ILT - 03.06.26
I’m Listening To…
It’s been a year since I last put together a playlist of my current favourites. Despite previous attempts at sharing tunes, my ears have nevertheless been occupied with recording & mixing my new EP. New music coming to you soon, new tunes for your listening pleasure. We are back babyy.
1. Choosing - Ailsa Tully
When I listened to this song for the first time, it felt like falling asleep in the car as a little child, on the way home from an event or gathering, and being carried to bed. It felt like a sigh of relief, after possibly a hectic or busy moment. Maybe even a breath of fresh air after being in stifling city air.
Then I read the interview in Line of Best Fit about this song from Ailsa Tully, talking about how this song came about from the inner-child therapy technique when dealing with panic attacks. The “home-is-within-you epiphany”. It’s so apparent in this song, and it’s so beautifully delicate and reassuring.
“I had to go into the room and imagine that my child self was there and my old-woman self was there,” she says. That’s what the “if we were one” lyric means. It isn’t about love. Though on second thoughts, it totally is.”
I moved house recently, and finally made the choice to leave the city centre where I’d lived for the last 4ish years. I hadn’t realised how much I needed it, how much I needed to see trees outside my window and hear wood pigeons and birdsong on my way to work everyday. I’ve been listening to this one on the train home often and it’s brought up a lot of buried emotion recently. Very grateful for music like this to exist.
2. Trade It - Slow Pulp
Launching back into lockdown with this 2020 release from indie-rock band Slow Pulp. From their album ‘Moveys’, this song is reminiscent of early 00s, shoegazey skater-rock, with understated harmony-rich Soccer Mommy-esque vocals, and also seemingly 80s inspired, with those propelling synths and guitar tones. A melancholic song about our inner critic and regret.
Another perfect journey-home song.
3. Miffed It - Way Dynamic
You wouldn’t be too far off to think that this is a Nick Drake deepcut. Released in 2025 from Melbourne band Way Dynamic, the vintage production on this track, the traditional ABAB format and the subdued, soft vocals feel like a piece fully set with decades of experience behind it.
I love the way the harmonic rhythm changes frequency in the satisfying B sections, after the established guitar riff from the opening loops in the accompaniment of A. It’s a soft, delicate song.
4. Build me up from Bones - Sarah Jarosz
I recently rediscovered this song on my Soundcloud Likes playlist from over 10 years ago. It’s always fascinating to see what my tastes were like back then, and how pertinent it is to be able to revisit and be reacquainted with your previous faves.
As the spring approaches (narrows eyes at Storm Dave), this folk-pop song is like gliding on a cloud on a sunny day, and just so utterly romantic.
From the beginning the momentum is subtle, with the chugging violin & guitar accompaniment, the gentle meandering vocal melodies declaring the inner workings of the heart, with the quintessential trad-folk fiddle solos weaving in and out, throughout.
5. (I Miss the) Tokyo Skyline - Manic Street Preachers
I may have caused some concern when I recently told my guitarist that I didn’t really know much of the Manics. This was the first song I was shown, but then swiftly told that “none of the discography sounds like this one”.
I’m still on my way to discovering the rest of the library of Manics songs, but I liked this one a lot. Written to sound like a bullet train, this is a love letter to Tokyo, a city I also long to visit one day. (what was I saying about escaping the city recently?! A dichotomy exists within me.)
Not sure if it’s on purpose but the ‘lost in translation’ line wasn’t lost on me as a long time fan of the movie. (no, the film hasn’t aged well, but the cinematography is unmatched).
6. But Daddy I Love Him - Taylor Swift
Look, I wouldn’t say I was a Swiftie.
We don’t talk about the carcrash of the most recent album.
But listening to her music does throw me into the swells of reminiscence, she soundtracked a lot of my tween years and represents ‘girlhood’, musically, for a lot of us. That and early Paramore.
Again, dichotomies.
I felt like listening to TTPD recently and found myself listening to this one on repeat. I love a bit of drama and theatrics in music sometimes. The chorus feels like early-Swift all over again, like you’re running through the forest in a long dress, shouting at the top of your lungs.
It could be about a minute shorter however.
Still fun though.
Let a girl have fun!!
7. You - The Chain Gang of 1974
Another millennial throwback (millennial whoops included). The synth kicks in and suddenly it’s Summer 2014, you’ve just come in from lying in the field near your house all afternoon, Made in Chelsea is on the TV and everyone’s wearing badly appropriated ‘Aztec’ print and owl necklaces. Picky bits for tea.
My rose-tinted glasses are fully glued to my head thinking back on that decade. I guess it’ll always be bittersweet and nostalgic thinking back on being a teen, but it won’t be soon before long that the cringe begins and I need to leave that time WELL BEHIND.
8. THE THING - TOMORA (AURORA + Tom Rowlands)
Massive Attack called, they want Karmacoma back.
You knew I’d be throwing in a trip hop song in here somewhere. Come ooon.
I love everything about this, and the collaboration between AURORA & Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands.
That BASS at 3:10? YES. More of that PLEASE. I’m donning my shiny black PVC longcoat and tiny sunglasses as we speak and I’m about to meet Neo in an underground nightclub.
And the strings at 4:34, I’m actually levitating.
9. Tempest - Clara Pople
As always, it’s a pleasure to get the opportunity to be the supporting act for artists that I think are making waves. When it comes to combining genres in alt-pop or electronica, it can be really tricky to place on lineups, so it’s exciting to be able to find artists that are writing in adjacent niches.
It was lovely to support Clara at The Norwegian Church the other week, and even better to hear some of her most recent tracks live with a full band (harp included!). This has been one of my favourites from the EP. It’s Vaults and SOHN meets celtic trip hop with a funky bassline and driving synth.
10. American Girls - Harry Styles
Someone online said the introduction chords sound like the beginning of a worship song and having grown up attending many a church service in my childhood, I can’t unhear it. I’ve had this one on repeat, every day, since the album was released. It’s anthemic and ear-worm-y.
I’ve enjoyed a few of Harry’s singles over the last few years but this album fully solidified for me that I’m a fan. I know it’s slightly veering off the genre established in his first couple of albums but it’s still undeniably his style.
(ayy)
And there we have it!
If you’d like to listen to all of the songs in the curated order, you can check it out via the link below.