Quavo – Hold Me
The pain of losing his late nephew and bandmate Takeoff – who was shot and killed at a bowling alley in Houston, Texas in November last year – will almost never leave Quavo. And it’s heavily present on new album Rocket Power, especially track ‘Hold Me’.
Renneé Rapp – Poison Poison
Renneé Rapp melds a pop potency with a grace and RnB undercurrent akin to Janelle Monáe on her debut full-length album Snow Angel, out today. It might be called ‘Poison Poison’ but there’s a sweet, charming quality to this selected track.
The Streets – Too Much Yayo
The Streets drop another taste of forthcoming album The Darker The Shadow, The Brighter The Light. ‘Too Much Yayo’ is not only the album opener, but is set to appear in one of the first key scenes of the album’s accompanying film.
Gretta Ray – Nobody Here
Aussie singer-songwriter Gretta Ray releases her sophomore album Positive Spin today. Despite the upbeat outlook of its title, it’s still a record that holds some hard home truths, as exemplified in ‘Nobody Here’.
Giggs – Folklore
Giggs drops his dark and brooding new album today – his first project since 2020’s Now Or Never mixtape. Zero Tolerance might switch things up with a number of notable features but as typified by ‘Folklore’, it’s often a menacing, atmospheric affair with the Peckham MC front and centre.
The National – Alphabet City
The National have shared their first new music since April’s exceptional First Two Pages of Frankenstein, with the double release of ‘Space Invader’ and ‘Alphabet City’. The tracks arrive with visuals drawn and animated by Pauline de Lassus, aka The National collaborator Mina Tindle.
Hozier – First Time
Hozier delivers his third studio album Unreal Unearth today. It might take some sonic twists and turns from his usual output but it still preserves his soul-baring vocals and poetic prose. Read our full Unreal Unearth review here.
L E M F R E C K – PSG Flow
PSG might be having a fairly torrid transfer window of late, but that hasn’t stopped Newport MC L E M F R E C K from spitting bars about them, with as much skill and dexterity as some of the players who’ve departed the French club this summer.
Cautious Clay – Fishtown
Having worked with the likes of Taylor Swift, John Legend, and Billie Eilish, Cautious Clay gives his exceptionally talented self a chance to shine on his jubilant jazzy record, KARPEH, which arrives today. Read our full interview with the New York artist here.
Priya Ragu – Vacation
As it’s mid-August, I’m sure – like whynow HQ – your office is half-empty, with people taking their chances to unwind and catch a tan. ‘Vacation’, the lead single for Tamil-Swiss artist Priya Ragu’s debut album SANTHOSAM (which arrives 20 October), captures just that spirit and desire to get away.
