Calling all Sadboys: Jonatan Leandoer Håstad, better known as Yung Lean, has announced his seventh album. Starz (featuring a collaboration with Ariel Pink, apparently) is due on 15 May via YEAR0001, with all songs produced by longtime collaborators Whitearmor and Yung Sherman. Today Jonatan releases “Pikachu”, a typically playful and melodic production on which he reflects on his drug use and vows to take care of an attractive woman in his life. The electric Pokemon follows album tracks “Boylife in EU” and “Violence” in the lead up to what will undoubtedly be another totally singular creation.
Also on today’s playlist is the first real taste of new Arca. “Nonbinary” — complete with VR music video in which the Venezuelan artist embodies Venus in her shell — features Arca waxing lyrical on the multiplicity of self with a rhythmic spoken word. London artist LOLA releases her debut EP The Sleeping Prophet today too, full of spiritual musings documenting her personal mission to define the wounded feminine. Meanwhile Drake’s Dark Lane Demo Tapes mixtape (featuring Future, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, etc) comes with the news that his sixth studio album will drop this summer.
For Regina Spektor fans there’s London’s Jockstrap’s beautiful new song “The City”; for cinephiles there’s GOON DES GARCONS* with “A24” ft. Cuco; and for absolutely everybody who likes music there’s Bree Runway’s meme-toting 80s bop “Damn Daniel” with guest vocals from Yung Baby Tate. Not good enough? You can also expect fresh releases from LYAM, JPEGMAFIA, Denzel Himself, Jessy Lanza, GKR, Gia Ford, Walt Disco, Namasenda, HAIM and plenty more.