Carnival of Soul

BLACKPINK. The K-pop group’s first Korean-language full-length, simply called The Album, is on NPR Music’s shortlist of the best new records out on Oct. 2. YG Entertainment

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YG Entertainment

The K-pop band, BLACKPINK is on the cusp of becoming the biggest girl group in the world. Formed by YG Entertainment, the band just released its Korean-language, debut full-length called, simply, The Album, and it’s packed with relentlessly catchy bangers. We give it a listen on this week’s New Music Friday and talk about BLACKPINK’s march toward global domination.

Also on the show: The West Coast rapper YG is back with his fifth album in as many years, the Icelandic singer Jónsi has another collection of magical melodies, and the guitar-rock artist Laura Jane Grace surprise-drops a new album called Stay Alive.

Nate Chinen of WBGO and Jazz Night in America joins NPR Host At Large Elise Hu, NPR Music contributor Gavin Godfrey, Radio Milwaukee’s Tarik Moody, Ann Powers and Robin Hilton as they share their picks for the best new albums out on Oct. 2.

Featured Albums:

1. BLACKPINK — The Album
   Featured Song: “Pretty Savage”
2. YG — My Life 4Hunnid
   Featured Song: “Laugh Now, Kry Later”
3. Laura Jane Grace — Stay Alive
   Featured Song: “Old Friend (Stay Alive)”
4. Eartheater — Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin
   Featured Song: “Fantasy Collision”
5. Jónsi — Shiver
   Featured Song: “Shiver”
6. Rósín Murphy — Rósín Machine
   Featured Song: “We Got Together”
7. Gabriel Garzón-Montano — Aguita
   Featured Song: “Mira My Look”
8. Noah Haidu — Doctone
   Featured Song: “Steepian Faith”

Other notable releases for Oct. 2: 21 Savage — Savage Mode 2; Aloe Blacc — All Love Everything; Bartees Strange — Live Forever; Born Ruffians — Squeeze; Brent Cobb — Keep ’em On They Toes; Dawes — Good Luck With Whatever; Dawn Landes — Row; Drive By Truckers — The New Okay; Robert Plant — Digging Deep: Subterranea; Shamir — Shamir; Westside Gunn — Who Made the Sunshine