All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 6

March 6, 2026

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  • The episode primarily reviews five new albums released on March 6th: *Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.* by Harry Styles, *BIG MAMA* EP by Flying Lotus, *Memory Be a Blade* by waterbaby, *Of The Earth* by Shabaka, and *I know you're hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try* by Joshua Idehen, plus a lightning round of other recommendations. 
  • Harry Styles' new album is noted for its shift toward electro-pop and dance music, though host Stephen Thompson and guest Nate Chinen expressed mixed feelings about the music itself while admiring Styles' persona and leadership qualities. 
  • The featured albums showcase significant artistic exploration, ranging from Flying Lotus's explosive, short electronic EP and Shabaka's genre-blending work on the flute to Joshua Idehen's uplifting, dance-oriented spoken word poetry. 

Segments

Introduction and Harry Styles Review
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(00:00:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Harry Styles’ new album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., focuses on electro-pop and dance music, following his Grammy-winning Harry’s House.
  • Summary: Host Stephen Thompson and Nate Chinen introduced the episode, focusing first on Harry Styles’ latest release. The album is described as moving toward dance music, with the single ‘Aperture’ debuting at number one. Chinen noted admiring Styles’ persona and leadership skills but found his music typically satisfying rather than inspiring.
Flying Lotus’s ‘BIG MAMA’ EP
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(00:03:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Flying Lotus’s BIG MAMA EP is a 13-minute, explosive release featuring 8-bit video game aesthetics and marking his first full release on his own label, Brainfeeder.
  • Summary: The EP is characterized by speedy, unpredictable energy, reflecting Flying Lotus’s desire for an explosive sound. It incorporates 8-bit vibes, with tracks like ‘Antelope on a Geary’ evoking video game music. This release is significant as it is the first full Flying Lotus project on his label, Brainfeeder.
waterbaby’s ‘Memory Be a Blade’
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(00:08:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Swedish artist waterbaby creates intimate, genre-blending progressive R&B/bedroom pop on Memory Be a Blade, intentionally including rough elements like throat clearing to suggest a ‘rough draft’ intimacy.
  • Summary: waterbaby works in a space similar to Dijon and Omar Apollo, using deconstruction and warping of genre. The music demands close listening to appreciate the attention to detail in the recording. The artist’s process involved freestyling lyrics, which contributes to a feeling of being ‘vibed into being’ rather than strictly songwriter-crafted.
Shabaka’s Solo Debut ‘Of The Earth’
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(00:17:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Shabaka Hutchings’ solo album Of The Earth showcases his transition from saxophone to flute (specifically Shakuhachi) while integrating electronic production, rapping, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms.
  • Summary: Hutchings, known for The Comet is Coming and Sons of Kemet, is exploring beats and electronics while focusing on the difficult Japanese bamboo flute. The album blends ambient jazz with communal, dance-oriented rhythms reminiscent of Carnival music, as heard on ‘Dance in Praise.’ He demonstrates adeptness in melding organic woodwinds with synthetic electronic textures.
Joshua Idehen’s Affirmations
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(00:23:08)
  • Key Takeaway: Joshua Idehen鈥檚 album I know you’re hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try pairs uplifting spoken word poetry over techno and house rhythms, often serving as post-therapy exhortations.
  • Summary: Idehen, a Nigerian artist and poet, collaborates with producer Ludwig Parment to create dance music that carries pointed encouragement. The track ‘Mum Does the Washing’ satirically boils down complex political ideas into a laundry metaphor. The song ‘Brother’ offers powerful affirmations like ‘You are loved, you are valued, you belong.’
The Scythe’s Collective Statement
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(00:30:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The hip-hop collective The Scythe, led by Denzel Curry, delivers an energetic statement on Strictly 4 The Scythe that foregrounds talented female features and critiques social media influencers.
  • Summary: The album features a cross-generational melding of voices, including ASAP Ferg, BK the Rula, and Tia Corin, providing significant energy and individuality. The lead single ‘Lit Effect’ targets rappers focused on internet presence, questioning realness in the current market. The collective successfully maintains individuality despite the large number of contributors.
Lightning Round Recommendations
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(00:34:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Lightning round picks included Cece Coakley’s moody Pleasant Attack EP, Terrace Martin’s jazz/R&B production on Purpose, the charity compilation HELP(2), Alice Sara Ott’s piano interpretations of J贸hann J贸hannsson, and the reissue Macha Loved Bedhead.
  • Summary: Elle Mannion recommended Cece Coakley for her Phoebe Bridgers-esque voice and potential. Terrace Martin’s Purpose showcases his mastery of balancing active drums with a cool vibe across contemporary R&B, hip-hop, and jazz. The HELP(2) compilation features major artists collaborating in Abbey Road Studios to raise funds for children in war-stricken areas.