Skip to content
New Music

10 Albums You Can Hear Now: Justin Timberlake, Low, Suede, Major Lazer, and More

justin timberlake, 20/20 experience

This week’s round of ready-to-stream albums includes Justin Timberlake’s much-anticipated The 20/20 Experience, Suede’s first proper studio album in 11 years, Low’s Jeff Tweedy-produced The Invisible Way, and seven others. Hear them all below.

1) Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience. “The 20/20 Experience is luxurious, but above all it luxuriates in the bliss of love. Except for the blisteringly funky ‘Let the Groove Get In,’ the album floats along on a very mild tempo — you get the sense that Timberlake is in no rush to do anything but enjoy the company of his wife. If FutureSex/LoveSounds was for the club, then its follow up is staked on songs… that make you want to bask in the warm glow of a weekend afternoon.” — SPIN (via iTunes)

2) Major Lazer, Lazer Strikes Back Vol. 2. “As a lead up to Major Lazer’s upcoming sophomore LP Free The Universe… Diplo and co. enlist, among others, of-the-moment producers like Blood Diamonds and Flosstradamus… to take on newish tracks like ‘Get Free,’ among others.” (via the Fader)

3) Suede, Bloodsports. “It’s frankly a little surprising how great Bloodsports sounds — perhaps even better than the comeback albums by Marr, Shields or Bowie, [frontman Brett] Anderson’s thin white role model. Anderson’s New Romantics redux sounds as melodramatic and persuasive as ever… and he can still belt out choruses with the best of them. The opening one-two punch of ‘Barriers’ and ‘Snowblind’ is greatest-hits material, and the rest of the album doesn’t lag far behind.” (via NPR)

4) Low, The Invisible Way. “[Producer Jeff Tweedy] wisely dials up the interplay between [guitarist Alan] Sparhawk and [drummer Mimi] Parker — who’s too often underutilized on Low records — while letting bits of piano and spare percussive rumbles provide the portent. ‘So Blue’ and ‘Just Make It Stop’ give The Invisible Way a bit of a jolt by laying Parker’s vocals atop unusually jumpy arrangements, but most of these songs land squarely in that sweet spot where darkness and worry are swathed in pristine beauty.” (via NPR)

5) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Specter at the Feast. “From smooth, melodic tracks like ‘Lullaby’ to the powerful driving beat and wailing guitar of ‘Rival’ and the head-banging metal on ‘Teenage Disease,’ [Specter at the Feast] charts the varied sounds the band have adopted during their 15-year career.” (via Rolling Stone)

6) Hit-Boy with HS87, All I’ve Ever Dreamed Of. “The super producer enlists a handful of guests including Travi$ Scott, 2 Chainz, Juicy J, Common, Robin Thicke and more… standout posse cut ‘Cypher’ [features] Kent M$NEY, Audio Push, B Mac the Queen, ScHoolboy Q, Casey Veggies, Xzibit, Rick Ross, Method Man, Redman, and Raekwon. — HipHopDX (via Myspace)

7) Artifact, Cologne Tracks. “[Cologne Tracks] is closer to footwork than the swung techno of Artifact’s past singles, with most cuts falling in the 150-160bpm tempo range… it hangs together nicely, with closer ‘Phat Odyssey,’ ‘I Leich,’ and ‘White Space Conflict’ [feeling like] immediate stand-outs.” (via FACT)

8) Various Artists, Whatever It Is You’re Doing Now. “Whatever It Is You’re Doing Now [is] a limited-edition compilation containing 100 minutes — and two cassettes — of mostly unreleased music by 19 bands from [Mirror Universe Tapes’] backyard and beyond. Previously unheard material by Lust for Youth, Xander Harris, Headaches, and Slasher Film Festival Strategy shares time with already-previewed tracks by Southern Femisphere, Boring Portals, M. Sage, and more. The sound ranges from garage-rock to ambient drones, with plenty of worthwhile stops in between.” (via SPIN)

9) Harry Fraud, Adrift. “[Adrift features] some of [Harry Fraud’s] most notable productions and 10 previously unreleased songs. The mixtape features French Montana, Rick Ross, Diddy, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Pusha T, Curren$y and more.” (via DatPiff)

10) Aidan Baker, Already Drowning. “Near-nine-minute opener ‘Already Drowning’ begins with jazzy quietness before swelling to a noise-soaked climax, while ’30 Days/30 Nights’ builds to dreamy crescendos and ‘Mein Zwilling, Mein Verlorener’ is anchored by mellow acoustic plucking.” (via Exclaim!)