music i like this week

8/13/2025 Ozan Koukle - Lafayette Afro Rock Band

full disclosure: I found this song from a tumblr post. but oh my goodness! What a funky tune! I will also steal the general sentiment of that tumblr post: this song is full of life, I feel like I should be sipping mimosas on a stupid looking boat every time I listen to it. 8/10 love them bongos

8/10/2025 Sliding - Habe

I've been making the move from Spotify to Apple Music (holy shit, why do both of these platforms suck in their own uniquely shitty ways?) so I haven't been listening to a lot of new music lately. this one isn't a recent find of mine, but holy shit I love this song, it is genuinely perfect for when I'm high at midnight and having a Moment. gorgeous voice, nice simple song, lovely all around. 8.5/10

7/29/2025 - Cherry-coloured Funk - Cocteau Twins

I think this is a major love it or hate it song. I absolutely fucking adore Elizabeth Fraser's voice in this one, especially the chorus part with the falsetto - it's enchantingly haunting. Absolutely gorgeous piece of music, 8.5/10

7/29/2025 - Long Train Runnin' - The Doobie Brothers

I picked this song just cuz I think it's really fun and the album cover kicks ass. 8/10 the band needed a better name

7/22/2025 - Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath

With the news of Ozzy Osbourne's death, I decided to check out Black Sabbath for the first time this week (i know, i know). it's kind of crazy to me how much metal music has evolved since the early work of the 1970s; I love this sort of thing, being able to clearly trace the evolution of a genre that happened in just a few decades. anyways, this song is awesome, and i can see why every music subreddit on earth is mourning Ozzy. RIP the Prince of Darkness.

7/22/2025 - (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

i've been on a 1970s kick lately and i literally can't get this fucking song out of my head. i don't know why but IT'S SO GOOD BRO. it's a tired joke, but the cowbell is awesome, the hook is super catchy, the lyrics are sweet but not too teeth rotting, and honestly, it's just a fun song. 8/10

p.s. sorry for omitting the umlaut on the O, my font doesn't recognize it apparently

7/15/2025 - Devil Man - Blues Pills

Elin Larsson's vocals are the highlight of this song for me. The energy in this one is unmatched, it's fiery, high octane and extremely enjoyable. seriously give this band a listen, they're a lot of fun - 7.5/10

7/8/2025 - Xtal - Aphex Twin

man, what is there to say about Aphex Twin's work that hasn't already been said? I was revisiting IDM this week and decided to give Aphex Twin my third shot; I've been aware he was a beloved artist for many years but I never really "got" his music until this third round of listening. Xtal perfectly captures the power of ambient music for me - this song feels nostalgic, like it was the soundtrack to a game I played many, many years ago. Maybe it was a browser game I played on the family computer? Anyways, this song is gorgeous, and I'm glad I gave Aphex Twin another shot, because holy fuck. This song is incredible. 9/10

7/8/2025 - Dear God - XTC

another song that's nostalgic for me but for completely different reasons, Dear God was the soundtrack to 12 year old me's angsty atheist phase. I found it again recently and I think this song holds up beautifully. It's tight, doesn't waste any time, and Andy Partridge's vocals are top notch. i love this song. 8/10

7/1/2025 - Places to Be - Fred again..., Anderson .Paak, CHIKA

double feature this week! shouts out to my homie for putting me onto Anderson .Paak, his entire discography is full of bangers and straight up sex music (positive). if you haven't experienced this man's music you owe yourself a nice steak dinner and some hardcore .Paaking. 8/10, so much fun in one song

7/1/2025 - Blessing It -remix - produced by Nujabes, featuring Substantial & Pase Rock

this week, I've started exploring hip hop and I am really excited I discovered the japanese producer Nujabes. His work has an indescribable aura to it; the hiphop beats under great rappers and beautiful instrumentation is simply unmatched. I also really enjoy Luv(sic)pt2 off his album Luv(sic) Hexalogy; all around an amazing artist who was taken from us too soon. rip Nujabes.

6/24/2025 - Sideshow by the Seashore - Luna

one of the inaugural entries for my "weird songs" playlist, i absolutely love whatever the fuck the guitar is doing in this song. good vibes - 7.5/10

6/17/2025 - Motor Away - Guided by Voices

shout out to the KGLW amoeba video for putting me onto this one. i felt nostalgic on my first listen of this song. i feel that way about a lot of distinctly 90s rock - even though it's not what i grew up listening to. the brain works in weird ways! anyways, i love this little song, makes me want to speed down the high way and run away from all my problems - 7/10

6/4/2025 - You Get What You Give - New Radicals

as an apology for the KG&LW spam, I wanted to talk about a song I discovered through a todd in the shadows video the other week. i am not immune to a sickeningly positive and upbeat song every once in a while, and this one is just too fun. this shit really makes me wanna skip and jump and hop around on a sunny day!!! 7.5/10

6/4/2025 - This Thing (Live in Maine 2024) - KG&LW

THIS SONG IS SO GOOD LIVE!!!!!! i thought the album version was pretty decent but holy moly, the live version shreds so hard. the lyrics also hit hard for me this week, and i relate heavily to conflict with a load bearing friend and having to trudge through the bullshit that is close friendship. 9/10, absolute top 5 gizzard song for me.

6/4/2025 - Grow Wings and Fly - KG&LW

i'm deep in the gizzgoop this week man. this new release off Phantom Island is equal parts banger and crier for me. the video for this one is really my idealized version of being in a band. just a bunch of homies fucking around and shooting a silly music video, making kick-ass music, and just being friends. i feel like this song is about growing through nurturing other people, and i adore that. i hope that i get to grow like that, too. together, we go the extra mile - 8.5/10

5/27/2025 - Modo - FREDDY L

i really enjoyed this song for a couple of reasons. the vocals are gravelly and deep in a way i don't hear very often, and something about the chorus is extremely catchy to me - those pop influences are really shining in this one. a lovely blend of pop & rock - 7/10

5/20/2025 - Iron Lung - KG&LW | LIVE PERFORMANCE | MUSIC VIDEO

it's no secret i've been absolutely enthralled by king gizzard and the lizard wizard recently, and this song's music video popped up in my recommendations last week. honestly, this song is more of an experience than anything - the music video is awesome, and the particular live version i linked features an absolutely killer performance from all involved. the song itself is a blend of jazzy guitar riffs and chaotic rock-y sections that work really well together. definitely worth a listen - 8/10

5/13/2025 - Best for You - Blood Cultures

continuing on my psychedelia arc recently, i got recommended Best for You from spotify's "recommended based off what's in this playlist" feature. i was completely cooked when i first heard this song and holy moly it hits so good when you're stoned. definitely a candidate for my weirdo songs playlist, Best for You's chopped-up background vocals and brassy composition make for an eerie yet comforting experience. blood cultures is definitely an artist to check out if you like slightly discordant, vaguely out-of-tune in the best possible way music that makes you feel like you're living in an ARG. 7.5/10 - a treat for the ears

5/6/2025 - Hiding In The Melody - Night Moves

i've been super into psychedelia and psychedelic rock lately, and this song is such a hidden gem. i am a complete sucker for resonant and echoes in songs and this track is basically a love letter to both of those. John Pelant's voice really shines in this one, especially the further you get into the song. real wet little guy vibes (in a good way). incredible track for taking an edible to and just forgetting the whole world around you. 8.5/10 - immaculate vibes

4/28/2025 - DEADSTICK - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

i am putting in the WORK to make this my top played song of 2025. the full Phantom Island album comes out on my birthday and it's looking like the best birthday gift i'll ever receive if this song is any indication - incredible vibes! those horns really elevate this from funky ditty to full on banger, and special shouts out to ambrose kenny-smith for belting out some truly amazing vocals in the back half of this song. 9.5/10 only loses points for being the shortest gizzard song on my liked songs playlist

BACKLOG

here's some older songs & albums I want to gush about real quick......

The Dripping Tap - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

i regularly listen to all 18 minutes of this song. look, i'm not a music columnist, i can't really tell you why exactly this song fucks so hard, but every single part of it works so well and that harmonica is absolutely shredding it. i didn't even know harmonicas could shred. my god. it fucks.

NURTURE - Porter Robinson

to be a bit vulnerable, Nurture really was the catalyst that got me to change as a person. my first time hearing nurture was back in very early 2022, about a year into my decision to switch majors to psychology. that time of my life was full of uncertainty and fear, and nurture felt like a beam of hope in those times. this album made me appreciate life, maybe for the first time. at least the first time in over a decade. i can't quite put into words why nurture was such a transformative experience for me... but the combination of stories about overcoming suicidal ideation from Look at the Sky, the melodic weaving of birdsong and wind throughout the album, and the overall theme of growth and resilience was intoxicating to the depressed, lost person i was at 21. i am so grateful i got to live long enough to listen to this album, and i am so grateful i got the opportunity to change.

i remember the moment i decided nurture was my favorite album - usurping my previous favorite, hospice, by the antlers. that was the moment i realized things really could get better.

Russian Roulette - Porter Robinson ( & the album SMILE :D)

speaking of porter... this is another top 10 song for me. i think the magic in this one is really the "i want to _ one more time" section. sorry, being personal again, but it brought me back to being 14, thinking that i could literally never feel happiness. so when i listened to this song in 2024 for the first time and i found myself belting along to "i want to live, i don't want to die", fuck man, it was just one of those moments you don't really forget. getting to listen to this song live and surrounded by friends was one of those things i wish i knew was coming when i was a teenager. there's a lot i need to catch up on after 10+ years of suicidal ideation and depression. but i don't want to die anymore. it's kind of crazy, but that's enough for me right now.