By: Music Journalism Club

Every week our Music Director, Allison, chooses new releases to add to our music library. Here are some of the recent highlights, presented to you by WSUM’s Music Journalism Club.

Cashier, The Weight

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Like I Do”, “The Weight”, “Part From Me”

GENRE: Shoegaze

RIYL: Wishy, Narrow Head

Louisiana band Cashier’s new debut EP, The Weight, pulls from a very classic shoegaze sound, but does so with a lot of style and energy. The heavy, distorted guitar layers fit together very nicely and give the songs a lot of space and depth, and the drums do a good job at driving the songs forward. Because the vocals are pushed deeper into the mix they feel more like a supporting element to the instrumentation rather than the main focus of the songs, creating a heavy trance-like vibe. One of the stand out tracks for me is “Like I Do” which features energetic drumming and noisy guitar riffs, giving the song a fast and spontaneous feel. Another stand out song for me is the title track “The Weight” which closes the EP with a more somber feeling, but still retains the energy and noisy elements from the rest of the tracks. While a pretty short EP, containing just 5 songs plus a scratchy guitar-noise interlude, Cashier establishes an energetic sound and I’m looking forward to seeing where they go with it from here.

— Gavin Burkheimer

James Blake, Trying Times

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Trying Times,” “Make Something Up,” “Just a Little Higher” 

GENRE: Art Pop, Alternative R&B

RIYL: Frank Ocean, Sampha 

An undeniable James Blake album, with notes of electronic, art pop, and alternative R&B throughout, Trying Times is Blake’s seventh album and first self-released project. As the silent producer behind many big name artists’ hits, he finally stepped out and produced his first independent album. It’s full of emotion and focuses on love and loss. The album starts off a bit more experimental with “Walk Out Music” and “Death of Love,” then shifts into a more vocal wave on “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand,” and even more so on “Trying Times.” The album continues to shift throughout the rest of the tracklist and blends the two sides together well. Blake is a unique artist who truly releases his own vibe and shows he can stand out, especially when he ties his masterful production with emotion and vocals that hit exactly as they should. 

— Berit Campbell

Quarters, I HOPE THIS ISN’T THE END OF THE WORLD

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “SUPERSONIC”, “STAR”, “PLUMMET”

GENRE: Rock 

RIYL: Turnstile, Deftones

New York City-based rock band Quarters is continuously proving themselves as one of the freshest, most lively artists in rock right now, especially with their newest album, I HOPE THIS ISN’T THE END OF THE WORLD. When I saw Quarters open for The Wrecks in Madison I was immediately drawn in by their performance, so I’ve had lead singles “STAR” and “PLUMMET” on repeat since they came out a couple of months ago. The rest of the album does not disappoint. The record opens with “ANGEL”,  a catchy track filled with angsty vocals and drawn-out instrumentals. Later on in the album, “DO YOU BELIEVE IN ME” takes on a slower, more contemplative tone with low synth and twinkly, retro electric guitar backing lead singer Ben Roter’s vocals. It picks right back up afterwards with an absolute hit and lead single “PLUMMET.” Despite the album’s overall darker tone, Quarters creates an electric atmosphere in every track with their vibrant rhythms, emotional vocals and captivating guitar. 

— Catalina DeSua

Sella, Well I Mean

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Skipping Out”, “South Dakota”, “Daredevil”

GENRE: Indie Rock/Folk Rock

RIYL: The Front Bottoms, Slaughter Beach, Dog

Well I Mean is the first solo outing for the Front Bottoms’ Brian Sella. As the driving creative force of that band, Sella’s songwriting style is consistent among both projects, however this album sees him break away from the structure of a rock band by exploring different instrumentation. Sella commits to this texture change by not utilizing a drumset on a single track, exploring new guitar and synth effects and incorporating horns and piano throughout. The result is an album that feels like a collection of different flavors, with the core songwriting as the throughline. Any fan of The Front Bottoms will likely be able to connect with this album, as it showcases a departure from the limitations of a band, while keeping the meat and potatoes of what Brian Sella brings to the table.

— Nolan Tomesh

TRAITRS, POSESSOR

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “I Was III, You Were Wrong”, “Selfish Hunger”, “Prayertaker”

GENRE: Post-Punk, Cold Wave

RIYL: The Cure, Turnstile

Hello TRAITRS! Released on March 13, 2026, POSSESOR is the fourth full-length album from the Canadian-based duo. POSSESOR sounds like all of your favorite new wave while being separate from what preceded it. While this is true, the opening riff of “Dream Drowning” feels familiar to The Cure’s “A Forrest”. This work reclaims the art of the album with ten songs and 42 minutes of post-punk cold wave. “I Was III, You Were Wrong”, “Japanese Picture Pony” and “Seven Fictions” were ones re-listened to. While these ones stand out, POSSESOR is cohesive and polished rather than muddy, thanks to its mastering by Matt Colton (The Cure, Depeche Mode, Fontaines D.C., Wet Leg, Dua Lipa, Blur, etc.) (Bandcamp, 2026). Arguably one of the best post-punk releases of the year, TRAITRS head for the POSSESSOR tour. 

— Mazie Willgrubs

The Band Solstice, The Band Solstice

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Tides”, “Matter of Time”, “Paper Kites”

GENRE: Indie Rock

RIYL: Mt. Joy, the Backseat Lovers, Richy Mitch and the Coal Miners

As the Band Solstice’s debut album they are starting out very strong! Their style feels new, yet classic in the indie rock genre. They reminded me a lot of the backseat lovers, a band that I listened to a lot in high school, so The Band Solstice’s music really brought me back to that time. Their music feels nostalgic and carefree, like remembering simpler summer days of riding bikes around your neighborhood. I highly recommend this album to anyone who’s looking for some more indie rock to add to their playlist, and The Band Solstice is the perfect addition.

— Christine VanDen Heuvel

Sweet Pill, Still There’s A Glow

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Smoke Screen”, “No Control”, “Rotten”

GENRE: Emo, Shoegaze

RIYL: Tigers Jaw, Slow Pulp

Sweet Pill’s upbeat and twinkly emo sound continues with their sophomore album Still There’s a Glow. This new release digs further into their own sound, solidifying and elevating it. Their shoegaze influences are extremely evident in the rhythm guitar sound, and the lead takes more from the mathy riffs of a midwest emo song. The bass perfectly fills the remainder of the mix with complex and interesting fills, but lays back when it needs to. Vocalist Zayna Youssef reaches into lived experiences for her lyrical ideas, creating plentiful metaphors out of simple concepts. Guitarist Sean McCall adds a layer of backup vocals that move seamlessly within the sound, and finding their place in the lead line when appropriate. 

— Emily Collins