ILT - 30.04.25

I’m Listening To…

Felt summery, time to drop a new playlist.

‘Frutiger aero’ meets indie folk, dabbles in a bit of synthpop, shoegaze, and then, naturally: hyperpop.

Every so often I update this playlist with a handful of my current favourite tracks I’ve had on repeat over the previous month, and share my thoughts on my Instagram story.

If you missed it, or aren’t on Instagram, keep scrolling for my opinions and recommendations…

1. babygirl (like n01 else) - Night Tapes

Atmospheric, dreamy and liminal. Almost like feeling stuck in a video game and drifting through the pixels, along with an excellent music video from Owain E. Morgan.

Everything about this is right up my street, the existentialist aesthetic, cyber/futurist trip hop vibes and immaculate production, so naturally we had to kick off this month’s playlist with this one. Vocals drifting from ethereal serenading into the distance, to close up and intimate within a second, and classic trip hop bass and crunchy drums. Stunning. Hopefully I can catch them live sometime soon. 

(Apparently the inspiration for the music video was a Bjork song that I’ve *also* been listening to on repeat this month….? Great choice, honestly. Go check it out.)

2. There Is a Mermaid Using The Computer - Aran Sheehy, Blakkheart

Now this is frutiger aero music if I’ve ever heard it. Nostalgic as hell but refreshingly modern. There’s been a resurgence of 90s/00s hazy, liminal pop that feels like a Windows 95 screensaver and I’m locked in. I love it.

I’ve been waiting for it to come back for the last 20 years to be honest (don’t do the maths). This song is genuinely, straight up, about finding a mermaid is using your home computer in 1993 and no-one believing you. Accompanied by nostalgic oceanic visualisers, and moments of spoken word, this is a new favourite.

“Then I remembered, it didn’t matter, because a friendship, with a fish, lasts.”

3. 300 Dreams - After

Okay, last frutiger aero one I PROMISE. (For now). This was a discovery on TikTok and is another example of nostalgic* vibes and aesthetics in both the music and accompanying visuals that reflects an era gone by (that I miss and am very glad for it’s return). I mean, just look at the single artwork. Perfect.

The band’s description on Bandcamp is “Massive Attack meets Michelle Branch.” Obviously I’m sold. I want to play this on my Sony portable CD player through flimsy plastic foam headphones, gaze out the window and pretend I’m in the music video. Or I’m in a rom-com having a montage moment, as a magazine writer in the early 2000s, who’s having her own existential crisis and life turning point, probably after being back in her hometown and travelling back to the city.

I like this a lot.

*I’m saying nostalgic because ‘retro’ hurts my feelings.

4. I’m sad and I’m angry and I’m scared that you hate me - Greta Isaac

Sad girl grunge pop and the culmination of my most insecure and anxious feelings at 3am.

The antidote to intellectualising your feelings: recognising those emotions, laying them out on the table and feeling it. According to Greta, “this song is a reminder that more often than not, all the explanation you’re looking for lies in your emotional experience of it”.

And don’t we all need that reminder from time to time? I know I sure do. I can analyse and pick apart countless painful situations from the past, present, and potential future - trying to understand why (even when there *isn't* a 'why').

Sometimes you just need to feel that anger. It’s okay, it’s healthy, it’s allowed.

5. God - Jordan Patterson

I was so struck by this song when I stumbled across it. The production, the delicate and unique vocalisations and the subtly powerful lyrics. It’s beautifully individual and it took me to another plain of existence honestly. Questions of purpose, pace, and self-understanding a young 20-something, faced with the utter vastness of a life of choices ahead of us.

The music moves us higher and higher constantly without a strong sense of completion or feeling ‘settled’ - accessorised with vocal hums and guitar motifs - reflecting the inner emotional movement of the song itself - and yourself, listener - too.

Heart-skippingly beautiful.

6. Hyper-ballad - Björk

A driving electronica classic from the wonderful Björk- a song about the parts of an identity a person sacrifices to try and make a relationship, literally describing a dream in which she wakes up, walks to a cliff and throws various items off the side and into the water.

I love the almost recitative-like lyrics in the verses, drifting over a consistent and building electronic accompaniment and hopeful, but slightly melancholic soundworld, met with lyrical strings in the final third, and that we are left with at the end. I think this one cropped up on a mix playlist from my Liked Songs a while ago, and it’s always a pleasure to rediscover old favourites.

7. Power Cuts - Morgana

“Prepared to party, ready to cry” Okay yeah. I feel that.

Proof that music discovery on TikTok works, because I found this one about a week ago and I’ve found myself singing the chorus and bridge on repeat throughout the house ever since. Existentialist sad girl electro pop to dance to in your kitchen (and out in the sunshine) about battling with a sexist industry and existing in the world in general. Spiralling and jiving. Love love love.

Morgana is playing The Great Escape this month on 16th May - so if any of you are heading down to Brighton for the festival, and enjoyed this track, go check out her set!

8. Fallen Angel - Siula

Folks, this is hot off the press. Siula released this track just a couple of days ago: A myriad of groovy, dreamy techno to get you moving this summer.

From Libertino: ‘...the track feels like a conversation between two people too stubborn to reconnect—but unable to let go.’

Electronica has the power to explore darker, more emotional subjects - atop a thrumming, driving rhythm and minimalist, classic acid synths - all whilst we dance into the night, in a trance-like, joyous state of mind.

I had the pleasure of seeing Siula live supporting Ritual Cloak at CULTVR last year, which was such a fun experience, to groove along to cinematic techno and electronica, surrounded by a dome of colourful, fractal visuals. Very much looking forward to the upcoming album and exploring more of these vibes.

Happy belated release day!!

9. Fail Forward - Taji, Gavin Brivik

Whilst I was researching this song, I discovered that it was used as the credits theme for one of the episodes of medical drama ‘The Pitt’ - and whilst I’ve never watched the show, and instead discovered the track on streaming, the pieces fell into place for me. It has that ‘final’ feel to it, an ending in sight, the light at the end of the tunnel - according to Genius, reflecting the emotional decline and struggle of the series' main character, Dr. Robby.

There’s the feeling of pushing forward, (or ‘failing forward’), an element of hope, almost resignatory to the idea that, well, at least it’s the direction we’re aiming for. Not down, not back, just… forwards.

It’s okay: “It’s gonna take some time”.

I’m a big fan of music that feels like closing credits, purposeful or otherwise.

10. Circus - Sandhouse

….and with any luck, you’ve listened to this playlist in order so the drum beats blend beautifully into this shoegaze-y, grunge-y banger from Sandhouse. (Can you tell that I’m drawn to a certain colour palette at the moment? The glory in transference of ‘vibes’, whether that’s shoegaze, trip hop, or something else. Excellent).

An anxiety-ridden, expansive panopticon of a track about being perceived. The opening is very reminiscent of Portishead, and melody lines feel captivating and nervous, with a little bit of trepidation - before crashing into the grunginess of the chorus.

This one came up on both mine and Ed’s recommendations, and he was convinced he’d introduced it to me (no, I just have great taste too).

11. Freazy - Wolf Alice

Iconic bop alert. This took me back a decade and I’d remembered all of the lyrics like it was yesterday. (I have absolutely listened since ten years ago, but it has admittedly been a while). Stumbling back on this track, and this entire album, activated me like a sleeper agent and I’m bloody excited for the renaissance of Wolf Alice and the upcoming new tracks.

Nostalgic, fun and sounds like summer (and each one of my summers from 2015 onwards into infinity). I’ve been heavily inspired in my own production by the ethereal vocal layering from Ellie’s vocals - the production and distant reverb-y dreaminess (take a shot every time I’ve said ‘dreamy’ today) is delightful.

I
WILL
MEET
YOU
WHERE
THE
GRASS
IS
GREENER

12. Parkour - gabby start, Knapsack

Absolute wild card here for the playlist and reminds me of the electronica I listened to in my early teens, with a modern hyperpop twist. The production almost reminds me of Madeon’s ‘Pop Culture’ - (anyone remember that? Ah. Those were the days.) - mixed with hints of SOPHIE/Charli XCX

This one is just pure joy and fun, even though it’s totally about anxiety and existential dread as a young adult. Love it. Will be exploring more from this producer in the future. Solid.

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.