Nice and evocative sci-fi atmosphere. Too bad I didn’t quite get hooked by the gameplay loop and didn’t stick with the game, because otherwise the world and the visual fidelity was stunning.
Patrik Andrén & Johan Söderqvist – ARC Raiders OST
Soulwax – All Systems Are Lying
Another record that went from zero to a hundred on my listening charts in something like a week. I had listened to it once or twice previously but it hadn’t stuck with me, and then last week it just did, a lot. At this point it has a guaranteed Top 3 spot in my year-end list.
The whole album is sprawling with musical references from so many things that I love. And it’s not just a few specific things but entire aspects of music that I’ve been getting hooked on and have been loving in practically my whole life. From the post-nu jazz of the ’00s with its artistic and electronic reinterpretations, through the big beat sounds of the likes of The Chemical Brothers or The Crystal Method, and electro-infused electronic music that I have often a hard time to put in a box other than “electronic music”, all the way to leftfield pop that is just meant to be blasting from the radio.
I rarely pinpoint single tracks because I usually like the coherent experience of a full album best. And this is an a-ma-zing album as a whole, no question about that. Still, Gimme A Reason is just a hymn, I am floored by this song. To me, this is the ultimate pop hit of this year. I don’t even remember when I put a single track on repeat for such a long time as this one. And after a hundred replays I still get goosebumps at the exact same timestamps. I can’t talk highly enough about this one, it’s an essential track.
Daniel Avery – Tremor
It’s like the ’90s: triphop and industrial, could be a new Portishead record.
Martin Stürtzer – Protostar
First off, this is a great ambient record. This has been my go-to focus music for the past week the mindset it creates for me is just awesome.
On the other hand, one feeling I can’t shake off is how much of a generated music this could potentially be. I really don’t know anything about Stürtzer, his past work, and process, I just feel like music like this could exactly be the type that can be generated by AI today. I feel bad to think this, it feels like such an asshole thought to have, but this is just what the ambient genre is plagued with today. And if I look at an artist’s discography and I see several records published yearly that kind of confirms the idea; either that this is generated music or music that’s produced on a conveyor belt.
And after having these ideas at the back of my mind I’m going back to listening to the record and think: I still like it, I find it pleasant to listen to, it helps me focus and work and create stuff. So what does that mean? What if this is generated music really? Am I happy with generated music? No, I shouldn’t be. I want to value a true artist’s human output and genuine creativity. But still… What if this just works? Ahh, I don’t know. I hate the AI generated problems of our lives when it comes to art.
Terminal Serious – Tear You Away
Post-rock goth vibes with that classic deep male voice. My only complaint is the drums, which falls in that uncanny valley of not being played live, but mimic that just too closely while not getting there. Something that sounds more like classic programmed drums would work better, or just playing the whole thing with a live band would as well, of course.
Warfare (2025)
I didn’t like to watch this, per se, but it was a visceral experience, I have to give it that. Also interesting how straightforward the message felt to me, and then it turned out that my wife and I understood it differently. Anyways, if it has to be A24 and a war theme, I’m team Civil War all the way.
28 Years Later (2025)
I was so confused first. I expected a typical Hollywood zombie movie and this was, well, I’m not sure what this was. Zombie arthouse cinema? It’s a weird one. I needed some time to settle and process it, but after a week I still went back thinking about it and it grew and matured as a memory. Now I think it’s a unique zombie film, and it’s a lot better that it’s that than a run-of-the-mill popcorn flick.
That chanting of the poem while the old war scenes are playing—it still just pops into my mind every now and then, months after watching it.
Sinners (2025)
I was going in as “let’s give it a shot” and come out “omg yes”. The style, music, cinematography, vibes, and Jordan’s acting were all on top. The story was not that strong though, but how it was done won me over still.
The Black Dog – My Brutal Life 2
An ambient ode to cities made of concrete.
Katatonia – Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State
Melancholic prog metal. Beautiful moody music.