Friday Five: January 2, 2026
- kirstimackenzie
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
Side A:
Side B:
Friday Fav:
Shoresy OST - I have a lot of feelings about Jared Keeso's hockey comedy Shoresy which I'll spare you here. (Possibly a future Substack no one will read.) But I do want to bring your attention to its most excellent soundtrack, with a nod to both Keeso and music supervisor Cody Partridge on their pitch-perfect sequencing. I don't know a better show that's doing it. You'll find a lot of the best stuff you've never heard on this playlist.
Jan 2, 2026
Friday Five exists as a little challenge to me: five new albums, five new stories per week. They're here for you to enjoy (or not!) No summaries or in-depth criticism. But here are a few notes:
People's recommendations and shares on social go a long way in finding new things to read or listen to. Thanks to anyone who writes at length about albums they spin, or shouts about stories that lit them up. We're all just trading art we love as the world spins on.
Julián Martinez's writing work is pretty well known in online circles but if you didn't know, he also compiles banger mixtapes as DJ Guada-Loop-Ay over on Soundcloud. I've been chatting a bit with Julián about writing and music and inspiration and have been catching up with his tapes. Go give 'em a listen.
Kelly Robson's story is a masterclass in short fiction suspense with an ending that icked me out so hard I shuddered. A must-read.
Adam Voith has prescient taste in, well, just about everything. He dubbed Broncho's Natural Pleasure the best 2025 album you haven't heard and wouldn't you know it, he's right as always. Easily one of my favs I've heard in a while. Adam wrote about it eloquently over on Substack, if you want a deep dive.
X-R-A-Y released an 2025 sampler of most excellent work. They've got eclectic taste and notoriously thoughtful editing so you know you're in for a treat. Go give 'em a read. I know you're not doing anything else the day after New Years.
We're in a new submission period for M7 subs, and thanks to everyone who subbed for the year-end deadline.
They're not from albums so I can't shout 'em properly in a mixtape, but I've also been spinning Steve Angello's "Freedom (Body Ocean Remix)", Kotiẽr's "Lēt it Go", Mark Knight & Armand Van Helden's "The Music Began to Play" as the new year rings in.
Watching The Phoenician Scheme, and cracking Dante's Divine Comedy again while noodling with a Substack post.
xo,
Kirsti