Five Potential Albums to Look Forward to in 2024

by Ian Thompson

As someone who takes great interest in underground music, and after a somewhat slow 2023 in terms of high-profile underground releases, I am hoping for a great 2024 when it comes to new music. Below are five of my most anticipated releases for the upcoming year, from local DIY artists to rising international bands to one of my favorite rappers of all time. (Note: not every album on this list has a confirmed release date.)

NewDad

Galway band NewDad have been rising through the Irish music scene in the 2020s with their soft yet sometimes heavy combination of dream pop, shoegaze, and indie rock. Like many other rising bands, NewDad have garnered increasing anticipation with each release, culminating in their upcoming album, Madra, which is set to release in late January. Ever since their Waves EP release in early 2021, I have been a massive fan of their work, and Madra is an album that I am greatly looking forward to in 2024.
The band has released four singles at the time of writing: “Angel”, “Let Go”, “Nightmares”, and “White Ribbons”. These four singles paint a darker picture sonically and lyrically than NewDad’s previous work, and the new direction is very intriguing. Both “Angel” and “Let Go” tap into the grungier alternative rock side of the band with heavy guitars and slightly distorted vocals while Nightmares is more reminiscent of the earlier, poppier work that was seen in their Banshee EP. “White Ribbons”, the most recent effort, slows the pace and possesses that dream pop-esque sound that NewDad started with, but with the darker themes and sounds of the rest of the singles. All four singles are solid as standalone tracks and have certainly promoted their debut album successfully as I am extremely excited for it to drop later this month.

Denzel Curry

A staple of underground hip-hop throughout the 2010’s and one of my favorite rappers of all time, Florida native Denzel Curry could be gearing up for his first release since 2022’s highly acclaimed Melt My Eyez See Your Future. An immaculately crafted album containing pieces of conscious hip-hop, jazz rap, and the classic hardcore Denzel Curry sound, Melt My Eyez is one of the best albums of the 2020s full stop. So where does Curry go from there?

In August 2023, Denzel Curry released his single, “BLOOD ON MY NIKEZ”, featuring Memphis rap legend Juicy J. A hard-hitting straight rap track reminiscent of his 2019 ZUU album, Denzel and Juicy J spit from start to finish over a hardcore, booming southern rap beat with the lyrics to match. It appears that Denzel Curry is switching it up again as he deviates almost entirely from the laid-back and careful nature of Melt My Eyez. The single also included “ICE COLD ZEL FREESTYLE”, featuring LA up-and-comer ICECOLDBISHOP, which matches the energy of “BLOOD ON MY NIKEZ”. A few months later, Curry dropped another 2-pack, releasing “SKED”, featuring underground staple Kenny Mason, and “WOO”, featuring Chief Pound and longtime collaborator and fellow Floridian PlayThatBoiZay. Both “SKED” and “WOO” match the high-energy street rap sound of the previous single. The themes of Denzel Curry’s next era have become clear, both sonically and lyrically. If Curry does indeed release an album this year, based on these singles, we are in for a head-bumping listen.

Yard Act

Leeds post-punk band Yard Act burst onto the scene in 2022 with their debut album The Overload. Immediately garnering attention from massive publications and highly-followed internet critics alike, Yard Act will be following up their debut record on March 1st of this year. Titled Where’s My Utopia?, the post-punk outfit looks to build on their great start.

Two singles from the album have been released so far to build some anticipation. The lead single “Dream Job” takes Yard Act’s sound in a funkier direction, a shift similar to that of Paramore’s last year. The song features lead singer James Smith’s signature half spoken-word, half-singsong vocals discussing the plight of the artist in the streaming era. The follow-up single “Petroleum” doubles down on the lyrical themes of “Dream Job”, but focuses more inwardly towards Smith himself rather than the institution that Yard Act is a part of. With the same sharp lyrics that were found on The Overload with a new, fun sonic direction, Where’s My Utopia? has become one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 so far.

Merce Lemon

Pittsburgh indie folk artist Merce Lemon has long been a talked about artist in local DIY circles. After years of playing shows with other indie DIY artists such as Pat Coyle, those in the Pittsburgh local music rumor mill have had Merce Lemon on their minds lately. Merce has released two albums at the time of this writing, 2017’s Ideal for a Light Flow with Your Body and 2020’s Moonth, the latter of which is one of my personal favorites to ever come out of the Pittsburgh DIY scene. Filled to the brim with quirky stories, charming lyrics, and relatability, Moonth desperately needs a follow-up. Could 2024 finally be the year? Only time will tell. As of now, no singles have been released, but it is common for DIY artists to drop unannounced or with very little prior notice, so anything is possible.

Sad Night Dynamite

Students of Synthpop acts such as Gorillaz with an added hip-hop inspired twist, Sad Night Dynamite have become one of my favorite underground artists throughout the decade so far. With banger after banger, the Glastonbury, England two-piece could be ramping up for a third album release in four years. Spending 2023 on the road, Sad Night Dynamite could very well be back and in album mode.

While on the road, SND dropped two singles, titled “What Does That Make Me?” and “Sick of Your Sound”. Despite being one-off tour singles, the duo has shown us the new direction they plan to go in as they enter their next era. “What Does That Make Me?” makes heavy use of a sample flip within the indie-rap style beat to create a light, spacey atmosphere with SND’s trademark odd-ball lyrics. “Sick of Your Sound”, on the other hand, goes for something more serious, utilizing a Drum and Bass inspired sound with lyrics tapping into the life of an outcast on the fringes, a common topic in their music. If you’re someone who just wants to listen to some interesting and often fun music with some zany vibes, Sad Night Dynamite is for you, and a new project from them could be on the way faster than we think.