Ah, summer. A time when late-night ice cream runs and annual family beach trips come into fruition and the stresses of college life fall into the rearview. Returning home brings new daily opportunities to relax, reconnect with friends and listen to new music.
From May to August, many artists saw this period as a time to release their most ambitious projects yet. With this in mind, here are the five best albums of the summer:
“RENAISSANCE” by Beyonce
After a six-year spell of creating music for movies like “The Lion King” remake and “King Richard,” as well as producing a collaborative R&B album with husband Jay-Z, Beyonce finally released her first project since “Lemonade.” A homage to black, queer musicians, club music and the Vogue era of the early 1990s, the singer created her most ambitious, near flawless album yet. If you’re looking for a psychedelic, disco-inspired addition to your playlist, try “VIRGO’S GROOVE” or “CUFF IT.” Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
“Gemini Rights” by Steve Lacy
One of the summer’s biggest hits, “Bad Habit,” can be found as one of the leading tracks off Steve Lacy’s sophomore debut, “Gemini Rights,” which dropped this past July. The perfect R&B and soul mix, this album has a song for everyone. From songs such as “Helmet” that discuss self-worth and realization to songs like “Sunshine (feat. Foushee)” that delve into lingering feelings and rocky relationships, Lacy easily taps into the themes of adolescence and identity, making it a noteworthy release from this summer.
“Sometimes, Forever” by Soccer Mommy
Soccer Mommy may have struck gold with her third album, “Sometimes, Forever.” Throughout its 11 tracks, the Nashville-based singer bears her soul for listeners, sonically tapping into the darker side of her mind. Centered around how mental illness affects musicians, Soccer Mommy documents her inner turmoil on songs such as “Following Eyes” and “Feel It All The Time.” One of the summer’s best alternative releases, it seems that this album has already earned the approval of various publications such as Pitchfork and Variety. It is evident that this album will leave a lasting mark as the summer heat turns into changing leaves.
“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” by Kendrick Lamar
For rapper Kendrick Lamar, it was definitely a challenge to release a new project after the widely successful, Pulitzer-Prize winning “DAMN.” in 2017, but “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” is definitely an impressive follow-up. Lamar isn’t afraid to address racial and queer injustice and the current and past political atmosphere of the U.S. and gender roles. He focuses on these issues to form the existential consensus that our current world is falling apart and urgently narrates these thoughts to listeners. Probably one of the most outspoken releases of the summer, Kendrick Lamar exhibits his comfortability with going against censorship.
“MUNA” by MUNA
Indie-pop band MUNA also had a fantastic release with their third self-titled album back in June. Featuring the iconic “Silk Chiffon (feat. Phoebe Bridgers),” as well as songs about wanting to be free from the restraints of a relationship like “What I Want,” “MUNA” is the rollercoaster ride we all want to be on. This project is unique in that it focuses on queerness through the lenses of band members Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin and Naomi McPherson and proves that queer artists are strongly making waves in the indie-pop genre.
