January 2026

I Used To Go To This Bar by Joyce Manor

at only 19 minutes long, Joyce Manor offer a breezy, catchy pop punk record with great choruses.

a sparse, but well-orchestrated singer-songwriter album that quietly explores the feeling of being lost, or searching for something. The quiet songs often have subtly elegant instrumental developments as they progress.

As of Now by Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon

a great record from the Charlotte rapper that shows his humor as well as his great flows. It’s also hard to take your eyes off of, as there is something interesting about every single track.

Stand On My Shoulders by Ya Tseen

a dreamlike, deeply political record. The overall soundscape on this one is very slippery, with components slipping in and out of the mix, and Galanin’s approach is excitingly collaborative, with contributions ranging from Pink Siifu to Portugal the Man.

Secret Love by Dry Cleaning

while playing at the dry wit that gave them their breakout, Dry Cleaning move into a more expansive, uninhibited sound with production assistance from Cate Le Bon. In particular, opener “Hit My Head All Day” sees them move into groovy, 80’s post-disco territory.

e.t.d.s. MIXTAPE by IDK

a really reinvigorating mixtape with lots of energy and an old school rap sound. The project largely concerns IDK’s feelings about a 15-year sentence he caught at age 17. He only did 3 years, but the time that he spent locked up haunts these tracks. That being said, he approaches his songwriting in a playful way that prevents the record from being particularly vulnerable. Songs like the Joey Valence & Brae-featured “CLOVER” bring in some obligatory sex bars, and the DMX-featured “START TO FiNISH” is just one example of the braggadocio IDK commits to on this project.

波地獄 — Post Purgatory by 破地獄/Scattered Purgatory

an awe-inspiring Taiwanese album by an incredibly experimental duo that I hadn’t heard of before this point. On “Post Purgatory,” which marks the end of a hiatus the band took during/after the pandemic, the band combine molasses-slow rushes of bass and guitar (very doom-y) with heavy-hitting, trip hop-influenced beats. There are also torrents of saxophone here and there that give the project a distinctly jazzy feel.

A-Rhythm Absolute by Sunday Mourners

this album just scratched a really obvious itch for me, as someone who loves the punk and post-punk of the 70s and 80s. Vocally, this band reminds me of many greats in rock music - from Lou Reed to Julian Casablancas. They also prove themselves to be capable of a wide range of rock subgenres - there’s the kraut-y 12 minute “Darling,” as well as the angular post-punk of opener “Careers In Acting.”

656 by Roc Marciano

drumless self-produced hip hop with an eerie, analog vibe. It feels both minimal and incredibly lush and well thought-out, especially when complemented by Roc’s head-scratching, cinematic lyricism. I actually am not sure if I’ve enjoyed a Roc Marciano album quite this much before this point, but he creates an incomparable jazzy/noir aura on “656” that works especially well, between his creaky samples and his knotty, complex verses.

My Ghosts go Ghost by By Storm

I received this album with a lot of excitement, after being mind-boggled by Injury Reserve’s final project in 2022. Their first project since reforming as “By Storm” is a triumph through and through, showing the group experimenting with gentler, folktronica-influenced sounds. From the first track (“Can I Have You For Myself?”) showcases some of the most beautiful and acoustic sounds they’ve ever created, before exploding into a glitchy, disorienting waltz. This contrast between pastoral beauty and cacophony brings to mind artists like Xiu Xiu - a comparison that also stands when looking at instrumentation like the eerie, distorted violin on “Best Interest.” Coupled with the group’s lyrics about grief and personal strife, My Ghosts go Ghost can be a demanding album to unpack (even if it’s less apocalyptic than Injury Reserve’s prior work), but it’s undeniably poignant and interesting.

♫ cheyenne loves tunes ♫