New Music Drops: November 2022

​New Music Drops is a monthly series on T&E where we share some of our favorite new releases from this year in rock, pop, metal, punk, hip-hop, and global. In the October edition, you'll find anime-inspired grindcore, chiptune black metal, UK drill, glam punk and so much more. 

All selections from this list written by Parisa except for where otherwise noted.
This will be the last New Music Drop of the year. Stay tuned for our year end lists coming next month, and we'll be back with this series in February!

Pop/Rock
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Maita - I Just Want To Be Wild For You
Genre:  indie rock
Strongly reminiscent of the better 1990s alternative rock I was too pissed off for most of the decade to appreciate.  Good melodies and musicianship, pleasant vocals, and mellow material that is just as good as the upbeat; something most bands I find can’t pull off. If you’re the kind of music fan who seeks out bands by label, make note this album is on Kill Rock Stars and make no mistake!  Maita rocks just as much as many of their label mates.  - A. Iwasa
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Kelsey Magnuson - Don’t Budge
Genre:  indie singer-songwriter
I really like Magnuson’s voice.  I think there was something a lot of singer-songwriters were going for in the mid-to-late ‘00s that I didn’t get, that Magnuson hits on the head.  Thoughtful lyrics and fun music.  - A. Iwasa
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Opus Kink - ‘Til The Stream Runs Dry 
Genre: Post-punk, new wave
Aptly described in an NME album review as “horn-fuelled filth-funk, where punk and jazz combine in grimy circumstances”, this album from UK’s Opus Kink is absolutely infectious. In this massive current wave of UK weirdo jazzy post-punk, Opus Kink distinguishes itself from the rest with incredibly unique songwriting and genre-defying melodies. For fans of Squid, Iceage, Shame, etc. 
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CLASS - Epoca de Los Vaqueros
Genre: Power pop
An excellent debut LP from Tucson, CLASS showcases power pop with a glam punk edge. Catchy but not predictable, wears influences of T. Rex but with more aggression. Favorite song: “Cockney Rebel”
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Lenguas Largas - Is This Still Laughing Hyenas? 
Genre: Garage rock
Another hot hot release from Tucson! Lenguas Largas has always been one of my favorite local bands, and this may just be my new favorite album from them. Scuzzy garage rock infused with psychedelic reverb and delays…what else can I say besides this this absolutely s-h-r-e-d-s. Good times guaranteed. Favorite songs “Laffin” and “What’s Up Playa?”
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La Femme - Teatro Lucido 
Genre: French pop, Latin pop
French experimental pop duo La Femme just dropped their first album all sung in Spanish. Finding inspiration “during the famous Semana Santa in Spain, and through pasodoble, reggaeton, brazilian and andalusian rhythms, classic guitars, and movida of the ‘80s” and featuring various vocalists and musicians from Spain. Some of the more straightforward takes on Latin classical music feels pretty lackluster (like “El Tio Del Padulo”) but tracks like “Contaminado” and “Teatro Lucido” highlights their collaborative strengths by binding their oddball French synth pop together with the aforementioned influences. 
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Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork
Genre: Post-punk
English post-punk group Dry Cleaning following up their masterful debut LP with another excellent release. It’s everything you loved from the last album but more exaggerated - extra droll, dry delivery, minimal compositions, and somehow an even more unaffected, cool attitude. I love everything about this album even though the album art makes me want to fucking gag. 
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False Figure - Castigations
Genre: Death rock
Oakland goth trio False Figure take on a melody-driven approach to death rock. It still maintains the gloomy atmospheres and melancholic lyrics, but is more focused on catchy hooks than just bummin’ out. For fans of Christian Death worship bands.
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Rahill - Sun Songs
Genre: Indie
Frontwoman of surf rock group Habibi, Rahill Jamalifard, just put out this short but sweet 4-track EP of songs that invoke the spirit of childhood playfulness and curiosity. Soulful indie/bedroom pop but with really slick production and solid backing grooves. I especially enjoy the Stereolab-esque synth lines on the closing track “Growing Pain”, but my favorite is definitely “Haenim” which is all sung in Persian.
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Punk and Metal
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Daedric Armour - S/T
Genre: Black metal
Raw, and at times melodic, black metal from Australia that takes its lyrical inspiration from The Elder Scrolls fantasy universe. Definitely my favorite metal release from the last month. Shout out to Grave Convulsions on Gimme Metal for introducing me to this album!
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Houkago Grind Time - Houkago Grind Time 2: The Second Raid 
Genre: Grindcore
The most vile and wholesome grindcore album you’ll hear this year. Conceptually centered on anime but taking a darker approach than the previous album, Houkago Grind Time 2 observes the perils of capitalism in the animation industry. Everything was programmed, recorded and produced by the one-man band himself. Stylistically ranging from incredibly fast grind to sludgey detuned gore with pitch shifted vocals, but best described on the Bandcamp bio as “one man jpop for people who thought Skullsmasher wasn't explicitly weeb enough”.
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Noctem - Credo Certe Ne Cras 
Genre: Blackened death metal
Spanish extreme metal group hit their stride with their new album Credo Certe Ne Cras. A display of masterful blackened death - melodic, impeccable production, but with a raw intensity fueled by blast beats and furious tremolo picking. RIYL: Rotting Christ
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Gonemage - Sudden Deluge
Genre: Chiptune, black metal
I’m generally a stick-in-the-mud about black metal and don’t enjoy a lot of crossover experimentation, but this album is definitely an exception. Video game/chiptune meets black metal meets cybergrind meets post-hardcore in this incredibly creative and offbeat LP from Gonemage. The album is a continuation of a fantasy story that’s been built across Gonemage’s discography (details of the story in the liner notes), and I also really appreciate the dozen of guest vocalists and contributors that brought their own personalities into the storyline (shout out to Sammy Gurule on track 7 bringing the heat with those shrieking vocals!) . For fans of Castlevania and blast beats. 
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Dead Cross - II
Genre: Thrash
Ever wonder what Slayer sounded like if they were fronted by Mike Patton? Well now you don’t have to!The second album from supergroup Dead Cross (feat. Mike Patton, Justin Pearson, Dave Lombardo and Michael Crain) delves fully into thrash metal territory. While I think it lacks a lot of the frenzied stylistic variation they showcased in their first album, II is still a pretty fun listen.

Electronic
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Mount Kimbie - MK 3​.​5: Die Cuts | City Planning
Genre: IDM
London IDM duo Dom Maker and Kai Campos “demonstrate the two sides of the Mount Kimbie aesthetic coin” by each taking on one half of the record and showcasing their growth and evolution from their last release. Dom’s side (Die Cuts) features some heavy-hitting collaborations from the likes of slowthai, Danny Brown, and James Blake while Kai’s side (City Planning) looks inward for an introspective journey through synthetic sounds. Having been a big fan of Mount Kimbie for over a decade, I love getting to see them explore their group via a solo endeavor, and in turn reiterating what makes each of these producers so goddamn good together.
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Cakes Da Killa - Svengali 
Genre: House, hip hop
New Jersey rapper Cakes Da Killa presents a conceptual hip house album following a love affair - from hookup to breakup - with all the highs and lows in between. Sonically harking back to the sounds of 90s New York queer club culture with jazzy house beats by the incredible Sam Katz. This album is super sexy and Cakes Da Killa brings more confidence, vulnerability and cuttingly sharp lyricism than ever before. 
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Gold Panda - The Work
Genre: Microhouse, folktronica
UK producer Gold Panda's first album first album in six years, beautifully weaving through the more tender and emotional sounds of IDM. An introspective album that blends together the cold sounds of electronica with the warmth and soul of sample-based instrumentation. RIYL: Four Tet, Bonobo

Illusion of Safety and Z'ev - S/T (split)
Genre: Experimental, drone, noise
A dark ambient sound collage described as "a potent cocktail of scrap metal, processed field recordings, modular synthesis, and plenty of aptly placed intermittent percussive clatter."  An immersive LP that drifts from vastly heavy synth drones to claustrophobic industrial metal, weaving through other non-earthly worlds of sound that can only have been created by these two experimental pioneers. 
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Fever Ray - “What They Call Us” and “Carbon Dioxide” 
Genre: Experimental, electropop
I can’t even believe we’re just a few months away from hearing another Fever Ray album. These new singles seem to tease that the album is going to be a blend of the dark, ethereal moods of the debut with the hyperpop experimentation of Plunge (2017). “Carbon Dioxide” is really giving some Silent Shout era sounds. Karin Dreijer is my favorite living artist so I’ll be counting down the days until we get to hear the rest :’)
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Hip-Hop and R&B
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Homeboy Sandman - Still Champion
Genre: Conscious hip hop
Perhaps my most anticipated hip hop release of the year, and it exceeded any and all expectations. Producer Deca and Homeboy Sandman work together so harmoniously, it’s like they were born to work with each other. There’s so much to say about this album that I can’t fit into a little blurb, but to put it bluntly - Homeboy Sandman’s best album and one of my favorites of the entire year. Favorite track: “Satellite”
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Fatboi Sharif - Preaching In Havana
Genre: Rap
I think Fatboi Sharif explains himself best in his Bandcamp bio: “THE GARDEN STATE GARGOYLE OF ELABORATE LITERATURE CHALLENGING THE UNKNOWN”. Experimental, heavy, and at times, horror-esque.

SAULT - 11
Genre: Soul, R&B
Where to even begin with Sault’s new releases? The mostly anonymous UK soul collective Sault dropped five albums this year (take that, King Gizzard!), and while each has their own highlights and lowlights, 11 features some of my favorite vocal performances and instrumental grooves. Lyrically, this series shifts from their previous politically-charged themes to matters of the soul. While I definitely enjoy their 2020 releases more, there are still some strong gems throughout these albums that are worth checking out.
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Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant To Be 
Genre: R&B, afrobeat
An ecstatic and joyful album from the British jazz quintet exploring upbeat improvisations, afrobeat rhythms, UK hip hop, and reggae. The opening track featuring Sampa the Great, “Life Goes On”, remains the highlight for me as I think the band really shines more with guest vocal contributions, but overall a smooth listen. 
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Pete & Bas - “Sindhu Sesh”
Genre: Drill
I’ll be honest with y’all, it was hard writing the blog this month because for the past eight weeks I’ve almost exclusively listened to Pete & Bas and affiliate Snooker Team cuts. As if Pete & Bas haven’t already proved that they’re not a novelty, they’re coming to make it known that they’re the hardest drill duo out there. The new “Sindhu Sesh'' single that just dropped showcases their INSANELY versatile flows and clever word plays that tops just about anything they’ve done before. Pete crushed this song, but what can I say…I’ll always be a Bas girl at heart.

​The Northern Boys - “Nobody Likes Me”
Genre: UK hip hop
Another fire single from the Snooker Team- this time coming from The Northern Boys, the new collab project with Norman Pain and PJK. I don’t doubt that this will be my most played song of the year. The way Norman’s filthy humor compliments PKJ’s dark, cynical lyrics truly makes them a duo unlike any other, and the production with the Calvis Harris sample makes this an absolute BOP. I can’t believe it was possible to top the “Party Time'' single but Snooker Team quite literally never disappoints.

Global
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Lady Aicha & Pisko Crane's Original Fulu Miziki of Kinshasa - N'Djila Wa Mudujimu 
Genre: Soukous, experimental
From one of my favorite labels, Nyege Nyege Tapes in Uganda, comes a new experimental fusion album from the underground Kinshasa music scene. Soukous rhythms (a genre of  Congo-Kinshasa music derived from rumba) made from handmade, one-of-a-kind instruments made from various discarded objects. The whole album is great, but the album closer hits so damn hard. 

I also recommend dozens of new global albums on my radio show, Global Rhythm Radio, right here on T&E! Click the “DJ Mix” tab on the sidebar to check it out. 

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