The Music You Need to Hear This Week - Issue 05 - 11/20/22

Welcome to Stereo Field, the music newsletter dedicated to helping you discover new music.

Happy Sunday!

We're mixing things up again this week. Stereo Field crew member Sam got married last night, and we spent the weekend celebrating. Today, we're recovering with some hot coffee, and some fresh new music. So we’ll keep this week’s issue short, sweet, and focused on the music you need to hear this week.

Let's dive in.

Another week, another batch of great new music. Here are a few of the releases we'll be checking out this week.

Brockhampton: The Family & TM

Brockhampton have been in the habit of haphazardly declaring albums as their final since Saturation III, so it honestly isn't much of a surprise that The Family, which dropped this week and was heavily promoted as their final album, wasn't really the last one. The Family dropped Thursday morning and was quickly followed by the surprise album TM on Friday. The Family is a bit of a misnomer, as it exclusively features vocals from Brockhampton leader Kevin Abstract, reflecting on the group's history as it supposedly comes to a close. TM was billed as a "parting gift" for the fans, and features previously shelved recordings from the band, which were then completed and produced by member Matt Champion.

Fousheé: SoftCORE

Fousheé has been a featured vocalist on some of our favorite rap and RnB tracks over the last few years, so we're always excited to hear a new solo project from the singer. SoftCORE sees Fousheé taking her sound in a new direction, with sped-up tempos, distorted guitars and vocals, and a noticeable lack of the hazy, SZA-Esque RnB that was found on her last full length.

Andy Shauf: Wasted On You (Single)

Andy Shauf's truly excellent 2016 album The Party, and its follow-ups, 2020's The Neon Skyline and 2021's Wilds, cemented him as one of our favorite songwriters of the last decade. Shauf returns in 2022 to announce his forthcoming album with 'Wasted On You', an understated, delicately orchestrated track.

Other Featured Releases

• Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow

• Ernest Hood - Back to the Woodlands

• Richard Dawson - That Ruby Cord

• Gladie - Don't Know What You're In Until You're Out

• Annie DiRussio - Nauseous (Single)

• Romy, Fred Again.. - Strong (Single)

• Phoebe Bridgers - So Much Wine (The Handsome Family Cover) (Single)

• PinkPantheress - Do you Miss Me? (Single)

• Benny Sings - The World (Single)

• Ab-Soul and Fre$h - Gang'Nem (Single)

• Gut Health - Electric Party Chrome Girl (EP)

• Elvis Depressedly - In That Sound (Single)

• Smirk - Material

• YUNGMORPHEUS - Burnished Sums (EP)

• Elizabeth M. Drummond - Congratulations (EP)

Check Out Our Playlist With This Week's Releases Here

Quadeca Completes His Transformation on I Didn't Mean to Haunt You

If you’ve heard Quadrca’s music, but haven’t yet heard this album or any of the singles from it, you might be surprised to see his name here.

The YouTuber-turned-rapper’s music has previously been perfectly fine, but mostly uninteresting trap music. He showed signs of a darker, more intricately orchestrated sound on 2021’s From Me To You. But on I Didn't Mean to Haunt You we see Quadeca complete this transformation and almost entirely abandon rapping, in favor of a new emo-folk singer/songwriter style, complete with reverb-soaked orchestration and instrumentation, glitchy production, and a dense, haunting atmosphere. The occasional moments of huge drums, splatters of hip-hop production, and the album's few rap verses tie the album to Quad’s musical history, and cement the album's totally unique sound.

Lyrically, the concept album follows Quadeca’s journey as a ghost after killing himself, revisiting his childhood home, and haunting the family that he desperately doesn't want to forget him.

Even without the context of the stylistic left turn, and immense growth Quadeca has made here, this album is truly excellent. Standout tracks 'Born Yesterday', and 'Fractions of Infinity' are sure to go down as some of our favorite songs of the year.

If you check out one album this week, make it I Didn't Mean to Haunt You

Every week we curate a playlist of the new releases, old favorites, and newly discovered classics that we're listening to, and share our thoughts on a few of the tracks. Check out the whole playlist on Spotify, and find our thoughts below:

Check Out The Whole Playlist Here

See You Again - Tyler, The Creator, Kali Uchis

Sam and his now wife Regan got announced to this song today. Baller move. We’ve been living in peak Tyler era the last few years, and that all started with 2017’s Flower Boy. 'See You Again' is one of the best songs off that album, and sees Tyler teaming up with Kali Uchis for a truly catchy, lovelorn chorus, complimented by delicate strings and piano, pounding drums, and Tyler’s signature Neptunes-influenced production style.

Your Best American Girl - Mitski

Mitski has been a giant in the indie music scene and has made her way into the mainstream lately. 'Your Best American Girl' discusses what it is like to be half-American and half-Korean and how trying to fit into either culture is challenging and alienating. In this song, Mitski comes to terms with her identity as a Korean-American and embraces it fully. Mitski is a lyrical genius, and not to mention this song has a ripping guitar part. If you like this track, give the rest of Puberty 2 a listen.

Planes in Front of The Sun - Strange Ranger

am and Regan chose this as their first dance song last night. They're off on their honeymoon, so we can't ask them exactly why they chose it, but when I initially asked Sam he described it as "just like the biggest, best Oasis-y song". Big guitars, big vocals, big drums, and big feelings.

On The Way Out - wylie hopkins

This song is like if Hovvdy, The 1975, and James Ivy had a baby. What else could we want? I love the vibe of this song so much. The subtly picked acoustic in the background of the chorus is a nice touch. Wylie hopkins is such an underrated artist.

Invisible String - ghost orchard

Taylor Swift is making some giant waves lately. But what else is new? With the whole Ticketmaster presale fiasco, it is understandable for Taylor fans to be upset or frustrated. If you need to chill out for a second and calm your nerves waiting in a 5,000-person online que, give this a listen. Ghost orchard does a lofi stripped-down cover of Taylor’s song ‘Invisible String.’ It is so texturally layered. Give it a listen with some headphones on.

Heart Cooks Brain - Modest Mouse

This week was the 25th anniversary of The Lonesome Crowded West, Modest Mouse's second album, and arguably one of the best indie albums of the 90s. The album sees lyricist Isaac Brock exploring the urban sprawl found in the once "Great Frontier" of the American West, and the struggle of the working class to navigate it. Heart Cooks Brain is a more inward-looking track, backed by an understated driving instrumental, featuring the band's then signature guitar harmonics.

If you want more on The Lonesome Crowded West and its 25th anniversary this week, Uproxx put together an excellent oral history, featuring members of the band, contemporaries like Dough Martsch of Built to Spill, and more. Check it out here.

Check Out The Whole Playlist Here

Today's meme of the week comes from u/Tina_sometimes on reddit

Thanks for reading, if you liked this issue let us know below. And hit reply on this email to let us know what songs you liked, or if there's a great song, album, or artist we need to hear.