September 2024 Vinyl Releases
September 2024 Vinyl Releases
Highlighting records out this month that I’m excited about. For upcoming vinyl releases sent to your inbox every month, subscribe below.
Nilüfer Yanya - My Method Actor
Get Vinyl: Amber | Green
The headlining release of the week is none other than budding British rockstar Nilüfer Yanya, whose PAINLESS was one of my favorite albums of 2022, evoking memories of Silent Alarm-era Bloc Party.
On her third album, My Method Actor, the 29-year-old continues her unstoppable rise. With lush arrangements, wild chord changes, and seamless transitions from smooth, jazzy sections to crunchy guitars riffs, Nilüfer can do no wrong right now.
The near-title track “Method Actor” is a standout, packed with her signature gritty guitar work and vocal harmonies that will light up your brain with dopamine.
Floating Points - Cascade
Get Vinyl: Universal Sparkle | Black
After serenading us into a 46-minute trance on Promises with the legend Pharoah Sanders, Sam Shepherd, a.k.a. Floating Points, is back to shift gears. Cascade, out today via Ninja Tune, transports us from ambient dreams to the pulsating dancefloor of his Crush era. These nine tracks burn slow, igniting with synthy rhythms and glitchy textures, giving Shepherd the room to let his grooves stretch and evolve.
London Grammar - The Greatest Love
Get Vinyl: Black with Signed Insert | Yellow | Deluxe with Hardcover Book
Hannah Reid, firmly etched in my Mount Rushmore of active female vocalists, returns with that unmistakable voice to bless us with The Greatest Love. If you haven’t already bathed in the ethereal beauty of their debut If You Wait, drop everything and fix that now. On their fourth album, it’s the deep cuts that truly shine—“You and I,” “Rescue,” and the stunning title track are already carving out their own corners in my favorites list.
Nada Surf - Moon Mirror
Get Vinyl: Blue and White Handpour
Three decades in, and Nada Surf are still out here flexing like it's their prime. Moon Mirror, their 10th album, drops today and might just be their best in over a decade. These guys are masters of delivering lush melodies, sharp verses, and those choruses you can’t shake. “New Propeller” is already in heavy rotation—a melancholic reflection on the fear of AI and the relentless pace of change, echoing a moody, Death Cab for Cutie-esque vibe.
Dummy - Free Energy
Get Vinyl: Exploding Universe | Inverse Hyperspace | Black
After streaming it all week, Dummy’s Free Energy lands on vinyl today. The LA outfit’s second album oscillates between a wall of shoegaze fuzz and sticky dream pop hooks—with a literal nod to "pop." Bubble-popping sound effects are sprinkled throughout, and even the album cover shows a bubble mid-pop, perfectly capturing the fun, effervescent vibe.
In a shoegaze scene that’s getting crowded, Free Energy floats above the noise.
Foxing - Foxing
Get Vinyl: Ice Blue with Black Splatter
St. Louis rockers Foxing go self-titled for their fifth album, and it feels like a declaration. Once an emo quartet, they now lean heavily into hardcore, with thunderous crescendos and cathartic screams that channel TV on the Radio at their most intense.
I wasn’t sold on their last record, but this one hits home right from the first listen. Eight-minute epic “Greyhound” is a head-banger with crunchy guitars, evoking serious Brand New The Devil and God... vibes, while “Gratitude” might just be the best song in their catalog.
julie - my anti-aircraft friend
Get Vinyl: Black
When LA’s teenage art collective julie dropped their first single “Flutter” in 2020, they were just hoping for a thousand streams. Fast forward a few million plays later, and they’re opening for Foo Fighters, Alex G, and Faye Webster. Not bad for the new kid on the ’90s guitar revival block.
Their debut album my anti-aircraft friend has been a half decade in the making, and that patience has paid off with a fully realized, raw sound. It’s all about contrasts here—loud, crashing choruses melt into hushed verses, as walls of sound crumble into brooding silences, with lyrics tapping into the anxieties of growing up in the shadow of a global pandemic.
The War on Drugs - Live Drugs Again
Get Vinyl: Blue or Black
What a time to be alive alongside The War on Drugs, one of the best live acts on the planet. Their second live album, Live Drugs Again, drops today, featuring career-spanning classics from across their six albums. The first Live Drugs might be the best-sounding live record in my entire collection, so you can imagine how hyped I am for this follow-up.
Frontman Adam Granduciel’s perfectionism is the stuff of legend—endless revisions, rewrites, and years of tinkering go into every album. Turns out, that same obsession extends to their live releases. He sifted through 100 hours of recordings to create the ultimate live experience, even splicing together different parts of the same song from various shows. Case in point: the “Under The Pressure” version here is a Frankenstein of six different performances, all stitched together for maximum impact.
The band is doing a new wrinkle with this vinyl release I’ve never seen before. They’ve hidden 666 blue vinyl records among the 2,500 standard black pressings. Let the hunt begin!
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days (10th Anniversary)
Get Vinyl: Holographic
Salad Days is the album that launched a 23-year-old Mac DeMarco into the spotlight and inspired a legion of laid-back, stoner rock imitators. It’s the quintessential backyard BBQ soundtrack, with “Chamber of Reflection” cemented as an all-timer.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, this vinyl reissue pairs the original album with the 14 Salad Days Demos, spread across two holographic vinyl that look cool as hell. If you’re a fan, this one’s a must-have. ⬇️
Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die (30th Anniversary)
Get Vinyl: Blue and Orange | Black
Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album turns thirty years old today! To celebrate, Rhino Records is reissuing the classic on orange and blue vinyl in a gatefold with newly reimagined cover art.
Ready to Die showcases Biggie's impeccable flow and effortless charm as he navigates crime, ambition, and the looming shadow of death with a poetic grace few could rival. The album’s cohesive narrative, coupled with the perfect balance of gritty realism and radio-friendly bangers, puts Ready to Die in the discussion for the greatest hip-hop album of all time.
Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (50th Anniversary)
Get Vinyl: Metallic Gold
Frank Zappa was a machine, releasing 62 albums during his lifetime, with the Zappa Family Trust adding 66 more since his passing—bringing the total to a staggering 128. Among this vast catalog, Apostrophe stands as one of his most beloved works, and today it gets a well-deserved facelift for its 50th anniversary.
This remastered edition—handled by the legendary Bernie Grundman—comes on metallic gold vinyl, complete with a book of new essays and never-before-seen photos. A must-have for Zappa fans and vinyl collectors alike.
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Art Blakey!!!!! Jazz Messengers!!!!! (Verve by Request Series)
Get Vinyl: Black
Let’s hop in a time machine and travel back over 60 years to 1961, where Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers are in full flight. This first sextet lineup—including a young Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Bobby Timmons, and Jymie Merritt—delivers a note-perfect explosion of beauty from the first bars of the instantly recognizable “Alamode.”
Remastered from the original analog tapes and pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Jack White’s Third Man Records in Detroit, this Verve By Request reissue is like bringing a slice of jazz history right into your living room.
Indigo De Souza - I Love My Mom (Reissue)
Get Vinyl: Rose Quartz
Indigo De Souza’s 2018 debut I Love My Mom is back, reissued on stunning rose quartz vinyl. The album opens with a killer 1-2 punch: “How I Get Myself Killed” and “Take Off Ur Pants,” both showcasing Indigo’s knack for blending dark themes with raw, unconventional songwriting. The latter track features drums and guitar from fellow Asheville standout MJ Lenderman, who also produced the album. MJ’s new album Manning Fireworks is currently #2 on our Album of the Year leaderboard.
And speaking of leaderboards, if you need more proof of Indigo’s brilliance, her latest album All Of This Will End landed at #31 in our 100 Best Records of 2023 book.
