10 songs I'm listening to right now

I care more about the history of music than the production value. That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in good melodies, but polish has never impressed me as much as intention. I listen to everything from classical to country, rap to metal, but I’m usually drawn to anything with jazz, blues, or psychedelic themes.

I’m drawn to artists who make choices that serve the feel of the track instead of polishing it for appeal. Whether it's the lo-fi aggression of Tommy Wright, the slowed disorientation of DJ Screw, or the clean harmonies in Infinity Song, none of it feels passive. Even the softer stuff, like Darondo or Gábor Szabó, has weight and precision And in no particulaR order here is what I'm into right now

1. Gábor Szabó – Somewhere I Belong
   Szabó hits a niche I keep coming back to: 60s and 70s jazz-psych fusion with international leanings. His phrasing is fluid and narrative, not technical for the sake of it. You hear modal scales stretched across Latin percussion and sparse chord voicings that feel cinematic. A lot of this stuff reminds me of Italian horror soundtracks or South American jazz-funk, but Szabó stands out because of how restrained he is. Every track feels like it has a plot.

2. Camille – L’Étourderie
   Camille is a good example of someone who pushes French chanson into something sharper. This track is mostly vocal and acoustic, but the rhythm is built from syllables and breath. I like that she leans into dissonance and silence instead of over-producing. There’s something almost mathematical about how the parts fit together. It’s pop, but not interested in being smooth.

3. Parquet Courts – Wide Awake
   This is one of the few recent indie rock tracks that actually feels percussive. The bassline is locked in like early post-punk, but it’s more playful than Joy Division and more raw than Talking Heads. I like when a song stays simple but uses rhythm to create energy without layering the hell out of it. The mix is dry, which gives the performance more weight.

4. Captain Beefheart – I’m Glad
   Beefheart isn’t usually subtle, which is why this track works. It strips everything down to a soul groove, and he’s just trying to sing—no tricks, no surrealism, just a straight vocal take. His voice cracks, and that’s what makes it land. You get the sense he’s trying to control something that doesn’t want to be controlled. I respect restraint from artists who usually don’t show any.

5. Tommy Wright III – Killaz by My Side
   The appeal here is how dirty and unpolished it is. The production sounds like it was made in one take, which adds to the urgency. Memphis rap from this era wasn’t built to impress—it was built to hit hard and fast. The synth loops are repetitive but hypnotic. Vocally, he stays ahead of the beat just enough to keep it unstable. I like music that sounds like it’s falling apart but still holds.

6. DJ Screw – Knocking Pictures Off Da Wall
   The chopped and screwed style changes how you listen. Time feels warped. It’s not just slowed down—it’s dissected. Every downbeat feels heavier because there’s more space around it. Screw wasn’t just remixing tracks, he was rebuilding them as sound environments. You’re not supposed to be comfortable, and that’s the point.

7. Infinity Song – American Love Song
   The arrangement is simple, but their vocal blend is ridiculously tight. You can hear gospel and soul lineage without it sounding dated. I appreciate how dry the production is—no huge reverb, no layering to mask anything. Just clean harmony and restraint. This would fall apart if they weren’t technically solid, but they are.

8. Darondo – Didn’t I
   Darondo sits somewhere between Al Green and Shuggie Otis but a little rougher. His vocal vibrato is uneven in a way that makes every line feel live. The instrumentation is minimal: clean guitar, subtle organ, steady groove. There’s no build, just pressure. That kind of tension takes control. It’s soul music that doesn’t beg.

9. La Luz – Good Luck with Your Secret
   La Luz takes surf rock and makes it slow and eerie. They use tight vocal harmonies over tremolo guitar, but everything stays clean. I like the way the song feels like it’s circling something. No solo section, no big payoff. Just a steady, haunted vibe that holds.

10. Le Tigre – Deceptacon
    This is basically a punk song with a drum machine. It’s aggressive but playful. The vocal delivery is bratty in a way that still feels smart. The main riff is just a surf rock loop, but the tension comes from how repetitive it is. I like when a track feels like it’s daring you to stop listening. This one pushes that line without falling over it.