New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 30

Summary

All Songs Considered – New Music Friday: The Best Albums Out Jan. 30, 2026

Podcast: All Songs Considered (NPR)
Hosts: Stephen Thompson & Dre Castillo
Original Air Date: January 30, 2026

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Main Theme

This episode of All Songs Considered delivers a curated guide to the most compelling new albums released on January 30, 2026. Hosts Stephen Thompson and guest Dre Castillo (KVNF, Colorado) spotlight fresh releases across folk, R&B, hip-hop, experimental, and ambient genres. Each album discussion highlights distinctive artistry, emotional themes, and notable tracks—creating a must-listen list for adventurous music lovers.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why January Is a Special Month for Music

• Both hosts discuss the unique nature of January releases: a time for more “heady,” introspective, and intentional albums.
  • “January, I feel like, we’re all still cocooning and releases feel intentional this time of year.” — Dre Castillo [00:50]
  • “A lot of the stuff that I wind up listening to all year comes out right around this time.” — Stephen Thompson [01:09]

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2. Featured Albums In-Depth

Emily Scott Robinson – “Appalachia”

• Background: Fifth album by the North Carolina-raised, Colorado-based Americana songwriter, released on John Prine’s label.
• Themes: Resilience, community, connection to place, personal and regional history.
• Notable Tracks Discussed:
  • “Appalachia” (title track): Inspired by Hurricane Helene and grassroots solidarity.
  • “Dirtbag Saloon”: A local dive bar in Paonia, Colorado—moves from celebration to commentary on gentrification.
  • “Time Traveler”: A deeply emotional take on aging and dementia.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “She’s really characterizing people; she doesn’t use stereotypes... so cool to have a song about this place that is just one in a million.” — Dre Castillo [06:16]
  • “She’s always writing about extremely relatable experiences…writing on this record quite a bit about resilience and community.” — Stephen Thompson [02:42]
• Song Excerpts: [01:19–01:42], [03:34–03:47], [05:33–05:54], [07:51–08:16], [08:50]
• Top Moments:
  • Dre describes breaking down in tears at “Time Traveler”: “Listening to this song really intentionally made me cry…touches on something that everyone experiences by growing old, or if you have the luxury of growing old.” [07:13]

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Ye Vagabonds – “All Tied Together”

• Background: Fourth record from the Irish folk duo known for their harmonies and spare arrangements.
• Themes: Impermanence, memory, community, weathering life’s storms.
• Notable Tracks Discussed:
  • “The Flood”: Rousing Irish folk with sweeping fiddle.
  • “Forget About The Rain”: Contemplation about difficult times and moving forward.
  • “Mayfly”: Reflecting on transience and cherishing fleeting moments.
  • “Gravity”: Atmospheric, nearly a cappella, emotional weight carried by harmonies.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “Their harmonies almost feel a little bit restrained, which brings more emotional weight…” — Dre Castillo [10:49]
  • “Kind of arranged in such a way that you really stop and hone in on their voices and what they’re saying.” — Stephen Thompson [12:34]
  • “The album was recorded entirely live in a house in Galway…adds a lot of atmosphere.” — Dre Castillo [13:33]
• Song Excerpts: [09:20–09:48], [11:30–11:56], [12:18–12:34], [13:12–13:33], [14:17–14:41]

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Jordan Ward – “Backward”

• Background: Second album from St. Louis singer-songwriter, previously a backup dancer for touring acts, now crafting progressive R&B.
• Themes: Emotional fluidity, evolving artistry, confidence and growth, intimacy, and experimentation within R&B.
• Notable Tracks Discussed:
  • “Smoking Patna”: Playful, pitch-shifted duet about sharing weed as a metaphor for intimacy.
  • “High Functioning”: Energetic, warped vocals, pushing R&B boundaries.
  • “Juicy”: Embraces the disposable/functional aspect of being an artist with humor and groove.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “Backward feels emotionally fluid and it’s super groovy…an album that I can definitely find myself going back to just to groove to.” — Dre Castillo [19:23]
  • “He’s taking well-worn materials but finding new angles, new perspectives.” — Stephen Thompson [20:48]
  • “His writing style sort of rejects succumbing to that, like by having this humor of being a disposable joint, you know?” — Dre Castillo [22:43]
• Song Excerpts: [17:52–18:27]

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Lord Jamonte Ogbon – “As of Now”

• Background: Underground rapper from Charlotte, NC; first album on a notable label after DIY beginnings.
• Themes: Lyrical cleverness, conversational flow, integrating women’s voices, introspection, surveillance, ambition.
• Notable Tracks Discussed:
  • “Flew Out” (“flewed out”): Wordy, rapid-fire delivery, conversational song structure.
  • “360 Photo Booth”: Anxiety and vulnerability of being seen in a new scene.
  • “Okay, I Know Who My Twin Flame Is”: Song as unfolding conversation, exploring relationships and self-reflection.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “He is just able to fit together these kind of wild, knotty bundles of words that flow together so beautifully.” — Stephen Thompson [26:05]
  • “This is something that you sit down and really engage with, which I love.” — Dre Castillo [25:09]
  • “So much space he gives on this record for perspectives other than his own.” — Stephen Thompson [26:32]
• Song Excerpts: [23:37–24:09], [26:01], [27:34], [28:05]

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Orestes Gomez – “No Me Fui Por Que Quise”

• Background: Venezuelan percussionist, now in Mexico City, collaborating with a roster of Latinx rappers and singers.
• Themes: Migration, pride, the environment of sound, percussion as melody, musical conversation.
• Notable Tracks Discussed:
  • “Mata” (feat. Nina Fresh): Vibrant polyrhythms, chanted call-and-response.
  • “Invierno” (feat. Sabino, Fer Casillas, Ferraz): Swapping vocalists, easy groove.
  • “Pagadiera” (feat. RK Wavy): Maximalist, rowdy, frenetic Latin Hip-Hop.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “The album blurs the line between composition and atmosphere…and percussion as melody.” — Dre Castillo [31:24]
  • “He does such a great job on this album to work with such a diverse arrangement of artists and vocalists…pieces of dialogue between percussion and whoever steps in to sing or improvise or rap.” — Dre Castillo [34:38]
  • “If you’re looking for Orestes Gomez’s…voice on this record, he turns everything over to a huge array of guest rappers and singers…” — Stephen Thompson [30:47]
• Song Excerpts: [32:40], [34:06]

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3. Lightning Round: Other Noteworthy Releases ([35:06])

• Don Toliver – “Octane”
  • “This is road trip music whether you want to go fast or not.” — Stephen Thompson [36:16]
• Landy Hecht – “Lucky Now”
  • “Songwriting is so diary level honest, but there’s more air and momentum…indie pop with a punk rock heart.” — Dre Castillo [36:16]
• By Storm – “My Ghosts Go Ghost”
  • (Formerly Injury Reserve, an experimental hip-hop group returning after a member’s passing.)
• Yumizuma – “No Love Lost to Kindness”
  • “Emotionally distant on the surface but quietly deep underneath. The songs sort of linger.” — Dre Castillo [37:47]
• David Moore – “Graze the Bell”
  • “I know y’all need something peaceful and soothing…this is stately and beautiful, built around lush and moody piano.” — Stephen Thompson [38:33]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “You have your own experiences, but you’re also looking around you and seeing things that are bigger than yourself.” — Stephen Thompson on Emily Scott Robinson [04:39]
• “This isn't the type of hip hop that you listen to casually…something that you sit down and really engage with, which I love.” — Dre Castillo on Lord Jamonte Ogbon [25:09]
• “The drums are by far my favorite instrument to admire and you could just tell that Gomez eats, sleeps, and breathes drums.” — Dre Castillo [32:40]
• “He’s taking well-worn materials but finding new angles, finding new perspectives and finding new way to make it sound.” — Stephen Thompson on Jordan Ward [20:48]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Emily Scott Robinson – Appalachia: [01:35]–[09:08]
• Ye Vagabonds – All Tied Together: [09:08]–[14:41]
• Jordan Ward – Backward: [17:44]–[23:22]
• Lord Jamonte Ogbon – As of Now: [23:22]–[28:30]
• Orestes Gomez – No Me Fui Por Que Quise: [29:45]–[35:06]
• Lightning Round (Other Albums): [35:06]–[39:46]

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Episode Tone

Warm, deeply conversational, and rooted in personal connection to the music. Both hosts bring passionate, thoughtful insights—balancing musical analysis with emotional storytelling. The episode is an inviting celebration of musical diversity and discovery.

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For New Listeners

This episode is an essential guide to the best new music of the week, rich with storytelling, evocative song samples, and sharp commentary. Whether you’re searching for lyrical folk, introspective R&B, boundary-pushing hip-hop, or atmospheric instrumentals, the hosts have you covered, making the show a perfect entry point for anyone eager to expand their musical horizons.

Transcript

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[Dre Castillo]

A quick note before the show. This podcast contains explicit language.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

In the quiet of the new year, we will let our old dreams go.

[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday, everyone. From NPR Music. It's NEW MUSIC Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Dre Castillo of KVNF in Western Colorado. Welcome to the show.

[Dre Castillo]

Dre hi. Thank you so much for having me. Steven I'm excited to be here.

[Stephen Thompson]

Honored to have you. We're going to talk more about KVNF a little later in the show. But how are how are you doing in general? Are you watching the Grammys this weekend?

[Dre Castillo]

Oh, I am. Yeah, definitely. I actually am really excited. I've never been so interested in in the Grammys, and I just also love this time of year for music. January, I feel like we're all still cocooning and releases feel intentional this time of the year.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, this is often a time of year where a bunch of my favorite records come out. You know, we're getting like kind of the big pop star records rolling out more in kind of February and March. But a lot of the stuff that I wind up listening to all year comes out right around this time.

[Dre Castillo]

Yeah, definitely. It's, like heady. The headier stuff, in my opinion, comes out.

[Stephen Thompson]

Exactly. It is a little bit of a headier month. You know who I think should be nominated for a Grammy?

[Dre Castillo]

Who?

[Stephen Thompson]

Our first artist, Emily Scott Robinson. Emily Scott Robinson's new album is called Appalachia.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

Oh, my heart for Appalachia, oh, my heart for these blue hills oh, my heart forever captured beating still Many nights I lay here sleepless Many nights I watch the stars Many nights I make my way home from afar.

[Stephen Thompson]

So this is Emily Scott Robinson's fifth album. It's her third for John Prine's record label. She grew up in North Carolina. Now she's based in Western Colorado. Kind of in your neck of the woods, am I right?

[Dre Castillo]

Dre? Yep, she is. And I'm so excited because she's become one of my favorite songwriters that I've just fallen in love with. And listening to this album, it was just such a great experience for me.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. I mean, she's got this gorgeous, swooping, kind of high, lonesome voice. She also always, every time I reconnect with one of her albums, she just always has Something to say, she's always writing about extremely relatable experience. She's writing on this record quite a bit about resilience and community. She, you know, she's living in western Colorado now, but she grew up in North Carolina. And the title track from this record, Appalachia, is inspired by Hurricane Helene and the way that neighbors leaned on each other. And so she's singing about kind of that sense of connection and community in ways that feel really relevant to the present moment. But then if you kind of scan all over this record, there are so many gorgeous songs about so many different subjects.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

These mountains stood before we found them no, I'll lust our children too I promise Spring we'll paint the hills in.

[Dre Castillo]

Mount Laurel blue To me, it is no surprise that her songwriting career really kind of took off here in western Colorado. I mean, you know, so many songwriters have written their love letters to the Rockies. And, you know, I think there's a reason for that, because when you're captivated by the Rockies, something changes in you. And I think the scenery around you really allows you to kind of slow down and be present in your community. And I feel like Emily Scott Robinson really knows how to make that known and kind of romanticize that stopping and being present in your community. She really knows how to capture these small moments and make them feel super meaningful in her writing.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. One thing she does really, really well is kind of take stock of the world in a way where you have your own experiences, but you're also looking around you and seeing things that are bigger than yourself. Not only the mountains that you're describing or the communities that. That she feels like she's a part of, but, like, when she's singing about, like, a dive bar, you know, there's a track on this record called Dirtbag Saloon. And it starts out, it's kind of this celebration of a local watering hole of the variety that we've heard a thousand country songs about, you know. But then as the song goes on, she's digging deeper, and the song ends up getting into gentrification and kind of the fate of this watering hole in a way that shows a willingness to look at the songwriting subject from a lot of different angles, kind of close up and then panning out.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

Linda's is open on Fridays and Christmas. She lives in the back. It's a cash only business. She charges for singles but pours you a double Everyone drinks here and no one makes no.

[Dre Castillo]

I mean, this. This hits home for me. Living in Peonia in this small community, and this Song was actually written about the local saloon here in town. That's in this old rickety building. I mean, there's gunshot holes in the ceiling of this building. The bar is called Linda's. It's only open on Fridays.

[Stephen Thompson]

Wow.

[Dre Castillo]

And one thing I love about Emily Scott Robinson's writing is that she doesn't use stereotypes when she's writing about these people. She's really characterizing them. And it's so cool to have a song be written about this place that is just one in a million. Truly, you'll never experience anything like it until you come here. And so much of Colorado is being discovered now and being gentrified, and towns like Paonia are cheap, changing rapidly. And so, yeah, this song just really exemplifies that in such a meaningful way for our community.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

The rich folks are squeezing us right outta room. If it ain't gone yet, it's going soon.

[Stephen Thompson]

Do you have any other favorites on this record?

[Dre Castillo]

Yeah. You know, I really love Time Traveler, which was interesting, I think, because, I mean, listening to this song really intentionally made me cry. Someone walked into my office while I was, like, listening and I was like, oh, my gosh, this is making me very emotional. And I think it touches on something that everyone experiences by growing old, or if you have the luxury of growing old. And if you know somebody who experiences dementia and just describing this person as a time traveler in their mind. And I just think that's such a beautiful way to put it today.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

Back in 1953, in a dress and heels on a football field, homecoming queen grandpa throws the winning pass for Webster Groves, and you tell me you're in love. Your mother doesn't know.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I was really struck by that song. It's definitely one of the big standouts. My immediate reaction was I was a little uneasy about its metaphors for dementia. But it's so heartfelt and it's so pretty. And again, it's a case of taking a subject that has certainly come up in songs before that is certainly, you know, fairly well worn subject matter that, as you said, so many of us deal with, you know, loved ones who've been through this. But she's. She's really exploring it more deeply. She really is looking for ways in and ways to talk about this in new ways.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

Your time traveler. Your time. Traveler.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's Emily Scott Robinson. Her new album is called Appalachia. Next up, another terrific record by the Irish duo Ye Vagabonds. It's called All Tied Together.

[Ye Vagabonds (performers)]

Bells ringing in the butter yard. Evicted this morning. Thought you might have heard at 5 in the morning they quit their way in we were singing in the kitchen when the bailiffs chirped we were the young ones while things played Barefoot dancing in the concrete doors Swimming in a river of smoke and serotonin E forgotten.

[Stephen Thompson]

City so ye vagabonds. This is their fourth album. I think they maybe penetrated some of the public's consciousness more in 2023 when they sang the Parting Glass with Boy Genius on this, one of their wonderful kind of holiday singles. This is just beautiful Irish folk music. It's so sweeping, it's so graceful. And at times it's deeply, deeply rousing. You get a track like the Flood, you know, that has this big, swooping fiddle attached to it. But you also really, what these songs are all about are these two voices. And the way these two voices blend.

[Dre Castillo]

Their harmonies almost feel a little bit restrained, which I think brings more emotional weight to their songwriting. This album was also a heady listen for me. I really had to sit with the album and listen to it a couple of times to really absorb it. And, yeah, a lot of emotion.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, kind of like the Emily Scott Robinson record. Songs that are really reaching inward for kind of deeper reflection. The song Forget about the Rain is closing this record, you know, with these kind of deep observations about storms that we've weathered and how we come out the other side of them.

[Ye Vagabonds (performers)]

I always forget about the rain Never prepared for the downpour. You fly into the eye of every storm. Somehow you think we'd know by now.

[Dre Castillo]

I really love Mayfly and the idea of impermanence and how everything is temporary. It almost encourages the listener to appreciate things a little bit more because we know that it's not going to last. And it just allows us to be a little bit more present in life's brief moments, which I really love.

[Ye Vagabonds (performers)]

Waking from a strange dream I wonder what it all means See her tumbling a free fall or is she really there at all?

[Stephen Thompson]

I agree with you that these songs are kind of arranged in such a way that you really stop and, like, hone in on their voices and what they're saying. And, you know, at times the arrangements are extremely spare. There's a track called Gravity. Just atmospheric beauty. Very spare, almost acapella in spots. And it kind of reminded me of the wonderful late Irish singer Talos, you know, who had that same kind of deep, swooping voice where, like, subtle inflections in the voice are able to convey this deep, deep well of emotion.

[Ye Vagabonds (performers)]

Don't ask. What it's for. No revelation. Behind Closed Doors.

[Dre Castillo]

I read that the album was recorded entirely live in a house in Galway, which I think adds a lot of that atmosphere to the album. You feel like you're in the room with them listening and you can almost hear the air in the room and definitely you can feel that with gravity. And I also love just the all around theme of the album, All Tied Together. Also touching on the idea of community and how, you know, ultimately we all stay connected and those connections loosen over time. But it's not presented in a tragic way. It's almost like it's being expressed through memory and acceptance.

[Ye Vagabonds (performers)]

We are all bound by science. We could never move faster than speed of Silence.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Ye Vagabonds. Their new album is called All Tied Together. We've got some more terrific records we're going to talk about this week, but first, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

Eduardo from NPR Music, It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Dre Castillo of KVNF in Western Colorado. Dre, tell me about the station. What's going on?

[Dre Castillo]

Oh, gosh, I feel like this is a moment in time for kvnf. We've got this really great team, so it feels like we gotta harness that Energy. And we've got live sessions and videos coming up. We're looking to collaborate a little bit more with our local theaters and a local production company for the live music series that are coming into our town. We're also kind of in the beginning stages of maybe planning our first music festival in our listening area. We're going to call it Punk on the Unk, the Uncompagre River. So, yeah, we'll see. We're in the beginning stages of it. It's supposed to happen in September and if we're lucky, wonderful.

[Stephen Thompson]

I would imagine Western Colorado probably a pretty decent place to visit in September.

[Dre Castillo]

Oh my gosh. Yeah, it's beautiful. All of the fall colors start to really pop out at the end of September. There's so many harvest festivals to attend. I'm excited. I feel like this year, I mean, despite it all, I feel really good about this year. I feel really good about the team here at kvnf and I think we've got some good momentum going.

[Stephen Thompson]

Excellent. Well, let's get back to the show. Our next album is Jordan Ward. His new album is called Backward.

[Emily Scott Robinson (performer)]

I'm down las My bed's uptown rose Let me crash this time around 10 more minutes till the train touching down through the tunnel I cannot sound I hope I'm making it last down here Soaking it in hoping to come home I better man feeling inspired again.

[Stephen Thompson]

So Jordan Ward is a singer, songwriter. You know, grew up in St. Louis, first became known as like a backup dancer for artists like Justin Bieber. He's since kind of made his own name as a progressive R and B singer. Performed a terrific Tiny Desk concert back in 2023 and for his new album, it's his second album. He's described a desire to seek inspiration from kind of the all time greats as a way of leveling up his own game. So he's inspired by and obviously this comes through in wildly varying ways, but he's inspired by people like Joni Mitchell, Donny Hathaway, Roberta Flack kind of trying to level up his own songwriting and in songs that are really taking R and B in kind of warped and progressive and experimental new directions.

[Dre Castillo]

Yeah, I love it. I feel like he has really taken R and B and pop and hip hop to the next level without it sounding restless. Not that it ever does for me. I love R and B, but Backward feels emotionally fluid and it's super groovy and I just. This is an album that I can definitely find myself going back to just to groove to. I really enjoyed It.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

I think emotionally fluid is a really nice phrase to describe what's going on here and kind of speaks to how versatile this sound is. You know, you have, you know, there's. One of the singles from this record is called Smoking Patna, which is a duet with the singer sailor sailor with two Rs. And you know, it's this kind of warp, pitch shifted R and B totally hits like a weed pen. Right? And it's about weed. It's about smoking weed with your. With your person. But it's, it's using that as a jumping off point. It's using that as a metaphor for intimacy. And I think that that is like, that's a smart way to take. As we've kind of discussed with a couple of these other albums, even though this is a very different record that we're talking about here. You're talking about somebody who's taking well worn materials but finding new angles, finding new perspectives and finding new way to make it sound.

[Dre Castillo]

I also love how he's come off from his previous records. I really enjoyed Valley Hopefuls. I think it was released in 2019. And I feel like you can really hear his confidence in this new record. And I know that he really set intentions when, when writing it, I think due to a knee injury that he had. And so he was able to be still and really kind of lean into this record and. And you can just really tell that his songwriting has totally evolved. And yeah, this is just a new era for him.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And I appreciate the way, you know, he can do this kind of stylish, mid tempo, chopped up experimental R and B, but he can also take some of those same ingredients and kind of amp them up a little bit. There's a track called High Functioning, you know, where his. The vocals are just sliding around, you know, warped and modulated. And the song just has this kind of kinetic feeling to it where he's able to do kind of classic R B that just sounds like it's. It's tweaked slightly. But then you take a song like High Functioning and it's. It's more aggressive in the way that it kind of chops everything up.

[Dre Castillo]

I also really love one of the other lead singles, Juicy.

[Stephen Thompson]

So catchy and so smooth it is.

[Dre Castillo]

And I love the idea of like smoking a joint and being a bit disposable in a way or temporary or functional. And I think so many artists, especially in this genre, deal with this feeling of having to constantly perform and being in this competitive industry when it comes to making Music. And I feel like his writing style sort of rejects succumbing to that, like by having this humor of being a disposable joint, you know?

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, these are not disposable joints. That is Jordan Ward. His new album is called Backward. Next up, we've got the rapper Lord Jamonte Ogbon. His new album is called as of now.

[Lord Jamonte Ogbon (rapper)]

Okay. I'm posted at the function in the corner they don't even know what I'm about to do Ask my boo can we keep it low Duggin like pot until we are 6ft below 30,000ft in the air look and see below I don't fuck with everybody Got my reasons though. Yeah do you like reason for no reason, bro, look how they did me Thought I wouldn't blow now it's up forever and it's on the flow get it on the flow get, get it on the FL Last night I swear to God, a half a million on the flow I was sleeping in a trap with just a pillow on the flow Now I'm backstage Where I just seen willow in his hole so Lord.

[Stephen Thompson]

Jamonte Ogbon is an underground rapper from Charlotte, North Carolina. He got his start blogging about local rap and then kind of over time has, you know, kind of found his own voice and developed his own sound in a series of self released material including, you know, mixtapes and whatnot. This is kind of, you know, his first album for like a, you know, for like a bigger label. And you just get a sense of somebody who is so kind of intellectually and lyrically lively. And this has been a recurring theme as we've talked about, the songwriting across these records in very different genres. But you just have another example here of somebody who is really throwing himself into these songs. These wordy, funny, strange, surprising songs full of, you know, rich production and old samples and spoken word skits and songs that unfold like conversations.

[Dre Castillo]

This is definitely an album that I really leaned into. It wasn't a casual listen. This isn't the type of hip hop that you listen to casually. This is something that you sit down and really engage with, which. Which I love.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. This album was recommended to us by my dear colleague, Sheldon Pierce. And one thing about Sheldon is when he recommends a hip hop record, first of all, take notice because he has, I think, just impeccable taste and he's gotten me into so much great music. But, like, he is a guy who loves music that is bursting with ideas, and this record is bursting with ideas. There's a track, it's called Flew out like F L E W E D flew out. All expenses is paid for. And the track is so emblematic of what I love about this record.

[Lord Jamonte Ogbon (rapper)]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

First of all, you've got these kind of funny and conversational song titles. He has this rapid fire flow where he is just able to fit together these kind of wild, knotty bundles of words that flow together so beautifully. But there's also something in this track and on so many tracks on this record that I just welcomed so much, which is the injection of women's voices into the mix. And how many of these songs are conversations, you know, with. With women. You know, whether they're spoken or rapped or sung, it's really noticeable after a while. And how much space he gives on this record for somebody who is so able, so, so conversant, so able to fill every second with his own words. How much space he makes on this record for perspectives other than his own.

[Lord Jamonte Ogbon (rapper)]

Phone and get along bitch we ain't able to I ain't looking for a friend I need a Benz I need.

[Dre Castillo]

Some paper I really love the introspection of it, especially with 360 photo booth. Like the idea of being on surveillance at all times from every angle and the anxiety that goes into being seen or perceived now that the doors have opened for you in this scene.

[Lord Jamonte Ogbon (rapper)]

360 spinning with twinning a photo booth got her right in no time she gonna blow the roof Bitch is lying on me but you know the truth she was in my campaign got no.

[Stephen Thompson]

Voting proof I also love the track, okay, I know who my twin flame is and the way this song unfurls as a conversation. Again, platforming women. He's kind of viewing this song as an as kind of a conversation that unfolds into a reflection. And I just think that is such a smart way to craft the songs on this record.

[Lord Jamonte Ogbon (rapper)]

Cop it chopping the top and paint it I'm your last option ain't it Notice just an observation Fantasia got me waiting why you testing papa's patience when I got vocal motion? Are you posting other niggas like this? Who you promoting? Okay, you muted noted Other way you view it goaded, don't tell too much can't hold it got pissed but can't upload it Chicago trips you focus about to drop my magnum opus Now I lens on focus.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Lord Jamonte Ogbon. His new album is called as of Now, We've got one More record we want to talk about in depth as well as a lightning round of some of our other favorite albums out today, January 30th. But first, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

Day deals from NPR Music. It's NEW MUSIC Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Dre Castillo of KVNF in Western Colorado. Before we get to our lightning round of some of the other best albums out today, January 30th, we are going to talk about one more record in a little bit more depth. Orestes Gomez has a new album called no Me Fui por Que Quise.

[Dre Castillo]

So.

[Stephen Thompson]

Orestes Gomez is a Venezuelan percussionist. Originally from Caracas, he's now based in Mexico City. And if you're looking for Orestes Gomez's, you know, kind of voice on this record or his role on this record, he is a percussionist, but vocally, he turns everything over to a huge array of guest rappers and singers for songs that incorporate Afro Latin music, hip hop and jazz. And you just have so many different voices and sounds percolating across this record.

[Dre Castillo]

I really loved this album. It was so much fun. It was definitely one of my top two of the albums that we're talking about today, especially because I think it really highlights sound as environment and percussion as melody. And the album blurs the line between composition and atmosphere. And there's just so much to absorb in it.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And if you want to talk about a track that's really emblematic of what he's going for here, there's one. It's called Mata, featuring Nina Fresh, and you get these rich polyrhythms. He's really pouring A lot of his, like, percussive chops into this song, but then the vocals have this big chanted call and response quality to it. And that song is so vibrant.

[Dre Castillo]

I kind of want to touch a little bit on the album title, no Me Fue Quis, because it translates to I didn't leave because I wanted to, or it wasn't my choice to leave, which I think really sets the. The mood or tone of the album because he's has all these guests, and I feel like there's just so much Latin pride in it, and there's just so much movement. And the drums are by far my favorite instrument to admire. And you could just tell that Gomez eats, sleeps, and breathes drums. I think he. If I read correctly, he learned how to play at the age of three, so you can really tell in his abilities.

[Stephen Thompson]

And he's able to kind of use that skill in so many ways in so many settings to set so many different tones. The track in Vierno, which features Sabino, Fer Casillas and Ferraz, it kind of has this kind of loping, kind of round robin feel. It's kind of swapping vocalists in and out, and it has, like, this kind of easy vibe. Ier quality to it. It's not. This record doesn't always have its foot all the way on the G.

[Ye Vagabonds (performers)]

But.

[Stephen Thompson]

Then elsewhere on the record, you get a track like Pagadiera featuring RK Wavy, which is just frantic, manic, rapid fire, frenetic, rowdy, Just voices and loops. Kind of maximalist quality to it, and you just can't look away from it.

[Dre Castillo]

He does such a great job on this album to work with such a diverse arrangement of artists and vocalists, and it almost feels like these are pieces of dialogue that he has with each person that he's showcasing on this album feels like a conversation between percussion and whoever steps in to sing or improvise or rap. And I love that. There's so much diversity here.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, that is Orestes Gomez. His new album is called no Me Fue Por que Quise. Now, Dre, we could not possibly get to all the terrific albums out today, January 30th. From here on out, basically every week is gonna have more albums than we can fit onto this show. So we wanted a lightning round of some of our other favorite albums. I'm going to kick us off with Don Toliver. Don Toliver is a huge star in the worlds of hip hop and R and B. His last album, Hardstone Psycho, was a chart topper. It marries trap beats to timeless R and B. Now Don Toliver is back with a new album full of rich productions, smartly chosen samples and lyrics that tap into Don Toliver's deep love of cars and racing. This is road trip music whether you want to go fast or not. Don Toliver's new album bears the appropriate title, Octane.

[Dre Castillo]

So Landy Hecht brings us Lucky now and this album feels emotionally light but still incisive. Her songwriting is so diary level honest, but there's more air and momentum to this album. It's like indie pop with a punk rock heart. Melodic, candid and unpretentious. This album sounds like someone who's come out the other side of something. That's Landy Hecht and her new album is Lucky now through the Times you.

[Stephen Thompson]

For about a decade, the experimental hip hop group Injury Reserve was the source of a string of beloved mixtapes and albums. But sometime after member Steppa J Grogs died in 2020, the surviving members decided to regroup Group as By Storm. After a couple of singles last year, they're finally releasing a new album under the By Storm name. It is called My Ghosts Go Ghost. Look up in the sky it's all.

[Lord Jamonte Ogbon (rapper)]

Orbit it said bro it's all in your locks but no problem open your eyes it's all forming I knew that dropping that shit melt like butter Watch.

[Stephen Thompson]

Out they say I'll need some ACV it's crazy to bake soda with lemon.

[Dre Castillo]

Squeeze so this next album is by Yumizuma. No love lost to kindness and this album is very dray coded. It's emotionally distant on the surface, but quietly deep underneath. And the songs sort of linger. And I love the way the music on this album makes me feel the emotions kind of sneak up on you. That's Yumizuma. No love lost to kindness.

[Stephen Thompson]

Okay, so I know y' all need something peaceful and soothing to take into your weekend. Something to slow the blood and soothe your anxiety. It can't just be me who's looking for this. So there is a wonderful ambient group called Bing and Ruth which made some of my favorite head filling instrumental music. Their stuff is so stately and beautiful, built around the lush and moody piano of bandleader David Moore. Now David Moore has a solo record and it's just as lovely as all those descriptors would suggest. I will be listening to it all weekend until the Grammys of course, and then I'll be listening to it as a way of detoxing once the Grammys are over. David Moore's new album is called Graze the Bell, And that is our show for this week. Thank you, Dre Castillo, for taking time out of your week at KVNF in Western Colorado.

[Dre Castillo]

Thank you so much, Steven. I'm so happy that I got to do this with you.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you. You have been fantastic. If you enjoyed this week's show, we always appreciate a positive review on Apple or Spotify or whatever you're listening to right now. This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Otis Hart with an assist from the great Elle Manion. The executive producer of NPR Music is Saraya Muhammad. We'll be back next week to discuss new music with Aaron Wolfe from Radio Milwaukee. Until then, take a moment to be well. Never go anywhere without earplugs and treat yourself to lots of great music.

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