music corner 05: winter listens

here's my current listens

We made it, everyone!

It’s officially spring. Sunsets are now after 7:30. Allergy season may be here (please send me a thought and a prayer) but we are so back. I don’t know about you but it has been a while since I was this excited for Spring. This winter season was brutal - we actually had a winter with snow.

During the dreary winter, I had my music to make things feel less bleak.

Here's a collection of tracks and some musical highlights from the season.

1. Solange’s 2019 album ‘When I Get Home’ carried me through this winter. This winter season, I found myself sitting with seasonal depression, exploring my inner world, and breaking and shifting out of old narratives. Listening to this album felt like returning to something familiar. I have listened to this album countless times since its 2019 release, yet this time felt like I was hearing it with a new awareness. Solange was exploring the meaning of home through different sounds. What is home? Is it a physical place or something else? When writing this, I read how following her 2016 ‘A Seat at the Table’ album this project came from a place where she found herself in deep reflection on a desire to return to and understand what home is. As a listener, I felt a deep profound spiritual connection to this project. At a time when I have been delving into how to be a home to myself through constant evolution, this album just hit different. My current favorites: ‘Can I Hold the Mic’, ‘Dreams’, ‘Almeda’, and ‘Sound of Rain’.

   

   Solange’s When I Get Home

   Sometimes I dream I go so high by for the ride by
   Sometimes I feel I'm going down, down
   Sometimes I feel I'm gonna die at times
   Got my dreams and my eyes wide

   Solange, Dreams

2. Moses Sumney’s Sophcore is such a captivating project. Again, I decided to sit with this project after it came up on shuffle (sometimes you aren’t meant to hear something until you feel called to connect with it). I was immediately intrigued, and I had to stop what I was doing to give it my full attention. One play quickly turned into eight plays, and I was hooked. The songs were ‘Gold Coast,’ ‘Hey Girl’ and ‘Love’s Refrain.’ The project feels enigmatic, otherworldly, and fun- it is a six-song EP. If you want to go on a journey and listen to a project with rich textures and unafraid of labels, then this is a good project to delve into. Music Review sites ¹compare him to the likes of Maxwell and Prince and after reading that I completely see why I have been obsessed with his sound. What a project!

3. Lady Gaga’s Mayhem dropped on, and I am logged in and tuned in. The second I saw the music video for her lead single during the 2025 Grammys Mastercard commercial, I knew I was in. I have been seated. The rest of the album did not disappoint. I love Disease, Zombieboy, Garden of Eden, and, of course, Abracadabra. I’m loving it all. The visuals, the styling. I am sat and tuned in. I know there’s a tour coming up and while I don’t care to fight Ticketmaster for tickets - I would like to be in the number.

   

4. Kid Cudi’s 2022 album, Entergalactic, along with its visual counterpart, was on repeat when it first dropped. I loved the visuals that accompanied the album and listened to it constantly. ‘New Mode’. Maybe it’s because I feel like the weather - I’m thawing and feel like I have stepped into a new dimension of myself but this song has been playing in my head for the past few weeks. It feels like a new spring. I can go on about this album but its meaning can not be understated. Kid Cudi and his hums continue to speak to my spirit.

   

   And I'm in a new mode
   Been searching for so long now lately
   Another level
   I found some peace within
   And I'm in a new mode
   I prayed for so, so long now lately
   Another level
   Ooh, let's begin

   Ain't the same as when you met me
   I looked inside, I never let me down
   Ain't the same as when you left me
   Things have changed, you won't forget me now

   1. Another Cudi song that has been on my spirit is By Design featuring Andre 3000 from Kid Cudi’s Passion, Pain, and Demon Slayin’ 2016 album — It is not on the Entergalactic album but it was on the visual film.

5. Phil Collins’ Another Day in Paradise from his 1989 …But Seriously album. A HIT! Shoutout to the show Paradise and ShopRite’s music playlist. Sidebar: Sterling K. Brown, the actor that he is! I didn’t watch This is Us because I heard there were tears in each episode and I just couldn’t sign up for that type of emotional roller coaster. But I am glad I tuned into Paradise because this program is good! Anyway, this song came on after I had heard it while grocery shopping, and I have not stopped humming it ever since. That being said, the lyrics are real but unfortunately, the song is still a banger.

6. Sometimes, you need to hit shuffle on your songs to get some gems and that is exactly how I got to sit with Mauimøon & La Soülchyld’s Supahawt. I came across the song on one of Apple’s African hits playlists and loved their sound. I clicked to see if they had any other projects and I found the 2024 For The Love of R&B album. Their sound, smooth. The album, a true groove. Not once did I reach for the skip button. It just sounded like the perfect album for a drive on a spring day.

7. Next is Donna Summer’s Spring Reprise from her Four Seasons of Love 1976 album. My sister had this playing one day, and I found myself wanting to twirling around in a field somewhere. It feels sensual groove and you can’t help but lost in a lusty sway. Ms. Donna knew how to get the girlies up and dancing, and this is just the song. Even as I’m writing this, my shoulders are doing their own thing. It’s funky, it’s sexy, and cool. It feels like the sun is finally out, and it feels like a breath of fresh air. The day is beautiful, and you can enjoy the day ahead. The music nerd in me can’t help but enjoy this arrangement even mid-groove. Truly a hit!

More Music Moments:

• Spring is here which means summer will follow soon after and that means tours and festival season is coming. Here are some music moments I would love to witness live.

  • The Carboy Carter (Cowboy Carter) tour! That’s it. I’m being a little superstitious about this show for reasons just know that my cowboy boots and outfit are on standby. I am here for the Yee-haw movement. I did watch Yellowstone so obviously I get it (a joke). Seriously, I’m always a fan of watching artists play in their artistry and my stanning aside - I have enjoyed Beyoncé playing more (not that she doesn’t), this era of her artistry feels so free and uninhibited, and love it. What I felt while watching Renaissance in the flesh is a feeling that can not be explained enough in words. I am ready.

  • Sir will be going on tour this year, and I can’t wait. The ‘Step into the Light’ tour. The last time I saw him was when he opened for Miguel during his War and Leisure Tour.

  • The Roots Picnic was announced. So many of my favorites, D’Angelo, Miguel, Latto, Glorilla, Kaytranada, Miguel, and countless others will be here.

  • Maxwell dropped visuals a few weeks ago about another tour without dates and I just knew Maxwell would be going on tour. Unlike last year’s, this will be a limited tour in the US and UK, featuring Lucky Daye, Kem, Marsha Ambrosius, and Leela James as the openers. I deserve to see this show.

  • A few more tours are coming up I would love to see as well as a few symphonies and other musical performances. It’ll be a spring and summer of music over here and I can’t wait

    

    !

• Rihanna’s ANTI was another album on repeat. This album was masterful. I remember the first time I pressed play and I sat on my bed in complete awe. As I have mentioned before, I love when you can tell an artist is playing and she had so much fun experimenting with different sounds. If Badgalriri decides to never step in a booth ever again, that would be ok with me. (Thankfully she’s still playing and we love that for mostly her but also us)

• I have restarted the Artist’s Way, and something about reading it a second time feels like DJ Khaled should be shouting ‘Another one’ somewhere in the ether with each sentence - anyway when doing my morning pages, I write to Andre 3000’s New Blue Sky. That album still speaks to me.

• I’m still in my running era so my running playlists have been getting frequent refreshes. It’s just me and my oontz oontz playlist against the world. Current running songs are Energy by Disclosure, Synkro by Luomo, Jay-Z’s Takeover, Running by Disclosure, Krush Alert by shonci & H.R and Blick Sum by Latto featuring Playboi Carti. Sometimes I need songs that will power me through my miles.

• I’m working on another Notated Listens but I need to include this song because it needs a moment. I have been listening to G-Unit’s ‘Wanna Get To Know You’ featuring Joe. Y’all! This took me back to 2003 listening to Hot97. Truly a time, anyway Joe and 50 Cent had a run, and what a moment that was.

As always, I’m curious and would love to know what you’re listening to. Have you heard any good music lately? Feel free to share in the comments or via email. I love getting put on, so any recommendations you can give me are welcome.

Until Next Time,

Nneoma

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1. Referenced Pitchfork Review