Wednesday Roundups #23: 10 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Wednesday Roundups #23: 10 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Stream releases from LAYA, Real Bad Man & Blu, Smoke DZA & Flying Lotus, Mali Music, Ama Lou, Xenia Manasseh, Puma Blue, Ninja Kidsoul, ((( O ))), and Lukah.
Welcome back to Shatter the Standards!
The twenty-third outing of Wednesday Roundups!
It might be challenging to prioritize your music listening when so much new music is available. Shatter the Standards provide a weekly summary of newsworthy releases on streaming platforms. LAYA, Real Bad Man & Blu, Smoke DZA & Flying Lotus, Mali Music, Ama Lou, Xenia Manasseh, Puma Blue, Ninja Kidsoul, ((( O ))), and Lukah were the artists with new albums or projects last week. Watch for weekly music drops every Wednesday for suggestions of lesser-known albums.
Here are your roundups for today!
LAYA — Bet That - EP (R&B) [Listen]
LAYA’s new EP, titled Bet That, has just been released. This EP is the official follow-up to her previous project, Um, Hello, released in 2022. Despite being from Staten Island, LAYA has elevated her music further on this new EP. She accomplished this by not relying on other vocalists and working closely with a select group of producers.
Real Bad Man & Blu — Bad News (Hip-Hop) [Listen]
Real Bad Man has returned with their second album of 2023. Once again, they have teamed up with a skilled rapper to create a collaborative masterpiece. This time, the talented MC joining forces with them is Blu, hailing from Inglewood, California. Blu is renowned for his exceptional work on the critically acclaimed album Below the Heavens, widely regarded as one of the finest releases of the early 2000s. Bad News marks the fifth collaborative project by Real Bad Man.
Smoke DZA & Flying Lotus — Flying Objects - EP (Hip-Hop) [Listen]
The new EP by Smoke DZA and Flying Lotus, titled Flying Objects, is an exciting collaboration between these two highly talented individuals in hip-hop. The EP comprises five individual tracks, resulting in a total duration of 14 minutes and 14 seconds. DZA welcomes notable collaborators to contribute to this swift endeavor. Conway the Machine, Black Thought, and Estelle appear in the second, fourth, and fifth songs.
Mali Music — God Be Praised (Gospel) [Listen]
Mali Music released his sixth solo album, God Be Praised. This album, consisting of 9 songs, represents his most introspective work thus far. It follows the success of his critically acclaimed project, Book of Mali, in 2020. He recorded his newest LP in less than two weeks at a studio in Indianapolis with his friend and drummer George Tyler. Each song on the album, mainly the first single “Yes I Do” and the powerful “My Worship,” showcases his luminous falsetto and highlights his deep trust in God.
Ama Lou — I Came Home Late (R&B) [Listen]
Ama Lou is starting fresh with a debut album. This album is a significant milestone for any artist, particularly Ama Lou, due to her various roles as a songwriter, performer, arranger, and executive producer. She has put a lot of passion and dedication into this project. The album, titled I Came Home Late, consists of 15 tracks that showcase the growth and maturity of one of the most daring voices in UK R&B.
Xenia Manasseh — LOVE / HATE Pt. 1 (R&B) [Listen]
Xenia Manasseh, a singer born and raised in Keyan, takes great pride in her heritage. She showcases her Keyan roots and incorporates influences from other artists across Africa in her new album, LOVE / HATE Pt. 1. While genres like Afrobeats, Afrofusion, and Amapiano dominate different regions, Xenia makes sure to infuse R&B deeply into her music. From every aspect, Xenia approaches complex emotions differently, providing a unique perspective on the coveted experiences of love and hate.
Puma Blue — Holy Waters (Alternative) [Listen]
Puma Blue, also known as Jacob Allen, initially gained recognition for his experimental bedroom music, blending tales of modern sadness with smoky devotion. With his new album Holy Waters, Allen explores his capabilities as a bandleader, infusing mournful songs with intensity and dynamism. Recorded at Echo Zoo Studios in Eastbourne during two sessions, Holy Waters delves into themes of grief, inertia, and the confines of one’s mind. The result is a collection of songs that are even more immersive, complex, and well-defined compared to his previous works.
Ninja Kidsoul — Never Really Gone (R&B) [Listen]
Ninja Kidsoul has a different mindset regarding his new Never Really Gone project. He is not interested in conforming to the usual or expected style of music. This is evident in his previously released singles “Face 2 Face,” “Reckless,” and “Gap Sh*t (-2 semitones),” which are featured on the album. Ninja wants to make a significant impact with his music.
((( O ))) — ((( 4 ))) [R&B] {Listen}
The musical project, known as ((( O ))) or The Sundrop Garden, combines elements of humanity and spirituality through synthesizers and soulful sensibilities. The aim of ((( O ))) was always to create a series of 12 albums. This ambitious goal guided the Filipina-American producer and songwriter as she explored new sonic territories. In her latest album, ((( 4 ))), she delves into a blend of jungle, techno, and intuitive energy, revealing another aspect of her inner reality.
Lukah — Permanently Blackface (The 1st Expansion) [Hip-Hop] {Listen}
Permanently Blackface (The 1st Expression) is an album by the rapper Lukah. The music on this album encompasses elements of the Black experience, history, and culture and has been described as both beautifully suffocating and tragic.