We recommend: The best new global music

Editor’s note: We’ve pulled together the best new tracks and albums—both international and Indian—that dropped in the last four weeks. Tune into September’s playlist on splainer’s Spotify.

‘Omega (feat. Ralphie Choo)’ by ROSALÍA: This is a ballad from the Spanish singer with her album producer Ralphie Choo. She sings about Omega—which represents “the celebration of having found what you wanted and the security with which one decides to stay.” The song was a gift to her fans on her birthday (which was last week)—and shows off Rosalia's prettiest high notes.

‘The Emptiness Machine’ by Linkin Park: This surprise release marks the return of hard rock/rap metal icons—seven years since the passing of their original lead singer Chester Bennington. With replacement Emily Armstrong in tow, this single seamlessly blends what are often considered six stylistically disparate eras of the band. 

‘Honesty’ by Nelly Furtado: Speaking of comebacks, here’s a Canadian legend known for embracing her Portuguese roots. Her new album ‘7’ sounds far removed from the world-music feel of her early work and the Timbaland-produced tracks of her heyday. Regardless, we love her evolved exploration of dance pop.

‘Shock to the System’ by Daughtry: This is some no-nonsense electronic rock with chunky guitarwork and simple yet hard-hitting lyrics. Rest assured, frontman Chris has come a long, long way since finishing fourth on American Idol—shocking the system. 

‘Cartoon Buyer’ by Serj Tankian: It’s been 20 frustrating years since we last got a new full-length record from the Armenian diaspora’s finest, System of a Down. But this solo offering from their politically outspoken lead vocalist is a worthy substitute, replete with his signature progressive-punk aesthetic.

‘Floods of Triton’ by Mastodon & Lamb of God: Collaborations of this scale are few and far between in metal, so when they do happen, it’s a big deal. This one-off single blends Mastodon’s sludgy solos with Lamb of God’s pounding grooves, while Troy Sanders and Randy Blythe trade brutal blows by way of their seasoned harsh vocals. More, please!  

‘Compose’ by LADIPOE & taves: Two masterful Nigerian rappers collaborate to compose—hehe geddit?—this feel-good Afrobeats bop that won’t necessarily “make your head explode” but features the most earwormy hi hat sampling this side of Lagos.

‘Truck Still Works’ by Brad Paisley: Country’s definitive guitar god has done a lil throwback by releasing a spiritual sequel to his 1994 hit ‘Mud on the Tires’. There’s a timeless quality to this as Paisley sticks to his knack for a delicious lick set to catchy hooks. 

‘Sahi’ by Alboe: This Dilliwaala DJ has found an unlikely sweet spot between elements of desi classical music and European house, in a track that also feels partly reminiscent of The Weeknd’s 2022 hit ‘Take My Breath’. Designed for you to get lost in a trance, perhaps, but we aren’t complaining.

‘Karta Kya Hai’ by Karma: Part of a new short-and-sweet EP, this track is a triumph of sampling and tempo changes. Hailing from Dehradun, the rapper is quick to answer critics of his career choices and—thanks to a cool Raftaar feature—has created a nifty desi-fied companion piece to Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Family Ties’.  

‘Locusts’ by Ulver: This is the first major release by the Norwegian experimental avant-garde outfit since the passing of longtime keyboardist Tore Ylvisaker. Serving as a bittersweet tribute, this track continues to push their unique cocktail of ‘80s-inspired synthpop and art rock—with a healthy dose of effortlessly delivered existentialism. 

‘My Forever’ by Sophie feat. Cecile Believe: The spectre of loss hangs over this British dancepop producer’s self-titled sophomore album. Her brother put its finishing touches together, after her accidental death in 2021. A track like ‘My Forever’ would not look out of place on a classic Depeche Mode album—such was the standard at which Sophie operated—and serves as a painful reminder of an immense talent gone far too soon.

September 2024’s best albums

‘The Force’ by LL Cool J: Here’s a blast from the past—this Long Island local helped pioneer the golden age of rap but hadn’t made anything remotely acceptable in nearly 30 years. Until now, that is, with a little help in the producer’s chair from fellow East Coast legend Q-Tip—whose beats nail that difficult middle ground between the old-school boom bap nods and still sounding hella fresh. This is one of September’s welcome surprises.

‘Harlequin’ by Lady Gaga: This companion piece to her starring role in ‘Joker: Folie À Deux’ sees the pop star reimagine many a vintage show tune—from Louis Armstrong’s to Frank Sinatra’s—and add two of her own compositions. She doesn’t quite scale the heights of Peter Cat Recording Co.’s debut album or T-Pain’s covers, but her past decade of collabs with jazz legend Tony Bennett have come in perfect use. The arrangements are just exquisite and don’t require you to see the film to appreciate.

‘Chain of Light’ by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: It seems appropriate to end this sombre September list with another posthumous release. This ‘new’ record by the Pakistani maestro was considered lost to history—until it was rediscovered in the tape archives of the Peter Gabriel-owned Real World Records. You should already know by now to expect groundbreaking qawwali brilliance from all things NFAK. It’s present in droves here too—10-minute tracks’ worth—so just dive in!

PS: Standout tracks from each album have been added to splainer’s September 2024 playlist on Spotify!