MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 11/26/2025
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @melodicnoisemedia
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Fiona Hayes "heartbreak”
“Heartbreak” by Fiona Hayes released as a single in September 2025. In it, Hayes sets up a scene like a WWE wrestling match - in the ring, her desires and needs are pitted against each other in a controlled, deliberate fight. The outcomes are already decided – she will be the victor – but the performance must go on with its calculated moves. Hayes, or the song’s first person protagonist, knows it’s right to split from her careless, crass lover; he’s an asshole! (“You say you like the type of girls/Who’d never carry mace.”) A breakup is what’s happening, on her terms, yet she sings, “Is it a bad time to tell you I love you still?” and “I’ve got heartbreak on the brain / Never planned to / Still love you.” Wrangling old feelings of fondness and trying to work through what his intentions had been, Hayes lays the picture of termination before us with measured grit over wicked pop-punk instrumentation. Her vocals have depth and texture, completing the rock-leaning, nostalgic sound.
Nur-D, The Lioness “Drive”
Blending old school hip hop tricks with smooth, contemporary flair, Nur-D’s “Drive” is slick from start to finish. The composition is terrifically fun: I love the narrated introduction; plucky funk melodies throughout; The Lioness’ fierce rap feature that comes in hot with a sharp bite; the song’s return to stripped back storytelling at the very end (which has a serious message on its own and is worth your attention.) Reflecting on the meditative nature of a GPS-free roam through your city and its outskirts, dreaming of an endless roadtrip to the outside, Nur-D says it’s “been lonely lately” so his solution is to just keep driving (“It’s not that I wanna leave, it’s just that sometimes I feel like I can’t stay.”) This is track eight of fifteen on Nur-D’s latest LP, CHUNKADELIC, which released in July 2025.
townsquaremassacre "a one and a two..."
As the first track of townsquaremassacre’s debut EP three songs, released in September 2025, “a one and a two…” functions as an introduction to the band’s sound. Their screams exist in a high, shrieked register, creating a haunting and emotive vocal noise wall as they layer up and sprawl over a hardcore instrumental. The lyrics share in the exorcism of grief indicated by the deconstructed yelps — “I’m breaking through / I can’t save you … I’m breaking through / with or without you.”
Future Babel “Big Bang”
Future Babel’s “Big Bang,” released in March 2025 on the EP Cyber Sunday, is very catchy but has whispers of the avant-garde. The song springs forward after an experimental introduction featuring a robotic, chopped up voice quoting Henry David Thoreau’s Walden (1854)— the voice returns later in the song as hints of Future Babel’s usual experimentalism run through the rest the track. Quirky synth leads and lingering reverberations contextualize this, adding intrigue and artistic texture to the picture beside the active electric guitars forming the core melodies. Lyrically, Future Babel twist a little philosophy into the theory of the birth of our universe, playfully urging us to engage with the concept of “LIMITLESS UNDYING LOVE,” to look for the places where such a thing somehow ends up being sold to us.
Christina Sophia, Rich Dreams "Neutrality"
“Neutrality (noun): as in objectivity. Lack of favoritism toward one side or another” (Merriam-Webster.com) In this track, released in October 2025, RnB singer Christina Sophia and the featured Rich Dreams spend equal time representing their position, negotiating mutual terms of what their relationship should look like. Their desires and needs appear matched, the dynamic sexy, consensual, and fun. Sophia, when illustrating all that she likes in the other, notably mentions “It’s no lies for me” as winning her favor. Dreams, before this, states his intent and centers Sophia’s feelings, proving that honest character: “I want you to be comfortable, but I’ll still put the moves on you … We somethin’ other to discuss, like / How do you feel? / What are your dreams? / What are your needs? / What are your fantasies?” A great example of two people taking their time to build something healthy together, “Neutrality” is refreshingly self-aware, mature, and serves to demonstrate that reciprocal and collaborative relationships set the stage for desire to truly flourish.
good trouble "You Helped Me (I Helped You)"
Released in July 2025 on the EP Pizza! Party! Punk!, “You Helped Me (I Helped You)” is another ‘party punk’ track from three piece good trouble. Their family friendly aesthetics and lyrical content make this one ultra playlist-able for the pop punkers among us that have children. With the whole song being a sweet dedication to “[their] best friend in the entire world,” they pair up with them to “rule the world” together (“On the way to the top now, we’re gonna break through!”), encouraging love and mutual ascension in all that we do.
