88.7 Station Spins: September 2026

Graphics by Jack Iboshi

Cool weather means cool tunes. This month’s Station Spins, the monthly article highlighting our favorite new releases, leans into the melancholic vibe that often comes with the change of seasons. Here are the albums that WLUW DJs are listening to while they watch the leaves fall. Happy spinning!

Popstar - Tinashe

After the recent career-shifting success of “Nasty” and “No Broke Boys," Tinashe could have gone in any direction. Thankfully, she chose to create a hard-hitting project that exemplifies her core as an artist at the intersection of the underground and the mainstream. On Tinashe’s eighth studio album, Popstar, she bends the concept of pop music by combining ricocheting bass drums and robotic melodies with sharp vocals that effortlessly shift between confidence, vulnerability, and something almost mechanical. Over a multifaceted collection of danceable and somber beats, the singer analyzes the double-edged sword of glamor and vulnerability that comes with the life of a pop star. Tinashe uses this album to showcase the totality of her artistry, providing a cohesive yet diverse sonic palette for the listener, which will hopefully soon be her momentum to become a household name.

RIYL: Kelela, Bree Runway, Victoria Monét

Favorite Track: “Cloud 9”

by Jonathan Pierce

Age of the Exhibitionist - Rebecca Black

Rebecca Black’s third album will have you on the dance floor, feeling your most authentic self.  Don’t worry- no one's recording you. Age of Exhibitionist is filled with self-confidence messages backed by fun, electro-pop sounds. Throughout the album, Black discusses making it out of her hometown of Anaheim, being the main event for masses of people, and introducing a euphoric “metamorphia" where two people can fall in love freely.  Black expresses these themes through fun, cheeky lyrics. Combined with high-energy electric beats, Black creates an album centered around the joys of being confident in yourself and surrounding yourself with love.

RIYL: Kim Petras, Slayyyter, ADÉLA

Favorite Track: “Anaheim Star”

by Nicholas Mandel

From A Distance - 156/silence

More melodic than their last album, 156/Silence has evolved their sound with the release of the emotional and eerie metalcore album From A Distance. After the success of their last album and the death of their bassist less than a year after, the band has had to adapt and change over the past two years. These themes of change and loss are reflected in the lyrics. While melancholic overall, the album still has some surprisingly groovy moments. This creates a depth to the sound that takes the listener on an emotional and even a somewhat cinematic journey.

RIYL: Make Them Suffer, Dying Wish, Invent Animate

Favorite Track: “From A Distance” (feat. Alex Reade)

by Ben Russell

Violins - Blondshell

With Violins, Sabrina Teitelbaum stays true to her 90s-inspired gritty sound. The title track, a crashing lamentation of a dysfunctional relationship, has the biting line: “You don't make promises that you can't keep, so you don't make promises to me.” The rest of the album is just as raw. Teitelbaum channels the anger seen in her previous albums, the eponymous Blondshell and If You Asked For A Picture. On her third album, however, Teitelbaum abandons her signature blunt lyricism to toy with a more nebulous style.

RIYL: Samia, Trophy Wife, Momma

Favorite Track: “Stone Fruit”

by Melody Kpahn

Anarchy - Pretty Sick

New York City alt-rock band Pretty Sick’s sophomore album lives up to the anarchy promised in the title. Each track traverses a wide spectrum of electronic sound, maintaining the undercurrents of music inspired by the kind of NYC grunge featured in movies that came out just before you were born. Look no further than the album’s fourth track, City Kid, for frontwoman and songwriter Sabrina Fuentes’ reflection on growing up in the city and rising through the New York underground indie rock scene.

RIYL: Cherry Glazer, Mannequin Pussy, Frost Children

Favorite Track: “home2hide”

by Trina Wong

Something Worth Waiting For (Expanded Edition) - Friko

The highly anticipated sophomore album Something Worth Waiting For by Chicago's own Friko officially dropped in April. Spanning just over 1 hour across 15 tracks, Friko continues to expand on the album with a deluxe edition, released this month. Produced by Grammy-winning John Congleton, Friko explores avant-garde indie and noise rock. Friko released their debut, "Where we’ve been, Where we go from here," in 2024, which landed them on Pitchfork's and NME’s best-of-year lists. Now, Friko is riding that wave, becoming a leading voice in Chicago's music scene.

RIYL: Ratboys, Wishy, Smut

by Travis Kiley

lucy miró al mundo y notó que está girando - Akriila

The sophomore album from Chilean artist Akriila, or Akri, lucy miró al mundo y notó que está girando, combines indie, alternative, and electronic sounds. With lyrics about obsession, overthinking, and heartbreak, she blends cultural Hispanic sounds with 90s rock and hyperpop elements. The album also features her soft, autotuned voice, with deep emotion behind every song. One standout track, “Suave”, features Jane Remover and encapsulates the full album sound in one song. “el mundo y yo” starts with a radio signal before transitioning into a head-banging, hyper-pop beat. On this track, Akriila sings “En el mundo, soy yo,” translating to “In the world, it's me.” This line reflects her loneliness and isolation that is seen throughout this track and the album as a whole. Mixing the lyrics with crunchy sound elements creates an immersive listening experience. With hyper-pop and alt-electronic music on the rise, Akriila should be on your radar.

RIYL: Underscores, iza tkm, Jane Remover

Favorite Track: “el mundo y yo”

by Liliah Teniente

Angel - Lizzy McAlpine

Lizzy McAlpine’s fourth studio album, Angel, is well-rounded, comforting, and beautiful. McAlpine describes themes of love, heartbreak, and friendship through her exciting guitar phrases and soft, rich vocals. Many of the songs are reminiscent of musical theater, perhaps inspired by her recent run as Nellie Collins in the Broadway show Floyd Collins. Despite the sonic cohesion across the album, each song feels unique and new. Angel provides a wonderful, moody soundtrack for those rainy fall days ahead of us.

RIYL: girlsweetvoiced, Joni Mitchell, Searows

Favorite Track: “The moon”

by Fiona Hammond