Posted in Music chat, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It, Uncategorized

Podcast Ep. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.

Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we’re talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.

Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question ‘Spin It or Bin It’ … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.

To retain the tension, I won’t share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.

Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.

Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.

Posted in Album of the Month, New Albums, New Tunes, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It

Podcast EP.54 | The Weather Station | Humanhood

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

Another year, another month, another pod. Welcome to Episode 54 of This is Not Happening (TINH), an Album of the Month (AOTM) Podcast. In Part 1 we deep dive into an Album that one of us has chosen and in Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or Bin it’.  We pick a theme and each pick a song that represents that theme. We judge the selections by asking the question ‘Spin It or Bin It’?

In Part 1, Joey hosts a bit of a love-in on The Weather Station’s 7th album Humanhood.

In Part 2, Spin It or Bin It, our theme this month is ‘New Music’, tracks from the past 2-3 months.

                    —– Part 1 | The Weather Station | Humanhood —–

One of the rare times that we’ve double dipped on artist, we return to Tamara Linderman and The Weather Station. In 2021 we all (eventually) loved Ignorance. An album focusing largely on nature and the climate crisis. It was an album of global concerns. Humanhood is feels quite different, it feels deeply personal but retains global relevance in different ways.

I think this is going to be a big one for the pod this year. I know Joey and David will love this album but not so sure about Nolan and Guy. We discuss the album in comparison to Ignorance, we talk about production and sound mixing, percussion backing vocals and lovely lovely woodwind.

  • Listen to the album here.
  • Listen to the essential Sheroes podcast interview with Tamara here.
  • Watch a few videos here.
  • Buy some stuff here.                   

                            —– Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | New Music —–

January / February is usually a great time for new tracks. This year is no exception. Let’s celebrate that. We each pick a new track and ask each other ‘Spin It or Bin It?’

Here is a link to a long list of new tracks that we put together. Enjoy. 

Posted in Album of the Month, Music chat, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It

Podcast Episode 52 | Top 10 Albums 2024

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

It’s the end of the year and that means it’s time for us decide on our individual Top 10 Favourite albums list. Once this is done, we hand this to David, who fires up the TINH algorithm and a collective Top 10 is created. Sometimes it’s predictable, sometimes it’s not, more often than not Guy feels like the TINH black-sheep but every year we tell him we love him and it all works out well.

Part 1 | TINH Collective Top 10 List.

We run down our top 10 list, introducing the albums and why they made it into our top 10. We always plan to be short and snapy. We always fail. But hopefully you enjoy it.

Part 2 | Spin It Or Bin It | Favourite Track of 2024.

We usually create a short list of 4 tracks each and pick a single track to represent the theme. With it being the end of the year, the theme is obvious, Favourite Track of the Year. But we each created a 10 track ‘short’ list this time.

The 40 track ‘Favourite Tracks of 2024 is available here and it’s a belter.

In Part 2 we each talk through our favourite track of the year and then ask the question … Spin It or Bin It where we try to decide a track of the year.

We hope you enjoy this episode.

Posted in Album of the Month, Music chat, New Albums, New Tunes, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It

Podcast Ep. 51 | Caribou | Honey

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

Another month, another pod. A very warm and most welcome to Episode 51 of This is Not Happening (TINH), an Album of the Month (AOTM) Podcast. In Part 1 we deep dive into an Album that one of us has chosen and in Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or Bin it’.  This is where we pick a theme and each select a song that represents that theme. We judge each others selections by asking the question ‘Spin It or Bin It’?

This month, in Part 1, Joey sits in the middle of a ‘divisive discussion’  focused on Caribou’s new album Honey. One of us think it’s some of the best of Caribou’s work, one of us thinks it’s much less than that.

In Part 2, Spin It or Bin It, our theme this month is ‘Basslines’, for once we stipulated no other rules.

Part 1 | Caribou | ‘Honey’

We all love Caribou. There are few artists that sit in the centre of the TINH venn diagram, but Caribou is one of them.  However, we all have different favourite Caribou albums and therefore have different expectations and hopes when it comes to a new Caribou album.

The debate is fierce. We cover many topics including how to be fair when an artist produces something we weren’t expecting, can you remove the bias of your disappointment and critique the album without bias? Unfortunately, we also end up talking about AI and music too.

  • Listen to the album … HERE
  • Watch some of the videos for the tracks discussed …  HERE
  • Watch this Boiler Room set in Belfast … HERE
  • Watch this short of Dan talking about ‘Volume’ … HERE
  • BBC Sounds interview with Dan Snaith from this month … HERE


Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘Basslines’

The best Spin It or Bin It’s are often the simplest. This month, the theme is one word and no extra rules or exclusions, ‘Basslines’. However you want to interpret it, it’s cool.N

Here is a 16 track playlist where we all contribute 4 ‘basslines’ themed tracks to an extended playlist.

See you on Episode 52 …

Posted in Album of the Month, Music chat, New Albums, New Tunes, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It, Tracks of the Month, Uncategorized

Podcast Ep. 44 | Yard Act | Where’s My Utopia

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

Welcome to Episode 44 of This is Not Happening.  An Album of the Month Podcast where in Part 1 we deep dive into an Album that one of us has chosen and in Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or Bin it’.  This is where we pick a theme and each select a song that represents that theme. We judge each others selections by asking the question ‘Spin It or Bin It’?

This month, in Part 1, we wrestle with the 2nd album from Yard Act titled ‘Where’s My Utopia?’.  This month we’re in the capable hands of Guy who has been a Yard Act fan for some time, choosing their debut album as his Album of the Year in 2022. 66.6% of the team agree with him but 33.3% of the team has found the album more of a struggle.

Part 1 | Yard Act | Where’s My Utopia?

Yard act are an interesting proposition, they are perhaps the most knowingly Northern band since Oasis. They seem to be everywhere and it’s tough to find someone who doesn’t like them. They are very clearly ‘Post Punk’ but their definition of what this means has changed somewhat with this album. We ask the standard question, what did you expect and what did you get plus questions about 

  • Listen to the album here.
  • Watch some videos here.
  • Buy some stuff here.
  • Buy some tickets to see them live here.
  • Read some stuff here and listen to some pods here and here.

Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘Spoken Word’

Given the AOTM is Yard Act, we chose to look at our favourite Spoken Word tracks. And 3 of us actually chose a Spoken Word track … one of us chose something else but let’s leave that and let us know if you agree with me that it was not Spoken Word. Our chosen 4 tracks can be found on a play list here. In order to chose a track we each shortlist 4 tracks each, a combined 16 track playlist can be found here.

See you soon for Episode 44!

Posted in Album of the Month, Music chat, New Albums, New Tunes, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It, Tracks of the Month

Podcast Episode 31 | Heavy Heavy | Young Fathers

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

In Part 1 we speak in depth about Young Fathers latest album ‘Heavy Heavy’ and how it packs such a punch in 32 minutes.  In Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or bin it?’, the theme this month is the curious anomaly that is ‘Post Genre’.

Part 1 | Album of the Month | Young Fathers | Heavy Heavy

It’s Guy’s choice this month and we return back to an artist that we spoke about 9 years ago when they released their debut ‘Dead’. Across 3 previous releases, Young Fathers have secured near universal critical acclaim, yet little commercial success. Is Heavy Heavy the album that will change this. It looks like it. But that doesn’t mean this is a collection of easy listening pop tunes. We discuss what this is, what we love and the live experience.  If you know them enjoy, if you don’t dig in!

  • Go listen to the album – Here
  • Go watch some videos – Here
  • Go buy some of their stuff – Here

A few Heavy Heavy things that we highly recommend checking out;

  • Unmuted Unmastered Podcast – Here
  • Line of Best Fit interview – Here
  • Some live performances – Here and Here and Here

Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Post Genre

What the hell is post genre? In this discussion we prove that we’re really not sure!

  1. Guy chose – Mantra by Charlotte Adigery and Bolis Pupul 
  2. Nolan Chose – BTSTU by Jai Paul 
  3. Joey chose – B.O.B. by Outkast 
  4. David chose – L’Elephant by Tom Tom Club 

A 16 track Post Genre playlist (4 tracks each) can be found – Here (this is a good one!)

Next Month

Joey brings Kelela’s  ‘Raven’ for Album of the Month and we play ‘Spin It or Bin It?’ but what will be the theme?

We’ve been writing a blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/

Posted in Album of the Month, Music chat, New Albums, New Tunes, Playlists, podcast, Spin it or Bin It, Uncategorized

Episode 30 | Rozi Plain | Prize

Festive Greetings from This Is Not Happening and welcome to our year-end, 2025 wrap-up episode. As always we split the pod into Part 1 and Part 2.Part 1 features our Top 10 favourite albums of 2025. We use a proprietary algorithm to create our list our collective favourite albums, we're talking nascent data-science excellence! Every year it throws up some surprises as our tastes are so different (and in some ways so similar.Part 2 features a festive Spin It or Bin It. We each bring a candidate for track of the year and ask the age old question 'Spin It or Bin It' … will anyone really bin anyone elses Track of the Year? Probably.To retain the tension, I won't share any spoilers here … other than to share a 40 track playlist of some of our favourite 2025 tracks … here.Whatever you do at this time of year, who ever you do it with … have a good one.Please join us in January where we will go back to the usual format of Album of the Month + Spin It or Bin It.We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  2. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  3. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey
  4. EP.60 | Wet Leg | Moisturizer
  5. EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

In Part 1 we speak in depth about Rozi Plain’s new album ‘Prize’. It’s a curious, warming gem of an album that really needs to be talked about. In Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or bin it?’, the theme this month is Protest Music.

Part 1 | Album of the Month | Rozi Plain | Prize

David’s choice this month is an artist that he has a long relationship with, Rozi Plain. Rozi was new to the rest of us so we were all playing catch up. I can’t remember an album that needs to be talked about (in real life, with human beings) as Prize.  You will hear me processing what I actually feel about the album, live, while we discuss it. I think I probably come out of the discussion with a slightly different conclusion to the one that I had at the start. All good albums get better with more attention but this one absolutely demands it.

Please, please, please go and give it a listen. I think most people will find something that they love about this album.

  • Go listen to the album – HereorHere
  • Go watch some videos – Hereor Here
  • Go buy some of Rozi’s stuff – Here

We mention a few things that we’d highly recommend checking out, so here are the links;

  • The James McMahon podcast interview / chat with Rozi – Here
  • Sophie Walker’s Guardian album review – Here
  • Pitchfork album review – Here
  • Konstantinos Papis’s interview for Our Culture – Here

Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Protest Music

We all pick a track based on a theme, present the track and ask the simple question, Spin it or Bin it? The theme this month is a simple one ‘Protest Music’. There are no limitations or rules this month other than, as always, we try to bring new music or a new context to each other.

  1. Guy chose – ‘Take the Power Back’  by Rage Against the Machine
  2. David Chose – ‘Ship Building’ by Elvis Costello & the Attractions
  3. Joey chose – ‘Reagan’ by Killer Mike
  4. Nolan chose – Four Women’ by Nina Simone

A 16 track Protest Music playlist (4 tracks each) can be found – Here

Next Month

Guy brings Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’ for Album of the Month and we play ‘Spin It or Bin It?’ with Post-Genre tracks.

We’ve been writing a blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/

Posted in Music chat, Playlists

Skyzoo Playlists

In one of our most enjoyable chats to date we delved into Skyzoo’s latest effort ‘All the Brilliant Things’ on Episode 13.

Within the chat David requested a Skyzoo playlist looking into his previous work or perhaps a quick trip into the Brooklyn artists that inspired Skyzoo…. I chose to do both!

First and foremost lets delve into some of the most formative hip hop tracks from Brooklyn. Where do you start and more so end?

And then Skyzoo. Like the Brooklyn playlist it could be much longer and was tough to keep it down to 10 tracks (plus a bonus).

What tracks do you love that I missed?

Posted in Music chat, Playlists

Genesis Owusu: music he makes us want to listen to

While we were all getting deep into the amazing debut that is Genesis Owusu‘s Smiling With No Teeth, so much of the albums of the month discussion also talks about where the inspiration could lie for the artists and the albums. And also what music the albums makes us (re)visit.

For Genesis Owusu, it wasn’t so much for the album, but almost per song, sometimes per verse and chorus! There are so many there, right across the spectrum from Talking Heads to Death Grips, Young Fathers to Frank Ocean and Saul Williams to Kendrick Lamar. It’s such an album of contrasts, musical flourishes and confidence in the protagonists talents – from Owusu to his tight and musically inventive band – that it’s a joy each listen, with new things coming with each time you encounter it.

We hope you enjoy the playlist and also feel free to suggest things back to us on the socials.

Posted in Mixtapes, Playlists

Mix – Up The Queens Stairs 2

For all of us on the podcast, the legendary club night Speed Queen in Leeds was a huge part of our clubbing lives in the 2000’s and for me especially as I was lucky enough to be one of the resident DJ’s.

With summer on my mind I’ve put together a mix inspired by some of the sets I played in the top room.

Tracklist:

MJ – Rock With You (The Reflex Revision)

Mary Clarke – Take Me I’m Yours

Red Astair – Love To Angie 

Erib B & Rakim – Paid In Full (Coldcut Remix)

Double Exposure – Everyman (Joey Negro’s Salsol Strut)

Loleatta Holloway – Love Sensation 

Drop Out City Rockers – International Track 

Alice Smith – Love Endeavour (Maurice Faulton Mix)

Gino Soccio – Dancer 

Fleetwood Mac – Dreams (Conan Liquid Crates Motel edit)