The first of this week’s six crackers is Polari – a pop album for the ages, looking back on history as a means to learn more about ourselves. Olly Alexander’s first album under his own name takes as its primary inspiration the (almost) lost art of speaking polari. After a decade releasing music as Years & Years, Polari is literally Olly Alexander talking the talk on an album inspired by ’80s club music, exploring themes of desire, intimacy, voyeurism and fate.
Open Wide marks a giant leap forward for Irish quartet Inhaler. The album, produced by Kid Harpoon, is the sound of a band stepping out of their comfort zone. Including the lead single ‘Your House’, Open Wide is a set of 13 songs that feels unique – a guitar-driven pop album unlike any other, solidifying their status as one of the most exciting young bands today.
GNX serves as a follow-up to Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. Executive-produced by Lamar and Dave Free, the album includes guest appearances by AzChike, Dody6, Hitta J3, Peysoh, Roddy Ricch, Siete7x, SZA, Wallie the Sensei and YoungThreat. Additional vocal contributions come from Deyra Barrera, Sam Dew and Ink. The production is led by Sounwave, with contributions from Jack Antonoff, Mustard, Sean Momberger, Kamasi Washington and others.
Glutton for Punishment is the highly anticipated debut album from the formidable South-London auteur Heartworms. Produced by longtime collaborator Dan Carey, the album combines the propulsive motorik tendencies of gothic stalwarts Depeche Mode with the lyrical dexterity of PJ Harvey and the off-kilter rhythms of LCD Soundsystem into a powerful sonic onslaught that is entirely Heartworms.
Now That’s What I Call An Era: The Sound Of The Suburbs 1977–1980 is a celebration of one of the most dynamic and diverse periods ever in the singles charts. The collection spans multiple genres that contributed to the rich diversity of the era – including punk, new wave, reggae, ska, mod and electronic – all of which would inspire the wave of new art- and club-influenced pop that would come to define the musical landscape of the early 80s.
Our release of the week comes from Grammy-winning progressive music titans Dream Theater, who return with their sixteenth studio album, Parasomnia. This is the first album to feature the iconic lineup of vocalist James LaBrie, guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, keyboardist Jordan Rudess and drummer Mike Portnoy since 2009’s Black Clouds & Silver Linings. This 71-minute collection of songs showcases what has earned the band a loyal following for four decades, taking the listener on a musical journey that has become synonymous with the band since the beginning of their career.
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