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Coma - Gærea (2024) Described as post-black metal. Decided to indulge myself another masked band & ended up really liking the album. Strong start, and the energy stays strong throughout. Will be adding to my record collection. #music |
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Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V.E. Schwab (2025) I'm so consistently enamored with V.E. Schwab's writing. Love how they intertwined the stories of Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice—and found myself seeing bits of me in each one of them. #book |
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If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio (2017) God, it was frustrating waiting for the mystery reveal but when it happened, I realized there was no other way the story could have been told. Incredible pacing, amazing tension, and using Shakespeare as a conduit? This feels like it could happen somewhere. Theatre kids aren't Just Like That—but it's not hard to see how they could be. #book |
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Piranesi - Susanna Clarke (2020) I think I passed a judgement too early when I said I didn't like fantasy books. I think I may have conflated them with the whole romantasy subgenre, which I feel panders to 18- to 24-year-olds who think a brooding man makes a good mate. (Cringe.) Instead, when the fantasy is well-constructed, well-thought-out, and the world and its characters have clear motivations, it's difficult to put down. I loved reading every page of this book. #book |
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The Factory - Hiroko Oyamada (2013) A tight read about three workers at a factory with an unclear work output. Its pervasiveness is felt in every piece of the narrative, and the intrigue of finding out just what's going on and why these three have ended up there was enticing. #book |
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Several People Are Typing... - Calvin Kasulke (2021) A man working at a marketing firm and Slackbot switch places as the result of an errant file upload. Short read, good tension throughout. Initially saved it to read on a trip but glad I didn't wait. Not quite office horror, but close. #book |
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The Things They Believe - Loathe (2021) Loathe is doing so much cool shit with synths in this album. I can't help but think of its release in context, and how the feeling of being uprooted and disoriented and distant and still somehow free came with the spring, summer, and fall of 2020. They're quickly becoming one of my favorite bands & it was a great time seeing them live last month. #music |
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Skeletá - Ghost (2025) I figured I'd give Ghost a fair shot: they're in the same musical circle as Sleep Token, I have a friend of a friend who's worked with them, and the album came out on my birthday. They seem fun. And they are! This album has some bops, but they just didn't fit my sonic vibe at the moment. Favorite tracks were Satanized & Lachryma. Had a nice time throughout the rest. #music |
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Even in Arcadia - Sleep Token (2025) Peak. All gas, no brakes. Intense hook with Look to Windward, emotionally devastating with Gethsemane, solid finisher with Infinite Baths. Plenty of harsh vocals spread across the tracks, some lighter stuff too. I expected a great album as a baseline and am still impressed. #music |
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Blue Prince (2025) A really fun, satisfying puzzle game with roguelike elements. You inherit a mansion, and must discover its secret 46th room before you can claim it as your own. You're not allowed to spend the night, and must return each day to a blank floor plan. Progress by drafting rooms, each with their own puzzles and challenges to solve. May require a spreadsheet to keep track of everything—it's definitely helped in our playthrough so far. #videogame |
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A Real Pain (2024) This is a great, wholly ordinary movie. The characters feel real, almost raw, and the way that they put themselves into the situation of "two cousins on a tour group with four other strangers and our guide" is just so normal. I don't know how else to explain it—that's not a dig at the movie itself. It's great writing, in fact, to make your characters seem like real, flawed people. #film |
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Tsunami Sea - Spiritbox (2025) I can feel Spiritbox quickly becoming part of my taste profile for music. No surprises there, I like metal & I especially like when women scream on their tracks. This album is packed with great tracks, and I love listening to Courtney Laplante's voice. She handles all the highs and lows of this album so well. Favorite tracks so far are Keep Sweet, Crystal Roses, and A Haven With Two Faces. #music |
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I Let It in and It Took Everything - Loathe (2020) Again, in expanding my horizons & working to get back into graphic design via zine, I learned that George Lever also produced this album by Loathe. And I do like it. I think that GL's production style lends so much to vocals, and even when it's getting a bit weird sonically they're still so satisfying to listen to. This mixing of Is It Really You? cut me to the core. #music |
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Eternal Blue - Spiritbox (2021) Decided to expand my horizons a bit in the metal genre & settled on two albums, first of which being this one. I'm familiar with Courtney Laplante & really dig her message—but damn it's been a while since I've felt seen by a single album. Eternal Blue is a song that's working its way through my veins, for sure. I also love when the singer of a metal band is a) a woman and b) screams. Makes me melt. #music |
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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) They really do not make political satire like they used to. Hilarious, genuinely, top to bottom, on top of being wildly anxiety-inducing. Great film to watch as someone who has studied nuclear & Cold War history in depth. #film |
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Alligator Bites Never Heal - Doechii (2024) Stunning, a good listen, can't believe I slept on it for so long. As with all music, I sat down and listened to this exactly when I needed to, you know? I'm enamored with her creative process for this mixtape. #music |
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Heart Eyes (2025) It's a horror-romance slasher flick! I'm not huge on slashers, though this was fine to sit through. The dialogue was snappy and felt natural, enjoyed the twists, and it was altogether pretty fun. A cute alternative romance. #film |
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Live on KEXP: Kiasmos (2024) Solid electronic set—was directed to KEXP's live sets by a friend as a testament to their live sound mixing. Stayed for a funky little collection of in-studio performances. #music |
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Companion (2025) Great horror film. Great casting. Commentary was just a bit heavy-handed at times. Still kept me on the edge of my seat, even knowing the first twist in advance. #film |
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Conclave (2024) I love when media makes god have a sense of humor. Engaging, surprisingly earnest movie about ambition, corruption, and the perversion of religious institution. Need to read the book next. #film |
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Nosferatu (2024) The parallels, the cinematography, the eerie feeling pervading the entire film. Loved it, loved a dip into gothic horror. I need to indulge in more of the genre. #film |