The 10 Albums We’re Most Excited About in June
Photo by Michael Lavine
June is already underway, so there’s no time to waste. The first month of summer will bring some truly exciting releases, including long-awaited debuts and the latest from go-to favorite artists. Let’s get it started with a list of the 10 albums we’re most excited about (and revisit our best albums of May right here.)
JUNE 8
Snail Mail: Lush
With all the hype surrounding their debut EP, Habit, Snail Mail’s first full-length already seems long overdue. And yet, Lush feels supremely fresh, expanding Lindsey Jordan’s intimate bedroom-pop project into sprawling, emotive rock territory. —Loren DiBlasi
Pllush: Stranger to the Pain
San Francisco’s Pllush have mastered the art of hazy harmony, as evidenced by their forthcoming debut record, Stranger to the Pain. The band (formerly known as Plush) have released three album singles: the sprawling sentimental rock ballad “Shannon,” the wailing and screeching “Ortega,” and “Big Train,” which continues in the same dreamy shoegaze vein— with bolder guitars and even bigger drama.—Loren DiBlasi
gobbinjr: Ocala Wick
gobbinjr is the playful synth-pop project of Emma Witmer, a young Brooklyn transplant with a gift for wonky melody. Originally from Wisconsin, Witmer has carved herself a prominent place in Brooklyn’s crowded DIY scene with her saccharine-sweet, sentimental tunes, which often hide darker themes of fear and anxiety. Her new record Ocala Wick, out June 8 via Topshelf Records, was entirely written, performed, recorded, and produced by Witmer herself. —Loren DiBlasi
Kiefer: Happysad
Jazz pianist Kiefer creates smoky rhythms over hip-hop beats that ought to place him in the upper echelon of hip-hop instrumentalists. “What A Day” is a mushroom groove, showcasing Kiefer’s work on the keys and pleasantly unpredictable horns; refined enough to sound like it could’ve been plucked From Pete Rock’s seminal ‘Petestrumentals’ series. Kiefer has lent production chops to the likes of Kaytranada and Anderson .Paak, but Happysad — much more than just a beat tape — will show the singular force that he is. —Adrian Spinelli
JUNE 15