This last week in music featured a fair number of artists reviving albums that they had released across the last year in the form of deluxe albums. Ariana Grande, Haim, and Matt Berninger of The National all released extended versions of their 2020 LPs. However, while these artists may have grabbed the headlines this week, here are a few releases you may not have heard yet that you should be checking out.
Navy Blue – Song of Sage: Post Panic!
Model, skateboarder, and rapper Sage Elsesser, who performs under the moniker Navy Blue, has spent close to a decade working to perfect his sound. Through his connections in the skating world and to the now-defunct rap collective Odd Future, Navy Blue was slowly able to reveal his unique style via collaborations with Na-kel Smith and Earl Sweatshirt. It feels that all Navy Blue has accomplished to this point throughout his various fields of expertise has led up to Song of Sage: Post Panic!.
Navy Blue delves into the hardships of finding his identity and how he accomplished the task by confronting ancestral trauma. A breath of fresh air in the rap world, Navy Blue is a name that may be around for a while. Watch the music video for “1491” by Navy Blue below.
Indigo Sparke – Echo
Named after the Duke Ellington jazz standard “Mood Indigo” by her musician parents, it is in the blood of Sydney Indigo Sparke to make music. However, Sparke’s debut record, Echo, doesn’t find much resemblance to the sound of Ellington. It resembles, more so, an Americana feel, like if Laura Veirs was Australian.
Sparke’s strong, refined vocals rarely rise to but a whisper, but captivate you, nonetheless. Echo features the Australian-born singer-songwriter delving into stories about lost love and new experiences while reflecting on life as a queer woman in the world today. Watch the video for the ever-enchanting “Colourblind” by Indigo Sparke below.
Another Michael – New Music and Big Pop
A band at the forefront of an indie-emo revival, the Philadelphia-based trio Another Michael established themselves as a force in their scene without releasing a full-length album. Now, with the release of their debut studio album New Music and Big Pop, out on Run For Cover, all the hype around the band was well-earned.
Recorded in a remote A-frame cabin in Albany, New York, the debut LP from Another Michael is heartwarmingly sad, yet equally joyous. Vocals from singer Michael Doherty caress the listener as he flawlessly reaches is into his falsetto throughout the album to share stories of everyday life. Read our piece on the hype around Another Michael here, and watch the video for “I Know You’re Wrong” below.
