November is looking more and more like the repository for fall albums that didn’t yet have release dates when we compiled our fall music preview in September. New records from Adele, Justin Bieber, and Grimes are all scheduled to drop in November, and while we still don’t know when the new Kanye is coming, it could literally drop tomorrow and we wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
With that said, here’s our 10 most anticipated scheduled releases for the month. Some of it we saw coming, some is new, and some we just changed our minds about. Click through for a taste.
Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder — Indie 500 (It’s A Wonderful World Music Group, November 6)
Mr. Kweli has been quite prolific of late, releasing a rarities & b-sides comp and a free album already this year. Indie 500 is a collaborative project with the producer 9th Wonder, who is no stranger to the form — he’s released collaborative albums with several underground rappers, including Murs, Buckshot, Jean Grae, and David Banner. The record features guest spots from Pharoahe Monch, Slug, and Brother Ali, and if the rest of it knocks as hard as early single “Pay Ya Dues,” it’s a must-have.
Grimes — Art Angels (4AD, November 6)
Our excitement for the fourth full length from Canadian wunderkind Claire Boucher’s project Grimes is well-documented, but now we’ve got a release date. Early tracks suggest that she hasn’t strayed too far from the sound that made 2012’s Visions such a breakout release, but there’s also room for new influences, like the Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes, who handles the lead vocals on “SCREAM.”
Le1f— – Riot Boi (Terrible, November 13)
Le1f is the poster boy for the genius that can sprout when hip-hop carves out a safe space for diversity on the sexuality and gender spectrum. Loud, brash, and unapologetic, Le1f’s sound stirs up disparate genres and influences into an incredible concoction that doesn’t sound like anything else in the blogosphere.
Boots — AQUARIA (Columbia, November 13)
Boots has yet to be involved in a project we don’t like. From Beyoncé’s self-titled record, to Run the Jewels 2, to FKA Twigs’ M3LL155X, dude has the Midas touch of late. Sure, his Motorcycle Jesus project was a little weird, but people still liked Daft Punk after Electroma, so give him a break. We’ve shared “Bombs Away” before, but if you missed it, don’t make the same mistake twice.
Redman — Mudface (Gilla House, November 13)
Redman, the illest rapper of all time from New Jersey, has got sequel fever. He’s currently working on Method Man collabo Blackout 3, the sequel to their movie, How High 2, and a sequel to his breakout solo album Muddy Waters. Muddy Waters 2 has been in the works for some time, and his fans are antsy…so taking a page from the book of Lil Wayne, he’s gifting Mudface to everyone who pre-orders the still-delayed album. “Dopeman” riffs off of the NWA track, but takes it in a distinctly Red direction.
JEFF The Brotherhood — Global Chakra Rhythms (Infinity Cat, November 13)
After an unceremonious departure from their Warner Bros. contract, the brothers Orrall, Jake and Jamin, negotiated the rights to put out Wasted on the Dream on their own Infinity Cat label, started touring again, and never looked back. Global Chakra Rhythms, their latest LP, is less bombastic, if early singles “Radiating Fiber Plane” and Mary of Silence” are any indication. But they sound as stoned and sludgy as ever, and we love it.
Adele — 25 (XL, November 20)
The video for “Hello,” the first single from Adele’s upcoming LP 25, was released 12 days ago and has almost 200 million views on Youtube alone. Only some of that can be attributed to cute Lionel-Richie-mashup memes—people really love to hear this lady sing. Regardless of how you feel about piano ballads, this woman’s instrument is in a class of its own. Respect.
Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood and the Rajasthan Express — Junun (Nonesuch, November 20)
Jonny Greenwood’s collaborative album with Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur, Junjun, first came about from Greenwood’s travels in the Negev Desert. After hearing a band play what sounded like traditional Indian music with an Arabic violin, he discovered the song was written by Shye Ben Tzur, and his interest was piqued. We don’t know much about the Indian qawwali group Rajasthan Express, other than the fact that their percussive and vocal talents are considerable, as evidenced by this teaser trailer. The clip is from a documentary film of the same name, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Arca — Mutant (Mute, November 20)
After a year in which he worked with Bjork on Vulnicura and on Kelela’s masterful Hallucinogen EP, Arca is set to followup to his debut LP Xen with his new record, Mutant. This single, “Soichiro,” is named for Arca’s frequent collaborator Jesse Kanda (it’s apparently his middle name), and its video’s aesthetic seems to complement the odd clip for “EN,” released last month. Beautifully weird.
Freddie Gibbs — Shadow of a Doubt (ESGN, November 20)
Gangsta Gibbs always goes hard AF, and as this clip for “Fuckin’ Up the Count” is no exception. Gibbs has never tried to stray too far from his bricks, bitches, and burners schtick, but it’s his palpable skill on the mic that has always drawn us to his chillingly authentic hood tales. Gibbs can flip a flow as fluently as any rapper in the game, which would have some Top 40 rappers shook, if rappers were judged by mic skills rather than memes.