New albums May 2020: From The 1975 to Charli XCX

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Jochan Embley7 May 2020

Even though everything else seems to have ground to a halt, album releases are — at least for now — carrying on as usual.

Many of the new releases due this month were done and dusted well before everything kicked off, which means we're still being treated to a steady stream of fresh material.

What's more, the lockdown has provided a creative spark for some musicians, with a number of the albums in our list created purely during quarantine.

This the new music you need to know about in May.

Ghostpoet — I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep (May 1)

Obaro Ejimiwe is back with his fifth album as Ghostpoet, leaning even deeper into the dark, rocky sounds he’s favoured on his recent output.

Car Seat Headrest — Making A Door Less Open (May 1)

It looks like Car Seat Headrest — the indie-rock project of Will Toledo — is going to change things up on this latest album, ditching the lo-fi aesthetics for a more electronically charged sound.

JoJo — Good To Know (May 1)

JoJo, best known for her teenage hit Leave Get Out all the way back in 2004, is back with some fresh material. Judging by the first two singles, we can expect some sultry R&B on this latest effort.

Little Simz — Drop 6 EP (May 6)

Islington rapper Little Simz, who released one of the very best albums of 2019 with GREY Area, has been keeping busy during lockdown, writing and recording this brand new, five-track EP.

Hayley Williams — Petals For Amor (May 8)

The Paramore frontwoman is stepping out as a solo artist with Petals For Armor — and 10 of the 15 tracks have already been released, across two separate EPs. But May 8 is the day that fans get to hear the album as one body of work.

Kehlani — It Was Good Until It Wasn’t (May 8)

Oakland R&B favourite Kehlani is back with a new release, following up on the success of her 2019 mixtape While We Wait. The tracklist is unconfirmed, but it looks as if her slick new single Everybody Business will feature.

Charli XCX — How I’m Feeling Now (May 15)

Another artist to keep themselves occupied during the quarantine by making new music, Charli XCX set herself the challenge of recording an album from scratch. May 15 is the target — check out the first singles Claws and Forever for a sound of things to come.

Moses Sumney — græ Part 2 (May 15)

Moses Sumney released the first instalment of græ back in February. It was a dazzling success, blending countless genres for something special — and it means this second part has a lot to live up to.

Perfume Genius — Set My Heart On Fire Immediately (May 15)

Perfume Genius’s first single off this new album was huge and shoegaze-y, while the second is a funky piece of synth-pop. Expect the unexpected when the full project drops.

The 1975 — Notes On A Conditional Form (May 22)

First it was meant to arrive in February, then it was April, and now — finally — it looks as if we’re going to get the latest album from Matty Healy and the gang. Its tracklist is 22 songs long, so there’s certainly going to be a lot to make up for the wait.

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