Your End Of Weekend Soundtrack

Feat. Ronnie Makebelieve, Black Dice, Headie One, and more

Two days late…two bucks short?

Due to the delayed nature of this Unskippable (but never skipped!), I tried to make these tracks more Monday morning / Sunday evening-friendly. Not sure if I succeeded - there’s turn-up techno, UK rap and blistering noise - but hey, maybe that’s what your Sunday night needs!

If you have time tonight, two reads on cool stuff that happened in 1996 - this oral history of “That Thing You Do!” that thankfully will leave your childhood memories unharmed, or this writeup of this doozy of a lost 1996 R&B record from Lewis Taylor. 1996! What a year!

Anyways - on to the new music! As always, you can follow along on our playlist on Spotify and Apple Music, which will update every week along with the newsletter.

THE UNSKIPPABLES #9

Ronnie Makebelieve - Muon

One of three debut tracks from longtime hardware noise/techno fellas Mike Sheffield and Jeremy Krinsley, “Muon” is slower and more strutting than the other tracks from their debut single, taking the concrete gray of their synth tones down a few BPM for a more menacing stride. The swelling bass at the 3m mark is like an angry dog on a short leash - and the whole EP will make you want you to throw on all black athleisure and go to a Brooklyn bar where it’s impossible to get a drink.

Headie One - Beggars Can’t Be Choosers

Extremely British rap hits a specific pleasure center for me, and it helps that Headie One’s flow and this beat from London-based producer Quincy Tellem are crisp, exacting, and very on point. The track is from Headie One’s mixtape Too Loyal For My Own Good, and though this isn’t the hardest track (that’d be “Nothing to Me”), it’s fiery and in the pocket and may just get you through your Monday AM.

Mandy, Indiana - Bottle Episode

Yes, it opens with a minute-long snare roll.

Yes, that snare solo sounds like it was recorded on a phone.

YES it then hits a Battles-esque glam rock/industrial stride that makes it all worthwhile.
NO I have no idea what she’s singing.

Black Dice - White Sugar

Amidst the noise about Jonathan Galkin and James Murphy’s takes on the current state of DFA Records, you may have missed the news that Galkin’s new label FourFour put out a new Black Dice record this week! The album, their first in nine years, is the band’s strongest since 2009’s Repo, and “White Sugar” is glittering and ugly, tense yet grooving, burning with controlled, nasty fury that simmers but never boils over.

MUNYA - Tonight, Tonight

I’m generally not big on Gen Z re-imaginings of 90’salt rock tracks - this cover was one of the cringiest parts of “Cruel Summer” (and that’s saying a lot!). But hearing Billy Corgan’s shoot for the rafters arena writing translate this well to “lo fi beats to study to” pop is a testament to how well his Mellon Collie period songs hold up as compositions. MUNYA hits every chorus chord change and it still works over a loping beat, even without the huge strings or fills, and thankfully with no wink wink schmaltz to make sure you get it.

THE THROWBACK

Tony Joe White - Stud Spider

Have you ever wanted to imagine what a CAN country record would sound like? This track - found on Light In The Attic’s Country Funk comp - is close, with the bizarre refrain and restrained funk sounding like a honky tonk on another planet.

See you next week - back to Fridays. Unless you like Sunday listens better - let me know in the comments!