Genesis Owusu’s Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge lands as a release-week essential

Genesis Owusu’s Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge arrived in the 15 May release wave and remains one of the strongest alternative records to carry into the 16 May weekend. Pitchfork’s new-albums roundup frames the record as Owusu’s attempt to reflect the fraught times he is living through, drawing from hip-hop, indie rock, electro and synth-funk. That mission suits him perfectly. Owusu’s music has always felt theatrical, but not empty. Characters, costumes, hooks, grooves and social commentary all move together, creating a world where the performance is part of the argument.

This album appears to continue the restless energy of Smiling With No Teeth and STRUGGLER while looking more directly at global instability, imperialist neglect and the need to keep living fully despite the mess. Lead single Big Dog was described as capturing a dance party at the end of the world, which is exactly the type of contradiction Owusu handles well: joy and pressure, absurdity and seriousness, release and warning. For an indie/alternative digest, this is one of the most important release-week items because it refuses easy genre placement and uses that refusal as a strength. Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/15-new-albums-you-should-listen-to-now-kevin-morby-drake-smerz-and-more