The best releases out on June 9 : All Songs Considered : NPR

When Amaarae started working on his latest project, fountain baby, she knew it was against the label. On the one hand, it’s defiantly pop, but it’s also consistently kaleidoscopic, immersing itself in a world of consistently amazing sounds, from alternative Afrobeat to punk rock, R&B, bubblegum pop, and more. Built on. As NPR music editor Sheldon Pierce said on this week’s show, “Amarae felt like she was the future for a while, but the future is here.”

This week we also bring you new songs from Janelle Monae, who sheds her android persona for her most honest and outspoken album yet, and bold new sounds from Keaton Henson, King Krule, Jenny Lewis and more. . NPR Music Editor Hazel Sills joins contributors Latesha Harris, Sheldon Pierce, and host Robin Hilton to share his picks for the Best, which is out June 9.

Featured Albums:

1. Amarae — fountain baby
   Signature Songs: “Counterfeit”, “Angels in Tibet”, “Sex, Violence, Suicide Pt. 2”, “Come Home to God”
2. King Krull — space heavy
   Songs: “Hamburgerphobia”, “That Is My Life, That Is Yours”, “Pink Shell”
3. Jenny Lewis — Joyall
   Representative songs: “Joy’All”, “Chain of Tears”, “Puppy and a Truck”
4. Janelle Monae — era of pleasure
   Tracklist: “Champagne Shit”, “Black Sugar Beach”, “Phenomenal (feat. Doechii)”, “Lipstick Lover”
5. Keaton Henson— home party
   Songs: “I’m Not There”, “Holiday”, “Envy”, “Hurray”

Lightning Round:

• Emile Mosseri — heaven hunters
• a feeble little horse — girl with fish
• squid – monolith
• Youth Lagoon — Heaven is a junkyard

Other notable releases on June 9th:

• Andy Stack & Jay Hammond — interpersonal
• Christine and the Queens — paranoia, angels, true love
• dead milkman — Quaker City Quiet Pills
• dream wife — social lubrication
• Jason Isbell and Unit 400 — weather vane
• Jada G — Man
• Jess Williamson — time is no coincidence
• Johnny Greenwood and Doo Doo it’s — Jarak Garibak
• Spoon — memory dust