It’s one thing to craft a great song, but its another skill to create a cohesive album that takes a listener on a journey.

Here’s four recently released albums that we’ve been playing at OUTinPerth HQ, new records from Jill Scott, Moby, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Altin Gün.

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Jill Scott
To Whom This May Concern
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

It’s been eleven years since Jill Scott last put out an album, but the singer’s not been a hermit, she’s been a guest vocalist on many other artist’s tracks over the decade, but now she’s back with an album of her own.

We’re dropped into a well of 70s funk and spoken word with the short intro of Dope Shit, but the album really gets underway with Be Great, a collaboration with Trombone Shorty. It’s a tight, funky, jam and Jill Scott has a lot to say.

A mellower vibe comes with Beautiful People, but the funk guitars are still going strong. Offdaback has a jazz vibe as Scott’s vocals flow over the beats, then Norf Side is based around beats that sound like their straight out of a 90s rap classic, and Scott is delivering a tight rap alongside Tierraa Whack.

Pay You on Tuesday pops out as a retro jazz blues number with bold brass that taps into the bold women like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith as Scott proclaims she doesn’t want no more n**** blues. Pressha, BPOTY, Liftin’ Me Up, To B Honest and Right Here Right Now are some of the many highlights, on an album that traverses many different styles.

Moby
Future Quiet
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I was talking with a friend recently and we were discussing artists who you used to love but now no longer pay much attention to. The musicians whose albums you used to anticipate coming out, but today you hardly bat an eyelid at their latest work. For me, that artist is often Moby.

“Do you really need another Moby album?” I asked. No sooner had I posed the question than a new Moby album arrives to test the query. Future Quiet is the twenty third album from the artist whose work has traversed sample heavy dance tracks, ambient, hardcore punk and many other styles. This time round Moby is here to help us chill out.

Alongside the 23 solo albums are also collections of B-sides, remixes, plus a couple of albums put out under different names like Voodoo Child, Barracuda and Lopez.

The album opens with a familiar tune. When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die was the closing song on Moby’s 1995 album Everything is Wrong. The song has been re-discovered after it was featured in the television show Stranger Things. This time round the vocals are handled by Jacob Lusk from Gabriels. This new take surpasses the much loved original.

The album is made up of gentle piano ballads, backed with ambient tones, and the occasional vocal. Moby’s own croaky vocal is on This Was Never Meant for Us, Retreat features a beautiful vocal sample, but Estrella del Mar is one of the album’s many highlights with an operatic vocal from Elise Serenelle.

The gentle piano balladry continues with Ruhe, while Mott St 1992 is reminiscent of the music Moby was making in the early 90s. It’s a collection of songs that are peaceful, melancholy and uplifting. Maybe we don’t need every Moby album, but this one is astoundingly beautiful.

Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Laughter in Summer
★ ★ ★ ★

Canadian artist Beverly Glenn-Copeland has had the most remarkable career journey. He spent decades working in children’s television on shows like Sesame Street and Canada’s Mr Dressup. Along the way he made a series of albums like 1986’s Keyboard Fantasies that largely went unnoticed.

Then in 2015 Japanese record collector highlighted Glenn-Copeland’s work and their music quickly became known as lost classics, championed by indie artists and DJs. Soon the albums were getting re-released, and hipster artists were covering their tunes. Glenn-Copeland released a new album of work The Ones Ahead in 2023 to great acclaim.

Glenn-Copland transitioned and began identifying as male in 2002. In 2024 he and wife Elizabeth announced that he had been disagnosed with dementia, but together they would continue making music. Which brings us to a beautiful album Laughter in Summer.

Featuring simple piano tunes and earnest vocals, it’s a unique sound, set somewhere between the simplicity of music made for children, and deep introspection of someone who is reflecting on life with great wisdom. Four songs in the middle of the album feature vocals from wife Elizabeth.

The simplicity of this album is its beauty. Its straight forward in its music, lyrics and performance. Included is a stunning rendition of traditional folk song Shenandoah. Bookending the album are tow versions of Let Us Dance, which sees Glenn-Copeland inviting us to dance down the road, and live life to its fullest.

Altin Gün
Garip
★ ★ ★ ★

Altin Gün are a Dutch and Turkish band who combine traditional Turkish sounds with psychedelic rock. Since 2018 the band have released a steady stream of albums and this is their sixth offering.

The album opens up with energetic Neredesin Sen before transitioning into the bluesy and laid back Gönül Dağı which is filled with distinctive guitars and a swelling orchestral accompaniment. Öldürme Beni features jangly guitars and popcorn electronic sounds that make it sound like a lost classic from the 1970s.

Across the 10 tracks on the album Altin Gün transport us to a party in downtown Ankara. Intricate guitar work is at the fore, against solid beats, and the occasional additional of orchestral sounds and electronic beats. Suçum Nedir sounds like the kind of track Portishead would have loved to sample, while album closer Bir Nazar Eyledim could be a future chillout classic.