New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 24

Summary

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All Songs Considered: New Music Friday – The Best Albums Out Oct. 24, 2025

Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Ayana Contreras (KUVO, Denver)

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Episode Overview

This episode of NPR’s All Songs Considered centers on the most notable albums released on October 24, 2025. Stephen Thompson and guest Ayana Contreras (of Denver's jazz and soul station KUVO) share their takes on new works from Brandi Carlile, Miguel, Tortoise, Daniel Caesar, Yasmin Lacey, and more, highlighting the recurring theme of artists forging self-knowledge after periods of collaboration or turbulence. The conversation blends nuanced musical analysis, personal anecdotes, and a celebratory tone for music's ongoing evolution.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska 82: Extended Edition

• Context: Released to coincide with the new biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
• Biopic Discussion:
  • Ayana Contreras admits to loving biopics "when they're good, they're great, and when they're bad, they're horrible. But they're almost always entertaining." (01:09)
  • Stephen Thompson praises the film: “This one is actually quite good, led by a very, very strong performance from Jeremy Allen White from The Bear ... It’s very much a love letter to the people in Springsteen’s life who were kind of propping him up during a period when he was really struggling with his mental health...” (01:16)

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2. Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself

(03:25–07:42)

• Themes: Solitude, self-examination after collaboration-heavy years.
• Stephen Thompson: “The title track and the title to this record kind of refers to this process of taking a step back. Suddenly you’re by yourself and you’re asking yourself, who am I?” (03:25)
• Ayana Contreras (quoting Carlile's Instagram): “Learning to stand is something that people are supposed to do when they’re young, like skiing in chickenpox. You know, that sense of humor...” (04:17)
• Collaborations: Features Justin Vernon of Bon Iver; the song “A War With Time” is singled out for its Bon Iver influence.
• Sound: Ranges from intimate (e.g., “Anniversary”) to grand, anthemic (“Church and State”, likened to Florence + The Machine).
• Memorable moment:
  • Ayana: “Kind of chameleonic, I guess, is the word... still capturing essences of all these different influences and relationships.” (06:25)
• Notable Quote:
  • Stephen: “It’s not just the singer songwriterly roots music that people associate with Brandi Carlile.” (06:40)

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3. Miguel – CAOS

(08:02–12:56)

• Return: Miguel’s first album in eight years.
• Ayana Contreras: “So much of the flavors that he’s pulling from relate to his biracial background. His father’s Mexican. There’s a lot of really, really deep thematic tones that deal with issues of immigration, but not just immigration—issues of being lost, needing to belong...” (08:42)
• Musical Style: Labeled as dark, loud, experimental, spacey, with 808-driven bolero influences—likened to Childish Gambino, R&B, rock, and Latin music.
• Stephen: “I was really struck by how little caution feels like it’s gone into this record. It is dark and loud and experimental. It’s multilingual.” (09:32)
• Personal/Emotional Depth: Lyrics oscillate between “I lost myself” and “I chose myself”—capturing the chaos of recent years.
• Memorable Quote:
  • Ayana: “Like if you’re on a lost highway, this is like the music that’s in the background ... there is a little bit of that kind of lost in the abyss sort of feel to it.” (10:54)
• Ayana: “Futuristic, but futuristic from the lens of the 1990s, like retro-futuristic... it just feels like the 90s syncopated drum programming you might see in an Aaliyah video.” (12:23)

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4. Tortoise – Touch

(15:58–19:16)

• Musical Legacy: Chicago-rooted “post-rock” instrumental collective’s first album in 8 years.
• Stephen: “Tortoise kind of stands at the cluttered intersection of post rock, jazz, indie rock, art rock, krautrock, dub, you name it ... an individual Tortoise song can just travel in so many different directions at once.” (15:58)
• Ayana Contreras reflects on their Chicago scene history and willingness to experiment: “I’ve been listening to Tortoise for a really, really, really long time ... they themselves played in a lot of different things, which is probably why it’s really difficult to put a thumb on who they are.” (17:50)
• Standout Tracks:
  • “Vexations” – motorik, blippy, builds in heaviness
  • “Promenade” – classic Tortoise vibes
  • “Elka” – “hard charging enough that you could imagine it on, like, the Tron era soundtrack— but not Nine Inch Nails.” (19:16)

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5. Daniel Caesar – Son of Spurgeon

(20:16–24:40)

• Personal History: Draws on gospel roots; features his father (Norwell Simmons) on “Baby Blue.”
• Ayana: “He’s pulling from his background growing up singing in the Fifth Adventist Church. His father was a gospel singer as well. There’s just a lot in here to sort of dig through.” (21:05)
• Stephen: “This record feels in many ways like the culmination of a lot of experiences and a lot of sounds ... He’s really conversant in a lot of different sounds here.” (22:33)
• Collaborations: Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Sampha (on the gospel opener "Rain Down").
• Context: Addresses a prior “low-key canceled” controversy, aiming for authenticity.
• Sound: Blends classic gospel, new wave of “chopped up R&B,” and modern production styles.

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6. Yasmin Lacey – Teal Dreams

(26:30–32:13)

• Background: London-based singer began career at 27; this is her sophomore album.
• Stephen: “You really hear, you know...Very genre diverse, very rangy. You hear R&B, pop, ska, many different strains of Caribbean music. And I think all of that comes together really beautifully.” (27:41)
• Standout Tracks:
  • “Love is Like the Ghetto” – described as “dubby... brings the summertime to your autumn.”
  • “Wallpaper” — reminiscent of lovers rock.
  • “Ain’t I Good For You” — “a touch of classic, like, 70s juju in it ... the precursor to Afrobeats." (29:11)
  • “No Promises” — buoyant and hooky; “the single, question mark?”
  • “Worlds Apart” — layers of rich harmonies.
• Ayana: “To me, it just sounds like London, which is that kind of mash of things ... quintessential storyteller.” (29:11)
• Collaborators: Jack Peñate, noted for British “mash-up” sensibility.

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7. Lightning Round Picks

(32:13–37:01)

• Ile – Como Las Cantoyo
  • Stephen: Puerto Rican singer formerly of Calle Trece; this left-turn album pays homage to traditional Latin American boleros. “Wonderfully timeless.”
• Natural Information Society – Perseverance Flow
  • Ayana: 35 minutes of “expansive, droning experimentation evolving into kind of like exciting jam.”
• Hannah Jadagu – Describe
  • Stephen: A “terrific new record” reflecting on distance and relationship strains.
• Heather – Holy Water
  • Ayana: “Laurel Canyon meets lowrider meets soul ... beautiful connection of things.”
• Joyer – On The Other End of the Line
  • Stephen: “Indie rock duo ... a sense of searching and alienation pervades their slinky, catchy songs.”

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Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Ayana Contreras on biopics:

  "When they're good, they're great, and when they're bad, they're horrible. But they're almost always entertaining." (01:09)

• Stephen Thompson on Brandi Carlile:

  "The idea of somebody like that taking a moment where she's suddenly alone in a room and realizing that in that moment she doesn't know who she is, I think is a really powerful moment." (37:59)

• Ayana Contreras on Brandi Carlile's album:

  "Kind of chameleonic, I guess, is the word... capturing essences of all these different influences and relationships." (06:25)

• Stephen Thompson on Miguel:

  "I was really struck by how little caution feels like it's gone into this record. It is dark and loud and experimental. It's multilingual." (09:32)

• Ayana Contreras on Yasmin Lacey:

  "To me, it just sounds like London, which is that kind of mash of things." (29:11)

• Ayana Contreras on Holy Water by Heather:

  "Laurel Canyon meets lowrider meets soul. And that is like all of my favorite things together." (35:08)

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End-of-Show Picks: Favorite Song

(37:01–38:52)

• Ayana Contreras picks "CAOS" by Miguel:

  "I love a good bolero. You know, a modern bolero that still has this darkness and I don't know, it feels like a sip of mezcal. It's just really, really nice." (37:24)

• Stephen Thompson picks the opening track from Brandi Carlile’s Returning To Myself:

  "Just this idea that this artist who was just such a kind of prototypical collaborator... And the idea of somebody like that taking a moment where she's suddenly alone in a room and realizing that in that moment she doesn't know who she is..." (37:59)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Topic | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:28 | Springsteen’s Nebraska 82 and biopic discussion | | 02:30–07:42 | Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself | | 08:02–12:56 | Miguel – CAOS | | 15:58–19:16 | Tortoise – Touch | | 20:16–24:40 | Daniel Caesar – Son of Spurgeon | | 26:30–32:13 | Yasmin Lacey – Teal Dreams | | 32:13–37:01 | Lightning round: Ile, Natural Information Society, Hannah Jadagu, Heather, Joyer | | 37:01–38:52 | Hosts’ favorite tracks of the week |

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Tone & Style

The conversation is inviting, witty, and sincere—melding knowledgeable music criticism with a deep affection for discovery and musical community. Both hosts sprinkle their analysis with personal anecdotes, scene references, and playful banter. The episode conveys the frenetic excitement of a big week for new releases while offering grounded, insightful perspectives for music fans.

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This summary covers the substantive, music-focused heart of the episode. All recommendations, anecdotes, and analysis should equip you to discuss the week’s most significant new albums, even if you haven’t listened to the episode.

Transcript

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[Caller or Listener]

Well, I had the carburetor baby cleaned and checked.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

With her line blown out, she's humming like a turbojet propped her up in.

[Stephen Thompson]

The backyard on concrete blocks furnace. Happy Friday, everyone, from NPR Music. It's NEW MUSIC Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Ayana Contreras of KUVO in Denver. Welcome back to the show, Ayanna.

[Ayana Contreras]

Oh, thanks so much. Glad to be here.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure. So the music you are hearing at the top of this show is from Nebraska 82, an extended edition of Bruce Springsteen's classic 1982 album Nebraska, released kind of to coincide with the new Bruce Springsteen biop, Springsteen Deliver Me From Nowhere. Ayanna, are you a biopic person?

[Ayana Contreras]

You know what? I do. I like them. When they're good, they're great, and when they're bad, they're horrible. But they're almost always entertaining.

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And if nothing else, you certainly get a celebration of some classic music. I happen to have actually seen Springsteen Deliver Me From Nowhere, which is out today. And I have to say, as someone who has watched a lot of lousy music biopics, this one is actually quite good, led by a very, very strong performance from Jeremy Allen White from the Bear, who's kind of embodying the spirit of Springsteen here. I think what this movie really gets right is the importance of having a good team around you. It's very much a love letter to the people in Springsteen's life who were kind of propping him up during a period when he was really struggling with his mental health, especially John Landau, his manager, who's played by Jeremy Strong. And I think that plus the kind of limited time frame represented in this movie really elevates it above most music biopics. Well, let's kick off our show with a new album from Brandi Carlile. Brandi Carlisle's new album is called Returning to Myself.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Is there some freewheeling watcher shooting marbles in the sky, holding your ears between their fingers Watching it burn till the fire dies? Why is it heroic to untether? How is a lonesome holy grail? And if we really come and go Unhappy, I know could not find myself in jail. Oh, keeper, how I love you. I love you and you and you. And returning to myself is Such a lonely thing to do.

[Stephen Thompson]

So, Brandi Carlisle. This is her first solo album in four years. It's the follow up to her 2021 album, in these Silent Days. But in those intermittent four years, Brandi Carlile has been unbelievably busy. Earlier this year, she released an album with Elton John. She's collaborated with Joni Mitchell, Brandy Clark, Tanya Tucker, Lucius. You know, she's produced other people's records. She's worked, you know, done tons of collaboration. And this record kind of follows this exhalation after this very, very busy period in her life. And the title track and the title to this record kind of refers to this process of taking a step back. Suddenly you're by yourself and you're asking yourself, who am I? And this record, I think, is kind of the product of that self examination, right?

[Ayana Contreras]

Yeah, I think so much of her work has been a product of collaboration. And one of the things that I saw that was really interesting on her Instagram, she said, quote, learning to stand is something that people are supposed to do when they're young, like skiing in chickenpox. You know, that sense of humor, obviously, is very.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, my God, she's so funny.

[Ayana Contreras]

But, I mean, that's a theme on and on in a lot of these songs. Even the song Joni, which is an homage to Joni Mitchell, who is another one of those people she did the Joanie jams with. Joanie is also sort of like recognizing how Joanie was a singular contribution to that, but how she herself, I don't know. I think it's a really interesting recording. Very, very introspective, to use that word Again.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Tell that story one more time, Joan. I won't look away Let me leave you in laughter Let me go get you a plate When I tell you I love you and tell me okay I know you believe me and that's loving your way.

[Stephen Thompson]

And, you know, in talking about those, you know, musical interactions and the way other people's sensibilities are woven into this record. You know, Justin Vernon from Bon Iver pops up on this record. There's a song called A War With Time, and it's opening with this slippery guitar line. And, you know, the first I heard this record, I didn't realize she was working with Justin Vernon. And I like, scribbled down in my notes like, wow, has she been listening to a lot of Bon Iver? You know, you hear the way she's able to incorporate the ideas of different collaborators in ways that sound like her.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

400 people on a broken Wheel when the plane touched down in a concrete minefield I guess we all made it out okay, right?

[Ayana Contreras]

Yeah. Kind of chameleonic, I guess, is the word. I think the whole album really is very, very consistent, but is still capturing essences of all these different influences and relationships.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, and sonically, it's varied. You know, there are moments on this record that are extremely intimate and quiet. You know, a song like Anniversary, but there's also, you know, there are songs like Church and State, you know, which is just this big kind of whomping rocker. You know, it's really anthemic and cool. Kind of reminded me a little bit of Florence and the Machine at, you know, where she's able to channel a certain amount of rock and roll energy. It's not just the singer songwriterly roots music that people associate with Brandi Carlisle.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

While the empire was failing I was so far from home I heard a thousand sirens wailing so I was never on my own and when the blackness slowly parted I saw the Aberray towers Before the Ra revolution started between the madness of the hours and they don't see.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's Brandi Carlile. Her new album is called Returning to Myself. Next up, a new album by Miguel. Miguel's first album in eight years is called Chaos.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Better Under Pressure.

[Ayana Contreras]

So what I love about this album is that it opens up with the title track, which is sort of 808 big bottom bolero. And I love a good bolero, you know, and just in general, so much of the flavors that he's pulling from relate to his biracial background. His father's Mexican. There's a lot of really, really deep thematic tones that deal with issues of immigration, but not just immigration issues, with being lost, needing to belong, needing to find where you belong, which is something that I think he's also been going through just personally. Like, he's recently in a new relationship with a baby, and just all of this newness, but then coming through all of some seeming darkness, I think was what was inspiring this recording.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, this album really feels like a hiatus breaker. You know, it's been eight years since Miguel's last album, and in that time, as you said, not only has he, you know, entered into this new relationship, he's had a. You know, he and his partner have had a baby. He's seen the pandemic and elections. He's lost loved ones. There's been all this to feed into the title chaos that he's experienced in his life. He also, in 2019, released a Spanish language EP called Telo Dije. And that is kind of swirling into this work as well. I mean, I was really struck by how little caution feels like it's gone into this record. It is dark and loud and experimental. It's multilingual. I was really reminded across several tracks of like Childish Gambino, you know, just this kind of psych rock polymath, you know, who is conversant in R and B and rock and Latin music and manages to bring them all together in this kind of thunderous way.

[Ayana Contreras]

I wrote down Dark for sure. I also thought Smokey, you know, like spacey sounding but not light. Like that's kind of what it was feeling like to me. I was. I also worked on Lost highway music. Like. Like if you're on a lost highway, this is like the music that's in the background. I don't know. Not Chris Isaac's music, but there is a little bit of that kind of like lost in the abyss sort of feel to it. But I mean, a lot of the themes of the music also is that over and over again he's saying, I lost myself. I chose myself. Just oscillating between ideas, just back and forth. A lot of that is in the music.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

I mean, it's funny you used the word oscillating. There's a track on this album called Oscillate that I think really meets in the middle between the kind of vibey, sexy R and B from his earlier career with this kind of more thunderous and chaotic multi genre sound that he's exploring here. And to me, this song lands right at that sweet spot in ways that I think really, really work for.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Yeah, I Sleep.

[Ayana Contreras]

And I think it's interesting because I thought it was futuristic, but futuristic from the lens of the 1990s, like retro futuristic, isn't that. It definitely has that 90s syncopated drum programming that you might see in like an Aaliyah video or something. Absolutely. But I mean, it's gorgeous. I mean, the whole album, I thought, was creating a place that I wanted to be.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's chaos. C A O S the new album from Miguel, one of the many great albums out today. October 24th. We've got some more terrific music that we want to talk about that's out today. 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 Ayana Contreras from KUVO in Denver. Ayanna, tell us what's going on at Kuvo.

[Ayana Contreras]

Well, we've just hit our 40th anniversary year, which is really exciting. And so as we go into our 40 years, we're trying to do our best to acknowledge our past, our present, and think about where we f into the future. We're primarily a jazz station, but we're also very deeply rooted in the Latin and soul and blues spaces as well. So it's super exciting to kind of have that one of those moments.

[Stephen Thompson]

Can people listen to [e-mail] that's just a guess.

[Ayana Contreras]

I think that is it. Yeah. No, absolutely.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes. Nice. Well, everybody should check it out. That's kuvo.org in Denver. And of course you can listen to KUVO on the NPR app. Next up, we've got the new album from Tortoise, first album in 1989 years. It is called Touch. So Tortoise has been around since 1990. That is 35 years long running band originally from Chicago, now kind of scattered to the four winds. Two members are in Chicago, two are in la, one in Portland. Tortoise kind of stands at the kind of cluttered intersection of post rock, jazz, indie rock, art rock, kraut, rock, dub, you name it. Almost entirely instrumental. But within that realm, an individual Tortoise song can just travel in so many different directions at once. There's a song on this record called Vexations that has this kind of motoric throb that Tortoise is known for. But at times the song recalls everything from video games to spaghetti westerns. You know, their music manages to be hypnotic and strange and kind of blips and bloopsy, but also just oddly steady, even as the song kind of gets heavier and heavier.

[Ayana Contreras]

Yeah, you know, it's like you read my notes. I wrote all of that down almost the exact same thing. But that's because I've been listening to Tortoise for a really, really, really long time. And all those guys were people that I saw around in the Chicago scene in the 90s as being really willing to insert themselves into any sort of configuration imaginable. Right. Like, I mean, people talk about all the different, like Tortoise, like break offs, but they themselves played in a lot of different things, which is probably why it's really difficult to put a thumb on who they are, what they are in the Tortoise configuration. But one of the things listening to this album I think about a lot is one of my favorite of their side projects. It was called Box 2007. They put it out on stone's throw.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, wow.

[Ayana Contreras]

It was a beat tape. It was a beat tape, yeah. And I think it was very surprising for people who were expecting one thing out of them. And this album is weird because it is giving you some of the tracks, especially something like Promenade. It feels like everything lovers love about Tortoise, you know, very, very vibey, but at the same time, it is pushing sort of the paradigm of what Tortoise is further.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I love hearing an album of instrumental music by some of the most consistent musicians on earth and still finding many different sounds to talk about and draw from. Right. Like there's a track on this record called Elka which is like hard charging enough that you could imagine it on, like the Tron era soundtrack, you know, that's like not Nine Inch Nails. So, you know, within this, like, wonderfully consistent band by some of the most proficient musicians you will ever hear. You're still hearing tons and tons of range. That is Tortoise. Their new eighth official studio album, first since 2016, is called Touch. Next up, we've got the new album from Daniel Caesar. It is called son of Spurgeon.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Mr. Mr. I heard God speaks to men through signs. Well, I think I just seen mine. Cause when I kissed her I pictured her bring singing for life like Madonna and a child no need to be alone. It's just love in the future.

[Ayana Contreras]

So, you know, this is another one. I don't know if you all intentionally chose people who haven't put out records in a while, but there's been it was 2023 the last time he put out something, but I think he really kind of came of age with work. With Her Best Part was a huge hit. I believe that was what, 2021, a number of other recordings. But this is his first full album in a couple of years. And I do feel like the world has changed a little bit in that very short period of time. And maybe thus this album feels like he is slightly different, but he's pulling from his background growing up singing in the Fifth Adventist Church. His father was a gospel singer as well. There's just a lot in here to sort of dig through. There was also a short where he was kind of low key canceled for basically what happened was he was advocating for a white female artist who is being accused of sort of appropriating black culture. And he was like, well, you know, he just didn't agree with that premise. And then he went kind of went deeper into it in talking about how he shouldn't be persecuted for saying what, you know, what's on his mind, essentially. Even though it was low key problematic, but just low key problematic, it wasn't like high key problematic.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

This record feels in many ways like the culmination of a lot of experiences and a lot of sounds. And, you know, you mentioned his father, Norwell Simmons, who's a gospel singer, and he guests on the song Baby Blue. You know, he's bringing in a number of collaborators here, including his father as well as as we talked about with Brandi Carlisle, Justin Vernon from Bon Iver pops up. Bon Iver was definitely another recurring theme of, you know, new records that are out today. And Justin Vernon pops up in the song Moon and then later on in the song Sins of the Father. He's really conversant in a lot of different sounds here.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

O Lord, perpetual pain.

I can't be at home where my father lays.

And time will fade away. Hopefully it's to the same place.

[Ayana Contreras]

The album is just full of, you know, I mean, back to the gospel, opening up with this unapologetic gospel on Rain down, which features, you know, Sampha. Yeah, yeah. And this lovely overdubbing. Right. This overdubbing is something that he does a lot. It's also a constant companion here on this album. There's a lot of notes here, but I think the top note that I wrote down when I was listening to it is that there's like an attempt to get to a real spiritual place.

[Stephen Thompson]

That spiritual place comes up again and again. Gospel music comes up again and again. But he's also trafficking in this kind of new school, chopped up R and B, you know, that you hear from kind of bedroom R and B artists like Omar Apollo and Rex, Orange county and Dijon. You know, that feels like a very modern take on R and B, even as he's incorporating so many classic sounds at the same time. That's Daniel Caesar. His new album is called Son of Spurgey. We've got one more album we want to talk about in depth, as well as a lightning round of some of our other favorite albums out today on October 24th. 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 Ayana Contreras from KUVO in Denver. Before we get to our light, we want to talk about one more record. It's by the artist Yasmin Lacey. Her new album is called Teal Dreams.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

When I was born, a butterfly flew into the room. That's how I know I was born to do what dreamers do. I'm a lover, I'm a chooser and I choose to fight. They won't monetize my dreams inside my head tonight Somewhere between dreams and reality It's a revolutionary act. One black hole dream I've been moving restless when I try to sleep Whispers of what the ancestors tried to say to me. I dare to Dream and tell the story out of stone Wish I could tell my younger self I'm down alone and when I sleep I saw the sea to watch them grow.

[Stephen Thompson]

So Yasmin Lacey is a Londoner. She began her singing career at the age of 27, which to me, I think gives her music a little bit more of a lived in quality that I think serves her really well. This is her second album. She's also put out several EPs. It's the follow up to her debut album, Voice Notes. And you really hear, you know, I've used this kind of. This phrasing kind of again and again on this episode. Very genre diverse, very rangy. You hear R and B, pop, ska, many different strains of Caribbean music. And I think all of that comes together really beautifully. You know, you hear a song like Love is Like the Ghetto, you know, which has this dubby feel that kind of brings the summertime to your autumn.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Love don't care what your name bears. Cause love can tell where you're from Love will wrestle Strangers enjoying them too, too wine, it's worth the. When our two hearts collide the streets.

Are cold Love won't make it.

Love is like the ghetto Learning when to let go Gamble, stickle, settle, hustle and we keep hope is like the ghetto.

[Ayana Contreras]

I mean, to me, it just sounds like London, which is that kind of mash of things. I think that polyrhythmic sort of British soul thing does often include all that stuff. Wallpaper is like lovers rock. Like, literally, she's sitting on somebody's lap and I'm like, okay, I'm with you, Yasmin. Take me there, take me there. But that's the thing about her lyricism, right? Like, it is. She's such a quintessential storyteller. Another song, Ain't I Good for your? Is another one that I like a lot. It's got a touch of like classic, like, 70s juju in it, which is like a very specific reference. The precursor to Afrobeats was like that sort of sound. But in general, it just feels very much like London to me. Like my interpretation of what that space of that mashing of sounds and cultures and influence.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Ain't I good for you? I'm that sweet, that stuff that tastes that made your life better. You know me I'm all you need I got you my pleasure and I Good for you, good for you, good for you yes, you know I am.

[Stephen Thompson]

You just get a lot of wonderful variation here. You have a song like no Promises, which to me, I was just like in my notes was like the single question mark, you know, just being buoyant, hooky, layered song just feels very complete. And then you get a sparer song like Worlds Apart, where you get these rich vocal harmonies kind of oohing in the background in this really pleasing way. I think you put it really well, Ayanna. It sounds like lond. You know, it sounds like a city that is itself a mashup.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

We make plans but we don't commit victory favor it I'm losing faith in it all in the Doomsboro generation we're stars of sensation you reach out I put up a wall in this room somehow we're worlds apart next to you I don't know where.

[Ayana Contreras]

You know another person. I would be remiss if I didn't shout him out. One of the collaborators on this album, Jack Penate, is actually one of. He's a person that you haven't heard from too much in America, but he's doing that thing in the UK for many years. Went to school with Jesse Ware, did a whole lot of really cool projects, and everything is new was an album he put out in 2009. And I will tell you, I never, ever, ever seen. Stopped listening to that record because it is 100% spectacular all the way through.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

There's a whole lot of space between us.

[Stephen Thompson]

All that is Yasmin Lacey. Her new album is called Teal Dreams. Now, Ayanna, you know as well as anyone we could not possibly get to every great album out today, October 24th, so we wanted to do a lightning round of some of our other favorites. I'm gonna kick us off singer Ile. She's a Puerto Rican singer who first became famous thanks to her work in the groundbreaking band Calle Trece. Ile went solo a few years ago, has gone on to huge success. Now she's releasing her fourth solo album, and it's something of a left turn. It's a collection of traditional Latin American boleros, and as the concept itself suggests, the music is just wonderfully timeless. Ilei's new album is quite called Como Las Cantoyo.

[Ayana Contreras]

So Natural Information Society is a band I've been familiar with for a long time, seeing them in unconventional spaces like galleries and junk shops, lands of misfit toys, so to speak. And this particular album, I feel, like harkens to that in that it's 35 minutes of expansive, droning experimentation evolving into kind of like exciting jam. It's just really cool music. Natural Information Society's album is called Perseverance Flow.

[Stephen Thompson]

The Singer songwriter Hannah Jatagoo put out a hugely promising debut album in 2023. It was called Aperture, and it marked her as a talented, incisive singer and lyricist. Now she's back with a terrific new record that finds her digging deeper and I think, leveling up the new album. Album reflects on the strains distance can place on a relationship, and she's working with a sonic palette that's gotten more varied and evocative. Henna Jatagou's new album is titled Describe.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Give Me Time, Give me time to go.

[Ayana Contreras]

Another record that was really notable to me is someone who was totally not on my radar, Heather H E T H E R a debut album called Holy Water, which to me felt very much like Laurel Canyon meets lowrider meets soul. And that is like all of my favorite things together. It's a beautiful connection of things. Heather's new album is called Holy Water.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

We can evacuate and escape from a world so calm let's fly up to Jupiter See what we left back home.

[Stephen Thompson]

Finally Hannah Jadugu isn't the only up and coming artist with a terrific new album about the strain of distance and separation. The indie rock duo Joyer's new record reflects on similar themes while also, like Hannah Jadugu, expanding the boundaries and ingredients of their sound. Joyer is made up of two brothers who live in different cities, and a sense of searching and alienation kind of pervades their slinky, catchy songs. Joyer's new record is called on the Other End of the Line.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

It's the kind of place I can bank on only Sunday night When I stick my hands in my pockets and I drink down all my heavens and I let myself get loose so I don't stay uptight.

[Stephen Thompson]

All right, well, Ayanna, we do this thing at the end of every episode of this show where, you know, we've all listened to a ton of music to get to this point out today, October 24th, where we pick, pick our favorite song. What is the song from all this listening that we are going to keep with us, kind of tuck into our pockets and carry with us for the rest of the year. What's your favorite song you heard this week?

[Ayana Contreras]

I'm gonna say. I'm gonna surprise myself and say chaos by McGill. I love a good bolero. You know, a modern bolero that still has this darkness and I don't know, it feels like a sip of mezcal. It's just really, really nice.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Mira, Mommy Vidalo.

[Caller or Listener]

Well.

[Stephen Thompson]

I think I'm gonna go the song that at least is kind of radiating in my mind right now is the opening track on that Brandy Carlisle record that we talked about at the at the top of this show, Returning to My Cell. And just this idea that this artist who was just such a kind of prototypical collaborator, such a collaborator by nature, and the idea of somebody like that taking a moment where she's suddenly alone in a room and realizing that in that moment she doesn't know who she is, I think is a really powerful moment. It kicks off a record that I think works really beautifully.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Why is it heroic to untether I was alone, Some holy grail and if we really come and go unknown, Couldn't I find myself in jail?

[Stephen Thompson]

That is our show for this week and this release date October 24, 2025. Thank you so much, Ayanna Contreras, for taking time out of your week at kuvo.

[Ayana Contreras]

And thank you for rolling my R.

[Stephen Thompson]

I do my best. I do work for npr. 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 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 DJ Julie B. From Marfa Public Radio in Texas. One more thing. We've got a new for All Songs Considered podcast listeners. It's hosted by my colleagues and forever friends Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler Amin. You've heard both of them on All Songs before. Anne is an NPR music critic and correspondent who writes for the NPR website and the NPR Music Newsletter. Daoud is an editor for NPR Music and also a wonderful musician in his own right. They'll be hosting this fun new series on Thursday every two weeks, focusing on old songs, songs that have really stuck with us and why they've stood the test of time. We're giving you this first episode for free, just a taste, so you get a feel for what they'll be like after that. These episodes will just be for our NPR Music plus supporters. NPR Music plus is a great way to support all of our work here at NPR and across public radio. And you get to hear all of our episodes sponsored. So sign up now at plus.npr.org nprmusic to make sure you get access. That's plus.npr.org NPR Music thank you so much for your support. Until then, take a moment to be well, take some time off work if you can. I just did it and highly recommend it and treat yourself to lots of.

[Musical Performer or Poet]

Great music until a soul returns to hold another's hand. And then, and only then, it learns that life is like a stone only skipping for a time. I will never really hold its own It'll never see the other side side. And I was born to love you. I love you and you and you. Oh, returning to myself is such a lonely thing to do.

[Caller or Listener]

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