GENRE FLUID RELEASES YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
- caferiotibz
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Multifaceted music is on the rise. From ASAP Rocky's flirtation with punk, to the breaks and techno of artists like Mani Festo, experimentation and boundary blurring is becoming less challenged by the purists. Rosie Riot looks at some artists that are releasing some of the most dynamic music out there.
Kokoroko – From Metropolis studios
EP Release on 06.03.2026 (Brownswood Recordings)
London based collective Kokoroko (Urhobo for ‘be strong’ or ‘hard to break’), traverse many genres. From jazz, soul, 80s funk, to West African disco and highlife, the septet forms a masterclass in percussion, jazz agility, and atmospheric soul. But the common thread is the consistency of the quality of music they showcase. Making waves globally, last year their talents captured the attention of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert where they played a captivating showcase of tracks from past album ‘Tuff Times Never Last’.
‘From Metropolis studios’ was recorded from a live performance at the West London music hub. Currently you can listen to ‘Express your Love’, a sultry romantic slice of soul dripping in magic, magnificent harmonies, and bluesy guitar solos. If you want something that conjures the nostalgia of a decade we haven’t lived in, yet a completely fresh slice of musicianship, have a listen. Make sure you download or stream the whole EP on 6th March.
Listen to if you like : Yussef Dayes, Steam Down, Salin
James Blake – Trying Times
Album launch on 13.06.2026 (Good Boy Recordings)
Grammy and Mercury Prize winning artist James Blake is back with upcoming album ‘Trying Times’. With two singles released already with ‘Death of Love’ and the utterly haunting ‘I Had a Dream She Took my Hand’, the album is hotly anticipated. The genre fluid producer and vocalist is already revealing a shift from his electronic and 2-step sounds of ‘Playing Robots into Heaven’. The new material revealed so far is emotive, melancholic…. Yet angelic. With live videos posted on his Youtube channel having a slightly dystopian office theme, his genius is unfolding before our eyes and unpicking our heartstrings.
Listen to if you like: Labrinth, Burial, Celeste, Thom Yorke
Carré – Hibiscus
EP Released 20.02.2026 (Tempa)
Named as one of Mix Mags ‘Top Artists to watch in 2026’, London via LA based bass artist Carré is redefining dubstep. Shimmering futurism polishes redefined classic dubstep ‘wob’. The resut is something discerning, deliberate, and dazzling (just check out ‘X Effect’). With leading track ‘Hibiscus’ featuring genre fluid vocalist Bbyafricka , with sultry hypnotic vocals, the tracks sometimes veer towards trap, with rolling drum flourishes, and off beats. Atmospheric echoes and depth point towards, but somehow never settle into the hard lines of dubstep. But don’t take my word for it, the EP is out now. Have a listen here:
Listen to if you like: Camonet, Brendon Moeller, Pugalist
KNEECAP – FENIAN
Album Released 24.04.2026
“It’s a more sinister album, because these are more sinister times”
KNEECAP is bracing us for an altogether darker sound.
The Belfast Irish trio’s sound - a hybrid of hip-hop, underground, bass, political, and social commentary - have been saying it with their chests since 2017. 2024’s acclaimed ‘Fine Art’ was a social sucker punch, with some satirical strokes. But 2026’s impending release ‘FENIAN’, (released in late April), is set to channel a darker vibe. After a witch hunt and subsequent terrorism charge (which only intensified public interest), the sound of their next album is set to be darker. With Dan Carey, the producer behind some of Kae Tempest, and Wet Leg’s most dynamic music, working on FENIAN with the Irish trio, the anticipation for something truly seminal is in the air. With recent single ‘Smugglers & Scholars’, a dubsteppy menacing revolt, and the punk rave political scrutiny in ‘A Liar’s Tale’ out already, we can expect Aprils album drop to land with an explosion. Get ready for a masterclass in punk-rap, underground fusion.
Listen to if you like: The Streets, Fontaines FC, Asian Dub Foundation, The Bug
Demi Riquísimo – 7 years of Semi Delicious
EP released 03.02.2026 (Semi Delicious)
Raised in Detroit, but London based, Demi Riquísimo is a master of acid infused Italo heaven. If you created a Venn diagram of breaks, electro, house and disco, Demi would be in the sweet spot. ‘7 years of Semi Delicious is’ a sublime example of Demi Riquísimo’s and London based label ‘Semi Delicious’ sound. With tracks like ‘Tutukaka’ building up a chugging crescendo of 80’s inspired drum pads and synths, it is a masterclass in layering a slow build. Listen to ‘Rush Common’ for more 4 to the Floor, yet ambient dancefloor euphoria.
Listen to if you like: The Trip, Jex Opolis, Tino
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