We here at the Old Caustic Factory are cracking open the windows to a whiff of the incoming Spring to aid in our sonic searches for each week’s best new music. 2026 has proven to be an exhilarating one, and the first New Music Friday of March keeps the trend alive. This week, we have a cornucopia of fresh-baked LPs and singles that range from mind-altering jazz to electronic experimentation, along with some welcomed returns from familiar faces. The long, brutal winter is nearing the finish line, and while the atmosphere shifts, one thing remains consistent: The ever-flowing tap of new musical terrain for your ears and mind to navigate.
Check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new music, and be sure to head over to our Spotify to give our Caustic playlists a follow to stay updated on the latest releases.
Gnarls Barkley – “Turn Your Hearts Back On”
Atlanta
It has been 18 years since the duo of CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse came together under their acclaimed Gnarls Barkley banner, but their return doubles as their farewell. Atlanta is the third and final album from the commercially successful and critically acclaimed duo. The 13-song tracklist moves from sentimental self-analysis to gospel-tinged funk anthems with immense ease, balancing glimpses behind the curtain of the mysterious duo with tunes meant to last long after this swan song. “Turn Your Hearts Back On” leans towards the uplifting side, with Green’s smooth vocals navigating neck-breaking percussion to deliver an urgent message of self-peace.
The Brook & The Bluff – “Gone For The Weekend”
Werewolf
The Nashville-based The Brook & The Bluff specializes in a distinct twangy indie-rock style, and on their latest LP, the band spins this singular sound into a meditative, reflective mood. Werewolf is a quick yet complex outing that finds the band getting a lot of emotions off their chest, employing a lyrical melancholy that doubles as a reassuring pat on the back. “Gone For The Weekend” is a pop-tinted stand-out performance on this LP, which captures the moment of the daunting realization that you’ve been romanticizing a situation that is much uglier in the light.
waterbaby – “Minnie”
Memory Be a Blade
Kendra Egerbladh, the singer/songwriter behind waterbaby, leaves no emotional stone unturned on her debut effort, Memory Be a Blade. Within the short, eight-song tracklist, Egerbladh digs out of deep emotional holes through vulnerable songwriting, as she poetically paints painful portraits of longing over cinematic, acoustic arrangements. “Minnie” is the moving highlight, beautifully introducing the concept behind Memory Be a Blade, as the artist croons over droning strings.
Shabaka – “Those Of The Sky”
Of The Earth
Shabaka has proven to be a fearless band-leader, star innovator in modern jazz, and now, he looks to prove to be even more than that on his entirely self-produced solo record, Of The Earth. These 12 songs represent the process of an established musician still itching for new ground, as he blossoms into a multi-instrumentalist and producer, pushing home recording into a new era. Recorded entirely on the road through a microphone and iPad, Of The Earth is an artistic evolution unfolding in real-time, and “Those Of The Sky” is just a taste of the magic Shabaka created for his latest. “Those Of The Sky” features layered flutes that dance with nimble percussion.
GUM – “Phosphene Scream”
Blue Gum Way
After teaming up with fellow psychedelic thought-leader Ambrose Kenny-Smith on their 2024 collaborative LP, Pond and Tame Impala’s Jay Watson returns to his ever-evolving GUM moniker solo on Blue Gum Way. The eight-song LP finds the artist, once again, growing into something refreshing, as Watson pieces together a jazzy, ambient outing that comes to life the minute you press play. “Phosphene Scream” is an experimental highlight with subdued vocals that bleed into brisk percussion tinted with otherworldly psychedelia.
Yebba – “West Memphis”
Jean
It has been five years since contemporary, trope-breaking artist Yebba released her debut album, and the much-anticipated follow-up has finally arrived. Jean continues Yebba’s confessional songwriting with much deeper vulnerability, painting vibrant stories that seemingly tackle every corner of Yebba’s life story and the tangled emotions that come with self-exploration. “West Memphis” is a clinic on lyrical storytelling, as Yebba’s soft vocals deliver poetic imagery over ambient textures.
Odd Marshall – “Hold Me Together”
Seconds
On his sophomore LP, singer/songwriter Odd Marshall employs a team of A-list collaborators to execute his stunning rock n’ roll visions. Seconds, the long-awaited follow-up to Marshall’s 2024 debut, features members of Foo Fighters, Afghan Whigs, and Blind Melon, with the eight-song LP being produced by the latter’s Christopher Thorn. Together, this all-star lineup created an album rockers can be proud of, as they weave different eras of the genre together to form something Marshall can call his own. “Hold Me Together” is a moving rock ballad that finds Marshall contradicting his search for isolation by reaching out a hand for help, a daring, vulnerable tune from a terrific album.
Flying Lotus – “ANTELOPE ONIGIRI”
BIG MAMA
After starting the experimental electronic and jazz label Brainfeeder 18 years ago, the multi-faceted artist Flying Lotus has yet to release a project on his own label, until today. With the release of BIG MAMA, the hyperactive 7-song effort meant to be played in one continuous succession, Flying Lotus makes his Brainfeeder debut, employing a childlike whimsy to create 13 minutes of acid-drenched electronics. “ANTELOPE ONIGIRI” pieces together synth-drenched blinks and blistering tempos to create a collage that hits you right in the chest.
Joey Quiñones – “Driftin’”
Inna Soul Steady Situation
Thee Sinseers’ Joey Quiñones is gearing up to release Inna Soul Steady Situation, the latest addition to his solo catalog. The 11-song LP is set for release on May 29 via Colemine Records and is shaping up to be a sprawling display of the many sides of Quiñones’s prowess and the influences that shaped it. The poignant “Driftin’” is our latest preview of the album, with the artist’s signature, honed harmonies delivering a stellar performance as he attempts to move on from a love that is continually eating at his spirit.
Jalen Ngonda – “Doctrine of Love”
Doctrine of Love”
After setting the contemporary soul world ablaze with the release of his 2023 debut, Jalen Ngonda looks to capture fresh magic on Doctrine of Love. The artist’s proper sophomore effort is set to arrive on June 5 via Daptone Records, and the title track is our first preview of the promising LP. “Doctrine of Love” features an infectious, nostalgic swing that grooves underneath Ngonda’s soaring vocals.
face of ancient gallery – “Like Kites”
Like Kites
Jeremy Mock, member of Bloodsports and People I Love, announces his latest solo chapter and new label with the release of “Like Kites.” The title track from the artist’s upcoming Good English Records debut, set to arrive on May 1, is a gentle lullaby of an acoustic ballad that combines subtle experimentation with familiar, folksy nuances. Like Kites arrives two years after the artist’s self-titled debut.
Tigers Jaw – “BREEZER”
Lost On You
Adored pop-punk heroes Tigers Jaw are inching closer to the release of their first new LP since 2021, and the latest single only thickens the air of excitement around Lost On You. The band’s latest addition to their colorful discography is set to arrive on March 27, and the cathartic “BREEZER” is the newest preview of the album. The new single finds the band lost in their emotions, attempting to make sense of life’s complexity, even though it seems to keep kicking them down.
White Denim – “Hired Hand #2”
13
White Denim, the twangy indie rock outfit centered around James Petralli and Steve Terebecki, took time this week to release the second single from their upcoming album, 13. “Hired Hand #2” is a toe-tapping, jovial chant dedicated to the working class, as the band incorporates jangly melodies into their ode to a hard day’s work. 13 is set to be released on April 24.
Metric – “Time Is A Bomb”
Romanticize The Dive
Acclaimed indie rock band Metric continues its decades-long exploration of the limits of its signature sound on its upcoming LP, Romanticize The Dive, set for release on April 24. As we anxiously await the legends’ first LP since 2023, the band drops off “Time Is A Bomb,” a pulsating, dance-driven preview that glistens with neon melodies and hard-hitting percussion.
Cass McCombs & Chris Cohen – “Steel Reserve”
Single
Just weeks before Cass McCombs kicks off his extensive tour in support of his 2025 LP, Interior Live Oak, the indie-folk singer/songwriter teams up with fellow genre member Chris Cohen on a double single. “Steel Reserve” is the slower, more ethereal of the two, with vivid storytelling that gently falls over lush yet stinging acoustics. “Steel Reserve” is paired with “Ignis Fatuus, Hinkypunk, Sharkfins and Ambergris,” and a 7’ vinyl of the double-single will be available on McCombs’s upcoming tour dates.
