5 albums you need to hear this week
With music from Kneecap, Normani, Walt Disco, John Grant and Sea Girls.
In the age of streaming, it’s never been easier to listen to new music — but with over 60,000 new songs added to Spotify every day, it’s also never been harder to know what to put on. Every week, the team at Rolling Stone UK will run down some of the best new releases that have been added to streaming services.
This week, we’ve highlighted records by Kneecap, Normani, Walt Disco, John Grant and Sea Girls.
Kneecap – Fine Art
Kneecap’s debut album Fine Art is named after a quote from conservative commentator Steven Nolan, who took exception to a mural from the band in Belfast, which depicts a police jeep on fire. “The band Kneecap claim the mural is just a piece of fine art,” Nolan said, with the band reclaiming the statement. The trio’s outspoken politics and raucous live shows have made them a standout proposition in 2024, and their debut album – full of rowdy raps, boisterous beats and social commentary – is every inch the statement of intent that was expected.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Normani – Dopamine
It might five years since Normani dropped ‘Dopamine’ and developed the kind of stop-you-in-your-tracks attention that doesn’t come around all often. While it’s been quite the wait, this accomplished debut shows she’s still a force to be reckoned with. It leans into deeper R&B sounds than that song, but still impresses. The 90s flecked ‘Insomnia’ comes complete with a perfect cameo from Brandy, while ‘Big Boy’ is a full-on rap masterclass. A debut well worth waiting for.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Walt Disco – The Warping
“It’s about reacting to change, being afraid of change, wanting things to change,” Walt Disco’s Jocelyn Si told Rolling Stone UK last year of new album The Warping. “[Debut album] Unlearning could be seen as an album about unlearning habits and how we think about things in our lives. The Warping is about changing how we deal with those things moving forward.” The band use the glamorous, debauched side of rock music to tell this story with drama, sensitivity and brilliance.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
John Grant – The Art of the Lie
To make new album The Art of the Lie, John Grant teamed up with composer and producer Ivor Guest for a record of exquisite quality. As the album’s title suggests, the bleak output of its lyrics are beautifully juxtaposed with magical instrumentation, as Grant explains: “The clothing that it’s dressed up in makes it more palatable. It helps the bitter pill go down.”
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Sea Girls – Midnight Butterflies
As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s the mantra of the day on Sea Girls’ third album, which sees the group opting for festival-primed hooks and singalong choruses once again. ‘Come Back To Me’ fits effortlessly in their tested cannon of bouncy indie-pop, while the soaring ‘Polly’ heads down a similar path too. It’s predictable at times, sure, but there’s enough here to ensure that they’ll still guarantee a fun night out at O2 Academy-sized venues across the land.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music