Another month has come and gone—recap some of October’s best albums with the help of the Saint Audio staff.
Losing —Bully
Imagine that we celebrated when people had a cathartic experience and gave each other those greeting cards that play music when you open them. That’s essentially what Bully’s Losing is. Songs about pain and anger can get old if they wallow, but these songs are more like ripping off a Band-Aid that was seriously irritating and it just feels good to get it off. Every beat, bassline and guitar lick support the mood. On top of that, the album is meticulously produced, with dynamics that make the lows, highs and everything in between pop as if you were in the room, feeling everything Alicia Bognanno screams about. And that scream is easily the greatest to come along in rock in decades. There’s really no bad song on this album and it’s hard to pick just one, but my current favorite might be “Not the Way” mainly because it’s the song playing as I write this. Seriously, it’s just a whole album type of thing. – Gerry
Essential Listening: “Not the Way”
12 Thousand Nights — L-Vis 1990
Night Slugs co-founder L-Vis 1990 zones in on a very British sound that’s as fresh as it is local. Traditions in UK dancehall and Grime inform much of the album’s sound, the former genre appearing in tracks like “Do My Ting” and “Sunlight,” while the latter comes through on Flohio-assisted “Yeah Yeah”. It’s an adventure in club music, finding its home in a place between crossover-ready melodies (“Honey”) and strictly UK club-music structures (“No Threat”). – Staley
Essential Listening: “Sunlight”
Halloween Mix VI — RL Grime
RL Grime dropped his sixth annual Halloween mix and it did not disappoint—flawless transitions, dirty beats and, of course, the beloved voice of Goosebumps author, RL Stine. This mix has a little something for everyone in it with its bass drops, hard hitting trap beats and remixed hip hop tracks. RL Grime keeps a good pace and has a talent for switching it up just at the right time so the listener doesn’t get bored. – Claire
The Space Between — Majid Jordan
Just as listening to Drake will make you want to text your exes, Majid Jordan‘s The Space Between will have you texting your crushes… and telling them to come over, sans pants. – Staley
Essential Listening: “OG Heartthrob”
Lune Rouge — TOKiMONSTA
Following her recovery from Moyamoya, TOKiMONSTA comes back strong as ever with her latest record, Lune Rouge. From more orchestral, ambient tracks such as “Lune” and “Rouge” to more percussion-heavy tracks like “Thief” and “Bibimbap,” the talented producer showcases her unique style, her ear for rhythm, and her ability to traverse multiple genres. Every single track on Lune Rouge offers us something special, culminating in a record that’s dreamlike, magnetic, and invigorating all in one. – Dawy
Essential Listening: “Bimibap”
Backwater — Kllo
I was totally surprised by how stunning Kllo’s album is. There’s not a bad song on Backwater; in fact, I had to restrain myself from putting the entirety of it into the Essential Listening playlist. – Staley
Essential Listening: “Backwater”
Fallout — KRANE
Compared to the likes of RL Grime, Oakland-based beatsmith KRANE showcases his growth in production value with his latest project Fallout. The amalgamation of trap, future bass, and electronic music sprinkled throughout the album highlights Zachary Krane’s versatility in instrumentation. The unique blend of hard-hitting kick, deep low-end bass, and atmospheric synths is a noticeable feature in KRANE’s approach in production. In the same vein, Fallout pushes the boundaries in the future bass genre with assistance from several producers such as QUIX, SLUMBERJACK, Khamsin, B.Lewis, MYRNE, and graves. – Eli
Essential Listening: “Next World (feat. QUIX)”
4eva Is A Mighty Long Time — Big K.R.I.T.
A battle with alcoholism and a departure from Def Jam helped to inspire this showstopper of a double-album from Mississippi lyricist Big K.R.I.T. 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time is the first project from K.R.I.T. in two years, as well as his first independent release on his new label, Multi Alumni. Listen to Big K.R.I.T. discuss his experience in the industry and his lifestyle changes, and how those things impacted his deeply personal new albums, on Everyday Struggle. – Staley
Essential Listening: “Big Bank (feat. T.I.)”; “Higher Calling (feat. Jill Scott)”
Wash — Tourist
Listening to Wash is kind of reminiscent of the groggy, sweetly passionate sex you have after a big night out—when you’re semi-hungover and the sun’s just bright enough for you to see this perfect person half-awake in your bed, so you roll over and start making out with them. It’s about the right tempo too. *wink* – Staley
Essential Listening: “Apart (feat. JONES)”
Listen to our selections, and follow us on Spotify for more playlists.
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