This Week's Top 10 New Releases
New week, new stack. Here's what dropped, the tracklists, and what we think of each one.
1. Tinashe — Popstar
Label: Nice Life / Atlantic / Tinashe Music | Critics: 100 vs Fans: 84
Her eighth album, technically closing out the trilogy that started with BB/Ang3l and Quantum Baby, but this time on Atlantic, her first major label deal since 2018. 16 tracks, nearly 40 minutes, and by far her biggest, most ambitious swing yet, R&B, pop, electronic and dance blended together into one continuous arc. A perfect critic score to kick off this week's list.
2. Gilla Band — Pugnello
Label: Rough Trade | Critics: 87 vs Fans: 83
The Dublin noise-rock institution's fourth album, and the boldest left turn of their career so far, more dancefloor-facing than ever, built on the abrasive chaos they're known for but stretched into new club-adjacent territory. Recorded following a period of grief and mental health struggles for the band. Loud, strange, and absolutely worth the volume knob.
Tracklist: 1. The Angelus, 2. Placeholder, 3. Alogia, 4. Three Hands Clapping, 5. Jacobsons, 6. The Megazord, 7. Computer Sadness, 8. Giraffe, 9. Crisp Pop, 10. At the Gallop
3. Julia Jacklin — The Gem
Label: 4AD | Critics: 78 vs Fans: 78
Her fourth album and first for 4AD, recorded above the Melbourne bar it's named after. Jacklin and her producer spent 11 months laboring over the songs after an initial quick session didn't feel right, a rare slow-and-intentional approach for her. Warm, honest, and steady, the sound of an artist trusting her own instincts.
Tracklist: 1. Brand New, 2. God Sometimes, 3. If I Had The Hand Of God, 4. The Hardest Thing, 5. Angel Vision, 6. Real Life, 7. Get Away From Me (I Think I'll Love You Soon), 8. You Turned On The Tap, 9. Walk On Me, 10. I Wish (feat. The Maes)
4. Protomartyr — Hotel Usona
Label: Domino | Critics: 86 vs Fans: 83
Their seventh album, recorded with Dave Fridmann and framed around a sharp concept, America as a decaying hotel, each song a different room with its own troubled guest (AI, deportation, warped patriotism). Detroit post-punk at its most bracing and essential. Iggy Pop has called these guys the best band in America right now, and this record makes a strong case.
Tracklist: 1. The Old Hotel, 2. Sounds We Cannot Hear, 3. Converts, 4. Exalted Eagles, 5. The Knife Dream, 6. Feed the Sewer, 7. Lavender – Gospel, 8. Third Country, 9. Checking Out
5. Taylor Swift — The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore
Critics: 50 vs Fans: 50
An expanded edition of last year's chart-smashing Showgirl, adding four brand new tracks written during a celebratory trip to Sweden with Max Martin and Shellback after the original's record-breaking opening week. Reviews are split right down the middle on this one, a rare 50/50 split for Swift.
Tracklist (new tracks): 1. Patient Zero, 2. Cleveland!, 3. Pink Clouding, 4. Babylon
6. Blondshell — Violins
Label: Partisan Records | Critics: 82 vs Fans: 74
Sabrina Teitelbaum's third album as Blondshell, trading the bad-romance songwriting of her earlier work for something braver, friendship, religion, the body, and the slow work of healing. Pulls from Gang of Four, Teenage Fanclub and Sade. Grand, dramatic, and one of the week's most consistently well-reviewed records.
Tracklist: 1. Violins, 2. Heart Has To Work So Hard, 3. Lucky, 4. Sea Legs, 5. New Shape, 6. Stone Fruit, 7. Two Fried, 8. New Age Trojan Horse, 9. Knotted, 10. Reinstall, 11. Fur Elise
7. Keo — Put A Smile On For Me
Label: Island Records | Critics: 80 vs Fans: 86
The London four-piece's debut album, written and self-produced in just ten days to keep things unpolished and raw. Grunge intensity meets shoegaze textures across 11 volatile tracks about love, guilt and self-destruction. One of the best fan scores of the week, and it's easy to hear why, this one's built for screaming back in a packed room.
Tracklist: 1. Be Happy, 2. That's Me, 3. Fly, 4. Best I Can Do, 5. Bird On The Wire, 6. Pistol, 7. Loser, 8. Black Dress, 9. Blue Song, 10. Thorn, 11. Spent On You
8. Jae Stephens — AUDACITY
Label: Def Jam / RAEDIO | Critics: 78 vs Fans: 82
Her debut studio album, built around a whole visual world called Auda City, with each song functioning as its own chapter. PinkPantheress provides backing vocals on opener "Crush." A confident, ambitious pop debut about taking up space unapologetically.
9. Gurriers — Nobody's Coming To Save You
Label: Play It Again Sam | Critics: 80 vs Fans: 77
Second album from the Dublin post-punk outfit, produced by Mark Bowen of IDLES and Loren Humphrey (Geese) and mixed by John Congleton. Frenetic post-punk shout-speak meets Britpop swagger and arena-sized ambition. These guys sound primed to follow Fontaines D.C. up the festival poster.
Tracklist: 1. Nobody's Coming To Save You, 2. Party Lines, 3. Shades, 4. Pins, 5. Today Is Not Enough, 6. Drones, 7. Nothing Happens Twice, 8. Waiting For Fisher, 9. I Wish I Was, 10. Crybaby
10. 파란노을 [Parannoul] — Single Mind Worst Thought
Label: Poclanos | Fans: 80 (no critic score yet)
A surprise 4-track EP from the cult-favorite Korean shoegaze artist, built around the previously released single "Remaining." Classic wall-of-noise Parannoul shoegaze, pushed further into hardcore, electronic and pitch-shifted vocal territory. Short, dense, and worth the dive if you like your shoegaze noisy and unpredictable.
Tracklist: 1. 상처 (Remaining), 2. 방화 (Firebreak), 3. 몴유클럽 (Sleepwalking Club), 4. 고집 (To Home)
That's the stack for this week. Grab whatever's calling to you and we'll see you next Friday.