Hello Sputters! It’s that time of the month, once again, for our contributors’ songs of the month! Let’s see what Calc, Futures and JoyfulPlatypus have to say!

Calc’s SOTM: Pachinko, Pt. 1 by Moron Police

“I’ve always had immense respect for people who can reframe tragedy into joy. And while some use the reframing as a means to dissociate from the event in order to process feelings (a completely understandable reaction) there are others who can create through these moments a labor of love so real, complete strangers can feel its warmth, be it through art, music, or stories. Among a myriad of influences, including the untimely death of their drummer Thore Pettersen, Moron Police have created in Pachinko a celebration of their friends’ life through the wacky story of a guy who gets turned into a Pachinko machine. And for me, Pachinko, Pt. 1 captures the sunny energy everpresent throughout the album. At 11 minutes, the song is a bonafide prog classic in the making, taking the listener on a magic carpet ride through Pachinko’s (the character) transformation. The melodies are bright and mood perennially uplifting as the band shreds through act after act in the song, with my personal highlight coming with Pachinko stating how he wants to be a “pretty boy” after being transformed over the backdrop of a vaguely Egyptian flavored music interlude. This is just one of the many peaks the song takes you on, with naught a musical valley in sight. And for me this relentless feeling of positivity and jolly is something that’s impressive to pull off over 11 mins especially considering the circumstances of the song’s authors. It’s part anime montage, part He-Man singing 4 Non Blondes, part Orville Redenbacher, and damn impressive. Listen to the album now.”

---

Futures’ SOTM: Cherry Blue by Oneohtrix Point Never

“I have not listened to a lot of electronic music. I’ve heard a little bit from a few of the bigger names but never really dove into the genre fully. I don’t understand the fine nuances of what makes a release truly excel, nor can I accurately describe the technicalities or nitty-gritty details of the music itself. I suppose that is part of the beauty of exploring new genres of music, it’s something you just feel and let the sounds wash over you.

This was very much my experience with Tranquilizer. From the first listen, I knew it was something special. It instantly connected with me, even if I didn’t fully understand what made it so great.

What I appreciated most was the amount of variety across the tracks, from dense ambience soaked in cold desolation to gorgeous, lush soundscapes befitting a tropical paradise. “Waterfalls” perfectly represents the latter, and may be the most technically impressive track on the album, with its layered textures and ability to juggle so many different sounds and ideas into a cohesive song.

I’d like to highlight the other end of the spectrum with “Cherry Blue.” It exudes a picture perfect icy and lonely atmosphere that is perfectly suited for dark winter nights. The introduction lays that foundation with muffled fuzziness and stark, pointed piano drops that strongly reminded me of one of my favorite artists, Tim Hecker. From there, the song rapidly picks up before fading into eerie synths and briefly relaxing, only to build toward an explosive finale—a wonderful cacophony of everything that came before, capped by a haunting, wavy sound that gently plays you out in a haze.

The song left me completely transfixed, transported into a different headspace and conjuring vivid imagery in my mind. That’s what makes our bond with music so special: it’s something you feel deep in your core, even when you don’t fully understand it.”

---

JoyfulPlatypus’ SOTM: Snake Eyes by False Reality (UK)

“With releases from mainstream artists typically slowing down towards the end of the year, the last few months are a great time to branch out and discover new artists. One of the better new artists I’ve discovered in 2025 is False Reality – a stellar, high-octane hardcore group from the U.K. One of the better cuts off their newest album (and one that wasn’t released as a single) is ‘Snake Eyes.’ Led by lead frontwoman Rachel Rigby (who has the potential to one day become a tour-de-force in the genre), it has everything you could hope for in a hardcore song: a pissed-off sounding vocal performance, excellent guitar work, and a brutal breakdown that’s downright nasty. This song also helped me realize that hardcore music needs more guitar solos, because the one provided by Dave Connoly is face-meltingly terrific. As someone who isn’t personally huge on mosh pits, it would be admittedly hard to not want to join one if I ever saw this song performed live. ‘Snake Eyes’ and its corresponding album aren’t just one of November’s highlights, but it’s one of the shining examples of hardcore music to come out of the year as a whole. I can’t wait to see what else this band releases in the next few years!”

---