Hearing Things
@hearingthingsco.bsky.social
Independent music journalism. No algorithms. We promise.
For our latest edition of The Producers, we spoke to alt-R&B innovator KeiyaA, who broke down songs by artists like Brandy, Britney Spears, and Nine Inch Nails, and explains how they Influenced her brillaint sophomore album 'Hooke's Law'.
Keiyaa Breaks Down 12 Perfectly Produced Songs
The R&B innovator dissects tracks by faves including Britney Spears, Brandy, and Nine Inch Nails, explaining how they inspired the sound of her brilliant 2025 album ‘Hooke’s Law.’
www.hearingthings.co
December 26, 2025 at 7:45 PM
For our latest edition of The Producers, we spoke to alt-R&B innovator KeiyaA, who broke down songs by artists like Brandy, Britney Spears, and Nine Inch Nails, and explains how they Influenced her brillaint sophomore album 'Hooke's Law'.
The title track from the latest Destroyer album, 𝘋𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦, sounds like cruise music for a cruise that has been lost in the Bermuda Triangle for decades
Ryan’s Favorite Music of 2025
The sounds that struck me most this year, including subversive slowcore, deranged future-pop, apocalyptic techno, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 26, 2025 at 2:02 PM
The title track from the latest Destroyer album, 𝘋𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦, sounds like cruise music for a cruise that has been lost in the Bermuda Triangle for decades
Cindy Lee live is more of a haunting than a concert. Here's why it was one of our favorite shows this year:
Jill’s Favorite Music of 2025
From experimental pop’s new main girlies to indie rock’s most reliable players, here’s a glimpse at my year in albums, songs, and live shows.
www.hearingthings.co
December 24, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Cindy Lee live is more of a haunting than a concert. Here's why it was one of our favorite shows this year:
“Love Takes Miles” makes me want to dance like Charlie Brown characters in a room with everyone I love, and really, what greater compliment in life is there?
Jill’s Favorite Music of 2025
From experimental pop’s new main girlies to indie rock’s most reliable players, here’s a glimpse at my year in albums, songs, and live shows.
www.hearingthings.co
December 23, 2025 at 4:47 PM
“Love Takes Miles” makes me want to dance like Charlie Brown characters in a room with everyone I love, and really, what greater compliment in life is there?
Long Island rapper-producer Theravada is a healthy skeptic. On his standout album 'The Years We Have', The collapse of empire isn’t enough to scare him—he’ll be here, Maharishi sweatpants on, ready to shoot basketballs through your complacency.
Dylan’s Favorite Independent Rap Records of 2025
My favorite rap under-the-radar rap releases of 2025, from Bay Area swag rap and psychedelic freakouts to a euphoric footwork/juke/rap hybrid
www.hearingthings.co
December 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Long Island rapper-producer Theravada is a healthy skeptic. On his standout album 'The Years We Have', The collapse of empire isn’t enough to scare him—he’ll be here, Maharishi sweatpants on, ready to shoot basketballs through your complacency.
Not all songwriters are tortured poets, but the good ones—like Fortunato Durutti Marinetti—at least respect the cruelty of an empty page, the thankless hunt for an apt metaphor, and the effort required to tame stray thoughts into lines worth singing
Ryan’s Favorite Music of 2025
The sounds that struck me most this year, including subversive slowcore, deranged future-pop, apocalyptic techno, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Not all songwriters are tortured poets, but the good ones—like Fortunato Durutti Marinetti—at least respect the cruelty of an empty page, the thankless hunt for an apt metaphor, and the effort required to tame stray thoughts into lines worth singing
Tunisian producer Kadijah Al Hanafi’s '!OK!' candy-colored approach to dancefloor chants, obscure R&B and soul samples will have you ready to inline skate your way through a brick wall.
Dylan’s Favorite Independent Rap Records of 2025
My favorite rap under-the-radar rap releases of 2025, from Bay Area swag rap and psychedelic freakouts to a euphoric footwork/juke/rap hybrid
www.hearingthings.co
December 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Tunisian producer Kadijah Al Hanafi’s '!OK!' candy-colored approach to dancefloor chants, obscure R&B and soul samples will have you ready to inline skate your way through a brick wall.
Haunted synth folk, top-tier rap shit-talk, dance music that hits like a mini meditation retreat, and a power-pop strummer guaranteed to make you forget it's winter for at least one minute
Music to Make You Feel Invincible
Each in their own way, this week's selections will have you walking around like no one can touch you.
www.hearingthings.co
December 18, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Haunted synth folk, top-tier rap shit-talk, dance music that hits like a mini meditation retreat, and a power-pop strummer guaranteed to make you forget it's winter for at least one minute
Music that made Julianne actually feel something when the easiest alternative was to dissociate from the chaos, from glittering techno to sub-bassy pop to innovative folk to Katseye's "Gnarly"
Julianne's Favorite Music of 2025
The big-idea music that inspired me most this year, from Afro-Colombian orchestral pop to epic folk about the state of labor to, of course, Bad Bunny.
www.hearingthings.co
December 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Music that made Julianne actually feel something when the easiest alternative was to dissociate from the chaos, from glittering techno to sub-bassy pop to innovative folk to Katseye's "Gnarly"
Niontay's 'Fada<3of$' (pronounced 'For The Love Of Money') throws the New York-via-Florida-via-Milwaukee rapper-producer into the voids of capitalism and stardom and sees him emerge with a cheetah-skin Nike tech.
Dylan’s Favorite Independent Rap Records of 2025
My favorite rap under-the-radar rap releases of 2025, from Bay Area swag rap and psychedelic freakouts to a euphoric footwork/juke/rap hybrid
www.hearingthings.co
December 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Niontay's 'Fada<3of$' (pronounced 'For The Love Of Money') throws the New York-via-Florida-via-Milwaukee rapper-producer into the voids of capitalism and stardom and sees him emerge with a cheetah-skin Nike tech.
Five older albums from that were new to us in 2025, including a woozy sophistipop joint from a British songwriter and guitarist, a classic hip-hop record from a pair of Brooklyn bruisers, and a drum’n’bass DJ set taped to cassette at a rave in ’93
Music Mk.gee Probably Hears in His Dreams
We're listening to everything, all the time. Here are five older albums that were new to us in 2025—and made our years.
www.hearingthings.co
December 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Five older albums from that were new to us in 2025, including a woozy sophistipop joint from a British songwriter and guitarist, a classic hip-hop record from a pair of Brooklyn bruisers, and a drum’n’bass DJ set taped to cassette at a rave in ’93
In the spring, powers that be tried to silence Kehlani after she made her pro-Palestine views clear. Then she released one of the best songs of her career, which quickly became her biggest hit to date. It felt like a sweet kind of cosmic justice.
Ryan’s Favorite Music of 2025
The sounds that struck me most this year, including subversive slowcore, deranged future-pop, apocalyptic techno, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 16, 2025 at 1:01 PM
In the spring, powers that be tried to silence Kehlani after she made her pro-Palestine views clear. Then she released one of the best songs of her career, which quickly became her biggest hit to date. It felt like a sweet kind of cosmic justice.
From Bay Area swag rap and psychedelic freakouts to a euphoric footwork/juke/rap hybrid, these are Dylan's favorite independent rap records of 2025
Dylan’s Favorite Independent Rap Records of 2025
My favorite rap under-the-radar rap releases of 2025, from Bay Area swag rap and psychedelic freakouts to a euphoric footwork/juke/rap hybrid
www.hearingthings.co
December 15, 2025 at 2:50 PM
From Bay Area swag rap and psychedelic freakouts to a euphoric footwork/juke/rap hybrid, these are Dylan's favorite independent rap records of 2025
Berlin producer Jasss' criminally overlooked 𝘌𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘶𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 is all decay and sludge, with synths set to “corroded battery” and bass tones summoned from the bottom of the sea, where only the most awesomely ugly fish live
Ryan’s Favorite Music of 2025
The sounds that struck me most this year, including subversive slowcore, deranged future-pop, apocalyptic techno, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Berlin producer Jasss' criminally overlooked 𝘌𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘶𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 is all decay and sludge, with synths set to “corroded battery” and bass tones summoned from the bottom of the sea, where only the most awesomely ugly fish live
Why did it take a team of seven writers, composers, and producers to craft a SOPHIE ripoff?
The Dumbest Songs of 2025
A break from our regularly scheduled program to discuss the absolute worst of the year.
www.hearingthings.co
December 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Why did it take a team of seven writers, composers, and producers to craft a SOPHIE ripoff?
Including nu-metal for centrist whiners, an epic misreading of Hamlet, and a celebrity freestyle that plays like a comedy skit spoofing old rappers
The Dumbest Songs of 2025
A break from our regularly scheduled program to discuss the absolute worst of the year.
www.hearingthings.co
December 11, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Including nu-metal for centrist whiners, an epic misreading of Hamlet, and a celebrity freestyle that plays like a comedy skit spoofing old rappers
From drizzly digital grunge to jackhammering club music, lo-fi guitar explorations to glacial jazz standards, this is the music that moved me most this year. www.hearingthings.co/andys-favori...
Andy's Favorite Music of 2025
From drizzly digital grunge to jackhammering club music, lo-fi guitar explorations to glacial jazz standards, this is the music that moved me most this year.
www.hearingthings.co
December 10, 2025 at 5:47 PM
From drizzly digital grunge to jackhammering club music, lo-fi guitar explorations to glacial jazz standards, this is the music that moved me most this year. www.hearingthings.co/andys-favori...
At this point, I’m tempted to hold a permanent place on all of my future year-end lists for Claire Rousay—she’s that good, that consistent
Ryan’s Favorite Music of 2025
The sounds that struck me most this year, including subversive slowcore, deranged future-pop, apocalyptic techno, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
At this point, I’m tempted to hold a permanent place on all of my future year-end lists for Claire Rousay—she’s that good, that consistent
Psychedelic easy-listening? Soundtracks to imaginary noir cartoons? It’s experimental, but it’s also a record you could put on at a dinner party with no problem, and maybe even get an impromptu dance party started in the process
Shostakovich’s 5th Played Backwards in a Concrete Silo
A BPM-crushing jungle experiment by a canny Instagram curator, a rap album bridging the revolutionary and the corner boy, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 9, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Psychedelic easy-listening? Soundtracks to imaginary noir cartoons? It’s experimental, but it’s also a record you could put on at a dinner party with no problem, and maybe even get an impromptu dance party started in the process
Nothing clarifies one’s taste like writing for a publication that you run with your friends, where you can cover whatever catches your ear. Even more clarifying: putting together a year-end list of your favorite music for that very same publication!
Ryan’s Favorite Music of 2025
The sounds that struck me most this year, including subversive slowcore, deranged future-pop, apocalyptic techno, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Nothing clarifies one’s taste like writing for a publication that you run with your friends, where you can cover whatever catches your ear. Even more clarifying: putting together a year-end list of your favorite music for that very same publication!
December 6, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Hearing Things
Shout out to @hearingthingsco.bsky.social for putting so many cool releases on my radar this year that I wouldn't have heard of before.
December 6, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Shout out to @hearingthingsco.bsky.social for putting so many cool releases on my radar this year that I wouldn't have heard of before.
Trombone solo: check. Stereolab-style wordless backing vocals ping-ponging from left to right across your headphones: check. Multiple key changes: check, check, check.
Pop Songs With Plot Twists
Plus: agitprop merengue, dreamlover alt-R&B, an actually-good Christmas song, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 4, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Trombone solo: check. Stereolab-style wordless backing vocals ping-ponging from left to right across your headphones: check. Multiple key changes: check, check, check.
"I wanted to shake myself after all of the trauma of the pandemic and these walls that I put up. The older you get, it can be harder to part all of the mud and get back to the idea that there are good things in this life if you let yourself find them."
Westerman Is Not Dead Yet
After three albums, two near-death experiences, and one global pandemic, the British singer-songwriter knows what he wants.
www.hearingthings.co
December 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
"I wanted to shake myself after all of the trauma of the pandemic and these walls that I put up. The older you get, it can be harder to part all of the mud and get back to the idea that there are good things in this life if you let yourself find them."
If I die tomorrow, bury me in this groove
Is That a Salamander on Bass?
Plus raging oboes, subsonic dub frequencies, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
December 2, 2025 at 5:41 PM
If I die tomorrow, bury me in this groove