On Loop: 3 Tracks I Keep Coming Back To
- Taylorlani Housman
- Mar 29, 2025
- 3 min read
I like to think we're a bit into 2025 already as we head into April, and what a year it has been for music so far. my playlists are already stacked with some of the most mesmerizing releases of the year. From crushing riffs to artists solidifying their signature sounds, the landscape feels alive—thriving with urgency, emotion, and a distinct pulse that refuses to be ignored. So that’s what I’m doing—I’m here to tell you why these songs and artists deserve a spot in your rotation.
Let’s dive in.
Starting off strong, Melbourne-based alternative metalcore band Thornhill have been steadily feeding us drops of sap from a rare, enigmatic tree—thrilling singles that tease the arrival of their highly anticipated record, BODIES, set for release on April 4th. With four tracks unveiled so far, I find myself relentlessly drawn to TONGUES, the album’s sixth track, caught in its hypnotic grasp.
TONGUES is drenched in brooding atmosphere and cutting precision, unraveling like a fever dream—haunting and inescapable. Lost in a haze of fire-lit lips and whispered deception, the song pulses with an intoxicating duality, balancing shimmering beauty with serrated aggression. While echoes of their influences remain, TONGUES carves its own identity, enriched by the tonal weight of cobalt blue and muddy aqua—colors that seep through its essence, evoking a love both corrosive and consuming. It thrives in opposing tensions—desire and defiance—pulling the listener deeper into Thornhill’s ever-evolving, enigmatic world. Thornhill doesn’t just perform; they seduce, wrapping their sound in an enigmatic allure, equal parts romance and danger. Their music is a blade—gleaming, inviting, but always ready to cut deep.
TOY, a record born from the minds of Sydney darlings Dear Seattle, arrived earlier this year in January. Technically, the song I’m about to dive into was released last year as a single—but I’m playing by my own rules. It’s been on repeat ever since, and if a track refuses to fade from my rotation, it deserves its moment.
Say What You Want, is drenched in golden light and the salt-stained afternoons—bright, boundless, and tangled in emotional uncertainty. There’s a fire to it, the kind that flickers between fingertips as you reach for something fleeting with the repeated mantra of "Say what you wanna say 'cause I'm ready". It’s loud, it knows exactly what it is— the kind of song that pulls you in, makes you throw your head back, and sing every word like it’s the only truth that matters.
Lastly, for now at least, Spiritbox’s No Loss, No Love arrived on February 6, 2025. One thing I know about Spiritbox is that you’re going to know about them, and you're going to hear them even if you don’t actively seek the band out. Luckily for me, I did.
No Loss, No Love isn’t just another track in their catalog; it’s visceral and deeply introspective that employs all blasting cool air temperature of their latest record Tsunami Sea. It is a harrowing, immersive journey into the push-and-pull of home, and isolation, drenched in sea salt and sorrow. The track thrives on striking imagery, exploring rhythmic guitar work fused with synth-driven textures. It is the sound of the sea swallowing you whole, which coincidentally, the same way I’d describe Spiritbox as a whole.
