Record Setter, I Owe You Nothing

Based in the artsy north Texas city of Denton, four-piece band Record Setter have been playing music together for almost a decade. Their second proper album, I Owe You Nothing, is a whirlwind 30 minutes that prove the band have finally hit their stride, blending elements of screamo, ’90s indie, and prog rock.

The lyrics find vocalist Judy Mitchell on the brink of a newfound freedom, coming into her own as both an artist and a person: “I feel like I’ve been vindicated and my voice is clear for the first time in my life,” she hollers on “Humus.”

For fans of Basement, Touché Amoré, and Title Fight.

Chester Watson, A Japanese Horror Film

St. Louis-born Chester Watson spent his teen years idolizing left-field rappers. Now, the 23-year-old is on the fast track to joining those alt-hip-hop greats with his latest project, A Japanese Horror Film.

Watson produced the record himself, and his influences can be heard in the hazy, jazzy instrumentals of tracks like “Porcelain Geisha” and “Life Wrote Itself.” A concept album of sorts, A Japanese Horror Film follows a storyline of the narrator landing in Japan and taking acid in an Uber. Like a disoriented stroll through a foreign country, the album feels precisely detailed while offering an otherworldly experience.

For fans of Earl Sweatshirt, MF DOOM, and Mos Def.

Wilco, Summerteeth (Deluxe Edition)

Just two weeks after Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy released his most recent solo album, his band is paying homage to one of their very first releases. This week, the indie veterans have shared a deluxe version of Summerteeth, their seminal third album.

At the time of its 1999 release, Summerteeth offered a more refined version of Wilco, who were beginning to shed their alt-country roots and move towards a cleaner, pop-rock sound—albeit still heavy in subject matter, referencing Tweedy’s addiction and his feelings of estrangement from his own family. The deluxe version of the record comes stocked with an abundance of demos and live recordings that offer an even closer look at one of the most influential bands still recording today.

For fans of Pavement, Built to Spill, and Dinosaur Jr.

Soul Glo, Songs to Yeet at the Sun EP

Soul Glo are a Philadelphia band who are bringing a welcome facelift to modern-day hardcore. Their new EP, Songs to Yeet at the Sun, is a dose of adrenaline that combines chaotic experimental punk and noise-rap. On both sides of the coin, Soul Glo offer gutting, thought-provoking lyrics about topics such as mental health and America’s flawed criminal justice system.

“I’m a darkskin n*gga with a bit of knife for each and every Punk Goes Crunk white n*gga,” goes the especially jarring “Mathed Up.” “Made in America, or taken there, but I will never ever show up in the picture.”

For fans of Show Me the Body, black midi, and Ceremony.

Pole, Fading

Stefan Betke, better known as Pole, is an often overlooked pioneer of the niche electronic genre of glitch. His latest record, Fading, was inspired by the concept of memory loss after Betke observed his mother’s struggles with dementia. Fading is a wordless, subtle array of beats and synths that feel like recalling a lost memory.

For fans of Oval and William Basinski.