Steven Smith
@durianmilkshake.bsky.social
I write a weekly newsletter on the latest Japanese "City Music" with an accompanying playlist. It is free!
🚫No AI is used!🚫
Newsletter: https://neocitypop.substack.com/
Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ojdY5RKVdES4RcvGFB6fJ?si=f7cda9e7015b4c
🚫No AI is used!🚫
Newsletter: https://neocitypop.substack.com/
Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ojdY5RKVdES4RcvGFB6fJ?si=f7cda9e7015b4c
Pinned
Steven Smith
@durianmilkshake.bsky.social
· Dec 12
A Starter's Guide to Neo City Pop
The format of this graphic is inspired by (stolen from) @earfeeder.bsky.social. I posted this on Twitter a year ago, but it looked like they weren’t using Twitter by that point so there’s a good chance they didn’t see it.
The format of this graphic is inspired by (stolen from) @earfeeder.bsky.social. I posted this on Twitter a year ago, but it looked like they weren’t using Twitter by that point so there’s a good chance they didn’t see it.
Almost all of it, though I actually liked the original of love of my life more than the remix (even though my fave Bahamadia is on it…) I’ve got the brown sugar soundtrack for that 😌
What are your favorite songs from Erykah Badu's 'Worldwide Underground' (2003)? | Listen to the album + explore our tribute here: album.ink/EBaduWU
December 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Almost all of it, though I actually liked the original of love of my life more than the remix (even though my fave Bahamadia is on it…) I’ve got the brown sugar soundtrack for that 😌
Classy
What's the first word that comes to mind when you think of this album? | Listen to the album + explore our tribute here: album.ink/sadeSTP
December 7, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Classy
Reposted by Steven Smith
Did you or someone you know dance on Soul Train in the 1970s?
I’d like to talk with you or them about that experience for my research
Thanks!
I’d like to talk with you or them about that experience for my research
Thanks!
December 6, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Did you or someone you know dance on Soul Train in the 1970s?
I’d like to talk with you or them about that experience for my research
Thanks!
I’d like to talk with you or them about that experience for my research
Thanks!
The newsletter is done, except it's not done. It can't be done, because my new favorite artist is releasing their second official single at 9PM tonight and there's no way I'm going to miss out on featuring them again!!!
December 6, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The newsletter is done, except it's not done. It can't be done, because my new favorite artist is releasing their second official single at 9PM tonight and there's no way I'm going to miss out on featuring them again!!!
I read a piece on substack this morning that rubbed me the wrong way. It was about how we need to look out for artists rights in the wake of all this GenAI stuff (which I totally agree with!), but I felt the way he went about it was clumsy. Here's an excerpt from a rebuttal I probably won't publish:
December 6, 2025 at 7:33 AM
I read a piece on substack this morning that rubbed me the wrong way. It was about how we need to look out for artists rights in the wake of all this GenAI stuff (which I totally agree with!), but I felt the way he went about it was clumsy. Here's an excerpt from a rebuttal I probably won't publish:
This month's Bandcamp purchases. I've actually included two that I did not buy during Bandcamp Friday, but *you* should!
punipunidenki's Kabu is the only Japanese album you need this year. No offense to whatshername that got the big Pitchfork review (bleh), but Kabu is all heat.
punipunidenki's Kabu is the only Japanese album you need this year. No offense to whatshername that got the big Pitchfork review (bleh), but Kabu is all heat.
December 6, 2025 at 2:38 AM
This month's Bandcamp purchases. I've actually included two that I did not buy during Bandcamp Friday, but *you* should!
punipunidenki's Kabu is the only Japanese album you need this year. No offense to whatshername that got the big Pitchfork review (bleh), but Kabu is all heat.
punipunidenki's Kabu is the only Japanese album you need this year. No offense to whatshername that got the big Pitchfork review (bleh), but Kabu is all heat.
Reposted by Steven Smith
Little Richard
Grace Jones
Sylvester
Errybody since has been cosplaying them.
Grace Jones
Sylvester
Errybody since has been cosplaying them.
December 5, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Little Richard
Grace Jones
Sylvester
Errybody since has been cosplaying them.
Grace Jones
Sylvester
Errybody since has been cosplaying them.
Reposted by Steven Smith
Speaking of Michael Jackson... after he purchased the ATV catalog in 1985, he returned Little Richard's publishing rights back to him.
"Prince is an old friend of mine, he's me in this generation... Michael Jackson is me.. The Beatles was me... all of 'em are me... you know that."
Remembering Little Richard on his birthday (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020) 🕊💙
Remembering Little Richard on his birthday (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020) 🕊💙
December 5, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Speaking of Michael Jackson... after he purchased the ATV catalog in 1985, he returned Little Richard's publishing rights back to him.
No! I look for a copy every time I’m out and can never find it!
Is this classic part of your record collection? | Listen to the album + explore our tribute here: album.ink/B52sCT
December 4, 2025 at 10:46 PM
No! I look for a copy every time I’m out and can never find it!
Thought it was Cat from Red Dwarf for a second
December 4, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Thought it was Cat from Red Dwarf for a second
when Les Nubians sing “a woah oh ah woah ohh” >>>>>>
December 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
when Les Nubians sing “a woah oh ah woah ohh” >>>>>>
Listening to the new FLEUR album and I start grooving to this one song, go to check what it is and realize it’s something I supposedly wrote about 2 weeks ago 😬😬😬
December 4, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Listening to the new FLEUR album and I start grooving to this one song, go to check what it is and realize it’s something I supposedly wrote about 2 weeks ago 😬😬😬
Reposted by Steven Smith
BeMyFiasco
Debórah Bond
Darien Brockington
Gareth Donkin
Nicholas Ryan Gant
Sy Smith
Debórah Bond
Darien Brockington
Gareth Donkin
Nicholas Ryan Gant
Sy Smith
Oh!!! Tell me your top voices you like currently.
Not songs, just voices.
Do not include Whitney, MJ, nor Lutha.
Not songs, just voices.
Do not include Whitney, MJ, nor Lutha.
December 3, 2025 at 5:58 PM
BeMyFiasco
Debórah Bond
Darien Brockington
Gareth Donkin
Nicholas Ryan Gant
Sy Smith
Debórah Bond
Darien Brockington
Gareth Donkin
Nicholas Ryan Gant
Sy Smith
Let that sink in
December 3, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Let that sink in
As I look back on the year's best songs, this homage to 90s soul was just missing a Fender Rhodes (sounds like they added organ after recording):
youtu.be/6vr87lsg3OI?...
youtu.be/6vr87lsg3OI?...
Taste feat. Takuya Kuroda
YouTube video by FiJA - Topic
youtu.be
December 3, 2025 at 4:52 AM
As I look back on the year's best songs, this homage to 90s soul was just missing a Fender Rhodes (sounds like they added organ after recording):
youtu.be/6vr87lsg3OI?...
youtu.be/6vr87lsg3OI?...
This girl *crowdfunded* her own pop album. It’s 90% new material, 8 of 13 tracks were produced solely by her.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=07zs...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=07zs...
ナナジュウハチ - 1st Full Album "FLASH FORWARD" (Official trailer)
YouTube video by ナナジュウハチOfficial
m.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:17 PM
This girl *crowdfunded* her own pop album. It’s 90% new material, 8 of 13 tracks were produced solely by her.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=07zs...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=07zs...
Me: "Where are my Ken Hirai albums!?"
Vendor: "Oh, they're right here! Ah but wait, some asshole implemented a bunch of tariffs in the 8 months between when you preordered and now, that'll be another $50 please."
Vendor: "Oh, they're right here! Ah but wait, some asshole implemented a bunch of tariffs in the 8 months between when you preordered and now, that'll be another $50 please."
December 1, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Me: "Where are my Ken Hirai albums!?"
Vendor: "Oh, they're right here! Ah but wait, some asshole implemented a bunch of tariffs in the 8 months between when you preordered and now, that'll be another $50 please."
Vendor: "Oh, they're right here! Ah but wait, some asshole implemented a bunch of tariffs in the 8 months between when you preordered and now, that'll be another $50 please."
Reposted by Steven Smith
Happy 40th Birthday Janelle Monáe! Explore her musical legacy (including audio & video highlights) here: album.ink/JMonaeHBD
December 1, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Happy 40th Birthday Janelle Monáe! Explore her musical legacy (including audio & video highlights) here: album.ink/JMonaeHBD
Reposted by Steven Smith
Emma-Jean Thackray’s ‘Weirdo’ is included in our shortlist for the BEST ALBUMS OF 2025 and you can vote to help determine where it ranks in our year-end list.
Explore the full shortlist + vote here: album.ink/BestOf25Poll
Explore the full shortlist + vote here: album.ink/BestOf25Poll
December 1, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Emma-Jean Thackray’s ‘Weirdo’ is included in our shortlist for the BEST ALBUMS OF 2025 and you can vote to help determine where it ranks in our year-end list.
Explore the full shortlist + vote here: album.ink/BestOf25Poll
Explore the full shortlist + vote here: album.ink/BestOf25Poll
Reposted by Steven Smith
Michael Jackson released ‘Thriller’ 43 years ago on November 30, 1982 | Listen to the album + revisit our tribute here: album.ink/MJThriller
November 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Michael Jackson released ‘Thriller’ 43 years ago on November 30, 1982 | Listen to the album + revisit our tribute here: album.ink/MJThriller
The Superbowl Halftime show is going to go CRAZY. Just listened to DtMF for the first time in months (after hearing a few cuts in the bodega where I buy my liquor) and it is still solid all the way through. Still very high on the 'albums of the year' list
November 30, 2025 at 5:58 AM
The Superbowl Halftime show is going to go CRAZY. Just listened to DtMF for the first time in months (after hearing a few cuts in the bodega where I buy my liquor) and it is still solid all the way through. Still very high on the 'albums of the year' list