Alex Gallacher

Dive into the raw energy of Zydeco with Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco. This landmark box set, out November 2025 on Arhoolie Records (now part of Smithsonian Folkways), features 67 tracks (19 of which are previously unreleased) – listen to the powerful 1971 live recording of “Mr. Charlie;” it’s a true testament to the King of Zydeco’s enduring legacy.

Purling Hiss frontman Mike Polizze will release his second solo album, Around Sound, on July 11th via Paradise of Bachelors. The record is a more pensive and intricate affair than his debut, deepening his fingerstyle acoustic magic. The sprawling seven-minute title track is available now, offering what Polizze calls “the light of life.” He’ll play solo shows this spring.

Electronic duo Matmos have released “Steel Tongues,” the latest single from their upcoming album, Metallic Life Review. The track, built from the sounds of a metallic salad bowl, glockenspiel, and even American quarters, offers a deceptively sweet melody that explores darker themes of capitalism and mortality. It’s a prime example of the band’s sculptural and conceptually rich approach to electronic music.

The ever-prolific trio of Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, and Andreas Werliin are completing their Ghosted trilogy. Out August 29th via Drag City, Ghosted III promises a looser, wilder evolution of their signature atmospheric groove. Lead single “Yek” showcases this newfound immediacy, a vibrant and jangling excursion that quickly elevates from a hypnotic roll into a transcendent jam, hinting at the expansive, genre-flirting energy of the full album.

On his new single “Everybody Laughs,” David Byrne finds a joyous, unifying mantra in our shared human foibles. The track, a collaboration with St. Vincent, announces his ambitious new album Who Is the Sky? (out Sep. 5), produced by Kid Harpoon. It’s a lush, orchestral pop tune that balances life’s negatives with an uplifting, danceable groove.

Following a huge tour with Alison Moyet and The Pogues, Iona Zajac shares “Bang,” a joyful single and brilliantly fun video celebrating female pleasure. A departure from her haunting folk sound, Zajac says, “A good bang at the end of a boring day won’t fix your life, but it might help.” It’s a testament to her unflinching honesty and musical evolution.

Brooklyn’s Pegg and the legendary Van Dyke Parks share “No Dice,” the new single from their three-song suite, Presque Tout. A complete reimagining of an earlier track, its rock foundation is replaced with Parks’ stunning, post-baroque string arrangements. The result is a “fleet and festive springtime fantasia”—a gorgeous Gershwinian piece of slapstick accompanied by a baseball-themed visualizer.

On his latest album 〽, Japanese folk experimentalist KASAI masterfully weaves traditional minyo into the fabric of contemporary labor. The album culminates in “Piling-up Garbage Song”, a celebration of manual work. Over a clanging, worklike beat and chants from his real-life workmates, KASAI playfully rhymes “piling up garbage” with “accumulating virtue.” The track reclaims the physical unity and dignity of a job often rewarded with neither status nor high pay.

For the first time, this comprehensive anthology collects Gábor Szabó’s Hungarian recordings from his return visits in 1974, 1978, and 1981. This isn’t just another archival dig; it’s the sound of an artist reconnecting with his roots. The music navigates the space between his American cool and his Hungarian soul, creating something both familiar and profoundly new.

Start your week with The Monday Morning Brew playlist, featuring Mimi Gilbert, Heron, Floating Action, Toby Hay, Faith Eliott, James Yorkston, Little Mazarn, Big Thief, Tuxis Giant, Caamp, Ty Segall, Julie Doiron & Chris Sheppard, Duo Ruut, Michael Nau, The Weather Station, Cate Le Bon, Dana Sipos, Joe-Harvey-Whyte & Bobby Lee, Farran Orriols, Gwenifer Raymond, BC Camplight, Ghostwoman, Dana Gavanski, Jørgen Træen & Stein Urheim, Duke Garwood and more.

Cate Le Bon’s seventh album, Michelangelo Dying, is born from the ashes of unanticipated heartbreak. Watch the H. Hawkline-directed video for the lead single, “Heaven Is No Feeling,” on which the Welsh artist trades her signature cerebral detachment for raw, visceral emotion, creating a sound that is a tender photograph of a wound before healing and an iridescent exploration of love’s chaotic aftermath.

The Norwegian duo of Jørgen Træen and Stein Urheim return with “Entrance/Exit,” the first offering from their forthcoming album, Galant Galakse. The track is meticulously constructed, and, in under three minutes, they manage to playfully and patiently craft a soundscape that feels both ancient and from a distant future. It’s a compelling first taste and a testament to their shared experimental vision.