We recap the ten best albums released in September, along with a can’t-miss track from each of our selections.
Aromanticism — Moses Sumney
Moses Sumney’s debut album Aromanticism is a genre-defying work of art exploring themes of lovelessness and loneliness in a romance-driven society. True to his minimalist style, Sumney delivers tracks with melancholic, ethereal vibes featuring his signature falsetto over ambient production. Sumney describes Aromanticism as “process music” that “seeks to interrogate the idea that romance is normative and necessary.” This theme truly shines in “Doomed,” where Sumney sings, “If lovelessness is godlessness, / Will you cast me to the wayside?” Complete with influences from folk, jazz, and soul, Aromanticism boldly captures human loneliness and offers us a world in which romance does not have to be the solution. – Dawy
Essential Listening: “Don’t Bother Calling”
Nuclear Soul — Lionize
Lionize’s Nuclear Soul is probably the hardest to peg album I’ve ever heard and that’s a great thing. The songs flow seamlessly in a mix between funk, rock, reggae, folk, blues and other genres I’m probably missing, creating some new, vaguely futuristic genre that doesn’t need a name. It’s full of surprises at every turn. What holds it all together is the unbridled energy with which every note is delivered. There’s a bit of a concept going on lyrically with a dystopian story about a tyrannical world leader, but like all good sci-fi, it’s also very much about our world today. Stand out tracks include: “Darkest Timeline,” “Fire in Athena” and “March of The Clones.” – Gerry
Essential Listening: “Darkest Timeline”
1992 Deluxe — Princess Nokia
On September 9th New York City’s Destiny Nicole Frasqueri, who has been active under her aliases Wavy Spice and (more recently) Princess Nokia since 2012, released 1992 Deluxe. The nine-song EP had originally been released in Autumn 2016, but for this re-release Frasqueri added another seven songs. The EP (which could now probably be considered an album) is perfect for any listener who happens to be into hard (“Tomboy”) as well as groovy (“ABCs of New York”) Hip-Hop. This will definitely not be the last thing we will hear from Frasqueri, as she’s only just getting started. – Emiliah
Essential Listening: “Goth Kid”
CCCLX — Lunice
There’s a noticeable shift that’s occurred between CCCLX and Lunice’s past EPs. The tracks on CCCLX are all a bit more subtle than the aforementioned releases, which is understandable—the album’s been in the works for years, and in that time Lunice’s sound and technique has matured. You can feel a new level of precision in these songs, making them stand out amongst the many imitators who built a catalogue based off of Lunice’s older offerings. The title tracks are indicative of the artist’s transformation; the Roman numerals CCCLX add up to 360, and the collection of “CCCLX” songs unveils a narrative of never-ending growth. Subtitled “Curtain”, “Intermission”, “Costume”, and “Black Out”, each entry is an understated reminder of just how far Lunice has come in his musical journey—and where he’s going next. Much like the Earth continues to revolve around its axis, Lunice continues to creatively evolve. – Staley
Essential Listening: “O.N.O”
Although ODESZA makes the shortlist of top EDM producers, the evolution of the musical duo does not come without any criticism. Although each track sounds impeccable on their own, some tracks do not fit the album’s theme and feel out of place. For example, “La Ciudad” introduces listeners to flamenco-influenced production with castanets interlaced within the beat. Although this style does not fit the album’s theme, the duo’s undaunted approach in production differentiates themselves from the fray. Based on the instrumentation alone, ODESZA cemented themselves as versatile musicians in the world of diluted electronic sounds. – Elisha
Essential Listening: “Corners of the Earth”
Haiku From Zero — Cut Copy
In partnership with the St Andrews Wine Company, Saint Audio selects one very special album per month to match with a curated selection of wine. Miles Bolland expertly paired a wine for each song off of Cut Copy’s latest album, Haiku From Zero. All wines are available for purchase on the St Andrews Wine Company’s website.
Essential Listening: “Tied To The Weather”
Hallelujah Anyhow — Hiss Golden Messenger
Essential Listening: “I Am the Song”
All Things Work Together — Lecrae
Essential Listening: “Blessings”
New Energy — Four Tet
Essential Listening: “Scientists”
Trip — Jhene Aiko
Essential Listening: “Jukai”
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