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I feel like this outgoing summer was sort of a weird period for me, as far as music listening habits went. I’m usually pretty regularly poking around for new music and burning through it, and sometimes even regularly jotting down my thoughts and notes about each release as I get to it. But the last few months… I don’t know. I found myself listening to more baseball games and podcasts, or returning to older music when I was in a listening mood. And I very much wasn’t usually taking any notes or making observations about it like I normally do.
I don’t know, maybe it’s a minor case of burnout? I know I’ve been joking about how I need to make these playlist articles a little less overwhelming, so maybe this is the chance to really try and enforce that. I usually try and dig into as many of the inclusions as I can, which is why these things can reach the word and page counts that I do. But maybe I can ease off a little (in another change, I’m actually writing the intro first this time to get myself into a writing headspace, rather than at the end to try and wrap it all up).
For all that hedging, I did actually find new stuff that I enjoyed! And I still really do want to make this playlist and write this article about it! I’ve loved making these; they’re great little time capsules of points in my life, and going back to look at what I was listening to and read my thoughts is a fun thing to do from time to time. I still kind of regret the little stretch from 2019-2020 when I wasn’t publishing anything like this*, and I’d like to avoid that happening again.
*And I probably won’t put out a make-up list for that era like I once thought I might, but I did at least do my normal preliminary work for them, so I can’t rule it out either. But if nothing else, I have stuff to reference on my end.
We’ll see how that manifests in the writing, maybe just starting the article will spur a whole bunch of thoughts that I’ve been subconsciously holding in. I was feeling lost trying to decide what my favorite albums or songs of the summer were until I started doing my normal playlist plotting and article brainstorming, and then ideas started to click into place. Maybe I’ll have more to say than I realized. No way to know unless I start somewhere, though.
As per usual, I have both YouTube and Spotify Playlists available for listening along. And a large number of these artists are on Bandcamp, which if you purchase music, remains the best way to support your favorites directly. The site even occasionally waives their cut of sales (we just passed a Bandcamp Friday at the start of September, but there is another one coming up on October 2nd, plus two more left in the year after that for the first Fridays of November and December).
Anyway, here are those playlist embeds, before we jump into the article version of the playlist:
The notes on what’s missing: 7mai isn’t on either YouTube or Spotify. The tracks from Battery Operated Orchestra, alpha, and ok seashells are on YouTube, but not Spotify. And Scarlet Bandit is also only on YouTube, but one of the songs I added was a cover that appears to be exclusive to the Bandcamp release (of Shania Twain’s “I’m Holdin’ On to Love (to Save My Life)”, specifically, if you’re interested), so I’m substituting one of their originals, “Goin’ Out Tonite”, onto the YouTube playlist instead.
It’s weird, just looking over my preliminary list of songs to cover before I really dive in; I was worried I wouldn’t have anything to talk about here, but there really was a lot of stuff that I enjoyed listening to over the last four months! I thought that I listened to less music than I normally do, but now I’m not sure. Maybe I was just less active in seeking out new stuff, maybe I just played the stuff I liked on repeat less than normal, maybe I was just busy with other things. I do know there was what felt like a stretch where I didn’t see any new stuff that interested me, but that shifted hard around the end of July and start of August for whatever reason.
Also, another thing that stands out to me is that the electropop and synthpop stuff ruled hard here. It’s not surprising, that’s generally one of my favorite genres to go looking through, but I felt like I was in a dry spot finding good stuff for my last few playlist articles in favor of indie rock or power pop or post-punk or stuff like that, but this time, the synth-driven stuff just took over. Including the stuff at the top…
Editing note: Okay, so, returning to this intro after writing most of the piece and starting to clean it up, I’m realizing that this piece didn’t wind up that much shorter than normal, maybe about three-quarters my usual length. It’s a start, I guess. At least it helped spur me out of my writer’s block.
The Playlist as an Article:
MunaI was wondering what would be my “Favorite Album of the Summer” pick for a bit, and then I actually went and started my pre-writing note taking process and realized that it was very clearly ‘Dancing on the Wall’, Muna’s fourth album. It feels really weird that I even forgot it, it was easily the album I listened to the most, and it was one of the things I stayed locked into during that July dry spell of discovery that I mentioned. Honestly, that might be part of the problem, it came out right after my last article and I had to go double check that it hit my cut-off.
But the other issue might just be that it’s really good in a way that didn’t give me an easy hook to talk about. Muna’s last three albums were all at the top of my personal list for the cycles they came out in, so this wasn’t a change. Is it a notable departure in style? No, not really; Muna has come back after four years to deliver more of their usual synth-driven alternative-pop. Is it a major improvement or change in quality? Nope, I enjoyed it at least as much as their last album, 2022’s self-titled; they killed it, just like they always do. Is it their best album? …I don’t think so? Honestly, I did a couple re-listens of their discography because ‘Dancing on the Wall’ got me in the mood, and even when I went in with the idea of ranking them, I usually just came out of it saying “I dunno, they’re all good, they all have their moments!” I think I still would rank their debut ‘About U’ at the top, but I also believe that’s as much an argument about my nostalgia and it being my introduction to them (although that four song run at the start of the LP is also still pretty legendary, in my mind).
I don’t know, should there be more to it than that? Do they need to be changing it up or something? We’re four albums in after a decade, so it’s not like we’re absolutely flooded with Muna music, and it’s all pretty high quality (honestly, I wouldn’t mind more frequent releases, but I also recognize that you have to give people time to miss you). They’ve only risen in popularity with each release, which is very deserved, so I don’t think there’s a pressing need to change it up either, nor any sense that they’ve reached oversaturation.
From the moment the title track dropped, I’ve been excited for this new record, and it lived up to that. I included “Dancing on the Wall” last playlist so it won’t be here again, but that’s fine because the next two pre-release singles were also bangers, and “So What” is definitely going on the list. Putting it on and hearing the twinkling opening of “It Gets So Hot” just kept me excited when the record actually dropped. The album cuts are just as good, to the extent we can call any song an “album cut” in the streaming age; in fact, the only chart activity from the album is “Eastside Girls” making New Zealand’s Hot 100, for some reason? I mean, it’s deserved, that track rips (and I will be putting it on the list), with its buzzy synth and floating chorus vocal line, it’s just weird. I’ll also put in a good word for “Girl’s Girl”, which feels like a refinement of “Solid” (one of my favorite album cuts from their last record).
I know that I keep saying this, but it’s just all really good, in a way that’s hard to talk about! But I listened to it a lot all sumer and enjoyed myself! Sometimes that’s all you need in music. I could wonder about what it means for them or where Muna goes next or whatever, but the more I tried to come up with something there, the more pointless it felt. I’ve gotten four really good albums from them, and I’m excited for whatever comes next, whenever that happens; there’s no need to really worry about it until then.
Tiffany Day
I was riding high off Ninajirachi’s ‘I Love My Computer’ from the end of 2025 for the last few months, so when I heard some buzz calling Tiffany Day’s new album ‘Halo’ like the American version of Ninajirachi, I had to check it out right away.
And… I see where those comparisons are coming from. And part of selling a new artist is finding out comparisons that make people interested in checking them out. I do kind of think those connections are relying a little too much on surface similarities… But in the grand scheme of things, I can’t really complain very much, because ‘Halo’ legitimately rocks in its own right! I guess I’m glad that people found a way to get listeners like me to check her out right away?
Granted, they’re not that big of a difference, even if I think it is noticeable in sum. Putting it into words, I would guess it’s that Ninajirachi comes to things from electronic production, and while she does dip into more pop-like songwriting and sounds, large stretches of her album are also not that, and songs will be structured around drops or breaks. Meanwhile in ‘HALO’, Tiffany Day feels like a bedroom pop artist flexing into more electronic and dance sounds and instrumentation? (I say “flexing”, but these are also pretty clearly not her first foray into these things, they’re much too experienced). These are all fairly standard pop songs in writing and structure, albeit very good ones! I can imagine songs like “SAME LA” or “AMERICAN GIRL” existing in more stripped-down, acoustic versions, just voice and piano or guitar, even if I think those versions would lose something without their barrage of synths and beats and frenetic overall production.
I think it also shows in topic, too; both of them are very much about growing up in modern times and the normal anxieties thereof filtered through the online world, ‘HALO’ is written in a way that feels much more broadly applicable; the specificity was part of the charm of ‘I Love My Computer’, but there’s definite appeal to a more timeless approach too, I think. I appreciate both styles really; I think that’s what I keep coming back to, for all the superficial comparisons, I think they’re completely different, and can comfortably exist alongside each other without overlap. And it helps that the production is excellent, just as big and full as you would want, in a way that feels like it envelops you and pulls you into the sonic world that it’s creating, before speeding you along like a roller coaster. I think there are plenty of individual bangers and bops to make this one of the best releases of the year (this was another one where trimming down to just a few for this list felt hard), and even the few tracks that I might only rate a 7 or 8 out of 10 are both good enough and feel so a part of the whole that they are just as big and important in the moment. All in all, this album feels like a statement, an arrival of a major talent, and I’m curious to see where Day goes next (in the meantime though, I might go back and check out her first album, since I thought this was her debut until researching this piece).
Gelli Haha
Look, I can be a sucker for a good high-concept pitch, especially if that pitch gives you a distinct sound and you nail it. ‘Switcheroo’ by Gelli Haha absolutely stood out when I stumbled on it while browsing Bandcamp because it sounded appealing, but also because not many things sound like it, and that really grabs your attention when you’re just browsing. The album’s description says “somewhere between Studio 54 and Area 51”, which doesn’t do a bad job of introducing it. I’ve said it sounds like the soundtrack to a circus-themed night club, I think that nails it even more.
I imagine that’s not really the pitch for everyone, there’s probably some elements that are just going to grate on you if it’s not your thing, a lot of weird flourishes that give it that distinctive character. But even if you’re on the fence, I’d recommend giving it a shot, because it’s a fun, bouncy, interesting record with a lot of good tracks. And at its best, it’s got some undeniable electropop dance bangers that I think will appeal even if it doesn’t sound like your thing. Really, I think that’s every track at their root, it’s mostly a question of how much quirky weirdness is mixed in alongside that base layer (with the most approachable ones limiting it to things like sound effects or unusual samples), but I also think that is part of the appeal, that the whole album has a very clear character. My only qualm might be that I wish there was one huge single in it as a sort of centerpiece, but I also think “Bounce House” is pretty close, and felt more and more like that on further listens! So maybe the whole record will rise in my evaluation even further with time as well.
Grace Ives
I missed that she had a new record out until I saw it on a few “Best Albums of The Year So Far” lists back in June, and was like, “Oh right, I liked her last record, I should check that out!” And yeah, everyone was right, ‘Girlfriend’ is a stellar album, I definitely listened to it a bunch back in June, but putting into words why was weirdly difficult? So I went back to see what I said about ‘Janky Star’ at the time, and got: “I keep coming back to it. I can’t really put into words why I do”.
Huh, okay, so this is a recurring issue for me, for some reason. I should try at least a little harder this time. Once again on ‘Girlfriend’, Ives is going for this sort of reserved bedroom pop sound, full of these sort of snatches of visions of relationships and dramas in various stages of growth and collapse. It’s funny, because everything here is just a bunch of synths, just like so much else on this list. But it still feels so distinct from most of that; I mean, synths are instruments just like everything else, but the juxtaposition really makes me appreciate that fact. The arrangements are these complex, layered things, with smooth lines that fit together without calling attention to themselves every time in the wider scope of the song, almost closer to stuff like chamber pop. That makes it feel both grand in scope but without going against that intimate “this is still just one person baring their soul, not a backing orchestra” feel. There are so many small musical lines that I’ll pick up on each relisten, and I love how free-wheeling some of these background synth lines can get under the melody, how they’ll suddenly turn clattering to draw attention at their big moment, then fade back. And Ives is at new highs as a songwriter here, I think; I don’t know if she’s written melodies as catchy or choruses as impactful as stuff like “Dance With Me” or “Stupid Bitches”.
The Crooked Stuff
You know, let’s get some juxtaposition here and just hit on the wider range of what you can do with synths, with Bay Area trio The Crooked Stuff and their (I think debut?) album ‘Synthetic Signals’. I don’t know that their self-description of “discopunks” is as on-the-nose as some of the other unique descriptions I’ve seen, but I do get where they’re coming from with it. It’s the kind of post-punk dance rock you’d see back in the 2000s, stuff like Franz Ferdinand or Bloc Party, but with the guitars swapped out for even more layers of jagged, angular synths that are just as entrancing in sound as they are initially harsh. But the whole time, it’s set over these perfect, danceable grooves that make you want to move, clashing with the sharp, cold electronic sounds (not to mention vocalist Tom Gorton’s sneering yelps) that give the whole thing a unique swagger. It's just such a cool juxtaposition that keeps working over the entire album without slowing down, and it’s actually kind of difficult to narrow it down to just a few songs here. I just kept coming back to it and getting the songs stuck in my head.
Slayyyter
After years on my list of “Artist that I’ve been meaning to check out more in-depth at some point”, I was pushed over the hump by the praise I was seeing for ‘WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA’, which was another one I saw popping up on mid-year lists. And yep, it’s a blast! A lineup of rollicking electroclash dance tracks with bits of hyperpop and industrial to really dirty things up, Slayyyter floors the gas from the drop, immediately grabbing your ear, and never really lets up as the record blasts through a messy, dirty night out. I think The Crooked Stuff makes for an interesting comparison, since both of them are definitely going for that sort of harsh, cutting electropop sound, but while their take sounds brutally sleek, Slayyter's version sounds grittier and grimier; some of that is definitely on things like lyrics and vocal delivery, but the synth voicings also contribute it ways that I can’t fully describe, it’s great. Thematically tight and full of anthemic bops, it definitely feels like one of the year’s standout albums.
C.O.N.
Brooklyn-by-way-of-Columbus-Ohio band Child of Night (which goes by C.O.N. just as often, including on the album’s Bandcamp page, so I went with that on the heading) was a great find, specifically their album ‘Conspiracy’ from this year. It’s a great dark synthwave album from start to finish, very easy to just turn on and power through thanks to the energy and hooks, with this cool, chilly vibe that feels like a modern take on a throwback sound. It also helps that the first track on the album is “Old Moons”, a perfect album statement that just feels like an instant classic, like something that should have always existed. The stark, bleeping synths and yearning plea of a chorus just work so well together, it’s the type of song I just listened to three or four times in a row the first time I heard it.
PRXZM
Last time, I covered Bay Area synthpop duo PRXZM on their 2024 rookie LP ‘Turn to the Sun’, which was a bright, shimmery record that felt like a natural fit for the late spring and early summer. And they seemed to be gearing up for their second album, ‘All I Can See’ in June, with some nice early singles... and then while looking up news about it, I learned that the duo had broken up??? That seemed like a worrisome twist…
My initial shock was actually overplayed. From what I can tell, it sounds like main singer and songwriter Emma Maidenberg was continuing with the name as a solo project, while Nick Ortega was stepping away from full-time duties while still continuing to do production with Emma; both are even still credited here, just like the first time. My guess is it mostly manifests in stuff like live performances or behind-the-scenes division of labor? But for the album’s sound, things continue more or less uninterrupted; ‘All I Can See’ is the kind of sophomore album that further refines and polishes the things that worked on the first record. All of the bright and sunny synths are even bigger, and I think the pop writing is even better; I think most of the deep cuts here more than stand out on their own. It’s a little on the short side at just eight tracks, but every track is very strong, so you could also call it a lean affair. Overall, it was a perfect pairing with its predecessor for a summer listen!
Sugar Nova
I covered Sugar Nova’s first album here, and I liked it enough, but I had kind of forgotten about it in the three years since. So their follow-up ‘House of the Jaguar’ (plus a few bonus singles that accompanied it) was a very pleasant surprise! It’s a catchy little Nu-Disco album, and it felt perfect for summer nights; catchy, lush arrangements, energetic with just enough down-time to change things up. I just kept finding myself throwing it on when I wanted something to listen to.
Instant Crush
A while ago (back in my first playlist of 2024, it looks like?), I covered a few singles from a Seattle-area pop-punk band called Instant Crush; they only had a half-dozen songs or so, but I enjoyed them all. I didn’t really see any follow-up on that, because getting news about new releases is difficult, but I apparently missed that they released their debut album ‘I’m Sorry I Didn’t Bite My Tongue’ later that year. Thankfully, news of the deluxe re-release from the start of this year crossed my ears somehow, and it’s a good introduction to their deal: all the raw emotion and angst and strong melodies and anthemic choruses you’d expect from a mid-2000s emo band, but with the sort of darker, post-punk edge to that sound that makes it feel a little less adolescent, like someone a little older tapping into that younger angst that never went away with a little more maturity. It’s a very strong first entry, the kind that makes me want to keep tabs on where they go from here (hopefully, with more success this time…).
G Flip
Playlist regular The Beaches dropped a deluxe version of the previously-covered ‘No Hard Feelings’ with new tracks, which I featured here. But while looking through their new releases, I saw a collaboration with an Australian artist named G Flip, which led to me checking out their 2025 record ‘Dream Ride’, a self-described “‘80s Butch Springsteen fantasy”. And… yeah, I think Flip mostly nails that pitch, this sounds like a lesbian delivering their take on that ‘Born in the USA’ sound. Like I said, I’m a sucker for a high concept, especially one playing off things I already enjoy! You got good driving energy, some big anthems, stadium-sized emotions, everything you might want from that initial idea.
Madeon
Madeon is back with his first album in seven years, with ‘Victory’. It… feels like a bit of change-up for him, in ways that feel hard to describe, although maybe that’s just my lack of experience with the various stripes and microgenres of electronic music. I’ve definitely seen other people describe it as a shift, though, so at least I’m not alone there. One weird comparison I keep thinking of: I know some people, including Charli XCX herself, were selling her new release ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ as “a rock album”. And… sorry, I just didn’t buy it. It just felt like her normal dance pop stuff, but using samples of guitars sometimes.
But ‘Victory’, now this felt like a rock record, even if it didn’t use as many guitars or other more traditional rock instrumentations and sounds.* I thought it might just be the kinda punk-ish opener “Hi!” setting the mood and influencing my memories, but on re-listen, those feelings kept cropping up even leaving that aside (and there were more guitars/guitar samples than my memories said, too; perhaps it was much more about fitting those sounds into its sound, rather than conspicuously trying to call attention to them?).
It also kind of reminds me of the direction Porter Robinson went on his last album ‘Smile! :D’, even if the end result isn’t quite the same sound. And just browsing Wikipedia’s genre tags (which can be all over the place, but aren’t a bad starting place sometimes), I see Madeon’s last albums tagged as “Nu-Disco” and this one tagged as “New Rave”, and I don’t know if those genre labels are picked to call to mind the pop music transition from Disco to New Wave, but that movement also feels like an apt comparison, just transposed to within the space of electronic music.
*While I’m on the subject, I think Slayyyter also hit this mark a little closer than Charli, to be honest.
Frost Children
I cover a few of the electronic artists here explicitly dipping into more 2000s sounds, but Frost Children might be my favorite of them. It’s only for a few songs, their new EP ‘Tweaker Poem’, but give them time, they’re productive; they might have yet another full album of this sound out in six months, who can say. It is a little funny that these feel like the closest fit for the style, but they are still dance-pop songs with full verses and choruses and all that, given that I think a lot of the era I’m thinking of was pretty minimal on those fronts, usually relying on just a few looped samples and such. They’re pretty good angsty, emo-y lyrics too, which I guess is kind of a 2000s throwback in its own way, just to other genres. My personal enjoyment of juxtaposition probably also knocks this release up a bit; it feels like just the brightest, highest-energy, laser-like synth lines cutting through the dark dance floor to choruses about depression and self-loathing and making the most of limited time together with someone you love. I dunno, I feel like I write about the Frost Children a lot on these lists, so maybe the takeaway is just that they’re good at this “making music” thing.
Carly Rae Jepsen
Longtime favorite of the blog Carly Rae Jepsen announced a double album coming on September 18th, so watch this space going forward. In the meantime, I’m including one of the singles for it, “Don’t Leave Me on the Dance Floor”. Edit: I took too long writing and editing this, the album is out as of Friday. No, I have not listened to it yet, I’ve been too busy finishing this piece.
Sombr
Just a single here, but “Homewrecker” is as strong as any of the singles on Sombr’s debut album (which I covered on my last playlist), maybe even better (given the general lull in pop radio right now, I’m totally down for calling it the song of the summer, since none of my personal picks for the title are big enough with the general public). I don’t know if this is the start of a sophomore album cycle, but it’s promising! Hopefully the end result lives up to what feels like an upwards trajectory so far.
Ninajirachi & Porter Robinson
A natural pairing, these two teamed up for the single “WannaCry”, which was another one of my favorite tracks. And it appears to have been a prelude to a new remix edition of Robinson’s last album “SMILE! :D”. I loved that one and would have been excited for just about anything new, but this is an especially exciting lineup for him to be working with!
Videomancer
I learned about Videomancer when her cute video of an exhausted, burnt-out low-poly Kasane Teto went viral, but it helps that the song the animation is attached to, “Seven Dollars”, is a legitimate banger. I’ve loved what I’ve heard from them so far, and expect to see more in these playlists going forward.
Portraits of Tracy
While I’m on the subject of “artists that I want to keep an eye on going forward”, there’s Portraits of Tracy, a.k.a. Tracy Amare. Her cumbersomely-named EP ‘Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? A: MTV!’ is a pretty madcap five and a half songs with a winking sense of humor, shifting wildly between styles in a way that feels reminiscent of some of the weirder New Wave acts that populated the early days of the titular network (including the dome-hatted band being shouted out by that title).
Josaleigh Pollett, Namasenda
Some other cool pick-ups from “Best of Halfway Through 2026” Lists. Other people have written more in-depth stuff about them, so I’ll take that as an excuse to be briefer and lighten my workload a little. Josaleigh Pollett’s ‘If I Let It Quiet’ is a sweet little indie folk record that I loved listening to, even if I can’t quite put it into words why. And Namasenda’s ‘Limbo’ is a bit of a minor swerve from her past stuff; still hyperpop in its leanings, but a little more mellow and downtempo rather than the frantic high energy more common to the genre, working in some more 2000s electronic influences into its sounds. I don’t know that I like it as much personally, but it’s definitely an interesting take, and I appreciate that!
The Leaving
As a refresher from last time, The Leaving is the side project of Chvrches’s Martin Doherty (along with the band’s touring drummer and unofficial member Jonny Scott), and they dropped their album ‘Ultimate Buzz’ earlier this year. Every member of Chvrches has now released about an album’s worth of new music over the past few years, and as a big fan of the group, I’ve enjoyed all of them in their own ways. But my biggest takeaway from all of them is that it really feels like it showcases how much the band’s sound really is just the intersection of the trio’s influences.
It’s hard to put it exactly into words, and I’m sure working together brings out new elements from each of them creatively in ways that aren’t always obvious to listeners. But listening to all of these releases back to back, it really does feel like it just clicks together how Chvrches gets its signature style. My possibly oversimplified take is that while Lauren Mayberry’s solo album ‘Vicious Creature’ showed the pop inclinations and range of sounds, and Protection’s ‘SEEDS’ EPs showed Iain Cook’s electronic influences, ‘Ultimate Buzz’ is… kind of the “everything else” of Chvrches’ sounds?
That may sound dismissive, but I promise you it isn’t. It’s just layers of these lush synths and full, rolling soundscapes that all kind of just flow together, almost kind of like a shoegaze feel (I know that description’s gotten some overuse lately, but I think it fits here), and while I think Mayberry’s work was better at writing catchy pop hooks, Doherty is no slouch either in the songwriting sensibilities, with stuff like “Pray” and “Fluoxetine” standing out. The weird descriptor I kept coming back to for the album was “a smoother, more atmospheric Chvrches”, it’s probably the most similar to their normal output (possibly because it’s the closest to the band, given Scott’s involvement too?). And while I missed the quirky, jagged edges that Cook and Mayberry bring to the sound, I do think ‘Ultimate Buzz’ can easily stand on its own just as well! Now all that’s left is for the full unit to reunite for their fifth LP, which they have started aggressively teasing as of late.
Scarlet Bandit
I had high praise for throwback pop-punk/glam rockers Scarlet Bandit on their debut ‘Lose Your Blues’ when I covered it (back in 2024; I still go back to it, it’s a great rock album with a ton of huge bangers!). And I… think they released their sophomore album, maybe? They don’t officially call ‘Death of the Party’ that on their Bandcamp page, but it’s long enough to be an LP (not to mention it has a ton of bonus tracks, too). Most of it is tracks from EPs that have come out in the interim or bonus tracks from the Special Edition of ‘Lose Your Blues’ (plus a healthy mix of covers, including some fun choices), but those seem to have been taken down to make room for the full release? I don’t know, being an indie band is hard, I can’t blame an artist if they have to work up to an album over time like that. And while it lost something on surprise as a result, the tracks here are all still solid and work together well. They’re still killing it, writing fun rock bangers with an added edge of emotionality. I don’t know if the peaks are quite as high as the best tracks from the first record, but that’s a high bar considering how anthemic that one could get, while this one is mostly high-energy rockers.
Edit: I was looking at this album again while working on something else and realized the small print on the album art explicitly calls it “Extended Plays, B-Sides, and Rarities”. Whoops. I guess that answers my questions. Like I said though, it’s still a lot of fun, and I’m excited for their next proper LP!
Frutiger Dillon
I’ve kept listening to Gregory Dillon’s ‘Heaven Hates Me’, a dance pop record from late 2024 full of bangers that I covered in the last playlist. What I didn’t realize until browsing Bandcamp later is that he also has a side project, Frutiger Dillon, which has actually been his main focus this year. As the name suggests, it’s more inspired by electronic music of the 2000s; you can hear shades of stuff like “Better Off Alone” or “Fireflies”, and the album arts and song titles really give you a sense of the vibe he’s shooting for. The first few singles have been solid, and I’m curious to see if it comes together in a full album.
Cold Court
I don’t know how to describe ‘\(^_^)/’ by Cold Court (I believe it’s pronounced “(Hands Up)”, as that’s the only text in the Bandcamp description?). It’s… kind of electronic-glitch stuff? Kind of noise rock? But it’s relatively pop, at least by noise rock standards; like, there are actual hooks and melodies and song structures underneath it all, even if the Philadelphia duo loves soaking it all in overwhelming collages of abrasive sounds. It’s a lot of fun, though, especially if you liked that style of hyperpop that focused on throwing as much as possible into every moment. I can’t always make out the words underneath it all, but it’s usually delivered in hooks that are fun to try and decipher as you shout along to it, as the rest of the track clatters all around you.
Hannah Lew
Another one that I picked up from mid-year recommendations and enjoyed, Hannah Lew is a long-time indie rock veteran of the Bay Area making her solo debut in the form of a self-titled album. It’s another synth-heavy album, this time taking more from ‘80s new wave and twee pop inspirations. That chillier, more reserved sound isn’t always what I’m in the mood for, but this one is a very well-done version, making it the perfect listen for when I was feeling that style.
Casino Youth
We’ve got another debut record from a pop-punk quartet in ‘What Lies Ahead’,this one from the Bay Area’s Casino Youth. Another solid listen that makes me curious to see where they go from here; they’ve got the energy and brightness of one of the more radio friendly stuff, but keep things a little more complex musically, with fast-paced riffs and drum patterns and not as many big, catchy choruses. It actually doesn’t feel too far off from Scarlet Bandit, now that I think about it. Maybe if they made their songwriting a little more anthemic, it would be an even-closer fit? Again, I’d like to see where they go on a second record, with more experience now.
Lovers Lake
Synthwave has just become such a specific niche, and I kind of wonder if the subgenre has become too narrowly-defined, if there needs to be more innovation in the scene or something because it’s starting to sound a little too same-y. And then I’ll hear just the right selection, like Lovers Lake’s ‘Sky Valley’, and think of this tweet. Must music always be innovative? Is it not enough sometimes to throw something on and have it be catchy and grand and sound like it’s scoring some majestic sunset?
Indigo
While I’m on the synthwave train of thought, Indigo is back with her sophomore album, ‘Dreams’! I really enjoyed her self-titled debut album from back in 2022, and upon direct comparison… I think that one holds up a little better? I wish there was a little bit more variety in the sounds on this one, but other than that, the bones here are still very good, and I’m hopeful a third record can evolve things a little further!
Boys Go To Jupiter
‘Now You’re a Circle’ by Boys Go To Jupiter was the result of my searching Bandcamp for new, more-orchestral baroque pop stuff. My initial reaction was positive but not necessarily stick, but upon revisiting it for this piece, I noticed it had grown on me in my time apart; they have a very theatrical style, almost feeling like the soundtrack of a Broadway show at times. Really beautiful horns and strings and vocals fill everything out. I’m curious to see if it keeps growing on me at all, or if it has kind of topped out in that regard. If you’re not sure from the description, lead track “Sunshine (never trust anyone named jeanette)” might be a decent sampler, because I think it’s both a great song, big and exuberant in its soaring heights but with a great sense of humor, but also a fun overture for the full record.
The Trims
One thing I’ll occasionally do on Bandcamp is browse more local acts, which sometimes brings you smaller releases that might have been overlooked. And one of those discoveries this time was Bay Area band The Trims’ ‘Julian Street’. It’s a few years old (from early 2018, and still the group’s most recent release), so I’m not sure how active the group is anymore unfortunately, but I liked it! It’s a fun post-punk dance rock record, the kind of thing you might hear back in the 2000s alongside acts like Franz Ferdinand or LCD Soundsystem. I think the songwriting is strong, and the production is a nice middle point of sounding small-scale and at-home, but also polished. I’m not sure how realistic it is to expect a follow-up at this point, but I’ll definitely give it a spin if it happens!
Battery Operated Orchestra
Sometimes finding something new feels like stumbling into something unexpectedly bigger than expected? I just picked up Battery Operated Orchestra’s ‘Sea Views Soft Rains’ because I saw it on Bandcamp and liked how it sounded.The duo do a great job of living up to their name, using their cavalcade of analogue synthesizers to build these really full soundscapes that do feel almost orchestral. I can’t tell if this is a concept record; there is a general overarching theme to the record, trying to tell vignettes around an English town. I’m not sure if there’s an underlying narrative, or if their fuller arrangements just do a good job of making it feel like linked scenes in a movie. And on top of all that, this is apparently the duo’s eighth album? I don’t feel like I can guarantee a complete dive into their full discography right now, but I am definitely curious…
Beauty Sleep
One of the downsides of these playlists, when I really lock into one genre, is that it feels like things get a little lost in the shuffle among other similar things. Such is the case of Beauty Sleep, a duo from Northern Ireland whose sophomore record ‘The Whole Damn Cake’ crossed my path a few months ago after a late 2025 release. They’re another synthpop duo, which puts them in pretty deep company in my listening habits the last few months. It makes it tough to give them any superlatives, but I did still keep coming back to it. Their first extended release in over six years, it feels like the duo has some solid songwriting chops and greater ambitions, songs with gradually building arrangements and complexity alongside solid catchiness, and it makes me very curious to check in with them going forward. It feels like there’s a lot of potential here, like this group is announcing that they want to do bigger things going forward.
Some other quick thoughts:
Beach Bunny: I saw them live on their tour with The Beths, and it was a great time! They also have a few new singles that I caught up on and enjoyed; they seem more like leftover tracks from the last album that were released to celebrate going on tour rather than the start of a new album cycle entirely, but I’m still hoping for more new music to follow.
Bunny White: White dropped the single “Family Affair”, and it’s a good bonus track type of song for her album ‘The Higher the Hair, the Closer to God’ (which was already one of my standouts on the last playlist!).
Two Door Cinema Club: They apparently released some new songs in the last few years, and I just wasn’t aware? A pair of singles, plus a deluxe fifteenth anniversary of their debut record ‘Tourist History’. It’s interesting the stature that record specifically seems to hold in spaces that enjoy the indie rock and pop of circa-2010. I’ve liked all of their subsequent albums and feel like they get overlooked, but I also can’t deny that ‘Tourist History’ is still the record of theirs that I come back to the most.
Like Roses: Bay Area emo rockers Like Roses also have an album coming out in the next few months. I’ve enjoyed the early singles so far, so once again, expect to see more of them around here.
Similar Kind: I just love the sound of their new double single, “game of pool/the curtain”. Their jazz fusion-indie pop sound is done so well with such a warm, rich production. Not really sure what they did there, but it’s cool. (Also, I’m only including one of the two tracks, so that I still have something to include if they both get included on a future full LP).
While I’m discussing Playlist series mainstays who released interesting singles and may possibly be gearing up for fuller releases, I’ll also mention: Flavor Foley, unit.0, Milk Talk, Dethcaps, Father Koi, Indigo De Souza, KennyHoopla, Life Size Models, Sorry Darling, Megan McDuffee, and Maryze.
A lot of electronic artists will just do single releases, so I have less of an idea if these are preludes to fuller releases. But we do also have new singles here from Playlist regulars Snail’s House, Sponzi, Andora, alpha, and Bad Snacks. Additionally, they’re new to me, but I’m also including singles by Discoholic and Teirrel here as well. And I’m throwing in Sam Gellaitry’s “Assumptions”, a bop from a few years ago that I learned about as it saw renewed popularity online.
7mai: Japanese kawaii future bass producer 7mai is back with the second EP in their new series, ‘Fruit Basket: Orange’. I can never tell how much of this is me being subconsciously led by the titles, but I did think this one was brighter, bubblier, and a little sharper in sounds? So yeah, I would say it’s a fitting title.
Funkcuts: I found a few of their singles on Bandcamp and had to check that they weren’t a Chromeo side project or something, but no, they’re a Japanese duo making groovy funk. I only started with a couple of their songs, but I should go back through their backcatalog.
Dirt Flirt: Another find from down in the Bandcamp genre tags, I enjoyed the two EPs I picked up of up-and-coming singer Dirt Flirt. Just some solid R&B-leaning alt-pop. We’ll see if an album is on the way next.
Devvy Dub: One I picked up from the local alternative station’s new music recommendations, Dub is a Bay Area act who’s working on that throwback 2000s indie rock sound. “Vision” has a sharp, buzzing edge, and feels like it could be a breakout single.
Bleachers: Yeah, I dunno. I liked ‘everyone for ten minutes’ more than the previous self-titled Bleachers album, but I’m still not nearly as on-board with recent Bleachers as I was the first three records, for whatever reason. Maybe this is one I’ll appreciate more upon revisiting down the line (which happened for album #3, but was not really the case for the last one).
Following up on backlog dives from previous playlists:
PinkPantheress: I went back to her first album ‘Heaven Knows’ since I was so high on ‘Fancy That’ last time, and it was a fine debut. I definitely prefer the newer record, and hope that’s more indicative of her future direction.
Broke Royals: I also went through more of their back catalog, which included their 2022 LP ‘Local Support’ and interim EPs ‘Big Dream’ and ‘Games You Play’. All of them were good, although I think they didn’t quite reach the soaring heights of ‘Campr’. I’m still excited to see where they go from here, though, it’s neat seeing their ambitions grow over time. Also, we got some surprise appearances from fellow D.C. area icon Bartees Strange, which is neat.
Charly Bliss: It’s been a minute since I went back through their stuff, but I finally hit the EP and singles they released in between their first and second album. I miss the larger body of work the albums provide, but the individual tracks are all great here! Even on the non-album stuff, they write songs and hooks that get stuck in your head so naturally. It somehow feels like something that should have just existed in the pop and rock soundscape for years; like, I could have sworn that “Heaven” was either a rock take on an old pop standard, or a pop take on an ‘80s alt-rock track that I wasn’t familiar with, but nope, it was an original!
We’ve got a few more songs at the end of the playlist too, and I’ll list the full thing in text form here in a minute. But before then, I’ll once again offer the chance to sign up for the Out of Left Field mailing list! I have a lot of fun writing these and seeing other people listen to the stuff I like, so I’d love to see more people checking them out! As I said before, this is only to receive notifications when I release a new article, like the inevitable End of 2026 Playlist piece that will be dropping in a few months’ time. And who knows, maybe I’ll even break out another video game article before then, or a music article that isn’t a seasonal playlist. I have a few ideas on the backburner right now; this way, you’ll be the first to know if that happens!
| Artist | Song | Release |
|---|---|---|
| MUNA | Eastside Girls | Dancing on the Wall |
| MUNA | So What | Dancing on the Wall |
| MUNA | Girl's Girl | Dancing on the Wall |
| Tiffany Day | SAME LA | HALO |
| Tiffany Day | COPYCAT | HALO |
| Tiffany Day | AMERICAN GIRL | HALO |
| Gelli Haha | Normalize | Switcheroo |
| Gelli Haha | Bounce House | Switcheroo |
| Gelli Haha | Tiramisu | Switcheroo |
| Grace Ives | Avalanche | Girlfriend |
| Grace Ives | Dance With Me | Girlfriend |
| Grace Ives | Stupid Bitches | Girlfriend |
| The Crooked Stuff | Decimator | Synthetic Signals |
| The Crooked Stuff | Cold Anthem | Synthetic Signals |
| The Crooked Stuff | Thunderbolt II | Synthetic Signals |
| Slayyyter | DANCE… | WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA |
| Slayyyter | CANNIBALISM! | WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA |
| Slayyyter | OLD TECHNOLOGY | WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA |
| C.O.N. | Old Moons | Conspiracy |
| C.O.N. | Complacent | Conspiracy |
| PRXZM | All I Can See | All I Can See |
| PRXZM | Easy Ask, Easy Answer | All I Can See |
| PRXZM | Play It Cool | All I Can See |
| Sugar Nova | Darkness Turns to Dawn | House of the Jaguar |
| Sugar Nova | Beauty of Empty Space | House of the Jaguar |
| Sugar Nova ft. The Main Squeeze | It's All Gold | single |
| instant crush | GRUDGE | I'M SORRY I DIDN'T BITE MY TONGUE |
| instant crush | CALL ME CRAZY | I'M SORRY I DIDN'T BITE MY TONGUE |
| instant crush | ALL YOUR FRIENDS | I'M SORRY I DIDN'T BITE MY TONGUE |
| The Beaches | Hypothetical | No Hard Feelings (Deluxe) |
| G Flip & The Beaches | LEZ GO! | single |
| G Flip | Disco Cowgirl | Dream Ride |
| G Flip | Bed of Fire | Dream Ride |
| Madeon | Hi! | Victory |
| Madeon | Dancing On Your Grave | Victory |
| Frost Children | Satellites | Tweaker Poem-EP |
| Frost Children | Creep | Tweaker Poem-EP |
| Carly Rae Jepsen | Don't Leave Me on the Dance Floor | pre-release |
| sombr | Homewrecker | single |
| Ninajirachi & Porter Robinson | WannaCry | single |
| Videomancer | Seven Dollars | single |
| Videomancer | Bedlam | single |
| Portraits of Tracy | Caught In A Jam | Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? A: MTV! |
| Portraits of Tracy | Halli Step/Raider Klan Shit | Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? A: MTV! |
| Josaleigh Pollett | The Witness | If I Let It Quiet |
| Josaleigh Pollett | Bed of Quiet | If I Let It Quiet |
| Namasenda | Cola | Limbo |
| Namasenda | Romeo Must Die | Limbo |
| The Leaving | Atmosphere | Ultimate Buzz |
| The Leaving | Fluoxetine | Ultimate Buzz |
| Scarlet Bandit | I'm Holding On To Love To Save My Life | Death of the Party |
| Scarlet Bandit | To Make Amends | Death of the Party |
| frutiger dillon | Windows98 | single |
| frutiger dillon | big chemistry ♡ | single |
| Cold Court | Nina | \(^_^)/ |
| Cold Court | Glass | \(^_^)/ |
| Hannah Lew | Time Wasted | Hannah Lew |
| Hannah Lew | Another Twilight | Hannah Lew |
| Casino Youth | If Growing Up Was A Sport, I Think I'd Be An Amateur | What Lies Ahead |
| Casino Youth | Winter | What Lies Ahead |
| Lovers Lake | Bloodstream | Sky Valley |
| Lovers Lake | Shiver | Sky Valley |
| Indigo | Long Distance Runner | Dreams |
| Indigo | Empty in Velvet | Dreams |
| Boys Go To Jupiter | Sunshine (never trust anyone named jeanette) | Now You're a Circle |
| Boys Go To Jupiter | Wake Up Layla | Now You're a Circle |
| The Trims | Turn Out the Lights | Julian Street |
| The Trims | The One I Want | Julian Street |
| Battery Operated Orchestra | Bad Twin | Sea Views Soft Rains |
| Battery Operated Orchestra | Alligator | Sea Views Soft Rains |
| Beauty Sleep | Radical Happiness | The Whole Damn Cake |
| Beauty Sleep | No Fever Ever Lasts | The Whole Damn Cake |
| Beach Bunny | Year of the Optimist | single |
| Beach Bunny | July | single |
| Bunny White | Family Affair | single |
| Two Door Cinema Club | Kids | Tourist History (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) |
| Two Door Cinema Club | Sure Enough | single |
| Like Roses | Buried | pre-release |
| Similar Kind | game of pool | game of pool-single |
| FLAVOR FOLEY | streetcat | single |
| unit.0 | Monument | single |
| Milk Talk | Milk and Honey | single |
| dethcaps | The Wolf Who Played Sheep | single |
| Father Koi | 3am | single |
| Indigo De Souza | Come to God | single |
| KennyHoopla | NEW AMERICA// | single |
| Life Size Models | Get Better | One of These Days-EP |
| Sorry Darling | Back Home | single |
| Megan McDuffee | Salvation | single |
| Maryze | SHY PRTY GRL | single |
| Snail's House | SUNNY | single |
| sponzi | Vitalize | single |
| Andora feat. Will Stetson | Masquerade | single |
| alpha | nil | with u/nil-single |
| alpha | twinkle✧・ﾟ | twinkle/in my dreams-single |
| bad snacks | bang, bang! | single |
| Discoholic (feat. Vampires Love Sunny) | Sparkle On! | single |
| Teirrel | Do That Again | single |
| Sam Gellaitry | Assumptions | IV-EP |
| 7mai | Tangerine | Fruit Basket: Orange |
| 7mai | Screwdriver | Fruit Basket: Orange |
| Funkcuts | Beachside Boogie | Beachside Boogie-single |
| Funkcuts | I Woke Up | I Woke Up-single |
| Dirt Flirt | Boyfriend | Dirt Flirt-EP |
| Dirt Flirt | Bodycount | Dirt Flirt-EP |
| Dirt Flirt | don't tell anyone | scorpio fever-EP |
| Dirt Flirt | focus on u | scorpio fever-EP |
| Devvy Dub | Vision | single |
| Devvy Dub | Stereo | Hero-EP |
| Bleachers | dirty wedding dress | everyone for ten minutes |
| Bleachers | take you out tonight | everyone for ten minutes |
| PinkPantheress (feat. Central Cee) | Nice to meet you | Heaven knows |
| Broke Royals | Postcard | Local Support |
| Broke Royals | All I Have to Show | Local Support |
| Broke Royals | No Time For Love | Big Dream-EP |
| Broke Royals | The Thick of It | Games You Play-EP |
| Charly Bliss | Heaven | Supermoon-EP |
| Charly Bliss | Slingshot | Supermoon-EP |
| Charly Bliss | I Need a New Boyfriend | single |
| Ennaria | CUTE | MANIFESTO |
| Ennaria | Jealous | MANIFESTO |
| Treasures | Hot Rod | Gold Rush City |
| Treasures | Cinnamon Lover | Gold Rush City |
| The Response | All Of My Flaws | Novel Idea |
| The Response | Circles Within Circles | Novel Idea |
| Hey, ily! | Wind-Up Toy | Hey, I Loathe You! |
| Hey, ily! | (Dis)Connected | Hey, I Loathe You! |
| vimae | token | nightlight |
| The Chain Gang of 1974 | Tired to Shine | single |
| ALT BLK ERA | Lost in the Back of My Mind | Lost in the Back of My Mind-EP |
| ok seashells | giveaway | ferndell |
| Terra Nobody | Windows | single |
| BB Bean | sugar plum | Sweet Bitterness-EP |
| Mass Minor | Nowhere Now | single |
| Strawberry Station | Horenaosu | ISSHO-NI!!! |
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