New Subscriber Playlist: “October Harvest”

October is here, which means we’re entering the final stretch of 2024 — and that means another roundup of all of the songs that I’ve been discovering. Many of them are pretty new while others have been rattling around inside my Apple Music account for awhile now — and it’s high time they all got some attention.

This month’s playlist, titled “October Harvest,” features a cornucopia of songs spanning goth, post-punk, metal, funk, industrial, and more. Most of these songs were released in 2024, and provide ample proof that this year has been a truly remarkable one for music from all manner of genres and styles.

Accompanying the playlist is the latest episode of my “Playlist Breakdown” podcast, in which I spotlight one of the playlist’s songs and why it’s so special, interesting, and/or meaningful. This month’s episode focuses on Starflyer 59’s “Lust for Gold,” which hearkens back to the band’s early distortion and feedback-heavy sound but is also more than just an exercise in simple musical nostalgia.

Both of these are little bonuses for subscribers who support Opus financially. If you’d like to get access to them (and more), subscribe to Opus for just $5/month or $50/year. (You can also subscribe for free and get my weekend newsletter.)