Posted in podcast

Podcast Episode 9 – Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams

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/
  1. EP. 69 | Lykke Li | The Afterparty
  2. EP.68 | Robyn | Sexistential
  3. EP.67 | Eliza | The Darkening Green
  4. EP.66 | Jill Scott | To Whom This May Concern
  5. EP. 65 | Zach Bryan | With Heaven On Top

Episode 9 of This Is Not Happening lands on another massively hyped album from the last year: Arlo ParksCollapsed In Sunbeams. From being crowned BBC’s ‘Sound of 2020’ and labelled ‘the voice of a generation’, the pressure on a debut album hasn’t been this heavy in a long time. We dissect it to see it lived up to the expectation, with Nolan at the helm.

In the second part of the show, we come back to picking our favourite new music since the turn of the year, with a really intriguing set of four great tracks We chose:

Nolan: Tunnelvisions – Mirrored Identities
David: Nubiyan Twist feat. K.O.G. – If I Know
Guy: Virginia Wing – St Francis’ Fountain
Joey: Sofia Kourtesis – La Perla

Episode #10 will be digging into The Weather Station’s latest album, Ignorance. Another female singer songwriter, but a departure from the world of Arlo Parks, for sure. Coming to you in late April. 


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Posted in Album of the Month

October AOTM: Micha P. Hinson – and the British Broadcasting Corporation

Micha P Hinson has been on my radar since his debut ‘ Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress ‘. There was something about that album that ticked so many boxes for me. I think more than anything I bought him. It all seemed so honest and real; him and the album. 

Since his debut I have kept him on my peripheral, but more to the tone of having him on a playlist here and there and that’s about it. It wasn’t until a while ago when I was driving home in the middle of the night and heard his live version of “The Life, Living, Death and Dying of a Certain, LJ Nichols’ did this live album hit my radar. When I say hit, it was more of a punch in the face in the nicest of ways. WTF was this song; and why did it blow me away? The album was ordered; and a few months later you too now will be adding it to your collection. 

Live albums are a funny thing; thee aren’t many and there often is a very good reason for that. Not many artists can pull it off. This is less Eric Clapton on MTV and more sitting in a bar and hearing a guy sing his hart out to a half hearted audience. This album is raw; and highlights how raw Micha P. Hinson is as an artist. Hey, and it’s got the BBC stamp of approval… so that’s got to mean something right?

I will say that it took me a few listens to fully get into this album. Hayley still doesn’t fully get it. Although she has pointed out that since visiting the small town in Canada that I’m from she understands why I love it. 

His lyrics are solid but deep and work.  He doesn’t rhyme just to do so, his content is wholesome. ’Seven Horses Seen’ may just be my current favourite song; it’s catchy and brutal. I’ve changed the lyrics majorly and have started singing it to Olive… she likes my version. 

The ruggedness of his singing style isn’t for everyone, but it grows on you. I’m starting to think that he’s a guy that I would like to sit down and have a beer with. 

I’m mindful that this is a risky one. It’s not for everyone. But that’s why we’re here. Even brother Joey who is a fan of Micha P. Hinson may have mixed feelings about this album. If I can ask one thing of you; like a good bourbon it may be rough around the edges but give it a little time to sink in. 

I look forward to your thoughts.