featuring 2nd Grade, Soccer Mommy, Her New Knife, Aminé, & MORE
An overwhelming amount of music is released daily, and we're here to help you weed through it all. Every week, we share select releases we are all looking forward to and personalized picks from a few of our editors.
Welcome to our New Releases to Check Out guide featuring the most notable music released the week of October 25.
And don't forget to check out our YouTube, where DeVán reports on the latest music news every Friday.
Atticus' Picks
2nd Grade - Scheduled Explosions
Power Pop
via Topshelf Records
Philadelphia-based pop-rock band 2nd Grade have risen to a new level of notoriety this year with the release of their new album Scheduled Explosions. The 23-track project bounces between pure ‘Scooby-Doo-chase-scene’ power pop, muffled lo-fi rock, and vulnerably stripped moments, all with a touch of nostalgic sap.
Led by Peter Gill’s youthful vocals and early Liz Phair-esque songwriting, the instrumentals are heavily guitar-based—thanks to Gill, Catherine Dwyer, and Jon Samuels. Not a single song on the album clocks in over three minutes, providing an anti-systematic listening experience with quirky references to Dougie Poole, Pepperidge Farms, and ‘losers writing power pop’...as stated before, the modern power pop wave is already doomed.
Since streaming took over the market for music consumption in the mid-2010s, artists have been called out for releasing projects with bloated tracklists, with the goal of boosting their stream counts. When compared to a textbook example of this tactic, Migos's 2018 sequel Culture II, Explosions is around one-third of the length of Culture II while only containing one less track. The brevity of each song on Explosions puts emphasis on the project as a whole, instead of dumping hours of music and hoping a few tracks will catch on. As each song passes, it becomes harder for the listener to single out each one and easier to sit back and enjoy the body of work.
While this brevity allows for valid criticism of depth or focus, the choices feel purposeful. Poignant moments last as long as they need to. Singles like “Out of the Hive,” “Airlift,” and “Uncontrollably Cool” seem built for instant recognition, but in between these hooks are many less overt compositions that add variation to the album and entice listeners to return in order to become more familiar.
Aminé - "Passenger Princess" (ft. Smino) / “Adam”
Pop Rap, Neo-Soul, Alt. R&B
via CLBN / 10K Projects
After dropping one of the most hyped collab albums of 2023 with KAYTRAMINÉ, Portland creative Aminé is back with a new double single. The first track “Passenger Princess” features Smino, whose slippery melodic sensibilities and raunchy humor fit quite well alongside Aminé.
Neither song has the bright electronic production found on Aminé’s 2021 project TWOPOINTFIVE, and the B-side “Adam” is a bit more laid back and personal than “Passenger Princess.” The track also contains background vocals from Chloe George, who sings alongside Aminé as he tries to reconcile with someone (maybe himself… aka Adam).
With most of his effort recently going towards a fruitful New Balance collaboration as well as a music festival, it will be interesting to see where Aminé goes next musically.
Cameron Winter - "Vines” / Take It With You
Singer-Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
via Partisan Records / Play It Again Sam
Between touring and working as the lead singer of the NYC rock band Geese, Cameron Winter found time to record and release a duo of solo singles. The self-produced tracks “Vines” and “Take It With You” are much more mellow than Geese’s music, positioning Winter’s unique vocals at the forefront.
His warbly tone conveys emotion very effectively, and the drumless instrumentals aid in constructing haunting beauty on each song. Both tracks find strength in simplicity with progressions that are easy to follow and understand. A highlight moment comes in the latter half of “Take It With You,” when vocal harmonies take shape over very melancholic chords for a late climax to the track.
With no formal announcement of an album or project tied to these singles, it is hard to tell what is next for the singer. However, it is quite cool to see someone this young taking on such an old-fashioned, baroque-inspired sound. Stay tuned to Winter’s Instagram for more updates.
Soccer Mommy - Evergreen
Indie Rock
via Loma Vista Recordings
A$AP Twelvyy - "Bronx Zoo”
East Coast Hip-Hop
via Two twelve technologies
Cam's Picks
Alice Longyu Gao - Assembling Symbols Into My Own Poetry
Electronic Dance Music
via Alice the Label
Hyperpop-adjacent (yet timbrally far from it) songstress Alice Longyu Gao is back for her third mini album, Assembling Symbols Into My Own Poetry. This project continues on the unapologetically queer, off-kilter genre-bending. It is worth highlighting the single "Bird w/o Nest," a hushed, winding indie rock passage with a verse from none other than Danny Brown.
Amyl and the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness
Garage Punk, Punk Rock
via Rough Trade Records
Dominick's Picks
Her New Knife - chrome is lullaby
Shoegaze, Noise Pop, Noise Rock
via Julia's War Records
In the midst of their tour supporting Julie, Philly four-piece Her New Knife share their new EP chrome is lullaby. It’s the band’s second EP of the year, following up February’s nightcore+++, which featured some demos and remixes.
Six new songs make up chrome is lullaby. It’s swathed in crunchy guitars and spattered with ambient and industrial sounds alike. From the pummeling, looming presence of “purepurepure” (the only single) to the shimmering closer, “vesselera,” this EP delivers on some of the most exciting shoegaze of the year.
S.C.A.B. - Rose Colored Glasses
Jangle Pop, Power Pop
Self-Released
Queens-based band S.C.A.B. share their new five-track EP Rose Colored Glasses. Preceded by the singles “IDK New Reality” and “Caught My Eye,” the full EP delivers on some more heartwarming jangle pop.
On their Bandcamp, S.C.A.B. offer the following words on Rose Colored Glasses:
“Like an iPhone memory carousel. A cheesy nostalgic recollection you cant seem to look away from. Heartwarming because it has something to say but nothing to prove.”
Peter's Picks
Serpent Column - Tassel of Ares
Black Metal, Mathcore
Self-Released
The ever-changing, restless sounds of Serpent Column snake their way into the collective consciousness once again. A clusterfuck of wrangling roots and spoiled earth, Tassel of Ares wraps around the listener's soul, squeezing it tight. The more said listener struggles, the tighter the grip gets. Coming up for air Serpent Column fills the listener's lungs with filth. Tassel of Ares is an intense experience, to say the least.
On the making of the album, Serpent Column's Bandcamp says this:
"With love and regret, respectfully, to fans of my work, friends, those who I have hurt and alienated, those I have been ruthless and dishonest to in pursuit of my vision, and my past selves for what I've endured to make these records."
They also add, "Bootleg and pirate as you wish. Soulseek and P2P forever."
Tassel of Ares is out now.
Stalled - Dust Inside a Dream
Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock
via Pleasure Tapes
Chicago-based band Stalled release their debut full-length, Dust Inside a Dream. The despondent tones of the band’s 2022 Contentment EP set the stage for Stalled. Two years later, they have finally fully set sail.
Chunky rhythms and dissonant riffs soundtrack life's groundhog grip; an unshakable melancholia that claws at the soul and chips away at the very thing which keeps you standing. The pain of another day creeps into view. Feet move forwards with no feeling; no thoughts, either—no one's home. Auto-pilot, the world’s most inhabited state. Powerless to a festering freeze.
Dust Inside a Dream is out now.
DARKSIDE - "Graucha Max"
Krautrock, Neo-Psychedelia
via Matador Records
Dave Harrington and Nicolas Jaar—aka DARKSIDE, the pinnacle of psychedelically warped electronic fusions—return to the music scene with "Graucha Max.” “Graucha Max” is untamed in spirit and seedily aggressive in manner; it certainly does not have your best intentions in mind. A rather noisy affair, DARKSIDE tap into an industrial space.
The long second is over, “Graucha Max” is out now via Matador Records.
DARKSIDE have also announced their first North American tour in 11 years. The 2025 tour hits 15 cities beginning in Chicago on March 13.
Friko - "If I Am"
Indie Rock
via ATO Records
Friko have announced an expanded edition of their 2024 breakthrough debut Where We've Been, Where We Go From Here. The expanded edition will feature 11 bonus tracks, including live performances of "Where We've Been," "Statues," and "Cardinal" captured at a hometown show at Chicago's Metro. Additionally, it will feature a cover of My Bloody Valentine’s “When You Sleep," and Friko's latest single "If I Am."
Where We've Been, Where We Go From Here (Expanded Edition) is out on November 22 via ATO Records.
Friko have also announced a 2025 US and Canada headline tour including cities such as Montreal, Louisville, Philadelphia, and Seattle.
A bit closer on the timeline, Friko's European and UK tour begins on November 2 in Amsterdam.
Heavy Lungs - "Get Out"
Post-Hardcore, Post-Punk
via FatCat Records
Bristol quartet Heavy Lungs announce their second studio album Caviar with the release of "Get Out."
Heavy Lungs fight to break free from that which keeps them caged on their latest offering "Get Out.” Riding on a quintessential punk rock riff, Heavy Lungs take their current state of being head-on; there's always something to strive for.
On the album title, lead vocalist Danny Nedelko shared:
“One of the main themes of the record is a longing for a better life that currently seems beyond my grasp. The word caviar always possessed connotations of riches, status and excess. So after one late night conversation we realised it’s the perfect title to summarise this desire for elevated existence and success in one simple yet striking word.”
Caviar is set to release April 18, 2025 via Fat Cat Records.
Comments