New Music Friday: 12 essential albums from FKA twigs, Summer Walker, Danny Brown & more

New Music Friday delivers 12 essential projects this week, led by FKA twigs’ “EUSEXUA Afterglow,” Summer Walker’s “Finally Over It,” and Danny Brown’s “Stardust,” alongside new music from Wale, Nightmares on Wax, Celeste, and more. This week’s new music releases stretch from avant-pop and hyperpop-adjacent rap to R&B confessionals, UK soul, sound-system dub, and cinematic beat tapes. From club-rooted experimentation to slow-burning ballads, these are the albums and EPs to stream now. This recap is curated with HYFIN’s focus on Black music and global culture—queue them up, save your favorites, and let the weekend play out.

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Best New Hip-Hop & Rap Albums This Week

Danny Brown — “Stardust” (Warp Records)

Detroit rapper Danny Brown’s sixth studio album, “Stardust,” arrives as a turning point: his first LP recorded fully sober and a follow-up to 2023’s “Quaranta” and the JPEGMAFIA collaboration “Scaring the Hoes.”Framed around a semi-autobiographical 1990s pop-star alter ego named Dusty Star, the album is steeped in Brown’s history with underground rap but firmly oriented toward the internet-native, hyperpop and digicore scenes that helped reignite his creativity in the wake of rehab. 

Musically, “Stardust” pushes Brown into one of the most sonically adventurous spaces of his career. Produced by a roster that includes Cynthoni, Frost Children, underscores, Jane Remover, Nnamdï, and more, the record leans into EDM, industrial hip-hop, and glitchy pop textures while keeping his unmistakable delivery front and center. Tracks like “Starburst” and “Copycats” (with underscores) function as high-energy entry points, while “Lift You Up” and the ecstatic “1L0v3myL1f3!” turn his recovery narrative into something openly joyful. The closer “All4U,” featuring Jane Remover, lands as an emotional coda, framing sobriety and community as the real payoff of his stylistic risk-taking. 

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Real Bad Man & TOBi — “The Perfect Blue” (Real Bad Man Records) 

Los Angeles producer and visual artist Real Bad Man—known for full-length collaborations with Boldy James, Willie the Kid, and others—extends his prolific streak with “The Perfect Blue,” a joint album with Nigerian-born, Toronto-based rapper and singer TOBi. Initially conceived as a straight rap record, the project evolved into a more exploratory, soul-infused collaboration, reflecting both artists’ comfort moving between underground hip-hop, R&B, and alternative spaces.

“The Perfect Blue” is released via Real Bad Man Records and balances groove-heavy production with TOBi’s melodic phrasing and reflective writing. Lead single “When I’m Home” sets the tone: a moody, neo-soul piece built around warm bass and understated drums, where TOBi moves fluidly between rap cadences and sung hooks. Across songs like “All Falls Down,” “Over the Moon,” and “Taste Like Freedom,” the record becomes a meditation on migration, pressure, and small pockets of peace, making it a strong pick for listeners drawn to the intersection of underground rap and modern soul. 

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Wale — “everything is a lot.” (Def Jam Recordings) 

Washington, D.C. rapper Wale returns with “everything is a lot.,” his first full-length on Def Jam after a decade-plus career that has included hits like “Lotus Flower Bomb,” “Bad,” and “Sue Me.” The album positions him at a crossroads: an established lyricist reassessing fame, mental health, and legacy in an era where his poetic, punchline-heavy style now feels almost traditional.

“everything is a lot.” is structured as a narrative of overwhelm and recalibration, with production drawing from go-go-inflected rhythms, contemporary trap, and smoother R&B palettes. Early coverage has noted collaborations with writers and producers like BNYX and Leon Thomas, as well as a supporting cast of Afrobeats and alté voices, including Seyi Vibez and ODUMODUBLVCK, underscoring Wale’s long-standing interest in diasporic sounds. Songs framed around romantic standoffs and industry fatigue sit alongside more reflective records that unpack Black masculinity and vulnerability, making this album an accessible starting point for new listeners and a solid continuation for longtime fans.

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Apollo Brown — “Run Toward The Monster” (Apollo Brown / Ty Farris)

Detroit producer Apollo Brown teams up once again with fellow Detroiter Ty Farris for “Run Toward The Monster,” a full-length collaboration that extends the grim, detail-rich street narrative both artists have developed over the past decade. Bandcamp credits list Brown as handling production across the project, with the album arriving independently as part of his ongoing run of collaborative LPs. 

The title suggests the record’s central theme: confronting trauma, poverty, and violence head-on rather than retreating from them. Apollo Brown’s beats tend toward minor-key loops, dusted drums, and carefully chopped vocal samples, giving Ty Farris a stark canvas for intricate rhyme schemes and lived-in storytelling. Standout tracks such as the title cut, “Avenue Saints,” and “Catalog of Scars” (as listed on early digital tracklists) emphasize moral complexity over simple redemption arcs, situating the album firmly in the lineage of Detroit’s lyrically focused underground.

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quinn & FearDorian — “Before You Press Play” (3500) 

Virginia-raised, internet-era artist quinn (formerly known as osquinn) and Atlanta producer FearDorian join forces for “Before You Press Play,” a collaborative album that blurs the lines between rap, alternative pop, and electronic experimentation. Released via the 3500 label, the record builds on quinn’s reputation for diaristic songwriting and distorted vocal processing, while FearDorian’s production leans into granular synths, hazy drum programming, and abrupt transitions.

Across its tight runtime, “Before You Press Play” seamlessly transitions between melodic hooks and spoken confessions, often weaving themes of burnout, digital overload, and young adulthood into tracks that feel like late-night voice notes set to off-kilter beats. Songs highlighted in early write-ups—such as the title track and “Hibernation Season”—show the duo turning small emotional details into something cinematic, making this a compelling release for listeners interested in the evolving edges of rap and bedroom pop.

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Gabriel Jacoby — “gutta child” EP 

South Carolina–born singer and songwriter Gabriel Jacoby continues to refine a hybrid of R&B, hip-hop, and bedroom pop on the “gutta child” EP. Streaming credits describe the project as a concise, eight-track statement running under 25 minutes, with Jacoby handling much of the writing and vocal production himself.

“gutta child” leans into textured, slightly distorted sonics: 808 bass, submerged synths, and layered harmonies that nod to both 1990s R&B and contemporary SoundCloud rap aesthetics. Lyrically, Jacoby centers class tension, regional identity, and complicated romantic dynamics. Tracks like the title song and “break bread” (noted in digital tracklists) foreground his conversational tone and unvarnished vocal timbre, giving the EP a documentary feel that pairs well with this week’s more polished major-label releases.

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Essential R&B and Soul Releases

Summer Walker — “Finally Over It” (LVRN / Interscope) 

Atlanta R&B singer Summer Walker closes a chapter with “Finally Over It,” billed as her third studio album and the final entry in the trilogy that began with 2019’s “Over It” and continued with 2021’s “Still Over It.” Released via LVRN and Interscope, the record follows years of public conversation about love, co-parenting, and self-preservation. These themes have made Walker a key voice in contemporary R&B for Black women navigating similar realities.

“Finally Over It” reportedly features a blend of longtime collaborators and new producers, with lead single “Heart of a Woman” setting a tone of weary but deliberate clarity.) Sonically, the album remains rooted in Walker’s slow-burning, guitar-and-808 palette, but early reviews suggest more spacious arrangements and a slightly warmer, less claustrophobic mix than its predecessors. The tracklist leans into narrative sequencing, taking the listener from the aftermath of a breakup toward guarded optimism, making it a likely centerpiece for R&B listeners this New Music Friday. 

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Elmiene — “Heat the Streets Some Mo’” EP (Polydor / Def Jam) 

British-Sudanese singer Elmiene follows his acclaimed “Marking My Time” and “A Heavy One” releases with “Heat the Streets Some Mo’,” a compact EP positioned as an extension of his earlier “Heat the Streets” material. Issued through Polydor and Def Jam, the project continues his blend of soulful vocals, UK bass undercurrents, and reflective lyricism, exploring themes of family, faith, and pressure.

Running just over 10 minutes, the EP is lean but carefully structured. Apple Music credits highlight its four-song tracklist, where live-band textures and subtle electronics underpin Elmiene’s voice. Songs like the title track and “Endz Interlude” (from digital listings) capture the tension between aspiration and local loyalty, making the EP an intimate but vital piece of this week’s R&B landscape. It also underscores the continued global reach of Black British soul, sitting comfortably alongside U.S.-based releases in both craft and emotional precision.

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Celeste — “Woman Of Faces” (Polydor / Blue Note / Capitol) 

British-Jamaican singer Celeste returns with “Woman Of Faces,” her long-delayed second album and the follow-up to 2021’s Mercury Prize–nominated “Not Your Muse.” Produced by Jeff Bhasker and Beach Noise, and released via Polydor with international partners including Blue Note and Capitol, the album arrives after reported creative tensions and a protracted recording process that spanned London and Los Angeles. 

Musically, “Woman Of Faces” moves away from conventional pop toward a sparse, orchestral sound world that draws on prewar jazz, chanson, and film-score composition. Tracks such as “On With The Show,” “Woman of Faces,” and “Time Will Tell” foreground Celeste’s controlled, grainy tone over strings, piano, and minimal percussion, with “Could Be Machine” serving as a rare moment of electronic abrasion late in the sequence. The record reads as a chronicle of heartbreak, depression, and slow recovery, offering a different kind of R&B-adjacent release this week—less radio-driven, more like an art-song cycle for the streaming era.

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Experimental & Genre-Bending

FKA twigs — “EUSEXUA Afterglow” (Young / Atlantic) 

FKA twigs delivers her second full-length of the year with “EUSEXUA Afterglow,” billed as a sequel rather than a deluxe edition to January’s club-focused “EUSEXUA.” Released through Young and Atlantic, the album extends the conceptual world of “EUSEXUA”—a word twigs coined to describe a heightened state of focus and pleasure—into the emotional and sonic come-down after the rave. 

Across 11 tracks and about 40 minutes, “EUSEXUA Afterglow” shifts between trip-hop, avant-pop, and hazy ballads. Lead single “Cheap Hotel” arrives with a seven-minute Jordan Hemingway–directed video, while “Predictable Girl” pushes her voice over jagged electronic production.) Other songs highlighted in early reviews—such as “Hard,” “Sushi,” and “Love Crimes”—play with looser song structures. At the same time, “Wild and Alone,” featuring PinkPantheress, folds internet-pop melodies into twigs’ dense, tactile sound design. The result is a record that feels less like a definitive statement and more like a vivid, sometimes messy document of transition, adding another chapter to her ongoing dialogue with club culture and vulnerability.

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Nightmares on Wax — “Echo45 Sound System” (Warp Records) 

Leeds-born, Ibiza-based producer George Evelyn, better known as Nightmares on Wax, revisits his sound-system roots on “Echo45 Sound System,” a mixtape-style album named after the battered speaker box his mother bought him as a teenager. Released via Warp, the record features vocal and spoken contributions from Yasiin Bey, Greentea Peng, Oscar Jerome, Sadie Walker, Liam Bailey, Haile Supreme, and more, connecting UK club history to a global network of soul, reggae, and hip-hop voices. 

Structurally, “Echo45 Sound System” functions as both a 13-track album and a continuous mix, with dubwise transitions and sound-design elements linking songs such as “Bang Bien” (featuring Yasiin Bey), “True” (featuring Sadie Walker), and “I Remember” (featuring Greentea Peng). The project foregrounds bass, live instrumentation, and meditative hooks, evoking pirate radio, basement parties, and festival stages in equal measure. It is one of the week’s most panoramic listens, particularly for fans of downtempo, dub, and jazz-adjacent beat music.

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Kennebec — “The Water Wheel” (Rainwatch Records) 

Kennebec—the project of Portland-based composer and producer Eric Phillips—returns with “The Water Wheel,” a full-length album released on Rainwatch Records, blending instrumental hip-hop, ambient, folk, and modern classical elements. Label copy frames the record as a meditation on time, impermanence, and natural cycles, with Phillips drawing on field recordings and a rotating cast of instrumentalists. 

The album moves in slow arcs rather than sharp hooks: fingerpicked guitars, brushed drums, and woodwinds drift in and out of focus over subtle electronic beds. While not a vocal project, “The Water Wheel” fits this week’s theme of reflective, post-party listening—an understated counterpoint to the maximalist edges of Danny Brown or FKA twigs. For listeners of Black music and culture, it also underscores how beat-making aesthetics born from hip-hop and soul now circulate through ambient and “post-genre” instrumental work worldwide.