It doesn’t seem long since NYC babes Sunflower Bean released their second album, Twentytwo In Blue. Turns out, that was coming up a year ago and time has moved concerningly fast. Today they’re back with killer EP King Of The Dudes, which Julia describes as “a song about navigating metaphorical circle jerks, owning the boys’ game, and taking the word king from them and claiming it”. Awe-inspiringly done, too.
“This EP does not give a fuck,” the band explained further in a press release. “It’s reactionary, and a sharpened response to our times. Death, birth, aggression, addiction and power. Twentytwo In Blue allowed us to find our strength and on King Of The Dudes we use it, no holds barred.” Having tracked Sunflower Bean’s career from the start, we’ve had the pleasure of watching these impossibly dedicated musicians grow into the kings of rock and roll that they are today. Catch them performing the new EP live and you’ll witness this first hand, in all their fury.
This week’s playlist also marks the return of a lot of favourites: Vampire Weekend released a couple of songs from their forthcoming 18-track album after a very quiet couple of years; Cosima teamed up with Branco and Sango on romantic pop number Hear From You; and ethereal Norwegian creature AURORA shared Animal, the first single from the much-anticipated Infections Of A Different Kind, Pt. 2. There’s also the very exciting surprise album from new collaborators Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes as Better Oblivion Community Center — a space with a guaranteed great music, no doubt.
Still not convinced you ought to press play? There’s nice new stuff from Nilüfer Yanya, Kamaal Williams and Mansur Brown, Julia Jacklin, pleasing new ambient project Slumber Unit, Sega Bodega, Caine Casket, Lexie Liu and a brilliant crossover episode of a track called Boasty featuring Wiley, Stefflon Don, Sean Paul and Idris Elba. Fun!