New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums For July 12

It's been eight years since Ed Sheeran released his 2011, career-launching EP, No. 5 Collaborations Project. Now his No. 6 Collaborations Project has arrived and it's a features-heavy flex that shows the singer can pretty much work with anyone, from the country rock of Chris Stapleton to Eminem, 50 Cent and Skrillex. We give a listen on this week's New Music Friday along with K.R.I.T. IZ HERE, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T.'s followup to his 2010 mixtape K.R.I.T. WUZ HERE, Blood Orange's heavenly Angel's Pulse the return of Imperial Teen, K.Flay's middle finger to sadness and more. NPR Music's Sidney Madden, Ann Powers, and Stephen Thompson join host Robin Hilton to share their picks for the best albums out on July 12.

Featured Albums:

1. Imperial Teen: Now We Are Timeless
   Featured Song: "Ha"
2. Mal Blum: Pity Boy
   Featured Song: "Not My Job"
3. Africa Express: EGOLI
   Featured Song: "Taranau"
4. Big K.R.I.T.: K.R.I.T. IZ HERE
   Featured Song: "Prove It" (feat. J. Cole)
5. Ed Sheeran: No. 6 Collaborations Project
   Featured Songs: "Blow" and "Beautiful People"
6. Blood Orange: Angel's Pulse
   Featured Song: "Happiness"
7. Various: Tiny Changes: A Celebration of the Midnight Organ Fight
   Featured Song: "Who'd You Kill Now?"
8. K.Flay: Solutions
   Featured Song: "This Baby Don't Cry"

Other notable releases for July 12: Bleached - Don't You Think You've Had Enough?; The Dolly Rots - Daydream Explosion; Félicia Atkinson - The Flower and the Vessel (released 7/5); Jesca Hoop - Stone Child (released 7/5); Kyle Craft - Showboat Honey; METZ - Automat; Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun: A Good Beginning; Tycho - Weather.

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