Top of the Drop

By Daniel J. Springer

Each month, Daniel Springer of the Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN) picks his favorite newly released tunes that you may not have heard yet, along with some upcoming albums and EPs that you might want to keep on your radar. — Ed.

SAY SUE ME – “THE LAST THING LEFT”

This is the title track to the latest LP from the Busan-based indie rock project fronted by Choi Su-mi. Although they had to delay their North American tour a bit until after the release of this brilliant LP, this band is ready for the big time, gathering a very serious following in Western countries of Europe, Australia, and the aforementioned North America. Unlike in most places, this kind of popularity abroad will add to their growing but still nascent popularity here in Korea, and the sky’s the limit right now. The album is out, and Su-mi’s band are ready for their closeup!

MONOPHONICS – “SAGE MOTEL”

This is the title track to singer-songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Kelly Finnigan and his band’s latest album. As per usual, this latest installment and career sixth for the band is psychedelic and funky as hell. However, the songwriting and arrangements are just that much tighter, with the depth of feeling going right to the core of emotion itself. Don’t miss a check in on this record – it’s a night not to be forgotten.

JAZZANOVA FEAT SEAN HAEFELI – “FACE AT MY WINDOW”

A couple of years ago, DJ Amir put out a compilation of songs from Strata Records, a jazz-funk label based in Detroit in the 1970s. Now, we have the followup to this LP, with Berlin-based Jazzanova putting out that compilation once again, but this time with the collective putting their own reimagining of the originals in order. Strata Records: The Sounds of Detroit Reimagined by Jazzanova is available everywhere, and we’d highly recommend checking both compilations out.

JEAN CARNE FEAT ALI SHAHEED MUHAMMAD & ADRIAN YOUNGE – “THE SUMMERTIME”

For the last several years, jazz veteran Adrian Younge has teamed up with former A Tribe Called Quest maestro Ali Shaheed Muhammad on a new label project called Jazz Is Dead, based in LA. In their 12th installation for the label, they invited Jean Carne, who’s been around since the 1970s and, even into her 70s now, can still flash that five-octave range that made her a name over the years.

PRATEEK KUHAD – “FAVORITE PEEPS”

Back in 2018, a relatively unknown Kolkatta-based singersongwriter put out what was probably the best single of the year in “cold/mess,” which caught fire all over the map with the indie heads. “Cold/mess” would also be the title track to that album which came much later. The multilingual Kuhad has since spread his artistic wings, composing for Bollywood and indie films on the subcontinent, and this tune heralded The Way That Lovers Do, which dropped May 20 and is not to be missed.

MARK EVICH – “PRIME”

You might be amazed to listen to this LA-based artist croon over his extra smooth bars and 90s R&Binspired arrangements and then learn he’s actually from Russia, but it’s true indeed. In a brilliant

appearance on The Drop, Evich bravely discussed his broken feelings over Russia’s recent hideous invasion of Ukraine, and just that would be enough to earn mention here. However, the fact that this tune is amazing buttery smoothness just slams it home.

BOBBY OROZA FEAT COLD DIAMOND & MINK – “THROUGH THESE TEARS”

Back in May 2019, this Finnish crooner and guitarist made a scintillating debut with This Love. Now, we have another album coming out in just over a week on June 10 called Get Into The Otherside. We’ll be having an early listen to some unreleased stuff when Bobby makes his second appearance on the show on June 3, so don’t miss it if you want a sneak peek!

NATURE TV – “MIKE FAKE”

This was the final preview single to the Brighton-based band’s Heartbreak Skyline EP, released on April 21. Interestingly, the band featured a Korean street scene in Hangul on the artwork for the cover, with signs for makkeoli, noraebang, and other such things you see everywhere here.

MONSTER RALLY – “GOLDEN SHORES”

One of our favorites out there right now on the beat production tip is Ted Feighan, the visual and recording artist out of Cleveland who calls himself this when making beats, which seems more appropriate for a thrash metal band. But alas, Monster Rally makes some of the smoothest lo-fi and downtempo beats out there, always with a tropical twist of exoticism that makes it go down smooth. This is a feature tune on Feighan’s latest LP, Botanica Dream, which should drop this month, but nothing is set in stone yet.

CASTLEBEAT – “LOOKING FOR SOMETHING”

This is the latest from the Brooklyn-based Josh Hwang, who’s not only been a bedroom pop originator over these years, but a very busy person. Aside from the CASTLEBEAT project, Hwang is also the head of Spirit Goth Records which, just like his solo stuff, is one of the best label projects going over the past few years.

MAY RELEASES

Sharon Van Etten – We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong (May 6) Jack Harlow – Come Home The Kids Miss You (May 6) Ibeyi – Spell 31 (May 6) Arcade Fire – WE (May 6) IDK & KAYTRANADA – Simple (May 6) Monophonics – Sage Motel (May 13) Say Sue Me – The Last Thing Left (May 13) The Black Keys – Dropout Boogie (May 13) Kevin Morby – This Is A Photograph (May 13) Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (May 13) Lykke Li – Eyeye (May 20) SOAK – If I Never Know You Like This Again (May 20) Porridge Radio – Water Slide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky (May 20) Alfie Templeman – Mellow Moon (May 27) Coheed & Cambria – Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind (May 27) Dehd – Blue Skies (May 27)

JUNE RELEASES

Andrew Bird – Inside Problems (June 3) Angel Olsen – Big Time (June 3) Horsegirl – Versions Of Modern Performance (June 3) Post Malone – Twelve Carat Toothache (June 3) BTS – [Title TBA] (June 10) Joyce Manor – 40 oz. to Fresno (June 10) Vance Joy – In Our Own Sweet Time (June 10) Foals – Life Is Yours (June 17) Hercules & Love Affair – In Amber (June 17) Perfume Genius – Ugly Season (June 17) TV Priest – My Other People (June 17) Alexisonfire – Otherness (June 24) Goose – Dripfield (June 24) Regina Spektor – Home, before & after (June 24) Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever (June 24) Conan Gray – Superache (June 24)