5 albums you need to hear this week

In the age of streaming, it’s never been easier to listen to new music — but with over 60,000 new songs added to Spotify every day, it’s also never been harder to know what to put on. Every week, the team at Rolling Stone UK will run down some of the best new releases that have been added to streaming services.

This week, we’ve highlighted records by Overmono, Stray Kids, FLO, Man/Woman/Chainsaw and Keyside.

Overmono – Pure Devotion

In their new interview with Rolling Stone UK, brothers Ed and Tom Russell described their frantic and untraditional approach in the studio. “We’re absolute animals when we get into the studio,” Ed told us of the Bristol basement where they made new album Pure Devotion. Full of raw and ragged dance music that draws from techno, drum and bass, garage and beyond, it’s a record that will dominate the dancefloor on first listen, but also rewards deeper listening to discover their unique recording techniques, including cooking a cymbal in the oven. Pure Devotion is a delightful return from one of the best UK dance acts of the moment.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Stray Kids – This & That

“This time we went in a different direction — a little more chill and relaxed,” Changbin said of the latest Stray Kids mini-album at a press conference in Seoul. “Like the title, we wanted to express the confidence of being good at this and that.” Some of the harsher elements of the band’s breakout earlier material has been softened here, giving a new feeling to their sound without eroding their personality. It’s the sign of a group constantly evolving and treading new ground.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

FLO – Therapy at the Club

The title of R&B trio FLO’s second studio goes a long way to understanding its thesis. Therapy at the Club reaffirms, through sugary hooks and throwback instrumentals, the power of finding yourself through hedonism. As the trio said about the record, “for us, the club is more than just a night out, it’s like therapy. I mean, where else do you feel more understood than in a girls bathroom on a night out…that’s the vibe!”

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Man/Woman/Chainsaw – Cannonball

When thinking about their debut album Cannonball, the six-piece band Man/Woman/Chainsaw had a clear idea of the intensity they wanted. “We were talking about having a whole record of bangers – having everything be really in your face like a Rage Against the Machine record.” Despite this, they “soon realised we weren’t Rage Against the Machine and leant into the softer moments of the album”. The final product, then, is a delicately balanced mix of chaos and calm from a band who you sense are just getting started.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Keyside – Keyside

On their debut album, these rising Scouse stars show a canny ability to deliver songs that will blindside you by wrapping up important missives within charming indie pop. That’s certainly true of ‘Echoes’, which sees singer Dani-Lee Parker reflect upon the loss of his uncle to substance abuse. “There is a message in seeing us live, there’s a message in that album, and there’s a message in all the songs,” Parker recently told RS UK. The result is a debut which proves both timely and vital.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music