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The albums we can’t stop talking about this month
A column where NMM ranks each new album we listened to in the previous month. Whether we wrote a review or not, we aim to sum up our monthly listens so you know how to get the good stuff.
September, maybe even more than August, brought an incredible range of album releases. I really struggled to order this list — there’s just been too much good music and not enough time to truly soak it all in. I’ve left out two huge releases from Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber: one because I wasn’t feeling another major pop act so soon after the Taylor Swift article, and the other because Bieber only just released Swag 1, so yes, all Swagged out. On that note, here we go:
I’ll admit to being incredibly late to the DJO party. Like everyone else, I’d heard the viral hit End of Beginning and assumed that was the extent of Joe Keery’s dual-threat musician/actor career. However, after one listen to The Crux Deluxe, I completely changed my tune. Keery might just eclipse his acting career as a full-fledged musician. The album jumps across multiple genres of rock’n’roll, somewhere between King Gizzard, Sufjan Stevens, Pink Floyd and Nine Inch Nails. Usually, I’d criticise an album for leaning on so many influences, but DJO transitions between them so naturally, painting a vivid, immersive soundscape I can’t get enough of. My favourite track is the slow-burning closer Awake, where Keery’s Cobain-like murmur builds into a crashing crescendo of drums. That song alone has had at least twenty plays from me — and counting.
2. Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Olivia Dean has been rising through the British music ranks for years, but this record cements her as a household name. I’ve seen comparisons to Amy Winehouse and people calling her the songbird of our generation. I’m not sure I’d go that far, but her talent is undeniable. Her songwriting is immaculate — telling emotional, familiar stories in a tone that feels both grounded and graceful. Her vocals sound so effortlessly perfect it’s as if she isn’t even trying. The Man I Need and Nice to Each Other are rightly soaring, but So Easy (To Fall In Love) stands out with its stunning melody and lounge piano. I’m calling it early: Olivia Dean is a strong contender for next year’s Mercury Prize.
NMM had the pleasure of attending one of Parcels’ album release shows in an intimate record shop setting, and they absolutely killed it. The Aussies came across as personal and genuine, bantering with the crowd between four-part harmonies. They’ve come a long way from their Sydney beginnings and now feel firmly rooted in Berlin, a city that perfectly mirrors their sound: a fascinating mix of laid-back Aussie psych rock and slick Berlin electronica. LOVED is their most cohesive record yet, packed with potential singles. Even the decision to skip spaces in their song titles seems intentional, matching their seamless live sets where one track flows effortlessly into the next. The standout for me is Yougotmefeeling, a danceable singalong you can’t help but move to.
Just missing the top three is the brilliant debut from Sombr, whose slick brand of indie pop has taken the world by storm. The record blends synths, guitars and Sombr’s greasy rockstar charisma into a perfect recipe for anyone craving a more digestible version of indie sleaze.
Joey Valence & Brae (JVB) released Hyperyouth, another party-starting rap-punk record with flashes of introspection, drifting from Beastie Boys comparisons to shades of Action Bronson or Odd Future. No one’s calling JVB poets (one song rhymes “wanna live right” six times), but they’ve got a rare knack for making party rap that makes you want to jump around your living room.
(Note: both Sombr and JVB released their albums in August, but they were too good to leave out.)
Chloe Stroll dropped her soulful debut Bloom in the Break, check out our release coverage for more on that one. Doja Cat returned with Vie, an 80s synth-inspired record full of her usual sharp wit; it’s not entirely my thing, but it’s a strong project nonetheless.
A major disappointment this month was Twenty One Pilots with Breach. After hearing lead single The Contract, I had high hopes, but the rest of the record left me cold. There wasn’t a memorable moment to latch onto, and it just made me want to go back and replay Clancy, which was far stronger.
Last up is Double Infinity a mathematical contradiction from folk indie veterans Big Thief which I found to be boring and forgettable, but that’s been my view of much of their discography.
Let us know what you think, and we’ll see you all next month!