New Music Friday: September 15, 2023

September is an explosive month for new music and everything from iconic to pleasure sounds all came out this week. Read on for this week’s top picks for New Music Friday from Beyond The Stage, plus see below for a full list of fresh music to run into the weekend with.

The Best of New Music Friday:

Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

Mitski’s allure has grown bit by bit over her career. Her seventh studio album is seen by many as the most anticipated yet. In her way was the tall hurdle of surpassing her 2022 record Laurel Hell, which peaked at number five on the US Billboard 200, Mitski may well have outdone herself.

Mitski’s talent is often outgrowing itself and she has always found new expressions that outdo each other. This is seen from Be The Cowboy being a major breakout after 2016’s Puberty 2 caught waves with wide audiences.

Her introduction to a new era came on two singles released over summer 2023, “Bug Like an Angel” and “Star b/w Heaven.”

Now she’ll take these songs on the road to perform what she calls “intimate acoustic performances” for small crowds across North America and Europe. Her artistic endeavors are growing. Following back-to-back years of full album releases, it’s hard to imagine they’ll shrink soon.

Nation of Language – Strange Disciple

Three pals from Brooklyn, Nation of Language are a showcase of sound. All three members bring a bouncy, springy and synth-filled showcase. There is no drummer (besides some fill-ins for recordings, including Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes). Bass, keys, singing and loops is all Nation of Language has relied on to make fun, simple and catchy tracks.

Call it post-wave or whatever you call it, Strange Disciple has been described by the band as a record about love first and foremost. Since March 2023, they’ve been dropping singles that are sometimes slower and focus on lyrics, but there’s always a tightrope-sounding rubberband-springing fullness in their instruments.

Finally getting to hear the full album is a rare snapshot of the modern alternative era, one where bands are sounding noisy, and this crew is unafraid to strip down. Nation of Language still finds a way to be defining and danceable with a minimal amount of members who all have big talent.

New Music Friday top picks:

Vagabon – Sorry I Haven’t Called
Bombino – Sahel
FIDLAR – “Nudge”

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

Music Projects Manager at Beyond The Stage Magazine

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.

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