The best music from the past week
The best music from the past week
Halsey, Lady Gaga, Negative 25, LATIN MAFIA, Addison Rae
Welcome to Gen Z Translator. On Tunes Tuesdays, we dive into new music. Subscribe here if you don’t already follow this newsletter, and check me out on Threads or X. Views are my own.
Wowowow. So much good music over the last week or so. I wanted to do a quick roundup of my thoughts.
The Great Impersonator by Halsey
I previewed Halsey’s fifth album in September, but now the 18-song album is out. It’s just as gentle and grunge as I expected, revealing vulnerable truths from a hard medical situation. Some of my news favorites are “Dog Days,” “Arsonist” and “Life of the Spider (Draft).”
The Great Impersonator is more similar in style to Halsey’s 2020 album Manic, than If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power in 2022. It’s mellow, verging on folk at times, and though Halsey’s marketing scheme revolves around impersonation, the craftsmanship is fully theirs.
Debate broke out online about The Great Impersonator not “making the charts,” but fans quickly came to the singer’s defense. “Its pretty ruthless and cruel that even though she was fighting cancer and lupus for the past few years and decided to come back and do what she loves people are using this opportunity to find ways to make fun of her in the quotes. Like do you guys ever just let up on people?” X user @britmebaby posted.
“Disease” by Lady Gaga
Get your Halloween playlists ready because Lady Gaga is BACK. She’s experimented with her sound over the past couple years, but her single “Disease” takes Little Monsters back to the singer’s roots – gritty, campy pop music. “I can play the doctor, I can cure your disease,” she sings. “If you were a sinner, I could make you believe.” I could hear this song playing back-to-back with “Bloody Mary” and “Judas” while you dance around in your Sabrina Carpenter costume.
TODOS LOS DÍAS TODO EL DÍA by LATIN MAFIA
LATIN MAFIA’s song “FLORES” is one of my favorite songs of all time, so I was ecstatic when I saw they had released a new album. This album makes me feel like those old “Redbone” TikToks, where you’re listening to a song through the bathroom door at a party. The music is distant, yet deep. While TODOS LOS DÍAS TODO EL DÍA gets a little slow at times, its tenderness speaks to its artistic expression. “y como te digo que” is a particular favorite of mine.
“h4ppy t00” by Negative 25
Sometimes more TikToker than band, Negative 25 reminded us of their talent in new single “h4ppy t00.” It’s quintessential midwest emo while still unique – and deceptively bubbly. It speaks to anxiety and suburban boredom. In their Spotify bio, the bands describes themselves as making “pop music for emo kids” and that couldn’t be more accurate.
“Aquamarine” by Addison Rae
I’m not going to say too much about this one just yet (👀) but trust me I will. Subscribe below so you’ll get notified when I do.
Any new music you’ve been listening to lately? Let me know in the comments.
Read the last Tunes Tuesday: Hello 'Brat and it's completely different but also still brat'