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.

TYLER, THE CREATOR – “DOGTOOTH”

For those who read this article regularly, you’ll know 2021’s Call Me If You Get Lost was one of our albums of the year, and March 31 saw the rather sudden drop of the deluxe edition, with the aforementioned title now tagged with The Estate Sale as the subtitle. The expanded edish of this LP done executed in old school beat tape format only solidifies its status as a cultural landmark, with the new-to-you tunes featured therein being expansive lyrical gems.

WEDNESDAY – “FORMULA ONE”

This is a band hailing from Asheville, NC who just dropped their debut album via Dead Oceans titled Rat Saw God. The record itself feels like a secret corner of nowhere, a place where a young couple would regularly sneak away to for a make-out session only to discover months later that a bunch of homeless drunks had found and befouled it, making it their home.

LES IMPRIMÉS – “I’LL NEVER LEAVE”

Like something transported from the very heights of the doowop era 60 years ago blasted into the future and right onto your comforter, this is a fantastic cut and one we admittedly slept on, having been released in late January. Don’t let the moniker en Francais fool you, as this is the solo project of multi-everything Morten Martens, who hails from Kristiansand, Sweden. This debut 7” single features with another gem called “If I,” which will both be on this long-awaited record, slated for release later this year.

ALTIN GÜN – “ÇIT ÇIT ÇEDENE”

If one had to pick a band that would get the gold at some kind of Olympics-style battle of the bands, this crew based in The Netherlands would not be a bad bet. While hailing from the Dutch realms, Altin Gün are rooted firmly in the psychedelic funk of Turkey’s past, and have released their latest laser cannon from funky Istanbul titled Aşk (or “love”) as of April 7. Do check for something different because this record does, as the song title above translates, SNAP SNAP.

BUZZY LEE – “WHEN CAN I”

This is a solo indie project from Sasha Spielberg that has been turning heads, and no, it’s not because she’s the famed director’s daughter (which must help a little but also be extra tiresome for the artist). Late March saw Spielberg release her sophomore album via FUTURE CLASSIC called Internal Affairs, which is well worth a front to back treatment for your ears.

MISS GRIT – “사이보그를 따라와”

This is the work of KoreanAmerican artist Margaret Sohn, and is quite a surprising addition to the Follow The Cyborg LP, which is Sohn’s & company’s debut full-length released back in February. Whereas the English title track was a feature single released in the run-up, this one adds a fascinating layer to the Korean-American artist’s repertoire and the album as a whole, with Sohn delivering spoken word Korean through a lot of interference and filtering as the dreamy track layers over it, ending with what feels like a dark vedic chant of the song’s title (“follow the cyborg” in Korean).

EL MICHELS AFFAIR & BLACK THOUGHT –“GLORIOUS GAME”

April 14 saw this album drop in full, and the above would be the titular track on this incredible album. The tracks therein feature Leon Michels and his band composing their trademark hiphop inspired funky licks behind what is probably Roots front man Black Thought’s most personal and reflective lyrics to date. From the videos to the actual tunes therein, this is a record to put on the headset right now if you haven’t already.

GEORGIA – “IT’S EUPHORIC”

For those who pay attention to such things, this artist has been working some dance floor magic over the past several years. Showing that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Georgia is the daughter of one of the founding members of Leftfield, and with the release of this tune, Georgia announced the upcoming Euphoric LP, which drops July 28 and was co-produced by Rostam with the artist, the former having producing credits with the likes of Haim, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Clairo, amongst others.

SURPRISE CHEF – “FRIENDSHIP THEME”

This is a band out of Melbourne which, aside from being a hotbed for almost every type of music imaginable, has always featured a cinematic funk and soul underbelly, a scene which Surprise Chef have been a big part for years. Last year the band took their game to NYC and signed with Big Crown, releasing their debut on the label late in the year called Education & Recreation. This would be the title track to the Friendship EP, due out June 2 and announced with this single’s release.

THE BETHS – “WATCHING THE CREDITS”

After releasing one of our top albums of 2022, this Kiwi band are back with this single, showcasing their deep application of classically trained chops to indie rock. While obviously “just” a tune left off their Expert in a Dying Field LP, this is a tune that is just as strong as that spectacular record, and comes from the lead singer learning that one could learn everything about a movie without actually watching it, which felt like an escape from music which had become her job.

HOTEL UGLY – “TO BE, OR NOT TO BE UGLY”

Back in 2020, this duo out of Houston released the viral “Shut Up My Mom’s Calling,” which to indie heads everywhere put them squarely on the map of consciousness. Now, the two have released the Ugly Duck LP as of March 24, and is a perfectly chill and summery addition to your playlists for the warmer months coming up.

The Author

Daniel J. Springer (aka “Danno”) is the creator, host, writer, editor, and producer of “The Drop with Danno,” broadcasting nightly on GFN 98.7 FM in Gwangju and 93.7 FM in Yeosu from 8 to10 p.m. Prior to this, he was a contributor to several shows on TBS eFM in Seoul, along with being the creator and co-host of “Spacious” and “White Label Radio” on WNUR in Chicago. You can find “The Damyang Drop,” his monthly collaborative playlist with The Damyang House, on YouTube and Spotify. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @gfnthedrop

April Releases

Wednesday – Rat Saw God (Apr 7)

Altin Gün – Aşk (Apr 7)

Heather Woods-Broderick – Labyrinth (Apr 7)

Blondshell – s/t (Apr 7)

Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven (Apr 7)

El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game (Apr 14)

Dinner Party – Enigmatic Society (Apr 14)

Feist – Multitudes (Apr 14)

Metallica – 72 Seasons (Apr 14)

Temples – Exotico (Apr 14)

Dave Okumu & The 7 Generations – I Came From Love (Apr 14)

Rodrigo y Gabriella – In Between Thoughts…A New World (Apr 21)

The Mars Volta – Safe To Run (Apr 21)

Gabriels – Angles & Queens (Apr 28)

The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein (Apr 28)

Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good! (Apr 28)

Indigo De Souza – All Of This Will End (Apr 28)

Matt Maltese – Driving Just to Drive (Apr 28)

May Upcoming (Watch Out!)

Atmosphere – So Many Realities Exist Simultaneously (May 5)

Jonas Brothers – The Album (May 5)

LA Priest – Fase Luna (May 5)

Westerman – An Inbuilt Fault (May 5)

SBTRKT – The Rat Road (May 5)

Fatoumata Diawara – LONDON KO (May 12)

Kaytraminé – s/t (May 12)

Hannah Jagadu – Aperture (May 19)

Tinariwen – Amatssou (May 19)

Alex Lahey – The Answer Is Always Yes (May 19)

Dave Matthews Band – Walk Around The Moon (May 19)

Arlo Parks – My Soft Machine (May 26)

Sparks – The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte (May 26)