71: Second quarter report – the best music of 2026 so far

Closing a hectic summer, we’re back with our regular report on the best music of the last three months.

We’re joined as always by No Tags third Beatle and zillennial savant Henry Bruce-Jones to talk us through the more fried corners of his musical diet. Can he sell these stubborn uncs on DMV crime-rap, Ivorian plugg and people who simply refuse to rap on beat? Or will we just have to find our middle ground at the altar of Kwengletarianism?

We’ve listed all the music that we discuss on the show below – so if one particular corner’s not your thing, it’s easy to skip along. Get the full details from notagspodcast.substack.com

Pop Corner (3:00): Kelela, Chanel Beads, Charli XCX, M.I.A., Qendresa

Home Listening (24:20): DJ Plead, K Wata, Leo, Lifted, Dance Fountain, Lilen, Amil Raja

Dance Corner (50:00): Yushh, LWS, Will Hofbauer, Jenny Sparks, Rustie

Rap Corner (1:10:02): Jeune Morty, Twentythree, Jaeychino, RealYungPhil, Tony Bontana, Kibo

Real Music (1:40:10): Nirosta Steel, Father Dionysios Tabakis, Horse Lords, feeble little horse

Experimental Coda (1:53:48): Laurie Anderson, Rabit

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