The fall is a big times for new releases. This summer seemed like very little happened after Yeezus in terms of big exciting releases, even sleeper albums seemed kind of scant for a few weeks there. Coming off of that, the sudden onslaught of new music can be overwhelming. No worries, because your friendly bloggers here at buffaBlog are providing you with some quick recommendations to help organize your month of music listening and purchases. By bloggers, I mean me, so a friendly blogger at buffaBlog is here to help. October has a little bit of everything, culminating in the much hyped release from Arcade Fire. But until then, there are exciting new releases from Danny Brown, Glasser, Cass McCombs, The Dismemberment Plan, and many more.

October 1

Oneohtrix Point Never – R Plus Seven: Oneohtrix Point Never will release another collection of his rather hard to pin down work tomorrow, his first album on the legendarily innovative Warp Records. Mixing the ambient and the upsetting, Daniel Lopatin's ongoing electronic project is sure to be one of October's most interesting and engaging releases.
October 8

Danny Brown – Old: You can already stream this record but it officially comes out on October 8. Danny Brown finally makes his long awaited follow up to XXX. Earlier released tracks off this record suggest this record will be ridiculous, adding to an exciting year for hip hop  (Drake, Kanye West, A$AP Ferg, Earl Sweatshirt etc. etc.). Brown seems to be pushing himself further, taking his music in dizzyingly and delightfully weird directions.



Glasser - Interiors:  Following up her well received debut, Cameron Mesirow aka Glasser, returns with  Interiors. Another record you can stream before it's official debut, Glasser writes spacey/spookey electronic songs that straddle the border between catchy and haunting, which leaves you with the same end result I suppose.

Summer Camp – Summer Camp: Summer Camp’s new record appears to be a nice burst of synth pop in a year filled with such bursts. “Fresh” is definitely a sleeper jam for 2013 with a clean rhythm and a almost disco feel. Definitely an easy dancer should you need something for your upcoming costume party. The album will be a great mix of new wave and disco and a definite crowd pleaser. Hard to tell if this will get a lot of attention when it comes out, but  it should.



October 15

Cass McCombs – Big Wheel and Others: It’s been a while since McCombs released Humor Risk, 2011’s nearly flawless collection of folk rock. Early singles have been exceptional so expect this record to be more of the same, which will go nicely with the changing leaves and oncoming chill.

The Dismemberment Plan – Uncanny Valley: This is more personal for me than anything else coming out in October. I first discovered the Dismemberment Plan in high school and they shaped my music taste in a number of ways. Their work has stood the test of time in such a way that I grew into instead of grown out of their music. After an immensely successful reunion tour, the group recorded their first new album in over 12 years. I am certainly apprehensive to see if their return matches up to their past accomplishment but I also have to keep reminding myself that I could never repeat the connection I made to their music at 16. So, we will see if they hit me in a different but equally impactful way as I approach 30. Early indicators point to this being a possible yes.



Heavenly Beat – Prominence: Heavenly Beat, formerly of Beach Fossils, follows up their 2012 debut, underrated in its own right, with another collection of hazed over wistful pop songs. The first single was a solid note of growth for John Peña, and I am confident the album will contain more of the same. 

October 22 

Ducktails – Wish Hotel EP: Matthew Mondanile’s side project has proven to be one favorite records of 2013 (it is true, just ask Mac) so it is exciting to see him releasing another album, albeit an EP in the same year. A decidedly lower key affair than The Flower Lane,  Mondanile returns to recording alone. However, the first single, “Honey Tiger Eyees,” was as blissed out and grandiose as anything Ducktails has done previously.



Omar Souleyman – Wenu Wenu: A star in the Middle East, Souleyman has slowly been gaining recognition in the West for his ecstatic and poppy take on traditional music. For his wider US debut, Souleyman enlisted the production of Four Tet, whose own musical style seems a perfect match. The first single, “Wenu Wenu,” a joyous and epic party stomper, should give you a good idea of what to expect from the album. Certainly something I am anxious to hear.

October 29 

Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time: Sky Ferreira was recently in the news for  being caught with massive quantities of heroin(along with the lead singer of DIIV, oh the scandal!!). Ok, maybe it was not massive, but it was a bit of heroin, certainly more than average…I think. Anyway, Ferreira is set to finally release her debut full length after a year of smaller releases. The first single  featured Ferraira doing what she does best and that is performing infinitely catchy low-key pop.
Arcade Fire – Reflekor: Hey, did you hear Arcade Fire are releasing a new album? Do you have the internet? Ok, then I don’t have to do much for this one. James Murphy produced their 4th record which promises to be more heavily influenced by Haitian music and features a more groove centric sound. “Reflecktor,” the first single, might be one of my favorite songs of theirs to date.

Album to Avoid

Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals: It’s been a longtime since I had second hand embarrassment from someone else'smusic but that is how I feel when I hear new music from Sleigh Bells. I really liked them in the beginning but their music has worn thin about as quickly as their first show in Buffalo a few years ago (they played for 20 minutes if you were curious). Every time I hear something from this album, I wince involuntarily. At this point, Sleigh Bells has pretty much exhausted their schtick and I am certain I heard one of their riffs on a Kid Rock song back in high school.

Normally, we try to post songs right as they get released. Now, this worked well during the summer when everyone seemed to be putting things out at a trickle; however, summer is quickly careening to a halt. Mac and I looked around this week and noticed that everything was suddenly coming at a rapid clip. Actually, Mac looked me dead in the eye, pointed a gun right between my eyes and told me to go make a multiple song edition of Listener's Digest. There is no way we can keep up with the sheer bulk of new and worthwhile songs. So, being the selfless man I am (please don't ask my friends to confirm this) decided to round up some new stuff for your thursday. Also, Mac has gotten a bit extreme with his editorial coaxing.

Glasser - "Design:" A jittery synth pop song from Glasser's upcoming album,  set to be released on October 8. The video features Glasser, aka Cameron Messirow, anxiously dancing around a sparse room (tastefully furnished), her movements focused around a shifting computer animated object on a pedestool. The whole thing comes off as a racey video directed by a young Frasier Crane. The song is great though, it is pop music for the terminally anxious and uptight.




Jacco Gardner - "The End of August:" Gardner, a Dutch baroque pop musician, seems to be working from a playbook for songs I will gravitate towards. A spacey 60s' inflected song, "The End of August" capitalizes on the weirdness that permeates the air during the end of summer. It is a mix of melancholy and strangeness that I have trouble resisting. "The End of August" is the title track to a recently released 7'.



Blood Orange - "Chamakay:" Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, might be a time traveler. How else can I fully explain how pitch perfect 90s' this new video for "Chamakay" is. Look at it, this was made in 1995 and remained unreleased until this week, I am sure of it. Anyway, the video features Hynes going back to his mother's hometown of Georgetown, Guyana and meeting many family members for the first time.  Hynes dances in random places and generally employs 90s' dance moves throughout. The song, a haunting R&B song, features Chairlift lead singer, Caroline Polacheck on backing vocals.