essential listening

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windflower - herb ellis & reno palmier

a wonderful offering from the youtube algorithm (back when i used to listen to music exclusively on youtube). i can't help but to make a face and shake my head to the opening bars of the first song. a gentle, joyful and effervescent stroll through the beautiful countryside.

oncle jazz - men i trust

a classic. i would love to know what the little guy on the album art is. either way, it only adds to the charm of this album that makes me think of lying down on a picnic blanket under a clear summer sky with my eyes closed. warm, breezy, content.

holy diver - dio

the pipes on this man! my goodness. i grew up listening to this on mornings when my dad drove me to school. theatrical, dark and energetic, it makes me think of the detailed and moody fantasy illustrations of the 80s and 90s - think classic DnD. when i see the track list i can hear the songs in my head as if i'm flicking through them on the radio.

bara no seidou - malice mizer

where to begin? finding malice mizer, and visual kei as a whole, changed my brain chemistry. it combines everything i love: rock, striking makeup and elaborate costumes. the drama. i love all of their different eras, and i honestly couldn't pick a favorite album. it's like picking my favorite child. i wouldn't want to be born in a different generation, but if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to choose, i'd want to go back and see them live in japan to witness the peak visual kei .

wallsocket - underscores

we love a fictional midwestern town. there is an seductive tragedy to small town america, one could even say a unique flavor of horror to it. maybe it's the fact that i grew up in an unremarkable town that can eat you alive if you let it, but this a concept i think about a lot. hyperpop is a recent addition to my favorite genres and i only wish i discovered it sooner.

set the world on fire - black veil brides

an absolute classic straight from bangertown, usa. no skips. 80s/90s thrash metal and 00s/10s emo are my bread and butter. black veil brides was a huge part of my teens and i will forever have a special spot in my heart for them, especially their earlier work. something that i noticed only once i listened to this album as an adult was that it has such a positive message: be yourself, love yourself and you are never alone.

fire of unknown origin - blue oyster cult

i'm burnin for you. this is a wonderful pick-me-up. need good vibes? the cult has got you on this one. funky, sci-fi and a little mystical. i was surprised to find out that the lyrics for the title track were written by Patti Smith after reading her memoir.

distance - utada hikaru

my mom would put this CD on weekday evenings while she was cooking dinner. it always amazes me how young utada was when she started her career, and how prolific and talented she is. i only recently found out about some of her more interesting lyrical creations. she has a sense of humor, what can i say. japanese 90s/00s pop will always take me back to the days where i watched vhs tapes of music variety shows after school.