Most Anticipated Record Releases (of the Summer) for PW

It’s tempting to be unenthusiastic about record releases these days. With leaks, digital downloads and continuously pushed-back street dates, the release date isn’t exactly exciting any more, and doesn’t send folks running to the record store like it used to. But that’s all a bunch of stinkin’ thinkin’. There are some solid and exciting releases to expect this summer and we’ve broken them down for you by genre to mark your calendar and budget your downloads.

POP: While Robyn’s Body Talk Pt. 1 has already (technically) hit the shelves, there’s just too much excitement around her little EP cycle to not mention it. Parts 2 and 3 will be released at the end of summer and in the fall, but in the meantime we have the singles “Fembot,” “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do” and the Diplo-produced “Dancehall Queen” to settle into this summer. They’re simple, catchy and make you want to dance like a damn fool. Kylie Minogue, the Queen of the Gays, gives us a much-anticipated, full-length Aphrodite, on July 5, and has released the single “All The Lovers” to get us salivating in the meantime. The video’s pretty druel-inducing, too. Finally, with the ridonculous video to “Acapella,” Kelis has caused a bit of a stir and excitement surrounding her new album Flesh Tone, also out on July 6. Until then, we advise using Adam Lambert’s “Whataya Want From Me” to scratch that pop itch until those three divas give it to us good.

ELECTRO & ROCK: This is where most of the summer’s heavy hitters are dropping bombs, starting with controversy-monger M.I.A., who’ll be giving us an unpronouncable, but highly anticipated record on July 13. The un-typable typographic representation of Maya’s name has made waves with the redhead killing mini-film for “Born Free.” However, “XXXO,” the first official single off the album, is a Diplo track that gives us a taste for what we’ve come to know and love from the Sri Lankan mess. Controversy aside, Kele Okereke, the former frontman for Bloc Party, has taken his newly out-of-the-closet status and run with it on a much dancier, club-friendly electro record called The Boxer (even the title’s kinda gay!), out next week (6/21). The Boxer’s first single, “Tenderoni,” is promising to say the least. Plus he’s working with Spank Rock’s XXXChange, so we can we get a “Hell yes”? Other electro/rock releases getting us giddy this summer include Panda Bear’s Tomboy (7/13), Acrade Fire’s The Suburbs (8/3) and Menomena’s Mines (7/27). Someone get the ice wooder!

HIP-HOP: Finally, we’ve got our hip-hop sluggers. Big Boi’s given us some of the most remarkable hip-hop of the past decade and a half with Outkast, and now his solo record looks to be all that and more. Sir Lucious Left Foot hits the streets July 6. “Shutterbugg” is the outstandingly funky single and accordingly sick video and tantalizing feature guests abound: Janelle Monae, Gucci Mane and George Clinton to name a few. Not to mention the Andre 3000 produced track, “You Ain’t No DJ.” Finally, Eminem’s surprisingly happy-go-lucky LP Recovery, drops next week. Enjoy your summer!

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