Weekly Roundup: 9/4/2025

Admittedly, I haven’t listened to much new music this week — mostly because I’ve been stuck in a Deftones deep dive after the release of private music. Hopefully I can write more about that soon, because it’s been dominating my listening. But for now, here are a few things I’ve really liked this past week. Oh, reminder that there’s a playlist at the end with all of these standout tracks.

Pinkshift - Earthkeeper

This one totally took me by surprise. Earthkeeper sounds like how I remember Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce The Veil sounding when I was in high school—emotional and slightly chaotic, in the best way. Vocalist Ashrita Kumar has an electric voice, nailing the soft, somber lines while also throwing down some standout screams and growls along the way.

Aggressive tracks like “Love It Here” really shine, tapping into today’s political shitshow in a strangely endearing way. “Blood” is an absolute earworm, with a fast-paced chorus that’s bound to get stuck in your head. And tracks like “Freefall” feel like they could’ve been lifted straight from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge—power chords and all.

You can pick ou the influences Pinkshift is riffing on, but they’ve carved out a sound that totally feels like their own. I have a feeling Earthkeeper is going to stay in my rotation for a while.

Standouts: “Blood,” “Freefall,” “Don’t Fight”

Hayley Williams - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party

I was so bummed when Hayley Williams initially dropped a bunch of solo tracks all at once — I wanted… no, I needed an album! Thankfully, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party arrived soon after, and it does not disappoint.

Hayley has such a commanding voice that pulls you in, whether she’s going mellow or upbeat. The album gets really personal—“Parachute,” in particular, hits hard, full of pain and reflection in her delivery. On the flip side, I love the more playful-sounding tracks like “Ice In My OJ,” which is consistently stuck in my head.

I haven’t fully unpacked all of the lyrics and references yet, but there’s clearly a lot going on beneath the surface. I’m excited to keep digging.

Standouts: “Ice In My OJ,” “Brotherly Hate,” “Parachutes”

End It - Wrong Side of Heaven

With the shitshow that is the world right now, sometimes I just need something fast, mean, and to the point. Wrong Side of Heaven delivers. It’s 15 blistering tracks that feel like they’re yelling with you about everything you’re already pissed off about.

Lines like “Who must die to keep you in your luxury?” and “When we was out in the field, your ass was on a bench” hit hard, capturing the frustration so many people are carrying. But I also appreciate tracks like “I, Lament,” which turn that rage inward — more introspective, more personal.

This one’s a wild, cathartic ride, and I am absolutely here for it.

Standouts: “Exploiter (SYBAU),” “I, Lament,” “Bilion Dollar Question”

Yves - Soft Error

Soft Error is six short tracks of glitched-out pop that beg you to hit replay. I’ve always been drawn to this kind of pop—full of autotune, 8-bit synths, and shimmering distortion—and Yves totally leans into that aesthetic and makes it her own.

“White cat” is a standout, with sparkling synths that sound like they could’ve been pulled from an early 2010s Kesha single. Yves’ soft, almost ghostly vocals really shine on more mellow tracks like “Soap” and “Do you feel it like i touch.” Even the lyrics feel glitched out — fragmented, emotional, like she’s trying to say something but can’t quite work out the words or the feelings.

It’s dreamy, weird at times, and definitely going to be on repeat.

Standouts: “White cat,” “Do you feel it like i touch,” “Soap”