As the weather warms up in Eugene, the rainy days wane, and the once-open grass patches on campus fill up with students enjoying the sun. But there’s something else coming out, other than students: new music. Let’s check out what’s in the queue.
“Konnakol” by Zayn on April 17
“Konnakol” is Zayn’s fifth studio album and comes with the wrap-up of his residency in Las Vegas. The album is named after a South Indian vocal percussion style, a nod to his Pakistani heritage.
Singles “Die for Me” and “Sideways” are already out. Both are R&B pop, but “Die for Me” alternates between near rapping and strong falsettos and sits more on the pop side of that duo, where “Sideways” is a slower R&B song with layered vocals and tempo shifts.
“I have always drawn on my heritage for inspiration since I first started making my own music — this album is a development of that understanding, knowing more now than ever, who I am, where I come from and where I intend to go,” Zayn said in a press statement to Billboard.
Listeners can expect more of the R&B pop Zayn has grown to be known for, with some lyrics in Urdu.
“The Great Divide” by Noah Kahan on April 24
“The Great Divide” is Kahan’s first album after his meteoric rise with the release of his song and subsequent album “Stick Season” in 2022. The title track of this album was released Jan. 30, with the second single, “Porch Light” released on March 13.
“The Great Divide” and “Porch Light” are both sonically similar to his previous work (cathartic with a folk vibe), and have lines that are sure to go viral on TikTok, as previous lyrics of his have done, for pulling on your heart strings — “I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich, I hope you’re scared of all the ordinary sh*t.”
“From a long silence forms a divide, a great expanse demanding attention. I stare across it. I see old friends, my father, my mother, my siblings, my younger self, the great state of Vermont. I want to scream these feelings, to gesticulate wildly at the figures on the other side, but my voice has grown hoarse,” Kahan said on his website. “The music here is my best attempt to delve deeper into the people, places and feelings that have made me who I am.”
The album was produced by Gabe Simon, who Kahan has previously worked with, and Aaron Dessner, a new collaborator with production credits with artists like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.
“Fenian” by Kneecap on May 1
“Fenian” is the third studio album from Irish hip hop group Kneecap. The group raps in both Irish and English and is known for its music about post-Troubles Northern Ireland and Irish republicanism (which opposes British rule in Northern Ireland) backed by club-oriented production.
The two singles out so far — “Liars Tale” on Jan. 28 and “Smugglers & Scholars” on March 12 — are a more sophisticated version of some of their earlier music. While the songs are still a mix of rap in Irish and English, both have a fuller techno sound and more developed production.
The group, which has historically been outspoken about their political beliefs, is delving into deeper political themes after criticism over their statements supporting Palestinian nationalism.
“Since everything that’s happened, we couldn’t just be talking about partying all day. We wanted to show this other side of us.” Móglaí Bap, a member of the group, said in an interview with the New York Times.
Other new music coming out includes “Age Of The Ram” by Charley Crockett on April 3, “Kehlani” by Kehlani on April 24 or “Middle of Nowhere” by Kacey Musgraves on May 1. Happy listening!
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source dailyemerald.com ’
