Released: January 12, 2024 Genre: Alternative / Psychedelic From: Spain Label: Yai Yai Records Why you should listen: Mohama Saz is a Spanish group consisting of Adrián Ceballos on Drums and vocals, Javier Alonso on Baglama Saz and vocals, and Sergio Ceballos on Bass and vocals. M​á​quina de Guerra is their fifth studio album but…

Released: February 9, 2024 Genre: Electronic From: UK Label: XL Recordings Why you should listen: Whenever Burial drops, it’s an event. The UK-based electronic legend has been prolific with his output over the last few years with a set of EP’s that are a mixture of dynamic and ambient, hard-hitting and overwhelming, light and atmospheric.…

Released: January 26, 2024 Genre: Jazz / Acoustic From: US / Brazil Label: Real World Records Why you should listen: American saxophonist and composer Sam Gendel has teamed up with Brazilian guitar virtuoso Fabiano do Nascimento for an immersive, acoustic and stunning new album titled The Room. They recorded the album in two days apparently,…

Released: February 2, 2024 Genre: Electronic / ambient jazz From: France / US Label: International Anthem Why you should listen: Ariel Kalma, a French but Australian-based jazz and electronic composer, has teamed up with Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer, two incredibly talented field recording / ambient musicians for a collaboration called The Closest Thing…

Released: January 26, 2024 Genre: Experimental Hip-hop From: US Label: Jagjaguwar Why you should listen: Tampa, Florida-based duo They Hate Change, consisting of rappers André & Vonne, have been creating some of the most exciting and boundary-pushing hip-hop in recent years. Full of energy and with a plethora of different styles, the duo have consistently…

Released: February 2, 2024 Genre: Hip-hop / Ambient From: UK Label: Everything Is Perfect Records Why you should listen: Birmingham-based hip-hop producer and emcee Tony Bontana has released a new project titled L’Humanité, dedicated to his late mother. He’s been on my radar for a few years now, creating some of the most forward-thinking and…

Released: January 26, 2024 Genre: Electronic / Modern Classical From: Denmark (UK-based) Label: Escho Why you should listen: Danish, London-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Astrid Sonne has released a sublime and intriguing new album titled Great Doubt. Despite this being her third full-length body of work, it’s my first introduction to the talented artist, and I…

Released: January 26, 2024 Genre: Punk From: Colombia Label: Static Shock Records Why you should listen: Bogota-based punk band Ataque Zerø, comprising of members from Venezuela, Colombia and France, have released a new EP titled Ciudades. This is my first introduction to the band, having discovered them browsing through Bandcamp one day and being in…

Released: January 26, 2024 Genre: Hip-hop From: USA & Japan Label: Alpha Pup / Ruby Yacht Why you should listen: Nashville, Tennessee poet R.A.P. Ferreira has been one of my favourite wordsmiths of the last decade or so, having released some incredible music over the years. Recent projects like purple moonlight pages and the Light…

Released: January 26, 2024 Genre: Alternative From: UK Label: XL Recordings Why you should listen: The Smile aren’t just a Radiohead side project. Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner have already created a sound and aura within their music that is striking and emotive, as well as beautifully and masterfully textured and layered. A…

Released: January 12, 2024 Genre: Mbalax / Afrobeat / Jazz From: Senegal Label: Urban Trout Records Why you should listen: Mbalax is the national popular dance music of Senegal and The Gambia, a colourful and heavily rhythmic sound that captures the richness and vibrancy of their cultures. I recently discovered Aron And The Jeri Jeri Band,…

Released: January 19, 2024 Genre: Hip-hop / R&B / Jazz-fusion From: Ghana Label: Brownswood Recordings Why you should listen: Delasi is a Ghanaian singer, rapper and producer based in the town of Koforidua in Ghana. His last album came in 2015, so it’s been a while since he’s released something new, but with Audacity of…

Released: January 12, 2024 Genre: Hip-hop From: US Label: Fake Shore Drive / Bruiser Brigade Records Why you should listen: Idiosyncratic and unique Detroit rapper Bruiser Wolf has released his highly anticipated follow up album to Dope Game Stupid. The 14-track album titled My Story Got Stories captures Bruiser Wolf’s usually animated and witty flows…

Released: December 6, 2023 Genre: Hip-hop From: Cyprus / Serbia / Italy Label: Self-released Why you should listen: Serbian / Cypriot (and recently) London-based rapper Andre Masters has released a stellar new album titled ACETONE, produced by Italian producers Comma Uno and Emme the 3rd. I was introduced to Andre Masters via the Come Thru…

Released: January 12, 2024 Genre: Alternative / Experimental From: The Netherlands Label: 10k Why you should listen: Jespfur is a Dutch musician I’ve been familiar with for a little while now, having performed at the last Sonic Verse gig, I think. I’ve always been enamoured by ability to merge emotive and moving vocals with an…

Released: January 10, 2024 Genre: Electronic / Dance From: UK Label: self-released Why you should listen: One of London’s finest producers making music today, Oliver Palfreyman aka O.PAL has released 2 new edits under the name O.PAL EDITS VOL.2. Infectiously groovy, hard-hitting and full of colour, both tracks are some of the funnest and most…

Released: December 8, 2023 Genre: House From: UK Label: Music For Freaks Why you should listen: Fletch is an up-and-coming House producer based in Manchester (but originally from London). Flexin EP is a new 3-track project showcasing his talents as a producer, paying homage to the classic Chicago sound while also creating this hypnotic, meandering…

Released: 31 December 2023 Genre: Hip-hop / Experimental From: UK Label: life is beautiful Why you should listen: Seeing the life is beautiful collective / label put on an incredible live show back in November was one of the bigger surprises of the year, performance-wise. The collective have been slowly making noise with their experimental…

Released: December 8, 2023 Genre: Hip-hop From: US Label: Break All Records Why you should listen: AKAI SOLO’s artistic growth over the last few has been fascinating to follow. His verbose and introspective lyricism often touch on themes of colonialism and the Black experience, referencing historical events and personal happenings that have shaped his life…

Released: November 16, 2023 Genre: Electronic / Hip-Hop From: UK Why you should listen: The electronic music scene in the North-West of England has been growing and thriving recently. Preston producer Rainy Miller and Manchester duo Space Afrika, who are frequent collaborators, have released an incredible album together titled A Grisaille Wedding. Often atmospheric, ambient,…

Released: November 17, 2023 Genre: Electronic / Hip-hop From: US Why you should listen: H31R is an exciting and innovative duo consisting of New Jersey based producer JWords and New York-based emcee maassai. They’ve been releasing music for a while now, but their 2020 debut ve​·​loc​·​i​·​ty as H31R made me a fan. JWords’ futuristic and…

Released: December 22, 2023 Genre: Hip-hop From: US Label: Ruby Yacht Why you should listen: G’s Us is a newly formed duo consisting of AJ Suede and R.A.P. Ferreira, two incredible emcees who are among the best wordsmiths making music today. Their observational and visceral raps about the dystopian reality around them are fascinating to…

Released: November 24, 2023 Genre: House / Broken beat / Dub From: UK / Switzerland Label: Touching Bass Why you should listen: Talented and exciting South London artist Last Nubian has teamed up with Swiss Geneva-based producer Sweet Fruity Brunch to create a groovy, fun and utterly infectious 6-track EP titled Babylon Shuffle. Combining dynamic…

Released: 31 October, 2023 Genre: Hip-hop / Electronic From: US Label: Dynamite Hill Why you should listen: Pink Siifu is a legend among underground hip-hop circles, as he constantly finds new ways to innovate and develop his sound. A highly collaborative artist, he always connects with other talented artists to make genre-pushing new music, and…

Released: November 10, 2023 Genre: Electronic / Soul From: UK Label: Ninja Tune Why you should listen: George Riley’s creative growth over the years has been great to see. From independent releases such as interest rates, a tape, produced by the genius with Oliver Palfreyman to now tracks and projects with the likes of Actress,…

Released: October 13, 2023 Genre: Rock / Electronic / Experimental From: US Label: Mexican Summer Why you should listen: Brooklyn-based artist L’Rain has been making some of the most lush, emotive and textured music in recent years. 2021’s Fatigue was a stunning body of work and what got me into her incredibly emotive and powerful…