This week, hear Blonde Redhead’s first new music since 2014, plus new tunes from Elle King and Jean Dawson. Plus, get to know the sounds of Nashville’s Briston Maroney, Britain’s Billie Marten, and Minnesota’s KC Rae — the solo project of Now Now’s KC Dalager.

Briston Maroney, “Body”

Southern comfort is coming your way courtesy of Briston Maroney. His new album, ULTRAPURE, will be out September 22. The new song, “Body,” almost feels like an introduction of himself; full of stories about his life and what he believes.  

Billie Marten, “This Is How We Move”

At the age of 12, Billie Marten uploaded a video to YouTube of herself singing … and a career blossomed. Now in her twenties, Marten has released her fourth album, Drop Cherries, and her talent for writing has only grown. It’s full of gentle and expressive music about love, like the song, “This Is How We Move.”

Jean Dawson, “youth+”

Jean Dawson is an artist who pulls out intriguing influences and can meld into any style. His latest, “youth+,” seems to pull from the melodic post-punk era of Joy Division; it’s a song that talks about death, depression, religion, and how music can take you out of a dark place.

Elle King, “Jersey Giant”

The gritty, smoky voice of Elle King has always felt a little bit country, she made it official earlier this year with the release of a full country album, Come Get Your Wife. To help step fully into that country world, she’s covered country star Tyler Childers’ unreleased song, “Jersey Giant.” It’s full of unfaithful women and drinking — pretty much hitting all the notes, and King’s rasp gives it a fully lived vibrant honesty.

KC Rae, “Blockbuster”

Minnesota native KC Rae (KC Dalager of Now Now) wanted to “highlight and display all of these little instances of growing up that you don’t realize are going to stick with you.” A specific memory triggered a song that has a wistful, nostalgic sweetness. That new tune, “Blockbuster,” is an airy song that has the ephemeral quality of a memory. 

Blonde Redhead, “Snowman”

Veterans of the indie college radio scene, Blonde Redhead create layered musical puzzles, mixing shoegaze and bedroom pop in the late ‘90s and into the aughts. Sit Down For Dinner, the 10th album from the band, is their first new music since 2014 and is part of a five-year process dealing with death and how life can change quickly. “Snowman” is “about how it can be a blessing or a curse to be invisible and undetectable, and how it’s something we all feel and desire at times.”

Playlist