Best of New Music Monday 2023
Throughout this year, Rosie G. has partnered with Indispensable Music to showcase our favorite new indie releases each week. The artists featured on New Music Monday span multiple genres and locales. And we have some overlap on our Top Ten lists for the second year in a row (though we each chose a different Brazilian artist for our lists)!
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Ane Diaz
Despechada
Venezuelan native Ane Díaz is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist now based in the U.S. Her debut album is a collection of reinterpreted folk songs from her home country, celebrating its culture and her cherished memories. The record is brimming with evocative vocals, dynamic percussion, and vibrant musical accompaniment.
FEATURED TRACK: "Carmella"
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Ghost Hounds
First Last Time
Ghost Hounds blends blues, Americana, and country with a heavy, guitar-laden sound that is timeless yet modern. First Last Time is their first for the Gibson label and fourth overall. The single, “Last Train To Nowhere“ would be perfectly placed in a classic Western. It’s damn good.
FEATURED TRACK: “Last Train To Nowhere“
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Louis Cato
Reflections
The bandleader for “Late Night with Stephen Colbert” has released his second album. More stripped down than his debut -- where he demonstrated the breadth of his musical talents, Reflections leans more into his funk and Latin influences. It’s a treat to get another glimpse into this singer and multi-instrumentalist's mind.
FEATURED TRACK: "Reflections"
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Fantastic Negrito
Grandfather Courage
After earning a Grammy nomination for White Jesus Black Problems last year, this acoustic version tells the story of his forebears: a white Scottish grandmother and indentured servant living in a common law marriage with his enslaved African American grandfather, defying the racist laws of Colonial Virginia. This may be even more powerful than the original. Fantastic Negrito is a marvel.
FEATURED TRACK: "Highest Bidder"
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Ida Mae
Thunder Above You
The husband/wife duo consisting of Chris Turpin (guitar) and Stephanie Jean Ward (keyboards and vocals) is based in Nashville and London. The record was created in a week, with most of the sessions recorded live and committed to tape. The percussion provides a jaunty vibrancy. You’ll also hear some searing guitar work from Turpin and guest Marcus King.
FEATURED TRACK: "My Whispers Are Wildfire"
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Grian Chatten
Chaos for the Fly
Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten strikes out on his own with a solo album, Chaos for the Fly. Requiring a different outlet for this set of intimate songs, created work that is being compared to Leonard Cohen and Elliott Smith, a record that “feels alluringly timeless” (Pitchfork)
FEATURED TRACK: “All Of The People”
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Petit Noir
Mother Father
Yannick Ilunga a.k.a. Petite Noir's latest record, Mother Father, showcases both his vocal range and his myriad influences (traditional African music to jazz to post-punk and electronics) and creativity to shine through.
FEATURED TRACK: "Blurry" featuring Sampa The Great
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Gaby Moreno
X Mí (Vol. 1)
It’s been 10 years since singer/composer Moreno won a Latin Grammy as Best New Artist. In the intervening years, she’s released solo albums in a variety of genres, composing for TV and film, and touring extensively. For her latest record, she’s returned to her Guatemalan roots. For the first single from the album, she teamed up with fellow Guatemalan, actor Oscar Isaac.
FEATURED TRACK: “Luna de Xelajú”
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Izo FitzRoy
A Good Woman
London singer Izo FitzRoy’s rich, earthy vocals harken back to a day when singers relied on their voices to interpret songs, with no electronic wizardry to detract from their artistry. FitzRoy’s been influenced by the greats, and it’s on full display here. Using backup gospel singers, her recordings have the feel of a live performance, “a masterclass in soul music, touching on elements of gospel, folk, and rock.” (Bluestown Music)
FEATURED TRACK: "A Good Woman"
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Gabriel da Rosa
É o que a casa oferece
Gabriel da Rosa grew up in southern Brazil and heard a variety of musical styles from his DJ father, eventually becoming a DJ himself after moving to LA. His full-length debut É o que a casa oferece (It's what the house offers) is an autobiographical exploration of da Rosa’s childhood and adult travels, revealing an exciting new contemporary bossa nova artist.
FEATURED TRACK: "Bandida"
