%20(1).png)
Neuphoria June Playlist Release!
The World Cup is here- and given I’m a longtime footie fanatic, it is all encompassing for me. While the matches- and traveling fans have been sensational, FIFA’s combination of greed and incompetence are a drawback.
Which reminds me……….what’s the difference between FIFA and a mugger?
A mugger doesn’t make you refresh your browser for 3 hours before stealing your money……
In the World Cup spirit, June’s playlist takes us to exotic locales like Bosnia, Mali, France, Turkey, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Australia- and Long Beach.
The Playlist direct links are:
If you wish to vote on the May Playlist, please submit your votes by EOD Sunday, July 12 PT (Monday, July 13th for the Europeans, Aussies and South Americans).
By the way, why doesn’t Cristiano Ronaldo have to clean his room?
Because he’s not Messi…..
Defy the algorithm,
D
Dubioza Kolektiv, I Am From Bosnia- Take Me To America (World Cup!)- Dubioza
are the most popular Bosnian musical act- and with its combination of Balkan folk music, ska, accordion and clever lyrics (“Take me to the Golden Gate, I will assimilate!”), “I Am From Bosnia” has gone viral. While Bosnia is the smallest European country in the 2026 World Cup, it has a large global diaspora of soccer crazy fans, due to Bosnian War/Siege of Sarajevo. In fact, soccer icon Zlatan is of Bosnian descent.
Sarajevo history- Sarajevo is a beautiful city, with a tragic history. It is where WW1 started and was surrounded by Yugoslav/Serbian forces for 4 years- subject to relentless shelling and sniping. Our Sarajevo tour guide had 26 of her 27 male family members killed during the conflict.
Vince Staples, Cotton (Rap/R&B)- My LBC homeboy silences the purists who thought that he had sold his soul to Netflix, by dropping a searing, if currently unfashionable, piece of social commentary on his new LP Cry Baby. Despite its high energy indie guitar riff and danceworthy bass, “Cotton” serves as a metaphor for the multi- generational emotional exhaustion of the Black American experience.
The lyrics on the rest of the LP are even sharper.
Role Model, High Hopes 3000 (Pop)- Tucker Pillsbury (aka Role Model) returns to his Maine roots on this first look at his upcoming third LP, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass. Channeling a classic, care-free 1970s singalong, it is recommend as your summer soundtrack for relaxing and ignoring your responsibilities!
Retail trivia- Ever noticed that CVS likely has the most vapid background music soundtrack? However, it does have one redeeming song; “Sally” by Role Model.
Lainey Wilson & John Mayer, Phone, Keys, Wallet (Country)- Reigning CMA
Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson brings her distinctively twangy Louisiana vocal to her collab with Grammy winner John Mayer. Written as a romantic tribute to her husband, Duck Hodges, the track uses a mental checklist analogy as a testament to a partner who anchors her through the chaos of a whirlwind lifestyle.
Taylor Swift, I Knew It, I Knew You (Piano Version) (Pop)- This rendition strips the upbeat, country-pop production of the original track, which just debuted at #1 on Billboard, down to its rawest essentials. The change pushes the song squarely out of the sandbox and into Folklore and Evermore territory.
Olivia Rodrigo, Stupid Song (Pop)- April’s Neuphoria winner is back with the #1 song on global streaming charts with “Stupid Song”, which captures the insanity of an all- consuming crush. Starting slowly, this pace-shifter matches her accelerating infatuation, careening like car without brakes.
Jalen Ngonda, Anyone In Love (R&B)- Channeling his Motown inspirations, Ngonda drops a slice of vintage soul on his new LP. Operating as a dead ringer for Russell Thompkins Jr. of The Stylistics, his cloud-scraping falsetto sails over lush, layered backing vocals and a sweeping string arrangement straight out of the 1970s Philly soul playbook. Sublime….
Ariana Grande, hate that i made you love me (Pop)- Fresh off her acting sabbatical as Glinda in Wicked, Ariana Grande pivots back to pop with the lead single from her upcoming eighth studio album, Petal. Currently sitting pretty at #2 on the global streaming charts, the track floats a bubbly, hypnagogic synth-pop backing over a lyric of romantic guilt.
Aya Nakamura & La Rvfleuze, Sexy Nana (Rap/World)- Currently sitting at #1 on the French streaming charts, this gritty cut pairs Mali-born global icon Aya Nakamura with rising Parisian rapper La Rvfleuze. Using her massive international clout as the world’s most-streamed Francophone singer, Nakamura reclaims the French slang “Nana” (girl/chick) as an anthem for unapologetic féminine energy.
Little Barrie, More Bad Miles Of Road (Rock)- Kicking off Little Barrie’s acclaimed new LP Gravity Freeze, this stripped-down track gives a heavy nod to classic 1960s bands like Cream and The Seeds. Driven by a descending bassline, the analog arrangement leaves ample negative space for frontman Barrie Cadogan's squealing, yet economical guitar. Hit the gas.
Altin Gűn, Neredesin Sen (Rock/Turkish)- Following the fine 1970s tradition of Anatolian rock, Dutch-Turkish Altin Gűn returns with the lead single from their LP Garip. A motorik-fueled cover of folk icon Neşet Ertaş', “Neredesin Sen” weaves traditional Anatolian microtonal intervals through a driving psychedelic groove. Absolute Turkish delight.
Interpol, See Out Loud (Rock/Alternative)- The co-leaders of the early 2000s NYC indie scene, Interpol return with the lead single from their upcoming album, This Mirror Weighs A Ton. "See Out Loud" matches a propulsive post-punk drive with frontman Paul Banks’ signature deadpan, dissonant vocals, with critics and fans describing it as possibly their best song in 15 years.
Tove Lo, I’m Your Girl Right? (Alternative)- A decade after her last global top 10 hits, Sweden’s queen of unfiltered pop returns with the lead single from her upcoming album, Estrus. Known for her signature brand of sex-positive party anthems laced with emotional chaos, "I'm Your Girl Right?" leans hard into that duality with a darkwave pulse, resulting in a dance-floor panic attack.
Dagny, Rain (Pop/Dance)- Hailing from Tromsø, Norway, well north of the Arctic Circle, Dagny follows in the tradition of well-crafted Nordic pop songwriting. Her latest single "Rain" is a “Scandinavian Strut” through a euphoric disco-pop anthem,
culminating in a wall-of-sound, gospel-esque backing chorus. Watch out for the pop
downpour!
The Avalanches & Jamie XX, Every Single Weekend (Electronic/Dance)- “Every Single Weekend” is the by-product of a multi-year collab between 90’s sample-focused dance pioneers, Australia's The Avalanches and the UK’s Jamie xx. This glistening summer odyssey is built around a specially commissioned childrens choir’s lush, defiant hook about the daily struggle to make ends meet, layered over retro-sheen keyboard samples, along with an "avalanche" of characteristic sampling surprises.
Baauer, Supersonic (House)- The creator of 2013’s viral “Harlem Shake” phenomenon, Baauer returns from a six-year hiatus with a blast of sunny euphoria. The centerpiece of his new LP U, “Supersonic” is a homage to late-90s breakbeat specialists like Fatboy Slim. Cascading house pianos open the track, building into a modernized, retro R&B feel-good banger. Rave on!
Sexy Lazer, Mango (No Salsa) (Electronic/Techno)- Hailing from the frozen electronic tundra of Iceland, Sexy Lazer’s "Mango (No Salsa)" was one of Pitchfork’s recent songs of the week. Favoring reduction over spectacle, the track builds a nocturnal tension out of a constant ominous bassline, barren keyboard chords, synth-massaged claps, and echo'd knocking percussion.
Katz Pascale, Sink Where You Sleep (Ambient/Neo-Classical)- Breaking every rule of conventional chamber music, NYC duo KatzPascale relies entirely on the minimalist core of cello and saxophone. "Sink Where You Sleep" is an exercise in foreboding tension, weaving a dark blend of post-classical, avant-garde, and experimental ambient textures. A lullaby destined to keep you awake.
