4 albums you need to hear this week

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 The Hives, Jungle, Karol G and Liam Gallagher.

The Hives – The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons

More than a decade on from their fifth album Lex Hives, Sweden’s ironic pomps The Hives return with a retrofit garage rock record bursting with bangers. Singles ‘Countdown to Shutdown‘, ‘Bogus Operandi‘ and ‘Rigor Mortis Radio’ all nod to the rock’n’roll greats, the latter a snarling ode to late 50s/early ’60s beat music. The band’s recent support slots for the Arctic Monkeys seems to have repositioned them on the mantel of one of the liveliest, most raucous rockers around. This album mirrors that energy perfectly.

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music | Bandcamp

Jungle – Volcano

Jungle are in something of a creative purple patch at the moment. It feels like only a handful of months have passed since their Top Three album Loving in Stereo was soundtracking summer BBQs and festivals (shockingly, it’s been two years). Now, the London funk-pop duo are back with their most collaborative-heavy album to date. Erick the Architect features on driving funk ditty ‘Candle Flame’, while Roots Manuva guests on ‘You Ain’t No Celebrity’ and Mood Talk on ‘Don’t Play’. But smooth house operator Channel Tres‘ star turn on ‘I’ve Been in Love’ is the highlight: all dreamy, lush, lovelorn strokes plotting the coming halcyon days.

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music | Bandcamp

Karol G – Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)

Columbian superstar Karol G has released Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), her second album of 2023 and the follow-up to February’s Mañana Será Bonito. Although similarly titled, her new project is an entirely different beast, this time boasting collaborations with Tiësto, Young Miko, Kali Uchis and more. The pop reggaeton and trap singer’s latest single ‘S91’ is a thematically hopeful, vibrant EDM-trap fusion produced by Ovy on the Drums. Karol G has described the time in her life around making the album as a “perreo”, or a dance-filled, beautiful and romantic season.

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 2022

With Pulp, Suede and Blur‘s summer comeback gigs as well as the latter’s new album The Ballad of Darren landing at Number One it’s easy to feel like it’s mid-’90s Britpop all over again. Now you can add Liam Gallagher’s live recording of his massive Knebworth gigs last year to the mix. The gobby rocker likes to describe his solo work and rehashed Oasis performances as “biblical”, and judging by the decibel-puncturing fan screams on Knebworth 2022, the Mancunian legend has a point. ‘Shockwave’ from Gallagher’s 2019 album Why Me? Why Not gets as much of a wild reception as set-closing Oasis classics ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’, ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’ – proving that the ’90s icon remains pleasingly relevant today. 

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music | Bandcamp