From Wet Leg’s club-ready remix to Ed O’Brien’s darkness-lit mood
This preview is based on the episode notes, which point to a wide-ranging new-music conversation led by Robin Hilton with NPR Music’s Tom Huizenga. Expect a mix of dancefloor energy, contemporary classical textures, global indie sounds, and reflective songwriting.
This episode looks like a strong pick for listeners who enjoy discovery across genres rather than a single-lane playlist. Based on the show notes alone, Robin Hilton and NPR Music’s Tom Huizenga survey standout new tracks of the week, moving from a “raging, dancefloor remix” of Wet Leg’s **“catch these fists”** to music by Vince Staples and Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien. The lineup suggests a deliberately broad range. Alongside Wet Leg, the notes list **Katie & Marielle Labèque** performing Philip Glass’s **“The Somnambulist,”** **Balming Tiger’s “Home,”** and **Wild Up’s “No. 8, Always Making New Inversions”** from a Julius Eastman collection. That makes this episode seem especially appealing if you like hearing indie rock, rap, contemporary classical, and experimental music placed in conversation with each other. The notes also hint at a few tonal anchors without giving too much away: Vince Staples brings “a touch of vintage soul,” while Ed O’Brien’s **“Blue Morpho”** is framed through Wendell Berry’s line, “to know the dark, go dark.” If that contrast appeals to you—high-energy remixing on one end, introspective atmosphere on the other—this episode seems built to offer it. If you’re deciding whether to listen, the clearest draw is variety: six featured tracks, named artists, and a host-guest pairing that suggests guided curation rather than just a countdown. This is a preview from the published notes, not a recap of the audio, but it points to an episode with both momentum and range.
About this episode
Our latest picks for the best new tracks of the week include a raging, dancefloor remix of Wet Leg’s “Catch These Fists,” a touch of vintage soul from rapper and singer Vince Staples, Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien channels Kentucky poet Wendell Berry who says, “to know the dark, go dark,” and more.<br/><br/>NPR Music’s Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton.<br/><br/>A good review helps! So, leave us one on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-songs-considered/id79687345"target="_blank" > Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/10LYbliXlNZe1VStsTkcC0?si=bb536b16024d42d8"target="_blank" >Spotify</a>, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend to listen!<br/><br/>Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: <a href="mailto:allsongs@npr.org"target="_blank" >allsongs@npr.org</a> <br/><br/><strong>Featured artists and songs:</strong><br/><br/>(00:00) Intro<br/><br/>(01:03) Wet Leg: “catch these fists (FDC DJs remix)” from <em>moisturizer deluxe</em><br/><br/>(07:05) Katie & Marielle Labèque: “The Somnambulist” (Phillip Glass) from <em>55</em><br/><br/>(15:23) Balming Tiger: “Home” from <em>Gongbu</em><br/><br/>(22:42) Wild Up: “No. 8, Always Making New Inversions” from <em>Julius Eastman Vol. 5: Gay Guerrilla</em><br/><br/>(31:00) Vince Staples: “White Flag” from <em>Cry Baby</em><br/><br/>(36:06) Ed O’Brien: “Blue Morpho” from <em>Blue Morpho</em><br><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>