By Lewis Hannah
The month of May provided us with a great month for new music, across all genres and styles. This list will provide my personal top 5 albums released in the month of May, on top of some inclusions from some fellow music writers/critics.
Before we get onto my list, I asked Andrew Neal, Editor for Manchester based website Silent Radio, for his favourite album from the month of May. Here’s Andrew’s pick:
Radhika: Cine-Pop
Andrew Neal said: “Clocking in at 33.3 minutes, ‘Cine-Pop’ is conceptually perfect. Paying tribute to the speed at which a vinyl LP is played, it is ideal for listening to in one sitting.
“On Radhika’s debut album, dream pop combines with goth pop, Glasgow indie and, in a nod to her Indian heritage, Bollywood, to create a sumptuous collection of tunes and atmospheres.”
On his favourite track from Cine-Pop: “In the sublime dream pop category, ‘Feline Bandits’ is an album highlight and was inspired by watching a documentary about Vivienne Westwood, ‘Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist’.
“Musically, it is like swallowing honey, naturally sweet owing to Radhika’s lush vocals, keyboards adding to the melodic overload and creating a sound that is defiantly widescreen while the lyrics celebrate love, life, sacrifice, asymmetry and the unconventional.
‘Cine-Pop’ is an excellent debut indicative of a special talent to be enjoyed now but with the enticing prospect of what is to follow.”
Now onto my list, starting off with:
5. MUNA-Dancing On The Wall
There’s nothing better than feeling great pride about who you are as a person. That feeling is embodied in MUNA’s music. The indie pop trio from California have consistently found themselves making music that is bright, leaning into the fun world of synth-pop, whilst becoming more powerful and embracing about their queer identities.
Dancing On The Wall, however, sees the band scale the lights down just a tiny bit, as the band reconciles with the current political climate of the USA, particularly on ‘Big Stick’, far and away the band’s most political song. Tuned down are the shining synths, with songs that lyrically feel fuller of dread and weariness than anything MUNA have put out before.
If MUNA’s self-titled LP was meant to feel like the soundtrack to your weekend, the energy, the pride, the urge to dance in the middle of a gay bar, Dancing On The Wall sees a sense of dread creep into the neon lights.
Favourite songs: Dancing On The Wall, Mary Jane, Girl’s Girl
4. The Lemon Twigs-Look For Your Mind!
There are some things in life that are commonly agreed upon. The earth is round, the inflating prices of literally everything is growing increasingly irritating, and the Lemon Twigs continue to make stellar music that harkens back to the 60s and 70s, when everything was definitely alright and people were protesting about uncalled for wars before taking some kind of hallucinogen with some friends. So, in other words, nothing’s really changed!
Seriously, there aren’t many artists out there I can think of who have so perfectly carved their own niche and not only been able to breed success from it, but also virtually not stray away and change course at sudden notice. The D’Addario brothers from Long Island, New York have done just that. Look For Your Mind! Is yet another great collection of tracks that are effective at one simple thing; making you smile, whether it’s the great grooves, or the over-the-top performances, even the grumpiest of you will get a joy off The Lemon Twigs. Or maybe a frown at most.
At this point, im convinced The Lemon Twigs could make the same style of music for the rest of the careers, and it will still be great. If Look For Your Mind! Proves anything, it is that The Lemon Twigs, a decade on from their debut, are planning to stay around for a long, long time. I for one, wholly welcome that.
Favourite songs: I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You, Fire and Gold, Bring You Down
3. Kurt Vile-Philadelphia’s been good to me
When Kurt Vile was asked about his 10th LP, he remarked that he considered it as his “bringing it all back home to Philly” record, and that he was treating it like his last record.
If the goal with Philadelphia’s been good to me was to create an album that felt like a finale, my word does Kurt Vile succeed with aplomb. Kurt Vile’s 10th album is sonically a goodbye on par with the kind soldiers got from their partners before going to war. Some of Vile’s vocals on here are his absolute best, many tracks are layered in sprawling guitar melodies, making the kind of sick slacker music that makes you want to sit back in an old rocking chair, as this record plays in the vinyl player across the room.
I know Philadelphia’s been good to me is a record made to feel like a final LP, even though it isn’t. But there is a world where this is Kurt Vile’s last LP. For the benefit of all of us, I sincerely hope that doesn’t turn out to be the case.
Favourite Songs: Chance To Bleed, Holiday OKV, Every time i look at you
2. Genesis Owusu- REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
In 2021, Aussie Rapper Genesis Owusu, unveiled his debut album, “Smiling With No Teeth”, a genre-bending masterpiece that immediately set Owusu apart from the rest, and showed he was by far one of the most exciting, versatile and unique artists in the scene
Five years later, with his 2nd LP “STRUGGLER” released in-between, Owusu’s latest is yet another fantastic collection of genre-diverse and overtly political songs, combining genres like Political Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul, Post-Punk, Synth Funk and so, so much more. The album delves into many several themes, aimed at shining a light on the current political climate of the world, as Genesis Owusu tackles racism, corruption, worldwide conflicts and radicalisation, with the “WORLDWIDE SCOURGE” in the album’s title referring to what Owusu feels is a normalisation of numerous forms of prejudice, like hatred and greed.
It’s reassuring to know that in times of unrest, of uncertain times, where we don’t know what direction history is going, artists like Genesis Owusu are unafraid to say how it really is.
Favourite songs: STAMPEDE, BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, DEATH CULT ZOMBIE
1. American Football-American Football (LP4)
Since the late 90s, Illinois’s American Football (the band, I couldn’t tell you anything about sport in Illinois) has remained a cultural cornerstone in the music world, particularly in the Midwest emo scene. Their 1999 self-titled debut is an album oozing with so much class and quality it carries a huge legacy on its own shoulders
Amercian Football’s 4th LP simply titled, LP4, may stake a claim to be the best the band have put out yet in their near 30-year career. Seeing them complete their transformation into post-Rock, LP4 evidences the evolution of the band, with instrumentals that can find themselves touchier and nervier than before, whilst lyrically themes include substance abuse, self-harm, and sexual awakenings. It’s probably the band’s bleakest release to date, but when the music is that damn stellar, you can look over that, for a brief period at least.
The intimidating shadow long cast by American Football’s debut album could very well now disappear, as LP4 feels like the best iteration of the band yet. It’s certainly better than the sport they’re named after.
Favourite songs: Bad Moons, Patron Saint of Pale, Wake Her Up
Music Journalist Anayo Eltringham Onuora discusses her favourite album from May 2026
