Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters

The enchantress of indie-rock captivates us yet again with her delicate, sirenic vocals and haunting harmonies. From the elegant bad girl vibes on Black Bathing Suit to the glistening piano and crystal vocals on Beautiful Lana dabbles in different themes and textures. She reveals a more relatable and straightforward side, crooning about Zoom calls and Target parking lots.

9.3

LANA DEL REY

BLUE BANISTERS

RÜFÜS DU SOL – SURRENDER

The fourth studio album from RÜFÜS DU SOL sees the band experimenting with a subtle plethora of unique sounds. From edgier club tracks like On My Knees to gospel-tinged gems like Make It Happen and Surrender, the band has pushed boundaries whilst maintaining their signature sound. The record facilitates a moment of healing and growth for the trio, particularly during a wild and fragmented time.

9.2

RÜFÜS DU SOL

SURRENDER

Good Morning – Barnyard

Sweet and sour converge on Good Morning’s Barnyard. The album transitions from a contemplative and heartfelt guitar piece on Too Young To Quit before leading into psychedelic melodies and blurry sonic segments in Wahlberg. It all tails off with soberingly honest yet comforting and humorous songs like Burning and Big Wig//Small Dog. Barnyard reminds us that being multifaceted and complicated all add to the beauty and intrigue.

8.7

GOOD MORNING

BARNYARD

Parcels – Theworstthing

The slow and reflective new single from their forthcoming album Day/Night deals with themes of love and loss. The song fuses a touch of country with funky bass slaps and contemplative lyrics. Theworstthing is a low-fi, slow jam track with the essence of Pink Floyd vocals and leaves us feeling nostalgic or hoping for our muse to make their timely arrival.

8.6

PARCELS

THEWORSTTHING

Bonobo – Tides feat. Jamila Woods

Deep and textured, Tides leaves us wading at the edge of the shore between loving someone and leaving them to venture out and grow. The electronic ballad, coupled with Woods’s sweet and soothing vocals, carries the bittersweet feelings that come with ending an era to take a new path. A sense of power surrounds the song, as the protagonist realises their ability to exist as a conscious, independent vessel.

8.2

BONOBO

TIDES FEAT. JAMILA WOODS