18 Albums You Need to Listen to in May
This month's crop of new music comes from a motley crew of genres. It's heavy on the girl power, especially with three major female pop acts slated to release (Ariana Grande, Fifth Harmony and Meghan Trainor); but there's also a fair share of favored DJs and renowned vets in the mix.
Available 5/6:
Get Gone by Seratones
A rock n' roll band hailing from Shreveport, LA, Seratones give off that retro grunge with a hint of soul-you can thank lead singer AJ Hayne's belty vocals for the latter. They're fun and raw, and with their hypnotizing hit "Necromancer," they might as well be referring to themselves. Catch them on tour this summer with Thao & The Get Down Stay Down and The Dandy Warhols.
99.9% by Kaytranada
After loads of viral remixes and EPs, the DJ/producer wunderkind is set to release a proper debut album, and his prior projects have earned him enough cred to get some big names in the credits. Acts like Vic Mensa, AlunaGeorge, Anderson .Paak and GoldLink all make appearances on the track list. You better study up before seeing this festival favorite make his rounds this summer. 99.9% is available for pre-order now.
U by Tourist
William Phillips (known on stage as Tourist) already has Grammy and he hasn't even released an album yet. He took home the Song of the Year accolade in 2015 for co-writing "Stay With Me" with Sam Smith; now, the esteemed DJ has some notable music of his own on the way. "Run" is the latest from the London-based electronic act.
Living by Vérité
Close followers of the ethereal rising pop singer will know that this is her third EP, following Echo (2014) and Sentiment (2015). Vérité, whose real name is Kelsey Byrne, told us earlier this month that this project will be "an elevation" from her previous two, especially since she worked with five accomplished producers on it. "Underdressed" and "Constant Crush" already provide a delightful preview.
Available 5/13:
Oh No by Jessy Lanza
Three years after the success of her debut album Pull My Hair Back, R&B-meets-electro-meets-pop artist Jessy Lanza and is back with a grand sequel. Earlier this year, she teased the upcoming LP with "It Means I Love You," which features her aerial vocals on a dance beat.
Thank You by Meghan Trainor
Months after her Grammy win for Best New Artist, Meghan Trainor is back and releasing another album. Current reigning single "NO" shows off a sassier side from the sweet retro-inspired tracks on last year's Title. She told MTV that this LP features a mixed bag of influences, from the Caribbean to Aretha Franklin to Elvis-in other words, expect "something that's not on the radio."
Down In Heaven by Twin Peaks
This band of Chicago natives is releasing its third album after its 2013 debut Sunken and 2014 follow-up Wild Onion. The buzzy, garage-influenced act is also making its rounds on tour this summer with artists like Cage the Elephant, Portugal. The Man, White Reaper and Mitski as well as a fair share of festival time. Until that happens, get a taste of Heaven with "Walk To the One You Love."
Cloud Nine by Kygo
Even without a full album under his belt, the Norweigan DJ has already reached major status with some famous remixes and singles (like his breakout track "Firestone" and viral edit to Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing"). If the songs move you through your headphones, imagine hearing them in one of his killer live sets, like those at Ultra or TomorrowWorld.
Available 5/20:
Fallen Angels by Bob Dylan
This marks the music icon's 37th studio album, which is set for release four days before his 75th birthday-talk about milestones. But Angels isn't the best hits career recap you'd expect; it's the follow up to his 2013 Shadows in the Night, his series of Frank Sinatra covers. The premiere single off the new LP is Sinatra's "Melancholy Mood," showing off Dylan's suave side.
Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande
She's teased us with the seductive "Dangerous Woman," house-inspired "Be Alright" and sultry "Let Me Love You" (with Lil Wayne), and by now we're beyond ready for a full Grande album. Fans suspect this will be her most mature album yet, but it could also boast the most interesting collaborations. She revealed songs with Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macy Gray and Future are on the way when she posted the tracklist this month.
Ziggy Marley by Ziggy Marley
Following his fifth album Fly Rasta (2014), which took home the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, the musician/philanthropist/eldest son of Bob Marley returns with an enlightening LP. His newest single, "Weekend's Long," is a breezy preview to the album.
I Still Do by Eric Clapton
Guitar legend Eric Clapton is well on his way to two dozen albums with I Still Do. Forty years after working with esteemed rock producer Glyn Johns for Slowhand, the two teamed up again for Clapton's latest installment. Plus, the album includes a George Harrison feature under his old pseudonym, Angelo Mysterioso. The British rock star whets our appetite with gritty and bluesy "Stones In My Passaway."
Chapters by Yuna
Four years after her breakthrough self-titled album and two years after her sequel Nocturnal, Yuna returns with her serene R&B sound. With an Usher collab in tow, the singer-songwriter pulls off her single "Crush" as a perfectly coy love song. Fans of "Lullabies" shouldn't be disappointed.
7/27 by Fifth Harmony
The five-part girl group specializes in slaying, if singles "Worth It" and BO$$" off their debut Reflection taught us anything. For their sophomore album, they're taking things to a deeper, more personal level. Take the title, for example; it's an homage to the date the band was formed.
Available 5/27:
Skin by Flume
The Australian producer takes on his second LP with an arsenal of guest appearances including Beck, Vic Mensa, Little Dragon and more. His single "Never Be Like You" featuring Kai is still setting the internet ablaze, but don't let that distract you from his equally hot collabs with Vince Staples, AlunaGeorge and Tove Lo.
The Ride by Catfish & the Bottlemen
You can thank their premiere The Balcony for the hit "Kathleen," but prepare for some equally addicting songs from The Ride, like "Soundcheck," to start it off. When it finally drops at the end of the month, frontman Van McCann predicts "a little bomb will go off in the music industry."
Double Vanity by BRONCHO
Oklahoma foursome BRONCHO releases their sophomore album on the tail of their 2014 LP Just Enough Hip to Be a Woman. Singles "Fantasy Boys" and "Señora Borealis" pepper in bit more grunge and psychedelia than listeners might recall from the boppy "Classy Historian" but they're still a mesmerizing listen.
Good Luck and Do Your Best by Gold Panda
The London-based DJ behind the stuttery hit "You" is releasing another full-length after a series of EPs and a trip to Japan. It's likely the excursion influenced his sound, but most immediately, it influenced the music video for his first single off GLADYB, "Pink & Green." However, one of his more popular singles off the forthcoming album is the trance-y "In My Car."
