It’s March 30th, and the weather of New York will yield an enticing glimpse of spring before utterly ruining your hair with a cold blast of wind. In the winter, Airpods become disadvantaged; the Bose over-the-ears keep my ears warm. The Boses played a mixture of old and new, in New York, D.C., Charleston, Ohio, Los Angeles, Charlottesville, and New York again. These past few months, music has never modeled life better; see below:
Two Shell, Two Shell (2024)
When I found myself playing Two Shell on repeat, I began to reflect that, at long last, I had completed a transformation into one of those people who just listens to beats. Two Shell are masters at chopping up vocal samples into forward-thinking dance cuts. come to terms, hurt somebody, and be gentle with me will all you have introspecting between bops of the head. Standouts for me are tracks 1-7, which I listen to in order.
Haunted Disc, DJ Suzy (2024)
Listening to independent artists from outside the US feels like cultural reconnaissance, and I love it. DJ Suzy is from Sweden, and Haunted Disc presents a magnetic assortment of songs that reference escaping childhood, changing feelings, and early-morning regret. Here, descriptive and simple lyrics yield melodrama. Also, Oscar Scheller’s (PinkPantheress, Shygirl) production work on the LP is stellar. Highlights for me include Windows Xp, Spells, and Wings. (Keep an eye out for uptempo remixes, which seem to be dropping almost every week!)
choke enough, Oklou (2025)
This is an incredibly congruent album that, for me, conjures up striped red carnival tents viewed from a distance, torchlight, and love lost so long ago you remember it as a part of your life more than anything else. Some highlights for me include the title track, choke enough, take me by the hand, thank you for recording, and obvious.
Songs of 2K11, BEA1991 (2015)
This collection of songs really recalls the output of Lindsey Buckingham in the early 1990s (in fact, both Buckingham’s Out of the Cradle and Songs of 2K11 contain tracks titled Wrong.) Simultaneously, songs like I am a Joker! recall the indie music of Chairlift. However, just when you think you’ve pinned down the sound, a new sonic component enters your headphones. Unlike most of my music, these songs are not dancey, but lively, warm, and yet mellow (a la Oklou). Every song is a highlight.
VF VOL II, Sam Gellaitry (2022)
Falling into enrapture with this album while falling into enrapture with another person is something else. Standouts for me are the three-track runs of THE ONE, NO SIGNS, and ANGEL; and SEROTONIN, INTERTWINE, and STUCK. Unlike other music that I’ve grown to associate with specific people, this LP resists that somehow, which is certainly nice post-enrapture. All that remains on a fresh listen is abstracted optimism.
Gap Year!, Laila! (2024)
I madly respect self-produced music. Laila is also 18, something I haven’t encountered in a self-produced artist since Kate Bush. Collectively, I feel like Gap Year! is also cultural reconaissance, this time for the experience of adolescence in New York. She’s also slipped some stellar witticisms into her songs, a la “shouldn’t I get the better half?” Highlights for me are IDONTNEEDUANYMORE, Not My Problem (this one blew up on TikTok), and Flyer Than U.
v.i.p. - very important pony, horsegiirL (2025)
I’ve never been the biggest fan of hyperpop (e.g. Hannah Diamond, Namasenda, etc.), mostly due to associating the high pitch with Alvin and the Chipmunks. horsegiirL does it for me here, though; you might also check out My Barn, My Rules. Some highlights include well, the whole EP (it’s only 13 minutes, total!)
Suddenly, Caribou (2020)
Reminds me of the Northeast Regional Amtrak train, northbound. The glitchy piano on Sunny’s Time is sick, and the experimentation on some other tracks (Filtered Grand Piano, Sister) helped me ground some upcoming songs.
While the Earth Sleeps, Deep Forest (1996)
Definitely in my top 50 favorite tracks of all time, epitomic of 90’s dance music from the likes of 808 State, Orbital, and Opus III. This song makes me feel like some druids took me to a club nestled about a deciduous cave. And, I recently learned that Peter Gabriel is the one shout-singing at the 2 minute 30 mark.
DÍA, Ela Minus (2025)
This album immediately entered my top 20 of all time, and rises with repeated listening. It’s extremely cohesive. And, it maps with precision onto my life and general disposition. As depicted in these songs, Minus hasn’t convinced me that she was entirely sane, but I can say that she was incredibly grounded. Listen to the whole thing (don’t be thrown off by ABRIR MONTE, the instrumental opening of the LP), in order.