Melissa Kacar

Cruel World beautifully depicts the complexities of what it means to be a young woman in the modern age, facing all of the expectations and pressures that inevitably surface at this point in life. As an artist, Holly Humberstone thrives in the most introspective and honest facets of who she is and the experiences she has gone through. Instrumentally, this album is so lush in its composition, drenched in synth‑pop elements that build upon such an interesting blend of influences. The shimmering, dark fairytale aesthetics are also so central to the entirety of this album as well.  As an entire project, Cruel World really does stand among so many of the best alt‑pop records of the past decade, evoking the feelings of Melodrama by Lorde or Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers in its distinct world‑building and emotional intensity. Coincidentally, all three albums are also these artists' sophomore releases, which feels fitting, as each one captures the distinct moment they stepped deeper int...

they say people never change is a playlist built around songs that inspire growth and personal reflection, especially when looking at all of the ways we change over time. It is curated in a more personal manner than the conceptual or sonic themes I usually build my song collections around. There is still a particular through line across these 50 songs though, with each one reflecting some facet of growth or self‑reinvention. Some take that idea in a more abstract direction, others more literally, but together they form a portrait of what it means to evolve. I felt inspired to share this playlist today because it officially marks nine years since I first posted on my blog. It's surreal to look back on how much time has passed since my first makeup review all those years ago, along with the hundreds of posts I've written since then for over a million readers ! My writing has changed and evolved so much through those years, and I feel so much more confident in what it means to sh...

Inhaler 's debut album,  It Won't Always Be Like This , is deeply indicative of their desire to make something that felt reflective of the moment in history it was created in and served as such a strong introduction to these fresh, young voices in rock music. Even just five years in hindsight, it already feels like such a time capsule in many ways, thematically capturing what the world was experiencing in real time in an attempt to make sense of it all and push back against the injustices surrounding them.  It remains among their best work, shaped by the direction they were beginning to carve out for themselves and the future for the band. So much of this music reflects who they were at that point and where they were headed artistically, hinting at the influences and stylistic choices they would continue to sharpen and develop with each record that followed. Each song is anchored by these big choruses and largely forward thinking, optimistic ideals that almost give off a sense...