Tag: news

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

Podcast EP.57 | Perfume Genius | Glory

Posted on by misterstory

EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025 – This Is Not Happening – An Album Of The Month Podcast

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

This month we struggle with very conscious bias when we discuss how much we love Perfume Genius’ new album Glory. Welcome to Episode 57 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 is in the seat and basically bangs on about how much he loves Perfume Genius.

In Part 2, we celebrate contemporary queer music and play Spin It or Bin It with the theme. Joey’s track is unfairly and poorly treated … as is David’s but two other bangers make up for it.

                                     —– Part 1 | Perfume Genius | ‘Glory’ —–

I love Perfume Genius. Always have … barring something horrific happening, I always will. I love him so much that I get nervous when a new album comes out. And this one is a belter. But is it for the fan-people or is there enough to attract and entertain newcomers?

Listen to the album, listen to the pod, tell us what you think.

  • Listen to the album … HERE.
  • Listen to the Soda Jerker podcast that we mention … HERE.
  • Watch the AMAZING Tiny Desk Performance … HERE.
  • Watch the No Front Teeth video we discuss … HERE.
  • Buy some stuff … HERE.             

                             —– Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘Contemporary Queer’ —–

Music has always been massive to the Gay and Queer community and has always been an interesting area of crossover. Has it changed? What ever, we’re here to celebrate.

Here is a link to our 16 track playlist of religion-inspired tracks – with the first 4 tracks being our picks for this month.

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

Podcast EP.55 | Brother Ali | Satisfied Soul.

Posted on by misterstory

EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025 – This Is Not Happening – An Album Of The Month Podcast

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

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. 

Get on it. Please.

  • Listen to the album here.
  • This track is not from this album … but too good not to share Cadillac.
  • Nolan’s awesome ‘Intro to Brother Ali’ playlist can be found here.
  • Buy some stuff here.               

                             —– Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘Religion’ —–

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;

Here is a link to a this 4 track playlist. 

Posted in Album of the Month, New Albums

AOTM March | Brother Ali & Ant | Satisfied Soul

Posted on by nolankane706

This month we delve into the latest release from Brother Ali, an artist that has become a mainstay on the pod over the last few years and is finally getting the love he deserves as we visit his new album Satisfied Soul. 

Brother Ali has been a jewel in the indie hop hop scene for over 20 years. Although always on my radar, his music only started to become a big part of my world just over 10 years ago and to the pod a few years ago when we discussed his track Sensative on spin it or bin it. His back catalogue is impressive, and essential listening (for a quick intro you can find a playlist here). 

Ali is a far cry from your stereo typical hip hop artist. Born a caucasian albino, Ali felt he was more excepted by his black classmates growing up. Influenced by hip hop since a young age, he discovered Islam through a conversation with KRS One in his teens and credits him largely for the journey that later lead him to converting (this is mentioned on the album). Someone once said to me that they thought Brother Ali was misunderstood which is polarising for his music. I completely disagree with that. I can’t think of an artist that is more certain and eloquently puts across his views on his spirituality, morals, politics and his love of hip hop better than Brother Ali. It’s because of that some find his music polarising.  Following up on the largely ignored 2024 release Love & Service (Ali has stated it was blocked for it’s political messages), Ali is firmly in his purple patch. Partnering with longtime collaborator Ant, the two make their debut on the exceptional hip hop label Mellow Music. 

Breaking the mould of what we often think is the perfect album length, Satisfied Soul almost doubles it with a hefty 17 tracks spanning over 57 minutes. Though this comment may haunt me, I think they’ve pulled it off. Ali and Ant’s navigation of wholesome, soul drenched hip hop is a pleasure. 

This album is a mixed bag of emotions; it’s serious, it’s lighthearted, it’s reflective, it’s a prevision, it’s spiritually inclusive. Ali is a confident storyteller, a hip hop journeyman that emits a mature self confidence that is infectious. Ant has created a musical curation perfect for the 17 track journey. From pure hip hop gems like Deep Cuts and The Counts to the lighthearted stories shared in Two Dudes there is a lot to go at and enough variation to keep you hooked. 

To be an artist that’s career spans over 20 years is tough. How do you stay relevant? How do you keep connected to your audience? Based on this collection, you could argue that personal evolution and honestly between yourself and your audience is the trick. 

Satisfied Soul has lived up to the high expectations that were set after hearing the initial EP at the back end of 2024. I look forward to hearting your thoughts….

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

Podcast EP.54 | The Weather Station | Humanhood

Posted on by misterstory

EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025 – This Is Not Happening – An Album Of The Month Podcast

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.