New Music Friday: 7 albums to stream this week

On Mt. Pleasant, Cassia O’Reilly’s debut album as Cosha, the Irish singer is as confident as she is sensual. The 25-year-old, formerly known as Bonzai, first came to recognition in 2016 for her fluorescent, rave-inflected take on pop. But after a major record deal left her artistic vision compromised, O’Reilly decided to change her name and start from scratch.

As Cosha, the London-based artist opts for a smoother, sultry sound. Drawing on “the divinity of womanhood, pleasure, and love”, O’Reilly uses the sultry tones of R&B to cast a carefree atmosphere that simmers with heated possibilities and sexual self-belief. With additions from Shygirl (“Lapdance from Asia”) and Coby Sey (“Tighter”), there’s an inner strength that radiates through the record. Bold, celebratory, and sexually liberated, it will no doubt serve as a fitting soundtrack for those thirsty post-lockdown nights ahead.

Elsewhere, K-pop stalwarts SHINee release a vibrant mini-album, Fifty Grand returns with his first release in seven (!) years, and Madlib and Dudley Perkins share some unearthed gems from the 1990s.