Music I Liked: October 2023

Arko, B Praak - Jeetenge

Most of the soundtrack to the new Bollywood film, Mission Raniganj, feels scattershot, perhaps due to the fact there are so many composers to it. The almost indisputable highlight, however, is Arko's production, Jeetenge, sung by B Praak's oft-underutilized skills at belting, which proves an emotional highlight. The dramatic production and soaring chorus make me feel this could have actually ended up being a great theme for the ongoing Cricket World Cup, which has an... underwhelming theme.

Mitski - The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We

Last year, I loved Mitski's Love Me More but was a little underwhelmed by its album, Laurel Hell. While there is not a single song off Mitski's new album, The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, that I love as much as the aforementioned single, the record as a whole is much more consistent. This downbeat, orchestral country song fits surprisingly like a glove for Mitski, who provides much emotional catharsis through the album's runtime.

ONF - Love Effect

At this point, I think there is hardly an ONF fan who is not primarily a fan of their music. While that sounds counterintuitive and obvious, but in the world of K-Pop idol boy bands, there are many other reasons to be a fan, such as visuals, variety content, and trendy choreography. ONF has joked about this, even releasing a song back in 2021 on how they are something new, and not typical sexy idols singing love songs. This consistency is assisted by composer-lyricist Hwang Hyun, who has been the guiding hand for the group since their debut.

Love Effect is their first comeback after their military hiatus. In classic ONF fashion, the group jumps right back into releasing pop bangers. The lead single, also titled Love Effect, is easily the album's best song. House-influenced piano keys and brassy refrains dot the song's sonic landscape, assisted by a few cheeky references to ONF's earlier material, and a boatload of hooks. If I have one complaint, it is that Love Effect could use another minute to fully explore all of the ideas it throws around.

The rest of the EP is also quite solid. Be Here Now is a fantastic example of road-trip-ready pop-rock, even if a better chorus could make the song an instant highlight. Dam Dam Di Ram sees ONF move to reggaeton-influenced-rap, and perform the genre with the conviction only they can bring. Wind Effect is a surprisingly snappy ballad, but the real highlight is the electronic synthwave of Arrival, acting as an upbeat sequel to The Realist, replacing the 2021 song's slow delivery and autotuned synth-melody with a chugging electronic groove.

PinkPantheress - Mosquito

Much like 90% of the internet's music geeks, I was a casual fan of PinkPantheress, but have slowly been enveloped into her sonic world. Her small catalog of released music, an ocean of unreleased songs and demos floating the internet, her cleverly personal yet deceivingly deep lyrics, and her fantastic blend of samples with unique new hooks make her an easy artist to get into, and from where you can fall into a fantastic rabbit-hole.

Either way, her latest single, Mosquito may be the prelude to an oft-teased full album. From its mildly unsettling lyrics paired with her smooth and heavenly voice, Mosquito provides that strange blend that characterizes the best of her material. The hooks, especially in the pre-chorus-to-chorus transition, are golden. Additionally, the galloping beat is a great expansion of her sonic soundscape.

Sufjan Stevens - Javelin (Shit Talk - Song of the Month)

What. An. Album. Javelin is easily one of my favorite albums this year, with brutally honest and vivid lyricism, and some of Sufjan's best production yet, Javelin became the year's most emotionally crushing project the moment it was released. Just read my full review.

XG - New DNA

After months of teasing, XG's first EP has been released... with one new full-length song, and two intro-length tracks. The Y2K influences are still omnipresent, and so is the perky attitude, but nonetheless the EP feels a little... scattershot. TGIF is a tongue-in-cheek club anthem, and still my favorite from the EP, Puppet Show is melodically quite strong but thematically shallow, New Dance is just simply safe, and Grl Gvng reeks of missed potential. The lyrics are also quite messy, but if you enjoy what XG do, this EP is a perfect round-up of their 2023 for you.

Image Source: NME