Hearing Things
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Independent music journalism. No algorithms. We promise.
Rosalía is going for the rafters, as though she went to confession and her penance was to spend it in the dusty library of Gaudí’s Basílica de la Sagrada Família, paging through ancient texts as God peered at her soul through a portal on a stone spire
Rosalía's Orchestral Benediction
Plus: a must-hear album from a virtuosic avant-rock quartet, the fiery return of an essential Chicago rap collective, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 11, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Rosalía is going for the rafters, as though she went to confession and her penance was to spend it in the dusty library of Gaudí’s Basílica de la Sagrada Família, paging through ancient texts as God peered at her soul through a portal on a stone spire
I wonder how James Murphy will update the "New York, I Love You..." lyrics for Zohran. Your cool socialist mayor's now convinced he's... effecting real change?
New York, I Love You
On LCD Soundsystem, borrowed nostalgia, and the election of Zohran Mamdani
www.hearingthings.co
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
I wonder how James Murphy will update the "New York, I Love You..." lyrics for Zohran. Your cool socialist mayor's now convinced he's... effecting real change?
"The type of motherfuckers who were into the type of shit I was on didn’t exist 10 years ago. Now, all these kids are genre-blending."
Danny Brown, Back for the First Time
The audacious rap veteran on sobriety, platforming trans artists, and working with the next generation of hyperpop stars on his latest album, ‘Stardust.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM
"The type of motherfuckers who were into the type of shit I was on didn’t exist 10 years ago. Now, all these kids are genre-blending."
Mike Shabb is the only rap figure I can think of who’s both produced for Westside Gunn and played the Montreal Jazz Festival, and his latest project finds more intense ways to obliterate the divide between the artful and the ratchet
Four Must Hears From Our Ears to Yours
A Swedish singer and pipe organist, a Portuguese experimentalist, a Canadian rapper, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Mike Shabb is the only rap figure I can think of who’s both produced for Westside Gunn and played the Montreal Jazz Festival, and his latest project finds more intense ways to obliterate the divide between the artful and the ratchet
"I love listening to music in the car. It’s one of the things I will never do enough. When I’m dying, I’ll be like, 𝘔𝘢𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯."
Claire Rousay Breaks Down 7 Perfectly Produced Songs
The ambient experimentalist dissects records by faves including Elliott Smith and Charli XCX, and details the process behind her twilit new album, ‘A Little Death.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
"I love listening to music in the car. It’s one of the things I will never do enough. When I’m dying, I’ll be like, 𝘔𝘢𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯."
Must Hear: Rafael Toral’s 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 is an album of swing-era jazz standards, many of them associated with Billie Holiday, rendered as exquisitely melancholy and nocturnal ambient music
Four Must Hears From Our Ears to Yours
A Swedish singer and pipe organist, a Portuguese experimentalist, a Canadian rapper, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Must Hear: Rafael Toral’s 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 is an album of swing-era jazz standards, many of them associated with Billie Holiday, rendered as exquisitely melancholy and nocturnal ambient music
"Doing [a love song] is way harder than writing the 'getting your dick sucked' song! Oh my God! When you’re being misogynistic, you’re just like, 𝘖𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥! But when you try to make shit like this, you get scared."
Danny Brown, Back for the First Time
The audacious rap veteran on sobriety, platforming trans artists, and working with the next generation of hyperpop stars on his latest album, ‘Stardust.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
"Doing [a love song] is way harder than writing the 'getting your dick sucked' song! Oh my God! When you’re being misogynistic, you’re just like, 𝘖𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥! But when you try to make shit like this, you get scared."
“Daniel Ek was a man, he was a big man,” sings an AI voice on a demonically shredding jazz-pop song called “Daniel Ek’s Bathroom Mirror.” “And he steals from musicians ’cause he knows that he’s shit at guitar.”
Why Is It So Easy to Flood Streaming With AI Slop?
And what the hell is Operation Clown Dump?
www.hearingthings.co
November 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
“Daniel Ek was a man, he was a big man,” sings an AI voice on a demonically shredding jazz-pop song called “Daniel Ek’s Bathroom Mirror.” “And he steals from musicians ’cause he knows that he’s shit at guitar.”
A chat with Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme about the music of their annual holiday spectacular, which this year takes a sci-fi/horror turn. "I can’t tell you what the Top 40 songs are, but I can hum you the opening theme song for 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴."
Let Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme Usher You Into Hell (the Holiday Season)
The drag performers’ holiday show gets weirder and more spectacular every year. They shared the secrets of their upcoming sci-fi Christmas extravaganza, which takes inspiration from 'Tales From the Crypt' and 'Freaky Friday.'
www.hearingthings.co
November 8, 2025 at 4:14 PM
A chat with Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme about the music of their annual holiday spectacular, which this year takes a sci-fi/horror turn. "I can’t tell you what the Top 40 songs are, but I can hum you the opening theme song for 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴."
“What makes good ambient music is that the creator of it does not think of it as ambient music. They think of it as something much grander—something that you would not want on a playlist that somebody falls asleep to.”
Claire Rousay Breaks Down 7 Perfectly Produced Songs
The ambient experimentalist dissects records by faves including Elliott Smith and Charli XCX, and details the process behind her twilit new album, ‘A Little Death.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 8, 2025 at 4:01 PM
“What makes good ambient music is that the creator of it does not think of it as ambient music. They think of it as something much grander—something that you would not want on a playlist that somebody falls asleep to.”
"Sometimes I feel like people look at me and they’re like, ‘Wow, she’s so profound.’ It’s like, Yeah, thanks. But also, I’m lit. I can be stupid if I want to be. I’m not your magic little violin player.”
Sudan Archives Is Pushing the Tempo
An afternoon at the museum with the genre-smashing violinist.
www.hearingthings.co
November 8, 2025 at 1:01 PM
"Sometimes I feel like people look at me and they’re like, ‘Wow, she’s so profound.’ It’s like, Yeah, thanks. But also, I’m lit. I can be stupid if I want to be. I’m not your magic little violin player.”
Keiyaa's new album 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦'𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘸 plays like my ideal kind of late-night freeform radio show: clouds of quiet storm and warped soul music, where the background shifts from jazz trio to icy beats to field recordings with ease and mystique
Four Must Hears From Our Ears to Yours
A Swedish singer and pipe organist, a Portuguese experimentalist, a Canadian rapper, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Keiyaa's new album 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦'𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘸 plays like my ideal kind of late-night freeform radio show: clouds of quiet storm and warped soul music, where the background shifts from jazz trio to icy beats to field recordings with ease and mystique
"I’ve really been trying to make this album since the first time I heard Dizzee Rascal—it is heavily grime-influenced."
Danny Brown, Back for the First Time
The audacious rap veteran on sobriety, platforming trans artists, and working with the next generation of hyperpop stars on his latest album, ‘Stardust.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 7, 2025 at 3:01 PM
"I’ve really been trying to make this album since the first time I heard Dizzee Rascal—it is heavily grime-influenced."
In many cases, it is shockingly easy to upload fraudulent music to an artist's streaming profile—no hacking or even password entry required
Why Is It So Easy to Flood Streaming With AI Slop?
And what the hell is Operation Clown Dump?
www.hearingthings.co
November 7, 2025 at 1:02 PM
In many cases, it is shockingly easy to upload fraudulent music to an artist's streaming profile—no hacking or even password entry required
Both Iggy Pop and Ethel Cain show up for duets on Anna von Hausswolff’s staggering new album, 𝘐𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴—a testament to the Swedish singer and pipe organist's stature as your favorite cult artist’s favorite cult artist
Four Must Hears From Our Ears to Yours
A Swedish singer and pipe organist, a Portuguese experimentalist, a Canadian rapper, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Both Iggy Pop and Ethel Cain show up for duets on Anna von Hausswolff’s staggering new album, 𝘐𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴—a testament to the Swedish singer and pipe organist's stature as your favorite cult artist’s favorite cult artist
Noname, hip-hop’s resident radical reading maven, returns with a surprisingly upbeat track filled with funny, down-to-earth lines—including the hilarious offer that if he “eat the cat good, he can pick the book of the month”
Noname and De La Soul Glide Over the Abyss
Plus a welcome return to form from Oneohtrix Point Never, spaced-out sophsitipop from rural New England, and surrealist funk from the UK.
www.hearingthings.co
November 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Noname, hip-hop’s resident radical reading maven, returns with a surprisingly upbeat track filled with funny, down-to-earth lines—including the hilarious offer that if he “eat the cat good, he can pick the book of the month”
Danny Brown has been to rehab, fallen back in love with rap, and is days away from dropping his latest album, Stardust. We spoke to the audacious Detroit rap veteran about his love for hyperpop and grime, and finding the tribe to put this album together
Danny Brown, Back for the First Time
The audacious rap veteran on sobriety, platforming trans artists, and working with the next generation of hyperpop stars on his latest album, ‘Stardust.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 5, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Danny Brown has been to rehab, fallen back in love with rap, and is days away from dropping his latest album, Stardust. We spoke to the audacious Detroit rap veteran about his love for hyperpop and grime, and finding the tribe to put this album together
KeiyaA says more in fragments, found sound, and unexpected choices than many others say in long-winded verses — find out why her new album is certified Must Hear
Four Must Hears From Our Ears to Yours
A Swedish singer and pipe organist, a Portuguese experimentalist, a Canadian rapper, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
KeiyaA says more in fragments, found sound, and unexpected choices than many others say in long-winded verses — find out why her new album is certified Must Hear
Prepare yourself for 4 new and near-perfect albums, including your favorite cult artist’s favorite cult artist
Four Must Hears From Our Ears to Yours
A Swedish singer and pipe organist, a Portuguese experimentalist, a Canadian rapper, and more.
www.hearingthings.co
November 4, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Prepare yourself for 4 new and near-perfect albums, including your favorite cult artist’s favorite cult artist
"When I'm listening to music I need it to be an isolated experience, like it’s just for me. I’m not doing it for anybody else. I’m not trying to set the mood. I’m not trying to fucking have a vibe."
Claire Rousay Breaks Down 7 Perfectly Produced Songs
The ambient experimentalist dissects records by faves including Elliott Smith and Charli XCX, and details the process behind her twilit new album, ‘A Little Death.’
www.hearingthings.co
November 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
"When I'm listening to music I need it to be an isolated experience, like it’s just for me. I’m not doing it for anybody else. I’m not trying to set the mood. I’m not trying to fucking have a vibe."
There is so much going on within and around Rosalía’s startling new single, yet its operatic drama leaves me salivating for more
No One Is Doing It Like Rosalía Right Now
Plus the resurrection of a rap one-hit wonder, revolutionary rave, and ecstatic Thin Lizzy riffage.
www.hearingthings.co
October 30, 2025 at 4:26 PM
There is so much going on within and around Rosalía’s startling new single, yet its operatic drama leaves me salivating for more
This week's Five Albums: reviews of Lily Allen, Nappy Nina, Flycatcher, Melvin Gibbs, and Parts Work featuring Frances Quinlan
Music for Crashing Out
Albums contending with divorce, expatriation, suburban malaise, and other concerns
www.hearingthings.co
October 28, 2025 at 5:58 PM
This week's Five Albums: reviews of Lily Allen, Nappy Nina, Flycatcher, Melvin Gibbs, and Parts Work featuring Frances Quinlan
A list of recent targets includes Uncle Tupelo, Sophie, Blaze Foley, and Wild Pink. What is going on here?
Why Is It So Easy to Flood Streaming With AI Slop?
And what the hell is Operation Clown Dump?
www.hearingthings.co
October 27, 2025 at 5:06 PM
A list of recent targets includes Uncle Tupelo, Sophie, Blaze Foley, and Wild Pink. What is going on here?
For a violinist who already shreds, on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘗𝘔, Sudan Archives is going even harder on the melodies to keep pace with the drive of the beats. “I'm shredding because I'm trying to be like Jimi Hendrix,” she says.
Sudan Archives Is Pushing the Tempo
An afternoon at the museum with the genre-smashing violinist.
www.hearingthings.co
October 25, 2025 at 2:03 PM
For a violinist who already shreds, on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘗𝘔, Sudan Archives is going even harder on the melodies to keep pace with the drive of the beats. “I'm shredding because I'm trying to be like Jimi Hendrix,” she says.
Tyler’s consistent love for Black music has always scraped up against his loaded portrayals of Black people in his music
Tyler, the Creator Brought This Reckoning on Himself
The California rapper-producer spent his early years cultivating a fanbase of trolls. How much reckoning will it take to shake them?
www.hearingthings.co
October 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Tyler’s consistent love for Black music has always scraped up against his loaded portrayals of Black people in his music