From Justin Bieber to Wet Leg — these are the best new albums of July

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We're sure you, like us, had a blast digging into 200 of the Hottest Australian Songs of all time. So much nostalgia! But if you're hunting for something fresh, our music brains are always here to help.
They're committed to soaking up and sorting through new releases to bring you the best homegrown and international music worth your time.
Pop, rock, rap, R&B, folk … there's something for everybody in these 10 albums from the past month. Who knows, maybe a future Hottest 100 contender can be heard right here?
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If you've never enjoyed a Justin Bieber record, then the Canadian pop star's surprise-released seventh album might just be for you. An intimate, nostalgic set of hazy R&B, downbeat soft rock, cavernous grooves, and lo-fi gospel, Swag is a hard pivot from 2021's glossy Justice.
Like Taylor Swift's lockdown-induced swivel to indie folk on Evermore, Bieber enlisted his own cult-star talent, including SZA producer Carter Lang and makers of idiosyncratic make-out music Dijon and mk.gee.
Prioritising "vibe" over TikTok-friendly hooks, these 21 songs contain the kind of quirks major labels usually baulk at, while Bieber's lyrics — though often trite — often reference personal issues.
And as you might know, there's been a lot lately — ranging from cancelling tours amid a rare medical condition and mental health concerns, to gossip about his marriage and disquieting social media posts.
A recent viral video of Bieber admonishing paparazzi is sampled and lightly roasted by internet personality Druski, who plays a therapist in a series of album skits. Between offering him hits of a fishy cigar, he gasses him up ("your skin white, but your soul black, Justin") while the former tween idol laments having "to go through a lot of my struggles as a human, as all of us do, really publicly".
That genuinely vulnerable moment is almost immediately undercut by the raunchy Sweet Spot, where rapper Sexxy Redd delivers an NSFW demand to put a certain organ in a particular orifice.
That's the nadir of an album whose occasionally undercooked qualities are charming rather than cringe-worthy. It isn't perfect, but if it's not clicking for you, Swag is Bieber standing on business. And business is much more interesting and artistic than it's been in a decade.
For fans of: Mk.gee, Dijon, Ryan Beatty
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British indie rockers Wet Leg swiftly shut naysayers up with their debut album in 2022. Debut single Chaise Longue was a sensation, and fears of it being a novelty were obliterated by the sheer quality of the full-length effort.
Pressure is on again for album number two. The band — they're no longer a duo — are no longer underdogs and manage to rise to the challenge perfectly.
No matter how you look at it, Moisturizer is a triumph. In many ways, it exceeds its predecessor, with a more refined melodic sense, razor-sharp lyrics and song craft that keeps us hooked for its full 38 minutes.
Most importantly, they do all this while sounding distinctly like Wet Leg: defiant, cheeky, smart, and cool as hell.
For fans of: Courtney Barnett, Yard Act, Elastica
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The reunion album from Virginia Beach rap siblings Pusha T (Terrence Thornton) and Malice (Gene Elliott Thornton Jr.) is arguably the year's most anticipated hip hop event.
On their first Clipse release in 16 years, the duo justify the hype, delivering heater after head-nodding heater with lean, bumping beats supplied by Midas-touch producer Pharrell Williams.
Nas and Kendrick Lamar show up, the latter on the sinister Chains & Whips with a verse so fierce it got both Clipse and Pharrell dropped from their label Def Jam. But the real star attraction is Pusha T and Malice themselves, their hard bars as artfully constructed and devilishly funny as ever.
They take pot shots at Travis Scott and Kanye West, and neither has run out of fun, ferocious ways to rap about slinging cocaine. But they also lean into tough truths that only come with age.
Opener The Birds Don't Sing is an out-of-character lament on their parents' death, while the gospel-tinged By the Grace Of God is the sound of Pusha T and Malice embracing their status as seasoned professionals.
For fans of: Tyler, The Creator, Freddie Gibbs, JID
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If you've witnessed Folk Bitch Trio live, you know all about their rich harmonies and enchanting song craft. Their debut album, Now Would Be A Good Time, captures all that magic perfectly, offering us a seat in their intimate circle of songs we can return to any time.
Throughout, these three artists complement each other perfectly at every turn: their voices blend flawlessly, and their writing styles fit together with ease.
Leaning into their youthful perspective — wittingly or not — is another strength. There's maturity in their music, but little attempt to inhabit characters out of their own experiences. God's A Different Sword pulses with ennui while That's All She Wrote is a gripping triptych of vignettes about young love, just two examples of the candid writing that so strongly helps connect us to their stories.
The perfect introduction to one of our finest emerging acts and easily one of the best local albums of the year.
For fans of: First Aid Kit, Gillian Welch, Julia Jacklin
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Across nine ever-evolving albums, Alex G(iannascoli)'s off-kilter indie rock cemented him as a critically acclaimed underdog with a dedicated following.
Headlights is the 32-year-old's major label debut, and rather than buck the system, his pitch to the mainstream expertly folds his experimental instincts and melodic gifts into lush dad rock and Americana.
The highlights are many, beginning with the finger-picked June Guitar and its hypnotic accordion, through to the mandolin-led anthem Afterlife and bittersweet Beam Me Up, where G sings sombrely: "Some things I do for love, some things I do for money/It ain't like I don't want it, It ain't like I'm above it."
There are echoes throughout of Elliott Smith, R.E.M., and Counting Crows — vintage US college radio staples who became unlikely chart successes. But the melodic sweetness is spiked with moments of well-placed weirdness, such as Far and Wide, where the string-swept orchestration is juxtaposed with a vocal impersonation of Kermit the Frog's The Rainbow Connection.
Threading the needle between retaining his individuality while making the most palatable music of his career, Alex G's Headlights is the perfect entry point for newcomers. And hey, if it's your first exposure, there's a 15-year treasure trove of work to dive back into.
For fans of: MJ Lenderman, Wilco, Elliott Smith
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There's no high concept on the surprise ninth album from antagonist-turned-impresario Tyler, The Creator. He gives us a vibey half hour of bubbly electro-funk-tinged hip hop that rarely stops for breath, giving us another dizzying insight into the 34-year-old's most productive and toxic compulsions.
It scratches a different itch than last year's Chromakopia. Where that dug into the rapper's complex feelings on fame and his childhood against a backdrop of jazzy neo-soul, this record is geared for the dancefloor, and doesn't hang off any big theme.
That doesn't make Don't Tap The Glass a lesser piece of art; Tyler still has a lot to say, and says it with his usual panache. The lyrics are sharp and wry, the production brilliant in every sense, and his conflicting perspectives remain delightfully baffling for those who love and understand him, and very confusing for those who don't.
For fans of: Kendrick Lamar, Clipse, Pharrell Williams
Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube
It's all there in the title: Burna Boy wants us to know he's on top and his haters don't stand a chance. When you're objectively one of the bigger artists on the planet, however, defensiveness seems a little petty. Dig too deep into the lyrics here, and you may find diminishing returns.
On face value, however, it's clear why Burna Boy captured the world's attention. His soulful voice cuts through the sleek music that deftly marries Afrobeats, hip hop, reggae and pop in a way that sounds both powerful and effortless.
The guest spots add nothing: Travis Scott, Stromae and Shaboozey practically fade into the background, while Mick Jagger sounds entirely out of place. Their presence may open him up to new fans, but Burna Boy doesn't need help: we're here for him.
At this stage of his career, we'd love a truly classic Burna Boy album. What we have here is a continuation of some of his best traits and some that might be best left behind.
For fans of: Tems, Jorja Smith, Wizkid
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On her second album, well-connected Melbourne/Naarm singer-songwriter Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt has further cultivated a natural gift for hooky indie-rock that's emotive, memorable and very relatable.
With a title partly inspired by a classic joke from The Simpsons, Milk Pool toes the line between serious and humorous on songs that are capable of tension and tenderness.
The opening triptych — Leaving With You, Premonition, Bigger — is some of the strongest Merpire material yet, playful yet mature renderings of the simultaneous thrill and fear of a crush that develops into something serious.
Rosanna is an elegantly brooding take on a disintegrating relationship, Fishing is a crunchy ode to community, while Internet is a craftily worded, piano-led ballad that Mitski would be proud to call her own.
As confident leaning into fuller production as it is paring back, Milk Pool possesses immediate charm, but the more time you spend with it, the more its sincere takes on familiar subjects — love, lust, self-worth — reveal themselves to be uniquely rewarding.
For fans of: Mitski, Angie McMahon, Japanese Breakfast
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The worst part about listening to Way To The Sun is inevitably having to explain to your family and colleagues why you're so compelled to jump in the car and leave everything behind.
Tracy McNeil and Dan Parsons know a thing or two about hitting the road; they're the quintessential travelling troubadours, lighting up lives across the planet with their blend of folk-leaning Americana.
The most striking emotions we glean from their second album, Way To The Sun, is that sense of freedom, as well as the incomparable feeling of true love. Common themes, sure, but they're rarely captured with this kind of pinpoint emotional accuracy.
While there's very little that places this album in 2025, there's a timeless quality to both their music and words that will hopefully keep Minor Gold relevant forever.
For fans of: James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Paul Simon
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The 80s are a strong influence on this fourth album from Melbourne/Naarm five-piece. But there's zero trace of irony here, avoiding the excess and artifice typifying the era in favour of a luxurious blend of soft rock and sophisti-pop.
Rosewater immediately welcomes you into inviting sonic waters, where brass, flute and piano bubble up around band-leader Lachlan Rose's pleasing croon and idiosyncratic way with words. The feathery funk strut of Mercury Rising sounds like a glossier take on Talking Heads.
Synths and sax soar above synths and electric piano flourishes on Freak of Nature and Flee The Cage, evocative stand-outs whose gentle, emotive dad rock would fit snugly scoring a triumphant moment on The Bear.
It's proof of a band that's levelled up their skill at furnishing their songs with intimately crafted details and songwriting that's both pleasant and poignant. Rosewater Crocodile should satisfy long-terms fan and, more importantly, bring Cousin Tony's Brand New Firebird's appeal to a bigger audience.
For fans of: Roxy Music, Floodlights, Quivers