Stream: New albums from Daniel Lanois, RIVALS, Triptides, EMAEL and Jane Astronaut

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From left: Daniel Lanois (by Floria Sigsimondi); RIVALS (by Matt Bender); Triptides (by Brad Danner); Jane Astronaut

This week’s album roundup includes new releases from Daniel Lanois, RIVALS, Triptides, EMAEL and Jane Astronaut. Dive in …

DANIEL LANOIS, “Heavy Sun”

Songwriter and Graammy-winning producer Daniel Lanois laid out a straightforward mission statement for this album: “We want to lift people’s spirits with this music.” Marrying two agents of feel-good, gospel music and reggae, does the trick, even if it wears a bit thin over 40 or so minutes. Organist Johnny Shepherd makes almost every tune sound like Sunday; Lanois, whose production fairy dust makes “Heavy Sun” sound contemporary, shares vocal duties with him and L.A. treasure Rocco DeLuca. Maybe, if you happened by Zebulon in pre-pandemic times, you heard Lanois and the guys jam some of these tunes out live, all nonchalant-like in the front bar. Dance, sway, be uplifted.

RIVALS, “Sad Looks Pretty on Me”

The sophomore album from quartet of singer Kalie Wolfe, bassist Sebastian Clarke, guitarist Micket Woodle and drummer Josh Alves melds post-hardcore muscle with pop hooks on a slew of Brobdingnagian anthems that recall a lot of the hugely popular crooked haircut bands of the Aughts. Some of RIVALS’ angst feels forced, but there are a lot more “Strawberries” than lemons.

TRIPTIDES, “Alter Echoes”

Like its predecssors, the eighth Triptides album jangles all the way. The trio of founder Glenn Brigman with Brendan Peleo-Lazar and Stephen Burns is best at their most caffeinated (“Let It Go,” “Hand of Time” and “It Won’t Hurt You” are faves), and fans of 12-string goodness, or anyone who proudly flies the Byrds’ flag, will find plenty of reasons to trip out.

EMAEL, “Three60”

As the title track and “Throw. My Selfaway” suggested, EMAEL (rendered “EMÆL”) are neither your garden variety chamber pop-band nor your typical button-pushing electronic band. Classically trained cellist Emmanuel Ventura-Cruess helms the project with equal parts experimental ethos and deep personal scrutiny.

JANE ASTRONAUT, “Nostalgia”

The new album from Inglewood native Billy Azurdia’s long-running solo project is a shape-shifting beast of woozy indie-rock, jazz-inflected pop and left-field psych. Azurdia (bassist in Mind Monogram) is at times whimsical (“Bugs”) and at others mopey (“Gettin’ Old”), and in between he keeps things interesting with loose production and his endearingly wobbly croon.