Release Radar: January 2021
At the end of each month, Afterglow presents a staff-picked list of new albums that left an impression on our ears.
Written by Afterglow Staffers
Photos courtesy of Luke Gilford, Priscilla Scott, and NME (clockwise)
Here are four of our favorite albums released during January 2021. For more reviews of recent releases, check out our album review page.
Shiny Singles We Loved This Month:
“Hardline” by Julien Baker
A second taste of Baker’s upcoming third LP, “Hardline” may be her most morose work yet. But its warmth and dimension as an almost indie-pop song turns a sad three minutes into subversive fanfare.
"Goth Girl" by VENUS GRRRLS
Leeds-based alt rockers VENUS GRRRLS further cultivate their ethereal sound with "Goth Girl," an edgy track that will surely have fans dancing over to the darkside in less than three minutes. Using whistling synths, heavy distortions, and explosive vocals, the all-girl band explores society's mercurial stance on all things unorthodox.
“Hot Mess” by Terez
The pink-haired, self-proclaimed ‘cutest disaster you’ve ever met’ Terez released her first single in 2021. A playful, hot-girl anthem, the song has a way of making the listener miss pre-COVID shenanigans maybe a little too much.
“Unisil” by SOPHIE
Released three days before the musician’s untimely death, “Unisil” showcases SOPHIE’s groundbreaking pop sound. At just over two minutes long, the fleeting track blends pitched vocal samples, booming bass, and rapid synth arpeggios into a memorable experimental club banger.
The Helm of Sorrow by Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou
Image courtesy of Sacred Bones Records
On the heels of 2020’s May Our Chambers Be Full comes the second collaboration between singer-songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle and sludge metal heavyweights Thou. The Helm of Sorrow is a project without ego that sees Rundle and Thou play off of one another’s strengths without overshadowing them. This collaboration came bundled with some purchases of May Our Chambers Be Full, and it’s easy to see why. The EP is four more offerings of what the dynamic pair accomplished with last year’s full-length project: deep, pensive, growling metal. Opener “Orphan Limbs” is most reminiscent of Rundle’s style: brooding dark folk which grows more violent as it ticks on, before Thou’s accompaniment explodes into dismal chaos. Rundle’s harmonics add a creepy, gothic layer to Thou’s noisy fare on follow-up track “Crone Dance,” creating an atmosphere that’s downright spooky. “Hollywood,” a cover of the Cranberries song, starts off with a bit of a jumpscare, building on the horror of the project. Slow, gloomy guitar strings introduce the listener to this tribute, before the band comes in at full force. Rundle and Thou vocalist Bryan Funck have their best sense of unity in this cut’s chorus — a desperate cry and a guttural groan. Despite its vicious delivery, the lyricism across this EP is bygone and beautiful: “Drinking from this chalice to the swallowed in archaic trance / Restoration in a psychic absorption / In the dance of utter darkness, traced back to distant birth.” It’s an accosting quartet of tracks that commands respect and dread. We were lucky enough for one project from these powerhouse forces, two is a blessing of the highest order.
— Felix Kalvesmaki
Fuck Art by The Dirty Nil
Image courtesy of Dine Alone Records
Three years after perfecting its sold out stadium setlist, The Dirty Nil returned to the hard rock scene to showcase its culmination of 'punk-meets-metal' on New Year's Day release, Fuck Art. This record sees Nil's departure from the gritty roots of DIY while maintaining a polished sound that's just as raw. Drawing inspiration from renowned rock and metal acts, like Elvis Presley, Weezer, and Slayer, the Ontario rock and rollers demonstrate their effortless ability to walk the tightrope of genre experimentation without bordering on overkill. Opening track "Doom Boy" sets the bar for Nil's third studio album by seamlessly weaving face-shredding guitar riffs over lovesick pop verses about holding hands and listening to metal with your crush in a minivan. "Ride or Die," the designated ripper on Fuck Art, catches Luke Bentham's singing at its most dynamic, as he channels the roaring likes of Nil's road mentors, Against Me! and Billy Talent. The record cools down with "To the Guy Who Stole My Bike," before closing with a wailing guitar solo in "One More and the Bill." In all its 35-minute glory, Fuck Art is The Dirty Nil's fearless declaration that its music knows no boundaries and never will. No matter the genre blend, every track will have listeners rocking out in their bedrooms in their own concert daydream.
— Kriss Conklin
Collage 01 by Tobi Kramer, Carlo Whale, and Narik
Image courtesy of Einmusika Recordings
Established melodic techno producer Carlo Whale teamed up with the Ibiza remix-king Tobi Kramer and newcomer Narik on this three cut EP, Collage 01. Coming in at just over 22 minutes, the project boasts songs that sound cohesive, yet each have the unique signature of its creator. Opening track by Tobi Kramer, “You” mimics a body pulsating, reaching peak decadence near the two-minute mark; it drops only to return even harder, eventually fizzling out. Carlo Whale’s addition to the project, “No Romance,” feels more electronic and chunky than the prior, but still has the right drum hits and melodic waves to put listeners in a trance. Nearing the six-minute mark, the track surges and evokes a similar reaction from the body — a deep inhalation comes before the sweet release of inhibitions and worries. Rounding out the EP is Narik’s “Confusion” which ushers in that head-bobbing feel with a more relaxed and euphoric vibe than previous tracks. Halfway through the song, dissonant chord progressions overwhelm the senses before a throbbing distortion screams to carry you back to a safer place. The last minute isn’t nearly as exciting as the rest of the song, concluding the project with an angelic house fever dream. Altogether, the three tracks on Collage 01 create a visceral soundscape — not just music to hear, but music to feel — and it all feels so damn good.
— Micaela Garza
Support Tobi Kramer, Carlo Whale, and Narik on Spotify.
Madre by Arca
Image courtesy of XL Recordings
The year 2020 saw Arca (Alejandra Ghersi) soar to new heights, bringing a myriad of milestones to her career. The Venezuelan producer received her first Grammy nomination and released three new projects, as well as a re-release of 2013’s &&&&&. Now, in 2021, the subversive musician made another unexpected move with the release of the quiet, stripped-back EP Madre. A collaboration with cellist and producer Oliver Coates, the album deviates from the explosive electropop sound of its predecessors by relying on sparse instrumentals and Ghersi’s angelic vocals. The EP consists of four tracks, all of which are variations of a composition that the musician had reportedly written years ago. Every song feels intensely spiritual, with chamber instruments and cryptic lyrics alluding to Biblical themes. Featured in a special episode of HBO’s “Euphoria,” the standout “Madre” is a glitter bomb of strings and organ-like synths that caress the songstress’ operatic voice as she sings, “Madre mía / Yo no supe qué hacer / Ante tus poderes descomunales. [Oh, dear! / I didn’t know what to do / Before your tremendous powers.]” Solely made of Coates’ cello work and Ghersi’s vocals in “Madreviolo,” the chorus’ ethereality intensifies, as the artist has said her voice was “pitched up (...) to castrati registers.” “Madre Acapella” and “Violo” expand on this minimalism through respective vocal-only and instrumental-only takes on the original composition of “Madre.” But like the rest of the EP and much of the producer’s work, these songs have an otherworldly je ne sais quoi that gets under your skin and haunts you long after listening. Though these acoustic tracks signify a departure from Ghersi’s much-loved club banger production style, they offer a glimpse into the artist’s range as a creative visionary.
— C.S. Harper
Support Arca on Spotify.