Every week, the Stay Music Weblog group takes inventory of what’s been populating their playlists and getting endlessly caught of their heads from the week that was. These could be new releases, obscure tracks in area of interest genres, or basic albums dusted off as a result of nostalgia (or as a result of they’re merely superior). Get pleasure from what we’re listening to this week… and pay attention together with us in case you so select!
Unfaithful – Burial (2007)
Spectral, haunting, and seminal: These three phrases typify this masterpiece of the IDM/ambient techno style that Burial has made his personal playground. I first heard this album in school, just a few years after it was launched in 2007, and it blew my thoughts.
I had by no means heard vocal samples utilized in such fascinating, ghost-like methods, nor had I heard drumbeats sequenced, crunched, and manipulated into such ethereal and unusual-sounding tones. That is a type of uncommon digital albums that works nicely as background music whilst you do different duties, whereas additionally being extremely rewarding in case you focus solely on it and it alone. In the event you haven’t given this album a pay attention and also you take pleasure in any sort of digital music, do your self a favor and provides this a spin.
Prime Tracks: “Archangel,” “Etched Headplate,” “Ghost {Hardware},” “Unfaithful”
Hear Subsequent: Endtroducing…. by DJ Shadow, Rounds by 4 Tet, Splazsh by Actress, Luxurious Issues by Andy Stott
Skylarking – XTC (1986)
Celebrating its fortieth anniversary this yr, Skylarking is an interesting idea album that additionally represents XTC’s best hour. Whereas the propulsive vitality of the album’s storyline helps this album’s run time merely zoom by, the unimaginable songcraft on show from the group’s main songwriter Andy Partridge and secondary songwriter Colin Moulding are what really make the album hum.
Spotlight songs abound, although my private favourite is “That’s Actually Tremendous, Supergirl,” which boasts an unimaginable association, a towering lead vocal from Partridge, gorgeous backing vocals that shock you after they go “Supergirl!” in the course of the refrain, and, maybe most significantly, the very best guitar solo ever recorded by the group.
Whereas the band (particularly Partridge) didn’t get together with this album’s producer, the inimitable Todd Rundgren, their could be no denying that he wrangled unimaginable performances from the band—finally resulting in the group’s finest total effort.
Prime Tracks: “That’s Actually Tremendous, Supergirl,” “Grass,” “Earn Sufficient for Us,” “The Assembly Place,” “Pricey God”
Hear Subsequent: English Settlement by XTC, Argybargy by Squeeze, The Trendy Lovers by The Trendy Lovers, My Purpose Is True by Elvis Costello
Rubber Soul – The Beatles (1965)
Although it isn’t The Beatles’ finest album (that goes to Revolver on this author’s humble opinion), the Fab 4’s second launch of 1965 units the stage for dizzying artistic highs that might observe throughout the rest of the Nineteen Sixties for the group.
With just a few trappings left of the group’s nation, people, Motown, and pop influences nonetheless left clinging to the group as they continued to transcend all of them with their very own towering achievements in songwriting and a plethora of musical improvements, Rubber Soul serves as a pleasant mixing of every part that got here earlier than for the group whereas pointing forward to the longer term.
The album’s observe listing reads like a mid-career biggest hits package deal, although there are few low factors on an in any other case flawless launch. A towering achievement that has aged exquisitely from the very best band ever.
Prime Tracks: “Drive My Automotive,” “Nowhere Man,” “The Phrase,” “In My Life,” “Norwegian Wooden (This Fowl Has Flown),” “If I Wanted Somebody”
Hear Subsequent: Revolver by The Beatles, Buffalo Springfield by Buffalo Springfield, Youthful than Yesterday by The Byrds, Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers by Gene Clark
Shrunken Elvis – Shrunken Elvis (2025)
A repeat album within the What We’re Listening To sequence?! I’m sorry, I simply can’t give up this album in 2026! I’m a sucker for ambient music that employs pedal metal guitar and different intriguing, natural devices in a style that usually depends on synth washes or staticky area recordings to offer an enveloping womb of sound, and that’s precisely what Shrunken Elvis’s 2025 debut album supplies in spades.
With a plethora of spotlight tracks, my private favourite being “An Previous Outlet,” this album will proceed to get repeat performs as I eagerly await any new materials from this up-and-coming ambient outfit.
Prime Tracks: All of them, actually, however “An Previous Outlet” is my private favourite.
Hear Subsequent: Excessive Line by SUSS, Slider: Ambient Excursions for Pedal Metal Guitar by Bruce Kaphan, Water Nonetheless Flows by Wealthy Ruth, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll All the time Love You by Ethel Cain
One other Week Filled with Nice Music
What did you take heed to this week? It’s by no means a nasty time to revisit a few of your favourite songs and albums or department out into one thing you thought you’d by no means take heed to. In the event you’re in want of inspiration, discover our “What We’re Listening To” archives:
Header Picture Courtesy porcupiny/Wikimedia Commons
