Upcoming albums to be on the lookout for this summer

Grace Wartman

Music Journalist

My friends and I are leaving Sewell Park with more bug bites each day which is infuriating but also a friendly reminder that summer is creeping up on us – thanks bugs!

As the temperatures rise, albums are dropping – lots of them. From an album suggestion tease to a full affirmative announcement, this summer is looking like a hot one in terms of the new music we’re getting. Without further ado, here’s a handful of albums to look out for over the summer.

Charli XCX – brat

Starting off with the summer album that I personally am most excited about is pop diva CharliXCX’s sixth studio album entitled “brat.” Charli has been blowing me away lately, from her killer Boiler Room set (I’ve probably contributed around 150 of the 1.9 million views it’s racked up on YouTube) to the sizzling brat singles she’s been releasing leading up to the album’s drop. Her Boiler Room set teased a handful of the “brat” songs that have yet to hit streaming platforms, including “Talk talk” and “365”, leaving me even more excited for the new album. I wouldn’t consider the album sound she’s been teasing as new, but an extension of progress she’s already made – a stretch of methods and style that have proved successful for her in the past. Whatever “brat” ends up being, June 7 can’t come soon enough and I’m sure Charli’s fans can all attest to that.

A.G. Cook – Britpop

Going from Charli to Charli’s previous executive producer, the next upcoming album to check out is A.G. Cook’s “Britpop.” The two artists go way back and have supported one another throughout their careers and man do they Cook up great stuff together. Cook has also collaborated with Beyonce, where he co-wrote and co-produced elements of Renaissance. The bulk of his work is in collaboration with other artists, and this is Cook’s first solo album since Apple, which was released in 2020. He’s constantly putting out music and it never fails to leave me starstruck by his experimentation and innovation. The vigor of his talent is pulling pop in a different direction, and I’m stoked to hear what Britpop has in store when the album drops on May 10.

Crumb – AMAMA 

Every Crumb listening experience I have is always the same: I’m a small child again making chalk art on my parent’s driveway. Their music is distinct in its imagery, ceaselessly sweet to hear and packed with feels of warm weather and sharp colors – truly a perfect group to release an album as summer kicks off. The four-piece formed in Boston in 2015 and have produced two albums, making “AMAMA” their third. Crumb has so far released three singles that will be featured on the album entitled “AMAMA,” “Crushxd” and “Dust Bunny” – all of which have been extremely well-crafted and immediate adds to my “liked songs. Across all of their music, they remain consistent with a juxtaposition between their lyrics and upbeat sound, conveying how things can be delightful until you look further (at the Spotify lyrics tab). The words they sing are beautiful in a way polar to the simple prettiness of how they sound, deepening the complexity of their music and speaking highly of their ability to create balance and narrative. “AMAMA” will be available on streaming platforms May 17.