Pitchfork has curated a selection of 11 notable new album releases available on streaming services, featuring artists like xaviersobased, Shackleton, and Joyce Manor. The weekly roundup highlights diverse genres from underground rap to experimental jazz and pop-punk. These releases span various labels and include long-awaited debuts and follow-ups after significant gaps.
Every week, Pitchfork provides guidance on significant new music amid the constant flow of releases. This week's list, published on January 30, 2026, spotlights 11 albums across genres, selected independently by editors.
xaviersobased delivers his debut LP Xavier on 1-chance / Surf Gang Records, a 20-track project after over two years of mixtapes and EPs. The New York underground rap artist's work foregrounds his production, as on lead single “iPhone 16,” with features from OsamaSon, Yung Sherman, and Zaytoven.
British producer Shackleton's Euphoria Bound on AD 93 explores percussion extremes, building on his Skull Disco label's role in mid-2000s dubstep. Recent collaborators include Pinch, Ernesto Tomasini, and Waclaw Zimpel; the album blends jazz experimentation, bass, and spectral vocals.
Joyce Manor's I Used to Go to This Bar on Epitaph marks 3.5 years since 40 oz. to Fresno, their longest gap since the 2011 self-titled debut. Produced by Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz with contributions from Tom Lord-Alge, recording started in early 2023 as pandemic restrictions lifted, capturing touring excitement through fast-paced West Coast anthems.
Other highlights include fakemink's mixtape The Boy Who Cried Terrified on EtnaVeraVela, previewing his album Terrified with samples from Burial's “Rival Dealers”; Geologist's Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights? on Drag City, a hurdy gurdy opus by Brian Weitz of Animal Collective, inspired by a 1998 Keiji Haino performance. Weitz noted, “I still can’t play or write like my favorites, but the hurdy gurdy got me closer than guitar ever did.” Contributors include Avey Tare and Weitz’s son Merrick.
Don Toliver's Octane on Cactus Jack/Donnway & Co/Atlantic follows Hardstone Psycho by two years, inspired by rally racing and cars, showcasing melodic trap. He headlines Rolling Loud with Playboi Carti and YoungBoy Never Broke Again.
The Soft Pink Truth's Can Such Delightful Times Go on Forever? on Thrill Jockey, by Matmos' Drew Daniel, offers chamber music as a “queer refuge” amid recent anxieties. By Storm's My Ghosts Go Ghost on DeadAir follows the 2020 death of Injury Reserve's Stepa J. Groggs, with a feature from billy woods.
Lande Hekt's Lucky Now on Tapete, produced with Matthew Simms, aims for positivity: “I wanted to try and push for something slightly more positive,” she said, “which I’m trying to do more of generally—just to not fall apart.” Blackwater Holylight's Not Here Not Gone on Suicide Squeeze reflects their move from Portland to Los Angeles three years ago, themed around patience, per vocalist Sunny Faris: “If there were to be a theme to the album, it would be patience.” Dave Sitek contributes to “Giraffe.”
Zukenee's ZUMINATI on SlayLife continues his Atlanta rap saga from 2025's Slaytanic, with guest Sk8star on “Glock Backshots.”
These albums are available on platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal, with some on Bandcamp and Rough Trade.
