New Song Releases
Orville Peck and Rina Sawayama Cover Pop Hits for Pride Month: Stream
Queer artists Orville Peck and Rina Sawayama have contributed two new cover songs to a Pride-themed installment of the Spotify Singles series. The releases come as the end of Pride month draws near, and just one day after the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. For his entry, alternative country artist Peck chose to take on “Smalltown Boy”, the 1984 chart-topper from British synthpop trio Bronski Beat. All three members of the group were openly gay and their music was known for taking a stance on LGBTQ+ issues. As for Sawayama, our former Artist of the Month, she reworked Lady Gaga’s “Dance in the Dark”. The original 2010 Fame Monster single talked about body image issues and the importance of being comfortable with one’s own sexuality. Editors’ Picks Musicians usually record th...
James Blake Covers Nirvana Classic “Come As You Are” from Quarantine: Watch
James Blake fans have been treated to a number of special covers during this quarantine season. Over the course of just the last few months, the UK crooner has tackled originals by Radiohead, Billie Eilish, Frank Ocean, and Joni Mitchell. For his newest reimagining, Blake ambitiously rolled out his take on the Nirvana classic “Come As You Are”. The performance was part of an hour-long “piano improv concert” streamed on Instagram Live on Saturday. As requested by a fan, Blake’s rendition of the Nevermind single was “soft” in tone. However, though it was without the angst and volume of the 1992 original, Blake’s cover was still urgent in its own fragile, ivory-tinged way. Watch video of the Nirvana cover below, followed by the full concert (come for the tunes, stay for a glimpse of Blake’s a...
Arca Unveils New Album KiCk i: Stream
Arca has released her highly-anticipated fourth album, KiCk i. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. The follow-up to Alejandra Ghersi’s excellent 2017 self-titled record sees the Venezuelan experimental artist teaming up with a myriad of musicians, from Björk and Rosalía to SOPHIE and Shygirl. Since announcing the record in April with the lead single “Nonbinary”, Arca shared three other quite different tracks previewing the album: the psychedelic “Time”, the club-ready “Mequetrefe”, and the Rosalía-featuring “KLK”. Notably, KiCk i is the first record since Ghersi began identifying as a Latinx trans women comprised of more than one “self-state.” She expanded on that description in a recent Paper cover story: “I’m asking for recognition that we have multiple selves...
Megan Thee Stallion Flips Eazy-E’s Classic in New Song “Girls in the Hood”: Stream
Megan Thee Stallion is ready to break the internet… again. The Houston rapper has just released her latest single, “Girls in the Hood”, which flips Eazy-E’s classic rap hit “Boyz-n-the-Hood” on its head. “Girls in the Hood” is an obvious nod to Eazy-E’s famous single both in name and in sound. The track warps the original number’s backing track into something fresh and modern. Of course, Megan Thee Stallion makes the music into something memorable by turning rapid-fire verses into a straight-up vocal flex, flaunting her skills not just as a rapper, but as a musical artist who continues to climb the charts. Hear it for yourself below. This is the latest instance of Megan Thee Stallion stealing the spotlight in the midst of a pandemic. She dropped her star-studded album Suga in March to high...
Dent May Announces New Album Late Checkout, Shares “I Could Use A Miracle”: Stream
Los Angeles songwriter Dent May has announced his fifth album, Late Checkout. The project arrives August 21st via Carpark Records, and May is previewing it today with a wonderful new pop-rock song called “I Could Use A Miracle”. Since emerging in the late 2000s as a ukulele-toting psych-pop artist and then pivoting to disco, May has evolved into a much more polished and grandiose songwriter. Fans witnessed flashes of this transformation on 2017’s Across The Multiverse, but this forthcoming follow-up sees May really stepping up to own his new status as a power-pop multi-instrumentalist: not only is the new LP his first to be recorded outside of his home studio, but it’s also his introduction to writing and arranging parts for string players, a horn section, and background vocalist...
Beyoncé Shares New A Cappella Version of “Black Parade”: Stream
In honor of Juneteenth last Friday, Beyoncé released a new solo song called “Black Parade”. Now, just some days later, Queen Bey is back with a special a cappella version of the track. Per Consequence of Sound writer Nina Corcoran, the original iteration of “Black Parade” was a “celebratory blend of pop, trap, hip-hop, and electronica-verging on Detroit techno” and featured horn and flute arrangements. Although most of the flashiness and extra adornments have been stripped, the global R&B star’s message of Black pride and Black beauty still rings true here — and perhaps even truer when delivered through Bey’s singular, captivating voice. “I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength and power,”...
Boris Announce New Album NO, Share Blistering “Loveless”: Stream
Last year, Japanese experimental metal band Boris released a double album called LφVE & EVφL. Now, they’re prepping a follow-up project pointedly dubbed NO. The 11-song full-length is due out next month and is being teased with lead single “Loveless”. In a strongly-worded manifesto of sorts, Boris explained that NO is an amalgam of all of their influences and connections as DIY heavy musicians. It was a record that was informed by the current “closing” of international borders, and the pain, anguish, and anxiety we’re all feeling during this chaotic moment in world history. An excerpt from that statement reads, “We hope this latest album can be a mirror that gathers and reflects people’s negative energy at a different angle, one that is positive. That is the power and potenti...
Myrkur and Anna von Hausswolff Cover Björk’s “All Is Full of Love”: Stream
Dark folk singers Myrkur and Anna von Hausswolff have joined forces for a cover of Björk’s 1997 song “All Is Full of Love”. The majestic closing track of Björk’s art pop masterpiece, Homogenic, “All Is Full of Love” is ripe material for a treatment from Myrkur and Von Hausswolff, whose voices intermingle on the minimalistic rendition. Only a spare, distant piano accompanies their melodies. “From our homes in Denmark and Sweden we decided to record a simple, fragile and raw version of Björk’s ‘All Is Full of Love’,” Myrkur (aka Amalie Bruun) said in a press release. “A song we consider to be one of the most beautiful and encouraging songs, that is a reminder to stay open to receive love even in times like these.” The track makes for a proper addendum to Myrkur’s 2020 album, Folkesange. Stee...
Kelly Lee Owens Is “On” Point with Her New Single: Stream
Electronic mastermind Kelly Lee Owens is gearing up to release her new album, Inner Song, this summer. To help make the wait a little shorter, she’s released a new song called “On” alongside a mesmerizing music video, and neither disappoints. Fans may recall that Inner Song was originally scheduled to come out this past May. Like other artists wary of the coronavirus pandemic, Owens has decided to push back her record, opting for a new release date of August 28th instead. Thankfully that gives us more time to sit with her new music, like previous singles “Night”, “Melt!”, and a dazzling collaborative track with Jon Hopkins. “On” continues the mood established on earlier album cuts, transitioning from her ethereal, cascading vocals to a harsher, dance-driven beat that blooms in the second h...
Kelly Lee Owens Is “On” Point with Her New Single: Stream
Electronic mastermind Kelly Lee Owens is gearing up to release her new album, Inner Song, this summer. To help make the wait a little shorter, she’s released a new song called “On” alongside a mesmerizing music video, and neither disappoints. Fans may recall that Inner Song was originally scheduled to come out this past May. Like other artists wary of the coronavirus pandemic, Owens has decided to push back her record, opting for a new release date of August 28th instead. Thankfully that gives us more time to sit with her new music, like previous singles “Night”, “Melt!”, and a dazzling collaborative track with Jon Hopkins. “On” continues the mood established on earlier album cuts, transitioning from her ethereal, cascading vocals to a harsher, dance-driven beat that blooms in the second h...
Samia Announces Debut Album The Baby, Shares “Fit N Full”: Stream
Rising songwriter Samia has announced her debut album, The Baby. It arrives August 28th via Grand Jury Music, and Samia has provided a preview with the new single “Fit N Full”. At only 23, Samia has built her buzzy reputation off a series of singles, including “Origins of Artifice”, about which she spoke to Consequence of Sound last year. For her first LP, she’s working with producer Caleb Hinz as well as Jake Luppen and Nathan Stocker of Hippo Campus. Lars Stalfors (Soccer Mommy) handled the mix. But while she’s dealing with crisper soundscapes than ever before, her appeal is still rooted in her incisive, self-reflective lyrics. The new song “Fit N Full” continues in this deeply personal vein. The song is about body image, diets and exercise, and trying to have success in music ...
Kesha Delivers Roaring Cover of T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution”: Stream
T. Rex’s Marc Bolan (photo via Ian Dickson/Wikipedia) and Kesha Later this summer, Marc Bolan and T. Rex will be celebrated with a massive tribute album called AngelHeaded Hipster. Produced by the beloved Hal Willner prior to his death, it features Bolan classics covered by prominent acts like U2, Father John Misty, Elton John, and Joan Jett, among others. Following Nick Cave’s rendition of “Cosmc Dancer” comes a second preview of the release, 1972’s “Children of the Revolution” as reimagined by Kesha. While known for her catchy pop hits, the High Road star also possesses incredibly powerful pipes, which she showcases on today’s cover. Whether the note’s high or low, the singer punches each one with fierce passion — the kind that would make Bolan proud. Check out the c...
