Arctic Monkeys are back with their first new music since 2018, while Ezra Furman releases the title track from her forthcoming album. Hear collaborations between Vieux Farka Touré and Khruangbin, and between Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn. Discover the sounds of Utah indie-rockers the Backseat Lovers and of Minnesota artist Aida Shahghasemi.

Arctic Monkeys, “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball”

A dramatic return from Arctic Monkeys. A melancholy noir ballad, “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball,” is drenched in high hats, strings, and harpsichord. Alex Turner’s smooth voice rumbles delicately with a clear, sweeping longing. The band’s seventh album, The Car, will be out October 21.  

Ezra Furman, “All Of Us Flames”

At SXSW earlier this year, while Ezra Furman shared songs from her new album All of Us Flames, she spoke of her admiration for Ronnie Spector. Spector was a rocker and spirited musician who was in a constant battle to be recognized for her talent as a Black woman making rocking music. As a trans artist, Furman felt a kinship in that feeling of being on the fringes of the music industry — rattling a cage. The album pulls retro girl-group sounds together with punk elements, the girl-group harmonies in full effect on the album’s nod to The Shangri-Las, “Dressed in Black.”

The Backseat Lovers, “Growing/Dying”

A Utah group with indie-rock swagger and raw charisma, the newest single from The Backseat Lovers, “Growing/Dying” starts with a Beatles’ “Across The Universe” sweetness, but it doesn’t stay there for long with frontman Joshua Harmon’s growling vocals begging and biting out his lyrics.

Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin, “Tongo Barra”

On their last album, the groove makers Khruangbin teamed up with Leon Bridges and celebrated the heat and steam of Texas like warm molasses dripping on hot pancakes — smooth and sweet. Now the group are joining up with Vieux Farka Touré, who’s often referred to as the Hendrix of the Sahara. The added guitar grooves build off each other, and the Malian performer’s vocals pop with a bit more funk on “Tongo Barra.”

Aida Shahghasemi, “Gooy”

Aida Shahghasemi sounds more powerful than ever on her new album, Chashmandaaze Rooydaad. Shahghasemi, who moved from Iran to Minnesota at 13 years old, sings in Farsi and is supported by a crew of world-class musicians, including locals Jeremy Ylvisaker and Liz Draper. In the song “Gooy,” piano notes — soft yet undeniable as raindrops — warn of a coming storm. Yahya Alkhansa uses brushes, then sharper rim shots, on the drums. As cellist Jacqueline Ultan bows faster and faster, Shahghasemi throws her voice to the skies. It’s an awe-inspiring piece. Shahghasemi told Marla Khan-Schwartz about the political and social meanings behind her music in a recent Sahan Journal article. – Cecilia Johnson 

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn, “Vantablack”

After releasing one of the best albums of 2021, Second Line, Dawn Richard has released a new album with her frequent collaborator and band member Spencer Zahn. Together, they built Pigments, a dream-like blend of jazz and R&B. Richard shared a statement about the project, saying, “I feel like the tools that I and other people like me were dealt weren’t shiny, yet we still painted these beautiful pictures. This album is what it means to be a dreamer and finally reach a place where you’ve decided to love the pigments you have.”

Playlist