June albums: The new music you need to hear this month, from Wolf Alice to Griff

In desperate need of some new albums to live up on your music library? June has just the thing for it. Here are the new releases you need to wrap your ears around this month.

Greentea Peng – Man Made (June 4)

The popularity of south-east Londoner Aria Wells AKA Greentea Peng has been bubbling away for a few years, and now we’re finally being given a debut album. And in a lot of ways, we’re spoiled for choice, with no fewer than 18 tracks to delve into, promising a deeper journey through the smoothly psychedelic neo-soul and R&B that she’s been wooing us with so far.

Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend (June 4)

How do you follow up a Mercury Prize-winning album? That’s the question that Wolf Alice have been working up an answer for since their last record, Visions of a Life, scooped the prestigious accolade in 2018. Judging by the early singles, they’re keeping things varied — No Hard Feelings is light and misty, Smile is an absolute thunderstorm.

Loraine James – Reflection (June 4)

We loved Loraine James’s 2019 album, For You And I, which was one of the most fascinating experimental albums of the year. On this follow-up release, she’ll retain that exploratory intrigue, taking strands of drill, dance, R&B and hyperpop, and tying them all together into something thrilling.

Marina – Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land (June 11)

Marina Diamandis, previously known as Marina and the Diamonds and now just by her first name, is back with her fifth album. It’s a statement of defiance — “I don’t want to live in a man’s world anymore”, she asserts on lead single Man’s World — while Purge the Poision takes aim at everything from capitalism to Harvey Weinstein.

Migos – Culture III (June 11)

It’s hard to think of many more influential rap entities from the past six or seven years than Migos. The Atlanta trio became a worldwide success with the release of Culture in 2017 and now, four years (and a lot of teasing) later, they’re delivering the third in the trilogy. “It’s time to bring the boys back together and come back strong,” member Quavo said recently. “Stronger than ever.”

Sleater-Kinney – Path Of Wellness (June 11)

Now reduced to a duo after drummer Janet Weiss decided to leave the band, Sleater-Kinney are back with their tenth studio album. Remaining members Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein wrote the album during the early months of the pandemic last year, and it’s the first time they’ve ever self-produced a Sleater-Kinney record.

Griff – One Foot in Front of the Other (June 11)

Named as a Rising Star by the BRITs earlier this year, and with few others in the music industry disagreeing, 20-year-old Griff is an artist firmly on the up. This isn’t a debut album (it’s officially a mixtape) but it’s the biggest collection of new music that she’s released so far, and will be led by her most popular track to date, the inescapably catchy Black Hole.

Rebecca Black – Rebecca Black Was Here (June 16)

A lot has happened in the decade since Rebecca Black inadvertently became a viral sensation with her track Friday. The 23-year-old has reinvented herself artistically (and even reclaimed the vitality of that endlessly-memed song by releasing a 10-year anniversary remix). She’ll showcase a confident new sound, which ranges from R&B to hyperpop, on this project.

Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny haha (June 25)

With an effortlessly vintage sound — think slinky 1970s rock — but enough modern embellishment to make it feel fresh, Faye Webster returns with her second album. After being forced to abandon band recording sessions in the face of the pandemic last year, most of the vocals were recorded at home on Garageband, giving things an organically intimate feel.

John Grant – Boy From Michigan (June 25)

A John Grant album is always its own strangely familiar but undoubtedly idiosyncratic thing, and Boy From Michigan looks set to be another distinct work. The first three singles certainly suggest that; the title track is astral and woozy, Rhetorical Figure is Devo-ish in its nervous energy, while Billy is a mood-switching piano ballad. Expect plenty more to unpack on the full album.

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