In Rotation: Album Reviews for the Masses

FEATURE | ISSUE FOUR/20 | RONGOĀ / DRUGS

Written by Jed Scott (he/him) | @jed__scott | Contributing Writer

Hello Debate readers! I have decided to review albums in this amazing magazine because I think my friends are getting tired of my ramblings, and I need other avenues to discuss music. Anyways, here are 6 new albums from 2026 that I would like to discuss with you all. Listen to them and support artists! Also, feel free to rip out this page and burn it (safely!) if you disagree with anything.

Nothing's About to Happen to Me by Mitski (2026)

Dead Oceans - Singer-Songwriter, Chamber Pop

★★★☆☆

Having ascended herself to indie royalty after more than a decade of releases, Mitski’s eighth studio album Nothing's About to Happen to Me carries a similarly subtle, devastating atmosphere that lingers throughout its half-hour runtime. Internal and tender moments like ‘Cats’ and ‘Instead Of Here’ puts Mitski’s gift for writing simple yet deeply affecting songs on full display. Other tracks like ‘Where’s My Phone?’ recall the raw energy of previous albums, particularly ‘Bury Me At Makeout Creek’, albeit with a lack of stakes that inhibits the song from being a true standout. ‘Rules’ faces a similar fate. Its charming idiosyncrasies and campy horns fail to grow into anything greater than the sum of its parts. Still, Mitski delivers plenty of striking moments and crushing lyrics that makes this brief but impressive album worth a listen.

Dungeon Vision by Earth Tongue (2026)

In The Red - Heavy Psych, Stoner Rock

★★★☆☆

Berlin-based Kiwis Gussie Larkin (guitar & vocals) and Ezra Simons (drums & vocals) return for their third Earth Tongue album, Dungeon Vision. With the help of psych-rock wizard Ty Segall as producer, the band sharpens their brand of sludgy, fuzz-driven rock, while introducing a few compelling new ideas into the fold. The opener, ‘Dungeon Vision’, sets the stage perfectly: a harmonious brew of chunky riffs, cold-blooded harmonies, and thrashing drum fills. Following after, ‘Demon Cam’ is a thunderous, dynamic cut that lashes you with creative delay effects and layered passages. Across Dungeon Vision, you can hear the band look to expand their horizons. ‘Body Of Water’ introduces some well-implemented acoustic instrumentation that breathes new life into the tracklist. Still, Earth Tongue aren’t trying to radicalise their sound - rather, they confidently build on their well-established sound to varying degrees of excellence.

Trying Times by James Blake (2026)

Good Boy - Alternative R&B, Art Pop

★★★★☆

Forever consistent and artistically ambitious, James Blake continues his winning streak with Trying Times, a stirring and atmospherically rich album that solidifies his talent as both a producer and songwriter. With plenty of breathing room across its 47-minute runtime, Trying Times occasionally risks feeling sparse on ideas. Instead, Blake breathes life into each song with lush arrangements, glitched electronics, and unexpected pops of guitar carried out on tracks ‘Trying Times’ and ‘Make Something Up’. The true standout, however, is Blake himself. His subdued, sensitive vocals suit nearly every moment on the album. The various ways it’s mixed, pitch-shifted, and manipulated elevate songs like ‘Death Of Love’ and ‘Didn’t Come To Argue’, making them some of the most compelling tracks he has recorded to date. In many ways, Trying Times feels like a triumph from a man who's been tinkering away at his craft for years.

Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. by Harry Styles (2026)

Columbia - Dance-Pop, Indietronica

★★☆☆☆

I’m not entirely sure what to make of Harry Styles these days. The more he tries to present himself as an ever-changing pop chameleon, the more he seems to flounder. Unfortunately, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally only furthers that trend. His stab at a more restrained and sophisticated shade of dance pop initially intrigued me, especially with lead single ‘Aperture’. Plus, I’ve been wanting Harry to get weirder for a while now. But the album’s pursuit to subvert the typical pop sheen of previous releases only ends up deepening my disappointment. ‘Ready, Steady, Go!’ sounds like a milquetoast Metronomy single that should’ve stayed on the cutting room floor, while ‘Are You Listening Yet?’ borders on slander when it comes to Harry’s attempt at James Murphy-esque lyricism. Where the album does succeed is when it leans into Harry’s strength for writing sharp, radio-ready hooks. ‘American Girls’ and ‘Pop’ are undeniable bangers. The rest? Hmmmmm. Only occasionally.

unlikely, maybe by Bruno Pernadas (2026)

Discos Pataca - Jazz Fusion, Neo-Psychedelia

★★★★☆

Portuguese musician Bruno Pernadas continues to explore and flourish on unlikely, maybe, a playful and multifaceted album that leaps with confidence and finesse. Pernadas’ unusual pairing of progressive pop, jazz fusion, and neo-psychedelia makes this album dense, yet never overstuffed. ‘Steady Grace’ and ‘Campus on Fire’ both see Bruno on his own, and despite his amateurish vocals, the charm and alluring experimentation of both tracks end up complementing Bruno’s limitations. If anything, it’s the passion and ambition on display here that really drives this album forward. ‘Já não tem mais encanto’, one of the more jazz-oriented cuts, impresses with its hefty rhythmic composition and a standout performance from guest vocalist Lívia Nestrovski. ‘Spiritual Spaceman’ brings an ethereal touch to the tracklist, filled with dreamy keys and tasty guitar licks. A bit self-indulgent? Sure - but immersive nonetheless. unlikely, maybe is a layered, fantastical little record that is well worth your attention. Listen to it!

U by underscores (2026)

Mom+Pop - Electropop, EDM

★★★★★

underscore's last album, 2023’s Wallsocket, was a breakthrough moment for the burgeoning producer. Fast-forward to U, her third full-length release, and April Harper Grey proves once again why she’s one of the greatest pop futurists of our time. Once rooted firmly in the hyperpop wave of the early 2020’s, underscores continues to push further into what the sound of pop music could be - a brilliant amalgamation of past, present, and future. It all comes down to April’s meticulous and deeply present skills as a producer, mixer, and engineer. U sounds So. Fucking. Good. ‘Tell Me (U Want It)’, the opener, hits with bright synths and sharp bass hits, before shifting into a sputtering, glitchy club passage you would hear deep into the late hours of a rave. ‘Music’, a love letter to the art itself, is sporadic yet tightly controlled, with an untameable climax that rivals any EDM drop from the early 2010s. ‘Innuendo (I Get U)’ is straight up such a banger… and I give up trying to explain why. Then there’s ‘Do It’, which may stand as one of the crowning achievements in pop music this decade. It flawlessly blends 2000’s-era production, à la Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, with the maximalist and oversaturated energy of modern pop and EDM. Undoubtedly, U is a home run in every aspect. It wouldn’t be surprising if it ends up as 2026’s greatest pop triumph.