UKNY For March 7

When Laura Mvula was dropped by Sony Music in 2017 via a seven-line email, she was stunned and hurt, calling the move a "huge wake-up call." But Mvula now perceives that bad experience as a liberating one, giving her the freedom to figure out the artistic road she wanted to take.

Now on Atlantic Records, Mvula is making up for lost time in 2021. She played her first concert in three years on February 24, a  livestream called "Laura Mvula Presents ... Under A Pink Moon," and she released not only her first new single in five years, which I'll play on tonight's "UKNY" at 11 p.m., but also the new 1/f EP which reconstructs three of her older songs plus a cover . I'll pull something from that as well — it's so good to have her back.

Many fresh releases to get to from a lot of Londoners, like Alfa Mist, Japanese Television, Lava La Rue, and Wings of Desire. India Jordan was born in Doncaster, but also calls London home and their new EP, Watch Out!, comes out in May.  Underworld's rangy, beautiful, and emotionally complex 1996 release, Second Toughest in the Infants, one of the most influential electronic albums ever, turns 25 years old on March 11; it's likely one of three albums I've listened to most in my life.

And a couple of intriguing Americans too: the Chicago trio Horsegirl, high schoolers who've released a fantastic double-A side on the British label Sonic Cathedral, and Brooklyn-based Cassandra Jenkins who has a stunning new album, An Overview on Phenomenal Nature.

There's more too from Cardiff, Nottingham, and Manchester — all on "UKNY," Sundays from 11 p.m.-midnight on 90.7, streaming online, and available in the Weekend Archives after broadcast.