With Staff Picks, our writers and editors select their favorite albums of the month. Check out the best of June below.
We are halfway through 2024 and here in ConsequenceWe're celebrating the best of the year so far with our 2024 Mid-Year Report throughout the month of June.
But looking back at the music of the past six months, artists released some serious album of the year contenders. In case you haven't heard, Charli XCX is back with (arguably) her best album yet, and Normani finally released her debut album, Dopamine.
Meanwhile, newcomers Been Stellar proved that New York City guitar rock is alive and thriving, and hyperpop star 2hollis provided an immersive, glitch-filled follow-up to last year. 2and Tems used his rising star power to make Born in the wild A memorable statement.
Listed in alphabetical order, here are the best albums of May 2024 selected by Consequence Writers and editors.
2hollis — boy
Not much is known about 2hollis, but the young hyperpop star has been using the mystery to his advantage. Every song on boy is as unpredictable as the last, and there is a relentless intensity to their music – a frequent tension between EDM-assisted explosions and staccato, glitchy sonic breakdowns. Their music is at once caustic and liberating, chaotic and sublime, cringeworthy and eternally cool. It’s an exceptional collection. Paul Ragusa
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200 stab wounds Manual Manic Procedures
200 Stab Wounds' latest effort is intense enough to elicit a visceral reaction within a few seconds. The Cleveland death metal quartet aims to break new ground in terms of sound by delivering a chilling, blood-soaked, and extremely gory record. It's horrifying in the most enjoyable way, and plays out like a horror movie in the form of an excellent album. —Sun Noor
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It's been stellar Shout out from New York, NY
Comparisons are easy when you come from the rich musical lineage of New York City rock 'n roll, but Been Stellar doesn't sound like anyone else but Been Stellar, and a lot of that is due to Sam Slocum's candor behind the microphone. Despite having an excellent song called “Sweet,” Shout out from New York, NY It’s more bitter than anything else; they play high-end guitar lines like they’re kissing the bottom of their fretboards, but with an unavoidable level of urgency and emotion, the waters always muddy, the tide of their rhythms markedly uneven. As far as debut albums go, Been Stellar has started out with rapturous gusto. P. Ragusa
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Charli XCX — GOLF CLUB
They say monoculture is dead, but you could argue this entire month belonged to Charli XCX. GOLF CLUB is more than just a mood board or a collection of slick, icy club tracks. It's a defining statement from a pop star who's been trying to do what she's been trying to do. GOLF CLUB He has been achieving this since his career-changing and ultra-prophetic year of 2017. Engine roar PE.
In fact, GOLF CLUB It's the kind of “crying in the club” record that countless pop stars have tried to capture in recent years, but Charli XCX's lyrical language, sonic twists, and explosive personality are what make it GOLF CLUB Her wholly original thesis. From the album's wink-wink release, to its turbocharged beats (anyone else crazy for the jazz piano on “Mean Girls”?), to an unprecedented addition of “let's figure it out on the remix” by Lorde, GOLF CLUB It's not just one of the best albums of the year: it's the definitive offering from one of pop music's most undeniable phenomena. P. Ragusa
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Three dirty ones Love changes everything
For the first time in over a decade, Australian post-rock group Dirty Three have a new full-length record. Thankfully, Love changes everything proves that the band is as creative and technically impressive as ever. Across six wordless, free-form tracks, the trio is able to express deep feelings of emotion (“Love Changes Everything I”), melancholy (“Love Changes Everything II”), and ultimately, resonant hope (“Love Changes Everything III”). It’s an absolutely delightful return for a band that continues to command incredible respect within its own little string world. Jonah Krueger
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Lucky Daye — Algorithm
Algorithm It seems like Lucky Daye took the concept of R&B and amped it up to the max. From the moment a listener presses play on any of his tracks, his vocal prowess is evident, but what's particularly exciting about Algorithm That's how experimental Lucky Daye gets. No matter what your entry point into the vocalist, the project is a wealth of riches; there's so much passion on tracks like “Top” and “Mary,” and sharp edges on moments like “Never Leavin' U Lonely” or “Blame,” the latter of which features Teddy Swims. It also welcomes the incomparable RAYE in for a bit, confirming that every corner of the LP is another treasure. Maria Siroky
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Megan Thee Stallion — MEGANE
“The sooner you accept that I am That bitch“The happier your life is,” Megan Thee Stallion brazenly boasts before launching into “Rattle,” the second song from her new project. MEGANE. The introductory line, which is the coup de grace of the record’s double-whammy opener (the first of which is the venomous “HISS”), sets fans up for a record full of raunchy, scathing, bad-bitch verses. Across 18 tracks, Meg proves she doesn’t need anyone but herself; she’s got men around her, heaps in her pocket, and she’s not about to back down from any criticism that comes her way. Hell, as demonstrated on “Moody Girl,” she’s not even afraid to get vulnerable; it’s all part of being at the absolute top of your game. “He say I’m crazy,” she raps on the rock-infused closer “COBRA,” “I don’t know.” J. Krueger
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Normans — Dopamine
As much as the Internet has enjoyed joking about the release, Normani… Dopamine It was really worth the wait. Normani has the kind of malleable voice that she knows how to handle as well in a pop tune as she does in a sultry R&B moment, and there are plenty of highlights on this record. Arguably one of the brightest is “Insomnia,” a sad, floaty tune co-written by none other than Victoria Monét and Brandy. The old-school chord progressions and layered background vocals are the perfect backdrop for her, and Dopamine manages to leave the listener wondering what Normani will do next. Mr. Siroky
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NxConcerns — Why Lawd?
Anderson .Paak has reunited with Knxwledge to reprise their NxWorries project, and eight years after their last album, they have delivered a memorable record once again with Why Lawd? .Paak seems to be at his best when collaborating, whether it's with Knxwledge or Bruno Mars on Silk Sonic. Over the course of 45 minutes, the duo creates a hazy, feather-light vibe, Why Lawd? Their own kind of hypnotic antidote: They may express some legitimate pains throughout the entire album, but every petal of anguish is wrapped in luxurious velvet. Not to mention some incredible guest performances: Thundercat, H.E.R., and Snoop Dogg join in for some laid-back fun, and all the while, .Paak and Knxwledge reach personal heights. P. Ragusa
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Sour Widows The resurgence of a friend
Sour Widows' debut, The resurgence of a friendis a heavy record, and not in the sense that the guitar tones are crushingly distorted (although the band does get loud when the melody calls for it). Rather, the album carries immense emotional weight, as if the sky is obscured by storm clouds. A collection of songs written in the wake of various personal hardships (read Sour Widows' track-by-track breakdown for more), the songs on The resurgence of a friend They’re epic in scale, deeply captivating in technique, and cathartic as hell in practice. By the end of the final moments of the album’s closing track, “Staring Into Heaven/Shining,” it feels like the sun is just starting to peek out from behind those clouds. J. Krueger
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Topics – Born in the wild
Tems' stunning debut album chronicles her journey through stardom and her staying grounded. Across 18 tracks, Born in the wild The album sheds light on the R&B star’s personal journey to stardom, dealing with imposter syndrome and overcoming past traumas. Sweet love songs like “Love Me JeJe” offer a contrast to the record’s somber moments. It also incorporates samples of traditional music while fusing a host of Afrobeat genres, continually honoring her roots. While hitmaker Tems has become a familiar figure in recent years, her latest work aims to present a new side to her. S. Noor
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This is Lorelai Box for a friend, box for a star
The last we heard of Nate Amos was that he was part of the former Consequence CosSign duo Water from Your Eyes, who released one of the best albums of last year with Of all CrushedNow, she's back with one of her many other projects, This Is Lorelei, a more personal and heartfelt outing for Amos. Compared to the sarcastic, controlled chaos of Of all Crushed, Box for a friend, box for a star It’s genuine and hot-blooded, and it turns out Amos is as good in this realm as he is in any other. Acoustic instrumentation, honky tonk melodies, bittersweet dance beats, and shimmering production are sprinkled throughout the album’s 10 songs, resulting in a tracklist that addresses darkness while embracing light. It’s an emotionally honest and intensely enjoyable journey. J. Krueger
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