a space for possibility rather than a pathology, the power of essay in his music creates a transcendence over the barriers that exist.

JORDY

Mind Games

JORDY drops 12 full-bodied pop songs with Mind Games, a collection of tracks that were all written during the pandemic lockdowns. Emotional and relatable, the songs explore everything from aimless hookups to wanting to escape to commentary on social media through the lens of heart-on-your-sleeve honesty. Mind Games illustrates his ability to vividly and boldly tell stories through contagious melodies and layered harmonies. JORDY embraces modern pop with time-honored soul.

Jon Hopkins

Music For Psychedelic Therapy

Having recently honed a sound that occupies the space between unbound bass and driving techno, Jon Hopkins is taking a step back in order to take a journey inward. Embracing something that is closer to a classical symphony, Music For Psychedelic Therapy focuses on a different kind of rhythm for the musician. He removed distractions and allowed the songs to flow through him like a creative conduit of existential messaging. Dive into a trance, and allow the intimate, soulful songs to bring healing.

Kills Birds

Married

Deemed L.A.’s most electrifying, new rock singer, lead vocalist Nina Ljeti, alongside bandmates Jacob Loeb and Fielder Thomas, has curated a set of tracks that are explosive, bold, and direct. A departure from their former, lo-fi aesthetic, the intentional shift captures the raw energy of their live performance and drives forward both a sonic swell and a steady, timid dynamic. Kills Birds have embraced a brutal sense of both beauty and aggression with the sophomore release Married.