The Plug’n Play: April (‘25)
May 8, 2025
Illustration by Malaaya Adams
You can listen to the full playlist on Apple Music or Spotify
On the cover: Destin Conrad is a singer-songwriter from Tampa, Florida. On April 25th, Conrad released LOVE ON DIGITAL, his 5th studio album. Destin Conrad’s been a frequent artist on our playlists over the past few years, so it felt fitting to have him on the cover of our playlist!
If you’re looking for new music, this is the place for you! Each month, my friend, Kevin, and I select some of our favorite songs from the past month, compiling them into one playlist. While our tastes overlap in a lot of ways, they also diverge. Ultimately, these songs represent what has drawn us in, made us curious, or feel something.
Songs 1 - 18 were selected by Kevin. Songs 19 - 31 were selected by me, Stanley. We hope you find a song you like and check out the larger body of work, whether it’s an EP or an album. Below are a few words on some of my favorite songs from the month:
KISSING IN PUBLIC — Destin Conrad
I first came across KISSING IN PUBLIC — the last single Destin Conrad released from his then forthcoming album, LOVE ON DIGITAL — while in Vancouver for a conference. I stole a few minuets — to get away from the hustle and bustle of the conference — to take a walk and listen to the song. On first listen, I was struck by the Neptunes-inspired production: how much space the song had, the minimal chord progression (the song mostly oscillates between a Dmi7 and Cmi7), the pop of the snare on the 2nd and 4th beats, the chimy guitar stabs throughout the song. (The Neptunes’ Frontin’ feels like an apt comparison). During the bridge, the composition took a turn, one that I didn’t see coming. The groovy, repetitive movement between the two chords was replaced by a dreamy, new progression: Dmaj7, Bbmaj7, Cmaj7. The tonal center of the song completely shifted — the song felt “brighter,” euphoric even.
KISSING IN PUBLIC is about desire and assurance; affection and tenderness. Conrad, who is queer, has often talked about his social location, and performing in the R&B tradition. In the past, he’s stated how, “…gay boys need songs about other gay boys…” Not simply as a means of appealing to the hollow liberal logics of “representation,” but as a means of crafting a new story that is fuller than the limiting heteronormative ways that we have come to know “genre.” KISSING IN PUBLIC, then, operates as an expansion of who can be desired, loved, or even kissed, in public (and then it written about in song).
Limits — Oscar Jerome
On April 4th, London-based guitarist, producer, and songwriter, Oscar Jerome released his third studio album, The Fork. The Fork is a both continuation of, and a response of to, his 2022 album, The Spoon, as well as a metaphor for the life-altering decisions that we, as humans, are often faced with. Like many artists emerging from the London “Jazz” scene over the past decade, Jerome’s music is genre-defiant, melding West Indian, American, and British influences with ease (Jerome cites John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, Wes Montgomery, and Santana, amongst others, as influences). On Limits, Jerome displays his talents as producer, composer, and lyricist: a programmed drum beat, sparse chord progression, a guitar drenched in reverb, and a bass line deep in the pocket. Limits is a meditation on recognizing self-doubt and worry, offering a response of letting go; to not spend too much time on “these limits.”
