Of all the albums I listened to so far in August, these seven new releases lived happily in my head. It’s never easy to narrow down my favorite new albums or my favorite 3 songs of the week, because there are so many good ones submitted to us, but these albums and EPs were beyond good. They were f*cking fantastic. From punk and dream pop to EDM, alt-R&B, soul, and art rock. — press play on all of these new spins. For me, they are all no-skip listens. Let me know your thoughts in a comment, and feel free to share your faves.
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Portraits of Tracy — Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV!
Everything Portraits of Tracy touches turns to gold. The producer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist has been a fave here at Grimy Goods. Her new 6-song EP, Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV! is as electro-delicious as it is full of punk fervor. The way she single-handedly conjures a witch’s brew of percolating genres is truly magical. On one track, she’s making you dance to her galactic space bop “Caught In A Jam,” while on another, those signature dulcet vocals take you back to the 80s hardcore punk scene with “This Song May Or May Not Be About An Alt-Right Influencer.” Fcking banger.
And then there’s “Royal Courts (Great Misfortune)” which is a psychedelic soul-folk jam with all the theatrics and a shredtacular closer; “Halli Step/Raider Klan Shit” makes me want to go off at a rave, and then you put on that warm cozy sweater in the winter with closing track “My Life Is Loving You, ” which is such a beautiful soothing and cathartic piano-led number.
“Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? A: MTV! is a loud and playful glimpse into who I am as a person and a musician. Drawing from acts like Stereolab & The Beach Boys…to Dead Kennedys & Dag Nasty…you know it’s bound to be a fun time.”
Label: Self-Released
Release Date: July 24, 2026 (not August, but whatever; too spectacular not to include)
Babebee — Shelter
Fans of shoegaze, lo-fi, and dream pop, you’ll love Babebee‘s nine-track new album, Shelter. What I love about Babebee is her soft, soothing voice. You can just wrap yourself around it when you need a good, comforting chill to feel whole again. Paired with the album’s clean production that takes me back to the 90s dream pop era, full of soft riffs and synths, the NYC-based artist has become quite a master at crafting that classic dream pop sound while adding contemporary elements of alt R&B and experimental beats.
Self-produced & independently released, Shelter is Babebee’s best creative effort yet.
Babebee shared the following words about the album:
“Art is funny in the way where when you don’t force it, it calls to you to create it. i fell into a deep depression during the winter and i wasn’t creatively fueled in any way. (i actually quit smoking and even though that’s an achievement, i felt like my life was at a standstill.) & then, one day we decided to go to the local animal shelter and on that same day we started fostering two puppies. the lack of sleep and sudden busyness of taking care of puppies drove me to escape into music and subconsciously i started working on this album & coincidentally i named it shelter… eventually fostering turned into adopting my forever dog, Milo, which one of the songs off the album is about ｡⋆｡˚ ʚïɞ ˚｡⋆｡ shelter is a word that can mean a place with a roof and four walls or an act of hiding or the feeling of safety or even forced isolation… for me the word “shelter” metamorphosed from no longer being about living in the past of someone else’s controlling narrative [that caused self-isolation] to it being about finding safety within & taking care of myself which go hand in hand with taking care of others; i’m still constantly teaching myself how to. all the horrible things happening in this world can make us want to disappear into a place in our minds or the screens in front of our faces but i do think it’s important to create shelter for others just like we would want for ourselves. so that’s why i ask, where do you seek shelter and how do you create shelter?
Label: Self-Released/The Honey Pot
Release Date: Aug 7 2026
Ceremony — Tell Me Your Dream
On their seventh album, Tell Me Your Dream, released Aug. 7, 2026, via Relapse Records, Ceremony delivers pure, unadulterated punk full of anti-conformity lyrics, as well as melodic anthems that offer a break from the “Death Destruction Mayhem.” Produced by longtime punk John Reis (Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes), the album is all about trust and deep connections, and mirrors the relationship between band members.
“We’re bound together like family,” says Anthony Anzaldo. “Our relationships are beyond the band. CEREMONY is going to live no matter what. We’ve shifted into this dynamic where the choice isn’t ours anymore.”
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: Aug. 7, 2026
Ela Minus / Nick León — Qué Les Pasó a Mis Amigos?
Sultry Spanish bilingual vocals and electronic beats crafted to make you vibe or sweat on the dance floor — pick your pleasure. Ela Minus teams up with Nick León on 3-track EP, Qué Les Pasó a Mis Amigos? With only 3 songs, the EP moves quickly, but it leaves a lasting memory and a craving for more.
Qué Les Pasó a Mis Amigos? will see a 12” vinyl edition arriving November 20 featuring remixes by Loidis, Guedra Guedra, and Brenda.
Label: Domino’s Smugglers Way.
Release Date: Aug 7 2026
Man/Woman/Chainsaw — Cannonball
Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s new album, Cannonball, is like an onion; it has so many interesting layers. And that’s exactly what makes this collection of 11 tracks a no-skip album. While my heart always leans towards the band’s post-punk tendencies, with songs like “Goddamn, Lizard Man!” and “The Thing,” where Billy Ward’s vocals absolutely shine as though they were birthed from the gutters of the late 70s post-punk scene in London — the orchestral indie pop on “Nosedive” is just so delightful.
Altogether, Cannonball has this glorious, unhinged urgency that bursts with strings, soft piano keys, grimy riffs, and manic drums, all wrapped in moments of mayhem, theatrics, and zen. It’s like chaos, but make it pretty.
“We were talking about having a whole record of bangers – having everything be really in your face like a Rage Against the Machine record. We soon realised we weren’t Rage Against the Machine and leant into the softer moments of the album which I think has really become a big part of our sound.” says drummer Lola Cherry.
Label: Universal Music Limited/A Fiction Release
Release Date: Aug 7 2026
Q Marsden — Do You See Me?
Q Marsden’s sophomore album, DO YOU SEE ME? is yet another addictive listen. Released Aug. 7, 2026 via Columbia Records, 15 tracks of no skips offer all the variety from soul and jazz to funk and R&B, all coated in Q’s signature experimental pop sound. With features by Deb Never, Marco McKinnis, and UMI, the album is abundant with sounds and flavor.
READ BEFORE LISTENING (Personal statement from Q – never asked to be here. one day you’re born into a family, a language, a country, a history, and before you can even think for yourself you’ve already inherited beliefs, fears, trauma, expectations, politics, and generations of people telling you who you’re supposed to be. then one day you wake up and realize you’re responsible for Finding your way back to whatever the source is. some people call it god. some call it jesus. some call it consciousness. some call it nothing at all. i didn’t choose, but i can control the way back. life didn’t really mean anything to me until i was around five years old. then i slowly became aware. i noticed patterns, people, pain, love, fear, and questions that never seemed to stop. this isn’t about rejection of “the all”. it’s about asking what was handed to me before i ever had the chance to ask my own questions. i’ve spent years trying to understand my own mind, not because i wanted to argue, but because i wanted peace. instead, i was often met with answers before anyone ever stopped to hear the question. “you hear voices? demons.” “you’re anxious? pray harder.” “you’re struggling? the enemy.” no one asked what it actually felt like to live inside my head. no one stayed long enough to see how exhausting it is when your own mind becomes something you can’t fully trust. people wanted to heal me before they understood me. sometimes the deepest wound isn’t what you’re carrying—it’s realizing people only know how to love you if your story fits inside the limits of what they already believe. maybe they meant well. maybe they are following a script. sometimes all i wanted was for someone to sit beside me and simply say, “i don’t fully understand what you’re experiencing, but i’m here.” instead, i was given certainty when what i needed was compassion. do you see me? that question has followed me my entire life. not because i need attention, but because i needed to know if anyone could actually see the person underneath the diagnosis, underneath the fear, underneath the questions, underneath the music. before trying to save me, could you just see me? who knows man. maybe everything i’ve written is wrong. maybe it’s the mind of someone living with schizophrenia trying to make sense of a world that often feels impossible to understand. or maybe it’s art. you don’t know my story, damn, you don’t even know your own story. you weren’t there. you didn’t see me. so i made an album. if you couldn’t see me… maybe you’ll hear me.
I’m no special man, I’m no better than you. this is just a perspective. A mere viewpoint. my lens. everything is everything tho. I am not perfect, no one will take away what I know. I will never diminish myself for no one. it is within, let it begin.
Label: Columbia Records.
Release Date: Aug 7 2026
Overmono — Pure Devotion
This is for all my electronic dance music lovers. You know, the people who love to sweat on the dance floor and lose all inhibitions. The folks who live for that cathartic dance floor energy. While I don’t hit the club and rave scene anymore, I still do love me some exceptional EDM, and not the douchey bro kind.
Overmono’s new album Pure Devotion took me back to my late 90s rave days in the best of ways. Opening track “Lockup” knew what it was doing right from the jump. It pulled and locked me in while I maybe attempted to pop ‘n’ lock. Melodic beats, breakbeats, trance — Overmono Pure Devotion hits all parts of the electronic spectrum, making for a no-skip listen.
Note to self: don’t dance to the album while tweezing your eyebrows.
Label: XL Recordings
Release Date: Aug 7 2026
