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New Music Friday – November 3, 2023

Ben Pagani

What’s up weekend? If parties are on the agenda, the playlists will be dancey. If chilling out is the tone, the tracklists are youthful. Here’s what’s new.

The best of New Music Friday:

Sen Morimoto – Diagnosis

Sen Morimoto’s magical year hits its highest point with the Chicago indie-musician’s third studio album. It might be the freeform jazz that makes Morimoto’s records feel as liberating as a live performance. There are few recordings from 2023 that really encompass and translate like a real concert. The authentic sound of Morimoto’s voice is another reason to appreciate what a year he’s had.

Several singles from Diagnosis have been eaten up by loyal listeners. The opener “If The Answer Is Love” has been streamed like crazy and sets the tone for an LP rich in sound and character. “Bad State” starts poppy and ends on a darker note with metallic guitars bellowing. The title track has a Parliament-Funkadelic-esque echo narration before immediately adding hip-hop-laced verses with indie-pop choruses.

Morimoto has several tour dates launching in November around the United States that are serving as release parties for Diagnosis. Many of them are at charming and intimate venues. It might serve as a great opportunity for musical fans of any style to see a rising artist that is sure to shine brighter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzJgGD5LEr_/?hl=en&img_index=1

The Serfs – Half Eaten By Dogs

The Serfs Liese Stiebritz
The Serfs | Liese Stiebritz

The Serfs are a synth-punk band from Cincinnati, Ohio with an emphasis on the nasty part of the “Nasty Natti.” Their wavier-sounding tracks are dirty yet all songs on their third full-length record are futuristically clean.

Whether the lyrics in front of hypnotic-electronic loops are about dancing skin-to-skin or the instrumentation is smothered as the top layer, Half Eaten By Dogs is both an alternative and electronic music fan’s dream.

This trio describes their sound as neu-underground, whatever that means. Maybe it’s wavey-psych, semi-industrial or some other obscure third thing. It’s creative and good. It’s also a pessimistic record with a masking upbeat and dancey groove. The Serfs say they make doomed proclamations of natural and supernatural disasters on Half Eaten By Dogs. Perhaps the album’s title doesn’t shy away from that idea. This wild ride can be shared with friends but is also prime listening for people who enjoy getting nerdy alone.

New Music Friday top picks:

bar italia – the twits

elijah woods ft. MacKenzie Porter – “last girl”

Hotline TNT – Cartwheel

Jockstrap – I<3UQTINVU

Joy (Anonymous) – Cult Classics

Jung Kook – GOLDEN

Kevin Abstract – Blanket

Sir Chloe – “Home Where”

TORRES – “I got the fear”

Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you be adding to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

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Ben Pagani
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Ben Pagani

Ben is a music journalist living and working in Chicago. They joined Beyond The Stage as an intern and have stayed on the staff for several years. Now serving on the editorial board, Ben is proud to be BTS' Music Projects Manager, coordinating coverage between international record labels and our staff. Ben has interviewed, photographed and written about bands from across the world. Ben has lived all over the United States working in television and media. They are an Emmy Award-winning writer. Ben can be found spinning records as 'DJ Wearing Sunglasses' in clubs and basements across the US.