Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4nZqJtrWSkGbfdGv42uuM1?si=770f1471d0474bcd 

Jacob’s picks

1. Worm – “Foreverglade (Intro)”
2. Death – “Mutilation” 
3. Ashton Travis – “Playing With Fire” 

Funeral doom band out of Florida, Worm has dropped one of the most impressive albums of the year in “Foreverglade” on Oct. 22. The intro track “Foreverglade (Intro)” revels in the great aspects of funeral doom. The atmosphere is unnerving, the vocals are haunting and the riffs are slow and doomy. 

Death metal would be nothing without the godfather of the genre, Death. Death’s “Mutilation” is fast-paced death metal in its earliest forms. The vocals aren’t as grotesque, the guitars feature some good ol’ fashioned shredding with gory themes. “Mutilation” is a great early Death track to listen to, especially around Halloween. 

Rapper Ashton Travis is criminally underrated. Travis constantly intertwines R&B with his rap and “Playing With Fire” is one of his best. Travis is extremely direct with his line delivery, like he’s almost talking to a certain someone throughout the track. Along with the catchy production, Travis harmonizes seamlessly on the chorus. “Playing With Fire” is the exact reason why Travis deserves more recognition. 

Quade’s picks

1.  Maxine Nightingale – “Right Back Where We Started From”
2.  LiSa – “Homura”
3.  Kendrick Lamar – “LOVE”

Maxine Nightingale’s classic song serves as a pretty good song to get you dancing. Its lyrics seem pretty simple at the outset, but the simplicity works in the song’s favor. Even after the disco fever has subsided, this song will still be kicking.

Accompanying the “Demon Slayer” movie earlier this year, “Homura” takes a more sentimental approach than LiSa’s earlier songs. The song definitely has some of the melodramatics present in a lot of LiSa’s work. Despite this, she really manages to capture the themes in the movie with this song.

Kendrick Lamar, while not being the biggest name in rap, is still a talented artist and “LOVE” demonstrates this perfectly. Devoted to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, “LOVE” demonstrates Lamar’s ability to weave emotional narratives in with good rhyme schemes.

Daija’s picks

1. Flyte – “Archie, Marry Me”
2. Lizzy McAlpine – “Pancakes for Dinner”
3. Billy Joel – “Piano Man”

“Archie, Marry Me” is a cover that was originally performed by the band Alvvays. The original version gives the song a ‘90s coming-of-age-movie pop punk vibe, where Flyte’s cover slows it down and draws out the lyrics to truly display the themes of love and marriage. The vocals give the song an echoing effect, which is clearly displayed in the chorus when backup vocals take center stage.

Lizzy McAlpine got her start in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, where she was studying at Berklee College of Music. She has gained a following on Instagram and TikTok because of her folk-pop sound accompanied by lyrics that are straightforward and explore themes of lost and young love. “Pancakes for Dinner” is no exception as McAlpine talks about the small moments with a crush and the anxiety of meeting someone new.

“Piano Man” is a masterpiece from start to finish, with components like vocals, lyrics and instruments. This song details Joel’s experience as a piano player in a bar and recounts the people he saw and what he experienced. There is a piano being played throughout, but the harmonica is really the star of the song. It is unexpected but it becomes a key part of the song. 

Ariel’s picks

1. Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby”
2. Drake – “Summers Over Interlude”
3. Leven Kali – “Do U Wrong” (feat. Syd)

A well-known song played throughout TikTok, “Industry Baby” has an impressive upbeat that’s good for playing while working out. The beat is motivating, enticing and sensational. Jack Harlow’s verse stands out with its catchy and rhythmic lyrics. This piece exudes power and drive and is a great song for giving the listener a confidence boost. 

“Summers Over Interlude” sounds like it was made in the ‘90s. This nostalgic beat is one of the most memorable in Drake’s album “Views.” This piece has a melody that reminds us how great of a year 2017 was. It seems like 2017 was a year for so much great, timeless music.

This timeless love song may be unheard of by many, but its artist is very talented. Leven Kali makes timeless R&B music. His music has a culture and rhythm that is so effortless. The growling guitar and G-funk appeal present a fresh sound in the R&B and soul genres.

Kyron’s picks

1. Gerard McMann – “Cry Little Sister”
2. Michael Jackson – “Thriller”
3. Lil Uzi Vert – “Demon High”

Part of the soundtrack to one of my favorite horror films, “The Lost Boys,” I felt “Cry Little Sister” was a perfect pick to go on the list. This song will get you into the Halloween mood with a hard hitting bass and enchanting lyrics that simultaneously set a relaxing vibe.

This classic by the King of Pop, “Thriller” makes the listener want to dance as it features the familiar sounds of creatures that go bump in the night. 

“Demon High” is the latest song from Lil Uzi Vert. The first half of the song is reminiscent of early 2000s pop mixed with the familiar style of Uzi’s earlier work. Then a hard hitting trap beat complements the later half.

Madelaine’s picks

1. Chromatics – “Cherry”
2. Yumi Zouma – “Persephone”
3. Tame Impala – “Let It Happen”

The Chromatics are an electronic rock band that formed in 2001. “Cherry” sounds similar to songs from the dream pop band Beach House, since they both have dreamy vocals and moody but catchy instrumental tracks.

New Zealand indie pop band Yumi Zouma formed in 2014. Most of the band’s songs lean more towards being slow songs, but “Persephone” is one of the band’s more upbeat songs from their 2017 album “Willowbank.”

Tame Impala caught the most attention with their well-known hit “The Less I Know The Better.” The alternative psychedelic rock artist’s song “Let It Happen” is about embracing change. The bass solo in this song is best described as upbeat and catchy.