Frank Ocean — "Endless"
Frank Ocean reportedly pulled a fast one on his record label Def Jam by fulfilling his contract with "Endless" — a 45-minute visual album that isn't for sale — so that he could reap the lucrative benefits of independently releasing his proper studio album "Blonde" the following day.
Nonetheless, "Endless" stands on its own as a cohesive mood piece and one of the best collections of B-Sides in recent memory. Separated from its tedious visual component — in which, yes, Ocean literally builds a staircase — the artist's contemplative project rewards re-listening.
Listen to it on Apple Music.
Dinosaur Jr. — "Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not"
Dinosaur Jr., one of the most influential bands in alt-rock history, returned from a four-year hiatus this month with their fresh and accessible 11th studio album, "Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not."
With great songwriting from lead singer J Mascis and excellent, distorted guitar work, the group's new album is one of the best rock releases of the year so far.
Listen to it below, via Spotify.
Motion Graphics — "Motion Graphics"
"Motion Graphics," the debut album from New York electronic producer Joe Williams, transfixes the ear with an innovative, mind-bending array of digital sounds.
Williams' steady voice guides the album through its bizarre aural environments, which are alternately pleasant and unsettling. The lead single, "Houzzfunction," is a great highlight.
Listen to the album below, via Spotify.
Cass McCombs — "Mangy Love"
Folk singer-songwriter Cass McComb's eighth album, "Mangy Love," finds his typically stellar acoustic work and cryptic lyrical style melded into a moving collection of tracks.
With song titles like "Medusa's Outhouse" and "I'm a Shoe," McComb adds a sly sheen of irony to his music while retaining his trademark affecting sound.
Listen to it below, via Spotify.
The Album Leaf — "Between Waves"
California-based electro-rock band The Album Leaf released a pleasantly hypnotic LP with this month's "Between Waves." The group's layering of dark, digital tones occasionally reminds one of Radiohead's most recent efforts.
Listen to it below, via Spotify.
Slow Club — "One Day All of This Won't Matter Any More"
True to its name, Slow Club's music often unravels deliberately (and beautifully). The English indie-pop duo's fifth album harks back to Fleetwood Mac-style '70s rock music, with bittersweet melodies and striking instrumentation.
Listen to it below, via Spotify.
Banks & Steelz — "Anything But Words"
"Anything But Words" is a compelling, genre-blending experiment from the unlikely duo of Wu-Tang Clan maestro RZA and Paul Banks, the lead singer of Interpol.
Features on the record include Florence Welch (of Florence + The Machine) and RZA's fellow Wu-Tang mates Method Man and Ghostface Killah.
Listen to it below, via Spotify.
