10 new albums streaming right now for Phoenix music fans (Feb. 28, 2025)

Another week, another offering of great albums straight from us to your ear canals.

In the month or so we've been assembling this feature, there's been as much excitement and giddy joy as downright hesitation within this larger curation process. Lots of places nowadays will tell you what to listen to, but we'd like to think we're different because we practically live next door. Maybe that doesn't make a significant difference, but we still like to think it means our voice rings just a little louder over the cacophony.

And that's totally a good thing, as this week may be the most packed and downright diverse dispatch from us so far. Be it star-studded electronic music, New York punk rock, weirdo electro-rock or folky instrumentals, these are the records that will move and shake your friends and neighbors.

We'll be seeing you around — and when you do, no need to thank us for the stellar tunes.

Secret Attraction, ‘Somewhere’ EP

Technically speaking, Derek Wise has seemingly relocated Secret Attraction to Los Angeles to better chase synth-pop stardom. However, the group's Bandcamp still lists Phoenix as their home, and that's more than enough reason to lovingly delve into the group's latest, "Somewhere" EP. Wise isn't exactly reinventing the CS-80 here, but as he continues to grow and develop as an artist, Secret Attraction is now all the more alluring, mysterious and downright sensual. This three-track EP maybe didn't land in time for Valentine's Day, but you'll find yourself longing all the same. Perhaps while dreaming of cruising your white Camaro IROC-Z28 down Interstate 405 on a misty Sunday morning?

The Men, ‘Buyer Beware’

The Men have, per their own count, released some 15 albums since 2009. (Between 2023 and 2024 alone, there were three fuzzy punk records jettisoned onto the world.) This 13-track offering, however, is special as it has been deemed "their most aggressive since 2011's 'Leave Home,' and their most psychedelic since 2010's 'Immaculada.'" And if we're being honest, on the back of standouts like the uber fuzzy "Charm" and the brash "PO Box 96," this record is a step up. The album immediately feels more lively and confrontational than The Men have in some time, and that's the perfect speed and tone for these New York gents. "Buyer Beware?" Yeah, be aware of a damn good time.

LISA, ‘Alter Ego’

You might already know Lisa as a member of Blackpink, one of the more interesting acts at the head of the girl group/K-pop trend of the last decade or so. Now, though, the Thai rapper/singer has gone solo, and she's recruited the likes of Rosalia, Tyla, Future and Megan Thee Stallion, among others, for the 15-track "Alter Ego." Don't expect anything too divergent from her work with Blackpink, but songs like shiny and braggadocious "Rockstar" and the Doja Cat-featuring "Born Again" put Lisa on par with other big name pop acts working today. Whatever your connection to Blackpink, though, "Alter Ego" will move you if only in the hips and heart.

Panda Bear, ‘Sinister Grift’

Here's perhaps a semi-controversial thought: I prefer Panda Bear's solo work over his efforts with Animal Collective. Sure, 2007's "Person Pitch" basically birthed chillwave (ugh), but 2011's "Tomboy," 2015's "Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper" and 2019's "Buoys" are genuinely great experimental pop. And now the man born Noah Benjamin Lennox has done it again with "Sinister Grift," a 10-track collection that is his most "warm and immediate" to date. Don't believe me? Spin either the sunny "Ferry Lady" or the crunchy "Defense," and you'll see this Bear is clearly working with a new kind of magic. Now, Animal Collective can absolutely prove me wrong by simply releasing yet another album.

BANKS, ‘Off With Her Head’

Since 2011, singer-songwriter Jillian Rose Banks has had a solid enough career as BANKS. (Opting for a great mononym really seemed to help.) While she's had some chart success, and heaps of critical acclaim, it feels like she's been waiting for that one big LP to step up to that next career echelon. Could the 12-track "Off With Her Head" be that very record? This writer says, "Oh yes!" She goes extra danceable and approachable with "Love is Unkind"; veers to the sentimental with "Best Friends"; and teams with Doechii for the anthem "I Hate Your Ex-Girlfriend." Even if BANKS doesn't become an even bigger star, this entire album is inventive, thoughtful and heaps of fun.

Darkside, ‘Nothing’

If you're not exactly current on your alt-leaning electro, Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington have spent a decade or so putting in work as Darkside. Case in point: They seemingly call their releases "reinventions," and that speaks to the shapeshifting nature and overall creative chutzpah defining this duo. "Nothing" sees the pair deliver "nine transmissions of negative space, telepathic seance and spectral improvisation." So, whether you gravitate toward the bizarre space-funk of "S.N.C.," or prefer the more disjointed "Graucha Max," Darkside's latest "iteration" is just as dynamic, confrontational and utterly fascinating. Forget the album title; it’s actually quite something to behold.

Yo La Tengo, ‘Old Joy’ EP

If you're an avid user of Letterboxd, you might know "Old Joy" is a 2006 road movie from director Kelly Reichardt (and starring Will Oldham, aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy). This is the first time its soundtrack is being released on vinyl, and so we'll happily use that development to celebrate the sonic achievements of Yo La Tengo. The whole affair is only six tracks, but it really ought to be experienced as one seamless musical piece. It's in that approach that we hear, despite everything being recorded in a single afternoon, the sheer weight of this music as well as another truly beguiling side of the Hoboken rockers. Afterward, maybe go rewatch "Old Joy," yeah?

Deep Sea Diver, ‘Billboard Heart’

The story behind "Billboard Heart" is that Deep Sea Diver's Jessica Dobson tried to record an album — only to feel zero creative spark and abandon the effort. Flash forward through a break, and Dobson and the rest of the band were able to reconvene to record the 11-track album. Whatever Dobson found during said break clearly worked, and songs like the rollicking but revelatory "What Do I Know" and the dancey ballad "Shovel" prove that Dobson is working through big ideas and feelings in a deeply effective manner. Whether you can relate or not to Dobson's "journey," the destination was clearly worth all that hard work and initial self doubt.

The Parade Around, ‘Pretty Lonely’

There is something we want all of you reading this to do more of with your daily lives: Spend a few minutes perusing Bandcamp. By doing so, you may discover a great local alt rock band like The Parade Around. While their three-track "Pretty Lonely" runs just 11-ish minutes, it's the kind of effort that fully grabs you by the heart with force and intention. "Colder" is big and sweeping, and could shatter even the most frozen of hearts. From there, the title track turns into sentimental space rock. And, finally, "Low Light" offers a dash of romantic hope. I'd like to see Spotify curate something so damn stirring and charming.

Everything Is Recorded, ‘Temporary’

The term "star-studded" gets thrown around a lot in modern music. But if you're producer/XL Recordings founder Richard Russell, you have a deep Rolodex to lean into when crafting the latest from Everything Is Recorded. The 14-track "Temporary" relies on a bevy of stars, including Bill Callahan, Kamasi Washington, Florence Welch, Noah Cyrus, Roses Gabor and Clari Freeman-Taylor. Yet even through all the star power, "Temporary" is still very much a reflection of the curious and joyful approach that defines Russell's music, and you can hear him shining through the entire LP. Come for the big-time players, but stay for a joyous collection of music that's all about lush rhythms and infectious melodies.