Just when we thought we saw the worst of it, the Summer scoffed, laughed even, as it turned up the dial to record highs that break through glass windows and sizzle anything in its path. July was a brutally hot month, both literally and figuratively, as we were blessed with some blazing New Music Friday selections, and the month is ending the same way it started. Even with the holiday break, July still managed to fit in a plethora of new releases, and its hot streak continues today. This week, we have attention-demanding new releases from some of Hip-hop’s finest, next to refreshing takes on modern country, all carrying a hint of innovation.
You can check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new music, and be sure to check out our Caustic Spotify playlist for July to catch up on some of the most exciting music of the last month.
Mádé Kuti – “After The Tears Flow”
Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From?
The day has finally arrived for multi-instrumentalist Mádé Kuti to make his triumphant return, and the streets are lined with marching bands blaring triumphs and confetti blotting the sun. Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From? is an ambitious, sprawling effort from the Afrobeat icon, with jagged twists and unexpected turns that are all soothed out by one soulful performance after another. “After The Tears Flow” is the cinematic closer with sweeping horns that reach blistering tempos as nimble drum patterns drive this chaotically blissful highlight from a moving LP.
Night Moves – “State Sponsored Psychosis”
Double Life
On their fourth album, Minneapolis-based Night Moves open their souls to create vulnerable, pop-tinted rock that shines like a neon sign out front of a diner on a rainy night. Double Life is a movie piece of modern pop-rock fusion that glistens with synth-driven anthems that cover the full spectrum of the human experience. “State Sponsored Psychosis” features soaring falsettos that jump off cascading keys, dancing with wonky guitar riffs, and offering a taste of subtle experimentation from Night Moves.
Far Caspian – “A Drawing Of The Sun”
Autofiction
On their third album, Far Caspian finds solace in shoegaze-style textures and moody vocal performances, as bandleader Joel Johnston assembles a heady LP of mesmerizing psychedelia. Autofiction acts as a looming storm cloud that promises a downpour, with Johnston’s distant vocals acting as a thin hood, protecting us from the onslaught of fuzzed-out guitars. “A Drawing Of The Sun” is an early favorite from the LP, with an emotional vocal performance that becomes palpable when mixed with the swaying drum patterns.
Cory Hanson – “I Don’t Believe You”
I Love People
Wand’s Cory Hanson has been busy over the past two years, and he continues his prolific streak with I Love People. The 11-song LP is a sweeping exploration of modern relationships and how a touch of humanity goes a long way. Hanson ponders these deep thoughts over a wide range of sonic terrains, ranging from blissful piano ballads to soulful pieces of country. “I Don’t Believe You” is an emotional highlight from the LP that finds Hanson leaning on a lack of trust to craft a moving ballad with jazzy undertones.
Patty Griffin – “I Know a Way”
Crown Of Roses
After decades of proving to be a vital part of modern folk, Patty Griffin still finds the inspiration to pen her latest touching, sparse LP. Crown of Roses is eight emotional examples of Griffin’s prowess as the artist shifts through the full range of human emotions to emerge with poignant and potent stories. “I Know a Way” is a breezy, passionate stand-out that features one of the more fleshed-out arrangements on the album. Griffin’s vocals stumble emotionally over distant guitar riffs and folksy, atmospheric textures for an intoxicating performance from a veteran songwriter.
Tyler Childers – “Bitin’ List”
Snipe Hunter
Country music has gone through a lot of changes over the past few years, but one of its brightest, most innovative stars has returned to remind us that it isn’t all pop-leaning love songs. Tyler Childers is back with Snipe Hunter, his expansive new effort that finds the artist removing himself from the modern hustle of the genre to craft 13 genuine, twangy anthems. “Bitin’ List” is just the start of the refreshing approach that drives Snipe Hunter. The infectious anthem displays an imaginative means of revenge as Childers’s vocals navigate toe-tapping tempos and firework-style crescendoes.
Devon Allman & Jimmy Hall – “Wang Dang Doodle”
The Blues Summit
The modern blues boundary-pusher Devon Allman returns with a highly collaborative LP brimming with jaw-dropping guitar work that lends to both danceable and heartbreaking examples of Allman’s prowess. The Blues Summit finds Allman and a select cast of musicians putting on a clinic of their lofty visions for the future of blues as they implement folksy storytelling and jazzy swings into the blues-rock tradition. “Wang Dang Doodle” is the Jimmy Hall-assisted stand-out that finds Allman diving into his blues-rock roots for a dusty performance fit for a long road trip or a dance hall.
Tyler, The Creator – “Sucka Free”
DON’T TAP THE GLASS
Tyler, The Creator returns only a short few months after the success of his Chromakopia LP to showcase exactly how he separated himself from his peers. DON’T TAP THE GLASS is a living, breathing, danceable LP that encourages the listener to shed themselves of modern trappings, such as technology and social standards, and simply march to the beat of your drum. The quick yet potent LP is the latest creative incarnation of Tyler, The Creator, as he sheds high-brow concepts to craft a fun-loving album brimming with high-level rapping and groovy production work. “Sucka Free” is an ode to the West Coast, one that raised the artist as he employs hints of P-funk to craft a beautifully intricate example of just how singular and important Tyler, The Creator is in modern music.
Cody Jinks – “Lost Highway”
In My Blood
One of the more prolific artists of any genre, Cody Jinks is here with his first album of 2025. In My Blood finds the outlaw country star bringing the genre back to its roots while putting his spin on the tropes picked up along the way. The 11-song album highlights the nuances that make Jinks so unique in the burgeoning modern country scene, although the artist never seems overly concerned about what other artists are doing. “Lost Highway” emphasizes the desperado lifestyle Jinks has employed for himself as he travels down a never-ending road in hopes of finding a sense of home and self.
Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band – “Mutilation Springs”
New Threats From The Soul
On their second album, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band prove to be far from another twangy, indie rock outfit. New Threats From The Soul is a comprehensive look at all the colors and wonders that are set to make Davis and company a modern marvel as they grasp at lofty visions and spin them into seven off-kilter examples of the band’s individuality. “Mutilation Springs” is a nearly 12-minute journey through ambient solace as Davis’s acrobatic vocals warp around an unpredictable arrangement filled with tempo and mood shifts.
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – “Lavish Habits”
Alfredo 2
One of Hip-hop’s most prolific producers is back chopping samples and looping melodies for one of the genre’s most feared and dedicated lyricists. Freddie Gibbs is back with The Alchemist for Alfredo 2, the anticipated follow-up to their 2020 collaborative LP, but there is a dark cloud looming over the duo’s stellar new project. It is almost as if Gibbs screamed into the void before recording every verse, giving the artist’s voice a sinister growl as he funnels that frustration into 14 aggressively hypnotic examples of pure chemistry. “Lavis Habits” finds Gibbs skating over psychedelic guitar riffs with a surgical gusto as the artist pens a slow-burning, braggadocious anthem.
Sloan – “Dream Destroyer”
Based on the Best Seller
The longevity of Canadian rock four-piece, Sloan, should never be in question, but the band is back with yet another reminder as to why their career has stood the test of time. The band’s new album, Based on the Best Seller, is set to be released on September 26, and the nostalgic swing of “Dream Destroyer” is our latest single. The new tune is a distorted, warping collection of groovy melodies that toe the line between the past and Sloan’s present, leaving an earworm of a single in its wake.
Mac DeMarco – “Holy”
Guitar
One of modern music’s most beloved figures is gearing up for a return to form, as Mac DeMarco prepares to release his latest creation. The artist’s new album, Guitar, will arrive on August 22, and the spacious yet emotional “Holy” is our latest preview. The sparse new single leaves just enough room for DeMarco’s gentle vocal and wonky guitar chords, as the heaviness of the lyrics fills up the rest of this rejuvenating single.
Bitchin Bajas – “Skylarking”
Inland See
After the release of their landmark 2022 album, Bitchin Bajas hit the road, and they returned home with the anticipated follow-up. The band’s new album, Inland See, is set to be released on September 26, and “Skylarking” is our lead single. The electro-ambient tune is a mesmerizing display of minimalism as the band makes the whimsy of the performance all the more immersive.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – “Bad Like Me”
Hard Road
Modern blues fusion mastermind Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is preparing the anticipated release of his third album, and with every single released, the excitement begins to thicken the air. Hard Road will be released on September 26, and “Bad Like Me” is the rocking new single that will turn anyone into an instant fan of Ingram. The bluesy, rock outing showcases the artist’s guitar prowess, with a vocal performance that falls somewhere between soulful and rugged, lending “Bad Like Me” its distinct personality.
