What I've Been Listening To (October 2024)

October was actually a busier month for music releases than I anticipated. So, it’s time for another What I’ve Been Listening To. 

Ache In My Tooth by Flowerovlove (October 11): I was first recommended Flowerovlove’s music by my co-blogger, Adri, and since then I’ve gone on to check out more of her music. Last month, she released an EP called Ache In My Tooth, which included the single Breaking News. It was an airy, sugary Pop EP about love and relationships with a bright aesthetic. I liked this one, and I look forward to seeing what Flowerovlove does next.

Clancy by Twenty One Pilots (May 24): Admittedly, it took me entirely too long to listen to Clancy, considering it was one of my more highly anticipated albums of 2024. But, anyway, it is what it is. Did I like Clancy? Yes, and by a lot, actually. I’ve been following along with the lore/story being told, since Blurryface, and this album felt like a nice wrap-up to the journey, and it was done in Twenty One Pilots usual style—a genre mashup. Some of my favorite songs included Overcompensate, Backslide, Next Semester, and At The Risk Of Feeling Dumb, just to name a few.

Symphony of Lungs (BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall) by Florence + The Machine with Jules Buckley (October 25): Symphony of Lungs is Florence + The Machine’s new live album with Jules Buckley and an orchestra. I wasn’t expecting it, but I love it! And, it was nice to revisit the band’s 2009 album, Lungs, with this performance.

Megan Act II by Megan Thee Stallion (October 25): Megan Thee Stallion released a deluxe edition of her album, Megan. Titled, Megan Act II, this version added an additional thirteen tacks to one of my favorite rep albums of the years. And, I had as much fun listening to this one as I did the original. I also liked the features too: Flo Milli on Roc Steady, a remix of Mamushi with Twice, another collaboration with Spiritbox on TYG, and Neva Play with BTS’s RM.

Brat and it’s completely different but also still Brat by Charli XCX (October 11): And, the Brat train continues. It’s not the deluxe, no, we already got that, instead Brat and it’s completely different but also still Brat it’s the remix album. And, for the most part, I enjoyed this version of it too. It’s Brat but a rework of the formula, which offered another way to experience the album as well as some great features. After all, Charli XCX worked with artists like Troye Sivan, Tinashe, Caroline Polachek, Kesha, Billie Eilish, Shygirl, Bladee, BB Trickz, and more.

New singles and songs on my playlist: On Your Knees and Don’t Mess With The Messer by Grace Jones, Supernatural by Frost Children featuring Haru Nemuri, Pull Up by Internet Girl Featuring Maglera Doe Boy, RIP by Qveen Herby, and Frankenstein by Qveen Herby featuring Tech N9ne.

What I've Been Listening To

In the last two months, there was a flurry of new releases, including some of my most anticipated albums of 2024. So, in addition to the other music related posts scheduled for this month, it was time to do another What I’ve Been Listening To. And with that, welcome back to the music minded corner of Our Thoughts Precisely!

Big Ideas by Remi Wolf

Remi Wolf has a particular style to her music, which I appreciate as a listener. As such, she’s one of my favorite artists, and I was excited about her upcoming album, Big Ideas, since I first heard about it. Big Ideas is Wolf’s second album, and it was preceded by the singles: Cinderella, Toro, Alone In Miami, and Motorcycle. Released in July, the album is aptly named. It had big ideas, lots of them in fact, supported by Wolf’s vocal performance and creative direction with the production. It reminded me of her debut, Juno, with its splashy pop infused with other genres. And you’ll find a lot of that on Big Ideas as well. This was another good album from Remi Wolf.

Quantum Baby by Tinashe

Tinashe is back with her seventh studio album, the follow up to BB/ANG3L, Quantum Baby. This was my most anticipated August release, and also the shortest album I listened to last month, with just eight songs. It was another good one, though. The two singles, Nasty and Getting No Sleep, were pretty accurate, when it came to gaging what the album was going to be. Themes are carried over from BB/ANG3L, but where that was more R&B, Quantum Baby gets a little more experimental with its arrangements, and dips its toes into synth-pop—which almost had a futuristic vibe going on. Overall, I’m left in the same position as I was by the end of BB/ANG3L: I want more. Luckily, from what I’ve read, Quantum Baby is only the second release of a planned trilogy. So there’s more to look forward to.

Trouble In Paradise by Chloe

You might know Chloe better as half of the duo (and sisters) that made up the group Chloe X Halle, and for the past couple of years she’s been releasing music as a solo artist. Trouble In Paradise is her second studio album, which was supported by the singles Boy Bye—an upbeat pop track about breakups—and FYS. It was summery and fun with an island vibe, and I enjoyed my listening experience, simple as that. It also had some great features such as Might as Well featuring Ty Dolla Sign, Favorite featuring Anderson .Paak, YG Marley on Never Let You Go, Shake with Jeremih, and Want Me featuring Halle. All-in-all, Trouble in Paradise was a great album.

And last, but certainly not lost, here are the singles that made it to my playlist: The girl, so confusing version with Lorde by Charli XCX featuring Lorde, Back To You by Kimbra, and Demi God by Kimbra featuring Sahtyre.

What I've Been Listening To + Upcoming Albums

So…it’s been a minute since I last did a “What I’m Listening To” blog post. I figured it was time to do another one since some of the albums I was waiting for released in April and May. There were some recent announcements I wanted to cover as well. And with that, welcome back to the music minded corner of Our Thoughts Precisely!

Radical Optimism, Dua Lipa’s third studio album, was one of my most anticipated releases for May, and it was ultimately one of the most mixed for me. While there were parts of it I absolutely adored—like the singles Houdini and Illusion as well as other tracks like End of an Era, French Exit, and Happy For You—there were some songs I felt lukewarm about and could skip entirely, particularly toward the back end of the album. The parts of it I liked most were the songs that were tonally in the same (or similar) vein as the singles. Those tended to bring in more of the retro influences I liked about Dua Lipa’s other album, Future Nostalgia.

The next one I checked out was Billie Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which released on May 17, 2024. I’m a very casual listener when it comes to Eilish and, over the years, I’ve had more than one favorite song. However, I was a big fan of Hit Me Hard and Soft. There are only ten songs on it, but I loved the moodiness as well as the quality of the production.

Another one of my most anticipated albums of May was Willow’s Empathogen. Released on May 3rd, I have to say that I loved this one. It’s features included Jon Batiste and St. Vincent. Where Empathogen shined was where, like its singles (Symptom of Life and Big Feelings), it delved into the nitty gritty when it came to complicated emotions and experiences. And it did so with a stylish mix of influences, including jazz and rock among others. My only gripe is how I wish some of the songs were longer. For example, one of my favorite songs, I Know That Face, was only a minute and fifty-one seconds long; the same applied to Ancient Girl (only a minute and thirty-one seconds long). Otherwise, I had a great listening experience with Empathogen.

Singles...

Some of the singles that made it to my playlist include: Love Me JeJe by Tems, Bet by Mette, Boy Bye by Chloe, In Your Hands by Halle, Light Again & Right There by Lil Nas X.

Upcoming Music I’m Waiting For...

• Big Ideas by Remi Wolf (July12, 2024)
• Quantum Baby by Tinashe, follow-up to BB/ANG3L
• Trouble In Paradise by Chloe

Releasing This Month...

• Born in the Wild by Tems (June 7, 2024)
• What Happened to the Heart? by Aurora (June 7, 2024)
• Dopamine by Normani (June 14, 2024)

What I've Been Listening To

There has been so much music lately and, between backlist albums and releases from last year I missed, I’m here again with another “What I’ve Been Listening To.” And with that, welcome back to the music minded corner of Our Thoughts Precisely!

 

If there has been one group that’s come up in my recommendations multiple times in the past, it would be Måneskin, an Italian rock band. Originally released on January 20, 2023, their album Rush! was reissued in a deluxe version in November last year, called Rush! (Are U Coming?), adding five additional songs. I haven’t explored much of their discography yet, but I listened to this one. I love a good rock album and, when it comes to what I was looking for, Rush! (Are U Coming) ticked a lot of boxes. The guitar solos were fun, and there wasn’t a single point where it felt repetitive. Each song had its own thing going for it, and that’s what I loved most about it. I also like the songs added with the deluxe version, so it opens with Honey (Are U Coming?)—one of my favorites—instead of Own My Mind. But it also added Valentine, a soulful rock ballad accompanied by a black and white music video, and Trastevere, an acoustic track that’s in the same vein as the former. All in all, Rush! (Are U Coming?) was an excellent album.

Moving on, I also checked out Qveen Herby’s most recent EP (extended play). To date, Housewife is one of my favorite bodies of work by Herby, on the same level as Halloqveen (2021). It’s still in her usual style of music, a blend of singing and rapping, but I enjoyed the production—how the beats were arranged—as well as the feature by Oli VVV (which added another layer to the track.) Housewife was another strong EP release from Qveen Herby!

Last but not least, is the BB/ANG3L Experience by Tinashe. This one isn’t a new release per say, since, after all, it is a dance performance that goes with BB/ANG3L. It is a nice way to experience the album outside of its music videos, and it does play around with some of the beats, for example the one for Needs.

Some singles that have made it to my playlist include: In Your Hands by Halle, Overcompensate by Twenty One Pilots, Some Type of Skin by Aurora, Made For Me by Muni Long, Next Semester by Twenty One Pilots, and Saturn by SZA.

That’s all from me for today!

What I've Been Listening To

We’re already three months into 2024. It feels weird to write that, because, every time I glance at a calendar—whether digital or on paper—I realize how much it feels like the year is flying by. But I digress, because the point of today’s blog post is music, specifically everything I’ve been meaning to write about—even from last year—that I never go around to writing about. 

Albums

The last quarter of 2023 was actually pretty busy in terms of music releases—and specifically there was new stuff from some of my favorite artists.

On November 3, 2023, Tkay Maidza returned two years after 2021’s Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3) with her second studio album: Sweet Justice. Part R&B, pop, and rap, Maidza delivers a stylish offering. Sitting at fourteen songs, Sweet Justice leans into what this artist is good at: vocals, lyrics, and production. There’s never a dull moment (no skips) on Sweet Justice, and it’s, hands down, one of my favorite albums of 2023.

On that note, I came away with a similar view of Tinashe’s sixth album, BB/ANG3L. Released on September 8, 2023, this was a shorter body of work with just seven songs, but every second of it was enjoyable. She’s singing about the many faces of relationships, good, bad, and everything in between. But, despite the tried and true subject, Tinashe always excels at giving it a spin, which makes BB/ANG3L straight to the point and perfect at its length. Her approach to R&B remains as one of my favorites.

There was also Victoria Monet’s debut studio album Jaguar II (August, 25 2023). As a long time listener of Monet, I was beyond pleased with this release. Supported by the singles Smoke featuring Lucky Daye, Party Girls featuring Buju Banton, and On My Mama, this was an air-tight and enjoyable listening experience.

As for 2024, so far I’ve listened to ORQUIDEAS, Kali Uchis’s fourth studio album, the deluxe edition of Carolina Polachek’s Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, and Girl With No Face, Allie X’s third studio release.

Kali Uchis has a style and she knows how to utilize it to its fullest potential. The deluxe edition of Desire, I Want to Turn Into You was a happy surprise and added a handful of songs to an album that was already quite good—with another version of Butterfly Net (featuring Weyes Blood) and the single, Dang, among others.

Singles

Beyoncé is back! I feel like I had to start with that, because I have been waiting for the follow up to Renaissance. The wait isn’t too long, because Act ii will be dropping later this month, on the twenty-ninth. Until then, there are two singles to listen to: Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages.

Some of the other singles that have made it to one playlist or another of mine include: Oh No :: He Said What? By Nothing But Thieves; Hunned Racks by The Whales featuring Tkay Maidza, Never Ending Song by Conan Gray, Overcompensate by Twenty One Pilots, and Your Blood by Aurora.

Honestly, the year is off to a strong start, and I’m looking forward to what the rest of 2024 has to offer. What about you, have you listened to any good music lately?

What I've Been Listening To: September 2023

September was a busy month for music, at least on my end, with some of my most anticipated albums and Eps of 2023 being released.

I have been waiting for Going…Going…GONE!, an EP by Hemlocke Springs, and I’m so happy that it’s finally here. Released on September 29th, it was some of the last music I was anticipating for the month. Hemlocke Springs does the awkward black girl style so well with catchy earworms like the viral hit Girlfriend, followed by other songs like Haevun. And while Stranger Danger! and Sever The Blight aren’t on the EP, the music video for POS has references to Hemlocke Springs’ other music videos—like the plushy and outfits from Girlfriend and the paper bag character from Stranger Danger!. It was a neat little detail that sort of tied everything together. Going…Going…GONE! did exactly what I was hoping it would do and delivered a seven track EP filled with quirky and fun music.

Tension (Deluxe), Kylie Minogue’s sixteenth studio album, was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and I liked it. It felt like a sequel (or continuation) to her 2020 release Disco, but Tension still had its own thing going for it with plenty of catchy songs on its tracklist. I mean, it’s Kylie Minogue + disco/pop music, and that’s always a good combination. 

Some of the singles that have made it onto my playlist are:

• Van Gogh by METTE
• Pacer by Doechii
• SZA’s acoustic version of Snooze
• Jersey by Baby Tate

So that’s about everything I was listening to in September. If you have any recommendations, feel free to leave them in the comments.

 

What I've Been Listening To Lately...

It’s been a while since I last wrote at length about music on the blog. So I figured it was time for another “What I’ve Been Listening To” post.

A recent addition to my playlist is The Family Jewels (Deluxe edition) by Marina, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds. This is an album from 2010, but I didn’t listen to it during its release year. I happened to finally give Oh No! a try while I was on break from the blog last month, and I went on to check out the rest of the album. It’s one of my favorites of the year so far. I really like Marina’s vocals, as well as the alternative pop and the undeniable style of the album. Also, I’m a fan of the deluxe edition specifically. There were remixes that reworked the songs Hollywood, Obsession, and I Am Not a Robot, with different melodies. Overall, I know I’ll end up eventually listening to more music by Marina.

For this next one I’m simply putting Wednesday Campanella, because I would be here all day listing what I enjoyed about each album. I like their new stuff with more of a bright bubblegum pop/electronic sound, as well as their older releases before the singer changed—i.e. songs like Bamboo Princess, Zeami, Yeti, Sakamoto Ryoma, and many-many others.

From the track names to lyrics, Forever or Whatever by Holiday Sidewinder is just plain fun to listen to! The style can feel a little nostalgic since, from what I can tell, there are synth as well as disco influences. I like the mixture, and each song was interesting. Overall, Forever or Whatever is another favorite.

Singles…

Of course I have to mention Halle's Angel again. It plays into her vocal capacity and is, generally, interesting to listen to. I really love the song, and I’m looking forward to whatever solo music she release next.

On My Mama by Victoria Monét has a strong R&B sound, and I absolutely love it for how much it felt like something from the 90s or the early 2000s.

The only reason why I’m including Caroline Polachek in this section is because I’ve only listened to two of her songs so far. They’re Welcome To My Island and Bunny Is A Rider. They’re both on my playlist and are among my top-favorite songs.

So that’s pretty much what I’ve been listening to recently. The year isn’t over yet, and there are still a couple of albums that I’m waiting on. Until next time, thanks for stopping by, and happy listening!