Listens: March 2025

Our favourite albums of the month, described based on how they make us feel

Until now, I’ve shared my 10 favourite albums of the month under the ‘Listens’ series.

This time round, I’m experimenting with detailing not only what I’ve enjoyed listening to, but what I’ve watched, read, tasted and so-on.

Noise Narrative is rooted in music, but culture can be noisy in other places too. This newsletter is about the stories and signals that culture creates, so naturally film, literature and cuisine can often tell us things as well.

So, in this edition, I’ve included a couple of books, food stories and films that I’ve enjoyed this month.

Is this something that would interest you? or shall I stick to the music?

---

Listened

Maara & D. Tiffany - Maara & D. Tiff’s Anthems for Lezzies

A full throttle blistering ode to lesbian club culture. Every track is a brooding bass-oozing tech house 4am slammer. Sweaty, sexy, silly and shimmering gear.

For fans of: Roza Terenzi, Reptant, Adam Pits

Feels like: prime time in the club

Asian Glow - 11100011

Equal parts euphoric and heartbreaking emo-tinged indietronica shoegaze. One of the spearheads of a thriving scene emerging out of South Korea right now.

For fans of: TURQUOISEDEATH, what is your name?, Parannoul

Feels like: reaching the end of an emotional journey

Wojciech Rusin - Honey for the Ants

Just over half an hour of transportive electro-acoustic experiments from Polish-born AV artist. Fuelled by gnostic texts and mythic verse, this one’s a sort of filmic meditation.

For fans of: Saba Alizadeh, Sissi Rada, Carme López

Feels like: taking a wrong but beautiful turn in the landscapes of Narnia

Decius - Decius Vol. II (Splendour & Obedience)

A manifesto of visceral lust from Fat White Family/Paranoid London/Warmduscher supergroup Decius. Pulsing, horny, pneumatic techno/house/disco/EBM/acid bangers from start to finish.

For fans of: Front 242, Marina Zispin

Feels like: being a celebrity entering the club

Wally Badarou - Words Of A Mountain

I discovered this whilst watching Dahomey, a documentary about the return of royal treasures to Benin after France stole them during their colonial period. This album provides much of the soundtrack, and is a new age synth delight from the keyboardist responsible for singles for the likes of Talking Heads, Grace Jones & Mick Jagger.

For fans of: Haroumi Hosono, Per Tjernberg

Feels like: a trip through afrofuturist space

Prison - Downstate

Downright chaotic stonery progressive psyched-out fuzz-drenched grunge-doused big band noise rock. Get it on!

For fans of: Squid, Sports Team, Black Midi

Feels like: a hazed-out night jamming in the garage

Traxman - Da Mind Of Traxman Vol.3

A supercharged slice of witty footwork/ghetto house/juke bangers from scene mainstay Traxman. Agile, funny, outrageous; this one’s a workout.

For fans of: DJ Rashad, DJ Deeon

Feels like: a HIIT class in the morning

Helen Ganya - Share Your Care

A masterful art-pop deep-dive into her Thai heritage from Singapore-raised Scottish-Thai artist Helen Ganya. Out via Bella Union Records (Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins), this one’s a hidden gem, but deserves to be shouted loud.

For fans of: Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, CMAT

Feels like: 2pm at the Park Stage at Glastonbury

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Perfect Right Now: A Slumberland Collection 2008-2010

A heady unveiling of B-sides from the indie revivalist Brooklyn band. This is C86 nostalgia at its finest.

For fans of: The Smiths, MBV, Smashing Pumpkins

Feels like: everything is going to be alright

Raisa K - Affectionately

Suitably gravelly DIY pop from Good Sad Happy Bad (fka Micachu & The Shapes) member Raisa Khan. Oozing with rewarding nuggets if you give it the time of day.

For fans of: Mica Levi, ML Buch

Feels like: Springtime in London!

Los Thuthanaka - Los Thuthanaka

When Bolivian-American Chuquimamani-Condori released DJ E last year, it sent shockwaves through music discourse. For many, it’s a sound and production style that stands a cut above the rest: an overdose of distortion, nods to indigenous heritage and joyous guitar fuzz. The artist has this time teamed up with their brother, Joshua Chuquimia Crampton, for an album even more refined, more joyous and completely in its own world. Early AOTY contender!

For fans of: Nicolas Jaar, HI-TECH

Feels like: medicine to the brain

---

Read

Liam Inscoe-Jones - Songs In The Key of MP3: The New Icons of the Internet Age

My old school pal Liam has a barnstormer of a book on its way via White Rabbit Books. I’ve read the manuscript proof, and it’s a sprawling chunk of sharp analysis, witty opinion and overflowing knowledge. It’s out on April 3rd, and I’ll have a full review out for it soon.

James Baldwin - Giovanni’s Room

A visceral exploration of sexuality and identity. The daring story of an extra-marital gay love affair, published in 1956 by one of the bravest voices that’s ever been.

Tasted

Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory, Tokyo

Before my family & I went into the Ghibli museum in Tokyo, we got a tip off about a dessert shop run by the brother of Hayao Miyazaki (co-founder of Ghibli). It was a tiny place, exclusively selling hand-crafted cream puff pastries in the shape of Totoro.

There’s something really endearing about Mayazaki’s brother creating pastry iterations of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved character.

Out to all the brothers in this world!

Watched

Titane (Julia Ducournau)

Definitely one of the coolest films I’ve seen. Beneath its impeccably directed body horror, wicked soundtrack and knockout performances, it’s a piece about gender fluidity, transformation and acceptance. I saw it at the Prince Charles cinema in Leicester Square - a cultural pillar that’s under threat. Save it here!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee)

In awe of this one. Ang Lee paints martial arts as a rhythmic music - swords meet like shimmering hi-hats, limbs collide like kick drums and bodies glide like pauses for breath. Immediate magnum opus for the three leads.

---

Now my experiment is out the way - would you like to see this every month? Should I just focus on the music recommendations? Any feedback is so helpful, as I simply want to share content that matters to you!