New Subscriber Playlist: “The Bluest of Velvets, Volume 2”

There’s been a lot of talk about how the music industry is on the back foot these days due to the rise of AI as well as the impact of streaming services. Apparently, nobody passed that memo on to Jeff Cloud, because Velvet Blue Music is still going strong. And 2025 looks to be just as promising thanks to recently announced releases from Starflyer 59, Fine China, and Slow Salvation — and I’m sure Cloud has a few more surprises up his sleeve for the label’s devoted fanbase.

This month’s playlist, titled “The Bluest of Velvets, Volume 2,” highlights a selection of tracks taken from the label’s most recent output, which includes releases from some of the label’s most stalwart acts as well as excellent music from a slew of promising new artists.

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 LN’s “A Game of Damage,” a haunting slowcore ballad by one of Velvet Blue Music’s oldest acts.

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.)