Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast.
In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li’s new record: ‘The Afterparty’.
In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music.
—— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——
Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month’s Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she’s the artist you never knew you loved.
The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time.
The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the ‘hyper-on’ world of the music industry in 2026.
Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.
Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here.
—————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————-
For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June.
The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more ‘spins’ than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a16 track play list. We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question ‘Spin It Or Bin It’?
November 2025. We were busy compiling our final iterations of the end of year albums and tracks, luxuriating in the eleven months of fantastic releases and looking forward to what 2026 would bring, and a new single dropped from the sky. Right into the middle of everything.
“I know it’s just dopamine [DOH-DOH-DOH-DOH] / But if feels to real to me [DOH-DOH-DOH-DOH]”.
That voice was so familiar. The lush synths. The euphoria. With her first solo single since 2019, and Robyn was BACK.
Robyn’s been part of my pop culture landscape since way back in 1997 (a ridiculously long time ago, for a pop artist… I was one year out of university!) when she appeared on the Backstreet Boys/Britney-adjacent Show Me Love, an early Max Martin piece that didn’t exactly point to either of their futures directly, but certainly stuck in my head. In terms of semi-informed potted histories, she’d been recording in her home country of Sweden since she was 12, and by the time I next encountered her, in the still banging ‘With Every Heartbeat‘ – a single from her fourth (!) album – she’d already been somewhat chewed up by the pop machine. Having moved from giant BMG to Jive, then exited that deal to find artistic freedom, and formed her own label, the aptly-named Konichiwa Records. This is where she’d release the self-titled album from which her first UK No.1 single would appear, as ‘With Every Hearbeat’, the track she made with Kleerup tacked onto the reissued UK version. At 28, she’d already lived whole careers in that decade since Show Me Love, but found her feet.
After that, she didn’t look back. There has never the superstardom had by others around her before and since – think Britney, Christina, or Adele, Gaga, Katy, Lorde, and now Taylor, or Charli – but she certainly has her own niche to exist in: synth-driven pop music powered by loss and heartbreak. Sound a bit vague? Perhaps it’s Dancing On My Own that defined her more than anything, and stamped the genre she made her own: The Sad Banger.
I’m in the corner Watchin’ you kiss her, oh I’m right over here Why can’t you see me? Oh I’m giving it my all But I’m not the girl you’re takin’ home, ooh I keep dancing on my own I keep dancing on my own
Sure, we’ve all heard lyrics like this, but they were over a ballad, or piano, or various flavours of pop melodies. But this… this was over pumping dancefloor percussion and synths. This was a backing track you’d usually hear without vocals or as the celebratory ‘I’ve won her/his heart’ lyrics. Robyn flipped the script, and leaned into the desolation, but you couldn’t help dance to it. As Robyn said herself, the song “represents the precise moment on the dancefloor when you have to get your desperation, frustration and sadness out”. And I’ve been dancing to it ever since.
It’s oversimplifying Robyn’s long and interesting career, full of reinvention and making music how she wants to, an open book often baring the private, uncomfortable, moving away from the cliche (her previous album, Honey revolved around the loss of her friend and sometime collaborator, Christian Falk). This corner of dancefloor pop music is something she’s created, working with a trusted set of producers and engineers who understand her world, and something that’s been redone by others ever since. And that is the mark of something truly creative. I may not be a Robyn stan (that’s my friend Marco, who still plays that track in DJ sets, and queued up to meet her recently in Manchester), but I’ve loved so much of what she’s done, without ever quite dropping into fanboy territory. Until now.
I adored Dopamine. While I’ve really loved Robyn’s music over the years, this seemed to hit hard. I’ve always liked music that leans into the spirit of the dancefloor unashamedly, given I’ve spent so much of my adult life on and around them, and this transplanted itself into so much of what I felt when I think back to the best times I’ve spent on them, in London, or Manchester, Ibiza, Leeds, or Croatia. Not just her vocals, but the effects that turn them into this warm chorus that wraps the track in this fuzzy haze. The lyrics, which smartly layer the real euphoria of joy, of being in the moment, with a nod to the modern affliction of that online hit, that reply, the like, and how we are so accustomed to micro-highs that tie us to the online world. All wrapped up in three and a half minutes of pumping action. Just as All My Friends does, or Layo and Bushwacka’s Love Story, or The Human League’s Don’t You Want Me Baby? the moment this cranks up, I know exactly where my head is at. Feed it into my veins!
I heard an album was coming soon, and before Sexistential dropped in late March, we got 3 more tasters in what would turn out to be nearly half the album. Talk To Me’s single entendres (“I’m coming fast so guide me in”) over a Max Martin-amped chorus, shedding any societal preconceptions over what a 46-year-old woman should or should not talk about. The title track – and probably one of the album’s marmit-est moments, riffs on her single-mum IVF journey in lockdown, simultaneously horny, lonely, exasperated and laughing at her own situation. Because who else would do a rap about ovaries over a nervous, sparse percussion track and warping bass?
What Sexistential gives us is a fantastically conceived, pocket rocket of a modern pop album – twenty nine minutes and not a single second wasted – that can loop through over and over again before you know it, pulling you in all sorts of emotional directions. It’s the backdrop for the ‘what has she been up to?’ story from a fierce and yet open and searingly honest pop star who has sailed into her 40s and decided the best thing to do is play to her strengths, 8 years on from her last record. What you get on this ninth studio album are some right-up-there-with-the-best moments of pop – It Don’t Mean A Thing’s straight-up wistful remembering of the potential of a relationship no more, to the hopefulness of Light Up, and the closing (and best track on the album, to me) Into The Sun, with Robyn refusing to give up on love, being willing to burn up, just to give it a shot. As much as there’s humour, disclosure and sex on here, the album is as much about the reward of love – lost and yet to be found – as much as anything. And that feeling is something we all need in a fractured, chaotic world.
Music, is, after all, about connection. And for whatever reason that Robyn’s previous albums never quite hit my soul, this one has. Musically, it throbs. But more than that, I listen to each song – even Sexistential – and find something there that talks to me. That gets me right in the solar plexus. I’m 5 years older than Robyn, and a parent, so there’s a definite emotional tug within the songs too (Exihibit C: the cleverly remade Blow My Mind, which swaps the original’s love song for new motherhood), and that is a feeling you can’t control, can’t map or can’t force. It’s either there or it isn’t.
There will be bigger albums. Taylor’s 20 special edition formats chewing up vinyl plants, or Olivia Rodrigo’s upcoming album. Or perhaps one we don’t even know is coming, like Brat’s follow-up. But as they each do their thing, this album has Robyn’s vibrancy running through it like a name in a stick of rock. And it’ll be in my top 10 in November, just in time to hear the first single of one of 2027’s favourites.
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
Welcome to Episode 59 of This is Not Happening (TINH), an Album of the Month (AOTM) Podcast. We’re missing a team-member this month as Davide is on an Anglo-French diplomatic mission.
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, Nolan is in the seat. He brings Little Sim’z new album, Lotus. This was a reluctant choice when he made it. He thought it was an interesting album but he was far from loving it. Has that changed in a month?
In Part 2, we celebrate New Music. What are our favourite new tracks from the last couple of months?
—–Part 1 | Little Simz | ‘Lotus’ —–
This is the 2nd Little Simz album we’re reviewed as our little Album of the Month collective. Last time round was here debut album Grey Area which would all pretty much loved. I think our experience of her work since then has varied significantly. This album has been launched in a quite dramatic and controversial environment following the collapse of Simz’ relationship with former collaborator Inflo. What does Simz sound like without Inflo? Let’s find out.
Listen to the album, listen to the pod, tell us what you think. Here are some links that we mention on the pod or think could be useful to explore;
The theme this month is New Music. Simple. What new tunes are we loving? There’s LOADS of amazing music out but we also need to pick something that we think the rest of us will vote ‘spin it’ to.
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
This month’s podcast could be re-titled ‘How to Disagree Nicely. Welcome to Episode 58 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, Guy is in the seat. He brings Lucy Dacus’ new album, Forever is a Feeling for us to consider and discuss.
In Part 2, we celebrate the summer, it was hear, it has already gone. Nolan’s specialist subject, the Summer Night track is our theme for Spin It or Bin It.
—–Part 1 | Lucy Dacus | ‘Forever is a Feeling’ —–
We have varying levels of experience and history with Lucy Dacus but Guy has fallen for this album in a big way. It’s Lucy’s 4th solo album and sits alongside her work as part of Boygenius. The album is a really easy listen, it can sit with you on repeat for a significant chunk of time. The question that we explore is, can penetrate beyond a nice listen … opinions vary but at least one of us has this in their album of the year list at this point in the year.
Listen to the album, listen to the pod, tell us what you think. Here are some links that we mention on the pod or think could be useful to explore;
The theme this month is ‘Summer Nights’. Which tracks give us big summer night vibes. Ever since I’ve known Nolan he has always immediately given songs a season, I’ve never known anyone think as ‘seasonally’ about music. So no pressure but we play Spin It or Bin it with his specialist subject!
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
We dispense with the niceties this month and discuss an album where we have quite differing opinions. Welcome to Episode 56 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, David, resident ‘Pop Being’, has the pleasure of presenting an album from one of his genuine musical obsessions. ‘Saya’ the latest release by Saya Gray.
In Part 2, following the theme of ‘Saya’, break-up and heart-break, we play Spin It or Bin It with the simple theme of ‘Heart Break’ with no additional rules!
—–Part 1 | Saya Gray | ‘Saya’ —–
To say David is a Saya Gray fan is something of an understatement. He has been championing the strange sounds of Saya for nearly 3 years. Nobody’s really sure if this is her debut album or not but that’s not important. It is an album and an artist that has divided opinion on the pod. 2 of us love this album, 1 of us doesn’t, and 1 of us has had such a busy month at work that we have no idea what they think pre-recording.
Regardless of how we feel about this album individually, we all think it’s an album that deserves a listen. Listen to the album, listen to the pod, tell us what you think.
Was music originally created to express heart-break? Probably not but it definitely feels like it when you start looking for your favourite tracks that embrace the subject. We’ve chosen a track each that may not be what you expect.
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
The awesome albums keep coming early in 2025 and we’d love to introduce on to you today. Welcome to Episode 55 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, Nolan, resident Hip Hop head stays true to form and brings a new album from a 47 year old artist! Brother Ali’s ‘Satisfied Soul’.
In Part 2, following Brother Ali’s exploration of peace, love, faith and religion, our Spin It or Bin It, our theme this month is ‘Religion’.
—–Part 1 | Brother Ali | Satisfied Soul —–
Nolan has been trying to introduce Brother Ali to us for years but … there’s a lot of music and not a lot of time. Previous album releases have not lined up with podcasts but this time they did! Satisfied Soul is an album that is worth any music fan spending some time with. It is not a niche hip hop album for niche hip hop fans. It’s soul music. It’s pop music. It’s Hip Hop. It’s intelligent. It’s massively thought provoking and massively accessible to anyone with an open mind and an open ear.
Popular music and religion have been uncomfortable bedfellows since … forever. We agreed to each select a track that ‘tackles’ the theme of religion in any way shape or form;
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
Another month, another pod. Welcome to Episode 513 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, Guy hosts an interesting discussion on Father John Misty’s (FJM) latest album, Mahashmashana. 50% of the Pod love FJM, 50% don’t!
In Part 2, Spin It or Bin It, our theme this month is ‘Location, Location, Location’, or ‘songs about places’ and it’s a belter!
Part 1 | Father John Misty | Mahashmashana
We often review artists that we all love. This month this is not the case. 2 of us love FJM, one of us gets very angry when listening to FJM and one of us doesn’t really have an opinion. Can this album keep the fans happy and win over the angry and the non-plussed?
Given the above, this is a surprisingly well mannered and coherent conversation about FJMs latest album. There’s only 8 tracks but they’re all pretty long. We discuss songwriting, song length and album themes like ageing and the associated ego deaths that accompany it.
Watch some of the videos for the tracks discussed … HERE
Watch the World Cafe interview that we reference on the pod … HERE
Watch a live performance of lead single ‘She Cleans Up’ … HERE
Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘Location, Location, Location’
Songs about places are really common. It’s a theme explored by many (most?) artists at some point in their songwriting. This was a great chat and 4 great track selections.
Guy chose Paris by Friendly Fires feat. Au Revioire Simone.
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
We’ve hit the BIG 5-0 and we’re still speaking to each other. It’s delgight to welcome to Episode 50 of This is Not Happening (TINH). An Album of the Month (AOTM) 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, David introduces the latest album from one of my favourite obsession artists, ‘My Method Actor’ by Nilifur Yanya.
In Part 2, Spin It or Bin It, we return for our quarterly visit to the theme of ‘New Music’ … anything released since August 1st.
Part 1 | Nilifur Yanya | My Method Actor
This is the third full length studio album from Yanya. She is a super interesting artist blending soul, jazz, indie and a bunch of other sounds and influences in there. This album is something of a departure for her following her last 2 albums that perhaps embraced the indie side of her influences. This album is a super smart melding of all of her influences, definitely leaning more towards the soul and jazz side of her music. It feels like a return to some of her earliest EP releases and I love it for that fact.
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
Welcome to Episode 48 of This is Not Happening (TINH). An Album of the Month (AOTM) 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, Guy has picked the an album that could not be further from last month’s Charli XCX outing. He’s also picked the best named TINH AOTM ever, Linda Thompson’s Proxy Music.
In Part 2, Spin It or Bin It, the theme is simple … ‘Long Songs’ no explanation of the theme required here apart from Guy’s completely arbitrary suggestion that all tracks had to be over 8 minutes.
Part 1 | Linda Thompson | Proxy Music
English Folk musician legend Linda Thompson has lived enough life for several people. The good, the bad and everything in between. She’s now a 72 year old songwriter force who has sadly lost her super-power to sing … so she’s written songs for other artists to perform. The album is an eclectic collection of songs and collaborators pulled together through the concept of performing through a proxy. The critics love it with a combined Metacritic Score of 86. There’s a lot of love on the pod but not without a few reservations along the way.
Watch Linda on Jools Holland back in 2011 videos here.
Guy references a couple of articles in his introduction and conversation they’re worth a look and can be found here and here.
Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Long Songs.
We love a long song. Even our resident (but absent on this episode) pop being loves a long song. Guy defines a long song as anything over 8 mins, who are we to argue with that kind of logic. So them’s the rules. Who bought what to the table to judge in Spin It or Bin It?
Welcome to Episode 69 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan serves up Lykke Li's new record: 'The Afterparty'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, we pick our favourite new music. —— Part 1 | Album of the Month | Lykke Li | The Afterparty ——Lykke Li is an adored and fascinating artist, having been releasing music since 2008. The Swedish artist has ploughed her own furrow of pop distinctly different to last month's Robyn, heavy on melancholy and referencing the 60s as much as the modern world and is a real pod favourite. Breaking out in the late 2000s with I Follow Rivers, she's the artist you never knew you loved. The Afterparty is the sixth studio album for Li, and reflects the uncertainty of the modern, chaotic work in its svelte 24-minute running time, packing so much emotion and dynamics into that short running time. The chat takes in her legacy, asks if this truly is her last album, and whether a famously reclusive artist can easily exist in the 'hyper-on' world of the music industry in 2026. Have a listen, tell us what you think.Listen to the original album here.Watch some of her videos here , particularly the singles from this album.Buy this album or some merch here. And listen to her talk about the album here. —————- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | Sad Bangers —————- For Spin It or Bin It this month, we return to new music, picking our favourite new tracks from May and June. The task is simple: pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?David chose 'the cure' by Olivia RodrigoGuy chose 'THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE' by Genesis Owusu.Nolan chose 'Electric Revival' by Deante' Hitchcock.What new music would you have chosen? What's missing from our playlist?We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
Welcome to Episode 43 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 embrace the truly beautiful, hynotic new album by Helado Negro, called ‘Phasor’. Joey (that’s me) is running ‘tings this month, at least one of the crew loves this album but the other two … I’m not so sure. In Part 2, the Spin it or Bin it theme is ‘New Music’ where we all chose a track from the last 2 months and ask the others ‘Spin It or Bin It’?
Part 1 | Helado Negro | Phasor
This is right up my street. It’s calming, beautiful, intriguing little gem of an album. It’s instantly accessible and a rewarding listen but it is also a gift that keeps on giving. There is a surprsing complexity to the album if you want there to be. But the big questions is ‘what on earth do we call it?’ Guy suggests ‘Cosmic Pop’ and I think he’s right.
Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘New Music (Jan, Feb, March ’24)
The theme is nice and simple and always a fun one – new music. Pick a track, any track from the past 2-3 months. Our chosen 4 tracks can be found on a play listhere. In order to chose a track we each shortlist 4 tracks each, a combined 16 track playlist can be found here.
thisisnothappening.net 