Mixomusicology

Mixomusicology
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Music Commentary

Mixomusicology is a podcast hosted by Alexander Daoust and Jana Pochop. In each episode, Alex walks Jana (and the listeners!) through making a delicious cocktail based on a batch of new songs the duo have chosen for the week. They'll review and break down recently released songs and chat about production, lyricism, and where the work fits into the larger pop culture zeitgeist. They'll bring along a few tangents, and you BYOB.

  1. 6d ago

    Honey Guts: CHVRCHES, PISS, La Roux

    This week: CHVRCHES' "Overthinker," PISS and "blocking a scene you can’t remember," and La Roux's "Lose Myself." Content warning: This week’s second song by PISS is an incredible work that unapologetically addresses the sexual assault and abuse of a minor and the trauma response to that, as well as mentions of self-harm. Please listen with caution, or skip over that section (approximately 19:30 - 31:00). Jana monologues about Dia de los Muertos and the traditions we all keep to honor our loved ones, as well as the differences in how cultures treat death. New Mexico celebrates the Dia de los Muertos customs, with ofrendas and offerings to spirits passing through the veil. Anglo-American culture handles death with funerals and casseroles. Maybe Americans could take a page or two and address their relationship with death and how we honor our loved ones. Also, RIP Dolores Huerta…”Sí, se puede!” indeed. ————— This week’s drink: HONEY GUTS Palo Santo Syrup (prep ahead of time) 3-4 palo santo sticks1 cup toasted rice4 strips orange zest2 cups water1 cup sugar Toast the rice, let it cool to room temp. 3-4 minutes of stirring it around on med-high. Torch the palo santo or put it in the oven at 400 (below the temp of ignition) until it’s fragrant 2 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, four strips of zest into the pan, simmer. Add palo santo. Let the sugar dissolve completely, then turn off heat. Let it steep there until it’s cool, then add the toasted rice. Let infuse for 2+ hours. Strain right before you need it! The Drink: 2oz 8-year rum.5oz amontillado sherry.5oz palo santo syrup2 drops grapefruit bitters Stirred, strained over ice ————— Up first is CHVRCHES with “Overthinker.” It’s a great return to form from this iconic Scottish synth-pop band. The song is addressing an elder (probably a parent) and the good and bad of what we inherit from them. Production-wise, there aren’t any surprises here but overall it’s just a super well made track. The drum machine at the beginning and synth layering is well mixed. We are super excited for the full-length record from them out in January! Another content warning reminder on this next song…it addresses sexual abuse. "blocking a scene you can’t remember" is a slowcore noise track from Vancouver-based PISS. Its lyrics take the form of a monologue, read by a woman as she rehearses a long-overdue confrontation with her abuser. Each ‘cut’ acts as an edit, building on the thread of memory. This song is written so well, with a lot of double meanings in the lyrics. “Blocking” and “cut” are words used in multiple ways to great effect. The way this is recorded and presented as performance art feels uniquely new in the music pantheon. It’s a 2-chord song, with growling atonal guitars, and the vocal delivery that is built throughout is absolutely stunning (props to Taylor Zantingh). As Alex points out, it is a perfectly realized song. It’s also one that you might listen to once and never want to listen to again…but a first listen is recommended. (Here's a moving live performance from KEXP, too). Lastly, La Roux’s “Lose Myself” gives us a bit of a release with a synth club banger. It’s got a late 80’s / early 90’s soul-adjacent synth pop sound. La Roux has been releasing music since 2008, and is currently the opening act on Hilary Duff’s tour. The lyrics are fairly vague, but that’s not what we are here for. The melody is fairly simplistic but with the rest of the track, it settles in and delivers (Alex brings up Icona Pop as a reference). Overall, we’re curious to hear the full album when it comes out this week. ————— Episode edited by the spectacular Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ————— Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Honey Guts: CHVRCHES, PISS, La Roux

  2. Oct 29

    Candlelit Conversation: Caroline Rose, girl in red, K. Flay

    This week: Caroline Rose with "Conversation with Shiv," girl in red's "blue," and K. Flay with "Blood Cells." Greetings from Mixomusicology land! Please make a plan to vote if you are an American and listening to this before 11/3/26! Alex is monologuing this week about waylaid musical careers and making art in spite of it all. He brings up Ursula K. Le Guin as an example of a writer who didn’t rise as quickly as peers like Plath and Atwood. Her slow start fueled her and made her more dedicated to the craft itself and allowed her to find her own voice. A pivot to making art for art’s sake also comes up in the new Caroline Rose album, which we talk about more in-depth later in the pod. The lesson is to stay as flexible as possible and keep finding out what works for you as an artist. And now, a drink: —————— CANDLELIT CONVERSATION (A very autumnal play on a toddy) 2oz calvados (or whiskey).5oz honey.5oz ginger liqueur.75oz lemon4oz hot water1 chai tea bagAdd Cloves, cardamom, star anise to taste —————— We start with Caroline Rose and “Conversation with Shiv.” We are absolutely taken with the lyricism here, stunner lines all the way through. There’s a lot of heart to it, and Jana thinks any song that name drops Hardee’s, Hobby Lobby, and Betty Ford is a winner. It’s simultaneously a jam and also very poignant. Jana hears a lot of the underground basement indie rock scene of Nashville in here; Alex says the project as a whole is very punk. The band is tight on the recording, everything flows. Highly recommend this whole new project from Caroline. Next up is Norwegian singer-songwriter girl in red with “blue.” “Do you listen to Girl in Red” is internet code for asking if a woman is gay or not, so that’s where we are starting out. This is a very folk-pop track, hence, it’s ear crack for Jana. It’s giving Gracie and Taylor, but with girl in red’s moody production style. It’s a wordy song with a fast flow of words and the lyrics are fairly vague. Not a lot to grab on to, but it’s a good listen. Production-wise the tension/release works well, with guitar swells and a 16th-note synth beat underneath the acoustic guitar. It’s a good autumnal listen while you sip a toddy, is all. K. Flay released a single called “Blood Cells” last week! An L.A. based singer-songwriter-rapper, K. Flay gives us a late 90’s tinged grunge rock track (another gay banger, as we call it). This song has another great set of lyrical twists, where the clichés are flipped just enough to make it interesting. The verses are rapped, which is a delight because K. Flay is good at it. We also love the open D tuning on this that just makes the song sit even lower in the gut, in the best way. Listen for the outro which takes you on an extended journey through the end of the song, not the typical pop ending. All in all, a strong trio of songs this week to get you through the end of October. (Did we mention you should vote, America? VOTE!) —————— Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ————— Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Candlelit Conversation: Caroline Rose, girl in red, K. Flay

  3. Oct 22

    One Dirty Trick: Olivia Rodrigo & Chappell Roan, Fontaines D.C. & Rosalía, Angèle, Caroline Polachek & SebastiAn

    This week: Olivia Rodrigo & Chappell Roan's "Expectations," Fontaines D.C. feat. Rosalía on "Where Is Gone?," and Angèle feat Caroline Polachek & SebastiAn with "Love Triangle." ———— Welcome to Season 3! We made it. Jana monologues about addition…and how all the songs this week are true collaborations of additions. Strengths added to strengths. Chappell and Olivia’s duet is definitely brilliant at bringing everyone into the conversation in an inclusive and natural way. Alex brings up Pet Shop Boys and their collaboration with Dusty Springfield. It’s a fascinating history. Also, Jana admits she is a Gleek. Do with that info what you will. But first, a drink: ——————— ONE DIRTY TRICK (A pumpkin porter flip) 3oz pumpkin stout/porter1.5oz aged rum.25oz allspice dram1oz Cynar2 dashes chocolate bittersA whole egg Instructions: Mix all ingredients in a shakerDo a dry shakeDo a wet shake with iceStrain into a glass Flips have their start in 17th century sailing grogs! This is adapted from a 2007 Please Don’t Tell spec for a black porter flip. ——————— First up this week is the aforementioned remix of “expectations” by Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan. Adding Chappell dials the cheekiness up even more, and it feels like a truly joyful collaboration between two friends singing about how much dating can suck. Chappell adds some incredible melismatic lines. Dan Nigro’s production is effective as usual, pulling in classic ’80s synths while keeping things fresh. There’s a “Safety Dance”-adjacent chant in the bridge, too. Perfection. A true bi anthem, which 2026 needs, we think. Fontaines D.C. brought Rosalía on to feature on “Where Is Gone?” It has a cinematic, almost film-score vibe, with fairly organic sounds throughout. Their voices combine in a fire-and-ice sort of way… meaning it really works. Panned baritone guitars give it a western-noir feel that creates a whole mood. We hear Lana Del Rey and Minnie Riperton’s “Les Fleurs” in it. Rosalía’s octave harmony above the chorus is a gorgeous touch. We’re not sure what the lyrics are about beyond an escapist love song… but it’s working for us. Lastly, it’s sexy French music time! Angèle, Caroline Polachek, and SebastiAn teamed up on “Love Triangle,” and it’s an absolute jam. We use words like “nasty” and “dirty,” to great effect. It leans on the Phrygian scale for a Middle Eastern feel that really makes the listener lean in. Angèle and Caroline blend beautifully. It gets pleasantly meta, too: a song about a “love triangle,” with SebastiAn producing to round out the three-way collaboration. His work elevates this to a perfect song. It’s fluid and driving, with the main synth line dancing around the four-on-the-floor kick… a complete earworm. Shoutout to our pals who put out some great records recently: go check out Libby Koch & Michael O’Connor’s Gulf Coast Duets and Mary Bragg’s Secrets to Strangers. Good work, friends! ————— Episode edited by the enigmatic Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ————— Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

  4. Oct 15

    Blood & Sand: Liz Phair

    Welcome to our second ever Classics episode, a deep dive into the career and discography of Liz Phair. Alex names Phair as one of his most influential artists, and Jana knows almost nothing about her. Listen as Alex walks us through this roller coaster of a legendary career. Hands down, she holds a place as one of the most important voices and writers in rock to this day. ---------------- But first, a drink: BLOOD AND SAND Liz Phair mentions in her interviews that while doing her early recording, she was mostly on the floor drinking scotch. This is enough for us…Scotch it is! The Blood and Sand is a classic cocktail from 1922, named after the Rudolph Valentino film of the same name, which itself is based on an earlier Spanish novel. The film is about a torrid toreador love affair, which Alex feels is appropriate given Liz Phair’s most successful song, which we’ll talk about. Ingredients 3⁄4 fl oz Blended Scotch whisky3⁄4 fl oz Cherry (brandy) liqueur3⁄4 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth3⁄4 fl oz Orange juice (freshly squeezed) Method Select and pre-chill a coupe glass.SHAKE all ingredients with ice.Fine strain into chilled glass.EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish. --------- This week's podcast will take you on a journey through Liz Phair’s discography, from her early cassette recordings as Girly-Sound to her almost unanimously acclaimed Exile in Guyville album to her early 2000’s pop swerve and all the way to present day Phair. Use this as a starter pack and enjoy your own deep dive. The tracklist: 1. F**k or Die 2. Soap Star Joe 3. Chopsticks 4. Blood Keeper 5. Polyester Bride 6. Why Can’t I? 7. Wind And The Mountain 8. Bollywood 9. Divorce Song 10. Spanish Doors ------ Episode edited by the genius Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ------- Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Blood & Sand: Liz Phair

  5. Oct 8

    Minicast: Worst and Best of the Nepo Babies

    The only episode of this podcast where we will ever discuss Chet Hanx and Taylor Swift at the same time (probably). Jana monologues us through the nepo situation. The word "nepotism" comes from the Italian nipote, meaning nephew, because Renaissance era popes kept passing down cardinal hats to their "nephews," who were often just their sons. It entered into current pop culture zeitgeist in 2022 when New York Magazine declared it the Year of the Nepo Baby. Alex and Jana set some guidelines about what exactly gets you the moniker in music these days, as there are several echelons of nepo to be dealt with. We actually need a drink: ------------ Old Money No. 2 Adapted from a recipe created circa 2009 by Benjamin Schiller for BOKA Restaurant Group in Chicago, USA. 2 fl oz Bourbon whiskey1⁄2 fl oz Bittersweet orange-red aperitivo1⁄3 fl oz Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters (If you cannot find walnut liqueur, hazelnut will manage fine). ------------ First up with a Best pick, Maude Latour and "Lola." (Nepo qualifications: her Dad is the publisher of the WSJ and the CEO of the Dow Jones). She makes gay little pop songs, and they are great! The guitar and vocal intertwining is excellent here, her voice is gorgeous, and the lyrics are winners. Poetic, thoughtful, cute, and a love song that we all just need sometimes. Jana loves the line, "I'm turned on when I'm respected." Go girl, state your boundaries. Maude doesn't have the same risk others might have in her position, so she's making great, relatable, queer pop. Jana is here to hate on Chet Hanx aka Chet Haze aka Tom Hanks' other kid as her Worst Nepo pick with "You Better Run." He's the self-appointed ambassador of "White Boy Summer." In his latest form, he is a Nashville-based trailer park livin' country singer in a duo called Something Out West. This song smells like a Monster Energy drink. Like Axe body spray. Hate-listen for their multiple uses of the word "run." His Dad is in the music video. Alex goes on a tangent: rich people get bored and go on little side quests. This project is one of them. It's generic country in a 2000's sort of way, which makes it even worse. Reheated slop. Alex's Worst Nepo pick is Stella Lefty's "Boston." We sense a country theme here in these choices. This song is irredeemable and also hit No. 2 on the charts. Lefty's nepo qualifications are strong, her Dad is one of the billionaire founders of Groupon. She is adamant that she made it on her own, but she seems to have appeared overnight as opposed to a normal slow-burn developed career in country. She also is accused of multiple instances of plagiarism. We would hope that maybe if you have that much money, you would not need to rip other people off. The recording of this song...could be better. It sounds like a demo. The hook "I like it when you're nice to me," is...not groundbreaking. Jana's pick for Best Nepo Baby is...not surprisingly, Taylor Swift. We also have to discuss the Encore EP to The Life of a Showgirl record, and man, do we have thoughts. Swift comes from marketing executive and Merrill Lynch stockbroker parentage. They were able to move their talented kid to Nashville to knock on doors when she was a young teenager. Privilege and hard work have paid off in spades. Now that she's evolved into billionaire land, we are seeing a disconnect. The discourse is shifting, and there are things to call her out on. We listen to "Patient Zero," because we didn't want to rage-bait ourselves with "Cleveland!" It's standard Swift fare. The melody is sticky, the metaphor is interesting but maybe not as developed as we'd like. A Swift bridge is usually an Event, but it's just a ramble this time. The production with Max Martin and Shellback is also...not inspiring. Jana is really trying here as a Swiftie. (Alex recommends "Newspaper" by Fiona Apple if you want a good song with this theme). Everyone is phoning it in here. Jana is emphatic that she believes Taylor can do better, and calls her out for it. Hold your faves accountable, people. Jana: "She's kind of her own nepo baby at this point...she needs to rebirth a new Taylor." Ponder that. ------------ Episode edited by the glorious Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ————— Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Minicast: Worst and Best of the Nepo Babies

  6. Oct 1

    Minicast: Song of the Summer

    Ah, the Song of the Summer. What are the choices? What do we LIKE, and what do we think are the obvious picks, whether we like them or not? Alex introduces the Minicast this week, and Jana starts strong by saying she doesn’t much enjoy summer, so she doesn’t have a favorite Song of the Summer. Alex goes for Gwen Stefani’s “Cool.” Strong choice. For 2026, though? Let’s chat about it. We each picked our personal favorite and also our choice that seems inescapable in Summer 2026. The rules: they have to be a notable release, released and/or charted between May 1 and September 1, and has to be an absolute banger. Easy! But first, a drink. ——— The Mixomusicology Carajillo Based on a Carajillo…bartenders started pulling this one because they were tired of espresso martinis! We get it! Recipe: 2.5oz Licor 43 (if needed, any vanilla liqueur will do)3oz cooled espresso.5oz amaro montenegroPinch of salt Reverse dry shake – a new method! Add all to a shaker with ice, shake hard for 10 seconds.Strain out ice, then dry shake for another 10 seconds.Express a lemon peel over it after, and discard ——— Song of the Summer Choices: Jana starts off with the undeniable chart hit, “Choosing Texas” by Ella Langley. This song has now been Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 for so long (24 weeks), it surpassed Mariah Carey’s record for “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” This song has been out since October, the charts are barely moving, and also…this is a country song. A bunch of people in our circles have never heard this...and still, it's a true song of the summer. It’s a completely serviceable country song…it’s good! Ella Langley is good! Alex brings up “Islands in the Stream,” and Jana calls it inoffensive. Perfect for the song of the summer, really. Alex says, “Love Island: Chattanooga,” which someone needs to put into production stat. (Check out Helene Cronin’s cut on this record, “Speaking Terms”). Alex’s pick for the ubiquitous summer hit is Slayyyter’s “Dance…” A completely different kind of track, this one has also been on the charts all summer. Slayyter brings her typical hardcore synth pop and it goes hard. “It doesn’t matter, let me dance,” is the true mood of Summer 2026, we think. The synth is abrasive and annoying and we love it. The intro is exceptionally long for a hit song, and it’s 5 minutes long. It should not be a hit, but it is and it works. Go dance. Jana’s personal pick is so predictable…MUNA’s “Eastside Girls,” which has not charted per se but the album is firmly Jana’s Album of the Summer (TM). There are a lot of great options on this record, but the growling of Katie Gavin with the soaring chorus works so well. It’s all 80's neon in vibe, and the Billy Joel bridge makes you wanna sing-scream it. Alex throws in a non-pick pick (cheating? It’s allowed) - "It’s Not Going to Be Okay" by Joshua Burnside. Go listen and buy it here. Alex’s real pick is “Club To Your Arms” by Rose Gray. An ABBA-inufused perfect pop song…much needed to wrap up this minicast. It’s got the soaring chorus that we need, and Rose’s voice is absolute perfection here. There’s even a choir in the chorus. Yes. It’s sweet and sensual and perfect for summer. Best line is nonsense pop: “Do you want to wear the tiara?” Which she somehow managed to rhyme with “chameleon” and “found ‘em.” We are in love. There you go - our choices. Everything is so niched out now, it’s hard to have a real obvious Song of the Summer. Let us know what you think…agree, disagree, want to drop a suggestion? Drop us a note on Instagram! ————— Episode edited by the inimitable Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ————— Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Minicast: Song of the Summer

  7. Sep 24

    Burning Heart: Carly Rae Jepsen, Miley Cyrus, beabadoobee

    Songs this week: Carly Rae Jepsen's "Burning Hearts," Miley Cyrus with "Different Religion," and Beabadoobee's "Satellite." Alex thoughtfully monologues about our artists this week and their not-so-predictable career arcs. Carly Rae Jepsen, widely regarded by music nerds as one of the best ever pop writers and artists in the game, does not have the sales or cultural visibility to match that title. Miley’s career has taken a ton of turns genre-wise, and she seems to embrace the risk switching up her sound and following her muse. Both artists have very ardent gay followings, and the answer may be there: go find your gays, and make your music weirder. This week’s drink: ————— BURNING HEART 1.5oz Cocchi Americano.75oz Campari.75oz banana liqueur2oz acid-adjusted guava2 dashes celery bitters1 tbsp lactic acid2 dashes hopped grapefruit bitters (Jana, omit)garnish with Cara Cara orange covered with a sprinkle of sea salt For acid adjusted guava juice: Add a tbsp of lactic acid powder, put into guava juice, shake until it dissolves. Mix over ice, then pour over crushed ice ————— Carly Rae Jepsen has given us a full 24 song double album, and we are talking about “Burning Heart.” We discuss the album as a whole, and agree maybe we need multiple spins to really absorb it. Jana says there’s a really good EP amongst the tracks, but both of us agree a lot of these tracks seem to blend together. Alex talks about how it’s sort of hard to discern a stark difference between the Day and Night sides of the record. We agree that CRJ’s baseline is already excellence, so we are invested. In “Burning Heart,” we hear a lot of Fleetwood Mac with the “Dreams” drums and the layered vocals, which are gorgeous. Plus, we get a 🚨CRJ SAXOPHONE MOMENT🚨!!! The lyrics aren’t super specific but work within the track, and overall…we have 24 new Carly Rae songs. We’ve won. Miley Cyrus brings us “Different Religion,” and we immediately hear a lot of Tori Amos / Garbage / NIN influence in this track. Model/Actriz features with a perfect foil of a duet vocal. Alex hears some Janet Jackson, and Jana brings up Gaga’s Euro-dance vibes. Miley’s voice is really working here for this track, her low-husky vibe fitting this genre. Lyrically this is a great deep dive into the sacrilegious metaphor of God and sex. Alex, “The Evangelicals are going to be f*****g nuts about this song.” Yes, Miley. Beabadoobee brings us home with the gorgeous “Satellite,” from her new album, Pylon. The 90’s are re-surging hard and beabadoobee has delivered a powerhouse of guitars and screaming vocals. This is a shift in sound, from former projects that were softer and more folk, and this record is landing in a more Snail Mail type sound, but maybe even harder. Her voice is still sweet and soft, but contrasts well with the harshness of the guitars. The break into the chorus is very satisfying, and there’s a lot of use of interesting guitar harmonics, melody lines, B-benders, etc. Lyrically, it’s more of the “how do we survive this current cluster of real life” with a doom scroll reference, and we keep pondering our place in late stage capitalism. “The pop girls want to scream, and we have to let them.” ————— Episode edited by the unparalleled Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ————— Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Burning Heart: Carly Rae Jepsen, Miley Cyrus, beabadoobee

  8. Sep 17

    Swing Memory: Sylvan Esso, Slayyyter, Bleachers

    This week: Sylvan Esso’s “Sledge”, Slayyyter’s “crank 2,” and Bleachers’ “Caught Myself Believing.” Jana monologues about the funhouse mirror dangers trying to go back in time, illuminated by her trip to the New Mexico State Fair. Nostalgia is high on her list lately, but it’s not always a good thing to visit. Small doses, just like Blue Taki Pickle Pizza. (Alex misses V.1 Tamagotchis, which is very valid nostalgia). We get into a deep chat about the music industry news of the week: Jasmine Crockett/Chris Brown and Ed Sheeran/Macklemore. Alex leads us through a thorough fact-finding mission through the issue, through Macklemore’s career, and the NFL stadium owners response to his words. After all that current event discussion…we need a drink. ——— SWING MEMORY .5oz bee pollen infused cognac1.5oz rye whiskey1tsp ginger liqueur (syrup totally fine)2tsp rooibos tea syrup2 dashes chocolate bittersbee pollen garnish Infuse 3tbsp bee pollen into 4oz cognac for forty minutes, then strain through a paper towel. Meanwhile, in a small pot over medium heat, steep 5 rooibos teabags over a simmer for 10 minutes with equal parts water and sugar. Turn off stove, continue to steep for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Add finished ingredients to a mixing glass over ice. Stir until cold. Strain over a large ice cube into a rocks glass. Express an orange peel over the glass, then discard. Garnish ice with a few scarce granules of bee pollen. What to do with the extra bee pollen cognac: sidecar. It makes an excellent sidecar. It also makes a really lovely French 75. B-side: Rooibos tonic .75oz lime juice1oz rooibos syruplight tonic water2 dashes angostura bitters ——— We start with Sylvan Esso’s “Sledge.” It’s a bit of a departure from Sylvan Esso’s normally synth heavy sound; they’re adding sheets of distorted electric guitars and it’s working really well. The theme centers around late-stage capitalistic despair with a tinge of hope, packaged together with this re-emerging rock sound (Charli xcx is doing it too). There’s a lot of imagery about death and destruction, but in context of destroying to be able to create something new and better. The bubbling soft synths tamper the guitars and make it a true Sylvan Esso song. Check out the whole album, “Ow, ∞.” Slayyyter brings us “crank 2,” truly the hardest song we have ever talked about. Alex says Nine Inch Nails through the lens of Britney Spears. Industrial dance at its best, and Slayyyter has been doing it well for a long time, though starting to finally break through into mainstream pop. Jana tries to connect the Charli xcx / Sylvan Esso / Sofia Isella / Ethel Cain / Slayyyter trending that is women doing pop that shifts into rock that is not made for the male gaze…seems very significant. Alex takes us through the maximalist pop trend in the early aughts that backlashed to singer-songwriter quieter pop (Oliva, Gracie), and now women are pushing BACK to “weird, hard, and loud.” It’s cool to see. To be clear, there’s space for all of it, and women continue to lead the way in the pop space. Anyway…LISTEN TO SLAYYYTER. Bleachers give us a soundtrack contribution to Practical Magic 2, “Caught Myself Believing.” It’s a classic Jack Antonoff penned jam, and sounds a little more old school Bleachers versus the more recent Jersey-horns-guitars vibe they’ve been putting out. Lyrically it’s the sweet, self-aware introspection that Antonoff is known for. It’s got the classic Bleachers doubled vocals that are far back in the mix, the interesting mixture of instruments including an Alanis-inspired harmonica, mouth organ, and even some banjo. We re-iterate, it is perfect for this movie soundtrack. Stay tuned to the end to hear Alex thank our listeners in French, because we charted in France! Thanks to everyone for listening and spreading the word. ------ Episode edited by the effervescent Marin Wilts! Follow, subscribe, and rate us on your fave podcast platform. We have our own Instagram now! Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/mixomusicology ------- Alex's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com Jana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop Website: http://www.janapochop.com Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com

    Swing Memory: Sylvan Esso, Slayyyter, Bleachers
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9 Ratings

About

Mixomusicology is a podcast hosted by Alexander Daoust and Jana Pochop. In each episode, Alex walks Jana (and the listeners!) through making a delicious cocktail based on a batch of new songs the duo have chosen for the week. They'll review and break down recently released songs and chat about production, lyricism, and where the work fits into the larger pop culture zeitgeist. They'll bring along a few tangents, and you BYOB.

Information

  • Creator
    Mixomusicology
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Mixomusicology
  • Show Website
    Mixomusicology

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