Florence Shaw’s surreal lyricism and droll, charmingly English delivery fused with Tom Dowse’s jagged, abstract guitar to make Dry Cleaning’s New Long Leg one of the buzziest Pitchfork-approved debuts of 2021. For October’s Stumpwork – spelled out in hair on a disgusting album cover – the South London post-punks reunited with exalted producer John Parish for an insular follow-up that slows where its predecessor raged, reveling in creeping bass and atmospheric effects pedals. Baltimore’s Nourished by Time opens, delivering melodic rap and lush R&B with a similar penchant for hazy instrumentals.
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