The Contenders, Vol. 25: Robyn, Rosalía, Nothing, Snocaps, more

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered – The Contenders, Vol. 25: Robyn, Rosalía, Nothing, Snocaps, More

Host: Robin Hilton
Guest: Hazel Sills (NPR Music)
Date: November 18, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this milestone 25th “Contenders” episode—the final one of 2025—host Robin Hilton and NPR Music’s Hazel Sills share their top song picks from the year so far. They discuss standout new tracks from innovative artists, reflecting on the breadth, emotion, and energy in recent music releases. The featured tracks represent contenders for NPR’s final “Best of 2025” list and highlight both returning icons and exciting emerging talents.

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Key Discussion Points

1. The Flood of New Music Releases

• Robin opens with a candid look into the chaos of Fridays, when he receives hundreds of emails about new music drops.
  • “By 10:30 this morning, I had almost 400 emails… telling me about a new release.” (00:19)
• Hazel confesses to a massive unread inbox and her strategy for managing it, setting a relatable, informal tone.
  • “I have 21,679 unread emails. But to me, it doesn’t feel like I’m failing at anything.” (00:49)
• Discussion on the industry’s “everything releases on Fridays” focus leading to both discovery and overwhelm.

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2. Robyn’s Triumphant Return – “Dopamine”

[Start: 02:30]

• Hazel lights up introducing Robyn’s new single, “Dopamine,” marking Robyn’s energetic return after years of relative quiet.
  • “As soon as I heard it, I feel like I played it seven times in a row.” (02:40)
• Comparison between “Dopamine” and Robyn’s earlier “Body Talk” era—returning to dance-pop power after the mellow “Honey” album (2018):
  • “She is in ‘Body Talk’ mode on this song… a return to the fembot pop powerhouse.” (06:18)
• Robin reflects on dance music’s usual physicality versus Robyn’s ability to inject deep emotion:
  • “There’s so much dance music that really just exists in the body for me… But something in Robyn’s music does [invite deep feeling].” (06:55)
• Hazel credits Robyn with setting a new bar for combining vulnerability and euphoria in pop:
  • “…Using dance and pop music as a vessel to explore her insecurities and humanity… I don’t want to take her contributions for granted.” (07:22)

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3. The Artistry of Rosalía – “Divinize” & the Album Lux

[Start: 10:30]

• Robin introduces Rosalía’s ambitious new album “Lux,” calling it his personal album of the year and labeling it “a masterpiece.”
  • “It is full of multiple songs that could be song of the year for me…” (09:30)
• Track played: “Divinize.” Hazel hears “epic and expensive” in its huge production, packed with choir and orchestra.
  • “This album is so unbelievably epic and expensive…” (13:58)
• Discussion of Rosalía’s artistic influences—drawing on Baroque Catholic imagery and the intensity of saints, inspired by her interview with Alt Latino co-host Ana Maria Sayre:
  • “So much of the song is about, like, ‘I was born to divinize’… She calls upon people to pray upon her spine like it’s a rosary.” (14:35)
• Hazel likens the intensity to Bernini’s sculpture, “The Ecstasy of St. Teresa,” appreciating Rosalía’s drama and ambition.
  • “I hear the same Catholic intensity in this song as… the ecstasy of St. Teresa.” (15:14)
• Robin plays a medley (“Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti” into “Bergain”) to demonstrate the album’s wild stylistic range:
  • “There is a universe of music in this album. I genuinely think it’s a masterpiece.” (16:59)

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4. The Crutchfield Sisters as Snow Caps – “Over Our Heads”

[Start: 19:08]

• Hazel spotlights Katie and Allison Crutchfield (of Swearin’ and Waxahatchee) and their Halloween-surprise indie band, Snow Caps.
• The song “Over Our Heads” is celebrated for its personal and rebellious theme.
  • “There’s such a conspiratorial streak to this song, like they’re kind of describing themselves as outlaws.” (21:51)
• Notable lyric:
  • “Don’t bother chasing us boys, we’ll see ourselves out.”
• Robin and Hazel agree the song’s joy and fun reflect the sisters’ freewheeling musical partnership.
  • “That could kind of describe their whole career.” (22:47)

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5. Discovering Bass Victim – “Mr. President”

[Start: 23:16]

• Robin credits Dora Levitt for the tip on Bass Victim, a raw, experimental duo from London.
  • “I see the word messy used to describe their music a lot. I think that’s pretty fair.” (27:32)
• Hazel relates their sound to the “sweaty party music” of her adolescence in the late 2000s, evoking bands like Animal Collective and Sleigh Bells.
  • “It’s like party music… supposed to be listened to in a dark basement with a fog machine.” (27:43)
  • “If this song had come out in 2006, I wouldn’t have been surprised.” (28:32)
• Robin calls the song “raw and ragged and cathartic and chaotic but also just super catchy.” (28:46)

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6. Underrated Gem: Lola Young – “Spiders”

[Start: 29:51]

• Hazel’s pick for most underrated song of the year: “Spiders” by Lola Young.
  • “One of the best vocal performances I’ve heard on a song this year.” (34:31)
• Discussion of the song’s raw honesty and vivid imagery—everyday care (“kill all the spiders in our room”) transformed into emotional necessity.
  • “She takes that little act of care and blows it up into this life-or-death necessity.” (35:31)
• Robin and Hazel reflect on the universality of the lyric and the coming-of-age emotions embedded in the song.
  • “There’s something in it that took me back to that time when you’re younger and you’re just sad and angry all the time…” (35:42)
  • “It has this kind of almost grungy… I was like, oh, you are kind of a rock star.” (36:17)
• Both hosts admit “Spiders” now deserves a spot on their personal ‘Best Of’ lists.

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7. The Comeback of Nothing – “Cannibal World”

[Start: 37:00]

• Robin hails the return of Philly shoegaze band Nothing after a six-year hiatus.
  • “It’s been six years since we heard from the band Nothing... But they just announced a new album… the first song is called ‘Cannibal World’.” (37:51)
• Robin runs through their catalog—highlighting the bleak, candid titles (“The Great Dismal,” “Tired of Tomorrow,” “Downward Years to Come”)—but insists the music is ultimately “roaring, alive, and inspiring.”
  • “There is resilience and power in this music… I don’t find it bleak at all. I find it very inspiring.” (37:53)
• The episode closes with “Cannibal World” and Robin’s gratitude to Hazel.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Robyn’s return:
  • “She is in ‘Body Talk’ mode… a return to the fembot pop powerhouse.” — Hazel Sills (06:18)
• On dance music’s emotional depth:
  • “There’s so much dance music that really just exists in the body… But something in Robyn’s music does [invite deep feeling].” — Robin Hilton (06:55)
• On Rosalía’s “Lux”:
  • “There is a universe of music in this album. I genuinely think it’s a masterpiece.” — Robin Hilton (16:59)
  • “She calls upon people to pray upon her spine like it’s a rosary.” — Hazel Sills (15:14)
• On Snow Caps’ outlaw spirit:
  • “Don’t bother chasing us boys. We’ll see ourselves out.” (21:51)
• On Lola Young’s “Spiders”:
  • “One of the best vocal performances I’ve heard on a song this year.” — Hazel Sills (34:31)
  • “She takes that little act of care and blows it up into this life-or-death necessity.” — Hazel Sills (35:31)
• On Nothing’s defiant energy:
  • “There is resilience and power in this music… it is roaring even when life is at its lowest point.” — Robin Hilton (37:53)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------|------------| | Robyn’s “Dopamine” | 02:30–08:26| | Rosalía’s “Divinize” & Lux | 10:30–17:10| | Snow Caps’ “Over Our Heads” | 19:08–23:05| | Bass Victim “Mr. President” | 23:16–29:08| | Lola Young’s “Spiders” | 29:51–36:44| | Nothing “Cannibal World” | 37:00–41:33|

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Conclusion

This episode spotlights a spectrum of music—iconic returns, experimental new voices, and emotional breakthroughs. Robin and Hazel’s discussions are rich with admiration, nostalgia, and excitement, offering a roadmap for any listener eager to discover the music that moved NPR’s team in 2025.

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For further listening:
Search “All Songs Considered: The Contenders, Vol. 25” on your favorite podcast platform for the full musical journey with Robin Hilton and Hazel Sills.

Transcript

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[Robin Hilton]

Like all I do on Fridays is just mark emails as read by 10:30 this morning. And I'm not making this up. By 10:30 this morning, I had almost 400 emails that came just today, all from labels and artists and publicists and telling me about a new release.

[Hazel Sills]

I don't think I'm ever marking emails as read. I'm either reading them or they're not getting read.

[Robin Hilton]

So do you just leave them unread? Do you just have an icon that's telling you, reminding you how much you failed?

[Hazel Sills]

I have 21,679 unread emails. But to me, it doesn't feel like a fail. Like I'm failing at anything I do. The same thing that you do is like I skim the subject lines, but I'm not marking things as red. Cause I just, the icon just like doesn't stress me out. I don't know, I'm like, it's not really my problem.

[Robin Hilton]

I think that artists and labels, whatever, should just randomly release their music whenever.

[Hazel Sills]

They'Re kind of doing that already.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, it's still too focused on Fridays because everything seems to come out on Friday. That's when I get hammered with the most emails. And then what ends up happening is I it just ends up becoming this big massive noise and chaos and it's just too much. And then I miss almost everything. It's All Songs Considered. I'm Robin Hilton, NPR music editor. Hazel Sills here.

[Hazel Sills]

Hazel, thank you for having me.

[Robin Hilton]

This is the last contenders episode of the year. We've got a Thanksgiving episode coming up and then we're gonna hit December and then it's all year end stuff. We start this list at the beginning of every year just to keep track of the best songs that come out. We add them to the list as we move through the year. These are the songs that we love so much that they could end up on our final best of 2025 list. And we've got some stuff I think on this week's show, this final contenders episode of the year that, well, for me anyway, I know for sure will in fact end up on my best of 2025 list. How about you?

[Hazel Sills]

I mean, at is definitely a contender for sure.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

Okay.

[Hazel Sills]

Because it is a song by an artist who I love very Much. And was very surprised and excited to see her return. It's a new song from Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, yeah.

[Hazel Sills]

Called Dopamine. And it's just like, as soon as I heard it, I feel like I played it seven times in a row.

[Robin Hilton]

It's a good sign. So.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah, it's a good sign.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

I know it's just dope for me but it feels so real to me we're tripping on a chemistry it's firing up inside of me I just need to know that I'm not alone I know it's just dope for me but it feels so real to me Nothing's ever gonna cut you nasty as the very first time Nothing's ever gonna taste just as sweet as when it is just out of reach. Is opening deep inside of me I can finally reach it I know it's just over me but it feels so real to me Tripping on our chemistry it's firing up inside of me I just need to know that I'm not alone I know it's just dope for me but it feels so weird to me this is one of those ones when I just gotta give in I'm gonna give in my arm this time. It's gonna be whatever. Let's go. I'm wearing the heart of my sleeve I need to get out of this rubber coat, B. Yeah, I can't hold it Everything's wobbling round upside my mind and when I let go it's so easy I know it's just dopamine but it feels so weird to me I'm tripping on a chemistry it's firing up inside of me. Reaching now. I know it's just dope for me but it feels so real to me I know it's just dope but it feels so I know it's just dope for me but it feels so weird to me.

[Hazel Sills]

I want to hear it again. Like, I just feel like as soon as I hear that song, I want to hear it again. I'm so just happy to get Robin back. And I feel like she is in body talk mode on this song. Like, as opposed to what she was doing on her last album, Honey, which she put in 2018, which was like a much more relaxed version of Robin. I feel like this is a return to the bodytalk robin of the mid 2010s, where she's kind of this fembot pop powerhouse. And. Yeah, I just think that this song just packs such a fun punch.

[Robin Hilton]

It's interesting you say that, because how do I want to say this, there's so much dance music that really just exists in the body for me. And that's. I mean, that's totally fine, but it's one of the reasons why I often don't really connect with it on a terribly deep level or whatever. You know, it doesn't always invite deep consideration for me. But something in Robyn's music does.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah, well, yeah. I mean, I think that, like, Robyn, just across her career has done such a good job to me of using dance music and pop music as a vessel for her to explore her own insecurities and humanity in a way that I think really set the standard for a lot of artists who have come after her. I think the stuff that she was doing on BodyTalk as a pop star who had kind of come up through this very classical Swedish commercial system and then was making music about kind of moving between these two poles of like, I'm indestructible, but I also see you at a party kissing someone and I'm crumpling in the corner. Like, music that gets at a range of emotions but is still fun to dance to. Like, I think that I don't want to take her contributions to that for granted. And I think maybe that I would. I don't know. Do you feel like that's what she's getting at, where that makes you feel a little bit more connected to what she's doing in the. In the genre?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I mean, I think that's totally it. It's something very human. And maybe it's because it's not just total abandonment or whatever, because, like, even in this song, there are hints of desperation and anxiety and self doubt and all those sorts of very human, real emotions come through in ways that I don't always hear. And music that is simply meant to be enjoyed and you know, that you're meant to move to. I don't know. So, yeah, no, it's great to have her back. And not for nothing, this year is the 30th anniversary of her debut album, Robin is Here. That album came out in 1995. Yeah, well, I want to play something from an album that has been talked about a lot, but not on this show, mostly on New Music Friday in Alt Latino and on our website. But it's definitely going to be my album of the year. And it is full of multiple songs that could be song of the year for me. And since this is the last contenders episode of the year, I think we've got to include it. And that is the Rosalia album, Lux Yes. I've actually thought long and hard about how to describe it and do it justice, but you really can't. I just think, like, you really just. If you want to understand it and appreciate it, you should just listen to the whole thing from start to finish multiple times. And it's really impossible to pick any one song that gets at everything that Rosalie is doing on Lux. But I'm going to go with a song called Divinize.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

This ghost is still alive. I'm still alive still miss me Walk on my Me Back of my. Through my body you can see the night Lo me up A little of my. My spine the rosary. Oh my body you can see the light Rose me up My pride Know that I was made to divinize Outside me inside with me inside. Through my body you can see the light Bruise me up A little of my pride Know that I was made to demonize. What's.

[Robin Hilton]

And this song, like I said, it just sort of scratches the surface of everything going on in this album.

[Hazel Sills]

This album is so unbelievably epic and expensive and, like.

[Robin Hilton]

Did you say expensive or expansive?

[Hazel Sills]

Because I said expensive.

[Robin Hilton]

It is very expensive album.

[Hazel Sills]

You know, we work in this industry and we're here in orchestras. We're here at, like, there's a choir.

[Robin Hilton]

It's just all the different polyrhythms. And I mean, like, yeah, if you did sort of a Van Dyke. Of all the different elements happening on this record, I feel like quite a few of them all come together on this one song. It's full of all these sudden twists and turns. Her voice is incredible.

[Hazel Sills]

Ana Maria Sayre, co host of Alt Latino, did a great interview with Rosalia about this album. And Rosalia kind of talked a bit about, like, being inspired by all of these saints throughout history and, like, feeling connected to them and sort of understanding her own story in the present by reading about these saints. And I hear that in this especially because, you know, so much of this song is about, like, I was born to divinize, like, inside me and outside of me. And there's that incredible lyric on the song where she talks about her vertebrae. She calls upon people to prey upon her spine like it's a rosary.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Hazel Sills]

Which is just an incredible image to me. And I think this song and album in general is so charged with serious, high baroque Catholic art and energy and these saints who just, like, felt God's energy in them. And I don't know, I hear the same intensity, Catholic intensity in a song like this as I do looking at, you know, a Bernini sculpture in Rome of like the ecstasy of St. Teresa. And so I feel like for her to bring all of those artistic influences and drama to this music is really fun to listen to.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, with everything that you just said in mind, just listen to the end. I want to play the end of one other song and then it goes into yet another song. I just want people to hear just a little bit more of the range here. This is the end of a song called Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti and then it goes right into another song called Berg.

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[Robin Hilton]

There is a universe of music in this album. I genuinely think it's a masterpiece. And I'm not just saying that as a throwaway line. I mean, an actual masterpiece.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah, I mean, I just was not expecting this from her at all.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, yeah. So Rosalia, this first song that I played was Devonize and then I played a little bit of the song Mio Cristo Pianche Diamante into the song Bergain from the album Lux.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, we've got more music on the way, plus your weekly reset coming up at the end of the show. But as always, if you enjoy the show, leave us a glowing review on Apple Music or Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts and Also share this with a friend, Send this episode to a friend, Turn other people onto the show. It's the best way to support it. Hazel, where do you want to go next?

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah, I want to play a song from a duo that might be familiar to a lot of listeners, which is the Sisters, the Crutchfield Sisters, Katie and Allison, who are each solo artist in their own right with projects like Swearin and Waxahachie, but they put out a surprise release on Halloween as the band Snow Caps with a self titled album. And it is such a wonderful little compact indie rock record. And I wanna play a song from it that I love especially called Over Our Heads.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

24 hours left and baby what happens anyone's guests holding our bread. Hand in hand we settle our minds As a rat crawls across the power line over our heads 2, 3, 4 leave through the alley I'll get the truck and you get the baby. The emptiness that the we both know Descends on us like we got no place to go Leave it all behind make do without don't bother chase us boys we see ourselves out don't bother chase us boys we see ourselves out. For the east half out state I got no hometown I got no home state anymore. I tell you leaving is the only way but when nothing is sacred no one is safe. 2, 3, 4 leave through the alley I like the mansion you turn the last feet. The emptiness that we both know Descends on us like we got no place to go Leave it all behind Handmade do without don't bother chasing the boys we'll see ourselves out don't bother chasing the boys we see ourselves out don't bother chasing boys we see ourselves out.

[Hazel Sills]

This is my favorite song from the Snow Caps album, I think, because when I hear it, I. I feel like I hear them singing about their own relationship to each other as sisters and artists. Because, so, you know, I mentioned, you know, the Crutchfield sisters, they have their own solo work, obviously, but, you know, they have a long history of making music together since they were teenagers. They were in very short lived but super beloved groups, P S Eliot and Bad Banana. And I just. What I love about both of them is that they've always carried this very DIY spirit throughout their careers. It's something that I think has inspired a lot of younger artists as well. And there's such a conspiratorial streak to this song. Over Our Heads. Like they're kind of describing themselves as like outlaws, right? Like, you know, outlaws who are on the run, like kind of snaking through alleyways. And yeah, when I hear that lyric. Don't bother chasing us boys. We'll see ourselves out.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, that's a great lyric.

[Hazel Sills]

I'm like, that guy that could. It's such a great fun line. And I'm like. Well, that could kind of describe like their whole career.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. No, there's a lot of joy in it for sure. That comes. You can tell they're having so much fun.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

So the band, they have together sno caps. And that's all one word. S, N O C A. Is it one word? S, N O C A P. I.

[Hazel Sills]

Think it's one word.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Hazel Sills]

Snow caps Like a candy.

[Robin Hilton]

Self titled album and that song was over our heads. This next thing I want to play is something I bet you probably already know about. And it was totally new to me. The Bass Victim.

[Hazel Sills]

I do know Bass Victim.

[Robin Hilton]

Yes, I figured you did. Well, Dora Levitt, I gotta give her a shout out. She's the one who turned me on to this new album from Bass Victim. I hadn't heard of them. They're a duo from London, Marie o' Mano and Ike Klaitman. They're pretty new though, right? I mean, I think they've only been around for a couple years. They've released three albums just in the past year though. Their first album came out in April of 2024. They just released their third album. It's called Forever. And the song I want to play from it is called Mr. President.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

Perfect. I can still your smiley face I know you don't feel all bad I'm having sadness tonight you're standing out on my side. It's going to feel all better it's going to feel all better. I'm having visions to. I prefer if you just hide I can't ask my face I know you don't feel bad I'm having sadness for now you say I'm on my side it's gonna feel up and down it's all I feel I'm. Ra. Sam. Is the light yes, I. Feel all better it's going to feel all better I think M. I feel just fine I feel like I know you touch me oh God, I will be just.

[Robin Hilton]

Such an awesome build in this song. So much chaos and just wild energy. I see the word messy used to describe their music a lot. I think that's pretty fair.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah, it's interesting. Cause it's like I feel like I'm in a time in my adulthood where young people are making music that sounds like the music that I had as A teenager.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, interesting.

[Hazel Sills]

This to me in Bass Victim, they sound so late, 2000s to me. So much of their music is like party music, like, sweaty. Like, I feel like I'm supposed to be listening to it in a dark basement with a fog machine or something. But there's a softness to this song. But you don't hear that. You don't hear when the drums kick in that it sounds like Animal Collective.

[Robin Hilton]

Or that there's like a. Yeah, that's a good reference. I was thinking, like, Sleigh Bells.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

Yeah.

[Hazel Sills]

But of that same era, right?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, for sure. Like, just, I don't know. Maximalists.

[Hazel Sills]

Overblown, A little whimsical. It's like, is this a kid singing or is it the way the vocals are looped? If this song had come out in 2006, I wouldn't have been surprised to hear it, actually.

[Robin Hilton]

Tinder Forever. Do you remember that band? I think I maybe. Oh, Tinder Forever. It reminds me a little bit of some of their stuff. When you said sort of whimsical and playful, it made me think of them. But that's the thing. It's like. Like, it's so raw and ragged and cathartic and chaotic, but also just super catchy and grabby, too.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

So the song Mr. President from the album Forever from Bass Victim just came out.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, Hazel, I know you've got one more song that you want to.

[Hazel Sills]

I do. I want to play a song that I honestly think is kind of one of the most underrated songs of the year. Like, I feel like it's a song that should be getting more shine, and I haven't seen people talking about it. Which is a song by the artist Lola Young titled Spiders.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

To make me feel like I had something. Bless. So we don't feel like we did something wrong. I'll drown I drive to your house, you kiss me slow like you don't have any doubt. Get it? Make me feel alive I'm not incomplete for once Cause I'm not a woman If I Don't have you. I'm not a woman if I don't have you. You're not a man if you don't have me. Kill all the spiders. They're in a room and with them I can't sleep beside you. Don't say, don't say a lie. Cause I'll see the truth. Dark brown eyes. And then empty me right to the cold. And shock me dry. Shock me dry. Love like you did before. Get it? Make me feel alive? I'm not incomplete for once. Cuz I'm not a woman if I don't have you. I'm not a woman if I don't have you. You're not a man if you don't have. Get into bed, don't fall asle make me feel alive. I'm no need to bleed for war. Cause I know a woman if I don't have you. I know the woman if I don't have you. You're not a man if you don't have me. If you don't have.

[Hazel Sills]

I think her performance in that song is just like one of the best vocal performances that I've heard on a song this year. Like, that is a performance that she is giving us.

[Robin Hilton]

Incredible performance. I actually got really chill, not just by the performance.

[Hazel Sills]

No, I honestly was going to as well because I just like. Lola Young is very interesting artist right now. She's very young. She's 24 years old. She was recently nominated for best new artist at the Grammys. And she just has this extremely raw, direct, very candid songwriting and singing style. And spiders is just so. It just gets at this real dark place of I am not me without you. Even that image of like, can you kill all the spiders in our room? Which is just such a simple thing to do. To do for someone.

[Robin Hilton]

But we've all been there asking our parent or sibling or someone to kill.

[Hazel Sills]

The spider in our room or our partner. Yeah, yeah. And it's like she takes that little act of care and. And blows it up into like this life or death necessity.

[Robin Hilton]

There's something in it that really took me back to when. Like that time when you're younger and I don't know, you're just sad and angry all the time. I don't know, maybe you can't identify with that.

[Hazel Sills]

No, I was totally sad and angry.

[Robin Hilton]

All the time, you know, but it's like something particularly in that. The recurring image of being in a car. In fact that drop that comes in there.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

Oh my God.

[Robin Hilton]

The first time she mentions being in the Car. Like when you're younger, the car is the only place that's really your own where you can have some privacy and some solitude. Get away from your parents house.

[Hazel Sills]

Yeah, it has this kind of almost grungy She's a pop artist. But when I heard this song, I was like, oh, you are kind of a rock star.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I'm glad you're spreading the gospel of Lola Young. I miss this. When this came out in September and I really love it. Will this one be on your best songs list? Your personal best songs list?

[Hazel Sills]

I think it might have to be. I think I submitted some songs and doing this is making me rethink that I should change some of them.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I have to agree. Same thing with me. I. This was not on my list and then hearing it here on the show.

[Hazel Sills]

I was like, that's pretty good.

[Robin Hilton]

That's a pretty good song. Well, I've got one more late add to the list of contenders that we've been keeping all year. And this is from a band that I've loved for a very long time. And they haven't put anything out in. In a very long time time. It's a band called Nothing. We started the show with Robyn. It had been seven years since she last released something. It's been six years since we heard from the band Nothing. But they just announced a new album is coming out next year and they shared one song from it that I want to play. Are you a fan of Nothing? Is this a band that you.

[Hazel Sills]

I haven't spent a ton of time with them, but it's actually kind of crazy that I haven't. Because they're from Philly, right?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Hazel Sills]

And they're a shoegaze band.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, here's all you need to know, Hazel. This is right in your wheelhouse. I'm just going to say some of the names of their albums. The Great Dismal, Tired of Tomorrow.

[Hazel Sills]

So True.

[Robin Hilton]

Guilty of Everything. Well, I'm not pointing fingers at you.

[Hazel Sills]

You're just reading my thoughts right before I fall asleep at night. This is what the inside of my brain sounds like.

[Robin Hilton]

They've got an EP called Downward Years to Come. I love this band so much. But, you know, here's the thing. There is resilience and power in this music. It sounds like it could be pretty bleak, but I don't find it bleak at all. I find it very inspiring. The music is so alive. It's alive and kicking and it is roaring even when life is at its lowest point. This new album that they just announced is called A Short History of Decay. And the first song that we get to hear from it is called Cannibal World. We'll go out on this. And Hazel Sills, thanks as always.

[Hazel Sills]

Thank you, you.

[Robin Hilton]

And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's All Songs Considered.

[Guest Artist or Music Excerpt Voice]

My friend, Sam. Sa.

[Robin Hilton]

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[NPR Sponsor Announcer]

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