Every Tuesday at WSUM, our Music Director, Izzi, chooses her favorite new releases to add to our music library. Here are this week's favorites, presented to you by WSUM's Music Journalism Club.
Brockhampton, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Buzzcut (feat. Danny Brown),” “Bankroll (feat. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg),” “The Light.”
GENRE: Alternative hip-hop
RIYL: Kevin Abstract, JPEGMAFIA, Duckwrth
Brockhampton's sixth album release provides a newfound theme for the group's style. Previously, the group's music featured longer songs as well as a sense of muddled lyrics, allowing the listener to take in the song as a whole piece. With the new album, Brockhampton takes a deeper analysis into lyricism, conveying stories within each of their songs. Tracks like, “Buzzcut (feat. Danny Brown),” offers colorful lyricism that sets up a scene within the song. Bankroll offers another take, focusing on well-versed rap lyrics with additions of A$AP Rocky and A$AP ferg. “The Light,” on the other hand, details a more darker theme, accounting the details of Joba's father's suicide. While the music production on the album reflects the style of the group, the lyricism elevates the album one step further. — Vicky Durachta
Juan Wauters, Monsoon (with Homeshake)
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Unity,” “Real”
GENRE: bedroom pop, synth pop
RIYL: Chicano Batman, Mac DeMarco
The latest EP from Juan Wauters is less of a cohesive album and more of a glimpse into Juan's world. The five tracks on the EP cover an impressive range of genres, and underneath it all is the constant force of Juan's optimistic worldview. Highlight tracks include “Unity,” celebrating a sense of community in socially distanced times, and the multi-movement “Real,” capturing the emotions of a sunny morning with every synth line and twangy guitar riff. Monsoon expresses a robust happiness that can brighten even the cloudiest spring day. — Ethan Cook
Claire Reneé, Wings
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Sirens,” “Check On Yo Friends”
GENRE: R&B, pop, soul
RIYL: Solange, Nao, H.E.R
Put simply, Wings is Claire Reneé's personalized emotional roadmap. Broken into subsections by two interludes, the 9-song EP reflects on the multi-talented artist's interpersonal connections. Though fairly homogeneous in its neo-soul sound, the EP covers an expansive range of feelings; Reneé touches on relationships, burnout and loneliness. “Check On Yo Friends,” a must-listen track on Wings, takes on a lyrical melody that feels like a musical spoken word directly delivered to the listener. Reneé instructs, “Check on yo' friends / They need to mend / It be the one that's weathering the storm / That needs a solid friend.” Though she dips a toe into unhappier themes, the dreamy melodies and soft harmonies throughout Reneé's recent release lets Wings remain largely uplifting. For those searching for an easy, smooth, yet introspective listen, Claire Reneé's EP is the perfect match. — Celia Cory
Futo, Outstanding in His Field
HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Dugout” and “I Will Soon Forget”
GENRE: indie pop
RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Lana Del Rey, Death Cab for Cutie and worlds greatest dad
Surrounded by cozy, lo-fi bedroom pop with fuzzy guitar and wispy vocals, Futo's latest EP, Outstanding in His Field, romanticizes life's beauty and tragedy. Radiating chill vibes through his calm and quiet voice, Outstanding in His Field is heartbreaking and gentle. Even though the EP is centered around little league baseball, it holds much deeper truth. Futo takes a niche experience and creates a whole metaphor and world around it to unravel the complexities of premature loss and isolation: not belonging in a crowd, lacking confidence, consumed with worry and fearful of high expectations. Futo's lyrics are personal and open-ended enough for you to choose your adventure as he shares certain memories without delving into confession or oversharing. And it is this concealment that elevates his songs into something venerated and intriguing. — Rebecca Perla
