14 must-listen new albums of the week from Keke Palmer, Carl Craig, Samara Cyn and more

This week’s new releases showcase an impressive breadth of artistic vision, from Yaya Bey’s politically charged R&B-dancehall fusion to Carl Craig’s archival techno retrospective. The releases highlight emerging voices like Samara Cyn’s trap-soul confessionals and established veterans, including Nightmares On Wax’s return to downtempo mastery.

From Terrace Martin and Kenyon Dixon’s G-funk collaboration to BAMBII’s genre-smashing club odyssey, the week demonstrates how contemporary artists continue to blur boundaries between hip-hop, electronic music, jazz, and global diaspora sounds. Notable entries include Loyle Carner’s optimistic jazz-rap pivot, Che Noir’s sharp Buffalo street narratives, and a celebratory compilation from Chicago’s International Anthem, underscoring the vibrant cross-pollination happening across scenes from London to Los Angeles to Toronto.

Yaya Bey – do it afraid

Queens-born singer-rapper-producer Yaya Bey—daughter of golden-era MC Grand Daddy I.U. and a fixture of Brooklyn’s DIY scene—turns personal essays on Black womanhood into propulsive R&B, dancehall and jazz grooves. Her third LP, released June 20 on drink sum wtr, pairs fiery social critiques (“wake up bitch”) with breezy, Bajan-tinged rhythms that invite listeners to heal and move at once. The album positions Bey as an activist and healer, using Caribbean-inflected production to soften the edges of her most pointed observations about systemic oppression.

Seven Davis Jr. – Don’t Crash Out Challenge

Houston-raised, L.A.-based singer-producer Seven Davis Jr.—a onetime Prince backing vocalist turned cult hero of “future-soul” house—drops a raw, Bandcamp-first set of chunky four-on-the-floor jams. His elastic falsetto floats over gospel-funk keys, urging clubgoers to “treat yourself like VIP” while keeping bodies in constant motion. The release showcases Davis Jr.’s ability to marry underground house sensibilities with mainstream soul appeal, creating dancefloor therapy for the post-pandemic era.

V/A – Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem

To mark catalogue number 100, Chicago’s avant-jazz imprint International Anthem teams with BBC tastemaker Gilles Peterson for a double-disc survey of its first decade. The comp stitches exclusive live takes and rarities from label pillars—Makaya McCraven, Ben LaMar Gay, Irreversible Entanglements—underscoring the trans-Atlantic community Peterson and the label have built between London and Chicago. The collection is both retrospective and manifesto, documenting how International Anthem has redefined contemporary jazz through cross-cultural collaboration and boundary-pushing experimentation.

Georgie Sweet – I Swear To You

Brighton-bred vocalist and illustrator Georgie Sweet, long championed by Gilles Peterson and DJ Spinna, follows her 2020 debut with a piano-rich album on First Word Records. Produced by Marc Rapson, the 12-track set explores youth, grief and self-acceptance through lush neo-soul arrangements that showcase her silken alto. The record positions Sweet within the lineage of UK soul sophisticates while maintaining the intimate, confessional quality that first caught Peterson’s attention on his radio show.

Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon – Come As You Are

Jazz-funk polymath Terrace Martin—key architect of Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly—joins forces with Grammy-nominated soul singer Kenyon Dixon for a lean LP steeped in G-funk horns and church harmonies. Together, they build a slow-burn soundtrack that feels equal parts SoCal car-cruise and late-night quiet-storm confessional. The collaboration highlights Martin’s continued evolution from session player to bandleader, while giving Dixon space to showcase his considerable vocal range outside the constraints of major-label expectations.

Keke Palmer – Just Keke

Chicago-born Emmy-winning actor, talk-show host and singer Keke Palmer revives her music career with a self-released R&B record that threads cinematic storytelling learned from her 2023 visual album Big Boss into gospel-rooted vocals. The June 20 project finds Palmer asserting creative independence while balancing vulnerability and pop polish. Her multi-hyphenate celebrity status could overshadow the music, but Palmer’s lived-in vocal delivery and personal songwriting prove she’s serious about this artistic chapter.

Nyah Grace – Divinely Devoted

Oregon-raised, London-based songwriter Nyah Grace—who debuted at 18 with the Corinne Bailey Rae-evoking Honey-Coloured—returns with a breezy sophomore set blending West Coast warmth and UK neo-soul sophistication. Due June 20 on Palawan Productions, the album glides through jazz-tinged ballads and mid-tempo grooves steeped in romantic devotion. Grace’s transatlantic perspective enriches her sound, creating music that feels simultaneously rooted in specific places and universally appealing.

Samara Cyn – Backroads EP

Atlanta-raised rapper-singer Samara Cyn, a blog-circuit breakout inspired by Lauryn Hill’s MTV Unplugged, makes her Vanta Records debut with diaristic trap-soul anthems about small-town escapes and radical self-reliance. The June 20 EP layers melodic hooks over moody 808s, positioning Cyn as a Southern voice with global resonance. Her ability to balance regional specificity with universal themes of growth and independence marks her as an artist to watch in the crowded trap-soul landscape.

Loyle Carner – Hopefully !

South London MC and youth-cooking-school founder Loyle Carner pivots from the brooding introspection of 2022’s hugo to an optimistic, string-laden jazz-rap outing. His fourth album pairs candid reflections on ADHD and fatherhood with boom-bap beats, reaffirming Carner’s reputation for disarming honesty. The tonal shift reflects Carner’s personal growth while maintaining the therapeutic vulnerability that has made him a vital voice for mental health awareness in hip-hop.

Che Noir – The Color Chocolate 2

Buffalo rapper-producer Che Noir—often dubbed the “Queen of Upstate” for her vivid street narratives alongside Griselda affiliates—self-releases a sequel packed with soulful loops and crisp drums. Guest verses from Elzhi and 7xvethegenius complement Noir’s razor-sharp storytelling, further cementing her dual threat as lyricist and beat-maker. The project demonstrates Noir’s growth as both a technical rapper and sonic architect, proving that Buffalo’s hip-hop renaissance extends beyond the Griselda collective.

Carl Craig – Desire: The Carl Craig Story

Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, founder of Planet E and maestro of orchestral club hybrids, prefaces his forthcoming documentary with an archival-plus-new soundtrack. Remastered classics like “No More Words” sit beside fresh interludes, tracing a career that bridged Motor-City electronics and global dance floors. The release serves as both a primer for newcomers and a celebration for longtime fans, highlighting Craig’s role in elevating techno from an underground phenomenon to an internationally recognized art form.

Nightmares On Wax – Still Smokin. III.

Leeds-born producer George Evelyn—Warp Records’ longest-serving artist—revisits the hazy downtempo of 1995’s Smokers Delight. Featuring Jordan Stephens and Eléwa, the June 18 release melds hip-hop sampling with Balearic dub-soul, proving the veteran’s chill-out blueprint remains timeless. The album finds Evelyn mining his past while incorporating contemporary collaborators, bridging downtempo’s golden age and its current revival among streaming-era listeners.

Ric Wilson – AMERICA RUNS ON DISCO

Chicago rapper-activist Ric Wilson, who cut his teeth in local poetry slams and grassroots organizing, channels Sylvester-style euphoria on a house-rap EP that doubles as a call for liberation through dance. The record marries buoyant bass lines to Wilson’s playful yet pointed commentary. Wilson’s commitment to community organizing infuses the music with genuine revolutionary spirit, positioning house music as escapism and resistance in equal measure.

BAMBII – Infinity Club II

Toronto DJ-producer BAMBII (Kirsten Azan), celebrated for genre-smashing club sets and her Polaris-short-listed 2023 EP, expands that project into a full-length odyssey. The 12-track sequel fuses dancehall, jungle and electro with cameos from Yaeji and Jessy Lanza, spotlighting the Black diasporic rhythms at the heart of her global dance-floor vision. The album positions BAMBII as a crucial voice in contemporary club music, weaving influences across the African diaspora into something distinctly futuristic yet rooted in tradition.