Take some time out, put on the headphones, drop the needle on the record, or queue up the latest releases on your phone.
Here’s four recently released albums that we’ve been playing at OUTinPerth HQ, new records from Syd, Steve Lacy, Babe Rainbow, and Tricky.
Syd
Beard
★ ★ ★ ★
Woozy keys are a prominent feature on Walls, the opening track on Beard, the latest album from Syd. After releasing several albums with Odd Future and The Internet, Syd is now putting out her third solo album. The first track is a gentle introduction to her latest offering: an ode to a lover and an invitation to come over for an intimate moment.
Things quickly move into a funkier groove with Callin’, a collaboration with Blue June, who has penned songs for Beyoncé, Rihanna, Britney Spears, and many others. Jasmin 17 features a drum beat that harks back to the late 1990s, and it segues smoothly into the tropical bossa nova of My Love. Always Be Mine begins with harsher-sounding chords, but Syd’s subtle, smooth vocals create the perfect balance.
Closet is a plea for a love interest to take the relationship to the next level, complete with an invitation to leave some clothes in the closet, much like Paul Kelly’s famous offer to let a lover leave their shoes under his bed. Bad Guys returns to turn-of-the-century R&B. It’s clear that Rodney Jerkins, better known as Darkchild, had a hand in this track. Sonically, it could sit comfortably alongside the hits he created for Monica and Brandy, Destiny’s Child, and Whitney Houston. GMFU, a collaboration with Big Sean that is also produced by Jerkins, leans into a more contemporary sound.
Producer and vocalist James Fauntleroy appears on Any Time, another slow jam built around smooth vocals, gently plodding beats, and meandering piano. The final track, 2 Many Days, is a standout, with lyrics about finding success while staying true to your goals and values.
Beard is a welcome addition to Syd’s growing catalogue of sensual, smooth R&B jams.
Steve Lacy
Oh yeah?
★ ★ ★ ★
Steve Lacy, another member of The Internet, also has a new record out this week. Like Syd, this is his third solo album, and it crosses the divide between R&B and alternative indie psychedelic rock.
Distorted chords and thumping drums open the album as Lacy begins with a call of “C’mon, C’mon, C’mon” on the title track, inviting listeners on a journey of reflection and observations on life. It’s a bold opening, taking us into Lacy’s sonic world. Is It Cool is a collaboration with SZA, filled with glitchy computer sounds and personal lyrics. “Growing up has been so hard for me, I never learned to love properly,” Lacy sings, describing his habit of self-sabotaging relationships and his desire to improve his behaviour.
A feature on most of the tracks is layered harmonic vocals that contrast with the crisp production. It’s an R&B album, but it channels indie rock sounds too, recalling Prince in his Lovesexy phase. Things take a more somber turn on Pure Colour, which features Erykah Badu; it’s slow and dreamy, almost trip-hop in tone. Show You Me adds acoustic guitars for a more organic sound and is filled with super-sweet romantic pleas from a self-aware “sad bad boy” hoping to fall in love.
The strong tracks continue with Doom, filled with hilariously immature lyrics, and Nothing, a gentle acoustic guitar–backed ode about a crush that won’t leave your mind. Meanwhile, Lovesexdrugbomb morphs through different phases of guitar rock. The album’s longest track, Nice Shoes / In Your World, is an epic nine-minute piece that begins with a long intro before suddenly dropping into classic acid house beats and a bold rap. It then transforms into a psychedelic love ballad before the beats return for a mash-up of uplifting gospel vocals and Pac-Man-like electronic sounds. The album closer, Bebe, signs off with a cacophony of muted guitars, sweet vocals, and a comedic ending.
Babe Rainbow
Acid and Honey
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Byron Bay based psych-rockers Babe Rainbow have a new album, the seventh of their career, which kicked off in 2017 and follows on from last year’s Slipper Imp and Shakerator.
It opens with the mellow jam of the title track, a six-minute song with dreamy vocals and layered atmospheric sounds. Special is a funkier, more upbeat number with a ’70s vibe—a top-notch tune. Waterfall continues the journey of psych-pop, but things change with Polumuscalsascharide, which blends warped Hawaiian guitars, bouncy beats, and sci-fi sounds with a melody reminiscent of a ’70s kids’ cartoon; it’s delightfully odd.
After the short interlude of Amsterdam comes Mangoes, a driving rock tune with a great chorus that repeats “Everybody hides”. Dream Gasoline mixes drum beats that sound like they’re from a ’90s UK dance act with funky guitars and a Stone Roses–style vocal delivery.
The instrumental Morning Lullaby, filled with plucked guitars and bird sounds, serves as an interval before the album’s final trio of songs. Horizon is murky, Camouflage plods along, before the closing track Wisteria arrives as a beautiful final note. If you like Pond, Beck, The Stone Roses, or The Magnetic Fields, you might find yourself adding this to your high-rotation list.
Tricky
Different When It’s Silent
★ ★ ★
Tricky is one of those artists who has established a distinctive sound and built a prolific career. After arriving on the scene with Massive Attack, he released his debut, Maxinquaye, one of the greatest albums of the trip-hop era, just over 30 years ago. This is his seventeenth album and his first music under his own name in six years, although he’s been busy with side projects.
Tricky’s style has always been a mix of his growled vocals alongside a sweeter counterpart, layered over guitars and murky beats. This time around, the additional voice is largely Mitch Sanders, while Marta—who has been a featured vocalist on other releases—appears on just one track.
While Tricky has most often opted for a female voice to contrast with his murky delivery, Sanders is an interesting change. In some ways, his falsetto is similar to previous collaborators, but he brings a more indie rock tone rather than a soul sound, which shifts the overall feel of the record. At times, you wonder if Tricky needs to be so understated—mumbling in the background—but that has always been his thing.
Most of the tracks follow this well-established template, but a few break out of the mould. Marinade incorporates orchestral elements and an extended spoken-word section from Tricky, while Cannon Fodder is filled with organ-driven textures. Frontier Town ventures into hip-hop–meets-country territory.
The closing track, Out of Place, which features Marta, leans into the punk ethos often associated with Tricky. It also touches on deeply personal themes, including the loss of his daughter, Mina Mazy, in 2019.
A few years ago, Tricky played a show in Perth where, toward the end, he abruptly left the stage and went to the bar for a drink. Eventually, his band realised he wasn’t returning and followed suit. In some ways, his records can feel similar—he’s present, but there’s an intentional detachment.
Ultimately, this is unmistakably a Tricky record. If you’re already a fan, it’s a natural addition to your collection; if you’re new to his work, this offers a solid entry point.
