Weekly Recap (Sept 1st - 7th, 2025)

On Sunday after posting last week's Weekly Recap, I watched the new Ashnikko music video Sticky Fingers. I like it more than Trinkets. Trinkets is fine, but the hook is a bit too repetitive, the "I want you, I want you, I want you, I'm a little trinket girl" part. Sticky Fingers has better rapping as well. Not her best, but better. I'm glad she's still rapping and not just singing pop. -- I went on to listen to Trinkets multiple times a day this week :D 

On Monday on my way to work I listened to STANS by Eminem. How fitting is that? I'm such a stan for Ashnikko... If we'd list all the parasocial things Stan says and does in the song Stan, maybe 90% of it would fit me as an Ash fan. She doesn't know I exist and yet I feel like I get her and she'd get me. We're both queer, both geeks, about the same age (under 4 year difference, younger Millennials). Both have history of mental illnesses and have lived in Northern Europe. Obviously we have differences as well. She's an American, living in London; I've always lived in Finland. She has used and still sometimes uses drugs, I've never even smoked a joint. 

I could talk about her for forever, I know the randomest little things she's said in interviews. I WOULD wait in line in blistering cold to meet her and get a picture with her. 

Would not tattoo her name on me, cut myself if she did or kill my pregnant girlfriend for her, or name my kid after her, though. I would never do those things for anyone, especially a celebrity. I don't trust people like that, they let you down. I love them in the moment, I don't live expecting them to turn on me (or in the case of celebrities, expecting them to do something morally questionable or wrong). But I always make sure I'm able to function independently from them and am able to cut ties and burn bridges in a drop of a hat, if possible. That they don't have a permanent impact on my life (except my feelings, I can't really help those, I'm only human). 

Anyway, about the Eminem album. It seems to be older songs, from what I know and googled. And there's a documentary movie coming up about Eminem stans. I hope it's gonna be on Netflix or something, I don't think it's gonna be on the big screens in Finland... The poster says otherwise, though... -- I checked, it is in Finnkino. Which means there will be a DVD. I'm not an Eminem stan, they're the kinda people I imagine going to see this in theatres. They'd eat me alive for NOT being an Eminem stan. I am, like, a regular fan of him, though. I've heard maybe 40 to 50 of his songs and liked most of them, like 99%. If he wasn't one of the GOATs of rap, I'd still listen to him, but more casually. As things are, if you're into hiphop, it's a given you listen to the new Eminem album when it drops, it's a no-brainer. If you don't, you're living under a rock. It has a word in Finnish, that apparently doesn't translate perfectly: yleissivistys. It's like... common knowledge and experiences everyone should know or experience. Like must-see films, must-read books, must-listen albums, plus general information about the world that they teach in school. Like, "are you REALLY that big of a hiphop fan if you haven't heard the latest Eminem album?", you know? A person who hasn't been to school and has lived isolated from the society would have very poor 'yleissivistys'. A person who's highly educated and reads a lot of classic, sees the newest films that win prices, etc, would have a very good 'yleissivistys'. It is a bit classist, but in a country like Finland, not as much as you'd think. School is free. Books can be loaned from the library, movies as well. There are class differences, though - rich people can afford tutors and fancier laptops and such for their kid, they probably eat better food outside school, they can afford more engaging hobbies (and more "civilizing" hobbies like dancing or playing an instrument), etc. 

This concludes our Finnish lesson of the day.

On my way home I listened to Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends at Treepeople. I followed him earlier this year. I like it. Poetry wouldn't be my first conscious choice if I was picking out music, but... I do like it.

What he's talking about in the end, about finding out stuff you want to know, etc. That's 'yleissivistys', that's educating yourself on things that matter, so that you know what what's up.

I also listened to more Ashnikko <3 

Tuesday

On my way to work I listened to Giants & Monsters by Helloween. I've heard good things about this album. I've only ever heard old Helloween songs, like I Want Out.

This is quite traditional, not taking any risks, but it's not bad. I won't remember any of these of songs in a couple of hours, and in a few months I probably won't remember listening to this at all... But for the 50min of it's duration, I did enjoy it.

Except Hand of God! I'm not religious (anymore), but this had that 'something', you know? This one doesn't sound like a remastered 80s heavy metal song. It's a tad more modern.

On my way back home I listened to The Hives Forever Forever The Hives. Pretty much the same as with Helloween. I liked it, I had fun listening to it, but it took approximately zero risks and was therefore a little bland and over-rated.

I also listened to Domingo (Se Acabo) EP by Snow Tha Product. Iz guuud 👍 🩷💜💙

Wednesday

On my way to work I listened to Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter. It was a good pop album, but nothing we haven't heard before. And it didn't explain the controversial album cover, so... meh. Manchild and Never Getting Laid had the best lyrics, When Did You Get So Hot? was the catchiest. 

On my way home I listened to OMNI (ULTRA) by The Browning. It was very good! Maybe one of the best metal albums this year.

On Thursday I had a mentally more demanding day, plus I traveled by car a lot, so I only listened to The Vibe in the morning and that was it.

Friday

On my way to work I listened to Parasites & Butterflies by Nova Twins. Great alternative rock album! They're so multitalented - listen to Parallel Universe for example. It's catchy pop rock, right? Until they rap. Until they give some pretty solid metal screams. People who don't know what the fuck they're talking about talk about alt music like it takes no talent, like it's all noise and weird sounds, with no thought behind it. It's not. It takes talent to make noise and weird sounds and pop and rap and metal and make it sound like an actual piece of art. To make people feel what the song is trying to convey.

After them I listened to the Release Radar Backlog.

- Qveen Herby - Medicine Woman (She's rapping again, yeeey!)

- ILLIT ft. Sophie Powers - jellyous (Very 90s, in a good way.)

- Tallah - depleted (These guys are crazy. Also, "slap your feelings across my face"? Poetry. Wow. I'm not being sarcastic, that was a good line.)

On my way home I listened to Inebriated EP by Tres Aurland. He's talented, but his lyricism doesn't seem to match up. -- Searched my own blog why am I following him. Apparently I just liked his sound. I still do, he sounds good. The beats are pretty good, his hooks are pretty good, his technicals are pretty good. But you know, pretty good isn't enough. Competition is tough. I'll finish this album and then I'm done with him. I've heard these flows before (by others), I've heard these lyrics (boasting and bitches) too many times. It's boring.

I added Ain't No Stopping Me on my Rap & Hiphop list, though. Nice flow and rhyme writing! This must be what I heard in him earlier (unless that crazy verse is by the featuring artist, Bone Crusher). -- No, Bringin' it Back was just as good.

Then I picked up the Release Radar Backlog again.

- Knox Hill's Bloody Murder's still here. It goes on the Rap & Hiphop playlist. There's not really metal influences before the switch-up, so I won't put it on the Metal playlist. He sings backup on the chorus, btw? He's doing a pretty good job! He's developed as a singer! :)