Ariana Grande, Krewella and Highasakite are back with new material this week.
Another week. Another set of new music. And today, we've got everything from pop hitmakers to unplugged singer-songwriters. Ariana Grande, Marissa Nadler and Highasakite are back with new albums while British singer-songwriter Reuben Hollebon is dropping his debut. Meanwhile, Krewella released their new EP. While it's might not be a full-length, it's definitely worth the listen. See our thoughts on the records below.
Ariana Grande - 'Dangerous Woman'
Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman is probably one of this week's most highly anticipated albums. And considering all her teasers about it, who wouldn't be interested to find out what the 22-year-old former Nickelodeon star has up her sleeve. Before we get to the features (and there's a number of them), let's look at what Ariana herself brings to the table. Proving her vocal prowess time and time again, she makes a point to include songs that highlight her strong set of pipes. "Moonlight," the LP's opener, might be a slow and risky way to start off an album for the pop princess. However, it's in the doo wop melodies and Old Hollywood vibe, we begin to see Ariana's growth peak through. And if there's anything that's loud and clear about Dangerous Woman, it's the fact that Ariana has grown up. Sure, she still looks adorable. But her lyrical content and visuals have conveyed that she wants us to see her as a woman who has desires and wants them to be satisfied. Patent leather bunny mask aside, she further illustrates this on tracks like the '80s-inspired dance tune, "Greedy," "Everyday" with Future and "Let Me Love You," her collaboration with Lil Wayne. She also teams up with Macy Gray on "Leave Me Lonely" and Nicki Minaj on the reggae-tinged tune, "Side by Side." Ariana is going all the way with this record, and we're up for that adventure.
Highasakite - 'Camp Echo'
Highasakite continue their pattern of dropping a new record every two years and just released Camp Echo. Following the record-breaking success of their sophomore LP, Silent Treatment, it would seem daunting to enter a new album with those expectations. However, Camp Echo proves to be a great step in the right direction. The Norwegian band takes electro pop melodies and dark topics, tosses them in a blender and whips up something that not only sounds beautiful, but also well-crafted. The LP's lead single, "Golden Ticket," is one of Camp Echo's big winners. Inspired by a Gunvor Hofmo's post-WWII poem, it delves into escapism and sounds quite uplifting. That is the same feel we get from "Chernybol," which blends the band's voices together into an eloquent orchestration of sound and a nice closer to an epic album.
Krewella - 'Ammunition'
Although this column highlights LP releases, we had to make an exception for Krewella's new EP, Ammunition. DJ sisters Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf come hard with this one with a collection of six tracks that won't only getting you bouncing around your room or office (if that's your kind of thing) but also hype you up to take on the big challenge of the day. You instantly jump into their world with "Beggars," which opens the EP. A song that they dedicate to their fans, known as "the Krew," it's filled with sirens, trap beats and surging energy that stand up with fists in the air and fight for the Krewella cause. The momentum continues with "Marching On." Despite all the synths, bass beats and other electronic sounds, this EP also showcases Jahan and Yasmine's songwriting abilities and strong vocals. "Can't Forget You" and the record's title track, "Ammunition," are clear examples of this, showing that Krewella can move beyond the DJ booth.
Reuben Hollebon - 'Terminal Nostalgia'
After years of working behind the mixing board, Reuben Holleben is now in front of the mic and has just released his debut album, Terminal Nostalgia. The 12-track body has the finesse of an artist who's put out multiple albums already. While this could be thanks to his other job on the production side, each of the songs stand strong on their own but also have been curated in a way that seamless flow from one track to the next. Unlike other singer-songwriters who like to focus their energies on penning songs about heartbreaks and new loves, he draws on literature and everyday moments around him, which you can hear in songs like "Augustus" and his single, "Faces." While the sounds on the albums are very fluid, Reuben toys with sonic imperfection in the rough bits of sound you get on "The Burr." And it's decisions like these that make Terminal Nostalgia an album not only to listen to, but also use as an example of good musicianship.
Marissa Nadler - 'Strangers'
Marissa Nadler is back with her seventh album, Strangers. Following her heartbreakingly personal 2014 record, July, the singer-songwriter goes for a bigger scope and tackles broader ideas on this one. Singing about loneliness and despair, each song centers on a character and how this individual works through them. While there was a mysticism to Marissa's past albums, the soundscapes on this one have an ethereal feel that are haunting yet beautiful, like the album opener, "Divers of the Dust." The title track floats on your eardrums and takes you to another place, even though the song's name doesn't necessarily condone anything light and airy. The closing track, "Dissolve," seems to stand far from the rest. Not only is it guitar-led, but Marissa doesn't rely on her falsetto so much on this one -- giving it more texture. If you're looking for something that will send you into sonic euphoria, give Strangers a whirl.