On Detroit Institute of Art Volume 1, DJ Dremond and his collaborators deliver their stories with sincerity, crafting an audible depiction of community and revival. The record reminds listeners that Detroit’s revival isn’t the result of new zoning projects or job growth, but lives most vividly in the art created by those who never left.
On Bungee Jumpers’ Not Today… it feels like we’re with them in the “studio,” watching every hacky joke penned, semi-sentimental moment built up, and hackneyed idea embraced with gusto. It’s a gimmick and it’s so not, and they ride the line perfectly across Not Today… to comment, critique, engage, and generally titillate listeners.
After the release of his debut album in 2018, Jo Passed (aka Jo Hirabayashi) spent a couple of years recovering from burnout that made him put his music project on the wayside. Back with the help of new collaborators, Jo Passed wades through some of his darkest years with exuberant textures and distinctly tuneful compositions.
Lawn returns with their third LP—God Made the Highway—their best since 2020's Johnny and their first on Exploding In Sound Records. The band eclectically pivots between nostalgic jangle-pop and mordant post-punk, as the duo-powered Lawn ensure each song on God Made the Highway has its own sound and identity.
