The Go-Betweens - streets of your town, 1988

"Written by Grant McLennan, the sunny, upbeat music is contrasted with darker lyrics: "Don't the sun look good today but the rain is on its way, watch the butcher shine his knives, and this town is full of battered wives". McLennan said of writing the song, "I was listening to 'Under the Milky Way' and I was just working it out – cause I'm a big fan of The Church. And that afternoon I came up with a chord progression and a chorus." The song was written in McLennan and Amanda Brown's apartment in Bondi. Brown said, "It was written in, I would say, 10 minutes. I was singing along and I sung that "shine" line, which is like the call and response answer in the verses. And I don’t collect any songwriting royalties for that song, because that was a condition of my joining the band."

Fait-divers, Godël

“Either mathematics is too big for the human mind or the human mind is more than a machine.” Kurt Godël

Dido - this land is mine, 2003

"At worst, it's twee and bland, aural wallpaper that only someone who didn't really like music could care about. Either way, it isn't going to change anyone's mind about Dido."

The National - green gloves, 2007

"Green Gloves is the title of a song from the album “Boxer” by The National, where the protagonist, to describe how much he misses his friends, decides to wear their clothes but bringing with him part of what he is, the “green gloves”. He decides to sit on the chairs, to sit where others sit, and to live their experiences, to look for an empathetic experience, a continuation of the narrative of their friends’ relations."

Stars - wasted daylight, 2010

"Wasted Daylight" resonates as an anthem for those moments when we feel stuck in the past or overwhelmed by the pace of life. It’s a reminder to cherish the present, even as it acknowledges the difficulty of doing so."

Fait-divers on AI

Our data is becoming aware, and we are becoming aware that our data is becoming aware.

Fait-divers on Nietzsche

Ironic that "there are no facts, only interpretations" has turned from a form of liberation into the most common justification for control.

Belle And Sebastian - dress up in you, 2006

“Dress Up In You” comes from their 2006 album The Life Pursuit. Characterisation is a key element in this song. Establishing who the people in the song are is our first problem as the identities of the singer (the narrator) and the person they’re singing for (the addresse) present challenges for the listener."

Coldplay - lost!, 2008

"I was starting to get into using a particular drum programming programme. I was messing around with that and I built this beat up from scratch. ... Then Chris overheard it and played 'Lost!' over the top of it."

Elton John - can you feel the love tonight, 1994

"the song was meant to follow "Disney's tradition of great love songs", and that it could "express the lions' feelings for each other far better than dialogue could".

The Smile - wall of eyes, 2023

"The opening track, "Wall of Eyes", features strummed acoustic guitar, strings and a samba-like rhythm in 5/4 time. Stereogum described it as "light, lilting, insular" and "soft and graceful, with a growing sense of unease and discordance".

Electronic - late at night, 1999

"Late at Night" is a rock song by the English band Electronic. It was written and produced by its members Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, and co-produced with Arthur Baker. "Late at Night" was taken from their third album Twisted Tenderness and was their last single."

Fait-divers on AI

Computers have created their own secret language and are probably talking about us right now.

Fait-divers on Trump

 - When Trump warns about undocumented Hispanic immigrants who bring rape and murder to America, I guess he doesn't mean Christopher Columbus.

 - Of course not. Columbus was Italian. Columbus went back where he came. This is about the people who came after him. Trump ancestors.

Club 8 - promises we never meant to keep, 2015

"The song’s tone is bittersweet, blending nostalgia with a forward-looking sadness. It’s not just about romantic failure but also about the human tendency to overpromise in the pursuit of connection, only to face the consequences later. Karolina Komstedt’s delicate, airy vocals add to the song’s ethereal quality, making the emotional stakes feel both personal and universal."

The Durutti Column - tomorrow, 1986

"I love Tomorrow but the real gem is the b side here. All that love and maths can do is a gorgeous space, dappled with electric guitar and viola. Just stunning."

Cole Crawford - jewel, 2023

"Cole Crawford is a fantastic musical talent a ray of sunshine if you have never seen one. He makes the music that holds those summertime nostalgic moments in poetic form. The music itself is easy listening but its the impact that really drew me in. Something about the soothing sounds that bring back those memories of driving in your car with the windows down, campfires and marshmallows. But I think it goes a lot deeper than just summertime stereotypes. His sound is something like a signature."

Bonnie Prince Billy - jolly one two fifteen, 2016

"Maybe it’s just me, but I think Will Oldham is best when he is at his most morose and laden with doom. Sometimes the figure that he cuts is so mournful it’s harrowing to listen to. The power of his lonesome balladry is often overwhelming. Other times it is as though he is singing his laments to himself; looking deep into his soul. The finger-picked acoustic arrangement of ‘Stable Will’ embodies all of these things perfectly. But there are other, jollier tunes; ‘Jolly One (2-15)’ and ‘Jolly Five, nominally at least. And ‘Arise Therefore’ sounds more hopeful, buoyant and polished than its original Palace incarnation."

New Order - all the way, 1989

"Technique was the group's most striking production job, with the single "Fine Time" proving a close runner-up to "Blue Monday" as the most extroverted dance track in the band's catalog. Opening the record, it was a portrait of a group unrecognizable from its origins, delivering lascivious and extroverted come-ons amid pounding beats. It appeared that dance had fully taken over from rock, with the guitars and bass only brought in for a quick solo or bridge. But while pure dance was the case for the singles "Fine Time" and "Round & Round," elsewhere New Order were still delivering some of the best alternative pop around, plaintive and affecting songs"

Stars - what i'm trying to say, 2004

"The song features a verse-chorus structure with a driving beat and layered instrumentation. It opens with a synth-pop intro, followed by Torquil Campbell’s and Amy Millan’s alternating vocals, which create a dialogue-like feel."