Now Playing: October 2019

Our October issue is launching tomorrow! We can’t wait to bring you a brand-new issue full of amazing writing, but until that moment, here’s Now Playing, a preview of some of October’s contributors, what they’ve been listening to lately, and what it might mean.

Bronte Lim

I have a habit of endlessly rewatching/rereading things I love and then mindlessly partaking in the internet's infinitely autoplaying, scrollable content in all the spaces in-between, so to counter this what's been playing most recently is the sound of nothing. Which in my apartment, means the sound of my cat Belle licking her toes.

Steven Duong
Just listened to “Bottom Bitch” by Doja Cat for probably the thirtieth time today. Usually, I have no idea why a song gets the repeat treatment from me, but I know exactly why with this one. It’s got a Blink-182 sample. Anytime a rapper puts an emo/punk sample on the track, a former Hot Topic Guest List VIP Rewards card member gets their wings. And look, she’s making pop punk in 2019! Pop punk!!! In 2019!!!!! Audacious. Masterful. Groundbreaking. Might have to write a poem about it. Anyway, for these reasons, we are all legally obligated to love this song.

Amy Bailey

I’m now well-versed in songs about paninis and meanies. This knowledge was not by choice. Children are to blame. I had to cleanse the aural palate and loudly retaliate with my favorite 80s song, “Rumors” by Timex Social Club, while said children and their friends were trapped in the car with me. I didn’t hear anything about paninis after that.