July 15, 2025 — Weekly Bullet Reviews
We at FTI have been busy covering a few summer conventions/festivals, but that won’t stop us from getting our Weekly Bullet Reviews out!
As always, some ground rules:
- These songs are listed in no particular order.
- Basically these blurbs are our rough first impressions of these tracks, so our reviews will be a lot more relaxed!
- Anything released from the past 3 weeks/month is eligible for a bullet review.
- Songs with new, recent music video releases will also be considered for a weekly bullet review.
Justin: Hard hitting, rage boiling, and introspective. Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis spits a contemplative spoken word reviewing the generational, religious, and identity repression she has gone through. “But in their contrast, they created me” sums up the sentiment of this track, which feels like an appropriate prelude to her upcoming album Genesis. Excited to see what’s coming.
Li-Wei: I’ve known about Tommy Genesis’ music for a while, and if I had to describe her previous output it’d be sexy party-rap music? It seems like that’s about to change with her upcoming album, Genesis, which flips her late night club raps for a more serious subject matter. “Loops” and the lead single “True Blue” dive deeper into Tommy Genesis’ biographical story, unearthing elements of her past to charge a more political flow. “Loops” feels like a confessional that questions everything from the very concept of religion to the structural systems we have in place. You may not be able to get down to them like you can to songs like “peppermint” or “BURN THE WITCH,” but if anyone can make it happen Tommy can.
Olivia Brown, roxy phantom – “helpless”
Justin: Feels like floating in the stratosphere with a dense cloud layer below you. Dream-like vocals effects reversing and auto-tuned harmonize rain drop trickling on soft air accented by synth skips and guitar scrapes. A tingling lullaby-ish track I’ll try to fall asleep to this week.
Li-Wei: Listening to “helpless” feels like you’re flipping through the pages of a vintage photo book. Ghostly voices phase in and out (presumably it’s those of Olivia Brown’s and roxy phantom’s), only accented by sharply plucked strings that shake you out of whatever reverie you think you’re having. Of the few things that do make it through the aether are murmurs of “My love has gone cold again” and “Dance with me…” both of which I’d gladly do.
Okkyung Lee – “good morning, harrison, it’s time to go”
Justin: Vibraphone front and center. This track has an explorative and miniscule feel to it with synth that crawls and climbs up and down like insects or running water. Honestly, sounds like one of the sublevel tracks in Pikmin 2 iykyk. Reminds me of something I would have tried to make in Fruity Loops ten years ago. I love the bass. This scratches a very particular wrinkle in my brain.
Li-Wei: Cellist and composer Okkyung Lee takes on a percussive challenge on the lengthily named ambient track “good morning, harrison, it’s time to go.” The marimba-sounding keys wander around and meander, but with a determined resolve that inspires action. This piece may be dedicated to the titular Harrison, but I’ll gladly use it to start my day as well.
Justin: Harkens back to the R&B infused pop ballads of John Legend and the piano from Rostam’s “Under Control” (can’t unhear it). It’s got the heartfelt standards you would expect, piano-rappishness, belting vocals, but I don’t think I’m quite ready for this sound to come back.
Li-Wei: Here’s a love song that you might hear in church or something? As it is, it’ll probably do well on Christian pop radio, so I’ll wait for the inevitable gospel remix.
Justin: There’s a huge Frank Ocean influence on this track (staccato start and stop delivery, vocal layering) that really works. Beyond that, boylife has enormous potential to dominate this lane of emotive pop. The chorus is undeniably catchy and seeing the track energize itself up until the very last second is totally memorable. Immediate summer playlist add. Listen if you like Frank Ocean, BROCKHAMPTON, and keshi. My track of the week.
Li-Wei: Apparently “1time,” despite having just been released, has already become a fan favorite since boylife performed this one on his most recent tour opening for keshi. And it makes sense! This one is probably the most pop-py, keshi-adjacent song that he’s released so far, with a catchy chorus that’s extremely easy to sing along to. “Say my name like you mean it one time / Like you mean it one time” lives rent free in my head, and it will in yours too.
mei ehara – “悲しい運転手 (Sad Driver)”
Justin: A relaxed, bass-driven tune that puts me at ease. The best type of background music that hums and creates its own atmosphere. You can sense the instruments playing, interweaving amongst each other in companionship. mei ehara gently propels the breezy track forward in languid bursts. Lazy summer afternoon vibes all the way. Would play in Twilight Town.
Li-Wei: mei ehara is one of those acts in the Japanese indie scene that’s just one step away from blowing up over here in the West, and “Sad Driver” is a good bid for making that a reality. It’s a slower paced song that will find you cruising along for the ride, but that bass and those keys will pull you right in. mei ehara delivers her lyrics in an almost deadpan way, which makes for a good contrast to that colorful instrumentation, too.
Justin: DANDAN provides maximum whisper, practically ASMR vocals on this compressed, digital track that sounds like a tiny dance party on a microchip. Reminds me of Lights or Owl City and MySpace life. Simple and cute. Personally, I think this sound needs some off-kilter X factor to really make it shine.
Li-Wei: The music video for “Never Forever” brings us into a new realm that DANDAN has conjured up – one that’s filled with flying fish, luscious cows, and robotic legs. It fits really well with the song it’s showcasing! Along with ASMR-y whispers and chopped up vocals, “Never Forever” is dainty electronica that tickles your brain and makes you feel like you’re on Cloud Nine.
Justin: “Wideview” is a pulse-pounding, sugared up techno dance track that tries to fizzle your atoms. jorud & elo elo infuse this song with an intense focus that mixes the musical cousins of hyperpop, electronic, and techno that overflows with frenetic energy. I can almost feel the sweat summoned from my pores listening to this. The “W-I-D-E-V-I-E-W” chant is so good.
Li-Wei: I liked this hyperpop banger so much that I had to write an article about it. Check it out here!
Justin: Marianne Ross offers up a sun-soaked, country dipped indie-rock track to frolic or drive to. I really like this sound, it’s so well thought out. I love the swaying guitar intro at “Feel the weight off my shoulders” part thirty seconds in. The short length of the song definitely left me wanting more. For fans of Lana Del Rey and Sabrina Carpenter.
Li-Wei: “Shoulders” is a rejuvenating indie rock song that ends almost as abruptly as it begins! Well, I still had a pleasant time while it lasted. For a song about lifting the weight off your shoulders and turning over a new leaf, it’s liberating.
Justin: Somehow a slow jam and melodic rap burrito all-in-one. Never heard of Tealousy before but the swag-goo dripping off of this one track is strong. The “you’re the one I’m missing” phrase in the middle is really good. A really interesting take on this sound that I want to hear more of. Surprise of the week.
Li-Wei: Tealousy’s “risk it all” is a chill, sexy R&B serenade that boasts a beat that threatens to turn into a full-on party banger. It teases you and bubbles under, but never builds all the way to a dance track. If he decided to ever make one, though, he’s probably do really well.
Header photo taken from DANDAN – “Never Enough.”
Check out our other Weekly Bullet Reviews here.