Torres – Three Futures

Mackenzie Scott has foreseen three futures: “one alone, one with you, one with the love I knew I’d choose”. A trio of entwined fates, a triumvirate, a trinity. Along the course of ten songs, contained within some dark and sheltered production, Scott reconciles with the nature of who she is as a person and as an artist. It’s groovy and sexy and genuine and insightful. There are no immediate singles here, it’s an album that takes its time, which demands to be absorbed over multiple listens, the once-murky elements taking focus, her eyes a trinity divided.

The Cool Kids - Special Edition Grandmaster Delux

The Cool Kids have been around for a minute and were at the forefront of hip hop shifting out of the bling-bling era of the early/mid-2000s and into a, well, I dunno what to call the following era. It's best described by the artists who were responsible with TCK joining Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco and more. Special Edition Grandmaster Delux is their first album after taking a hiatus and linking up again, although they featured on each other's solo music and kept dropping solo music. The Cool Kids are back in a different time and SEGMD slots in perfectly to the current climate without giving up any of their unique vibes.

Moses Sumney - Aromanticism

Aromanticism is the concept of lacking in romance, think like the words apathy or asymmetrical or sexual. Yet for a bloke singing about being able to reciprocate romance this album is pretty damn gorgeous. It’s like Smokey Robinson and Flying Lotus had a collab in all the right ways. This thing is cosmic, mate. Sweeping instrumental textures and softly sensual vocals. Philosophical and intricate. Quite possibly the best R&B album of the year so far, to be quite honest (it’s either this or SZA’s).

G Worthy - G Worthy

All you gotta know is that G Perico teams up with Jay Worthy to spit and Cardo provides the backdrop. That should be enough to get you hyped like a mofo and the two South Central Los Angeles rappers bring their signature styles together, for some funky, laid back but typicall raw music. Perfect to ride to or chuck on in the background as you vibe on out.

Carmen Villain – Infinite Avenue

Did you hear the one about the half-Norwegian, half-Mexican fashion model turned singer-songwriter? Oh well you should, it’s a pretty sweet album. Self-produced and self-induced, Infinite Avenues manages to be both quiet and introspective yet cinematic at the same time. One for those sombre late night road trips. Carmen’s voice glimmer and haunts over her subtle tracks, which blend folksy instrumentation with tasteful electronic beats. Red Desert and Borders re particular standouts (the latter featuring some work from Jenny Hval).

Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real – S/T

For the band’s major label debut, they’ve gone the showcase route. A few new songs but also a few re-recorded ones – gotta make sure they’re rocking their best stuff and all. If that might make the record a little odd for the long-timers, don’t fret. They’re a better band these days and ol’ Lukas even managed to get Lady Gaga singing on a couple tracks (Carolina and Find Yourself). The stoner, surfer thing is swapped for a more country-soulful vibe but they were already going that way on the last record. Anyway, Lukas can still shred it and tunes like Runnin’ Shine, High Times and Forget About Georgia are wonderful additions to the live set as well as the recorded one.

EarthGang - Rags

Coming with a five-song EP, EarthGang continue to push forward a different Atlanta vibe. Rags is their first drop after being signed to Dreamville, which is of course J Cole's label and along with their Spillage Village homie J.I.D, they must be doing something right to get the co-sign from Cole. Rags offers social commentary in the form of some super funky rhymes and poetry, packing a punch with all sorts of nooks and crannies to explore despite its petite size.

Son Little - New Magic

Son Little likes his rhythm and his blues in equal measures and it’s hard to tell if he’s out there shattering traditions or simply honouring too many traditions to keep track of. Either way it’s working. The Philly lad knows how to burn a gospel-flavoured closing track like Demon in the Dark (“My heart, my God, it’s full of stars!”) but he’s equally adept chucking some surf funk out there on Blue Magic (Waikiki) or the acoustic jams of Mad About You or blues stomp of ASAP. Best of all is that it somehow all sounds cohesive.

Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

Did ever watch Show Me A Hero on HBO last year? How about The Wire then? They were made by the same bloke. That’s what this new OME is reminiscent of. The album tells the tale, with remarkable humanity, empathy and lyrical dexterity, of the Robert Taylor Homes housing project that was knocked down in Chicago a while back. It’s a very specific theme but Eagle gives voices to the displaced, he gives voices to the disregarded and he finds in them a beautiful perseverance. This is art, amigo.

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