Max's Music Mondays with BINA. and Never Met a Human
did a photoshop of me as a worm and if that doesn't get you to listen to these songs idk what will
Welcome to Max’s Music Mondays - a ~music discovery newsletter~ where I get too excited about songs I love. I hope you love them too. If you do, follow along on spotify and please press that subscribe button. Thanks to everyone who did last time around, fills my heart to the dang brim!! And I really mean that!!
Soaking in the last days of summer, it’s hard to believe it’s already fall. Everyone’s always “but I love the seasons”-ing me, but I gotta say, there’s a real shift in LA too (the shift being it hasn’t been 90 degrees in a couple weeks) (ok update from one minute later: i just checked the weather and it’s supposed to be 90 degrees tomorrow so I guess I was wrong).
Anyways, for me the shift has been taking non-weather forms too, feeling the change offering room for more change. It’s been nearly one year since I signed up for Substack, and it’s been a joy to get to tinker with this thing over that time. And I’m excited about what it’s turning into, what’s still to come. Finding the freedom in knowing change is the only constant, cliche as it is, and holding that perspective across every other part of life too. And I think it’s what draws me to so much new music. And don’t get me wrong I am still running the same handful of favorites into the ground (right now it’s Dijon → Remi → Barrie). It allows me to stay open and curious and appreciate when something comes out of nowhere and just feels right. I think this week’s songs do that well. Different and unique in their own ways, incredible all the same. I hope you enjoy.
This Week’s Songs
Please please follow along here ^^ for this week’s and every week’s songs. Each song is perfect and that is an objective fact and in no way my biased opinion i promise.
Dark Cloud - BINA.
My playlist of potential songs to write about is ever-expanding, a spider’s web getting bigger with every week just waiting for that perfect song to get caught. A lot of hmmm’s and almost’s find their way in, trying find a way to convince myself this is the one. But when I hear the actual “the one”, there’s no hesitation. That was me hearing Dark Cloud for the first time. The organ, the percussion, the vocal chop, each walking up to the edge of the song, playing chicken with each other to see who will dive in first. And when they settle from this anticipation into a wavy and easy groove, I’m echoing the ‘thank you’ in the background. The organ almost bouncing while the drums keep things sturdy. BINA.’s vocals are a treat. They feel so light and sunny, singing right at us. That drop down to reach ‘decisions’ is surprise, but one that works well. The background vocals really pick up from there, their airiness funneling in even more lightness, floating in like clouds. This verse continues on, BINA. finding new melodies and flows, all of it feeling natural against the production. Production that feels rigid and in motion at the very same time. Even as the organ player gets more and more adventurous, ripping off riffs before the chords settle back in. Our narrator leaning into a lover to find more of herself, a different shadow self, through the chorus. Those airy background vocals feeling more like mysterious clouds in the face of the shadow too. A little bass says hello, pulling everything lower at just the right moment. A new vocal sample balancing this tug-of-war on the high end of the second verse. BINA. opening with that rich ‘pour pour pour’, it feels even more intimate, detailing these small personal events and emotions. Again, BINA. creates moments within the moment, the need/meek breaking things up before transitioning back towards the chorus. We never quite make it back, maybe too consumed by this lover, but as the drums disappear at 2mins, things start to come to a close. The new space gets quickly filled by BINA. letting loose and showing off some stunning runs all over the mix. A little jazzy and a lot impressive. It all comes to a soft and beautiful end, all too soon.
Follow BINA. on IG / Spotify
Habitat - Never Met a Human
Guitars layering and folding over each other, effects to define them all, it’s an intoxicating start. I don’t really know where to look, which sound to follow. But boy oh boy those drums sure know. Heavy and true, they’re one hell of an attention-grabber. And if you weren’t already sold by this beautiful wave of sound, the first lyric should do the trick. There’s something so perfect about it. Just to get inside your little tiny spaceship. It does sound alien, that high pitched layer ever so subtle around the edges. But the imagery just warms my heart, something so quaint and gentle. Thinking of a spaceship as tiny? A completely new thought to me!! And way less intimidating than typical alien thoughts… But Never Met a Human leans into the tininess as intimacy, sharing emotions and struggles across the verse. The drums open up a bit and the bass gets perfectly messy as we hit this “I know” section, the guitar taking up the role as background singer. Collapsing down even further, letting that kick drum drive us forward. That “I know it’s all in my head” really sounding and feeling like an internal thought. Talking to themselves - trying, learning to believe the message. The last repetition of the phrase sounds like it’s inflating as the melody rises. The ballooning moment opens back up to the world, this vocal really standing out, of course. Fighting back, staying true to themselves, with a few friends adding in Yeah’s of support. Full of sound and emotion, it’s an almost overwhelming section. Like the intro I don’t know quite where to listen, but wherever you choose, you won’t be sorry. That fullness hears my anxiety and settles back into that inner monologue, now a little more confident. Confidence that lets the bass run even wilder, unafraid of the spotlight as the guitars pop in from moment to moment. Some final notes are sung, as the drums push the groove on, from the toms back to the hi hat, enjoying a peaceful and calming fade out. It’s all just so creative and unique, taking familiar forms and giving them each such a distinct voice. All grounded in a sick band. Haven’t been able to run from this song, those I know’s seeping their way into my brain time and time again.
Follow Never Met a Human on IG / Spotify
Well well well, we reached the end of the newsletter. Honestly, I’m glad! What if we never did, if I just wrote and wrote forever and you’d have to keep reading and you couldn’t even share this newsletter AND/OR playlist with all of your closest friends, confidants, and even (if you’re brave) enemies. What a scary thought. Anyways thank you all for reading my silly little words I hope you enjoyed these songs as much I as have.
If anyone has good pics of leaves turning, please send them to me,
Max