The Index Staff pull out the weirdest, most off-the-wall songs in their music rotation…
“scawy monstews and nice spwites :3” – Fraxiom
There is nobody writing lyrics like Fraxiom. Their hyper-specific, irony-slathered verses bounce off walls made of super-specific references for the incredibly online. This 96-second hyperpop cover of Skrillex’s “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” stuffs in jokes about “G-Force”, cringe “asdfmovie” TikToks and artist Dorian Electra. It also somehow finds the time to be both very gay and a legitimate transcription of the absurd speed of Gen Z culture. And it’s better than the original song. — Quint Iverson
“foresight” – food house
But Frax’s solo work stands in stark lyrical contrast to autotuned epic “foresight”, the closer to the “Thos Moser” outfit’s self-titled debut. Gupi’s deeply textural, atmospheric beat almost swallows up Fraxiom’s notably vulnerable lyrics. But the longing doesn’t end as the song’s genre shifts; instead, it grows, building to an unforgettable crying-in-the-club “epic poggers vocal chop breakdown”, according to Genius. That breakdown is also one of the strongest hooks on a chorus-packed record. On “foresight”, Gupi and Fraxiom deftly prove that the musical slurry of hyperpop can be anything artists want it to be without sacrificing its trademark sound. — Quint Iverson
“Dragonball Durag” – Thundercat
I think any song by Thundercat can easily belong in a chaotic playlist. Don’t get me wrong: I could listen to him in any frame of mind, but it helps if you’re in an especially energetic- and dare I say zestful- mood to blast songs like “Dragonball Durag”. In this soul/R&B track from his 2020 album It Is What It Is, Thundercat mixes retro saxophone solos with his normal, truly weird sound effects in a way that oddly both sets one at ease and fuels one’s absurd vibes. At times, it may even be considered cacophonous, but in an intriguing sort of way that will make you want to listen to it twice. Its musical individuality coupled with singularly fascinating and unexpected lyrics makes “Dragonball Durag” a must for this playlist. — Isabelle Williams
“FloriDada” – Animal Collective
Animal Collective has some weird songs and even weirder music videos, especially for “FloriDada.” Although I’ve listened to “FloriDada” countless times since my Freshman year of high school, I have never been able to decipher the lyrics until I read them along with the song. Part of the reason this song is so good is because you don’t have to focus on the message as much as just really feeling the music in the moment. The first time I listened to “FloriDada” was when my brother and I were driving at night in empty streets with the windows down and music cranked at full blast. Most of the times I’ve returned to this song, it has been with the volume on blast (I definitely don’t recommend this as it’ll mess up your hearing). If you need to stop thinking and just need a good beat, give “FloriDada” and Animal Collective a listen. — Grace Alexandria
“Country Roads (1 Hour Version)” – Mario
Better than the original in every way. John Denver could never come close to this artistic achievement. — Bren Swogger
Photo: Galaxy Brain Meme (https://mat3e.github.io/brains/)
Leave a Reply