Every Friday, Consequence of Sound rounds up some of the week’s noteworthy new album releases into one nifty post. Today, April 3rd, brings fresh jams from the likes of Purity Ring, M. Ward, Banks, Melkbelly, Yves Tumor, Empress Of, and Peach Pit.
Purity Ring – WOMB

Purity Ring, photo by Carson Davis Brown
Purity Ring are finally back with WOMB, their first album in over five years. Due out through 4AD, it serves as the long-awaited follow-up to another eternity from 2015.
The 10-track collection was previewed with the lead track,Ā “stardew”, alongĀ withĀ “pink lightning”Ā and “peacefall”, which we highlighted in an Origins feature.
Stream:
— Spotify
M. Ward – Migration Stories

M. Ward, photo by Wrenne Evans
Migration Stories is the new album from M. Ward. The follow-up to 2016āsĀ More RainĀ boasts 11 tracks about real-life human migration stories, with inspiration ranging from newspaper photographs to television reports. To help bring these tales to life, the folk songwriter enlisted Arcade Fireās Tim Kingsbury and Richard Reed Parry, producer-mixer Craig Silvey, and Teddy Impakt.
Today’s full-length features the early singles “Unreal City” and “Migration of Souls”.
Stream:
— Spotify
Banks – Live and Stripped

Banks, photo by Brian Ziff
Banks has released a new EP titledĀ Live and Stripped. Out through Harvest Records, the project consists of four tracks pulled from across Banksā catalog and re-recorded in a barebones style.
āDrowningā is pulled from her debut albumĀ GoddessĀ while the other three tracks ā āStrokeā, āContaminatedā, and āIf We Were Made of Waterā ā are off her most recent full-length, 2019āsĀ III.
The R&B singer is scheduled to perform at this year’s Virgin Fest and tickets can be purchased here. You can also catch Banks when she takes over the Consequence of Sound Instagram on Friday.
Stream:
— Apple Music
— Spotify
Melkbelly – PITH

Melkbelly, photo by Ariella Miller
Melkbelly have let loose their sophomore album,Ā PITH. Due out through Wax Nine/Carpark Records, the 11-track collection follows up on Nothing Valley from 2017.
The Chicago noise-rock outfit recorded the new LP in two brief sessions six months apart at Russian Recording in Bloomington, Indiana with help from frequent collaborator Dave Vettraino. Early teasers include “Humid Heart” and “Sickeningly Teeth”.
Stream:
— Spotify
Yves Tumor – Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Yves Tumor
Yves Tumor has unboxed a new album called Heaven to a Tortured Mind. Over the course of 12 tracks, the experimental electronic artist can be heard turning psych rock into modern pop while ādiluting realityā to give āmeaning to the abstract,” according to a press release.
The follow-up to 2018 albumĀ Safe in the Hands of Love was previewed with the singles “Kerosene!” and āGospel for a Century Mindā.
Stream:
— Spotify
Empress Of – I’m Your Empress Of

Empress Of, photo by Fabian Guerrero
Empress Of has returned with her third studio effort, I’m Your Empress Of. Due out through Terrible Records, it comes two years after her Us LP.
The new album was written in a small studio in Highland Park in Los Angeles. In a statement on the project, the experimental pop artist said, āMusic is magic. Something that possesses me, shows me things about myself that arenāt easy to see.” She continued, Itās calledĀ Iām Your Empress OfĀ because Iāve always felt that once a song is done, and the emotion is there and itās not inside me anymore, it belongs to the world.ā
Catch Empress Of live by purchasing concert tickets here.
Stream:
— Spotify
Peach Pit – You and Your Friends

Peach Pit, photo by Lester Lyons-Hookham
Vancouver-based indie outfit Peach Pit have let loose their new full-length, You and Your Friends, through Columbia Records. As its name suggests, the follow-up to 2017’s Being So Normal is all about the importance of pals old and new.
“You and Your Friends is a collection of songs about me, people that the band and I care about, and some of the old friends weāve had over the years,” vocalist/guitarist Neil Smith explained in a statement. “All the songs are written from true stories, some have been exaggerated more than others. We canāt wait to finally let go of it and start playing these songs for you out on the road!ā
Peach Pit had to postpone their spring tour dates because of the coronavirus outbreak, but are expected to hit the road again in June. Grab your concert tickets here.
Stream:
— Spotify