June is here. With almost no notice, it seems that 2016 is already halfway through. While I have the opportunity to review a new album every week, there are always choices to be made regarding which ones to choose. At the end of the day, however, I won’t ever complain about too much good music to review. Here are six albums that have been released over the past six months that deserve your love and recognition.
1. Deakin - “Sleep Cycle”
As a founding member of experimental band Animal Collective, Josh Dibb has established a sizable rapport among listeners. Under the moniker Deakin, Dibb has collaborated with the other members of Animal Collective on five of their 11 studio albums, and has published a wide variety remixes for bands like Gsldfrapp, Phoenix and Ratatat. Dibb’s long-awaited solo album was finally released earlier this year. Titled “Sleep Cycle,” the six-song studio project has been received with much acclaim from both long-time Animal Collective fans and music critics. Reminiscent of Animal Collectives earlier sound, “Sleep Cycle” really allows Dibb’s layered and dreamy guitar tracks to shine.
2. James Supercave - “Better Strange”
The California psychedelic band James Supercave have had an incredibly prolific year of recording. Their first EP, “The Afternoon,” was released late last year. While not much information on the trio’s background is available, tracks from their 2015 EP made listeners eager to hear more. James Supercave’s debut LP, “Better Strange” was released in February. Adding electronic elements to psychedelic rock, the band has an uncanny resemblance to the early work of psychedelic duo MGMT. While their debut album seems more ballad-centric than anything, tracks like “Chairman Gou,” “Just Repeating What’s Around Me” and the title track “Better Strange” have a great energy that keeps the album moving and grooving.
3. Lake Street Dive - “Side Pony”
Since 2004, four-piece band Lake Street Dive have delighted audience with their jazz-influenced indie pop. Drawing from a wide array of musical influences, the band’s timeless sound often involves soulful vocals, abnormal time signatures and an upbeat guitar and bass. Lake Street Dive’s fifth studio album, “Side Pony” embodies the band’s signature sound, while expanding into a more upbeat, Motown-esque sound. Overall, “Side Pony” is full of energy, and makes for a great listening experience.
4. Starchild & The New Romantic - “Crucial EP”
Bryndon Cook, through his alternative R&B solo project Starchild & The New Romantic, has released several singles and EP’s since 2012. Cook’s debut solo EP “Crucial” stands out as one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2016. Hazy, reverb-stricken synthesizers combined with R&B percussion and vocals make for a debut album bursting at the seams with Cook’s fingerprints. Sensual, with an otherworldly hint of nebulousness, Starchild & The New Romantic’s “Crucial” is a must-listen.
5. Frankie Cosmos - “Next Thing”
The music of Greta Kline (a.k.a Frankie Cosmos) has an iconic, upbeat sunniness to it. Short, sweet and palatable, Each song seems to capture Kline’s inner monologues and put them to music. Frankie Cosmos’ “Next Thing” gives listeners a brutally honest look through Kline’s eyes, and the result is beautiful and engaging. Although the average song’s time on “Next Thing” is around two minutes, this 28-minute album covers a vast amount of ground, and is an excellent debut LP for this prolific artist.
6. Bayonne - “Primitives”
2016 has been an incredible year for music. Just six months in, listeners and followers of almost every genre have been given incredible new material to love. As a music reviewer, finding a favorite can prove to be difficult, but for me, Bayonne’s “Primitives” really seems to take the cake. Texas native Roger Sellers, under the moniker Bayonne, is an experimental electronic artist whose music incorporates the use of both digital and studio instruments. His debut album, “Primitives,” took me completely by surprise when I initially stumbled upon it in April. Songs on “Primitives” are all busy with layers and textures, woven together to create a heavenly experience. While it’s difficult to single out songs rather than recommend listening through the entire album, “Appeals,” “Spectrolite" and “Sincere (Bonus Track)” have made their way onto all of my summer playlists.
