All Songs Considered New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16
14 snips
Jan 16, 2026 Join Alex Newman, a Portland radio host known for breaking jazz boundaries, as he dives into the latest music scene. He and host Stephen Thompson discuss A$AP Rocky's new singles and their cultural impact. They explore the enchanting collaboration of Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore, highlighting its ambient layers. The duo celebrates the doo-wop revival with The Sha La Das, and the genre-fluid sounds of Ya Tseen are examined for their storytelling depth. Don't miss their rapid-fire recommendations from other exciting new releases!
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Harp And Voice Create Expansive Ambient Worlds
- Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore blend harp and dense vocal synths into patient, expansive ambient music.
- Their Musée de la Musique instruments give Tragic Magic a retro-futuristic, Blade Runner–adjacent sheen.
Family Band Revives Classic Doo-Wop Charm
- The Sha La Das deliver warm, family-rooted doo-wop and soul with vintage-sounding players.
- Their music evokes sepia-toned memories and feels like a lovingly preserved time capsule.
Seek Jazz Without Boundaries
- KMHD programs "jazz without boundaries" to show jazz's connective tissue to other genres.
- Alex Newman recommends exploring diverse record-store finds and newness-at-noon segments to discover contemporary music.