Second Line cover

Second Line

Released

On her sixth album, New Orleans-born Dawn Richard (late of the Diddy-groomed aughties girl group, Danity Kane) embraced EDM as the sonic backdrop to an Afrofuturist narrative centered on her android alter-ego, King Creole. Shades of Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid, the liberation of King Creole is Richard’s metaphor for her own move away from the formulaic, rigid record industry towards artistic freedom and indie-label independence. There’s electronica effects that might be heard in a Star Wars bar (“SELFish”), with lyrics consistent with the concept album (“She not selling records, need help,” says “Radio Free”), but the album’s mostly heavy on the beats per minute. Second Line brings the celebratory N’Orleans tradition of its title into a far-flung future.

Miles Marshall Lewis

Suggestions
Why Lawd? cover

Why Lawd?

NxWorries
Caracal cover

Caracal

Disclosure
new breed cover

new breed

Dawn Richard
Tigallerro cover

Tigallerro

Phonte, Eric Roberson
Last Exit cover

Last Exit

Junior Boys
Negro Swan cover

Negro Swan

Blood Orange
Language cover

Language

Starchild & the New Romantic
After Hours cover

After Hours

Rahsaan Patterson
Cocoa Sugar cover

Cocoa Sugar

Young Fathers