Five Fresh Albums For Your Weekend

Congrats! You’ve made it all the way to the end of the workweek. Here are a few albums to check out over the weekend:

Ballet Slippers by Animal Collective

Animal Collective have graced listeners with an album compiling live performances from the band’s 2009 North American tour. The record is composed of 12 tracks from their Merriweather Post Pavilion era. It includes live versions of songs “My Girls”, “Summertime Clothes”, “Daily Routine”, and more. Buy Ballet Slippers or stream it by clicking here.

Hyperspace by Beck

Today, Beck released his fourteenth studio album Hyperspace. The artist recently ended his marriage of fifteen years, and the record very much reflects that. It is a true breakup album that navigates themes of devastation, displacement and confusion. Beck brought on Pharrell Williams to be the co-producer of Hyperspace, and the collaborator implemented his style in a subtle way with low-key funk and bright synth tones. Buy Hyperspace or stream it by clicking here.

Everyday Life by Coldplay

Coldplay is back with album Everyday Life. This marks the band’s first album release since 2015’s A Head Full of Dreams. Everyday Life is a double album with sixteen tracks and 52-minute runtime. The first eight tracks are titled “Sunrise” while the second half of the album is titled “Sunset.”  Considering Coldplay’s significance, there were high expectations from critics. Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph stated in a review that Everyday Life, “feels organic, analogue and playful as Coldplay dip into different musical genres,” and further highlighted Martin’s “golden gift for melody, almost simplistically direct lyrics and emotive crooning.” Decide what you think about Coldplay’s recent experimentation by buying or streaming Everyday Life here.

Dissolution by Jaakko Eino Kalevi

Finnish psychedelic pop artist Jaakko Eino Kalevi released mini-album Dissolution today. The record takes on heavy funk and electronic grooves for some of Jaakko’s freakiest tracks to date. The pop pioneer played and programmed all of the instruments as well as wrote and produced each song. Berlin-based Taiwanese singer Yu-Ching Huang is featured on three songs, including the title track.  Get your freak on by buying or streaming Dissolution here.

Thanks for the Dance by Leonard Cohen

Before his passing in 2016, Leonard Cohen had written lyrics and recorded vocals for another batch of songs. These pieces of work became the foundation for his post-humous release Thanks for the Dance. Cohen left the responsibility of composing and completing the arrangements with his son Adam Cohen. The album follows Leonard Cohen’s reflections on the sunset of his life with a mix of sorrow, acceptance, and nostalgic warmth. Listen to Leonard Cohen’s last collection of brand-new material, Thanks for the Dance, here.