New Music Friday: The best albums out March 6

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4.3 • 3.3K Ratings

🗓️ 6 March 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

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Summary

Flying Lotus. waterbaby. The groovy affirmations of Joshua Idehen. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Nate Chinen from WRTI in Philadelphia about their favorite albums out Friday, March 6. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:00) Introduction & Harry Styles, 'Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.'
(03:18) Flying Lotus, 'BIG MAMA' EP
(08:34) waterbaby, 'Memory Be a Blade'
(15:20) Shabaka, 'Of The Earth'
(20:51) Joshua Idehen, 'I know you're hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try'
(27:09) The Scythe, 'Strictly 4 The Scythe'

(31:37) The Lightning Round

- Cece Coakley, 'Pleasant Attack' EP
- Terrace Martin, 'Purpose'
- Various Artists, 'HELP(2)'
- Alice Sara Ott, 'Jóhann Jóhannsson: Piano Works'
- Macha & Bedhead, 'Macha Loved Bedhead'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Nate Chinen, WRTI
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Otis Hart, Elle Mannion
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Tom Huizenga and Lars Gotrich

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from stars.
0:02.8	The global phenomenon Outlander returns for its final farewell.
0:06.7	Claire and Jamie's story comes to an unforgettable end.
0:10.0	Don't miss the final season of Outlander.
0:12.2	Watch now, only on Stars.
0:28.0	Happy Friday, everyone from NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm your host, Stephen Thompson,
0:32.8	and I'm here with my friend and colleague Nate Chenen of WRTI in Philly. Hey, Nate.
0:33.5	What's up, Stephen?
0:39.8	So first up, the music you're hearing, the biggest album release of the week. As far as public reach and interest is concerned is by Harry Stiles. His new album is the follow-up to Harry's
0:45.6	House, which won album of the year at the Grammys a few years ago. This one is more focused on
0:50.5	kind of electro-pop and dance music. The first single Aperture debuted at number one.
0:55.2	We'll be hearing about this record for many months to come.
0:57.9	It's called Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally.
1:02.0	Nate Chen.
1:02.6	I know you're predominantly a jazz guy,
1:05.0	but I also know you to have an extremely broad musical palette.
1:08.8	What are your thoughts on Harry Styles?
1:10.6	I enjoy Harry Styles. I admire Harry Styles. I don't love his music, typically. He strikes me as,
1:19.6	like, a genius persona. I think he's a really, really good pop star. And I've interviewed a trombonist named Kalea Vandeva, who was on his last stadium tour.
1:34.3	And she talked about what a terrific sort of team leader he is and how much trust he puts in his band members.
1:43.3	And so, like, I have just generally positive feelings
1:46.3	about him as a person. I'm, like, like, I'm glad he's out there doing his thing. But I got to say
	...

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