Weekly Recap (July 28th - Aug 3rd, 2025)

On Monday I started with the Release Radar from last week.

- Mike's Dead - Disconnected (Cool. Very alternative hiphop.)

- The Neighborhood Kids x DAMAG3 - START A FIRE (I fuck with the message, but the hook could go harder...)

- Lilyisthatyou x bludnymph - BOYS BOYS BOYS

- Faetooth - Hole

Then I realized I work in a different library on Tuesday and Thursday, the bus ride is less than an hour. I might not have time to listen to an entire album on my way there or back, so I might as well listen to last week's Release Radar then.

Then I listened to The Clash by The Clash from 1976, surprisingly for Can't Stop Won't Stop. The chapter mentioned The Clash were big hiphop fans and even made a hiphop song. In this book, that means we're listening to two albums of The Clash. I'm not complaining, I love The Clash. But I think two albums is a bit excessive, given the context.

On my way to work I listened to The Wildest! by Louis Prima from 1956, for the 1001 Albums project.

I've heard Just A Gigolo on the radio!

There was a sample of In The Hall of the Mountain King in Body and Soul! Maybe I should listen to some classical music as well? It's weird that this book hasn't got that... But then again, we listened to the most important pieces of work in school...

This album's a bit cheery for my taste, but it's good music.

On my way from work I listened to Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse. I didn't know they're a duo. I need to start writing these down somewhere, for quick reference. What different names people use and what groups they belong to. Clipse = Pusha T and Malice. I've heard of Clipse and Pusha T but not Malice. Does he have solo work? -- Yes he does.

I don't know how to describe what kinda hiphop this is, but I like it. The beats are fire, the flows are fire, the lyrics are mainly fire, the production's fire, and it all just works so well together.

I like the "This is culturally inappropriate." To me, it sounds very culturally appropriate, but you know... 1) I might be wrong. I don't know shit. 2) It just adds to the mystery. Why is this culturally inappropriate?

Watching the Knox Hill video about the album now. My main questions are: 1) Why is this "culturally inappropriate"? 2) How do you describe this style of hiphop? Is it typical East Coast stuff or..? 3) I understood there were some Drake dissing going on? I hate Drake, what do we have? I know Kendrick killed him last year, and wasn't Pusha T the one who unearthed that Drake has a kid he wasn't public about?

3,5h? I might need to split this, watch the rest tomorrow/later. I have to go to sleep in about 2h.

Tuesday

Continueing Release Radar on my way to work.

- Snow Tha Product - Alligator (🔥)

- D-Low - Secrets of Alexandra

- bodyimage - ratking (I don't remember her. Sounds like my kinda music, though.)

- Naïka - BLOOM

- Homeboy Sandman - Most Realest (I wouldn't mind listening to more of him. Writing that down for future reference. Even though I've followed him already.)

- Lupe Fiasco - SOS ("Substance over style". Nice.)

- Templemind ft. Jagwar Twin - SUNS OF RA (528HZ) (Cool. Very cinematic.)

- donchanoh ft. Open Mike Eagle & Guilty Simpson - trueornot (Gosh, I like Open Mike Eagle's rapping. Seems like donchanoh is a producer.)

- allalonealaska - SUFFOC8. (Meh. She's set her own bar so high this is a bit... predictable, and boring.)

At work I listened to The Scholars by Car Seat Headrest. His voice took some getting used to, but I like how versatile this is. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to more of them, but I don't mind it either.

Then I finally listened to Songs Of A Lost World (2024) by The Cure.

Great album! I can see why people have been calling it one of the best albums of 2024.

I wanted something different and listened to Mammanpoika (2024) by Ege Zulu. He's a Finnish rapper, I'm not that familiar with his music. 

I've heard Tunnista tuntiin on the radio, it's been a big hit song.

This goes hard AF! Very catchy, but his lyricism is great as well! Wikipedia says his biggest idol is Asa, and that makes so much sense.

On my way home, I continued Release Radar again. I hate that Spotify shuffles the songs automatically. Words cannot describe how useless and annoying that feature is!

Only one of the remaining songs is worth mentioning, though:

- Pendulum x WARGASM (UK) - Cannibal (LOOOOOVVVEEE, CAN'T WAIT FOR THE ALBUM!!)

On Wednesday, I listened to Rivers of Nihil (2025) by Rivers of Nihil. 

Talented guys. Complex instrumentals, solid screams, clean vocals that suit the style. The cleans would sound just as good in old school, pagan-ish metal, power metal and in modern, metalcore style metal. Very versatile, which works in their favor. Reaches multiple kinds of audiences.

Surprising instrumentation in Water & Time! Saxophone or something? Idk, but I like it. It's different!

As for subgenre, they really do not fit anything neatly. I'd describe them as "modern metal", though, and not "alternative metal". They're not that alternative, they could easily be on the radio, with these melodies and cleans. They're more, like, a combination of different mainstream sounds - metalcore with the blastbeats and such, power metal with the grand melodies (and vocals), but then there's these old school elements with the guitar solos and certain melody choices, AND these very modern twists with the new variations on the riffs (you know what I mean? I don't play the guitar, but I've listened to metal for the past 22 years and something's different here, with the riffs), unusual instruments, sudden chances in atmospheres, the production. The screams are quite versatile as well! Could imagine them in anything from thrash metal to nu metal (SlipKnoT mainly) to metalcore to modern metal (Sleep Token etc). 

More saxophone (or sth) in The Logical End.

One of the best metal albums of this year. This is amazing.

At work I listened to:

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Carpe Diem, Moonman. Exactly what I expected, but in a good way. Completely bonkers alternative crossover rock.

Accidentally listened to Virgin by Lorde again, still didn't like it.

MARINA - Princess of Power. A-tier pop album, I was very entertained.

PinkPantheress - Fancy That. Well, that was pleasant! Very nice sound!

On Thursday on my way to work I listened to the Dark Skies EP (2024) by Stoneside. I think I've heard all these songs before but that's fine. I love their music.

Then I listened to 

Double Trio & Double Trio 2 by By Storm, both are singles I've accidentally put on the albums list.

They're weird, but weirdly enjoyable as well, at times. Wouldn't listen to them again, though...

I also have some more songs/singles, that I've accidentally put on my albums list, so I listened to those as well:

- Alee - Pagão. It's good. A hiphop song, in Portugal I think.

- Aly & AJ - If You Get Lonely. Melodic, calm. Pretty, but not my thing.

- Aurora - The Flood. I still don't get the hype. She's a great singer, but... So are a gazillion other people.

Later in the alphabet there might be more, but these are the ones I've noticed. 

At work I listened to 

- David Ramirez - All the Not So Gentle Reminders. It has potential at times, and then it gets too country. A Bigger World reminds me of Finnish iskelmä, and even though I'm not the biggest fan of the genre, it gave me something more familiar to compare this to than country.

- Isac Elliot - Vanhasta uuteen. These lyrics are... not good. Weird expressions, unnecessary slant rhymes... Also, why are these songs so fuckboy-asshole-y? Did he rebrand and I missed it? (For those that don't know, people used to call him the "Justin Bieber of Finland", because they were both teenage heartthrob pop stars who started their respective careers as teenagers.) Every single Finnish album I've heard this year I plan to translate the lyrics to English for my other blog, but you know what? Not this. This sucks. I haven't cringed this hard in months.

On my way back home I listened to DON'T TAP THE GLASS by Tyler, The Creator.

I did like it. I just don't really get him yet. But as far as I know, he is quite eccentric and odd, not everyone does understand him...

Friday

On my way to work I listened to THY KINGDOM COME by $uicideboy$. I can hear how this influenced Grim Salvo and the likes. Many of the artists and groups like that take this and combine it with metal influences. -- Oh yeah, this my shit 🖤 🔥

Because the album was so short, I also listened to Lifetime by Erika de Casier.

I really enjoyed it! A very natural mixture of multiple different genres. I followed her to hear more of her.

On my way back from work I listened to The Revenge of Alice Cooper by Alice Cooper.

Someone said that it's like a timeline of different eras of rock and they were right.

Extra tags: mikesdead, theneighborhoodkids, damag3, lilyisthatyou, bludnymph, faetooth, snowthaproduct, d-low, bodyimage