Chat Pile – Sifting (single)

Fresh off the heels of their latest collab album with postrock artist Hayden Pedigo, Oklahoma hardcore/noise band Chat Pile return to their typical fast paced and abrasive style with two new singles. Starting off with the absolute head thrasher Masks, you can really feel the influence of their new record label Sub Pop, which they themselves cited as influencing the song. “It’s a true dream to put out a single on Sub Pop, and our new song Masks hopefully honors the spirit of the mythical, sometimes mystical, city of Seattle,” said Chat Pile in a recent press statement. This influence is apparent with the aggression and style of other iconic Sub Pop bands such as Mudhoney and The Melvins. Still though, they maintain the band’s complex rhythms and Raygun’s own unique vocal style to give this era its own spin.

Continuing along with the Seattle tributes, the band paired the Masks release with a deep cut cover of Nirvana‘s Sifting. If you thought that song couldn’t get dirtier and sludgier, you’re in for a treat. The perfectly sloppy guitar solos pairs with these muddy backing riffs and vocals that are just low quality enough make for such a grimy and fun listening experience. The six minute run time feels like a breeze, considering the level of quality we’re working with, and it makes me more than excited to listen to whatever they have planned for the future.

–Tarik Krob

My New Band Believe – Numerology (single)

altFresh from the elegantly titled My New Band Believe is their second ever single, Numerology. Helmed by Cameron Picton of black midi fame, My New Band Believe offers on Numerology a blend of very poppy indie rock with elements of samba and disco that feels triumphantly hectic. The lyrics evoke a night on the town with your buddies as you get increasingly…inebriated, and the finale of the song is admittedly comical, but still feels like a ripe conclusion for the preceding spectacle. The song clocks in at 4:18, yet its manic energy makes it feel half that length. As a consequence, I usually listen to this song at least twice in a row. After the conclusion of black midi, frontman Geordie Greep has received the brunt of the attention from the public, especially following the release of his album The New Sound, in 2024. However, I imagine Picton will have his own stint in the windmill-scene spotlight as Numerology feels undoubtedly like Picton’s Holy, Holy moment.My New Band Believe releases their debut album on April 10th, be there or be square!

–Jack Manley

Lana Del Rey – White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter (single)

To say this new Lana Del Rey track was surprising would be an understatement. Not only is it shocking that she actually released it, instead of just relentlessly teasing it on social media like she’s been doing with her upcoming Stove album for half a year now, but the song itself is a very different direction for the singer. It’s dark and sinister. It builds tension in the verses and dissolves it with an almost “Disney princess” cadence of soft whispers in the chorus. The atmosphere is at times heavy, and at times light, but an underlying eeriness keeps the listener on their toes. The song is composed of haunting synths and magical entrancing string instruments like violins, violas and cellos. Sweet guitars, piano, percussives, brass, and even a harp bleed into the delicate mix. These instruments build the orchestral nature of the track, giving it an almost ethereal and uncanny quality.
Instead of leaning country like Lana promised with the upcoming Stove album, she seems to be more interested in exploring ominous soundscapes with this track, opting for a southern gothic route with her own spin. However, the singer’s tendencies to romanticize the mundane are still very much present, with her basking in the traditional, stay-at-home-wife lifestyle that she has come to greatly appreciate. White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter paints this picture of Lana cooking for her husband while she awaits his return from hunting wild animals in the spooky woods near their home. Mentions of words like “voodoo” and “magical” evoke a mystical feeling into her daily affairs, and the expression “whoopsy-daisy” and the “yoo-hoo” ad-libs make the song feel all the more whimsical.
Lana Del Rey’s new single offers a glimpse into a darker side of her music which was prevalent in the earlier days of her discography. Her Born to Die album and her Lizzy Grant persona both offer a preview of this gloomy sound, as highlighted by many fans in online spaces. But despite similarities to her earlier works, White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter demonstrates an entirely new soundscape and tonal shift for Lana, which is exciting to experience as we await the release of the upcoming album.

–Clara Carrion

Ratboys – Singin’ to an Empty Chair

Chicago has always consistently been putting out incredible music: Wilco, John Prine, Mavis Staples. Today, there is something brewing in the second city, that has come to boil over. Leading this charge is indie-rockers, Ratboys. The Notre Dame Alumni, and Chicago natives, celebrated their sweet sixteen as a band by releasing their sixth studio album, Singin’ to an Empty Chair.

This is not only a continuation of their breakout success from 2023’s, The Window, but an expansive journey into their own sound and personality. This album feels as though every note has a meaning behind it and every strum is a continuation of a bed time story you don’t want to end. Ratboy’s has a comforting sound, one that puts the listener in their world with lyrics reading, “the bugs are writing books with their eyes.” This sense of joy and poetry bleeds from songs, while reflections of todays wild world in The World, So Madly brings it back down to earth. The slide guitar sings by itself, and the bouncy yet fuzzy guitars within the band blend together like peanut butter and jelly.

Ratboys throw in hits throughout their album like its nothing, and put forth my favorite album of 2026 so far. They will be touring the record this spring with support from Florry, villagerrr, and fellow Chicagoans Free Range.
FFO: MJ Lenderman, Waxahatchee, Wednesday, The Beths

–Logan Melia

xaviersobased – Xavier

Periodically, it seems that the Music Discourse Eye of Sauron happens to latch its all-consuming gaze onto a particular artist who has established a particular brand of sound until it has become so virulently synonymous with their name that it cannot help but seep through these fiber-optic spaces into the minds of those cultural sleuths so invested in the all-important web of contemporality. Xavier happens to be one such example, the culmination of multiple years of underground consistency and empire building surrounding Xav’s uniquely futuristic, atmospheric, and outright unpredictable approach to production. He proves himself to be at once an absurdist paragon, a staple of the modern cloud rap scene (as well as the extended Surf Gang universe), even forming his very own imprint 1c in the lead-up to this album. Thus, through following an approach that is entirely unpredictable yet expected, Xav has captured the spotlight into a…decidedly mixed reaction.

The seasoned listener will notice differences. There is a greater sleekness in each beat’s construction. There are feature placements that would have once seemed impossible with Zaytoven and Rio da Yung OG, as well as this being Xav’s first big-boy big label treatment, giving cause for a greater critical stir even with this being his first studio album in four years. It seems Xav took this opportunity to give people more of what they had flocked to him for in the first place: a cinematic, woozy, and disorienting experimental rap album. iPhone 16 features a discordant symphony’s instrumentation that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Steve Reich composition. Production standouts include Tony Hawk, as well as 100,000, both ranking among Xav’s most explosive compositions yet. However, the real star of the show is the digital streaming exclusive, Party At My Place, featuring Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs and Skrillex, creating a characteristically mind-bending and bombastic blend of the three’s respective styles. All in all, those who were already fans of Xavier’s output found more to enjoy, whereas those who weren’t (for the most part) gave a collective shrug and continued about their days. Give it five years, though…

–Evan Raefield

Converge – Love is Not Enough

Metalcore legends Converge return with another intense record after five years. This band does not miss, they wind up each shot and take the fattest fucking swing at it and send it flying at wee Anthony Fantano’s slippery baldass head. It’s a great record, neither their best nor worst, but Converge excels at consistency. 30 years of this metalcore business and they’re still accelerating ahead, splitting noise and peeling catharsis off the razor’s edge. Vocalist Jacob Bannon describes the album and its creation as “unrelenting and super raw the entire time, and that’s by design, because that’s how we feel. That’s what’s resonating in our collective spirit right now.” It’s a surprisingly political album, with lyrics from Bannon lying much more grounded in reality than his previous work, themes ranging from human powerlessness to the opiate industry. The band describes Love is Not Enough as less approximating an album, instead existing as the culminating “artist’s statement,” of the full band. Don’t let the title fool you, this is a record that advocates for love. Each song is a lonely cry of agony, desperate for more love to lay exposed and shared in the world, combating the darker chaos and panic around us. “Love is essential, but it’s not everything.”

–Pauly

The post KRUI Staff Picks: Best Releases of February 2026 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

“Snail Mail retains the same wounded lover ethos and hazy, scorned vocals but with a noticeably more pop-inspired instrumental palette. Indie rock guitars and peppy drums provide a sturdy melodic base, while additions of piano or dreamy synths give this album a sometimes danceable effect.”

–Sydney Sjobakken

19. Lingua Ignota – Sinner Get Ready

“Lingua Ignota has always incorporated a regal and grandiose instrumental palette, but SINNER GET READY shows a slightly softer side to her work with elements of religious hymns and neofolk. Yet, despite drawing back a bit from her more abrasive tendencies, she still maintains the same level of harrowing torture and anguish that permeates her work.”

–read Sydney Sjobakken’s full review here,

18. Greta Van Fleet – The Battle at Garden’s Gate

Staffer Hadley’s Album of the Year

“Greta Van Fleet does not disappoint with their third album, which keeps their iconic sound while incorporating some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard. They stray from their classic rock roots to incorporate a more worldly sound while still being amazing and technically sound. They play with a new, more diverse range of sounds that sets them apart from their usual comparison to Led Zeppelin and creates a sound all their own, with enough flair to show their growth as a band while still sounding like the group we know and love. Personally, I think it’s their best album yet.”

–Hadley Stewart

17. Rauw Alejandro – Vice Versa

Staffer Alejandro’s Album of the Year

“In a very limited genre like reggaeton, Rauw Alejandro breaks those limits to deliver Vice Versa, an album full of fun tracks that use the typical reggaeton and Latin pop beats in new and creative ways. The lead single and opening track of the album, “Todo de Ti”, is a funky introduction that sets the tone for what the rest of the album is going to be. However, the highlight of the album is “Cosa Guapa”, which mixes Latin pop and House to make a new classic for Latino nightclubs.”

–Alejandro Gonzalez

16. Shannon & the Clams – Year of the Spider

Staffer Ryan’s Album of the Year

“The newest from Shannon & the Clams combines elements of Rockabilly, 60s psych, & Doo Wop, creating a unique retro sound. Vocalists Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard achieve excellent chemistry.”

–Ryan Knipp

15. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – ENTERTAINMENT DEATH

Director Sydney’s Album of the Year

“As discordant as it is dreamy, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE’s ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH easily excavated a place for itself in the top releases of 2021 with its irreverent sense of nostalgia, melancholy, and an eerie understanding that maybe all is not well. The twinkly yet jarringly off-kilter synths remind one of an old photograph being eaten away by time and sun-exposure, while the vocals are melancholic and ethereal. The constant shutters, glitches, and static present in the mix add to the unusual ethos of this record which is sure to lull its listeners into a dangerous state of naive ease.”

–Sydney Sjobakken

14. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – HARAM

Director Jaden’s Album of the Year

“Billy Woods’ and ELUCID’s poetically confrontational bars hit as hard as ever. Now with smooth and jazzy beats from the Alchemist, the two reach new heights. It’s the contrast between Woods’ deep bellow and ELUCID’s rasp, as they deliver dizzying bars filled with emotional gut-punches. It’s how they seem to have pushed the Alchemist on some of these songs to create his most experimentally mind-bending beats yet, while still maintaining crisp production. Put simply, HARAM cements Armand Hammer as one of the best rap duos to ever do it.”

–read Jaden Amjadi’s full review here.

13. Backxwash – I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES

“On the newest album from Backxwash, she continues down the path of dark, industrial metal-infused hip hop, rapping verses that mix the personal with the occult. The first single and title track “I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES” is a perfect encapsulation of why this album rules.”

–read Jaden Amjadi’s full review here.

12. The Mountain Goats – Dark In Here

“It just so happens that this new set of songs on Dark In Here is some of the band’s best work in years. The instrumentation is never particularly showy–folk rock guitars, some keys across piano and organ, some spare woodwinds–restrained drums which only hit hard when the time is right. Attention is primarily on Darnielle’s lyricism and vocal performance, which he keeps on the softer end of his register. These songs are sad, or at least, they explore different aspects of loneliness and darkness.”

–read Jaden Amjadi’s full review here.

11. Tyler, The Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost

“Smooth and soulful, with lyrics that’ll make you ask, “Who hurt Tyler?”. It also has a fair balance of gritty or harder songs, and smooth, horn-filled soul pieces. It’s a nice middle-ground between IGOR and Flowerboy.

–Sydney Sjobakken

10. Doja Cat – Planet Her

It’s Doja Cat. What could we possibly say? Her new one is pretty great.

9. Viagra Boys – Welfare Jazz

“The brand of tongue-in-cheek, abrasive yet catchy songwriting that Swedish post-punk band Viagra Boys has engineered is on full display on their sophomore LP Welfare Jazz. The album certainly lives up to its name with instrumentation that is often jazzy, bluesy, and unrelentingly infectious.”

–read Sydney Sjobakken’s full review here.

8. Injury Reserve – By The Time I Get to Phoenix

“On the newest album from Injury Reserve, rapper Ritchie with a T and producer Parker Corey carve out a new lane for themselves in experimental hip hop, as they grapple with the passing of founding member Stepa J Groggs. The results are unlike anything the group, or any other artist for that matter, have made before. From the confrontational opening track, they make it clear what the listener is in for–Ritchie strikes a battle rap stance over enveloping synth lines with a verse that verges on mad rambling in the best way possible.”

–read Jaden Amjadi’s full review here.

7. black midi – Cavalcade

“To expect anything less than off-kilter and left-field from black midi is to underestimate them, but Cavalcade proves that being “left-field” is not a matter of luck or a lack of ingenuity. Across this album, the band employs a Coraline-esque balance of blissful fantasy and demented horror with contemporary jazz-inflected progressions, snappy drums, and perfectly spaced breaks into full-bodied blows of distortion and drive.”

–read Sydney Sjobakken’s full review here.

6. Illuminati Hotties – Let Me Do One More

“From atop Illuminati Hotquarters, singer/songwriter Sarah Tudzin pens tunes to capture the last gasps of a dying Summer on Let Me Do One More. The band’s variety of sounds range from catchy pop-infused punk to endearingly sincere folk and beyond.”

–read Jaden Amjadi’s full review here.

5. Low – HEY WHAT

Staffer Zachary’s Album of the Year

“Nothing is better than seeing a band you’ve grown up with expand their sound while keeping their core values the same. Hey What finds Low, nearly 30 years into their career, blowing out the speakers with harsh electronica and entwining the noise in their ethereal melodies and reigning them in. Sparhawk and Parker have always been masters of sparseness, and while that usually means playing with silence, here, they showcase how isolating and cold chaos can be while proving it ineffectual in the face of the human spirit. This is honestly the strongest album from them in years, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with in the future.”

–read Zachary Leboeuf’s full review here.

4. Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters

Staffer Amelia’s Album of the Year

“When Lana Del Rey dropped three singles on a random Thursday in May, only about two months after Chemtrails came out, it became evident she was working on a new project that would move her forward as a singer and find her focusing on new themes. Blue Banisters explores themes of sisterhood, friendship, family, righting wrongs, and dealing with critics. Songs range from well-known bootlegs in the fandom to a closing song she wrote in 20 minutes with her sister and her dad. She strips many songs down to piano and voice, but standouts like “Dealer and “If You Lie Down With Me” use synths, horns, and screams. Blue Banisters rivals the Grammy-nominated NFR among fans because of this new style and maturation shown by Lana on this album, and sets a new standard for any project she creates in the future.”

–Amelia Johnson

3. girl in red – if i could make it go quiet

Director Daniela’s Album of the Year

“girl in red’s anticipated debut album, if i could make it go quiet, captivates listeners with its relatability, instrumental intensity, and variety. The intimate lyrics about relationships and moving through life resonated with me. The presence of numerous instruments such as piano, synths, drums, and guitar was deliberately and thoughtfully used to create a specific mood for each track. girl in red has the ability to write fast-paced bangers, heartfelt ballads, and nostalgic instrumental songs. The combination of all of these elements creates a memorable musical experience leaving me hungry for more of her work.”

–Daniela Rybarczyk

2. Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth

Staffer Ken’s Album of the Year

I’d never heard of Genesis Owusu before he was played during one of the music staff meetings, but I’ve been hooked ever since. I instantly got hooked to the many bangers present on Smiling with No Teeth the moment I started listening and haven’t left my thoughts since. Each track sounds so fun and surprisingly diverse from one another instrumentally and vocally, it makes my brain feel very happy!

–Ken Dompier

1. JPEGMAFIA – LP!

Staffer Evan’s Album of the Year

“On LP!, JPEGMAFIA plays perfectly into his strengths. The experimental hip hop titan revives his distinctive, engaging, and humorous attitude and delivers yet another project full of heart, intelligence, and musical brilliance. With bold and outlandish production, an infinitely wide arsenal of flows, and rebellious and sarcastic lyrics, Peggy drops another instant classic and advances his case to be considered not just one of the best experimental hip hop artists of our time, but one of the best hip hop artists, period.”

–read Evan Weidl’s full review here.

The post The Best of 2021: Music Staff Picks appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Long before the release of their debut LP, Squid has been making waves in the post-punk community with their own brand of angular and uniquely provocative songwriting that has set them apart from peers in the genre. With the often deranged and purposely erratic vocal delivery of singer Ollie Judge and the driving pseudo-punk melodies conducted by the rest of the band, there is no doubt the group has emotional, musical, and lyrical potency. In their most recent works, including the two singles they released in 2020 and their latest LP, Squid has begun to incorporate jazzier, synth-laden elements into their sound. On Bright Green Field, songs such as “Documentary Filmmaker”, “The Flyover”, and “Global Groove” all heavily feature forlorn horns and synths with a vintage haze about them. The track “Peel St.” shimmies along with a fervent guitar lead that gives the song an infectious groove. Still, the band manages to work in much of what garnered them attention in the first place with the throat-shredding yelps and shouts, off-kilter guitars, and snappy drums, all of which coalesce to create what is from front to back a vibrant and energetic listen. 

–Sydney Sjobakken 

Stars Hollow – I Want to Live My Life

The debut full-length album from Iowan emo rockers Stars Hollow, I Want to Live My Life, follows through on the promise of the band’s previous EPs, while also carving out a space for a less aggressive, more tender sound. This change is immediately apparent from the opening vibraphone synth, reminiscent of a spinning music box beneath vocalist Tyler Stodghill’s newfound comfort in a soft and low range—also showcased on songs “With Weight.” and “Beside You.” Don’t get it twisted—this record rages with catharsis. There’s still plenty of Modern Life Is War-esque hardcore screams over Midwestern-staple twinkly guitars. “At the Bottom.” could fit just as snugly into the tracklist of Happy Again, with math rock grooves and mournful breakdowns to keep listeners on their toes. Lyrically, the album is quite harrowing, filled with regret, longing, and ennui through striking metaphor. In the final moments of the closer, however, Stodghill arrives at an uplifting resolution: “I’ll face everything / I want to live my life / But better.” The newest from Stars Hollow finds the band at the peak of their ambition, and they meet this challenge with fantastic execution. 

–Jaden Amjadi 

CHAI – WINK 

CHAI’s album WINK seamlessly encompasses numerous genres, from electropop to R&B, for an upbeat and dancey J-pop record perfect to kickstart summer. “Donuts Mind If I Do” opens the album in a chill manner with crooning synths and a tooth-rotting sweetness in the vocals. “Maybe Chocolate Chips” and “KARAAGE” show the R&B influence on this album with smooth vocals and mellow, spacey instrumentals. CHAI also experiments with the electropop genre on “ACTION” and “END.” Both have simple yet catchy choruses and rhythmic lines closer to the house pop genre that implores the listener to move. “PING PONG!” demonstrates the fun and collaborative side of CHAI with YMCK’s production imitating the sound effects from a video game. The short album closer, “Salty”, brings the energy down to create a simply nostalgic sound, leaving the listeners wanting more. While the instruments, including electric bass, drums, synths, and piano, are mostly in a supportive role throughout the album, they have a solid, grounding sound that contrasts the high register of the vocals. These elements paired with the bubbly production of CHAI and others create a movement-inducing album across its multiple genres. 

–Daniela Rybarczyk

St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home

Smoky, bluesy art pop is not something that St. Vincent is new to, but on this new record, Daddy’s Home, she shows that she is capable of blending swaggering blues with modern, danceable beats. The most impressive thing this album offers is its cohesion despite being so musically diverse. It frequently oscillates between eccentric art pop tracks like “Pay Your Way in Pain” and “Down” with bouncy beats and heavy use of vocal layering and effects, to smooth psychedelic pieces with lush, shimmery keys and reverb-laden guitars–even to bummed-out blues cuts like “Daddy’s Home” and “The Laughing Man” that each offer incredibly personal lyrical narratives. In all cases, the exquisite sense of weaving lyrical and musical ideas together creates a unique ethos for this album that recalls both St. Vincent’s past rooted in the 70s blues and psych sounds and also maintains a refreshing sense of modernity. 

–Sydney Sjobakken

Sufjan Stevens – Convocations

Listen, I get it. It’s ambient music. It can be difficult to get in the mood to listen to 2 and a half hours of drifting synths and lonely piano. But I guarantee that Convocations works as background music and headphone heaven. Sufjan’s been heading towards a more experimental sound lately, and this may be the furthest removed from his previous works that he has sounded. Regardless, this is a must-listen album. Ambient music may not seem as prominent now as in its 90s-2000s heyday, but Convocations stands its ground against albums from the genre’s classics like Stars of the Lid or even Aphex Twin. Sufjan has the ability to bring beauty out of sparseness, and that effort is clearly shown here. The music can switch from the prettiest melody you’ve ever heard to melancholy piano to just, well, sparseness. And all of it bleeds in together as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Drones meld with string, organ combines with string and synth stabs to create an almost organic atmosphere that surrounds the listener in a blanket. I’m not going to lie. It’s not all relaxing wispy sounds. This album will freak out when you least expect, but it’s never meant to harm. Convocations reminds us that scary things happen out there in the world, but in the end, it’s also the most comfortable place you’ll ever find here in the universe. 

–Zachary LeBoeuf 

Sons of Kemet – Black to the Future

Jazz quartet Sons of Kemet are known for fiery and frenetic performances paired with socially conscious themes. Black to the Future continues this trajectory in a slightly more sonically reserved manner—though the messages throughout much of the features and tracklist are as pointed as ever. The opening track, “Field Negus”, floods with subtle yet disorienting horns as one of many memorable guests, Joshua Idehen passionately speaks poetry about the history, present, and future of the Black liberation movement: “We are rolling your monuments down the streets like tobacco / Tossing your effigies into the river, they weren’t even worth a pyre.” “Pick Up Your Burning Cross”, with rapper Moor Mother and clarinetist Angel Bat Dawid matches the energy of previous releases, with a straightforward and frantic saxophone line that hits like a shout. The lumbering tuba grooves on “Think of Home” and “In Remembrance Of Those Fallen”, on the other hand, provide a perfect nook for Shabaka Hutchins’ seemingly effortless and smooth saxophone playing to maneuver. Black to the Future finds Sons of Kemet refining their style as one of the most important acts in contemporary jazz. 

–Jaden Amjadi 

black midi – Cavalcade

To expect anything less than off-kilter and left-field from black midi is to underestimate them, but Cavalcade proves that being “left-field” is not a matter of luck or a lack of ingenuity. Across this album, the band employs a Coraline-esque balance of blissful fantasy and demented horror with contemporary jazz-inflected progressions, snappy drums, and perfectly spaced breaks into full-bodied blows of distortion and drive. Plainly spoken, this record ascends the band into a realm of eccentricity that is artfully crafted and masterful. On the opening track, “John L”, the band comes roaring in on squealing guitars and oblique melodies with an unusually clear and smooth vocal delivery from lead singer and guitarist Geordie Greep. This new vocal sound carries across a record that, in comparison with their prior 2019 release, Schlagenheim, is significantly jazzier and more complex. This complexity can be found in multi-phased songs such as “Chondromalacia Patella” and the closer “Ascending Forth”, but it also comes in the form of a renewed sense of lyrical poeticism and structural intricacy. While it certainly does still contain the noisy eccentricity of black midi’s earlier works, Cavalacade also shows that the band is worth the praise they have received in their ability to be both diverse and sharp with their songwriting. 

–Sydney Sjobakken

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