#NewMusicFriday: October 2, 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.

Berlin Philharmoniker, Noah Bendix-Bagley: Klexmer Concerto (Berlin Phil Media GmbH)

Meshell Ndegeocello: Synonym (UMG)

Swans: Newly Sentient Being (Live) (Young God Records)

Ari Lennox: Vacancy: Late Checkout (Interscope Records)

Fat Dog: Cancel Me (I’m Tired) (Domino Recording Co.)

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Ruin: It’s Not Just Music (Someone Special)

Greg Freeman: All Set The Bone (Transgressive)

Emily A. Sprague: Cyano (RVNG Intl.)

The Koreatown Oddity: Purdy (Stones Throw)

Logic1000: Confirmation! (Because Music)

Susanne Sundfør with Kit Downes: Revelations of Divine Love (Bella Union)

Vic Mensa: INNANETAPE (UnitedMasters)

Daniil Trifonov: Mi Historia Americana: Sur (Deutsche Grammophon)

Max Cooper: fabric presents Max Cooper (fabric Records)

Steve Reich: Reich: Drumming. Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organs, Six Pianos (UMG)

The Beatles: Rubber Soul (Super Deluxe) (Apple Corps Ltd)

Helen: Linda’s Head (kranky)

Jon Hassell: Music Is Invisible (Pentimento Volume Three) (Ndeya)

Jeremy Cunningham: Passing Fires (Northern Spy Records)