cygnoir

Two new issues of Community Tracks have been released!

For your listening (and reading) pleasure... compiled from songs shared on Crucial Tracks. Listen along as you read posts from some of our featured community members.

Enjoy!

https://app.crucialtracks.org/community-tracks/2025-11-23 […]

cygnoir's Crucial Track for November 26, 2025 The song Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple

Crucial Track for 26 November 2025: "Extraordinary Machine" by Fiona Apple

This came on today, courtesy of my favorites mix. I forgot how much I loved it.

#CrucialTracks #Music #FionaApple

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251126

🏃 brb, running through a field of wildflowers, app subscriptions lapsing in my wake, every single “are you sure?” boosting my velocity

🖋️ If you are feeling bereft in the wake of the small-minded nastiness in the world, might I suggest getting your fingers all splotchy with fountain pen ink?

Something in my brain is so soothed by this level of ink matching. 💜
https://mastodon.social/@penaddict/115588048502006261

cygnoir's Crucial Track for November 19, 2025 The song you should see me in a crown by Billie Eilish

Crucial Track for 19 November 2025: "you should see me in a crown" by Billie Eilish

Today's prompt: What's your favorite song to sing in the car?

#CrucialTracks #Music #BillieEilish

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251119

Crucial Track for 18 November 2025: "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals

Today's prompt: Share a song that feels like it was written specifically for you.

I'm trying not to overthink these prompts. (Me, not overthink something, ha.)

#CrucialTracks #Music #GlassAnimals

View entry […]

cygnoir's Crucial Track for November 17, 2025 The song Weak by Stephanie Dosen

Crucial Track for 17 November 2025: "Weak" by Stephanie Dosen

Today's prompt: What's a song you only listen to when you're completely alone?

#CrucialTracks #Music #StephanieDosen

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251117

📚 Halp, I got sucked into an Elizabeth Gilbert memoir! (Not "Eat Pray Love", which I have never read.)

cygnoir's Crucial Track for November 16, 2025 The song Be Sweet by The Afghan Whigs

Crucial Track for 16 November 2025: "Be Sweet" by The Afghan Whigs

Today's prompt: What's your favorite opening line from any song?

There are so many! But this is the one I thought of first.

#CrucialTracks #Music #AfghanWhigs

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251116

cygnoir's Crucial Track for November 15, 2025 The song Free Time by Ruel

Crucial Track for 15 November 2025: "Free Time" by Ruel

"I'm tired of all of this free time," Ruel sang. I have never known this feeling. Still love singing along.

#Music #CrucialTracks #Ruel

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251115

Portland Frog Hat Inspired by the Portland Frog, 2025 Yarn: 100g/75 yards super bulky weight yarn (I used Compass Moon Creations Vancouver base, color #105 New Updo). Yarn is similar and weight and feel to Malabrigo Rasta. Gauge: 9 st and 13 rounds = 4” in stockinette stitch Needles: 24” US 15/10 mm circular needle | one extra needle same size for 3 needle bind off Notions: Small amount of white felt for two 2” circles, and two 1” buttons for eyes. Needle, thread, tapestry needle. I traced around my tape measure for my felt circles. Finished measurements: 20” circumference, 8.5” tall. You can adjust circumference by adding or subtracting 4 stitches for your cast on (but you might need a shorter needle if you go much smaller). Cast on 44 sts using long tail cast on. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. Work K2 P2 ribbing for 12 rounds. Continue in stockinette stitch (all knit) until hat measures 8” tall. Use 3 needle bind off to close top; I like to close mine from the outside (wrong sides together), leaving a decorative ridge along the top edge. Alternatively, you may choose to bind off and seam the top of your hat. Sew in ends. Sew eyes to hat. I only sewed the buttons down; they held the felt in place and I didn’t feel the need to sew the felt down separately. Notes: I cast on an extra stitch and decrease it away to make a tidy join. See this video tutorial on joining to work in the round And here’s my 3 needle bind off tutorial If you find my tutorials helpful, check out my tutorials page for lots more. How do you start a frog hat? Rib it! Rib it! Editing to add: No super bulky? For worsted weight yarn at 5 stitches/inch, try US 7/4.5 mm needles, and 96 stitches. You may want a shorter cable (16 or 20” needle), or 2 circulars or magic loop, if you find that a 24” needle makes you have to uncomfortably stretch your knitting. Knit ribbing for 4 inches, then continue as above. ### Share this: * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * Like Loading...

🐸 Fiber arts friends, you know you need a Portland frog hat (https://pdxknitterati.com/patterns/patterns-hats/portland-frog-hat/).

Grateful to have a little extra cash to donate to omg.lol members in need. We are a community, and building community matters.
https://social.lol/@neatnik/115486390074802304

Crucial Track for 14 November 2025: "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" by P.M. Dawn

The iconic use of Spandau Ballet's "True", but have you listened to the lyrics? Forever a favorite.

#CrucialTracks #Music #PMDawn

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251114

Crucial Tracks 010: Halsted Next up on the Crucial Tracks interview series is Halsted, host of the Friendship Material podcast, librarian, writer, and purveyor of good-natured chaos.

O hi, it's me, loving on some music in my weird little way!

Thank you, Crucial Tracks, for bringing so much sonic joy to my life.
https://www.crucialtracks.org/crucial-tracks-010-halsted/

Crucial Track for 13 November 2025: "Dopamine" by Robyn

A new Robyn track defrayed the tragic events of the workday.

#Music #CrucialTracks #Robyn

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251113

Crucial Track for 12 November 2025: "A.P.O.L.O.G.Y." by Tom Vek

A tiny time machine into the past I never lived. #Music #CrucialTracks #TomVek

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251112

🤪 This flurry of posting has been sponsored by a day off work, avoiding responsibilities, and two cups of tea.

Crucial Track for 11 November 2025: "The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)" by Gorillaz

New Gorillaz song! Yay, yay.

#CrucialTracks #Music #Gorillaz

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20251111

And because I finally figured out how to do this, an audio clip of the aforementioned shout-out. (But you should listen to the whole podcast. And also visit CrucialTracks.) @endonend @keenan

screenshot of text that reads: Welcome back to your favorite music newsletter – the place to go when you want your tracks to be crucial™. 😅😂 (hat tip to the Friendship Material podcast)

What's the word for when your shout-out gets shouted out? Is it as endearingly adorable as it is to be a part of (don't ever tell me if it isn’t)? @endonend @keenan

🖋️ The reminder for our next Analog Tools Meetup (https://cygnoir.net/analog-tools-meetups) has been emailed! 🖋️📓🗂️ If you’re not on this list and would like to join us, let @jessekelber or me know.

Immediately after recording this episode I found the long list of favorites I used to have on my website. 🫠
https://social.lol/@keenan/115486405918439769

🍅 Here come the tomatoes! !a wooden box half-filled with a mixture of vibrant red heirloom tomatoes and burgundy cherry tomatoes (https://cdn.some.pics/cygnoir/68b4b6c705fb0.jpg)

🥰 Never underestimate the power of a good chat and a good cry with a good friend.

cygnoir's Crucial Track for July 30, 2025 The song Dancing On Volcanoes by Gwenno

Crucial Track for 30 July 2025: "Dancing On Volcanoes" by Gwenno

"Are we all here because of trauma? / Did we all lose something somewhere?"

#CrucialTracks #Music #Gwenno

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20250730

Pulpy, shame-studded preteen moments captured exquisitely in another terrific piece by @keenan.
https://social.lol/@keenan/114944741779564861

Crucial Track for 28 July 2025: "Crush" by Indigo De Souza

This song makes me chair dance! Bounce bounce.

#CrucialTracks #Music #IndigoDeSouza

View entry:
https://app.crucialtracks.org/profile/cygnoir/20250728

I've struggled to articulate my thoughts about my name and identity in the past, but @keenan made the conversation really worthwhile and fun for me. I recommend them both as a podcast co-host and as a friend!
https://social.lol/@keenan/114930888515426694

hee hee hee I’m excited too!
https://social.lol/@keenan/114927756083433967