New albums to look forward to in 2017
There are plenty of albums to look forward to in 2017 and here are just a few of them which don’t have release dates yet. I’ve also included a few which we likely won’t see this year – just so you’re prepared. See also – My top New Artists of 2017.
Alt-J
Possible Date: Summer 2017
It’s been three years since the Leeds band released their second album This Is All Yours, so time is ripe for another in 2017. Last August, drummer Thom Sonny Green told NME, the band had loads of ideas, which wasn’t exactly – “songs are written, we’re recording them and they’re sounding awesome,” but after a period where Green released a solo record, bassist Gus Unger-Hamilton opened a café in east London and singer Joe Newman featured on a Clams Casino track with Lil B, there are rumblings.
The band have posted pics from the studio including ones at Abbey Road where they were recording strings only last week.The band have announced festival dates this summer so a good guess would be around the time of June, when they start.
Caribou / Daphni
Possible Date: Late 2017 but more than likely 2018
Three years on from a career apex record Our Love and a song which dominated the summer and the rest of the year. Dan Snaith is DJing as Daphni a lot this year including Coachella so a new album from Caribou doesn’t feel likely at this moment (maybe a Daphni 12″ / single release though?)
Daniel Avery
Possible Date: Autumn 2017
After last year’s DJ Kicks, 2017 looks to be the year that Daniel Avery follows up his superb 2013 album Drone Logic, according to this tweet.
Three months in London. The studio door is locked from the outside
— Daniel Avery (@danielmarkavery) January 3, 2017
Empress Of
Possible Date: Summer / Autumn 2017
Loreley Rodriguez’ debut Empress Of album Of Me was followed up with a killer once-off single and one of the best songs of 2016 collaboration with Blood Orange – ‘Best Of You’, as well as one with Pional, so I really want a followup in 2017. This is more hopeful than concrete, though signs are good.
I swear making another album is an emotional roller coaster:not so much making the music but playing it for other people
— Empress Of (@EmpressOf) January 7, 2017
FKA Twigs
Possible Date: 2018
Tahliah Barnett’s debut LP1 came out in 2014 and she’s been plenty busy with dancing, documentaries, stage shows, a once of single, and a 2015 EP. Last week, though a Nike ad directed and made by her featured a new track produced Oneohtrix Point Never suggested something isn’t far away, tweet replies to fans suggest it won’t be til 2018. 🙁
Flying Lotus
Possible Date: Late 2017 but looking like 2018
A new album was promised in 2016 from the Brainfeeder boss but Stephen Ellison was working on his feature-length film debut Kuso (starring Hannibal Buress and Tim Heidecker), which will premiere at Sundance this year. He also scored a short too. It looks like we’re getting V, a Captain Murphy record some time this year, as ‘Crowned’ featured in the recent Adult Swim Singles club. As for Fly Lo, a Kuso some songs on the soundtrack may be all we get.
Future Islands
Possible Date: Summer / Autumn 2017
Three years on from their breakthrough album Singles, things are heating up with some dates at festivals like Bonaroo, Panorama and Coachella. Last year, Sam T. Herring collaborated with Badbadnotgood. Their last music was single ‘The Chase’ in 2015. An album is definitely on the way very very soon.
Grimes
Possible Date: Summer / Autumn 2017
Grimes’ followup to Art Angels was halfway there last April ( “more chill vibes, downtempos, synth-y shit. That makes it sound boring. It’s not boring.”) and in a November interview, she said it would be “slow and reflective”.
“I’m really vibing on making something really slow and gorgeous that just breathes, and has room to breathe,” she explained. “I feel like my work has always been fast paced, kinetic, and almost just manic and I feel like for me the hardest thing I can do is make something that’s slow and heavy.”
Grizzly Bear
Possible Date: Spring 2017
Come on already. The Grizzlies’ last album was 2012’s Shields and a few years before, Jay Z and Beyoncé were showing up to their shows and a lot has changed in music since American indie folk was the dominant genre of choice, However in October, a tweet saying “Album 90 percent done. Last update until you hear it,” was posted. Any day now?
Haim
Possible Date: Summer 2017
Another album long overdue now. The LA sisters’ self-titled debut Days Are Gone dropped in 2013 and they even cancelled their appearance at music festivals last summer to finish it. It arrives this Summer.
Holy Ghost!
Possible Date: Autumn 2017
DFA Records’ disco dons Holy Ghost! will surely followup last year’s Crime Cutz EP with a third album, a followup to Dynamics. Alex Frankel released a solo EP last year too. I’ve a soft spot for these two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_JGkFcagoY
Hundred Waters
Possible Date: Spring / Summer 2017
Gainesville Florida band Hundred Waters have made two stunning albums of folk and electronica thus far in their career and it looks like 2017 will see their third released. On Christmas day they posted (with a Neil Young cover) that they were finishing the album. Last year, they made a big remix with their label boss Skrillex and Chance The Rapper among others.
Jon Hopkins
Possible Date: Summer 2017
The followup to 2013’s Immunity is due this year according to Jon’s reply to a fan on Twitter. Yes. In the meantime, Hopkins plays piano on a track on the new Bonobo record.
Kelela
Possible Date: Spring 2017
A followup to 2013’s Cut For Me mixtape after 2015’s Hallucination EP is on the cards (check out this Song Exploder about ‘Rewind’). In an interview with Dazed, Arca, Jam City, and Bok Bok are to be reprising their role as co-producers and Kelsey Lu, one of my picks for new artists of 2017 guests.
LCD Soundsystem
Possible Date: Summer or Autumn 2017
After last year’s triumphant live return, that promised LCD Soundsystem album is indeed on the way as James Murphy told someone on Facebook this weekin response – “Sure. still working on it, but it’ll be done soon. winter tends to mess with my voice, so finishing the thing drags out.”
Le Galaxie
Possible Date: Autumn 2017
The Dublin electro band’s third album is done and it likely to get a worldwide releasearound September time. Former Fight Like Apes’ singer MAy Kay is set to feature on six tracks too.
Little Dragon
Possible Date: Summer / Autumn 2017
The followup to Nabuma Rubberband from 2014 looks to be coming this year from the Swedish band. They are playing Coachella so that’s a good sign.
Mount Kimbie
Possible Date: Spring / Summer 2017
Mount Kimbie played some new songs at Metropolis Festival in November so it’s a safe bet a new one is coming to followup the brilliant 2013 album Cold Spring Fault Less Youth.
St. Vincent
Possible Date: Summer / Autumn 2017
Annie Clark promises “the deepest, boldest work I’ve ever done” on her new record which is inspired by the topsy-turvy world events of the last year. “I feel the playing field is really open for creative people to do whatever you want, and that risk will be rewarded – especially now that we have such high stakes from a political and geopolitical standpoint,” he told Guitar World (while managing to get a dig in on the cover). The last St. Vincent album came out in 2014.
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Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.