For almost any other recording artist, bestowing the title Popstar<\/em> upon their eighth studio album might feel a bit heavy-handed or overly ambitious. Yet, Tinashe has more than earned the distinction. In addition to having practically helped set the blueprint for contemporary K-pop with her influential early output, her latest record simply exudes undeniable star quality from front to back. <\/p>\n Popstar<\/em> operates as part-recreation and part-reimagining of the past decade’s biggest pop blockbusters, and it manages to nail every intricate detail along the way. The record spans various moods and sonic textures, featuring an acoustic closing number titled "Heavy Weight," alongside the emotive rock-R&B ballad "I\u2019d Rather Be Alone"\u2014a poignant reminder for longtime fans that Tinashe almost secured a coveted vocal placement on Rihanna\u2019s landmark album Anti<\/em>. <\/p>\n Further showcasing her versatile range, the project even flirts with stadium-ready country aesthetics on the standout track "Nobody Want to Dance Anymore." Armed with an impressive arsenal of beats that channel the contemporary production weight of Metro Boomin, the classic dynamism of Missy-Timbaland, and the club-ready punch of Mike Will Made-It, the artist affectionately known as ‘Nashe effortlessly makes world-class songwriting sound, as her past hits suggest, "Too Easy."<\/p>\n When Irish noise-rock outfit Gilla Band released their uncompromising debut album, Holding Hands With Jamie<\/em>, back in 2015, they effectively reimagined the genre as a queasy, overblown, and manic psychological breakdown. Over a decade later, the band\u2019s fourth full-length record, Pugnello<\/em>, deepens their formidable standing as a north star for the genre and for the entire crop of experimental UK acts they have inspired in the years since. <\/p>\n Pugnello<\/em> is unapologetically twisted and entirely unpredictable. Listening to the record often feels akin to riding on a ship battering massive waves on the high seas, completely stripped of any say in which direction it heads, yet driven forward by an obstinate, unrelenting persistence. While such sonic turbulence might easily make a casual listener feel nauseous, in Gilla Band\u2019s capable and calculated hands, the chaos is transformed into a demanding, high-stakes rave that mandates movement.<\/p>\n The best records have a way of feeling like physical spaces you can inhabit, but Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin\u2019s The Gem<\/em> literally is one. Her anticipated 4AD debut takes its direct name from a real-life neighborhood pub in Melbourne that served as an essential sanctuary of solace when Jacklin first moved to the sprawling city in 2017 knowing virtually no one. <\/p>\n Though everything changes with time, nearly a decade later she sought out that exact same haunt to craft her first proper hometown album. Jacklin recorded the tracks in a room directly above the bar, tested out work-in-progress songs on patrons downstairs, and entrusted co-production duties to her longtime friend Robert Muinos at Rat Pack Studios. Emerging from a period of major professional transition that involved shifting between record labels, management teams, and stylistic approaches, The Gem<\/em> moves remarkably like a turtle, comfortably carrying the warmth of home right along on its back.<\/p>\n In recent years, Anthony Gonzalez has found himself feeling increasingly wistful for the sonic landscapes of his own back catalog. His 2023 LP, Fantasy<\/em>, was explicitly pitched as a spiritual sequel to his acclaimed 2005 release, Before the Dawn Heals Us<\/em>. Based on that artistic trajectory\u2014and all but confirmed by the nostalgic piano refrain that gracefully closes the new track "Blister Sunrise"\u2014I Wrote You a Letter<\/em> stands as the spiritual successor to his beloved 2008 album, Saturdays=Youth<\/em>.<\/p>\n Compared to the more verbose and expansive approach of Fantasy<\/em>, I Wrote You a Letter<\/em> is a remarkably subdued release for an M83 record. Gonzalez seems once again entirely content to let his massive sounds carry the heavy emotional weight. The album features sweeping dueling choirs and wailing saxophones on "Siren Behold… Beasts," a delicate string quartet arrangement on "Soldiers of Lust," and, naturally, every vintage and modern synth patch under the sun\u2014and likely several fictional ones, too.<\/p>\n Like any great narrative, there are two distinct sides to guitar whisperer Jules Reidy\u2019s new album, Clerestory<\/em>. The A-side, titled "Shadow Symmetric," pairs the Australian-born, Berlin-based composer and instrumentalist with the JACK Quartet, a dextrous New York City-based string ensemble that Reidy spent over two years collaborating with on the intricate composition. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, the B-side, "Clerestory Windows," compiles four fragmented songs that cleverly reinvent their preceding instrumental themes through an array of alternative sound sources, including vocals, 12-string guitar, electric guitar, RMI keyboards, and MIDI strings. In the hands of a less inventive stylist, this second half might easily sound fractured or over-wrought. However, when taken together, the two halves of Clerestory<\/em> feel wonderfully full and cohesive, offering a rich sonic yarn that rewards repeated listens.<\/p>\n "Very few inspirations have me reaching forward," Nathan Jenkins sings on the opening track of his latest project under the moniker Bullion, titled Nearly<\/em>. Listeners should not mistake the lyric for a cynical dig at the modern musical landscape; Jenkins is actually a famously prolific and serial collaborator who has spent recent years producing for artists like Avalon Emerson & The Charm, Nil\u00fcfer Yanya, and the xx\u2019s Oliver Sim, among others. <\/p>\n Instead, the opening line serves as an introspective reflection on self-doubt and isolation\u2014topics that Jenkins explores with rare candor and grace across the rich sonic tapestry of Nearly<\/em>. Deftly merging smooth 1980s pop-R&B production aesthetics with scrappier new wave instincts, Jenkins delivers profound melancholia couched in an uncanny, comforting warmth. Joined by only one featured guest vocalist, L Devine, Jenkins invites listeners deep into the embrace of what stands as his lonesomest album to date.<\/p>\n Sabrina Teitelbaum\u2019s third full-length album under the moniker Blondshell operates from the understanding that beauty and pain are inextricably linked\u2014a dynamic reflected directly in the album\u2019s title, referencing the sole stringed instrument that also doubles as a homophone for violence. <\/p>\n Working once more alongside producer Yves Rothman, Teitelbaum taps directly into the sharp existential anxiety that has defined the turn into her thirties. This internal friction translates into grungier lead guitar lines and bigger, more resonant hooks than she has ever delivered before. While she possesses hard-earned wisdom beyond her years, Violins<\/em> never adopts a condescending tone toward its subject matter. In fact, the striking closing track, "Fur Elise," leaves the LP hanging on a poignant note of uncertainty, perfectly encapsulated by the complex anxieties of walking down the aisle to a famously anachronistic piece of music.<\/p>\n When post-punk mainstays Protomartyr approached fellow Detroit punk veteran Iggy Pop to introduce their album release, they secured a quote worthy of being taped directly onto a family refrigerator: "What is a Protomartyr? …Kind of like Jesus." As it turns out, the resulting album, Hotel Usona<\/em>, is more than capable of standing proudly on its own merits. <\/p>\n The group does not thrash around with the ferocious speed of earlier career milestones like The Agent Intellect<\/em> or Under Color of Official Right<\/em>. In this current chapter, frontman Joe Casey snarls pointedly into the microphone about corrupted patriotism, deformed social media ecosystems, and the increasingly selfish applications of artificial intelligence. Rather than attempting to overwhelm the listener with sheer volume, Protomartyr instead dares their audience to step closer and discover just how sharp their songwriting has become.<\/p>\n Listeners familiar with the popular internet meme, "While you were partying, I studied the way of the blade," might find a playful subversion in Atlanta upstart Zukenee\u2019s approach, where honing one’s musical craft and living it up go hand in hand. <\/p>\n Blunts and Blades<\/em> marks his fifth proper project released in just two years, presenting another sinewy, snarling take on post-rage rap. The release pairs Zukenee\u2019s characteristically laid-back flow with spare, club-ready trap beats courtesy of producers Cade, desmos, and BNYX, the latter of whom also provides the album’s sole guest feature. When the rapper promised to flood the year with new music, he was entirely serious. Yet, this is the rare deluge that remains deeply rewarding to parse piece by piece, proving that quality and quantity can indeed coexist in harmony.<\/p>\n While Megiapa\u2019s sonic identity draws clear inspiration from contemporaries within the underground Los Angeles jazz and hip-hop communities, she originally cut her teeth over the course of a decade embedded within Chicago\u2019s vibrant beat scene. As one of the few women navigating the grueling open-mic grind in that city, Megiapa developed a sharp knack for complete creative independence, ultimately settling into a sui generis<\/em> groove that coalesces brilliantly on her International Anthem debut, Intentions<\/em>. <\/p>\n Recorded with the support of a cultural grant from Chicago\u2019s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and later layered with intricate live instrumentation on the West Coast, the album successfully links the various geographic and artistic loci of her evolution into a cohesive, hand-stitched musical quilt.<\/p>\n Industrial-metal pioneers Godflesh have been forging abrasive music for nearly four decades, but in the words of frontman Justin Broadrick, "It has to reach a point where enough is enough." That critical juncture arrived earlier this year when Broadrick announced that the band had officially reached the end of the road, following explicit medical orders to stop screaming after undergoing open abdominal surgery for an inguinal hernia. <\/p>\n Decay<\/em>, the first of two final studio albums that Godflesh planned before retirement, introduces a fittingly physical and intense denouement to their turbulent yet legendary run. Born from the same rigorous recording sessions that produced their 2023 album Purge<\/em>, Decay<\/em> pulses with the renewed, blistering energy of their post-hiatus era, proving that the band is going out not with a quiet whisper, but a bloodcurdling howl.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With a relentless flood of acclaimed music arriving on streaming services week after week, determining what to listen to first can quickly become an overwhelming endeavor. To help listeners cut through the noise, music publications regularly offer curated roundups highlighting the most significant new releases available. This week\u2019s expansive batch brings forth major new studio […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[283],"tags":[2234,284,1013,2233,2235,287,369,1052,954,286,2232,309,285],"class_list":["post-1341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eastern-music-and-soundscapes","tag-band","tag-eastern-music","tag-essential","tag-gilla","tag-godflesh","tag-instruments","tag-music","tag-navigating","tag-releases","tag-soundscapes","tag-tinashe","tag-week","tag-world-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1341"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1341\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6ab67c599bf6b62aec67711a\/16:9\/w_1280,c_limit\/Tinashe%20Popstar%20-%20General%20Press%20Photo%2001%20(1).jpg\")
<\/figure>\nGilla Band: Pugnello<\/em> [Rough Trade]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6ab4131ef7ef2378a6776d41\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Tinashe-%2520Popstar%2520.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nJulia Jacklin: The Gem<\/em> [4AD]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6ab41371460d9566ff76f22a\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Gilla%2520Band-%2520Pugnello.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nM83: I Wrote You a Letter<\/em> [M83 Recording Inc.]<\/h2>\n
Jules Reidy: Clerestory<\/em> [Thrill Jockey]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6a2ffb396d5aa71b3e09de84\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Julia-Jacklin-the-Gem.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\nBullion: Nearly<\/em> [Ghostly]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6a60d5219c3af51a33e26471\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/m83-cover.JPG\")
<\/figure>\nBlondshell: Violins<\/em> [Partisan]<\/h2>\n
Protomartyr: Hotel Usona<\/em> [Domino]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6ab4147df7ef2378a6776d51\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Jules%2520Reidy-%2520Clerestory.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nZukenee: Blunts and Blades<\/em> [Slaylife]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6ab414a217bdfadce13ca87a\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Bullion-%2520Nearly%2520.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nMegiapa: Intentions<\/em> [International Anthem]<\/h2>\n
Godflesh: Decay<\/em> [Relapse]<\/h2>\n
![\"11](\"https:\/\/media.pitchfork.com\/photos\/6ab414d24d5393e481be1cf5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Blondshell-%2520Violins%2520.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n