#NewMusicFriday: February 20, 2026

Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream columnist, will browse through the many exciting albums released that day and select 15 worth a closer listen.

John Zorn, Brian Marsella TRIO: The Bagatelles Vol. 6 (Tzadik)

The Messthetics,  James Brandon Lewis: Deface The Currency (Verve)

Omar Courtz: Por Si Mañana No Estoy (Mr 305 Records)

Atlin Gün: Garip (ATO Records)

Dave Holland, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler: Vital Spark (Music of Kenny Wheeler) (Edition Records)

Larry June, Curren$y, The Alchemist: Spiral Staircases (Empire)

spill tab: AngieAngieAngie (Because Music)

Berliner Philharmoniker, Wolfgang Koch, Daniel Behle, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, Johannes Martin Kränzle, Gyula Orendt, Stephan Rügamer, Nicola Beller Carbone, Liv Redpath, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Kirill Petrenko: Schoenberg: Jacob’s Ladder (Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings)

Nicole McCabe: Color Theory (Birdwatcher Records)

WILLOW: Petal Rock Black (Three Six Zero)

Apparat: A hum Of Maybe (Mute)

Moby: Future Quiet (BMG)

Brandon Seabrook: Hellbent Daydream (Pyroclastic Records)

Phew and Danielle de Picciotto : Paper Masks (Mute)

Lucid Express: Instant Comfort (Kanine Records)