By: Daniel Wright
Spring and summer are notorious for the music industry, and this year is no exception. The race is on to produce the 2010 “summer anthem.” Forging an album review for the final Sound Check of the year, here is a shortlist of some of my most anticipated upcoming releases. Before you get all huffy because you’re favourite artist didn’t make it, this list was kept to debut LPs only. That’s not to say I’m not excited for upcoming heavy-hitters like LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., The Strokes, Kanye West, The Roots, Panda Bear, etc, or good ol’ fashioned Canadiana like Broken Social Scene, The New Pornographers, Arcade Fire, Plants and Animals, Wintersleep and Stars, or the sketchy possibilities of new Radiohead, Avalanches, Lil Wayne and Outkast. Heck, maybe we’ll actually get Dr. Dre’s Detox, originally due in 2004 (don’t hold your breath). To consider all of the above, ensued an endless, head-aching debate that’s best saved for a Stereogum thread. So, without further adieu:
- Sleigh Bells – Treats (May 11th)
Topping my excitement filter is the Brooklyn duo, Sleigh Bells. With only a handful of songs the band has managed to capture the attention of many. They have a no-fi, hip-hop infused sound which blends into something quite unique. The first time I heard “Crown On The Ground” I thought there must be something wrong with my speakers, but in a matter of seconds the noise transformed into something great. Just when you think you can finally categorize their music, they hit you with “Ring Ring,” a delightful acoustic track with booming base and Alexis Krauss’s signature sweet voice. The duo has recently embarked on their spring tour with Major Lazer (Diplo & Switch) and Yeasayer, hitting SXSW, Coachella, Pitchfork Festival and two stops in Toronto. With Treats being released by M.I.A.’s label N.E.E.T., this band is sure to blow up in 2010.
- Jay Electronica – TBA (unknown)
Forget the hip-hop blog you check or that in-the-know friend you find music through. Look no further than whoever Erykah Badu happens to be dating for your next favourite rapper. Is it really coincidence that she happened to be seeing Andre 3000 and Common just before their careers took off? (The exception being The D.O.C.). Regardless, Jay Electronica, her new love and father to her newborn child, is turning a lot of heads. Heads like Nas, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, P. Diddy, etc. Although Jay Electronica just recently released a mix tape, had a baby and is involved with Badu’s new album, it hasn’t hampered the excitement over the possibilities of a debut LP for this 34-year-old rapper. Combine this with upcoming Shad and Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek) albums and we’re about to get a heavy dose of golden age-style hip-hop. Is the world ready for lyrics again?
- Delorean – Subiza (June 8th)
Get ready to dance, again! Alright, so I cheated. Not only is this album not technically a debut but it’s actually already released (in Spain only). But, I’m banking that you hadn’t heard of Delorean before their Ayrton Senna EP came out last year or else you’re far too cool to be reading this. After a four year hiatus from a band with the same name but a very different sound, Delorean came back last summer only to tease us with a blissful, airy EP that you could just as easily rave to as you could study to. Subiza will mark Delorean’s first full length album released in North America (via True Panther Sound) and for that, it sure feels like a debut. Between Delorean and the ever-growing Primavera Sound Festival, it’s safe to say Barcelona is hot!
- White Ring – TBA (unknown)
What do I know about White Ring? They’re a New York duo on the small Houston
based record label, Disaro…that’s it. A new trend of being mysterious to bring in the curious has emerged in music. We’ve seen it with the Swedish band, jj, who were all marijuana leaves and blood splatter until they started touring. Same goes for the presumably UK-based band, Summer Camp, whose “chill-wave” and ‘70s nostalgia influenced sound could have landed they’re upcoming debut in my #4 spot on any other given day. Speaking of jj, remember when they did a pseudo-cover of Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” called “ecstasy” last summer? That’s about the sort of sound you can expect from White Ring, just increase the paranoia and crank up the creepiness. In indie terms, last summer was undeniably the break-out of “chillwave/glo-fi” genre, perhaps this summer will be bands like White Ring whose uglier sister-genre has loosely been coined “witch-house,” “goth/dark-wave” or “ghost-crunk.” Disclaimer should read: Don’t listen to before bed. White Ring has a split single with oOoOO, “Roses/Seaww.” Also check, “IxC999” via the Disaro MySpace.
- Drake – Thank Me Later (June 15th)
On the single, “Forever,” Drake raps, “Drop the mix-tape; that shit sounded like an album.” It’s easy to forget, that with all the fame and success Drake has had, he actually hasn’t had a debut LP, yet. In the new single, “Over,” Drake has seemingly caught that fame-paranoid bug that’s going around. But, instead of turning into a monster (Gaga) or a recluse (MGMT), he grounds himself in the weezy-esque saying, “…that’s right, I’m doing me.” Hopefully the rest of the album follows. Of course, Drake has pulled out the star-studded cameos: The-Dream, Jay-Z, k-os, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, Kings of Leon etc. Did you expect anything less?
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