10 new albums to listen to in August

Bugland is No Joy’s first release in five years, after 2020’s Motherhood. Over the years, No Joy transitioned from a full band to the solo project of Jasamine White-Gluz, expanding their musical horizons in the process. On Bugland, White-Gluz teamed up with Chicago-based producer Fire-Toolz to hone her signature shoegaze-with-a-twist sound. “The collaboration really felt limitless,” Fire-Toolz said in a press release. “I didn’t have to adhere to a certain vision in a way that made me feel like I couldn’t be Fire-Toolz. I could easily relate to this album because Jasamine and I liked a lot of the same music, and I was able to be creative in ways that were freeing as if I was making my own album.”

Alt-metal mainstays Deftones burst back onto the scene earlier this month with the announcement of their 10th album, private music. Bassist Sergio Vega, who took over from late founding Deftones member Chi Cheng in 2009, left the band before recording private music. Touring bassist Fred Sablan stepped into the studio with vocalist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, drummer Abe Cunningham, and keyboardist Frank Delgado instead. But the lineup change hasn’t stopped the band from charging forward; the first single from private music, “my mind is a mountain,” goes just as hard as their early music.

Mac DeMarco may be known for his laid-back indie slacker vibes, but behind that persona, he’s got an intense work ethic. For his sixth album, Guitar, DeMarco took his usual DIY ethos a step further. In addition to recording, writing, and producing the album by himself (only the mastering was done by another person, David Ives), he also shot all the music videos and artwork on his own, too. And that effort clearly resonates with his fans: His worldwide tour dates through the end of the year are entirely sold out. DeMarco said in a press release, “I think Guitar is as close to a true representation of where I’m at in my life today as I can manage to put to paper. I’m happy to share this music, and look forward to playing these songs as many places as I’m able.”

After the breakout success of his debut album, Erotic Probiotic 2, in 2023, Marcus Brown, a.k.a. Nourished By Time, didn’t waste any time on the follow-up. He released an EP, Catching Chickens, in 2024, and now he’s back with his sophomore album, The Passionate Ones. Brown characterizes his sound as “post r&b,” a blend of lo-fi aesthetics with R&B vocals. Like Erotic Probiotic 2, The Passionate Ones is an inherently political album; an album note describes it as “a sermon, a twelve-track catharsis, howled from the underbelly of late-stage capitalism, a blueprint for building your own altar in the ruins of the American Dream.”

Straight Line Was A Lie is New Zealand indie rockers The Beths’ first album for their new record label, ANTI-. As she was writing the album, lead singer Elizabeth Stokes began taking an antidepressant for the first time, which gave her a new perspective. “I was kind of dealing with a new brain, and I feel like I write very instinctually,” she said in a press release. “It was kind of like my instincts were just a little different, they weren’t as panicky.” That led to a more insightful, introspective album than anything the band has released in the past—though Stokes’ clever lyrics are still front and center.

It’s not much of a surprise that Blood Orange, the solo project of British musician Devonté Hynes, pulled together a murderer’s row of collaborators for his new album, Essex Honey. Outside of his own music, Hynes is a prolific producer and guest musician. In 2024, he guested on tracks from Erika De Casier and Liam Benzvi, and in the past, he’s worked with artists like FKA twigs, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Turnstile. Even though we haven’t gotten a full track listing for Essex Honey yet, the singles so far have been pretty enticing, with assists from Lorde, Caroline Polachek, Daniel Caesar, and more.

Swedish garage rock weirdos The Hives return with The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, a follow-up to their 2023 comeback album The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons. Really, “new Hives album” should be all the information you need, but if you’re still on the fence, consider that the first single, “Enough Is Enough,” opens with this beautiful line: “Everyone’s a little fuckin’ bitch / And I’m getting sick and tired of this.” “Who in their right mind would start a song like this? No one but the Hives,” the band said in a press release. “They are here again sooner than you expected and they have had enough of everyone at this point. Hence the title. Dig? Dig.”

Just one year after the Grammy-winning Short N’ Sweet, Sabrina Carpenter is set to release her new album, Man’s Best Friend. It’s so fast that she hasn’t even finished the Short N’ Sweet tour yet; those dates don’t wrap up until November. The album cover for Man’s Best Friend has attracted controversy, with debates about whether the image of Carpenter on all fours with someone grabbing her hair is commentary or regressive. In response, Carpenter released an alternate cover with a picture of her in a gown, saying that the new photo was “approved by God.” Her playful sense of humor has set her apart from other modern pop stars, and it’s especially apparent on the album’s first single, “Manchild,” which includes lyrics like, “Why so sexy if so dumb? / And how survive the Earth so long? / If I’m not there, it won’t get done / I choose to blame your mom.”