Melissa Kacar

"End of Beginning" is a powerful reflection on a time - and even more so, a place - that continues to represent a very specific chapter of Djo 's life. At the heart of it, the song tells a coming‑of‑age story and serves as a love letter to the people and the city that shaped so much of who he is today. For Joe Keery , who has been releasing music under the pseudonym Djo since his debut album in 2019, this song marked a major breakthrough moment for him. Released in 2022, it captured the feeling of being on the precipice of a major life change while simultaneously looking back at how formative living in Chicago was for him. After moving there for college, he spent much of his early twenties auditioning for acting jobs, playing in his band Post Animal, waiting tables, and building a life there as a young adult on his own for the first time.  "And when I'm back in Chicago, I feel it, another version of me, I was in it," he sings in the chorus. "I wave go...

Charli xcx 's ability to step into a world that is so far beyond the one she usually inhabits in her work, and to commit to it as fully as she did here, truly cannot be overstated.  Wuthering Heights  is such an incredible example of how a modern soundtrack can be completely redefined. She fully immersed herself in the world of this story - both Emily Brontë's original 1847 text and the 2026 film adaptation - and created something that feels deeply rooted in the source material while still entirely her own. What remains the most prevalent is the deep understanding of each distinct versions of the story and the characters within them. With this record, Charli stepped out of the world of  BRAT  and made something unlike anything she's ever released, reinterpreting this ill‑fated, toxic romance in a way that feels contemporary yet still honors the timelessness of  Wuthering Heights . After watching the film and reading the novel, the recurring themes and differing ...

Greetings from The Crux Hotel! 🐭🗝️☆  Back in August 2025 when I visited Los Angeles , one of the biggest highlights of the trip was getting to take a tour of Paramount Studios. Of course tons of iconic movies and TV shows were filmed there, but one of my personal favorite parts of the tour was seeing the building facade used on the cover of one of my favorite albums ever - The Crux by Djo !! I absolutely love Djo 's music and this was so cool to see in person. Not to mention, this is also one of my favorite album covers of all time too! The cover was shot on Paramount's outdoor cityscape backlot. It's a part of a massive set that's been used in countless projects, meant to mimic the look of New York or Chicago. The tour guide drove through this part of the lot really quickly because they were actually filming something there that day, but I'm so glad I got to get a few pictures of it. Hopefully one day I get to go back and take pictures in front of it!  The Cru...

2025 was yet another incredible year for new music! I narrowed it down to 30 of my favorite albums, spanning a wide range of artists and genres. Many of them are first‑time additions to my annual year‑end favorites list, which feels like a testament to how much I prioritized discovering and supporting new artists this year. Of course, there are some long‑time favorites sprinkled throughout, as well. Ultimately, this list reflects a little bit of everything I loved this year! This is always my favorite post to write and curate each year. It is loosely ranked, but every single one of these albums was truly the soundtrack of my year for one reason or another. I have covered many of them in depth too, so if you are interested in reading more about any of these, be sure to check out the links throughout the post and at the end. Enjoy! 💓 The Crux by Djo At its core, The Crux by Djo is a heartfelt ode to the people that have shaped him, along with his family and friends that have suppor...