sorry for the slightly late monthly album post! may was quite a busy month for me, and june's looking like it's about to be a similar case. i'm pretty excited though-- being busy isn't always a bad thing!
here's my albums and singles for this month - a pretty single heavy month, actually, but i don't mind that too much. hope you all enjoy anyway!
They Might Be Giants - The World is to Dig (2026)
Notable tracks: Wu-Tang, Sleep’s Older Sister, Outside Brain, Let’s Fall in Lava, Get Down, Character Flaw, Hit the Ground, What You Get, What the Cat Dragged In
The first half of this one was a little iffy for me, but it really swung around in the latter half! I’m a TMBG fan on the lowkey, so it’s been a long time since I’ve listened to a full record, and I had a good time listening to this one. Get Down and What the Cat Dragged In are my standout favorites here. I feel like this album gets quite Mountain Goats-y in its instrumentation in other songs, which I found interesting. I don’t know why I’ve never connected these two bands in my mind before?
ILLIT - MAMIHLAPINATAPAI (2026)
Notable tracks: It’s Me, paw, paw!, Mamihlapinatapai, Love, older you
This is a pretty solid release, especially coming from a group borne of the HYBE primordial ooze. I find most of their groups pretty unappealing to my personal tastes in K-pop as a whole, but I think ILLIT stands out as being my favorite of the bunch in lieu of New Jeans being imploded via internal company shenanigans. The title track, It’s Me, is loud and brutal and divisive, and that’s the kind of shit that really tickles me in K-pop. Knowing that The Deep had her neon acrylic adorned fingers in this track makes all kinds of sense to me, and it feels like direct competition to fellow labelmate Katseye’s recent venture into hardstyle and techno via PINKY UP. To me, though, it’s no competition. It’s Me is just way better.
If I had to pick another standout song here, it’s probably paw, paw! since I find the production so darling and the changes in tempo really interesting. Hopefully ILLIT is able to last a few more years unscathed under the HYBE slop bucket. Maybe they’ll sign under a new, less annoying company. Hopefully.
Deja Vu - HOT (2025)
Finally decided to look at my Spotify Discover Weekly for the first time in ages and stumbled across this song. In the vein of groups like FLO and Say Now, Deja Vu is a similar trio of hot girls making hot girl music. This song, weirdly, feels way longer than its 2:30 runtime to me, but not in a bad way. It’s great and even with that, it doesn’t feel like it overstays its welcome in any way. I’m super interested in artists like this who seem to bubble right under whatever weird circumstances lead to blowing up like gangbusters. Hopefully, they get their star moment!
Joyce Wrice - Break Me In (2026)
This song is horny with a capital H, followed by the rest of the word also in capitals. It reminds me of a lot of my favorite Chloe or Kehlani songs, and that’s high fucking praise. This percussion line is nasty, I don’t know what composers Hadar Adora and Malik Isaiah Sanders were on when making those drums, but I want to be there and I want to be in it.
METTE & Sam Gellaitry - DARLING DRIVE (2024)
I listened to a lot of singles via Discovery Weekly today, and was super struck by the production of this one. Super funky, slick, and reminds me of some K-pop boy groups like, I don’t know, TOMORROW x TOGETHER but when they’re good? SHINEE solo project singles? This definitely sounds like it could be a Key song.
Sadder Days - Yin & Yang (2026)
Notable tracks: I’ve Had, Push (Back it Up), Yin, Yang, Heavy, Heat, You and i
Loved this album. Listened to the whole thing while drawing a bunch of stupid bullshit (as usual) and found myself unable to stop dancing, especially during Push (Back it Up) and Heavy. The transition between Yin / Yang was amazing too. Finally, music that makes me feel the same way as a gay black man as listening to BROCKHAMPTON does. Sometimes.
She & Him - Volume One (2008)
Notable tracks: Sentimental Heart, Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?, Change Is Hard, I Thought I Saw Your Face Today, Take It Back, I Was Made for You, You Really Got a Hold on Me, Sweet Darlin’, Swing Low Sweet Chariot
My apologies, Zooey Deschanel, I was not aware of your game. I will not discount your ability to write heart-rending yearning twee American folk music ever again.
D-Unit - Affirmative Chapter.1 (2013)
Notable tracks: Talk To My Face (얼굴보고얘기해) (feat. Zico), Alone, Sleeping In Part 2 (늦잠 Part 2) (feat. TAEWAN), Scarecrow (허수아비), Luv Me
I love when girl groups of this era just sound like INFINITE. I think all girl groups should lowkey sound like boy groups, but only when it’s boy groups that I like.
9 MUSES A - MUSES DIARY (2016)
Notable tracks: Lip 2 Lip, Ssh!, MONSTER
When I was a young K-pop fan, I did not play about 9Muses. This shit was immensely serious, and still is. So I remember seeing the teasers for Lip 2 Lip on Tumblr when I was 15 years old (a Blink, how horrifying. A Lisa bias, even moreso!) and gagging with intensity. Dry heaving, shall I say.
Ten years later, and Lip 2 Lip is still a fucking banger. If we’re talking subunit tracks, I’m putting this in the top 10 alongside Orange Caramel’s discography and Apink CHOBOM. It’s that fucking serious. I’m sure I’ve listened to this EP at some point in my life, but I did not remember Ssh! or MONSTER at all upon hearing them, so I’m considering this new. And it’s all good. It’s new and good.
Girl’s Generation Oh!GG - Lil’ Touch (2018)
Notable tracks: Lil’ Touch
Don’t even fucking joke lad. Lil’ Touch dare I say might top Twinkle in terms of pure subunit gaggery. Fermata is… I mean, it’s fine. It’s a 2018 low-tempo girl group b-side. But Lil’ Touch is great. Speaking of Twinkle, though, I might have to go back and relisten to TTS’s songs, since I remember them all being pretty good too. Is May the month of the K-pop girl group subunit?
F-Ve Dolls - Charming Five Girls (2011)
Notable tracks: Your Words (너 말이야), Jjureureureureu (쭈르르르르), Wait A Second (거기 잠깐)
I’ve listened to a few songs by F-Ve Dolls before, so I decided to randomly grab one of their albums and give it a shot. This one was pretty fun: I was worried it’d lean too hard into 2nd gen technoslop for me when I started it, but it’s got enough swingy melodies and interesting synth lines and is light on the worst, most dubstep-y parts of this era, so I liked it a lot. Wait A Second is a standout here. Highly recommend this for fellow nugu fans!
F-Ve Dolls - First Love (2013)
Notable tracks:Can You Love Me? (사랑한다? 안한다!) (Feat. Dani), Deceived (사기쳤어), LOV, Soulmate #1 (짝1호) (Listen 2)
Listened to this one while reading a bunch of Nirvanna the Band fanfiction. This felt like the right way to listen to 3rd gen nugu. Might be the only way, actually. Now that I think about it, Matt and Jay are kind of 2nd gen nugu. Okay, don’t fucking listen to me. LOV is good, listen to that one.
15& - Sugar (2014)
Notable tracks: Star, Sugar, Shy Ma Boy, Oh My God, Not Today Not Tomorrow, Silly Boy, Can’t hide it, I Dream
This album is no fucking joke. Might be one of the best full albums I’ve ever heard from a K-pop duo and I’m not joking. This is on some, like, AKMU shit. Please listen to this whole thing. Please please please.
AOA - Short Hair (2014)
Notable tracks: Fantasy, Short Hair, Joa YO!, You know that
Like I’ve said before: if I put the opening interlude in the notable tracks, this is not an album to be fucked around with. Brave Brothers may be the best producers in K-pop full stop, and I’m not afraid to say that! Yes, better than Shindong Tiger! LDN Noise! Monotree! Dem Jointz! This is fucking MUSIC!
AOA - Like A Cat (2014)
Notable tracks: AOA, Like A Cat, Girl’s Heart, Just the Two of Us, Tears Falling
I was so hungry I had to go back for seconds. Equally good, maybe better than Short Hair. I love the way Choa’s adlibs and the producer tags are incorporated into the tracks in this one.
Rihanna - Music of the Sun (2005)
Notable tracks: Pon de Replay, If It’s Lovin’ That You Want, That La, La, La, Music Of The Sun, Let Me, Rush (feat. Kardinal Offishall), There’s A Thug In My Life (feat. J-Status)
People pretty consistently discuss Beyonce’s generational run of albums starting with her debut, but I feel like there is no commotion for Music of the Sun and it’s like. Why. This album is insane. Pon de Replay is a formative song for any Caribbean child of the late 90s to early 2000s, alongside artists like Sean Paul, Sean Kingston, and Vybz Kartel (who is on this album!). I think this is a big reason why hearing her swing back to dancehall in her later career felt so natural to me– Music of the Sun was my introduction to Rihanna, so I feel like the Caribbean music genre umbrella is her home turf.
Anyway, There’s A Thug In My Life is crazy and should be recommended listening from the b-sides.
Rihanna - A Girl Like Me (2006)
Notable tracks: SOS, Unfaithful, Final Goodbye, Break It Off (feat. Sean Paul), Selfish Girl, A Girl Like Me
Now, not to be controversial, but I do think that this is probably Rihanna’s weakest album from the ones I’ve heard in full. That being said, an album with SOS and Unfaithful on it is not a bad one. This is better than many artist’s best albums and best recordings on their best days. These singles are just disgustingly good.
I’m pretty excited to get to some of the albums I haven’t heard all of yet later on, but for now, a quick intermission for a handful of singles I listened to over the past few days:
Charli xcx - Rock Music (2026)
I love cheeky genre-twisting songs like this. I think Charli works best when she carries a sort of laissez-faire attitude to a realistic sentiment: the desire to change, to feel, and to be irreverent. The dance floor is dead. We’re making rock music!
The Guild - I’m the One That’s Cool (feat. Felicia Day) (2014)
I don’t know what the fuck I’m listening to anymore. I don’t think this is as good as Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? (the one I actually grew up listening to), but I can’t deny that Felicia Day knows how to sing her ass off.
DEAN & Anderson .Paak - AFTERTASTE (2026)
I listened to this while hanging out with friends and this shit is good. Thank you Anderson .Paak for getting DEAN out of the house… Lord knows we need him right now.
TAEYONG - Rock Solid (feat. Anderson .Paak) (2026)
I prefer AFTERTASTE, but it’s fine. We move.
BABYMONSTER - CHOOM (2026)
Please do not piss me off. Okay actually let me be serious. The chorus is good, but the rest kind of pisses me off, as is the case with many YG and YG-adjacent songs. I’m a fan of the outro though, they always know how to stick a landing.
MEOWW - Hands Up
Please do not piss me off actually. This song lowkey sucks. Burning Up clears.
Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded
Notable tracks: Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z), Don’t Stop The Music, Breakin’ Dishes, Shut Up And Drive, Hate That I Love You (feat. Ne-Yo), Say It, Sell Me Candy, Lemme Get That, Rehab, Question Existing, Good Girl Gone Bad, Disturbia, Take A Bow, If I Never See Your Face Again (feat. Maroon 5)
This is a fucking pop/dance masterclass. Maybe my current longest non-skip album, and I don’t even give a fuck. Every song on this album is perfect and I will not be arguing with anyone on this. You’d have better chances arguing with a wall.
The Spinners - 2nd Time Around (1970)
Notable tracks: It’s A Shame, My Lady Love, O-o-h Child, Can Sing A Rainbow / Love Is Blue
I’ve been trying to listen to more pre-1990 music as a healthy part of my musical diet, and stumbled across this album while building up my playlist for such music. Holy fuck, this album is good. I really do think group vocal acts like this in the 1970s created some of the best music of the time, and I am so dazzled by the utter talent in some of these tracks. It’s A Shame and Love Is Blue especially stand out here.
Miley Cyrus - Bangerz (Deluxe Version) (2013)
Notable tracks: We Can’t Stop, SMS (Bangerz) (feat. Britney Spears), 4x4 (feat. Nelly), #GETITRIGHT, Drive, FU (feat. French Montana), Maybe You’re Right, Rooting for My Baby, On My Own,
Love Money Party is a fucking confounding song. This is a confounding album. I don’t even know what to say. Utterly baffling choices in musical production and features and lyricism, and the album that follows is only more absurd (though I will say I actually prefer Miley Cyrus and her Dead Petz, sonically speaking. I might be the only one who does)
THE MOST NOTABLE SONGS FOR ME OF THIS MONTH, WHICH MEANS YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM
I hope this can be the best Pride Month for OW and my games yet, with a number of bundles, festivals, and love as I gear up and get ready for the remaster's release on Steam!
Lots of love to all, and I hope you'll continue to support me and my queer games!!
I'm not sure why it's so hard to believe that this website is majority white. This is at least the tenth round of this question getting this same answer. How many times is it "just not reaching the demographics of color" before we accept that there just isn't that many 😅
It's Not You • I Get Off • Bet U Wish U Had Me Back • Innocence • Familiar Taste of Poison • I'm Not an Angel • What Were You Expecting • Love / Hate Heartbreak • Better Sorry Than Safe • Dirty Work • Nothing to Do with Love
Have you listened to Halestorm's self-titled album (2009)?
