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
Stadiums & Shrines: Dreams
Navigating influential multimedia blog Stadiums & Shrines is like a lovely trip by train through mystical destinations around the world. The Brooklyn-based digital institution pairs poetic ruminations with collage-based artwork and music as an ethereal guide to stitch each location-specific entry into an elevated art form. Enter Dreams, a 10-year anniversary compilation of the music that has graced (and will grace) the site over the years from the likes of Dustin Wong’s frenetic guitar loops (Japan), Teen Daze’s icy beats (Alaska), Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s buchla-driven jaunt (Yugoslavia), Mutual Benefit’s bells & chimes (Bali) and more. —Adrian Spinelli
Palberta: Roach Goin’ Down
Palberta’s oddball, minuscule punk songs are both chaotic and captivating. The experimental post-punks were featured in our recent list of New York buzz bands for their “slashing guitars, anxious rhythms and playful harmonies,” and their “haphazard and composed” style. On June 15, they’ll release Roach Goin’ Down, a new full-length that follows 2017’s Bye Bye Berta. —Loren DiBlasi
Protomartyr: Consolation E.P.
Detroit post-punks Protomartyr are following their acclaimed 2017 album Relatives In Descent with Consolation E.P., a new EP recorded in part with Kelley Deal of The Breeders and set for a June 15 release via Domino. Two of the EP’s four tracks feature Deal on vocals alongside Protomartyr lead singer Joe Casey, including the snarling “Wheel of Fortune.” —Scott Russell
JUNE 22
Kamasi Washington: Heaven and Earth
Kamasi Washington returns backed by his band The Next Step, along with members of the longstanding collective The West Coast Get Down. His new, 16-song double album was recorded at Henson studios in Los Angeles, and features music written, composed and arranged by Washington himself, along with a new arrangement of jazz and bebop legend Freddie Hubbard’s “Hubtones.” Other contributors to the album include bandmate Ryan Porter, Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Ronald Bruner, Jr., Cameron Graves, Brandon Coleman, Miles Mosley, Patrice Quinn, Tony Austin and many more. —Abdiel Vallejo-Lopez
Dumb: Seeing Green
Vancouver’s Dumb make whimsical slack rock that’s anything but. The band’s cool, campy outlook is both anxious and chill, enveloped in jittery rhythms and bright, fervent riffs. When Dumb settle down a bit, like on the driving “Mint,” they are no less biting. The sprightly single has dual meaning, playfully referencing both money and the Dumb’s new label, Mint Records. —Loren DiBlasi
JUNE 29
Florence and the Machine: High as Hope
High as Hope was written, mixed and co-produced by Florence Welch, marking her first time co-producing a Florence + The Machine album. The majority of the record was recording in solitude, as Welch rode a bike to her South London studio to record daily. She finished the songs in Los Angeles with her friend and co-producer Emile Haynie, and also brought in some big-name collaborators. The record features appearances from Kamasi Washington, Sampha, Tobias Jesso Jr., Kelsey Lu and Jamie xx. Welch mixed the record in New York, where the city’s towering skyline gave the album its title. —Lizzie Manno