Halftime: January 2026

I actually typed January 2025 before realizing what year it was. Jesus christ, 2026, really? I’m supposed to give way to temporality like this? In any case, music is and always will be good. Here are some tunes to get you through whatever Elsa, Sub-Zero, Mr. Freeze and Iceman throw at you.

Sven Väth - The sound of the First season (2000)

Fire club mix from an Ibiza session. I will never be off K like shit in Ibiza, but this comes pretty close to replicating the feeling.

RIYL: Armin van Buuren, The Field, Richie Hawtin, Basic Channel

crossed out - s/t 7” (1991)

Not underlooked in punk circles by any means, but extolling the virtues of powerviolence is a rare thing to witness so I’d like to give this heater to the masses. Just nasty, sludgy aggression that blows most modern hardcore out the water. The kids need to hear this one.

RIYL: Man Is The Bastard, Infest, Anal Cunt, Spazz

Slapp Happy – O For The Ocean (1983)

So this is a bizarre curio because this is not technically Slapp Happy the Rock in Opposition-adjacent band, it’s Anthony Moore’s solo track off the album The Only Choice, or at least the only studio recorded version. However, that recorded version is a glossy 80s pop song, whereas this performance is essentially proto- Guided By Voices. It’s the musical version of that 60s time travel photo, indie before even college rock.

RIYL: Henry Cow, Guided By Voices, Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel

Eric Akaeze And His Royal Ericos - Wetin Dey Watch Goat, Goat Dey Watcham (1974)

It’s Afrobeat. Of course it rocks. Tap in.

RIYL: Fela Kuti, Hugh Masekela, Orlando Julius, Manu Dibango

Various Artists - SSX Tricky Soundtrack (2001)

John Morgan is the principal architect of this soundtrack but there’s so many cool moving parts here; Mix Master Mike of the Beasties contributing with a crazy hitter in “Board Burner”, Run-DMC with one of Jam Master Jay’s final appearances before his killing remixing “It’s Tricky” and even Pizzicato Five on the Japanese version with “Baby Portable Rock”. A deeply swagged out time capsule of Y2K aesthetics and interests.

RIYL: Future Sound of London, 1080 Snowboarding, Y2k Aesthetic Institute, Underworld

Saves The Day - In Reverie (2003)

A big departure from the bratty Saves the Day people came to know, In Reverie is their twee, Beach Boys-esque record. Chris Conley can write the shit outta a melody, and “Wednesday the Third” is essentially a dream pop song.

RIYL: The Get Up Kids, The Beach Boys, Weezer, Grandaddy

Picky Picnic - Picnic Land (1982)

For the weirdos and those that know. Minimal synth turned into outsider art, crayon drawings on the edge of the human mind.

RIYL: Daniel Johnston, Nuno Cannavaro, Devo, Plastics

The Ergs! - Dorkrockcorkrod (2004)

Another pop-punk record from the early aughts with a completely different vibe. Think going to Six Flags with your childhood crew, sleepovers, egging someone’s house and getting into sitcom antics. Not too niche by any means but an album that deserves a second life 20 years later.

RIYL: The Mr. T Experience, Blink-182, Good Charlotte, The Aquabats

Sword II - The Electric Hour (2025)

The best indie album of last year and it isn’t particularly close. World class songwriting. Water From Your Eyes should be forced to give them reparations.

RIYL: Elliott Smith, Smashing Pumpkins, Alvvays, Phil Elverum

Starski $ Clutch – Don’t Stop ‘Til You Jit Enough (2005)

Ghettotech is proof that Detroit figured out the most futuristic way to fuck possible.

RIYL: DJ Assault, Bitch Ass Darius, Hi-Tech, licking balls and eating cheeks

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Thank you for reading, and I hope you check some of these out. Not doing too well monetarily so if you have some spare cash, check my ko-fi! OK, love you all.