What's Good (Week of 4/19/26)
The weekend is here, and so follows, your dose of What's Good—my new regular new music blog where I catch you up on everything dope I found this week. We've got a lot of great stuff, including:
New Albums
- April + VISTA
- Blu & Exile
- DeevoDaGenius
- Fatboi Sharif & Child Actor
- Rosco P. Coldchain & Nicholas Craven
- TV Star
New Singles
- Action Bronson
- Black Milk
- Jeff Parker ETA IVtet
- Jwords
- Nao Yoshioka
- Recoechi
If this is your first time with me, or you only know about the blog from when it hits your social media account of choice, subscribe to get What's Good (and anything else I write) delivered directly to your inbox each week.
Now, let's get into this week's drops. Like usual, we've got the Playlists up front for those of you in a rush, followed by Bonus Beats (writing, live performances, and other ephemera from around the web), and then the Music with links to purchase and stream at your convenience.
Playlists
TIDAL
TIDAL: What's Good Playlist - Week of 4/19/26
YouTube
Bonus Beats
NAHreally back at the crib, rapping for you from his excellent album EXTRA CHEESE.
Thomas Hobbs
POW MAG is back and as part of their return to the blogosphere, Thomas Hobbs interviewed Digital Underground member Money-B and manager Atron Gregory the classic album Sex Packets (of which Atron was an executive producer) on its 35th anniversary.
Thomas: With Sex Packets, we’ve already spoken about how the concept was a reaction to the AIDS crisis, but what was your intent in terms of the sound? Revisiting it today, Shock G was one of the first to really sample Parliament and Prince in such a hyper animated type of way. I love how the title track makes “She’s Always In My Hair” feel more schlockly and playful, as an example. Would you agree Sex Packets is at Ground Zero for G-funk?
Money-B: You’re right about the samples being more cartoonish. I don’t think Shock gets enough credit as a producer when it comes to sparking G-funk, but I definitely know he was acknowledged by the creators! I know the P-funk innovators like George Clinton and Mike Hampton respected the hell out of Shock G and that was because he was using their funk to create new funk.
Atron: With Sex Packets, we were driven by proving we were proper songwriters. That’s why you had nine-minute songs on there! You’d go into the studio and there would be live instruments, whether that’s drums, pianos, keyboards, saxophones, synths, or guitars. Then you’d have DJs scratching and Shock G chopping up a sample live. We did a lot of Sex Packets at the Starlight Studio in Richmond. There was everyone recording there, from Raw Fusion to Saafir and 2Pac, and it was like one endless party. The Bay Area in general has always been a very creative space, and that studio was right at the epicentre.
Shout out to my studio nerds. Terry Cole broke down the studio recording for Kendra Morris' "Flat Tire" from one of my favorite albums of last year, NEXT, from the Portage Lounge studio. You can cop the 45 with a dub mix from Paul Cherry on the B-side at Colemine Records (and as an aside, tap in with Kendra at her weekly livestreams over on her YouTube channel and tell her I sent you).
hate5six's most recent featured video to crossover with the main focus of this blog is Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals' live set from the Ukie Club in Philadelphia, PA back in February.
Knxwledge chronicles his career and move to Japan for Audio Technica with this short film. Featuring appearances from J. Rocc, Alchemist, Mndsgn, and Anderson.Paak.
Digable Planets dropped by the KCRW studios to talk Blowout Comb on its 30th anniversary, and give a quick performance of "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)" for Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Music
Jay Worthy & 9th Wonder - I Can't Relate (Out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Soft Palms - Garbage In The Sand (From In Echo, out on 6/19/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals and merch via Soft Palms' shop | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Jenevieve - Flight Risqué feat. Freddie Gibbs & SALIMATA (Out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Thee Marloes - Through the Changes (From Di Hotel Malibu, out on 5/22/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals via Big Crown Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Darko the Super & MF Grimm - Inside a Dream feat. Blu (From Beware of Bob, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Beth Orton - Waiting (From The Ground Above, out on 6/26/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals via Beth Orton's store | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Codenine & The Hidden Character - MEMENTORMORI (From The First Supper, out on 4/29/26. YouTube only.)
Jay Cinema - Feelin' Goood (Out now. Purchase: Pay What You Want via Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Show Me The Body - Dance In The USA (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Nao Yoshioka - Shadow feat. Bilal (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Blood Vulture - You Fail Me (Converge cover) (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Starker - Van Sons (From LIVING TYPE DANGEROUS Vol. 1, out now. Purchase/Stream: Bandcamp)
Jeff Parker ETA IVtet - Like Swimwear (part two) (From Happy Today, out on 5/15/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Die Spitz - American Porn (From Something To Consume, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Third Man Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Tricky - Out of Place feat. Marta Złakowska (From Different When It's Silent, out on 7/17/26. Preorder: Bandcamp, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sofie Royer - Cowboy Mouth (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
DeevoDaGenius - Tare feat. Tega & Dun Dealy (From Devo Type III, out now. Purchase: Physicals via Bars Over BS | Deluxe digital edition (each purchase includes a signed 12 x 12 print of the album artwork) via E11evation Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Shaykh Hanif - NACKSAW VS IRON SHAYKH feat. Estee Nack (From The Hand That Feeds, out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Quicksand - Get To It (From Bring On The Psychics, out on 7/17/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Vinyl via Equal Vision Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
April + VISTA - Standing In Place (From Traditional Noise, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sniff, Caneva, & Hush One - Firmament (Out now, YouTube only for now.)
Mansur Brown - So Far (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Lastnamedavid - staaa.tesnivoice[study] (Out now. YouTube only.)
huntermemphis
weirddough - Pray (From Geomancy, out now. Purchase/Stream: Bandcamp)
Jwords - Clarity feat. Nappy Nina (From Sound Therapy, out on 5/8/26. Preorder: Bandcamp, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Lily Juniper - Who Am I, You? (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
DoYeon Kim - The Beats of Distant Thunder (From Wellspring, out on 5/1/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals via AUM Fidelity | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
ILL-Sugi - 今はどう？ (From DO THE MATH, out now. Purchase/Stream: Bandcamp)
Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown - All Blues (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Butcher Brown, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Dear Dea - Run My Mouth (From Doria's Daydream, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Rosco P. Coldchain & Nicholas Craven - Die Slow feat. Bruiser Wolf (From Play With Something Safe, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Other retailer, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sir Michael Rocks - Last Dub (From Rocks, Paper, Scissors: Choices, out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Black Milk - OK... Nah feat. Saba (From CEREMONIAL, out on 5/8/26. Preorder: Bandcamp, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Fatboi Sharif & Child Actor - Assasination Tapes (From Crayola Circles, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Physicals, digital, and merch via Backwoodz Studioz | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Yuna - wasteland (From The Valour Hour, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Action Bronson - TRICERATOPS feat. Lil Yachty & Paul Wall (From the upcoming Planet Frog. Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Jazz Spastiks - Rock The Block feat. Wee Bee Foolish (From Camera of Sound, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Machinedrum - BL0000M (From BL00MS, out on 6/2/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Jason Griff & Alex Ludovico - FOHICE (Out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Brian Brown - Big Homie (Out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Youtube Music)
Patricia Brennan and Sylvie Courvoisier - Disparate Chase (Live) (From Talamanti, out on 6/26/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | CD via Antlia Records, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
aja monet - melting clocks feat. Mick Jenkins & Vic Mensa (From the color of rain, out on 5/22/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals and digital via drinksumwtr, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
CRIMEAPPLE - OPEN ROAD feat. Seafood Sam (From BEEMER ON BROADWAY, out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
TV Star - Reality Cheque (From Music For Heads, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Phyiscals and digital via Father/Daughter Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Blu & Exile - Hard Times feat. Fashawn (From Time Heals Everything, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Physicals and merch via Dirty Science | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
VINSON - Never Or Now feat. Nappy Nina (From Raw Honey, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 10, 2016
Icky Reels - Ded Lee (From DL Poisons, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp)
Recoechi - SI/ON BRO feat. Mike DFG & Saba (From the upcoming Act ii: Body of God. Purchase "SI BUENO/ON BRO": Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes - RAPMAN (From UNRELATED, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
That'll do it for this edition of the blog. Thanks for rocking with me, and if you enjoyed anything, or found a new favorite joint, do me a favor and share What's Good with your friends. Don't be afraid to reach out in the comments, or on social media. Enjoy the weekend, take care of each other, and make good choices.
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