Media

What I read, listen to and watch, kept on three shelves. Move along with the arrows, or open anything for the review.

I · THE BOOKSHELF

Mother Mary Comes to Me Arundhati Roy

Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky

Stories of Your Life and Others Ted Chiang

The Memory Police Yoko Ogawa

A Tale for the Time Being Ruth Ozeki

The Martian Andy Weir

The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro

1984 George Orwell

Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro

The Book Thief Markus Zusak

Kafka on the Shore Haruki Murakami

Mother Mary Comes to Me

Arundhati Roy, 2025

85/100

Crime and Punishment

Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1866

100/100

Stories of Your Life

Ted Chiang, 2002

The Memory Police

Yoko Ogawa, 1994

85/100

A Tale for the Time Being

Ruth Ozeki, 2013

80/100

The Martian

Andy Weir, 2011

50/100

The Remains of the Day

Kazuo Ishiguro, 1989

75/100

1984

George Orwell, 1949

100/100

Never Let Me Go

Kazuo Ishiguro, 2005

100/100

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak, 2005

90/100

Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami, 2002

75/100

BOOK

Mother Mary Comes to Me

Arundhati Roy, 2025

85/100

pages: 224

biographynon-fictionfamily & relationships

Open Library ↗

Would really recommend reading. I will write about this more later.

continue reading, 11 words →

BOOK

Crime and Punishment

Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1866

100/100all-time favourite

original title: Преступленіе и наказаніе
language: Russian
country: Russian Empire
pages: 520

philosophical fictionserialized fictioncrime fictionpsychological fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

No review yet.

BOOK

Stories of Your Life and Others

Ted Chiang, 2002

form: short story collection
language: English
country: United States
awards: Locus Award for Best Collection, Bob Morane award for best short story

science fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

Worth reading if only for Story of Your Life. The rest seem less likeable as stories.

continue reading, 16 words →

BOOK

The Memory Police

Yoko Ogawa, 1994

85/100

original title: 密やかな結晶
language: Japanese
country: Japan
pages: 288

dystopian literature

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

Not to generalise too much, but there is something very atmospheric I have noticed about Japanese media. In music, Aoba reminds me of this, and in literature so did this book. It is really hard for me to write down what I actually mean, I don't particularly remember it now. Not well, at least.

However I do remember reading the book and feeling something of a dystopia, melancholic air surrounding me. The translation was fantastic, at least in the sense that I really enjoyed the book. It was another kind of dystopia, much more subtle---of course the presence of the memory police is by no means a subtle indicator---but the actual, overwhelming origin of it came differently, through this very distant, cold feeling. Perhaps like walking in a brutalist wasteland in the harsh winter.

A few things can be said about the characters, and the somewhat scandalous but at the end normalised romance at the end of it all, and the story inside of it, but I don't know how I feel about them, so I'll perhaps come back to this later.

continue reading, 182 words →

BOOK

A Tale for the Time Being

Ruth Ozeki, 2013

80/100

language: English
country: United States
pages: 438

literary fictionmetafiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

No review yet.

BOOK

The Martian

Andy Weir, 2011

50/100

language: English
country: United States
awards: Ignotus Award for Best Foreign Novel, Seiun Award for Best Translated Long Work
pages: 407

hard science fictionscience fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

A book that I really did not enjoy. For how exemplary it is in its portrayal of science, which is very well researched, grounded and believable, it is terrible in almost all other places. Watney's character was insufferable, with the humour of a (immature) redditor that finds himself too funny. The problem solving was the most enjoyable aspect of it, except that the story never really integrated it well. The trope that would keep happening and happening and happening was something would go wrong, Watney would curse and exclaim how everything was doomed and that there was no solution and yet, finally, there would be an extremely risky and unorthodox solution that just worked! One could literally just summarise half the book as this, and for one that spans 400 pages, this is not a great assesment.

Perhaps the worst book I read in ages. Sorry Richard.

continue reading, 147 words →

BOOK

The Remains of the Day

Kazuo Ishiguro, 1989

75/100

language: English
country: United Kingdom
awards: Booker Prize
pages: 254

postmodern fictionhistorical fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

This was the worst book from Ishiguro amongst the ones I have read, but still there is much to like. It took a while to grow on me, about 50 or so pages (unlike never let me go, which I loved immediately), but then it becomes this incredible tale about Stevens's past. About the dishonesty which he refused to acknowledge in his faith for Darlington, the dedication with which he devoted himself, and in turn, refused to take any decisions by himself. It feels as if his character holds the idea that he was mistaken in its subconscious and yet, it refuses to emerge aside from a few brief glimpses. He shuns his being and never engages in personal relationships, and only really realises this at the end.

I think this story might grow on me, as I grow older, but right now it remains a little more obtuse. One of the things that definitely derailed my enjoyment was the ending, in which Ishiguro spells everything painfully out, and is rather on the face. But I suppose when I am in my twilight years (as if I'll make it till then), there would be much to look back here.

continue reading, 199 words →

BOOK

1984

George Orwell, 1949

100/100

original title: Nineteen Eighty-Four
language: English
country: United Kingdom
awards: NPR Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century

social science fictionpolitical fictionscience fictiondystopian fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

No review yet.

BOOK

Never Let Me Go

Kazuo Ishiguro, 2005

100/100

language: English
country: United Kingdom
awards: Corine Literature Prize
pages: 319

science fictiondystopian fictionalternate history

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

One of my favourite novels ever, and certainly my favourite from the 21st century. I absolutely love how Ishiguro paints character here. They feel so effortlessly human, with these broad strokes and airy, hazy characters that remind of you people. They're lovely and messy and petty but at the end, they truly do feel like people. Although it is science fiction, that is employed only very subtly, not quite as much as he does in Klara and the Sun. I don't have too much to say about this, other than that if I had to recommend a book to someone to read, this would certainly be it (you wouldn't generally recommend Dostoevsky, would you?)

continue reading, 114 words →

BOOK

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak, 2005

90/100

language: English
country: Germany
pages: 560

young adult fictionhistorical fictionholocaust fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

There is some history behind this book. My friend gifted to me on my (fake) birthday and this is the book that got me into reading again, so I have fond, rose tinted memories of it. Now I can perhaps see that the prose was pretentious at times and that Zusak's decisions to inflict all possible forms of suffering were not very great, but there is a lot of time to go before I read this again, and till then, it does deserve its flowers for me.

continue reading, 87 words →

BOOK

Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami, 2002

75/100

original title: 海辺のカフカ
language: Japanese
country: Japan
awards: World Fantasy Award for Best Novel

magic realist fictionmetafictionfantasypostmodern fiction

Wikipedia ↗Open Library ↗Goodreads ↗

It flows much like a dream and when Murakami is not writing a fetish laden scene, it is such a mysterious little book. Much of it is very enjoyable, but then is soured by Murakami's weird substories that I feel are extremely out of place, and weird at times. For this at least, the score suffers a major hit, because the subplot takes up quite a lot of the book.

continue reading, 70 words →

II · THE RECORD SHELF

Revolver The Beatles

Bismillah Peter Cat Recording Co.

In Rainbows Radiohead

A Lonely Sinner samlrc

OK Computer Radiohead

Wetdream Willy Rodriguez

Twin Fantasy (Face to Face) Car Seat Headrest

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Ants From Up There Black Country, New Road

Hell for a Basement drug bug

111010111000000110011101111011001001011110010000111011001000010010011100 Asian Glow

Apiary Gingerbee

Blush Kevin Abstract

Heat Death of the Universe Dead Butterflies

I Love My Computer Ninajirachi

Pain to Power Maruja

Vanisher, Horizon Scraper Quadeca

Brat Charli XCX

Chromakopia Tyler, the Creator

For Sure American Football & Ethel Cain

Heavy Metal Cameron Winter

I Lay Down My Life for You JPEGMafia

Imaginal Disk Magdalena Bay

Scrapyard Quadeca

The New Sound Geordie Greep

Hypochondriac brakence

I Didn't Mean to Haunt You Quadeca

I Love You Jennifer B Jockstrap

The Forever Story JID

By the Time I Get to Phoenix Injury Reserve

For the First Time Black Country, New Road

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Little Simz

The New Abnormal The Strokes

Disco Elysium Sea Power

Giving Birth to Thunder Indian Summer

I Want to Be There Sadness

Igor Tyler, the Creator

Blonde Frank Ocean

The Life of Pablo Kanye West

Currents Tame Impala

...Like Clockwork Queens of the Stone Age

Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time Candy Claws

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye West

Sleep Patterns Merchant Ships

Deathconsciousness Have a Nice Life

Demon Days Gorillaz

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads Lift to Experience

Vespertine Björk

D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L Panchiko

Since I Left You The Avalanches

American Football American Football

Loveless My Bloody Valentine

Nevermind Nirvana

Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd

Black Country, New Road, 2022

100/100

Hell for a Basement

drug bug, 2026

11100011

Asian Glow, 2025

Apiary

Gingerbee, 2025

Blush

Kevin Abstract, 2025

Heat Death

Dead Butterflies, 2025

I Love My Computer

Ninajirachi, 2025

Pain to Power

Maruja, 2025

Vanisher

Quadeca, 2025

Brat

Charli XCX, 2024

Chromakopia

Tyler, the Creator, 2024

For Sure

American Football & Ethel Cain, 2024

Heavy Metal

Cameron Winter, 2024

I Lay Down My Life

JPEGMafia, 2024

Imaginal Disk

Magdalena Bay, 2024

Scrapyard

Quadeca, 2024

The New Sound

Geordie Greep, 2024

Hypochondriac

brakence, 2022

I Didn't Mean to Haunt You

Quadeca, 2022

Jennifer B

Jockstrap, 2022

The Forever Story

JID, 2022

Phoenix

Injury Reserve, 2021

For the First Time

Black Country, New Road, 2021

SIMBI

Little Simz, 2021

The New Abnormal

The Strokes, 2020

Disco Elysium

Sea Power, 2019

Giving Birth to Thunder

Indian Summer, 2019

I Want to Be There

Sadness, 2019

Igor

Tyler, the Creator, 2019

Blonde

Frank Ocean, 2016

The Life of Pablo

Kanye West, 2016

Currents

Tame Impala, 2015

...Like Clockwork

Queens of the Stone Age, 2013

Ceres & Calypso

Candy Claws, 2011

MBDTF

Kanye West, 2010

Sleep Patterns

Merchant Ships, 2010

Deathconsciousness

Have a Nice Life, 2008

Demon Days

Gorillaz, 2005

Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads

Lift to Experience, 2001

Vespertine

Björk, 2001

Deathmetal

Panchiko, 2000

Since I Left You

The Avalanches, 2000

American Football

American Football, 1999

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine, 1991

Nevermind

Nirvana, 1991

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd, 1975

RECORD

Revolver

The Beatles

released: August 1966
label: Parlophone
length: 35 min
tracks: 14

psychedelic rockprogressive rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Bismillah

Peter Cat Recording Co., 2019

85/100

released: June 2019
tracks: 10
label: Panache

sophisti popjazz popalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

A really great album from them. Enjoyed it a lot!

continue reading, 10 words →

RECORD

In Rainbows

Radiohead, 2007

100/100

released: October 2007
label: XL Recordings
length: 43 min
tracks: 10

art rockalternative rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

A Lonely Sinner

samlrc, 2024

90/100

released: March 2024
tracks: 8
label: Starrcade Records

shoegazeart rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

OK Computer

Radiohead, 1997

100/100

released: May 1997
label: Parlophone, Capitol Records
length: 53 min
tracks: 12

art rockalternative rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Wetdream

Willy Rodriguez, 2023

100/100

released: December 2023
tracks: 13

noise popalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗

content note: the lyrics mention sexual abuse and suicide

Yes, the artist name is a god-darn dream smp reference. However, this is very much a case of don't judge a book by its cover.

This is such an underrated record. Unfortunately Willy Rodriguez disbanded after making this, so it is their last album, and what an album it is. I personally love noisy music, I am very much a shoegaze fan, and this is noise done just about perfectly for me. The production and instrumentals are so, so perfect. It has these, I don't know, winter-y christmas-y sounds at times (Snowing in Las Vegas) upon which the most haunting lyrics lay. The noise and purely instrumental portions represent his desperation, suffering and hatred so perfectly well.

The lyrical content, although quite dark, is also pretty underrated. It pervades with these poignant feelings of hatred and desperation and everything in between. It is not a record for everyone, both because of how noisy it is, and also because of the themes it covers. If you're fine with both, this is very much a record worth checking out. I don't think I have ever heard a better noise-pop record. I miss Willy Rodriguez :(

continue reading, 193 words →

RECORD

Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)

Car Seat Headrest, 2018

100/100all-time favourite

label: Matador Records

indie rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

Twin Fantasy is my favourite album ever. For some historical information, Face to Face refers to the 2018 re-recording of it, which is the definitive version to listen to. The original 2012 version carries the same charm, but is recorded in someone's garage. Somewhat confusingly, the first part of the 2018 album is called mirror to mirror, and the second part face to face as well. This is intentional, and you'll see it in the songs and the themes about "growing up".

You can see its messy beauty from the first song itself. The real highlight for the first half is of course, the second song, beach life-in-death. This is perhaps my favourite song ever and I've listened to it endlessly. The way it portrays the feelings of societal judgement, obsession and depression speak to me so much. It is the prime example of music that makes me feel, and this song by itself has shaped me as a person. And it isn't the only song like this on the album. Bodys, High to Death, Famous Prophets (Stars), Twin Fantasy (Those Boys) are all heartbreaking and so wonderfully articulate the emotions I have felt at times.

At its core, it is an album about escaping the fantasy Toledo plants himself in, where his image of his lover is no more than his fantasy. It is an album about messy love, depression, heartbreak and growing up. We go from seeing each other only as reflections (mirror to mirror) and living in the fantasy, to escaping it and seeing each other face to face. There is little I can express here that Toledo hasn't expressed better, and I would recommend you to just listen. Even aside from what he wants to say, there is a lot you can relate to. It is an album I always come back to, I love it a lot.

continue reading, 312 words →

RECORD

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 2000

100/100

released: October 2000
label: Constellation, Kranky Records

post rockalbum

Spotify ↗Bandcamp ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

This is different from the other two albums mentioned here, being largely instrumental. I like to think of this album as grander than music somewhat. This is also the most inaccessible of the three records, both musically, with each song being 20 minute long with a few acts, and because it is not available on spotify or apple music. You can stream it on bandcamp for free (at least for a couple of streams). I do have the FLACs for the album, so feel free to ask.

The first song, Storm, is almost hopeful but ends with a sample (which is technically about homeless people) that gives of a sense of alienation.. Static builds upon hope with dread and the words of the preacher evoke the same sort of poignant feeling of almost dread in me that the album title and Neon Genesis Evangelion do with their religious themes. Sleep, is about the monotonicity and decadence the world has fallen into, and is in my opinion the best song on the album. "They don't sleep anymore on the beach...". The buildup is incredible and it sounds so alienating and dark for the first two acts, while the the third act is kind of post-apocalyptic, being hopeful. Like Antennas to Heaven is the final act and is a wonderful closer.

At its core, I think Lift Your Skinny Fists is an uplifting album for all its dreary sound. It showcases the loss of innocence and the decadence of the world, and still urges you to lift your hands and hope. Storm, Static, Sleep, ...Like Antennas to Heaven. Hope after a storm.

continue reading, 270 words →

RECORD

Ants From Up There

Black Country, New Road, 2022

100/100

released: February 2022
label: Ninja Tune
length: 59 min
tracks: 10

post rockart rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

Ants From Up There offers a interesting contrast to Twin Fantasy. It is a similar album in many ways, about obsession and love but the way it portrays it is so different. While Twin Fantasy is messy and personal, I would say Ants From Up There is grand in a sense, with this almost Sisyphean sense of sadness. That doesn't take anything away from it, in fact it is one of the most crushing records I've ever heard. The instrumental is seemingly upbeat and bright for most of the album even while the lyrics are soul crushing. Perhaps this is intentionally ironic, or perhaps they're trying to somehow restrain Isaac's vocals, not letting them cloud the whole sound.

Anyway, the next song, Concorde is my favourite in the album alongside The Place Where He Inserted The Blade. The way Isaac says in the opening “What a funny way to speak” just jumps out to me. He sounds so lost and hateful, I can't ever get over those lines. The analogy with Concorde is so well done and

But, for less than a moment\ We'd share the same sky\ And then Isaac will suffer\ Concorde will fly

is such an incredibly devastating portrayal of his love. The analogy in Bread Song, this over-dramatic portrayal of sadness in The Place Where He Inserted the Blade (which to me represents is the thesis of the album); they're all things that make the album special to me. It is also the most accessible of three records, so I really do recommend to try this out.

continue reading, 261 words →

RECORD

Hell for a Basement

drug bug, 2026

released: April 2026
length: 44 min
tracks: 9

indie rockchamber popart rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

111010111000000110011101111011001001011110010000111011001000010010011100

Asian Glow, 2025

released: June 2025
tracks: 2
label: Asian Glow

post-rockindietronicanoise popep

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Apiary

Gingerbee, 2025

released: August 2025
tracks: 6
label: gingerbee

chamber popscreamoindie rockep

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Blush

Kevin Abstract, 2025

pop rapalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Heat Death of the Universe

Dead Butterflies, 2025

released: June 2025
tracks: 9
label: Dead Butterflies

screamoindietronicamidwest emoalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

I Love My Computer

Ninajirachi, 2025

released: August 2025
label: NLV Records
length: 40 min
producer: Ninajirachi

electronic dancetrancecomplextroalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Pain to Power

Maruja, 2025

released: September 2025
label: Music for Nations

post-rockpost-punkjazz-rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Vanisher, Horizon Scraper

Quadeca, 2025

label: X8 Music
tracks: 3
producer: Quadeca
released: February 2026

art popfolktronicaalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Brat

Charli XCX, 2024

released: June 2024
label: Atlantic Records
length: 41 min
producer: A. G. Cook, EASYFUN

electronic dancehyperpopdanceelectropopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Chromakopia

Tyler, the Creator, 2024

released: October 2024
label: Columbia Records
length: 53 min
tracks: 14

hip-hopcontemporary r&bjazzrhythm and bluesalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

For Sure

American Football & Ethel Cain, 2024

released: September 2024
tracks: 2
label: Polyvinyl Record Co.

post-rockshoegazemidwest emosingle

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Heavy Metal

Cameron Winter, 2024

released: December 2024
label: Partisan Records, Play It Again Sam
tracks: 10

singer-songwritercontemporary folkchamber folkalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

I Lay Down My Life for You

JPEGMafia, 2024

released: August 2024
label: AWAL

industrial hip-hoprap metalexperimental hip-hoppunk rapalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Imaginal Disk

Magdalena Bay, 2024

released: August 2024
label: Mom + Pop Music
tracks: 15

synth-popdance-popelectronic rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Scrapyard

Quadeca, 2024

art popexperimental hip hopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

The New Sound

Geordie Greep, 2024

released: October 2024
label: Rough Trade

jazz-rockprogressive rockart rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Hypochondriac

brakence, 2022

label: Columbia Records
length: 52 min
producer: Brakence

glitch popemo rapalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

I Didn't Mean to Haunt You

Quadeca, 2022

released: November 2022
label: deadAir, AWAL
length: 58 min
tracks: 11

alternativefolktronicaalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

I Love You Jennifer B

Jockstrap, 2022

released: September 2022
label: Rough Trade

experimental popalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

The Forever Story

JID, 2022

released: October 2022
tracks: 16
label: Dreamville/Interscope

southern hip hopconscious hip hopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

By the Time I Get to Phoenix

Injury Reserve, 2021

experimental hip hopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

For the First Time

Black Country, New Road, 2021

label: Ninja Tune
length: 41 min

experimental rockpost-punkjazzalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Little Simz, 2021

released: September 2021
length: 65 min

hip-hopsoulelectronicafrobeatalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

The New Abnormal

The Strokes, 2020

released: April 2020
label: RCA Records
length: 45 min
producer: Rick Rubin

indie rockpost-punkalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Disco Elysium

Sea Power, 2019

label: Golden Chariot Records
length: 102 min
tracks: 28

soundtrackalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Giving Birth to Thunder

Indian Summer, 2019

released: September 2019
tracks: 10
label: Numero Group

emopost-hardcorepost-rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

I Want to Be There

Sadness, 2019

released: April 2019
tracks: 6
label: Sadness

blackgazepost-black metalalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Igor

Tyler, the Creator, 2019

released: May 2019
label: Columbia Records, Sony Music
length: 40 min
tracks: 12

hip-hopfunkneo soulcontemporary r&balbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Blonde

Frank Ocean, 2016

released: August 2016
label: XL Recordings, not on label
tracks: 17

contemporary r&balbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

The Life of Pablo

Kanye West, 2016

released: February 2016
label: GOOD Music, Def Jam Recordings
length: 58 min
tracks: 20

hip-hopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Currents

Tame Impala, 2015

released: July 2015
label: Interscope Records
producer: Kevin Parker
tracks: 5

synth-poppsychedelic poppsychedelic rockcontemporary r&balbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

...Like Clockwork

Queens of the Stone Age, 2013

released: June 2013
label: Matador Records, Rekords Rekords
length: 46 min
producer: Josh Homme

alternative rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time

Candy Claws, 2011

released: 2013
tracks: 12
label: Twosyllable Records

dream popshoegazeneo-psychedeliaalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West, 2010

released: November 2010
label: Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings
length: 69 min
tracks: 16

hip-hopprogressive rapalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Sleep Patterns

Merchant Ships, 2010

released: July 2010
from: For Cameron (EP)
label: Merchant Ships

punksingle

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Deathconsciousness

Have a Nice Life, 2008

gothic rockpost-punkalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Demon Days

Gorillaz, 2005

released: May 2005
label: Parlophone
length: 51 min
tracks: 1

trip hopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads

Lift to Experience, 2001

released: June 2001
label: Bella Union
producer: Robin Guthrie
tracks: 11

indie rockshoegazepost-rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Vespertine

Björk, 2001

released: August 2001
label: One Little Independent Records
tracks: 12
producer: Björk

trip hopalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L

Panchiko, 2000

released: June 2000
label: not on label

indie rockdream popneo-psychedeliaindietronicaep

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Since I Left You

The Avalanches, 2000

released: November 2000
label: Modular Recordings
length: 61 min
tracks: 2

plunderphonicselectronic dancediscoalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

American Football

American Football, 1999

label: Polyvinyl
tracks: 9

emoalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine, 1991

released: November 1991
label: Creation Records
length: 49 min
producer: Kevin Shields

shoegazeexperimental rockalternative rocknoise popalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Nevermind

Nirvana, 1991

released: September 1991
label: Geffen Records
length: 43 min
tracks: 12

grungealternative rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Rate Your Music ↗

No review yet.

RECORD

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd, 1975

released: September 1975
label: Harvest
length: 44 min
tracks: 4

progressive rockart rockexperimental rockalbum

Apple Music ↗Spotify ↗YouTube Music ↗Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

No review yet.

III · THE FILM SHELF

Primetime Lance Oppenheim

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Destin Daniel Cretton

The Odyssey Christopher Nolan

Project Hail Mary Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

Marty Supreme Josh Safdie

F1 Joseph Kosinski

Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan

The Batman Matt Reeves

Dune Denis Villeneuve

The Father Florian Zeller

Ford v Ferrari James Mangold

Loving Vincent Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman

Interstellar Christopher Nolan

Whiplash Damien Chazelle

The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan

The Pianist Roman Polanski

Fight Club David Fincher

The Matrix Lana and Lilly Wachowski

Dead Poets Society Peter Weir

In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones Pradip Krishen

2001: A Space Odyssey Stanley Kubrick

Primetime

Lance Oppenheim, 2026

70/100

Brand New Day

Destin Daniel Cretton, 2026

60/100

The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan, 2026

80/100

Project Hail Mary

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, 2026

84/100

Pradip Krishen, 1989

60/100

2001

Stanley Kubrick, 1968

100/100

FILM

Primetime

Lance Oppenheim, 2026

70/100

runtime: 110 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Ajon Singh

biographicalpsychological thrillercrime thriller

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Destin Daniel Cretton, 2026

60/100

runtime: 145 min
country: United States, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers

adventurefantasyactionscience fiction

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan, 2026

80/100♥

runtime: 172 min
country: United States, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Christopher Nolan

fantasyadventureactionhistorical

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

Terrible day today so I'll do a terrible review. It has a lot of things to like, and in particular (even though I couldn't watch it on a good screen), it is visually incredible. All the effects were well done, as tends to be the usual with Nolan. I enjoyed the casting too, I think it was a great choice. Helen as a black woman was very visually striking in particular. Did not expect that Travis Scott would fit in that well— I was so immersed that I did not even realise it was him. I also liked how the story unfolded, and the veterans of the war of troy being the "people of the sea" was rather nice. Excellent score too.

In particular the anti-war themes, the duality shown with Zeus's Law and how it played into Odysseus's journey was wonderful. I found the death of his crew somewhat unjustified at times, but one can maybe understand it from their actions during the day they came to occupy troy. Agamemnon's brief cameo—with the duality of the invincible king under his armour and a powerless man killed by his wife—was one of my favourite parts of the film.

However, there were things that make this far from my favourite Nolan film. While I did not mind the costumes and the casting choices (I think they made the movie better, not worse), the dialogue was at times rough. Dad, really? Come on, that just ruins the immersion, especially when the rest of the setting is portrayed in a more ancient manner. There is much to talk about how "in the face" the movie was too, it practically spells out all that it has to talk about. "Our age of bronze is collapsing" was so stupid, like why would you do such a self-reference. Other than that, the repeated flashback seemed a bit, off to me? Maybe better editing could've helped.

There are a bunch of things I wish were done better, it is a great narrative and its well told. The things that detract it are in hindsight much more minor, but they still end up souring things somewhat. At the end I enjoyed it, and found the last hour (up till the exile ship dialogue) incredibly gripping, so I can't be too harsh on it. Would definitely recommend watching in a theatre if you can.

continue reading, 395 words →

FILM

Project Hail Mary

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, 2026

84/100♥

runtime: 156 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Drew Goddard

science fictionadventureaction

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

content note: spoilers

Incredible cinematography and score, but it runs away with itself sometimes. It is very pretty to look at, and I enjoyed a lot of the music (even if I wish they sometimes cut off the score/talking). They characterized the main character really, really well. I must say I went expecting a main character far more grating based on my reading of the martian.

The subduing of the reddit-ish humour and the expanse of emotion made it incredible. Knowing that he was forced into it adds a sense of realism and three dimensional aspect to Grace, and was one of my favourite scenes. Ryan gosling was of course, incredible.

Some things I did not like was how it rarely takes a moment to pause and soak in the grandness of everything. It happens from time to time but its always too short, and as a sucker for 2001 esque long shots, I was left wanting more.

It also falls a little flat on the science aspect (I have heard the novel is better, and the martian was better, although much less grand in scale). It is either so prudent that it fails to inspire wonder, or so implausible that you fail to see how that could ever happen (the spaceship moving at near light speeds being easy to build, really?)

continue reading, 417 words →

FILM

Marty Supreme

Josh Safdie, 2025

runtime: 150 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein

drama

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

F1

Joseph Kosinski, 2025

60/100

runtime: 155 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Ehren Kruger

actionsport

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan, 2023

100/100♥

runtime: 180 min
country: United States, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Christopher Nolan

historicalbiographicalthrillerepic

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

The Batman

Matt Reeves, 2022

90/100♥

runtime: 176 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Matt Reeves, Peter Craig

superheroactiondramadetective

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Dune

Denis Villeneuve, 2021

70/100

runtime: 155 min
country: United States, Hungary
language: English
written by: Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts

science fictionactionadventure

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

The Father

Florian Zeller, 2020

100/100♥

runtime: 97 min
country: United Kingdom, France
language: English
written by: Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller

dramapsychological

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Ford v Ferrari

James Mangold, 2019

80/100

runtime: 152 min
country: United States, France
language: English
written by: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth

biographicaldramaactionsport

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Loving Vincent

Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, 2017

100/100all-time favourite♥

runtime: 94 min
country: Poland, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Jacek Dehnel, Dorota Kobiela

dramahistoricalbiographical

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Interstellar

Christopher Nolan, 2014

90/100♥

runtime: 169 min
country: United States, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan

science fictionadventuredystopiandrama

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Whiplash

Damien Chazelle, 2014

90/100♥

runtime: 106 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Damien Chazelle

dramamusic

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan, 2008

90/100♥

runtime: 153 min
country: United States, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan

actionneo-noircrime thrillercrime

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

The Pianist

Roman Polanski, 2002

100/100

runtime: 149 min
country: France, Germany
language: German, English
written by: Ronald Harwood

wardramabiographicalhistorical

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Fight Club

David Fincher, 1999

80/100♥

runtime: 139 min
country: United States, Germany
language: English
written by: Jim Uhls, Chuck Palahniuk

dramathrillerpsychological thriller

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

The Matrix

Lana and Lilly Wachowski, 1999

70/100

runtime: 136 min
country: United States, Australia
language: English
written by: the Wachowskis

thrillerdystopiancyberpunkaction thriller

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

Dead Poets Society

Peter Weir, 1989

90/100

runtime: 123 min
country: United States
language: English
written by: Tom Schulman

coming-of-agedrama

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones

Pradip Krishen, 1989

60/100

country: India
language: English
written by: Arundhati Roy
starring: Roshan Seth, Shah Rukh Khan, Niraj Sah

comedydrama

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.

FILM

2001: A Space Odyssey

Stanley Kubrick, 1968

100/100♥

runtime: 143 min
country: United States, United Kingdom
language: English
written by: Arthur C. Clarke, Stanley Kubrick

space adventuremysteryepicarthouse science fiction

Letterboxd ↗Wikipedia ↗IMDb ↗

No review yet.