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The year we know as 2026 is now halfway over, and I am, yes, a little behind as usual with these playlists. But it’s not like the songs here have exactly gone stale. Crank ’em up and enjoy.<\/p>\n
Deletist, \u201cMississippi Mud\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n I don\u2019t know much about Deletist, but judging by this standout from the band\u2019s debut album, Mudlark<\/em>, I\u2019d wager that every member knows his, her, or their birth chart backwards and forwards. Casey Ashman does something witchy vocally as Philip Reilly coaxes some sly magick from his guitar.\u00a0<\/p>\n Megasound, \u201cSupersize\u201d<\/strong><\/a> Student 1 feat. Demon Marcus, \u201ckevinkevinkevin\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBack to dissociating again,\u201d the rapper informs us on this standout track from his great new album Truant<\/em>, in an Auto-Tuned falsetto that’s bolstered by additional vocals from kindred spirit Demon Marcus. But he never drifts off entirely, anchored as he is by reverberant synth chimes and a steady backbeat. <\/p>\n Tuffie, \u201cEraser\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n And the alt-rock keeps on coming. I think it\u2019s very sweet that Ava Levy and her dad Adam seem to get along so well, but I\u2019m also happy to hear her make music with kids her own age. In this case that means bassist Madeline Sash and two members of killusonline: drummer Sean Clements and guitarist Maxwell Folina, both less murderous in this context.<\/p>\n UltraBomb, \u201cArtificial Stars\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Greg Norton has revamped what began as a sort of hobbyist band, bringing in Soul Asylum\u2019s Ryan Smith and Derek O\u2019Brien’s Agent Orange for the bona-fide no-messing-around album The Bridges That We Burn.<\/em> Loud fast still rules?<\/p>\n Mountain Goats, \u201cShallow Grave\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Mountain Goats reviews typically focus on John Darnielle\u2019s lyrics, and with good reason. But while \u201cBury me in a shallow grave\/Out behind the warehouse rave\/And while you’re having a smoke back there\/You can think of me while you fix your hair\u201d is vivid stuff, why not zero in on here the sound of a guy enjoying the privilege of leading a great band? Or the way Darnielle\u2019s snappy rhythm acoustic guitar sets up a sprightly piano run and crisp Jon Wurster drum fill is every bit as charming as the chorus \u201cdo-do-do\u201ds?<\/p>\n Sad13, \u201cArt Institute\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The great Sadie Dupuis is releasing an album, 1331<\/em>, where every track is about one-minute long, a concept inspired by the also-great Tierra Whack (see below). Following a knot of electronic gurgling, Dupuis unspools of those melodies it sounds like she’s backed into while avoiding a more obvious tune. \u201cI would like immunity to this world\u2019s beauty,\u201d she sings, and, yes, I have felt the same at times. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Skrillex feat. Naishi, \u201cCheeni\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n I suspect that some of you think I\u2019m doing a bit with my Skrillex fandom, but I really appreciate this guy. After showing that he can take himself even less seriously than you do last year with Fuck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! , he takes himself just seriously enough on Soma<\/em> to add depth without getting dull. Selecting a track for this playlist was like choosing my favorite annoyingly hyperactive child\u2014I hate to admit it, but dithering over my Skrillex pick was part of what delayed this latest column. This one isn’t a banger, and it doesn’t have the Brazilian elements that dominate the album,\u00a0but it’s aqueous electronics are perfect for night biking. Or, as Vulture’s Craig Jenkins put it<\/a>, “This is what fish outside LIV Miami<\/a> hear.”<\/em><\/p>\n Tierra Whack, \u201cWiggidy Whack\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
<\/a>With a band name\/song title like that, you\u2019d better be packing some jumbo riffs, and indeed the guitar is processed to get on alternative radio 30 years ago. Megasound is L.A.\u2019s Party Nails, aka Elena Carroll, along with Bad Bad Hats\u2019 Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge. Listen up and you will not be surprised to learn that while touring together, all three used to encore with Josie and the Pussycats\u2019 “Pretend To Be Nice.”\u00a0<\/p>\nNON-LOCAL PICKS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
FULL PLAYLIST HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>The colorful, stylish MC finally made herself a straight-up rappity-rap album, Whack\u2019s Museum<\/em>, to shut up the critics.<\/em> At nearly three minutes, this is an epic by Whack\u2019s miniaturist standards. With Conductor Williams producing in that wobbly way of his, she gets off a spate of great lines:\u00a0\u201cCruella de Vil \u2019cause I\u2019m comin\u2019 for my spot, dog,” “You wack without H, so that means you a knockoff,\u201d “We are not the same\/I’m super, you supper.” And yes, there’s a local angle: a Mint Condition name drop.<\/p>\n