#and i guess hit me with song recs if any of you have any but ONLY for the specific brand of toxic i imagine their romance to be

[grichel]

putting motion sickness by phoebe bridgers on a solavellan playlist we are reaching critical levels of dragon age brainrot

[chasedeys]

Hi I asked cementcornfield this a while ago and now want to pick your brain!! Are there any songs that make you think of Joemarr? (Church by FOB was delightful thank u for the rec ☺️)

oh!! hi!!!! churchhhh exactlyyyyy their song 😔🫶 tbh any song can be abt them if i try hard enough (read: make shit up enough). i'm gonna be real with you i have such shit music taste i literally don't go past the boundary of basic and whatever's popular so beware :")

love somebody - maroon 5 -> LSU joemarr figuring things out, horribly unsure of one another, halfway there already :)

But if I fall for you, I'll never recover If I fall for you, I'll never be the same I don't know where to start, I'm just a little lost I wanna feel like we're never gonna ever stop I don't know what to do, I'm right in front of you Asking you to stay, you should stay, stay with me tonight, yeah I really wanna love somebody I really wanna dance the night away I really wanna touch somebody I think about you every single day I know we're only halfway there But you take me all the way, you take me all the way

another - francis karel -> the damn opening already makes me think of them somehow playing together in lsu when joe could've gone anywhere else. like come on.

Hundred billion stars in the galaxy Passing like the cars on a busy street How in the world did we ever meet? It doesn't make sense to me I guess everybody's got someone And you're the one for me Yeah, you fit me like a locket I would never find the key If you ever leave There will never ever be another (woah oh) I will never ever need another hand to hold When it gets cold We've got each other

baby i'm yours - arctic monkeys -> :) devotion etc. also their wanna be yours and r u mine? for morbid pining too. the eternity makes me think of teemarr too graugrurhh.

Baby, I'm yours (Baby, I'm yours) And I'll be yours until the stars fall from the sky Yours until the rivers all run dry In other words, until I die And I'll be yours until the sun no longer shines Yours until the poets run out of rhyme In other words, until the end of time I'm gonna stay right here by your side And do my best to keep you satisfied Nothing in the world could drive me away And I'll be yours until two and two is three Yours until the mountain crumbles to the sea In other words, until eternity

video games - lana del ray -> sex song that I've used as my fic title before lmao

It's you, it's you, it's all for you Everything I do Heaven is a place on earth with you Tell me all the things you wanna do It's better than I ever even knew They say that the world was built for two Only worth living if somebody is loving you And, baby, now you do

church - fall out boy -> sex song sex song sex song had to add it here anyway sorry but also just referencing the 'he's like a god to me' boy what.

If you were church, I'd get on my knees Confess my love, I'd know where to be My sanctuary, you're holy to me If you were church, I'd get on my knees

the closer i get to you - roberta flack & donny hathaway -> i've mentioned the first time i ever saw your face but this song is so fucking them guys argh

The closer I get to you The more you make me see By giving me all you've got Your love has captured me Over and over again I try to tell myself that we Could never be more than friends And all the while inside I knew it was real The way you make me feel Lying here next to you Time just seems to fly Needing you more and more Let's give love a try

hold me tight or don't - fall out boy -> some lyrics hit some ?? but do you see this shit. 'were we ever friends' as in did they ever have hope of being casual about one another. holy shit.

I never really feel a thing I'm just kinda too froze You were the only one that even kinda came close I just pinch myself, no longer comatose I woke up no luck, I woke up no luck And when your stitch comes loose I want to sleep on every piece of fuzz And stuffing that comes out of you, you I got too high again, realized I can't not be with you Or be just your friend I love you to death but I just can't I just can't pretend we were lovers first Confidants but never friends Were we ever friends?

picture you - chappell roan -> adore herrr you know exactly what this song is about and if i ever get to writing a fic about this i would die

Draw the blinds, light every candle Slip off my pretty dress down my chest when I think of you Every night, both lips on the mirror It's ritualistic, counting lipstick stains where you should be Do you picture me like I picture you? Am I in the frame from your point of view? Do you feel the same? I'm too scared to say Half of the things I do when I picture you When I picture you

spaceship - ruth b -> space imagery aside, being comfortable with each other to let down their guards? taking care of one another? dragging each other out of their funk? yeah. also her dandelions song.

If I built a spaceship, would you go to Mars with me? Go that far with me? If I take you places that you've never been before Would you stay for more? When days are difficult And you want a miracle I'll build a spaceship for you 'Cause some days I run away I hope you run with me Fly away with me too, ooh And when we're all alone I hope you feel at home Wherever we find ourselves You can just be yourself Close your eyes And feel me here

higher - rihanna -> this song is so short but. do you get me. always been obsessed with this song bc you get high to forget someone only for you to circle back right to that someone ugh

This whiskey got me feelin' pretty So pardon if I'm impolite I just really need your ass with me I'm sorry 'bout the other night And I know I could be more creative And come up with poetic lines But I'm turnt up upstairs and I love you Is the only thing that's in my mind You take me higher, higher than I've ever been, babe Just come over, let's pour a drink, babe I hope I ain't calling you too late, too late You light my fire Let's stay up late and smoke a J I wanna go back to the old way But I'm drunk instead, with a full ashtray With a little bit too much to say

fireproof - one direction -> s tier 1d song and soooo very them

I think I'm gonna lose my mind Something deep inside me, I can't give up I'm feeling something deep inside Hotter than a jet stream burning up 'Cause nobody knows you, baby, the way I do And nobody loves you, baby, the way I do It's been so long, it's been so long, maybe we're fireproof 'Cause nobody saves me, baby, the way you do

work song - hozier -> i can't not put hozier in any of my ships that's crazy but they don't give me hozier vibes 😔 BUT their shit about each other absolutely refusing to talk shit about the other and accepting all their faults and constantly choosing the other?? work song babyyy. would also rec movement and his led zeppelin whole lotta love cover for joemarr 😮‍💨

When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her My babe would never fret none About what my hands and my body done If the Lord don't forgive me I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me When I was kissin' on my baby And she put her love down, soft and sweet In the low lamplight, I was free Heaven and hell were words to me

lovers forever - benjamin kheng -> a proposal song btw and like. refusing to leave each other.

Do you think we could be lovers forever Can't die young 'Cause I've got to live with you Do you know what a future feels like I could see me living in your arms Wake up every day and fall in love again

call it what you want - taylor swift -> 🙂‍↕️ more ts songs for joemarr: dress, lover, guilty as sin, the alchemy, false god!!! dead serious false god another joemarr sex song. chose this one because the idea of them wearing each other's chains. hello. also: the grillz??? that hasn't seen the light of day since it's conception.

My baby's fit like a daydream Walkin' with his head down, I'm the one he's walkin' to So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to My baby's fly like a jet stream High above the whole scene, loves me like I'm brand new (Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it) So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to I want to wear his initial On a chain 'round my neck, chain 'round my neck Not because he owns me But 'cause he really knows me

i knew i loved you - savage garden -> not exactly instantly because they definitely took time to get there but. listen to ts.

Maybe it's intuition But some things you just don't question Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant And there it goes I think I found my best friend I know that it might sound More than a little crazy but I believe I knew I loved you before I met you I think I dreamed you into life I knew I loved you before I met you I have been waiting all my life There's just no rhyme or reason Only the sense of completion And in your eyes I see the missing pieces I'm searching for

love lies - khalid, normani -> the somewhat rocky start of their relationship being uncertain of one another?? then finallyyyyy giving each other a chance

Sorry if it's hard to catch my vibe, mmm I need a lover to trust, tell me you're on my side Are you down for the ride? It's not easy for someone to catch my eye But I've been waiting for you for my whole damn life For my whole lifetime Don't be afraid to tell me if you ain't with it I see you're focused, yeah, you're so independent It's hard for me to open up, I'll admit it You've got some shit to say, and I'm here to listen

finally // beautiful stranger - halsey -> i just love playing into the initial uncertainty/apprehension whatever of their relationship then trying to not be Like That before fully delving into sheer shameless devotion do you get me. and just the mouth that i would kill to kiss lyric argrhrgrhhrh.

I've never recognized a purer face You stopped me in my tracks and put me right in my place Used to think that lovin' meant a painful chase But you're right here now and I think you'll stay Oh, we're dancin' in my livin' room And up come my fists And I say, I'm only playing, but The truth is this I've never seen a mouth that I would kill to kiss Beautiful stranger, here you are in my arms and I know That beautiful strangers only come along to do me wrong And I hope Beautiful stranger, here you are in my arms And I think it's finally, finally, finally, finally, finally safe For me to fall

hrs & hrs - muni long -> i would say another sex song....

Yours, mine, ours I could do this for hours Sit and talk to you for hours I wanna give you your flowers And some champagne showers Order shrimp and lobster towers But it's me that gets devoured When I met you, I knew this was it I've never been in love like this A love like ours I pray for it on my knees Every night for some hours I could sit and talk to you for hours Sit and look at you for hours Makin' love to you for hours Layin' on your chest for hours Tellin' you jokes for hours Holdin' you close for hours And hours and hours

when you say nothing at all - ronan keating -> yeah corny as hell but. have they not said this before.

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart Without saying a word, you can light up the dark Try as I may, I can never explain What I hear when you don't say a thing The smile on your face lets me know that you need me There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall All day long, I can hear people talking out loud (ooh) But when you hold me near (you hold me near) you drown out the crowd (out the crowd) Try as they may, they can never define What's being said between your heart and mine

[lonewolflink]

your enthusiasm for itzy has reignited my interest in listening to kpop i MISSED this… like wow it’s just. really bright and fun!! <3 i love seeing gifs of the girls on my dash! i was a hyper casual fan who was never too into them outside of liking the music, but they seem lovely 💙

what are they up to lately? do you have any listening recs? :3

- puckpocketed on main 🦈

puck!! hello friend!!!! (trying out puck as a shortened name a la link but you lmk if something else is better)

i am so pleased that you are being infected with my itzy brainrot. maybe i should be more sorry about about it but alas, i love them, so i cannot find it in myself to be sorry. more under the cut!

i would say that not only are my girls lovely, they are Freaks (affectionate). tbh it is what led me to stan. they are so weird and i love them so much. i once answered an ask (also here) about how i got into itzy that i think scratches some of the surface of what i enjoy about them.

what has itzy been up to lately? well the last couple years have been a bit of a rollercoaster for the team. after a pretty serious kpop social media hate train following one of their comebacks (though evidence suggests the hate train started earlier), things were a bit rough. the company seemed to be simultaneously creatively mismanaging/poorly promoting the group while also overworking them—a recipe for disaster that culminated in main vocalist lia going on indefinite hiatus for anxiety issues in september 2023 (or as i like to call it, LTIR).

in her absence, as a foursome, itzy recorded a 10 track album called "Born to Be" and then went on a global tour for it, but with a twist! five of the 10 songs would be the first SOLO songs written by each member and performed individually (sans lia on tour of course). lia's song might honestly be the best of the five (though i probably listen to chaeryeong's the most). they're all quite different and i would STRONGLY recommend them:

-Crown on My Head (Yeji) -Blossom (Lia) -Run Away (Ryujin) -Mine (Chaeryeong) -Yet, But (Yuna)

the solo songs for the active members at the time also have like partial/mini-music videos that are up on youtube and are pretty cool (ryujin's or yuna's are probably my favorite? but it's hard to choose. yeji and chaeryeong also ate). you can, of course, listen to the other songs on that album...but i wouldn't. and that's because with lia now activated off LTIR, the other 5 songs that were recorded with the four active members have been RE-RECORDED WITH LIA and will be dropping as part of their new album coming out next week (oct 15th!). all those songs are good but "mr. vampire" is the one to look out for. the beat is weird, the vibes are excellent, and lia's voice is going to sound amazing on it.

in general, the new comeback feels...different, at least in its rollout so far. above i mentioned mismanagement and poor promotion by the company, and rumor has it that after the last album the division in charge of itzy got like. fired. wholly. and replaced with new employees (GM FIRED AFTER TOO MANY SEASONS OF NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS kinda vibes). the new look JYP Division 2 is like...kinda doing great??? there's clearly an actual cohesive (if bizarre) creative direction for this upcoming album, which feels new and fresh, there's been a lot of thought clearly put into Aesthetic rather than just "green screen something flashy and uh. the girls always look hot so just put them in some fashionable clothes i guess".

in sum: this is kind of an exciting time to be following itzy. it feels like we're on the precipice of a bit of a rebirth, which is quite rare with kpop girl groups in particular, who tend to rise and fall with the extremely fickle general public opinion of koreans.

some song recommendations/partial guide to itzy's discography!

let's start with their title tracks/singles:

—girl crush/dark/gym playlist music (aka cuntzy) -dalla dalla (debut single) -wannabe (biggest hit) -mafia in the morning (my personal favorite mv of theirs) -ringo (japanese track, low key sick mv. or maybe it's just yeji w a sword for me...idk) -voltage (japanese track, i LOVE this song, even more than ringo) -blah blah blah (japanese track)

—cute/fun/femme/doing your thing (aka funzy)

-icy (bop) -sneakers (supposed start of their demise, but it's fun and cute? people are haters) -boys like you (your mileage may vary, people love/hate this) -cake (UNDERAPPRECIATED BOP) -algorhythm (japanese track, the dance break in the mv is sick)

—hard to categorize bc they're not dark/girl crush but they are gym playlist (to me) -not shy (ITZYYYYYYY) -loco (this song just slaps idk man) -cheshire (justice for cheshire i love this song)

in no particular order, top 10 standout b-sides (in my opinion...though i should say most of their b-sides are really fucking good): 1. none of my business (the way i need itzy to do more r&b u have no idea. also the mv with the matching fits is SO 90s early 00s r&b groups i love it so much) 2. cherry (girl crush perfection, gym playlist staple) 3. bet on me (this song got me through my phd. mv is imo outstanding. meaningful song generally, but to itzy in particular after the hate train) 4. kidding me/shoot/sorry not sorry (i'm cheating by putting three songs here but they're all from the same EP and go SO well together) 5. snowy (this is MY christmas song) 6. kill shot (i want shin ryujin to decapitate me. women in suits??) 7. nobody like you (quintessential early itzy) 8. bratty (they invented being a brat, charlie xcx who) 9. psychic lover (fan favorite, just a great song, they smile so fucking hard when they perform it live it's so cute) 10. weapon (not even a song from an album, they recorded it for some dance competition show to use. STAPLE on my gym playlist) honorable japanese discography mentions:

-no biggie (japanese) -sugarholic (japanese) -spice (japanese)

OK THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU SORRY IT'S SO LONG

I WILL ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMEND LISTENING TO NMIXX'S LAST TWO EPS THEY ARE REALLY GOOD AND THEIR VOCALS ARE CRAZY

[badwolfwho1]

It's halfway through the year? Got any favorite albums/books/tv shows/whatever to recommend?

So for the first time I have actually been keeping a spreadsheet with the intent of ranking all the things this year to keep track of what I've read/watched etc and not rely on my memory so in theory this should be easy but in truth I've only been updating it for movies and books so I will have to rely on my memory after all.

Albums

I do not keep track of the albums I've been listening but I have been listening to Avantasia's discography lately and it's all been hitting for me, I think the Wicked Symphony especially was my favourite of their work.

I also listened to The Moody Blues' 'Days of Future Passed' just today so I'll mention that as well, I enjoyed it. (I fully intended to come back here and write some more later but I guess I didn't, it's neat I guess)

Judging based off my liked songs on Spotify I really liked most of Deep Purple's album 'House of Blue Light' and both of Savage Garden's albums.

For a perennial I still love The Bangles' third album "Everything", my first listen I had a few standouts like "In Your Room", "Be With You", "Something to Believe In" but I currently adore pretty much every track on there.

Have I listened to much modern this year? Alas no I am cursed by most of my current listening habits coming from deciding to check out whatever is being referenced in the current episode of Jojo that I'm rewatching and since I just reached Part 5 that means at best they'll be 25 years old.

Books

I've actually kept track of my books so this should be easy, 'Catch 22'; It's a classic for a reason, it's just really really good.

The Adrian Tchaikovsky zone; I read 'City of Last Chances', its sequel 'House of Open Wounds' and the final part of the Final Architecture trilogy 'Lords of Uncreation' this year, all phenomenal (2, 3 and 4 on my books of the year list), City of Last Chances slightly pips the others (and as the opener to a series is the easiest rec). You get a huge and diverse range of points of view all over a city under imperial occupation, great worldbuilding as I always expect from him. There's even a giant centipede what more can you ask for? (I'm also reading his Alien Clay right now, that's a stand alone novel starring a scientist exiled to a work camp on another planet because of his political activism, real good so far, love all the weird alien life it has. It'll probably be joining the Tchaikovsky zone unsure where at though yet)

Oh I've just noticed Bret Hart's biography isn't on my list so I gotta say "Hitman", incredible. The life of a wrestler is wild and Bret Hart especially has had quite the life. So much I didn't know about. The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be (but not the best on my list).

The rest of my top ten, CL Clarke's 'The Unbroken' and 'The Faithless', Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone's 'This is How You Lose the Time War', AK Larkwood's 'The Ten Thousand Eyes' and Garth Marenghi's Terrortome

Games

I feel like I've barely played any games this year. Slay the Spire is still the only Roguelike you'll ever need. I'll be replaying Slay the Princess when Pristine Cut comes out later this year so I'll throw that in here, that's an incredible horror visual novel, tons of branching paths, all voice acted to perfection. I'm in the middle of a Freedom Planet replay, so if you like classic 2D Sonic games this is a really good Soniclike

(Me from after I wrote all this) Oh yeah Hades II exists and I somehow forgot about it I have no idea how that happened. Yeah Supergiant (I always have to double check that in case I write Supermassive) always hits, every single one of their games is gold, Hades II continues that trend. It might still be Early Access but it quite comfortably surpasses release Hades I in content so I am incredibly excited to see how it grows.

Movies

Number 1 at my list is Godzilla Minus One, it's so good, I watched it last year, I watched it this year I'll probably watch it again in the Minus Colour version. I'm a Godzilla mark (I still have at least some objectivity Godzilla x Kong sitting at 12 hasn't even broken into my top 10, wait Oppenheimer isn't on here probably 13 then) and while I've definitely not even nearly seen of all Godzilla's filmography I think this is him comfortably at his best. As in all of his best films as a metaphor as well as a giant radioactive dinosaur.

I watched Rashomon the other day and it feels like a real basic thing to say but yeah Rashomon's really good, as with Catch-22 it's a classic for a reason. Not good enough to surpass a radioactive dinosaur apparently but what can?

And my number three on my list, Asteroid City, great framing device, great set design. Just a genuinely fascinating movie, had complete hold of my interest at all times.

The rest of my top ten in order The Banshees of Inisherin, Monster, Speed, The Menu, Happy Death Day, Scream, Scream 2 (Maybe Happy Death Day should be lower than the Screams actually) Oppenheimer is probably going to land somewhere in that top 10 as well.

TV

Delicious in Dungeon is good, everyone knows Delicious in Dungeon is good, everyone's watching it. World building, funny, great cast its all there, I should read the manga some time. I should definitely read more manga in general.

I've also watched The 8 Show, a Korean Drama show. Eight strangers are offered a chance to participate in a psuedo game show where they live on eight seperate floors and are paid money for the length of time the show goes on. The ones living on the lower floors earn less money and the ones on the higher ones earn more. (Shockingly it's a metaphor for capitalism). Things fairly rapidly degenerate. You'll obviously think of Squid Game watching this and its not as good as Squid Game but its still pretty good.

And obvs you know I'm still on that Buffy watch, on the cusp of finishing Series 6 of Buffy, the most frustrating so far in that it has some good ideas dragged down by a number of terrible decisions; magic becoming a metaphor for drugs, having to see those three nerds on screen frequently, that death etc etc.

Oh yeah I'm watching the Acolyte, I'm not gonna say its great but like its shockingly decent. Falls far short of Andor but aside from that its probably one of the best Star Wars shows they've made. If you like Star Wars this is one of the better shows to check out.

(Somehow I forgot I watched all of Hacks this year!?!?!?!) Great stuff, love those two. Hope they continue to be weird about each other forever.

Other

I'd love to rec a manga but I cantinue to only read two manga which are Hajime no Ippo and Jojo and they're both over 30 years old and still going and I cannot recommend something that long. Last time I mentioned Ippo was like at least six months ago I think I said it was slowly moving towards a conclusion it has moved no closer to a conclusion since then I think it's gonna be another decade. I still love it my favourite character is probably going to have his character arc finished by the end of the current arc, Mashiba's is going to become world champion, he is going to be respected rather than just feared, he's going to have friends, he is going to defeat the personification of the dirty boxing style that carried him through most of his career and he's going to stop being so overprotective over his sister. Either that or he'll get injured and have to retire from boxing forever in a karmic callback to his original sin in boxing when he broke Miyata's foot like thirtyodd years ago. Hopefully the first one.

[zukkacore]

⭐⭐ pls pls pls share thoughts about who can blame a girl

Thanks so much for this!!! Tbh it's fun to talk abt Who Can Blame a Girl b/c its so short n sweet so it does kinda feel like the one that takes up the least oxygen but i am. proud of it and it is cute but to be fair it also is kinda uncomplicated in my mind so i'll see if i have any thoughts...

(For the record im very "she let me hit b/c i use his pronouns interchangeably" about dyke!Jace. I don't care how she's referred to really. In fact, for most of this i just use he bc idc. In case that's confusing.)

It's a song rec in the notes but actually the inspiration for Who Can Blame Girl is b/c i'd had the song Susie Save Your Love by Allie x n Mitski stuck in head for like forever (That and like A Ton of Chappell Roan) and the song is basically about this girl who is like. In love with her friend who is asking for a ride b/c she needs a break from a shitty boyfriend. Which. Zarajaceporter anyone. I just was really taken with this idea of Zara being very taken by Jace in this kind of... vulnerable, messy, unpalatable state i guess? B/c Jace is so buttoned up and curated at Aguefort. And like. I don't expect everyone to get on the dyke!Jace train but obviously i'm very taken with her and love her she is the soft butch of my life < 3

I guess what i CAN talk about is that. I think it was a fun thought experiment to kinda. Be in Zara's head. I have so much affection for her in canon and i think she just has this very playful, impish, yet ultimately very kind center to her based on how she interacts with Fig that is very heartwarming and as much as i love to torment Jace and put him in Situations, I do think the person who could understand and empathize with his situtation the most truly is zara.

I've talked abt the parallels between Vampirism and Jace in his post shatterstar state. They're both liminal undead existences that are based on this fundamental want that if satisfied would bring harm to others and make the people they love hate them! And like. Zara is very kinda uncomplicatedly Good in FHJY but it was fun to play around with the interiority of a warlock vampire who is in a relationship with a celestial! The whole Thing sort of revolves around this weird unspoken arrangement that concocts out of the blue when Jace calls zara. Zara is all about agreements. Negotiations that you make with the people around you. So when it comes to the gender stuff:

Jace is quiet. “No one would ever want to see that. I—I’m not brave like you, Zara. You’re always you, and—My life is petty, and small, and I—” His voice breaks. “I—I’m comfortable keeping things the way that—” “Hey. You think I don’t make compromises?” says Zara. She's thinking about that word—brave. Jace has no idea what it takes for a vampire like her to "be herself" in a way he imagines. “I make compromises every day.

It's like. This ties so into my belief that pre-shatterstar jace is egoless. He doesn't want to rock the boat. He's comfortable, until Porter comes along. In a way, Zara is unflinchingly herself. She's a hot goth vampire and she's not shy about that. But I think she'd have to reconcile with. Just living in a world that is afraid of her existence. She's free from Jace's POV, but she's not as free as he thinks. She has to be at peace with the idea ther her very existence is just going to be an abomination to some people (and like. It's dnd so i don't know how popular that attitude would be but we have seen religious zealots in text so im sure those people exist). And she's talking about gender stuff but she's also unwittingly kinda speaking to the shatterstar part of his life. Be unflinchingly yourself. You want to live. And sometimes, people will hate you, or you will do harm.

Meanwhile, what is Zara getting out of this time with Jace? Some sort of connection? I think feeling a connection was very thrilling for Jace. That's why he asks, "You felt it, too?" But what does Zara want?

I feel like Zara's motivation is summed up here. Initially, it was curiousity and obligation. She liked seeing him in a state she never had. And he needed a favor, so she felt like she ought to come through. But this is the real reason:

"We can drive for as long as you want. My entire night is free. Obviously"

To me, this is her expressing patience. Patience that she's willing to extend b/c she feels for Jace. But it's also expressing loneliness.

I very much did contrive this bc I'm just a silly billy who has been wanting to write something about Jace n Zara hooking up in a car. And like. I'm cringefail and writing hookups is hard so im always obsessed with what the emotional throughline is for a scene like that and like. I kept coming back to Zara and her celestial lover. I think it's Zara wanting something tangible and messy and faulty.

and yet Zara for a brief terrible moment wants this, with her, over transcendence, over ethereal, ascended, over purity and goodness because this is real , it’s mundane, it’s here , it’s something she doesn’t have to wait for every time her lover comes calling, if anyone knew how desperate Zara truly is they’d never see her the same way again

Like. It's tangible and present and we don't KNOW what a relationship with and angel would be like. But it sounds so... pure. So sterile almost? And textually in FHJY Zara is very mature and healed, but I was like. The idea of a warlock finding a relationship so tantalizing that they would be willing to fuck up their other contracts was just so delicious to me. And Vampires are all about temptation.

Zara can’t help herself, she wants —the same dark want that compels her feed, the same hunger for something she knows is going to destroy her, destroy everyone around her—and seriously, fuck Porter anyway, how could he ever want Jace as profoundly and completely as she feels herself wanting right now,

Like!!!! Yes Zara is better than this but im toxic and want to reduce her to the gutter w the boys! As if it's my fault! I'm not gonna quote the hornier parts but like esp the stuff about like. Zara reconciling with darker wants that—she's not as bad as Porter, but she's a vampire, it's about consumption, about taking, about predation, about desire (it’s also about penetration. lol). She's doesn't let that shit rule her, its there, she does stumble. Like. Was it a good or bad thing that she left it open-ended at the end? I mean. It's good for us for sure. I want them to get into a messy situationship in the wake of Jace's messy breakup with Porter (yes. In my mind this is THEE breakup from IYWD too. The real one).

But like. It was always going to be open ended. Zara did him a favor. This is a contract. There's always a give and take in a relationship. He'll be there for her too at some point. That's how it works.

[spicy--meatball]

ranking 550+ music genres: PART 2

once again i am deceitful, here is another post today because im having a Fucking Time (good)

(4) Abstract Hip Hop

on the tierlist, the image for abstract hip hop is of MF Doom, so i was pretty excited for this genre. i didnt actually listen to any MF Doom for this though.

many of the songs i listened to lacked vocals, but they were still very intriguing and unique. i heard influences from other genres, such as blues and jazz. this is definitely a genre i would recommend to someone who thinks theyre too high and mighty to listen to hip hop, even though these songs differ a lot from what theyre probably thinking of as hip hop.

this genre hits a lot different than my regular brainslop listening habits (i.e: fast electronic music). each song has a story to tell. this stuff makes great contemplation music, because its hard not to reflect on my life while listening to these songs. theyre groovy enough to keep my attention but also lowkey enough that theyd also make good studying/drawing music. its all just so smooth. ugh, i cant do this genre enough justice. go listen to some abstract hip hop!!!

with all that being said, abstract hip hop gets our first "incredible. i fw this heavy" ranking. which i accidentally spoiled in the last post because i didnt know about the 10 music embeds limit.

Abstract Hip Hop song recs

(5) Acid Croft

im familiar with some acid genres, such as acidcore and acid house, but ive never heard of acid croft. i dont know what i was expecting but my expectations were blown with the first song i clicked on. this shit is WILD! some of these songs remind me of breakbeats.

if youre like me and havent heard of acid croft before, the best way i can describe it is a celtic jig mixed with jazzy bass and acid synths, especially for my first song rec. these are song elements i had no idea could mesh this well, never in my wildest dreams. these songs are intriguing in a different sense than abstract hip hop, theyre just so bizarre. i guess thats to be expected with any genre that has "acid" in the title, but i digress. im very happy someone came up with this mixture of song elements. the second song rec, which was the first song i clicked on, made me furrow my brow in confusion and fascination.

as my own informal rule of thumb, i was going to try and give different artists for each song rec. well, it seems the Peatbog Faeries have spearheaded this genre because like 70% of the songs i could find listed as acid croft are by them. this genre is getting a "in the right time and place, fuck yeah" ranking from me.

Acid Croft song recs

(6) Acid Jazz

im already somewhat familiar with this genre, but i dont listen to it regularly. this stuff goes hard though. i need every small coffee shop business or boba shop to start playing acid jazz please.

this shit sounds like melty caramel. in a good way. just a slow, tranquil stream of caramel floating in the air. and brick walkways at night, hugged tightly by the buildings around it. this also makes good study music, sometimes.

as for my first song rec, i was going to click away to another acid jazz song and then... i dunno. something about the piano and saxophone and bass going up and down and every which way intrigued me to stick around. i was wondering why this unconventional way of arranging music didnt bother me, quite the opposite actually. theres so many shapes and colors in this song and they are chalky. i ended up putting this song on loop, like what in the genuine shit is happening? (in a very good way). i like confusion :)

i guess this is my sign to listen to acid jazz every waking hour of the day. so many varied moods. this shit can soothe or it can get you certified ZEEKIN. Holay Molay.

"incredible. i fw this heavy" tier. absolutely phenomenal. * jeremy clarkson voice* 'ery noice

Acid Jazz song recs

current rankings. more to come

[tuesdaynightmusicclub]

whoa haha just a small world moment but i just met a musician in the park today and he told me about a tuesday night music thing that goes on, open jam so I'm stoked haha I have been looking to meet more musicians so this is great and also nice to meet you as well on here, big club going up on a tuesday vibe haha anyway as a guitarist can i cover any songs you would recommend or are you much of a musician yourself?

oh hello! yeah funny that's lol, it's just a vibe that hits right. Every day is a Tuesday when it comes to music I suppose heheh.

I'm no musician, not a lick of any instrument in me. I'm purely an appreciator. Here I just post tunes I like, plus bonus reblogs.

As for recommendations... what're you into? Guitar songs is a very wide criteria lol. I could rec anything Johnny Marr or John Frusciante have played on, anything Ritchie Blackmore or Lee Ranaldo or Carlos Alomar, or maybe you're strictly acoustic, in which case I'd rec any of the Delta blues giants? There's just so much great guitar music out there, and lots of that I've never heard yet!

That's not a satisfying answer I guess, but if/when you see this, send another ask if you feel like. I hope that open jam rocks!

[sapphicflower-ao3]

hi! orla gartland came out with a fire new album and I think ‘everybody needs a hero’ and ‘little chaos’ can be bkdk coded if you squint a little bit. do you have any song recs you’d want to share with the crowd rn???

hi hi!! just listened to those songs and i can totally see the bkdk in them :) even tho i’m not much of a fan for this genre of music i browsed the album a bit and it was def a fun vibe!!!

and YAY yes i always have song recs on hand!!! if the crowd is interested, here’s two songs (to match the two you shared with me) that i’ve been obsessed with recently:

1. “soh-soh” by odeal (found this browsing a chill afrobeats playlist, it’s so sexy) - https://open.spotify.com/track/1I08zQMc1sHy2xwd8itedV?si=e6dFM2tBSXCuHX7BFaTCiw&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A6j5Gog2TSPYbfJ37qdgYY5

2. “iron foot” by leonardo das cabrio (genre is?? idk… groovy house i guess. my sis told me this was a very ‘me’ song and i totally agree lmao this just hits all the spots for me) - https://open.spotify.com/track/6VEF6Ogo2cfegRX1dVmHKT?si=aElATXzITLSSbZTC9xKxWA&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A6j5Gog2TSPYbfJ37qdgYY5

[shakibone]

okay so writing all that made me realize some of my musical tastes are really weird lol. would you have any recs?

Weird? I guess, but they slap

Bill Wurtz is always fantastic, and Snail House is so vibes~!

Never heard of Heaven Pierce Her before but dagnabbit this slaps. Order is on my Starred playlist now. War Without Reason also slaps, shocking no one.

Ooooh, Tooboe is an interesting introduction to me. I'm jamming to this alright, it's good stuff! Not sure what this genre's called, but I like it a lot.

NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION!

My music tastes are a wild mix. People used to ask me what music I like and I'd just be like "...all? Depends on my mood I guess...?" Se here in no particular order are some faves or recs:

Louie Zong is a big fave of mine. He covers many genres, but my favourites are "I Sing Your Song" feat. Hatsune Miku, and his Mario disco-funk remix album "Let's-a Go!", his soundtrack to a videogame that doesn't exist "Levels", and most favouritest his album "Cozy" which will put me to restful sleep when the anxieties are biting my brain.

Following on from there, I enjoy Hatsune Miku a bunch! My favourite musicians to work with her are Wowaka (who among other songs did "Rollin' Girl", a mood piece about the pressures felt by creatives), and Mitchie M (whose songs include "News-39" a cheerful bop about propaganda, "Ohedo Julia-Night" a pop-disco ballad to the prosperous Ohedo era in Japanese history, "Cutie Angels" an homage to pro wrestling).

Speaking of pro-wrestling! The Mountain Goats album "Beat the Champ" hits hard for me, particularly "The Legend of Chavo Guerrero", which is both a tribute to legendary luchador Chavo Guerrero and insight into singer/songwriter John Darnielle's childhood and his relationship with his abusive stepfather. The Mountain Goats also made the song to get me through 2020! That being "This Year", a ballad of defiance in the face of a cruel world.

What else...

Carly Rae Jepsen! Her album Emotion has a bunch of bangers, but my favourites are "Boy Problems" about a friend who realises she's a bad friend for always venting to her friend about her boy problems without ever listening to said friend, or her album Dedicated which has my favourite of hers "Want You In My Room" which is a blatantly horny and cheerful song.

I have

more. But I'll stop here for now.

[pallases]

hi leigh!! i hope you're well :) saw your post with asks and decided i would combine lots of them lol so first thing is tell me abt whatever's bothering you!! i hope nothing's bothering you obv but still.

also i am asking you for book recs. i haven't been reading a lot of proper books lately so any recs are welcome but i kind of feel like some fantasy would do me good. but like good ones? The last couple of years i've been picking up some popular fantasy standalones hoping they feel like a fantasy book you read when you're twelve and they end up being the most mid thing i've ever read. like help. i'm planning to read some robin hobb books so hopefully they're good.

also i've started listening to mitski (talk about being late lol) and i'm really liking her songs i was wondering if you have any particular recs? Or any music recs? what've you been listening to?

sorry this ask is all over the place lol i guess i'm chatty today. i hope you're having an amazing day!! <3<333

ORLA!!!! i hope you are doing well too <3 one thing that is bothering me is school is starting again bc i have gotten virtually no break </3 also that apparently the english class i’m taking doesn’t have any required books i was looking forward to reading actual books not whatever mini readings ig they’re going to be giving us instead ☹️ also also that i did Not in fact get my license like planned this summer bc during the singular week i was home a bunch of stuff suddenly came up and it became no longer my priority and now i will need to renew my permit Again bc it expires in early september and im not going to be able to make it home before that so. <3

as for book recs!! i have tragically had the same problem lately re fantasy books and honestly mostly just books in general BUT i don’t know if you’ve read any ve schwab ive really loved what books of hers ive read. vicious was my favorite, but the monsters of verity duology better fits the “feels like a fantasy book you read when you’re twelve” vibe!

for non-fantasy recs if youre feeling poetry i reallyy liked margaret atwood’s morning in the burned house. also just finished hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy which was v fun! got many laughs out of me, i did not however know before starting it that it’s a series so now idk how to proceed bc i only have the first book agdjfk

OH ALSO fantasy shoutout to strange the dreamer duology 🫶🏻🫶🏻 lovely writing style and world, fascinating antagonist, i was not a big fan of the romance but otherwise big rec on that. definitely not for everyone tho some ppl find the pacing too slow, i remember when i first read it i mentioned that in my review too that it took a bit for me to really get into although i personally wasn’t bored in the meantime like others, i was just chilling enjoying what it had to tell me abt everything

MITSKI RECS!! i love strawberry blond sorry for being basic. square too but specifically square solo piano version which they took off of spotify (idk what you’re listening to her on). because dreaming costs money my dear is also a veryyy hard-hitting one. fond of circle, a burning hill, goodbye my danish sweetheart, nobody, washing machine heart, and class of 2013 as well. that was a lot i will stop now 🫡 also must admit i am quite behind on mitski’s recent releases so i can’t speak for any of her newer albums/songs. except for working for the knife musically it doesn’t hit as much as other songs of hers for me but lyrically it makes me go crazy

as for random music recs my most recently liked songs are unsweetened lemonade by amélie farren, army dreamers by kate bush, numb little bug by em beihold, would that i by hozier, the milk carton by madilyn mei, and comme des enfants by cœur de pirate. i have not really been “listening” listening to anything lately! though that will change in a few days with wisdom saga >:)

— sleepover saturday sunday!

[1d1195]

IF YOU WANT TO ONLY PLAY 1D AND THEIR SOLO WORKS AT YOUR WEDDING YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT IN THE WORLD i heard an orchestral version of “falling” once and wowwwwwww that thing was BEAUTIFUL ikkk it’s not really a love song 😭😭 BUT STILL i could totally see someone walking down the aisle to that. (potential orchestral songs: sign of the times, and infinity; also ‘black and white’ and ‘i want to write you a song’ were made to be played at a wedding) but seriously if i ever heard abt someone only playing one direction band and solo songs at their wedding i would think they��re the coolest person in the world

I LOVE HOW YOU POINTED OUT MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE SONGS OMG totally real abt going off the grid if that song was about you, i said that about “the smallest man who ever lived” by taylor swift because omggggg😶😶😶 when i first heard it i was SHOOK😭 i was watching tv the other day and this song started playing and it reminded me sm of you !! it’s called “Big Jet Plane (Acoustic)” by Angus & Julia Stone

GIRL I HOPE YOU HAVE THE MOST RELAXING & DETOXING SUMMER OF ALL TIME YOU DESERVE IT🫡🫡🫡 spending time with your friends sounds great !! even if it is dinner on weeknights (which sounds like a blast to me idk) IVE BEEN READING YOUR POSTS ABT YOUR BOYFRIEND GETTING INTO WRITINF AND ITS SOOO FUNNY TO ME HAHAHDAHABAH “i don’t think you like writing that much.” SIR ???? HAVE YOU READ PROTECTION !:!;?3??—?-?-? OR ANY OF YOUR WORKS FOR THAT MATTER BABDJSHAH and the whole dialogue thing 😭😭 girl how do you not bust out laughing ???😭😭

things have been quiet on my end too, after the wedding i’ve literally just been home at the time lol one of my closest friends broke her phone so i haven’t even been talking to anyone much butttt im hoping to hit the bookstore over the weekend so do you have any recs ? what are your favorites ?

hope you have a great weekend sam, love you !!!! <333

~🎶

In case my blog wasn't obvious I Want To Write You a Song is one of my FAVORITE songs of 1D I think I would cry like a baby if I heard it at a wedding. But I also think I can only reserve it for my marriage to Harry (it's a song for us). My funeral is also just everyone going to be sitting there and listening to 1D and solo albums. It's how I want to be honored. I think I would spontaneously catch on fire if I heard one of those songs at a wedding--Black and White especially.

Taylor is so real for that--good for her. I've been listening to Big Jet Plane for the last twenty minutes or so! It's really sweet. Very love at first sight of them 👀 I think I could do something with it! 💕

my bf hasn't a CLUE that I'm a "writer." It's really hard to keep a straight face sometimes. I have to tell him things like I took a creative writing class in high school (I didn't) when I want to suggest ANYTHING to help. But honestly, I think he's a really good writer on his own. Prone to overthinking it. I usually just reference some of my favorite books and such. I would kms if he read one of my stories tbh. This is like a diary for me. I don't want anyone I know in my personal life to know about it 😂

I like to do NOTHING on my weekends. But other people don't feel that way I guess. Idk hahaha I'm just a little different I guess heheheheI just hit the bookstore myself! For once I didn't buy anything--a miracle really. But I do have some suggestions. I made this post when someone asked about book recs before. I stand by this list COMPLETELY. But I can add a few more as well!

Normal People by Sally Rooney -- the actual way the book is written is a little confusing tbh (no quotation marks during dialogue) but it really holds up to the show as well. Not sure if you've seen it but I would highly recommend both.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow -- a little long at times but I overall enjoyed it! Cool premise and I thoroughly enjoyed the relationships between the sisters and such.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey -- one of the hardest books I've ever read, but actually really good. The movie was pretty accurate to it as well if I recall correctly. It was pretty sad though so don't read it if you're having a good time.

That's all I really got right now. I probably have more to recommend but I've been bringing books I finish that I don't plan on rereading my work and leaving them for other people to take to clear room on my bookshelf. I also give the ones I DO want back to my sister to read so we have something to talk about hehehehe

Hope you enjoy the bookstore! Let me know what you get!

xoxo

P.S. it's a guilty pleasure of mine but I read this book My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick the MC's name is Sam and she falls in love with the boy next door and there is a LOT of drama as well but the falling in love part is... 👌 it's a YA and came out in like 2012 and I'm putting it here in the P.S. because it's been years since I've read it, but I've never read a book where my name was the MC's name. But I think about it a lot. It's in a box under my bed along with other favorite novels of mine from my YA adventures that I can't part with. (Also, a quick Google Search says you can't buy it in Barnes and Noble--at least not near me) but I wanted to recommend it anyway.

[naneun-no]

7 Things

🌸🕺🏻🥊💟🩲🫦👖

(My thoughts are scattered lately so here are seven strays, if anyone actually reads this lmk your thoughts!)

🌸 1. Was listening to Wild Flower and was reminded once again how much I wish Jimin could have sung the chorus 🤣 I totally get why he didn’t, I get that it was RM’s thing, and it’s really cool how many different artists he was able to collab with for Indigo. I just can totally hear Jimin belting in his indie-girl voice when I hear youjeen and it makes me wistful. I know I’m not the only one.

🕺🏻2. Speaking of indie-girl voice, I’m trying to manage expectations for JM’s album but I love his voice and vibe so much I’m having a hard time tempering my excitement. I’m sorta hoping for some sort of fusion of Prince, FINNEAS, the song Promise and Jimin’s verse in Vibe 😅 but also, I’m looking forward to being surprised. What about y’all?

🥊 3. I’m cracking up, Jimin is still shameless. Out there for everyone to see talking that flirty shit all “Keep growing and protect hyung 🥺”, bitch —

💟 This might piss people off, but 4. I had kind of written off Dreamers after listening to it a few good times when it first came out. It was okay to me, but just that. Okay. After watching the Bangtan Bomb for Dreamers I’m way more into the song, and can I just say — that is Big Hit’s entire marketing scheme in a nutshell and I can’t stress that enough. I’m even aware of it, and it still works like a charm on me. Cause like, that second verse of Dreamers is almost objectively bad. The weird rap-sing combo with meaningless lyrics that does absolutely nothing to support the lofty beauty of the chorus. And that’s not Jung Kook’s fault, he didn’t write it, but imo, it’s still a pretty mediocre submission to the world history of recorded music. But seeing JK in the studio stressing and poring over the sheets and doing his best and learning the choreo and working his ass off makes me listen to it with rose-colored… eardrums (bad metaphor sorry) and next thing I know I’m jamming to it while I clean the kitchen, singing along to that second verse like it’s poetry. So it’s as a good a time as any to remember that while BTS does in fact make good music, sometimes very good music, not all of it is equally good* — and some of it is very close to being not good at all — but we are conditioned to like it anyways because we love the seven men who are making it. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Just… you know. We should probably recognize it, at least occasionally. *I realize Dreamers isn’t a BTS song, but the same applies to certain ones they’ve made/collaborated on. Thoughts?

🩲5. Are we all ready to accept that JK is not going to be the next face of CK? Lol. I guess it could still happen, but I sort of began to doubt it when my boy was downing beer and scarfing chicken two nights in a row. We know that ain’t the way he eats when he has a photoshoot coming up, lol. Even if it wasn’t Jung Kook, CK still got themselves an itty bitty waist big eyed beauty though, so I’ll be respectfully enjoying myself some Jennie in her underwear for the time being 😘

The last two are song recs:

🫦 6. Trigger, Seori. From 2020.

Or do you wanna bite my lips and taste my blood? Come be dirty with me.

*shivers in bisexual*

👖7. Hurt, New Jeans.

Not as depressing as the title makes it sound!

If you made it this far, I need song/musician recs too. Send me some?

Until next time ✌️

[ghoulphile]

oooh i love when music gets brought up rubs my hands together kekeke

the world ender by lord huron -- lh in general -- is so cooper coded i do NOT GAF what anyone else has to say . ^ the whole strange trails album if you think ab it i guess ,, setting sun also has major coop vibes yk !?

pspsp d you do emoji anons ?

i love love love music recs so the more the merrier ❤️!!

the world ender is on my coop playlist but i haven't listened to any other lord huron songs so i'll def be checking out that album~ the vibes of that song just hit so well imo.

okay but oof "is he ready to die for you, baby?/naw, but you know i was/i'm fond of living/but i would have given it all for the girl i love?" that kind of devotion is absolutely cooper!!!

and yes! i'm more than happy to do emoji anons (just lowkey didn't know i had so many different people sending me asks now im gonna go cryyyy cuz WHAT HOW I LOVE YOU🥹) 🥰

[apurikottotii]

april song recs!

bro i am about to die from stress (aps, college, LIFE???) but that's ok because i found so much banging music this month. trying to not feel sad by being busy af. but being busy also makes me sad. talking to other people make me sad. smh. idk man. however es milgram has entered my life and i am very happy for that (i love you pookie).

after looking at this list will you believe me if i say i don't like deco27?

--- hibana (es cover) - deco27

i think i listened to this song more than any other song i've listened to for the past YEAR. i need hibana (specifically the es cover) injected into my soul RIGHT NOW. it's so goddamn good. i love the chord progression, how es sings every line, the bridge, how much emotion there is, everything about the song. when es's cv whispers the words with the sung version layered with it my soul transcends. like every other deco27 song, of course it's a complicated song about love. but!!! but!!! i also love the "knock knock", etc. that starts every verse. it's so good. i also love HOW THERE'S A VERSE IN ENGLISH THAT IS SO COOL I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE UNTIL I READ THE LYRICS ASDFISDNFASN. when es sings "ah-ha-ha" i go IUFAINDASIFNASIDASUD. when i hear the background harmonies i go AISUDFNASDFOASDNFASMFAOS. personal favorite lyrics: "I don’t want to harbor a love that will never end" / "it’s “incomplete”, I’ll say it time and time again" / "amidst a love that missed hitting 'NO'" / "come on, melt me more properly!" i love you es.

--- the good child and the fox spirit - kikuo

guess who finally listened to this song after it being on my "to listen" list for months because of a milgram animatic. listen, when you're starved for content you gotta do what you gotta do. anyways, that animatic is so fire i love it so much but this is not about the animatic. I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH. it's so catchy and creepy and the notes slide into each other so well i can't believe kikuo never had formal music theory education.

--- string theocracy - mili

this shit is CRAZY. at first i didn't notice that it was in english because of the distinctive sort of "j-pop" style, but as i listened closer, my brain exploded. it's so jazzy, so fun and the lyrics are really really profound and moving. this song supports my argument that songs in english are not inherently cringe- it's just that they've been molded into a specific style that sounds really cringe. personal favorite lyrics include: "if you're gonna control me, at least make it interesting theatrically" / "if you're gonna replace me, at least have the audacity to kill me throughly" / "and if you love me, can you love your everything too, for me?" i also love the reference to "do androids dream of electric sheep" awww yeah. it's just such a fun listen and it's so indie. makes me feel so... asdfnsf. did i mention it's SO JAZZY???

--- half (es cover) - deco27 (milgram)

--- liar dance - deco27

--- android girl (haruka cover) - deco27

--- diary of underage observation - kurage-p

honorable mentions: little party never killed nobody (i love the great gatsby okay), happy synthesizer (i need to listen to more classics- i did not expect this and kimagure mercy to sound so good but they absolutely SLAP), sobakasu (this song makes me :( when i listen man... reminds me of an old friend. i absolutely love the timbre of the singer's voice- it's so RAW. i've never heard a song with more emotion)

[garden-ghoul]

Okay here finally is the music meme @blotthis tagged me in. I don't know what Spotify likes are so I tried to approximate them by listening to a bunch of Bandcamp albums someone on cohost recced a while ago. I chose my favorite song from each album, in order I have them bookmarked. It's been a fun exercise in reshaping my mind to a diverse set of aesthetic paradigms so I can try to understand what each musician sees in their own music. That said. Some of these I'd be reccing anyway.

Points At Head from This Year I Lose My Mind by 2 Mello. Music that makes me wish I had more genre vocabulary. Energetic, funky, hiphoppy I guess?? Jazzy. Has kind of a C2C/Destroid vibe. We're grooving. I like this album.

Oh My God from Shabrang by Sevdaliza. Dark, breathy, synthy. Sevdaliza does fun stuff with autotune and other vocal mods as well as having a lot of great beats. Honestly I'd love to hear more of her unmodified voice in this track because she's a great vocalist. This is a good album if you want to get kind of chill and introspective and weird.

Owens from Little Robert Hutton by Curly Castro. One of the slower starts on a very maximalist album. Curly Castro is doing some fantastic collage here; I like how he plays with samples, clearly pulling from classic DJing on vinyl. I don't know enough about modern rap to compare the vocals to anything but Doomtree, RIP.

Withering Fire from Still as the Night, Cold as the Wind by Vital Spirit. Okay, I will confess I'm not enough of a metalhead to be able to distinguish any of these songs from each other. But as far as I can tell it's a good example of the genre, and if you need some big dramatic texturey noises this album is here for you.

Rock from Ez Minzoku by Foodman. I was having a hard time picking a song from this album, because a lot of it kind of sounds like someone mashing a midifighter loaded with the Earthbound soundfont. The album is hit or miss for me but as soon as I heard Rock I had to put it on this list. An exuberant electric guitar chiptune that's just weird enough for me.

The Mystery (Dilla's Still Here) from Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6 by Madlib. This album only has two songs you can listen to without buying it but on hearing this one I immediately started digging for his first album so I could listen to more of his music. More fun with samples; this is what I might call chillhop if I weren't so aware how boring most chillhop is. From Wikipedia's page on him, no-one's really sure how to categorize him because he's fusing so many genres.

The Great Mist Within from The Great Mist Within by Auriferous Flame. See I said I wasn't enough of a metalhead for Vital Spirit but actually I am a metalhead now. I really like Auriferous Flame's chords and I am gaining appreciation for the textural nature of black metal. I didn't make it all the way through any of these songs but I would if I were just leaving the album playing while I draw.

Son of Man from Rice Field Silently Riping in the Night by Reiko Kudo. I feel like this is one of the best tracks to show off how Kudo thinks about sound, with the different instruments kind of detuned from each other. This whole album is sort of like a distorted reflection of "normal music." Despite occasional loud honking noises it's pretty chill. I enjoyed the description of the recording process at the bottom of the page.

Dance Now from The Forever Story by JID. If you listen to one hiphop album this year, it should be this one. Every single track is a flawless gem with no missing pieces and nothing unnecessary, so the specific song I picked is just the first one I really started jamming out to. Very slick but not overproduced, fantastic beats, fantastic rhymes, wonderful vocals, great instrumentation. I can't coherently talk about the vibe of this album, just listen to it.

Cruise Control from 2000 by Joey Badass. As you may have noticed, I tend to be into chill wavey hiphop, which is why I chose this song off 2000. I really like the outro, it has a classic jazz piano thing going on. This is a hard album to review because I think I'd be more into it if I hadn't just listened to THE PERFECT ALBUM. Ah well. It's good.

[colorisbyshe]

If you like music like that tiktok, do you have any recs?

I'm not gonna stick just to the ~sensual lady singer, wolfish male "rapper" songs but I guess I can give recs of the sort of same energy music from that era, like music that puts you in the headspace to accept that into your heart.

But if you want artists that fit the "sweet lady/sexy man" dichotomy, just listen to Aqua or Toybox. For aqua, fuck Barbie Girl, try "Roses are Red" or "Lollipop (Candy Man)" and for Toybox "Tarzan & Jane" or "Best Friend"

Or just look up DDR music

This list goes from closer to the request and then kinda hits scatter shot of just "90s and 2000s dance music... or songs tht remind me of 90s and 2000s dance music" so... whoops

"Dream a Dream" Captain Jack

Vengaboys. Come on now. I shouldn't even hae to tell you which songs

"Beijo" Morandi

"Electropop" Jupiter Rising

"Bumble Bee" Bambee

"Perfect (Exceeder)" MAson, Princess Superstar

"I see Girls (Tom Neville Radio Edit)" Studio B

"Distance (M-Flo Remix)" Hikaru Utada

"Candy Pop" Heartsdales

"What is Love" Haddaway (it's a meme but also it still fucks)

"Be My Lover" La Bouche

"Just About Enough" Sarina Paris

"You're my Angel" or "Heaven" DJ Sammy

"Kylie" Akcent

"Ike Ike" Hinoi Team

"Summerlove" S-Connection (also try the Scorccio Edit)

"Butterfly" Smile.Dk

"Chocolate Disco" Perfume

"Hit My Heart" Benassi Bros

"Come... (Into my Dream)" Foggy

This one is a stretch but it's one of my faves of all time "Starlight" The Supermen Lovers

"Temptation" Harisu

"House Baby (Verano Radio Edit)" C-Bool

"Daddy DJ" Daddy DJ OR "Dota" by basshunter (OR "boten anna" by basshunter)

"Time to Rock (Roberto Molinaro Radio Mix)" Gabry Ponte or "80s Stars" by Eiffel 65

"Mr. Saxobeat" Alexandra Stan

"At the End" or "Rapture" iiO or "Pressure (Alesso Radio Edit)" by Nadia Ali

"Believe" Nami Tamaki

"Somnambulist" BT

"Anima Libera (Sweet Edit)" Emi

"Bad Boy" Cascada

"Call on Me" or "Generate" Eric Prydz

"Out of Touch" Uniting Nations

Obviously, songs like "Better off Alone" and "Sandstorm" don't need to be said here

"I Could be the One" Avicii, Nicky Romero

"Gotta Get Thru This (D'N'D Remix)" Daniel Beddingfield

"Destination Calabria" Alex Gaudino

"Fancy Footwork" Chromeo

"Angels (Love is the Answer)" Morandi

That was jus ta fast skim through my music and whatever reminded me of ~that era but again it's a veeeery scattershot look