Listen to our Now Playing playlist on Tidal
It's been a mixed few weeks for music fans.
Metal maniacs mourned the death of Brummie legend Ozzy Osbourne at the end of July, Tyler the Creator dropped a new album from pretty much nowhere, and Nine Inch Nails released their first new music in five years with a sampler from their soundtrack to 2025's Tron: Ares sci-fi sequel.
We even had a not-so-small music scandal courtesy of AI-generated group The Velvet Sundown hitting a million hits on Spotify. Well, humanity had a good run...
This month's edition of Now Playing pays tribute to such a turbulent time, at least to a small degree.
There's no AI-generated music on this playlist (and there likely never will be!), just everything from classic pop to a groovy summer classic and a spicy pick from the UK's most divisive group.
And yes, there is, of course, a nod to the recently departed Prince of Darkness.
God's A Different Sword by Folk Bitch Trio
It’s rare that I come across a brand new album, let alone a brand new artist, that instantly captures my attention.
Folk Bitch Trio are a folk/indie act whose debut album, Now Would Be A Good Time, only came out a couple of weeks ago and the first track – God’s A Different Sword – immediately won me over.
The young Australian trio’s harmonies are outstanding. They each have lovely vocals on their own but put together, the harmonies are incredibly layered, textured and soar high into the ether.
It’s a lush, acoustic sound; intimate while also allowing plenty of space for their vocals to luxuriate. That they are high school friends perhaps affords them an extra layer of closeness and cohesion, while there is a maturity to their tone that feels impressive for a debut LP.
Some songs are in danger of meshing into one another, but the tracks where their beautiful harmonies are the focus, such as the first track and another personal favourite, That’s All She Wrote, really leave their mark.
Words by Kashfia Kabir
The Wizard by Black Sabbath
Last week Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, father of metal and all round music legend, died, which is why I found myself feeling the need to revisit one of my favourite albums featuring his iconic vocals: Black Sabbath's original self-titled masterpiece.
On this stellar record, full of bangers and credited as the origin point of all metal – heavy, sludge and everything else in between – there is one song that holds a special place in my heart: the album’s second track, The Wizard.
While it is not as famous as the band’s breakout success, Paranoid, it’s the first track I heard from Sabbath and one of the main reasons I love metal as a genre to this day. Starting with a haunting harmonica intro, it's a brilliant example of what made the group so special.
With a thundering bass part provided by Geezer Butler, a tight but powerful drum section by Bill Ward, and topped with Ozzy’s immediately recognisable vocals and Tony Iommi’s lead guitar, I challenge anyone to make it through the track without head banging.
If that wasn’t enough, according to Butler, the song is about Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, which automatically makes it even cooler.
Words by Alastair Stevenson
Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson
Whatever your views are on Jackson, you can’t deny that, during his golden period, he and Quincy Jones were pumping out arguably the finest pop music the world had yet heard.
Off the Wall. Wham. Thriller. Smash. Bad. Wallop. Three back to back classics, and all worthy of a place in your collection – if, of course, they’re not there already.
I could’ve gone for pretty much anything from this enviable glut of creative wonderfulness, but it so happens that Smooth Criminal has been lighting up our test rooms over the last few weeks.
Let’s be honest, you probably already know why it’s such a titanic piece of pop perfection. Jackson’s superb vocal gymnastics. The track’s ever-changing, ever-evolving use of various styles and moods. Jones’ pinpoint production. That outrageously entertaining central hook. Those slap-you-in-the-face percussive stabs.
Put them altogether and you’ve got a proper masterpiece that hasn't aged a day.
Words by Harry McKerrell
As Alive As You Need Me To Be by Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails are a band synonymous with experimentation and being at the forefront of the industrial music genre.
With Trent Reznor and Atticus Ron back together releasing new work under the name for the first time in five years courtesy of the group's latest single, As Alive As You Need Me To Be, it’s clear why.
Released earlier this month off the back of the band revealing their Peel It Back tour dates, the track is a tour de force of everything that made Nine Inch Nail’s work so iconic.
It’s the third song from the Cleveland group's upcoming Tron: Ares film score, which is set to tell the story of humanity’s first meeting with AI beings.
Featuring dynamic composition that mixes grooving synth parts with Reznor’s iconic growled vocals and an EBM-inspired rhythm section, it’s an incredible track – especially if you’re a fan of Nine Inch Nails' older work.
The rapidly shifting dynamics and mixed time signatures also make a demanding song that will really push any hi-fi system’s precision, dynamism and tonal balance.
Whether you’re an established Nine Inch Nails devotee or a complete newbie, I’d strongly recommend any music fan give it a listen.
Words by Alastair Stevenson
Summer Madness by Kool & The Gang
This track is so mellow it hardly bothers to get started. A world away from the disco cheese that Kool And The Gang became known for, Summer Madness just simmers for the majority of its four-minute run time, and is occasionally cut through by its soaring synth. True, the end of the track does build to a climax, but for the most part it creates a lazy mood perfectly befitting its summer vibe.
It’s also as great a test of your system as any of Kool And The Gang’s end-of-the-night foot stompers. There’s a lot of subtle detail to be dug up away from the main synth work, and come synth time there’s nowhere to hide for your system’s treble.
It’s also one of the most sampled R&B tracks ever. Think Summertime by Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (it’s even referenced in the lyrics) and You Know How We Do It by Ice Cube, but it’s also been used by Erykah Badu, Aaliyah, Snoop Dogg, Gang Starr, Paul Hardcastle and many more.
Not bad for a song that can barely be bothered to get out of bed.
Words by Joe Svetlik
Yes by Coldplay
Yes, it’s Coldplay, ok? Let’s just get this over with from the onset, shall we?
I make no apologies for recommending a track from the most divisive British group since Oasis – in fact, if everyone’s going to go all wet-eyed over the reunion of the Gallagher brothers like they're the saviours of music, I don’t see why I shouldn’t indulge in a bit of Coldplay as part of my current test rotation.
Just drop your preconception and give Yes a chance. A far cry from the middle of the road safety of 2005’s X&Y, Yes represents the more Avant-garde direction Coldplay took with 2008’s enjoyably bombastic Viva La Vida.
Big, lush strings veer up and down as tingly guitars twang away underneath Chris Martin’s surprisingly meaty, confident vocals, making for a composition that feels as front-footed and creatively confident as anything the group has done before or since.
If the likes of Speed of Sound and Clocks have you reaching for the cyanide, the refreshingly off-kilter approach of Yes might be right up your street. Very... un-Coldplay, shall we say.
Words by Harry McKerrell
As a collective, our review team listens to a lot of music. Sometimes we rely on old favourites with which we're familiar, but we are always discovering new tracks – be they fresh releases or just songs we haven't encountered before – that give us key insights into new products we are testing.
We also know that plenty of our readers are on the lookout for new tunes, either to assess the capabilities of a new system or simply to show off the full talents of their established hi-fi set-up. That's why we have come up with our monthly 'Now Playing' playlist, a rundown of everything we've been listening to and loving recently, whether at home with a set of headphones or at work in our fabulous test rooms. After all, we're all music lovers.
Each instalment will bring you a handful of tracks chosen by our reviews team, detailing why we love them and what they bring out of certain products, so even if you're not looking for new tunes to play on your system, we hope you find something you'll love no matter how you choose to listen to it.
We're always on the lookout for new music, so drop a comment below to share what you have been listening to!
MORE:
Read last month's edition: eight test tracks that have been playing on repeat in the What Hi-Fi? test rooms
These are the best audiophile headphones for getting the most out of your music
Check out our ultimate test tracks collection
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