1. “The New Eternity”—Silent Planet
Poetic lyricism (paired with crushing riffs) makes this a certified banger from metalcore’s new elite. Beware the lead synth/guitar hook, which can get stuck in your head for days!
2. Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”—Dvorak
I grew up listening to this as a kid in Russia, where orchestras accompanied everything. I delight in dissecting the chord progressions.
3. “Gorillas” (from Rampage)—Andrew Lockington
My relatives (the Hayes Brothers, who made The Conjuring 1 & 2) put me in touch with Lockington. It was so cool to have him show me the process behind this track.
4. “Dark Night”—(from Detroit: Become Human) Philip Sheppard
Sheppard’s theme for Kara is a beautiful yet simple melody — a fitting onomatopoeia of the character’s name. I love the gritty tension.
5. “You Say”—Lauren Daigle
This anthem speaks to the core of our insecurities as humans, which as a musician I can relate to. Luscious vocals and effective arrangement make this song the hit that it is.
“I walk in and Hans has me sit down. And he goes, ‘Let’s just get down to business. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately’”: After his spiritual awakening, Tim Henson is ready for anything – heavy Polyphia, trippy solo records and A-list film collabs
“There’s amazing players like Josh Smith and Eric Gales, and I thought, ‘OK, I’ve been missing out. I’m learning the blues’”: Tosin Abasi said he wanted to release a blues album – is it still on the cards?
