by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)

Welcome to FUZZY MEADOWS, our weekly recap of this week's new music. We're sharing our favorite releases of the week in the form of albums, singles, and music videos along with the "further listening" section of new and notable releases from around the web. It's generally written in the early hours of the morning and semi-unedited... but full of love and heart. The list is in alphabetical order and we sincerely recommend checking out all the music we've included. There's a lot of great new music being released. Support the bands you love. Spread the word and buy some new music.

*Disclaimer: We are making a conscious effort not to include any artist in our countdown on back-to-back weeks in order to diversify the feature, so be sure to check the "further listening" as well because it's often of top-notch quality too.

ASTREL K | “Is It It Or Is It I?”

At some point a few years ago I became pretty obsessed with Ulrika Spacek’s short but amazing catalog of music. There hasn’t been any activity from them in the convening years but Rhys Edwards, one half of the band, is keeping busy with his solo project, Astrel K. Edwards released an essential 7” single back in 2020 via Duophonic Super 45s (the label owned and operated by none other than Stereolab), and now Astrel K returns with their full length debut, Flickering i, due out April 29th. This record, along with Ghost Power’s self-titled album, are the first full lengths Duophonic have released in over twenty years, and it’s easy to see where the motivation comes from upon first listen. “Is It It Or Is It I,” the album’s lead single and opening track is layered with retro-futuristic swoon, they type of song you can instantly sink into, with sweeping synths and well textured melodies all bent and warped. There’s a perfectly structured hook as everything else takes freeform liberties around it, creating a song both serene, disorienting, and sonically challenging.

DAMA SCOUT | “Pineapple Eyes”

We wrote about Dama Scout’s last single “Emails From Suzanne” a few weeks back, but it seems every new single taken from their upcoming album, Gen Wo Lai (Come With Me), offers another side to the London based trio. We’ve heard the relentless ripper (“Emails”) and their finest space age lounge pop (“Dan Dan Dub”) and now we’re treated to our latest preview of the full length debut (out April 22nd), the slow dripped hypnotic groove of “Pineapple Eyes.” It’s another stunner that evolves from a slow detached beat (big shout out to Dama Scout drummer Danny Grant for the woozy feel of this one), working its way deeper into the entranced web of lush guitars, keys, and some subtle saxophone. The band play it cool, with a hushed resolve even as they explore moments of atonal noise and the song’s periodic collapse. This album is easily one of our most anticipated of the Spring.

NIGO | “Punch Bowl” (feat. Clipse)

Japanese streetwear designer Nigo is best known as the creator/designer of BAPE and Human Made and the co-creator of Billionaire Boys Club (with Pharrell Williams). His hip-hop legacy doesn’t end with clothes though, as he’s been an influential DJ and producer for nearly two decades. Last week he released his latest curatorial record, I Know NIGO!, an album that features artists like Tyler, The Creator, A$AP Rocky, and Kid Cudi among others. The undeniable highlight of the record however is “Punch Bowl,” a reunion of the legendary Clipse, together once again with the The Neptunes. While Pusha T has stayed plenty active as a solo artist, there’s nothing quite like the cold blooded chemistry of Pusha and No Malice trading verses and “Punch Bowl” doesn’t disappoint. The pair are responsible for at least two of hip-hop’s all time greatest albums (yep, that’s right), and this one rings as a reminder to anyone who might need it. While No Malice reportedly grew tired of the drug rap narratives, the two haven’t stopped flexing for a second, and he reminds us “My entire life's been blessed beyond measure / If this marks the end of an era, it's been a pleasure.”

SOUL GLO | “John J“ (feat. Kathryn Edwards & Zula Wildheart)

Philadelphia’s Soul Glo have always made their own brand of hardcore, a dynamic blurring of all lines, moving past genre borders to cement their message with as much force as humanly possible. On their latest record, Diaspora Problems, they push the envelope ever further, dropping between riotous skate punk, noise rap, and brute hardcore strengths, weaving it all together into something that feels natural. The record is a furious an exorcism of systemic racism, sociopolitical inequality, and class warfare. While no one track can provide a thorough glimpse into this record’s depths, perhaps none hit quite as hard as “John J,” a song that encapsulates the primal aggression that results from our racism society. Joined by Kathryn Edwards (Thirdface) and Zula Wildheart, the onslaught is delivered through three voices and one perspective, a decimating stampede against institutionalized prejudice.

THA GOD FAHIM | “Six Ring Champ” LP

We’ve been singing the praises of Tha God Fahim since we were first introduced to the Dump Gawd, a title he’s truly earned with his prolific output, forever “dumping,” and seemingly living in the studio. The “100 tape legend” floods the streets with records, and yet, there’s never a drop off in quality. If anything, he’s only getting better over the past seven years or so. His latest album, Six Ring Champ, feels like a masterpiece in the making, a concise 31 minutes, with Fahim ultra focused, his effortless rhyme scheme suggesting he could do this all day. There’s a simplicity to his lyrics, but bar after bar Tha God Fahim drops sly wisdom, encouragement, introspection, and stream of conscious glory (“I'm so Lebron, but never switch teams, I'm pristine / It's the hoarder of supreme wealth, my face in magazines / The man that do for self, don't try to doubt my self-esteem”). I recently compared his lyrical style to that of a sage, with legendary wisdom offered almost subconsciously, and he’s at best throughout Six Ring Champ, an album that feels hungry, kicking that enlightened rap over laid back, tripped out, soul beats from Nicholas Craven, Camoflauge Monk, Thrasherwulf, and Tha God Fahim himself. I can’t stop listening to this record and to be honest, I don’t really want to stop listening.

Further Listening:

Fuzzy Meadows: The Week's Best New Music (March 21st - March 27th)