New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 1

Summary

All Songs Considered: New Music Friday – The Best Albums Out Aug. 1, 2025

Released on August 1, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of NPR's flagship music discovery program, All Songs Considered, host Stephen Thompson teams up with Liz Warner from Detroit's WDET to delve into the freshest music releases of the week. From surprising drops by established artists to debut albums that push creative boundaries, Stephen and Liz guide listeners through an eclectic mix of sounds and stories that define August 1, 2025, in the music world.

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Featured Albums

1. Hayley Williams – New Album Release

   Stephen Thompson (00:36):

   "On Monday, Hayley Williams dropped 17 new songs in an unusual fashion... It turns out there is a new Hayley Williams album out today."

   Hayley Williams, renowned for her role in Paramore, made headlines by releasing 17 new tracks via passcodes from her hair dye company, Good Dye Young. These cryptically distributed songs have now been compiled into her latest album, marking a significant and unexpected addition to her discography.

2. Emily Hines – These Days

   Liz Warner (02:37):

   "Emily Hines is a songwriter who came from Ohio, rural Ohio... it sounds like you're just being wrapped in a blanket throughout the whole thing."

   Emily Hines' debut album, These Days, offers a harmonious blend of commercial and experimental sounds. Described as sitting between the balladry of Norah Jones and the experimental nuances of Kath Bloom, the album features seven meticulously crafted songs. Tracks like "UFO" and "All of Our Friends" showcase her ability to intertwine personal narratives with captivating melodies, creating a record that's both comforting and introspective.

   Stephen Thompson (07:00):

   "This is a record that I'm gonna come back to again and again over the course of this year. I just think it's such a gift."

3. Mal Devisa – Palimpsessa

   Stephen Thompson (09:20):

   "Maldivesa is the work of an artist named Deja Carr... an anthology and an introduction for the unfamiliar."

   Deja Carr's Palimpsessa is an extensive collection boasting 29 tracks over 88 minutes, blending hip hop, rock, jazz, funk, and spoken word. The title alludes to the concept of a palimpsest, reflecting Carr's process of reworking older material into something fresh and innovative. Highlights include the ferocious "Next Stop" and the soulful "Skylines Arms Reach Out," demonstrating her versatility and depth as an artist.

   Liz Warner (11:27):

   "You really hear the sparseness, but then you hear it fill up with this beautiful synergy that happens throughout."

4. The Armed – The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed

   Liz Warner (18:58):

   "Play is the first song on the record... it just really hits you over the head."

   The Armed's latest offering is a bold statement on modern American life, characterized by intense energy and thought-provoking themes. Tracks like "Broken Mirror" and "Local Millionaire" blend hardcore punk vibes with melodic hooks, while collaborations with Kara Drolshagen add layers of complexity. The album culminates in "Heathen," a shoegaze-infused epic that showcases their sonic versatility.

   Stephen Thompson (23:14):

   "It's a bold record... it's a reminder that as heavy as this band can get,... they're really capable with texture."

5. Kamen Gilmore – Black Gate

   Stephen Thompson (26:31):

   "Kamen Gilmour... his first album and it's pretty brief. It's seven tracks in, like 23 minutes."

   Kamen Gilmore's Black Gate marks his solo debut, featuring a collaboration with cellist Kate Ellis and harpist Lavinia Meyer. The album navigates neoclassical landscapes infused with contemporary electronic elements, offering a serene yet dynamic listening experience. Tracks seamlessly transition through varying moods, highlighting Gilmore's compositional prowess.

   Liz Warner (30:48):

   "The arrangement section is incredible. It's almost like Brian Wilson levels of composition with what he puts together."

6. Susumu Yokota – Skin Tone Edition, Volume 1

   Stephen Thompson (32:15):

   "Susumu Yokota was a really important and influential musician based out of Japan... over time."

   Commemorating the 10th anniversary of his passing, Susumu Yokota's Skin Tone Edition, Volume 1 compiles seven of his influential albums released on the Skin Tone label. This box set highlights Yokota's evolution in ambient and electronic music, drawing comparisons to legends like Aphex Twin. The collection offers both a historical perspective and a deep dive into his innovative soundscapes.

   Liz Warner (34:33):

   "You see this expansion of spaces... it's almost like Brian Wilson levels of composition."

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Lightning Round: Other Noteworthy Releases

1. Buddy Guy – Ain't Done with the Blues

   A fiery electric blues collection celebrating Buddy Guy's illustrious career, coinciding with his 89th birthday.

2. Heat Miser – Mike City Sun

   Celebrating the 30th anniversary remaster of Mike City Sons, featuring early works of Elliott Smith with a band setting that offers a nostalgic yet fresh listening experience.

3. Rene Najera – Painted Life

   An exploration of liquid electronica by Jared Kerrigan's alter ego, featuring free-flowing and propulsive sounds that create a seamless auditory experience.

4. Hieroglyphic Being – The Sound of Something Ending

   Chicago-based artist Hieroglyphic Being delivers cosmic vibes with a blend of ambient and experimental sounds, influenced by collaborations with figures like Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Orchestra.

5. Spafford Campbell – Tomorrow Heaven

   A collaboration between fiddler Owen Spafford and guitarist Lewis Campbell, merging chamber music with post-rock, jazz, and folk elements to create a nuanced and emotionally resonant soundscape.

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Insights and Conclusions

Liz Warner (42:05):

"I really love that observation... everything is going to feel." "One song that exemplifies the week... 'Can We Go Back?' by Pink Butter featuring T3 of Slum Village."

Throughout the episode, Stephen and Liz emphasize the diversity and creativity present in the latest music releases. From the introspective melodies of Emily Hines to the aggressive intensity of The Armed, and the intricate compositions of Kamen Gilmore, the week's offerings cater to a wide array of musical tastes. Their favorites highlight the personal connections and standout moments that make these albums memorable.

Stephen Thompson (42:59):

"I just think it's such a gift. And she was just a total discovery for me. I can't wait to hear more of her music."

Both hosts express enthusiasm for the discoveries made during the episode, particularly celebrating emerging artists who bring fresh perspectives and sounds to the music landscape.

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Conclusion

This week's All Songs Considered episode serves as a comprehensive guide to the best new music released on August 1, 2025. With insightful discussions, in-depth album analyses, and a celebration of both established and emerging artists, Stephen Thompson and Liz Warner provide listeners with a rich and engaging exploration of the current music scene. Whether you're seeking the comforting melodies of These Days or the intense rhythms of The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed, there's something for every music lover to discover and enjoy.

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Notable Quotes

• Emily Hines' Record Description (02:00):

  "It really, I think, is a great way to describe this whole record because it sounds like you're just being wrapped in a blanket throughout the whole thing."

• Mal Devisa on Her Versatility (11:27):

  "You really hear the sparseness, but then you hear it fill up with this beautiful synergy that happens throughout."

• The Armed on Album Depth (25:30):

  "It's not all hammers, you know, some of it is chisels, some of it is brushes."

• Kamen Gilmore on Musical Journey (30:48):

  "The arrangement section is incredible. It's almost like Brian Wilson levels of composition with what he puts together."

• Final Favorite Highlight (42:05):

  "I really love that observation... I'm gonna go with one, mostly one. Cayman Gilmore. MVE3, I think, is exquisitely beautiful."

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Production Credits

• Producer: Noah Caldwell
• Editor: Otis Hart
• Executive Producer: Soraya Muhammad

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For those seeking to stay updated with the latest in music, this episode of All Songs Considered offers invaluable insights and recommendations. Be sure to tune in next week as Stephen and Liz continue their journey through new musical landscapes.

Transcript

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[Unknown Speaker 1]

Every now and then in a far off land for me, familiar but foreign, a liminal feeling.

[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday, everyone. From NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Liz Warner of public radio station WDET in Detroit. Welcome to the show.

[Liz Warner]

Liz hi, Stephen.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you. Now, I want to note up front, the song we are hearing is from Hayley Williams of Paramore. On Monday, Hayley Williams dropped 17 new songs in an unusual fashion. Access to these songs was sent out via passcodes through Hayley Williams hair Dye company, Good Dye Young, that's D Y E. That allowed people to access a link to download the songs, but those links were pulled soon afterward. It turns out there is a new Hayley Williams album out today. Though its title remains murky as of this taping, it does contain all 17 of those songs that were cryptically released and then unreleased earlier this week. So we wanted to acknowledge the news about Hayley Williams, a good friend of public radio, by the way. And of course, we've also got got a ton of other great records to get to on this week's show. All of them are out today, August 1, including new albums from the Armed, Mal Devisa and our leadoff artist, Emily Hines. Emily Hines has a new album called these Days.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I'm In My Own Way.

[Liz Warner]

Again.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I'm in My Own way, Watching the Wheel Spin and My Own Way.

[Liz Warner]

Emily Hines is a songwriter who came from Ohio, rural Ohio. And this record, it's just a really interesting, wonderful, comfortable spot. When I was looking into what her approach was for this record because it's her debut. So it's not something you'd really know about. Right? You have to just kind of go and see what is she all about. When I saw something that she said, it really resonated with this whole record. She said she was making a song with her brother while their mom was in the hospital early on as a very young girl. That's her very first song, wearing a fuzzy pink Jacket. And it really, I think, is a great way to describe this whole record because it sounds like you're just being wrapped in a blanket throughout the whole thing.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, man. Her music just meets at this really interesting midpoint between a sound that's very commercial and a sound that is more Experimental. And to me, like, if I'm going to start throwing out comparisons right off the bat, it's like the commercial balladry of, like, Norah Jones crossed with the more experimental yearnings of, like, Kath Bloom. And somehow it's landing in this spot where these songs, you know, can float like dandelion spores, but they can still stick under the skin at the same time. So they're. They're comfy but nervy. And I just. I love that dichotomy that's running through this record. And, you know, this album is seven songs in half an hour. There is not a wasted moment on it.

[Liz Warner]

Yeah, she. She really does have a way of getting right to the heart of matters. It's very personal record. It's an almost agonizing feel. Although she makes it sound so sweet, doesn't she, with the way she delivers.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it's sweet and salty at the same time, which we all know is like a perfect, perfect combination. And sometimes, you know, there's a certain consistency to this record. There's not, like I said, there's not a weak moment, not a moment of filler, not a moment of waste on it. But at the same time, it doesn't all sound the same. You know, there's a track called ufo, which I think really appropriately, it feels like it's being beamed from space in a way that. That differentiates it from a lot of the rest of the material on this.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I don't know about you But I'm old and out home I don't know about you.

[Liz Warner]

But I.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Holding out hope.

[Liz Warner]

It'S very kind of a rural Ohio. I've heard I have a song called UFO on there. I love it. It's a theme that, you know, is kind of this undercurrent of just how people look at the sky when you're out in the fields in Ohio, anywhere in the Midwest. So I think it kind of really plays well into her whole theme. I kind of really like all of Our Friends. I really was just taken by it lyrically and trying to see what it was that she was getting at. So then I looked up the video, which was really telling. I don't want to give everything away because I think it's really important to just go and look at it yourself. It really is a great accompaniment, but it is a full circle moment of all the possibilities presented in the song and asks the this question of what if we take the chance but the relationship, it doesn't work out.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Do you mind if I kiss you? Cause you Give me the things I.

[Liz Warner]

Need.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

My legs and you have your hand on my knee Will you hate me as this doesn't last forever all of our friends can see us together.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, that's one of my favorite songs on the record, in part because it has these warm, sunny vibes. It's got this subtle, indelible guitar line that's running through it. It's so beautiful. It's so warm. And I was kind of like scribbling in my notes, like, oh, this song is, you know, it's like a warm, comfortable hang. But then you mentioned the lyrics. And the song is all about the way doubt and fear can creep into a new relationship in ways that can undermine it. And you real like, there is depth to this. This is not just atmosphere. This is atmosphere in service of real observation and incisiveness about relationships and about herself and about the world.

[Liz Warner]

And that really brings us to Cold Case, which is a similar song in theme about fear of relationships. It's not too different from all of our friends. So when Emily Hines is talking about why is it so hard to tell the truth? Is love something that you choose or does it burn a hole right through you? It really highlights all of those insecurities.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

What if he never lets me go? I mean, the company of this ghost. What if I can that star Continue.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's a beautiful record. Emily Hines. I managed to get, by the way, through this entire segment without confusing Emily Hines name with the name Emily Haynes from Metric. And I just want to give myself a pat on the back for that. Emily Hines. Klein's new album is called these Days. It is absolutely gorgeous. Check it out this weekend if you've got a little downtime and want to just get lost in something beautiful. Next up, new album from Maldivisa. Maldivisa's new album is called Palimpsessa.

[Deja Carr]

Mama's on the throne, her baby's singing.

[Stephen Thompson]

Mama's on the throne, her baby singing.

[Deja Carr]

We can laugh and talk it won't be another end and I won't leave.

[Stephen Thompson]

You empty.

[Deja Carr]

Five years old when I drifted off them city blocks Tied blocks Traded in for Sonic youth and twisted rock I hold these truths like a hand of a man who disappears like a baby grandma to end up in my hands Black intellectual My property is properly packaged and sold to mouth breathers Malte Visa step this way. You are a true believer are a.

[Stephen Thompson]

True believer so Malisa is the work of an artist named Deja Carr. She's a rapper, she's a singer, a poet, a songwriter. An activist, she's been floating around for more than a decade. She's based in Amherst, Massachusetts. And her music mixes hip hop and rock and jazz and funk and spoken word, experimental music, uses lots of loops, lots of bass. This particular collection, 29 songs in 88 minutes. It's a mix of old songs and other unreleased material. It's kind of like an anthology and an introduction for the unfamiliar. The title Palimpsesa is a play on the word palimpsest, which is a manuscript or a piece of. I'm quoting here, a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing, but of which traces remain, which kind of speaks to some of what she's doing here. She's taking older material that she's written and making it new. And this album is just absolutely bursting with ideas. And we should note, you know, Maldivesa is an NPR Music favorite. She had an album in 2016 that made our list of the 50 best albums of the year. So she's somebody we've been tracking for a long time, somebody whose music we've really admired for a long time. And it's just great to have her back.

[Deja Carr]

I be counting compliments like there was calories on Jenny Craig Scouting empty beats to bury my seat in the thread Shedding skin snake bites like a jealous writer Writin songs that could blow yours.

[Liz Warner]

Out the water Stephen, I really like this comparison to the Palimpsest. It basically throughout this record, you can think about that in terms of the anthology. You can also think about it in terms of her creative path, where she has taken what she has learned through the years, built upon it, and made even new material as well. And you can really hear that as you travel through this record.

[Stephen Thompson]

Absolutely. And you know, she is an outstanding rapper. You listen to a song like Next Stop, which is just like packed with references. It's really clever. It's really blunt. Like several of the songs early on this record, it serves as a real statement of purpose where she's kind of re establishing who she is and why you should listen. And you know, these early songs, songs like Dominatrix, you know, is just so hard driving, it feels almost like industrial rap. But as you kind of move through this record, you hear her kind of weaving in more and more layers, more journeys into rock, more journeys into jazz. She's also extremely fluent in rock and roll. You take a song like Crowd Pleaser, which is kind of seething and Slow Burning, but it is. It's a rock song.

[Liz Warner]

Mysteries or you can take a look at Skyline Arms Reach out, which is a simple song, simplicity in celebration and human connection, but at the same time within that she shows her reign. It's kind of a one woman show right throughout the entire thing, which is not easy to do.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, this is a bold record. It is so good to have her back. Maldivesa her new album is called Palimpse. We've got several more records we want to talk about that are out today, August 1st. But first, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

From NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Liz Warner of WDET in Detroit. Liz, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about WDET and the work that you're doing there on your show. Alternate Take. You just published a playlist of the best music of 2025 so far. I am a list fiend and I just want to know first of all what some of your favorite music of 2025 and also just like the kind of stuff that you're digging and playing on your show.

[Liz Warner]

Oh, well, thanks, Steven. You know, I tend to go all over the place with the music that I play on Alternate Take. I took the name of the show based on alternate takes of, let's say jazz recordings or old classic recordings or that whole kind of thing. Meaning, you know what, there are a lot of different ways to listen to even sometimes the same music with the show that I Do I do go a lot of places. Not exactly physically, but virtually going to spots around the world. It could be Japan, it could be England, it could be in South America. It could be right here in Detroit. So when I put together a best of, you know, release for the year, it's, first of all, it's excruciating, isn't it?

[Stephen Thompson]

Because there's so much good music, so.

[Liz Warner]

Much great music to choose from. So the list that I made and when I shared it almost immediately afterward, I said, wow, that's gonna look different by the time we get to the final end of the year. But we have so many excellent musicians. Butcher Brown, I threw in there. Really, really love that release that is getting some widespread attention, which I'm really glad about. Put Max Cooper on there and. And the amazing work that he does. He's such a really fun experimentalist. Music from Brandy Younger. I just love her music. Herbert back with Momoko with Ice.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's a good one. I should go back and dig that back out.

[Liz Warner]

So good. Those are just a few of the artists. I mean, the list goes on every week. It's just a reinvention, almost.

[Stephen Thompson]

Nice. And it should be noted, if you have not seen them, Google WDET t shirts. WDET's promotional t shirt game is. I think it's the best T shirt game in public radio, Steven.

[Liz Warner]

We have an amazing dedicated community of artists of all sorts, and they really, really show up. And you kind of can't even stop them from just contributing. It's that powerful. You know, people love each other in this town.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. Well, shout out to all of the brilliant artists in Detroit making those T shirts. They are a true gift. All right, next up, we've got a new album by the Armed. The Armed has a new album with a title that really speaks to its sound. The future is here and everything needs to be destroyed. Straight on.

[Liz Warner]

Speaking of Detroit, Steven, this is the record that we did not realize that we needed at this exact moment. It comes in strong and well made Play, I believe is the. Is the first song on the record. And wow, it just really hits you over the head. When I first put the record on, I thought immediately of the Maxell cassette.

[Stephen Thompson]

Video or the commercial, like the logo with the person being kind of blown back.

[Liz Warner]

Yes. And you can look up the commercial. If you go look it up, it's basically the music starts and then immediately the hair is blown back. And it's kind of like that. When you listen to the record, it reminded me of seeing John Brannan who is. He's been a punk rock stalwart in this city of Detroit. Easy action, laughing hyenas, different outfits, like that hardcore punk scene. When I saw him live, it had the same effect. And then I kept listening to this record and I started watching the videos and all the content, conceptual ideas that are going on behind it all, and I was just completely blown away. When you talk about the song well Made Play, there are two people that are basically just destroying one another, hoping to win a Jet Ski.

[Stephen Thompson]

So that chained together in a competition.

[Liz Warner]

Right, and whoever survives can win a Jet Ski, which is interesting way to demonstrate the depths to which humanity can plunge.

[Stephen Thompson]

I mean, this is an album about the state of modern life in America, and the Armed has a lot to say about that. And. And as a listener just kind of listening through this record the first time, it was a few songs in before I was even fully able to make out some of the words. I recommend if you have access to a lyric sheet to kind of take advantage of that. But I appreciated. I got to a song called Broken Mirror, and suddenly I clearly made out six words. The world's an empty shopping mall, and I'm like, oh, okay, I see where this band is coming.

[Liz Warner]

Six words, that's all you get.

[Stephen Thompson]

And then. And then later, in a track called Local Millionaire, I very clearly made out the words, go eff yourself. You're getting this ferocity, this intensity, but at the same time, there's also a healthy diet of hooks that keep it digestible. There's enough variation to keep it interesting. And they switch up vocal duties. They bring in Kara Drolshagen, is a member of the group, and she comes in and is able to, you know, give some of these songs this, like, slightly sugary quality that lyrically, not sugary at all, but, like, she comes in and kind of leavens things a little bit. And the songs don't lose any of their intensity amid that sugar. And, you know, in a track like Sharp Teeth, very well named, you know, brings her in, you know, to provide, you know, just like a different voice, a different perspective, but that fury and intensity remains.

[Liz Warner]

You're right that there's a lot of, let's call it beating over the head, you know, with. With some necessary statements throughout Sharp Teeth. But you also have this. This, like you mentioned, this sweetening, this kind of, like, slightly more inviting, maybe slightly approaching this alternative kind of sound. Not so much of the hardcore metalcore punk, whatever. Whatever it is. However, it is that you want to categorize it. And then you See the video as well. The video for this. I don't know, Stephen, if you've had a chance to look at.

[Stephen Thompson]

For Sharpie.

[Liz Warner]

Yes, it's.

[Stephen Thompson]

I haven't seen that one. I've seen the one for well made play.

[Liz Warner]

So the video for Sharp Teeth takes a cue, a heavy cue, in fact, from Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic. And the performance piece that she did called the Artist Is Present. She did this back in 2010 over at MoMA. And it is a replication of the interplay between the artist and the observer. For this one, it's guess what, this feeling of torment, this feeling of torture. And there's kind of like a split screen that indicates all of this. But it's done really, really well to great effect.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And you know those vocals by Kara Droll shot Shagen pop up again at the. In the closing track on this record. It's like a five and a half minute epic, which, you know, for the Armed, that's a very, very long song. Song's called Heathen and it plays out more like a shoegaze song than. Than a hardcore song. And it's really a reminder that as heavy as this band can get, as hard hitting as their messaging is, as much as they can just kind of rip your face off. Sonically, they're really capable with texture, you know, that really give this record staying power and I appreciated that. It kind of closes on that more shoegazy note to just kind of remind you, like, oh, we've got a lot of tools in our toolkit. It's not all hammers, you know, some of it. Some of it is chisels, some of it is brushes.

[Liz Warner]

I love that observation. That's actually a good spot to mention that with all the chaos that it seems is happening, it's a lot of control. Chaos.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is the Armed. The Armed's new album is called the Future Is Here and Everything Needs To Be Destroyed. Next up, new album from Kamen Gilmore. It is called called Black Gate.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Sam.

[Stephen Thompson]

So Kamen Gilmour is a member of the Irish new music act Crash Ensemble. He's also a very, very frequent collaborator in one way or another with artists from all over the world, whether it's performing on stages or in recordings with the Crash Ensemble. He's worked with Leonard Cohen, Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers, Bryce Dessner. Anyone who kind of likes to weave a little bit of neoclassical music into their sound has probably worked with Cayman Gilmour on one level or another. But this is kind of his first album and it's pretty brief. It's seven tracks in, like 23 minutes. Cayman Gilmore plays double bass, and he's working with a cellist and pianist named Kate Ellis and a harpist named Lavinia Meyer. And the three of them together, you know, just make these beautiful concoctions of bass, strings and harps that just roll together really beautifully.

[Liz Warner]

This is really a favorite of mine so far, as, as you mentioned, he brought together these musicians who are really all just great in their own right. Lavinia Meyer, recently, maybe about five years ago, she did a Philip Glass cover of Etude Number One. It's one of the. The most phenomenal covers I've ever heard. And you think about it, wow, you're like, this is one single harpist. So with the songs themselves, you see this expansion of spaces. You hear the sparseness, but then you hear it fill up with this beautiful synergy that happens throughout. It's a perfect example for the opening cuts. The song midway through just gains this entirely new energy. You would think on an instrumental level that you might hear it in a linear way, but it's far from that.

[Stephen Thompson]

I think that's a really good point. I mean, even within some of these tracks, you get these radical shifts and in these segues, you know, you know, in between the movements. And they're titled mve1, mve2, 3, 4. And then you have segue 1, 2, 3. You know, the Segways themselves are not just kind of interstitial time fillers. They're, in their own way, they introduce new energy. So, like, the very first Segue introduces this intense, mechanical, almost industrial grind.

[Liz Warner]

Neubaten is who I thought of.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, yeah. And like, with real intensity to them. And it's a reminder, as much as this guy and as much as this band, they're working in this neoclassical space, but they are also extremely conversant in, you know, in contemporary music. And this record really has its feet in both.

[Liz Warner]

I really love it. It reminds me of Rachel's, the band out of Louisville, Kentucky, and they had a similar kind of energy where it was taking these sounds that you might take for granted. You might think it's going to sound this way, but no, no, because the composer has something different in mind and you need to just throw away all of those ideas and go on the journey.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's a beautiful record that is called Blackgate from Cayman Gilmore. We've got one more record we're going to talk about in depth, as well as a lightning round of some of our other favorite new albums out today, August 1st. But first, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

From NPR Music, it's NEW MUSIC Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Liz Warner of WDET in Detroit. Before we get to our lightning round of some of our other favorite albums out today, August 1st, we want to talk about one more record. Susumu Yokota has a box set out called Skin Tone Edition, Volume 1.

[Liz Warner]

Susumu Yokota was a really important and influential musician based out of Japan who really started to come into prominence in the 1990s in this box set. It is expansive. This box set is. How many discs is this, Stephen?

[Stephen Thompson]

It's compiling seven albums out of the 14 that Susumi Yokota put out on the Skin Tone label. This box set is coming out in part to acknowledge the 10th anniversary of his death. So it is a seven album box set. And there is another seven album box set coming out next year. And, you know, his music really deserves to be discovered and celebrated. He ultimately became a very influential ambient musician. You know, in the in the press materials for this box set, they talked to Joe Goddard of the of Hot Chip. And Joe Goddard compared him to Aphex Twin. And Richard D. James, AKA Affix Twin, was a fan of Susuma Yokota. So, like, if you're interested in ambient music, this guy was a really important, you know, player in kind of the development of that sound. Over time.

[Liz Warner]

We became fascinated with experimental sounds with swirling orchestras, with vocal choruses kind of embedded. Were they sampled? Were they created? Who knows, but he just kind of made them into this very almost touchable feel where it became almost human.

[Stephen Thompson]

When you kind of go through this box set from start to finish, you not only get this creative arc, you're also getting a sense of just how versatile he was within electronic music. You know, I've talked about his experimental ambient music and how influential he was in that vein. He also worked as a house music Daniel. And when you get to the end of this box set, you get to the album Will, you know, which is more in, like, that house and techno vein, you know, and a track like level 21, which has this kind of more hard driving beats, and you just realize just how much creativity he was able to bring to this music and how much he was able to innovate within this realm.

[Liz Warner]

Yeah, it's interesting because for him, in a way, that was a bit full circle. At one point before then, he had said, no more club music. We're done. And then suddenly he just comes back. He has even more depth. He brings in this resonating piano and these other embellishments, and he takes this experimental level to even new heights. And the arrangement section is incredible. It's almost like Brian Wilson levels of composition with what he puts together.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. If you're interested in ambient music, if you're interested in house music, electronic music, and kind of the history of how it's evolved over the course of decades, don't sleep on susumu yokota. That is Skin Tone Edition Volume 1, a new box set from the artist Susumu Yokota. Now, Liz, we could not possibly get to every great album out today, August 1st, so we wanted to do a lightning round of some of our other favorites. I'm going to kick us off with Buddy Guy now. Buddy Guy is having a huge year. He popped up in the movie Sinners, which sparked fresh mainstream interest in the blues. And now he's releasing a new album to coincide with his his 89th birthday this week. The man not only ranks among the greatest blues guitarists of all time, he ranks among the greatest guitarists of all time in a career that dates back to the 1950s and includes induction in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame 20 years ago. In five years, his rock and Roll hall of Fame induction will be eligible for induction in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. Buddy Guy's latest album. It's a set of of fiery electric blues with a very appropriate title, Ain't Done with the Blues. I'm from the backwoods way down south grew up living hand to mouth. Wonder shape was all I had. The feet were out when the cold got bad. How blue does that?

[Liz Warner]

I want to talk about Heat Miser and a record called Mike City Sun. Something that came out last week and we kind of missed one, so we thought we'd just catch up on it. Why do we know the name Heat Miser? Because we're talking about a band that Elliot Smith was a part of before he started being Elliot Smith Smith. It's heartwarming in this case to go back to Heat Miser, his first musical forays, and to listen to him in a band setting. At least it is to me. That's Heat Miser, the 30th anniversary remaster of Mike City Sons. What's the matter with you, man? Why'd you ever wanna take him home? Just cause he smoked? Your favorite brand Left his nicotine prince on the phone once They've known you.

[Stephen Thompson]

For a while so. Rene Najera is one of many alter egos for the electronic musician Jared Kerrigan. He's been making music in various guises for about a decade now. As Rene Najera. He specializes in what's called liquid electronica, electronic music that functions without any jagged sounds, which kind of allows it to. To flow like water. His new album of warped, free flowing, propulsive sounds is called Painted Life.

[Liz Warner]

I want to talk about Hieroglyphic Being. That is an artist based out of Chicago. A release called the Sound of Something Ending. The Hieroglyphic Being plays to the beat of his own drum. He's been creating his own sounds for around three decades, having worked with Adonis, also with Sun Ra Orchestra's Marshall Allen. That's just two people. Marshall Allen, by the way, just turned 101, which is absolutely incredible. And he's still playing, I want to mention. So the music that Hieroglyphic Being Made makes is on another level, cosmic vibes. That's Hieroglyphic Being. The sound of something ending.

[Stephen Thompson]

Finally, fiddler Owen Spafford and guitar guitarist Lewis Campbell are young, classically trained musicians who record together under the name Spafford Campbell. Their music is definitely informed by chamber music, but it also weaves in elements of post rock and jazz and kind of noirish folk music. I would. I would think fans of Bon Iver would be intrigued by this. It kind of manages a nice mix of darkness and uplift. Spafford Campbell's new album is called Tomorrow Heaven.

[Liz Warner]

No.

[Stephen Thompson]

Want to take you home Call your mother's own Now Liz, this is the part in our show where we like to kind of consider everything that we listen to in the run up to this taping and just pick one song that exemplifies the week. What is the one song that we're going to remember the longest, play the longest, celebrate the longest after all of those hours of listening. Hit me with your face. Favorite.

[Liz Warner]

That's a tough one, Stephen. Seriously, so many great releases, and when you really start to listen to each one and take each one in, it just becomes that much more difficult. I'm gonna go with one, mostly one. Cayman Gilmore. MVE3, I think, is exquisitely beautiful, but I also do want to mention something that wasn't able to make it even in our list, and that is the Swedish producers Pink Butter. They worked with T3 of Slum Village from right here in Detroit to make a song called Can We Go Back? And I really love that. Didn't get a chance to fit it in otherwise, but thought I'd mention it.

[Stephen Thompson]

Nice. Yeah, I mean, I'm going to go right back to the start of this episode and throw out one more plug for that Emily Hines record. These days, I talk a lot on this show because it drops on Fridays and it kind of. People listen to it over the course of the, you know, the day or two that follows. There's just nothing like a good Sunday morning listen. And I think these days just really falls into that, you know, looking out the window with your cup of coffee or tea or whatever you. Whatever you're drinking to wake up, you know, kind of slowly on a weekend morning. This record is just gorgeous. I'm gonna go with all of our Friends, which is such a beautiful song. So warm, so subtle, you know, just these. These beautiful elements, but in a song that just runs a little bit deeper than that. And I think this is a record that I'm gonna come back to again and again over the course of this year. I just think it's such a gift. And she was just a total discovery for me. I had never heard, you know, if I'd seen Emily Hines, you know, pop up, you know, on a social media feed, I would have thought it was a typo and that they were talking about the lead singer, a metric. So I am delighted to discover her. I can't wait to hear more of her music.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Do you mind if I kiss you? Kiss you Give me the things I.

[Liz Warner]

Need.

[Stephen Thompson]

And that is our show for this week. Thank you, Liz Warner, for taking time out of your week at WDET in Detroit.

[Liz Warner]

Thank you so much. Stephen, this has been an absolute pleasure.

[Stephen Thompson]

It has been a pleasure to have you. If you enjoyed this week's show, we always appreciate a positive review on Apple or Spotify or whatever app you're listening to right now. This episode is this episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Otis Hart. The executive producer of NPR Music is Soraya Muhammad. We'll be back next week to discuss new music with Deshawn Nance of the SIP at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. Until then, take a moment to be well, dunk your head in a bathtub full of ice water and treat yourself to lots of great music.

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