EST Gee — Bigger Than Life Or Death

For Audiomack’s latest #UpNow artist, it’s Bigger Than Life Or Death. EST Gee has honed his brand of bruising but agile trap over the last couple of years, culminating in his 2020 breakout tape I Still Don’t Feel Nun and a signing with Yo Gotti’s CMG label. His fifth full-length arrives after a year in which the Louisville rapper has bodied a run of guest verses and primed himself as one of the South’s most promising voices. Featuring Lil Baby, Future, Young Thug, Lil Durk, Yo Gotti, Pooh Shiesty, 42 Dugg, and Rylo Rodriguez, Bigger Than Life Or Death is another step forward for EST Gee.

Dave — We’re All Alone In This Together

Dave’s Pyschodrama was a career-making album. Released in 2019 to universal acclaim, it took home the Mercury Prize and Album of the Year honors at the BRIT Awards, not only delivering on the South Londoner’s promise but stamping him as one of the leading voices in British music. His much-anticipated follow-up, We’re All Alone In This Together, keeps the fire burning; Dave’s words are potent as ever, channeling his pain and frustrations into searing indictments of failed systems, false idols, and fractured relationships. “I’ve been low so it’s hard to brag, I’ve been hurt so it’s hard to love,” he admits on “Twenty to One,” capturing the emotional toll that’s made his perspectives so gripping.

Yung Bleu — Moon Boy

Across beloved mixtape series Investments and Bleu Vandross, Yung Bleu has steadily built a rabid fanbase over the last half-decade through melodic rap croons about romance, heartbreak, and the long journey toward success. Moon Boy, the Mobile, Alabama artist’s new album, wears its aspirations on its sleeve, building on the success of last year’s Drake collaboration “You’re Mines Still” with a star-studded guest list that also includes Davido, Big Sean, Kehlani, 2 Chainz, Moneybagg Yo, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Jeezy, H.E.R., and Gunna.

Chiiild — Hope For Sale

Chiiild pulls from a wide swath of influences—D’Angelo, Pink Floyd, Bon Iver—to create music that summons nostalgia while sounding like nothing you’ve ever heard before. The Montreal-born, LA-based artist spent years racking up producing and writing credits before carving out his own alt-pop sound. Single “Eventually,” an Audiomack Re-Upped selection in June, acts as a bridge between the artist’s 2020 EP Synthetic Soul and his full-length debut Hope For Sale. Pushing the limits of what “Black music” sounds like, Chiiild said in a statement about the album: “Aiming to cover the whole human experience, I dive into my outlook on life, love and social justice.”

Lil Moe 6Blocka & Rooga — Scrappers

At just 16 years old, Lil Moe 6Blocka is one of Chicago’s fastest-rising names, making noise with combative singles like “Risky” and “Ion Know.” In Rooga, a South Side veteran of the city’s rap scene, he’s found a friend and mentor willing to take the rising talent under his wing. The two join forces for Scrappers, a mixtape that pays tribute to loss both artists have endured, including Rooga’s late brother Scrapp.

5 New Albums You Need to Hear This Week

5 New Albums You Need to Hear This Week