Pure X Return With New Album, Share New Songs: Listen

Local Afrikaans pop group Die Heuwels Fantasties have become a vital part of South African music culture in recent years, and the success of their recent singles ‘Jy Stel My Teleur’ en die ‘Mejuffrou Sonneblom’ has only proven that the group is, without a doubt, one of the country’s most talented and versatile bands.

The 2016 release of Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam Batmanglij’s collaborative album, I Had a Dream That You Were Mine, yielded the indie-rock hit “A 1000 Times” and scored an iPhone synch for “In a Black Out.” But after, Leithauser — who released his debut solo album in 2014 after nearly 14 years as lead singer of The Walkmen — struggled to record and release new work. The music came easily, but the lyrics... not at all.

The Strokes named their latest album “The New Abnormal” well before knowing what our new normal would be.

Like just about every scripted show on television this year, New Amsterdam had its season interrupted by coronavirus. As a result, we didn't see everything the show had planned, including a pandemic-themed episode set in New York that was shelved after people in the show's crew — including recurring star Daniel Dae Kim — contracted the virus. With the global crisis hitting so close to home, you better believe that the show's next season is going to incorporate COVID-19 into its storylines.

Bishop Nehru has released a new song that was produced by and features a guest appearance from MF DOOM. It’s called “Meathead,” and you can hear it below. The new track is set to appear on the New York rapper-producer’s new album Nehruvia: My Disregarded Thoughts, which is out May 8.

Fiona Apple has released her first new album in eight years. Listen to Fetch The Bolt Cutters below.

Bon Iver are back with a new song called “PDLIF,” which is an abbreviation for “Please Don’t Live in Fear.” Listen to it below. Proceeds from the song will go to Direct Relief, who offer support to health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The drought is over.

21 Savage and Summer Walker have joined forces for the new single “Secret.” It’s the second collaboration from the Atlanta artists: Last year, they both appeared on Jhené Aiko’s “Triggered (freestyle) Remix.” Listen to “Secret,” produced by Kid Hazel, below.

Big Thief have shared a new collection of demos. Demos Vol. 1 - Topanga Canyon, CA - Feb 2018 features five songs, including three that have never been released and two that appeared on Adrianne Lenker’s 2018 album abysskiss. The sessions eventually led to the albums U.F.O.F. and Two Hands.

Last year, Chromatics released their new album Closer to Grey. The album was dubbed the band’s “seventh” album. Their 2012 album Kill for Love was their fifth, and, with a new announcement today, it looks like Johnny Jewel just might finally release the album he’s been teasing for over five years: Dear Tommy.

Naeem Juwan, the Baltimore-born and Los Angeles–based artist formerly known as Spank Rock, has announced his new album Startisha. The LP is out June 12 via 37d03d. According to a press release, Naeem began working on Startisha four years ago in Philadelphia. He later continued work on the record at Justin Vernon’s home studio. Startisha features contributions from Vernon, Francis and the Lights, Ryan Olson, Swamp Dogg, Velvet Negroni, Amanda Blank, and Micah James.

Car Seat Headrest have shared the latest song from the new album Making a Door Less Open. This one is called “Hollywood,” and it arrives with a new video directed by Sabrina Nichols. Watch it below.

Bing & Ruth, the project led of New York composer David Moore, has announced a new album. Species is out July 17 via 4AD. Moore’s also shared a new video for the new song “I Had No Dream.” Watch it below.

Amnesia Scanner—the Berlin-based duo of Ville Haimala and Martti Kalliala—are back with a new album. It’s called Tearless and it’s set to arrive on June 5 via PAN. Listen to “AS Going” from the LP below. The new album, which follows up their 2018 full-length Another Life, features Lalita, Code Orange, and LYZZA.

Joan Shelley has released a new live album, recorded in Louisville, Kentucky in December. The full-band performance includes guitarist Nathan Salsburg, Nathan Bowles, Jake Xerxes Fussell, and Anna Krippenstapel, plus guest appearances by Will Oldham and Julia Purcell. Listen to Live at The Bomhard below.

The Strokes are back with The New Abnormal. The New York City rock band’s sixth studio album is produced by Rick Rubin and marks the group’s first full-length release in seven years.

Phoebe Bridgers has announced her sophomore solo album: Punisher is out June 19 via Dead Oceans. The follow-up to Stranger in the Alps includes “Garden Song,” as well as a new track called “Kyoto.” Check out Bridgers’ new “Kyoto” video below. Find physical editions of Punisher at Rough Trade. (Pitchfork may earn a commission from purchases made through affiliate links on our site.)

Over a decade after their 2009 debut album II, Desire—the project fronted by Megan Louise—have announced their second album. It’s called Escape, and it arrives this summer via Italians Do It Better. The album was produced by Johnny Jewel. Check out the tracklist in the Instagram post below. Plus, watch the Johnny Jewel–directed video for the title track.

Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes are both self-isolating due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t meant they aren’t working on new music for their band Quasi. They’ve started a new video series called “Quarantine Demos” where they share songs they recorded while recording in their respective basements. Watch the first installment, a new song called “Wrotten Rock,” below. “We can get through this crazy mess together,” Weiss wrote.