{"id":11303,"date":"2026-07-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/?p=11303"},"modified":"2026-07-28T21:47:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:47:28","slug":"music-update-july-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/29\/music-update-july-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Music update, July 2026."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This one took some work, with the draft and my prospect rankings in the middle of the month, plus the misfortune to have two audiobooks I\u2019d requested from my library months ago both show up in the same week, with 14 days to listen to each of them. Anyway, this playlist features the return of the greatest MC in hip-hop history, several of my favorite contemporary artists, some great metal and post-hardcore tracks, even a good dose of psychedelic rock. And I still have to listen to the rest of the new albums from Jack White, Pond, and Quicksand, and give a second spin to Yard Act. As always, if you can\u2019t see the widget below you can access the playlist on <a href=\"https:\/\/music.apple.com\/us\/playlist\/klaws-july-2026-music-update\/pl.u-WabZ7R3hl99gP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple Music<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/playlist\/3fjxf4MdFBapVL2tSDZUvh?si=46462b4c18b04c6e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spotify<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe allow=\"autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *; clipboard-write\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"450\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;border-radius:10px;\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.music.apple.com\/us\/playlist\/klaws-july-2026-music-update\/pl.u-WabZ7R3hl99gP\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rakim \u2013 A Different Kind.<\/strong> The R returns with his first true solo track in 15 years, and I\u2019d argue his best since at least 1999\u2019s <em>The Master<\/em>, as he sounds rejuvenated, with something close to the pacing and rhythm of his peak output. I didn\u2019t know if we\u2019d ever hear Rakim sound this good again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Noname feat. DRAM \u2013 Squatter.<\/strong> The second song from rapper Noname\u2019s announced, unscheduled mixtape <em>Cartoon Radio<\/em> comes nearly a year after the first one, \u201cHundred Acres.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Moses Boyd \u2013 Say Yeah. <\/strong>Boyd\u2019s 2020 album <em>Dark Matter<\/em> was fabulous, spawning my top song of the year (\u201cShades of You\u201d) and showcasing his talent both as a percussionist and as a jazz composer. It was gloriously dark, so this return, his first truly solo song in six years, is a big surprise \u2013 it\u2019s a gospel-influenced track and very bright. I don\u2019t know if I want a whole album of this, but it\u2019s interesting to see Boyd try something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jorja Smith feat. WizKid \u2013 Alive.<\/strong> Smith\u2019s latest album <em>What Are the Odds<\/em> comes out on August 21<sup>st<\/sup>, with this sultry track featuring Nigerian Afrobeats star WizKid as the first single. Smith also appeared on Nia Archives\u2019 \u201cGet Me Down,\u201d but that\u2019s the sort of electronic\/drum-and-bass music that I think wastes Smith\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Meaningful Stone feat. Jay Som \u2013 1+1=0.<\/strong> Meaningful Stone is Kim Jimin, previously a member of Sailor Honeymoon (see below), and her latest single has Jay Som on vocals. It\u2019s dream-pop, driven by a shimmering acoustic guitar, reminiscent of Hatchie and even the Sundays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>mary in the junkyard \u2013 Thou Shalt Sprout.<\/strong> I have heard at least half of the songs on this London folk-rock band\u2019s debut album <em>Role Model Hermit<\/em>, but none of the singles grabbed me at all. Even this one was getting close to the skip button until around 1:35 when the electric guitar shows up and brings a darker counterweight to the vocals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Wishy \u2013 All the Rage.<\/strong> That\u2019s two for two, as both of Wishy\u2019s singles this year (the other was \u201cLovesick\u201d) are modern jangle-pop bangers. Their second album, <em>Nature\u2019s Pill<\/em>, comes out on October 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Tubs \u2013 Who\u2019s Gonna Love You Now. <\/strong>More jangle-pop goodness from this Welsh group founded by two former members of Joanna Gruesome, one of whom has since left the band. Their third album <em>Hard Life<\/em> comes out on September 11<sup>th<\/sup>, featuring this and another single that just dropped called \u201cStoop to Me\u201d that\u2019s solid as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Echo &amp; the Bunnymen \u2013 Brussels is Haunted. <\/strong>Ian McCullough and Will Sergeant will release their 13<sup>th<\/sup> album, <em>Apples for Isaac<\/em>, on September 18<sup>th<\/sup>. It\u2019s not \u201cThe Killing Moon\u201d or \u201cBring on the Dancing Horses,\u201d but it\u2019s pretty good for a band approaching its 50<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Slow Fiction \u2013 turning down flowers.<\/strong> Slow Fiction are a NYC-based quintet that leans into post-punk with some synth-pop and shoegaze revival, but most impressive to me is that this song is six minutes long, which had to give some record label exec a coronary. Their debut album <em>dollhouse<\/em> comes out on August 7<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DMA\u2019s \u2013 Killing Time.<\/strong> DMA\u2019s put out a four-song EP this month called <em>Killing Time<\/em>, with \u201cHeatin Park\u201d the best song, followed by this one, plus two other slightly more tepid numbers. DMA\u2019s are at their best when they go big, earning or re-earning the Oasis comps that they have seemed eager to avoid since their second album <em>For Now<\/em> came out in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Westside Cowboy \u2013 Pin Up Boys. <\/strong>This Mancunian quartet toured with Geese last year, and there\u2019s some similarity in the guitars, although Westside Cowboy\u2019s vocals are more straightforward and I get a Phish vibe from the chorus on this rousing song. Their debut album <em>It Goes On <\/em>drops on August 21<sup>st<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Temples \u2013 Megalith.<\/strong> This psychedelic-rock group\u2019s latest album, <em>BLISS<\/em>, came out in July, highlighted by \u201cVendetta,\u201d \u201cJet Stream Heart,\u201d \u201cGlimmer,\u201d and this midtempo track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Arab Strap \u2013 Fighting for You.<\/strong> A satirical number about pining for \u201cthe halcyon days\u201d of measles, nuclear war, and high unemployment over a driving rock track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Elephant Stone \u2013 Everything Evil.<\/strong> I don\u2019t think I\u2019d heard Elephant Stone before, but this Canadian psychedelic-rock band is about to release its tenth album, <em>ASHA<\/em>. This song is punk-influenced in music and lyrics, although they often incorporate Indian elements into their songs (as you might have guessed from the new album\u2019s title).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sailor Honeymoon \u2013 I Wanna Leave You.<\/strong> Feminist punk from Seoul, with their debut album <em>The Worst of Sailor Honeymoon<\/em> coming on August 14<sup>th<\/sup>. The first half of the song has them singing the title over and over; the second half offers a list of reasons to leave a partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Disgusting Sisters \u2013 Sorry Mister.<\/strong> Definitely for fans of Wet Leg, this duo \u2013 actual sisters \u2013 have released a few singles over the last three years, with their first album <em>Skin &amp; Blisters <\/em>coming out on October 30<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Getdown Services \u2013 The Bins. <\/strong>This was the first track I\u2019d heard from this British duo, half of which is a guy named Josh Law, so I have some investigatin\u2019 to do. The song reminds me quite a bit of Yard Act\u2019s first album if YA used a drum machine instead of actual percussion, with a dose of Confidence Man, too. Their second album <em>Massive Champion<\/em> comes out on August 14<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yard Act \u2013 Fiction.<\/strong> I\u2019ve only gone through <em>You\u2019re Gonna Need a Little Music<\/em> once so far, and that\u2019s not enough; it\u2019s a complicated, genre-bouncing album, consistent with this British post-punk band\u2019s history of pushing their own boundaries with each release. \u201cThrill of the Chase\u201d is probably the most Gang of Four-like song on the record, just with more of a punk tempo and heavier flourishes in the chorus; the title track is very Arab Strappy. \u201cFiction\u201d is a dark, funk-inspired track, with a rhythm that\u2019s consistently off beat so you feel unstable for much of the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Gurriers \u2013 Nobody\u2019s Coming to Save You.<\/strong> The title track from this Irish post-hardcore quintet\u2019s second album, due out September 24<sup>th<\/sup>, is a harsh, dissonant song that still manages to find a hook in the chorus. \u201cParty Lines\u201d came out at the same time and would have made this playlist if they hadn\u2019t released an even better track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Quicksand \u2013 Regenerate.<\/strong> I haven\u2019t gotten to this seminal post-hardcore band\u2019s latest album, <em>Bring on the Psychics<\/em>, which came out five days after the draft, but I\u2019ve liked the three songs I\u2019ve heard \u2013 this one, \u201cCrystallize,\u201d and \u201cGet to It.\u201d Quicksand and Thrice are the two bands who most define what I think of as \u201cpost-hardcore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Protomartyr \u2013 Sounds We Cannot Hear. <\/strong>Tigers fan Joe Casey &amp; co. return with this lead single off their upcoming seventh album <em>Hotel Usona<\/em>, and if this is any indication it\u2019s going to be a darker affair than their last LP, <em>Formal Growth in the Desert<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Mastodon \u2013 Snakes for Dinner. <\/strong>So \u201cYour Ghost Again\u201d wasn\u2019t just a one-off tribute to Brent Hinds, but the first single from Mastodon\u2019s upcoming album <em>Marrow Deep<\/em>, coming out on August 28<sup>th<\/sup>. This second single features vocals from QotSA\u2019s Josh Homme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Index \u2013 Fractured.<\/strong> Control Top was a short-lived DIY punk band from Philly that broke up after releasing one album in 2019. Singer\/bassist Ali Carter appears to be out of the music business, but the other two members have founded Index, whose first track leans more into hardcore punk with some faint metalcore elements as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The HU \u2013 Grey Hun. <\/strong>This Mongolian folk-metal band\u2019s latest album <em>HUN<\/em> is out now, combining thrash and classic heavy metal with Mongolian throat singing, creating something that\u2019s clearly kin to some of the less extreme folk and Viking metal coming out of the Norse countries (and a little bit of Entombed\u2019s death-and-roll style too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Insomnium \u2013 Gleam in the Black. <\/strong>This Finnish melodic death metal band has that country\u2019s quirky combination of unusually hooky, major-key melodies with typical death-growl vocals, like peak Children of Bodom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Amon Amarth \u2013 Gjallarhorn. <\/strong>More melodic death metal, this time from one of the pioneers of the form. Their lyrics often focus on Viking history and mythology, and their music borrows more from thrash than typical death metal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Russian Circles \u2013 Eluvial. <\/strong>Prog-metal from a Chicago trio who\u2019ll release their ninth album, pointedly titled <em>Nine<\/em>, on August 28<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This one took some work, with the draft and my prospect rankings in the middle of the month, plus the misfortune to have two audiobooks I\u2019d requested from my library months ago both show up in the same week, with 14 days to listen to each of them. Anyway, this playlist features the return of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1495,609,979,757,852,747,261],"class_list":["post-11303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-2026-in-music","tag-hip-hop","tag-melodic-death-metal","tag-metal","tag-music","tag-post-punk","tag-rap","entry"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11303"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11304,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11303\/revisions\/11304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}