Editor’s Note: Do you think we “missed” an album this week? Click here.
Each month, we always seem to come to the same conclusion when it comes to our Editors’ Picks column: Friday release days open the floodgates and unleash a seemingly endless stream of quality new music. But while some of our Editors and Contributors sit down gleefully each week to dive into this newly stocked treasure trove, others find themselves drawing a blank at the end of the month due to the breakneck pace needed to keep up to date with what’s been released. Which brings us to this Heavy Blog PSA: a weekly roundup of new albums which pares down the week’s releases to only our highest recommendations. Here you’ll find full album/single streams, pre-order links and, most importantly, a collection of albums that could very well earn a spot on your year-end list. Enjoy!
Top Picks
Kælan Mikla – Undir Köldum Norðurljósum (post-punk, coldwave)
I can’t remember the last Icelandic album that left me feeling disappointed. While we’ve spilled a great deal of ink covering the island’s black metal scene, the overall output from the land of fire and ice is exceptional. From the artwork to the lead singles, Undir Köldum Norðurljósum (“Under the Cold Northern Lights”) is no exception. Kælan Mikla (“The Great Cold”) flits between a constellation of subgenres from The Cure’s broader multiverse, touching on elements of post-punk, goth, and some adjacent “-waves” (cold-, dark-, minimal-, and so on). Top it all with some enchanting vocals and gorgeous Icelandic lyrics, and you have an alluring, frostbitten record that’s perfect preparation for the approaching winter months.
See Also: Pokey LaFarge – In the Blossom of Their Shade (ragtime, New Orleans R&B); Classic rock ’n’ roll songwriting with a fresh, modern attitude. I mean, his last album had a piano bar romp called “Fuck Me Up,” so I’m expecting and equally entertaining listen this time around.
–Scott