By Corey Bodin

July is over, and with the end of the month comes a deep dive into three of our favorite albums to be added to the 1190 Mixtape.

The full-length debut from London based trio, Mary in the Junkyard, is both haunting and beautiful, allowing a gloomy, brooding atmosphere to coexist with whimsical purity. The opening track, “Mantra III”, sees front-woman Clari Freeman-Taylor instantly drawing the listener in with cryptic incantations that float over disjointed drums and dramatic, weeping strings:

“It is yours babe,
You deserve it
It is yours babe,
No one else’s”

This track may be particularly unnerving, but the band does pick up the pace on tracks such as “Blood” and “Seek and Destroy”, which feature a more typical four on the floor drum groove and repeatable chorus. These two singles are certainly more accessible than the album’s other tracks, but they don’t entirely abandon the eerie ambiance that enshrouds the project. An underlying unfamiliarity always manages to creep in, as waves of strange, buzzing, guitar feedback and warbling statics ripple through the mix, as if to convince the listener that this album only exists in a dream.

The band pays particular attention to the subtleties of texture, allowing them to transcend the limits that would be expected to affect a three piece band. Behind the driving bass lines and enigmatic vocal musings are layers of warmly distorted synth pads, groaning cellos and percussive arpeggios, as heard on “Crash Landing”. These details, while minute individually, blend together to create the otherworldly atmosphere that Mary in the Junkyard resides in.

What really cements Role Model Hermit as a distinctive creative work is Clari Freeman-Taylor’s vocal style. She amplifies expression by granting herself the freedom of imperfection. She lets her voice crack and waver, she lets her breaths be heard, and she frequently shifts from melody into half-spoken, ghostly whispers. This approach makes the songs uniquely intimate, especially when the accompaniment turns sparse– the most striking example of this being at the very end of the album, on “Mouse”. Mary in the Junkyard ends the album with an uncomfortable amount of space, but the vulnerability that is afforded by such a move is what makes this project significant, as it prioritizes creativity and genuinity in a media landscape that often feels repetitive and soulless. We’re midway into 2026, and Role Model Hermit has certainly put its foot in the running for one of the most innovative releases of the year.

Moving on, we have Helado Tropical, a collaborative project Ecuadorian-American electronic producer Helado Negro and Mexican-American música tropical artist Reyna Tropical. What results is a Latin-inspired electronic pop album, featuring minimalist compositions that leave much room for subtle textural details to emerge. Built primarily on hypnotic drum machine beats and delicate synth pads, this album feels quite bare when compared to other modern electronic music. This, however, works to the duo’s advantage, as such spacious compositions allow every element to be appreciated, whether that be a psychedelic electric piano chord or a panned out percussion, such as those on “Soledad”. Parts fade in and out, wandering across the mix before melting away, just as a wave ebbs and flows onto the shoreline. Much of the rhythmic intricacy comes from oceanic reverbs and trance inducing delays, thus exemplifying the impressive production skills of the duo. One might expect traditional Latin instrumentation on this record, but the syncopated rhythms and warm mallet sounds of cumbia and Brazilian jazz are instead communicated through synthetic representations, although acoustic guitar and clean piano often cut through the mix to create a sense of grounding.

Both Helado Negro and Reyna Tropical contribute vocals to this project, which sometimes stack on top of each other to create sweet, enchanting moments of harmony. Conversely, some tracks treat the vocals as a textural element, chopping them up and scattering them to create rhythmic stings, a technique that is often used in house music, though Helado Tropical’s approach is a bit more laid back, as the duo continues to show a necessary restraint in order to maintain an easy going, summertime vibe.

This project is so clearly meant to soundtrack the most serene, meditative moments of the summer, and the duo does a great job at delivering a relaxing, easy-listening experience that well encapsulates one’s dreamiest beach vacation. But it goes even further than that. With extreme heat comes a particular lethargy. Helado Tropical is able to capture this drowsiness through hypnotic drum loops and hazy soundscapes that force the listener to slow down and accept the weight of the summer air, even if that means being lulled into a peaceful sleep. Maybe I’m just saying all this because of how hot it is outside, but it really does feel like the album embodies summer in its entirety, including both the tranquility and the lethargy that one can experience from the heat.

From Northeast England we have Knats, with A Great Day In Newcastle, produced by ex-Black Midi frontman Geordie Greep. Typically a trio, the group is now joined by Geordie poet Cooper Robson, whose anecdotal lyricism adds even more epicness to already dramatic and theatrical compositions. The term “Geordie” in this context refers to the people of Newcastle Upon Tyne– a city that is known for its contributions to the industrial revolution as well as its massive soccer culture. Knats pays homage to their hometown by exploring Newcastle’s working class culture and the history that has and continues to shape it. We’ll start at the beginning with the opening track, “7 Bridges to Burn”. Not only does this track reference the iconic bridges that tower above River Tyne, but it paints a greater picture of the album’s setting by alluding to other aspects of Newcastle’s culture:

“Ship workers, steam trains, steel sheeters, Shearer
Pit ponies turned coal doleys – Thatcher – the Ashley era”

First, Robson notes the coal mining industry, an important aspect of the working class’s history and identity, before mentioning Margaret Thatcher and then finally, the Ashley era, an infamous period of time in Newcastle soccer culture. Back to back references to 19th century industrialization, a UK politician from the 80s, and modern sports drama highlight that this album is not a traditional take on the period piece– instead opting to represent and relate moments from Newcastle’s past and present, giving us a more holistic view of the city’s identity.

We get a deeper look at the struggles of the English working class on “Wor Jackie”, an abrasive jazz fusion song that takes its name from Jackie Milburn, a legendary Geordie soccer player who also worked as a coal miner, thus making him a perfect symbol to represent the contrast between Newcastle pride and the darker history that surrounds it. Towards the end of the track, both the band and Robson’s narration get exceedingly aggressive, leading to one of the most explosive, defining moments on the album.

Not all tracks feature Robson’s thick Geordie accent, however, and some of the most dynamic moments of the album come from instrumental pieces that focus on the collective charisma and enthusiastic stylings of the original trio. “Azure Blue” for example, showcases drummer King David-Ike Elechi’s energetic shuffle laying the backbeat for Stan Woodward’s grooving basslines and Ferg Kilsby’s jubilant trumpet melodies, before the whole group sinks into a slower, more melancholic reprieve. My personal favorite track on the album is the closer, called “Farewell Johnny Miner”, a title taken from an English folk song that was written in response to mass coal mining shutdowns in the 1960s that left working class communities in shambles.

Be sure to tune into KVCU to hear these great new adds in our curated 1190 mixtape!