OFM New Music: September Issue

This month’s must-catch, new music releases from the artists you already love and the musicians you need to know.

Michelle Branch

The Trouble with Fever 

The reigning pop-rock icon returns with another departure from the bouncy sound that made her famous, doubling down on the bluesy, swampy Gibson guitar tone that made her previous album stand out. Songs like “I’m a Man” and “Fever Forever” offer a fun, rock-oriented iteration of what we always loved about Branch: a platonic ideal of the genre or type of song being filtered through her sensibilities. If you’re burnt out from the summer and need a way to wind down without losing the anthemic power the season can have, give this a spin. 

Releases September 16 

Tamino 

Sahar 

The Egyptian singer-songwriter’s debut is choc-a-bloc with swoon-worthy songs that will transport any listener back to the heyday of balladeer pop. Imagine a world where Snow Patrol, The Calling, and Five For Fighting weren’t white guys you couldn’t tell apart if your life depended on it, but one very charismatic singer dripping with sincerity. It’s genuinely refreshing to hear this sound return in a world where every singer sounds like they’re living through the Dust Bowl or trying to blend in. Do yourselves a favor, and nod along to the jangly guitar work, before raising your voices to sing along with the moody, spectral, oddly jubilant melodies of songs like “Fascination” and “The First Disciple.” 

Releases September 23

Christine and the Queens

Redcar les adorables étoiles

If you’ve been dancing along with “Je te vois enfin” all summer, prepare yourselves for the glorious dance rock that Christine embarks on with her third release. Here, the queer icon is in rare form, with ambitious tracks like “Ma bien aimee bye bye” and “My birdman” utilzing language and euro-rhythms in fascinating ways that expand the sound the artist has become known for. In so many ways, this album is a step forward, not just for the artist but the genre as a whole, with much of the album being sung in French. As an artist that is typically ahead of the curve, expect to see more non-English-speaking pop albums in the near future.

Releases September 23

Santigold

Spirituals

The eternally exciting pop icon returns with another album that imaginatively blends world-beat, afro-beat, punk, hip-hop, and pop into a sound all her own. “High Priestess” is an M.I.A-esque hypnotic bop that expands as the song goes on, while “Nothing” plays with a muscular beat while Santigold sings sweet R&B patterns over it. As always, the sound is idiosyncratic, ambitious, and experimental in the best way possible. If you’ve never heard Santigold’s music, the only two questions you need to ask are, “Do I like the idea of Coachella in its heyday,” and, “Do I often wish my life were more cinematic?” If you answered yes to both, throw this on as fast as you can.

Releases September 9

The Hu

Rumble of Thunder

This Mongolian metal band combines the best elements of heavy rock (think Isis, Old Man Gloom, and Metallica) with a simmering sense of spirituality (think GOAT). On songs like “Black Thunder” and “This is Mongol,” the band delivers wicked riffage and sophisticated drum patterns to provide listeners with an injection of metal while also showcasing the unique textures and melodicism of their culture. If you’ve been bored with scene offerings as of late, but have a soft spot for bands that are students of the genre, give this a listen, preferably after some you’ve filled the room with one kind of smoke, and are in the process of lighting candles.

Releases September 2

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Cool It Down

The alternative rock band whose posters your coolest art friend had are back after a long hiatus. As always, Karen O is timeless in her approach to the music she wants to make, and this release sees the band update its glitchy, angular rock to be more in step with the chilled out, heroin-chic sounds of now. On the moody, intimate “Spitting Off the Edge of the World,” O teams up with Perfume Genius to prepare us for an album of shimmering songs about the darkest of times. If you’re a fan of the thoughtful (if retro) sound of O and Danger Mouse’s collaboration, this is another iteration of the singer’s growth and is not to be missed. 

Releases September 30